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Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 385, 9 April 1902, Page 3

& BIG FIRE. A swift and picturesque fire destroyed piers, vessels, and other property on the night of March 18 at Hoboken, New Jersey. The loss will approximate a million dollars. The pier of the Phcenix steamship line was burned, together with the Company’s ship British Queen, several lighters and cargoes, many bales of cotton and hay. Another dock was damaged, and many vessels were threatened. It is believed that some longshoremen and stevedores on the docks lost their lives, and the engineer of the British Queen is missing. The damage to piers was three hundred thousand dollars, and to the British Queen four hundred thousand. Firemen and fireboats did excellent service, and the quick handling of the conflagration is regarded as remarkable. BEAUTIFUL BAILWAY STATION. A despatch from Washington states that the National oapital is to have the largest and most beautiful railway station in the world. Plans for the Union station oosting sue million dollars, and to be used by all roads entering the city, have been Submitted to the Senate Committee. The new structure will be about a third of a mile from the capitol. TRAIN WRECKED. A west bound train on the southern Pacific railway was wrecked at a point in Texas at three o’clock on the morning of March 7. Twenty persons perishod, and many others were more or less severely injured. The ill-fated train left San Antonio two and half hours late, and tbirteon hours later, at the time of the accident, it was still much behind time. All the passengers were asleep when the crash came. The train was going at such a rate of speed that the engine and tender Were landed seventy-five feet from where they left the rails. The cars piled tip against the engine caught fire, and all were consumed except, the sleepers. A private car carried the family of Thomas Ryan, of New York, but this was pulled away before the fire reached it, and the occupants were not injured. All those injured in the cars just behind the baggage and express cars were cremated. The people in the sleepers were saved by the assistance of the uninjured passengers. The smoker and day coaches were crowded with wounded when the flames broke out, and few escaped. The moil car, baggage car, and coaches were piled together, and burned in a few moments. It was impossible to move any coaches of the tourist cars, as they were all off the track. .The cries of the wounded pinioned beneath the wreck grew, fainter {is ithed flames increased. . Rescue-was nearly impossible because of tihe intense heat, but those who were unhurt worked heroically. The conductor, who was only slightly injured, dragged himself for two hours through the darkness in- time to warn tho east-bound- train. The wreck was at a -point' where the grade terminates in-areverse curve. 'The trains left'*the f ‘track 'at- the other side 1 df ; the curve, which- destroys' the theory that the accident was the result of ■ running at a high' rate of speed aS was charged by Surviving passengers. The' wounded wore tioughf 3 by the relief train to El E'aso. The -’p ass ®hgers lost their' clothing,' and were supplied with blankets at the stations itlong the route'. '*• •> 1 • • * gEYERE SNOWSTORM.

A despatch from St Bau), dated Jlarch Ifj'tb, says fhat Dakota and the fkinadiati northwest has' experienced the worst shosystorif) of years, 4)}d th e *aUway traffic is practically paralysed. X’he Northern X’acific and (ireat tfortbern have not moved a wheel for thirty-six hours in the blizzard-stricken district, and the line is abandoned. The high wind has piled the snow in mountainous drifts, and packed it in solid masses. Many ’ "timiv filled. Not a deep cuts are oemg <- „ transcontinental train has arrived in St. Lag) ginj.e Friday, qiid pone is expected fijr several Bays/-' Every,, effort & being made to keep the snow-bound passengers warm and well fed, and for this reason trains are being held at stations whero accommodation is good, rather than risk between stations where the opportunities of getting forward might be better. Winnipeg is reported as C”t Cf!. The Canadian-Pacific trains are snowbound somewhere west of here, and no prospect- of relief is yet in sight. '' ; ‘ARMY REGULATIONS. A despatch from London on March Bth says that the new army regulations proposed by the War Secretary, Mr Brodriek, appear to have been copied directly front the United States. They relate to increased pay and other reforms, and have excited much comment. Major Arthur Lee, M.P., formerly British military attache at Washington, writes : At last we have taken out a leaf from your excellent book, though I do not believe we have gone quite as far in that direction as wo might, or as I hope we shall. Under Mr Brodrick’s proposed changes a privato in the British infantry now receives as tnuch I p'ay'as a private - in the United States Army. With this change we hope to get a class of recruits similar to those secured in America. Under the old pay we were gradualy lowering the physical standard, yet finding it Hard to get men, while our desertion per centage was increasing at a rate which showed there was something radically wrong with the system. A year ago Mr Brodriek poohpoohed the idea of copying from the United States. Now he has changed his wind, epd has done what the majority of

members of the House, regardless of party, believe to be the very best thing that could have happened to the army since Mr Cardwell in 1873 effected his sweeping reforms. For the first time Tommy, with everything found and a higher pay, will be in a better position than his agricultural brother, and from I that we now ought to get the best instead of the worst. Yes, it may hurt the agricultural interest, or what there is left of it

in England, but I do not believe that this demonstration will be as serious as the evils which the change will correct. Tho present move banishes all possibility of conscription, for I understand Mr Brodrick is willing to go even further, and by liberal finance build up the standard of the army. The increase of pay means an annual cost of an additional two million pounds, but I maintain that it

will be a direct saving of money, for the better class of men secured will mean fewer men in the hospitals and prisons, as well as obviating other forms of wastage, and will quickly make up for the additional initial outlay. Bome day, perhaps, wo may bo able to adopt the sensible plan of the United States, of paying enlisted men of all arms the same rate, but traditions here die hard.” RAIN STORM.

The storm on Friday was preceded by a slight rrinfall and high wind, the rain turning to sleet and then to snow, and falling without cessation for thirty-six hours. The streets of the town were so filled with snow as te be impassable, -md business of all kinds is at a standstill. So far as is known, there has been no loss of life, but the wires are down to such an oxtent that little nows has been received from tho remoter districts.