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b ' ... ■ I I edun .ImMmksL Ai cw. hH -q en r gT XT aroli vnr* IQ < the mornin. .9 , V Ville IO J flstubllshed 1850. - -iQc- -7 1888.1 I J. H. EriTILL, Preside ) ' O' 7 COURT’S EVIDENCE COMPLETE. CAPT. SAMPSON REFERS TO IT AS GRATIFY INGLY SO. HIM Statement Might Mean the Dis covery of nn Accidental Cause. The Indications Looked Upon an Ail the Other Way-Talk of the Divers Contradictory, But Bits of Evidence Picked l'p From Time to Time Tend to Show That the Ship Is Broken in Two. Havana, via Key West, Fla., March 16. With the departure of the court of in quiry,* after a second visit to the scene of the wreck of the Maine, the tension grows serious. The court, a body like a grand jury in ite functions, is nearly ready to report. Unless there are new discoveries here, which is unlikely, there is nothing to be done, but for -the members to seclude themselves in the lowa and formulate the convictions already firmly held. There is no reason to change the belief that the court will find that the disaster was (caused by an explosion outside the Maine. The chief officers have been absolutely discreet, while the talk of the divers has been contradictory. From bits of evidence that have come out during the. three weeks’ examination, it seems as sure as anything in this lati tude can be that the plans of the court show that the ship was broken in two and the forward part rent assunder by an ex plosion from the outside. Capt. Sampson Intimated to the corres pondent yesterday that the testimony was "gratifyingly complete.” This might mean that an accidental ' cause had been discovered, but the indi cations are all the other way. No one believes that any Spanish offi cials or officers of rank will be implicat ed, whatever may be the finding of the court. CapL Sampson, before leaving, said the court's d< parturd was not due to orders received, but was decided upon solely by the members themselves. The wrecking work has been very slow, but it Is hoped that now, with the added facilities and the others that are to come, •work will be advanced with greater rap-* kilty. Spaniards an<l Cubans alike are greatly Interested in the forthcoming elections end their probable results, whether the Con servatives will vote at al|, whether ra cial difference* outside the city of Havana will be fatal to the hoped of autonomy, 011 .V" 1 ' h” oj . 710 w.fll be *•' w ’’ fb kivli of IM sutoth-UMJUH j”» glnwlty loTiI The volunteers are. apparently more quiet, though many of the leaders are pngcred by private advices from Madrid to the effect that Senor Sagasta. is as firmly resolved as ever otv their disarma ment. r This correspondent has seen cable mes sages from Ixmdbn to several English to bacco merchants telling them to leave the Island nt once and hinting that war seems inevitable. The Associated Press correspondent at Matansas tells a sad story, not only of the suffering there, but of the difficulties which the bureaucratic. methods of the Spanish officials place tn thp way of the relief, even of those who are actually starving. For instance, a bridge has to b«' crossed in conveying the stores from the vessel to the warehouse. The local authorities actually tried to charge a-toll for each cart loud ami were only prevent ed by gn order from the government. In the hearing of the Associated Press correspondent at Matanxas, a custom house officer on the whats called out to tt crowd of starving people, who were cry ing for food: “Do you think the Americana sent this food? Well, they did not. It was sent you by the rich Spanish in NeW York city.” • Important ndvlccs from the insurgents show that Gen. Maximo Gomes han sent a mission to the Insurgent chiefs in Mid dle and Western Cuba telling them of a great movement that la likely to go through successfully. Gen. Pando, from Santiago de Cuba, ordered the Spanish Gens. Castellanos and Tenquet to advance on the insurgents numbering from 2.5U0 to 3.000 under Menlcal, Capote ami Cebreco, in Puerto Principe province. His plans, he supposed. were perfect but the Insur gents Hanked the Spanish, and are now moving toward the Jucaro trocha. They are expected to raid Matanlas, Ha van« and possibly Pinar del Rio prov- Inoes during the next fifteen or eighteen days. All negotiations on the part of Ramires and Chaves, near Manxaulllo, have been fruitions. Not an Insurgent of any rank whatever has surrendered. An important faction of autonomists at Santa Clara and Mntanxiis declines to take part in the com ing elections on the ground that Gen. Bianco has not carried out Important in • i ructions In the establishment of the au tonomic government. It >4 believed that the deaths of the in surgent leaders Cayito, Alvercx and Nu n»'i. first ryi>orted undue to Hied own com *ad<s, were really duo to the treachery of the Autonomist Governor of Santa Clara. Manx* Garcia, who made an appointment for a conference with them and then had them macho led. cot KT’S OPINION A RIDDLE. Ofllcera of the Maine Abaelutely in the nark. Key West, Fla., March JG.