Newspaper Page Text
I Associated
I Prr-ss
VOL. Ill, jSQ. 293.
BL00DFIE1D AFIRE
Two Disastrous Conf!agra-|
tions Across the Railroad.
A HUNDR: D HOMELESS
Nearly a Sc?ir.i or ISuintlnga ?.? Up I.
Smoke Flnit Fire. .lu?' Herrn-.- Niton,
Thought, to be R-gpouslblo
for the Second.
Two of the most densely populated
portions of Bloodfield were burned out
yesterday, with an aggregate property
loss of about $6,000. '
The dual conflagrations rendered over
a hundred people, practically all ne?
groes, homeless and destroyed nearly all
of their belongings.
The first fire occurred about noon,
originating in the second tloor of a
house on Ivy avenue, near the office of |
Justice Jones, owned by a colored v
man named Virginia Harris, who liv
on the second floor. Charles Holzvetg
kept a grocery on the first floor. The
usual defective flue theory is advanced
as the reason for the catastrophe.
The building went down before the I
flames In a marvelously short time and
they spread to the adjoininghous?, which |
was occupied by J. H. Herman, a dr>
goods merchant. This structure was
soon in ashes, and the fire began on the I
"L" block of twelve houses at the cor?
ner of Ivy avenue and Thirteenth street |
extended, belonging to Mr. W. J.
Nelms and occupied by negro families.
The entire block was consumed, noth?
ing being left standing but the chim?
neys and an insignificant portion of one I
of the walls.
Marx Nachman's house on the south- 1
east corner, occupied by Jim Hill, who
kept a bar in it. was damaged to the
extent of about $300.
Several other houses across the street
were pretty badly scorched, the damage
to them amounting to about $200.'
The Fire Department was promptly
upon the scene, but so rapidly did the
flames spread, and so quickly did the
buildings burn, that all hope of sav?
ing them had to be abandoned and the I
attention of the firemen was directed |
to saving: the neighboring property.
Had it not been for a pool constructed I
some years ago by Mr. Nelms to meet
such an emergency, it is probable that ]
the whole vicinity would have been de?
vastated by the flames.
The total loss from this Are is stated I
to be about $4,500; the insurance |
amounted to about three-fourths of this
amount .and was carried mostly by j
companies represented by C. B. Nelms
& Co . ;
It is impossible to get a complete list
of those who were rendered homeless
by the conflagration. The tenants of
the /Nelms block were families, in the
majority of cases; .of laborers at the
shipyard. There were a number o
roomers there also, who had no fami
lies. ,
Following, however. Is a list of those I
In the Nelms block, as nearly complete j
as possible:
Charles Green wife and child.
G. GT 'Coles.
Woman, name unknown.
Emmett Fultz, five In family; what I
did not get burned up, was carried out |
doors and stolen. .
Annie Scott, five in family: lost half
of her possessions, remained saved, but
badly damaged.
'Liza Bates, six in family: she was not
at home, but some one broke into her
apartments and saved her stuff for her.
'?Tom Hall, four in family; lost all he |
had.
- Willie Summers, nine in family; lost
half of his property by fire and theft.
James Francis, three in the family;
lost about a third of his belongings.
John Dabney, five in family; saved
al>out half of his furniture.
Jamest-Woodson. two in family: saved i
nearly a^ll of his furniture.
A. Foihdexter; nine in family; lost all
his possessions.
A man named Miller, and some six or j
seven other negroes, working In the
shipyard; lost everything.
Jacob Withers and two daughters,
saved thelr stuff.
Virginia Harris' house cost $900 to I
build. The insurance on it amounted
to $600. This house was occupied by
Virginia Harris, her-husband and trie
five children: these lived o nthe second
?floor. Charles Holzveig, who kept store
in the lower part of the house, also
Jived in the' building. He lost all of his
personal belongings, besides his entire
stock of groceries,, which he valued at
$1.500 and was insured for only a third
tot that, amount. JJ - *
J. H. Herman owned the building In
which he kept .a dry .goods store. He
states his entire loss to be about $2,500,
counting the building and stock. His
insurance was $8,8&0."* ? !..-'?-.?? - ?
Sol Bermc-.. .who,,kept the grocery. In
? the Nrichman house, rrov-d his stock
out. He claims thatdiis stock was dam?
aged about $400 worth. It was unin?
sured.
Jim Hill, who kept a bar-room- in
Marx Na-mman's house. also moved out
and lost something In damage to stock
by the operation.
THE SECOND FIRE.
The second ;fire broke out about
o'clock, in the row, or block of four
houses, about five, hundred yards east
of the scene of the first fire, and on the
opposite side of the avenue. This block
is better known as-Poe's row; and was
owned by C. B. Nelms & Co.
It is stated that the Are started up
stairs. On the-sacond floor there were
two vacant rooms. Into these roims
Jacob Withers -and his two daughters,
-who had' been burned out- in the first
Are. moved their battered belongings.
