davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
POWDER MILL BLEW UP.
-Four Men Killed and Five Others In-
jured at Seward, PA.

Johnstown, Pa, June 2O.--The coin
ing mill of the Cambria Powder Co.'S
plant at Seward, 10 miles from Johns
town, blew up Thursday afternoon,
instantly killing three men and in
juring five others, one of whom has
since died. Two others are fatally
hurt. The dead are:
j. B. Smith, of Seward, aged 40
years, married and leaves large
family.
John Rhodes, of Seward, aged SO
years, married and leaves large
family.
Charles Drover, of Wapwallopen,
Luzerne county, aged 3j years and
unmarried.
w. +. Bracllen, of Seward, married,
three children.
The injured: Frank Wakefield, of
Seward, married, seriously burned,
will die
Thomas Gordon, unmarried, seri-
ously burned, will die.
John B. Mccullough, of Seward,
slightly burned about the hands end
feet.
Seymour Allison, of Seward, slight
~
The explosion occurred as the men
were loading a pot of powder on a
wagon driven by Rhodes. Suddenly
there was an explosion and the flames
flew in every direction. The powder
adhering to the clothing of the men
ignited burning into the flesh of the
victims. \ strange feature of the ac-
cident was the fact that .Drover was
able to walk 300 yards from the scene
of the explosion before he fell dead
from his terrible burns. His flesh, like
that of the other victims, was burned
to crisp.
The shanty in which the coming
mill is located was ignited by the eN-
plosion of the powder and was
burned to the ground, but the tinan-
cial loss is slight.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

power that he was able to prevent tar
iff legislation; and he did prevent the
party from enacting free trade meas
ures several times, although he was
one of a small minority of that party.
In order to take from Mr.. Randall that
power, the committee on appropria-
tions was deprived of control over the
appropriations for pensions, the army,
the navy, rivers and harbors, public
buildings and grounds, and other inn
portant government affairs. The bills
making appropriations for these va
rious purposes were given to separate
committees, and there began the era
of extravaganza in appropriations.
So long as all appropriations were
controlled by one committee the total
expenditures of the government were
kept down to about $500, 100000 annual
ly, because the committee kept 1.-THE to-
tar' before them all the time. But
when separate committees were given
power to make appropriations. each
committee looked at its own work as
of excessive Importance, and immedi-
ately the total appropriations began
to increase. With this example of eX-
travagance before them the senators
divided their great committee on APP
preparations in like manner only a
few years ago, and this, added to the
folly of the house of representatives,
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
FIERCE FOREST FIRES.
Towns In Washington are Threat-
ened with Destruction.

Tacoma, Wash, June 21.-The fire
department of this city has sent men,
engines and hose on a special train
to buckley, in this county, which is
threatened with complete destruction
by forest fires, raging between that
town and Enumclaw, King county. y
great cloud of smoke hangs over Ia
coma, SO miles from Buckley. The
Mountain mill, two miles east OF
Buckley, was burned Friday. I'm
doubtedly many lives of mountain
campers and loggers have been lost.
Enumclaw is threatened with de-
struction by forest fires. The whole
population is fighting the flames, but
the water works has been burned and
the work is difficult. The wind is
blowing a gale and much farm prop
erty has been already destroyed.
A dispatch from Enumclaw says the
damage to timber and buildings in
the town is more than 100000.
About 40 women nd children are
shut off by fire from reaching the
town,
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
Secretary Root shows that War I'm the
Philippines Has Cost tsI7O,OOO,OOO.

