.jpg) |
| USS MONOCACY. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, December 13, 1900.
NOT TO BE ICEBOUND.
Our War Vessels In Chinese Waters Now Number But Two.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.—With a view to avoiding the danger of having any of our war vessels caught fast in the ice in the Gulf of Pechili, at the mouth of Pei river, during the present winter, the navy department has reduced its representation in that quarter to two ships. One is the Monocacy, which has been ordered into a mud dock in the Pei river near Taku, where she will serve as a station ship. She will be frozen in tight, but will be perfectly safe in her dock from the ordinary vicissitudes of the winter. The other vessel is the New Orleans, which has been turned into a dispatch boat for the time being, plying between Shanghai, Che Foo and Taku at regular intervals. But she will be kept clear of the ice at Taku as far as possible, and will not be expected to enter the river mouth in case of a freeze.
The army transport service has landed all of the supplies that are deemed to be necessary to carry General Chaffee and troops comfortably through the winter, so that it will be unnecessary for any of those ships to enter the Pei Ho.
DESPICABLE OUTRAGE.
Porto Ricans Taken to Work as Slaves In Hawaii.
LURED BY MISREPRESENTATION.
Three Carloads of Unfortunates Now on Sidetrack In Californian Desert Waiting to Be Packed Onto a Steamer and Carried Into Bondage.
INDIO, Cal., Dec. 13.--A high crime is in process of commission. The three carloads of Porto Ricans, now sidetracked here in a desert are slaves in everything but name, and are being almost literally kidnapped from their native land to toil among the sugar cane of far-off Hawaii on such terms as may be dictated there by those who hope to profit by their helplessness.
In this case the first stage of the kidnapping was not force, but deception. The victims were lured aboard the steamship Arkadia at San Juan by such lies as seemed best suited to the despicable purpose, but from the hour the slave train began to move across our mainland territory the methods pursued by those in charge of it have gone far beyond the limits of deceit, and have entered the domain of active coercion, and future stages will be characterized by open violence unless the hand of the law is laid heavily upon the offenders against the great right of human liberty.
No human person could spend a day among these Porto Ricans without having his sympathy deeply touched and without growing intensely indignant at the arch-conspirators who are hurrying half around the world and into a condition of utter dependence upon men who trade in flesh, blood and sugar more that 100 guiltless people "whom fortune's tender arm with favor never clasped."
There is no room for doubt that the Porto Ricans now at Indio were persuaded to leave their native land by gross misrepresentations, made to fit the varying degrees of intelligence possessed by the victims. Neither can there be any doubt that the men having the task of seeing the company safely delivered in Honolulu have striven and are striving to keep the deceived paupers—for they are paupers, every one of them—from learning the truth affecting their fate.
Despite all efforts, however, an inkling of the actualities of the case has reached the travelers, and today all of them with the exception of a handful who are paid for their fidelity to the conspirators, but who are themselves deceived, are eager to return to Porto Rico rather than go on to Hawaii, and scores of them are agreed that they will resist even to the point of bloodshed all attempts to oblige them to embark on the Rio de Janeiro at San Francisco on Friday.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.
"Since the London county council has taken over the tramways in south London," says a recent issue of a London paper, "it has arranged to give one day's rest in seven to every person employed and has established a 60 hours' week. It has improved the service, extended the system of halfpenny fares and at the same time has earned £42,000 to go toward the relief of the ratepayers." This refers to only one section of London, and the showing, a profit of $200,000, to say nothing of the improved conditions both for the public and the employees, is a pretty good one for municipal ownership of public utilities.
The London Statist takes a decidedly gloomy view of the South African situation. This is a pretty sure indication that the financial shoe is beginning to pinch severely.
Profound Sympathy Aroused by the Accidental Death of Marguerite Blodgett.
(From the Oneonta Star of Dec. 13.)
Prof. and Mrs. Frank D. Blodgett have the profoundest sympathy of every acquaintance in Oneonta in the loss of their infant daughter Marguerita, which occurred at their home on Cedar-st., yesterday, under circumstances peculiarly touching and sad. The infant was placed in its crib to take its midday nap, as was the custom, and Mrs. Blodgett busied herself about household duties. At first the child played with its toys and then, it was supposed, fell asleep. Later, when Mrs. Blodgett went to the room, the little one was missed from its cot. It required only an instant to discover the child with its head fastened between the mattress and a crosspiece of the head of the crib. The mother was horror stricken to find no signs of life. While the [servant] girl was going to the Normal [School] building to summon Mr. Blodgett, the mother tried to restore respiration and, after his return, heroic efforts were made, but without avail, the physician pronouncing the child dead when found on his arrival.
