Newspaper Page Text
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Missouri. ^
*
% IHfilSES SILLED
Explosion of
Occurred While at
rr* 1 1 cl Gl refet ! Practice.
o
___
Catastrophe « Took Place
Range 1 Off Pensacola. Fla.
Bodies oi the "\ ictiiiis
Horribly Mtitillated.
^ Pensacola, Fla., special says: By
:he explosion of 2,000 pounds of pow
her in the after 12-inch turret aud in
:he handling room of the battle ship
iissour. Captain William S. Cowles,
(inirnanding, twenty-nine men were in
tantly killed and five injured, two
t whom will die.
Ti e Missouri was on the target
: 2 nge w ith the Texas and Brooklyn at
jractice •/. p about noon when a charge o»*
ic.wder in the 12-inch lefthand gun ex
oioded. igniting four charges of pow
*er :n the handling room, all exploded
tad only one man of the entire turret
tad handling crew survives.
[But for the prompt and efficient work
n Carta n William S. Cowles in flood
K the handling room and magazine
pXa water, one of the magazines
soiwl have exploded and the ship
ppi-g; msequently have been destroy
li wall every man on board.
A: the time of the explosion the
lotirth shot was being loaded t and from
fcili ations the first half cf the charge
Ld teen rammed home and the sec
Sad section was being rammed home
then gases from the shot previously
ire] or portions cf th ecloth cover ig
t> "breech . r-ovvder
Tk was open and a dull
pd gave notice of something unus
pai. No loud report was made, but
lames were seen to leap from every
portion of the turret. A few seconds
prwards another explosion some
pi more fierce occurred. This was
r. the handling room below, where 1,
00 pounds of powder or four charges
jeady to be hoisted above and ignited
Three minutes after the explosion
ill were on deck and the surgeons
roa the Missouri, Texas and Brook
In were attending to those Trot dead.
The twenty-five men of the turret ,
Per. found lying in a heap. They had
pied for the exit when the first ex
losion occurred and had just reached
here when the more terrible explosion
h the handling room occurred which
|r,rned and strangled them to death.
Bodies Terribly Mangled.
TI bodies were hardly recogniza
the terrible and quick fire having
wnt clothing from the bodies of the
ien, and the flesh hung from them in
breds. The faces were mutilated by
k smoke and flames. Only one man
fas breathing when the turret crew
fas rescued, and he died a moment
Nr he reached deck.
j' Nt a explosion less than five second after the
two streams of water
er o being played in the rooms, and
'ben volunteers were called for every
,aa of the ship responded and were
ager to go into the turrets and rescue
te crew.
The second explosion occurred near
De °f the magazines and s-o hot wa3
le fire that the brass work of ^he
la sazines was melted. Smoke and
le fumes of the burned powder made
aS most impossible to enter either
N turret or the handling room, , but ,
ncer« and cma ™ men, with handkerchiefs , . „
-e r 1 their LQ(?1 r faces, made j efforts «■ * * to res
ie the men inside
Before C1 «re the tm, f fumes of the burning .
>wder “
UCI his nad left the turret officers and
en were were in in uou lifting ,, the dying , . and . dead , ,
en.
PROHIBITIONISTS tor miles.
neral s ^®me is Applauded at State Con
Indiana tention Held in Indianapolis.
prohibitionists held theii
eonventon at Indianapolis Tues
‘ ’ Q Rhodes, of Kokomo, tempo
^chairman v of
the convention, in .1
UI of speech, advocated the nomina
> General Nelson
re $ident A. Miles for
['With tl tnst noble American bearing
nati °nal banner aloft,” said he,
Nh a candidate for state.
r;n . ■y every
and municipal office next. No
^ V -'Q will faith
5 W march, conquer
' to conquer.”
• ■Wg TgMMU B UJH JB- 1 mm
INSTRUCT FOR ROOSEVELT
New York Republics ms Elect Delegates.
Resolution Aimed at the South
is Sidetracked.
The New York state republican dele
I sate convention met in Carnegie hall
| s ^ ortly afternoon Tuesday and after
j the usual preliminaries recessed until
I 4 o'clock. The session was devoid of
contests. The speech of Senator
Depew, the temporary chairman, evok
ed considerable applause, especially
when he declared the certainty of
Roosevelt’s nomination and election.
