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| USS Miantonomoh (BM-5) |
The
Cortland Democrat, March 4, 1898.
WAR PREPARATIONS CONTINUE.
Feb. 26.—The court of inquiry at Havana are
still reticent, as it is their business to be. In the meantime if any
additional evidence were needed that the United States government is preparing
for hostile emergency it can be found in important orders issued to-day in regard
to the military and naval forces. No time is being lost in putting the country
on a war footing by utilizing every available means within the present
authority of the administration. What has been ascertained is significant
enough, but probably does not represent half or a quarter of the preparations.
Orders [that] were telegraphed yesterday afternoon by the navy department to the
commanders of the South Atlantic, Asiatic and European naval stations with
regard to concentrating their ships, are withheld for strategical and patriotic
reasons. Quite as important was the action of the department in directing the
commandant of the Washington navy yard to ship to the Brooklyn navy yard
immediately all of the guns to be used on auxiliary cruisers. About 100 guns
for use on the auxiliary fleet have been made. Plans have been prepared for
mounting them. The plans for the American line steamers New York, Paris, St.
Paul and St. Louis provide for placing 4 six-inch rifles on each of these ocean
greyhounds. The guns from the Washington ordinance factory will be stored at the
Brooklyn yard ready for placing them on the big steamships of American register
running out of New York. The commerce destroyers Minneapolis and Columbia are
to be placed in commission. To-day the navy department will send a letter
asking that provision be made by congress for authority to enlist 1, 500 men
immediately. It will require that number to furnish crews to these two fleetest
cruisers of the naval service and other vessels practically ready for sea. The
Minneapolis and the Columbia are in reserve at the League Island navy yard in
condition for sea service at once. The monitor Miantonomoh and the ram
Katahdin, also at League Island, are also prepared for going into commission
without any delay.
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| USS Holland (SS-1) |
TRIAL
TRIP.
The submarine torpedo boat Holland started
shortly after noon to-day from Elizabeth,
N. J., on her initial trial trip. She was in tow of the tugboat Erie and the
ultimate destination of the torpedo boat was supposed to be Sandy Hook, where it was said the trial
trip would take place. The tugboat Erie is said to have supplies and also
torpedoes on board for use of the Holland. It is expected the latter will be
away from Nixon's ship-yards for some days.
COURT OF
INQUIRY AT KEY WEST.
A Key West dispatch last night says the
board of inquiry arrived this morning from Havana on the Mangrove. The board
will convene in the United States court room at the custom house to-morrow
morning to hear all the additional evidence they can glean from the officers
and men in this city who were on the Maine. It is said that Gen. Lee will come
here to attend the court. He has been able to help only 7,000 of the 30,000
starving people in Havana. The war ships in the harbor to-day are the New York,
Iowa, Marblehead, Nashville, Cushing, Montgomery, Detroit and Ericson. The
divers are still at work in Havana.
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| USS Terror (BM-4) |
THE
TERROR AT NEW YORK.
The monitor Terror, which has been sent to
New York as a precautionary measure,
arrived in the harbor at 1 o'clock this morning. She has a full supply of
ammunition for her great guns on board. It is probable that the Terror will
remain until the present crisis has developed sufficiently to show what the
result will be. Admiral Bermajo, minister of marine, is preparing to dispatch
gradually a respectable squadron to protect Havana against surprise. Three
torpedo boat destroyers, three torpedo boats and one large transport under
command of Capt. Villamil, will leave Cadiz about the middle of the week and
join the cruiser Vizcaya at Havana.
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| Spanish cruiser Vizcaya. |
FEVER
HEAT IN HAVANA.
The Vizcaya has been expected to reach
Havana for several days and dispatches say the Weyler element are preparing for
a great demonstration possibly hostile to Americans and the Autonomist party.
It is said that many Spaniards in Havana openly boast of the glory to Spain
from the blowing up of the Maine. Some claim an open revolt may come at any
moment which Blanco will be powerless to check.
WASHINGTON
LETTER.
(From
Our Regular Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 1898.—Shall the most
dastardly piece of treachery perpetrated in the nineteenth century be condoned
for a cash consideration? That is the question Mr. McKinley raised when he sent
Secretary Sherman—at least the old man is given something to do, but it was a
nauseating job—to circulate among his former colleagues of the Senate, for the
purpose of informing them that the administration had decided, if the naval
court reported that the Maine was blown up by intention, to demand a cash
indemnity of Spain. If Mr. Sherman correctly reported some of the remarks made
by Senators with whom he discussed the matter, Mr. McKinley must have blushed.
Ever since it has been practically known
that the court has found unmistakable evidence that the Maine was wrecked by
treachery, the administration has been gradually, through divers newspaper
interviews, and by other methods, preparing the public for this indemnity
business, by dropping hints about the injustice of holding Spain responsible
when it disavowed the crime or any knowledge of it, and of the probability that
the crime was committed by some Spaniard who was an enemy of the present
Spanish Ministry, etc., etc. The Spanish charge d' affaires in Washington also
took a hand in the attempt to have his country let down easily by officially
stating that no mines or torpedoes
have ever been planted in the harbor at Havana.
The fact that this fellow was once associated with De Lome is enough to prevent
belief of any statement he might make.
There is not the slightest doubt, that an
overwhelming majority of Congress believes with a majority of the people of the
country that Spanish blood should be shed to avenge the poor fellows who were
the victims of Spanish treachery in Havana harbor; but there is also a strong
desire in congress to act in concert with the administration, if possible, in
order that it cannot be said by the Spaniards, or other foreigners, that there
is a division of sentiment in the U. S. This desire may result in Congress
allowing the demand for a money indemnity to be made on Spain, but it will be, even then, largely because of the
belief that Spain could not pay the indemnity,
and would not if it could, and that war would be the result anyway.
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| Shepard's store in Samson block, corner Main Street and Groton Ave. |
EVERYBODY
MOVE.
Great
Changes in Location of Cortland Business Firms.
A shake up in the location of Cortland
business firms like that which will occur during the next month has not been
known before, during the same length of time.
That Shepard soon moves to the Samson block
has long been known. His present location will be taken by Bingham &
Miller. They will occupy the first and second floors giving additional floor
space over what they now have. Michelson, the jeweler, will move from No. 5
Railroad-st. to the vacant Cobb & Co. store in the Grand Central His
present location will be occupied by T. P. Bristol, merchant tailor and
haberdasher, now in the Miller building on Main-st. Mr. Bristol's cutting room
and tailor shop will be in the third floor over his store. W. G. Mead, the
jeweler, who shares his present location, is closing out his business.
Baker & Angell, the shoe men, will move
from the Martin building to the Miller building. Rumor says a new shoe man will
occupy their present location. O. W. Walter moves from his present location to
the west store in the Cortland house block. Jas. Farrell has purchased the
bicycle business of William Grady on Railroad-st and will conduct a bicycle
repair shop in future. The Cash bookstore goes out of business altogether and
Messrs. J. J. Ryder of Homer and Wm. McLaughlin of Paterson, N. J., will open a
jewelry store at that location, No. 30 Main–st.
Board of
Trade.
At a meeting of the board of trade Wednesday
evening the committee on roads and transportation were instructed to look into
the matter of the completion of the new road from Hoxie's Mills to Freetown
Corners in the town of Cortlandville and to ascertain the feasibility of a new
road to Virgil through the ravine near the residence of Geo. Clark. They were
further [instructed] to see what loads can be improved with an idea of bringing
trade to Cortland
A committee is also to see what the board
can do to increase public interest in the fairs of the Agricultural society.
Gone to
Klondike.
W. W. Wilcox left on the 12:50 train
yesterday for Seattle to complete arrangements for himself and small party to
reach Klondike. If the plans laid can be carried out he will be followed in a
few weeks by Mr. J. P. Gray and a few others. Arrangements were made some time
ago for passage on the first boat which leaves when the season opens up and the
party feel they have every chance for success. Messrs. Wilcox and Gray are
popular Cortland young men and will have the best wishes of a host of friends.
Another
Physician.
Dr. S. Hinman has again returned to Cortland
and will take up the practice of his profession here. He has been away from
here practicing in East Homer for two years. Previous to 1889, the doctor was
located there in active practice for thirty years. In that year he came to
Cortland, remaining till 1893 when he moved to Boston. After the death of his
son he returned here, going to East Homer in 1896. Dr. Hinman is located at No.
113 Clinton-ave. and his long years of practice guarantee the best of attention
to all who call on him.
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| Cortland Opera House. |
Pudd'nhead
Wilson.
The announcement that that universal
success, Mark Twain's "Pudd'nhead Wilson,'' is to appear here on Monday
evening, March 7, at the Cortland Opera house, will cause a broad smile of
anticipation upon the faces of our amusement loving public. Another gratifying
feature of this coming production is that we are to have the number one company
with Mr. Edwin Mayo in the title role.
The supporting cast is the same that played
in the piece when it made its long run at the Herald Square Theatre, New York
City, and it is one of the largest and strongest dramatic organizations on the
road. The play itself is a masterpiece and its great success is scarcely to be
wondered at when we take into consideration its authors, Mark Twain and Frank
Mayo. From Twain it got its comedy and from Mayo its dramatic strength and the
ensemble is beautiful. But few productions have ever received such strong
newspaper endorsements as "Puddn'head Wilson," and it is safe to say
that this will be one of the most enjoyable events of the season. Usual price. Sale
at Rood & Co.'s, four days in advance.
HERE AND
THERE.
Sousa's band to-morrow afternoon.
When you hear the first frogs in the spring,
the frost is out of the ground.
Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Springer celebrated their
golden wedding at their home on Union-st. last week.
The reports of the village President,
trustees, etc., for the past year are published this week. They tell you where
the money of the past year has been spent.
A car on the E. & C. N. Y. R. R jumped
the track Tuesday afternoon when just beyond East Freetown and delayed
traffic for a few hours. No damage was done.
Prof. Adolph Dahm-Peterson and Mrs. Blanche
Potter-Spiker, with Miss Carrie Day Halbert as accompanist gave a delightful
entertainment at the opera house last Friday evening.
We publish this week the first installment
of a new story by Jeannette H. Walworth, "When Men Were Scarce." It is
a story of war times and full of excitement, with an excellent plot.
Joseph R. Ingalls has moved his business
from the McKee & Webb shops to the vacant Hayes [Chair] shop opposite the
Lehigh Valley depot. "Joe" manufactures a full line of carriage tops
and trimmings.
G. E. Priest, the enterprising and hustling photographer
of Homer is at present conducting four galleries in different towns in the
central part of the state beside doing business in crayons, pastels, India ink,
etc., which keeps eight canvassers on the road The latter business is increasing
so rapidly he has found it necessary to close the Homer gallery in order to
devote more time to it. All business in Homer will be wound up April 1. If you
want some good photographs taken call on the G. E. Priest Portrait company in
Homer before that time.
Mrs. Celia M. Sanders, who has been in very
poor health for many years, died at the home of her son, C. W. Sanders, on
Tompkins-st. yesterday morning at the age of 77 years. She has been a resident
of this village for many years. The funeral will be held at 2 o'clock to-morrow
afternoon and burial made in the Rural cemetery.
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