Newspapers / The Wilmington Messenger (Wilmington, … / Feb. 20, 1898, edition 1 / Page 1
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j - ' . ." ' -: : '"..:. ; . ..!:.". r ; ,.: ,. -. .- ,: - ' ' ' ' - - 0 i : ' ' 1 t ' ' ' -ft. VOL. XL NO j 44, WILMINGTON, N. C, SUNDAY, I&BliUAKY 20, 1898, i i . . - i ' ' - y 1 ' 1 . .!. i i iii iii i i i i i -.11 .i -i - 111 ' a ' f ' " 1 'i 1 ....... ' . I M1-V i! ,- :'.;!-..; I fci-rhi.iftsiVJi.Vv..... -sv..l, .).,. .-j,-, , fei- PRICK 5 GE S TS V -.- - vi -. . -.1. . ; f-; , ... . . :- ; .- The i Explosion fro Which Wrecked the Maine. From a Large Torpedq. - -Her Magazines Not ie Expected ah for Times Prepared t of the Disaster Working &t Night and; inday at iNTrfolk Navy Yard--An Warship i Reaches New York. . Norfolk,.' VaJ,-Feruai. X9.Order3 have ibeen received at the navy yard to keep the force working on the moni tors 'Puritan f-and Terror and the ! tor pedo bqats. Foote and Winslow at work tonigrht and : all day tomorrow.. These vessels; will be ready for duty .by Wed nesday. It is understood that the j. error jwas expectea last night to go into ordinary, but that this j morning she was ordered to get ready to go to 'Hampton Hoads. '. Her crew i and i offi cers will be here in a few days. Over fifty extra men were8 taken into the yard this morning. THE MAINE'S MAGAZINE NOT EX . . PLODED. " . ' -New York, "February 19. A; . copy right cablegram to The Evening World from Sylvester ;. Scovel, under today's date of Havana, viaj' Key West, says: i "The concensus of opinion of those who have) studied the wreck closely says now that the explosion was caused by a submarine mine. The; forward magazine,' it is, rtow generally' supposed, is intact, s also the forward 6-inch mag azines. This leaves only a few salut ing charges and a few small caliibre ishelJs in the pilot house which; could possibly have exploded aboard the ship. -At' the same time the .fearful ; damage is too big for any but an extremely large torpedo. ! If it were a torpedo the divers .Willi find torpedo, fragments, but if it were a submarine mine, no traces will be found. All the American; offi cers are 'internally 'boiling'. There is not one of i them, from Captain Sigsbee down, who is- not fairly convinced a government submarine mine'did it. The ispanisn : (aaiiies are louaiy clamoring 'accident, accident,' when even now the fact is . known that the whole middle deck, which' was blown straight up, never had ! an ounce of ship's ! powder under It, and that was where the first :name was seen." , : - - , CAPTAIN JSIGSHEE EXPE'OTED AiN Havana, 'February 19. Captain c. D. Sigsbee, of j the battleship (Maine, fin an tinterview today, with, the., correspond ent of the Associated jPress, described in detail trie explosion which des royed the "'great ship. . j. i t . "On the hight of i the explosion! said Captain Sigsbee, "I had not retired. I was writing letters. I fflnd. it impos sibe to describe the sound or shock, but the impreskibri i remains of something awe-inspiring, terrifying," " of jnoise, . rending, vibrating, all-pervading. ,There is nothing in -the former experience of any one oni board to measure the ex plosion by. (After the first great shock I cannot myself , recall j how many sharper detonations I heard, not more than Itwo or three-I knew ; my jship was gone; In such a-structiire as the Maine, the! effects of such an ex- plosion are snot for a: moment in douht. "I made imyi 'way through the long tpassage, in the dark, , groping from side to side, to, the hatchyay and thance to the poop," being among, the earnest to reach that j spot. -'iSo soon as I recog nized the officers, I ordered the j highl explosives to tbe flooded and I then di rected that j the 'boats available be low ered to rescue the wounded or drown ing. Discipline, perfect in a measure, prevailed. There was no more con fusion than a cjdl to