— The arrival of the court of inquiry from Havana on the Mangrove to-day w»» not unexpected, but the extreme mystery which has sur rounded the be ha voir of Hs members dur ing the day is in attvn>t contrast with their former cond'tct at Key West. The most deltaite »talemew| obtainable was from a BNObrr of the court, who. after stipulating that hl* name should be sup pressed, said; •T do not know whether we wIU hold a •e»*ton. but I suppose wo wdL” Thr only trvttitle ilcYvlo'inictH which lot lowed the court's arrival was the release of th** h*jiw ot of thv here. 4lihou«h the only apparent reaxNi for their attendance i> that they may lew* tlfy further. lUh a’i the htaUwfa othcera Marix lunched e -»r on the lowa, which lies six miiv /ft. They did not return to land. Among .naval officers and others, it is generally believed that the court of inquiry has come to the definite conclusion that the explosion was external and that the court is now only busied over minor tech nical details. One of the officers of the Maine so.id to the Associated Press correspondent: “I believe the Maine was blown up from the outside; but judging from the questions asked by members of the court when pre viously here, I am utterly unable to as *certain whether they have even counte nanced such a solution of the disaster. I have talked with fellow officers, and bas ing their opinions on the character of the questions asked, they, too, were bound to confess that they were just as much in the dark.” Amid cheers from their fellow survivors and friends, a number of the Officers of the Maine left to-night on the Plant Line steamer Olivette, via Tampa, for their homes. IHPARCIAL SCORES LEE. Accuses Him of Sending False Re ports to Wnsliingtoii. Correspondence Associated Press. Madrid, March 16.—The Ifnparclal to-day devotes its leading article to Consul Gen eral Fitzhugh Lee. It remarks that he is a “factor in the Cuban problem to which sufficient attention has» not been paid,” adding: “In no capital of Europe would a full blown ambassador be allowed to do what this consular agent indulges in with impunity in Cuba. This gentleman lets no chance go by of showing in what quarter lie his sympathies and good will. Does any difficulty arise between his country and Spain, he increases it; does friction arise between the two countries, he does his best to add to it; his reports are al ways hostile to our country, and very often full of falsehood. The insurgents look upon him as a protector,the Spaniards as an enemy. A paper of his own country has hinted, many European papers have stated, that he belongs to the syndicate who wish to buy up Cuba, and every in dication points to the truth of this state ment. His malevolence against our country is so marked that it has been noted even by the New York press, which is in no way predisposed in our favor. “Is our government so timid and fright ened that it dare not present a petition to a government with which it assures us it is on friendly terms? If thut friendship really exists the United States would find no difficulty in relieving an official who, far from Improving that friendship, does hite level best daily to interrupt it.” WAR FRONT CAUSES SURPRISE. La I.arlm Unable to Explain Uncle Sain'M BellteoNe Attitude. Havana, March J 6._ La Lucha. its -'. jrtinhg iki*?' 'nt 1 hrn»»M“ f wPt 4 „ unable to explain the bellicose attitude of the United States, and inclines to the be lief that this ls t the fault of business syndi cates like the Sugar Trust, or due to some new desire to annex'Cuba which has “changed the physiogomy of the American l>eople.” It claims that Spain has done nothing to hurt the people of the United States, nnd refers to the friendliness of Spain to the American colonies when they were lighting England, and also to the "strict neutrality Spain maintained during the civil war." La Lueha says it can only explain the help given to the tnsubgents from Ameri can sources during the pros, nt ihaurrectlon in Cuba by "defective law, varying in the different states of the American Union.” The editorial concludes: “The end of the journey will show which nation has the more to lose in a contest that may'come now. No doubt Spain docs not fear war. Public opinion, if not demanding, does not repel hostilities. It is believed by many that this way is the only means of reach ing an end of tho question.” WORK ON THE WHECKi Cliance Tlmt the Court of Inquiry Ma, Return to Ilavann. Havana, March 16.—The officers of the Maine, who remain here, are disappointed nt not being ordered north, and believe they will not be sent back to the United Stntce until It is certain the court of in quiry into the loss of the battleship will not return to Havana. Witte the arrival of the big derrick Chief nnd other machinery the wrecking work already signs of progress. Tho naval divers are still working about the wreck, under the direction of Capt. Slgsbee nnd Lieutenant Commander Wainwright with Ensign Powelson to make any changes fit the drawings which may be caller for by new discoveries. BATTLE WITH GOMEZ. Government Force** Claim to Have Won n 1 Ictory. Havana, March 16.