The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-02-15
Domestic.

Not since 1872 has Chicago experienced
such intense cold as prevailed in that city
Wednesday. The lowest notch reached
since the establishment OF the weather
bureau in that city was tweDty-three below
zero. At eleven o'clock Wednesday night
1t was nineteen below and when the wealth.
or office closed the officials predicted tbat
by Thursday morning the mercury would
reach twenty five below and the record be
broken. The maximum "Wednesday was
six below and the resulting discomfort was
accumulated by strong wind which blew
from the northwest. There were no deaths
attributed to the cold, although frost bitten
faces, hands and feet we're numerous. Three
people collapsed on the street from the of
feet of the cold but we're soon revived. All
through the west and northwest the cold
was intense. Reports from points in Iowa,
Wisconsin and Illinois show temperatures
ranging from sixteen to tbirty-four degrees
below zero, the latter at La Crosse, Wis
There is much suffering in interior towns
among poor people.
The credentials of Brigham III Roberts of
Utah, as meu her of the Fifty sixth Con-
gress we're received Wednesday afternoon
by Chief Clerk Mcdowell of the National
House of Representatives and we're placed
on tile They are signed by j. G Ham
mond, Secretary of state for Utah, and are
as follows: l, James G, Hammond, secreta
ry of S ate of the S ate of Uiah, do hereby
certify that on Tuesday, the eighth day of
No vember, A. d. 1898, at the general cleo
ton held within and for said State, Brigham
III. Roberts was duly elected representa-
tive to the Fifty sixth Congress of the
United Stafes of America from the State of
Utah appears from the returns of said
election, which have been duly canvassed
and certiti I'd. In testimony whereof, L
have set my hand and affixed the great seal
of the 5 ate of Utah, this 10Th day OF De-
cember. 1898.
The commission appointed by President
Mckinley to Investigate the conduct OF the
war department during the war with Spain,
submitted its report to the President Satur-
day. The commission examined 400 wit
nesses, and the report contains % 600
words. 1t Is unanimous, and is signed by
every member of the com mission except
Col. James A. Sexton, " no died February 4.
Summarized, the commission finds that no
official connected with the war department
r. ceived a dollar that did not belong to him (;
considerable mismanage ment is found in
the transportation of troops to Cuba; Gen.
Miles is severely condt mned for his course
in regard to army beef; Secretary Alger is
declared honest but inefficient; the Com
missary General Eagan is criticised and Adj
jutant General Corbin is CONNIE nded for
the work he accomplished.
The commission also recommends less red
tape in military operations, and abolishing
the Office of commanding general, allowing
the President to appoint general in chief
who shall be subordinate to himself and the
secretary OF war.
A fire, terrible in its effects, occurred at
two O'Clock Sunday morning at The South
Dakota insane asylum at Yankton. The
fire started in the basement of one of the
cottages, completely quitting the building
and causing the loss OF the lives OF seven
teen inmates.
The lack of water greatly hindered the
firemen. The board cottage stands some
three hundred feet in the rear of the main
building, The water tank for fire protection
being one hundred feet in the rear OF the
cottage. The steam pipes used for pump
ing run from the boiler room of the main
building through the Gotta for heating
| and then to the artesian We or tank. The
intense heat in the burning building caused
the pipes to burst shortly after the fire be-
gan leaving the fire hose without power ex-
| cept direct pressure from the tank which
was in no way sufficient to quench the
flames Two streams of water were thrown
on the building but did little good. With
the thermometer standing at twenty-three
| below zero the inmates who could escape
came down the narrow flight of stairs in
their night clothing and bare feet into the
bitter cold and had 1t not been for the near
ness of shelter the suffering aud probable
loss OF live from freezing would have been
terrible.
Fifty-twO persons were in the burning
building, forty patients and twelve female
attendants. The attendants escaped as did
the others who were saved with none of
their personal effects many losing all they
possessed. An inquest is now in progress
at the asylum which may develop the OK :
act cause of the fire. 1t is not thought
blame will be attached to any OF the at
tendants. Portions of charred remains can
be seen in the debris at the bottom of the
basement. The work of removing the re-
mains will begin in the morning.