The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 11, 1898, Page 3

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1898. THE COURT HAS MADE UP ITS MIND NOW Outside Explosion Caused the Awful Disaster to the Maine. Further Delay Only to Strengthen the Position Taken Beyond All Possibility of Assault. |a clear insight obtained into the court’s Copyrighted, 1838, by James Gordon Bennett == | preparations, It {s possible to under- MR. PROCTOR - IS NOT DOING MUCH TALKING Received Nothing but Cour-| tesy at the Hands of Spanish Officials. Admits That the Condition of the, People of Cuba Is as De- plorable as It Can Be. Copyrighted, 1888, by James Gordon Bennett. ! wood backing and another steel plate of an inch in thickness. These guns, | + | stand many things hitherto obscure to L % | KEY WEST, Fla, March 10.—Sena- | of which three have arrived, will be | 1 M. | used along the rails of vessels against R R R R R R SR SR S R Y + + NEW YORK, March 10.—The Herald’s Washington corre- spondent says: The report of the naval court of inquiry on the Maine disaster is expected in Washington by Tues- day or Wednesday next. There is no longer any doubt that the authorities have definite infor- mation as to the character of the evidence furnished by the divers and that the general conclusion of the court will be that the ex- plosion was from the outside and was not accidental. None of the officials will of course say just how this information been obtained, and all refrain from making any public expression until the report is at hand. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 444444+ 444444444444 + L R R HAVANA, March 10.—Believing that | its proceedings may be reviewed by an international court of inquiry and ar- bitration, the present court of inquiry is proceeding with such care and delib- | eration as to give many the false im-| pression that it is killing time. This to me to-day from a distinguished r of the navy, whose sources rmation are inferior se of the court it that the pressure somewhat reiieved and that the ninistration will soo: be ready to take the people into its confidence, this tleman said: 5 vho believe that the Court sarily prolonging came of to scarcely of sec ting simply for the purpose of authorities in Washington to gain time so that yver the destruc- be allaye or to other results are in error. not desired that the court t yort before last Sat- McKinley has in- mpson that he is it as soon as | to make it. understood, an indication of in- assure you that the 1e to a final de All further delay great caution and a realiz the investigation is unique In the | history of the world, and every possible precaution against blunder aken. What the resuit of its will be the court d not pre- I to know. Its report may be fol- lowed by prompt action one way or rother by the administration’ or may It in the convening of a court of y and arbitration composed of of all the great na- > evidence which 1all be in shape and and so plain that it can be un- rstood by any intelligent mind. This is the real explanation of the tion of the work of the is why every detall is bei with tir care. For facts and figure are being noted and placed in compari- with the original plans of the Maine. Measurements are still being taken and will continue to be taken, and the results will be preserved until there remains absolutely nothing more to be done. Then the findings of the court will practically be a mathemati- cal conclusion, the logic of which can- not be evaded. “It is pot to be understood that the Court of Inquiry is preparing its re port with the idea that it is to be placed before a higher tribunal, or that the members consider the convening of an international court of Inquiry and arbitration as possible. They are sim- ply preparing for all emergencies, and by so doing demonstrating that the trust and confidence placed in them are merited. Evidence which has been readily understood by them, acquainted as they are with the architectural con- struction of the Maine, and having practically given personal Inspection to every twisted beam in the wreck, may appear complicated and obscure to | others. Light is being shed upon every | detail and explanatory material is still | being gathered at a time when less | thorough and conscientious men | wounld already have made their report. will continue along this line as there is a new thing to be en.and not till then, will they :e Havana. The conclugion willebe ~hed immediately after the last evi- | dence has been