Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-08-18
From Washington.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria GaEstte.I
Washington, Aug. 18.

0OlOlDR ltb bebelODs NJ Auub p)Ile W hoCet-
lain the cause Of the death Of Lieut..
james NJ. Sutton, IT,, Of the Marine
Corps, at that place nearly two years ago.
Yesterday the judge advocate general
Of the navy. Capt. Edward II. Camp
bell, was handed a copy Of the findings
Of the court by Msjor Henry Leonard,
the Judge advocate of the court of in
uuiry, who returned with them from
Annapolis last night. Captain Camp.
bell placed the result of the courts work
informally before acting Secretary Of
the Navy Winthrop. The latter and
Captain Campbell are looking into the
testimony and the findings thereon be.
fore taking final action. Mr.. Winthrop
may announce his decision in the case
today, he certainly expects TO do so by
tomorrow unless something should de-
yeIop now unforeseen that would delay
him in passing on the matter.
The effect Of the financial depression,
beginniDgi In 907 and continuing to 1908,
vas the most powerful factor which
caused marked decline in the prodnc
If coal In the United States in 1908, IS
compared with Inc preceding years, &C.
cording to statistics compiled by the Geo
logicsl Survey, which have been made
public. Ia: addition to the effects of
he panic in 1907, which contributed
% the decrease in the production Of
coal in 1908, there WAS in the states
of the bituminous regions a general
suspension Of operations in April OF
that year, pending the adjustmen! OF
the wage scale. The total number Of
men idle because Of labor dissffeCtiOns
in 1908 in the bituminOus regions Was
las, las, and the average time lost by
each was SO days. The total number
of working days lost in the bituminous
alone WAS 5,449. 93S, compared with
462, 1872 lost 10 1907.
At least four American concerns are
now engaged in efforts to secure con.
rscts for public imp evements in Tur-
keY, and officials oil the s ale Depart
ment look forward to q material ex.
oansion of American trade 10 that part
OF the world. The Turkish government
has various plans for extensive public
improvements and foreign capitalists
are keenly interested in what the govern
ment will do toward the construction Of
adequate railroads and highways, light
ing and telephone plants and harbor
aud irrigation works. In view Of
Americas recognized freedom from
political ambition or desire for territorial
aggrsndizemen in Turkey, Americans
stand on a favorable footing 10 COM
parison with citizens of other powers.
The Chamber OF Commerce OF Billings,
Montana, has fled complaint with
The Interstate Commerce Commission
against all of the railroads passing
through that place, declaring that it is
being Disseminated against. 1t Is charged
that the roads give lower rates from the
east to points fsrther west than to B IL
ings direct,
Arizona IS a health resort feels that ii
is being badly used by the railroads and
that California and other winter resorts
are being given unjust and unduly pref
erentisl rates. The Commercial Club
IF Maricopa county has taken up the
cudgels In behalf of the territory, and,
in a long petition to the Interstate Com
merce Commission, complains that the
southern Pacific and the AtchisOn, To-
peka and Santa Fe Railroads refuse TO
sell round trip passenger tickets over
diverse routes, to Phoenix. Tempe and
Mesa, Ariz although such tickets are
sold to the Pacific coast resorts. The
petition contains glowing account Of
the advantages for the heslth-seeker to
be obtained in Arizona but complains
that many who would 60 there do not
because they have to buy single trip
ticket aud return over the same road
that took them there.
1t used to be 10, the poor farmer. Now
IFS oh, the plntOcrstic agriculturlist.
At least Secretary of Agriculture Will
son, in his annual report made public
today, thinks those who have been pity
ing the ruralist had better wake up 10
the fact that during the past year-thst
Is the crop year of 1908 there was a
net gain In the value of crops which
raises the total valuation of farm pro-
ducts up to the astonishing total of ST.
779, 900, 00O-the biggest in the worlds
history, as Secretary Wilson suggests.
Customs receipts under the new tar fl
aw continue to run far ahead Of the r(-
,urnS OF last year. The reports TO the
Treasury Department of the receipts Of
show total of 81, 276, $50 as
with 1875, 6l0 for the same
lay last year. The returns by ports
we're as iolows: New York 1850, $50,
Philadelphia 1914, 2l9, Boston $50, 005,
Chicago s3l, 1872, Baltimore $25, COG,
San Francisco SIS, 745, S.. Louis 81
10; sll other ports $64, 500.
Claiming that the rates on coke from
he Pocahontas district to Ironton and
Columbus, Ohio, give the pig iron man.
lfacturers there an undue and unreason-
.ble advantage over those engaged 10
he same business at Wellston and Jack
ION, Ohio, the latter have joined 10
petition to the Interstate Commerce
to have the matter adjusted.
The complsinants are the Jackson Iron
md Steel Company, the Star Furnace
and the Globe Iron Company,
# Jackson, and the Wellston S.eel aud
ron Company, of Wellston, the rail-
Dads involved being the Norfolk and
Western, the Baltimore and Ohio, and
he Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton.
[ is also claimed that the advance in
ne rates which has been made since
1903 was in direct violation Of the Sher.
nan antitrust Law, being the resul, OF
IN agreement between the Pennsylvania
Railroad, the Norfolk and Western, the
Baltimore and Ohio and the Chesapeake