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home near Keithsburg, III., aged 87 years. The Mississippi river reached the highest mark ever known at Memphis, Tenn., and vicinity, and several towns were flooded and great damage done. The United States supreme court says that states have power to tax the franchaises of corporations, such as express, telegraph and railroad companies. Mount Baker, one of the loftiest peaks in the Cascade range, is in a state of eruption for the first time in 70 years. Barney McKernan, the last survivor in this country who took part in the famous charge of the Light brigade at Balaklava, died at Phoenixville, Pa. The lives of hundreds of families and thousands of live stock were in peril throughout the lower Mississippi valley on the Arkansas side from the disastrous flood that was sweeping down upon them. Three negroes who murdered John Barfield and John R. Turner at Juliette, Fla., were lynched by a mob. The visible supply of grain in the United States on the 15th was: Wheat, 41,449,000 bushels; corn, 26,795,000 bushels; oats, 13,528,000 bushels; rye, 3,616,000 bushels; barley, 3,135,000 bushels. President McKinley in his first message to congress declares in favor of a protective policy and says that prompt revenue legislation is the first duty of the lawmakers. The wholesale dry goods house of Ely, Walker & Co., the largest in St. Louis, was destroyed by fire, the loss being $1,000,000, and George Gutewald, a fireman, was killed and others were injured by falling walls. Seven tollgates were destroyed in Mercer county, Ky., by regulators. The jail at Dover, Tenn., was destroyed by fire and three colored prisoners were cremated. Chairman Dingley, of the ways and means committee, says the new tariff bill is expected to increase the revenue $112,000,000. Secretary Sherman informed the Spanish minister, Senor de Lome, that this administration will insist upon Americans in Cuba being amply protected. In South Dakota over 600 miles of road have been practically abandoned for fully two weeks because of a snow blockade. A train was wrecked at Wolf Creek, Kan., and Engineer Nye, Fireman Connor and J. P. Meador, a passenger, were killed and six persons were injured. John Cramer, aged 16, son of Jacob Cramer, of Duryea, Pa., died of hydrophobia and his father while witnessing his son's struggles dropped dead. The Headley Grocery company (wholesale) at Springfield, Mo., failed for $100,000. Postmaster-General Gary says that the administration has decided to adhere to the four-year-tenure-of-oflice policy for all postmasters. John O'Rourke, John Burns and Antonio Molinaskj were fatally burned by explosions of molten iron at the Emma blast furnace in Cleveland, O. For the eight months ended February 28 there has been a gain of over $132,000,000 in the amount of merchandise exported and a decrease of nearly $119,000,000 in the amount imported. The First national bank of Sioux City, Ia., which suspended payment November 19, 1896, has resumed business. The five new state senators, four republicans and one democrat, were sworn in by the Kentucky legislature, and this will insure the election of a republican United States senator. Charles Rodatinsky and his wife and baby were burned to death near Omaha, Neb., by the explosion of a gasoline stove. The piano and organ firm of Estey & Camp, which has been in business in Chicago for 30 years, has decided to retire. Gen. James M. Warner, aged 62, a prominent resident of Albany, N. Y., and postmaster under Harrison's administration, died while attending a theater. Nearly 2,000 homeless and half-starved persons rescued from the overflowed districts of eastern Arkansas are being cared for in Memphis, Tenn.