The San Juan islander. [volume], March 03, 1898, Image 1

About The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
VOL. VIII. NO. 3.
0S OF THE WEEK
from all Parts of the New
and Old World.
BKIKF ANl> INTERESTING ITEMS
Cotni.reh.-i.sivo Review of the Import
ant Happenings of the Cur
rent Week.
The steamer Elier plying between
Portland and Alaska ports, reports a*
glibly rough trip down The se«
- the worst the crew and officers of
V Elder have ever encountered, and,
lj n g to her being without ballast, all
control of the vessel was lost, and it
was only ing to the vigilance of the
ftffic ers thai she was saved from going
'tli -i crash on one of the thousands of
Sail islands in this district. She was
1',;.;,: to remain at sea for 36 hours.
rrLwie while it lasted, was terrific,
1\ attained a velocity of at least 100
m ile an hour. The vessel's propeller
b ] a( ]es were broken and she was com
pelled to lay over at Nanaimo for
repairs.
M Philadelphia the birthday anni
versary of George Washington was com
. .... ',•,,; with appropriate exercises
at the Academy of Music. The feature
of the day was an address to the Ptu
dentsof the university of Pennsylvania,
delivered by President McKinley. The
president paid an eloquent tribute to
the^ memory of the Father of Our
Country, and from bis life and deeds
drew a lesson as to the duties of the
American people of today. At Chi
cago, ex-President llarrrison delivered
arT address before the Union League
Club, choosing as his subject, "The
Duties of Wealth." At numerous other
cities the occasion was appropriate^
observed, with street parades and liter
ary exercises.
The senate has passed a bill to add
two artillery regiments to the strength
of the army. This measure has been
urged for many month* by officials of
the war department, who foresaw that
while congress of late years had taken
measures for the protection of our
coasts by additional appropriations for
extensive work md great guns, it had
not provided the men necessary to
operate these engines of war. Should
the house pass the bill, it will enable
the department to carry out plans it has
limp had in view. Criticisms lately
passed upon the state of the army and
our fortifications have caused increased
activity in military matters, and to
some extent this is responsible for re
ports arriving from various quarters of
movements at army posts.
The Bethlehem Company's steel
mill, giving employment to 1,000
bads, has resumed work, after an idle
ms of some months.
The Carpenter Steel Company, of
Reading, Pa., is working a double turn
on orders from the navy department for
steel projectiles.
W. .'. Scan lan, the once famous
Irish actor, died of paresis in a New
York insane asylum, where he had
I en confined for five years.
Lather ('. Billings, pay director in
the United States navy, has been found
guilty of falsehood and scandalous con
duct by a court mania! at Washington,
and sentenced to dismissal from the
service.
The Great Commonwealth Develop
ment and Mining Company has applied
to the Dominion parliament for a rail
road charter from Edmonton to the
Alaska line by way of Peace, Laird and
Felly rivers.
The board of directors of the Eastern
Oregon & Washington Firemen's Asso
ciation have met in Walla Walla and
elected La Grande as the place for
holding the next annual meeting and
tournament of the associations, June 14,
15 and i.;.
A creeping reduction of over f 8,000,
WO from the amount carried by th«
curre m law \ a made in the sun ,
civil appropriation bill, reported to
the house Tuesday, the aggregate ap
propriation carried being $44,749,893.
Ahe total is $13,234,541 lees than the
egular and supplemental official esti
mates male for the fiscal year 1899,
«w 18,861,880 less than the appropria
tions made for the current fiscal year.
5a^ Port Townsend, Wash., dispatch
tnrii As .a consequence of the unfa-
JJJ- criticism that has followed th«
wing of the steamer Clara Nevada
mm the trouble that attended the de-
Partureof the North Pacific for the
'-"'• carrying g°seeker ß , Colonel
terS C leCtor of customs, has de
ernnned to compel vessels bound for
-J>ka to carry only the number' of
gangers allowed by the federal , er-
«ul c nh! t r harf at Tam P^o, con
govern ,1 by the Central railroa(lf under
~truT! )ervision. was totally
of &by fire Sunda The cause
tion'if h' '8 Ullknown- T'>e construe
)ah Roo>- lar. f was commenced in
W«t n Va" U was to be one of the
It'len ,i SPan'sh-American coast.
