The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 25, 1898, Page 4

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1898. NAVil e ES GATHERING FOR BATTLE. PREPARES TO LEAVE NEW YORK Spanish Cruiser Vizcaya Will Depart for Ha- vana To-Day. [mportant Aboard by the Dispatches Carried Consul Cause Captain Eulate to Hasten Sailing Preparations. o1 NEW YORK, Feb. 24.—Unless some unexpected order is re- ceived from Madrid the Spanish man-of-war Vizcaya, which has been g off Tompkinsville, S. I, since Sunday, will weigh anchor to-morrow afternoon and steam through the Narrows to the open ¢ on her way to Ha- v . Alturo ldasano, Span- ® ish Consul-General in New York, ® © @® ® ® ® ® o} | ® called on Captain Eulate late | this afternoon and took to him | important dispatches, one of ® | which ordered him to leave this port without delay. ®! ® Captain Eulate had been in suspense about the time of his sailing until the Consul-General called upon him, but| the order was not unexpected, and all | to-day he had the vessel's crew prepar- g her for a voyage. The work of coal- s continued, with every avail- able man ng the baskets, so that early to-morrow morning the ship's bunkers will be packed full. The s men were also kept busy putting the | ip in snug shape for cruising at sea, all afternoon the ship’s gunners | 1 and cleaned all the guns. | and s work had been completed | leather boxes were placed over the | guns’ breeches, and the ship's spars were all canv d. Other preparations made in the morning excited in no small degree the curi of hundreds of persons s. Two seamen were seen aloft in the crow nest of the mili- while several others on | deéck ho 1vy object wrapped in canvas up to them with block and fall. The object looked not a little like the barrel of a small cannon. E ing that to-day might be his last day in port Captain Eulate 1 several who had special pa the Spanish Consul-General. these was a pretty little American gi about eight years old, who watche the gunners at work with great de- | light. One of the officers noticed her | interest and allowed her to handle sev- eral of the big guns, training them on houses ashore and vessels at anchor in | visitors, Among the harbor near at hand. Several | ladies from Porto Rico, friends of Cap- | tain Eulate's wife, who is a native of | that place, were also among the cap- | tain’s guests. | When the Consul-General, with the | Vice-Consul, boarded the vessel, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, they were saluted by a double line of marines and escorted to the captain’s cabin. At the | same time all the other guests on the | ship were ordered ashore. Mr. Balda- | sano remained on board about a half | hour and then returned to Tompkins- | ville on the ship's steam launch, en route to New Yo When I asked Mr. Baldesano if he had taken any important dispatch aboard he d the question by say- ing that he had taken many letters to Captain Eulate since the Vizcaya had been in port. “Yes, the Vizcaya will sail for Ha- na to-morrow afternoon, between 2 nd 4 o’clock,” he said to me in answer | to a question, “and will go direct to Havana. He refused to discuss the subject | further, except to shrug his shoulders and admit there was a slight possibility that the Vizcaya might not sail. i “You never'can tell just what is going t6 happen,” he said. | Five junior officers, with Sub-Lieu- | tenant Gerardl Sobrini, were granted | shore leave to-day at noon and came to | New York, where they dined at the | ‘Waldorf: Before leaving ADVERTISEMENTS. 9 Pears’ It is a wonderful soap ; that takes hold quick and does no harm. No harm! It leaves the skin soft like a baby’s; no alkali in it, nothing but soap. The harm is done by alkali. - Still more harm is done by not washing. So, had soap is better than | none. i What is bad soap? Im- perfectly made; the tat and alkali not well bal- anced or not combined. What 1s good soap? -Pears’. sorts of storesseil it, especially druggists; &ll sorts of people use it T Y o ! | no | the great strain. | charging cargo. | bodies floated to us. Tompkinsville for New York the offi- with Detective Davis, enjoyed re- >shment at the historic old Nautilus Hotel, where more than a hundred | years ago Washington and Lafayette ked over war matters. There was alling off in the crowds that gazed at the Vizcaya from Staten Island to- d: and hundreds of cameras werd snapped at the big man-of-war. Krajewski, Pesant & Co., controlling Erie Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, have been engaged since last Monday in repairing the steam steering gear of the Vizcaya. Although Mr. Lytle, the con- cern’s manager, refused to discuss the matter or to give the nature of the re- pairs being made when I questioned him to-day, the fact that the firm is en- gaged