Gilpin observer., 1899-06-01

ed the interdiction upon the importa-
| tion Of American cattle. The decree
took effect May 31st. The State De-
partment is very proud of its achieve
ment in securing the .reopening Of the
Belgian markets to American cattle,
they having been closed since 1894
Contractor Mcintyre will be given
another chance to finish building the
Denver mint. The superintendent Of
construction has issued an order not to
enforce the revocation order until June
10th. If by that time Mcintyre indi-
Gates that he can live up to the terms
of the contract, can finish the job in
hurry, and can draw the necessary
amount of granite each day. he will
probably be allowed to finish the job.
The War Department has received
the following message from General
Leonard Wood. in command of the
province of Santiago: Il have just re-
turned from an inspection of the prin-
cipal interior towns ON the north coast
in this department. The people are at
work, there is no hunger and there
We're no applications for personal as
sistance during the trip. The people
are absolutely quiet. There are no Gu
ban troops under arms anywhere in the
province and no brigandage.'
An adjustment was reached Tuesday
of the grievances presented by the
machinists employed at the govern
ment arsenal at Rock Island. Illinois.
the department holding that petitions
may be presented by the men to their
commandant individually or by some
one or more of such employees who
may Ike selected to represent them, but
not by representations other than from
the men themselves. This decision Is
in line with the rules and regulations
of the War Department and appears
to ignore unionism.
1T is only a question of time" says
Secretary Wilson. who has just re-
turned from trip in the Southern
states. when the South will produce
all the tea the people in the United
States want. This department pro-
poses to push experiments along that
line We intend to establish tea farm
in every Southern state as soon as that
can be done intelligently. We propose
to get the finest varieties of tea to be
found in the Orient. and to have the
planting done where growth can be
forced through irrigation, SO as to get
plenty of tender shoots.
The President has given commits
sion to Charles L. Whipple, n New
York artist, to paint portrait of Mrs.
Mckinley, and the sittings will COM
mence soon. Mrs. Mckinley is to be
seated in her favorite chair, just as the
President sees her every time he goes
into her sitting room, and she is to
wear n white brocade that was made
for her in Chicago last fall. He consid-
ers it one of the most becoming gowns
she ever had. The background will be
n tapestry loaned by Mr.. Foulke Of this
city, who purchased the Barabini col
lection of tapestries in Rome some
years ago. Mrs. Mckinley has never
had her portrait painted. The Presi-
dent has sat for three of four artists,
and Mr.. Whipple has just finished pOr-
traits of him and Secretary Long.
1t is now expected that General Co
mez will come to Washington. The
President has been anxious that he
should do so. and when Robert p. Por-
ter visited the lnsurgent chief last win
ter he bore an invitation. General Co
mez did not think it expedient to ac-
cept at that time. He had been accused
of what President Cleveland would
call ''pernicious activity in the inter-
est of the Yankees, and If he came to
Washington he feared the Cubans
would think he had gone over entirely
to the Americans and he would lose his
influence with them. Now. however,
matters have progressed SO far that he
can visit the United States without be-
ing suspected of seeking bribe or try
ing to curry favor with the President.
Private dispatches from Cuba say he
may be expected within the next few
weeks.
The annual report of the chief of the
Weather Bureau shows Il remarkable
Increase in the loss of farm property
by lightning during the last few years.
This view is also held by insurance
companies which make specially OF
Making risks against storms and cy-
clones. For instance. the Farmers Mu-
tual Insurance Company of Redding-
ton. New Jersey. paid $25,3 1888 in losses
by lightning during the six years from
1882 to 1887. During the corresponding
six years of the next decade, from 1892
to 1897, 1t paid $62. 153. The fire insur-
ance companies of Michigan paid 316
losses from lightning. amounting to
S37 .563 in 1895. and in 1896 they had
1.5O0 cases of lightning stroke. amount
ing to S153.S41. Similar information
comes from the other states and shows
n remarkable Increase in the number of
storms and the extent of destruction.
Secretary Gage has taken great inter-
est in the application of the competi-
tive plan for the selection of designs
for government buildings. The new
custom house in New York. which is
to cost S2.7500OO, is the largest build
ing tGsbe erected under the present nd
nlnistration, and will be regarded as
| nm experiment. Twenty of the foremost
architects In the country have accepted
invitations TO submit designs on Sep
tember 9th next. and the selection will
| be made by n committee consisting of
| the supervising architect of the treas.