CcJ = T ? 25 75 feet ' and all is
stru.tL 1"« custom-house under con
a»' nearly completed, was
800 rl" extent of abont ?B°o.-
Wse an ? total loss on wharf custom
-000,000 •merchandise is nearly $2.-
J ' willy insured.
DpubH nA r»- D°le . President of
Public U °f Hawai5 ' was tendered a
cCer 7' tlOn at San Francisco at the
",°; fl Co.T m.erCe' and ruet with a
*n fla "enng recognition on the
01 we crowds of people.
de m!!7 Gage points with a good
C?! t0 the fact that the cus-
Uv c ov' f °r this fiscal y^r at last
Ba*e r , er V f a< the recei Pts for the
Th total rf • the prior fiscal fear:
Che San Jmn Islander
FRIDAY HARBOR, SAN JUAN COUNTY, WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1898.
WRECKING THE SHIP.
No Important Developments in the
Maine Investigation.
Havana, Feb. 25. —The United States
court of inquiry into the loss of the
Maine met at 10 o'clock this morning
and examined Dr. Heneberger, Pay
master Ray and Chief Engineer Howell,
of the battle-ship. There was a recess
ordered at noon, and it lasted until
1:30 P. M. Several witnesses, whose
names are not obtainable, were ex
amined during the afternoon.
Another visit was made to the wreck
by Captain Sampson, president of the
court. The captain says he has no idea
of the length of time the court will re
main in session here. It all depends
upon the testimony, and new features
requiring further investigation may de
velop at any time. Captain Sampson
added that sooner or later every sur
vivor of the Maine will be examined by
the court, which seems to imply that
sessions for that purpose will be held
at Key West. Although this informa
tion is meager, it is absolutely all Cap
tain Sampson will give the press.
A strong wind made the harbor rough
today, and added to the difficulties of
the divers, as the electric lights are
worked from a battery on the lighthouse
tender Mangrove, 200 yards distant.
Captain Sigsbee is pained by the
comments on his conJuct while the
Maine was afloat, made by some of the
papers here, but it is pointed out that
such papers are not of the better ciass.
The captain has been so universally
courteous and is apparently so popular
that it is t surprising that any of the
papers of Havana should seek to do him
an injustice.
Today has been the quietest since tbe
explosion. The wounded are all doing
well, except Frederick C. Holzer, who
is slightly worse. The divers have
been continually at work, but the re
sults of their labors, so far^as they
would throw light on the cause of the
explosion, are kept strictly for the
court of inquiry. It is reported that
20 bodies have been found under the
forward batches, but only three have
been removed, owing to the mass of
chains and wreckage in the way.
The officers of the court of inquiry,
during their inspection of the work to
day, discovered, it is said five armor
plates projecting from the water near
the bow. There is a good deal of
speculation as to what caused this,
many contending that the position of
the plates shows that the big magazine
forward did not explode. The divers,
it is expected by many, will find very
little of the structure of the ship for
ward of the 10-inch tnnet.
A large quantity of clothing has
been taken from the wreck, and, after
it lias been disinfected, it will be given
to the concentradoes. The bodies of
the missing officers, Lieutenants Jen
kins and Assistant Engineer Merritt,
have not been recovered. The divers
reached the former's room, but it was
found that his body was not there.
Thus far the sharks have given no
trouble, but the vultures have left
scarcely a bit behind but the skeletons
of three men who were entangled in
the debris near the surface of the wa
ter. The bodies were not noticed by
any one until the foal birds had com
pleted their ghastly work. From the
hand of one, Chaplain Chidwick re
moved a deeply chased gold ring for
the purpose of identification. Chap
lain Chidwick said the total number
of missing is 85 or 86, and five have
died iv the hospital.
ZOLA CONVICTED.
Sentenced to One Year in Prison and
Heavily Fined.
Paris, Feb 25.—The -Zola trial is
ended. The jury agreed days ahead
on a verdict, and its unanimity was
due to threats. It stayed in the jury
room for a few minutes, and the sen
tence is one year for M. Zola and a fine
of 3,000 franc?, and four months for
M. Perrieux, the nominal director of
the Auroro. The hour was 7 in the
evening, and the court was lighted by
electricity which revealed the face of
every person. A very striking obj<^
"Christ Crucified," hung high behind
the bench. M. Maitre la Boric ended
his speech by saying:
"The name of Pilate is the most ab
horred in history."