BV one incident outside of the ex
pected routine occurred and that was
i the introduction by Warner Miller of
i Quay resolution demanding an m
vestigation by congress of the alleged
disfranchisement of negro voters in
the southern states. B was the same
resolution , that the Pennsylvania sena
; tor Produced at the republican na
tional convention in Philadelphia four
years .ago. It reads as follows:
“The permanency of d republican
government is based on a pure al!
free ballot. YYe'are opposed to either
its corruption by money or its limita
tion by depriving any citizen of the
j United States anywhere of the right
to deposit his vote, except for causes
j permitted by the constitution To ths
e nd we demand the protection and per
manency of all civil afd political
rights of our citizens without discrim -
nation as to race or color. We ask
congress to make inquiry whether any
j state has limited for any cause the
! elective franchise, and if so limited,
I that the number of its representatives
; in congress be limited in proportion to
: the number of voters in the disfra.i
: chisea part of the fourteenth amend
) ment, also that the fifteenth amend
S ment is in no way violated indirectly
■ or by subterfuge.”
Without debate it was referred to
I ike committee or. resolutions, which at
its session during the recess declined
to incorporate in the platform, which
contained a clause revering the su':>
ject.
The platform reaffirms the devotion
of the republicans of New York to and
confidence in the principles of the
party. In an indorsement of President
Roosevelt the platform says:
“We commend Theodore Roosevelt
for the fearlessness and good judgment
with which he entered upon the solu
- ion of Problems of social economy and
government. We recognize the rare ca
pacity he has exhibited in meeting all
the requirements of his great office.
We realize that his official acts has
justified the public confidence which is
the fundamental factor of his populyr
ity.
“Accordingly we indorse the admin
istration of Theodore Roosevelt. Be
lieving in his loyalty to the principles
of the republican party, relying on his
devotion to the interests of American
citizens and confiding in his wisdom,
; his courage and his statesmanship, we
hereby direct that the delegates this
day chosen use all honorable means n
bring about his nomination for pres
ident at the national convention to be
held in June.”
The president’s action touching the
1 Panama canal is indorsed and the
1 principle of a protective tariff is up
held while the freedom of the ballot
! without discrimination as to race or
1 color is demanded.
Delegates at large were named as
follows: Thomas C. Platt, alternate J.
Sloat Fassett; Senator C. M. Depew,
: alternate Louis Stern: Governor B. T3.
Odell, Jr,, alternate Erastus C. Knight;
Frank S. Black, alternate H. C. Brews
ter
PROOF 15 FURNISHED BY SC01T.
1
! Congressman From Kansas Backs Up Eks
Assertion on Floor oF the lloosa.
A Washington dispatch says: The
negro question came to the front in
the house again Tuesday, a long ad
dress being made by Mr. Scott, of Kan
sas, in reference to previous state
ments by him that Mr. Cleveland
when president v entertained a Kansas
: politician named m Taylor. ,
negro * i:
Mr. Scott ,, read , several , extracts , , from r
' ■ -
i Ietters , he . had , received , from , Persons
in Kansas and elsewhere which, ’ he
! sa ,, d, would ., make . „ it clear , ihat . , the
' statement / , made , , by . him . was not a fab- ..
| ncation. .
i
GEORGIA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS
To Hold Their Annui.I Convention in Dublin.
A fine Program Arranqed.
County school superintendents all
j over Georgia will be interested in the
j program of the annual meeting of the
! county school officials of the state,
I which is to be held in Dublin on May 3,
4 and 5.
This program has just been perfect
ed and given out by the state school
commissioner. The various subjects
and the list of those who will discuss
them is enough to prove that the meet
ing will be of great value to those in
ter os ted in this line of work.
:
| Two More Skips cf the Port Arthur
Squadron Put Out of Action.
1 ANOTHER MINE IS STRUCK
j Torpedo Boat Destroyer Suck by Japs
ana Forty-Five Russians Drown.
I Battleship Pobieda Damaged.
An Associated Press dispatch says:
! was officially announced in St. Pe
; tersburg Thursday that the torpedo
j toat destroyer, Beztrashni, was cut off
| i from the rest of the Russian fleet at
I Port Arthur and sunk by the Japan
| ese; that her crew was lost, and
I that the battle ship Pobieda accident
| ally struck a mine while maneuver
j ing, but was able to return to the har
Lor without loss of life.
The Bezstrashni was sent out dur
| ing the night to reconnoiter. She sep
nrated from the rest of the fleet owing
to the bad weather prevailing and
was surrounded by Japanese torpedo
boat destroyers and was sunk in the
fight.
Forty-five officers and men perished,
while five were saved.
Adm'ral Ouktomsky transmitted to
St. Petersburg the following dispatch:
“I have taken command provision
ally of the fleet, since the disaster to
the Petropavlovsk. During the ma
neuvers cf the battle ships of the
squadron the Pobieda struck against a
mine amidship on the starboard side.
She was able to rega n port by herself.
None on board her were killed or
wounded.”
