 |
| Maj. Gen. William Rufus Shafter. |
Cortland
Evening Standard, Monday, June 13, 1898.
INVASION
HAS BEGUN.
General
Shafter's Division Sails From Key West.
DESTINATION
SANTIAGO.
They
Will Probably Land Near There on Thursday.
WASHINGTON, June 13.—Under command of Major General Shafter the first division of the United States army sailed last night
from Key West for Santiago de Cuba to besiege and capture that town. The army
transports, 30 in number, left Port Tampa Saturday for Key West. The convoying warships,
believed to number between 16 and 19, and with this powerful force there is no
longer reason for apprehension that the transports can be attacked successfully
by any Spanish warships, even if such should have escaped the vigilant search
of the naval commanders at Key West and off Havana.
It is believed here that the sally out of
Havana of the three Spanish gunboats was intended to create the impression that
they were prepared to go out to attack the transports. If so the plan miscarried,
for the craft were detected immediately by Commodore Watson's cruisers and
driven back pellmell into Havana harbor under the protection of the guns of the
shore batteries. Even if these boats had escaped they could have done no
damage, for the size of the convoy furnished for the troopship is sufficient to
warrant the belief that they would have been speedily destroyed should they
have had the courage to make an attack upon the fleet of American ships. The
Spanish gunboats are not of formidable character, not one of them being the
equal in power of the smallest of the American cruisers, or even of such
gunboats as the little Bancroft, which may be used as General Shafter's
flagship.
Every precaution has been taken by the
government to secure the safety of the troops en route to Cuba. The naval war
board was in session yesterday making the final preparations for the
disposition of the guard ships.
The transports will be kept closely together
as safe navigation will permit and the warships will be disposed ahead, astern
and on either flank of the fleet, and the scouting vessels will be thrown far
out in advance of the transports, and in order to insure against an attack from
the rear, some of these vessels, such as the St. Louis, perhaps, will linger
far astern ready to signal the heavily armed cruisers at first sign of an
approaching foe. The stately battle ship Indiana, it is expected, will lead the
procession of ships, which will be the most numerous gathered in American
waters since the civil war.
The troops should arrive off Santiago by
Wednesday night, supposing the fleet proceeds at eight knots speed and landing
operations should begin by Thursday, for General Shafter will not keep his men
cooped up on shipboard a moment longer than necessary. It is not believed that
they will be landed at Caimanera, the point on Guantanamo bay where the
American flag now flies over the heads of Sampson's marines, as that place
while well adapted to serve as a naval base, and as a harbor of refuge for
American warships is not particularly well suited for the beginning of military
operations.
 |
| USS Marblehead. |
CHIEF
NAVAL OPERATIONS.
They
Have Been Confined to Guantanamo Bay.
OUR FLAG
FLYING ON SHORE.
Harbor
For Coaling Our War Vessels Has Been Secured.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, June 13.—For three days
the scene of the chief military and naval operations has been Caimanera and
Guantanamo bay. The American
flag is flying on the shore and in the harbor, first planted on Cuban soil by
United States marines from the transport Panther under Lieutenant Colonel R. W.
Huntington, covered by the guns of the cruiser Marblehead, commanded by
Commander McCalla. The battleship Oregon has already coaled in the smooth water
of the harbor and has sailed away. The battleship Texas is now coaling to be
followed by other ships.
In controlling the outer harbor of
Guantanamo, where Lieutenant Colonel
Huntington's
battalion of marines landed on Saturday, Rear Admiral Sampson secures
possession of the Cuban terminus of the French cable to Hayti. The apparatus in
the office at the harbor mouth was wrecked by a shell, but the cable steamer
Adria has instruments and operators aboard and direct communication with
Washington will soon be established.
