Newspaper Page Text
Wayne County News.
YOU. II.
ALL PORTS ALONG OUR COAST
ARE BEING FORTIFIED.
GREAT ACTIVITY JT FORT SUMTER
Orders Sent to All Southern Ports to Have
Guns Mounted and Be Ready for
Any Emergency.
A special from Charleston, S. C.,
says: It has just leaked out that- orders
were received at Fort Sumter immedi
ately after the destruction of the bat¬
tleship Maine for the work of equip¬
ping the forts on Sullivan’s island to
be pushed vigorously.
From the best of authority it is fur¬
ther ascertained that similar orders
have been sent to all southern forts
along the south Atlantic and gulf
states, including the fortifications at
Fortress Monroe, Va.; Charleston,
Savannah, Key West and Pensacola.
At Sullivan’s island there is a scene
of activity. A night foree has been
detailed for duty,and the fortifications
are being rushed every hour in the
day. Big gangs of workmen are em¬
ployed and the contractors are using
every effort to get things finished at
once. The motar battery is practically
in working order and will do good ser¬
vice, but the great drawback seems to
be that the force is short on ammuni¬
tion. It is claimed that there is no
ammunition on the island, and that
the guns are therefore practically of
no service. It is understood,however,
that a supply of ammunition will be
sent immediately by the war depart¬
ment.
The Spanish cruiser Viscaya is ex¬
pected to arrive in Charleston for
stay after leaving New York. A con¬
siderable amount of mail for the ship
has been sent to the city under the
care of the Spanish consul and infor¬
mation has been received by that offi¬
cial that the cruiser will visit the port
later on. She draws twenty-one and
one-half feet and the pilot says she
can easily get into the Charleston har¬
bor.
Tliere is great excitement around
Charleston owing to the fact that the
city would be the first to suffer in case
of war, and the land troops are anxious
and willing to be pressed into service
should it be necessary.
Work Rnulled »t Norfolk.
A special of Monday from Norfolk,
Y T a., says: The rush of work at the
navy yards at Fortress Monroe con¬
tinues by orders from the department
of war.
The monitor Terror has beeu ordered
ready for sea in forty-eight hours. is
The work of equipping the fort
being carried on day and night.
Stirring Time# at K«*y West.
It is understood from dispatches
that the plans of fortifying Key West
now in progress will be pursued more
speedily and with increased vigor. It
is stated that instructions have been
received from the war department for
the force to be greatly increased, so as
to quickly put the fort in readiness
for the complete protection of that
point of defense.
(iunsinitlifl Busy In Alabama.
A Montgomery, Ala., special says:
It has leaked out that the department
of state has arranged with a local firm
to repair and pat in prime condition
the 1,200 rifles belonging to the Alu
bamu National Guards. The gunsmith
has, in fact, had his force of hands
working on the guns day and night for
the past several days, and has finished
with about half of them and returned
them to the various commands from
which they were collected. The mil¬
itary authorities of the state decline
to make any statement in the matter,
bnt it is a well recognized fact that the
trouble with Spain is the cause that
prompted the precaution.
CRESCENT CITY CARNIVAL.
Marti! Gras at New Orleans Opened
Brilliantly.
The New Orleans carnival was open¬
ed Monday with the arrival of Rex
and his retinue. The river was cov¬
ered with a brilliantly decerated flotilla
at 2 o’clock, when the royal yacht ap¬
peared, and the King of Mirth was
welcomed with the unusual noise.
The three warships in port, Aus¬
trian, French and American, were at¬
tractively dressed for the occasion.
CARTER’S PRIVATE LETTERS
Are Brought Out In Evidence at tlie
Court martial.
A Savannah dispatch says: The fea¬
ture in the Carter courtmartial Friday
was the introduction in evidence of a
number of personal letters written by
Captain Carter to Captain Green, a
member of the Atlantic Contracting
company. All were written prior to
One referred to a certain marble
quarry, another was about a patent
pneumatic jack for stowing cotton
which Carter seemed to want Green
and J. F. Gaynor to go into.
An account shewing that in 1886
Captain Carter borrowed $1,600 from
Green was also read.
