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| USS Merrimac sunk in harbor of Santiago de Cuba. |
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| USS Merrimac. |
Cortland
Evening Standard, Tuesday, June 7, 1898.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Heroism at Santiago.
No higher tribute has been paid to American
valor than by the Utica Herald under the above heading. The Herald says: Add
eight names hitherto unknown to fame to the roll of heroes whose deeds will
live while time lasts. Richmond
P. Hobson, a junior lieutenant and naval constructor; Daniel Montague,
master-at-arms of the New York; George Charette, gunner's mate of the New York;
J. C. Murphy, coxswain of the Iowa; Oscar Deinan, coxswain of the Merrimac;
John C. Philipps, machinist; John Kelley, water tender; H. Clausen, coxswain of
the New York. Never was braver deed undertaken, nor one more brilliantly
executed. Volunteer Hobson and his seven volunteer companions took their lives
in their hands, eager to lay them on the altar of their country. Thank God they
live to hear the cheers ringing round the world over their intrepid work and,
let us hope, to receive proof of the appreciation and gratitude of their
government and countrymen.
Inside of Santiago harbor was a squadron of
Spain's best ships. At large this squadron has been the cause of uneasiness to
our coast, a menace to our shipping and cruisers, and an obstacle to the
prosecution of war plans. To keep it locked in port required the presence and
constant watchfulness of a considerable portion of our best warships. And with
the passageway to the sea open there was always the possibility of escape by
night, or at a time when storm might disperse the blockaders. The problem was
to fasten an obstacle in the channel, effectively to seal the foe within the
harbor.
To sink a hulk in the channel was something
to do in the face of close range fire from batteries on either shore; to risk
being brown up by mines before the point could be reached at which the sinking
would be effective; to risk death from the batteries, from sunken mines and
torpedoes, from the execution of the mission, and from the rain of missiles
that would be turned on the party trying to escape. The chances of coming forth
alive from such a work were fewer than of doing the deed.
Men are not ordered to such undertakings. A
call is made for volunteers.
When
Admiral Sampson announced what was wanted volunteers to the number of 4,000
offered—i.e., every officer and man of the fleet! How the choice fell on
Richmond P. Hobson and the other seven we do not know. They were the envied of
the thousands of brave comrades around them. And it is passing strange that the
leader of the deed should be not a line officer, not a ship fighter, but a
naval constructor, an engineer who went aboard ship from station duty at
Newport News, where as assistant constructor he had charge of the building of the
gunboats Wilmington, Nashville and Helena, and the battleships Kearsarge,
Kentucky and Illinois. His heroic fellows were only enough to keep the fires
going, manage the machinery and steer the collier!
Into the channel of Santiago harbor the
Eight took the old collier:
"Canon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them,
Volleyed and thundered—"
as shore
batteries and ships in harbor caught sight of the Merrimac. Two of the Eight
were wounded by splinters thrown by the enemy's shot. Nothing daunted them. The
Merrimac was held true to its course, to the goal which was the narrowest part
of the channel. This reached, anchors were let go. The Eight did not muddle
things by hurry. They were as cool as though their business was to catch fish
for breakfast. They waited till the hulk was in position most effectually to
block the channel. Then not by a torpedo launched by the Spaniards as the
romancers in Madrid have it, but by one on board fixed for the purpose the
bottom of the Merrimac was blown apart and the good collier became a bar to
Cervera's egress!
The work of Hobson and his companions was
done. They could not return in their open boat through the rain of iron from
the Spanish batteries, so with a readiness and courage in keeping with what
they had done they rowed straight into the harbor to the flagship of Admiral
Cervera and surrendered themselves prisoners of war!
The audacity of the whole performance, the
indifference to danger, the success of the undertaking appealed to the manly
instincts of the foe. Cervera linked his name in honor with those of his foes
by his treatment of the Eight, and sending word at once to the American
commander that they were all safe, and would be exchanged at his convenience.
Nelson at Trafalgar, Farragut at Mobile,
Dewey at Manila directed larger affairs, more showy; but no one of them, no men
on sea or land ever surpassed in courageous deeds the work of these eight
American patriots. As desperate deeds have been undertaken and performed, but
nothing surpassing this. It is in keeping with the traditions of the American
navy. Santiago responds to Manila.
FIGHTING
AT SANTIAGO.
Americans
Have Been Bombarding the Forts For Several Days.
