The state herald., 1899-09-01

|
obs that there is absolutely no founda-
| tlon for any claim against the federal
| government on account of the Union
Pacific railroad. From time to time
for months past requests have been re-
ceived from citizens in the West for
information concerning an alleged
claim. 1t appears that some schemers
| have been attempting to interest the
people in that section In an alleged
| suit TO recover about S54,0OO,OOO, the
amount of iirst-mortgagc bonds of the
! Union Pacific, which they represent
were deposited with the government
and never returned.
| Lieutenant ID. ii. Jarvis, commander
| of the revenue cutter Bear, gives an
account of the rescue of gold seekers
| who rushed into the kotZebue gold
country, Alaska, In the summer OF
| lS9S. On arrival there he found n ter
| rible condition of affairs. Men had died
of starvation, scurvy and by drowning,
| and he obtained Il list of forty-eight
| deaths. Over 1000 of the gold seekers
had wintered there. The Bear, after
relieving as much of the distress ns
| possible and leaving stores, lime juice,
etc, for the survivors, took eighty-two
| of the survivors to ST. Michael, where
| they Were turned over to the military
| authorities. Lieutenant Jarvis left he.
| tween 225 and $50 survivors at Kotzc.
| bue sound. He will proceed to Cape
| Barrow and upon his return touch at
| kotzebue sound and pick up any who
desire TO return with him. Lieutenant
Jarvis says: "1hc rush of people to
kotzebue sound was n deplorable af-
fair, Misled by false information and
advertisements. 1,2OO people. many to-
tally untitled to stand hard conditions
| and climate, rushed TO the country dur
Ing the open season of 1895 During
the winter no gold whatever was found
and in the spring they sought every
means of escaping from the region.
Many drowned In the swift currents OF
the rivers, in the fail of 1898. Others
lost their lives during the winter from
the cold, and worst of ALL in the spring
scurvy broke out in nearly all the
camps
The official report of the mineral pro-
duction Of the United States for the
calendar year 1898 was made public
Wednesday by the geological survey.
Ii shows that since 1880 the total value
of the mineral production of the United
States has increased from S369, ,3l9. 600
to SG9I 5000 in 1898, nearly 30 per
cent. The normal increase deduced
from this record of nineteen years Is Mt
the rate of S1SOOO.ooO annually, bur
during the five years since 1893 the
rate of Increase has been nearly So5,.
600, 600 annually. While the normal
rate of increase may lie somewhere
between these two figures. the totals
are marked by great Irregularities.
From 1894 TO 1895 the Increase was
nearly SlOo,o00,oOO and In the follow.
ing year the Increase was only n little
over Sl.ooo,OOo. while from 1892 TO
1891 there was n decrease. owing To
the business depression. OF over Sl2l.-
100000. From 1896 To 1897 the Increase
was about SS.OOO.OOO. about ly3 per
cent. while 1897 10 1898. the Increase
was sGG.9T0, ,53i The 1sgS total pro.
ductlon was the largest in'Tf1Story. cx.
cceding that of 1892. which held the
record prior TO 1898. by nearly $4,000.
900. This was due 10 n general Increase
all along the line OF mineral products.
all of the more important of these
showing large Increases and almost ev.
cry one showing some gain. The value
of all metallic products In lSnS was
Slt4.0od. 100. as compared with s302.-
l9s,J02 In 1897. gain Of si1. .s97. Cos.
All Of the metals. except nickel. made
large gains; copper, lead. zinc. alumni
mum and antimony reaching their max
imum In both production and value.
but while the amount Of pig iron pro.
duced In lsDs was greater than In any
other year. the value NJ this product
q 4 T..
1892, though II Increased sci .i3i, ,7Or
over 1897. this being more than one
half Of tho Increase In the total metal
product from 1897 to 1895.
The correspondent of the Chicago
Record writes: There are two law
yerS in the cabinet. Secretary Of War
Root and Attorney General Griggs.
and, although their official association
has been Of short duration, they have
already disagreed. As stated last
night. Secretary Root took with him ON
his visit 10 the President n plan for a
ciyll government for Porto Rico. lie
Is OF the opinion that the President has
authority 10 extend our laws To the
island, and is especially earnest In the
desire 10 do something 10 relieve the
people, who are suffering from n dis.
eliminating tarin. Members Of the
insnlar commission and prominent
Porto Rlcans have Informed the Pres.
ldent that the customs duties collect.
ed In Porto Rico nt present are n Sc,
rlous burden 10 the people. who are
suffering from the lack of necessarles
of life. Nearly every one who has Wis.
itcl the island agrees that the duties
should be- lowered The recent dcvas.
iation by n hurricane called forth an
order with the approval Of the Prrsi.
dent. whereby the duties upon certain
goods were suspended and they given
free admission There has been no
question 0f the constltutlounliiy of THIS
charitable net and Secretary Root
takes the view TINT an order from the
President extending our custom laws
over the island until Congress rnn net
would be- unlucstionnhly legal. lie
wants 10 relieve the suffering people In
the ilrst place give them markets for
their tobacco. coffee aud other prod,
ucis and drlll them In self government.
lie wonld have free trade between the
Island and the United States nni civ.
n government In every municipality
The President wns pleased with his
recommendations hut before taking
action upon them consulted Attorney
General Griggs. The latter did no,
agree with some of Secretary Roots
Views on the law points involved and
questioned the Presidents authority To
give Porto Rico n civil government
lie advised the President 10 refrain
from the contemplated action md
leave the matter Ia Congress, The