Connecticut western news., 1899-04-20


 tile little craft at Piylnoutn, where tn= torpedo boat WE s towed after breaking down in her recent trip from Falmouth. The boilers and fittings had previously been removed.
 The war department has decided to make a material reduction in the mili- tary strength in Porto Rico. There are now about 5.0t0 regular troops on the island, and il is believed that not more than 5000 are needed. It is more than likely that the Eleventh infantry and two or more batteries of the Seventh artillery will be relieved from further duty in Porto Rico.
 The unidentified dead of the Windsor hotel fire have been inferred in Kensico cemetery. at White Plains. N. Y. Rev. D. Parker Morgan, D. D.. of the Church of the Heavenly Redeemer. this city, condus.ed the services according to Episcopal observances. There were in all 16 complete bodies and the bones of eight other bodies.
 Governor Roosevelt has indicated his position on the New York city police bills by signing the first of these meas ures. The bin signed Is that of Ssaa- tor Raines, which authorizes the gov ernor to direct the attorney general to prosecute violations of the election franchise in New York "it. " Gesig mating one of his deputies to act as spe cial counsel to the .'IDerintendeat O! elections in the metropolitan strict.
 The cruiser Chicago has sailed on hei first important voyage in four years. A cruise of 22,0O0 miles is to be mad The Chicago will go first to the A=ore, then to Gibraltar. where a stop of t
 xxrfl Inn nd the Mediterranean and the Suez can and down the eastern coast of Afric
 to Johannesburg and Cape Town. . stop will be made at St. Helena It expected that the Chic3go will return {, the United States next October.
 Idle Hour, the country seat of Will liam K. Vanderbilt at Oakdale, N. \. where MT. and Mrs. William K. Van derbilt Jr., have been spending thei: honeymoon, has been burned to thu ground. 1t is believed that the fire was started by an incendiary, whose motive was robbery. The fire spread with great rapidity and seemed to have been set in several places at the same time. Mir. Vanderbilt and his bride es- capped, clad only in their night clothing. Thirty union miners at Pana have entered pleas of guilty to holding up q Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern train bearing 100 negroes from Washington. Ind, to Pana on Sept. 2G last and have been fined S20 and costs and sentenced to 30 days in jail each. The jail sen tence was remitted on promise of good behavior. The union paid the fines, Sl, 900 in all, and the men were released The cases of 100 more miners indicted for the same offense were continued un- til June.
 Secretary AIger has issued orders for recognizing the army departments in Cuba. The number of departments Is reduced frcr1 seven to five, the two eliminated being the department of Pi- mar del Rio, commanded by Brigadier General Hasbrouck, and the department of Matanzas. commanded by Brigadier General Bates. The department of Pi- mar del Rio is consolidated with the de- pertinent of the province of Havana, and Brigadier General Lee. now com manding the latter department, is as- signed to the command of the two com bined departments. The department of Matanzas is consolidated with the de- pertinent of Santa Clara, and Brigadier General Wilson, now in command of the last named department, is assigned to the command of the new department.