CAPE HAYTIEN, Hayti, June 7.—Heavy fighting
has been in almost constant progress along the Cuban coast in the vicinity of
Santiago since Saturday afternoon, but particulars of the warfare are almost
impossible to get.
By the way of Mole St. Nicholas there is
confirmation of the report that
American
troops have been landed and that a junction has been made with the insurgent
forces.
The warships of the American fleet engaged
with the shore batteries on Saturday and again renewed the firing on Monday.
These engagements lasted in the neighborhood of an hour to an hour and a half
each, the American ships withdrawing occasionally for the recuperation of the
men and the cleaning of the guns
There is every indication that the siege of
Santiago has been laid and that the Americans will not withdraw until the city
and the port are taken. Admiral Sampson is probably carrying out his orders to
capture or crush the Spanish fleet.
SPANISH
ACCOUNT.
Correspondent
In Havana Furnishes Some Santiago News.
HAVANA, June 7.—At 8 o'clock yesterday morning 24 vessels of the
American fleet opened fire upon the fortifications at the entrance to Santiago
harbor and along the coast line. The firing ceased about 11 o'clock. Further
details are not yet known here.
Colonel Alden, with a Spanish force,
sustained a fire near Punta Cabrosa from the insurgents on the land side and
from the American warships. The Spanish forces are well entrenched on the line
from Siboney to Aguadores, and checked an attempt of the American forces to
land and repelled them.
It is understood here that the members of
the Merrimac crew who are imprisoned at Santiago are well treated by the
Spanish commander.
The above is from a Spanish correspondent.
APPOINTMENT
NOT MADE.
NAMING
OF PAVING ENGINEER DEFERRED UNTIL TO-NIGHT.
Trustee
White Offered a Resolution to Employ Henry C. Allen of Syracuse, but Later
Withdrew it at the Request of Trustee Nodecker, who was not Prepared to Vote—
Objections Offered to a Portion of the Paving.
The board of village trustees held a regular
meeting last evening, and the most important question to come before it was the
appointment of an engineer to have charge of the paving of Main-st., but this
matter was finally laid over until this evening at 7:30 o'clock at the request
of Trustee Nodecker of the Third ward, who declared that he was not ready last
night to vote on a resolution introduced by Trustee White to employ Henry C.
Allen of Syracuse.
In the early part of the meeting, A. J. Barber,
chief of the fire department, reported correspondence with the American Fire
Engine Co. of Seneca Falls, in which the latter offered to furnish four bicycle
hose carriage wheels for $32.50 per pair. The wheels were ordered purchased, and
Trustee White was appointed a committee to see that the two carts, Orris and
Emerald, are repainted after the arrival of the new wheels.
Lewis S. Hayes appeared before the board in
behalf of himself, and others residing on the west side of South Main-st. south
of the Lehigh Valley tracks, and objected to the pavement extending farther
south than the railroad land, or at least a rod south of that point. He did not
wish to appear as kicking against the general idea of paving, but did not think
the pavement at all necessary south of the point mentioned, and would deem it a
hardship to the property-owners on the west side of that section of the street,
if they were compelled to pay for it. He asked the board to reconsider their
determination to pave that section. He also asked them to make a personal
examination of the place and, on motion of Trustee White, seconded by Trustee
Nodecker, the board voted to make the inspection at the call of the president.
President Stilson said that he did not believe that Wickwire Brothers, the
owners of the land on the opposite side of the street, would insist on the
pavement.
A. B. Filzinger was granted the privilege of
placing a light wagon on the street for the sale of candy, peanuts, etc., at a
license fee of $2 per month.
S. S. Knox was appointed a member of the
board of sewer commissioners for the term of five years to succeed himself.
Bills were audited as follows:
Cortland Water Works Co., $2,250.00
H. M. Kellogg, supplies, 9.05
Street commissioner's pay roll, 228.05
McKinney & Doubleday, supplies, 17.05
Jas. F. Costello, salary, 25.00
Electric Light Co., 362.37
Geo. W. Roe, labor, .75
W. T. Linderman, expenses, .75
Police force pay roll, [126.00]
E. E. Mellon, salary, 250.00
E. A. Didama, health officer, 20.50
E. A. Didama, " " 10.50
Estate B. B. Jones, printing, 3.75
Arthur Holt, inspections, 21.75
W. C. Crombie, clerk, 39.33
Trustee White, the committee on enginehouse,
reminded the board that the building ought to be repapered and repainted
throughout. No action was taken.