general J quarters WOuid produce not as much. ! . "1 soon saw, toy the - light of the flames, that all my officers and! crew, left alive and on hoard, surrounded me. 1 cannot form any idea of the time, hut it ! seemed five minutes from the- time I reached the poop until 1 left,1 the last man it was possible to reach having been saved.'1 It must have been three quarters of I an hour or more, however, from the amount of work , done. I re-, member the officers and men worked together lowering the 'boats and that the gig took some time to lower.! I did not notice. "the rain of debris described by Lieutenant JHandin or others who Avere on deck at the time of the first explosion, (but j I did observe ; the ex plosion of the fixed ammunition and . wonder that more were not hurt there toy. J-' J-1 ---'.I :: -r : ! .. - ' "WITHOUT GOING BEJTOND THE UIMITS OF WHAT WAS PROPER IN THE HARBOR OF A FRIBNDX.V POWER, If ALWAYS MAINTAINED PRECAUTIONS AGAINST 'ATTACK, AND THE i QUARTER WATCH1, WAS i ORDERED! TO HAVE AMMUNITION FOR THE SM'ALLER GUNS READY TO HAND.! SO THAT TN THE 1M PROBABL15 EVENT OF ANi AT TACK ON (THE i SHIP IT WOULD HAVE J3EBN t FOUND READY. ' IT WAS THlSriAMMUNITIlON WHICH EXPLODED 'AS THE HEAT REACH ED IT." :!--'-:.-:- 1 "It is known that Lieutenant. Jen- i kins, who .1$ among the missing, was 1 alive after (the; explosion. Aj colored mess attendant, .-. now at Key West, met Jenkins! running forward. He evi dently thought, in the confusion, that I the Maine had been fired on and he was rushing to - the forecastle, where iwas located r the 6-inch! gun, of ; which he was in charge. i i f THE CRUISER BROOKLYN REACH . ES NEW YORK. 1 New York, February i9.MAt . 10:10 : ' .... 4 ; ..- - V.;'.."'. . in the : Outside or a Sub-Marine Mine Exploded- Captain y e Attack and Was at all it-Captain Sigsbee's o'clock tonigrht the observer at ' Sandy Hoc -k reported that a warship was rp'as; ling there ibooind in, kind that it app glared to Mm to be!, ap; American VeSS '1. V.; ; . .; r ; - . -l;';v ; . A-i .10:20 o'clock the observer at Sanly Hook 'reported, that, the sup posed Amferican warship had anchored in. tie bay. The warship Isi anchored aiboitt a "half mile off s'hore "between the boi nit of the H ook and the govern - merit dock. The o'bserver , says that he weT stands hig'h ou t of. wa-tea: and 5s lighted U'p. . Bhe , looks -like a cruiser. ... . . ' t TlJe 'Sandy Hook elbserver says, 'that the weather is so thfek he can sie very littl?, 'bu t he 'is ure the. iwa.rsih.ip is not the Visoaya; and from 'her (general ap ps'a 'ance he thinkis it to "be, the Erook- lyn. ,V :; r ,V ; . The Spanish cruiser Viiscaya still lies at anchor a.t the outer bar. tA dense ri og prevented the vesise1! reaching ther pierm'arient a;nctiorage toaay. Washingto, Felbhiary ld.-f-The inter esting feature, of the day's flews' at the navy department was the decision Of' ithe government to callow concurrent iri ves: igatdbons of the cause o i the Maine disaster, for. its own .part imakin'g an dnd pendent-inquiry throug'h the naval ecu t of inquiry already . s appointed, while permitting the iSpanisth authori ties to make - i such investigations as they- desire. This arrangement' com rhend'ed itself ;to naval men! i as fair ;to all fend at the same time as calculated to develop tihe exa'ct facts in a mariner that could . not ibe question e d. . There was a good "deal of talk among the officials of the weed of j speedy re lief measures for the ..benefit of. the families of the victims of the explosion. Under the 'treasury rules, ' the allots meitits of 'portions of (pay -.to members of their families made 'by the mien who "perished .in the wreck must top at once. It is not douibted tnat congress will do as it did in the case tof the Sa- iraoan d rsaster-1 pro vide for a year's pay to the. families of irhe sailors who died at their post.' The difficulty, how ever, is that such admeasure cannot be passed alt once, and meantime some of the -families of the dead sailors will be : in , great distress. The subject has. been taken up !by Mrs. Long, and she has called a meetiing for (Monday to initiate the movement. It j happened that (by the rare chance of an unex pected Change " of paymasters recently very little of the savings of the Maine's sailors went down in" the vessel. 