MILLIONS FOR DEFENSE AND SOUSA'S SPLENDID CONCERT IN CORTLAND

Joe Cannon.

Cortland Semi-Weekly Standard, Tuesday, March 8, 1898.

MILLIONS FOR DEFENSE.

BILL IN HOUSE APPROPRIATING FIFTY MILLIONS.

Will Be at Once Rushed Through Congress and Sent to the President—Bill Passed Without a Division Creating the Two New Regiments of Artillery.

   WASHINGTON, March 7.—The house under a suspension of the rules has passed without a division the bill creating two additional regiments of artillery. Chairman Cannon of the appropriations committee to-day introduced a bill as follows:

   That there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated for national defense and for each and every purpose connected therewith to be expended at the discretion of the president and to remain available until June 30, 1899, $50,000,000.

   It was referred to the committee of appropriations.

   The bill was the outcome of a conference held at the White House this morning at which Mr. Cannon, Secretary Long, Mr. Dingley, Senator Allison and General Grosvenor were present. The situation was considered so grave that it was deemed imperative that an immense appropriation of this character should be made at once to prepare for national defense. This bill will be presented in the house at once. This can be stated on the highest authority.

SPAIN BUYS CRUISERS.

She Has Secured Two, and Will Get Two More.

   LONDON, March 4.—Spain has just purchased two new cruisers which the Armstrong company has been building for Brazil. They are of 4,000 tons each with a speed of 23 knots and carry 10 guns each. Spain is also negotiating for and will probably secure two cruisers of a similar type which have been building in France for Brazil. The Spanish government is also endeavoring to secure guns and large supplies of ammunition in England and on the continent for immediate use. Some weeks ago Spain unsuccessfully attempted to purchase ships and supplies in England on credit. Since then Spain has raised the funds from unknown sources. Diplomats in London express the belief that French financiers are helping the Spanish government.

Japanese cruiser Kasagi.

WARSHIPS FROM ABROAD.

UNITED STATES HAS NEGOTIATED FOR SOME.

Eight Can Be Bought in Europe and Probably Japan Would Sell the Two

Now Building in This Country—They are all Good Ships.

   NEW YORK, March 5.—A special to The Herald from Washington says: Fully realizing the importance of preparations for any emergency, the president has directed the navy department to open negotiations looking to the purchase abroad warships. This fact is now for the first time made public. It probably would not have transpired at this juncture but for the excitement caused by the statement published that Spain had purchased or was negotiating for warships being built by the Elswick company of England for Brazil, and for two other ships under construction. With a view of ascertain the facts your correspondents called upon a high official of the administration and obtained an official admission—made for the first time—that while the president does not anticipate war, he recognizes that there is a possibility of hostilities growing out of the Cuban problem and the Maine disaster, and that he proposes to be prepared for it.

   There has been ample evidence of this in the extensive preparations, patent to everybody, which have been in progress for some time but there has been no official admission to this effect until now.

   Eight men-of-war which are practically completed in foreign shipyards have been offered for sale to the United States. The president has given consideration to the advisability of placing an option on them. The navy department has been carefully watching the construction of ships abroad through the eyes of its naval attaches at London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Berlin, Vienna and Rome. This surveillance has been maintained for two months, but more especially since the Maine disaster. Through these naval attaches and from the shipbuilders themselves the secretary of the navy has learned that he can now purchase two small-sized battleships, two armored cruisers and four torpedo boats, all at a comparatively low price. The builders have promised that they can deliver the vessels to agents of this government at this time complete in every respect, and all that will be necessary for the administration to do will be to order the necessary details of officers and men to proceed to the shipyards, go on board the vessels and take them to any points which may be desired.

   The builders have urged that the purchases be made at once, as they say that a declaration of war between the United States and Spain would result in the enforcement of neutrality laws and prevent the sale of ships.

   The battleships and armored cruisers have been built by English and German firms for governments which are now unable to pay for them so that this government would have no difficulty in obtaining the vessels by simply putting down the necessary amount of cash. The four torpedo boats have been offered by the Thornycroft Shipbuilding company, whose boats are recognized by experts to be among the best in the world.

