The San Francisco call. [volume], April 28, 1900, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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A AEW YORK. April 27.— While the banquet hall of the Waldorf-Astoria wa s ringing to-night with applause In honor
Byjfot the hero of Appomattox, Klihu Root, with all the Impresslveness attaching to a deliberate statement from a Sec-
Mj if retary of War, gave utterance tp a warning that was received by old eoldlers present' with grim silence that was
*¦ * more eloquent than cheers. Secretary Root, seemingly weighing the Import of his words, carefully declared that the
time was rapidly approaching in our history as a nation when we should have to either abandon the Monroe doctrine
or fight for it. He added that we would never abandon it. and closed his period with an appeal that seemed like a fervent
prayer when he said: ¦ -
"When that time shall come, God grant that some man like the great hero whose name we honor to-night may be raised
up to meet the issue." . . ¦ . ¦ : , -
Secretary Root was presiding over a dinner held in honor of the birthday of Ulysses S.' Grant. The words fraught with
such import were spoken In his opening address. He had eulogized the career of the great soldier and cited it as one for
young Americans to emulate. ,
"What was It," he asked, "that stood between us and war with France at the close of our civil -war, when Maxlmllllan.
backed by the f6rces of France, sought to establish an empire In Mexico? Nothing but the knowledge abroad that'that
Btern. sltent. Indomitable leader stood ready again to lead the armies of the United States in defense of the maintenance of
the Monroe doctrine. This is a deed of Grant's that the American people are likely to appreciate more fully as the years
roll on.
"No Intelligent man can read the signs of the : times to-day and not realize that the hour is coming— and coming before
many years— when we American people will be forced either to abandon the Monroe doctrine or else fight for it. And unless
greater wisdom and diligence in legislation is. displayed in the future than has prevailed In the past that time is likely to
arrive and find us in a state of unpreparedness.'<
"Should that happen, are we going to abandon the Monroe doctrine? Never! We may have to fight for It, but we can
never abandon it. Should such a crisis find us unprepared, oh," what would we not give then for one hour of Ulysses S.
Grant!" > r .-»•-" ' . . .-*"••, . '¦. .¦ • . -.' i?+^'X : £~'*i ¦¦¦ i:-. V;-'
View of Ottawa and Hull From
Parliament Hill.
TORONTO. April 27.—Dis
patches from Ottawa summar
ize the situation as follows:
Ottawa — Buildings de
stroyed. 2000.
Hull — Buildings destroyed,
ISOO.
Total loss both cities, esti
mated — 517.000.000.
Total insurance both cities,
estimated — $12,000,000.
Lives lost so far as known —
Seven.
Seme of the heaviest losses
are: Booth Lumber Company,
S3.0CO.OOO; Eddy Company,
Sl.OOO.OOO; McKay Milling
Company. 5500.000-. Hull
Lumber Company, $70O,00O;
electric light company,
$250,000; Dominion Carbide
Works, $150,000.
•^NTTAWA. April 27.— More than five
iff^B square miles of territory burned
SL JB frvrr: more than 2000 buildings
destroyed; seven lives lost: seven
thousand men. women and child
ren honv-IfFS and a property lofs
of $17,000,090. according to the latest esti
mate. Insured for about half its value,
are the results as viewed to-night of the
cnr.flaCTation which swf-pt this" city and
Hull yesterday and to-day. Although
under control for many hours, the flames
•were not entirely extinguished until about
noon to-day. The dead:
MISS MINNIE COOK, aged 40
years, cremated in her own house.
JOHN PUMPLE, car repairer, 646
Somerset street, suffocated.
GEORGE PEELEY, shoemaker,
123 Queen street West, suffocated.
JOHN BABE, Hull, fireman for
X. B. Eddy & Co.
Unknown man found dead in
Keycr's House, Wellington street,
Hull.
MRS. CARRINGTON, Wellington
street, Hull, died frcm fright, aged
SO years.
A. BATJDIN', 8 years old, son of
Charles Baudin, Duke street, Hull.
A relief committee has been formed by
tho citizens, and. together with the Cath
olic archbishops of Ottawa and Montreal,
•will make- an appeal for relief to the coun
try. The most serious problem that con
fronts Hull is that of wcrk. The major
ity of householders who were burn* d out
are poor and have larpe families. It is
not expected there will be employment
for a considerable- period, and how many
of the poor are going to live is doubtful.
On the Ottawa s=ido fully two-thirds ol
Dalhousle ward Is devastated and an esti
mate by residents of the district places
the number who were without roofs of
their own last night in this district at
5.000. The destroyed property here in
cluded some of the finest residences In
Ottawa, as well as a preat many of the
h'jmb'pft. In this section were the fine
houses of HGn. Mr. Foster, Dr. Scott.