taken. Last night the Court of Inquiry did not know when it would be ready to stop investigation. It may soon come to a conclusion, and 1ts rk may be continued another fortnight. But one thing you may as- sure the readers of the Herald: The Court of Inquiry is not in the busi- ness of killing time.” iterview and the facts therein y be received by the public | olute confldence as though the stamp of the Court of | T ¥icial sanction. The Herald | :n made the vehicle for the con- of this information to the son stated been somewhat sensitive un- quiry h der the charge, openly made in some quarters, and frequently Iimplied in | others, that its present operations are | only for time-killing purposes. The court’s members also resent the dispo- sition on the part of certain ill-ad- vised jingoistic war organs to make it appear that the court’s real conclu- were reached long ago and with- uch careful deliberation as should terize a body charged with a the most grave magnitude. Ap- reciating that the Herald’s course has en different, that it has at no time end red to force conclusions on the public unwarranted by facts and has not attributed to the court or to witnesses statements warped and dis- torted or wholly imaginative, it is nat- ural that through the Herald persons very close to the court itself should seek to set at rest innuendos alike in- jurious to the dignity of the court and harmful of public interests. With the cobwebs brushed aside and | volving expert it is the intention of | it | reason | s concerning the wreck | | steamers. | headquarters in Cleveland. | Perhaps That Ship Is Not Safer Than | this city is an electrician on board the | these four ports that we entered the pi- | Mare Island Workmen Now Engngpd the public. Some comment was caused when Mr. | 3issell, official stenographer, was per- | mitted to return to Washington, Mr. | Hulse, his colleague having gqne north | some days before him. The simple | fact is that the actual taking of mew testimony was practically finished some days ago. The work now being | done is malnly statistical, structural and confirmatory in character. It con- sists gely in careful measurements with photographs of the details of the wreck, verification by divers of the condition of certain portions of the hull under water, the position of armor plates and scores of other details in- knowledge. why the court’s work of late n almost exclusively with such ms as Naval Constructor Hoover, Carpenter Helms, Mr. Powelson, Chief Engineer Howell and most of all with | the divers. This is why members of the court have actually spent hours on the diver’s floats personally directing | the submarine work. { This kind of work is necessarily slow. What might be gained In speed would be atthesacrificeof thoroughness. Much of it also is disappointing.. Mr. Helms, I know, had repeatedly directed the divers to descend at a point which should be directly over some particular | part of the ship from which Special in- formation was desired. The divers spent perhaps an hour under water without being able to accomplish the desired purpose, but this does not indi- | cate that they were working blindly. It is only further proof of how com- pletely the structure was blown to fragments. ‘Whole sections of the ship’s interior, sections with which Mr. Helms was so familiar that he could once have laid hand: n them in the dark, seem to have d ppeared out of this chaotic m From a veritable submarine labyrinth must be extracted hard mathematical truths, truths that will ton and Madrid, but, if néce: v, to the minds of wholly disinterested ex- | perts, who might ultimately be sum- moned to act as an international court of arbitration. This problem is now confronting the Court of Inquiry. Its elther, | Members are meeting it coolly, intelli- | gently and discreetly and as expedi- tiously =as its magnitude warrants, Whatever their findings may be, they are anxious that they shall be such as will stand the severest tests to which they may be subjected, either at hom or abroad | WHALEBACK FLEET l FOR WAR VESSELS. | Thirty-five Monster Lake Steamships | ‘Which Could Be Added to the Navy. NEW YORK, March 10.