Newport weekly independent., September 20, 1901, Image 1

About Newport weekly independent. (Newport, Ark.) 1901-1929

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VOLUME I. NEWPORT, ARKANSAS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. 1901. NUMBER 22
William McKinley, President of tlie United States, died at
2:15 o’clock (Eastern time) Saturday morning, September 14,
1901.
Several times during the preceding afternoon and evening,
the word passed over the wires that the President was dead,
only to be contradicted a few minutes later, by the longed for
news that life yet withstood the assaults of death. So long as
this remained true, from the whole country, there went up a
yearning hope and earnest prayer that the chief executive of
our land might be saved to his people and not until the bulletin
of his death was confirmed and retold as the dread reality, did
that fair vision Hope give way to a complete recognition of the
the nation’s los» and the attendant sorrow of a people, who held
their departed President in high esteem and strong bonds of love.
The manner of his death was calculated to endear him
doubly in the hearts of his people. The victim of an assassin
has ever the sympathy of a people who respect law and order
land especially does one well beloved become the object of
mourning, when so rudely snatched by villain hands from health
and life. But in the death of McKinley, there was more than
all this. Chief magistrate of the greatest nation upon the globe,
whose official career and public life had been characterized by
a broad, high minded and conservative statesmanship, uphold
ing and observing the principles of honesty and morality in
those high circles of government in which he moved, command
ing the respect and admiration of the inhabitants of other coun
tries and winning well and securely the love of his own people
—such is the man and President, of whom the country has been
robbed and for whom the nation mourns.
THE DECLINE AND LAST WORDS.
Early Friday evening, the physicians gave up hope of
averting the end, in fact they could not forsee but a few hours
of life and at one time, 8 p. m. (Eastern time), they thought
twenty minutes would witness the departure of life from the
body, which had long been cold in the extremities, as though
the conquest of the grim visitor had been partially made.
But the President’s wonderful constitution and reserve
power maintained the hopeless battle longer than expected.
Oxygen was administered with little effect. The President pass
ed through intervals in which the mind was lucid only to re
lapse into unconsciousness.
The Cabinet officials were among the last to see him and
when they withdrew from the death chamber, the tears were
streaming down their cheeks.
After they left the sick room, the physicians rallied him to
consciousness and the President asked almost immediately that
his wife be brought to him. The doctors fell back into the
shadow of the room as Mrs. McKinley came through the door
way.
The strong face of the dying man lighted up with a faint
smile as their hands were clasped.
She sat beside him and held his hand. Despite her physi
cal weakness, she bore up bravely under the ordeal.
The President, in his last period of consciousness, which
ended about 7:40, chanted the words of the hymn, “Nearer, My
Ged to Thee,” and his last audible conscious words as taken
down by Doctor Mann at the bedside were: “Good-by; good-by.
It is God’s way. His will be done.”
Then his mind began to wander and soon he completely
lost consciousness. His life was prolonged for hours by the ad
ministration of oxygen and the President finally expressed a
desire to be allowed to die.
FOOD WAS NECESSARY.
Buffalo, N. Y., September, 13th.—
When the bulletins were issued that
President McKinley had been able to
take solid food, the country rejoiced.
It was then believed certain that he
would recover rapidly When the
bulletin was issued which said that the
stomach had refused to assimilate the
solid food the hearts of the country
paused. They were preparing for the
worst news, which came. The food
had generated a gas and the pressure
had influenced the action of the
heart. This was the startling message
which was given to the world. When
the shock had passed, the people
asked who was to blame for giving
the President solid food before he was
in condition to receive it.
Replying to this question, Dr. Ros
well Park sa l:
“The President was not given solid
food before he could stand it. He
was perfectly able to assimilate the
food given him, had it not been that
/
the impoverished blood affected the
heart. The heart refused to act prop
erly without strong blood food, and
that was why the toast soaked in hot
beef juice was given him. He was not
given coffee. He relished the food, and
asked for a cigar, but this was denied.
Everything wrhieh medical science
knows was done for him, and there
was no mistake made.”
