Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, August 31, 1900.
PEKIN'S STORY TOLD.
Celebration Over the Rescue of the Besieged.
LEGATION COMPOUND TELLS TALE.
During the Bombardment 2,800 Shells Fell There, While Bushels of Bullets Are Lying About—Hundreds Withstood Millions For 56 Days.
PEKIN, Aug. 14, by post, via Tien Tsin—A medal will be struck commemorating the siege of Pekin. It will bear the legend "Men, not walls, make a city."
In the grounds of the British legation, where a handful of men withstood the millions of the Chinese capital for 56 days, a memorable celebration is in progress tonight in vindication of that principle. Missionaries, assembled about Bell tower, are singing the Doxology. Rockets are blazing. Soldiers and civilians of all nationalities are fraternizing. The women are applauding the sound of the cannon that are smashing the yellow roofs of the forbidden city.
The tired Sikhs are planting their tents on the lawn; and the American and Russian contingents are lighting camp fires along the stretch of turf extending beyond the Tartar wall.
Through the ruins of the foreign settlement an eager, cosmopolitan crowd is jostling—Indians, Cossacks, legation ladies, diplomats, Americans from the Philippines and French disciplinarians from Saigon, who kept discreetly to the rear while the fighting was in progress, but came conspicuously to the front when looting began. Only Japanese who have earned the first place are absent.
Resident foreigners welcome the luxury of walking about with immunity from bullets. The newcomers are anxious to inspect the evidences of a historic defense. These barricades are, after all, the most wonderful sight in Pekin. The barriers hedging the British legation are a market of stone and brick walls and earthworks. Sand bags shield over space. The tops of the walls have niches for the riflemen and the buildings, at their porticos and windows, have armor boxes, bags stuffed with dirt and pillows too.
Back of the United States legation is a work named "Fort Meyers," which the marines held, completely screening both sides of the walls, with steps leading to it. There is a loopholed barrier across the wall which faces a similar Chinese work a few yards away. Another wall bars Legation street in front of the German legation; and confronting the enemy's barricades within those limits are yet more walls, enabling the foreigners to contract the area of defense if pressed.
The tops of the American and British buildings were badly torn by the Chinese shells. The rest of the foreign settlement was almost demolished. Two thousand eight hundred shells fell there during the first three weeks of the bombardment, 400 in one day. Buckets full of bullets were gathered in the grounds.
Four hundred and fourteen people lived in the compound through the greater part of the siege. Three hundred and four marines assisted by 85 volunteers, commanded by the English captain, Poole, defended the place. Eleven civilians were killed and 19 wounded. Fifty-four marines and sailors were killed and 112 wounded.
The Americans lost seven killed and 11 wounded. Mr. Gilbert Reid who was wounded in the feet was the only American civilian injured. Two foreign ladies were wounded. The reception which the survivors gave the army was worth the hardships the troops had undergone. The entrance was not spectacular. Sir Alfred Gaselee with his staff and a company of Sikhs waded up a bed of sewage in the canal under the tartar wall. The besieged removed the barricades and when the gates swung inward and the British colors appeared there arose a great continuous cheer on both sides.
Generals, soldiers and correspondents scrambled up the banks through the filth, elbowing to be first. Men and women surrounded the rescuers and shook the hands of the Sikhs, patting them on the back. Everybody was hustled excitedly along into the legation grounds where the colors were planted. The soldiers surrounded the well which had been the salvation of the besieged.
The ministers and officers demanded the latest news on both sides.
An hour afterward General Chaffee riding at the head of the Fourteenth United States infantry marched to the tartar wall.
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| "Race to Take Peking First," Torajiro Kasai. |
SIEGE OF PEKIN.
Additional Details from the Chines Capital.
(Copyright, 1900, The Associated Press.)
PEKIN, Aug. 14, BY POST VIA TIEN TSIN—One disadvantage that the Americans had during the hard march to the relief of Pekin was that their transportation wagons were late in arriving. The Ninth infantry possessed the only outfit which had reached the Tien Tsin up to the time of starting. The supplies were divided among the soldiers of the Ninth and the Fourteenth infantry regiments and the battery. The Americans with haversacks, blankets and tent rolls, started under the heaviest loads, but they soon stripped to fighting trim, preferring to forego their blankets rather than to sweat under them. During the last two nights of the march they slept tired and worn out in the rain without shelter or cover. The American often bivouacked supperless and breakfastless. Toward the end the officers kept the men at work only by appealing to their national pride.
"Don't let the Britishers beat you; don't let the business get ahead," they urged constantly.