The distance overland to Santiago around the
bay is about 60 miles, and the roads have been rendered impassable by the
Cubans under Pedro Perez. The first division of the Cuban army claims to have
4,000 men, but these figures are probably over-estimated. The Cubans believe
that there are about 3,000 soldiers in the vicinity of Caimanera, which lies at
the entrance to the inner harbor. Guantanamo City is inland about 15 miles. The
two harbors are connected by a narrow channel. It is the outer harbor which
Admiral Sampson now holds with the Marblehead, the Yosemite and the Vixen and a
battalion of marines on the crest of an eminence commanding the entrance on the
eastern side. In the inner harbor are two small Spanish gunboats, and at
Caimanera there is a battery.
An expedition of three steam launches, officered
by Lieutenant Norman, Ensign Eustis and Cadet G. Van Orden, under the general
command of Lieutenant Anderson of the cruiser Marblehead, dragged for mines but
found none; Lieutenant Anderson, who distinguished himself at Cienfuegos, pulled
a dingy within 50 yards of the fort without being discovered. He found the fort
to consist of masonry, with three guns mounted seaward.
Judging from the panic in which the Spaniards
fled from the village at Fisherman's Point, they will scatter at the first approach.
They left at
Fisherman's
Point three antiquated howitzers, several cases of ammunition, shell and
canteens, some Mauser rifles and a regimental flag of the Infantoria del
Principe No. 3.
Every precaution has been taken to guard the
men from disease. All the huts in the locality have been razed; large casks of
Spanish wine have been smashed; two wells have been boarded up and all the
drinking water used is supplied from the fleet. The marines are well equipped
for the campaign. The camp will probably be named Camp McCalla, after the
commander of the Marblehead, who is indefatigable.
The British steamer Newfoundland of Montreal
with a general cargo from
Halifax
steamed into the harbor. Her commander was greatly surprised at the presence of
the Americans, but he retained enough composure to dip his flag three times and
then started to put about. A shot across his bows from the Marblehead stopped
him and the vessel was boarded, her papers showing that she was bound for
Jamaica. The captain explained that he had put in to see if he could get a
return cargo of sugar. He was informed that he could not and was allowed to proceed.
The squadrons of Rear Admiral Sampson and
Commodore Schley are still off Santiago, maintaining a strict watch day and
night to prevent the possibility of the escape of Admiral Cervera. From men who
have landed to take observations of the harbor, it is learned definitely, all
agreeing on the point that the Spanish cruisers and two torpedo boat destroyers
are there.
A high naval officer remarked: "Spain
throughout her whole history has never sought a naval fight and never will. She
has always dodged, and is dodging now. Cervera never intended to fight. He
intended to dodge and he has succeeded. Spain will never send another fleet to
these waters during the present war."
Severe storms prevail in the channel between
Santiago de Cuba and
Jamaica.
The press dispatch boats have encountered three storms for the last 10 days,
making the voyage very difficult. The heat adds to the discomfort, but a daily
service is maintained.
 |
| "United States Marines Invade Cuba." |
FOUR
AMERICANS KILLED.
Our
Marines Battle With Spanish Guerillas For Thirteen Hours.
MOLE ST. NICHOLAS, Hayti. June
13.—Lieutenant Colonel R. W. Huntington's battalion of marines, which landed
from the transport Panther on Saturday and encamped on the hill guarding the
abandoned cable station at the entrance to the outer harbor of Guantanamo, has
been engaged in beating off a bush attack by Spanish guerillas and regulars
since 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon. The fighting was almost continuous for 13
hours until 6 o'clock Sunday morning, when reinforcements were laded from the
Marblehead.
Four of our men were killed and one was
wounded. The advance pickets under Lieutenants Neville and Shaw are unaccounted
for.
Among the killed is Assistant Surgeon John
Blair Gibbs, son of Major Gibbs of the regular army, who fell in the Custer
massacre. His home was at Richmond, but he has been practicing in New York and
he entered the service since the war begun. He was a very popular officer.
The others killed are Sergeant C. H. Smith
of Smallwood, Private William
Dunphy of
Gloucester, Mass., and Private Jamee McColgan of Stoneham, Mass. Corporal Glass
was accidentally wounded in the head.