—Thirty-five | great naval fighting machines would | be added to Uncle Sam’s outfit in case | of war with Spain. Cleveland would contribute these fighting machi Men who know say that the Clev contribution would strengthen the navy ¥ | at least 50 per cent. Government offi- | cials are already considering plans. Their idea is to turn the whaleback | fleet of the great lakes into war ves- sels. It is asserted that this could be done at ht cost and that the whale- backs would be formidable ally valuable for One great fea- s as war boats is most entirely They would be coast defense pu ture of the whalebac that they can be a merged. When they are thus s merged only about one foot of deck shows above the water. arine men and Government officlals agree that with the addition of a couple of turrets and with a ram forward these boats would be serviceable In case of war. of the whaleback 3 owned by the| an Steam Barge Company, with TRIED TO BEACH THE MONTGOMERY. the Maine Was in the Harbor of Havana. BOSTON, March 10.—James Healy of cruiser Montgomery. The following let- ter, dated Key West, was recefved from him to-day by Philip Connell: “We had orders to take a pilot going | into every Spanish port. Now, out of lotranushighanddry, and the last time we never would have got off but for a Ward Line steamer. At first we thought it was only an accident, but events have set us thinking in a differ- ent way now. We know beyond a doubt that the Maine was blown up from the outside, and we will have war.” TRAINING SHIP MOHICAN SAILS FOR HONOLULU. on the Charleston and Phila- delphia. VALLEJO, March 10.—The training ship Mohican left the navy-yard for Honolulu this afternoon. Commencing to-night the workmen will be employed night and day in getting the cruisers Charleston and Philadelphla and the gunboat Yorktown ready for sea within the next six weeks. : - Hurry Orders Given. BALTIMORE, March 10.—The tor- pedo boats being built by the Colum- bja Iron Works are wanted by the Government at once. Mayor Malster, who is president of the company, re- ceived a telegram from the Navy De- partment to-day saying that the Rodgers must be turned over within a week; that the McKee must be ready within thirty days and that work on the sub-marine boat Plunger should be pushed a8 rapidly @s possibie, | toward them, but they were brought to ‘weeks. tor Proctor and his companion, Parker of Washington, both of whom returned yesterday from an extended | trip in Cuba, leave Key West for | Washington to-night. Senator Procto aid he had a good time and a good | opportunity to see the condition of | affairs in the island. He visited the | provinces of Pinar del Rio, Matanzas | and Santa Clara. Of the condition of the people Mr. Proctor said he could add nothing to | what was already known of thelr suf- ‘ fering and starvation. He had been | gratified to find relief supplies being | distributed in a way to do the most | good and at a very small cost. He | spoke in high terms of the energy and | ability of Mr. Elwell, the agent of the | Cuban Relief Commission, and of the work of Miss Clara Barton. Mr. Proc- tor added that while not himself a | specialist in charitable work, he had | | been much interested in the way the | supplies sent from America are being distributed, and that he had been im pressed with the efficient manner in | which the work is being conducted. He said many courtesies had been shown him by the Spanish officials, and among them he had not observed any marked anti-American feeling. | Mr. Parker was more outspoken in referring to the condition of the starv- ing Cubans. Not half the horrors o that land, he said, had ever been told In Matanzas he had been officially in formed that 5700 had died of starva- tion during the last three months. iting the place where some reconcen- | trados were herded de saw three die during the few minutes he was there He found the same condition exis ing in other parts of the island. No | rts whatever he said were made by | anish Government to feed the | The Government had | the € reconcentrados. herded them in citles and towns and | left them to subsist on charity or | starve. Josjital wards are over- | crowded, vs, with these wretched | people, while houses, parks and boule- vards swarm with others in equally desperate straits. The dead, who are 00 mumerous to receive prompt and proper burial, are strewn everywhere. The whole picture of ghastliness is be- yond the imagination, and renders the crime of concentration the crowning shame of the nineteenth century. Referring to the resignation of Con- sul Barker of Sagua, Mr. Parker said he thought it was the outcome of an apparent lack of appreciation and sup- port of Mr. Barker's representations and appeals by the authorities at Washington in behalf of the starving Cubans. No conception of its enormity was possible except by being constant- | ly