The figure of "Christ" caught
Zola's eye. After sentence had been
passed with pompous decorum, lie ex
claimed:
"Today, associated, with Christ, I,
too, am a victim of mob violence,
official cowardice and a grand miscar
riage of justice."
WAR TALK IN SENATE.
Allen Brought on a Sharp Debate on
the Cuban Question.
Washington, Feb. 25.—While the
senate had under consideration the
diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill today, a sharp debate on the
Cuban situation was precipitated by
Allen (Pop., Neb.), who offered as an
amendment the reolution passed by
the senate a year ago recognizing the
belligerent rights of the Cuban insur
gents. The debate lasted nearly four
hours.
In the course of a reply to the pre
liminary statement of Allen, Morgan
(Dem., Ala.) said that this country's
relations with Spain at the present
time were seriously strained, and in
tervention by tne United States, which
i a year ago wonld have been inoffensive,
now would almost be a cauee for war.
He expressed the opinion that the
Cuban affair would be eventually sub
mitted to arbitration between the
United States and Spain, but he did
not want war precipitated by rash leg
islation.
Allen's amendment was finally ruled
out of order, and an appeal from the
ruling taken by the Nebraska senator
was laid on the table by a vote of 51
to 6.
The baked banana is the ideal food
lor nervous and anaemic brain workers.
TWENTY MEN LOST.
The British Ship Asia Wrecked Near
>'antucket.
Boston, Feb. 24.—There is scarcely a
doubt that the British ship Asia, bound
from Manila for this port, was wrecked
near Nantucket during the gales of the
past few days, and that her entire crew
of 20 men have perished. This con
clusion is not only borne out by wreck
age, consisting of the stern of a boat,
yards and other materials, which were
cast ashore at Montmory, but Captain
Haley, of this city, telephoned from
Wood's Hall tonight that, while the
tugboat E. V. McCauley was steaming
out to the barge Excelsior, which lies
sunk on Handkerchief shoal, he saw
positive evidence of the wreck of a
large, square-rigged vessel, and recov
ered two bodies from a portion of a
dismantled hull.
Captain Haley stated that while off
the Handkerchief lightship the tug
passed through a large amount of wreck
age, including bales of hemp, broken
spars and broken ship timbers. Drift
ing in the midst of this was a portion
of the wreck, on which the bodies were
lashed. It was discovered that the
bodies were those of a man and a little
girl apparently 12 years old. They
were fast in the mizzen chains. The
tug quickly headed in the direction of
the wreck, and the crew released the
bodies, and the tug returned to Wood's
Hall, where the news was sent to this
city.
A later message from Captain Haley
stated that the wreckage was fallen in
with about five miles north northwest
of the Handkerchief lightship. The
starboard quarter of the vessel was all
that remained intact. The man's body
was hanging to the mizzen rigging, tbe
child being in his arms. The body was
that of Captain Cook, of the Asia, judg
ing from a master's certificate found
on the clothing of the dead man. The
certificate was issued at Weymouth, N.
S., to John Cook, and gave the year of
the man's birth as 1843.
As the tug was ordered away from
Wood's Hall, the bodies were later
taken ashore and given into the keep
ing of the residents to await the med
ical examination. The vessel's cargo
of hemp was consigned to Henry Pea
body, of Salem.
The vessel was valued at $25,000,
and is thought to be only partially in
sured. She was owned by Taylor
Brothers, ol St. John's, N. B.
DIVERS AT WORK.
Several Bodies Taken From the Wreck
—The Naval Court.
Havana, Feb. 24.—The court of in
quiry opened at 10:30 and took a recess
at 12:30. Lieuteunant Horn, navigator
of the Maine, was examined at the
morning session. The court met for
the afternoon session at 1:30, and Lieu
tenant-Commander Wainwright has
been in immediate charge of the wreck
since the explosion. Four divers were
at work, two in the fore part of the ship
and the others aft. The task is most,
laborious, and the men are naturally
extremely careful, as they have to
work in complete darkness, and several
have had bad falls. Electric lights
from the Mangrove are now available,
and much good is expected from them.
