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| President Theodore Roosevelt. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, May 13, 1902.
FOR RELIEF EXPEDITION.
Immediate Assistance For Survivors at Martinique.
CONGRESS APPROPRIATES $200,000.
Activity of the President—Army, Navy and Treasury Departments to Co-operate in the Work of Forwarding Supplies—Dixie Will Sail Wednesday—Scientific Department.
Washington, May 13.—The president himself turned his attention yesterday to the extension of relief to the sufferers from the terrible catastrophe in the lesser Antilles, although congress had not finally appropriated the funds necessary for the purchase of supplies. The president proceeded with the greatest energy to give shape to the relief measures.
Secretary Hay was called and brought with him the dispatch from United States Consul Ayme which served as official confirmation of the worst reports of the extent of the disaster, and in the opinion of the president fully justified emergency measures. Secretary Hay was directed to acquaint Secretary Root and Secretary Moody with the president's message and they were charged to carry out the details of the arrangements. The treasury department was instructed to co-operate and it is supposed that this will mean the employment of the revenue cutters and the medical officers of the marine hospital service.
The war department, with its well organized supply departments, was regarded as in better position than any other institution to take charge of the relief measure except that it had no means of transportation, the Sedgwick, which is out of commission, being the only army transport on the Atlantic coast.
Fortunately the navy had a handy ship in the Dixie which arrived at New York recently from a training cruise. Secretary Moody immediately telegraphed orders to Captain Perry, her commander, to ship army supplies to be offered him and to sail at the earliest possible moment for Martinique. He was authorized to extend relief to other islands if he found any necessity for so doing.
Navigation bureau officers estimated that she can be coaled and provisioned and gotten and gotten under way by Wednesday evening. The scientific departments of the government will avail of the opportunity to send on the Dixie as passengers or observers two professors from the geological survey. A Harvard volcano specialist will also be given passage. The United States cruiser Buffalo will be used as a relief ship if the Dixie does not suffice.
Adjutant General Corbin, Quartermaster General Ludington, Commissary General Weston and Surgeon General Sternberg were charged by Secretary Root with the arrangement of the part of relief measures pertaining to the war department. After a few minutes consultation official orders were drafted for the guidance of three supply departments, giving the scheme of distribution as follows:
Three medical officers, with $5,000 worth of medical stores, etc.; one subsistence officer with $70,000 in stores; one officer of the quartermasters department with $20,000 worth of clothing, supplies for men, women and children.
Secretary Root endorsed the scheme as follows:
"The above distribution is approved and the purchases will be made accordingly, ready for shipment in case the pending bill for relief of Martinique becomes a law."
The orders directed that those officers and stores be sent on the Dixie to be distributed at such points as may be designated by the navy officer in command of the Dixie under instructions given by the secretary of the navy.
The medical officers are to render such medical aid as may be in their power, in addition to the distribution of medical supplies.
HOUSE TAKES ACTION.
Passes a Bill Appropriating $200,000 For Relief of Stricken Island.
Washington, May 13.—The house passed by an overwhelming vote a bill granting $200,000 for the relief of the sufferers in the great calamity in the West Indies. The bill was a substitute for the relief measure passed by the senate and followed the receipt of a message from the president setting forth the magnitude of the calamity and urging an appropriation of $800,000.
A special meeting of the appropriation committee was held to facilitate action on the bill and it was reported to the house within a short time after the receipt of the president's message. Mr. Hemenway, the acting chairman of the appropriation committee, explained the amount was limited to $200,000 owing to the fact that large private contributions were being made. The discussion was brief, Mr. Underwood of Alabama being the only one to speak in opposition. The bill was passed by 186 to 9.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
The Relief of Martinique.
The New York Times says President Roosevelt has not overstated the duty of this country in recommending that half a million dollars be appropriated by congress and made immediately available for the relief of the homeless and starving people of Martinique and St. Vincent. The appropriation of $100,000 provided in the senate bill should be promptly increased to the sum recommended by the president.
