The Elbert County tribune., 1905-01-12

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 sac. coo TO the old Pan
anna canal company and of $40. 600 600 to
the republic OF Panama for the canal
right OF way. 1t was recognized that re-
trcnchment In public expenditures was
necessary and congress was urged TO
exercise greater economy In making ap-
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
its 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 n 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 allayed apprehension on
this score and caused a better feeling
to prevail.
Many Railroad Disasters.
| Railroad accidents were more thar
\ 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
road at Litchfield. ILL.,. and sixteen were
killed and fifty-eight injured on the Erie
| road at Midvale, n. j.; in the same
month sixteen were killed and eighty in
| jured the Eastern Illinois road at
| Glenwood. Ill: in August n train on the
| Denver & Rio Grande road went through
a bridge near Eden, Col. and between
| seventy-h and 100 lives were lost. in
September sixty were killed and i2o 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. %
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
demand for more safety appliances and
"A stricter accountability on the part of
those responsible.
The General slocum Horror.
The 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.
n. Y. June II. The vessel was crowded
with the members of Sunday school
and 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 sos
|
drowned. AS in the Iroquos theater fire
| in Chicago most of the victims were
J women and children.
| Another marine disaster OF the year
was the wreck of the Norge on n 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
OF fires the most destructive was that
in Baltimore Md. Feb. and s. One
hundred and forty of business
blocks in the heart of the city were
burned The total loss was estimated
at between s7500O.O00 and 800 600. 600
while the insurance amounted to a little
more than S32,000.000. The work of re-
building the burned district was begun
at once and is now far advanced. Sioux
City. Iowa, had n fire Dec. IS. which
caused a loss Of more than $500. 900.
Worlds Fair in ST. Louis.
The Louisiana Purchase exposition In
st. Louis opened from the last day
of April to the first day OF December
In the matter OF exhibits. architectural
effects and general interest 1t was a
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 19.694,S55. OF these ~. .S04. Gle
|
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 Bequests Enormous.
Gifts to education. religion and char
ity in the United States in 1904 aggre-
gate more than s62, ,O00, 900. The total for
1903 was about the same Andrew Car
negie heads the list OF givers. his bene-
factions amounting to s2O90T. 500. This
distributed min
ries. five colleges. two clubs, home for
convalescents and a hero fund and for
excavations in Rome. Nine people gave
away s1.0O0000 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-
tutions are close second. Each group
secured more than SIS 900. 900. The big
gest educational gift. IS. 600. .o00 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 farmers point of view. "It is
true few exceptions may be noted to
this general condition. but these excep-
tions are few in number and trifiIng in
Importance.
ITO present 1t in form easily under
Stood II can be stated that the prin-
cipal crops that valued annually by
the department or by commercial houses
had an aggregate farm value in 1904 Of
more than $4,000, 100000. an increase of
more than $1,000. 900. 900 since 1900 and
over $500. 900 above 1908.
Farm horses never were so valuable
as in 1904. when the total exceeded ST.
| 100000. 600. Farm mules reached their
highest value in 1904. when their worth
is estimated at s217, 532, 900. Cattle de-
clined in number and appreciably in
value, as did sheep and hogs. Poultry
advanced in number, and the farm hens
now are producing one and two third
billions dozen Of eggs yearly. and the
| eggs in less than one month are worth
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