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. WEEKLY -N,oR.wAl.K -,(;Ay.m'r--r1.;,-
LOCAL NEWS. The selectmen have appointed the The much, mooted question as to I EAS'TJVORWALK. l l V _ ' ‘fl ' l l I 0' T l “ .
I ————'.——-;— town physicians, for the next year. in- when the addition to the south-side of ' ______ l - , 1 81A R‘, ING \ lb ALASKA ‘,
Mrs. Leila Weed of Washington
street is spending two' weeks with
friends in Brooklyn. °
State Highway Commissioner James
H. McDonald has issued a circular
prohibiting further work on the State
highways.
The cheering news comes from Na-
ples that a steamship containing 1.500
Italians has cleared from that port for
America.
Mr. and Mrs. Winfield Scott have re-
turned home from a. few day’s visit
with r« latives in Ridgefield.
Miss l.) .ima Weed of Prospect- street,
East No: .valk, has gone to High Ridge
to spend the winter with relatives in
that plate-3.
Miss ilary Wood of Prospect Street,
East Norwalk, is visiting relatives in
New Canaan. -
The ('hristian Endeavor Society of
the South Norwalk Congregational
church will celebrate its 15th anniver-
sary next Sunday and Monday even-
‘ ings.
.‘W'. H. Hanford of South "Wilton, a
veteran of the 13th C. V., has been
granted aback pension amounting. to
$000. .. .-
Mrs- Rufus Clioate of-VVashington, D.
C. is a guest at the home of William
Weaver. on Main street, as is also Mr.
and Mrs. O. H. Seavey of Lisbon Me.
The librarians of the East avenue
Methodist Episcopal church will hold
an entertainment \Vednesday night,
December 15, for the benefit of the
library fund. _
”William H. Disbrow, who has been
stoppinga few days with his father,
David E. Disbrow of South Norwalk,
has returned to Pittsfield, Mass. .
‘Mrs. N. A. Van Deusen, of Great
Barrington, has been visiting her
daughter, Mrs. H. A. Pindar, of Han-
f'ord place, South Norwalk.
Miss May Hoyt, of Ridgefield. is the
guest of the Misses Bohannan, of South
Main street, South N orwalk.
Miss Fannibelle Curtis who has been
spendingafew days at her home on
Knight street, has returned to Brook-
lyn. .
Olsen Brothers offer to give away
$105 to customers closes on January 3.
Mrs. F. C. Becker of South Norwalk,
is Visiting her brother-in-law, W. J.
Becker on Lexington avenue, New
Yor i. ‘
There was but one real estate sale
last week. The mortgages amounted to
$7,100.
Miss Lottie~Davis, of Bayview ave-
nue, has returned from a visit in Stam-
ford.
Mrs. Sarah J. Holt and Mr. and Mrs.
Lester, 0f XVinnipauk, have returned
home from} visit in Meriden.
There were eighteen deaths in Non-walk
last month.
The quarantine at the home ofJames
M. Creagh on Union avenue has been
raised. -
Mrs. Nellie Tufts White, of Buffalo,
N. Y., isa guest of Mr. and Mrs. VVil-
liam C. Foote, of South Main street,
South Norwalk.
The plans and specifications for the
building of the new Tell'ord road on
the Connecticut turnpike can be seen
at the Selectmen’s oliice.
Washington Post and family of 'Wil—
ton will remove to this city for the win-
ter, this week.
Oliicer John H. Kenney is again you
the sick list with an attack of his "old
complaint, rheumatism,
A daughter has been.born to Captain
and Mrs. Albert J. Hoyt. ' ‘
James Foster has succeeded William
Bates as baggage master at the Consol-
idated. railroad station in this city.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. O’Brien have
returned from their wedding trip and
will reside for the present on Crescent
Terrace, South Not-walk.
Percy Ferris is wiring and piping the
old post-office building for both gas
and electricLlights. .
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Nutting
who have been visiting Mr. and Mrs.
John Aw Slater, of Seymour place,
South N orwalk, have returned to their
home in Brooklyn.
Captain Soloman Peck is filling an
order for 80,000 feet of white oak tim-
ber for New York and Brooklyn par-
ties. He makes a shipment every day
and finds\ it hard to keep up with his
orders.