—According to a Spanish report ;i column of government I troops, under Col. Falanca. was engaged on Friday and Saturday last with the in surgent forces under Ger Maximo Gomes and Brigadier General Jose Maria Gomes, at the Maja Gua farm, in the district of Sanctl Spirit us, province of Santa Clara. The Insurgent km* said to have been considerable, while the Spat 1 ish force is alleged to have lost only three men kill ed and a captain., a lieutenant and thir teen soldier* wounded. DKFARTMENT OF THE GULF. Story That Arranurmrnt In Only Temporary Probably 1 ntrue. Washington. M.trch 16.—Senator Bacon wiit at the war department to-day tjnd had a talk with the officials about the I new military department of the Gulf. He went partieularly for the pur|x>se of •*- I certaintaK whether the present division is to be only temporary, as, has been re ported in some quarters. lie fmpresse.l upon the Secretary of War the Importance of maintaining the ph -ent department in the South with hetulquartera at Atlanta, showing the ervat geographic and strategic value of (Continued ou Fifth Page.) SAVANNAH. THURSDAY. MARCH 17, 1898. SPAIN KICKS ON UNCLE SAM. Army and navy preparations TOO WARLIKE. Definite Representations Submitted to the State .Department by the Madrid Government in Reference to the Matter—Cruiser Montgomery to Return to Key West at Once—No Information Received by the Navy Department From the Court of Inquiry. 4 Washington, March 16.—The main devel opments in the Spanish situation to-day was in connection with the definite repre sentations submitted by the Spanish gov ernment to the state department concern ing the assembling of a large fleet of American warships at Key West, the war preparations, and the influence which these have had on the approaching elec tions in Cuba- These representations were exactly in line‘With the semi-official utterance given in these dispatches last night and credited to a high official conversant With the views of the Spanish cabinet. While these representations cannot properly be regarded as a protest against the attitude and acts of the United States government, it may unquestionably be set down as a remonstrance calculated to have an effect in European court circles. Not, "however, being a technical protest, the statement has not called forth any of ficial rejoinder on the part of the state de partment, for it is lacking in tangible ac cusations, being rather an argumentative presentation of alleged Spanish grievances. The Fern sailed for Havana from Key West this afternoon. She goes to relieve the Montgomery as a home for the officers engaged in supervising the wrecking oper ations in Havana harbor. It may be stated unequivocably that the Montgomery is not withdrawn owing to any suggestion from Spanish sources that her presence is not desired. It was the announced intention of Sec retary Long when the criuser was sent to Havana to keep her there only so long as the Fern should be engaged in the work of distributing relief among the sufferers in Eastern Cuba. This task having been performed, and, owing to the return of the court of in quiry from Havana, there being fewer persons to accommodate, the Fern, which is better equipped than the Montgomery to assist in the wrecking operations, is re turned to her position. Up to the close of office hours .the navy department, yiough it knew officially that the court of inquiry had corne, over to *ed as to the findings The late Mr. Ogd< n-Goelet’s yacht May flower, wns purchased by the government to-day. It is said that the object of the navy department is to provide as quickly aS possible a number of picket boats of good spebd and sea-goidg ability to act as scouts, and also to aid our iron clads and more expensive vessels in operations against torpedo boats. A large number of private yachts have been offered to the department, and other acquisitions of the same type as the Mayflower may be expected. The fleet at Key West will be aug mented within the next day or two by the arrival of the gunboat Annapolis, the torpedo boat Foote and the naval tugs Ix'.vdcn and Samoset, while the gun ix>at Helena is now on her way from the Euro pean station under orders to report <t Key West. The Helena reix>rted her arrival to-day at Funchal on her w.ly to join the fleet. These and the other vessels previously or dered to that point constitute the largest assemblage of war vessels made since the demonstration following the Virginias af fair. and considering the effectiveness and armament is the strongest assemblage of ships for other than review purposes since the war. The fleet now at Key West and Dry Tortugas is as follows: Cruiser New York, battleships Massachusetts, Indiana, lowa and Texas, criuser Detroit, gun fyoat Nashville, cruiser Marblehead, dis patch boat Fern, torpedo boats Dupont, Cushing, Porter, Winslow and Ericsson. To these will be added the five ves sels now en route there. 