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| USS Brooklyn. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, July 6, 1898.
Details of How the Cristobal Colon Was Captured.
GREAT PRAISES FOR SCHLEY.
His Prompt Action Prevented the Spanish Fleet From Escaping.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 6.—After a chase of 60 miles to the westward the Brooklyn, closely followed by the Oregon, overhauled the Cristobal Colon after she had ran ashore and had hauled down her flag. Captain Cook of the Brooklyn went on board of her and the commander of the Spanish armored cruiser came forward to surrender and was taken on board the New York, which came up an hour after the Brooklyn and Oregon had completed the capture of the Cristobal Colon. The latter was not seriously damaged, though she was struck several times by shots from the Brooklyn and Oregon.
During the chase a clever manoeuvre of Commodore Schley's in heading due west to Cape Caney, while the Cristobal Colon was taking a more southerly direction with much greater distance to cover, registered the Spaniards escape impossible.
There seems to be no doubt that the Cristobal Colon, and perhaps the other three Spanish armored cruisers would have escaped had it not been for the prompt action of Commodore Schley. The Brooklyn, his flagship, alone was in a position to attack the Spanish vessels as they left the harbor, and the commodore steamed directly toward them and engaged all four cruisers, inflicting great damage upon them.
The Oregon was the first to join the Brooklyn, and afterward the Iowa, Indiana, Texas and Vixen closed around the Spaniards, all pouring in a deadly fire. But from the beginning to the end of the fight the Brooklyn, Oregon and Gloucester took the most important part in the destruction of the enemy.
One man, George Henry Ellias, was killed on board the Brooklyn. His head was blown off by a shell. One man on board of her, J. Burns, was injured.
The Brooklyn was struck half a dozen times, but no injury was done to any of the other American ships.
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| Winfield Scott Schley. |
PRAISES FOR SCHLEY.
His Friends Giving Him Credit For the Great Naval Victory.
WASHINGTON, July 6.—Representative Berry of Kentucky, a member of the house committee on foreign affairs, has introduced the following joint resolution tendering the thanks of congress to Commodore Schley, U. S. N., and the officers and men under his command:
"Resolved, That the thanks of congress and the American people are hereby tendered to Commodore Schley, U. S. N., and the officers and men under his command for their heroic and distinguished conduct in destroying the Spanish fleet in Cuban waters on the 3d of July last."
The resolution was referred to the naval affairs committee.
Mr. Berry in speaking of his resolution said: "I propose that the officers to whom the glory is due shall be recognized. Schley is the real hero of the incident. He and the brave band of officers and men under his immediate direction are the ones who achieved the victory and all honor should be given them. Sampson commands the fleet in these waters, but it was Commodore Schley in command when Cervera and his fleet made the plucky attempt at escape and it was under Schley that everyone of that Spanish fleet met its destruction. Schley and his men have performed a notable feat that will go down in history hand-in-hand with that daring forcing of Manila harbor by Dewey on May 1. Congress should be prompt in recognizing their services and there should be no delay in tendering its thanks and those of the country to the real heroes at Santiago."
HEROES OF SANTIAGO.
Resolution of Thanks to Schley and His Men Introduced in Congress.
WASHINGTON, July 6.—The annihilation of the Spanish fleet continues to be an absorbing topic among naval officers, and they are giving most generous praise to Commodore Schley for the notable manner in which he directed the fight when the immediate command fell to his lot. The commodore's friends have long predicted that if he secured an opportunity he would render good account of the fighting ability of the American navy, and they are glad that this opportunity was offered.
It is one more, and perhaps the greatest achievement in a long line with which Commodore Schley's name has been associated, others, including the relief of the Greeley Arctic expedition and the command of the Baltimore at Valparaiso when war was imminent as a result of a mob attack on the American blue jackets.
Spain Will Continue the War.
MADRID, July 6.—The cabinet council after a short session decided not to open negotiations for peace, but to continue the war with all risks while a single soldier remains in Cuba.
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| American troops landing at Daiquiri, Cuba. |
OUR LOSSES AT SANTIAGO.
Seventeen Hundred Men in the Two Days' Fighting Is the Estimate.
KINGSTON, July 6.—The fighting during the two days' battle has cost the American army 1,700 men. This estimate is made by the surgeons at division headquarters after a careful figuring by the surgeons at the hospitals.
The list of wounded is very large in proportion to the list of those killed outright. Probably less than 100, all told, of the number of wounded have died, making the total number of deaths in the neighborhood of 150. The remainder of the wounded will probably recover.
Considering the fact that not over 12,000 men were engaged on our side, and not all of those were actually under fire, the percentage of loss is very heavy. The slaughter was brought about nominally by the gallantry with which our troops advanced into the open ground in the face of a heavy fire from the Spanish entrenchments and rifle pits.
Our men generally had the opinion that the Spaniards could not shoot, and many, it must be confessed, thought they would not fight. Both impressions were erroneous, particularly the latter. The Spanish have fought with great determination and bravery. The returns show that a number of regiments suffered very heavily, the Seventy-first New York being the worst cut up of the volunteer regiments, and the Thirteenth and Sixth regular infantry close in the race for glory.
In some companies of the Thirteenth regiment one-third of the men are gone, and there are companies in that regiment now entirely without officers.
In the Sixth infantry more than one-third of the officers are gone, only one field officer, Major Miner, being left.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
The Power of Ignorance.