Nearly all the possible salvage has been
made in the cabin aft. Work in the
ward and messrooms is frustrated by
some unknown obstacle. It is expected
to find bodies in these rooms. Two
cases of 10-inch ammunition have been
found, one having exploded, the other
full of powder. They were found for
ward. The work of securing the bodies
under the hatch has been most difficult,
but it is hoped the electric lights will
be of great assistance. The bodies are
much mutilated and some are partially
burned.
The officers of the court of inquiry
paid another visit to the wreck today.
Among the salvage is the tableware
and silver service belonging to the
Maine.
George W. Koebler, of Brooklyn,
died today at the military hospital.
All the other injured show some im
provement. The bodies of 12 firemen
have been taken out from under the
hatch leading from the superstructure
to the fireroom. None were recognized,
and all were necessarily dismembered in
the course of removal. ;
INDEPENDENCE OF CUBA.
leading Autonomists Said to Be Nego
tiating With Insurgents.
Madrid, Feb. 24.—A gloomy tone
pervades political circles on the report
of a split in the Cuban ministry. The
autonomists, Senor.Gubera and Sencr
Amblard are, it is believed, really treat
ing with the insurgents in direction
of independence for Cuba. Senor
Govin. the Cuban secretary of ; the in
terior, is accused of treason by the Im
parcial, "which publishes a facsimile of
a letter from Senor Govin to a friend,
in which the former says: • * -\
"How could you think that Sagasta,
a man inferior to Canovas, and liberal
only in name, has inspired my attitude
and not my ideas and sentiments aa a
Cuban? McKinley, as well as Cuba,
will determine whethei I am a Span
iard. Long live our country and lib
erty!"
The Imparcial adds that it predicted
a weak ministry in Cuba, and warned
Senor Moret. the Spanish colonial min
ister, of what was likely to be the oat
come of his autonomy scheme.
To Raise the Maine.
New York, Feb. 24.—The Merritt &
Chapman Derrick & Wrecking Com
pany today signed contracts with the
government to raise the battleship
Maine. Their most powerful log, the
Monarch, now at New York, will pro
ceed at once to Havana. The Monarch
will be followed by other tugs, and the
work will be begun as soon as possible.
Two expert divers with all necessary
applioances will accompany the Mon
arch.
DYING IN THE STREETS
Condition of Reconcentrados
in Matanzas.
RELIEF FUND IS EXHAUSTED
Fourteen Thousand Persons in the City
Absolutely Without Food—The
Autonomists' Latest Move.
Santiago, de Cuba, Feb. 25. —While
the United States cruiser Montgomery
was at Matanzas recently a board of
officers was appointed to inquire into
the condition of the people in that
province.
Although the exact terms of the re
port are not known, it may be said
that in substance it sets forth that
there are 14,000 people absolutely
without food and clothing within the
city limits. About 3,000 of these
live in small huts of palm branches.
The other 11,000 unfortunates live in
the streets of the city and are absolute
ly without home or shelter. These
14,000 people are of the laboring class
who have been driven into the cities
from their country homes, which have
been destroyed by the war operations.
Most of them are women and children,
and they -are emaciated, sick and al
most beyond relief, unless they can
have the benefit of regular treatment
in the hospitals. As it is, they are
dying in the streets for want of food.
According to statistics gathered from
the best official sources, the number of
deaths in tbe province of Matanzas
from starvation is 59,000, and the
number of starving people at present
in the province is estimated at 95,000,
out of a total population of 253,616' in
December, 1897, and the number of
starving people is rapidly increasing.
In the city of Matanzas alone there
have been about 11,000 deaths during
the past year and the number is increas
ing daily. The death rate at present
averages 46 per day, as shown by the
reports at the cemetery. The in
creased death rate is due to the fate
that the distress is no longer confined
to the laboring class, most of whom
have already perished. It is now ex
tended to the people who before the
war were in moderately comfortable
circumstances. Those now begging in
the streets were in large part well-to-do
people or children of the well-to-do.
The citizens of the city of Matanzas
themselves are begging for the actual
necessities of life, having exhausted
their resources in order to supply the
needs of the laboring class who have
been quartered upon them.
The citizens of Matanzas have an
organized system of relief for the starv
ing people, but it is entirely inadequate
and is daily becoming more glaringly
so, for the resources of those who were
well-to-do are rapidly diminishing,
while the demand for food is constantly
increasing. At one of the stations the
board of officers found 100 persons
starving, this being the actual number
of people for which the citizens had
been able to provide relief there.