JESUP. GEORGIA. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1898.
MISS FRANCES WILLARD DEAD.
President of the W, C. X. V. F»f*es Array
Suddenly In New Fork.
Miss Frances E. Willard, president
cf th« Woman’s Christian Temperance
Union, died shortly after midnight
Friday night at the Hotel Empire in
New York city.
Miss Willard has been ill for about
three weeks with profound anemia,
which was the direct cause of her
death.
Fi ances Elizabeth Willard was born
in Churchville, N. Y., September 28,
1839. She was graduated at North¬
western Female college, Evanston,
Ill., in 1859, became professor of nat¬
ural science there in 1862 and was
principal of Genessee Wesleyan semi¬
nary in 1866-67. The following two
years she spent in foreign travel, giv¬
ing a part of the time to study ill Paris
and contributing to periodicals. In
1871-74 she was professor of esthetics
in Northwestern university and dean
of the women’s college, where she de¬
veloped her system of self-government,
which had been adopted by other ed¬
ucators.
Miss Willard left her profession in
1874 to identify herself with the Wo¬
man’s Christian Temperance Union,
serving as corresponding secretary of
the national organization until 1879,
and since that date as president. As
secretary she organized the home pro¬
tection movement and sent an appeal
from nearly 200,000 persons to the
legislature of Illinois asking for the
temperance ballot for women, At
the death of her brother, Oliver A.
Willard, she succeeded him as editor
of The Chicago Evening Post.
In 1886 she accepted the leadership
of the White Cross movement in her
own unions which had been establish¬
ed through her influence in twelve
states for the protection of women.
In 1888 she was made president of
the American branch of the Interna¬
tional Council of Women and of the
World’s Christian Temperance Union,
she had founded five years before,
and she was repeatedly re-elected.
Besides many pamphlets and contri¬
butions to magazines and the press,
Miss Willard has published several
volumes relating to temperance and
other reforms.
ANOTIIER DISASTER AT SEA.
Fifty Fasgengerg of a Tramp Steamer are
Drowned.
A special from Juneau, Alaska,
dried February 12th, confirms the
news of the loss of the steamer Clara
Nevada. The cause of the disaster
was doubtless the explosion of her
boilers.
Of the fifty people on board none
are believed to have been saved. The
wreck was discovered by Customs In¬
spector Marqnam, at Juneau, who or¬
dered the Rustler to the scene in Lynn
canal, where a burning vessel had
beeu seen. Wreckage bearing the
name of the ill-fated vessel was found,
but there was nothing to show the
identity of any of the passengers.
The Clara Nevada was a tramp
steamer, and as she was plying be¬
tween United States ports she did not
file her passenger list with the customs
house officers.
It was thought she carried about
twenty passengers, of whom two or
three were women. Several were bound
for Juneau and the balance for Seat
tie.
BUTCHER WEYLER TALKS.
He Gives Hi* Views In Kesrurtl to Maine
Disaster.
Lieutenant General Weyler, who
arrived at Barcelona, Spain, Thursday,
expressed the opinion in the course of
an interview that the disaster which
had befallen the United States war¬
ship Maine in Havana harbor was
“due to the indolence of her crew.”
He announced his intention to ask
the government’s permission to go to
Havana and stand as a candidate for
the chamber of deputies for the Havana
district.
HARSOK FULL 0F TORPEDOES.
Significant Letter Written By a Gunnel
On the Maine.
A special to the Detroit News from
Bay City, Mich., states that a letter
was received iu that city Thursday
from Elmer Meilstrup, gnnner on
board the battleship Maine, dated
February 11, in which Meilstrup
wrote that he would not be surprised
if they should be blown up any day,
that the ship was surrounded with
torpedoes and could not leave the bar
bor without consent and direction of
the Spanish authorities.
ILLINOIS STANDS READY.
Governor Sends Message to Legislature
Which Was Applauded.
Governor Tanner, of Illinois called
on the legislature Thursday to author¬
ize him to tender to the president of
the United States the “moral and ma¬
terial support” of Illinois, to “pre¬
vent or punish any attempt at hostile
invasion of our country.” This he
did in a message to the senate and
house. In the seuate the message
came as a profound suprise. While it
was being read by the governor’s pri
vata secretary, there was the deepest
silence in the senate, and at its conclu¬
sion there was a burst of applause
from both sides.