There is a hackneyed proverb that knowledge is power. Sometimes, too, ignorance is power. Certainly it is the sole power which made the current war possible on the part of the Spanish nation. It is the malefic power which has kept Spain lagging so far in the rear in the great race of nations; which has made her people willing to face such enormous odds, and permits the continuance of a struggle which spells bankruptcy and ruin. Dr. E. J. Dillon in The Contemporary Review gives some illuminating facts apropos of this. "We are told that eight-ninths of the Spanish population are absolute illiterates, with no cognizance of any but the bare happenings which occur around them from day to day. They are as innocent of any acquaintance with history, geography and contemporary news as the idiots that may gibber and drivel in their midst. Again in Spain what is called education is purely training in the use of the native language. According to Dr. Dillon, the difference between the lettered and the unlettered "consists less in the greater number of ideas possessed by the educated than in the elegance with which they express the pathetic delusions common to all." This love of sonorous and eloquent phrase has been a bane of parliamentary and governmental life, for it has helped sound to take the place of sense and meaning.
The staying power then, in Spain, which sustains the bellicose mood, is a dense, universal and almost impenetrable ignorance. Almost yet not quite, for there is a hard-headed and practical element which is beginning to make itself felt. One Spanish writer and statesman, Pi y Margall, hast continued his energetic warnings against the folly of a war with this country and other wise Jeremiahs are following his lead. The Catalan merchants and manufacturers, who represent the best practical intelligence of the land, have recently issued a manifesto protesting against the ruinous folly of the government, and the enforced idleness of Catalan workpeople is breeding a riotous spirit. In other provinces there is no intelligent public opinion to which to appeal. Not much can be expected till the inevitable shows itself still more portentously, for there is no "vis a tergo" in the people. That enormous mast of ignorance is immobile, and its power of inertia baffles enlightenment except by a series of overwhelming defeats. Protesting voices ran argue effectively only with the thunder of the American cannon.
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| Robert Koch. |
◘ Professor Koch of cholera and tuberculosis fame has just returned from Africa, where he thinks he has made an important discovery about the propagation of malaria. It was suggested by his study of Texas fever in cattle (closely akin to malaria), in which he was led to the proof that the Texas fever was spread through agency of an animal parasite. He found that where there was no malaria there were no mosquitoes, and where the mosquito abounded malaria was always in evidence. This theory, if true, adds a new terror to the pestiferous insect, which flourishes with equal virulence close to the poles and on the equator. But if there is no ground but mere coincidence, the Koch theory can scarcely be accepted. The mosquito breeds in marsh or stagnant pools. Malaria is invariably found under similar conditions, where exhalations steam from damp soil. Similarity of conditions does not necessitate any essential connection between the two. The world will wait for further proofs from the great investigator of germ diseases.
KILLED BY CARS.
Daniel Long Struck by a Special Train on the Lehigh Valley R. R.
Daniel Long, formerly of Cortland, for several years a section foreman on the Lehigh Valley R. R., at Blakeslee, north of Cazenovia, while riding on a little inspector's car yesterday afternoon between 4 and 5 o'clock was struck by a special train on the road which suddenly appeared around a curve and was instantly killed. Mr. Long was well known here in Cortland, as he had lived here before and now has relatives here, and was a sober, industrious and highly respected man.
He is survived by his wife and a daughter, 10 years old, who were at the time visiting in Homer; also by his mother, Mrs. Mary Long, and brother Lawrence of Preble, by two other brothers, John of Tully and Richard of Lafayette, and by four sisters, Misses Kate and Bridgie of Cortland, Mrs. Michael McCallum of Homer and Mrs. Rhoney of Lafayette.
The remains were brought to Cortland on the 3:17 train this afternoon and were taken at once to Homer. The time of the funeral has not yet been definitely decided upon, but it will probably be on Friday.
PICKERT ARRESTED.
Constable Smith of Freetown Brings Him to the County Jail.
Orvil Pickert of Freetown who has acquired quite a reputation for amateur pugilistic efforts is spending the week with Sheriff Brainard at the county jail, having been arrested for drunkeness by Constable D. B. Smith of Freetown. Smith is said to have had quite a little difficulty in getting his man to jail, as Pickert vigorously resisted arrest and the constable had to floor him several times. On the way to Cortland the constable reports that the prisoner began to abuse him and threatened to whip him the first time he caught him unprotected by the law, and finally offered him $50 if he would lay the law aside and let them meet on the spot as individuals and not as officer and prisoner. The constable concluded to accommodate him though he scorned to consider the financial side of the proposition and they stopped by the roadside and had it out probably to the satisfaction of both parties, as the prisoner consented to come to the jail in a rather battered up condition.
Pickert's case is scheduled to come up in justice's court on Monday, July 11, and failing to secure ball till that time he will board with the sheriff. He has retained Bronson & Davis to defend him.
We are informed by Attorney Davis that Pickert already has three other cases before the court, in which his firm is the counsel for Pickert: First an appeal to county court from a conviction for public intoxication. The appeal will be argued July 12. Second, an arrest about the middle of June on the charge of resisting an officer. An application has been made by the defendant's attorneys to the supreme court to have the case brought before the grand jury on the ground that he cannot secure a fair trial in the justice's court in the town of Freetown. The application will be argued on July 16. Third, an arrest on the charge of assaulting his wife during the same week as his arrest for case number two. The same action has been taken in this case as in case number two. Attorney Davis could not state positively yet, but thought it quite possible that the same line of procedure would be followed in this case for which Pickert is now arrested.
Entertained Their Pupils.
Miss Marie and Francis Davern very delightfully entertained their schools and friends at the Cortland park on Saturday, July 2. A special car was chartered and over fifty, including many from McGraw and Cortland enjoyed dinner and supper served in the woods. After a day of unusual jollity the merry crowd boarded the cars for home waving handkerchiefs and shouting goodbyes to their beloved teachers.
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