The measures taken for relief must be in proportion to the extent of the calamity, which transcends any similar destructive visitation in human experience. It is difficult for the imagination to picture forth the awful consequences of these volcanic eruptions. Except by submergence beneath the waters of the sea no disaster that can befall a community can be so completely destructive of human life and all forms of property as that which has now befallen St. Pierre. We read that money and securities were recovered intact from the vaults of a bank in the doomed city. This is the merest mockery of salvage, since the owners of these evidences of property were overwhelmed in the storm of fire. There are instances innumerable where the dwellings and business buildings of a town have been practically all destroyed by fire or where enormous loss has been caused by flood, as in the case of Galveston. Yet the work of recreation begins at once and in an astonishingly short time a new and finer town springs up from the ruins of the old. In Martinique not only the buildings but the land values and absolutely all the business of the city have been wiped out by the agencies that destroyed the lives of the owners. Of the $100,000,000 valuation of which the city boasted scarcely a vestige remains. That St. Pierre should be rebuilt upon a site buried in ashes and under the ever present menace of Mont Pelee is a conjecture rather too improbable to be entertained.
The destruction of the city destroys the chief market and takes away the means of livelihood of any surviving tillers of the soil in that part of Martinique. But in addition to that their crops have been ruined and their live stock killed by the terrible heat, and it would appear also that over a large area the storm of ashes has made the soil untillable. Every surviving man, woman, and child of the rural population in the regions affected by the destructive forces of the volcano is in need of prompt relief, which must be extended over a considerable period. Even in Martinique, where the conditions of life are not hard, the head of a family whose possessions, including land, have been suddenly destroyed or made worthless would find it difficult to turn his hand at once to a bread-winning occupation. In the island of St. Vincent there has also been a great loss of life and property, and it is possible that the work of destruction there is still going on.
Consul Ayme of Guadeloupe advises the secretary of state that 30,000 persons are homeless and hungry. Even at 10 cents a day the cost of of sustenance for these people would in less than three weeks exhaust the appropriation of $100,000 proposed in the senate bill. This merely gives a measure of the need and of the world's duty to meet it. In Martinique and St. Vincent together it is probable that there will be more than 50,000 mouths to feed. The time of their need will in no case be short and in many cases may be indefinitely prolonged. All the great nations, all the rich peoples of the earth, are under the obligation of common humanity to relieve this distress and prevent so far as possible the addition of the horrors of starvation to the horrors of the volcano.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
To Meet State Tax Commissioners—Will Defend Preble Claim.
The state board of tax commissioners will meet the supervisors and assessors of the city and the several towns of the county at the courthouse, Wednesday, May 21, for the purpose of ascertaining the value of the assessable property of the city and county and to see if such property is assessed at its full value.
On the following day, Tuesday, May 22, the state board will meet the supervisors in the supervisors’ rooms in this city to adjust the Preble claim.
The committee of the [Cortland] board of supervisors, consisting of Messrs. F. A. Crosley, A. H. Bennett, Benj. Kinyon, N. F. Webb and N. Jay Peck, appointed to defend the Preble action, held a meeting today in reference to the matter.
NEW CENTRAL SCHOOL
Ground Broken and Contract Let for Digging Cellar.
The work of excavating for the addition to the [Cortland] Central school has been sublet by Contractor A. W. Reynolds of Binghamton to Mr. Charles H. Price of this city. About three feet of dirt on the side next to the school building and some less than this on the north side will have to be removed. The surface dimensions of the excavation are 72 by 82 feet. The greater part of the dirt will be used for grading below the Lackawanna tracks on Railroad-st. Mr. Price expects to have the dirt out in a week's time.
CHANGES AT KREMLIN.
May be Conducted on European Plan—No Decision Yet.
Some changes in the conduct of the Kremlin hotel are contemplated in the near future by the proprietor Mr. Marion Mathewson. The table boarders have been notified that they will have to find other places to take their meals.
Mr. Mathewson stated today that he did not know as yet what course he would take in the matter, but there would certainly be a change. It may be that the European plan in the diningroom will be adopted, and the rooms rented either to local or transient people.
Cornell University State Scholarships.
(Notice pursuant to the laws of 1894, chapter 556, title 12.)
A competitive examination of candidates for the state scholarships in Cornell university, falling to the county of Cortland will be held at the courthouse in the city of Cortland Saturday, June 7, 1902, commencing at 9 a. m.
Candidates must be at least 16 years of age and of six months' standing in the common schools or academies of the state during the year immediately preceding this examination, and actual residents of this state.
No person should enter an examination unless prepared to accept a scholarship, should one be awarded.
The examination will be upon the following subjects, viz., English, history (ancient, medieval, English, American), plane geometry, algebra through quadratic equations, and either Latin, French or German, at the option of the candidate.
There will be as many candidates appointed from this county as there are assembly districts in this county. Candidates will become entitled to the scholarships in the order of their merit.
Dated at Cortland, this 9th day of May, 1902.
