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â- ^ FOM C lILMEH BDBNED Lamp Exploded While the Little Ones Were Being Put to Bed. A despatch from Toronto says : Four children of Ernest Oldfield, a harncssmaker, of Wychwood Park, were burned to de-ath on Thursday night in tlve bed in which th«y had been tucked away by their loving mother but a few minutes before. Mrs. Oldfield herself had a narrow escape, as did also her eldest boy, Ernest, and it was only by a miracle that the whole family was not wiped out. Mrs. Oldfield managed to save Ernest from death in the flames by throwing him from the upstairs window, and leaping after him to the ground, about ten feet below. The frantic woman tried in vain to save her four younger children, who were huddled together in their bed in the room from which any chance of escape was cut «ff by the flamea which were fast devouring (the house. Many times she was <lriven back by the fierce heat, and as she felt herself being overcome by the smoke and heat she thought ot the chance of saving at least one <if her family. Seizing Ernest, who was by her side when she discov- ered the house on fire, she dropped .him out of the window and quickly followed, just in time to save her- :self from a terrible death in the flamea. All that remains of the four children are their little bodies burned to a crisp and totally un- recognizable, it being impossible for Ifriends of the family to tell one from the other. It was about 9.30 o'clock that Fred Lucas, a neighbor, passing along the Vaughan road, heard cries for help coming from the Old- field home. As he rushed over he saw that the rear of the house was in flames. He tried to force the door, and just as he had succeeded Ernest Oldfield dropped from an up- stairs window, closely followed by his mother, who cried piteously for someone to save her children. Had she not been restrained Mrs. Old- field would have returned to the burning house through the door which Lucas had just a minute be- fore forced in. She could not be persuaded to leave, but finally she was overcome and fell in a faint in the arms of Mr. Lucas, who made several heroic attempts to save the little ones, who met a ter- rible death in their bed in the up- stairs room. The dead children are: Charles, aged seven years ; Albert, aged five years ; William, aged three years ; Edward, aged one year. U WHEAT IS CflMISG DP" CONDENSED NEWS ITEMS &A1'1>£MNCS FKOM ALL OTEll IDE GLORK. Telegrapbio Dricfa From Our Own and Other Countries el Bccent Eveuta. CANADxi. Alberta farmers look for a re- cord-breaking crop this j-ear. Navigators are warned to look out for a shoal near Uoderich har- bor. Mrs. John Rehberg, of Stratford, on Thursday, fell downstairs and broke her neck. Three young Montreal men were fined and sent to jail for beating a liorse to death. Trade returns for April show an increase of $4 028,267 over the same month last year. The resignation of Chief of Police Parnell has been accepted by the St. Catharines commissioners. Mrs. Sarah Ellen Carr of King- ston, who claims to be 104 years old, has been sent to jail for a month on a charge of vagrancy. A man locked up in the police cells at Moncton, N. B., for violat- ing the Scott Act, found a hundred- dollar pearl in a dish of clams. The Allan steamer Tunisian, which had her bow plates injured in the ice near Newfoundland, has ar- rived at Quebec with 1,200 pas- sengers. Reports from different sections of the Province indicate that crops are in better condition than was supposed, after the long spell of wet, cold weather. The Season in the Prairie Province Is Not Late. A despatch from Winnipeg says: "Wheat is coming up" is the wel- •come message the crop report of (the Canadian Pacific Railway sends out this week. The weekly report -of the company's agents along the .system was compiled on Wednesday by Grain Agent Atcheson, and has the effect of wiping