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| Map of Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95. |
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| Lt. General Yamagi leading attack on Port Arthur. |
MAGNIFICENT
FIGHT.
GRAPHIC
ACCOUNT OF THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR.
War
Correspondent Creelman, Who Witnessed the Battle, Describes It In
Detail—Chinese Made a Brave, But Weak Defense—Terrible Slaughter Followed the
Conquest, Provoked By Chinese Brutality—Other Foreign News.
NEW YORK, Dec. 20.—The World today prints the following special advices from its
correspondent, James Creelman, who was with the Japanese army, dated Port
Arthur, Nov. 20, via Van Couver, Dec. 19:
"The struggle for the emancipation of
Corea has been suddenly turned into a headlong, savage war of conquest. It is
no longer a conflict between civilization and barbarism. Japan for the last
four days has trampled civilization under the feet of her conquering army.
"The taking of Port Arthur and the
possession of one of the most powerful strongholds in the world was too great a
strain upon the Japanese character, which relapsed in a few hours back into the
brutish state from which it was taken generations ago.
"Almost the entire population found in
Port Arthur has been massacred and the work of butchering the unarmed and
unresisting inhabitants has been continued day after day until the streets are
choked up with mutilated corpses.
"In spite of the vastness of the
battlefield and the strength of the batteries massed in this mighty chain of
land and sea forts, the taking of Port Arthur is robbed of its dignity as a
battle by the fact that a large and well trained army attacked a mere rabble.
There was a great deal of artillery thunder and scientific maneuvering of the
troops among the cannon-crowned hills, but the infantry fighting was incidental
and the 'butcher's bill,' as the hardened campaigner would call it, was
insignificant.
"The Japanese lost about 50 killed and 250
wounded in carrying a fortress that would have cost them 10,000 men had it been
occupied by European or American troops.
"China is at the mercy of the Island
Empire. In a few days the fierce Sennal troops will be ready to leave Japan to
join Field Marshal Oyama's army and then the third and final movement towards Pekin
will begin.
"Up to the moment Port Arthur was
entered, I can bear witness that both of
Japan's
armies now in the field were chivalrous and generous to the enemy. There was
not a stain on her flag.
"On Nov. 19 the army lay in a straight
line on the east of Port Arthur, with a range of low mountains between and a
mass of forts beyond. Yamaji commanded the center with General Noghi, while the
right wing consisted of Nishi's brigade and the advance cavalry and the left
wing of Hassagawa's Kumamoto troops.
"At 10 o'clock the next morning the
Chinese advanced out of the Port Arthur forts and surprised a small body of
Japanese cavalry scouts in the wide valleys. The Chinese had three field guns.
"I arrived at the Monument Fort just in
time to see Nishi's advance brigade take up its position and send flanking
columns around the hills to cut off the enemy in the rear. The valleys behind
were filled with troops rushing along at the top of their speed to the rescue
below in the plain.
"I could see the Chinese advancing in
three columns from the southwest and northwest.
"Away to the left were the Japanese
cavalry in a cloud of dust, cutting their way back on the main road through the
line of tossing red and white standards. The cavalrymen had dismounted and were
firing carbine volleys, while a few squads of Japanese infantrymen were lying
in ditches, earthseams and along the roads, keeping up a brisk peppering.
"The next day was the time appointed for
a general council of war. But while the council of war was proceeding the Chinese
began to realize that the Japanese had established their mountain batteries on
the hills commanding the left center of the Chinese position and decided to
advance out of Port Arthur and dislodge them.
"Then began a tremendous artillery fight.
Within a few minutes regiment after regiment could be seen running in clouds of
dust across the head of the valley into the ravines leading to the support of
the Japanese artillery position. The air was filled with shells and the Chinese
gradually concentrated their fire until the trees began to disappear from the
western slope.
"The Chinese marched out of Port Arthur
in three columns. The group was torn with shells as they marched forward, but
they never faltered for a moment.
"Within a quarter of a mile of the
Japanese artillery the Chinese line spread itself out, and wheeling to the left
went straight for the hills to carry the batteries by charge.
"Within a minute two shells struck the
line exactly and tore great gaps in it. Instantly every flag dropped and the
Chinamen took to their heels, but in a few minutes they reformed and prepared
to receive the Japanese infantry, hurrying down under the shelter of the
batteries.
"Just behind the heroic band of
Chinamen was another Chinese line on a knoll with three field guns, which
checked the Japanese advance and enabled the broken line to make a safe
retreat.
"At 6:45 the following morning the
mountain batteries began to play upon
Issuyama
and the guns of the triple forts covered the hillside with flames and smoke.
"Shells began to drop on us from all
sides, the Nerio forts, the giant guns of Ogunsan and the Chinese field
batteries turned fire against us, for Isuyama was the key, and once it fell the
whole left flank of the Chinese would be exposed.
"The taking of Isuyama was the signal for
Hassagawa to attack the forts on the right wing
"As the batteries splintered the
hillsides and sent clouds of earth up out of the ploughed ground, the infantry
line, kneeling at the base of the slope in front of Isuyama opened fire and
kept up steady volleys for 10 or 15 minutes.