The Inasmuch ’ circle of King’s
Daughters, of the Nor-walk Methodist
Episcopal church, is arranging for a
turkey supper at the home of Mrs. C.
F. Tri‘stram, . Wednesday; December
8th, for the poor of the church.
The‘ enrollment of the South Norwalk
Union School district is completed, and
the total is reported as being 1,519, an
increase of 71 over the preceding en-
rollment. Of this number 250 do not
attend school and 44 are attendants at
the parochial school.
City works commissioner Willis, of
Brooklyn has appointed Robert Van
Buren, of Norwalk and Brooklyn, con-
sulting engineer on the work of extend-
ing the sewers into the new wards.
Mr. VanBuren formerly was chief engis
neer of the Brooklyn city works depart-
ment.
creasing the board from three to fivfe.
The reappointtnents are A. H. Bald-
win, F. H. Baker and J.‘ M. Coburn;
the new members are Harry C. Sherer
and S. H. Huntington.
The following are the Feast'and Fast
days for this month observed by the
Roman 'Catholic churches in town: 3d,
St. Francis Xavier; 8th, Immaculate
Conception; 15th, 17th and 18th, VVin-
ter Ember days; 25th, Christmas; 27th,
St. J ohn’s; 28th. Holy Innocents.
The New England railroad, as well
as the New York, New Haven and
Hartford railroad, will cut rates to
Willimantic on the 21st, 22d lint]. 23d,
the date of the annual convention of
the Connecticut board of agriculture.
Besides the addresses and routine busi-
ness there will be an exhibition of
fruits, grains and other farm products,
as well as agricultural implements.
The reorganization of the VVomen‘s
Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. resulted
in the selection of the following officers:
President—Mrs. Emily L. Ely.
Vice Presidents——St. Paul’s church,
Mrs. 'William J. Finnev: Grace church,
“Mrs. Robert Van Buren: Trinity, Miss
Mary Kirby Jennings; Norwalk Con-
gregational church, Mrs. E. B. Smith;
South Norwalk Congregational church,
Mrs. William Osborne; Norwalk Bap-
tist church,Mrs. George R. McGone-
gal; South Nor-walk Baptist church,
Mrs. H. C. Sherer; Norwalk Method-
ist church. Mrs. George Selleck: South
Nor-walk Methodist church. Mrs. J. A.
Richardson; East Nor-walk Mdthodist
church, Mrs. H. J. Hipson; Advent
church, Mrs. Charles Ainsworth.
Secretary Miss Laura Dot y.
Treasurer-~Miss Belle 'Doane.
Auditor—«Mrs. Henry Chasmar.
Danbury's new assessment. in which
the assessors have aimed to rate prop-
erties at their actual valuation, shows
an increase of the grand list from $0,-
000,000 to about $13.000,000. Some of
the additions to lists are so large, in
many cases more than double, that it is
likely that there willbe frequent pro-
tests unless there is a very material re-
duction in the tax rate. The Danbury
News publishes the entire list, and
many notable changes are shown. The
assessment of Charles S. Andrew is
raised from $20,300 to $52,700; Beltair,
Lurch & (‘0. (hatmakcrsl, from $10,625
to $313,000: ex—R-aiiroad Commissioner
Bacon, $48,075 to $101,000: Joseph T.
Bates. $18,140 to $78,450; W. 1*]. Henebry,
$0,950 to,$23,950; John H. Fenton. $27,-
7'15 to 80,040; D. P. Nichols estate, $32,—
220 to $122,880; and the Edgar S. Tweedy
estate, $13,070 to $09,050, with many
others in which the additions have been
quite as large proportionately. One of
the notable increases is that of the es-
tate of a nonresident, Alexander M.
White, from $89,500 to $314,203. There
may be some. special reason for this.
but it does not appear in the published
list. '
Frederick Faber an aged resident of
Cranbury died very suddenly at his
home in that place Saturday night.
The deceased was about 70 years of
age, and lived not far from what is
known as the Smith sanitarium.
He had been suffering from an asth-
matic trouble for some weeks but was
thought by his German housekeeper
with whom he lived to be better.
Early Saturday evening he arose or
attempted to arise from a \ chair in
Which he was sitting near the kitchen
stove, but fell back into the same, dead.
