The herald. [microfilm reel], August 04, 1898, Page 3, Image 3

About The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900

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A MANILA LETTER
FROM JOHN KNIGHT, THE HER
ALD'S CORRESPONDENT
—.— I
DEWEY WAS RELIEVED
BY THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST
TROOPS
THE BELEAGUERED CITY
Spaniards Encouraged by Falso Hopes
of Camara—The Remains of
Montijo's Vessels
(Special Correspondence to Tbe Herald.)
MANILA. July 1. via Hongkong, July j —
The first division of the expedition under
Gen. Anderson, consisting of the Australia,
City of Peking, City of Sydney, convoyed
by the Charleston, reached here at C oclock
yesterday afternoon and- cast anchor in
front of Cavite lortress. The fleet was met
at the northeast point of Luzon island' by
the Baltimore of Admiral Dewey's fleet,
which thence acted as an additional con
voy to Manila.
Manila is completely blockaded. Dewey
is completely -master of the situa
tion, but has hailed the arrival
of tho first installment of troops
with evident satisfaction. There are
20,000 Spanish soldiers In the city, and
these are held ln from the front by our
fleet and kept in check ln the rear by the
insurgents. The Spaniards have thus"far
proved themselves very poor fighters In all
their encounters with the Insurgents. The
day before yesterday a Spanish colonel
made a sally with 2000 soldiers and was
driven back by 600 Insurgents. The wife
of Governor General August! was captured
a few days ago by the insurgents and Is
r.ow held by them a prisoner. The Insur
gents are armed with Mauser rifles.
There are six German men-of-war here
and their attitude toward' the Americans
has been decidedly obnoxious. They have
shown their friendship for the Spaniards
on every occasion. It Is reported that they
have visited the Spanish officers and'given
them advice as to tho movements of our
troops. On tho other hand, the attitude
of the English toward us is decidedly
friendly, a
A few days ago the report was brought
here that Spain was sending a fleet through
the Suez canal. This news has Instilled
fresh courage to the beleagured Spaniards
In Manila and they have shown renewed
energy both In drilling and" improving their
fortifications. They now have a good
many heavy guns mounted and are better
prepared to resist attack than they were
a few weeks ago. The poor ln Manila have
already been reduced to dreadful straits.
"THE BROKEN AND TWISTED REMAINS
For the past two weeks horseflesh has been
at a premium within the city.
The bay presents an inspiring sight.
Scattered around within a short distance
of our fleet are to be seen the broken and
twisted remains of half a dozen of Ad
miral Montijo's vessels which were sunk
by Dewey. Our ships are now lined up in
tho form of a semi-circle* aroundi Cavite
and the transports are anchored within the
line. The barracks at Cavite are large
enough to quarter 5000 men comfortably
and our forces expect to go Into camp there
today or tomorrow.
JOHN KNIGHT.
(A long and: graphic description by John
Knight of the voyage from Honolulu to
Manila and of the serio-comic capture of
Guam, the principal island of the Ladrones,
will be published ln next Sunday's Herald.)
A CANADIAN'S PLAINT
Accuses American Railway Men of
Bulldozing
CHICAGO, Aug. 3.— Traffic Manager Mc-
Nlcoll of the Canadian Pacific Railway
concluded his direct statement before the
Interstate Commerce Commission today in
regard to ihe rate war between the Cana
dian Pacific Railway and the American
lines. Mr. McNlcoll, In his closing re
marks, told of his efforts to restore peace
with the American companies and how his
efforts were thwarted by the refusal of the
companies to discuss the question of dif
ferentials. He understood that the Ameri
can lines had refused to accept sugges
tions and hud said that the Canadian Pa
cific must agree to all their terms. Mr.
Eustis, general passenger agent of the Chi
cago, Burlington and Quir.cy, he said, had
told them that there would be legislation
against the Canadian Pacific, and that
Congress would have legislated last ses
sion if the subject had not been overshad
owed by tho Cuban crisis. Mr. McNlcoll
said that he did not take any notice of
these remarks, as Mr. Eustis did not rep
resent the American people. He denied
that the interstate traffic enjoyed by the
Canadian Pacific amounted to $5,000,000.
While there were no statistics for passen
ger traffic, the freight traffic amounted
ony to 11.300,000 a year. On the other hand
the Canadian Pacific, he said, bought sup
puller, from the United States to the
amount of $3,000,000 yearly.
