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| USS OLYMPIA (C-6). |
Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, September 14, 1903.
EXPLOSION OF ALCOHOL.
Serious Accident on Cruiser Olympia at Norfolk.
TWO KILLED AND FOUR INJURED.
Explosion Resulted Indirectly From Smuggling of a Barrel of Alcohol Into the Navy Yard by Members of Crew—Fumes of Spirits Ignited When Poured Into the Tank.
Norfolk, Va., Sept. 14.—The explosion of a barrel of alcohol on the superstructure deck of the cruiser Olympia in drydock at the Norfolk navy yard Saturday night, killed two men, severely injured several others and set fire to the ship. The master-at-arms of the vessel is missing.
The dead:
Corporal Yerkes, United States marine corps.
White seaman, name unknown.
The damage by fire was confined to the deck of the vessel and embraced only the canvas awnings and their fixtures. The decks, however, were slightly injured.
Immediately after the explosion fire quarters were sounded and the crew soon put out the flames.
The explosion, according to reports from eye-witnesses, followed the theft of a barrel of grain alcohol, containing 56 gallons, by a party of sailors. This barrel, it is said, was taken from one of the storehouses of the yard and removed to the dock near the Olympia. There it was opened.
Shipkeeper Daly on board the Olympia detected the odor of the spirits and summoned the ship's master-at-arms. A search led to the discovery of the barrel, which was taken aboard the Olympia and placed on the hurricane deck.
Enveloped In Flaming Liquor.
With the exception of a small quantity which had been consumed, it was intact. Yerkes and the unknown sailor went to the barrel and one of them struck a match. An explosion instantly occurred and both men were enveloped in the flaming liquid.
They perished before a hand could be raised to save them. The ship at once caught fire. In the excitement the sailors concerned in the affair escaped the parties sent out to arrest them.
The ship's company was assembled and the master-at-arms failed to respond to his name. It is not known what became of him. One report has it that he was not on the ship at the time of the explosion.
Lieutenant Commander Van Dozer, executive officer of the cruiser Olympia, gave out an official statement of the facts attending the explosion, causing the death of Marine Corporal J. S. Yearkes of Philadelphia; the fatal injury of Apprentice Seifert and the serious injury of Third-Class-Master-at-arms Caster and Apprentice Spavey, in addition to the burning of the cruiser's forward awnings and awning supports. The explosion resulted indirectly from the smuggling of alcohol into the navy yard by members of the cruiser's crew.
The statement of Lieutenant Commander Van Dozer says:
"The entire crew of the Olympia were returning aboard after 40 hours shore liberty when a five gallon water breaker full of alcohol was discovered in the forward turret. The executive officer at once ordered a thorough search of the ship and yard in her vicinity to find any other spirits that might have been smuggled.
"As the cruiser is in dry dock all her small boats are lined along the wharf near the drydock. Between two of these boats two men were discovered. One fled and escaped in the darkness. The other was placed under arrest.
Smuggled Whiskey Found.
"Where the men were hiding was found a full barrel of alcohol which had been broached. It was, by order, carried aboard the Olympia to be emptied into the alcohol tank on the aft deck. This tank being full the barrel was carried forward by Corporals Yearkes, Seifert, Spavey and Caster. In the meantime the crew was called to quarters and every man accounted for.
"While the men were in line answering the roll [call] the detachment with the barrel began pouring its contents into a tank on the port side of the forward turret. They had scarcely begun when in a manner yet to be ascertained the fumes of the spirits became ignited and exploded with terrific force. Both ends of the barrel were blown out followed by a torrent of burning alcohol that spread in a flood of flames over the forward main deck.
"Yearkes was struck in the head by a stave from the barrel and fell into the burning mass. He was roasted to death. The other men were struck by flying fragments of the barrel but were knocked away from the center of the fire and thus two of them escaped fatal injury, but Seifert was horribly burned and so injured that he cannot recover."
Apprentice Seifert died last evening.
ALBANIANS BEYOND CONTROL.
Twenty Bulgarians Beheaded In Presence of Their Families.
Sofia, Bulgaria, Sept. 14.—The Albanian and Turkish troops collected in the vllayet of Adrianople appear to be pursuing their usual tactics of burning and plundering the villages and killing the peasants instead of making an attempt to break up the insurgent bands.
Very little news is filtering through from Monastir but all reports agree that the position of the Christians is desperate. The Turks are making a clean sweep of the whole Bulgarian element.
The Albanian soldiers in the vilayet of Adrianople are stated to be entirely beyond control. At Kostursco the influential beys complained to the officers of the excesses committed by the troops. The officers resented the criticism and told the soldiers that the beys were friends of the revolutionaries, whereupon the soldiers burned the villages of Almagik and Erikler, in the district of Losengrad. They beheaded 22 Bulgarians at Almagik in the presence of their families.
Twelve thousand troops are assembled around Malkotonovo and are engaged in pillaging and burning the villages. The population everywhere is fleeing to the forests and mountains. All the Turkish population in the district of Losengrad has received arms, even the boys have revolvers.