The Pobieda is a battleship of 12,
G74 tons displacement, and of 14,500
horse power. She is 401 1-4 feet long,
has 71 feet beam and draws 26 feet of
water, and is heavily armored with
steel. She was completed in 1901, ha3
a complement of 732 men. Her esti
mated speed is IS knots. The steel
armor of the battleship varies in
thickness from 4 to 9 1-2 inches along
her belt. The armament of the Pobie
da consists of four 10-inch guns, eleven
tf-inch guns, sixteen 8-inch guns, ten
13-inch guns and seventeen 14-inch
guns and six torpedo tubes.
The official bulletin Thursday con
veying the loss of another torpedo
boat and the accidental crippling of
another battle ship w r as almost as se
vere a blow as the loss of the Petro
pavovsk Wednesday, and plunged the
w r hole city anew into grief.
Did Makaroff Suicide?
Stories of the loss of the Russian
battle ship Petropavlovsk that reached
Che Foo are to the effect that the ves
sei was sunk by the Japanese, and
that Admiral Makaroff, realizing that
he had been defeated and that his ship
was going clown, blew out his brains.
His action was followed by a number
of the officers and many of the crew.
As he shot himself, the ill-fated admi
ral is reported to have said: “Such a
disgrace; to be beaten by barbarians.’’
Vice Admiral Skrydloff, commander
of the Russian Black sea fleet, will sue.
ceed the late Admiral Makaroff as
commander in chief of the Russian na
val forces in the Far East.
Messages of Condolence.
An Associated Press dispatch from
Paris says: President Loubet nas
telegraphed to Emperor Nicholas his
profound condolences on the, disaster
to the Petropavlovsk and the death of
Admiral Makaroff.
This dispatch, together with those
of Emperor William and the king of
Italy, sent previously, is regarded as
| significant cf the acceptance oi the
European governments that the sink
ing of the Petropavlovsk was due to an
accident and did not occur during a
battle with the Japanese ships. The
officials say condolences over the re
sult of a battle might involve ques
tions of neutrality.
Senate Discusses Panama Matter.
The senate Thursday began consid
eration of the b 11 providing for the
government of the Panama canal zone.
MINORITY FOUGHT IN VAIN.
New Pension Order is Embodied in Defi
ciency Appropriation Bill.
Wednesday the house committee on
appropriations completed the general
deficiency appropriation bill, carrying
a total of $10,388,744. The largest item
is $4,000,000 for pensions. Of this
sum $1,500,000 is an estimated deficien
cy which will be caused by the execu
tion of the recent service pension or
der.
The minority members of the com
mittee made a fight against this item
and the majority ordered it by a par
ty vote.
KfOROS FORCE - CONI L CT
In Self-Defense Am can Troops, Un
dfr General Wood, Exterminate
Treacherous Filipinos.
The following bulletin was posted
1 at the war department, Washington,
j Monday:
General Wood reports that he invit
' ed Sultan Taraca to meet him at Vic
| ars on March 01 tor consultation and
I that the sultan refused to come an i
| instead made extensive hostile prepa
| rations. Marching columns from
j Marshut and Vicars left on the 2d of
April to assemble the cavalry. The
Vicars’ column was fired into about
| ten miles from Vicars and one enlisted
j man was seriously wounded. Tim
Marshut column was strongly resisted
at the mouth of the Taraca river, al
though every effort was made to ac
complish a peaceful landing; two en
listed men were seriously wounded.
The combined forces assembled in
valley on the 4th of April and a large
number of fortified cottas were de
stroyed from April 4th to April 7th.
The troops then returned to th^r prop
er stations.
Newcomb, Company K, Seventeenth
infantry, and Wampler, company D,
Twenty-third infantry, were killed.
Every effort was made to bring the
Moros to terms peacefully, but in each
Instance our troops were attacked be
fore firing a shot and force was only
used when all peaceful methods failed
and the enemy attacked us. The two
chiefs who have been at the bottom
of all the trouble on the east side of
the Linao for two years are now in
hiding, and they will be arrested if
possible.
General Wade, to whom General
Wood's report was made and who
transmitted it to the department, adds
that the conditions in the Taraca val
ley for the last three months had been
such as to render the above action
absolutely necessary.
SKIRMISHES A FEATURE OF TILTRTAT.
Cossacks Give Frequent Battle to Japs as
ihey Fall Back in Manchuria.
An Associated Press' dispatch of
Monday front St. Petersburg says:
Dispatches received from the Far East
report constant skirmishing between
the Japanese forces which have cross
ed the Yalu and the Russian outposts.
The Russian pickets, in obedience
to instructions, fall back when hard
pressed by the Japanese. Several of
these skirmishes have been hotly con
tested, and there have been several
casualties on both sides.
It is no part of the Russian plan of
campaign to bring on a general en
gagement at present. The Cossack de
tachments which form the advance
guard have been ordered to harass the
advancing Japanese in every way ;os
siblo, but always to fall back when out
numbered.