Then they went out to see the neigh?
bors. ,
The fire, it is saia? originated in one of j
these rooms, the natural supposition be?
ing, of course, that some of the furni?
ture they had moved in was. on fire and
smouldered through the afternoon,
bursting into a blaze several* hottrs after
it had been stored in the room. 1
The block burned like tinder and In
a lialf hour all four houses were in
ashes, the Fire Department arriving too
late to do more than save the neighbor?
ing huildings and some of. the telephone J
poles, which were blazing. The block
was doomed; and-no amount of-water
could have saved it after the first fifteen j
. minutes. _
Among the families in this block were:
&T Sue Watts, four in family; saved her I
?clothes and lost her furniture.
Mary Bates, three In family; lost
-about all her possessions.
.' ; Sally Giles, four in family; lost every
-^A woman named Short with a family
. .of four; 103t.all her. property.
- A man named Singleton,.four in fam
! :-lly:: lost everything.
The loss on this blockits placed at ?2,
000, which is counting merely the struct?
ure and not the contents. The block
was insured for about $1,000.
There is itill one more Nelms block
left unburned and this stands just
across the street from the smoking
ruins of the first catastrophe. At least.
It was standing there when the Daily
Press went to press.
WILD SCENES.
Bloodfield is the home of wild and un?
couth scenes, but it is doubtful if in the
history of even that troubled burg, pic?
tures more graphic and unconsciously
remarkable, were ever witnessed there.
Both alarms were the occasions for a
general emptying of the low dives of
their wretched and unbeautiful popula?
tion, and Ivy avenue became black with
people hurrying thither. Around the
smoking embers of their homes gather?
ed the homeless. The frightened chil?
dren were filling the air with their
plaintiff wails; women were weeping
anil others were laughing?other, the
lenizens of the joints, who considered
the whole thing as an entertainment
glitten up by Providence for their espe?
cial benefit. Men were cursing, or in?
dulging In Jokes which needed rubbei
blankets on them. And through the
thousands, thieves in hundreds wove
their crooked way. stealing promiscu
msly and without regard.
Hundreds of dollars worth or proper?
ty was stolen and much more was wont
.'.nly destroyed by vandals who are al?
ways born of occasions of this sort. It
.3 probable that there will be some
wholesale arrests of these brutes to?
day, as warrants have already been is?
sued for some of them and will be is?
sued for others as soon as they are dis?
covered.
In the meantime the homeless families
ire faring as best they can, which is
the worst possible. Some are campirg
>ut by the smouldering embers: others
have been sheltered by friends, perhaps,
>r relative, a few have found new
homes, and some are of the kind that
Jo not care whether they do or do not.
Not a little difficulty was experienced
in getting water, especially during the
second fire, and it is probable that the
ivents of yesterday will have the ef?
fect of increasing the number of plugs
in Bloodfield, and, perhaps, in the in?
auguration of other improvements to
issist in fighting the flames.
" THE NANCY HANKS."
Frank TannehiU's Company Amuses an
Appreciative Audience.
One of the strongest companies that
has ever appeared here in farce comedy
?vas Frank TannehiU's aggregation of
"un-makers. who played his amusing
?reatlon. "The Nancy Hanks" at the
Opera House last night.
The house was well filled and the au
iience was sent into convulsions fre
juently by the side-splitting situations
nto which the players are forced by the
?ircumstanees of the play. The show
iaB not much of a plot, but with funny
Ines, amusing scenes and clever spe
rialties affords a good vehicle for the
ralents of the company, headed by Tan
lehill and Harry Beresford.
in the part of Richard Chandos. of the
principal theatres. Tannehill was easy
ind natural and carried his part well.
8eresford as the Marquis de la Rochelle
was simply immense and his shaving
?cene. where he rids himself of mous
"ache and whiskers and makes up to
play the part of a woman, was the hit
>f the show. Taylor Williams was
ilevef as Madison Broadway and his
splendid baritone voice was heard to
?xcellent advantage in several selections
which were loudly applauded.
Miss Carlotta made a capital Pearl
Oodo. a continuous performance favor
te, and sang several topical and "coon"
songs in good style. Maude Gereau way
srood as Frances Lakewood, the newest
vornan, and Mrs. E. A. Tannehill, as
\unt Hetty Evergreen, whose mind is
ilways made up, was splendid.
TEMPERANCE LECTURE.
Public Meeting to Be Held Under the
Auspices of the Y. W. C. T. U.
There will be a public meeting at the
Washington Avenue Methodist enurch
Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock, under
the auspices of the Toung Women's
Christian Temperance Union.
The committee having the affair ini
hand has arranged an attractive musl-"
?al program for the occasion. Vs.
In addition to this portion of the exi-:
greises there will be a lecture by Mri
May Chapman, of Boston. Mrs. Chai.;
man fs said to be a very interest!]? 2
speaker, and there will doubtless be aS
large audience present to hear her adrx
dress. ?
THEY WERE BAD MEN.
