The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, July 01, 1900, Image 1

The Savannah morning news., July 01, 1900, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextTHE MORNING NEWS. Established lSs(jl - Incorporated ISSB J. H. E6TILL. President. FIRE, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, Ten Millions ol Property and From Fifty to Two Hundred Lives Lost In Ramos and Flood, PIERS OF NORTH GERMAN LLOYD COMPANY CONSUMED. Four Steamships and Many Other Vessels Run Up Property Loss From the Awful Fire j Started in Cotton Stored on I’ler No. aof ltl Steum.hl,, Comp.- y fu Hob ok rti—Flumes Covered a Quarter of a >lil e of River Front Horrors of the Catastrophe Were Appalllns-Handreds of jured Cared for L-i Regular and Improvised Hospital,,, Tale of the Id Cun Scarcely Re Computed-Hun- * , dreda of Thonsands of People Watched the Flames as Though Some Grand Pageout Were Being Enacted. New York. June 30.—Almost ten million dollars worth of property was destroyed, many lives were lost, many persons wero injured, and at least fifteen, hundred lives IweiJ'ftU,ended by fire that started among . otton bales stored on pier No. S of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company n Hoboken, N. J.. at 4 o’clock this after coon. In less than fifteen minutes the flames covered an area a quarter of a mile lone, extending outward from the actual shore line to the bulkheads, from, 600 to 1,000 feet 6way, and had caught four great ocean linens and a dozen or more smaller harbor craft in their grasp. Stories in regard to the loss of life are conflicting, the number being variously estimated at from 50 to 200. Up to mid night ten bodies bud been recovered, but they were all so burned and blackened that identification was impossible. The hospitals In New York, Hoboken and Jer sey City are crowded with the injured, and men are being brought in by scores. Those who gathered along the shores of the Hudson river to witness the great conflagration saw a spectacle that they never can forget and one that will al ways have a conspicuous place in the his tory of New York. Was Awful. Yet Grand. River and bay were enveloped in a pall of black smoke through which angry flames, bursting as from volcanoes, on the Jersey shore and in the water Itself, leap ed like red spheres into the sky. The sur face of the water was covered with float ing and blazing masses of freight, thrown |ln haste from the doomed vessels—all un noticed in the mad race to rescue more precious human life threatening or being sacrificed in the great ships. And through the pall of 6moke a great crimson sun, en larged to thrice Its size by the haze, glared like an enormous eye as it slowly sank in the west. Such was the tremendous spectac’e pre sented on the surface of the Hudson river, as if It had been some holiday pageant. It was made tragic by the realization that somewhere In that smoke, somewhere 1 beneath tie turbid waters, scores of lives had been lost, or were then in their last desperate struggle against death. This spectacle was witnessed by thou sands and thousands from both shores, and by other thousands who crowded upon every ferry boat, every excursion boat, upon every variety of river craft that could be secured for the purpose. The crowd upon the banks of the river Was almost as great as was formed to witness the triumphant return of AdmiraL Lew ey. Togs Played Tbclr Streams. Locking up the river toward the burn- Ine rhips and pier the scene was a won ttrful and tragic one of grandeur. The r.famship Saaie had been turned into hV\river until it was just off Fort Lib rty, where she had been gathering about era ring of fireboats and tugs, nil ghting to save at least the hull of the loomed steamer. Flames were still leaping from her port holes and rushing out of her cabins. At varying distances about the burning ship, lay co.al and cotton barges, all ablaze, each wi li one or more tugs play ing streams of water upon It. Some of these barge- and lighters were loaded with very inflammable stuff, and the flames leaped high in the air, while the heat was so terrific that it was not possi ble to use effectively the small hose of the lug. Sc, one by one, these altars of tire slowly consumed, most of them burn ing down to the water's edge. Along the Jersey shore small tires were blazing, started by the wreckage of the fire from the big steamships. Over on this side of t'he river the fire caused the greatest excitement, and the drifting steamships and barges floated all • flame to the New York shore and brush ed against the piers from Canal to Mur ray streets. The fire department was call ed out at various points along the threat ened section, and the spectacle was pre sented of the firenen on shore, trying to fight Area at every minute changing their situation. Were Cnaght In Traps. For hours the river was crowded with small boats hastening to the scene of dia meter, or already taking part In the res cue of the hundreds, who had leaped fnto the river when seized by the terror of the flames. These boats were paddled here •nd there, but soon their occupants had nothing to do but to watch the mad sweep of the flames. Those who had plunged Into the water had been rescued or had gone to the bottom. There were hundreds of men on each of the destroyed steamships and a few wo men. Crowds of dock