The housekeeper became alarmed
and ran to the santtariuin and called
for Dr. Smith, who on his arrival at
the house saw that the man was dead.
Burk
moned yesterday and rendered a ver-
Medical Examiner was sunl-
dict of death from natural causes.
The remains are in charge of Funeral
director J. D. Jennings. The funeral
will take place to-morrow afternoon.
William Part-rick, a hunchback bar-
ber living in Wilton, is lying danger-
ously ill at his home in that town from
the result of a serious accident with
which he met,on Saturday, November
‘ 20th, and which will in all probability
terminate in his death.
'On the day in question he was seated)
in a wagon with his brother. In the
back end of the wagon? was a. sleigh.
In some manner it be jaine loosened
and falling to the ground pulled VVil-
liam over it.
He suffered besides minor injuries
the loss of 'a large proportion of one of
his ears. The wound was dressed and
the patient was thought to be getting
along nicely.
Last Sunday, however, lockjaw de-
veloped, and it is feared that the poor
man cannot live, although every effort
is being made to save his life.
This morning his condition was re-
ported as .being very serious, and it
was feared that he would not’ survive
the day out. ,
Partrick is about 35 years of age and
is well an d favorably known hereabouts.
\
offenders.
the Wall street bridge would be com-
pleted has been to all intent and pur-
pose answered by the closing of a con—
tract for the construction of the same
by the Selectmen with the Berlin Iron
Bridge company.-
" The plans and Specifications for the
construction of. the same have been
previously published, and were debated
upon at a recent town meeting.
The contract calls for thencompletion
of the improvement on January 15th.
Several claimsfor the loss of poultry
killed by canines of late have been pre-
sented t0 the selectmen and after inves-
tigation by those gentlemen the claims
will probably be settled.
Among other claims is that of Orlan-
do 1. Allen, who says that a decoy drake
which he purchased some time ago from
Maryland had been killed by a dog.
He said that he valued the drake at
about six dollars. that being the price
he had paid for the same. His claim
will be allowed and the bill paid.
Another claimaht is Edward Saun-
ders, who avers that twenty of his
chickens were killed about a week-ago,
by, a dog, and he presented the dead
body of the thief in evidence besides a
[promiscuous lot of feathers and dead
chickens.
One party claimed that he had 10st
three chickens which had been killed
by some dog. Another had lost, five,
another three and yet another two from
the same cause.
These latter claims have not been
investigated. Apparently at this sea-
sontof the year canines prefer poultry
other than sheep.
The proposition of' the Shell Fish
Commission to revise and modify the
state laws relating to the oyster busi-
ness, meets with favor wherever it is
understood. It appears, however, that
the full purpose of the commission is
not clear to some of the oystermen and
there have been many inquiries as to
just what the commission proposes to
do. Some of the oyster growers labor
under the misapprehension that the
laws of this state ai’e to be made to con-
form to those of Rhode Island. Exact-
VVhen the
revision of our laws becomes a fact the
Rhode Island shell fish commissioners
ly the opposite is the case.
will endeavor to have similar laws en-
acted in that state.
It has not been decided when or
where the first public hearing will be
had.
Connecticut Oyster Growers’ Associa-
The officers and members of the
t-ion are especially well pleased with
the proposed. revision, because they
have long felt that the oyster laws
needed to be simplified. A meeting,or.
rather. a series of meetings will be
held by the association for the purpose
These
st1§.:'gestions will be put into proper
shape and presented to the Shell Fish
These
proceedings will be entirely distinct
from the hearings to be held ‘by the
commission, at. which every person di-
of drawing out suggest-ions.
Commission for consideration.
rectl y interested in the oyster industry
will be invited to be present. It is
probable that the clerk of the commis-
sion, A. McC. Mathewson, will issue a
circular to the oyster growers setting
forth the object in view and calling
upon them to attend the hearings and,
speak their minds fully and freely.