Washington, June 20.-Secretary
Root has made answer to the senate
resolution of April II calling for in
formation as to the cost of the war in
the Philippines. 1t is shown that
$4,000 was advanced for the expenses
of the Philippine commission original
ly from the United States treasury,
but this amount afterwards was re-
imbursed out of the Philippine treas
ury. For transportation Of troops and
supplies to and from the Philippines
since the peace treaty was ratified the
cost has been S4, ,803,4 ,448.
Reports from the various bureau
officers are submitted to show the
cost of the Philippine war, including
outstanding obligations, showing that
the total up to date is S170,326, ,5s6.
Secretary Root concludes with the
following explanation: attention is
invited to the fact that large quanti-
ties of valuable property, such as
ships, lighters, horses and mules,
wagons, harness, clothing, ordnance,
medical, signal and engineers sup
plies, the cost of which is included in
the foregoing statement, still remain
on hand n the Philippine islands for
use. Parts of these supplies are al
ready being reshipped to this country.
sit should also be observed that
large part of the expense during the
past year should not properly be
treated as occasioned by military
operations in the Philippines, for the
reason that it consists of pay and
maintenance Of troops whom we
would have had to pay and maintain,
whether they were in the Philippines
or not, in order to keep up the mini
mum number of regular troops re-
quired by law as safeguard against
future contingencies. The minimum
at which the regular army is required
to be maintained by the act of Febru-
ary ., 1901, is 59,657 men, and the
maximum is 100000. We have now less
than 10000 in excess of the minimum
number The cost of that excess only
is properly to be treated as Occa-
stoned by operations in the Philip
pines.
The present scale of expense in
the Philippines is of course greatly
reduced from that shown in the fore
going statement, because of the con-
tinuous reduction of the army, made
possible by the restoration of peace
full conditions. Thus in the middle of
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1901,
there were about 10000 American
soldiers in the islands. That number
is now reduced to about 23,000."
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
MAP OF PANAMA CANAL ROUTE.

1t has been evident for several days
that the Spooner substitute, which
provides that the president shall Sc
leCt the Panama route if he can OBJ
tain a clear title to the Panama Canal
Co.'S property, but, otherwise, he
shall adopt the Nicaragua route,
would command the votes of ma
jority of the senate. The Panama
route was considered more desirable
by the senate than the Nicaragua
route. The only question left open
is the title to the property, and that
the president shall determine, if the
house should adopt the senate amend
ment to its bill.
Mr.. Morgan, of Alabama, closed the
debate with an earnest appeal for
the adoption of the Nicaragua route.
He had been preceded by Mr.. Clark,
of Montana, in support of the Mica
ragua route, and Mr.. Allison, of Iowa,
in support of the Spooner proposition.
Only minor amendments, except those
indicated, were adopted, all others
being voted down.
The Spooner amendment provides
that the president, through the law
officers of the government, shall de-
termine whether a clear title can be
obtained to the Panama Co.'S proper
ty, rights and concessions. If he
shall be satisfied that such title can
be obtained, he shall purchase the
property rights and concessions for
$4O,OOO,OOO. If, in his opinion, a clear
title cannot be obtained, he shall pro-
eed to construct an isthmian canal
by the Nicaraguan route.
The bill further provides that a
commission of seven shall be appoint
ed by the president to supervise the
work and to make arrangements for
all the details of it,
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
A JUDGES DECISION
He Declares Illinois Antitrust
Law Unconstitutional.
The Suits Brought by State Officials
Under This Law to Collect
Large Sums from Corpora
tions VIII Not be
Successful.

Chicago, June 21.-In a decision
given yesterday Judge Elbridge
Hanecy, of the state circuit court.
held that the Illinois antitrust law
of 1891 is unconstitutional and void
in all its parts.
by Judge Hanecys decision practi-
cally all that was left of the anti
trust statutes of Illinois is declared
to be nullity. In So other cases,
similar to the one passed upon by the
court, like finding was entered, pur-
suant to stipulation among the at
torneys in the case. The prosecution
based its case principally upon the
provisions of Section l of the act of
1891, which provides for the filing of
attidavits by corporations annually
with the secretary of state, showing
that they are not a party to any pool,
combination or trust.
In passing opinion upon the merits
of the case, Judge Hanecy held that
the law of 1897 amended the law of
1891 and that the supreme court of
the United States has decided that
the law of 1897 is unconstitutional.
The decision has direct bearing
upon a large number of cases that
have been begun against manufacture
ing concerns, to collect fines for nom
compliance with the provisions of the
antitrust law in regard to the filing
of afiidavits. In 1898, Attorney Cen
eral Aiken, for the state of Illinois,
and States Attorney Deneen, of Cook
county, began 1900 suits in the courts
of Cook county to recover $S,0j0 from
each defendant, or a total of nearly
S10,000,000. The trust statutes pro-
vide that on September 1 of each year
the secretary of state shall address
letter to every corporation demand
ing an answer under oath as to
whether the corporation is party to
any pool, combination or trust. 1t
was to recover penalty for nom
compliance with this statute that the
suits were instituted
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