laborers and also employes of Ihe companies were on all the piers. Men, women and children were on the canal boats, and men were on the barges and lighters, and when the Are made its gulck descent upon them, escape SutatmaJ) JUofuitt# Ifotol* was cut off before they realized their awful position. The people on the piers jumped into the water to save themselves, and scores of men huddled under the piers, clinging to the supports only to he suffo cated by the flames 0 r to drop back Into the water from exhaustion. Men working In the holds of the four steamships were shut in by walls of flame, and it was impossible to reach them, it probably never will be known how many ■non perished in the ships, a-, the flames would leave, but few, if any, remnants ot the human body. Holocaust on the Saaie. The greatest loss of life appears to have been on the Saaie. She carried *450 people, and was to have eeiled for Boston this afternoon. When the police boat captain went out with his rescuing party, he Baw bod:e- lyhig ail a.ound t e deck. Tne steamship Bremen carried a crew of 300 men, and the Main 250, and If as many lives were lost os on the Saaie, the num ber of dead will be very great. The burning or smouldering remains of canal boats, lighters and barges are scat tered all the way down the river and bay to Staten Island and Governor's Island. Each of these craft will add something to the list of the dead. Estimate of the Los*. The loss to the North German Lloyd docks alone is placed at $2,000,000. The value of the great quantities of cot ton. oil and various other merchandise on the docks has not been estimated at this time The loss to the North German Lloyd Steamship Company alone will probably come close to the $10,000,000 mark, as the Bremen the Main and the Saaie were almost totally destroyed. The Kai ser Wilhelm was somewhat damaged. The five stotehouses of the Campbell Coir,pans were greatly damaged, the loss on one building alone being placed at $1,500,T00. The damage to tha Hamburg- Ameriean Lint steamer Phoenicia Is not known, but thic will swell the amount of damage. The Thfngvalln pic? was do—--'* and burned -M the dock of the Hmr.bu'-g- Ameriean Line suffered greatly. A num ber of small buildings in Hoboken were destroyed at one of the wharves, with their contents, but no idea of the value of these can be obtained. The amount of insurance carried cannot be learn<vj. Up to 2 o’clock twenty-five bodies had been recovered. Started tn Cotton. From what can be learned to-night the flames started in a large pile of cotton bales on pier 2, of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company, and spread with such remarkable rapidity that in fif teen minutes the entire property of the company, taking in over a third of a mile of water front, and consisting of three great piers, was completely enveloped in a huge blaze that sent great clouds of smoke high up into the air. The flames started so suddenly and gain ed such headway that the people on the enormous piers and the numerous vessels Pocked were unable to reach the street. There were great gangs of workmen on the piers and til se together wi h a num ber of people who were at the docks on b.isluss and visiting the ships, scattered in all directions. As all means of exit were cut off by the flames, they were forced to jump overboard, and no doubt a great number of people were drowned. At the docks of the North German Lloyd were the Saaie, a single screw pas senger steamship of 4.965 gross tons; the Bremen, a twin screw passenger and freight of 10,526 tons, and the Main, a twin screw freight and passenger of 10,200 gross tons. They all caught tire and were burned to the water’s edge. The Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, which had just come in. was the only one of the four big ves sels at the dock that escaped. The fire was first discovered by a watchman on the pier at 4 o'clock. He sow a small streak of flames shoot from a bale of cotton on pier No. 2, at which was docked the steamer Saaie. He Imme diately sent in an alarm. Flame* Spread Fn*. ’ln a few minutes the flames had ex tended to the steamship and were com municated to the adjoining pier on the north. Here were docked the Kaiser Wil helm der Grosse and the Main. Tugs were Immediately made fast to the big Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. and she was got out Into midstream with sa.ety, al though badly scorched at the hows. The steamship Main, however, was doomed, as th", Harms had already become so fierce on the north side of the pier that no tug could approach the vessel. Then, by a shift in ihe wind, the flames <ver sent in the direction of pier No. 1. which to the south end of pier No. 2. To h north of pier No. 1, was ‘h* dock of h Hamburg-American Line, at FhFh t steamship Phoenicia, a twin icrew pa.