The Connecticut Oyster Growers’ As-
sociation will co-operate with the Shell
Fish Commission and the result of their
joint deliberations will be a set of laws
which, if passed, cannot fail to be of
ineStimable benefit to all persons ,di-
rectly co corned in the planting, catch-
ing and sale of oysters. ‘
The arrest of Charles Wheeler, of
Slugatuck, for violation of certain laws
relating to working on thenatural beds,
is particularly gratifying to the Shell
Fish Commission, because it is the first
that has been made by the state oyster
police since that body was organized a
year or so ago. For some time com-
plaints have been coming in that the
laws were being violated on the Strat-
ford bed, but the offenders were vary.
The commissioners determined to make
a special effort to enforce the laws and
instructed State Inspector Lewis and
the. oyster police force accordingly:
After a long watch the arrest was
made. Mr. Wheeler will probably
plead guilty as there is practically no
other alternative. He was caught
working on the natural beds with a
boat that had two license numbers on
its sail,'neither of which belonged to
the boat. In fact, it is claimed that
the boat was not [licensed at all. A
closer watch than ever will be kept on
thevarious natural beds in ‘the state
and every effort will be made to catch
-- , , ‘ ‘ ‘
Mrs! Charles Duchelle of St. John
avenue, is ill. -
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Benedict have
returned from their Wedding tour and
have gone to house-keeping in a cottage
on Hill street. ' . , '
Mrs. John L’Hommedieu and son,
have been visiting in New Haven. '
.. . _ - __._‘ - >4...‘_..__,._._
CRANBURY.
The aged George Carr is seriously
ill at. his home in this place.
Theodore Bates and wife spent Sun-
day in Port Chester.
Washington Lodge held a regular
meeting last evening.
Considerable interest has been mani-
fested in the report that a resident of
this place will apply for a license to
sell intoxicants.
Dayton Bouton butchered a five
months’ old pig this week that weighed
over 200 pounds.
<-> _
DARIEN.
The assessors have completed their
annual labors.
Ernest Lounsbury has received an
appoittment as pest-office inspector.
Supplemental reading is soon to be
introduced into the public schools.
The Congregational Sunday "school
has begun the practice of Christmas
music. -
Miss Julia (,‘lOck, who has been spend-'
ing the 'l‘hanksgiving vacation with
her mother. Mrs. Isaac Clock. has ite-
turned to her school in New York.
The selectinen state. in regard .10
Commissioner McDonald's order to dis-
continue work on all roads being con-
structed with State aid, that the sce-
tion of macadam road being built at
Noroton which is partially completed,
would be put in passable shape. The
part on which a course of stone has
been laid will be given its full depth
and one course of screening. The sec—
tion dug up for the road but remaining
in a wretched condition. will lie put in
a usable state.
The (‘ongregatit‘mal (.‘hurch was
filled Sunday evening, upon the occa-
sion of an'illustrated lecture by Rev.
Mr. Bonfils, northern secretary of the
l'niversity of Atlanta. His subject was
"The African in America.” He told
something about the conditions under
which a large number of the Southern
negroes live, and by his illustrations
contrasted the habitations and general
appearance between the educated and
ignorant members of the Hamitic race
in the South. The collection taken for
the benefit of the cause which Mr. Bon-
lils represented was the largest that
gentleman has received anywhere in
State.
\Vill Attempt to Defeat Powell-Ply.
\i‘:..~:hington, Nov. 30.—There is a
movement on foot to defeat the con-
firmation of Commissioner Powderly
when it is sent to the Senate. The
principal opposition to this nomination
will come. it is said, from the Germans.
who were desirous of the appointment
oi I-lon. Warren Keifer, of Minnesota;
to the office. Several Senators from
tlzc Northwest, who_have a large Ger—
man constituency, it is said, have been
warned by letter and otfiei‘mse not to
vote for the confirmation of Commis-
sioner Powderly.
Football Kills 3 Student.
Bath, N. Y., Nov. 30.—James 'W. Lov-
.:ridge died here yesterday, the result
31‘ injuries received while playing foot-
ball on Thanksgiving day.
Leveridge, who was a student, 19
veal-s old, was unconscious for forty-
2lglit hours before he died. Internal in-
iuries were thedirect cause of death.
\anslllps Going to Huyli.
Berlin, Dec. 1.—The German cruiser
Seier and the training ships Stein and
Chrriartte have been ordered to IIayti
to enforce the demands of Germany
with respect to the claims of Herr
Lucder, who was recently imprisoned
by' the Haytiun authorities.
American Loconnotives for Japan.