111 addition to these the Montgomery is at Havana and is practically a part of the fleet, the gun boats Wilmington and Castine.and cruiser Cincinnati are at Bar badoes, the Newport at Colon, with the Puritan, Newark. Amphitrite and other ships of .the North Atlantic, squadron at points along the coast further northward. In point of ships, the fleet under Rear Admiral Cason, Jan. 3, 1874. following the Virtrinlus affair) was considerably larger. Although formidable in Its day, this ag gregation was maile up of the old-style wooden ships, monitors, which had gone through the civil war, and every available craft that could bear guns. /Compared 7 with the modern battleships and cruister4 of the new navy it was insignificant in tonnage and general effectiveness. It is noteworthy, however, that this formidable gathering of ships was at the same point 1 as the present gathering, and during a critical period with Spain, and that it ‘ did not eventuate in war. Secretary Alger has made requisition on I the President* for two large allotments j from the appropriation of J5t.b00.000 for I the national defense. One is for $5,000,000 I for the use of the engineer department of I the army, tn the completion of certain fortification works along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts now Is progress, and the other Is for f.'.VAjW for the use of the ordnance department of the army in the acquire ment of arms and ammunition. Pretty much all of this money is needed to cover contracts already made by the military I establishments. An encouraging telegram came to the I department from Admiral Bonce, 00m- I mandant of the New York navy yard. It I was: “Naval constrqctor report* dock No. 3 pumped dry last night. Test of the structure satisfactory. Caisson joint leaks, but easily remedied.” The department places the date for the I final compktioa erf the dock at April 30. I in view of this report. Surgeon General Van Revpen of the j navy returned to-day Jnom Newport News. where he went to examine into the practi cability of converting the Plant lane eu'umer Ua Grande Duchesse into an am. bulance or hospital ship for use of the navy in the event of hostilities with Spam. Thu steamer, which Gen. Van Keypen say s is large, roomy and airy, formerly plied between New York and Savannah, but was laid up because of complaint about her So far as the accommodations are concerned the vessel, after some neces sary work, would make an admirable am bulance ship, but the lack of boilers, which it would take several months to re place, limits her adaptability for use at the present time. The surgeon general has in view several ships which, with but a limited expendi ture of money, could be changed into am bulance ships, but he will be compelled to await the report of the special board which is examining into the question of auxiliary cruisers before taking any ac tion. The war department is making ready for another big contract looking to the procurement of a lot of shot and shell. An advertisement has just been issued calling for “cast iron projectiles for sea coast cannon.” The bids are made re turnable next Monday at 3 o’clock at the ordnance office, war department. The shot and shell are of the heaviest description, 187 ten-inch solid shot, 910 twelve-inch mortar shells, weighing 800 pounds each, and 500 twelve-inch mortar shells weigh ing 11000 pounds each being wanted. These projectiles are entirely different from the $1,000,000 worth ordered yesterday. Those were wrought steel shot and shell known as armor piercers and intended for at tack upon battleships, monitors and such armored vessels. Those called for now are for use either against lightly armor er or unarmored ships, or else for “deck piecers,” being fired from the mortars with a plunging fire into the deck of ves sels lying out at sea. Being of cast metal, these projectiles, it is expected, will be much cheaper th&n the armor piercers al ready ordered.. The equipment bureau of the navy de partment has prepared itself .for the equip ment at very short notice of any vessel of the auxiliary navy that may be ac quired with the most approved signalling devices now employed. Considering the competition offered by the navy and marine corps, in the enlist ment of recruits, the war department feels that it is doing very well in securing men for the artillery regiments. The adjutant general’s report td-day was that 220 men had been secured. This is at the rate of 800 per month, and about as fast as the men can be properly taken care of. Adjt. Gen. Corbin yesterday received a military visitor,who said he was fresh from the battlefields of Cuba and desired to arrange with him for the immediate investmem. of the j>ort of Havana. He was dressed in a militar y uniform of green cloth, and said he was ready to take the field at once. He gave his name as Lieut. Col. Jorg A. Rivera y Monez, Fourth Army Corps, Cuban Army, and said he had come from Gen. Mayria Rodriguez, second in command. To use his own words, he “was just from the field and had blood on his boots,” and he gave every indica tion of being earnest and eager for the fray. What he desired .was an army of 5,000 from the United States with which to begin the invasion of Cuba, and his plan was la fire on Mr r.> < astte and sack V’*- f >; ~ i wt him courteously and .-aid he would see him later about the army of invasion. MORE. SOLDIERS FOR TYREE. tußiisfa Reports 200 Coining From Old Point Comfort. Augusta, Ga., March 16.