The question of filling the trenches where
the gas company is putting in new mains then claimed the attention of the
board. The company is now replacing the 2-inch pipes with 6-inch pipes, and has
begun work at the south end of Main-st. Trustee Nodecker did not think the
trenches were being properly filled. He did not believe that all the dirt was
being put back in the trenches. President Stilson and Trustee White thought
differently. The former said that he had watched the work, and saw that they
began tamping the dirt down solidly at the very bottom of the trench and did
this clear to the top, but the very top dirt was thrown on loose, and caused
the mound or ridge referred to by Mr. Nodecker. This was being packed down
level by travel. The large stones are not put back, but the larger pipe makes
an allowance for this. It was left, however, for the board to make a personal
inspection of the work at 4 o'clock this afternoon, and at the same time look
into the merits of the objections to paving offered by Mr. Hayes.
Trustee White offered a resolution that
Henry C. Allen of Syracuse be employed as paving engineer, and a proper
contract be entered into with him. The motion was seconded, but was withdrawn
at the request of Trustee Nodecker who said that he was not ready to vote on
it. He desired to have Mr. Allen present before the board, where he could ask
him some questions. The matter was laid over until this evening and the clerk
was authorized to communicate with Mr. Allen and ask him to be present. Trustee
White withdrew the motion with some objections, saying that the board was
elected to serve the people, and he was getting tired of prolonging the matter.
The people had asked for paving, and were anxious for it, and it was the
board's business to hustle the matter with all possible speed.
On motion of Trustee Sprague, the firm of
Kellogg & Van Hoesen was employed as counsel for the village in the paving
matter.
President Stilson suggested that the board
ought to take a trip to inspect pavements in other places, and also suggested
that a committee from the board of trade accompany the board on the trip at
their own expense. He expressed the opinion that the board was now in favor of
asphalt. Trustee Nodecker had some doubts about that. He thought it was useless
for the board to take a trip. The board, he thought, was competent to give the
people a good roadway without going to this expense. He expressed the opinion
that if asphalt is used, it should be sheet asphalt, and if a block is used it
should be brick.
A resolution was adopted notifying the gas
and water companies to make connections by July 1, and an adjournment was taken
until this evening
FROM THE
HOSPITAL.
Two Patients
Returned Home After Undergoing Serious Operations.
It is quite the popular thing in some
quarters to loudly call attention to all the deaths that occur at the local
hospital and to ignore the cases where serious operations are performed and
where the patients recover their health and strength. In consequence the
impression is more or less prevalent—especially among those who wish to think
so—that operations performed at the local hospital by local physicians will
necessarily be fatal in their results and that to get through an operation of
any kind safely one must go to some other hospital and have other physicians
operate.
Two cases just now are in point where
serious operations were performed calling for skillful action on the part of
the operators and trained nursing afterward during convalescence.
Five weeks ago Dr. F. D. Reese, assisted by
Drs. H. T. Dana and F. W. Higgins, performed an operation on A. D. McMahon at
the hospital, the operation consisting in removing an abscess which had formed
inside the femur bone of the left leg. It was a most difficult piece of surgery
and it was feared that the result might be the loss of the limb. Yesterday,
however, Mr. McMahon was able to walk from the hospital down to the postoffice
corner with no assistance other than a cane, and he thinks he will soon be able
to be about as usual. He will probably, however, have to wear a drainage tube
through his leg for two months yet to come, but the result is now practically
assured.
Four weeks ago yesterday Dr. S. J.
Sornberger, assisted by Dr. C. D. Ver Nooy and Dr. Miller of Syracuse,
performed an operation for appendicitis upon Mrs. Patrick Dillon of 14
Railway-ave. Yesterday Mrs. Dillon was so far recovered as to be able to be
removed to her home. She is doing finely and is in a fair way to be as well as
ever in a few weeks.
CINCINNATUS
WILL CELEBRATE
The Ever
Glorious Fourth In Real Old Fashioned Style.