in making such repairs is well known. When within a few hours’ steam of Sandy Hook the quartermaster of the Vizcaya discovered that the vessel was not answering her helm. The warship was brought to an immediate stand- still to permit the chief engineer to make an investigation. This official found that the steel gearing connecting the steam steeripg engines with the ship’s rudder had become disconnected. A closer examination disclosed the fact that the main pillow of the block had been broken and that several cogs of importance had been snapped off by It was fortunate that the accident was promptly discovered, otherwise it is said the damage would have been far greater., During the re- mainder of the journey to the port the vessel was steered entirely by hand teerage apparatus. As soon as the Viz a cast anchor her commander notified the Brooklyn firm to make the nec ry repairs. Several -castings were made and are now being placed in position. It is expected that the re- pairs will be completed in ample time for the Vizcaya to leave this port to- | morrow at the time arranged. |AN ENGLISH CAPTAIN TELLS THE STORY. Two Shocks and a Swell Caused Neither by the Tide Nor by the Wind. Copyrighted, 15, by James Gordon Bennett. HAVANA, Feb. 24 —Before the Board of Inquiry to-day the principal witness was Captain Teasdale of the British bark Dela. His examination | occupied most of the afternoon session. It was impossible to glean the nature of his evidence aboard the Mangrove, but this evening I rowed across the harbor to the captain’s ship, which is now alongside the wharf at Regla, dis- On the night of the explosion she was anchored in the stream. Captain Teasdale greeted me frankly on introduction, but on a statement of my mission at once said his evidence to-day had been given in secrecy and he could say nothing re- garding his testimony before the Board of Inquiry. Of the events of that fateful night he spoke freely. “I was sitti i cabin at a table writing,” said, “when I felt my ship tremble. Then came a shock that nearly upset me, and | I rushed up the companion way, think- ing the steamer had run into us in the darkness, but I soon saw what it was. When I reached the deck the Maine was on fire. The Dela was already bowing to a slight swell, which in- creased considerably and lasted some time. 1 judge we were more than a quarter of a mile distant from the Maine. As I stood watching several objects fell on deck. Several were hard, and made a sound like iron, but one soft mass came down, and the men drek back, thinking it was a human foot. “It had every appearance of a piece of flesh covered with hair, but proved | to be boiler lining or packing, which was made of some kind of felt, present- ing a hairy surface. I can’t, in view of my evidence before the board, give you my views as to the cause of the explo- sion. In a few moments the smell of burning flesh reached us and before midnight nothing was left of the Maine but curled up sheets. Next morning I picked up a number of objects, but no That there were two shocks and a heavy swell caused neither by tide nor wind I am certain.” s Pkl COMPLETING THE NEEDED FORTIFICATION. Preparations. to Protect the New- castle Harbor and Navy Yard. NEW YORK, Feb. 24.—A Portsmouth | (N. H.) special to the Herald says: To- day a force of men commenced getting things in readiness to complete the for- tification at Newcastle, which is to pro- tect the harbor and navy-yard. Car- riages for the two 8-inch disappearing guns have arrived, and derricks will be placed in condition to handle the guns, which are expected to arrive shortly. A cargo of cement to be used on the works is on the way, and upon its ar- rival the fortifications will be complet- ed as rapidly as possible. ———— The wine cellar of the House of Com- mons is 100 feet long, and, usually con- tains about £4000 worth of wine. | Government should depart WAR SEEMY [NEVITABLE Congress Grows Grave in Discussing the Maine Disaster. They Believe That Money Can- not Wipe Out Spain’s Treachery. The Chances Are That the Castilians ‘Will Soon Be Fighting With Americans. Special Dispatch to The Call. Call Office, Riggs House, ‘Washington, Feb. 24. Senators are beginning to discuss what would be the proper means for a settlement with Spain on account of the destruction of the Maine, it being now universally conceded that that vessel went to the bottom through a blow from the outside. The war feeling is running high, and if the board of inquiry shows that the accident theory is untenable sensa- tional developments may be expected. “If the destruction of the battle-ship should be due to an outside attack I do not see how the matter can be set- tled by the payment of money,” said Senator Gallinger. “For my part,” said Senator Kyle, “T should be unwilling