F. E. Smith, Superintendent of Schools, City of Cortland.
L. J. McEvoy, School Commissioner, First District.
K. C. MacDiarmid, School Commissioner, Second District.
Hatch Library on Court Street, Cortland, N. Y.
Hatch Library Election.
The annual meeting of the trustees of Franklin Hatch Library association was held last evening at the library rooms. Hon. O. U. Kellogg was elected president, Edward D. Webb vice-president, Chester F. Wickwire treasurer, and A. Mahan secretary. The reports of the treasurer and the librarian show that the past year has been one of the most prosperous that the library has had.
A New Barber.
Mr. Frank Sutfin of Rochester has been engaged to work at the Normal [School] barber shop. He will preside over the middle chair.
FREEVILLE HOTEL SOLD.
Mark Holton Disposes of His Interest to the Blanchards.
Mark Holton, who for the past twenty-five years has owned the Junction House at Freeville, and who has during that time been proprietor of the hotel for twenty years, has sold this well known hostlery to Mason K. Blanchard and his son, George Blanchard, of Truxton. Possession will be given the first of next month. Mr. and Mrs. Holton will make their home in Cortland after this year, moving to their residence, 24 Union-st.
A Birthday Party.
Little Margaret Kelly entertained about eighteen of her little friends at her home, 23 Duane-st., Saturday afternoon in honor of her 5th birthday. The time passed pleasantly and the hour of parting came all too soon. She was the recipient of many beautiful presents. The guests were received by her four little cousins, Adella Kiernan, Irene Burns, Agnes Byrnes and Catherine Kiernan. Those present were Clara Clancy, Augustus Lewis, Margaret O'Connell, Frances Kelly, Beatrice Schouten, Madaline Clancy, Hazel Scudamore, Marion West, Mertie Calkins, Vivian Geweye, Thomas Keefe, Arthur Geweye, Johnnie Mills, Edward Keefe. All left wishing the little hostess many happy birthdays.
GRADUATES OF CORTLAND TEAM.
What They Are Doing in the Baseball World—Where Playing.
Captain Cy Townsend of the Syracuse Stars leads the infield of that team in fielding. He has thus far taken twenty-seven chances with two errors marked against him.
Dannie Coogan has joined the Schenectady team, playing at backstop. Coogan is keeping up his record so far this season of hitting for safe singles. Yesterday he got two of these out of three times at bat.
Nadeau at centerfield for Binghamton is doing customary good work both in the field and at bat.
Eagan is still spoiling hits in left field, Ilion having the benefit of his services. Pete hits the sphere the same as of yore and keeps his average well above the 300 mark.
Eddy Daly, also a graduate from the Cortland team of tender memory, is at third base for Syracuse. A home run came his way yesterday in the Syracuse A. J. & G. game.
McFall, the steady pitcher, who dealt out mix-up drops and curves for several seasons on Athletic field, is still with Worcester of the Eastern league, and is considered to be one of the hardest pitchers in that league to go against.
Shortstop Downey, who gave excellent exhibitions of skill in Cortland as long ago as when the league games were played on the fair grounds, is at shortfield for Toronto and is doing good work. In a fifteen inning game played yesterday with Newark, Downey took nine chances and made them all good.
BREVITIES.
—The Fortnightly club will meet tomorrow afternoon with Mrs. Geo. P. Hollenbeck, 10 Church-st.
—Cortland chapter, No. 194, R. A. M., will confer the Mark Master degree at the regular meeting Wednesday evening at 8 o'clock.
—The Normal baseball game at Manlius, N. Y., which was scheduled for next Saturday with the St. John's Military academy boys, has been cancelled by the soldiers.
—There will be changes of time on the Lehigh Valley and E. & C. N. Y. railroads next Sunday. The change on the former road is simply to put on the new train previously referred to; on the latter the morning train for Cincinnatus will leave a half hour earlier. The full time schedule will be published soon.
—New display advertisements today are—Bingham & Miller, Clothing, page 8; F. E. Park, Fruit trees, etc., page 5; New York store, Drygoods, millinery, etc., page 6; F. Daehler, Clothing, page 7; Buck & Lane, refrigerators, page 7; M. A. Case, Drygoods. page 6; J. W. Cudworth, Optical talks, page 8; W. W. Bennett, Asphalt roofing, page 6; Warren, Tanner & Co., Drygoods, page 4; Mutual Life Insurance Co., Life insurance, page 7; C. F. Thompson, Strawberries, page 5.
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