- senger steamer of 6.761 e™* tons wa. docked. The flames got a good ho\6 on the Phoenicia, and she was towed ont Into midstream ablaze, The officials of the Hamburg- America Lire then decided that * h * fILZ'ZJS. prevent a total destruction of their gtet *r w n Jive other property, no attention was paid “ them and thiy *re allowed to burn. It I* feared that the lons of I,f * ln th c ,j was frightful, and it n .said that man* of the crew, who were SAVANNAH. ( A.. SUNDAY; JULY 1. inl. asleep at the time were imprisoned there. Ihe worst tale will come from the steam -1 Main, which uas unable to be towed , from the pier. Desperate on the Main. The vessel had only arrived this morn ing, and some passengers were still on board When the cry of tire was raised, a number of them were seen to run to the burning decks. Most of them jumped ; °y er hoard, and, save for the few’ who were picked up by the tugs rot one has been ‘eard from, although every hotel arid hospital in the city of Hoboken is crowd • and with the injured, dome of the passen gers of the Main tried to rscape to the pier and it was almost certain that they perisned in the flames. There was a panic on each of the ships. Many persons jumped overboard, and the water for some, distance along ihe docks was lined with people. They were cling ing to the piers and even to the rudders of the burning vessels. Seme were pick?d up; many were drown* and. Pierre Quinn, a justice of the peace in Hoboken, tells a story of having at least thirty peo ple perish. He said: "I was standing on the end of one of the Homburg-American line piers and saw about thirty people crowded under Pier No. 1 of the North German Llov<j. They were calling to some of the passing tug boats, but their appeals were in vain, and when the flames got near them they dived into the water. There was no assistance near them at the time, and I believe every one was either drowned or perished in the flames.” Spread to Warchoanm. About 200 people w’ere rescued at the llamburg-American line pier. They were much overcome from exhaustion. Th*y were soon revived with stimulants. When the fire broke out, such headway was gained by the time the Hokoben tire department arrived that they were utter ly helpless to cope with the flames. They w’ere further handicapped by having sev eral hundred feet of hose burned. Calls were made to the New York fire*depart ment for assistance and fire tugs were sent over. These, how’ever, had but lit tle effect on the great mountain of flame and smoke. By 7 o’clock the three piers of the North German-Llovd Steamship Company had been burned to the ground. The southern end of the Campbell storage building, consisting of five flve-story structures, caught fire and flames shot from every window’ from the tw’o floors In but a few minutes. The buildings, being filled main- Jv wMth jute and whisky, burned rapidly. The firemen w’ere unable to go within fighting distance, and the fire had pretty much its own way there. In these buildings great loss will be sustained. Towed Away Ablaze. The st amshlps Saaie and Bremen, after beii g pulled free from the docks, were towtd ablaze down the bay and beached off Liberty Island. On the Bremen, as she blazed out In midstream, six men could be seen with their heads out of portholes waving handkerchiefs for assistance. Tug boats and small boats darted around the big steamships making every effort to save the men, but the terrible heat from the flames kept them away. The saving of the great Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse was attended with exciting in cidents. It seemed as if It would never be possible to gel her clear, and the fire was spreading so rapidly that it threaten ed at almost any moment to break out on the big ship. The great hawsers, in the confusion, could not be handled wc)jL and axe* were brought Into one to chap them, releasing ihe vessel. She was tow ed out Into midstream and then far up the river. Her bows were slightly burned. Five minutes after the fire broke out a woman jumped from one of the ships In a vain effort to reach the water. The flames drove her from the ship, and ahe plunged helplessly In the direction in which it seemed that safety lay. She jumped Into a burning lighter alongside the ship, .and when an officer on board the ship, who still staid within the doom ed vessel, saw her and realized what would be her fate, he plunged down after her. hoping to drag her out of the burning lighter into the water. He followed her within a couple of seconds, and both wen.*, down into the flames in the lighter ana perished. I By the Shifting Wind. The rapid spread of the flames Is ac counted for by the shifting of the wind. When the fire first broke out the wind was blowing strongly from the south. This drove the flames across to the pier above the one on which L started. With in a few seconds the wind shifted almost directly to the opposite point. Under the great pavilion on the land end he flames were soon In absolute control. Had not the recourse to dynamite been taken to destroy the Hamburg pier, the flames might have gone on. All the fireboats and tugs In the harbor would not have stopped them. The flames in the cotton kept the fire at an intense h;at, and the firemen suffered greatly. Again and again it seemed as if they must abandon the fight. The vant age points at which they could attack the flames were few, and their efforts were necessarily hampered. Some of the fire men on hook and ladder truck. No. 2. of Jersey City, had a narrow escape. They had got out as far as they could on the pier to the south of the blazing docks and were endeavoring to recover bodies of persons who might have got under It. There was a burst of flame from the pier adjoining, for a time threatening to cut them off and set fire to the pier. The m<n dropped Into the water and clung to the