The Spanish loss is unknown, but it was
probably considerable. The splashes of blood found at daylight at the positions
the Spaniards occupied indicate fatalities, but their comrades carried off the
killed and wounded.
The engagement began with desultory firing
at the pickets, a thousand yards inland from the camp. Captain Spicer's company
was doing guard duty and was driven in, finally rallying on the camp and
repulsing the enemy at 5 o'clock.
The bodies of Private McColgan and Dunphy
were found, both shot in the head. The large cavities caused by the bullets,
which inside a range of 600 yards have a rotary motion, indicate that the
victims were killed at close range.
PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.
Our Flag
in Cuba.
The Stars and Stripes float in Cuba. Friday
a force of marines was landed at Guantanamo,
pulled down the flag of Spain which the retreating guard had left flying over
the blockhouse, and ran up Old Glory. Not a shot was fired, though some days
before the Marblehead and some auxiliary cruisers had broken up the defenses
and, it would seem, the spirit of the defenders. It so happened that the honor
of landing the first party of invaders fell to Captain Clark and the Oregon,
who came from the far off Pacific station. The total force of marines sent
ashore from the Oregon, Marblehead and Panther, numbered about 850.
Guantanamo is about forty miles east of
Santiago. It has a good harbor and railroad connection, and will be an
excellent basis for American movements. Several ships laden with coal are said
to be in the harbor, which is large enough to afford a resting place for the
American warships if storms make it desirable for them to seek shelter.
It is understood that the troops en route to
operate against Santiago will be landed at Guantanamo. A good place for a camp
on a healthful elevation is there. It is covered by the guns of the fleet, though
attack by land in not feared, as there are few Spanish troops in Guantanamo,
which city is fifteen miles from the entrance to the harbor.
A good landing place having been secured
nothing remains to delay the army of invasion. The sea is commanded by American
ships. The harbor of Santiago is blocked and its defenses in ruins. Investment
of the city by a land force, it is confidently believed, must result in the
early surrender of Santiago and Admiral Cervera. With their capture, and Porto
Rico occupied, if Spain isn't ready to sue for peace the taking of Havana will
be next in order. Looking to the future it is highly desirable that the surrender
of the latter city be secured with its defensive works and public buildings
uninjured by bombardment. Our flag is in Cuba, to remain till the object of the
war is attained.
Harry
Hitchcock Home Again.
Master Harry Hitchcock [young trick bicyclist], who has been with the
Maude Hillman Co. for nearly one year, arrived home [in
Cortland] last week, feeling first rate and in the best of health. His little
schoolmates, numbering about fifty boys and girls, gave him a surprise Friday
evening at his home, 68 Pomeroy-st. Games were indulged in, after which
refreshments were served including ice cream, cake, fruits and candy. His
mother was assisted in waiting upon the little ones by his sister, Mrs. E. R.
Richardson, and the way in which all seemed to enjoy themselves made all the
older ones wish they were young again. May they be as happy for many years is the
wish of HARRY'S FRIEND.
A TRIP
AWHEEL.
To Cortland
and Along the Line of the New Road to Cincinnatus.
Editor F. C. Branday of the Whitney Point Reporter
was recently in Cortland on a wheel ride. He returned along the line of the new
railroad to Cincinnatus, and published notes of his trip in the next edition of
The Reporter. Parts of the letter will interest Cortland county readers and
consequently we reprint some extracts from it, as follows:
Having been tied up at home for several months
with long continuous hard work, we decided to have a little holiday Saturday,
and in company with Principal Grubel, Walter Ford and Rafford Pease left
Saturday morning for a day's trip awheel. The start was made at 8 o'clock and
by 9 o'clock Marathon was reached, where a halt was made for repairs and soda
water, and where many acquaintances were met by different members of the party.
The roads were in good shape, though more dust in some places than had been
expected. A little difficulty was experienced with the two high grade wheels,
and the owners began to think they would trade them off for almost "any
old thing."