to see this affair compromised by the payment of money, It is one of those great calamities that cannot be wiped out by the pay- ment of dollars and cents.” “I do not care to discuss the ques- tion,”” said Senator Cullom, ‘“‘until we have the report of the court. The situ- ation is decidedly grave, and I am in- clined to anticipate the worst possible results.” Senator Harris loooked for a dis- avowal should the report of the court be againt the accident theory. “If Spain, under such conditions, should refuse to pay indemnity de- manded, far more serious results would follow,” he said. “If,” said Senator Money, “the Maine was blown up without any col- lusion on the part of the Spanish offi- cers, a demand should be made to Spain for an indemnity for the loss of the battle-ship and damages for the lives of the men. Even.if the expld- sion came from a submerged mine of the Government itself, and the Gov- ernment disavowed it, it is my opinion that damages only and an apology could be demanded. Under such cir- cumstances, grave as they might be, there would hardly be cause for war, for this Government would be com- pelled to accept the Spanish disa- vowal. But I do not think Spain.will do anything. She will not apologize, and the chances are that we shall go to fighting.” On the House side the dispatches printed to-day detailing the serious conditions existing in Cuba were read eagerly and the general comment was that they merely strengthened the be- lief formed already that war was now inevitable unless - Spain evinces the greatest cowardice. Mr. Barlow of California said to- night: “It seems to me that treachery existed, and that when it has been of- ficlally exposed and the Maine disas- ter traced directly to it and' proven without a shadow of a doubt, war must immediately follow.” Mr. Richardson of Tennessee said: “If the report of the court of inquiry confirms the press dispatches, the country will be on fire; resolutions everywhere urging war will be adopted and Congress will wait for some action by the President. Congress, of course. can at any time declare war,.but the Republican members of the House would prevent such action unless as a last resource it should be recommended by the President.” Mr. Dockery of Missouri said that he believed the administration would first enter into diplomatic correspond- ence before reaching the ultimatum of war. If the dignity of the country could not be upheld by diplomacy war would follow. Judge Maguire and Senator Perkins merely said that the situation is very grave indee REFUSES TO DISCUSS THE MAINE DISASTER. Yet Mr. Bryan Finds Time to Harp on the Theme of the Money Power. TOPEKA, Feb. 24—William J. Bryan addressed 600 Democrats at a banquet held in this city to-night. The gathering was in the nature of a re- union of the Democrats. Its'magni- tude gives it considerable significance as showing the Democratic strength as a balance of power in this State. Many speakers of State prominence addressed the meeting. Bryan asserted that the money power is to be the paramount issue in the next campaign, and cited the fact that the national committees of the Demo- crats, the Populists and the free silver Republicans have issued an address in which they assert the money question is the issue and call for co-operation of the forces that it may triumph. In an interview Bryan declined to discuss the present crisis with Spain. He said there is time enough to discuss that affair when the official investiga- tion committee in the Maine affair has made {its report. THINGS MORE TO BE DREADED THAN WAR. Governor Johnston of Alabama Be- lieves in Upholding the Flag of the Country. NEW YORK, Feb. 24—A Montgom- ery (Ala.) special to the Herald say: Governor Johnson answered queries of a Western newspaper to-night over his signature as follows: “I am unable to express an opinion as to the cause of the disaster to the Maine. The report of the board ‘will doubtless settle that question. Our from its timid policy and promptly take steps to maintain the dignity of our country. “Some things are more to be dreaded than war and one of these is a policy that brings contempt on the country’'s flag. There should be prompt recogni- tion of Cuban belligerency without re- gard to the Maine disaster. Every day brings me letters from Confederate of- ficers tendering their services in case of war.” Ny %G Gute, TO RE-ENFORCE SPAIN’S FLEET IN CUBAN WATERS. The Spanish Torpedo Destroyers Pluton, Furor and Terror, With the Torpedo Boats Rayo, Alcor and Osor and Their Tender, the City of Cadiz, in the Harbor of Cadiz, Ready to Start for Cuba. GENERAL SHAFTER INSPECTS COAST DEFENSE WORKS It Is Now Certain That Army Men Believe That War With Spain Is Fast Ap- proaching. Immediately on his arrival from the south last Wednesday morning