The rescued were pathetically pale and thin. They looked like a company of invalids. Every part of the enclosure testified to their tragic experiences. There was a plot of new graves headed with wooden crosses, including the graves of five children. The second secretary's house was the hospital and it was filled with wounded. French nuns ministered there at one time. All but four men of the Japanese contingent had been in the hospital wounded.
There were several caves roofed with timbers and heaped over with earth which had served as bomb proofs but had been seldom occupied.
The bulletin board was covered with significant notices. For instance:
"As there is likely to be a severe dropping fire to-day, women and children are forbidden to walk about the grounds."
Here is another:
"Owing to the small supply of vegetables and eggs the market will be open only from 9 to 10 hereafter. All horse meat is inspected by a physician."
Mr. Conger had the first secretary house. Seventy American missionaries occupied the chapel and the French contingent had the pavilion on the lawn.
The bravery of the women was noteworthy. They became so accustomed to fire that it was difficult to restrain them from walking about the grounds at all times.
The foreigners remarked that relief had been long delayed but they insisted that they had never despaired of the outcome. The Chinese are said to admit that they lost 3,000 killed during the siege. The foreigners did not waste their ammunition, shooting only when a target was in evidence. The Chinese method, on the other hand, was a continuous heavy and indiscriminate fire.
The legations were fiercely attacked from July 17 to July 25. At the latter date a nominal truce was agreed to and extended to Aug. 3. The Chinese repeatedly violated it. There was considerable rifle fire from Aug. 3 to Aug. 11 and then the Chinese mounted smooth bores. The thermometer kept near a hundred and was sometimes above that figure. The country was deep with sand and the route lay through shadeless fields of tall thin corn. The Japanese possessed the greater endurance and being provided with the best transport they made the pace.
Several hundred Americans dropped out from the heat each day. They came straggling into camp this evening. Even the native Indian troops suffered almost as much.
GUARDS TO BE MAINTAINED
At Gates of the Imperial City—Troops for Army.
YOKOHAMA, Aug. 31.—General Yamaguchi, commanding the Japanese troops in China, reports that a meeting of foreign ministers and commanders has decided to maintain guards at the gates of the Imperial city, entrusting the south gates to the Americans while the Japanese hold three others. It was also decided to commemorate the occupation of Pekin by a march of the allied troops through the Imperial city Aug. 28. Many of the eunuch guards have left the palace and have surrendered themselves. The inmates of the palace have been assured that they will be treated with every consideration. Five companies of troops from the Japanese garrison at Taipeh, island of Formosa, started Tuesday for Amoy.
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| Canons on display at Watervliet Arsenal. |
SIXTEEN-INCH GUN.
The Largest Rifle in the World—Facts and Figures.
While Mr. L. D. Garrison of Cortland was visiting recently in Troy, he spent a very profitable half day at the arsenal at Watervliet and was an interested spectator of the workings of that institution. The following data in reference to a large sixteen-inch gun now in process of construction will give an idea of the immense size of one of these guns, the cost of firing, and other interesting facts concerning it:
The sixteen-inch gun, which is in course of construction at the Watervliet arsenal, will probably be completed within a few months, and the early winter will see the largest rifle in the world ready for testing. The jacket was successfully shrunk a few weeks ago, and now a row of hoops must be put on. With the rifling and finishing the manufacture of the piece will be prolonged to the early part of the coming year. Following are interesting data about the gun:
Weight, without carriage 126 tons
Length, 49 feet 6 inches
Diameter at breech, 8 feet 2 inches
Size of bore, 16 inches
Range, 20.76 miles
Projectile:
Weight, 2,370 pounds
Length, 64 inches
Powder charge, 1,050 pounds
Cost of powder, $265.00
Cost of projectile, $600.00
Total cost to fire gun, $865.00
Projectile will have muzzle velocity of 2,600 feet per second; at this velocity it will penetrate wrought iron to the distance of 41.6 inches.
To attain maximum range the projectile will reach an elevation of nearly five miles.
If projectile were to follow the contour of the earth at its muzzle velocity it would require about fourteen hours to encompass the globe.
The pressure on gun at time of discharge will be 36,000 pounds to square inch.
It was necessary to construct new machinery to make this gun. One lathe, in particular, is 135 feet long with a swing of 9 feet. It weighs 250 tons and required sixteen cars for its transportation.
HOME WEDDING.
Mr. Clayton Smith and Miss Eva J. Morehouse Married Last Evening.