—50 many car loads of guns and munitions of war have passed through here en route to southern coast points that is is an old story. Late to-night comes the news that a special train will run from Old Point Com fort to-morrow, passing through here Fri day morning, and bringing over 200 sol diers from Fortress Monroe for Tybee Island. They will pass through Augusta about noon Friday and will no doubt at tract great crowds of interested specta tors. There is great activity nmotig the local military, and some of the companies are enlisting new members in anticipation of war service. The Clinch Rifles have been summoned to their armory under a rath er mysterious call fpr to-morrow night, and all sorts of rumops are afloat to-night among the militiamen. SPAIN'S FINANCIAL RALLY. Madrid Paper Certain a Fresh Loan Could Be Raised Easily. Madrid, March 16.—The Financial Press comments upon the facility with which Spain has supported the heavy financial burdens incurred on account of the insur rections in Cuba and the Philippine Isl ands, and points out that although since Senor Sagasta has been premier the cost of the wars has exceeded 300,000,000 pese tas. the note circulation of thq Bank of Spain has only increased from 1,174,926,306 to 1,259.630,650 pesetas. Upon this show ing, the Press asserts that no one doubts if a fresh loan should be required it could be raised as easily as was the loan a year ago. LIRA NOT FOR SALE. No Spanish Chamber Would Consent to Sncli a Proposition. Madrid, March 16.—A semi-official agen cy to-day publishes the following an nouncement: "It is useless to talk of the sale of Cuba. The question could not be arranged except by Parliament, and it is impossible that any (Spanish chamber would agree to sell the island at any price.” STAIN DOESN'T WANT WAR. El Heraldo Snirgeni* n Compromiie With the United States. Madrid, March 16.—El Heraldo, in a very conciliatory article, supposed in official circles to be inspired, after pooh-poohing the "fiction that Spain desires to provoke a war," says: "If the United States really wishes peace and Spain is resolved to maintain it. let each go half way, and the paciflcauvu ol Cuba, and the tranquility of Europe will be accomplished." Sandoval After Ships. Berlin. March 16.—Senor Samjoval, the Spanish agent, is negotiating for the pur chare of a number of old and alow steam ers of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company. North Carolina’s Mar Quota. Raleigh. N. C.. March 16.—Gov. Russell to-day received a message asking how many troops the state could fur- : «h in case of hostilities. The reply of the Governor gave 245.t<0 as the number. FATAL OUTBURST OF FLAME. FIVE TO FIFTEEN L|VES LOST AT CHICAGO. Fire Has Its Origin in an Explosion Mi the Basement of a Six Story Business Building' Containing 400 Toilers—Men in Charge of the Two Elevators Show Great Heroism. Three Men Hurl Themselves to Death From Sixth Story Windows. Chicago, March 16.—1 t required just twenty minutes this afternoon for one of the most savage fires Chicago has seen since the famous cold storage warehouse fire on the World’s Fair grouids in 1893, to take ahywhere from five to fifteen lives, maim thirty people, and reduce a six-story brick building to a pile of blazing timber, red-hot bricks and twisted iron. The number of dead is still in doubt, and probably will not be definitely known until the debris is sufficiently cooled to admit of a search being made for the bodies of those who are undoubtedly in the ruins. This will require two days at least. Three men are known to be dead. They are: Samuel A. Clark, bookkeeper for the Olmstead Scientific Company. Miles A. Smith, salesman for the same company. Edward Binz, cashier for the Sweet Wal lace Company. Those reported missing and who had not returned home or communicated with their friends to-night, and whose bodies are believed to be in the ruins, are the fol lowing: W. A. Olmstead, proprietor of the W. A. Olmstead Scientific Company, rushed through the sixth floor, notifying his em ployes of their peril, seen to go toward rear of the building, and was not seen to leave. C. H. Armns, secretary of the W. A. Olm stead Scientific Company. Mrs. M. E. Harris, widow, 42 years old, employed as bookkeeper for W. A. Olm stead Scientific Company. * Unkown woman seen at the window on sixth floor shortly after Miles Smith leap ed to hts death. C. T. Anderson, employed by 'Sweet, Wallach & Co. Tony , last name unknown, office boy for Sweet, Wallace & Co. Fred Hamill, vaudeville singer, employed by National Music Company. C. A. Brice, cashier for W. A. Olmstead Scientific Company. Solomon Grollman, Jr., Western agent for Henry Holtzman of-Columbus, 0., had rooms with Sweet, Wallace & Co. Solomon Grollman, Sr., with Solomon Grollman, Jr. Nina Guest, cashier for the National Music Company. H. R. Nelson, worked for W. A. Olm- William Maiv.n, snipping clerk for Pres byterian Board of Publication. William Boss, errand boy for Presby terian. Board of Publication. W. J. Wilcox, partner of W. A. Olm stead. W. R. Nelson, employe of Olmstead Company. William A. Marvin, employed by Pres byterian Publishing Company. The injured are: Paul C. Snyder, employed by Sweet, Wallace & Co., severely burned about the head and body, taken home; may die. Emil Bresserman, dropped from third floor to street; hip broken and spine in jured; may die. A. E. McCullough, salesman for Alfred Peats, jumped from third floor; right hip and shoulder broken and internal Injuries; may die Mary Lepere, burned about face and head while climbing down fire escape from Sweet, Wallace & Co.’s floor, fell from second floor to ground and sustained in ternal injuries; may die. Hugh S. Elliott, manager Presbyterian board of publication, hands and face burn ed, not serious. Herman Overman, fell from Are escape; badly bruised. H. B. Cunningham, agent for the ern Pacific Express Company, head and body buyned. W. S. Lemley, colored waiter at H. H. Kohlsaat & Co.’s restaurant, jumi>ed from s/econd floor of restaurant; right leg broken. , z Officer Joseph Rogers, overcome ly smoke while rescuing people from the burning building. Prof. Hansline of the National Music Company, face and hands burned while helping employes to reach the fire escape. E. A. Wise, legs and hands severely burned. • Philip Farley, piano mover for Conover Piano Company, right leg broken In jump ing from second-story window. W. H. Murphy, engineer, burned about face and shoulders. Josie Baxa, right ankle broken In jump ing from second-story window. Annie Baxa, jumped with her sister from second floor, severely bruised. David Schaefer, arm broken trying to catch E. A. McCullough, who jumped from the third floor. Andrew Nystrom, face and hands burned. A. J. Nystrom, face, hands and legs burned. Fred Smith, face and nedc cut by fall ing glass and head bruised by falling brick. Jacob Kerchln, letter carrier, jumped from second story, back injured and ankle sprained. John McDermott, jumped from second floor and dislocated left shoulder, y James W. Wall, pipeman, hty'd and back injured by falling wall. < Kate Carney, forewoman of the Na tional Music Comi>any, face and burned in descending from the fourth floor. Eiiward D. Hill, employed by the Pres byterian Publishing Company, ’severely burned about the face and neck. The building was eix stories high, had a frontage of 58 feet on Wabash avenue, Nos. 215 to ’216. and extended back 160 feet to an alley. It was of what is known ns mill construction, and had two elevator shafts, one on the front and one in the rear, and reaching from the third story to the roof was a light shaft, which gave the flames every chance. It was because of this shaft that the Are spread with such rapidity. The building was occupied by a number of concerns, some of them employing large numbers of people. It is estimated that 400 persons were at work in the building when the fire was discovered. The origin of the fire is in dispute. The weight of the evidence eeems to be that an explosion occurred to the lower part of i DAILY, 510 AYE AB. i IkT/"k OO 5 CENTS A COPY. I IN O, I WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A-WEEK $1 A YEAR f the building, for the flames shot up the light shaft at once. The sound of the explosion threw the in mates of the building into a panic, and on several floors a wild stampede for the stairways and elevators. *To add to the i/anic the men in charge of the elevators ran their cars up to the top of the building shouting “fire” at every floor. < When they reached the top both elevators took a load of frightened wo men and started for the bottom. The front elevator was iq charge of Har ry Gleason, a boy, and the rear one was handled by William St. John,a young man. Both of these kept their heads, showed much coolness and bravery, and were in strumental in rescuing many lives. The elevator in the front of the building was a deliberate affair in good order, but not calculated to produce speed. Gleason made one trip to the seventh floor, car ried down a load of women and, although the smoke was rolling through the build ing in dense clouds, he started up again. At the fourth floor he stopped to take on a crowd of girls from the rooms of the National Music Company, being assisted in his work by Miss Katherine Carney, the forewoman. A man attempted to force his way into the elevator, but Gleason shoved him back into the hall that the women might have the first chance. The man never came out and with brave Katherine Carner, who showed a braver and more unselfish spirit, probably met death in the flames. Miss Carney was a true heroine. Al though at the outset she had an opportun ity to escape with the other women she seemed to feel it her duty to stay and help the escape of the girls over whom she had charge. Her voice could be heard above the shrieks of the panic strucken girls, advising them to preserve order and reas suring them again and again. She stood near the stairway and attempted to seize the frightened women as they dashed down to the next floor, but was thrown aside. When she saw that there was nb hope of stopping the panic, she darted to the elevator cage to calm- the others. As the elevator ascended, Miss Carney ordered the conductor to stop. She then turned and helped her frightened charges into the cage. Durng all