HATTIE ROBERTS.
Hattie Roberts, the 'daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Roberts, died at the
home of her parents seven miles
north of here, near Hickory Grove
Tuesday afternoon at two o’clock
from congestion.
The burial will be held at ten'o’clock
Wednesday morning.
The deceased was eighteen years of
age, a bright girl who brought sun
shine and happiness into the home
she graced. The sympathy of many
friends of the family is extended in
this hour of bereavement.
WANT RIVER TERMINAL.
Want A Track Through The City And
Are Anxious To Co-operate With
Morning Star Railroad In
Construction of One Line.
Present Facilities Are
Unsatisfactory Says
Vice-President
Wood.
In response to call, about twenty
business and professional men, repre
sentatives of this city’s interests, met
at the Newport Club rooms Friday
morning at nine o’clock to meet sev
eral prominent officials of the Okla
homa Choctaw & Gulf Railroad,
whom it was understood, had some
thing to offer this city.
The representatives of the Choctaw
were Vice-President Henry Wood,
Traffic Manager, J. F. Holden and
Superintendent John H. Harris.
Vice-President Wood addressed the
gathering upon the object of the visit,
making a very clear statement of
what the road desired—a terminal for
their tracks upon the river, and this
he hoped to secure through co-opera
nun witn me iviorning osar, removing
the necessity of crossing the track of
the Iron Mountain twice.
In opening, he told of the present
conditions, showing that the Choctaw
was compelled to use the Iron Moun
tain for all business secured from the
lumber mills, compress, cotton oil mill
and other large shippers in the vicinity
of the river. He had no complaint to
make against the Iron Mountain, but
the facilities were such that the busi
ness of both roads could not be prop
erly handled by the one. Such a con
dition existing made the [present ter
minal of the road very unsatisfactory
and operated to their detriment in
securing river business. The remedy
he proposed was in an extension of
the track to the river at this point or
at Jacksonport.
Understanding that the city author
ities had accorded right of way privel
eges on Remmel Avenue to the Mor
ning Star, he expressed the hope that
this grant might be so amended as to
allow the Choctaw either by purchase
or rental to use the same track
through the city, or to construct
the line as surveyed and sell or rent
to the Mountain Star when desired.
The business of either road would not
conflict with the other, a double cross
ing of the Iron Mountain would be
prevented and the Morning Star
would be allowed to name the terms
upon which the road should be joint
ly used.
The speaker in closing his remarks
expressed a desire to see a copy of
the ordinance granting right-of-way
to the Morning Star along Remmel
Avenue, which was furnished him be
fore leaving the city. A plot of the city
'IITQC KfAll rrVl t f AY*nrnnr1 onrl o n
discussion held relative to what other
routes might be used. Garfield Street
and the new levee were talked of and
favorably received by the visiting
officials, though it was stated by them
that nothing definite relative to a
track over such route could be pro
posed until an examination as to its
cost were made.
The city, in the event that she were
unable to alter or revoke the terms of
grant made to the Morning Star, was
asked to use her good offices in secur
ing such a cbncession from that road.
Before the consultation broke up, it
was agreed that the Choctaw officials
should submit a statement of their
desires in writing to the mayor, which
would then be taken up by a commit
tee appointed by him and some action
secured or at least attempted.
MAYOR’S PROCLAMATION.
Joins With President and Governor in
Setting Apart Thursday as a Mem
orial Day, Requesting that
All Citizens Set Aside
Their Labor and
Business for
the Day.
“On Thursday, the 19th day of Sep
tember, the body of our dead Presi
dent will be laid in its last earthly
resting place.
“The President of the United States
and the Governor of the state of Ar
kansas, by their proclamations, have
fixed and set apart September 19th as
a day of mourning and prayer through
out the United States, earnestly re
commending that all people do assem
ble on that day in their respective
places of divine worship and there
bow down in submission to the will of
Almighty God.