piles for a few minutes, and then the wind drove the flames back and they were able to retreat. The smoke which poured out of th* flames and ascended h’gh In the air Mew almost directly eastward and maintained its column for a distance of about seven ty miles, as It was clearlF en beyond Babylon. Long Island. Stories of the Rencned. One man in Ihe hospital with burned hands and face says he was rescued by another man more severely burned than himself, and he was helpless In the water when the other threw an arm about him and buoyed him up. The other’s face wa# fearfully burned and the other arm was useless, but he treaded water and floated so skilfully that they floated down the river. A tug went to their rescue. The man who told th* story said he fainted after being rescued, and did not know If hla rescuer had also been taken out of the water. An Idea of the Intensity of the heat was given by the fact that the steamship fire men, men who are used to working in the (ire room of a vessel, supposed to be the hottest place where any human being works, fell back from the work of fight ing the flames, overcome by the heat. Some of those who went Into the water and were rescued and but slightly Injur ed say that when others who were caught between the fire and water saw death coming, they went Insane. Men babbled of home and friends during the few min utes that they and the others faced death. The fear of the furnace which lay between them and th* lend bereft them of their senses. There were acts of cowardice antf heroism. They clung to others and refused to let go. even though the ect meant death to both. One of the survivors was seised by another man, who clung o him frantically and refused to let go. The man, who was (Continued on ElgbUi P**r BUSY DAY AND NIGHT KANSAS CITY TRYING TO FINISH THE CONVENTION HALL. DELEGATES ARE ARRIVING. SILVER PLANK IS BEING EARNEST LY DISCUSSED. Many Want Specific Reaffirmation of the Ifl to 1 Plank—Struggle Over This Point May Prove Very In ter es ting— Hryait * Hanning Mate tan No Man Safely Predict—Aspirants for the Honor Appear on the Scene. Kansas City, June 30.—There is a con stant bang, bang of hammer, rasping of saws, shouting of orders ond rushing of feet, day and night, at the big hall where the Democratic National Convention is to be held. As fast as one portion of tike structure is finished, the decorators pounce upon it, and with bolts of hunting. Hags, pictures of Democratic leaders, set in tlie national coats of arms, cover up the walls and spaces so that the delegates who as semble on the Fourth will see all Ihe col ors and emblems of the hdliday, coupled with evidences of a Democratic celebra tion. Fears are expressed by new arrivals re garding the possible failure to have the hall ready in time, but the -genuine Wes tern push and energy, characteristic of Kansas City, encourage?! the belief that everything will be ready when chairman Jones of the National Committee calls the convention to order at noon next Wed nesday. The decorations on the outside of the state delegation headquarteis are not yet in piace, save in a few instances, and only a building here and there is ornamented with flags, but by Monday there will be a great change in their appearances. As it rains here nearly every day and night at this season, decorations would soon be disfigured, and they are therefore being in order that they may be fresh when the delegates come. About the hotels, however, there is al ready briskness and moving throngs of familiar convention faces. A nu/nber of old-line Democrats, who have been going to conventions for years, and the younger men who belong to the 'new Democracy,” have arrived and taken up the work in hand. Several boomers for vice presiden tial candidates have come in and are mak ing considerable noise. Delegates are dropping in from different sraies, and the meeting of the sub-committee on Conven tion arrangements attracted quite a knot of men about the National Committee headquarters. Hair Seems Wide. As on Friday, the most interesting topic and that which gives the Demo crats here the most concern, is the prom teed contea* ave* the plank ef ihe platform TIM!I utterances of men like National Chairman Jones, William J. Stone and other Western and Southern leaders, together with the action of West ern and Southern Democrats in their plat forms, would seem to Indicate that a sim ple reaffirmation of the Chicago plat form is all that would be necessary. Such action, under ordinary circumstances, would be apt to be accepted as the prob able action of the National Convention, but the respresentatives from Lincoln In dicate tba 16 to 1 must be specifically de clared if the views of Mr. Bryan are to be followed. There are so many dr,lessees, who de sire to carry out the wishes of the com-' Ung nominee that the clash between them and those holding different views is like ly to be spirited and 4he results some what doubtful. Chairman Jones said that he declaration on silver should not vary the breadth of a hair from that contained In 4he Chicago platform, and he thinks a reaffirmation Is sufficient. The breadth of a hair, however, is still too wide for seme, and they favor splitting the half, especially If the Chicago platform is to be the test. The extreme si’ver men In sist that ’’a reaffirmation will be a con cession.” Gold