Lcrvy Crannell and Mr. McLaurln, Martin
& WarnecX** big flour mill; Erskine
Presbyterian Church, Somerset street
bridge, the immense lumber piles along
Division. Preston and Rochester streets;
the residences of John Plnkey, James
Murphy. Mrs. Catherine Pinkey, Alexan
der Coulter. Mrs. A. Rochester. Thomas
A. Cook. Edward Foxton and A. J. War
neck, the French Presbyterian Church
and the Victoria Brewery, ail of which*
have disappeared.
The Ottawa Electric Company will be
a very heavy loser. An approximate
value of Its property is placed at $300,000.
The Ottawa Electric Company had six
power houses. There was one central,
or distributing power house, and the other
Jive wore auxiliary or sub-stations. Of
these sub-stations only one. that operated
by steam, remains, the other four being
destroyed. The Central power house and
the etcara auxiliary station were saved
only after a hard fight by the directors
and employes.
The fire area was viewed by thousands
of people this afternoon and evening. One
of the most remarkable things about the
ecene was that ro smoke was to be seen.
There were no half burned buildings or
smouldering logs anywhere. All of Hull's
principal buildinps. with the exception of
the Catholic Church, are things of the
past.
The bulld!n»rs and land In the place are
valued at f2.000.000, and of this amount
over $1,000,000 may be put down as a loss.
PARLIAMENT BUILDING AT OTTAWA.
f The city of Ottawa stands on the south side of the Ottawa River, above the
? mouth of the Rldeau. On the opposite side and connected with it by a sus
;> pension bridce is the town of Hull, a place of s<ome 12,500 inhabitants, almost
all French Canadians, who are principally engaged in some brarch of the
lumber trade. The above "picture, taken from Parliament Hill, Ottawa.
'-• shows the section of the larger city that has been devastated and the greater
« part of that In Hull. In both are immense lumber yards, which, with the
1 wooden houses of which both places are almost entirely built, offered quick
food for the flames.
Then in stocks, fixtures, equipment,
household effects and wearing apparel
thJ»ro is. a loss of nearly $3^00,000. The
vast piles of lumber which went up in
fmoke may be reckoned at $2,000,000 more.
How the Fire Started.
The fire broke out in the house of Mr.
Kirouae. on Chaudiere street, Hull. It
is said that Mrs. Kirouac was lighting her
fire to get the family dinner and set the
chimney on fire. The flames spread to
the roof and quickly communicated to
adjoining houses. There was a heavy gale
blowing at the itme, and the fire was soon
beyond control.
Hundreds of homeless persons slept in
the open air last night, or wandered about
the streets o? Ottawa and Hull, although
many houses were freely thrown open to
the homeless. Many people were accom
modated in the Drill Hall, the Salvation
Army barracks and other places.
The scene of the Hull fire to-day pre
sented a vast desert of mere ashes, out
of which the porch of Notre Dame dv
Grace, the property of the Obiates of
Mary ihe Immaculate: the St. Mary's
School, recently built at a cost of $15,000,
and a cluster of residences round the
church, r.lone are intact. Among the ruins
<-.f a house on Washington street, • Hull,
to-day was found the corpse of Bernaby
Myers. All night In Ottawa the homeless
ones went about looking for places in
which to take up their abode and in some
instances searching for members of their
families.
The ¥lf\<\y House, which was destroyed,
was a historical building. When the Duke
of Connaught visited this district thirty
years ni?o a grand ball was given him at
the "Chapel," as It was familiarly known.
A largo marquee was erected on the lawn
end here the dancing took place, the sup
per beir.g served In the house.
RELIEF FOR THOSE
WHO LOST THEIR ALL
LONDON. April 27.— The. newspapers
are unanimous in expressing the opinion
that it Is the duty of Great Britain to
promptly and substantially assist In re
pairing the losses incurred by the Ottawa
nre. The St. James Gazette voices the
Bf-nrral view, saying:
"At any time such a disaster to Canada
would have appealed irresistibly to the
sympathies of Englishmen, and the pres
ent conditions- strengthen the obligation.
Wo have plenty on our hands with the
South African war and the Indian famine,
but we shall not be backward In doing
all we can for our Canadian brothers till
the bottom dollar Is reached."
There Is considerable excitement in
.Edinburgh insurance companies on ac
count of the fire, as all the companies are
heavily involved.