besieged by these people, begging | for sustenance for themselves and their destitute children. His health, too, was | being gradually undermined by the dis- | tress that surrounded him. Both Senator Proctor and Mr. Par- ker paid the highest tribute to the patriotism and abnegation of Consul Barker, who, they declared, was a most | excellent representative of the Ameri- can Government. They said they had best of reasons to believe his resigna- tion had been withdrawn. They gave a most graphic and amus- ing description of the skirmish between a company of Spanish cavalry and a handful of insurgents which took place while they were on a train near Matan- zas, and which was undoubtedly pre- pared for their especial benefit. Before reaching the station they noticed that the telegraph wires had been cut and| some slight obstructions placed on the track to impede their progress. On a hill in the distance they could see the silhouettes of a dozen Cuban insur- gents outlined against the sky. In the valley the Spanish cavalry had started a sudden halt enemy. The distance was too great to hear the shots, but the smoke from the Cu- bans' rifles gave warning of what was taking place. The Spaniards halted and formed a hollow square, while the officers sought safety behind some con- venient trees. Meanwhile the insur- gents called for a truce and withdrew into the dense woods, and the Span- iards returned to the station in time to meet the train and receive the con- gratulations of the commander of the district. All this byplay struck Sena- tor Proctor as most amusing war tac- tics. An old Confederate war veteran who accompanied the party asked the Spanish officer in command why he had not given chase to the insurgents, as there were not more than a dozen of them. His'reply was characteristic. He said there were more than a thou- sand behind the hills. The story is told that each member of that cavalry troop has already received a medal in com- memoration of his bravery in the bat- tle. SUCCESSFUL TEST OF RAPID-FIRE GUNS. Remarkable Velocity Attained by Bullets From the Automatic Colt. NEW YORK, March 10. — Several hundred extra mechanics are employed at the Brooklyn Navy-yard. The dis- patch boat Dolphin has a swarm of painters and about a hundred mechan- ics rushing work upon her. It is said at the yard that the orders are that the Dolphin must be ready in two Much work is being done on the cruisers Chicago and Atlanta. ‘Work on the torpedo boat Stiletto will be completed by the end of the week, when she will be ready for sea. A test was made to-day of one of a consignment of rapid fire guns just re- ceived from the Colt factory at Hart- ford. It is known as the six-millimeter rapid fire automatic Colt and is ‘capa- ble of firing 200 shots a minute with a range of 2000 yvards. The test proved that the bullet would pass through a steel plate 3% of an inch thick, two by bullets from the ysides of & coli of pipe, twenty inchas of | to the torpedo boats and also in the fighting tops. : A large quantity of ammunition for vpse in the rapid fire guns arrived at ard to-day. Supplies and ammu- | nition detained for Key West and League Island navy-yard are being | placed on barges. A barge laden with | S-inch rifles. shells and powder was | towed to the Jersey City docks for | shipment, presumably for the cruisers | Minneapolis and Columbia at Philadel- phia. NAVAL APPROPRIATION NEARLY COMPLETED. Few Changes From the Estimates, and Then Only in the Line of Increases. WASHINGTON, March 10.—The na- val appropriation bill has been practi- cally completed by the House Commit- tee on N Affairs, save as to the questions of increases in the navy, dry- docks and armor plate. Chairman Bou- telle said to-night he might report the bill to the House on Saturday, and if not it will go in early next week. . been few changes from | and the bill will involve | in the neighborhood of $30,000,000 -aside | from new ve drydocks and armor. | The increases allowed are such as to meet the gradual development of the | ervice. The general item for construc- tion and r just passed on, aggre- gates $2,700,000, identical with the esti- mates. This includes about $370,000, a material Increase, for improved ma- chinery at the shops. The amount is exclusive of the specific appropriations rious construction plants horizontal appropriat a, proposed of $30,000 to each of the yards, | except the Puget Sound station, in lieu | There mate of $300,000. The the naval academy through practically of the general appropriations at Annapolis untouched. for long discussion in com- | r the additional land | wanted for the Port Royal, S. C., sta- tion, but an appropridtion of $20,300 for | the purposes was finally allowed. ORDERED TO ENGAGE | TWO THOUSAND SEAMEN. Mission of a Board Created by Direc- tion of the Navy De- partment. NEW YORK, March 10.