INSURGENT VICTORY
A Dynamite Gun Used on the Spanish
Troops
KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 3.—Captain Del
Vnlle Ignaelo of the Insurgent forces was
brought here»this morning by the gunboat
Helena,which took him aboard near Tuncz
Do Caso, on the south coast of Cuba, on
July 25. He reported that on July 9th Gen
eral Miguel Gomez (under whom he served
In the Sanctl Esplrltu district of the prov
ince of Santa Clara) attacked the town of
Gibora (not Gibara) with 500 men. and after
two hours' lighting compelled the Spaniards
to raise the white flag. Three dynamite
shells from the Syms-Dudley gun, he said*,
tore big holes ln the walls of the town,
killed nine Spaniards and wounded twelve.
One hundred and sixteen pris
oners were taken and the town la held by
tho Cubans. The Cuban loss was one killed
and three wounded.
When Captain Ignaelo left General Gomez
was making plans to attack the trocha and
restore communication between the East
ern and Westerln provinces.
The Helena, which has been on blockade
duty for nearly a month, sank a number
of harbor tugs and lighters at Casllda last
week and sent one little tug, the Manatoo,
which surrendered ln preference to being
sunk, to Guantanamo Bay.
Going to Porto Rico
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.—The First Ohio
Cavalry now at Tampa will form a p«rt of
the next expedition to be sent to the as
sistance of General Miles In Porto Rico.
OF HALF A DOZEN OF MONTIJO'S VESSELS"
LOS ANGELES HERALD: THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 4, JB9B
INSURGENT PRISONERS
SPANISH DUNGEONS SHOULD BE
EMPTIED
t
President Palma of the Cuban Junta
Working for the Release of His
Countrymen
NEW YORK, Aug. 3—The World this
morning prints the following: President
Mckinley will soon be asked to Include
among the provisions upon which peace
will be established, one that will contain
the freeing of all Cubans Imprisoned by
that country for offenses which may be
classed as political.
In all the Spanish penal colonies, Ceuta
and the like, there are about 500 Cubans
who have been captured d\irlng tho last
three years. The horrors of these prisoners
have been described lately, and it has been
said that the punishment meted out to
these men is altogether out of keeping
with their crimes.
The effort will be made by Thomas Es
trada Palma, the President of the Cuban
Junta. In fact, he has already Instituted
an agitation to that end, and he will not
give up until his object has 'been accom
plished. Friends of his are now at work
ln the capital with this purpose in view and
they will soon be. in communication with
the officials.
"Is it not Just and fair that this should
be done?" said President Palma. "Here is
a war won with the help of the Cubans.
Thousands of prisoners have been taken hy
the American army and they are not to be
kept, but are to sent back to Spain. This
is magnanimous on the part of America,
but would it not be a good thing to make
this a vehicle for the liberation of the Cu
bans who have been Imprisoned since the
war began?
"I think this would be a most laudaMe
plan and I do not thlnklt will be necessary
to do much urging. I think It will commend
Itself to any thinking man that the Cubans
who are in prison for the very thing for
which the Americans have gone to war
should be free, now that Spain has been de
feated and that there Is ro good a chance
lo exchange them for some of the thou
sands of the Spaniards who have been cap
tured In the war.
"This brings me to a consideration of the
terms Imposed on Spain by the United
States. I feel they are most moderate and
In my opinion this government has raised
itself to the highest altitude In demanding
so little. It virtually asks from Spain as
follows:
"Give us Cuba for the Cubans; give us
Porto Rico for ourselves, and the.'Philip
pines to make any use of that may here
after be determined.
"And when you come to look at It, what
do these demands already mean? It hf sim
ply saying:
"Gtye us what we already have, because
we won it from you.
"I do not know of any other nation which
would have been so generous or that would
not have taken everything it could.
"Tho Cubans never kept any prisoners of
war. When any of the enemy were cap
tured they were treated as kindly as pos
sible and were sent back to the Spanish
ranks If they wanted to go. We have never
had any whom we could exchange for our
own comrades who were in prisons.
"You have read of the cruelty attributed
to the Cubans—that wantonly beheaded
many of the Spanish prisoners recently
taken. What Is your opinion of these
storleß?
"I do not believe there Is a word of truth
in them. No Cuban would be so low as to
maltreat a prisoner of war, much less be
head him. Mind you, thte is only my opin
ion. I have had no advice on that score
from the seat of war, but I am willing
to stake my reputation that no Cuban
soldier ever demeaned himself by taking
such advantage of a man who was unable
to defend himself. That would not be war
fare; it would be murder.