Paterson. N. J., Dec. 1.—-\\'ord has
been received in this city that the
Rogers Locomotive ,VVorks has re-
:eived an order for fifteen engines for
a. railroad in Japan.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
The Choc-ktaws and Chiclmsaws
have devidwl to sell their lands and
emigrate to Mexico.
snowman-e Farwell, of Chicago, was
{11:10. 3.10 yesterday for taking sand
from the Chicago beach.
The President has appointed George
R. Harris Brigadier-General of the
Militia of the District of Columbia.
(“teat damage was done along the
Sci-glen coast by the storm which has
.et-n sweeping over northern Europe.
lx'egotiations, for a new commercial
reaty between Great Britain and
'lermany are reported to have been
begun.
The President and Cabinet have de-
aided to resume sending warships‘ to,
:he Caribbean Sea, to protect Ameri-
3an interests.
The attorneys for ex-State Treasurer
Bartley of Nebraska, sentenced to
:wenty’ years’ imprisonment for steal-
tng'$500,000. claimed that the State
could not bring suit to recover the,
amount embezzled because, as a con-
vict, their client was .légally dead.
A member of the Spanish .Cabinet
says that the Madrid authorities are
well pleased with the manner in which
the autonomy decree has been reg
:eived, both at home and in the United
State's, and that the only’thing to be \
feared now was the attitude of _the'
:arusts. _' -- ‘ ‘ .
- has
Many Improvements Made in the
Legislative Buildings.
SESSION BEGINS ON DEG. 6
The Senate “ling Has Received the
Most Attention in the Way of Ren-
' ovation-Historical Pictqres Badly
Dunlaged by Rain.
Washington, Dec. 29.—Preparations
are nearly completed for the coming
session of Congress, which convenes
next Monday. ‘A large force of men
has been at work for the past month
getting the big building on Capitol Hill
in shape for the 450 statesmen who will
be due here ‘at the openingrof the first
regular session of the Fifty-fifth Con-
gress. , '
Col. Dock Bright, the sergeant-at—
arms of the Senate, has inaugurated so
many changes and has decorated and
frescoed the Senate side of the Capitol
to such an extent that it will be hard\
to find room for additional improve-
ments. The new carpet for the floor of
the Senate, which was purchased last
year, is still in good condition, and the
new theatre chairs in the galleries lend
a fresh and bright appearance to that
portion of the chamber. The marble
walls and pillars will be scrubbed this
week, and when Vice-President Hobart
calls the Senators to order on Dec. 6
everything in the Senate wing of the
Capitol will be in good condition. The
old Colonial clock, which stands in a.
niche of the wall just opposite the main
entrance to the Senate chamber, is be-
*ng cleaned and oiled, after which it will
receive a. new coat of varnish. This
clock is one of the curiosities of the
Capitol. It was made in 1818, and is the
oldest timepiece in the big building.
Assistant Doorkeeper Loney Stewart
is busy sorting out the stationery for
the Senators. Every year the members
of this august body vote for their own
use a good supply of note paper of all
sizes, and enough pencils, pens, etc.,
to give them a good start on their Con-
gressional labors.
ator will receive a large morocco
leather portfolio, handsomely mounted
[11 silver, in which he can carry his pa-
pers. -He will also get a silver paper-
cutter, a silver-mounted blotter, and a
liberal batch of note paper and en-
velopes. The total cost of each Sena-
tor’s outfit is estimated at $14. This, of
course, does not come out of the yearly
allotment of $150 for stationery supplies
that goes to each member of the upper
house.
Over on the, House side preparations
are also progressing for the reception of
the members. A new green carpet.
splotched with red, is to replace last
year’s covering for the floor of the
House. A new rug will be supplied for
the Speaker’s lobby, and this will be
about the extent of the new furnish-
ings. Some of the corridros have been
painted and a few of the old decora—
tions have been retouched, -
During the past Summer many severe
rainstorms swept over Washington,
and water forced its way through the
Windows above the frieze and in drip-
ping down badly streaked the pictures.
About a hundred feet of the fresco is
greatly marred, and the rain appears
to have almost completely ruined this
portion of the pictures. /Many of the
figures are almost entirely obliterated.
