The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 20, 1898, Page 1

Call 82. N FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1898—THIRTY-TWO PAGES. PRICE FIVE CENTS. GOVERNMENT OST PROOF OF TREACHERY ACCUMULATES Not Probable Any High Officer at Havana Is Implicated. It Is Beyond Question That the De-| struction of the Maine Has the | Approval of Ultra-Spanish Public Sentiment. Lo e 1 | WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.—A cablegram received from | Havana to-night created a good deal of excitement, as | Charles M. Pepp-», who sent the dispatch, is well| known in Washington, where he acted for a number of | years as correspondent for the Chicago Tribune. Hef made a reputation for his conservatism and reliability and was intimately acquainted with men high in the councils of the administration. The dispatch said: | ** The Maine investigation promises to bring a cli-| max to the strained relations between the two coun-| tries. The naval board of inquiry will sift much doubt=| ful evidence and end many wild rumors. Opinions here seem to be that it will show no possibility of accident through negligence. It may also show that various plots which find belief could not have been carried out. | ‘“Many persons credit the story of a messenger having gone to Washington with the names of the con- spirators, though why he should proceed there when| the inquiry is conducted in Havana is not known. That dynamite bombs have been manufactured and exploded in Havana cannot be questioned. Three weeks ago one was exploded in the center of the city. The police claimed to have arrested the conspirators, but that was doubted. | o one questions the sincerity of Blanco and the | Government officials in their regret, and the manifesta- tions of sorrow have been followed by acts which were | grateful to Sigsbee and to Lee, but on that account thc' theory is not abandoned that the explosion was dué to a plot to blow up the Maine by violent intransigentes, | who are as hostile to Blanco and autonomy as to the | United States. This class showed resentment when the war vessel arrived. That it made threats is certain. Whether the threats were idle vaporings the | naval inquiry may help to determine. It mustbe stated | dispassionately that the ultra Spanish make little at-| tempt to conceal their satisfaction. Their feeling is| actually one of exultation. | ‘1 saw evidences of it in a Cuban village two hun- | dred miles from Havana, when the news was first re- ceived. Evidences multiplied that this was the real sentiment as | approached Havana. ““The Consuls in their reports to Lee have com- mented on the same feeling. The Spanish Government is not responsible for this class, but its sentiment dominates public opinion. * Regardless of the Maine disaster the situation all over the island is growing worse and the failure of au- also grows. American relief has not reached fifty miles beyond Ha- vana. tonomy is absolute. Gomez is also moving his forces westward in Santa Clara Province, though it is uncertain that' he contemplates a demonstration in the direction of Havana. The insurgents have had the ad- vantage in two recent fights in Santa Clara Province and the conse- quent demoralization among the Spanish troops is growing. Star- vation in the interior of the island NEW YORK, Feb. 19.—A cable to the Herald from Havana says: Further friction occurred this morn- ing between the Spanish authorities and Captain Sigsbee regarding the United StatesGovernment divers for the Maine. After formally arrang- ing with General Blanco last night. for divers to go down Captain Sigs- bee early this morning rowed out to the wreck. The patrol officer had not yet l'e-l ‘AR CLOUD LOWERS OVER THE NATION PREPARES FOR ILITIES | ceived orders from the palace and Captain Sigsbee was not allowed to go aboard. Afterward an order arrived from the palace and divers are now engaged in the preliminary | work. Captain Sigsbee has hoisted the United States flag on the wreck and there has not been the slightest in- terference. Spanish patrols keep off all outsiders. The divers went down this afternoon and Captain Sigsbee informs me to-night that nothing has been brought up and no results have been obtained. The divers are handicapped be- cause they have no diving lamp. One was sent for this after- noon. The water is muddy and makes the cabins darker. The operations to-day were purely pre- liminary, the chief object being to test the apparatus. Everything works well and as soon as the lamp arrives operations will begin in earnest. The Maine is still settling. There is a lull in the excitement of the public here over the disaster, but underneath the surface anxiety still exists. Everybody eagerly awaits the report of the expert divers. Several more bodies of Maine vie- tims were recovered during the course of the day, but it is impos- sible as yet to identify them. As proof that the explosion which de~ stroyed the Maine was not on the outside of the vessel the Spanish point out that no dead fish have been seen in the harbor. HUDSON, N. Y., Feb. 19.—Lieu- tenant William H. Ewing, a planta- tion owner and a Cuban insurgent, has just arrived here en route to Washington with important infor- mation regarding torpedoes in Ha- vana harbor. This he will com- municate to Secretary Long. — . AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY TO BE MADE. The United States Will Not Be Ham- pered in Finding the Cause of the Disaster. WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.