Connecticut western news., 1899-06-01
pnynnAn, who retsmrs nen.

| pnyslclan, Nho recentfy dled.
 The president has issued the amend
 ments to the civil service rules which he
 has had under consideration so long. They
 release from the operations of the civil | service rules about 4,0O0 offices Among
 such places are the following: Pension
 examining surgeons, Indians employed in the Indian service not connected with
 the Indian school service and many | places in the engineer department nt large, the quartermaster's department at
 large, the subsistence department at large and the ordnance department at large of the war department.
 The members of the board of naval bureau chiefs who will decide on the na- | ture of the repairs and changes to be
 madcSupon the captured Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes are somewhat divided
 in opinion, and 1t may be that the cruiser | will be tied up at the dock at Norfolk | and left there to await the pleasure of
 congress at the next session. The Reina Mercedes does not represent the latest ideas in naval construction. A conserva- | tive estimate places the cost of refitting the Mercedes so as to entitle her to a place on the naval lists at about $250- 900, which would be about 20 per cent of her value.
 Since last Friday the states of Nebras- ks, South Dakota, Iowa. Wisconsin. Min nesota and northern Illinois have experi- enctj a series of the most violent storms known in years, resulting in the loss of nearly a dozen lives and doing damage to property and crops that will run into the hundreds of thousands In the states of Nebraska. South Dakota and Iowa tornadoes have laid waste large sections of the country, converting hundreds of farmhouses and buildings into kindling
 wood, killing stock and tearing up trees like so many weeds. At least six torna. does of greater or less intensity have been reported since Friday.
 As a result of an early morning blaxs at Coney Island property of the value of S1, 100000 was destroyed, 20 acres in the heart of the summer resort section. the district known as the Bowery, be- ing reduced to ashes. Two hundred build ings were burned between the Bowery and the ocean. 1flyeu's walk on the west and the Old Iron pier on the east. These buildings ranged in size and importance from a wabhly bstsing pavilion" to the handsome five story Hygeia hotsl, thea ters, concert halls, dancing pavilions. stores of various kinds and restaurants So far as known only four persons were injured or burned, and all will recover Deputy Battalion Chief Kirkpatrick says he Is convinced that the fire was of in cendiary origin. The coroner's Jury In the Exeter (Ps.) wreck inquest has found that the acci- dent was due to negligence of certain employees of the company. They censure George O. Bowers, trainmsster at i'hila- delphia, for equipping the special train with crew unfamiliar with the main line; Engineer orrell and Conductor Ma gee for reckless running aud Engineer Wildersmith for having passed the signal at Exeter and then backing up 236 feet.
 and Train Dispatcher James Rourke Is declared negligent in not notifying the special crew of the delay cf the express They recommend that the independent
 tower system below Reading be abolish. cd and that the ten minute rule between passenger trains be enforced. The ac- cused employees have been arrested on warrants sworn out by County Detect i've Kirshner. They each furnished ball
 in the sum of S1,0o0 for their appear
 ance at the court Of quarter sessions of
 Berks county on the second Monday in June.