In the various government depart-
ments there is a. general resting on the
oars for the coming of Congress. All
the bureau chiefs have submitted to
their secretaries their reports of the
operations of their respective divisions
during the past fiscal year. and several
of the secretaries themselves have
handed in their recommendations to the
President. Two of the Cabinet officials,
however, make their report direct to
Congress, and as yet there is only spec-
ulation as to what will be the nature
of their recommendations. The Secre-
tary of the Treasury and the Secretary
of State are the two executive officers
who report directly to Congress, but
Secretary Gage has already outlined a
plan for a new currency system which
he will submit to the Senate and House.
Secretary Sherman will give his atten-
tion to the annexation treaty with Ha-
waii, and is also expected to have some-
thing to say about .the Spanish-Cuban
trouble, with regard to its bearing on
the affairs .of the United States. ‘
Secretary Long has told of the need
for more ships. and, above all, for bet-
ter docking facilities than we now
have. The Postmaster-General has al-
ready made known his pet hobby—the
establishment of postal savings banks
—.—and he will do his utmost to get Con-
gress to adopt his scheme. Mr. Gary
will also have to arrange for an adjust-
ment of the postal service in Greater
New York after the consolidation of
the twok'cities is effected. Gen. Alger
made seine important recom-
mendations in relation to our seacoast
defense. There is. also much talk just
now about a reorganization of the artil-
lery forces of the army, and Mr. Alger
referred to this matter also in his re-
port. Secretary Cornelius N. Bliss’ re-
port has already reached the public,
and his views on pension matters, the
treatment of the Indians, etc.. are
therefore known. Secretary Wilson, of
the Agricultural Department, is much
interested in the cultivation of beet
sugar, and he has also some original
ideas in regard to the possibilities of en-
larging our foreign trade in farm prod- ,
nets. Congress will have enoughto
keep it busy from the day it meets un-
til the Fourth of July if it gives the at-
tention to the various recommenda-
tions of the members of the Cabinet
that those officials believe they deserve.
\Vhiiney'VVants Blue-Grass Horses.
Lexington. Nov. 29.—Ex-Secretary of
the Navy William C. Whitney and’ C. T.
Barnes, of New York. and Sir Edwin
and Lady Colbert, of England, arrived
here yesterday afternoon by special
train over the Cincinnati Southern
Railroad to purchase fine horses.
The ex Secretarv last night ofi'ered
lohn E. Madden $15,000 for the 2-year-
old brown colt Plaudit, by Himyar—
imp. Cinderella. It has not yet been
accepted. '
New Issue 0! Notes.
Washington, Nov. 29.—Assistant Sec-
retary Vanderlip has authorized the di-
rector of the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing to print and deliver to the
United States Treasurer $48,000,000 as
follows: United”,States .notes, $18,000,:
1000'/silver certificates, 34.000000; treas-
urynotes of 1830, 86,600,000.
This year each Sen-l
Pro’Spoct of Famine Cause Miners
to Desert Dawstm. City-a
r001) TAKEN ' BY r0303
Steamer Held lip atS‘Clrcle City and
Provisions Taken—Thieves Slain
,i'n DawsoII—Ll‘llning Laws Causing
Considerable Trouble. '
Seattle. W'ash., Nov. 30.—T\venty-five '
Klondike miners, who have arrived
here on the steamer City of Seattle
from Skaguay with over one million in
gold and drafts, desczibe a great exo-
dus from 'the gold diggings at Daw-t
son. The supply of food was nearly
gone, and the departure of hundreds
for points further down the Yukon
vas seen to be the only alternative to
starvation. -
Until late in September,
closed the Yukon, there was hope that
enough food might be brought in to
provision Dawson for ‘the \Vinter.
‘When this was seen to be impossible,
Capt. Hansen. manager for the Alaska
Commercial Company, hurried to Dan's
son from Fort Yukon to warn the peo-
ple of their danger.
The Canadian officials—Capt. Con-
stantine, of the mounted police; H. W.
Davids, Collector of Customs. and
Thomas Faucett. Gold Commissioner—
issued a notice, which was posted up’
all over town, advising every onewho
hadn’t laid in a Winter's supply of food
to hurry down to Fort Yukon and
other points on the lower r'ver where
supplies were comparatively abundant.