General Shafter, U. S. A., commanding the De- partment of California, paid a visit to the Presidio and the works of defense at Fort Point, where the mortar bat- tery, the dynamite guns and the ten and twelve inch rifles are planted. The general’s visit to the works was un- expected, and his staff officers did not know of the early morning inspection until his return to headquarters. It is presumed that everything was found to be all right from a military point of view, as no supplementary instruc- tions followed his visit. Two 10-inch breech-loading rifles des- tined for Fort Point arrived from the East yesterday, and are now in the railroad freightyards of this city. Col- onel Moore, assistant quartermaster- general of the Department of Califor- nia, has made arrangements for their immediate transportation from the yards to Fort Point. The work of mounting the guns on disappearing carriages will be performed by troops of the Third Artillery, detailed for the duty, and will be pressed to rapid com- pletion. Definite intelligence regarding the quantity of artillery ammunition on the Pacific Coast is difficult to obtain. In- quiries on this point fail to elicit a di- rect response. The impression exists that the supply is not abundant. The interview with Representative Hepburn of Iowa, which was wired from Washington and published in The Call yesterday, created much comment in artillery circles of the army. The JTowa Congressman, who was in the Union army during the operations against Island 10, above Memphis, on the Mississippi River, recalls the fact that sixty mortars shelled the Confed- erate works on the island for many days and inflicted very little damage. He is not willing to vote away public money to build mortar batteries for seacoast defense. Others who served on the Lower Mississippi during the late war entertain views similar to those expressed by Hepburn. The Union mortar fleet at Vicksburg shelled the city constantly for forty-seven days, but the bombardment did not hasten the capitulation. Most of the shells exploded in the earth and did little more than frighten timid people with the noise of explosion. Officers of the United States army who have made special study of mod- ern ordnance do not agree with the Iowa Congressman. An officer now on duty in this department who is recog- nized as an authority on modern high- power guns remarked yesterday: “There is a vast difference between the old-fashioned mortars such as were used during the late war and the mod- ern rifled mortars of to-day. It has been demonstrated by practice firing that the projectiles can be dropped at the particular point desired. Take for example the battery of sixteen mortars at the Presidio. There are four guns in each of the four sections, and from a central point the observation is ob- tained. The elevation is uniform and 80 is the charge of powder. The shells Will attain a certain upward flight and descend at the point designated. Cal- culation is made for the advance of the ship aimed at. It is almost a sure thing that one of the sixteen projec- tiles would strike the deck of the ship on which all the guns were trained. The twelve-inch elopgated projectile would pierce the decks and hull of an ironclad. ~Accurate firing with the rifled mortars is attainable. A volley of sixteen shots can be easily fired every five minutes, and a ship coming in at an average speed by steam would be exposed to the fire for thirty min- utes. The new mortar battery now in process of construction will carry a steel projectile weighing 1000 pounds.” Army officers who expressed the opinion a few days ago since that war With Spain was not.p; a different view of the situation. They think the country is drifting toward a conflict of arms. The preparations throughout the United States signify something beyond the ordinary in mili- tary affairs. The gquestion is asked: “How many volunteers would the President call for in the event of a declaration of war?” One officer at army headquarters yesterday re- marked: “One hundred thousand men would be called for.” Another said: “Three hundred thousand would be nearer the mark. Let us assume that the United States troops would be mob- ilized near Key West for operaftions in Cuba. Spain has an army of 200,000 seasoned and trained soldiers in Cuba to-day. It is known that the Spanish soldier will fight, and he can live on as little as any other man. Tt is a common phrase in Spain that “a Span- ish soldier will live on a sardine and a kick.” To meet the Spanish army 200,- 000 strong an equal number of troops would be necessary.” Should there be a call for three hun- dred thousand troops California’s quota would be six regiments. The National Guard would not be asked to leave the State, but many Guardsmen, enlisted men and officers