—A Washing- ton special to the Herald says: In ad- dition to buying shell, the Navy De- | partment is determined to make a large | increase in the navy and marine corps, which will be availabl r service on board vessels which it is proposed to purchase and aux y cruisers | should they be placed in commission. Ai board was ‘appointed to-day, consist- | ing of Lieutenant-Commander J. KL | Hawley, Chief Engincer Harry Web- | ster, Surgeon R. C. Pe ns and Car- | penter, which will leave to-morrow for New Orleans, Galveston, Mississippi River ports, including Memphis, ‘Nash- ;nl », St. Louis, Savannah and Mobile, la. The board has been directed to en- gage 2000 seamen and machinists, and not to return to Washington until this number has been obtained. For ma- chinists, the board desires skilled me- chanics who have been at sea, and for seamen men who have been on - salt water in large vessels. The depart- ment is considering the advisability of instructing naval officers on duty throughout the West to establish ren- dezvous and accept a desirable men that may offer then 3 OFFICERS FOR THE NEW ARTILLERY REGIMENTS. Colonels Williston and Sineclair Will Command the Sixth and Seventh. WASHINGTON, March 10.—The field officers for the new artillery regiments will be as follows: Sixth Regiment—E, commanding; F. G B. Williston, colonel G. Smith, - Coromer 85t Muls, W vose B Russell, majors. Seventh Regiment — Willlam Sinclair, colonel commanding; J. G. Ramsey, lieu- tenant-colonel; J. P. Story, G. G. Green- ough and F. C. Grugan, majors. The junior officers will be announced as soon as the examinations for promo- tions now in progress are completed. Other changes in artillery regiments that will occur as a result of the legls- lation authorizing the new regiments are as follows: W. F. Randolph, major in the Third, to be lieutenant-colonel of the Third; Charles Morris, captain of the Fifth, to be lieutenant-colonel in the Fifth; J. W. Mc¢Murray, captain in the First, to be major in the Fifth; J. B. Burbank, captain in the Third, to be major in the Fifth. 3 WORK ON SEATTLE’S NEW ARMY POST. Captain Robinson Ordered to at Once Commence the Erection of Buildings. SEATTLE, March 10.—Work on the new army post buildings, to be located on Magnolia Bluff, will be commenced at once. An order to this effect was signed to-day ‘at Washington by Secre- tary of War Alger. Captain W. W. Robinson Jr., the assistant quartermas- ter in control of the work locally, re- ceived instructions this evening, and will proceed at once to start the prelim- inary operations. The signing of this order by Secre- tary Alger means that $70,000 from this year's appropriation is now available. Of this sum $50,000 is set apart for building, $8000 for clearing and the bal- ance for heat and water. After July 1 the next year's appropriation. will be available. It is expected that the work GCotugolicn, will be huwried to ADVERTISEMENTS. A STRONG LIST OF ATTRACTIONS: We bring to your notice for Friday and Saturday some of the swellest attractions that it’s been our good fortune to offer you in many a day, and the pleasing feature of these attractions is that they represent all mew Spring Fashions—the world’s newest, as well as the world’s prettiest. a list that should command your attention. it’s Shirt Carnival! We set apart two days each season for an Unlaundered Shirt Sale. It is always hailed with delight by the women folks in town, because it’s a sale made up exclusively of high-class Shirts for men. . It's the very best of dependable doods ; it's regular goods; it's| not goods dotten up jor special sale purposes. i It's twice a yearthat wesacri- | fice profit to make new Shirt friends for owr Shirt Depart- ment. These Shirts will be divided into three lots and th> quantity limited to each customer. LOT 1 Consists of near- ty 1000 dozen of the celebrated | Langdon .Millsi Muslin—a good, heavy, stowt fab- rie—cut full length, long and L8 short bosoms ;| 5',‘: \ \\ 1600-fine linen | < bosoms, wrist- | bands and neck; re-rnfnfczad front and back, paten? continu- | ows facings and gussets; a shirt | wsuwally sold by ws at 50¢, and @ rare value at that. | Special price Friday and Sat- wrday, and on these two days only, 29c¢. LOT 2 Consists of elose on to 1000 doz- | en Shirts made from the Fruit- | of-the-Loom muslin, 1900-fine | linen bosoms, cuffs, neck and | wristbands; patent stays, barred | buttonholes, double interlocked sleeve on shoulder—one of the | cloverest shirts made for man to wear ; re-enforced front and back : patent gussets; ouruswal 75¢ Shirt. v Special for Friday and Satur- day at 4. LOT 3 Consists of close on to 1000 doz- en of owr finest Unlaundered Shirts, made fromthe celebrated New York Mills Muslin, a shirt that for durability, dressi- ness and correc' form _cannot be equaled on the Pacific Coast. 