Newport weekly independent., 1903-10-16

During fierce squal on she 9th on Lake Michigan the steamer J. H. Hacklay capsized and eleven passengers were drowned.
 Over 100 cases of yellow fever haye been reported at Laredo, Tex, Since the disease made its appear hnce at that place about four weeks ago.
 As a result of a we'll organized and partly successful attempt at wholesale delivery of prisoners at the Utah state penitentiary, enc prisoner was killed, one guard was shot and wounded and another man was beaten into insensibility and three prisoners were wounded and two others under death sentence es- capped.
 A Fort Worth, Texas, fire com pany recently lowered the worlds record in making connection for a fire. The contest was to run 2S0 feet; lay 100 feet of hose, total run, 380 feet, make plug connections and get water. The time made was 22 4-5 seconds. Up to last year Kansas City held the worlds cham plonship, its time being 26 seconds, making the run 200 feet, laying 100 feet hose.
 The czar has appointed commis- sion to investigate the disappear ance of large share of the huge treasure contained in the so-calIed Russian war chest. Russia has been always supposed to have an enor- nous store of gold ready for any war emergency. A sensation has been created in St. Petersburg by the discovery that fully one-half of the treasure has disappeared. Neith- CT theft nor embezzlement Is sus- pected, but the czar Is anxious to discover what has become of the treasure.
 The United States geological sur vey will have parties next year in- vestlgating the mining resources of southeastern Alaska, the formation in the Yukon country and the oil deposits in Alaska. If the appro- priation is ample parties will con tinue the study of the geology of the Nome district and will conduct an investigation of the coal supply of Nome. The Copper river coun- try is also demanding investigation. but it is not likely that any work will be done in that district during the coming year.
 The monthly report of the chief of the bureau of statistics of the de- partment of agriculture shows the condition of corn on October 1 to have been sos, as compared with SOL one month ago, 79.6 on Octo- Der 1, 1902; 52.1 at the correspond ing date in 1901, and ten-year av- craze of 77.7. The preliminary es- innate of the average yield per acre of spring wheat is IA bushels, sub ject to revision when the final wheat estimate is made. The average quality of spring wheat is S5.5, as compared with 87.7 one year ago. The preliminary returns indicate an oat crop of about 787,0O0,O0o bushels, or an average of 2S.4 bush els per acre, as compared with 34 5 bushels year ago; 25.1 in 1901 and a ten-year average of 27.S. The average for quality is 79.9, against S6.7 in 1902, and 83.7 in 1901. The preliminary estimates of the yield per acre of barley is 26.4 bush els, against 29.O one year ago; 24.7 in 1901 and ten-year average of 23.S. The average for quality is S5.4, against 87.3 last year and 89,6 in 1901.
 A call for a boil weevil conven- tion, to be held at Dallas, Texas, November ,, has been issued. The object is to discuss means of fight ing the cotton boil weevil, which has this year devastated whole coun- ties in Texas and is spreading north and east. An invitation is extended to all southern states to