"Recurring to the liberation of Cuban
political prisoners, I will at once begin the
agitation to have them exchanged for some
of the prisoners captured by the Ameri
cans."
WILLIAM'S RESCRIPT
He Pays a Tribute to Bismarck's Great I
Achievements
BERLIN, Aug. 3.—An extra addition of
the official Relchsanzelger just published
contains an imperial rescript addressed
to the Imperial Chancellor, Prince Hohen
lohe, and dated Frledrichsruhe, August 2.
It says:
"With my high allies, with the whole Ger
man people, I stand mourning nt tho bier
of the llrst Chancellor of the German Em
pire, Prince Otto Yon Bismarck, Duke ot
Luuenberg. We who witnessed his splen
did labors, who looked up to him with ad
miration as the master of statecraft, the
fearless lighter ln war and peace, as the
most devoted son of the fatherland and as
the most faithful servant of the Emperor
and kind, are deeply affected by the death
of the man whom God, tho Lord, fashioned
as his Instrument to achieve the realization
of the undying aspiration of the Germans
for unity and greatness.
"This is not the moment to enumerate
all the achlevments of the great man who
has gone to his rest, or to refer to all the
earns ho bore for tho Emperor and the
Empire, and all the successes he won.
They are too mighty and too manifold.
History alone can do them justice and will
engrave them all on brazen tablets.
"I am, however, impelled to give expres
sion before the whole world to the uni
versal sorrow and grateful admiration
which today animates the whole nation and
in the name of the nation to vow that what
he, the great Chancellor, under William
the Great created, I will maintain and de
velop, ond If need be, defend with blood
and treastire. Tn this may God help me.
"I Intrust you to make this rescript to
the public."
ACCIDENT OR SUICIDE
A Strange Mystery Perplexes Lodl
People
Stockton, Cal., Aug. B.—Circumstances
Indicate that the man who was drowned
In the Mokelumne River near Lodi night
before last committed suicide. All the par
ties that saw the drowning man say the fel
low told them he could not swim, and though
repeatedly warned he venttired tntn the
deep hole, using a small piece of board to
buoy him up. When in the center h* sud
denly let go of the board and disappeared
beneath the surface. At} the water at this
time of the ypnr Is hardly cold enough to
give a man cramps. It is believed by some
that the man purposely loosened his hold
on the plank to commit suicide. A thor
ough search of his clothing revealed not
the slightest thing that would give a clew
to his identity. As it would hardly be sup
posed that a man would be without some
piece of paper, a letter, an envelope or some
thing of the kind on his person, it Is believed
that he destroyed all such evidence before
coming to) the river. He was evidently a
user of tobacco, as a small French briar
pipe, some smoking tobacco and a piece of
chewing tobacco were found in his pockets.
The remains are still unidentified, but last
night a dispatch was sent to Rabbi nink at
Portland, Oregon, at which place he told
the boys he had a brother. Up to 10 o'clock
today no won] had been received from there.
He weighed about 160 pounds, had a smooth
face and curly, reddish-brown hair, and
was about 22 years of ago.
Lightweights Matched
*BT T FFAT,O. Aug. B.—(Kid) the
light-weight, and Frank Frne have been
matched to box twenty-five rounds before
the Olympic Athletic Club of Buffalo nn
the night of the Corbet t-McCoy contest.
The papers, which have been signed, tix
tho weight at 133 pounds for f» o'clock in
the morning of that day. The men are
guaranteed $3000, or 00 per cent of the gate
receipts.
LESS THAN ESTIMATE
PROBABLE COST OF THE NICAR
AGUA CANAL
L I 1
A Material Change In the Prospect ln
the Last Six Months —Some
Interesting Facts
Chicago, Aug. 3.—Lyman E. Cooiey,
tho well-known civil engineer, after a visit
East and a conference In New York with
representatives of the Maritime Canal Com
pany, owners of all the rights and conces
sions along the proposed route of the Nlc
nraguan ounal, believes the government of
the United States will construct the great
water way In preference to letting the con
tract to separate companies or corporations.
Mr. Cooiey says that on this point the com
plexion of the Nicaragua Canal mntter has
been changed perceptibly since last winter,
when he, with a party of engineers, looked
over the ground of the enterprise.