OTTAWA, Ont., April 27.— The Govern
mont. at a Cabinet meeting to-day, decid
ed to give $100,000 to relieve the sufferers
of the Ottawa and Hull fire. Ten thousand
dollars will be given for immediate use.
The City Council has decided to give $10 -
000.
CHICAGO. April 27.— Mayor Harrison
to-day opened subscriptions for the Otta
wa. Ont., fire sufferers. The list was
headed by Mrs. Cyrus McCormick and
grew rapidly during the day.
MONTREAL, April 27.— The Bank of
Montreal has telegraphed $10,000 to the
Ottawa sufferers.
VICTORIA. B. C, April 27,-The Chinese
merchants of \ Ictorla to-night wired ex
pressions of sympathy to the citizens of
fire-swept Ottawa and Hull, with $500 in
tcken of their sincerity.
SHIPPING
BILL WILL
NOT PASS
•
No Hope for the Measure
at the Present Session
of Congress.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
CALL HEADQUARTERS. WELLING
TON HOTEL, "WASHINGTON, April 27.—
Early adjournment of Congress is now as
sured. Between the Democrats and the
Republicans of the two branches a full
understanding has been reached, which
will result in adjournment shortly after
the Ist of June.
Not until to-day did the Republican
leaders in the Senate give up the hope of
passing the subsidy bill and the army re
organization bill at this session, but to
night they know that It is Impossible to
push either through. This knowledge was
brought to them in a most emphatic man
ner by Senator Jones of Arkansas and
other minority leaders. Senator Pettus,
in using up the greater part of two days
In speaking on the Scott case, gave the
Republican leaders a hint of what they
might expect if they continue their en
deavors to put the two bills, which the
Democrats object to, through the Senate.
An Informal conference was held this
afternoon, at which Senator Frye was
told that dilatory tactics would be resort
ed to at every opportunity unless the Re
publicans would agree to make no attempt
to bring up the subsidy bill or the army
leorganization bill. Senator Jones gave
full assurance that the Democratic Sen
ators were in accord on this subject,
whereupon the Republicans acquiesced,
thereby sealing the doom, so far as this
session goes, of two of the most important
measures which have been framed since
the present Congress convened.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Significant Words of Secretary of War Root Uttered at a Banquet in
New York on the Birthday of the Hero
of Appomattox.
"WE MUST FIGHT FOR THE MONROE
DOCTRINE OR ELSE ABANDON IT."
Spaniards Given More Time.
WASHINGTON. April 27.— The Senate In
executive session to-day ratified the treaty
with Spain extending for six months the
time In which Spanish residents of the
Philippines may decide whether they will
remain subjects of Spain or become citi
zens of the Philippines. •
Danish Cabinet Resigns.
• COPENHAGEN. April 27.— At a Cabinet
council to-day King Christian accepted
the resignation ¦of the • Horrlng Cabinet
and appointed a new Rightist Ministry.
The Premier and Minister of Foreign Af
fairs Is H. de Sehested, vice president of
the Landsthing.
' tions from Allwal North show that sev
eral small commandos are still hovering
in the vicinity of Springfield, causing a
certain amount of danger, and the ad
vices from Dewetsdorp. outlining the du
ties of General Chermside, justify the
conclusion that it will still be necessary
to employ a considerable body of troops
to keep the Free State clear of Boers.
The position is that the Boers, who be
gan their raid a month ago by compelling
Colonel Broadwood to retire to Bloem
fontein, have got safely away to the
northward, practically without loss, but
¦with the advantage of seven Erltlsh guns,
together with a hundred prisoners cap
tured.
Advance to Pretoria Not Begun.
Meanwhile the advance to Pretoria has
not begun. Small wonder Is It that muf-
Iled complaints and criticisms are begin
ning to be heard here and there against
Lord Roberts. Two-thirds of his entire
force. have been employed In effecting
this small satisfaction, and the probabil
ity Is that the whole force must again
be concentrated on Bloemfontein before
the main advance begins. As similar
raids on the British communications are
likely to be repeated. It Is evident that
Pre^ria's capture is still a long way off.
The significance of General Hunter's di
vision going to Kimberley,' where mount
ed troops are arriving daily, is now said
to be a serious attempt to deal with the
strong Boer forces on the Vaal River,
now threatening to retake Barkley.
and then an endeavor to relieve Mafe
king. i It will be borne in mind that Gen
eral Hunter paid a hurried visit to Lord
Roberts at Bloemfontein.
A "temporary railway bridge has just
been completed at Bethulie, where hith
erto railway trucks had been transferred
over the wagon bridge. This will greatly
facilitate -getting stores up to Bloemfon
tein.