"General Nishi was below directing the
attack.
"Suddenly the men stood up and advanced
in the teeth of the guns, firing continuously as they marched. On, on pressed
the slender black line, with trails of fire and smoke running up and down the
ranks.
Then the battalion in the ravine moved
forward on the right to attack the side of the first fort.
"As the line reached the front of the
walls it suddenly swung around and joined the column on the right and the
united battalions rushed up the steep bank toward the side wall, while the
Chinese shells tore gaps in their ranks.
"With a ringing yell the Japanese
dashed to the fort and scaled the ramparts, shooting and bayonetting the flying
garrison and chasing the enemy along the connecting walls.
"Isumaya fell at 8:05, after an hour
and 20 minutes hard fighting.
"The Japanese field and siege guns were
pounding away at the seven forts and Yamaji's mountain batteries joined them.
It was a colossal duel.
"From Shoju there shot out strange
sprays of fire. The arsenal in Port Arthur had caught fire and was ripping,
roaring and rattling, vomiting flame and smoke like a volcano, as an acre of
massed shells and cartridges exploded.
"Two or three battalions with enormous
flags were stationed on the lower hills out of reach of the artillery fire and
in a position to resist Yamaji should he cross over. But the Shoju and Nerio
forts were the prey of Hassagawa, and as the cannons battered the garrisons he
charged up from the eastern valley.
"The garrison scrambled out over the
hilltops and Hassagawa's men came sweeping around the rough mountain to find
the fort a mass of flames.
"That ended all hope of defending the
seven forts. The Chinese fled along the ridges and down the valley roads.
Hassagawa's troops were in possession of Shoju and Nerio hills.
"Finally a small column covered by the
skirmishers advanced across the bridge and marched along the road leading to
the town. At the same time Marshal Oyama ordered the reserve center to move
down the valley, and thousands of them came pouring along the roads behind the
troops already on their way to town.
"Not a shot was fired in reply; the
battle was over as far as Port Arthur was concerned.
"Even Ogunsan was silent and deserted.
The soldiers had made their escape and the frightened inhabitants were cowering
in the streets.
"As the troops moved on, they saw the
heads of their slain comrades hanging by cords, with the noses and ears gone.
There was a rude arch in the main street coated with bloody Japanese heads.
"A great slaughter followed. The
infuriated soldiers killed every one they saw. No attempt to take prisoners was
made.
"Women and children were hunted and
shot at as they fled to the hills with their protectors.
"The town was sacked from end to end,
and the inhabitants were butchered in their own homes.
"The van of the second regiment reached
Fort Ogunsan and found it deserted. Then they discovered a junk in the harbor
crowded with fugitives.
"A platoon was stretched across the end
of a wharf and fired into the boat until every man, woman and child was killed.
The torpedo boats outside had already sunk 10 junks filled with terror-stricken
people.
"I am satisfied that not more than 100 Chinamen
were killed in fair battle at Port Arthur, and that at least 2,000 unarmed men
were put to death."
Movements
of Japanese Troops.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.—The Japanese legation
here has received a dispatch from Hiroshima, sent through its minister at St.
Petersburg, detailing the movements of the Japanese troops in China. Following
is the message:
HIROSHIMA, Dec, 10.
The third division of the first army took
Hsi-Mo Cheng on Dec. 12 and occupied Hai-Cheng on Dec. 13. Both places are on
the route to and near Nai-Chang and Liao-Yang.
NISSI.
New
Editor for Harper's Weekly.
NEW YORK, Dec. 20.—The editor's chair of Harper's Weekly which since the death of
George Wm. Curtis has been vacant, will in the future be accepted by Henry
Loomis Nelson. Mr. Nelson is a well known political writer and for nearly
twenty years has been identified with contemporaneous political literature.
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| Standard block. Y. M. C. A. located on second and third floors. Newspaper offices located on far left next to Post Office. |
SOME
RECENT AND VALUABLE IMPROVEMENTS.
Rooms
Papered and Painted—More Reading Matter—Evening Classes—Increased Membership.
The Y. M. C. A. is one of the most valuable
institutions in town. It is doing great work among the young men in both
temporal and spiritual ways. It has a wide awake, active and tactful general
secretary who is very successful in his work. During the last seven months
Secretary Osterbout has been able to increase the membership by thirty-five in
the men's department and by twelve in the boys' branch. If all the old members
had renewed their membership it would now be possible to have a separate
director of physical culture to take charge of the gymnasium and to assist by
example and by judicious advice those who are there exercising. As it is that
must be deferred for a little,
but there is reason to believe that it is coming.
Within a few weeks some very acceptable
improvements have been made to the rooms [in the Standard block]. The floors of
the reading and the game rooms have been painted and their ceilings papered.