men and others who have returned to the party say such a conces sion is sufficient. So the hair that Sena tor Jones spoke about seems to be wide enough to cause a lively contest when the platform Is under consideration. There are some other features of the platform that may not be agreed upon at once—expansion, the present Chinese sit uation and the Coeur d’Alene riots. But th differences over these can be readily adjusted, as they are either foreordained or susceptible of manipulation by the platform experts. Thr e vice presidential possibilities came In to-day—the chairman of the silver Re publican committee, who was named by the Populists for Vice President, Charles A. Towne; Benjamin F. Shively, ex-Oon gressman from Indiana, and William Sulzer. member of Congress from New York. The latter arrived late In the even ing after spending a day or two at Lin coln, where he had been conferring with Mr. Bryan. Mr. Towne modestly outlined the reasons which promp’ed him to be a Candida e. Mr. Shively said he was not a candidate, while his friends declared that he would he presentee! by Indiana. No one Is yet ready to hazarel a pre diction that any one of these men will be selected. The arrival of these candi dates created talk and speculation, but neither they nor any one else can now even guess how many votes any one of them will receive. There has been renewal of the talk about nominating Mr. Bryan on the Fourth • f July, and a night session of the convention has been suggested In order to accomplish this. It Is even said that he may he nom inated before Ihe platform Is adopted, but many are doing what they can to discour age the proceeding, declaring 4hat It will he crowding sentiment too far to depart from the regular and orderly procedure of Ihe convention. Want a Speech From Brr*a. There Is yet uncertainty as to whe’her Mr. Bryan will come to Kansis City after the convention makes the nomination. No ona now here Is authorized to sneak for him. II has been said that tha convention can conclude all Its business In two days, and that the third day can he devoted to giving a reception to Mr. Bryan and lis tening to a speech from him This would be an attractive programme, especially for Kansas City, as the appearance of Mr. Bryan would doubtless attract as many people aa the opening day. Although the National Committee has taken no action, there has been a gr at deal of correspondence and consultation among 1 aders everywhere on h# eubject of prtsldlrg officers, and the understand ing Is that Mayor Roe* of Milwaukee will be the temporary chairman, and James D. Richardson of Tennessee, the minority/ leader In the House of R<, i_jmsuiT~li.s aha g rmactnt chairman, FOt II CONTESTS SC HEX) l LED. Democrats of Montana. Two Terri tories mid the District Dispute. Kansas City, June 30.—50 far as the Democratic National Committee is in formed. the convention will have four contests to decide. Only one of these con troveries involves a state delegation. Two of the others refer to the representation of territories and the other to the District of Columbia. The state contest is over the representa tion from Montana, and tlie two territories involved are Oklahoma and Indian Terri tory. The greatest Interest centers in the Montana contention, because- it is a con tinuance of the Clark-Daly feud, which found such bitter expression during the last session of Congress in the tight over the seat of Hon. W. A. Clark, in the Unit ed States Senate. The advance guards of both factions are. already here ami they are quite busy in presenting their respec tive claims to recognition. Senator Clark will head the delegation bearing his name, while the Daly delegation is led by Hon. Martin Maginnis, who received Gov. Smith's appointment as senator, as Mr. Clark received the appointment of Lieut. Gov. Sprigg in the absence of the Gov ernor. In this contest both the Clark people ond the Daly people claim regularity. They held separate state conventions, and both w ere in BuLc on the same day. Some technicalities are involved in the case, but it is essentially a fight for supremacy in the party in the state, and it bids fair to be very bitterly contested. In the ease of the District of Columbia the factions are known as the ''Norris" and "Holmead." The regujar delegation is headed by National Committeeman Janies L. Norris, while. William Holmead gives name to and is a member of the contest ing delegation. Holmead’s people allege gross fraud, in the election of the. regulars. In the <>£lahoma earnest the factions are known as the Bipee and Jacobs fac tions. The Indian Territory controversy is based upon a tight over tho membership of the National Committee. This position is now held by Thomas M. Marcum. Both delegations were chosen by separate ter ritorial conventions held in Ardmore on June 11 and both claim to be regular. The National Committee will sit next Monday to decide W'hich delegation in each of these cases shall be given seats in the temporary organization of the convention. COUNTING ON BUY %Y. Sliver Men Rely on Him to Pro nounce for Tlielr View. Kansas City, June 30.