Pans of rice and fish were arranged in
rows ready for distribution among the
people who were waiting in another
part of the house. But this relief does
not begin to supply the 14,000 people
who are starving in the streets, for the
citizens are only able to issue food
once daily at each place and then to
only about 100 at a time. Consequent
ly only about 900 of the destitute peo
ple receive food in a day. It should be
added that a large number of the citi
zens of Matanzas have fed the starving
in the streets in front of their own
homes, but the citizens themselves are
feeling the pinch and privation, and
unless assistance soon comes to them,
they will be compelled, in self protec
tion, to cease the work of charity in
which they are now engaged and which
is seemingly the only salvation for the
starving thousands.
The only public relief at Matanzas is
that given to the sick children by the
management of the emergency hospital,
which is under direction of the volun
teer fire department of Matanzas.
There are about 80 children treated
daily, furnished with nourishment, un
der the direction of the city physicians.
These statements are the conclusions,
facts and figures arrived at by a board
of United States naval officers. When
the officers landed, they were constant
ly followed by clamoring crowds of
starving men, women and children,
who importuned them in the most
heartrending manner for a little food,
for the want of which they were slowly
dying.
The United States consul at Matan
zas has done everything possible under
the circumstances, but when the Mont
gomery left the consul had only enough
rations remaining to last about two
weeks.
Work at League Island.
Philadelphia, Feb. 26. —Imperative
orders were issued today to the painters
working on the cruiser Minneapolis in
the drydock at League island, that they
must finish her so that she can be float
ed at high tide tomorrow. The force of
men has been enlarged and they
worked until dusk tonight and will re
sume at daylight in the morning. The
navy yard was crowded today with
men desiring to enlist, but only a few
were accepted.
An Irrevocable Decision.
New York, Feb. 25.—A dispatch to
the Herald from Madrid says: As the
question of the purchase ot Cuba is
again being pushed in Washington it
may be of interest to state, on the
highest authority, that Spain will
never, no matter what government is
in power, consider any such sugges
tion or any compromise in Cuba beyond
the broad measure of autonomy drafted
by the liberal government. This is as
irrevocable decision.
RECOVERING THE DEAD.
Special Telegraphic Service Has Been
Discontinued.
Washington, Feb. 23.—Today's de
velopments in th« Maine disaster were
of a negative character, greatly to the
disappointment of a considerable num
ber of persons, who were looking for
some startling discovery by the divers
working in the sunken hull.
What threatened to be another inter
national incident growing out of certain
alleged utterances by Lieutenant-Com
mandei Sobral has been dismissed sum
marily as shown by the following state
ment given out at tbe department of
state:
"The department of state learns from
the Spanish charge d'affaires that Lieu
tenant Commander Sobral, to whom
unfavorable utterances respecting the
discipline of the United States navy
had been attributed in a newspaper in
terview, was relieved of his functions
as naval attache to the Spanish legation
in the United States some time ago, his
successor, Lieutenant-Commander Don
Ramon Carranza y Reguera having been
appointed on the 24th of January last
in his capacity."
For very obivous reasons, Captain
Sigsbee at Havana is making the most
strenuous efforts to hasten the recovery
of the bodies, probably 100 in number,
still imprisoned in the wreck of the
Maine. It was a knowledge of the cap
tain's desire that probably led Consul-
General Lee to inform the navy depart
ment of the need of more divers. This
had the desired effect, for the navy de
partment took action to send more help.
Admiral Sicard telegraphed from Key
West this afternoon that he had sent
! five divers to Captain Sigsbee and asked
jf that was sufficient.
The acting chief of the navigation
; bureau, Captain Dickens, at once took
i the sensible course of directing the
! admiral to put himself in communica
i tion with Captain Sigsbee and learn his
needs at first hand. The business of
the navy department is getting back to
its normal condition, as is evidenced by
the fact that an order has been issued
to discontinue the special telegraphic
: service which was established with Key
I West, and hereafter the office at that
! place will close at 10 o'clock at night,
I as formerly.
Commander Forsythe, the command
! ant at Key West, baa also asked perm is
■ sion of the department to stop his daily
! bulletins, and this has been granted,
with an understanding that he will re
port any deaths that may occur among
: the sufferers in the hospital there. To
day he reported that they were all get
ting along nicely.