A very quiet home wedding was solemnized last evening at 8 o'clock at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. A. Morehouse, 15 Wheeler-ave., when their daughter Miss Eva J. Morehouse was united in marriage to Mr. N. Clayton Smith by the Rev. J. C. B. Moyer of the Homer-ave. church. Only the members of the immediate families of the contracting parties were present to witness the ceremony. Many valuable presents were received. After a wedding supper, Mr. and Mrs. Smith started on a three weeks' trip. They will be at home at 15 Wheeler-ave. after Oct. 1. The young people are well known and highly respected here in Cortland. Mr. Smith was for a long time head clerk at Angell & McFall's Owego-st. store. He is now a clerk at Hopkins' grocery.
Died in Kansas.
Archibald S. Lamont died at his home in Quenemo, Kan., Tuesday, Aug. 28, after a long illness from locomotor ataxia. Mr. Lamont was a son of William Lamont of McLean, and went to Kansas in the early days of the settlement of that state. Eleven years ago he married for his second wife, Miss Kate J. Lamont, a sister of Mrs. Lewis Bouton of Cortland, who with two children, Donald and George, survives him. Three children by his first wife also survive, William and Milo Lamont of Quenemo and Miss Emily Lamont of Cortland.
Moravia Canning Factory.
The string bean season at the canning factory has closed. Over thirty thousand cans of beans were preserved. A large amount of corn and a considerable quantity of tomatoes are being received now and the factory is running night and day. Two cents per bushel was the price first paid for husking corn but Saturday the huskers went on a strike and the rate was raised to 3 cents.—Moravia Republican.
McLean Union School.
Report of the papers accepted by the [state] regents for the school year ending June, 1900:
Elementary English—Frank Conklin, Lotta Conklin, Myrtis Clark, Roy Gardiner, Edward Hart, Anna Hart, Vida Morgan, Katherine O'Byrne, Ernest Reniff, Pauline Ronk, Nora Stedman, William Trapp, Bertha Trapp, Mabel Webster.
Geography—Lotta Conklin, Myrtis Clark, Norman Dann, Earle Dutcher, Philip Foote, Roy Francis, Roy Gardiner, Anna Hart, Edward Hart, Emily Hart, Joseph Morris, Jerome Mineah, Vida Morgan, William McDermott, Katherine O'Byrne, Frank Ogden, Rowland Powers, Laura Stanton, Nora Stedman, Bertha Trapp, Perla Willey, Maude Woodard, Mabel Webster, James Waldron.
Arithmetic—Lotta Conklin, Roy Gardiner, Edward Hart, Frank Ogden, Katherine O'Byrne, Ernest Reniff, Nora Stedman, Robert Tomlinson, Bertha Trapp, George West.
Bookkeeping—Joseph Alley, Lydia Alley, Mabel Baldwin, Charles Dutcher, Helen Francis, Frank Grover, Claude Houghtaling, Florence McCarthy, Anna Morris, John McCarthy, Claude Reniff, Lina Robinson, James Tomlinson.
Advanced English—Joseph Alley, Lydia Alley, Lotta Conklin, Frank Conklin, Charles Dutcher, Frank Grover, Anna Morris, Rowland Powers, Claude Reniff. Cora Steele, John Shea, James Tomlinson, Bertha Trapp, Perla Willey.
Drawing—Joseph Alley, Lydia Alley, Lotta Conklin, Frank Conklin, Edward Hart, Emily Hart, Katherine O'Byrne, Pauline Ronk, Ernest Reniff, Laura Stanton, Nora Stedman, John Shea, George West.
United States History—Frank Conklin, Lotta Conklin, Helen Francis, Grace Hart, Edward Hart, Anna Morris, Rowland Powers, Ernest Reniff, John Shea, Nora Stedman, William Trapp, George West, Perla Willey.
Physiology—Frank Conklin, Lotta Conklin, Edward Hart, Katherine O'Byrne, Ernest Reniff, Nora Stedman, Laura Stanton, Edward Tomlinson, Maude Woodard, James Waldron, George West.
English Composition—Frank Conklin, Lotta Conklin, Emily Hart, Linnie Robbins, Ernest Reniff, Nora Stedman, Cora Steele, John Shea, Laura Stanton, Mary Sears.
Algebra—Joseph Alley, Lydia Alley, Helen Francis, Frank Grover, Florence McCarthy, Lina Robinson, James Tomlinson, Perla Willey.
Plane Geometry—Joseph Alley, Frank Grover, John McCarthy, Florence McCarthy, Almon Nye, Lina Robinson.