On being shown a dispatch from Wash
ington that Admiral Walker of the Canal
Commission had received a number of re
ports Indicating that the cost would be
much less that heretofore estimated, Mr.
Cooiey presented a list of recent discover
ies which he believes are responsible for Ad
miral Walker's opinions. The gist of these
are:
Six miles of dredging .in the lower end
of Lake Nicaragua-
Non-existence of rock ln San Juan river
to Toro Rapids.
Good foundation for immense dam at
Ochoa.
Favorable conditions for embankments
at San Francisco basin.
New site for a dam at Tanbor Grande.
According to Ihe estimate of the formu
iator, a saving of several million dollars is
reported ln these items.
The expense Incurred by the government
In war, nnd the rapidly developing indica
tions that the Nicaragua Canal cannot only
be constructed more cheaply than nt first
imagined but ought to be built by Uncle
Sam himself are conspiring, he Intimated,
to assure the waterway connection between
the Atlantic and Pacific within a few years.
"President McKlnley," said Mr. Cooiey,
"and many of the leading members of Con
gress now appreciate more than ever be
fore the supreme importance of the canal
to our country. Senator Morgan said to
me not long ago that the annexation of
Hawaii practically clears up the question
of the immediate necessity of theNicara
guan Canal. It is a question, however,
whether or not Congress will be able to
pass the proposed laws or take the proper
action at the short session In the fall, to
enable tho work to be begun at an early
date.
"The construction nf the waterway will
not be a tremendous undertaking, though
it may take several years to complete It
The Maritime Canal Company asks for
111,5(10,000 from the government to relinquish
all of its rights and concessions.
"The company, It Is understood, will take
seven million dollars ln the stock of a new
company that the government might form
and ?i,500,000 from the government to valid
ate Its bonds. The company bought out all
the concessions of the old Nicaragua Asso
ciation, which Is said to hnve expended
something like $0,000,000. The Maritime Ca
nal Company was then organized and It has
spent $2,000,000 In Nicaragua on the cnn.ai
undertaking, but had to quit work. The
company Is perfectly right when it says
that no private corporation could be ex
pected to take up tho canal project now
since Congress has put Its hand ln the mat
ter, and when there Is a strong likelihood
of the government building the ditch Itself.
"It Is not definitely known that the com
mission will be ready with Its report dur
ing the short session of Congress. A report
may be submitted and may cause a vast
difference of views as to what course should
be pursued. Senator Morgan and all other
canal advocates appreciate these things but
the manifest broadening of the scope of our
national policy of late has Impressed every
one so strongiy that none can see any ob
stacle large enough to prevent the construc
tion of what will be an Invaluable holding
and possession of the United States in time
lofIof peace and In time of war."
LEAVING CAMP MERRITT
Regiments to Go to the Presidio Very-
Soon
i SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3.-The First
Tennessee will not move to the Presidio
before Monday. It was tho intention to
move tomorrow, but the water pipes at the
camp site on tho reservation will not be in
working order this week. For that reason
the moving has been postponed. The
Twentieth Kansas will move Friday.
Lieutenant Deford of the Twentieth
Kansas has been reappointed Adjutant of
the regiment. Recently he retired tem
porarily from the position to go with his
company on drill.
Private A. B. Colby, a recruit for the
Second Oregon, Is missing. He is a son
of A. B. Colby of Portland, a prominent
hotel proprietor. Young Colby's tent
mates believe that he went aboard the
steamship St. Paul last week and sailed to
Manila as a stowaway.
Lieutenant 11. M. Merriam. son of Major-
General Merriam. has been assigned to
General King's staff In the place of Lieu
tenant Conrad Babcock, now en route to
Manila.
HERO HOBSON
He Undergoes an Ovation While at
Atlanta
ATLANTA, Oa„ Aug. 2.—Lieut. Richard
Pearson Hobson, accompanied by his
mother, arrived ln Atlanta this morning
and was the hero of the day. His stay lr.
this city was one continuous ovation. This
evening at the Women's club rooms Lieut.
Hobson delivered a short lecture for the
benefit of a fund to aid Georgia soldiers in
the field. In a modest, straightforward
manner he told of his auVenture on the
.Merrlmac in Santiago harbor and he spoke
also of the trials of Sic American soldiers
ln their campaign against Santiago. The
lieutenant told his audience that the sink
ing of the Merrlmac was no Illustrious deed
but that It was merely an evidence that the
men of the American navy stood ready to
answer any call of diuty. Later tonight th-,
young lieutenant and his mother were giv
en a reception at the governor's mansion,
where they were greeted by fully 3000 per
sons. At midnight the lieutenant and his
mother depnrted for New York.
