GEN. BLANCO TELLS ALL AND MAHAN MUSIC FESTIVAL

Capt. Gen. Ramon Blanco.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, May 28, 1898.

BLANCO TELLS ALL ABOUT IT.

Admiral Cervera's Fleet Still at Santiago De Cuba.

SAMPSON IS NEAR THERE.

His Squadron Is Blockading That Port.

   MADRID, May 28.—General Blanco cables from Havana that the torpedo boat destroyer Terror from Martinique has arrived at Fajardo on the east coast of Porto Rico. She intended to go to San Juan, but found four American warships cruising in front of the harbor and changed her direction for Fajardo.

   General Blanco's dispatch says that Admiral Cervera's squadron is still at

Santiago de Cuba; that the bulk of Admiral Sampson's squadron is blockading that port; that Commodore Schley's squadron is watching the Yucatan passage; that the American vessels have left Cienfuegos, and that the American fleet of blockaders remains in sight of Havana.

   General Blanco says that he opposed the departure of the French steamer

Lafayette with a cargo of coal as the coal was required for Spanish ships.

TROOPS IN CUBA.

Invasion Has Being Going on For Over a Week.

   ATLANTA, Ga., May 28.—Over 10,000 American troops have been landed on Cuban soil under the protection of the guns of the American warships. The names of the companies which formed the first regiments of the invasion cannot be stated, nor can the place of debarkation be given, but that they have gone is beyond dispute.

   The very first expedition to land on Cuban soil started last week and was taken by the steamer Florida, which left Tampa with five companies of Cubans, under the command of General Jose Lacret. This expedition was convoyed by the cruiser Marblehead, and was safely landed in a place where easy junction was made with the insurgent forces.

   Following this expedition others have been going quietly to the islands, without knowledge of the general public, owing to the rigid censorship. At Washington the blind has been kept up by repeated statements that the invasion of Cuba would not begin until it was determined to a certainty that the Spanish fleet had been crushed or rendered impotent against the United States.

   The facts are learned from private mail advice received in this city by a Georgia mother from her son, who is in the camp at Tampa, Fla. The name of the writer is, of course, withheld as its publication would involve him in difficulty with the war department. The young man, after mentioning the expedition of the Florida, refers explicitly to one of greater magnitude. Though he does not mention the exact date of departure he indicates that it was a day or two later than the Florida movement, and says there can be no doubt of the safe landing of the expedition.

   The letter stated that there is little doubt that the expedition went to Cuba through some of the non-commissioned officers at Tampa appear to believe that the next move will be in the direction of Porto Rico. They hold that the 10,000 men already dispatched to Cuba will effect a junction with the insurgents and spend some time in the region of Santiago before attempting an advance upon Havana.

USS Olympia (C-6).

NEWS FROM MANILA.

Situation There Unchanged and Food Growing Scarcer.

   HONG KONG, May 28.—The United States auxiliary gunboat Zafiro, formerly a British merchant steamer but now commissioned, mounting four guns and in charge of a lieutenant commander of the United States navy, has just returned here from Manila having on board the captain of the first-class cruiser Olympia, flagship of Rear Admiral Dewey, and two officers who have been invalided.

   The situation at Manila is unchanged. The insurgents are quiet. Beef costs $2.50 per pound at Manila.

   The report that the commander of the Spanish gunboat Callao was tried by court martial and shot for not firing on the American ship which captured the Callao is untrue.

   The Zafiro will return to Manila on Monday next.

HEALTH OF NEW YORK.

Monthly Statement of the State Board of Health.

   ALBANY, May 28.—The state board of health bulletin for the month of

April, just issued, states that there was a daily average mortality of 333 during the month which is identical with that of March, against 344 in the month of April of last year, during which month 10,325 deaths occurred, and a death rate of 19.00 against one of 18.15 this month. The variations in mortality are evenly distributed throughout the state.

   Whooping cough increases and is prevalent in all parts of the state, causing 118 deaths, or 30 more than in either of the other months.

   Diphtheria has further decreased to 252 deaths, or 100 less than in April,

1897; 2.5 per cent of the total mortality was due to it, against 3.5 last April, and in some parts of the state less than 1 per cent of the deaths were due to it; it usually decreases in April.