PERMANENT BAR TO CHINAMEN,
Celestials Will be Kept Out Regardless ol
Lapse of Exclusion Treaty.
In the cabinet meeting at Washing
ton, and in a conference directly be
tween the executive heads of the de
partments, the whole subject of the
status of the Chinese immigration
question as it will be after the lapse or!
the existing treaty has been thorougn
ly digested, and it can be stated that
the administration feels that it has
ample warrant for continuing to en
force the rigid provisions of the Chi
nese exclusion act of 1892, regardless
of the denunciation of the treaty.
So far from opening the door to Chi
nese immigration, the lapse of tha
treaty will, it is said, actually render
the entrance of Chinese into this coun
try more difficult than while the treaty
remained in force.
ROOT TO DEFEND BIG FRUST.
Ex-Secretorv ol War E.nqoqed os Attorney
for Northern Securities Company.
Announcement has been made of the
engagement of Elihu Root to represent
the Northern Securities Company in
its fight to prevent E. H. Harriman
from obtaining control of the Northern
Pacific railroad as the result of a die
tribution of the Northern Securities’
assets.
‘ — J*-*
PRESIDENT SUBJECT TO BURLESQUE.
Roosevelt and Daughter Depicted in a
Berlin Theatrical Production.
Stage representations of President
Roosevelt and Miss Alice Roosevelt
were introduced to a Berlin, Germany,
audience entitled “A Mad Year,” at
the Metropolitan theatre.
The president was represented in
Rough Rider costume. Miss Alice,
with a decided American twang, excit
ed much amusement, but the police
interfered and prevented the use of
the name of Roosevelt. The
ment therefore substituted the names
of Mr. and Miss Washington.
*1
!
Whelms Russians
at Port Arthur.
Big Battleship Hits
a Submarine Mine
and Goes Down.
Vice Admiral Makar off and
Nearly the Whole of His
Crew are Lost With
Fated Vessel.
An Associated Press dispatch from
St. Petersburg says: Official telegrams
from Port Arthur state that the Rus
s’au battle ship Petropavlovsk has
been sunk off the entrance to the har
bor.
It is estimated that eight hundred
men lost their lives by the destruction
of the ship.
Among those who were drowned
were vice Admiral Makaroff, the com
mander of the Russian naval forces in
the Far East.
So far as known only four of the
officers were saved, among them being
the Grand .Duke Cyril, first officer of
the vessel, who was wounded.
As the Japanese fleet approached,
Vice Admiral Makaroff ordered his
whole squadron out of the harbor to
meet the attack.
According to the Associated Press
informant, while preparing to draw up
Iris line of battle in the outer road
stead, the Petropavlovks struck a
mine on her starboard side, ^midship,
and immediately began to heel. Be
fore the crew could flood the compart
ments of the vessel in order to keep
her on an even keel, she turned bot
tom up and sank in a few minutes,
carrying down almost the entire crew.
Captain N. Jakovloff, the Grand Duke
Cyril and two other officers were sav
eu because they were standing on the
upper bridge. The frightful loss of
lile among the officers and men was
due to the fact that they were at their
stations ready for action.
The Petropavlovsk turned turtle in
a manner similar to the British battle
ship Victoria, which was rammed by
the Camnerdown in 1893, and to the
incident in the Chino-Japanese war,
when a Chinese warship turned tur
tle, many of the crew remaining alive
for several days, hammering desper
ately on the upturned hull.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press was informed Wednesday after
noon that Grand Duke Boris was going
to accompany his brother to Mukden.
According to the advices received,
Grand Duke Cyril’s injuries were
slight.
Report Received by Czar.
The following dispatch was received
in St. Petersburg from Rear Admiral
Grigovitch, the commandant a*' Port
Arthur, addressed to the emperor;
i “Port Arthflr, April 13.—The Petro
pavlovsk struck a mine, which blew
her up, and she turned turtle, Our
squadron was under Golden Hill. The
Japanese squadron was approaching.
Vice Admiral Makaroff evidently was
lost. Grand Duke Cyril was saved.
He is slightly injured. Capiain Jakov
loff was saved, though severely in
jured, as were five officers and thirty
two men, all more or less injured.
“Rear Admiral Prince Ouktomsky
i has assumed command of the fleet.”
BRAVE CFFICFR WAS MAKAROFF.
•Washington Naval and Military Officials
! Eulogize Dead Russian •< d.nirsJ.
The news of the death of Admirai
Makaroff caused a profound sensat.on
in naval and military circles at Wash
ington, for he was probably better
known than any other Russian n*va!
officer. Tim was because of the fact
thai he had visited the United States
in 1896-97 and also commanded the
Russian north Atlantic squadron. The
oral opin'on is that Makaroff wait
an officer of singular ability. In the
matter of personal bravery he had no
superior.