Officer Padgett had a lively experi?
ence with a couple of seafarers yester
lay. The men were James W. Hale and
P. Bowers, from the Rapidan. It seems
that they had had some difficulty on
noard the steamer and hod decided to
??etile it as soon as they got ashore. As
a sort of preliminary, they went down
to Reese & Barry's saloon, in Bar Har?
bor, and "liquored up." Then they wem
at. it hammer and tongs. The officer
Happened along about this time and
took the two men in tow. But they
proved more than one man could handle
md he was obliged to call on a by?
stander for assistance which .was ren
lered. But after going a little way to?
ward the loek-up. the amateur police?
man turned his man loose and he was
lbout to get away when the policeman
?-.appened to espy Durnle Fuller, who
used to be one of the finest himself.
Puller lent a willing hand and the two.
with the further assistance of a sailor
man who happened upon the scene,
lueceeded In getting their unruly
,-harge to the jail.
AT THE HOTELS.
At the hotels: M. R. Quard, Dan
bury. Conn.; P. . on Ws, Baltimoie; W.
B. Stork, Pin-ier's Point. T. L. Buttels,
Pine's Cr<=ek, Va.; Joseph T. Lake
W!!mington;"T)s;l.
At the Metropolitan: B. B. Farrer.
Norfolk: J. C. Ludd. Baltimore; J.
Connors, New York: P. Robisch. New
York; L. A. Nash. Washington. D. C;
J. E. Swan, Washington, D. C: T. H.
Fair, Virginia; Miss Parker, New York.
Frank Tannehill. Mrs. Tannehill and
several members of the "Nancy Hanks"
Company are at the Alleghany Inn.
At the Alleghany Inn: W. R. Tyree.
C. Jellison and-wife, Baltimore.
At the Warwick: Lewis Seegel, Bal?
timore; John T. Boyt, Philadelphia; E.
H. Morrison. Rochester. N. Y.; Jacob
Farth, New York; W. G. Hatcher. Rich?
mond; H. B. Gay. New York; M. L.
Weil Baltimore: J. W. Churchill, New
York; C. J. McDaniel, Baltimore: W. T.
Laverty, Louisville, Ky.; J. Merriam
Wheeler, New York
At the Imperial: J. M. CaliweU. Har?
ry Beresford. Mias Geneva Parker, Al.
Elms' and Miss Annie Lawrence, of
;'Nancy Hanks" Company
The Pale Amber Export Beer Is con?
ceded to be the best:' Our doctors re?
commend it. Newport News Wine and
Liquor Co., Sole Agents. de 9-3t
NEW PC >R
mm THE ESO
Sam Hal! on the Stand in His
Own Defense.
CLAIM PERSECUTION
I l he rrlM.-luT SI ado il Detailed S at i-in.'
of 111- iVish.n of the Mur.l. r. S.or.
of Iii? Itow in t u- lt.ir.
The ?tli.ii ll g.
Te trial of Sam Hall, tho negro sa
ioon keeper, for the murder of Private
A hinzu Andrews, of the lGuth Indiana
Ueglment, is drawing to a close.
yesterday's session of the County
County of Warwick, before which he
is being tried, was brought to a -close
with the prisoner on the stand. He
had just concluded his direct testimony,
:'iid will be turned over to Common?
wealth's Attorney Newton this morn?
ing for an inevitably rigorous oross
.?xamination.
Hal! m.-ule a star witness. He told
his story with a directness, and atten?
tion to detail that was effective. His
manner was quiet and he was perfectly
cool throughout. His evidence is prac?
tically substantiated by his other wit?
nesses.
The day begun with Charles Holmes,
one of Hall's bar-tenders. This wit?
ness was soon disposed of. and Frank
Durtee, an eye-witness, was put on, his
story not differing materially from that
of the witnesses who testified for tho
c.efense on the previous day.
Pe.irl Campbell, who gave her evi?
dence next, was uncertain whether two
or three shots were tired. She saw, she
said, a man trying to pull Hall from
the buggy, and she saw Hall hanging
on to the driver. Ham ones, to keep
from being jerked from the vehicle.
Charles Washington was recalled by
the defense for the purpose of proving
that the men were drunk, to which
Hate of affairs he testified, also -stat?
ing that the man who caught the horse
by the head (Peal) was the same man
ivho. a week before, had smashed
Holmes' head with a billiard cue in
Hall's place.
Ed Robinson was then put on the
stand, and stated that the three men.
before they went into Hall's bar. had
tried to get whiskey in Phil Brown's
place, but had failed: and that they had
assaulted a colored soldier also, before
soing into the Hall saloon.
The State'.-, witness. Whltmore. had
testified to seeing the shooting from
?lose quarters. The defense produced
Dick Aitkin to show that Whitmore was
not near enough to see all that he said
he saw. Aitkin swore that he was
seme two hundred yards away when
the shots were fired, and at that time
Whitmore drove by him, telling him
to get out of the way.
William Denmark was .put on to
crove the alleged desperate character
of the three soldiers, but his evidence
was not allowed. The defense then of?
fered 'Squire Jones and Police Officer
Williamson for the same purpose, and
their evidence was also judged Inad?
missible. The officer was also intro?
duced to prove that Sam Hall had on
different occasions sought his protec?
tion. This was not allowed, either.