Plans were set in operation last night for a
rousing celebration on the Fourth of July in the village of Cincinnatus. An
enthusiastic meeting of prominent citizens of Cincinnatus was held in the
office of Attorney J. H. Murray last evening at which plans were suggested and
discussed at length. The meeting was presided over by Dr. M. L. Halbert and
John R. Foster was secretary. The following general committee of arrangements
was appointed: L. D. Blanchard, J. M. Lotridge, B. R. Corning, P. C. Wheeler and
J. H. Murray.
Cincinnatus always has rousing celebrations,
but it is proposed this year to outdo all former attempts. The fusilier parade,
which has always formed an interesting feature, will be larger and more
imposing than ever. The greased pole will be more greasy than usual, and the
greased pig will be smeared with an extra coating. Of course there will be the
usual contests and races, and in the evening a grand display of fireworks. The
people of that hustling little village feel that with the completion of the
Erie & Central New York railroad and the consequent increased facility for
Cortland people to get out in the world, the people of the latter town could do
no better than to join with their promising sister town in the celebration. As
far as is known, no steps have been taken for a celebration in Cortland, and if
Cortland should not celebrate, the idea would seem to be a good one.
 |
| Miss M. F. Henrick. |
THE
UNIVERSITY CENTER
Took a
Sweeping Review of the Ancient Nations Last Night.
There was a very large attendance of the
members of the Cortland University Center at the Y. M. C. A. rooms last night.
The subjects for study during the week had
been the Medes and Persians, Hindoos, Japanese and Chinese. The subject was so
broad that it would have been possible to do little more at the meeting than to
take the briefest kind of a review of these nations. In consequence, the
leader, Mrs. N. H. Gillette, very wisely decided to select a few themes for
papers and discussions typical of the main subject at issue. Mrs. Gillette
herself gave an excellent review of the life and work of Cyrus the Great. Miss
M. F. Hendrick read appropriate selections from Sir Edwin Arnold's "The
Light of Asia.'' Mrs. F. D. Reese gave a carefully prepared paper upon
"Confucius, his life and the religion or philosophy which he represented."
Miss Marguerite Force gave an interesting talk upon "Ye Gods,"
referring to the numerous divinities of the nations under discussion. Some of
the idols referred to in the list of gods were represented by drawings made by
members of the union.
The meeting closed with rollcall [sic] at which
many complied with the request to present some little item of interest in reference
to Japan instead of saying "present." Many interesting facts were brought
out in this way.
The meeting next week will be held in Miss
Hendrick's room at the Normal school building.
A
GUARDIAN APPOINTED.
Bert M.
Francis to Have the Custody of His Two Sisters.
Surrogate J. E. Eggleston on Friday handed
down his decision in the application for the appointment of a guardian over
Evah and Edna Francis, daughters of Mrs. Cora Francis Hobart. The hearing had
been held some time before, Davis appearing for the petitioners and W. C. Crombie
opposed. The decision holds that the girls' mother is not a competent person to
have charge, custody and control of them, and that their brother, Bert M.
Francis, is and that an order might be entered to that effect. The order was
entered yesterday, and letters of guardianship were issued to Mr. Francis.
Attorney Davis and Constable J. E. Edwards went to Preble yesterday and brought
the children to Cortland.
BREVITIES.
—A small boy in Homer was the victim of a
serious and very peculiar accident last night. Particulars in the Homer letter.
—A business meeting of the cycling division
of the Y. M. C. A. occurs at the rooms at 8 o'clock sharp to-night. The harriers'
run will follow it.
—The Cortland county Pomona grange is to-day
holding its quarterly session with the Marathon grange. A number of Cortland
people are in attendance.
—New display advertisements to-day are—A. S.
Burgess, Russet Shoes, page 7; Bingham Bros. & Miller, Bicycle Trousers,
page 8; D. McCarthy & Sons, Dress Goods, page 4.
—The Fortnightly club will hold its last
meeting for this year to-morrow afternoon at 3:30 o'clock at Miss Halbert's studio
in the Wickwire building. All active and honorary members are cordially invited
to be present.
—The Baraca Bible class of the First Baptist
church will meet in the parlors of the church to-morrow evening for the election
of officers. All members of the class are urged to be present. Ice cream and
cake will be served by the outgoing officers.
—A number of the Cortland lady bicyclists have
made an informal kind of an arrangement with each other to be on the
Railroad-st. pavement near the Presbyterian church between 8:30 and 9:30 A. M. and 6:30 and 7:30 P. M. each day. Those who desire
to ride at those hours and can find time to do so can thus probably find some
other people similarly minded by going to this place. The whole thing is simply
an idea to have a convenient and well-known meeting place where others can be
pretty sure to be found if any one wants to ride and wishes for congenial
company.
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