Marathon to Cortland was a longer stretch, but
the day proved cloudy and fine for wheeling and soon after 11 found us entering
the city. The Normal buildings were first visited, Principal Grubel, who was
familiar with the place, showing us about. We had before seen the buildings
from outside, but had little realized their extent and of course known nothing
of their interior arrangement. We were introduced to Dr. Cheney, who happened
to be in his office—a man of friendly unaffected bearing, yet impressing one as
having a massive intellect and great force and power. He spoke among other
things of the pleasure of wheel riding and said he had just returned from
Little York, where he ate breakfast. He highly commended the policy of school
boards continuing the same principal from year to year. The library containing
thousands of volumes was visited, also the chemical experiment room where
several students with long aprons were engaged and several classrooms, passing
down long halls until without a guide we should have surely been lost. Howard
Tracy of this town met us soon after entering and accompanied us about. He
graduates at the coming commencement.
Dinner over, several acquaintances were met
on the street and elsewhere, including Geo. Ames, who has a good location on
the main street and appears to be having an excellent trade. It was our
intention to ride at least a part of the way to Cincinnatus on the new road, but
no train running until night that project was abandoned. On the brow of a hill
east of the town the new electric road park [Cortland Park] was seen and came next in order. It
contains a casino, dancing hall, swings, walks, etc., and from its elevation a
good view of the city is seen, and it certainly presents a creditable
appearance. The park was just being put in readiness for the season.
McGrawville was soon reached. Electric cars
and steam cars now convey people to and fro and the highway bore evidence of
much travel. The McGraw corset company has built up and spread out much in late
years, and is the principal industry of the village. Mr. Albert McGraw, owner
of the factory, was in his office but he was busy and we had not time to renew
a pleasant acquaintance formed some years ago. We met Mr. Dibble on the street,
and had a very cordial invitation to go to his home, but was compelled to
forego the pleasure for lack of time.
Passing eastward, the highway was found
fairly level to Solon and paralleled the steam road on the opposite side of the
creek. The stations along the road are small cozy affairs, and reminded us of
some of the stations down South, though they are probably adequate to the
traffic. Leaving Solon we took the stage route over the hill. We passed to the
north of Freetown and soon came in sight of a broad beautiful valley which we
knew could be none other than that of the beautiful and fertile Otselic.
Cincinnatus has picked up wonderfully since
the advent of the railroad.
They have
a good depot, and the appearance of considerable shipping. There is a new
blacksmith shop near the depot, and a large and well appointed milk station. In
the latter the milk is cooled in great cans set in an ice chamber of solid
stone masonry. Across the track the frame was up for a new factory for the
production of Italian cheese.
We supped at that finest of country
hostelries, the Hotel Ingalls, in the sprightly village of Willet, and then
rode home after sundown—the most enjoyable time of day for wheeling. We had
estimated the distance at about fifty-five miles but the cyclometer registered
sixty-four miles. This was our first ride of any length on a bevel gear
chainless Columbia. It had been said that the continual meshing of the gears
would produce numbness in the feet, but we experienced nothing of the sort.
This was one of the points we wished to test.
Johnny
Baggs Again in Trouble.
Charles Wilkinson, whose more familiar name
is Johnny Baggs, the ragpicker, who lives in the Estey block on Arthur-ave.,
was arrested at 3 o'clock this afternoon by Officer W. T. Nix on complaint of
some of the other occupants of this block on the charge of public intoxication.
Officer Nix brought him down to the office of Police Justice Mellon who was out
at the time. While waiting for the magistrate Johnny made a bold dash for
liberty. He darted down the back stairway and through alleyways across
Railroad-st. with Officer Nix in hot pursuit. The officer caught the fleeing
fugitive in the rear of the Wickwire building on Railroad-st. and he was landed
in a cell at the police station.
Saturday
Night's Storm.