   While your correspondent was unable to learn the names of the ships which have been offered to this government, there is reason to believe that among them are three powerful ships under construction at the Vulcan works, Stettin, Germany, for the Chinese government. These three ships are of 8,000 tons displacement, contracted to make 19.5 knots, and will be able to carry not less than 1,000 tons of coal in their bunkers.

   There is also reason to believe that in case of trouble this government could purchase from Japan the Kasagi and the Chiosa, which are nearing completion at Philadelphia and the Union Iron works. The official with whom I talked had no doubt that Japan would be willing to aid the United States by selling the warships before the commencement of war.

FOR CUBAN RELIEF.

A Petition for a General Mass-Meeting of Cortland Citizens.

   A number of people who are interested in the matter of giving aid to the starving poor of Cuba have circulated a petition calling a general mass-meeting of the people of Cortland for the purpose of making some organized movement for the relief of the Cuban sufferers. The petition and its signers are given below. More names might have been added to it, but those having it in charge felt that they had secured enough to warrant calling the meeting.

   It has been suggested and we are requested to ask that President of the Village D. E. Call, inasmuch as he heads the petition and inasmuch as he is a proper person to take the initiative, before he completes his term of office, appoint a committee of three or five or such number as he may think wise to arrange a date and place for the meeting and secure speakers and make out a program.

   The petition is as follows:

   We the undersigned citizens of Cortland desire to unite in a call for a general mass-meeting to be held at some time and place to be hereafter designated to consider the question of our responsibilities and opportunity concerning the destitute and suffering Cubans and what we may as a community be able to do for their relief.

   Cortland, N. Y., Feb. 28, 1898.

   Signed: D. E. Call, E. J. Warfield, J. H. O’Leary, J. H. Wallace, P. Nodecker, E. E. Mellon, W. T. Linderman, J. E. Eggleston, John Courtney, Jr., T. E. Courtney, James Dougherty, Wm. D. Tuttle, T. H. Wickwire, H. M. Kellogg, S. N. Holden, S. K. Jones, A. S. Burgess, F. E. Whitmore, C. F. Brown, O. K. George, W. D. Tisdale, Warren, Tanner & Co., Peck Brothers, Baker & Angell, W. G. Mead, C. E. Bennett, F. Daehler, F. W. Higgins, Harrison Wells, J. B. Kellogg, S. E. Curtis, C. W. Stoker, S. W. Baldwin, A. Sager, E. E. Spalding, W. W. Hout, M. F. Cleary, W. C. Crombie, V. R. Merrick, Eugene Davis, A. H. Winchell, A. Mahan, H. Cowan, Dickinson & Duffey, J. Edward Banta, J. B. Hunt, E. A. McGraw, H. H. Pomeroy, C. F. Weiler, F. J. Doubleday, C. F. Thompson, F. F. Cotton, D. L. Bardwell, L. D. Carns, John F. Wilson, W. B. Howard, S. S. Knox, F. J. Cheney, O. A. Houghton, J. J. McLoghlin, John T. Stone, A. Chapman, John Kenyon, W. H. Pound, Geo. H. Brigham , J. C. B. Moyer, J. Barton French, Amos Watkins.

SOUSA’S SPLENDID CONCERT.

The Famous Band Delights a large and Appreciative Audience.

   The Cortland Opera House was well filled Saturday afternoon, and the audience was enthusiastic and appreciative, for Sousa with his splendid band of over fifty pieces was there and was presenting one of his unrivaled concerts. The price of admission was higher than is usual at many of the entertainments of the season, but it didn’t seem to matter. The necessary funds had been saved and tickets for all were forthcoming.

   The band arrived on a special train from Ithaca at noon and was in fine form. The great bandmaster himself was heartily cheered as he made his first appearance, and the audience was ready to applaud every number. Nearly everything received an encore. There was no lack of appreciation, however, manifested in the last few numbers where no response was made, but the rapid approach of the hour for the departure of the special train to Binghamton for the evening concert made it necessary to omit the encores.

   There seems to be nothing in the musical line which this band is unable to do to perfection whether it be the difficult Wagner selections from Tannhauser, or the descriptive Sheridan’s Ride, or the inspiring patriotic air, or the brilliant march which has made Sousa so famous. When in response to an encore the band all rose to its feet and played the Star Spangled Banner the enthusiasm of the audience was intense.

   The complete program as rendered was as follows:

BREVITIES.

   —Mr. M. H. Brotherton has been appointed janitor of C. A. A. hall.