Poultney Blgelow, discussing the treat
ment of the South African rebels, says
that the wisdom of the United States
Government in not punishing the Con
federates after the war of secession has
borne good fruit, and he suggests that a
similar result would ¦ follow a' similarly
liberal policy In South Africa.
The Bloemfontein correspondent of the
Morning Post, telegraphing Thursday,
says:
/'Most satisfactory progress has been
made in the accumulation of stores dur
ing the present week. Supply Park now
Dresents a respectable ax>x>earance. The I
prospects of a general advance are more
favorable."
Botha's Effective Generalship.
The Bloemfor.tein correspondent of the
Times, telegraphing Thursday, says:
"There appears to be little chance of In
flicting effective punishment on the re
treating Boers. Commandant General
Louis Botha, who arrived at Dewetsdorp
on Monday, realized the situation at ence
and ordered the immediate withdrawal of,
the Boers both from there and from Wcp
ener."
The Bloemfontein correspondent of the
Daily Chronicle, telegraphing Thursday,
says:
"Latest reports show that the Boers
passed east of Thaba Nchu when going
north. A prisoner reports that a com
mando which doubled back on the pursu
ing British la now making Its way west In
the direction of Leeuwkop."
The Bloemfontein correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph, under Thursday's date,
says:
"The Boers who retreated from Dewets
dorp kept well ahead of General French's
cavalry. Unless the enemy should mak a
stand at Kroonstad Lord Roberts will rap
idly cress the Vaal River."
Other Bloemfontein dlspatehea throw
interesting points of light upon the situa
tion. Qne special says that 730 wagons of
a Boer heavy transport train have reached
Krconstad from the south. Only light
wagons have been left behind. The Boers
have organized a specially mounted corps
for foraging and other work requiring
special mobility. Another reports that
before the Boers were driven from Dew
etsdorp about 7000 of them had been slowly
retiring toward Ladybrand, where large
supplies are stored and Immense cornfields
are ready for harvesting.
Boers to TarTy in Natal.
The Ladysmith correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph says:
"The Boers are preparing to spend the
winter in Natal. They are bringing their
stock from the high veldt into Natal for
winter grazing and they are demanding
that the Kaffirs ray the hut tax to them
Instead of to the Natal Government. They
also declare that unless the Kaffirs work
for them they (the Kaffirs) must remote
south of Sunday River."
The Ladysmith correspondent of the
Standard says: V.
"The strength of the Boers In the Blg
garsberg district Is believed to be between
5000 and • 8000. They are commanded by
Continued on Third Page.
LONDON. April 2S.— ln Commandant-
General Lculs Botha the Boers ap
pear to have found a capable suc
cessor to Joubert. As the result of
his Insight and quick decision it may
be assumed now that the retreating com
mandos have gotten safely away with the
transport.
It Is true that Lord Roberts* dispatch
leaves much unsaid as to the whereabouts
of other forces than those of General
French and General Rundle. Nothing is
said about the troops of General Bra
bant, General Pole-Carew, General Hart
and General Chermslde. but the indlca-
MILNER INTERCEDED
IN WARREN'S BEHALF
LONDON. April 27.— The following dis
patch has been received at the War Of
fice from Lord Roberts:
"BLOEMFONTEIN. April 26.— At the
request of the High Commissioner, War
ren has been appointed military gover
nor of Griquiland West while that part
of the country Is In a disturbed condi
tion."
Lord Roberts' peculiar reference to Sir
Alfrefl Milner over Warren's appoint
ment lends itself to the Inference that the
commander-In-chlef of the British forces
in South Africa scarcely approves of it,
and that the previous report that War
ren had been recaned was correct, but
that he was saved from coming home by
the action of the British High Commis
sioner.
&ONDON, April 2j, 11:12 p. m. — The War Office has issued the following from Lord Roberts,
mfa, dated Blocmfontcin, Friday, April 2j:
"General French reached Thaba Xchu this morning with cavalry. He met General lan
Hamilton and General Smith-Dorricn's brigade there. The enemy are still holding the eastern outlet of
the town, from which General French ami General Hamilton zvcre proceeding to turn them out.
, "General Rundlc's division zvas eight miles south of Thaba Xchu last evening. Additional cas
ualties thus far reported: lan Hamilton's Mounted Infantry — Lieutenants Barry and Hill, zivundcd, both
of Marshall's Horse, the former severely, the latter slightly.
"A palrol from Bcthulie came across a body of the enemy on Smithficld road on April 25. Pri
vate King of the Prince Alfred Guards zcas killed and two: of the Royal Scots Service Corps zverc taken
prisoners.