might enlist as volun- teers and be mustered into the Califor- nia volunteer regiments of the United States army. In 1861, when troops were called for by President Lincoln, the militia organizations did not respond as regiments or companies. Many of- ficers of the Californie. National Guard might raise companies of men to join the voluneer regiments and so gain the advantage and distinction of active service in fighting the troops of Spain. A call for three hundred thousand men would produce two hundred thou- sand effective soldiers. Estimates show that fully one-third of the men of a new army either die of ailments result- ing from exposure or become disabled by reason of sickness during the first year of campaigning. The climate of Cuba might be so trying on soldiers from this country that G50 per cent would succumb to disease and exposure before a decisive engagement was fought. President McKinley knows some- thing of war, and he does not desire to plunge the country into a conflict if peace can be honorably maintained. If war was declared he would not make the mistake of calling out a few men for a short length of time. It is be- leved that he would call at once for the enlistment and organization of a force equal in numbers to the Spanish army in Cuba. Under the protection of our warships the troops of the United States could be landed in Cuba and put in. line for active operatlons against the Spanish. Our army might meet with reverses early in the campaign. Many of our soldiers would perish in the field before the fighting began, but new recruits would rally around the flag and fill the depleted ranks. As a fighter on land and sea the American is not surpassed. Experience has shown that he will stand up under the sevérest strain of battle. In a war with Spain the Span- fards, despite their boasting. would get a terrible whipping, but war might cost one hundred thousand human lives. TOUGHEST OF MEN MAY FIGHT SPAIN. Colonel Sheafe Is Organizing Regi- ments of Cowboys in South Dakota. NEW YORK, Feb. 24.—A Sioux Falls (S. D.) special to the Herald says: Colonel Sheafe, the officer commanding the State militia, is recruiting regi- ments of cowboys for service against Spaiv. Colonel Sheafe said to-night thay ihese men are the toughest on earth, They are inured to hardships, have fought Indians, and he believes that if they are turned loose on the Spaniards in Cuba they will whip them \1n & very: ghort.fime. ~ IN NEW STOCK curities Poi NEW - YORK, Feb. 24.—A scene re- sembling the great panicky scenes of the summer of 1893 was enacted on the Ffloor of the Stock Exchange when the market opened this morning. Crowds of excited brokers clustered around the standards and made the air thick with their shouts to sell stocks. Sell, sell, sell, was their cry. It made no differ- ence whether stocks were granger, spe- cialty, industrial or coaler, the senti- ment was the same. The bears got out their war scare club and used it right and left on hold- ers of stock. The result was the most extensive throwing over of issues that had been indulged in for months. Union Pacific preferred was one of the first of moderately high priced securi- ties to suffer. Three thousand shares were sold in running order, prices rang- ing from 531 to 52, and later sales were registered at 51%. The stock closed last at 54%. Manhattan was a most conspicuous loser. The stock opened With 2000 shares running sales from 105 down to 102. This was sufficiently sensational as a starter in' view of the fact that the closing price of Manhat- tan was 107%. But the bears were not yet done with the stock of the local transportation company. They hammered and ham- mered and the price fell to 98% in short order, a drop of 9% points. Metropoli- tan street railway sold at 139%, as against a closing of 144, and soon lost 7 additional points. Burlington was also pounded, starting in at quotations of 94%, against a closing of 963% and re- ceding to 9214. There were 2000 shares of St. Paul at the opening, showing a loss of a point to that granger. Sugar was another object of attack, selling off on heavy transactions to 12314, against a closing of 125%. Rock Island yielded up a point; so did L. and N.; Northern Pacific gave 3%; Reading 2 per cent, and, in fact, the whole market was affected by the handling of the news from Havana. Authorities in Wall street were of the opinion that the avalanche of selling orders put in at the opening of the market had most to do with the early slump. These orders came from com- mission brokers. There was very little demand for stocks at the start, and stop orders caused a large drop in Man- hattan, Metropolitan, Sugar ‘and other easily moving securities. There were abundant indications that the bear element, which has been working actively in the