The parlor has been newly painted. The bathrooms have been repaired, renovated
and repainted with special bathroom enamel paint, and they are now believed to
be about the finest bathrooms in the county. The association is particularly
fortunate in its heater. There is a tank holding 700 gallons of water which is
constantly kept hot, and the heater will easily warm 300 additional gallons
each hour, and if crowded will heat 400 gallons each hour. With their capacity
there is no danger of a shortage of hot water at any time. That the young men
appreciate this privilege is evident from the number who come there for baths.
During the fall eleven new publications have
been added to the reading room, making sixty-six in all, and two new reading
tables have been purchased to accommodate the additional papers. And all these
improvements mentioned have been made without making any additional draft upon
the annual budget. The general secretary with a bit of close financiering has
arranged for the expense and it is all paid for.
Four evening classes are now held—classes in
bookkeeping, penmanship, arithmetic and mechanical drawing. They are in charge
of competent teachers and forty young men who are working every day and who
could not otherwise get this instruction are taking advantage of them. A
separate room has been rented in the third floor and fitted up with desks and
chairs and the classes meet here.
Secretary Osterhout is constantly on the
watch for new things which he can introduce to benefit the association and its
members, and when he discovers the thing needed he sets his fertile brain at
work to see how he can procure it. He is a firm believer in the old maxim,
"Where there's a will, there's a way," and those who watch his
movements and their results can scarcely fail to believe it too.
THE C A.
A. BANQUET.
THEIR
FIRST ANNUAL A GRAND SUCCESS.
A Fine
Menu—Eloquent and Witty Responses to Toasts—Decorations and Amusements.
If the subsequent banquets of the Cortland
Athletic association are as successful in every particular as the first one
which was held at the [historic Randall House] clubhouse last evening the members and
the few friends who are fortunate enough to secure invitations can look forward
to some very enjoyable evenings.
At 9:30 o'clock over fifty sat down in the
dining hall to the tastily arranged tables on which was served a dinner which
spoke volumes for the caterer of the club, Mr. Bert Bosworth.
After the menu had been completed President
Ellis M. Santee, who acted as toast master, gave an interesting talk upon the
organization of the club, its present condition, its future, the championships
which its tug-of-war team holds, the future work of the racing teams on the new
track next summer and the generosity of Clayton E. Rowley.
In responding to the toast "Our
City" President Wayland D. Tisdale spoke of the growth of Cortland since his
first recollection of the place fifty years back, the growth of the
manufacturing industries, especially the wagon business. He called to mind all
of the city improvements which we now possess except good roads, but predicted
that as soon as the sewers were laid pavements would follow.
The next toast, "The Law of the Road,"
was handled in a very excellent manner by the club's attorney, Mr. Henry A.
Dickinson. After a brief introduction he gave a general outline of the law of
the road and the rights of wheelmen on the sidewalks and roads. He offered many
valuable suggestions, among them that the club resolve itself into a vigilance
committee and see that the road laws are enforced.
The next speaker was Mr. John C. Barry of
the Cortland Wagon Co., who responded to the toast "Bicycles vs. Carriages."
He showed the advancement in transportation and explained why the carriage men
had gone into the bicycle business. He showed how the present system of
building and maintaining the roads was radically wrong and explained what
appeared to be a great improvement on the present system.
County Judge Joseph E. Eggleston in responding
to the toast "The Scorcher" kept the banqueters convulsed with laughter
during almost his entire speech. He called attention to the fact that Helen's
babies wanted to see the wheels go 'round and that a wheel was the lever which
moved the world. He closed by predicting a brilliant future for the bicycle.
The toast, "My First Experience on a Bike,"
was described by William H. Clark, who also called attention to Dr. Santee's
first experience in riding a motor cycle, when he endeavored to climb a tree
with the machine. It is said that Mr. Pennington is now at work on a patent
that will accommodate the doctor in this direction.
In responding to the toast, "Our Infant
Industry," Mr. H. L. Gleason of the Hitchcock Manufacturing Co. showed
the growth of the wagon and wheel industry in Cortland, referring to the motor
cycle as the wheel of the future. He handled the subject in an excellent manner
It was greatly regretted that Mr. E. J. Pennington,
who was to respond to the toast, "The Wheel of the Future," and Mr. L.
F. Stillman, who was assigned the toast "The Ladies," were unable to
be present. Both responses had to be omitted.
After a vote of thanks to Caterer Bosworth,
the company adjourned to the other rooms of the club house, which, like the
dining-room were tastily decorated with evergreens and colored lights, and
enjoyed themselves in the various amusements of the club till after 2 o'clock
this morning, when the affair broke up.
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| Cortland Opera House was located next to the Cortland House hotel on Groton Avenue. |
Animals have been taught many difficult and
remarkable accomplishments,
but the
latest and greatest has been taught twelve full size, common breed horses, by
Prof. George Bartholomew, the greatest and most humane animal educator in the
world. The horses stand along a table and play with Swiss bells, so that the
tone can be easily recognized, "The Last Rose of Summer." It is the
only effort ever made to have horses play bells to music time, and it was
heretofore thought to be an impossibility. Many other equally wonderful, interesting
and very enjoyable acts are given by Bartholomew's twenty-four educated horses
that appear at the Cortland Opera House on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 24 and 25.
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