salary of 500 a month; and the pri-
vate secretary does all of the neces-
sary work. The congressman signs
letters to his constituents which the
private secretary has written, and that
is the hardest work that the average
congressman does for his people.
There are 357 members of the ma
tional house of representatives. and
not more than % or 80 of them have
anything to do with Legislation. The
Others are mere followers. Wherever
their party leaders tell them to go
they go. They do not initiate legisla.
ton of any kind. They leave all things
to committees appointed by the speak
er, and they vote as they are told to
vote on the passage of bills. Because
of this condition of affairs the govern
ment has been growing less worthy dur
ing the last quarter of a century, and
extravaganza has grown until it has
become reprehensible. 1t is not an ex-
travagant statement that hundreds
of millions os money have been taken
from the people by taxation. and ap-
propriated unwisely 1t would not lie
fair to say that the government has
grown corrupt because of its unwisc
appropriations of the peoples money.
Samuel j. Randall of Pennsylvania.
was for many years the leading demo-
cratic member OF the national house
of representatives. lie was chairman
of The committee on appropriations,
and in that position he welded SC much
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
BY A MAJORITY OF 8
The Senate Decides that Pan
anna Route Is the Best.
United Statos VIII Pay Canal Conn
pany s4O,oOO,OOO If the Title Is
CIear-An Issue of $780,.
100000 I'm Per
Cent Bonds.

Washington, June 20.-An isthmian
canal, while not yet absolutely as
sured, is nearer to construction than
it ever has been. The senate yester-
day by majority of eight votes
adopted the Spooner substitute for
the Hepburn Nicaragua canal bill, the
vote on the substitute being ~ to 34.
After two amendments to the meas
1re had been adopted, one providing
for a commission to supervise the
construction of the canal and the
other providing for the issuance of
S130,0OO,0O0 of per cent. gold bonds
to raise money with which to con-
struct the waterway, it was passed
by vote of 81 to 6.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

Fort de France, Martinique, June
2O.-The river which flows by Basse
Pointe has risen suddenly four times
since Wednesday and as result 80
houses at Rasse Pointe have been car
ricd out to sea. The first flood was
signalized by the appearance in the
valley of the river of torrent OF
muddy water 40 metres wide and five
metres high, which advanced with
frightful rapidity. Torrential rains
are falling in the northern part OF
the island Mont Pelee continues to
vomit thicI, column of cindcrs which
the wind blows to the north.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
MURDER IN A CAR.
A Tragedy on IA Freight Train In
Michigan.

Bridgeman, Mich, June 2O.-A reign
of crime prevails throughout this
county, caused by an invasion of
tramps. AS Il result the life of
Charles Parks, of Troy, n. Y, a paper
maker by trade, was taken late We'd
nesday night. Parks, accompanied by
NJ. Kelley and John Mays, boarded a
southbound freight train. Fearing
rain they sought shelter in an open
box car, which was occupied by two
negroes. No sooner had the white
men been seated in the car when the
negroes drew revolvers and demand
ed their money. Kelly and Mays were
soon relieved of their cash, amount
ing to less than So. An instant later
the negroes walked over to where
Parks was standing near the open
door. He had thrown up both hands,
but the colored highwaymen began
shooting and Parks sank to the floor
dead. They then ritled the dead mans
pockets, securing less than dollar.
The murder was committed while
the train was iourneying from St.
Joseph to Livingston, where the mur-
derers leaped from the moving train
and escaped. Two men were later
arrested near New Buffalo who are
suspected of the crime.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