PRESIDENT REFUSES REQUEST TO
ALLOW CO-OPERATION.
WILL INVESTIGRTE INDEPENDENTLY
American* Must Do the Work Flr«t; Af¬
terward Spain May Make an Ex¬
amination of Maine’s Hull.
President McKinley had a confer¬
ence with Secretary Long of the navy
department-, and Assistant Secretary
of State Day Saturday morning in re¬
gard to the formal request of the Span¬
ish government at Havana to be allow¬
ed to co-operate with the United States
government in the investigation of the
wreck of the Maine and its surround¬
ings. The decision reached by the
president and his advisers was that no
objection will be made to the Spanish
authorities making an investigation,
but that the United States would
make its own investigation and its
own report. through
The president’s reply sent
Assistant Secretary Day means that
this government will insist upon its
rights to say for itself, on the testi¬
mony of its own citizens, what caused
the great disaster which has brought
two nations to the very brink of war—
to say whether it shall mean war or
peace. decided the
The president also that
United States would act independent'
ly in regard to the court of inquiry
and would conduct the report inde¬
pendent of other authorities.
Favorable Comment Produced.
The president’s position has called
forth favorable comment on all sides.
Of course it is nothing more than he
should have done, nothing more than
he is bound iu honor to do.
At first it was feared that because
the harbor where the ship lies is Span¬
ish grounds the president would he in¬
clined to accede to the request of the’
Spanish officials.
But it was so clearly shown to him
that the control of the ship and every¬
thing belonging to it is under the ex¬
tra territorial rights of the United
States that the president was strength
ed in his position against allowing tint
Spanish government to participate i U
the investigation.
ATTRIBUTED TO SUBM ARINE MINE
Well Known Newspaper Correspondent
Present» Proof of Foul Play.
A cable from Sylvester Scovel to
The New York Evening World under
Saturday’s date from Havana, via Key
West, says:
“The concensus of opinion of those
who have studied the wreck closest is
now that the explosion was caused by
a submarine mine. The forward mag¬
azine, it is now generally supposed, is
intact, also the forward six-inch mag¬
azines.
“This leaves only a few saluting
charges and a few small caliber shells
in the pilot bouse which could possi¬
bly have exploded aboard the ship.”
“At the same time the fearful dam¬
age is too big for any but an extremely
large torpedo. divers will
“If it was a torpedo tlie
find the torpedo fragments, but if it
were a submarine mine no traces
would be found.
“All the American officers are inter
nally boiling. There is not one of
them, from Captain Sigsbee down, who
ia not firmly convinced a government
submarine mine did it.
“The Spanish dailies are loudly
clamoring ‘Accident, accident,’ when
even now the fact is known that the
whole middle deck, which was blown
straight up, never had an ounce of
powder under it, end that ...
.ber. the flr.t hi... ... .een,
THE WEEK IN CONGRESS.
A Number of Important Measures To Be
Considered In tho Senate.
A Washington dispatch says: The
diplomatic and consular and the mili¬
tary academy appropriation bills will
be considered and passed by the sen¬
ate during the coming week. There
will be more or less debate in execu
tive session of the Hawaiian annexa
tion treaty and speeches will be made
on the claim of Mr. Corbett to a seat
in the senate on the appointment of
the governor of Oregon.
MONUMENT TO SAILORS.
A Resolution Introduced In Congress
Calling For #100,000.
A Washington dispatch says: Rep¬
resentative Cummings, of New York,
introduced in the house Monday the
following resolutions:
“Resolved, That the sum of $102,000
be and the sum is hereby appropriated
out of any money in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated to be expended
under the direction of the secretary of
the navy for the erection of a monu¬
ment at the Fort LaFavette, New
York harbor, in honor of the officers,
sailors and marines of the United
States war vessel, the Maine, who lost
their lives in the harbor of Havana.
SPANISH CRUISER AT NEW YORK.