“Now, therefore, I, J. W. Grubbs,
as Mayor of the City of Newport, be
lieving it is our duty as American citi
zens and lovers of all that is good and
and true and noble in manhood to
comply with the requests of said proc
lamations, do earnestly request that
all labor and business of whatever
kind or nature, in and about the city,
do cease on this date and that all of
citizens do assemble at their respect
ive places of divine worship so that
we may fittingly and reverently mani
fest our respect for the memory of
our illustrious dead.
J. W. Grubbs,
Mayor of the City of Newpoi..”
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT.
The public school of this city open
ed for the year 1901-02, at nine o’
clock Monday morning. Several
members of the school board were in
attendance, together with many par
ents of the pupils. The first day was
of course spent in the routine work of
enrollment and classification, the as
signment of text books and lessons.
There was little confusion and the day
witnessed the completion of these irk
some duties upon the part of the
teachers, with everything in order for
regular exercises upon the second
day.
A total of 224 pupils was enrolled;
the number to each room, together
with name of teacher and grades
taught, was as follows:
Grade No. Pupils.
Prof. A. Woods 8-9-10 30
Mrs. J. T. Box 6-7 41
Miss Mabel Padgett 5 23
Miss Gertrude Tucker 4 47
Miss Hal Phillips 3 29
Miss Cora Duke 1-2 • 54
KzaaesmzannBBBBHi
Milbttrn House, Buffalo, N. Y., September 14.—President
Roosevelt lias issued the following proclamation.
By the President of the United States of America:
Proclamation: A terrible bereavement has befallen our
people. The President of the United States has been struck
down, a crime committed not only against the chief magistrate,
but against every law-abiding and liberty-loving citizen.
President McKinley crowned a life of largest love for his
fellowmen, of most earnest endeavor for their welfare, by a death
of Christian fortitude and both the way in which In* lived his
life and the way in which, in tile supreme hour of trial, he met
his death, will remain forever a precious heritage of our people.
It is meet that we, as a nation, express our abiding love
and our reverence of his life and our deep sorrow for his un
timely death.
Now, therefore, 1, Theodore Roosevelt, president of the
United States, do appoint Thursday next, September 19, the day
in "diicli the body of the dead President will be laid in its last
earthly resting place, as a day of mourning and prayer through
out the United.States. I earnestly recommend all the people to
assemble on that day in their respective places of divine wor
ship, there to bow down in submission to the will of the Al
mighty God and to pay out of full hearts their homage of love
and reverence to the great and good President whose death has
smitten the nation with bitter grief.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caus
ed the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, the 14th day of Septem
ber, A. D , one thousand nine hundred and one, and of the inde
pendence of the United States, the one hundred and twenty
sixth.
(Seal) THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
By the President: JOHN HAY, Secretary of State.
LAST NATIONAL TRIBUTE TO THE DEPARTED CHIEF.
Washington, September 15.—Secretary Hay today issued
to the public the following announcement concerning the funer
al of President McKinley:
“Department of State, Washington, D. C., September 15.—
The remains of the late President of the United States, after ly
ing in state in the city hall of Buffalo during the afternoon of
Sunday, September 15, will be removed to Washington by spe
cial train on Monday, September 16, leaving Buffalo at 8:30 a.
in. and reaching Washington at 9 p. m. The remains will then
be carried under the escort of a squadron of United States cav
alry, to the executive mansion, where they will rest until 9 o’
clock on the morning of Tuesday, September, 17. They will
then be carried to the capitol, accompanied by a military and
civil escort, the details of which will be given in a separate no
tice. The remains will there lie in state.
“Religious services will be held in tin; rotunda of the capitol,
on Wednesday at 12 o’clock noon. At 1 o’clock the remains
under a military escort, will be transferred to a funeral car and
carried to Canton, Ohio, via the Pennsylvania road, arriving
there on Thursday at 11 a. m. where arrangements for the final
sepulture will be committed to the charge of the citizens of
Canton, under the direction of a committee to be selected by
the mayor of that city. No ceremonies are expected in the
cities and towns along the route of the funeral train beyond the
tolling of bells.
(Signed) “JOHN HAY, Secretary of State.”
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