'Squire Jones was asked whether Peal,
who is the man charged with holding
Hall's horse, while his two comrades
were attempting to get him out of the
buggy, was drunk at the time, and at
the inquest, which was held almost im?
mediately after. The witness replied
that Peal was drunk, boisterous, and
insulting, and that the only reason he
did not have him arrested was because
of the prevailing excitement.
THE PRISONER TESTIFIES.
The prisoner was then placed on the
stand in his own defense. He told his
story with considerable detail, and it
was substantially as follows:
He was out when the row started;
Returned, heard the noise, and went up
T?e steps slowly so as to find out, if
i" fesible, the cause of the disturbance
.Store entering: heard something about
5-ee drinks, and entered. As he came
?., the bar-keeper said. -'There's the
Proprietor, if he wants to give you
-irinks I'll serve them." One of the
tUdiers said with an oath that he did !
"it believe that d? nigger was the j
"roprieto., he did not look it; that .
??-"ty wanted drinks and meant to have !
t... i. Sam walked around the bar. j
and inquired of the bar-tender what |
the trouble was. He learned that the i
bar-tender had served the soldiers with
drinks, and that they not only refused
to pay for what they had got. but in?
sisted on having another^round.
Sam told them that he had already
given them enough whiskey, and that
they had drunk enough any way; that
he had treated them oftener and better j
than any one else in Blood field, and j
that he could not afford to give away
all of his stuff.
One man said that they would take
it any way. and stepped for a chair.
Another of the three moved toward the
gate as if to go behind the bar; the
third was standing before the bar ,
pounding on it, and demanding that
drinks be set up. This man took half j
a dollar from his pocket, and said that |
he would pay for the drinks, hut one ,
of the other soldiers told him to pul hi:t j
money up. that they would have drinks, i
and would not pay for them either.
When the man advanced around the
counter. Sam got Iiis pistol, and walked I
to the back of the bar. where the case
goods were, and told the bar-tender to
close up. as he would rather close the
place than have any trouble. When the
bar-tender went to shut the door, one j
of the soldiers got in the door, and j
said that no one should shut it until j
they had had their drinks. He finally
succeeded in getting them to go out. |
They went in the direction of Mary
George's saloon, and some of them had
reached the steps of that place when
Sam went to his buggy, which he had
previously ordered to the door, giving
the key to the bar-tender and telling
him to lock the place up if he saw- the
soldiers returning. It appears that Hall
had gotten the provost guard and had
Peal arrested for the row of the week
before, though this was not admitted
as evidence. At any rate. Hall, in his
statement, went on to say that as he
was going to the buggy he said some?
thing about going for the provost
guard, and one of the soldiers hearing
him, said to his companions, "Do you
hear what the-said? he is going
to have us arrested." The soldiers,
upon this, turned and ran to the buggy.
Peal caught the horse by the head.
Some one advised pulling Hall out of
the buggy and beating him to death.
Altmire came up to the rear wheel on
the right side, and caught him by the
coat before he had gotten seated, the
horse, in the meantime, having moved
to a position in front of Mary George's
place. Sam caught Ham Jones, the
driver, to keep from being pulled out of
the vehicle, and told him to drive on.
Jones said that he could not drive on.
as the man had hold of the horse's head.
He then told Jone3 to-whlp the horse.
T NEWS, VA., EH I
At that time Andrews came up behind
the buggy, and Sam drew his pistol
Crom his right coat pocket, into which
he had put it when he left the saloon,
lie put the pistol out of the back of
the buggy and tired, tlrst shouting to
Andrews to keep back, which Andrews
lid not do. This shot was too high,
and missed the mark. As Andrews was
about to lay hands on him. Hall fired
again. This shot struck Andrews, kill?
ing him. At the second shot, Altmlre
Jumped back from the buggy, and the
third bullet struck him in the foot.
Then Peal let go the horse. which
sprang forward, throwing Hall upon
the seat. As the buggy went by Peal,
the soldier ducked his head.
This, in brief, is Hall's evidence.
After this he told of how he met Ofll
:er Vellines, got out of ids buggy, and
was talking to him, when a soldier
nine up and said to the officer: "Arrest
that man: he has killed one of my
comrades." Sam asked the officer to
protect him. and the officer told the
soldier that Hall was in his charge.
Hall then related the circumstances
connected with the row of the week
before, in which he alleged that Peal
struck Holmes over the head with a
billiard cue. and knocked him down,
ifter which be went out and got a
dub. When he came back, he started
to do some more damage, when some
Illinois soldiers knocked him down and
kicked him out.
Hall also related how he had sought
protection from 'Squire Jones, and was
told by him that the force over there
was overpowered and could do noth?
ing. He went to Officers Phillips and
Williamson, and also to Justice Brown,
in the city.
At the conclusion of the cross-exami?
nation of Hall today, the instructions
will be argued before the Judge, after
which argument of the case will be?
gin, and will probably extend into Sat?
urday, upon which day it is expected
the trial will be concluded and a ver?
dict obtained.