"The Yeomanry Cavalry, under General Brabanson, after rcconnoitcring as far as Wepencr,
returned to Dcivetsdorp this morning. ¦ ,
Seven Persons Are Known to Have Perished and
Seven Thousand Were Deprived of
T\ • I I
l neir Homes.
Raid Upon the Invaders' Line of Communication
Has Delayed for Weeks the Advance
Upon Pretoria.
Losses in the Hull and Ottawa Fire Esti
mated at Seventeen Millions.
Botha's Entire Force Escapes From the
Gordon Stretched by the British.
ROBERTS OUTGENERALED
BY BOER COMMANDER
SMOKING RUINS COVER FIVE
SQUARE MILES OF LAND
VOLUME LXXXVII— NO. 159.
PRICE FiyE CENTS.
SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1900.
DEATH DEALT
BY FLOOD IN
TEXAS TOWNS
Sudden Inundation Follows
a Heavy Downpour. of
Rain.
BODIES FLOAT IN STREETS
Eight Persons Numbered Among the
Vctims in Waco and the List
of the Dead Is Yet
Incomplete.
WACO, Tex., April 27.— A cloudburst,
accompanied by a high wind, descended
upon this city at noon to-day and the re
sult Is that eight people are known to
have perished in the city limits, and
property valued at several thousond dol
lars has been destroyed or Injured- The
known dead are:
MRS. NANCY CAUDLE.
MISS CLARA CAUDLE. .; ]
ROSA CHARPMAN. j fi*jj
EMMA DECKER. • ?-*}
THOMAS CAPPS.
FRANK WALKER.
Two neero men, names unknown. *
The downpour of rain commenced about
noon and was incessant until dark. It
was in the shape of a waterspout, and
the rise in the creeks and branches was
so rapid that It did not give the Inhab
itants time to flee. Three persons, two
women and a man, all colored, 'were
drowned within a hundred yards of the
City Hall. Their bodies were - washed
through the streets jj into the Brazos
River and have r not ' been recovered.
There were "* several people, mostly ne
groes, standing on a bridge watching the
rapid rise of Barrons branch, when the
bridge, a brick structure, gave way with
out warning, precipitating them' Into the
water. The number positively known to
have been drowned within the city lim
its to-night is eight, and it is almost cer
tain that several more lives have been
lest. Searching parties are out looking
for the drowned and helping to move
those who are in danger or distress. In
the southern part of the city where the
two white women, Mrs. Caudle and her
daughter, lost their lives, the rise was the
highest ever known. -The damage done by
the storm will be heavy-
Incoming reports indicate that one of
the heaviest rainfalls experienced In years
visited many sections of the State and
rivers and smaller streams are again ris
ing rapidly.
All points along the Brazos and Colo
rado rivers have been notified and while
much damage to property, may- re^lt from
another rise yet It I* b'elMvt&i lhat the
timely warning will enable those who live
In the valleys to fully protect themselves.
Reports from Belmont and Rockport
state that the storm was especially severe
In those sections. , -
WOMAN IS KILLED
BY TORNADO IN TEXAS
BLUM, Tex., April 27.— A tornado passed
through the eastern part of this place at
noon to-day, \ destroying several resi
dences and a two-story building. For
tunately but two persons were seriously
Injured, one of whom, Eunice Hanks, will
die. She was caught between two timbers
and received Internal injuries. About
fifteen others were slightly hurt. Robert
McCluskey's business house and the Bap
tist church are among the badly wrecked
buildings. L. I* Robertson's residence
was demolished and Robertson probably
fatally injured. Mrs. Robertson was hurt
about the head. The storm started about
three miles south of town and was nearly
200 yards wide. The grain crop in the
path of the storm Is badlraamaged and
fruit trees are broken and stripped of
fruit. Nothing has been heard from the
country.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL
CLEVER BOER DEVICE: BARBED WIRE FENCES SUBMERGED IN THE FORDS.
On the principle that all Is fair in war, the Boers have introduced a number of novelties In that ancient art. which.
simple as they were, have proved no small hindrance to their enemies. Among other things Is the barbed wire fence ob- *
struction placed In the streams under water at places where the British were likely to. attempt a crossing. Out of sight 4
ami out of reach with the clippers w^th which every company is provided, this contrivance has proved a much more 4
seriqus obstacle to both horse and foot than when encountered on land. <
The above illustration, - taken from The Spear, shows a troop of British cavalry running into such a trap on the
Tugela during General Butler's advance on Ladysmith.