The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-01-13

ton will be taken up by the lawmakers
in the near future.
National Finances.
The finances of the nation remained in
! good shape, though the cash in the
| treasury was reduced by the part pay
| ment OF some $40, OOO, 600 to the old Pan
anna canal company and of so, 600 900 to
the republic OF Panama for the canal
| right of way. 1t was recognized that re-
trenchment in public expenditures was
necessary and congress was urged to
exercise greater economy in making APP
| preparations. The navy was made an
exception to this program, the general
desire being to strengthen this arm of
! the national defense and not to retard
It's development in any degree.
United States and Russia.
NO complications with foreign nations
occurred in 1904. Some irritation was
| caused in Russia in the early stages of
the war with Japan because of a sup
posed inclination on the part Of the
United States to favor the latter coun-
| try. The curb upon the expression of
official opinion and the strict neutrality
enforced by President Roosevelt and
Secretary Hay aayed apprehension on
this score and caused a better feeling
| to prevail
Many Railroad Disasters.
Railroad accidents were more than
ordinarily frequent and serious. To
enumerate them in detail would require
much more space than has been allotted
TO this review, but few may be men
| TONED. In July twenty-five were killed
and fifty eight injured on :he Wabash
road at LitChfeld. ILL.,. and sixteen were
Killed and fifty eight injured on the Erie
road at Mtdvale, N. j.; in the same
month sixteen were killed and eighty in
jured on the Eastern Illinois road at
Glenwood, III; in August train on the
Denver Il Rio Grande road went through
bridge near Eden. Col, and between
seventy-tive and 100 lives were lost; in
September sixty were killed and 100 in
Jured on the Southern railroad near
Hodges, Tenn; in October twenty nine
were killed and thirty injured on the
Missouri road near Warrensburg. Mo
in November fourteen were killed and
twenty-five injured on the Oregon Short
line near Granger, WyO, and Dec. 25
eight were killed and twenty-one hurt
on the Southern road at Maud. ILL., And
so the list might be continued almost
Indefinitely. The result Of this slaugh-
ter on the railroads of the country is a
''Hi"i'N ipi HIbIt safety Appliances anu
a stricter accountability on the part Of
those responsible.
The General Socum Horror.
The worst disaster of the year was
the burning of the General SIocum.
large excursion steamer, at the entrance
of Long Island sound. near He'll Gate.
n. Y, June -. The vessel was crowded
with the members of a Sunday school
and their friends bound for one OF the
pleasure resorts on Long island. Fire
broke out and before the vessel could
he beached the appalling number Of 95S
persons had been burned to death or
drowned. AS in the IroquOis thcater fire
in Chicago most of the victims were
women and children.
Another marine disaster of the wear
was the wreck Of the Norge on a sunk
en- rock in the Atlantic north of Scot
land June 2S. Some 600 of the passen-
gers and crew Were drowned. Most OF
the victims were emigrants from the
scandinavian countries bound for the
United States.
Baltimore Fire.
or fires the most destructive was that
in Baltimore, Md, Feb. and S. One
hundred and forty acres of business
blocks in the heart of the city were
burned. The total loss was estimated
at between S75000.00O and 500. 600. 600,
while the insurance amounted to a little
more than So. 900, 600. The work OF re-
building the burned district was begun
at once and is now far advanced Sioux
City. Iowa, had fire Dec. 23. which
caused loss of more than $500. 600
Worlds Fair In St. Louis.
The Louisiana Purchase exposition in
ho
Of April to the first day of December.
In the matter Of exhibits. architectural
effects and general interest it was
great success, hut the attendance was
somewhat less than had been anticipated
and financially the enterprise was dis
appointment. According to an official
statement the total number of admis-
sions was 1864, S55 or these Il, S04, GIG
were paid and $3.50. 239 free
During the year rapid progress was
made on the buildings and grounds of
the Lewis and Clark exposition to be
held at Portland. Ore, next summer
Gifts and Requests Enormous.
Gifts to education. religion and char
ity in the United States in 1904 aggre-
gate more than $62. 600, 900. The total for
1903 was about the same. Andrew Car
negie heads the list Of givers. his bene
factions amounting to $20,907 500. This
sum was distributed among nine libra
ries. five colleges, two clubs, a home for
convalescents and a hero fund and for
excavations in Rome Nine people gave
away $1OOO.OO0 or more each during the
year, their gifts reaching a total of
$40, 997,500
Charity Is First
Charities received the largest share Of
the 1904 donations, but educational insti-
buttons are close second. Each group
secured more than slS,0000 600. The big
gest educational gift. 100000, went to
the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburg.
Agricultural Prosperity.
Abundant prosperity has been en-
jOyed by the American agriculturist dur
ing the year 1904" said Secretary VIII
son in reviewing the last twelve months
from a farmers point of view. 1T is
true few exceptions may be noted to
this general condition but these excep-
lions are few in number and trifing in
importance.
ITO present it in form easily under
stood. it can be stated that the prin-
cipal crops that are valued annually BY
the department or by commercial houses.
had an aggregate farm value in 1904 Of
more than $3,500000,000, an increase Of
more than $1,000,000,000 since 1900, and
over 100000, 900 above 1903.
Farm horses never were so valuable
as in 1904, when the total exceeded ST.