   —The dates of the Universalist church fair have been changed from March 15 and 16 to March 17 and 18.

   —The Tioughnioga club will have its annual sale of periodicals in the clubroom at 8 o’clock this evening.

   —The patriotic exercises at the Normal [School] last Saturday evening netted the intermediate department $48.70.

   —The annual meeting of the Women’s Auxiliary will be held in the Y. M. C. A. parlor on Tuesday, March 8, at 3:30 o’clock.

   —The Misses Atkinson Friday night entertained the Whist club of which they are members. There were four tables of players.

   —Mr. and Mrs. Edward Stilson entertained about thirty friends Friday evening at a rainbow tea. A delightful evening was spent.

   —In Justice Kelley’s court Friday the case of the Cortland & Homer Traction company against Sarah Ryan was adjourned to March 11.

   —Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Call Friday night entertained the Whist club of which they are members. There were six tables of players and a pleasant evening was spent.

   —Mr. John F. Howard of Boston read “Hamlet” to a large and appreciative audience at Normal hall last night. He reads “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to-night.

   —The funeral of Mrs. Celia M. Sanders who died Thursday morning was held from the home of her son, Charles E. Sanders, 89 Tompkins-st., at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon.

   —Chief of Police W. T. Linderman went to Utica Friday with John Garrity, the 12-year-old boy who was on Wednesday sentenced to the Rochester Industrial school for truancy.

   —At the meeting of the A. O. H. Sunday afternoon, it was decided to hold a reunion and banquet of all the Catholic societies in Cortland on the evening of March 16, in Empire hall.

   —John J. O'Neil, last year’s catcher with the Cortland State league team, on Friday forwarded to Manager Morton of the Rochester Eastern league club a signed contract for the season.

   —The new house committee of the C. A. A. is Jas. F. Costello, chairman, L. B. Graves and William Grady. The chairman of the committee has entire charge of the renting of the hall for dancing parties, etc.

   —The members of the cabinet of the Homer-ave. M. E. church Epworth league and a few other invited guests were very pleasantly entertained Friday night by President and Mrs. A. D. Randall, 20 1/2 North Main-st., Cortland.

   —George W. Fitts and Miss Mary A. Green, both well-known residents of Dresserville, were united in marriage at the bride’s home on Wednesday, March 2, by Rev. W. L. Bates of this village.—Moravia Register.

   —The supper which was to have been given Wednesday evening at the Congregational church under the auspices of King’s Daughters has been postponed until Tuesday evening, March 15. Those who were to furnish supplies for this supper will please bear in mind the change of date.

   —An electric car on the Geneva and Cayuga Lake park electric road collided with a sweeper car at a sharp curve near Waterloo Saturday, both running at full speed. The sweeper being the heavier telescoped the passenger car and killed the motorman. Nearly every bone in his body was broken and his body was badly cut to pieces. Two other men were injured.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   The news of the death of Mrs. Mina McCallon of Whitney Point, formerly Miss Mina Wire of Taylor, was received Thursday. Mrs. McCallon had many friends here.

   Mrs. E. B. Maybury and daughter Eugenia and Mrs. Mary Phillips left Friday for Horseheads, where they spent Sunday with the family of Rev. E. J. Brooker.

   The Klondike party of which C. A. Burlingham is a member and which left Olean Feb. 1, arrived in Seattle, Wash., on Feb. 7 and started for Juneau on Feb. 9, where they arrived on Feb. 13. They report the weather at 15 above zero and at Dyea for which they expected to start about Feb. 20, 2 degrees above zero.

   Thursday while Arthur Pickert, the 17-year-old son of Orville Pickert, was working in the woods in Freetown, he was caught by the top of a falling tree, receiving very serious injuries. Drs. Hendrick and Forshee were summoned and found him with a dislocated and deformed spine (broken back) and paralysis of the lower limbs. They were obliged to administer chloroform and did everything possible, but the injuries are of such character as to render recovery extremely doubtful.

   Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Shuler have moved from their farm in to their city residence, and Fred Shearer of Little York has moved upon their farm.

   H. C. Johnson of the Corner store was in Binghamton Tuesday and sold 40 barrels of maple syrup and 1,000 pounds of sugar. Friday he sold 20 barrels of syrup in Syracuse.