Rhetoric—Joseph Alley, Helen Francis, Frank Grover, Grace Hart, Florence McCarthy, Anna Morris, Claude Reniff, James Tomlinson.
Advanced Drawing—Lydia Alley, Frank Conklin, Charles Dutcher, Frank Grover, Grace Hart, Edward Hart, Florence McCarthy, Almon Nye, Katherine O'Bryne, Pauline Ronk, Lina Robinson, George West.
Advanced Arithmetic—Joseph Alley, John McCarthy, Almon Nye.
Physical Geography—Joseph Alley, Lydia Alley, Frank Grover, Edward Hart, Florence McCarthy, Ernest Reniff, John Shea, Nora Stedman, George West.
Civics—Lydia Alley, Frank Conklin, Frank Grover, Ernest Reniff, John Shea, James Tomlinson, Perla Willey.
New York History—Joseph Alley, Frank Grover, John Shea.
Economics—John Shea, John McCarthy.
Botany—Frank Grover, Helen Francis, John McCarthy, Florence McCarthy, Lina Robinson, Laura Stanton.
Latin, First Year—John McCarthy.
Advanced United States History—Joseph Alley, Florence McCarthy.
Astronomy—Frank Grover, John McCarthy.
American Literature—Joseph Alley.
Physics—Frank Grover, John McCarthy.
Zoology— Almon Nye.
Those who are credited with the other preliminary subjects passed reading, writing and spelling. The first class will be graduated next June. Forty-eight count academic diploma is the requirement. School opens Tuesday, Sept. 4, 1900.
BREVITIES.
—The season at Sylvan Beach will close Labor day.
—A pacing ostrich is one of the special attractions of the Oneonta fair.
—W. D. Tisdale's residence has been connected with the telephone exchange.
—New display advertisements to-day are—F. D. Smith, Stove thoughts, page 8.
—A new time table goes into effect on the Erie & Central New York railroad Sunday, Sept. 2.
—A regular meeting of the hospital board will be held at the hospital on Monday next at 8 P. M.
—The poles for the new Home Telephone Co., have been set on Groton-ave., as far as the city line.
—The only thing to fear about that China concert is that all the powers will not play the same tune.—Utica Herald Dispatch.
—The colored people of Cortland and vicinity are holding a picnic at the park to-day. About seventy-five are in attendance.
—Boys are being employed as domestics in Milwaukee on account of the scarcity of girls, and the experiment is pronounced satisfactory.
—It is Fred Priest, a son of Mr. Calvin Priest, who is conducting a lunch wagon in Homer and not Mr. Calvin Priest as has been stated.
—The choir of the First M. E. church will meet this evening for rehearsal at the church at 7:30 o'clock. Let every member be present.
—While trying to escape from the city almshouse in Oswego yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Anna Smith fell from a three story window and was instantly killed.
—Excavation was begun this morning on that part of Groton-ave. just west of Homer-ave. and the dirt is being used to raise the grade in places on the latter street.
—J. H. Rease, who has been conducting the Clinton House in Ithaca, has leased the Hotel Avery in Auburn for a term of years and will take possession Sept. 1.
—J. F. Rice took one first premium and two seconds on his White Leghorns at the State fair this week, and A. W. Graham secured four firsts and one second on Buff Leghorns.
—Trading stamps as a mode of drawing business will have to cease on and after Sept. 1. It is probable that the courts will be called upon to decide the constitutionality of the new law.
—The league baseball standing, given in another column, is made out under the supposition that the game yesterday at Rome was forfeited to Cortland. McFall was the only umpire agreed upon by both teams and he gave the game to Cortland. Why not count it?
—The horse barn on the farm of R. M. Burghardt at Upper Lisle was struck by lightning Monday afternoon and burned. It contained about thirteen tons of hay, two or three wagons, harnesses, bobs, carpenter tools, etc., which went with it, but the horses were taken out also a monument which was loaded on a wagon in the basement.
—Cortland Commandery, No. 50, K. T., will meet this evening for their final drill before the pilgrimage to Rochester Monday next. The commandery also wishes it understood that any one who desires to take the trip to Rochester can do so at the same rate, $2.75 for round trip. The special train will leave D., L. & W. station Monday at 12:30, and return Wednesday, leaving Rochester 5:15 P. M.
—Marriette Manchester, a missionary in China, whose home was in Edmeston, Chenango county, has been murdered by the Boxers. This is the sad intelligence which her father, Andrew Manchester of Edmeston, received on Tuesday of last week in a letter which was written to him by a missionary who was connected with the same mission as that of Miss Manchester.
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