market for a week, was an important factor in depression. This element bought stocks as low figures were reached. The decline was so rapid as to make a large profit in ar- bitrage business, and foreign houses for a short time had all they could do to fill their dates. After the first slump the supply of stocks decreased ma- terially, and led traders to work for a rally. Standard Oil opened at 365 and sold down 15 points. The activity of the market was shown at an astonishing decrease after the congestion of selling orders at the opening had been worked off. The first swift recovery of 1 to 4 points was partly lost, and then prices began to work back slowly to the higher plane. Commission houses re- ported selling orders received from \vldelty di‘stsi‘butefi points through the country, indicating liquidation holding of securmes.q S Government bonds fell a quarter to 1 per cent, latter in coupon fours, both of 1907 and 1925. Spanish fours fell a half per cent additional in London. There were large purchases here for London account during the morn- ing, the rapid decline making the arbi- trage operations profitable. Rallroad shared of tocks, | sell them. PANICKY SCENES YORK’S EXCHANGE Bears Take Advantage of War Stories and Drive Down Se- Several nts. and fell 1 and 2 per cent throughout. In the afternoon there was another free selling movement. In the last hour of trading another selling movement occurred, but none of the leading stocks reached the low level of theopening hour. Anotherslight rally followed, but the close was ir- regular. DOUBLE LAUNCHING OF BATTLESHIPS. Kearsarge and Kentucky to Be Slid Into the Water in a Month. NEW YORK, Feb. 24—A Richmond, Va., special to the Herald says: Officers of the Newport News shipyard an- nounced that a double launching of the battle-ships Kentucky and Kearsarge will take p.ace on March 24, and will be the first double launching of first- class battle-ships in the world. Governor Bradley and staff will come from Kentucky, and Miss Christine Bradley will christen the Kentucky with a bottle of water taken from the spring at which Abraham Lincoln drank when a boy, while Mrs. Win- slow, wife of Lieutenant Winslow, U. S. N., will stand sponsor for the Kear- sarge. These ships could be put in commission in six months, it is said, but the contractors have received no hurry orders. The Illinois, the third big battleship building at Newport News, is only a month or two behind the others. . ADVERTISEMENTS. ‘The happiest moment in a wo- man’s life is when 4 she feels for the @, firsttime the cling- ing caress of her own baby's fin- | gers. How many thousands of women miss this greatest, wo- manliest happiness, and live out babeless, lives, because of ill- health. Every woman should realize the supreme importance of healthy vigor and strength of the organs distinctly feminine. Unless a woman is willing to be that least envied of her sex, a childless woman, she cannot afford to neglect this feature of her health. . The best known and most successful med- icine for the cure of all diseases and weak- nesses of the female reproductive organs is | Dr. Pierce’s Favorite Prescription. ~Hun- dreds of homes that for years remained childless now ring with childish laughter as a result of the beneficial effects of the “ Fa- vorite Prescription.”” It is the preparation of an eminent and skillful specialist, Dr, R. V. Pierce. For years it has been used by Dr. Pierce in his daily practice in the Invalids’ Hotel and Surgical Institute, at Buffalo, N. Y., the greatest institution of the kind in the world. It has relieved thou- sands of women from suffering and pain and })repmed thousands for the successful per- formance of the duties of maternity. 'W. R. Malcolm, of Knobel, Clay County, Ar- Kkansas, writes : ** Since I last wrote we have had a baby girl born (o us My wife took your ‘Golden Medical mmve?' and also your ® Fa- vorite Prescription’ all during the expectant rod and until confinement, and she had no F:vume to mention. A stouter, heartier child was never born. Our child will be one year of age the Sth inst. and she has not been sick a ay. Has not had so much as the colic. Ttisa fact, sir, and we have not had to be up with her as often as twice at night since her birth. My Wife had not even a fever for the two or three after the child was born, although the atfending physician told us that such would be the case. Our neighbors remarked to me that 4 they lhuflib& my wife the stoutest Jitle woman they ever knew. We think our good health due %o the use of your family medicines.” Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets cure consti- tion. Constipation is the cause of many S?seues. Cure the cause and you cure the disease. One “Pellet” is a gentle laxa- tive, and two a mild cathartic. Druggists days