The crib was an iron one. The loving mother had taken every precaution to prevent such an accident to the child. The sides of the crib where the child might have been caught in attempting to leave the crib, had been protected with blankets and the head was placed against the wall near the head of Mrs. Blodgett's bed. The child had evidently turned around in the crib and sliding, feet first, between the mattress and a cross piece of the head portion had crowded the crib away and fallen so that her little feet nearly touched the floor but her heard caught and it is believed the weight of the body broke the neck. Upon the face was the same sweet smile that had made her beloved by all. It should be a source of consolation that so much precaution had been taken to prevent such an accident and that even, had assistance reached the child the moment it fell, all efforts would have been futile. Marguerita was a strong, bright and remarkably happy child and the sad affair is indeed a severe shock, not only to the parents, but to the entire community. Her age was 1 year, 3 months, 15 days. The funeral will be held on Thursday, and will be private. Interment will probably be made at Glenwood [cemetery].
COMMON COUNCIL
HELD AN ADJOURNED MEETING LAST NIGHT.
Tax Budget Completed—City Chamberlain's Bond Accepted—No References to Police Muddle—Purely a Business Session.
An adjourned meeting of the common council of the city of Cortland was held at the office of the clerk of said city on the 12th day of December, 1900, at 7:30 P. M. Present: Samuel N. Holden, mayor; E. M. Yager, C. F. Thompson, A. E. Buck, William G. McKinney and Vern Steele, aldermen.
A resolution of the board of supervisors of the county of Cortland, N. Y., duly certified under the hand of the chairman and clerk of said board of supervisors to the common council of this city, directing the amount of tax to be levied in the city for state, county and other purposes as therein specified pursuant to the provisions of Section 183 of the charter of this city, in the sum of $36,278.84 was presented and read and placed on file.
On motion of Mr. Thompson, seconded by Mr. Yager, and declared carried:
Resolved, That the common council of the city of Cortland hereby levies and causes to be raised by general tax upon all the taxable property, real and personal, in the city of Cortland, N. Y., according to the valuation upon the assessment roll for the current year, corrected as aforesaid.
First: The amount of taxes certified to the common council of this city by the board of supervisors of Cortland county, N. Y., to be assessed upon the city of Cortland; to wit, the sum of $36,278.84.
Second: The amount of all interest and any installment of principal falling due upon the bonds or other permanent debt of the city of Cortland, as follows; to wit,
Principal of judgment bond for…$1,435.00
Interest on city bonds…7,026.16
[Due to double spacing of letters in copying of this newspaper page, we photocopy the rest of this article and the supervisors' proceedings—CC ed.]
On motion meeting adjourned to Dec. 15, 1900, at 7:30 oclock P. M. at the office of the clerk of said city.
Approved: S. N. HOLDEN, Mayor.
SUPERVISORS' PROCEEDINGS.
THE ANNUAL SESSION OF THE BOARD COMPLETED.
Highway Improvement Discussed—Truxton to Have a New Road—Other Improvements in Highway Asked For—Final Adjournment.
After returning from their visit to the Normal school yesterday, the supervisors convened at their rooms. A vote of thanks was voted Dr. Cheney for the invitation tendered the board and for the pleasant hour afforded while at the building.
Championship Game.
The Kirk bowling team of Syracuse will play the championship game with the Turf team of Cortland at Barnes & Riley's bowling alley Friday evening. Admission 25 cents.
Water Witch Election.
At a meeting of the Water Witch Steamer and Hose company last evening the following officers for the ensuing year were elected:
Foreman—W. H. Gilbert.
First Assistant—Harry Phillips.
Second Assistant—Robert Allen.
Secretary—Jas. F. Costello.
Treasurer—E. M. Eastman.
Representative on Board of Engineers— F. G. Christenat.
Alternate—Robert Allen.
Trustee Three Years—E. M. Eastman.
Janitor and Property Clerk—Jas. F. Costello.
BREVITIES.
—The Loyal circle of King's Daughters will meet with Mrs. W. D. Tisdale, 111 Port Watson-st. to-morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock.
—The regular business meeting of the Epworth league of the First M. E. church will be held at the church parlors to-morrow evening at 7 o'clock.
—New display advertisements to-day are—F. D. Smith, Holiday gifts, page 7: Warren, Tanner & Co., Drygoods, page 8; Mitchell & Strowbridge, Meats, page 5; D. E. Shepard, Drygoods, etc., page 4, McKinney & Doubleday, Children's books, page 2.
—On Christmas day and on New Year's day the Erie & Central N. Y., train leaving Cincinnatus at 12:15 P. M. and train leaving Cortland at 2:45 P. M., will be abandoned in order to give the employees an opportunity to spend part of the day with their friends.
—In the absence of Dr. O. A. Houghton from his pulpit on Sunday next Dr. Cooper, presiding elder of the district, has arranged to supply the morning service at the First M. E. church by Rev. W. P. Garrett of McGraw and the evening service by Rev. Louis Heinmiller of Preble.
No comments:
Post a Comment