out all the ideas that the season is very late and the •crops will not do well. In very few .cases do the agents report the seed- ing delayed. In these instances it is on account of rain, which only means that the land will be in much better condition to receive the seed. The weather throughout has been generally favorable and the rain that has fallen has been a blessing. It is what was wanted to give the wheat a start. The work of sowing the coarse grains has been com- menced, and in many parts this seeding is very far advanced. Re- ports from Alberta show that as much as ninety per cent, of the oats and barley has been sown. THE WORLD'S MARKEFS BEPOltTS FROM THE LEADING TBADE CENTRES. Prices of Cattle, Grain, Cheese nn* Other Dairy Produce at linme and Abroad. BREADSTUFFS. Toronto, May 25.â€" Flour â€" On- tario wheat 90 i)er cent, patents, 15.40 to $5.50 in buyers' sacks out- side for export ; on track, Toron- to, $5.60 to $5.70. Manitoba flour, first patents, $6.20 to $6.40 on track, Toronto ; second patents, $5.70 to $5.80, and strong bakers', $5.50 to $5.60 on track, Toronto. Wheatâ€" No. I Northern, $1.295<;, Georgian Bay ports; No. 2, $1.- 26%, and No. 3 at $1.26><. Ontario Wheatâ€" No. 2 $1.30 to $1.35 outside. Barleyâ€" No. 3 extra, 62 to 63c outside, and No. 3 60c outside. Oatsâ€" Ontario No. 2 white 52 to 52%c on track, Toronto, and 49% to 50c outside ; No. 2 Western Can- ada, 52% to 53c, and No. 3 at 51%c, Bay ports. Peasâ€" No. 2 95 to 96c outside. Rye â€" No. 2, 74 to 75c outside. Buckwheatâ€" No. 2, 63 to 65c out- side. Cornâ€" No. 2 American, yellow, 82% to 83c on track, Toronto, and No. 2, 82c on track, Toronto; Ca- nadian yellow, 76 to 77c on track, Toronto. Braaâ€" Manitoba, $23.50 in sacks, Toronto freights; shorts, $24.50 to $25, Toronto freights. QUEBEC BRIDGE. Semi-OfBcial Announcement That It Will Be Rebuilt. A despatch from Ottawa says : .A semi-official announcement given 'Out on Thursday, indicates that Messrs. Bautlet, Mojeska and t'itz- maurice, the engineering commis- sion appointed for that purpose by the Government, have prepared plans for the new C.*uebec bridge. Should these plans be approved Dy the Governmeut, tenders may be called for and the contract let at an â- Â«arly date. It is announced that the present piers, which cost a million and a half dollars, will be utilized for the new bridge, which will have a span almost as great as the 1,800- foot span of the wrecked bridge. Instead of the single tower, which was the weakness of the first bridge, the present piers will prob- ably be duplicated on the river side, thereby reducing the central span to about 1,600 feet. The struc- ture will be on tht, cantilever prin- •ciplc, and built of nickle steel. GALLERY FELL. Tragedy During Service in a Portu- gese Church. A despatch from Lisbon says ; A serious accident occurred on Thursday in the church belonging to a monastery near this city. Dur- ing service a gallery containing 200 persons collapsed and fell upon a crowded congregation beneath. A panic followed. Seven bodies have been extricated from the ruins. Thirt^--five persons received serious injuries and 60 were less badly hurt. TWO CABS LEAVE R.AILS. Truininon Injured in Wreclt That Could Have Been Worse. A despatch from North Bay says : No. 97 westbound CP.R. express, with a big passenger list, met with an accident at Red Sucker, near Jackfish. i'M miles west of North Bay at 3 o'clock on Wednesday morning. From some unknown cause the baggage car and express car jumped the rails and plunged down the steep embankment, the engine and other cars fortunately staying on the rails. The express car was demolished and Messenger Dcmere. of Montreal, was severe- ly injured, but will recover. En- ginecer Ben Ward of White River WHS injured, but not seriously. Passense^rs were severely shakein up. Traffic was delayed eight hours. YOUNG FOOTPAD SENTENCED. Term in Central as