DISTINGUISH KD VISITOBS.
Delegates to the Union of Hebrew Con?
gregations in the City.
Newport News entertained a party of
distinguished visitors yesterday in the
delegates to the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations, which has Just
concluded its sixteenth session in Rich?
mond. So quietly did these guests ar?
rive and so quietly did they depart
that the majority of citizens here did
not know that they were In the neigh?
borhood. There were between two and
three hundred of them, including a
number of ladies, the party arriving
about 10:30 on a special train of six
cars.
The train did not pull into the depot,
but was stopped on the siding near the
shipyard switch. The visitors then
wvlked lo the shipyard and were shown
through the plant by one of the officials.
After spending about an hour in the
yard they returned to the train and
about noon went to Old Point, where
about 150 of them took luncheon at the
Chamberlin Hotel and the others dined
at the I-Iygeia.
After lunch the visitors were shown
through the Soldiers' Home and Normal
School, at Hampton, and, returning to
Old Point, inspected the grim fortifica- j
tions there. The special did not return
until evening, the party remaining over,
to take in guard mount and drill at the
fort.
To many of the visitors, the trip was
a revelation. Some of them had never
been this close to salt water before, and
still a larger number had never been
to this section.
They wore almost startled at the
great industry they beheld In Newport
News: in Hampton they were charm?
ed by the qualntness of the old town,
and delighted with her magnificent in?
stitutions; at Old Point th'e military
glory of the place appealed to them,
and. in a less aesthetic way, the splen?
did hotels.
They will return to their homes with
an increased respect for this end of
the earth, and a. better idea of the
great strides that this city has made in
the race of progress.
PROPERTY TRANSFERS.
Old Dominion Band Company to Sal
lic Dee, one lot; consideration. $450.
R. W. Reynolds to Martia E. Atkins,
one lot: consideration. $309.
W. P. Bosher et ux to Julius S.
Johnson, house and lot on Thirty-first
i, ret; consideration. $3.600.
\ Howard L. Edmunds et ux to Frank
Vv. Mulford, half interest in one lot;
consideration, $50.
F. F. Finch and M. A. Finch to J.
A. Willett et als. one lot; consideration,
$600.
Charles Heffinger to Jacob Heffinger,
one lot; oensideration, $.-e.
Delia Manson Curtis to Robert P.
Orr, lot and house on Twenty-eighth
rtreet, between Washington and West
avenues; consideration, $4,300.
POLICE COURT.
J'ustice Brown disposed of the fol- '
lowing cases yesterday morning:
William Bierdell, John Dollard. E. J.
Townsen, Dan Monahan, Louis MeNai
ly (white), Tom Porter (colored), drunk
fined $2 and costs, each.
John Roberts (colored), disorderly;
fined $3 and costs.
A. M. Saunders, riding bicycle on the
sidewalk: dismissed with reprimand.
Louis MeNally and Dan" Monahan,
larceny; dismissed. . .
Joe Ryan, larceny; fifteen days in
jail.
Robert Webb, (colored), grand lar?
ceny; continued ten days.
Henry Jones (colored), larceny: fif?
teen days in jail.
Walter Woods, larceny; dismissed.
CITY NEWS IN BRIEF.
Miss Annie Shield will give a german
to her class at the Casino tonight.
I Officer Roy J. Charles and his charm
i ing bride arrived in the city at 6 o'clock
last evening from Era.
Mr. Charles Jesser was Called to his
home near Staunton yesterday by the
death of his grandfather.
The little child of Mr. Sol Berman,
I run over by a vehicle In Bloodfleld
sometime ago. is improving. .
Mrs. J. H. Berman was badly burned
about the neck in the first Bloodfleld
fire yesterday.
J. E. Elliott, who was fined in the Po?
lice Court, is not the J. E. Elliott who j
belongs to~r?e Liberty Fire Company, j
Mr. W. J. RayfieM and Mr. Sumwalt I
have returned from a successful hunt?
ing trip in North Carolina. ,
The steamship Belfast arrived in port
yesterday. She will proceed to Balti?
more and take on a general cargo of
1,000 tons burden.
The chain gang went out yesterday
with but two prisoners. It was in?
creased to five after dinner, and so far
as is known, the last three were no
better than the first two.
Mr. H. O. Bass, late of Newport News,
who now lives In Smithfield, was In the
city yesterday en route to his present
home, after a pleasant visit to his son,
Mr. E. L. Bass, chief machinist on the
battleship Texas.
The Newport News Wine and Liquor
Co. carries the largest stock of Wines
of any wholesale house on the Penin?
sula. Catawba Port and Blaeberry
Wines at 60c per gallon. de S-3t
DAY, D CEMBEll
TREATY IS SETTLED
"Nothing More, But to
Sign," Says Judge Day.
OONS REFUSE RtQUESTS
Sp.ln p^vlli.en tu (traut Coalleg Station In
? tie <aroUt.es und Nearly All Oilier
Terms That Uave Not Keen Sub
Kilitefl hh C lojmlro.ry.
