Domestic News

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 17, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 46.

Domestic.—The Spanish cruiser Maria Teresa, which had been raised at Santiago and was being towed to the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, was abandoned at sea in a furious storm, near the Bahama Islands, her crew being taken off by the wrecking tug Merritt. It is now reported that the vessel is beached on a small island near where she was abandoned, and the government has despatched vessels to bring her into port......The Navy Department has abandoned its work on all the sunken Spanish cruisers except the Reina Mercedes, but will authorize private firms to undertake the work......The transport Panama, fears for whose safety were entertained for several days, arrived at Havana from Santiago, on November 3, with 400 sick soldiers on board, bound for New York......An explosion of gas occurred in the Capitol building at Washington, on November 6, severely wrecking that portion of the building in the vicinity of the Supreme Court room. Fire followed the explosion, and many valuable books and records of the Supreme Court were either consumed by the flames or destroyed by water......The Italian cruiser Etna arrived in San Francisco harbor, Cal., on November 6, on her voyage around the world......Serious loss was caused by fire in the railroad machine shops of the Southern Pacific Company at Sacramento, Cal., on November 7. The loss on cars and buildings is placed at $200,000, while 500 workmen have been thrown out of employment......The United States battle-ships Oregon and Iowa sailed from Bahia, Brazil, for Rio Janeiro, on November 8, where they will take part in the celebration of the anniversary of Brazilian independence......A trust is being formed at Hamilton, Ohio, which involves the consolidation of all the manufacturers of school desks and furniture in the United States......The U. S. steamer Leonidas, which recently arrived from Cuba with a large number of the guns of the sunken Spanish fleet, has been ordered to Washington, where these valuable relics of the war will be transferred to the national museum......A scientific party from the Field Columbian Museum have discovered a new species of elk in the Olympic Mountains, which is said to be entirely different from those found either in the Rocky Mountains or in Alaska......On Tuesday, November 8, elections were held in forty-four of the States and Territories for State and National Legislatures, and in several of the States, elections for State executive officers were held also. The returns, as reported on November 10, indicate that twenty-seven States went Republican and seventeen Democratic. At that date the balance of power in the House of Representatives was uncertain, but in the Senate the majority was on the Republican side. Theodore Roosevelt, of “rough rider” fame, was elected governor of New York over Judge Van Wyck, the Democratic nominee......A mass-meeting of whites was held in the city of Wilmington, N. C., on November 9, “to assert the supremacy of the white man,” at which resolutions were adopted demanding all public offices for the whites, condemning certain negro officials, and ordering others to leave the city. A serious race war seems imminent......Five persons were killed in Texas on election day in riots at the polls. In Phoenix, Georgia, four negroes were lynched by whites as a result of a shooting affray on the same day.

International.—The American school at Athens, which was established sixty-six years ago by the Episcopal Church of America, will no longer receive the financial support of that denomination......Late advices from Chung King, China, report a serious uprising against foreigners in that district. The French and American missions have been destroyed, and the English and American residents of Chung King have left the city and gone down the river to places of safety......It is reported from Berlin that the visit of Emperor William to Constantinople resulted in an agreement with the sultan to support the integrity of the latter’s Asiatic possessions, for which Germany will receive commercial and industrial privileges. Along with this comes the information that the sultan has granted the kaiser the right to plant a large German colony along the whole frontier of Tripoli, which will protect the sultan’s possessions there against French encroachments......The emperor and empress of Germany visited Damascus on November 7, having crossed the mountains of Lebanon......The elections of Prussian deputies have resulted in large gains for the radicals, especially in the city of Berlin......The British admiral in Cretan waters forcibly expelled the Turkish troops from the port of Candia, on November 5. On the 7th the Russian admiral forcibly expelled the Turkish troops from the port of Canea. These troops will be landed at a Turkish port from the British and Russian transports......The French Government, through its embassy at Washington, has presented to the State Department the claims of its citizens who are holders of Spanish bonds guaranteed by Cuban and Porto Rican customs. It is not known what action the United States Government will take in the matter......The Chinese minister to the United States arrived in New York November 5.

England continues her preparations for war. The military authorities at Devonport received orders on November 6 for the mobilization of all the troops in the western district. The idea seems prevalent throughout all the European nations that a clash must come soon. Notwithstanding Italy’s impoverished condition, she is rapidly mobilizing her navy, in preparation for hostilities. Should war result between England and France and Russia, it is believed that Italy will join forces with England......The London Chronicle reports the discovery of a plot in Paris to assassinate the friends of Dreyfus and overthrow the civil power in case the verdict of the Court of Cassation proves favorable to Dreyfus......Major Marchand, who is now at Cairo, Egypt, has been ordered by his government to proceed up the Nile and return to France by the way of Abyssinia and the Gulf of Aden......English farmers are rejoicing over one of the most plentiful all-round crops harvested in that country in many years......Russian papers are urging Russia to join Germany in opposing the annexation of the Philippines by America......Prince George of Greece has been chosen by Russia, England, France, and Italy as the governor of Crete. Turkey objects to the appointment, and has appealed to Germany and Austria, but her appeal is expected to prove ineffectual.

Casualties and Calamities.—Advices from the island of New Guinea state that the natives have massacred a government officer and fifteen others, and are also threatening the Anglican mission at Sinape......Five villages in the New Hebrides were destroyed recently by lava from a volcano. The natives escaped before the fiery flood reached their homes......The steamer Croatan, plying between New York and Wilmington, N. C., burned at sea on November 1, when off Cape Charles. Five of the twenty-seven persons on board her were lost......By the collapse of a theater building in process of construction at Detroit, Mich., on November 5, fifteen workmen lost their lives......The Spanish transport Montserrat arrived at Cadiz, Spain, on November 3, 98 of her passengers having died on the voyage. She had 800 sick soldiers on board when she arrived......Seven coal miners were killed in a mine shaft at Pittston, Pa., on November 5. By an accident three loaded cars were tumbled down the shaft, crushing the cage in which the miners were descending.

Cuba.—The Cuban Assembly convened on November 8 at Santa Cruz, Gen. Calixto Garcia being chairman. A vote for permanent officers resulted in the election of Domingo Mendez Capote for president, and Fernando F. Andrade for vice-president. A committee was appointed by the assembly to consult with the government of the United States regarding the future of Cuba......General Wood reports smallpox scattered throughout the Holguin district recently evacuated by the Spanish, and is making vigorous efforts to stamp out the disease. At the Cuban Assembly on November 9 it was voted that the Cuban army disband at once, and turn over their arms and ammunition to officials designated to receive them. The direst misery is reported from Havana, as well as the interior provinces. A Cuban committee has drafted a petition to President McKinley calling for aid for the destitute and starving inhabitants.

The Philippines.—The U. S. cruiser Charleston has been sent from Manila to Iloilo, on the island of Panay, where the insurgents and Spanish have clashed several times of late. This is the last seat of Spanish power of any account in the Philippines......A party of Americans have been caught selling arms to the insurgents, and the leader of the party has been imprisoned......A report from Honolulu states that General King, with most of the troops under his command at that place, has been ordered to Manila......The U. S. transport City of Puebla sailed from San Francisco for Manila with 600 troops on board. The transport Newport followed two days later, with portions of several regiments that had been despatched earlier.