Extraordinary Precaution* Taken By Offl
ctal* For Her Protection.
The Spanish armored cruiser Viscaya
is in New York waters on a “friendly
visit.” Sbo dropped her big anchors
five miles south of Sandy Hook light¬
at 5:30 p. in., Friday, after a
day voyage from the Canary
islands.
When her officers and men learned
the startling news of the disaster to
the American battleship Maine in
Havana harbor and of the downfall of
former Minister DeLome, they broke
into a wild uproar of talk.
For a time all discipline on the great
ship seemed to vanish to the winds.
Men rushed below to tell their com¬
rades in the lower decks.
Rear Admiral Bunce has given final
instructions to Lieutenant John A.
Dougherty, who will have charge of
the patrol tugs, six in number, to guard
the Spanish cruiser during her stay in
the vicinity.
Each boat is to have on board, while
on watch, four marines, and one non¬
commissioned officer of marines, a
roundsman and four policemen of the
metropolitan force. patrol
While on duty the boats will
the waters carefully in the vicinity of
the visiting Spaniard, and no boat or
person will be allowed to approach the the
Viscaya without the sanction of
commanding officer of that vessel.
At night it is intended to keep the
Viscaya brilliantly illuminated with
electric lights, and the watch boats
will be also well lighted so that there
can be no possible means of approach¬
ing the vessel without detection.
ALL FAVOR GOOD ROADS.
People of Alabama Have Been Spurred
Up by Anniston Convention.
The good roads convention at An¬
niston, Ala., has, at least, served one
good purpose. It has directed the at¬
tention of the people of Alabama to
fact that they are far behind the march
of progress in tlie matter of good roads,
and it has set them to talking
the best means to remedy the existing
difficulty.
It was a noticeable fact that
words of county commissioners of
least three-fourths of the counties
the state were represented at the
ing. These boards have in charge
public roads of their respective
ties. These commissioners went
Anniston for instruction and
tion; while there they swapped
riences. They took dots as to the
methods of drainage, etc.
They found that lands in the
ties having good systems of
were worth twice as much as the
in the muddy counties. Many of
were heard,to say that they and insist
to return to their homes
the building of good roads at
any cost.
The convention resolved to demand
some good roads legislation from
next general assembly and
a committee to consider the formula¬
tion of a code of good roads laws.
is evident that the improvement of the
public highways will be a
issue iu the next state campaign.
HANCOCK SAID “NIT.”
Fw»M*nt of Atlantic anil North Carolina
Railway Kcf..*etl to Ro»l«n.
A. lialeigli, N. G., dispatch says,
President Robert Hancock, of the
Atlantic and North Carolina railway,
went to see Governor Russell Friday
and urged the latter not to take up the
matter of his removal from office until
May, udioe on his the interest ground in that the ten-thousand- it might prem¬
dollar damage suit against him by the
mother of the girl he is alleged to have
enticed to her downfall,
The governor said he would not de¬
lay- He asked Hancock if he would
resign.
SjJ.o'.wlS’lhmMid that the d<
was to give Hancock an opportunity to
reg j„ n
Hancock said, “I swear I will never
resign.” will dis
Then said the governor, “I
miss you ”
Hancock repeated his words, “I will
never resign,” and added that the courts
will have to oust him.
The governor at once called the board
of internal improvements together and
ousted him as director.
To be president one has to be a di¬
rector. The directors will oust him
and efld the matter.
SIGSBEE WAS WARNED.
Mrs. ftiggbee nag an Anonymous Letter
Which Createg Great Excitement.
A Washington special says: Mrs.
Sigsbee has given out a circular sent
to her by Captain Sigsbee over two
weeks ago on which was written the
words:
“Look out for your ship. We will
blow your whole rotten navy to pieces
if you send it here.”
Then follows a vast amount of abuse
against the yankees. Mrs. Sigsbee
says she cannot give out the contents
of the letter in which this circular was
enclosed, but she has felt vague
fears ever since Captain Sigsbee seat
it to her.
THE FUNERAL PROCESSION WAS
LARGE AND VERY IMPRESSIVE.