The exchange of official condolences
still continues. Today, Secretary Long
; sent a telegram as follows to Captain
; Eulate:
"Commanding Officer of the Spanish
: Cruiser Vizcaya, Tompkinsville, N. Y.
J— I have the honor to acknowledge the
j receipt of your telegram of condolence
for the loss of the Maine and to thank
I you for the exreasion of sympathy."
A similar response was made to a
j cablegram from Vice-Admiral Spann,
: at Vienna, expressive of sympathy for
the terrible disaster to the Maine.
The social courtesies which the gov
ernment intended to extend to the offi
■ cers of the Vizcaya have been aban-
I doned on acaount of the Maine catas
j trophe.
As a result the stay of the Vizcaya at
i New York probably will be materially
| shortened, and she is likely to sail
j within the next three days.
The ship will probably proceed direct
to Havana, not stopping at Charleston
or other ports, as had been suggested
during the earlier preparations. The
Vizcaya will not coal at New York, ac
cording to the understanding here, nor
will it be necessary for her to take coal
before reaching Havana. This deter
mination gives relief to the authorities,
as the taking of coal in time of public
excitement is attended with more or
less risk, the coal affording an opportu
nity to extremists for the secretion of
explosives, despite the utmost precau
tion that may be taken.
Numerous letters and telegrams have
been received at the department from
individuals desiring to join the navy,
asking to be enlisted immediately. A
| telegram was received this morning
i from an organization in Detroit, offer
ing the imrndiate services of 10,000
citizens of that city in case of war.
Patriotic offers also have been received
trom other places.
Owing to the delicate situation, the
board of inquiry, which is now in ses
sion, has decided to make nothing
! whatever public. It is not known
j what the testimony may develop or
j when, and it is only fair to the Span
ish government not to tell the public
the testimony until all has been re
ceived and the findings have been con
sidered.
Untimely Indignation.
Dayton, 0., Feb. 23.—Great indig
nation was shown toward the Spaniards
today. The National Cash Register
j Company is holding a convention of
! agents from all over the world, and
! among other countries Spain ie repre
\ sented. In honor of the various na
i tions, the different flags were displayed
!at the factory. Objection was made to
I the Spanish flag by the workmen and
12 Spanish flags displayed about the
works were pulled down and torn into
shreds. President John H. Patterson,
lof the company, ordered 24 Spanish
! flags put up to replace the ones torn
down. This made the 2,000 workmen
angry, and trouble is feared.
New York, Feb. 23.—A dispatch to
the World from Havana says: The
divers have made only three descents
to the wreck of the battle-ship Maine.
Captain Sigsbee's state documents
were rescued from a private drawer in
, his cabin. The keys to the magazines
were found just above the hook over
the head of the captain's bed, the usual
place. They had been floated upward
by the rising of the mattress. About
100 of the Maine's heroes are yet in the
wreck.
NEWS FROM SKAGWAY.
Miners and Packers Resist Troops—
Several Shooting Affairs.
Victoria, Feb. 23.—Three steamers,
the Danube, the Thistle and the Tees,
returned today from Skagway, each
with a few Dawsonites on board. There
was very little gold on board and no
late news. Passengers from Skagway
bring news of a blockade of the Dyea
trail by miners and packers, who re
sisted the demand of a detachment of
United States troops to go over the
trail before them. It was feared at
Dyea that trouble would arise over the
affair.
Another shooting affair occurred at
Skagway in front of a saloon. Tom
Ryan shot and wounded a newcomer,
whose name was not given. Ryan was
promptly arrested and taken to Sitka
for trial.
Mike Quinlan, formerly of Minneap
olis, has been appointed marshal of
Skagway. A jail is being provided.
Two men, whose names are not
known, were detected robbing a cache
at Sheep Camp, and one of them, while
trying to escape, turned and fired at
his pursuers, who returned his fire
and dropped to the ground. Thinking
that he had killed them, the fugitive
turned the revolver on himself and sent
a bullet through his brain. The other
man was taken back to Dyea, with a
placard on him, setting forth that he
was a thief. He was afterward lodged
in jail.
Complaints are being made at Skag
way in relation to the number of men
arriving there by each boat without
means of subsistence.
Among the returning Dawsonites
was George Beldon, one of the last men
to go up the Yukon last fall. He was
one of a syndicate which purchased the
little steamer from the Creek mission
for $10,000, and made an attempt to
reach Dawson, but got only to Circle
City, where the boat stuck in the ice.