Penalty for llold-up Near Beamsville. A despatch from St. Catharines says : Jesse Strickler, the young man who held up ex-Warden Calder at the point of a revolver, on the load n-ear Beamsville, last week, and afterwards compelled a boy to drive him to Beamsville Station, after firing several shots at his pur- suers, was brought before Judge Carman on Wednesday, and plead- ed guilty. He was sentenced to four months in the Central Prison, and if not deported before the expira- tion of his sentence he is to be given 43 hours to leave ,the coun- try, or he will be rearrested and sentenced on a charge of shooting at Calder. TO INSDRE THE DSEMPIOYED Winston Churchill Announces Scheme in Britain. a New A despatch from London says: In the House ot Commons, on Wed- nesday, Winston Churchill, presi- dent of the Board of Trade, out- lined th« Government's scheme for establishing labor exchanges and State insurance againat unemploy- ment. The exchange will be de- signed to organize existing employ- ment, and to furnish seekers after work information as to where it can be obtained. There will be about 230 exchanges throughout 'he country, with advisory commit- tees representing employers and employes. The estimated cost of working this scheme is 200,000 pounds yearly for the first ten years and thereafter 170,000 pounds. .V bill establishing the exchanges was introduced in the House on Thursday. The insurance scheme will be dealt with at the next session. It will involve a compulsory contribu- tion fioiii employers and employes, in ad<)iti<>n to a State grant as re- gards seven specified trades, in which uneniployiivent is considerable and chronic. The scheme provides for benefits sdinc.vhat lower than tho.se paid i),v i!u- •«tro:is'.V't trades unions. Tlu>, Labor mr>;;ib!'r:< g.tve ; tho Rchoiui' a heart \ reccplin'! ;;?> a; whole, but criticized iwm of itsj details. GREAT BRITAIN. It is reported in England that Germany has a great depot of arms and ammunition in Loudon. UNITED STATES. President Eliot, who has been forty years at the head of Harvard University, retired from office. Workmen digging in a peach orchard in Niagara county, N.Y., found a pit containing about fifty human skeletons. Dr. G. H. Wynkop, one of the first surgeons in America to operate for appendicitis, died of appendici- tis at New York on Monday. C. B. Schmidt, Commissioner of Immigration of the Rock Island- Frisco lines, says more people are emigrating from Canada to the United States than are going in the opposite direction GENERAL. Floods in Port<i Rico have seri- ously damaged the sugar planta- tions. The General Federation of Labor at Paris has declared a general strike, but no notio* is being taken of it. The palace of King Apries of Egypt, a contemporary of the Pro- phet Jeremiah, has been unearthed at Memphis. Fifteen thousand workmen in Paris, on Thursday, pretended to be strikers and caused a riot, in which numbers were injured by the police and soldiers who attempted to quell the disturbance. TREATMENT OF INSANE. 300 .Medical Men to Sop Methods at London .Asylum. .\ despatch from London says: Three hundred medical men from alL over western Ontario are ex- pected here on June 7 in response to invitatioa.s which are being sent out by Dr. Robinson, Superintend- ent of London Hospital for the In- sane. Hon. Mr. Hanna is expect- ed to be present and the idea is to show the work which is being done at tho institution in the alle- viation and cure of mental trou- bles. PBOBOIJATIOK CEBEMOms Earl Grey Delivers the Speech From the Throne. COUNTRY PRODUCE. Applesâ€" $4 to $5 for choice qua- lities, and $3 to $3.50 for seconds. Beansâ€" Prime, $2 and hand-pick- ed, $2.15 to $2.20 per bushel. Honeyâ€" Combs, $2 to $2.75 per dozen, and strained, 10 to He per pound. Maple Syrupâ€" 95c to $1 a gallon. Hayâ€" No. 1 timothy, $13 to $13.