—The question of the character of the platform to be adopt ed by. the Democratic Convention is re ceiving more attention among the dele gations and the prominent Democrats who have arrived In Kansas City than any other problem which has yet present ed itself. The issue is over the point os to whether there shall be a distinct de claration for the free coinage, of sliver at the ratio of 16 to 1. The draft of the platform as so far made goes no further than a brief re affirmation of the Chicago resolutions, and It is understood that the leaders who are here and who are giving attention to thp platform tave concludes] that this will b sufficient to meet all t|he de mands of the occasion. They agree, however, that the work so far done is tentative to admitting freely that the Committee on Resolutions and especially the convention, ttself Is liable to change the present plan In many particulars. The impression Is growing that the convention will be a body quite determined to shape Its own course, and that it will not ac cept any prepared programme unless It be to the liking of tl ; delegates. - The extreme silver men are counting very confidently upon the aid of Mr. >ryan, and all the reports received from him indicate that he will not disappoint them, but that he will take a position for a specific declaration for the old ratio. VAN AVYCK AND SULZER. The Two New Yorker* Are Among Democrats at Kansas City. Kansas City, June 30 —Among the ar rivals to-night were two New York Dem ocrats of prominence,' Judge Van Wyck and Congressman Sulzer. Mr. Sulzer came direct from a conference with Mr. Bryan at Line In. and immediately up()n his ar rival wrnt to his headquarters at the Sa voy Hot’l. There he was soon surrounded by a thr ng of his friends and a number of newspaper correspcnd nts. Hr dd not h sltate to express confidence in his own nomination for the vice presidency. ’The New York delegation will control the situation ” h ■ said, ' and I am satis fied that they will support me." He decl*~“<i to divulge the purport of his lnterv,-w with Mr. Bryan, saying: "You can draw your own conclusions. I have been to see Mr. Bryan, and I am satisfied that the convention will reaffirm the principles of the Chicago platform. I express that as my opinion, and the In ference is natural.” Judge Van Wyck declined to answer In direct terms the question as to whether he thought the platform would contain a declaration for the coinage of sliver at Ihe ratio of 16 to 1, but replied by saying that there were more important questions to which the convention should give Its attention. Asked If New York had a candidate for •he vice presidency, he replied that the Empire State had nothing to ask of the convention, but wise and moderate ac tion. HE WOULD BRING STRENGTH. Tliat'a What Towne Saya Abnnt Hla Vice Presidential Effort. Kansas City, June 30—Charles A. Towne, the nominee for Vice President by the Populist convention at Sioux Falls ond candidate for the same honor at the hands of the Democratic National Con vention, arrived In the city to-day, and at once opened headquarters tn the Coatee Hotel. He gave hts first attention to the arrangement for the convention of the Silver Republican*, which is to be held In this city. In the auditorium, on July 4. and later received a number of politi cians at hts (rooms. "I really think that I can bring greater strength to the ticket than any other man who has been mentioned up to the present time,” he. said, "and as such I consider myself the logical candidate. It must be remembered that back of me Is the full strength of the Populist end Silver Re publican parties. The Sliver Republicans will ask that there be In the Democratic platform n specific declaration In fvor of silver at 16 to 1. An out-and-out reaffirma tion of tha Chicago platform wifi satisfy us. but we would prefer the real thing and ro beating about tha bush." As to whether his name would go before the convention, provided the conference to be held between Ihe Democrats, Popu llets end Sliver Republican* prior to the convention we* not accepted by Ihe Dem- Mr. Towne would not sag REAR ADMIRAL PHILIP DEAD. Was in Com mu nl of the Texas in the Fight With Cervera. New York. June 30.—Rear Admiral John W. Philip, vV>mmendant of the Brooklyn navy yard, died at 3:15 o'clock this after noon of heart disease. During the war with Spain Admiral Philip commanded the battleship Texas and participated in the. destruction of Cervera's fleet. I’i>on being raised to the grade of rear admiral by the passage of the naval personnel bill, he became com mandant of the Brooklyn navy yard. John W. Philip was born at Kinderhook, N. Y., in 1840, and was graduated from the naval academy at. Annapolis in 1856. He was appointed a midshipman in 1861, and was attached to the Constitution and aft erwards to the Santee. He was executive ollicer of (he monitor Moiitauk during the siege of Charleston. In *1865-67 he w'fts executive officer of the Wachusett. of tho Asiatic, squadron In 1574-75 he was com mander of the Monocaoy, of the same, squadron. In 1887 he was lighthouse in spector of the Twelfth Lighthouse Dis trict. In 1890 he commanded the cruie r Atlanta of Rear Admiral Walker's squad ron of evolution. In 1897, he was given ccmfmand of the battleship Texas in which position he served until after the Spanish-American war. For the part he took in Iho battle of Santiago, he was, by act of Congress, raised to the rank of rear admiral. It was Capt. Philip who, when the Spanish cruiser Oquendo was biaten and beached, restrained his men with the memorable injunction, * "Don’t cheer, hoys, the poor fellows* are dying.” HAG; W AS MAGNIFICENT. rrnnsyl vnnln Won Willi Mi neon nin Second mid 4'ornell Third. Poughkeepsie, N. Y., June 30.