CITIZENS TURNED OUT EN MSSSE
lo Show Respect to the American Dead.
All Civil anil Military Official*
Took Part.
The interment of the martyrs of the
Maine took place at Havana Thursday
afternoon.
The flags on the public buildings
were at half-mast and many of the
houses were draped in mourning.
All classes were represented in the
throngs that filled the streets along
which the funeral procession passed to
the cemetery.
The funeral cortege started from the
principal entrance of the city hall on
Weyler street. lined the route
The population that
gave every indication of the profound
est respect.
General Blanco witnessed the pass¬
ing of the funeral procession from the
balcony of the palace. The entire
ceremony was a most impressive de¬
monstration of sympathy.
Very elaborate preparations dead. were
made for the interment of the
In the morning twenty-two bodies
were carried to the city hall, where
they rested iu coffins covered with
beautiful crowns of silk ribbons, with
appropriate inscriptions. The crown
from the city council bore the inscrip¬
tion :
“The people of Havana to the vic¬
tims of the Maine.”
There was a handsome crown of
silk ribbons in the Spanish national
colors with the inscription: Havana
“The navy department at
to the victims of the Maine.”
All the civil, military and state offi¬
cials and thousands of the citizens of
Havana followed the remains to the
cemetery and took part in the exer¬
cises.
Wounded Doinjf Well.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press visited the hospitals of Sau Ain
brosio and the Alfonso XIII during
the day and met Miss Clara Barton
and John Elwell, of the Red Cross
Society. Tho scene was heart-break¬
ing. Some of the men, however, are
already much better.
Captain General Blanco has sent to
the Spanish charge d’affaires at Wash¬
ington a cable message on behaif of
the colonial government requesting
him to tender to President McKinley
the condolences of the cabinet upon
the terrible disaster that destroyed the
United States warship Maine, request¬
ing him, moreover, to “tender onr pro¬
found sympathy to the American gov¬
ernment and assurances of how deeply
regret that tbiB port should be the
witness of such a tremendous accident
to the American navy." Cap¬
The following cablegram from
tain Sigsbee, dated at Havana, was
received Thursday evening by the
secretary of the navy:
“Twenty-seven will be buried this
afternoon, twenty-five found in the
harbor and two died in hospital.
“The following only can he recog¬
nized:
“Dierking, drummer; J. S. Graham,
W. S. Tinsman, landsmen; Brown,
sergeant of marines; Nero, chief ma¬
chinist; Keys, ordinary seaman; O.
Sheridan, Gaffney, Cosgrove, Seary,
firemen; Golpine, marine; Kanea, coal
passer; J. Smith, seaman.”
GOVERNMENT FOR ALASKA.
Plan* For Organization of the Territory
Glider Way.
A Wellington dUp.tcU «.T.: Senn
>» Carter. iron, >he .en.te eommiUee
on public lands, has reported favorably to
the house bill granting right of way
railroads and extending the homestead
laws ’ n Alaska, with amendments by
tbe senate committee,
The amendments of the senate limit
to forty acres the amountof land to be
taken unless the land is distinctly ag
ricultural, the object being to prevent
a monopoly by any individual of vain
able sites. No homestead title shall
limit or abridge the free navigation of
the waters of the territory. Purchase
of land for canneries or trading pur¬
poses are limited to forty acres. •
MAY YET BE WAR.
Fxciteraent Over Blowing Up of the Maine
Grown More Intense.
While official Washington is extend¬
ing to the Maine disaster that sus¬
pension of judgment for which Cap¬
tain Sigsbee has asked in his official
declaration, the situation becomes
more and more intense.
Nine-tenths of those in authority
who expressed an opion ou the quiet
have come to the positive belief that
it is only a question of a very short
time before Spanish responsibility for
the horror that has shocked the world
is made manifest, and the conviction
is supplemented by another—that the
end of all is sure to be war.
NO. 83.
SOUTHERN PROGRESS.
Iht New Indu*trlea Established Purfni
tlie P»»t Week.
Heavy buying of iron in March is
on the cards but as supply is keeping
well up with demand if anything, a
little ahead, prices will hardly more
than stiffen. No, 2 furnace at Day
ton, Tenn., will blow in, and other
changes there will double the present
$10,000 pay roll.
