Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-17
Scraps aud fatts.

in action were heavy. ElSnly-SlN coIll-
missioned officers were killed and the
nom commissioned officers numbered
229; rank and file, 1857: total. 1,4S2.
Among the colonial troops sixteen Of
flcers and 1876 men perished.
Colonel Goethals. chief engineer
of the Panama canal before the house
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce Wednesday, said that he
thought the excavation Of the Guile
bra cut could be completed in the
next four or five years. The work OF
building the canal, he said, was pro-
crossing more satisfactorily than he
had ever expected. Colonel Goethals
said he had no doubt that the lock
system as against the sea level was the
best. He said: 1--WE have the best type
of canal we can get down there"
In the course of an Interpolation
in the German Reichstag in reference
to the high rate of discount charged
by the Imperial bank, Count Van
Kanitze, conservative, suggested that
President Roosevelt was responsible
for the critical financial conditions
existing throughout the entire world
and the direct cause thereof accord
ing to the speaker was to be found IN
the presidents threats against the
trusts" He said, "America's error
has been that she allowed trusts to go
so long without interference"
In transmitting to the senate last
Wednesday, the report Of Provision
al Governor Magoon on conditions in
Cuba, the president said: Il cannot
too heartily commend the action OF
the provisional governor and his civil
associates Of the army in all Its parts
In connection with this Cuban mat
ter. am glad to be able to say that
we can now definitely announce that
one year hence or by or before Feb
ruary l, 1909, we shall have turned
over the island to the president and
congress to be elected next December
by the people of Cuba. Our word to
turn over the island to its own people
will be scrupulously regarded, and
through their own president and con-
gress they will administer the govern
ment of the island a year hence"
Washington, January IA: United
States District Attorney Sims, who
prosecuted the Standard Oil company
in the $29,OOO,OOO fine case, has been in
structed by Attorney General Bona
parte to enter a motion, within week.
10 fix the date for trial of the rebate
cases against the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy and the Chicago and East
ern Illinois railroads. The motion will
be made before Judge Kennesaw NJ.
Lands, who presided at the Standard
Oil trial and imposed the record fine.
The railroads are indicted for giving
rebates to the Standard Oil company
on oil carried from Whiting, Ind. There
are 1000 counts in the indictment
against the Burlington and 1,4OO counts
in the indictment against the Chicago
and Eastern Illinois, Conviction on all
these counts would afford Judge Lands
opportunity to assess one fine almost
as large as that Of the Standard and
one nearly one-tNird greater. The two
cases present to Judge Lands the pos
slbility of imposing fines aggregating
$6S,OOOOOO
AS the result of the peace confer
ence of the five Central American states
convened recently at Washington,
through the efforts of Secretary Root,
eight treaties were made. designed to
prevent wars and to provide for
peaceable settlement of all disputes.
The most important of these is the for
nation of an international court for
the five republics. One judge is select
ed from each, but once appointed, the
Judges are independent. They receive
$4,000 year. and are paid from COM
mon fund provided by all the repub-
lies, so that no country can influence a
Judge by cutting off his salary. This
court decides all international ques-
tions. The second most important
treaty makes Honduras neutral ground.
1t extends entirely across Central
America, and the belligerents on each
side can not get together to fight. All
disputes likely to occur are provided
for in the treaties, which are guaran-
tee of peace, if any agreements can
guarantee peace among them. The
countries are wonderfully rich, and
with peace there is no reason why they
should not make rapid advancement.
A terrible theatre disaster as
the result Of which 200 lives were
lost, occurred in Boyertown, Pa, last
Monday night. What was known as
the Roades opera house was crowded
with members of st. Johns Lutheran
Sunday school, who were attending
a benefit that was being given for
their church. During the progress of
the show, gas tank exploded and set
the audience into a state of wild eX-
citement. The actors tried to calm
the people, but as the result of the tu-
multi some oil lamps were overturned
and when they blazed up the panic
became complete. Seven hundred peo-
pie were trying to get Of the building
all at the same time. They crowded
over each other, and crushed one
another in the jam. The flames spread
rapidly and in a few minutes the
whole interior of the building was a
seething mass of fire. The fire fighting
apparatus was disabled and there was
literally nothing that could be done
10 stay the awful consequences of the
decentralization. The fire department
of the town responded promptly and
help was brought from adjoining
towns; but the building was burned
and with it not less than 200 people.
In many cases whole families were
wiped out and in other cases only two
or three were left of q family. The
.otal number of deaths is believed TO
have been not less than 200.
- France is threatened with serious
trouble on account of Morocco. AS