The Albanian soldiers proceeding from Odrin to Losengrad plundered the villages en route, robbed the churches and burned the village of Korakoj.
Another body of Albanians going to Vasiliko, on the Black sea, was attacked by a band and is reported to have suffered a loss of 100 men.
A band led by the insurgent chief Atamasoff was surrounded by Turkish troops at Kokushko. After six hours fighting, the insurgents cut their way through the soldiers by throwing bombs. The Turks lost 20 men.
The final arrangements for a revolutionary outbreak in Eastern Macedonia have been completed.
"THE BEANERY" CLOSED
For First Time in Forty Years—The Proprietor is Dead.
New York, Sept. 14.—Dolan's beef and beans lunch room was closed last night for the first time in nearly forty years. Patrick Dolan, its founder, was dead. He died at noon Sunday.
In 1865 Patrick Dolan opened a "beanery," as it became known at 3 Park Row, with a capital of $20. He prospered from the start. Editors, reporters, printers, politicians, and business men became his patrons. Prominent men in the country have lunched there, among them being John Hay, secretary of state, Thomas Edison, the inventor, Horace Greeley, Charles A. Dana, Henry J. Raymond, and P. T. Barnum. The place was democratic enough for the humblest and good enough for the best. Dolan never departed from the bill of fare set before his patrons when he opened business. He never raised or lowered his prices and paid the best wages to his help of any man in the business. Dolan was 65 years old and died of paralysis at his home 1853 Madison-ave.
He leaves a fortune of about one million dollars that goes to his nephew, John Meehan. Dolan during his career, gave away a fortune in charities. He has paid the funeral expenses of many a poor Park Row derelict who otherwise would have found a grave in Potter's field.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
Macedonia's Only Hope.
It would be absurd to assume that Macedonia, even with the aid of Bulgaria, would ordinarily have any chance of success in a war with Turkey. Despite the fact that the sultan has a way of paying his soldiers with promises, they are always willing to fight for him when the pinch comes, and that they are excellent fighters none will deny. This would be inexplicable were it not for the generally known fact that when the Turkish army wins a victory it gets everything in sight. Pillage, rapine and murder are the order of the day. The officers dare not interfere, for soldiering would not appeal to the average Turk if it did not carry with it these delectable side features. Besides, the officers do not wish to interfere, for most of them are not above participating, though on broader lines, in the deviltry of the soldiers.
The main point, however, is that the Turkish soldiers do fight like demons and that they have a way of pulling themselves together after a seemingly crushing defeat that has frequently challenged the admiration of the world. As soldiers they are at least the equals of the Bulgarians and certainly the superiors of the Macedonians. It therefore follows that if they can induce the insurgents to give them battle when the advantages of position are about equal they would be the eventual gainers, no matter what the result of the battle might be.
But there is an element which favors the revolutionists—an element which appears to have largely escaped the attention of the press of this country. Macedonia and Bulgaria are both literally dotted with rocky defiles and fastnesses which are practically undiscoverable by the outsider. If the revolutionists will conduct a guerilla warfare, retiring to the mountains when hard pressed, they may be able to prolong the conflict to a point beyond which Turkey will not be able to go and beyond which she may not be permitted to go by the powers of Europe. Of course it will be foolish to expect that this intervention will come at an early date. That is manifestly impossible in view of the existing jealousies, just as it is inconceivable that Turkey will abandon the fight until she shall have exhausted her resources; but a harassing warfare waged for several years may serve to bring Turkey to a realization of the fact, long patent to every one except the sultan, that she would be much better off without either Macedonia or Bulgaria. Indeed, the government gets comparatively little out of these countries except through the opportunity they afford local governors for robbing the people.
Despite the fact that the revolutionists have at the head of their small armies men who are patriots in every sense of the word and have the incentive of years of oppression to spur them on, it is inevitable that they will suffer by comparison with the Turkish generals when the fighting is done under normal conditions. But if the insurgent leaders will refuse to allow themselves to be tempted to give battle in the open they may eventually be victorious. It is true that in the event of this form of warfare being attempted the Turks may resort to the assassination of women, children and old men in the villages, but it must be remembered that if they attempt this the revolutionists are very apt to demonstrate that they are also past masters of the game, and of this fact, by the way, the wily Turk is already unpleasantly aware.
THE DRYDEN, N. Y., FAIR.
Great Attractions and Everything Ready for a Great Success.
On Tuesday morning the great Dryden fair will open its gates and begin a three days' continuous performance that never bad been equaled. The attractions engaged this year are by far the best ever seen at Dryden fair; the race program calls for good races, and there are hundreds of other things to amuse and instruct the crowds. Darling's dog and pony circus will give the children a treat, never to be forgotten, and the older ones will have their annual visit with friends and relatives they have not seen "since last Dryden fair."
More has been done than usual to make the fair a success this year. Mrs. Banker has the dininghall and is at work there this week preparing for the rush. The dance hall as usual will be in charge of McDermott's orchestra. Dryden band will furnish music at the grand stand.