Cortland was visited by a severe electric
storm Saturday evening. For twenty minutes the rain came down in sheets,
accompanied by quite a wind and by much lightning. Everything was shut down for
a short time at the powerhouse of the Traction and Electric companies, and so
the electric lights were out for a time, and street cars stalled wherever they
happened to be. No damage has been reported in the village excepting the
splitting of a half dozen electric light poles on Hamlin-st., and the damaging
of a motor armature on one of the electric cars.
WANTED
TO DIE.
Aged
Oliver Russell of Truxton Took Morphine.
Coroner W. J. Moore was called to the
residence of Oliver Russell in the town of Truxton, three miles south of Tully,
yesterday, by the suicide of Mr. Russell. The coroner found that Mr. Russell
came to his death by taking morphine with suicidal intent. The deed was
performed Saturday afternoon, and an effort was made to reach Coroner Moore
that night by telephone, but the storm prevented. The deceased was 72 years of
age, and it is said that he had been a great sufferer from sciatic rheumatism.
Mrs. Russell was away Saturday afternoon, and Mr. Russell was at home alone. A
neighbor, Mr. Wiles, knew of these facts and remembered that the day before Mr.
Russell had said to him that he should suicide with morphine the first time he
had a chance. Mr. Wiles went to the Russell house, and there found Mr. Russell
lying on a bed in an unconscious state. Dr. Leonard of Tully was sent for but
before his arrival, Mr. Russell had expired. Coroner Moore decided that it was
a plain case of suicide, and that no inquest was necessary, and returned at 11:25
last night.
BREVITIES.
—To-morrow is Flag day. Let everybody display
Old Glory.
—New display advertisements to-day are—-A.
S. Burgess, Men's Fine Suits, page 7; G. F. Beaudry, Wheels, page 6.
—A meeting of the board of directors of the
Y. M. C. A. will be held at the association parlor on Tuesday evening, June 14,
at 8 o'clock.
—The meeting of the Cortland University Center
will be held at room 106 Normal building this evening at 8 o'clock. Note the
change of location.
—The funeral of Miss Mary Taylor, who died
Saturday at the home of her sister, Mrs. W. A. Dunn was held at 6:15 o'clock
last evening, and the remains were taken this morning to her former home in
Bedford, Province of Quebec, Can., for burial.
—Reports from all over the country are coming
in regarding the serious effects of the heavy storm Saturday evening. In many
places it was accompanied by hail that did much damage to crops and to windows.
Several fires also resulted from lightning
—A regular meeting of the W. C. T. U. will
be held on Tuesday, June 14, at 2:45 P. M. Consecration service will be
led by Mrs. James S. Squires. Business meeting and reports from the county
convention held at Virgil will be given and reports from the temple fund will
follow.
A SCHOOL
EXCURSION
From
Cortland to Ithaca on Saturday, June 18—List of Attractions.
Arrangements have been made for a grand
school excursion from Cortland and some other places to Ithaca on Saturday,
June 18. President Schurman has kindly consented that all the buildings of
Cornell university shall that day be opened to the students and invites them
all to visit and inspect the buildings and their contents.
Other attractions will be the new hydraulic dam,
the new bridge on the heights, a promenade through the beautiful gorge. There
will be balloon ascension at Renwick park at 4 o'clock and fireworks in the
evening. Special cars with special rates will run from Homer and McGrawville to
connect with the special train to and from Ithaca. A special train will leave
Cortland at 9 A. M. and will leave Ithaca on the return at 10 P. M.,
arriving at Cortland at 10:45 P. M. Tickets will also be good returning on the
regular train arriving at Cortland at 6:56 P. M. for those who do not care to wait
for the later train. Round trip fare from Cortland 55 cents. Round trip fare
from Homer and McGrawville, including street car fare, 65 cents. Children under
12 years half price. Special cars will leave both Homer and McGrawville at 8:20
A. M. and run straight to the Lehigh Valley station. Special cars returning
will reach Homer at 11:05 P. M. and McGrawville at 11:15 P. M.
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