   The infant mortality was the same in all the three months, 28.0 per cent of deaths occurring under the age of 5 years.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Spain Talks of Peace.

   "Whatever may have been the opinion of the illiterate masses of Spain, the governing forces of that monarchy have never doubted Spain's defeat in an unaided conflict with the United States. For that reason Spain postponed war as long as possible, and neglected military preparations while peace was sought through diplomatic means. Only when demagogues threatened the overthrow of the government by revolution did Spain begin to stir itself for war.

   But even then there was no confidence in the capacity of Spain alone. There began a hunt for intervention, ecclesiastical and national. The pope's help was unsuccessfully besought. The powers of Europe were entreated, until Great Britain's flat-footed position made all the others shut their doors against Spain. That country, baffled in its efforts to bring about international complications, a hopeless beggar for loans, already a sufferer from defeat and feeling the grip of a master hand strengthening upon its throat, is absolutely alone.

   It is no wonder that the correspondent at Madrid of the London Times says: "The dominant note of public opinion here is a desire to find some way to honorable peace," and that the new ministry of foreign affairs is expected to look for an opportunity to take the initiative in suing for peace.

   It requires money or friends to wage war, and Spain has neither. A collapse of Spain's defensive campaign, for thus far it has been entirely defensive, is not a remote possibility.

The Wet Spring.

   Usually when a community remarks that it "never did see the beat of this weather," it merely shows that, so far as weather records are concerned, its memory is not retentive. But this year the people of New York state are well justified by the facts in expressing wonder and astonishment at the duration of the rainy season. The weather bureau records at New York City show that of the eighty-eight days since March 1 only sixteen have been clear, there having been either rain or complete cloudiness on the other seventy-two. The clear days in March numbered just seven, in April four and in May, thus far, five. But everything is bound to have an end, and, while pretty well discouraged, the people of this deluged section are nevertheless looking forward to a "spell" of good weather to compensate for the bad.

To Jail for Ten Days.

    Constable James E. Edwards arrested Eugene Simpson of South Cortland late yesterday afternoon on the charge of cruelty to animals in beating a cow. The warrant was sworn out by Dr. W. L. Baker of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals before Justice of the Peace Thomas H. Dowd. This morning he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a fine of $10 or be committed to jail for ten days. He went to jail.

Mahan's Music Store, Court Street, Cortland, N. Y.

Cortland Opera House, Groton Ave., Cortland, N. Y.

THE MUSIC FESTIVAL.

Closed for the Season of 1898—It Was a Very Great Success.

   The music festival was closed with the concert of last evening, and taken altogether from the musical point of view it was one of the most successful in the series. The attendance was not up to some years, for the weather was disagreeable throughout the whole week and this always has an effect. Dr. Palmer and Mr. Mahan both consider the choir about the best that has ever been assembled here.

   At the afternoon concert on Friday Dr. Jackson took a new hold upon the hearts of his audience. It is long since some of the old songs which the older people knew in their youth have been heard, and many of them had never heard them sung as the doctor sung them. His voice is peculiarly sweet and sympathetic, almost plaintive at times, and when he sung "Oft in the Stilly Night" at the afternoon concert tears were seen in the eyes of many people in the audience. The doctor says he likes those songs and enjoys singing them, and he believes the people in the main like such selections too, and the way in which all of them were received by the Cortland audiences proves that he is right.

   Mrs. Hedden was in better voice even than on Thursday and added to the pleasant impression she has created here as a vocalist.

   Mr. Charles D. Lee of New York was heard at this concert for the only time. He sat down to the piano and played his own accompaniments in an informal way and his smooth baritone voice and fine singing was well received.

   Mr. Gilder was greeted with enthusiasm of course. He always is. He knows the kind of music the people like and he has the ability to produce it from a piano. Perhaps there is no one else in the country to-day who can play "The Brook" as he played it last night, and can get that clear, rippling sound which is the ideal of every pianist who has ever attempted that selection.

   Miss Miller, the great contralto of St. Bartholomew's church, New York, has a voice which grows on one. At every appearance she was liked better than on the previous occasion. She has a voice of rare power, and her execution is faultless. Her "Shepherd's Cradle Song" and "An Old World Serenade" last night called her back for a double encore, and the audience would have liked more.

