The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1905-03-07

slon win be taken up by the lawmakers
IN the near future
M, National Finances.
co. finances OF the nation remained in
/ 500 shape. though the cash in the
treasury was reduced BY the mart nav
a.eit OF some $4,000, 900 to the old Pan
ANA canal company and Of $40 900 600 To
w republic OF Panama for the canal
,isht Of way. 1t was recognized that re-
s s'silelliheht IN public expenditures was
necessary and congress was urged 10
exercise greater economy IN nslfjns an
| preparations. The navy was made an
S51csptlon 10 this program, the general
! uS9He Delng 10 strengthen this arm Of
s sne national defense and not to retard
as development in any degree.
United States and Russia.
~" complications with foreign nations
occurred In 1904. Some irritation was
eaused III Russia in the early stages Of
tne war with Japan because Of a sup
posed inclination on the part Of the
Chlled states 10 favor the latter conn
tts. Inc curb upon the expression Of
oIic'al opinion and the strict neutrality
| enforced by President Roosevelt and
Secretary Hay allayed Apprehension On
rms score and caused a better feeling
to prevail.
Many Railroad Disasters.
| ltaHIodu accidents were more than
oluinafly frequent and serious. To
| ehumerate them in detail would require
1huch more space than has been allotted
| 70 TINS review. but few may be men
uoned. In July twenty-five were killed
ana htty-eight injured on the Wabash
road at Litchfield, ILL.,. and sixteen were
AHleo ana htty-eight injured on the Erie
ROAD at Midvale, n. j.; in the same
month sixteen were killed and eighty in
Jured on the Eastern Illinois road at
4 AIlenWOOQ in
| Denver Rio Grande road went through
| prldge near Eden, Col. and between
| seventy five and 100 lives were lost. in
september sixty were killed and 100 in
yured on the Southern railroad near
hodges Tenn; in October twentv-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 %
eight We're killed and twenty-one hurt
on the Southern road at Maud. H. And
so the list might be continued almost
indefinitely. The result of this slaugh-
Ter on the railroads of the country is
demand for more safety appliances and
a stricter accountability on the part of
those responsible.
The General Slocum Horror.
Inc worst disaster of the year was
the burning of the General Slocum. a
large excursion steamer, at the entrance
Of Long Island sound, near Hell Gate
y. l., June 10. The vessel was crowded
| with the members of a Sunday school
ana their friends bound for one of the
| pleasure resorts on Long island Fire
| broke out and before the vessel could
be beached the appalling number of 95S
persons had been burned to death or
drowned. As in the Iroquois theater fire
IN Chicago most of the victims were
women and children.
Another marine disaster of the year
was the wreck Of the Norge on a sunk
en- rock in the Atlantic north Of Scot
land, June Is. Some 600 of the passen-
gers and crew We're drowned. Most OF
the victims We're emigrants from the
Scandinavian countries bound for the
Baltimore Fire.
OF fires the most destructive was that
in Baltimore, Nd, Feb. and 8. One
hundred and forty acres of business
blocks In the heart of the city were
burned. The total loss was estimated
at between SIS. 900 and 800 600 600
while the insurance amounted to a little
more than 2.000 900. The work of re-
building the burned district was begun
al once and is now far advanced. Sioux
City, Iowa, had a fire Dec. 90 which
caused loss of more than 81, 5O0O 900.
Worlds Fair in St. Louis
The Louisiana Purchase exposition in
St Louis was opened from tbs last day
of April to the first day of December.
In the matter Of exhibits architectural
effects and general interest it was
great success, but the attendance was
somewhat less than had been anticipated
and financially the enterprise was a dis
appointment According to an official
| statement the total number of admis-
sions was 1864, $50. OF these II, SO4 GIG
| We're paid and 6 $50 23q 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 So, 100000. The total for
1903 was about the same. Andrew Car
negie heads the list Of givers. his bene-
factions amounting to S20,907500. 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 81 100000 or more each during the
year, their gifts reaching total of
$40, 997, 500.
Charity is First.
Charities received the largest share of
the 1904 donations but educational insti-
| buttons are a close second Each group
F
gest educational gift. S5.0O0.00O, 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 a few exceptions may be noted to
this general condition, but these excep-
lions are few in number and trifiing 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 $500, 100000 an increase of
more than $1,000, 100000 since 1900, and
over $500. 600, 900 above 1908,
! Farm horses never were so valuable
| as in 1904 when the total exceeded ST.
/ O00. 600 600. Farm mules reached their
! highest value in 1904 when their worth
/ is estimated at S217.5S2, 600. Cattle de-
| clined in number and appreciably in
value as did sheep and hogs. Poultry
4 advanced in number. and the farm hens
/ now are producing one and two-third
/ billions dozen of eggs yearly and the
| eggs i'm less than one month are worth
4 more than years interest on the ma
/ tfonal debt amounts to.
Farm Wealth Enormous.
Five billions of dollars--a sum the
az a.