St. Paul, Mimi, June 21.-The First
Minnesota regiment, which was one
of the first to respond to Lincoln's
call for volunteers, and which made the
famous charge ON the second day at
Gettysburg, celebrated its forty first
anniversary Friday. One hundred and
thirteen survivors participated. The
reunion was marked by Il gift Of
$1,000 from j. j. Hin, president of the
Great Northern Railroad Co., and the
entertainment of the veterans includ-
ing a luncheon at the Hill residence.
"A pretty ceremony was the trooping
of colors at the Capitol.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
SENSATIONAL RACING.
Heart Disease Finish at Harlem
New Workers Wake "a "kiIIIng'' on n
so to | Shot.

Chicago, June 20.-While two
lengths in the lead, 100 yards from
the wire in the Austin stakes at Har-
lem yesterday, Jockey Helgeson, ap-
parently believing that victory was
his, eased up his mount, Ethel Wheat,
and lost Il $4,000 purse. Hermencia
came with an unexpected rush and
won. Coburn brought Hermencia to
the front with such suddenness that
Hermencia was a length in the lead
before ITelgeson realized what was
taking place. Hermencia was tenth
at the strentch and looked like a 100
to / shot, but Coburn's desperate ef-
forts landed him winner.
The second race furnished big sur
prise and was the medium for heavy
winnings by several New Workers. who
came here to attend the American
derby. The race was seven fur
longs event for 3-year-olds, with IL
starters. Gonfalo was the top choice
at to .. Luke Ward opened at 20
to 1, but was unnoticed, and his price
receded to 80 to /. When that figure
was reached the New Workers began
to pour their money into the betting
ring and pounded the price down to
25 to / at post time. Luke Ward led
from start to finish,
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
DUTY OF THE PEOPLE
They Should Look Closely Into Rec
ords of Congressman,
in No other Way Can the Nation Sc
eure an Absolutely Pure and
Equitable Administration
of pzbIic Affairs.

TTHE people of this government are
proud of their government but
they know very little about it.
The public schools ought to give IN
structions concerning municipal, coun-
ty, state and federal governments. AS
it is, even the school teachers them
selves know very little concerning the
governments; and not more than one
tenth of them could even tell you now
a member of the national senate Is
elected.
Not only are the people in compara-
tive ignorance about their govern
ment; but, strange as 1t may SEEM
the average member of the house OF
representatives knows very little about
national legislation. The people are
careless, and, to be plain about It, they
are shamefully careless, about the Sc
lection of their congressman and other
office holders. On this account the
government for many years has been
partly in the hands of politicians who
care nothing for the people, but seek
only their own glory and enrichment.
In your own congressional district
YOU do not know 90 men who are per-
sonally acquainted with your member
of congress, unless you happen to
mingle with politicians, and the aver
age readers of newspapers will not be
found mixing with politicians. In gov
ernment of the people, by the people
and for the people every citizen ought
to know all about his government, and
all about the man or men who seek otll-
cial position. If every citizen would
take such an interest in public affairs
as he ought to do our government
would be purer, and it would be more
economical. The people have no idea
how many millions of dollars are taken
from them in taxation and expended
recklessly. 1t is their own fault when
they are over-governed. because they
are unmindful of their duty to them
selves. by being careless concerning the
details of government
When you hear a man making a
fervid stump speech on the questions
of the day. just bear in mind that the
average public speaker is looking for
dupes, and that he wants you to be
one of his victims. He is making
speeches, not for his health, nor solely
for the good of his country. He is do
ing it for his own benefit, and he eX-
poets you to support him on account
of his gift of CAB" That will be a
new way of looking at it, to some read
ers; but it is a gospel truth. The
writer has been associated with poll
ticians for more than a quarter of a
century, and as the years have gone
gliding into history his regard for pro
fessional politicians has grown less anC
less; because of increasing acquaint-
ance with their motives and their man.
ner of living.
When you elect member of congress
you give him position paying $1,000
year, for two years. Naturally, yo,
expect him to work hard for that big
salary, but the average congressman
does not work at all. The government
gives him a private secretary, with &
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