—*One of the most magnificent races in the history of college aquatics for years was Ihe ’varsity race rowed on the Hudson course this afternoon. Following it was an equal ly exciting two-mile brush among the freshmen crews, when it grew so dark that the four-oared race had to be post poned until Monday. Here, is the record: University race, distance four miles; contestants. Pennsylvania. Wisconsin, Cornell, Columbia ami Georgetown; condii tions, smooth water, a rather brlsty northwesterly wind and a fairly strong* bb tide; rowed at 6:55 o’clock. Pennsylvania won. Time 19:44 3-5. Wisconsin second, 19:46 2-5; Cornell third, 2f):u4 1-5; Columbia fourth, 20:06 1-5; Georgetown fifth, 20:19 1-5. In this event there was never at any time open water between the crews that finished first and second. Freshman race, distance two miles; contestants, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Columbia and Cornell; conditions, smooth water, little wind, and a strong ebb tide; rowed at 8 p. m. Wisconsin won. Time 9:46 1-5. Pennsylvania second, 9:51 3-5; Cornell, so close to Pennsylvania that her time was n taken, Columbia fourth. Time not taken. FIGHTING IN THE PHILIPPINES. Week’s Seoul In* Resulted In Forty Rebels Being Killed. Manila, June 30, midnight—A week’s scouting in Northern Luzon resulted in fifty rebels being killed and forty wound ed. One American was killed. Troops operating in North Jlocos have burned six of the barracks belonging to Gen, Tino’s forces and captured Gen. Tino's correspondence. Gen. Tino, with 200 of his men. armed with rifles, suc ceeded In escaping. At Angeles, Gen. Aquino Gen. Grant. Gen. Aquino, i*uvur4mr fa testimony of survivors, ordered the exe cution of several American prisoners last year at Arayat. This execution was ef fected in the face of a rescuing column. The restriction clauses in the amnesty proclamation recently Issued by the Amer ican authorities are said to have been Inserted principally to cover Aquino’s ac tion in this case. The Filipinos attacked 4 he town of Ben gued twice on the morning of June 25. The garrison succeeded In driving off the insurgents, killing seven of them. The same night the enemy attempted to burn San Quintana bra, exchanging shots with the garrison. Twelve houses were burned, but the soldiers succeeded In preventing the flamee from spreading throughout the town. DOZEN OR MOHE DROWNED. If. A M. T. Cos. Steamship Ran Down n. Barge Loaded With Negroes. Norfolk. V,, June 30.—As the Mer chants’ and Miners’ steamer Essex was leaving for Providence to-night, she ran into a barge having on board 140 employes of tha Old Dominion Steamship Company, sinking the barge and probably drowning a dozen or more of those on board. They wera nearly all negroes. Several hours after the collision nine teen of.them had not been accounted for. Tha collision occurred off PinnerNt Point in the Norfolk harbor. J. W. SCHLEY GETS ftoo,ooo. Estate of Sira. Schley Amounted to Several Million*. New York, June 30.—The will of the late Mrs. Emma A., Schley, filed for probate to-day, disposes of an estate valued at several million dollars. James W. Schley of Savannah, Ga., receives $100,060. Metcalfe Waul* in to 1. Omaha, Neb., June 30—Richard L. Met calfe. ed tor of the World-Herald, who will be th# Nebraska member of the Res olutions Committee, had a conference with Mr. Bryan at Lincoln to-day, and on hla return here was ask'd what position he would lake relative to the money plank of the platform. He replied: ”1 am In favor of reaffirming the Chi cago platform in general, also the adop tion of a plank explicitly renew ng the pledge for the free and unlimited coinage of allver and gold at the ratio of 16 to 1. Independent of what any other nation may do.” Tomlinson's View*. Lincoln, Neb., June M.—John W. Tom linson of Alabama expressed himself on the money plank at the platform as fol lows “In my opinion th# platform that wilt he adopted at Kansas City will be along the line of Mr. Bryan’s well known views on the great questions of the day. I believe that, without any backdown from any position of 1*96, the platform will be drawn ao a* to meet the approval of a united democracy.” Cox Rcelgaed. Cincinnati. June 30. Georg* B Cox ha* resigned hi* place as Ohio member of the Republican National Committee. Haengerfeat Opened. New York. June 30.—The National Saen gerfeat opened In Brooklyn to-night. t three thousand persona took part. DAILY 38 A YEAR. 5 CENTS A COPY. WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A-WEEK,|I A YEAR FATE STILL OBSCURE NOTHING HA* YET BEEN HEARD FROM MINISTERS AT PEKING. AGENCIES SEARCH FOR NEWS. BELIEVED POWERS WILL ACCEPT EAItL LUS INTERVENTION. Ran,inn Official View I* That Ros alie Must Piny the Lriutlnz Part In the Sapprr.Rton nf th. Revolt. Her Interest*, They Claim, Are Su preme—ln Mnny 4 apltal* They Dls ouhi tit,. I ,riNiiiß of the Boxer*. KernplT It ire* WaHblnrrtoti. London. July 1, 3:55 a. m.