'About two -weeks ago LPaymas'ter iLittlefield, of the Maine, "was relieved by Paymas- ter.ritay. aine rormer earner to ; yv asn- ington and has settled the accounts of the ship .ua to the time ;he left: The redo rds show that Paym asite)- Ray had on hand in his safe only about $3,000 in cash,! probalbly gold, and a check for. $6, 00 which, of course is safe enough, without his endorsement, . against loss. ince the spontaneous. 5 combustion theory has -come so prominently to ithe front as . accounting vfor the disaster, the officials have been1, lookinig over the s to find a parallel case, as near as may Ibe. The' flagship New ( York wafrS discovered to be- on fire March 9, 1896. Smoke ; ' was ' issuing from her m in magazine, This was tleared of po.vder safely and it was found that, thf i woodwork had baen Chajred deep ly. The cause was not at firt percep tible, Ibut it was soon discovered jthat. an adjourning coal hunker iihasfjhurn -ins;. When the bunkers was . opened, the coal on -top was not hot but Jas the m4n dug dwn into the maEsst it was found to !be red. hot inside. There was. no manifestation of heat on the top, of t'hi Ibunkers nor! on any save the one sic e-next the magazine. That fetartled th j naval officers and the constructors made a considerable air space between the ibunkers and the magazine In the- designing of the n'ew (battleships no w on . t h e stocks the lesson j was kept an mind and everything possible was done, to insulate -the coal bunkers f rom tb-5 magazines. ' ! r k ; ; 6ecretary Long has -given orders that with the expiration ofl this day ithiTe need be observed no. longer 4h order to all ships arid commands to dieiplay the national colors Sat half imsisiL '; FJlVORTNG raisi ng the battle ship. I ,4 CTiere- is no abatement of the talk of ith? expediency of raising the Maine.. Oiief Consitruc'tor Hichborn is 'one of thi most earnest advocates of the res-ui- rection of the; ship,? from tooth senti m'mtal and practical considerationis. ,h4 points 'Oiuit-' 1?hat th-e '.!h lies in a landlocked harhor, easy for the wreck ers to operate in and that, if "she can be rehuilt at a cost of $1,000,000, .the the government will save $4,000,000, ftTjst cost of such a 'battleship -with all of her equipmenit. Great Britain,! he saad, never aharidoned a ship its, there was the-least chance to save; her, and has not even yejt a'bandoned ; the hope raising the Ill-fated .Vjpto&rta,! dunk collision with the Caperdownj off coast of Syria,, several years ago. 'ommander Francis W. Dickens, the ing chief of the. bureau of naviga- and Secretary Xpngs right hand man In the ipresent . " emergency said : f The .Maine must be taken to an Anerican port if, there is enough of her bones holding together to. warrant reijmoval, and fin all (likelihood that will b4 done. If th'e explosion was more irvff the act tlMl disastrous than is now -thought to be the case; if the -hull ps'so wrecked as to be ibeyond repair, then as much of the '.material as can he secured will be brough t home and placed in a new Maiiie- It is 'to !be remembered that great advances'' , have "been made in ship (building, since tha Maine was de signed, and a finer ship to bear 'lier name could be huilt tpday,hut it would take! time, arid if any considerable por tion of the ship is-good, with a mcdern dzed j battery and improvements in re Imilding the destroyed portions, a mag nificent vessel can be (quickly sacured." Chef Engrne'sir Alelville . has decided viewb in favoi of the iproposltion tore build the Maine. 