The Springfield herald., 1899-07-28

Secretary Alger has approved plans
for building for the refrigerator plant
at Manila. The building will cost $780,
600 and the plant and machinery $4OO,-
COO
The Navy Department has received
the first half of an order for 100 new
machine guns of II new type. the most
| powerful in the possession of any gov
ernment. They are one-pounders car
rying an explosive shell and can hrc
80 shots minute. They are cooled
by water jacket, and it is said that
they can put fifty shots into the head
of barrel ut half n mile in quarter
| of minute.
Admiral Dewey cables from Trieste
| to the secretary of the navy, accepting
| the invitation of the Washington com
| mittee for reception on the steps OF
the capitol building. where the sword
voted by Congress will be presented
Secretary Long has been chosen 10
make the sword presentation and fres
ident Mckinley has promised to attend
| the ceremony. which VIII nave All 'he
| attributes of n national affair.
| In response to the recently cabied
| request of General Otis for 1000 horses
for use In the Philippines during the
| fall campaign, the quartermaster ue
| partment has chartered three vessels
capable of carrying half that number
the first of which probably VIII leave
Seattle August 10th. The vessels are
| the Garonne the Port Albert and the
| Victoria. The Garonne will also be able
| to take about $50 first class passengers.
The Bureau of Ordnance has taken
| steps TO relieve the coast forts OF the
l "a
of obsolete ordnance that has been pill
| ing up ever since the change in ord
nance construction from cast iron TO
| steel guns 1t is worth less as junk
than the cost of removing it and break
| ing 1t up. The secretary has been ask
| ed for authority to condemn ana sell
| it, and If no bids are made the great
guns and carriages will have to be de-
stroyed at government expense.
The following was received at the
War Department Tuesday: Manila,
July 1s.-Adjutant General. Washing
| ton: Continued rains and cyclonic
storms impede business in the harbor.
| The Colorado regiment sailed on the
transport Warren yesterday. Privates
Horn and Wilder. Company G. being
left on the sick list. In addition 131
discharged men of various organiZa-
tions took passage. The California
regiment, on the Sherman. arrived
| from Negros. The vessel must be
coaled and await subsistence of ty-
| phoon now prevailing. OTIS"
Secretary Ayers experience since en-
| tering the Cabinet has been very bitter.
| He has been assailed and criticised
more than any of his colleagues, and
was forced to take the brunt of all the
assaults upon the administration. He
| Is very sensitive. of fine nerves and
refined temperament. and he has suf-
| fered keenly. Mrs. Alger has also felt
| the bitter arraignment of her husband.
and is said to be bordering on nervous
prostration. She has been urgent in
| her appeals to the secretary to retire,
but he was deluded with the idea thar
| he could fight down the opposition.
and consistently protested that he
| would not retire under fire.
Immediately upon the authoritative
| announcement of Roots appointment
and acceptance nj the White House.
Secretary Alger gave out for publica-
| tion the following letter. which he
wrote to Mr.. Root on learning that
| Root would be offered the place:
| "Washington. July 21.-My Dear Mr..
Root: All know is what the newspa-
pers say. that you are to succeed me
| as secretary of war. Should it come to
you l most urgently urge you to make
the sacrifice and accept the position.
With your great knowledge of law and
your excellent health you can serve
the country in way given to few
men,"
| Secretary Gage has left the city
rather unexpectedly for New York for
| the purpose, it is stated. of making n
final appeal to the members of the Sen
| ate finance COMMITTEES. now meeting mt
Manhattan Beach. for the retention of
an out and out gold standard feature
in the proposed measure under consid-
GRAFTON by that committee. 1t is stated
| that he has word that the Senate com
mittee is not disposed to accept the
House measure. which makes an un-
| cQuivocal declaration for gold. and
| that the members instead are propos-
ing another straddle. Secretary Gage.
| as is well known. wants II complete
and emphatic declaration for gold by
the committee. President Congress.
and the national Republican conven-
| ton.
| The eleventh statistical report of the
| Interstate Commerce Commission for
the year ended June 30, 1899. shows
that there are 2,O47 railways in the
| United States. operating DAT. .532 miles
of track, which was an increase of
4S,O39 for the year. At the date named
there We're in operation 36,234 locomo.
| tives and 1,326.174 cars, being an in
crease of PAS and 2S,694. respectively
compared with the previous year. The
number of passengers carried during
the year was 5O1 ,O6G6S1. an increnso
| of II, 1,62l ,4S3. The number of tons of
| freight carried was S79.OO63O7. being
an increase of 137. .3O0,361 tons. The