Beldon made his way by dog sled to
Dawson and thence to the coast.
TO FIGHT FOR THEIR FLAG.
British Troops Are Ready to Leave for
Africa.
London, Feb. 23. —Great activity is
manifested at the colonial office in tbe
West African department, and among
high military officers who are going
out to Lagos Hinterland. The latter
are inclined to discredit the news
which reached the Akassa Niger coast
protectorate yesterday to the effect that
two French expeditions are advancing
towards Sokoto, the capital of the sul
tanate of that name, which is within
the British sphere of influence, but add
that if the news should be confirmed
it must be followed by a declaration of
war.
London, Feb. 23.—The St. James's
Gazette, commenting on the West Af
rican crisis, says:
"If the invasion of Sokoto is directed
from Paris, it admits of but one in
terpretation. It would appear that the
French cabinet, foreseeing revolutions
which would be caused by the trial
of Zola, had determined to bring affairs
in Africa to a crisis to secure a renewal
of its popularity."
ON AMERICAN SOIL.
Another Wonderful Strike Marie in the
Yukon District Below Dawson.
San Francisco, Feb. 23.—News has
reached here from Dawson City of a
rich strike on American creek, 130 miles
down the Yukon river. The dispatch
adds that 75 men left Dawson for the
new diggings, which are on American
soil, 25 miles across the boundary
line.
Two Millions in Mines.
Tacoma, Feb. 23. —Joseph Ladue,
recently from the northern gold fields,
say 8:
"The North American Transporta
tion & Trading Company is the only
one now buying claims in the Klon
dike. I understand that they are anting
as agents for the Rothschilds. I met
Mr. Cudahy on the train from Chi
cago to San Francisco, and he told
me that they had just received $400,
--000 in drafts which had been given in
payment for claims there. He said
the company was acting as agent in
purchasing, and I learn that the Roths
childs are preparing to spend $2,000,
--000 for the purchase of mines. It looks
a little as though the great English
j banking house would make stupendous
efforts to control most of the claims
I on the Klondike."
Overproduction of Oil.
Los Angeles, Feb. 23.—1t is stated
that the overproduction of oil in the
Los Angeles oil fields at the present
time is nearly 500 barrels a day.
Drowned Near Victoria.
Victoria, B. C, Feb. 23.—Harold
Scott, a young Englishman, who lives
on one of the adjacent islands, and
Fred Smedley were drowned on Satur
day by the capsizing of their boat.
Federal Court Reversed.
Washington, Feb. 23. —In the case
of William Q. Rice and others, under
indictment in Texas for violating the
anti-trust law of that state, the United
States supreme court today held that
the federal circuit court had interfered
in granting a writ of habeas corpus
when no proper exigency arose for such
interference, and therefore reversed the
decision, remanding the prisoners to
the custody of the state officials. The
court did not enter upon the merits of
the anti-trust law.
Albuquerque, N. M., Feb. 23.—
Central and Southern New Mexico are
infested with cattle and sheep thieves,
and trouble is anticipated on ranges
east and south of this city, for the
stockmen are organizing and intend
ing to rid themselves of these depreda
tors. M. T. Moriarity, a shepraiser
in the Chilili vicinity, where there are j
over 200,000 sheep, says that the big
flocks are being greatly diminished and
that the officers appear powerless to
stop the lawlessness.
PRICE 5 CENTS.
COAST IS PROTECTED
Vessels of the Navy Within
Easy Reach.
WHAT SPAIN MIGHT EXPECT
In C*te of Hostilities Twenty Warships
Could Be Had on the Pacific
Coast in a Month.
Portland, Or., Feb. 22. —The possi
bility of a war with Spain in the near
future, has, of course, aroused an im
mense interest in the fighting strength
of the United States navy, and eapeci
ally in this part of the country, what
manner of a defense could be made
should an enemy send a hostile fleet to
the Pacific coast. To a great extent,
the immunity of this coast from in
vasion would depend upon the strength
of the navy which Uncle Sam could
master, at short notice. At the present
time the Pacific? coast squadron, under
the command of Rear-Admiral J. N.
Miller, consists of nine warships in ac
tive commission. The flagship of the
squadron is the armored cruiser Balti
more, 10 guns, Captain N. M. Dyer
commanding. She is now at Honolulu.