Great Privation Certain.
Vthn the miners now here left Daw~
son it seemed probable that at least
one thousand men would take their de-
parture. All the stores had closed;
they had nothing more to sell.
However, at best they will hardly
find more than enough to sustain life
through the Winter. The highest esti-
mates of the amount of freight down
the river do not exceed two thousand
tons. W’ith the persons who are now
preparing to go, or considering the ad-
visability of going, there will be in the
lower country probably more than
three thousand. Much of the freight is
not food, and there is probably not
enough to fully supply more than two
thousand.
Every avenue of relief is closed. No
more food can come by the river from
St. Michael's or over the passes, and
the people of the Yukon must settle
down to a life of privation without
hope of relief from any source until the
middle of next June.
Impossible to Get Out.
Here it possible. many would gcnout.
“'hen the ice has formed it is possible
for the hardiest i0 go out over the pass
about Jan. 1. If they go they must
carry along fer themSelves and dogs
more food than would be necessary to
carry them through the Winter.
More than this, such a trip is beyond
the reach of many, for the price of
dogs is beginning to be beyond the
reach of most purses.
An epidemic of crime is the result of
scarcity of food in Dawson. Within a
week thirty robberies 0f caches' were
reported to the mounted pelice, and
two thieves-caught in the act of looting
coaches have been killed by the
owners. _
Under ordinary 'circumstances Cana-
dian law might have dealt severely
with the shooters, but in this case
there being no food for the prisoners,
they were ordered to depart quickly
down the river. This they did.
[indignation in the Camp.
The decision of the Canadian Gov-
ernment to let,the new mining laws
stand and collect the excessive r0yal-'
ties demanded has caused intense ex-
citement in Dawson.
The secretary of the Mine Owners’
Associationestimates that the mines of
Eldorado Creek would'produce $4,000-
000. He says that the proposed royalty
will close them all, or that the owners
will do only enough work to hold their
leases from the Government. Some of
the Canadians, who are large owners, .
talk of rebellion; and say that they'will
not submit to what they call an out-
rage. A meeting will be calleddmme-
diately, and it is proposed to send a
representation to Ottawa.
These are the three provisions of the
new law which have proven mostlob-
jectionable to the miners:
First—A royalty tax .r 10 per cent.
on the gross yield of cs; ..-.h mine up to
$20,000 per year, and 20 p :r cent. of that
part in excess of the $20,000.
Second—Creek claims hereafter lo-
cated shall be but 100 feet' in' length.
instead of 500 feet, as under the 01d
law. '
Third—Alternate claims shall be re-
served by the Government and sold at
auction.
Miners Hold Up Steamers;
The miners ’at Circle City and,_its
neighborhood, in the American section
of the gold country, have forcibly de-
tained the North American Trading
and Transportation Company’s steam-
er Portus B. Weare and compelled the
officers to discharge sufficient of« her
cargo to meet their pressing wa ts.
The steamer, in charge of the man-
ager of the company, E. E. Weare, and
carrying 200 tons of freight, had passed
the Xukon flats, and it yvas the inten-
tion to stop at Circle City only long
enough to discharge provisions for the
company mess. She had no sooner
made fast, however, than she was
boarded by a..committee of six, the
chairman of Which said the miners
were prepared to pay any price the
company might exact.
The demand met with a. direct re-
fusal from Mr. Weare, who declared
that the cargo must go directly to
Dawson City, as much of it was in
bond. The chairman made a. peculiar
signal, and immediately fifty men,
armed with rifles and shotguns, ranged
themselves on a. bluff commanding the
boat. Mr. Weare was told thdt it he
attempted to put a. man in the pilot-
..house his action would be resented, and ‘
the man would be compelled to leave
the wheel. > This hadfithe desired effect.
The steamer Bella, which went up the
river a few days later, met a. similar
reception, and had to put ashore fifty
tons of provisions. Even now, Circle
City has scarcely enough food for
more than six months. ,. ‘
‘
.___..
‘It is announced in Washington that.’
the State Department will act in -the
dispute between Germany and Haytl.~
only inv‘the eventof 'a, viblatjdn of in-
ternationaan biathe. for
_ , . ..~ . I :
when ice ,
m'er,’country
Norwalk Chronicler