- 50 a ton on track here, and lower grades $11 to $11.50 a ton. Strawâ€" $7.50 to $8 on track. Potatoesâ€" Car lots, 90 to 96c per bag on track. Delawares, $1.10 per bag on track. Poultry â€" Chickens, Spring, dress- ed, 35c per pound; fowl, 12 to 14c; turkeys, 18 to 22c per pound. THy DAIRY MARKETS. Butterâ€" Pound prints, 20 to 21c ; tubs and large rolls, 16 to 18c ; in- ferior, 14 to 15c ; creamery rolls, 23 to 24c, and solids, 19 to 20c. Eggsâ€" Case lots, 18 to $18%c per dozen. Cheese â€" Large cheese, old, 14 to UXc per pound, and twins, 14% to 14%c ; new cheese, dull at 12/4 to 12%c. TD RUN INTO PORT ARTHUR. Grand Trunk Paciflc Conferring With City on Question. A despatch from Montreal says : It was stated on W'ednesday at the oflicesi of tho Grand Trunk Pacific Railway that Mr. E. J. Chamberlin had gone to Port .Vrthur to confer with the city regarding the matter of the G. T. P. securing a route of entry there. In the meantime, in order that Port Arthur can be made the terminus ot the Superior branch, arrangements may be made with the Canadian Northern to use their tracks from West Fort. -*- AN IMPTDENt BCUGL.VRY. Ihievcs Loot a Trtink in North Bay Police Station. A despatch from North Bay says : North Bay police station was burg- larized on Wednesday afternoon, the ofiice door being forced, and a trunk opened, the loot including a number of "phoney" gold rings confiscated froiii a faker, several jack knives, and Chief Rayner's re- volver. Wni. Flowers, released from jail on Tuestlay after serving II. term for attempted hoiisebreak- iug. was arrested while trying to .sell some of t!ie rings in Littlo Italy. .A m.'in namixi Frcdiaiider, also rcles'scd on Tncâ- ^.clny, .ifter do- i'isi time for stc iliug whiskey from .1 ('. V. R. iiii'. V. :i' â- ;:-;'ested as be- ing impJicateJ in i!'o burglary. HOG PRODUCTS. Bacon â€" Long clear, 13 to ISj-.ic per pound in case lots ; mess pork, $22 to $22.50 ; short cut, $24 to $25. Hams â€" Light to medium, 15 to 15%c ; do., heavy, 13 to 13.%c; rolls, 12 to 12%c; shoulders, 11 to ll%c; backs, 17 to 17%c; breakfast ba- con, 16 to mViC. Lard -Tierces, 13%c ; tubs, 13%c ; p.ails, 14c. BUSINESS AT MONTREAL. Montreal, May 25. â€" The market for oats is strong, with prices 1 to 2c a bushel higher ; peas. No. 2, $1.05 to $1.06, oats, Canadian Western No. 2, 54^-^ ; extra No. 1 feed, 54Xc; No. 1 feed, !H%c; No. 3 Canadian Western, 54c : barley. No. 2, 70 to 72c ; Manitoba feed barley, 61 to 61%c ; buckwheat, 69% to 70c. Flourâ€" Manitoba Spring wheat patents, firs,.s, $0.30; Manitoba Spring wheat patents, seconds, $5. BO; Manitoba strong bakers, $5.60 ; Winter wheat pat- ents, $6.15 to $6.25; straight rol- lers, $6 to $6.10; straight rollers, ic bags. $2. SO to $3; extra, in bags, §2.50 to $2.60. Feedâ€" Manitoba bran, $i2 to $23 ; Manitoba shorts, $24 to $25; Ontario bran, $2d to $24; Ontario shorts, $24.50 to $25.- 50; pure grain mouille. $33 to $35; mixed mouille, $28 to $30. Cheese â€" 12%c to 12%c, and easterns 12 to 12%c. Butterâ€" 21% to 22c. Eggs- la' to 19%c per dozen. UNITED STATES MARKETS. Minneapolis, May 25. â€" Wheat- May, $1.29%; July, 1.27%; Sept. $1.08^8 cash. No. 1 hard, $1.32; No. 1 Northern, $1.31 ; No. 2 Northern, $1.29; No. 3 Northern, 1.27; to $1,27%. Flourâ€" First patents, $6.10 to $6.30; second patents, $6 to $6.20; first clears, $4.75 to $4.95; second clears, $3.35 to $3.55. Bran â€"In Bulk, $24 to $24.50. Chicagoâ€" Wheatâ€" Cash, No. 2 red, $1.49%; No. 3 red, $1.40 to $1.47; No. 2 hard, $1.30 to $1.36; No. 3 hard, $1.25 to $1.30; No. 1 Northern, $1.30 to $1.31; No. 2 Northern, $1.28 to $1.30; No. 3 Spring wheat, $1.23 to $1.29. Corn -No. 2, 76c; No. 2 white, lO'io; No. "^ yellow, 76.V^c ; 1 No. 3, 75^.^ to 7b%c ; No. 3 white, 70%c ; No. 3 yellow, 76 to 76%c ; No. 4, 74% to 75%c. Oatsâ€" No. 3 white, 58 to 60o ; No. 4 white, 58% to 59c. LIVE STOCK MARKETS. Montreal, May 25.