LIPTON'S BOAT
He Will Have a New One Built at
Once
LONDON. Aug. 3.—Sit* Thomas I.lpton,
the challenger of ihe America's cup, has
Instructed William Fife, at Falrlie, to de
sign a yacht to be built by Harland &
Wolf, the shipbuilders of Belfast. Th.>
Yacht Raring Association meets this week,
when a deputation from tho I'lster Yacht
Club will attend and settle the matters con
nected with the challenge, so far as this
side of the water Is concerned.
Secretary Kelley of the Ulster Yacht
Club, will accompany Mr. Charles Rus
sell, Sir I.lpton's representative to New
York, should the challenge bo accepted by
the New York Yacht Club.
Charged With Larceny
BAN .TOSF-. Cal., Aug. 3.—Antone Armetta,
on extensive wholesale dealer nnd grow-r
of fruit and wines, was arrested today on
complaint of J. C. Martin, charging grand
larceny. Martin says that he held a.
mortgage on 5200 gallons of wine valued at
JGOO belonging to Armetta and which Armet
ta had ln his possession. Armetta Ignored
Ihe mortgage and on September nth sold the
wine. Armetta was released on $5000 bonds
1 pending arraignment.
SHOOK UP PHILADELPHIA
HOT WEATHER FOLLOWED lYt
AN ELECTRICAL STORM
Ono Man Drowned in His Cellar—Over
Five Inches of Rain Fell in Less
Than Two Hours
_
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. J.—The excessive
heat of the last few weeks culminated today
in one of the most terrific electrical storms
that has ever visited this city. The rainfall
was the heaviest in the history of the local
weather bureau. In one hour and three
quarters live and four-tenths Inches of rain
fell. The heaviest previous fall was five
and one-fifth Inches In twenty-four hours,
about twelve years ago.
There was an almost continuous flash ot
lightning and many flagpoles and buildings,
lr. nearly every section of the city, wcro
struck, causing several small fires and doing
great damage. Telegraph and telephone
service throughout the city was practically
at a standstill for several hours. The cel
lars and first floors of hundreds of busi
ness blocks and dwellings were flooded. In
the basements of the City Hall and post
office the water rose to suchj al depth that
fires under the boilers were extinguished.
The basements of G'mbel Brothers and
Wanamaker's. two of the largest depart
ment stores In the city, were flooded and
heavy damage has been done. It 13 said
a big fire Is raging at the Point Breeze Oil
Works ln the extreme lower end of the
city, caused by the lightning. Three alarms
have been sent ln.
The street car servke was prsctlcall
a standstill. Many of the streets wi
flooded to the depth of two and three fl
Tbe steam roads In this vicinity also s
fered severely and nearly all trains ur
2 o'clock were behind their schedule.
Peter Schell, aged 28 years, was drowt '
In the cellar of his home at Twcnty-th '
and Christian streets. He was working in
the cellar, removing some of his property
when he was caught by a sudden rise In
the water. Before he could reach the
stairway the water rose to the first floor
and he was drowned.
WHEELERS DIVISION
It Will Return From Santiago to Mon
tauk Point
WASHINGTON. Aug. 3.—When General
Shaffer's Corps went to Santiago, a force
of cavalry numbering about 2000 men and
comprising regular troops and a part of the
First Volunteer Cavalry (the Rough Rid
ers), was left at Tampa under command
of General Copplnger. In addition to these
men, most of the horses of the cavalry
regiments sent to Cuba were also left at
Tampa. This force of cavalry" will In a day
or two be ordered to Montauk Point, where
they will make preparations for the men of
General Wheeler's division of cavalry,
which tins been ordered from Santiago to
that point.
SOLDIERS' VOTES
Kansas Politicians Perfect a Plan; for
Balloting
TOT'RKA, Atig. 3—Secretary of State
flush has completed the plans for securing
the votes of the Kansas soldiers now ln the
field for the November elections. The
names of the candidates will be printed on
long strips labeled "Republican." "Popu
list" or "Democrat," as the case may be.
To facilitate the voting Secretary Bush an
nounces that facsimiles of all the tickets
In the field will be printed in blank form so
that they may be posted ln the various
camps long enough before election so that
the soldiers may familiarize themselves
with the candidates and give them time to
make a campaign.
3