the excitement she remained calm and issued, orders' as though directing the women at work. As the elevator started to descend without Miss Carney one of the girls cried to the conductor to stop, but the brave woman, though staring death in the face, shouted for them not to to mind her, that she would take care of herself. The girls she sent down the elevator escaped unharm ed. Miss Carney subsequently left the building by means of the fire escape. After reaching the bottom with his load of girls, Gleason was about to start up again when the supports of the elevator machinery at the top caught fire and seeing that they would give way before his slow elevator could make another trip, he gave it up. At the rear St. John did equally good work, but was not able to make more than one trip as the fire swept through that portion of the building before it at tacked the front. Tq msiputes after ex piosiui that Smarted the fire, u'c esCufie for the inmates by the stairs and eleva tors was cut off. There remained only the windows and the single fire escape, a narrow iyon thing not over eighteen inches from side to side, and was speedily covered with a string of people, some on one side some on the other. of them who could not reach the fire escsfre made their way to the front windows, and it was out of thes# that Clark, Smith and Rinz hurled themselves to death. Clark was bookkeeper for the Olmstead Scientific Company on the seventh floor, and remained to put the books in the safe. He might have escaped had he run upon the first alarm. He was first seen at one of the seventh story windows and a few minutes after showed himself in a win dow of the sixth floor. The fire was close upon him, the floors and walls behind him were crashing down and it was certain death for him to remain where he was. There was no possibility of help and he took his only chance. Three seconds later he was dead on the pavement below. Mlles A. Smith, a salesman ’for the Olmstead Scientific Company, also leaped from a window in the sixth floor. He hes itated some time before taking the leap, but like Clark, understood that it was his only hope. He was instantly killed, his body being horribly manglefl. \ Edward Binz, the cashier of Sweet, Wallace & Co., on the sixth floor, fell a victim to his desire to save others and to protect his books from harm. He, upon hearing the alarm, ran to the rear of the stone to warn the employes to run for their lives. He then rushed back to his desk, gath ered his books and jammed them into the vault. Then he started for the star way, but the flames were ahead of him and he turned back. Tnere was nothing but the window and to *this he went. He clambered upon the sill and stood there in view of thq crowd below. Clark and Smith had already bedaubed the pave ment with their life blood. The building was a roaring mass of flames and Binz’s face and hands were badly burned before he jumped. He pondered the matter but a few seconds, then his form shot down ward through a cloud of flame and smoke and in the drawing of a breath he was as lifeless as the stones over which his blood and brains were spattered. A fireman distinguished himself by a daring rescue. He was upon a ladder close to the building when he heard a cry. The fireman saw a man in a window of the fifth story carrying an inanimate form. That the rescuer was about to throw the unconscious human being into the street in the vain hope of saving the man from a death by roasting, was evident. The fire was roaring so that no voice could be heard. Putting up his hands as a sig nal to wait until he got ready the fireman braced himself upon the ladder and then waved his arms for the rescuer to drop the unconscious man to him. With a shock that nearly knocked the heroic fire man from »his position, the body of the man struck the fire fighter. But tt did not get .away from him. He held the un conscious man through ail the swaying and swinging of the ladder. Hastily de scending the fireman turned his burden over to the police and returned to his post. The man who had saved the workman had disappeared. He had a chance to es cape. had he been brave enough to dash through the smoke and flame. But if he did. not Immediately follow the fireman who bore away the man he had picked up on the fifth floor his charred remains will be found In the ruins when the search for the dead is made. W. A. Olmstead, president of the Olm stead Scientific Comjany. ran to the rear of the building 215 Wabash aveue, and has not been seen since. It is thought he has been buried in the ruins. George Fenters isroperty man at the (Continued on Fifth Page.) WATSON HEADS THE TICKET. POPULISTS NOMINATE A FULL STATE TICKET. Mr. Watson Fails to Say He Will Nos Accept the Nomination mid tiro Convention Thereupon Selects Him—L. O. Jackson Named for Sec retary of State and Ben MillikeiW for Controller General—W. L. Peele Named for Commissioner of Agri, culture. Atlanta, Ga., March 17, 2 a, m.