â€" Prime beeves sold at o'a to a little over 6c per pound ; pretty gooa animals, 4% to A despatch from Ottawa says : The fir,8t session of the eleventh Parliament of Canada was pro- rogued at 3.30 on Wednesday after- noon by his Excellency the Gover- nor-General, with the usual pomp and circumstance. The session, which had lasted just four months, has been one of the shortest in aaany years, and, with the excep- tion of the debate on the question of Canada's part in naval defence, has been perhaps one of the most uneventful. In all a hundred and sixty-one bills have been passed, of which some forty have been Gov- ernment measures. The chief items are contained in the speech from the throne. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE. Honorable gentlemen of the Senate : Gentlemen of the House of Com- mons : In relieving you from further at- tendance on this session I thank you for the assiduity and diligence which you have given to the dis- charge of the duties entrusted to your care, and it must be a source of satisfaction to yourselves that you have been able to perform your labors in a comparatively brief space of time. I am pleased to notice that your attention has been engaged in some measures of great importance. AMENDMENT TO RAILWAY ACT. In the first rank of such measures is to be noted the amendment of the railway act, under which by the joint action of the national Govern- ment, Provincial and municipal authorities, together with the railway companies level rail- way crossings are to be gradu- ally removed, and a constant men- ace to hie and property thereby effectually done away with. LOAN TO GRAND TRUNK PACIFIC. The loan of ten million dollars to the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company will no doubt ensure the completion during the coming sea- son of tlie prairie section ot the National Transcontinental Railway, and will secure to the fast develop- ing western Provinces for this year s crop a new and competitive outlet towards the sea. The act to place the Department of Labor, which has been in exist- ence for some years, under the direct resnonsibility of a Minister of the Crown, exclusively entrusted with its management, is in accord- ance with the oft-expressed wishes of labor organizations, and i.s a further step in a field of legislation wherein Canada has already taken a not unimportant part. WILL FACILITATE BUSINESS. The act charging the Secretarj of State with special responsibility in regard to the external affairs o£ Canada will faciliate the transac- tion of business in connection with tht most important branch of the public service. The resolution adopted by tho House of Commons for the organi- zation of a Canadian naval service, in co-operation with and in close relation to the Imperial navy, is a proper acknowledg<ement of th« duties now appertaining to Canada as a nation, and as a member of the British Empire. The financial conditions through- out the world seem t-o be more hope- ful than the"- were four months ago wuen I opened this session, and whilst in Cadada we have undoubt- edly suffered less than other coun- tries during this period of univer- sal depression, it will still be the part of prudence to exercise care and economy in all branches of the service. PROVISIONS FOR PUBLIC SEE- VICE. Gentlemen of the House of Com- mons : I thank you for the provision* which you have made for tho pub- lic service. Honorable gentlei».en of the Sen- ate : Gentlemen of the House of Com- mons : I sincerely hope and pray that .\lmighty God will continue to pour His blessings upon our country, and let us now offer Him the fer- vent expression of our gratitude for the signal favors which we have re- ceived from Him. CANNON BALLS OF ICE. They Killed Eight Men in Uvalde County, Texa.