   The choruses in the evening were more numerous than at any previous concert and were fine indeed. The choir sang "Honor to the Soldiers Give" from Faust by Gounod with a spirit that thrilled every hearer. Some fine effects were produced in Haydn's "Spring, Her Lovely Charms," from The Seasons, and Miss Lucy I. Marsh and Mr. George Oscar Bowen performed their solo work in connection with this chorus in a way that won for them the hearty approval of all.

   The choruses from "The Tower of Babel" representing the different nationalities and the division of the tongues were interesting indeed and were well sung.

   The "Miserere" from Il Trovatore was the last number and formed a fitting climax to the festival. This chorus is so well known that to simply say it was splendidly sung covers the ground. Miss Colvin sang her difficult solo in fine style and Dr. Jackson's splendid voice won for him fresh laurels by his rendering of his part in connection with this scene.

   There are several people who appeared at the festival this year who it is believed would add strength to the attractions for future festivals and whom Cortland people would be thoroughly delighted to hear again.

   Next year will be the twenty-fifth in the series of music festivals—the silver anniversary—and there is no doubt that Mr. Mahan will aim to make it far overtop any which have preceded it.

BREVITIES.

   —Additional local and the church notices will be found on the eighth page.

   —All the drygoods stores will close on Monday, Memorial day, at 12 o'clock, noon.

   —The Homer & Cortland Gas Co. is to-day distributing g ass pipe for the new gas main on Main-st.

   —Rev. O. A. Houghton, D. D., and Rev. J. C. B. Moyer will exchange pulpits to-morrow morning.

   —The largest American flag thrown to the breeze in this village floats to-day from the residence of Mr. G. J. Mager on Lincoln-ave.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Palmer & Co., Record Wheel, page 7; A. Mahan, Haines' Pianos, page 4; War Book, page 7.

   —If the weather is favorable to-morrow [trolley] cars will run to the park leaving the Messenger House every forty minutes, beginning at 2 o'clock.

   —A special train carrying Lehigh Valley officials passed over this branch of the Lehigh Valley road from Cortland to Cazenovia and return this afternoon.

   —About twenty Normal athletes went to Syracuse this morning to participate in the first annual meet of the Syracuse university academic athletic association this afternoon.

  —It is said that to aid in raising war revenues the government is considering returning to the three-cent postage. It has been suggested that the new three- cent stamps have a cut of the battleship Maine.

   —Monday being Decoration day and a legal holiday the postoffice will be open only from 7 to 10 A. M. and from 6 to 7 P. M. There will be but one complete delivery by carriers. The last mail will close at 7 P. M. The money order department will be closed all day.

   —Here is an important announcement that we find in one of our nearby exchanges: In the pleasant little village of East Genoa there lives an aged widow who would like to adopt a young man, not us a son, but as a husband. She lives on a large farm, and if this should meet the eye of any young man with a good reputation please call and have the knot tied.

HOMER.

Gleanings of News From Our Twin Village.

   HOMER, May 28.—Mrs. Payne, widow of the late Barney Payne, who resides just west of the woolen mills on West Clinton-st., was found dead in bed yesterday afternoon at about 8 o'clock. She had been troubled with heart disease for some years, but the day previous she was as well as usual. Friday morning the neighbors noticed that the curtains had not been raised during the day and, as she had not been seen leaving home, they began an investigation. They found everything quiet and all the doors locked. They then broke open a door and went in. Not seeing Mrs. Payne they went to the bedroom and found her dead. The coroner was summoned, who thought an inquest unnecessary, and stated that she died during the night. None of the furniture of the room had been disturbed and she lay covered with the clothes.

   Mr. Willard Nye, who is attending a business college at Binghamton, is visiting friends and relatives here. He rode here on his bicycle.

   The Homer Juniors and the Cortland Juniors will play a game of ball here

Monday, May 30. Lovers of the game should be on hand, as the youngsters are all up-to-date at the game.

   About fifty haymakers from the hayloft of Cortland came up here last evening and organized the Clipper hayloft of Homer. They found about twenty tramps in the barnyard and proceeded in a very businesslike manner to show them the mysteries of the hayloft. The haymakers from Cortland came on two large loads of hay and they wore long white coats, large farmer straw hats and cowhide boots with wooden soles. They enjoyed a very merry time not leaving for home until about 2 o'clock.