(By Telegraph.)
PARIS. Dee. R.?The United States
and the Spanish Peace Commissioners
concluded their work today and finally
settled the terms of the treaty of
peace. They will meet once more In
formal session, on Saturday or Mon?
day next, when the Spanish Commis?
sioners sorrowfully, and the Americans
with feelings of relief, will write their
sisnatures upon the document which
embodies the results of the war and the
preparation of which has consumed
eleven weeks, a longer time than the
war itself. In the meantime, the treaty
will be engrossed under the supervision
of Mr. Moore and Senor OJeda. the sec?
retaries of the respective Commissions.
DONS ARK BITTER.
The Spaniards are exceedingly bitter
over the result, though observing the
forms of friendliness and courtesy to
the end. Senor Montero Rios, whose
strong and persistent struggle to save
for his country every possible asset
from the wreck of her colonial em?
pire, has commanded the respect and
admiration of his opponents, went
from the council chamber today to his
bed lri^ a state of complete collapse, as
a result of the long strain and his
chagrin over the small fruits -of his
efforts: Senor Ojed-a has been pros?
trated since yesterday, and was unable
to attend the joint session today.
The Spaniards charge equal blame
upon the European powers and the
United States for their downfall. One
of the'Spanish Commissioners said this
evening:
MORE THAN WE CAN DIGEST?
"The European nations have made a
great mistake in deserting Spain and
leaving her to spoliation by the brute
force of a conscienceless giant. They
all know that in the Philippines Amer?
ica has taken more than she can
digest. She will ultimately sell the
islands to England or Germany, and
when the transfer Is attempted If will i
precipitate general European strife. ]
"We have refused to sell any Island
In the Coralines. We never thought of
considering an offer. Nor have we con?
sented, to negotiate upon any question
except those directly involved In the
protocol signed at Washington."
PARIS, Dec. 8.?The treaty Is finish?
ed. The Spaniards have declined to
grant . most of the requests of the
the beginning of the session.
They refuse to cede a coaling sta?
tion in the Caroline Islands to the
United States.
Judge Day today said: "We have set?
tled all the points on which we can
agree. It only remains to engross and
sign the treaty. That will be done in
two or three days."
IS THE WASHINGTON PROTOCOL.
The members of the Commission say
that the treaty will contain little out?
side the scope of the Washington pro?
tocol, and the matters directly based
thereon, like the provisions for the
evacuation of the ceded territories, the
transfer of public property therein and
guarantees of the safety of the prop?
erty and rights of the Spanish citizens
remaining there.
The details of the last class of ques?
tions, covered by the statement which
the Americans handed to Senor Mon?
tero Rios at the last meeting, were
considered today, but all the Commis?
sioners refuse to divulge the details of
the conference.
OPEN FOR DIPLOMACY.
Several points upon which they were
unable to agree were left open for di?
plomatic negotiations. The Spaniards
refuse to admit that they had failed to
respect former treaties guaranteeing
religious freedom In the Caroline Is?
lands, or that there was a necessity for
a new guarantee.
The conclusion of the work was. ac?
cording to the Commissioners, marked
by politeness and all outward evidences
of good feeling and relief at the fact
that the task was accomplished.
When all the propositions had been
discussed. Judge Day, President of the
American Commission. remarked:
"There seems to be nothing more to do
but to engross and sign the treaty."
Senor Montero Rios. President of the
Spanish Commission, acquiesced to this
and the Americans bowed themselves
out before the Spaniards, according to
their custom. . j
AMERICANS APPREHENSIVE. ]
The American Commissioners entered
the conference today in a nervous frame
of mind. They evidently had reason
to believe that a possibility existed,
even at this late hour, that there might
be a rupture. This feeling of appre?
hension was based on the temper the
Spaniards have displayed lately. -
The Madrid papers are disposed to
revive the question of the Maine and
to excite public opinion against the
United States, on acocunt of the refer?
ence made to this subject in President
McKinley's message to Congress. They
report that Senor Montero Rios. Presi?
dent of the Spanish Commission, made
an impassioned denunciation of Presi?
dent McKinley at the last meeting of
the joint Commission, but these reports
are practically without foundation.
Senor Rios did refer to the Maine,
but only in one calmly worded sentence,
expressing regret that the President
had spoken, as Spaniards thought, un?
justly of them.
REFUSED TO LISTEN.
The Spaniards had already proposed
at this conference to have the repsonsl
bllity of the Maine reported upon by a
joint commission of the European pow?
ers. The American Commissioners re?
fused to listen to this and permitted
Senor Rios' reference to the President's
message to pass unchallenged, as a dis?
cussion would have provoked bad
blood.
Diplomatic circles In Paris predict as
one of the results of the treaty, a di?
plomatic contest between France and
the United States, which may have an
important chapter In history.
The French government is reported to
have resolved to take up the case of
the French holders of Cuban bonds, and
it is believed that France will declare
that the repudiation of the bonds is the
result of the treaty which the victo?
rious nation imposed upon Spain. Tliey
irgue that through the treaty, respon?
sibility has been shifted upon America,
and, therefore, the French government
will endravor to exact some pledge for
the payment or guarantee of the bonds.
i Buy your Whiskies and Wines for
Jcooking and medicinal purposes at New
I'port ?:*ws Wine: ai ? r.iqucr Co.'s.
1 de 9-3t j
9, 1898.
WORK ON DRY DOCK.
Mr. C. 1'. Huntington Tells of What Is
being done at the Yard Here.
The New York Commercial of a recent
date, in an. interview with Mr. Hunt?
ington, quotes the millionaire as fel?
low's:
" 'What is being done at the yard in
the way of Improvements?' asked the
reporter.
" 'We have started our new dry d.M-k.
and the work Is progressing finely. We
have already driven. I believe, some?
thing like 10.000 piles and are excavating
the ground rapidly. There is quite a
hole to be dug. as you can understand
when you consider that the dock is to
be S50 feet long, with a gate of 100 feet
inii with lit) feet of water over the sill.
The quantity .if earth which has got
'?> lie removed to make this hide is
sound bin'.': stupendous, but we expect
to have it finished without any impor?
tant delays of any kind. The granite
necessary in the construction of the
new dry dock Is now being cut. We are
extending one of the piers and pin ting
up a large beam shed and a mill for
the manufacture of the numberless
brass appliances which must tie used
in ships, particularly In Government
vessels. We are also putting in a num?
ber of new shipways. with the neces?
sary traveling cranes over them, for the
transportation of Lie heavy metal
which must be carried to all pails of
\ great modern vessel.'
" Were these gentlemen who visited
the yard connected with Vickers Sons
& Maxim?"
" 'Yes. Mr. Crosley Is a man of large
means and great experience in the
building of ships. He has held a most
vital and responsible position in the
shipbuilding Industry of England. Mr.
Dunn probably stands at the very head
>f naval experts, having been chief
constructor to the British Admiralty,
and 1 am Informed that in the Interest
of his government he has personally in?
spected all the battleships which have
been built for the British navy during
the last thirty years. If their firm
should conclude to take nold of this es?
tablishment which I have carried so
far along at Newport News It. hardly
needs my assurance that the business
of the future which will be done there
in the way of manufacturing ships and
guns will be on the lanrest and most
complete scale. For that is the way
that the Vickers Sons & Maxim are ac?
customed to do work.' "
TO MAKE CHANGES.
Alterations In the Plans for the Bridges
Over the Railroad.
The King Bridge Company, of Cleve?
land. Ohio, will be asked to modify its
plans for the two overhead bridges
which will be built across the Chesa?
peake .t Ohia railway at Twenty-HCth
and Thirty-fourth streets.
For many reasons it is desired that
the grade of the approaches be reduced
from 0.8 per cent, to 6.5 per cent, and
It Is very likely that this will he done.i
it has been recommended that City En?
gineer Fltchett go to Cleveland for the
purpose of consulting the King Bridge
Company in reference to the proposed
changes in order that the city and the
contractors may better understand
I each other.
Those who are directly Interested In
Ufc? Bi-elff^-fn-i -t-er-approvc of thhr-a?KV-i*
Is probable that Mr. Fltchett will go
to Cleveland December 14.
The changes desired will necessitate
other changes in the construction of the
bridge. The piles at each end of the
bridges will have to be raised about 3.3
per cent. In order to ease the grade as
desired. This will also necessitate rais?
ing Virginia and Warwick avenues at
Twenty-fifth and Thirty-fourth streets.
It will also be necessary to shift one
of the piers as proposed to the west in
order to clear the Chesapeake & Ohio
j main line yai u track, necessitating
I changes which will make the thirty-five
foot bend longer and the eighty foot
j bend shorter.
The bridges with a fi n per cent, grade
will be much more suitable for car ser?
vice.
The Newport News and Old Point
Railway and Electric Company has of?
fered to contribute to the cost of tilling
in the approaches of the bridges, which
will be done with oyster shells and dirt,
held by a retaining wall up to the first
pier.
City Engineer Fltchett Is now pre?
paring an estimate of the cost of this
work, which, it is believed, can be done
reasonably.
The King Britlge Company has been
waiting on the city for some time, anx?
ious to know what changes it desires,
but they have written here to the effect
that they must commence work no later
than January ]. City Engineer Fitchett
j will push matters as rapidly as possi?
ble with a view of having everything
in readiness to permit the King Bridge
Company to commence work by the first
of the year.
THE COUNTERFEITING CASE.
Three Men Sent on to the Federal G. and
Jury and One Discharged.
Nelson Banks. Luke McMillan and
Stephen Council, three of the four ne?
groes arrested by Chief Boatwright
upon the charge of passing counterfeit
money, have been held for the Federal
grand jury by United States Commis?
sioner Garrett. The fourth man, George
Waddcll. who turned state's evidence,
got free by his so doing. The others are
locked up in the city Jail and will not bo
taken to Norfolk Immediately because
of smallpox in the Jail there. They
will be tried In Richmond In April.
PLEASANT SOCIAL
A pleasant social was given by the
East End Social Club last evening at
th(. hospitable home of Mrs. Laura
Smith. Refreshments were served, and
the following program was rendered de
I llghtfully:
Declamation?Mr. Barney Smith.
Instrumental duet?Misses Florence
and Ida Smith.
Vocal solo?"Anchored"?Mr. John
Bui I:ley.
Ii -trumenlal sole?Miss Flor nee
Dews.
Quartette?Misses Ida Sinclair and
Manic Gilliam Messrs. John Bunkley
and B. J. Qulsenb. rry.
Tin.so present were: Messrs. John
Bunkley. Arthur Campbell and wife,
J. X. Binford. Fenton Gilliam. Ahn r
Petty. P. J. Quosenberry. H.-.rry Smi h,
Fn nk Smith. Barney Smith W. S. I. p
scomb and J. T. Mnrelnnd, Norfolk:
Mis es Bernice Kennard, Dor.i Bunkley,
Florence Dews Elsie Gilliam, Mam'o
Gilliam. Florence ,c':nlth. Ida Smith. I a
Sinclair. Lizzie Ware, Mrs. G. T. Gar?
ret!.. Norfolk: Mrs. Enur.i Smith.
Judicious investments in Newport
News real estate, especially during the
nert thirty days, will make many for?
tunes. Be among the fortunate ones
and consult the Cottrell Real Estate
Company. 2706 Washington avenue, to?
day. Now Is the time to buy?a gen?
eral advance Is coming. de 9-lt
CONFECTIONS.
You will want nice candy for Christ?
mas. We are agents for Nunnally's
and are now taking orders for beautiful
fancy baskets and boxes. They range
In price from $1.50 to $5.00. Leave or?
ders now. We also handle Allegretti'*
chocolates. Everyone knows how fine
1 they are. Fred. F. Allen & Co.
[ _ c
Emergency
House Wij
DOiNGS
S umtor Vent
MIllI I|mI1<<4
or 1
(Bv|
WASH INGTC
deficiency Li
port ,.f the mill
itshments
>as ri
"ay. practically
fear had been -
uro might ,,pei
the conduct of
?ratlc Laders d|
hale would
the regular appl
the bill for thef
a rthy.
ioistn
The only point uf
raised todaj
providing a
volunteers until!
be construed
law under w'hiclS
tered into servlcf
kansas. offered
ing that it shouj
and upon it therf
sion as to the a
the volunteers
army was incre
ACCEPTED
Mr. Cannon
Rae amendmei
only shadow c
The number
adopted upon
the Appropriate
r<.ived so
before the bill wi
est of these was 1
an emergency fuj
ment and S578.0?
partment.
?led by the bill
When the bill
Underwood; (Deil
rogatod Mr. Calf
the appointment!
view to securingl
disposition to bef
irmy.
Mr. Cannon sij
peace had no
be ratified in JaJ
ratified for montl
what was In front
?'Ith a situationT
?night be mustea
taken by the refft?
matter for the fa
t^elt linnr
be rich enough
enough to meet a
UNQUALIFIE]
Mr. Sayers (D
?anking minority
prlntlons commit
.'icd endorsement
tITect in any wav
?ion regarding th,
arm lo
M r. Livingston |
supporting the
ion that the law I
unteers were mua
-ubject to double]
time when they
The law said thej
out when the puj
mlisted had be
hostilities had i
President were dlJ
unteers in the sei
army had been rej
propriating monq
ivohld strength*;
Mr. McRae ('?
there was no p .1
House to oppose"
the bill, but he d
passage should b
way interpreting
volunteer army.
MR. M RA
He said he wo
the amendment al
was finally adopt!
the President's di
-age that he won]
unicer army as si
tabl shinent was
Itc plying to a <
nun. Mr. McRae s
to a large stanoi
opposed to holdit
perform the dufii
used as a club tc
large standing ai
tion of the army
way."
M r. Underwood
unteers who enii;
understanding tht
tered out as soot
and since hostilit
had been a daily
cations for discha
to keeping men ir
leered for patriot
well as his coilea
every day urging
increase in the re!
lo be necessary h
for it.
OBJECTED
Rut an increase
through under tht
was granted the '
kept in the field.
Mr. Fleming (D
clared that the vi
under the promisi
discharged when t
bill was then pass
The conference i
render the sureti
consuls and const
damages in suits
The House adjou
day to give the co
nity to work with
SE
WASHINGTON
ing of today's ses
was decided that
day be until Monc
It was also de
hour of today's st
ation of pension 1
In connection v
of bills on the p<
Vest, of Missouri
"I do not want
this pension busii
to set myself up f
thing of passing
simply by readin
when a quorum
present has got tt
After a furthest:
ods by which pent
the Senate, Mr;;;1
"Men of the So'
allowed these btl
ing some dellcaey
to the course 4