>». A despatch from Galveston, Texas, says : An unprecenented hailstorm on Monday in Uvalde county cost at least eight livesâ€" James Carpenter, seventy vears of age, and seven Mexican hired handsâ€" while many were in- jured, and from 1,500 to 2,00 head of live stock killed. The hail- stones were like cannon baJlB„ weighing six and seven pounds, some weighing from ten pounds. They measured from ten to seven- teen inches in circumference, and fell for thirtv minutes in two storms about two \iours apart. Rumors of many more persons killed are not confirmed. Searching parties are out scouring the ranges. Sj.jC ; milkmen's strippers, 3% to iylc ; common stocks, 3% to 4%c per pound. Milch cows were in de- mand at from $30 to $65 each. Calves sold at $2 to $10 each, or 3 to 5/4C per pound. Sheep sold at 5 to 6 c per pound ; lambs at $4 to $6 each. Goods lots of fat hogs sold at 8% to 8%c i>er pound. Toronto, May 25.â€" While there were not many straight loads of exporters', shippers were able to pick out a goodly number of choice well finished heavy cattle, which sold readily at $0 to $6.30. Choice butchers' cattle were in strong de- mand and trading active. The same may be said of stockers and feeders, but the supply was small, those on offer selling firm at abimt $5. Milkers and springers.â€" ITn- changed. Sheep and lamb.sâ€" Slight- ly easier. Calves â€" Unchanged. Ilogsâ€" Strong; .•â- elects were quoted $7.60 f.o.b., and $7.85 fed and wat- ered. BIFFALO FOR ALBERT.V. A Herd of Throe Hundred Is Now on Ihe Way. .\ despatch from Ronan. Montana, says : The expedition sent by the Dominion Government to secure the remaining 300 buffalo, bought from Michael Pablo for Buffalo Park, W'ainwright, Alebrta, arriv- ed on Wsdiiesday in charge of Mr. Howard Douglas, Commissioner of Canadian National Parks. Si.xty Mexican cowboys have been busy during the past fortnight persuad- ing the biillalo toward the corral in the valley of Pend D'Oreillo River. .\n attempt will bo made to force them into the corral, which, if successful, will make the balance of tho task somewhat easy. These buffalo are the outlaws of the herd, and the task is fraught with some difficulty. a m ARMY IS A SHAI " Ttiese Are the Words of Field Marshall Lord Roberts. A despatch from London says : "Our army is a sham. We have no army," exclaimed Field Mar- shall Lord Roberts, earnestly, dur- ing a debate in the House of Lords upon the Duke of Be<iford's motion for an inquiry into the con- dition ot the reserve, on Wednes- day. Earl Roberts, w'Jld !s kno-.vn to favor compulsory military train- ing, declarett that he was amazed at tlie manner in whioh both Houses treated the army as a party ques- tion, and at the apathy of the na- tion regarding military defence. The nation, ho said, did not be- lieve in the danger of invasion, and no wonder, tor their loaders told them there was no fear of it. He adde<l : "I know perfectly well that the leaders in both Houses are anxiiius about tho future, but th^y do not tell the country that we have neither an army to send abroad or til defend the country at homo. While we are sitti;!;? here, taking it easily and eomfori;i,bly, the dong--r Mj coming nearer and nearer to us daily, and unless you cease telling the people they are living in .safety and get an army fit to deal with any enemy we shall one day come to such utter grief that you will bitterly regret your iuaclion. ''It is a perfect marvel to mo how Great Britain can sec- what is go- iua; on around us in Europe and be content with the condition of our army. No country in the world would attempt to defend itself with the paucity of men and with tite un- trained men we have got. You will never have a real army until you have taken the nation into your con- (idence and tell them their danger. You may think you are safe, but you are not. ''Be frank and tell the nation wliat is before them. They will re- spv>nd." His admonitions were addressed to the Government representatives. The Peers showed their approval by carrying the Duke of Pedford'e inoliou against the Government by a vote of 73 to 22. ^