'Tis an ideal shirt. It's being worn to-day by thousands of our best dressers: it's our $1 Un- laundered Shirt, made with patent stays, barred buttonholes, double interlocked sleeve on shoulder; the bosoms are 2200- fine linen, cu ff's the same, wrist- bands and neck the same, in either the short bosom desk- worker’s Shirt or the long, full- dress bosom. Special for Friday and Sa'wr- day, and on these two days only, at 55G. NIGHT ROBES. In conjunction with our Un- laundered Shirt Sale we will hold a special sale of Night Robes, of an ex- tra quality and cut extra length Som> 250 doz- en high - class Night Robes, embroidered fronts,50inches with continwous double-yok> nmecks, hioh-class goods. You would bo willing at any time to pay 65¢ for such a Night Robe. These, Friday and Saturday, at - 39c. Lot 2 of the Night Robes con- sists of those twills and heavy muslins. They’re good, heavy ¢loth, and yow would be willing at any time to pay 90c for such a Night Robe. These Friday and Saturday at 55c. long. made Sussets, The new Sailor Straws for little folks — embrac- ing all the new color combina- tions. On_ Fri- day and Satwr- day at 18¢. , THENEY STRANS 2 Loveliness. —That characterizes the new spring block of the Men’s Alpine as yow see it above. Itis @ dream of beauty. Exclusive hat stores won’t show yow any better at $2. Ours is a popular Hat Depart- ment ; it’s the people’s Hat De- partment. Pearls with black bands, blacks, browns, cedar, briar, the new shade. These high-class styles in our Men's Hat Department Friday and Saturday at 95c¢. Big Boys’ Suits. Friday and Saturday will see some lively selling times in our department devoted to Big Boys’ Swits. Some 300 all new Spring Suits, pretty col- orings, stylishly tailored swits that will cost you double the money else- where. Forlads between the ages of 14 and 19. For Friday and Satwrday only at $3.98. The cutest thing yow can have for your little man’ is a Sweater. Those with the sailor collar, same grade that other stores are selling at $1.50, beawtiful color combinations, and this is the last whirl of "em at the price. . Friday and Saturday at 7 8c. | Fashionable Trousers For Men. We will have a lot of pretty Trousers on sale Friday and Sat- wrday for men. All wool, the durable Kkind, and the fashion- able and correct colorings for spring. Our Trousers are Sraceful setting and yow will find a very lib- eral assortment to select from. Yow'll find grades as dood as other stores.are selling at $3. These Friday and Saturday in owur department devoted to single Trousers at $1.78. . School-Going Boys. Mothers with dollars to save, here’s yowr. op- portunity. Some 400 Suits for your little boys, thase between the "ages of 6 and 16; all choice colorings, all new spring patterns and well - made clothes, like all of Raphael’s clothes. Blues among’em. Friday and Saturday at $1.98. Another batch of pretty Sail- ors, short Trow- ser affairs, and they’re a sweet lot,. Sailors that you wounld at any time be will- ing topay $6.50 and $7.00 for. They're made with an inlaid collar of differ- ent fabric, with many rows of soutache braid; shield of eontrast coloring; in fact, they are a swell lot—that says it all. These will be on sale Friday and Saturday at $3.48. Some 200 little Swits as yow see in picture oppo- site, with their little wvests, for little fellows be- tween the ades of 3and 8. Cute, cunning and sweet spring styles. Some blues among ‘em. Friday and Saturday at $2.98 A Men’s Suit Carnival. A Men’s Suit Carnival—a sale of interest to owr men_folks. We'll quote a wonder;uwlly low price for a lot of very pretty and new Spring Swits, made in the single-breasted sack style. Good, dependable fabrics, but just on these two days, Friday and Saturday, at $3.98. SAVE YOU ALASKA OUTFITS. a 9-11-15-15 KEARNY ST. TWQ ENTIRE BUILDINGS—8 FLOORS. GOING TO ALASKA? ‘LET US OUTFIT rou.