That is more than double the
amount required for the expenses of
our government ten or l. years ago,
and the actual requirements of the
government have not so increased.
The population of the country has
not doubled, nor has its wealth The
possibilities of the government
have increased and the wealth of the
country has increased during the past
few years, but the appropriations
which the congress continues to
make are manifestly greater than
should be made.
The river and harbor bill, which
takes an average of 2O,OOO,OOO from
the treasury every two years, has in
the past 20 years taken well-nigh
$2OO,OO0,00O; and everybody in Wash
ington speaks of that bill as "a steal"
which cannot be disguised in this city,
although the people seeI4 to know
nothing about it. Then the habit of
voting money fro6n the treasury for
public buildings and grounds has so
increased that almost every commu-
nifty is clamoring for a public build
| ing; and the men who want to be
custodians and ianitors of the pro-
posed buildings are urging their con
gressmen to foster this extravaganza
The people who have the right to
reward the faithful public servants
! by re-electing them, and to punish
the unfaithful by not re-electing
them, are responsible for existing
conditions. Uncle Sam is rich and
can afford some luXuries, but prodi-
:. gality and wastefulness are little less
than criminal in governments as we'll
as in individuals. Uncle Gam can
stand little summer shower of ex-
trayagance while the bank account
is in good condition, but a deluge OF
wastcfulness disgusts him, and his
| wrath arises.
The people must not place the
blame for these conditions upon any
political party. The writer has seen
democrats, republicans, greenbackers,
and even populists in congress max
ing frantic grabs at the treasury for
part of the surplus. The first ad
4 ministration of Grover Cleveland was
! one OF Ine most honorable and com.
mendable that this country has ever
had, and the second was regarded as
most prohigate. Tie administration
of Benjamin Harrison was not alto
gether blamcless, nor was the Me
Kinley administration absolutely frse
from abuses of power. People are
narrow in tie extreme who imagine
that any one political party can be
perfect
What the people ought to do is to
nominate only good men whom they
know to be honorable; and to elect
only those who will pledge them
selves to economy in government ex-
peuses, and keep those pledges. The
fault lies not with parties, but with
the plain people themselves. They
cannot shift the blame. 1t must rest
upon their own shoulders. They
must look more closely into the polit.
ical affairs of their country.
i SMITH D. Fry.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

La Porte, Ind, June 21.-A tele-
gram was received at Wanatah yes
terday conveying the intelligence of
the drowning of the family of Nelson
n. Reynolds, of this county, in a flood
in Tennessee. \ daughter was the
only survivor. The husband, wife
and three children were caught in the
whirlpool of water and were drowned
before assistance could reach them.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
Hat Factory Burned.

New York, June 2O.-Fire last night
destroyed Berg's hat factory at
Orange, y. j. The loss is estimated
at $225,OOO. Employees to the number
of 700 will be thrown out of work.
The factory was one of the largest
plants of the kind in the United
CtntnS
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

Manila, June 21.-The spread OF
cholera is increasing. There were 35
cases and 2S deaths from that disease
here Thursday. The totals to date
are: Manila, 1890 eases and 1897
deaths: provinces, 6,959 cases and
5OgS deaths.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
Five Killed. % Inimreh.

St Paul, Mimi, June 21.-Five killed
and 20 injured are given in the list of
casualties resulting from collision
between two passenger trains on the
Northern Pacific near Staples early
EridaN morning.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26

instead of curtailing the total annual
expenditures for the government. The
appropriations made for the coming
fiscal year are as follows: