 |
| USS Vesuvius (AE-15). |
Cortland
Evening Standard, Wednesday, June 15, 1898.
FORCE
SANTIAGO HARBOR.
Plan of
Admiral Sampson as Soon as Troops Reach Him.
KINGSTON. Jamaica, June 15.—The dynamite
cruiser Vesuvius, which has just joined Admiral Sampson's fleet, is to be
followed by the Ericsson, the Foote and other torpedo boats, and the arrival of
the torpedo fleet will confirm the opinion that Admiral Sampson intends to
force the harbor on the coming of the troops. Every man in the fleet is
anxiously awaiting the soldiery, for it is recognized that no decisive movement
is possible until the troops affect a landing.
Everybody is desperately tired of the
present disheartening conditions.
The
tedious manoeuvres, the ceaseless watching and the exasperating inactivity are
telling on officers and men. At no place are the troop ships more anxiously
watched for than on the sun-blistered hill top where Lieutenant Colonel
Huntington's 600 marines lie in rifle pits, under an almost continuous hail of
Spanish bullets. Their ceaseless fighting has well nigh wrecked the men who
arrived here incapacitated for active field duty by the long wait on the
Panther. With a few exceptions, however, the marines showed spirit under the
persistent fire of the Spanish bushwhackers, the officers particularly
exhibiting the coolness and nerve of seasoned campaigners.
The Texas, Marblehead and Porter have been
lying close to the marines and fortifications, taking advantage of the
opportunity to coal.
Lieutenant Anderson of the Marblehead with a
steam launch dragged the harbor channel for mines and went within 40 yards of
the fort and the city limits. Although he did the work with the greatest care
he found not the slightest indication of explosives. His report shows it
possible to take any light draught ships right up to the port, as the sounding
gives 18 feet in the most shallow spot in the channel.
Despite the heat the health of the marines
ashore is excellent, aside from exhaustion. On board the ships in harbor the
weather is delightfully cool, and the sailors here, like those off Santiago,
are in good health.
There is a good deal of complaint as to the
inefficient food supply on the ships. The wardroom mess on one ship here sat
down to corned beef and hardtack. The officers of many vessels complain of the
shortage of necessaries, like flour, potatoes and rice.
A grim touch of realism was added to the
warlike scenes when the flags on land and on the ships were placed at half mast
and the gallant Sergeant Major Goode was buried on the stony hillside, scarce
20 paces from the spot where he fell. The burial service was impressive, as the
men felt that their situation was desperate and openly said that they expected
to be gradually slaughtered until the arrival of the troops. The men freely
criticize a policy which compels them to hold a position that could be retaken,
they say, by half an hour's shelling, but not the faintest disposition is
manifested to do otherwise than to fight it out.
 | |||||||||||||||
| First Lt. Herbert L. Draper, Lt. Col. Robert W. Huntington and Capt. Charles L. McCawley, United States Marines, left to right. |
FIGHTING
AT GUANTANAMO.
Spaniards
Keep Up the Attack on Our Marines.
SO FAR
ARE HELD AT BAY.
Our
Marines Have Repulsed the Spaniards at Every Attack.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, June 15.—The American
flag still floats on Cuban soil, but our marines have had a hard time in
keeping it there. There has been constant fighting ever since our marines
landed. Thus far the marines have had the best of the fighting, but the
situation is grave and they are exhausted with repelling almost incessant attacks.
They have little chance to rest or sleep and the time of the arrival of the
relieving troops is uncertain. Were it not for the protecting guns of the fleet
the gallant little band would be annihilated by the Spanish troops in
overwhelming numbers from Santiago de Cuba. As it is, they probably can hold
their position; but they cannot move forward until reinforced by troops.
What first, with the white tents on a bold
eminence against the tropic background, looked like a holiday camp, is now grim
reality. The tents have been struck and rolled into breastworks, supplemented
by trenches around the crest of the hill. The spot is lamentably exposed, on
bare ground, while surrounding it on all sides is heavy brush. The least movement
in the camp is the signal for instant target practice upon the part of the
Spanish sharpshooters, whose rifles carry much further than ours, though their
owners very rarely hit anything they aim at.
It is impossible to accurately estimate the
Spanish attacking forces, but it is numerous enough. About two-thirds of this
force surrounds the camp nightly with a deadly ring, and the spattering of the
Mausers makes things quite lively, for the Spaniards are daring enough to crawl
up and take a pop shot at the marines from the bushes about 30 yards from camp.
At night the besiegers fight like Indians and our old Apache fighters will feel
in their element. Every yard of chaparral is an ambuscade and picket duty is
flipping coins with death.
After the first attack on Saturday night
Colonel Huntington decided that another attempt would be made on Sunday night,
and he caused entrenchments to be thrown up on all sides of the camp, and in
the trenches the main part of the battalion Sunday night waited for the attack
the colonel was certain would come. It arrived within a short time after dark,
and from that time until daybreak the firing was incessant and at times very heavy.
On the American side two men were killed and four injured.
The dead are:
Sergeant Major Henry Goode of the marines,
shot through right breast.
Private Tauman, wounded and fell off the
cliff and was instantly killed.
The injured are:
Private Wallace, fell off the cliff and sustained
a fracture of the leg.
Private Martin, shot through the left leg.
Private Roxbury, shot through the arm.
The above are all privates belonging to
Company D.
Private Burke, shot through the arm.
During the night the Marblehead, believing
the Americans had been driven out, threw several shells into the place. The
shells of the Marblehead struck among the marines.
The fight was the first of the war in which
the Cubans co-operated with the American forces, and their co-operation was not
a glittering success. At one time during the afternoon, whenever the marines
were firing on a small detachment of Spaniards that made their appearance a
short distance from the camp, the Cubans began firing without orders and sent a
volley right among the Americans. There were several narrow escapes, but no one
was injured.
Lieutenant Neville of Company D was sent out
on scout duty and, as on the day previous, he attacked a small stone fort. A
hot fight followed and the Spaniards were driven off with loss. It was during
this fight that Wallace Tauman fell over the cliff. Fifteen dead Spaniards,
including one lieutenant, were found in the fort.
During the attack several shots struck the
ships in the harbor, but no one was injured on board. The arrival of the fleet
to complete the bombardment of the town and its defenses is expected here soon.
NO STEP
TOWARD PEACE.
Assertions
Made by Spanish Officials Sent Out From Madrid.
MADRID, June 15.—The minister for foreign affairs,
Duke Almodovar de Rio, told the newspaper men that the Spanish government had
not taken any step in the direction of peace negotiations. The minister also
said he had not received any confirmation of the reported third attack on
Santiago de Cuba.
The
minister for war, General Correa, declares the situation at Manila is better
than was supposed. He says Captain General Augusti has concentrated 20,000 men
for the defense of the city, and his batteries of artillery are asserted to
compromise 199 long range guns.
It has been officially announced that Senor
Du Bosc, the former Spanish charge d'affaires at Washington, and Lieutenant
Carranza, the former
Spanish
naval attache at Washington, have been "invited" to leave Canada,
owing to the Canadian authorities having intercepted a letter which Lieutenant
Carranza addressed to the minister of marine, giving an account of the
condition of the American ports fortifications.
PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.
Disposition
to Meddle.
There is much said by German papers, and by
correspondents and newspapers outside of Germany, of German interests in the
East and of what Germany wants in the settlement of the Philippines' future.
The assumption through it all is that the powers of Europe will step in to
adjust the division of spoils won by the United States in war. The habit
acquired by the powers in supervising Russia's settlement with Turkey in 1878,
in coercing Greece and Turkey last year, and in constraining Japan to let go a
large part of its winning from China, is strong and not unnaturally asserts
itself in the present instance.
Thus, the Deutsche Tagezeitung of Berlin
argues that as Spain has lost the
Philippines
and the United States has not acquired them they are legitimate plunder for the
power that can take them. It coolly proposes that the best thing Admiral Dewey
can do is to "negotiate with Germany with a view to common action" in
the occupation and dividing up of the islands. In the same line is a Madrid
dispatch published in Paris telling of communications passing between that city,
Vienna and Berlin regarding the situation and adding: "An important view
of the situation may arise out of Germany's hostility to the development of American
intervention in the Philippine Islands," and, in connection with the
reported intention of the United States to occupy the Ladrone and Caroline
Islands, it is pointed out that "Germany has long desired Ponape as a coal
station."
Commenting upon this situation the Utica
Herald says: The powers ambitions to get something for nothing out of the war
which the United States undertook in behalf of humanity overlook two important
considerations: 1—The United States is not Greece, nor Turkey nor Japan; 2—Great
Britain will sooner trust its interests in the East with the United States than
with any of its European neighbors.
While the eagerness of Germany and France,
and perhaps Russia, to cast lots for America's winnings does not disturb our
government it may help to account for movements in the eastern campaign. For
instance, nothing that Spain is likely to do for the support of its power in the
Philippines accounts for the dispatch of the monitors Monterey and Monadnock to
Manila. Admiral Dewey commands the Pacific, so far as Spain is concerned. He
has no ships with which to meet the armored craft representing the European
powers in those waters. If these powers mean to threaten when terms of peace
are negotiating, as hints thrown out now portend, the wisdom of having at
Manila the strongly armored and heavily armed monitors will be manifest. The
weak may be coerced. The United States will not be weak in the East with
Dewey's present squadron strengthened by the Charleston, Monterey and
Monadnock.
◘
The harbor of Guantanamo is one
of the largest and best of the entire Cuba coast. The bay is shaped like a dumb-bell,
either end of which will accommodate the entire fleet under Admiral Sampson.
The acquisition is of the first importance, as heretofore the nearest harbor of
refuge for the American ships was Key West. The necessity of coaling at sea is
obviated by having possession of Guantanamo, and in case of storm it affords a
safe retreat.
 |
| Julia E. Hyatt. |
THE CORTLAND HOSPITAL.
Reply to Its Critics—Special Need
of Fair Play from Local Parties.
To the
Editor of The STANDARD:
SIR—In the
report of the meeting of the village trustees held on Monday evening and
published in to-day's issue of The STANDARD I find the following paragraph:
President
Stilson also said that the village had been asked by the hospital management to
purchase a flag for the hospital. No action was taken, but
Trustee Nodecker wondered if a flag was all that was
needed at the hospital.
Permit me
to say in behalf of the managers that they have neither asked nor authorized
any one to ask from the village any such gift, and whatever may have been done
by some well-intentioned person has been done on his or her own responsibility.
While so many things essential to successful work are still lacking the
managers would feel indisposed to ask for non-essentials. If Trustee Nodecker is
sincere in his expression of wonder regarding the needs of the hospital and
should ever desire to aid it in even a slight degree they would gladly furnish
him with a list of wants and thankfully receive whatever his generosity might
prompt him to give. Its greatest need is to-day what it has been from its
foundation—the need of justice, honesty and fair play from critics who know
nothing of its affairs and who have done nothing for its establishment and
maintenance and who have impaired its usefulness and retarded its progress by
willful and persistent misrepresentation.
The
Cortland hospital is the one charitable institution of our village and as such
is entitled to both the financial and moral support of its citizens. If they
are unable to contribute material aid, they can at least refrain from doing it
positive injury by giving publicity to all the false and senseless rumors that
come to their ears. The hospital was established to furnish to the sick and
injured of all classes—particularly to those of limited means—the intelligent
care of trained nurses in rooms that are clean, airy and cheerful, together
with the best medical and surgical skill attainable. That it has in its seven
years of work fulfilled its mission so far as its facilities permitted is
gratefully attested by many patients who have received its benefits, some of
whom have had experience in city hospitals and have expressed in warmest terms
their surprise and delight at finding in a small hospital care and
accommodations superior to those of the larger institutions.
Visiting
surgeons familiar with the arrangements and service of older hospitals have
highly commended those of ours. Dr. Stephen Smith of the state board of
charities pronounced ours "one of the finest if not the finest of the
small hospitals he had found" on his tour of inspection through the state.
It has remained for our own citizens to traduce their hospital and for one of
our village officials, supposed to have been elected to his position because of
his public spirit and interest in all relating to the welfare of the village,
to publicly sneer at an institution that has by its work earned the right to respectful
consideration at least.
It is said
"It is an evil bird that befouls its own nest."
JULIA E.
HYATT,
President,
Board of Managers.
June 14,
1898.
OVER IN FREETOWN
Orville Pickert Faces Two
Charges in Justice Watrous' Court.
Orville Pickert
of Freetown was arrested by Constable Dudley Smith of that town last Friday and
was taken before Justice A. A. Watrous. The matter was put over until
yesterday, when Thomas H. Dowd of Cortland appeared for The People and R. L.
Davis for the defendant. Two charges were preferred against Pickert, resisting
an officer, and assault in the third degree on his wife. On the application of
defendant's attorney, an adjournment of seven days was taken under sections 57
and 58 of the criminal code in order that an application may be made to the
county court or a supreme court justice for a certificate compelling The People
to prosecute by indictment instead of upon information and belief. Defendant's
attorney further alleged that the defendant cannot get a fair and impartial
trial in the town of Freetown.
It is
claimed by the defendant that the arrest was made "without authority," and that
it was accomplished with considerable difficulty, a rope being said to figure prominently
in the proceeding. Attorney Davis said this morning that last night he secured
an affidavit from Mrs. Pickert, stating that her husband did not assault her,
that he only did a little loud talking. It is claimed that he was somewhat
intoxicated at the time.
Y. M. C. A. SWIMMERS
To Take Possession of the
Kingman Bathhouse This Season.
At the
meeting of the board of directors of the Y. M. C. A. last night it was voted to
ratify an arrangement which Secretary Armstrong had partly made with Dr. E. O.
Kingman for the use of his bathhouse and swimming place for the summer. Dr.
Kingman owns the best bathing place within the village corporation. It is
located near Rickard-st. bridge. But he has decided not to open his bathhouse
or make use of the swimming place himself this season. The Y. M. C. A. has
accordingly secured a lease of it for one month with the privilege of the whole
season, the bathhouse to be open during specified hours yet to be designated
during the afternoons and early evenings of weekdays. It will be closed on
Sunday. No one but members of the Y. M. C. A. will be permitted the privileges
of the bathhouse and swimming place.
 |
| Lawrence J. Fitzgerald. |
BOARD OF TRADE.
A Committee Will Accompany the
Village Trustees on Their Paving Trip.
A special
meeting of the board of trade was called for last evening in its rooms in the
Wallace building for the purpose of taking action on an invitation from the
board of village trustees for a committee to accompany them on their trip
inspecting pavements. A quorum of the board was not present, but at 9 o'clock a
quorum of the board of managers had put in an appearance. President L. J.
Fitzgerald was in the chair. A letter from William Van Camp of Lyons was read
relative to the paving in Lyons, where the main street has been paved for
fifteen years with Medina sandstone, and is now in excellent condition. To the
best of Mr. Van Camp's recollection, the pavement cost $8.15 per square yard.
On motion
of I. H. Palmer, Hon. Lawrence J. Fitzgerald, Grove T. Maxson and Charles H.
Price were appointed a committee to accompany the board of trustees on their
trip inspecting pavements, in accordance with the invitation from the latter
body.
Dorr C.
Smith was made a member of the board of trade.
The members
present then engaged in the discussion of the possibility and probability of
inducing outside business enterprise to locate here, and several letters were
read in that connection.
On motion
of C. F. Thompson, the expenses of the special committee on their trip were
ordered paid from the board's treasury.
The
question of non-residents coming into Cortland and peddling goods on the streets
was brought up, but no action was taken. There is no opposition to farmers
coming in and selling their produce in that way, but local dealers believe that
some steps should be taken whereby non-residents who come into Cortland purely
for the sake of doing business on the streets from house to house, should pay a
license for the privilege.
BREVITIES.
—Additional
local on third page and county correspondence on second page to-day.
—The D., L.
& W. pay car passed over this division this morning and made the employees
at the Cortland station happy.
—The
Cortland hospital and the residence of C. E. Wilkins, Taylor-st., have been
connected with the telephone exchange.
—A. H.
Watkins has on exhibition at his drygoods store "the large and small of it"
in the hen's egg line. He has one egg that weighs 3 5/8 ounces, and by its side
another weighing 1/8 of
an ounce.
—New
display advertisements to-day are—Bingham Bros. & Miller, Up-to-Date
Clothiers, page 8; Dey Bros. & Co., Ladies Undermuslin, page 4; Kimball
Piano Co., Pianos, page 7; Peck's Grocery, page 8.
—Mr. Thomas
Burns and Miss Mabel Savage, both former Cortland young people but now of
Syracuse, were married in Syracuse this morning, and passed through Cortland at
9:28 on their wedding trip. Several of their friends were at the D., L. &
W. station and greeted them as they passed through.
—No one
whether a school teacher or not should fail to read the address of
Superintendent A. B. Blodgett of Syracuse to school teachers, which we to-day
reprint from the School Bulletin upon our third page. It is so full of practical
common sense that it will appeal to all and everyone will be benefited by a
careful reading,
—Sheriff A.
C. Clark of Seneca county arrived in Cortland last night and returned to
Waterloo this morning with Julia Greene, who was taken into custody Monday
night by Chief of Police Linderman. Mrs. Greene [alleged opium addict] was
under indictment for burglarizing a store in Romulus, and was wanted for trial
at once. She was out on bail, but did not appear in court when wanted.
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