—The inter- esting features of the day’s news at the Navy Department was the decision of the Government to allow concurrent investigations of the cause of the Maine — The General McDowell Towing a Ba PREPARING FOR THE DEFENSE OF SAN FRANCISCO. During Yesterday a Train of Wagons Was Engaged in Hauling Ammunition for the Big Guns of Fort Baker Up Lime Point. the Military Road From Lime Point to the Bluffs. . rge Laden With Ammunition Across the Bay to disaster, for its own part making an independent inquiry through the naval court of inquiry already appointed, while permitting the Spanish authori- ties to make such investigations as they desire. This arrangement com- mended itself to naval men alike as fair to all, and at the same time as calculated to develop the exact facts in a manner that could not be ques- tioned. There was a good deal of talk among the officials of the need of speedy relief measures for the benefit of the families of the explosion vic- tims. ~ Under the treasury rules the allot- ments of portions of pay to members of their families made by the men who perished in the wreck must stop at once. It is not doubted that Congress will do as it did in the case of the Sa- moan disaster—provide for a year's pay to the families of the sailors who died at their posts. The difficulty, however, is that such a measure cannot be passed at once, and meantime some of the families of the dead sailors may be in great distress. The subject has been taken up by Mr. Long and he has called a meeting for Monday to initiate the movement. i 2 RAPIDLY TURNING OUT WAR MATERIAL. NEW YORK, Feb. 19.—The Atha & Illingworth ' Company’s steel works in Harrison, N. J., have been during several | . months steadily occupied on . large Government orders. Work is being pushed to complete them as quickly as possible.’ Last Thursday forty long B e ne e Governmen use, equipped with either gun carriage or on swivel stand. ‘Work is being pushed on thirty 4-inch rapid fire rifles for use of the Naval Reserves. Besides these "guns the company recently made castings and forgings for 7 and 8 inch disappearing gun carriages, and material for 160 mortar guns was cast at the works. Projectiles are also in the course of manufacture. There are more than 12,000 of these, their individual weight ranging from 200 to 1000 pounds. It is expected that the company will be able to fill all orders. Pl A I “Pollo La Maine” on'the Bill. HAVANA, Feb. 19.—At a prominent restaurant last night I saw on the the walter to bring a dish to me. It was fricasseed chicken. Nine Ameri- cans were incensed and threatend. to mob the ‘waiter. They great indignation. DEFENSES OF SAN FRANCISCO WELL MANNED While Fortifications Are Strength- ~ ened a Special Train With Am- ~munition Is Being Hurried From the East. conveyed to Colonel Miles, post commander at the Presidio, he lost no time in executing them. The guards were doubled .and the officers were enjoined to use the greatest vigilance to guard the magazines and pro- tect the guns from injury by accidental or premeditated explosion. The military authorities at the Presidio sought to withhold the information officially received by wire from Washington, believing that the publication of the intelligence in the press would inflame the popular mind. The exclusive account published in yesterday’s Call that Major- General Miles, commanding - the army, had directed the immediate distribution of ammunition for the modern high-power guns and is- sued orders. directing that extra care should be taken to guard the magazines, forts and ammunition from - all damage, was wired as special from San Francisco to all M'. jeading Sk ding il of“ g The fact transpires that the high-power Ohifed Sialog:. - The. inlsligaice guns at Lime Point, which constitute the created a profound sensation highest modern battery in the world, were wholly unsupplied with ammunition, save a few rounds for target practice. Immediate steps were therefore taken to send a full supply of shot and shell for- the three throughout the ~country, as the official order from Major-General Miles to General Shafter was given. 308 106 306 £06 308 108 308 308 10 108 108 0% 108 06 100 408 08 Q0 X K 0K HHS OSSO In compliance with the orders from Gen- eral Miles troops have taken station at the twelve-inch rifles and the four fifteen-inch guns, which comprise the -mounted ordnance | at this important fort on the Marin bluffs. The ammunition was taken yesterday after- noon fram the magazine at Fort Mason (Black Point) and placed in barges, which high-pawer guns at the Presidio and Lime Point. To guard against possible damage to the ylmi and gun carriages the chain of sentinels has been re-enforced. A vigilant system of patrolling has been ordered to| yore towed across the channel to Lime ‘prevent the approa ch of parties who have | Point (Fort Baker). The twelve-inch no business to spy about the fortifications | rifled breech-loading guns of the fort have left the cafe lnl of this harbor. a range of ten miles. A ship approaching When the orders from Washington were ! the entrance to the Golden Gate from amy- "