-—The pop. ulist state convention broke up at 1 o'clock this morning after threatening to sit up till daylight wrangling over a proposition to recommend a non-partisan ticket fofl Supreme Court judges, composed of W. B. Hill, Pop., of Macon, for chief W.i R. Leaken, 'Rep., of Savannah, and H. T. Lewis, Dem., of Greene. / The convention had already adopted a' platform denouncing a partisan judiciary,, but there was a bitter fight made when it came to carrying out the idea by the mixed ticket. The leaders were for it, however,; and it finally went through, roll call being resorted to, and the leaders vindicating themselves by manipulating the vote. Tom Watson was nominated for Govern or with a whoop. During the afternoon, it was believed that he would not take the nomination,, and in the confusion that followed, all nominations put off till the night ses sion. Then a message was received stating that Mr. Watson would not say he would not accept the nomination, though he did not want it. At this hfe was nominated with a rising vote. Maj. McGregor, Mr. Watson’s close per sonal friend, gave the message to the con vention and brought on the nomination. He thinks Mr. Watson will accept the situation as forced upon him and make a vigorous campaign. If he does the gu bernatorial campaign will be a warm one, Mr. Watson hhs declared repeatedly of late that he is out of politics, however, and he would not come to the convention. Yancey Carter, the big Populist from Hart county, who was expected to be a prominent figure in the convention, and possibly as nominee for Governor, did not show up at all. His absence caused a great deal of comment. The convention held three sessions. Thel attendance was not nearly so large as in past conventions, which is doubtless an in dication that there is a slump in popu lism. W. L. Meek was made permanent chair man, and his son-in-law, M. D. Grivin, secretary. Chairman Cunningham called the con «v mi u<. 'iu .in dphe, so flepv.-ved, hingicif of a Sjieech that had a,lol of gin ger in it for the three Democratic candi dates for Governor and Democrats in gen eral. The full ticket nominated is as fol lows: , ] For Governor—Thomas E. Watson. (Secretary pf State—L. O. Jackson of De catur county. .Controller General—Ben Milliken of Wayne county. Attorney General—Carey Thornton of Muscogee county. Treasurer—W. J. H. Traylor of Troupi county. Slate School Commissioner—B. M. Zet tler of Fulton county. Commissioner of Agriculture—W. L. Peek of Rockdale county. Prison Commissioner—J. $. Davitt of Polk county. C. G. McGregor, Gen. William Phillipa and W. D. Howkins were, elected members of the national committee. Sixty-six degcates were elected to the national Populist convention. The delegates from the First district are J. D. Franklin, H. S. White, C. S. Grice’, W. P. Bfewer, D. C. Newton and H. G. Edenfield, the latter to be accerdited as ai delegate from the state at large. The following is the resolutions and plat form reported and adopted, after a hot fight over the prohibition plank, which was sought to be stricken out, but without effect. The resolutions tire-. “Taxation of the state, being under Dem ocratic administration, increased more than 100 per cent, since the Republican ad ministration of R. B. Bullock, notwith standing the taxable property of the state has doubled since 1879, we pledge ourselves if placed in power to reduce the present high rate of taxation without a reduction in the pension or common school funds. "Resolved, by the convention of the Pop ulists of Georgia, That as a political party we are without a national chairman, and call upon the national committee to rem edy the evil at the earliest possible mo ment. "Resolved, That wo indorse the action of the Nashville v conference and the re organization committee at St. Louis Jan, 12, in favor of a national convention, to bo held July 4, 1898.” . The platform in substance is: "We endorse the St. Louis platform. “Civilization, to say nothing of religion, has entered up judgment of condemnation against bar-rooms. The public conscience revolts at the license system which fat tens the saloons and generates its mani fold evils in consideration of revenue that pays Itss than a tithe of the public bur dens it entails. It is monopolistic and es sentially immoral. “We favor the passage of an anti-bar room bill which shall close the bar-rooms at once; which shall make secure the local prohibition already obtained and provide for the sale of non-intoxicating liquors oth erwise than in bar-rooms under public control. “We unqualifiedly fondemn the convict law passed by the legislature of 1§97 as be ing the enactment of a system more in iquitous than the old lease net. We be lieve the state herself should keep pos session of her prisoners and should em ploy th» m on the public roads o nd rot allow them brought in competition with free labor, and that reformatories be es tablished for juvenile criminals. “We indorse the St. Louis platform and condemn the convict lease system and fav or the establishment of juvenile reforma tories. "We declare in favor of the ment and extension of the system, favoring the printing of school books by the state and the payment of teachers monthly. "We condemn the acceptance of free passes by public officials. "We condemn lynching and demand of (Continued on Fifth Page.)