Probably the most effective ship in
time of war is the battle-ship Oregon,
16 guns, under the command of Cap
tain A. H. McCormick. She is now
in the drydock at Bremerton, Wash.,
getting bilge keels put on, but, in case
of necessity, she could be put in shape
on short notice. Next to the Oregon
is the double-turreted monitor Mon
terey, four guns, Captain C. E. Clark
commanding.
The monitor Monadnock, six guns, *
under the command of Captain W. H.
Whiting, sailed for Magdalena bay
from San Francisco, January 29. On
her return she will be held at Mare
Island in reserve. The Alert, a cruiser
of four guns, under Commander E. 11.
C. Leutz, is at San Juan del Sur, Nica
ragua. Commander Leutz February 8
landed a force to protect American in
terests during the revolution. Three
gunboats, of six guns each, are scat
tered along the coast. The Benning
ton, Commander H. E. Nichols, is at
Honolulu. The Marietta, Commander
S. M. Symonds, is at Libertad. and the
Wheeling, Commander U. Sebree, is
cruising in Alaska. The Adams, a
training ship of six guns, under the
commmand of W. C. Gibson, is at
Mare Island, Cal. To this formidable
list must be added the ships at the
Mare Island navy-yard, which could
all be put in commission inside of two
or three months at the most.
The protected curisers Philadelphia
and Charleston, of 10 guns eaoh, are
the most formidable of these. The
gunboat Ranger is also undergoing
slight repairs, and the wooden frigates
Pensacola and Hartford are being re
fitted. This makes a total of 14 war
ships, which could be available almost
immediately in case of war.
' Besides these, the Asiatic squadron
could make the run home in a short
time in case of urgent necessity. The
Asiatic squadron, under the command
, of Commodore George Dewey, comprises
six warships. The armored cruiser
, Olympia, 14 guns, Captain Charles V.
! Grid ley, commanding, stands at the
3 head of the vessels of this squadron.
, She is the flagship, and is now at
5 Yokohama, Japan. The cruiser Bos
i ton, eight guns, under Ihe command
T of Captain Frank Wildes, is probably
the second in fighting strength. She
is now at Chemulpo, Corea. The
Monocacy, six guns, under the com
» mand of Captain O. W. Farneholt, is
' an old gunboat, and will probably be
sold as soon as possible. She is at
' Woo Sung, China, and her place will
be taken by the Helena, formerly of
' the European station, and under the
; command of W. T. Swinburne. At
' Canton is the gunboat Petrel, four
gunf>, under the command of Com
mander X P. Wood. The cruiser
" Raleigh, 11 guns, under Captain B.
' Coglan, sailed on February 10 from
' Singapore to Hong Kong, and will re
-1 main at the latter place for quite a
while.
The gunboat Concord, six guns, Com
i mander A. Walker, completes the list
' of the Asiatic squadron. These ships
are all available for use on the Pacific
1 coast and should such heroic measure
become necessary at a month's notice,
20 warships could get together for de
i fensive purposes.* This is a fleet which
I' Spain could not match without con
, ! cent rat ing her strength on this coast,
which 6he is very unlikely to do.
Thus it can be seen that on this side
of the United States there is no spe
cial cause for fear if wai should break
! out. There is not the least danger of
a hostile warship ever getting near
enough inland to do any harm. It
> would be an act of suicide for a hostile
I vessel to enter the Columbia river, un
\ less her nation had control of the Pa
| cific ocean. Otherwise, she would be
: caught like a rat in a trap, and blown
to pieces at ease.
Woman's Life Crashed Oat.
New York, Feb. 22.—Mrs. Arthur
Levy, wife of a member of the whole
; eale clothing firm of Hays, Goldberg
& Co., was instantly killed tonight in
an elevator at the Holland house.
i The accident was due to the careless
ness of the elvator boy.
Secret Mission of a Spanish Officer.
El Paso, Tex., Feb. 22.—Much ex
; citement was caused here today by the
'■ presence of an officer of the Spanish
■ army. It is said he is on his way to
' the City of Mexico on a secret mission,
which is supposed to be to enlist the
: services of the Mexican government, in
; the event of trouble between the
United States and Spain.
The largest printing office in the
world is in Wahingotn, D. C; it is for
printing government document*. j