There will be no long waits between heats at the races. The Flying Moores, Mlle. El Salto, and Mons. Mordo will fill in the time with their entertaining performance.
At 11 o'clock Wednesday morning the trap shooting contest will take place on the northwest corner of the grounds. The new Maugautrap of the Dryden Gun club will be used. Many prizes are offered in the different events, in addition to the sweepstake shooting.
At 1 o'clock Wednesday there will be an exhibition of lady horsemanship. For the best single turnout exhibited on track driven by the owner's wife or daughter, horse, horsemanship, harness, wagon and appearance and dress of driver to be taken into consideration. G. H. Wiltsie, dealer in drygoods and cloaks, Cortland, N. Y., and the society offer a highest quality satin lined lady's near-seal fur coat valued at $35, size to fit the winner. Four entries required. Second prize, $5.00 in cash.
Treman, King & Co., dealers in all kinds of sporting goods and hardware, Ithaca, N. Y., and the society offer a gentleman's Thistle bicycle valued at $50 to the winner in a boys' bicycle race. Distance one mile and limited to boys under 15 years of age. Best two in three heats. Time of race, 1:30 p. m. Thursday.
Treman, King & Co., and the society also offer a lady's Rapidan bicycle valued at $30 to the most graceful young lady rider, entries to be limited to girls under 15. Judges to take account of trick or fancy riding, mounting, dismounting and general appearance. Time 1:30 p. m. Wednesday, Sept. 16.
A large number of entries have been made for the races and there will be five contests each day.
UP TO TELEPHONE COMPANY.
Has Not Yet Put in Telephones Contracted for Two Years Ago.
Our South Cortland correspondent takes exception to the statement published in local columns last Friday in the account of the burning of Mr. Albro's barn that "South Cortland farmers have not waked up to the desirability and necessity for telephones," and says that a number of the farmers in that vicinity have contracts signed two years ago with the Home Telephone Co., and Mr. Albro is himself one of the number, but the company has not yet put in the telephones. We hasten to apologize to the residents of that vicinity. It appears that they are not the ones who are delinquent, but that, on the other hand, it is up to the Telephone company to put those telephones in. Doubtless the reason for the delay is the fact that so many want telephones all at once and it is almost impossible to put the telephones all in at the same time, but two years is quite a while to wait. Perhaps, however, before two years more shall have passed South Cortland people may be able to connect with the outside world, so they may live in hopes [sic].
FIRE IN BARBER SHOP.
Extinguished by Stream from Car Shops—Little Damage.
An alarm of fire was rung in from box 124 at the corner of Park and Owego-sts., Cortland, between 1 and 2 o'clock Sunday morning, the fire being in the barber shop which is run by William Dillon. The department responded quickly, but the flames were extinguished before their arrival by a stream from the Lehigh Valley railroad shops.
Nearly all articles of any value in the shop were saved and the little damage done to the shop is covered by insurance. It is thought that the fire caught from a defective chimney.
There was a break in the water main on Prospect-st. Saturday evening and the water was shut off while the break was being repaired. As soon as the alarm was rung in, the water was turned on and there was a full head on before the department arrived at the fire.
Death of Mrs. Loring.
Mrs. Mary S. Loring, widow of John J. Loring, died at her home, 74 Lincoln-ave., Cortland, at an early hour yesterday morning as a result of a complication of heart difficulties. Mrs. Loring was born in Bremen, Me., 78 years ago. After her marriage to Mr. Loring she lived in Boston and New York till removing to Cortland about twelve years ago. Her husband died in this city about five years ago. She is survived by one brother, James H. Hilton of Damariscotta, Me., and by one sister, Mrs. Sarah E. Bulhs of Sioux Falls, S. D.; also by one nephew, Frank L. Hilton of Truxton, N. Y. The funeral will be held at the house, 74 Lincoln-ave., tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, and burial will follow in the Truxton cemetery.
BREVITIES.
—Over four thousand pupils are this year entered in the public schools of Oswego, N. Y.
—There will be a meeting of the Woman's Relief Corps tomorrow at 3 o'clock.
—Judging from the new directory about to be issued Auburn, N. Y., estimates its population at 40,000.
—The Standard is indebted to G. J. Mager of this city for copies of the Berlin papers. Mr. and Mrs. Mager are now on a two months' trip to Europe.
—Syracuse people estimate that 130, 000 strangers visited the city last week on account of the State fair and that the business men did $300,000 extra of business by reason of its presence.
—Cortlandville lodge, No. 470, F. & A. M., will resume the conferring of degrees at the regular communication Tuesday evening. The lodge will open promptly at 7:30 o'clock and the first degree will be conferred in full form.
—The new display advertisements today are—Warren, Tanner & Co., Tailor made garments, page 5; Geo. H. Wiltsie, Carpets and curtains, page 5; Cortland National Bank, Sound banks, page 4; L. & K. Freeman, Hats, page 5.
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