Reports are uniformly good. The
notable railway building from Kansas
to the gulf is opening up much new
timber and Arkansas reports several
new mills. The projected Natchez &
Gulf will develop valuable tracts in
Mississippi. Arkansas mills look for
good business; North Georgia has done
well and is inclined to attribute gen¬
eral prosperity iu that district to the
high price realized for its tobacco
crop; Louisiana says fairly good, only;
North Carolina better than last fall,
but prices yet too low—which will be
remedied by the spring demand. Some
mills are shipping large quantities special of
persimmon and dogwood on
orders.
From no source is there any real
complaint. The event of the week
was the Memphis meeting of the
Southern Lumber Manufacturers’ As¬
sociation. Special attention was given
to uniform grading, which will be
committed to a bureau of three.
Alabama’s gain for 1897 over 1890
exceeds 122,000 tons; yet Birmingham
is behind with orders and several roads
are running extra trains to handle
shipments. pool” is thing of the
The “Jellico a
past, It dissolved on the 15th instant;
the companies may now go to cutting
and doubtless will.
Among details received since last
report, there is announced for Arkan¬
sas four saw mills, one cotton oil mill,
and a flouring mill; Alabama two flour¬
ing mills and a planing mill; a fibre
factory in Florida; one cotton, one
woolen and one knitting mill and a
stove foundry in Georgia; Kentucky,
box fectory, flouring mill and broom
factory; North Carolina, gas works,
cotton mill and electric light plant;
Tennessee, a marble quarry, wood
working machine plant, flouring mill,
handle factory, cotton mill and elec¬
tric power plant; Texas, a cotton mill,
woolen mill, two cotton oil mills and
two electric light plants; Virginia, a
trunk factory and cotton mill.
These are facts or strong probabili¬
ties sifted from a much larger list of
projects. tendency is to
The present strong
work up other raw material, notably
wool and wheat, now that successful
cotton manufacturing has led and
shown the way.—Tradesman (Chatta¬
nooga, Tenn.)
INVESTIGATION BEGINS.
Court of Inquiry Into Maine Disaster
Organizes at Havana.
The United States lighthouse tender
MaDgrove arrived at Havana Monday
morning, having on board the officers
composing the ’court of inquiry ap¬
pointed by Rear Admiral Sicard to in¬
quire into the loss of the Maine.
The board met on the Mangrove at
10 o’clock with Captains Sompson and
Chadwick and Lieutenant Command¬
ers Potter and Marix. Captain Samp
son presided and Lieutenant Com¬
mander Marix, recently executive offi¬
cer of the Maine, acted as recorder.
Captain Sigsbee, the commander of
the Maine, was the first witness. He
was under examination until I o’clock
in the afternoon, at which hour an ad¬
journment was taken for the day.
MADRID PAPER EXPECTS WAR.
Hook* Upon Our Military Preparation*
With Great Suspicion.
An official agency at Madrid says:
The Imparcial publishes a dispatch for
which it must assume full responsibil
ity, as it does not accord with the re¬
lations actually known to exist between
the Spanish and American govern¬
ments. It is dated from New York
and reads:
"Great military preparations are be¬
ing made. The forts are being re-en¬
forced. Three hundred artillerymen
have been sent to Handy Hook and
the naval reserves have been ordered
to hold themselves in readiness. The
gun cotton and smokeless powder fac¬
tories are working night and day, and
it is generally believed that a great
crisis iu the relations between the
United States and Spain is imminent.”
TWO-MILLION-DOLLAR FIRE.
Heavy Property Lon To the Mexican
Central Railroad.
The new wharf at Tampico, Mexico,
constructed by the Mexican Central
railroad under government supervis¬
ion, was totally destroyed by fire Sun¬
day. wharf considered to be
The was one
of the finest on this continent. Its
length was 2,575 feet, and all is burn
ed. The custom house, under con¬
struction and nearly completed, was
damaged to the extent of $800,000.
The total loss on wharf, custom house
and merchandise is nearly $2,000,000,
fully insured.