Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-10-12
From Washington.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria GaEstts.
Washington. Oct, IL,

Correspondence Of the Alexandria GaEstte.l
Washington, Oct. II.
Much damage was done by the hurri-
cane st Key West, Florida, to the army
barracks and buildings at that post ac-
cordiug to dispatches received at the
War Department today, through Gen.
eral Mills. Some OF the buildings were
uuroofed aud others have been rendered
unsafe. No lives were lost. Acting
S .cretary OF War Oliver has directed the
commanding officer at Key West bar.
racks to render such assistance as may
be necessary 10 siding the mayor to
maintain order in the city. The depart
ment has received no request IS yet
from the civil authorities requesting re-
lief. The dispatch forwarded by Gen.
eral Mills to the War Department Is as
follows: Eighty mile hurricane for six
hours. Two barracks buildings unsafe
pud not cousidersted rspsrsble. Hos.
pital partially uurooied and hospital
-upplies badly damaged. OondensiDg
plant wrecked. All buildings flooded
from rain. Have plenty Of water and
cisterns and Is, 900 rations; short vege-
tables and fresh meats. No casualties
known. Have tentage sufficient ior
command and can house men tempo
rarily. Request representative chief
ousrtermaster to inspect post. Mayor
of city asks for assistance to prevent
lootine. "KIMnIEL, commanding"
Secretary Knox announced today
that he had accepted the resignation oil
Charles B. Crane, as minister to China,
which was rendered by Mr.. Crane at the
conference on Sunday evening. In 8
statement issued by the secretary Of
state today be says; al have reluctantly
reached the conclusion that the good Of
the service demands that | should IN
form Mr.. Crane that bis resignation will
be accepted and have done So" Sec
retary Knox has sent dispatch to Pres
dent Taft announcing his decision. Tht
reasons for the action of the department
are the newspaper stories recently
printed concerning affairs OF the Orient
Au unexpected kink in the new
iauff bill was revealed today through
decision of the Treasury Department
The effect Is to increase from sixty pc
cent. as it was 10 the old law, to eighty
FIVE per cent the customs tax on al
articles whose chief value is OF silver
German silver, white metal, brass o
gun metal, whether they are WASHED
With gold or silver OF nickel, or not
provided they are designed ''to be Car
ried on or about or attached to tb'
person." This includes all such thing
as chesp watches, msny kinds OF knives
smokers articles such as match boxes
cigar cases, cigar cutters, and woul'
even include leather pocket books If tn
silver trimmings we're worth more thai
the leather itself. The question cam
up in connection with an importation o
watch cases and OF complete silve
watches. 1t was decided that as Wstcl
cases. without the interior works, yer
not designed to be carried on the perso'
thew we're subject to duty OF only 4
per cent sd vslorem under paragraph
il92. Bot the complete watches ar
subject to a compound duty, calculate
to amount to IS per cent, under pars
graph AS, as being articles the chile
value of which is the silver. So q
empty watch case of the most expen
sve variety can be imported at 40 pc
cent but the little gun metal watch mus
pay IS per cent Of its value to the goV
ernmenps treasury. This Is anothe
instance OF where the common peoPI
get theirs.
At a conference between the secretar
of state and Mr.. Crane Sunday eveuin
the latter admitted having an indiscr'
talk with a reporter which resulted
the publication of certain canard cor
corning this country and the Orient. b
assumed the responsibility, and state
that IL the indiscretion was grave enoug
to shake confidence in his usefulness
would willingly resign. The secretar
of state says be reluctantly reached th
conclusion that the good of the serviC
showed him he should inform NJ
Crane that his resignation would be a.
cepted, and he did SO.
Senator Flint, of California, conteu
plates retiring from the Senate at Il
end of his term.