—The total absence of news from China leaves th* situation, especially the fate of the min lutritt. as obgcure as ever, ami the London news agencies are endeavoring to And light tn other European capitals. One state* that tlie Chinese legation at Berlin de i chired that there Is every reason to be lieve that the Powers are willing to ac cept the Intervention of LI Hung Chang and others. A St. Petersburg correspondent quotes the Novostl as suiting that the Russian official view Is that Russia must play Ilia leading role In the suppression of the re volt, that her interests are supreme In Northern China, and that she must have the ruling voice In the settlement with the Pelting government. KEHPFF PROBABLY RIGHT. Hl* Holding Aloof Now Regarded Differently. (Copyright, 1500, by the Associated Press.) Taku, June 27.—Admiral Kempff opposed the policy of attacking the Chinese army unless they began hostilities. It is now admitted that tho Powers attacking th* forts turned the Chinese Into allies with the Boxers. Americans think this might have been avoided. Admiral Kempff has held aloof from hostilities beyond move ments necessary to rescue Americans. The forces ashore now number 16,000, of which 3,200 are British, 1,300 German, 4,009 Russian, 3,600 Japanese, and the remainder Amerisen, Frenih, Italian and Austrian. Yesterday the English torpedo boat Fm# visited the fort at the New City twelve miles up the river. It was found deserted and was blown up. Lieut. Jayne of the Newark, trying to reach Tien Tain by boat at the time of the storming of Tien Tsln, had a tierce fight With the Chinese ( Maj. Waller's battalion of 130 marine*, with Commander Craddock's British na val brigade, numbering 500, were camped on June 22. eight miles from Tien T*ln, where the railroad had been destroyed. At daylight on thd morning of June 21 Maj Waller and two companies of British marched on Tien Tsln. The remainder of Ihe British and 300 Welsh fusileers, sup porting, went up live river bank. Another OMtimn, consisting chiefly of took up the route chosen by Waller. They were repulsed, however. Oq June 21 the Russians became engag ed In a conflict with the Chinese. First Major Waller reinforced them *>** rejoined the British, the mhiiuay cofieg* . tng attacked. The Chinese exploded • ' mine upder the marines, merely bruising a few of the men. While crossing to join the English they were Exposed to a heavy flanking tire and Private John Hunter nil killed and Sergt. Taylor and Corpl. Fed rick were wounded. Of the English two were killed and three wounded. The English and American forces car ried the village outside of the walled, city by storm. They found In Tien Tsln Lieut. Irwin and Cadet Pettinglll. with forty men in good condition. Among the killed also, was Private Nicholas, and still an other American was wounded. When the Chinese attacked Tien Tsin on June 21 Maj. Waller’s command, with 440 Russians, was ambushed three mile* from that place. They were compelled to re treat. abandoning a three-inch rifle and g Colt's gun and losing four men killed and seven wounded. The greatest anxiety exists concerning the position of the foreigners at Pekin. Admiral Kempff believes that large rein forcement s are necessary In order to reach Peking. He is anxious to avoid all action likely to Involve Americans In. future dip lomatic dlscuaslon. When the forts were attacked the Brit ish gunboat Algerine surprised and board ed four Chinese torpedo boats under h shadow of the forts. They offered one to Admiral Kempff. who declined to receive It. However, the Russians, Germans, and Japanese each took one of the boats. WO WAR YEiT WITH CHINA. Not Known What Position the Chi nese Government Took. Washington. June 30.—For the first time since the break of communication with Tien Tsin, news came to-day of ehe for eign ministers there, which the officials accept as accurate. Assurances, coming from four separate sources, that the ministers were safe, bodily, at least, up to live days ago, seem to remove all doubt on that point, jtrhlla •he agreement of the dispatches of Ad miral Kempff, of United States Ragsdale at Tien Tsln and Minister Wu'l advices to the effect that the ministers are still In Peking, would seem to afford a solid basis for the acceptance of that statement. The news of the day. important though It Is, has not changed the. policy of th* government toward China. There Is nothing to show that the Imperial gov ernment Is responsible to a degree war ranting *he declaration of a state of war. Therefore, the plan Is to push forward In the effort to bring away the forelgg ministers, doing this side by side with the other Powers, and leaving all other questions for future determination. If the Chinese government ordered the attacks on our forces, then they hav* declared war, and If that fact shall be established the government- will act ac cordingly. On the other hand, if th* Chinese government was not directly par ty to the uprising, then It has demon strated it* Incapacity and must reckon with the United States government here after for the haavy Injuries Inflicted upon Its citizens and Its Interests. Meanwhile, as our naval commanders In China ap pear to be following a proper course, they will be left unhampered by further In structions at this juncture, and win not even be reinforced unlee* they request It. Th* above were the concluelons reached at a cabinet council to-day. There Is still no war with China. It may be noted that Admiral KempfTi prudent course, as set out In tha newt •Continued on Eighth Page.) ’