'Even suppose this costs ?1,000,000," said , he, "a new ship equal to the Maine would cost: nearly $5,000,000.. Thte repairs .could he j made and ithe ship put in service again in -a year j at the farlCherest. To buld a.' -new hp tike her wousld tak& at least! three years. With regard to the practicabil ity of raising ithe vessel, it is to he re marked that larger vessels have been raised, (which were at sea where they , w)ere exposed to the. waves, While the Maine is in a perfectly: quet ;harbory one end resting in the mttd and part of the other end above water. The Maine Is in a shallow spot, as protected as a mill pond, and she is only 6,000 tons ship. The British armcr clad Howe, ot, over 10,000 tons, was raised off Ferral, Spain, in the open ocean, and her maj esty's ship, Sultan, of over 9,000 tons", was Iraised and saved after she sank in (the Comino channejl." - ' r . Orders; have Ibeen issued for the' en-" listment'of 300 men for the navy (to, fill .'the vacancies caused iby -the destruc- :a S i C .Art .1 - T : ...1 J J. liija. joi iiie . !UiiitLies:xi4'P L.vj.ctaiie ctiiu to compDefe i the legal : quota.. Th-ei new men I wall be sent . ; to from! where they will receivdng ' ships, he sent to ships in' commission wherever needed. I MIEN -READY OBjOK WAR'. Co'ihimander-lln -Chief (Street, of the Union Veterans 'Union 'lias effeted to the president the services of 10,000 men of his order for the defence of the country. They could fbe ready .for action in forty eight h,ours. OUR INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE . . . - FIRST. ..... : ' . V;.' i Secretary Long and Assistant Secre tary Day, of the state department, had art interview with the president this morning i which lasted fnearly ani hour. Mir. Day read a cablegram from Con-. sul General Lee at Havana, tran'smit- tmg a request from - the Spanish au thorities in Cu'ba that the iSpandsh offi cials jbe permitted; to join with our own people in. making an investigation m- to 'the cause of the disaster to the Maine. The matter was discussed at corisideraible length and (tihe conclusion (Was (reached- that while this - govern ? menti is ; willing to afford the Spanish authorities all reasonable -facilities for conducting an investigation yeit,1 It- is thooight 'best the first inquiry shall toe made hy our own commissioners.. "r The request of .'the 'Spanish " govern ment (for (permission to examine the wreck of the Maine reached the state department last nig'ht through the fol lowing messages from Lee: ' Consul General , '"Havana, February 18th. ; -?. -'Assistant Secretary 'Day, Washing- xon. V 1 fCapitain Sigsbee .begins tomorrow wiiph divers; sent him from the 'United States to recover all hodies still left in the wreck of Maine, as well as person al effects of the officers and men and Whatever else can fbe obtained that way. j After 'that !. is , completed the Spanish ! 'government would: like to itinjite Jwiith ours in having the hottom of (the ship and harbor in the -vicinty jointly-examined. .. ( ; ! Signed ij ' - i LEE." The following is the ans'w-er sent: ' . . ' Washington, February 19. "'Lee, Consul; General Havana, ''The government pf the United States has, already begun an investi gation as to the causes! of the disaster to the? Maine, through officers of the navy specially appoanted for that pur (pose which will proceed independently. This government . will afford every fa cility it can to the Spanish authorities in whatever, investigatadn they may see fit tto make upon itheirj part. j-DAY, Assistant Secreitary." : ' Secretary Long wired. Admiral Sicard today,! after his consultation with 'President McKinley, (.telling him brief ly what answer had 'been returned to General 'Lee's application" in 'behalf of the Spanish government for permis sion to examine the Maine. He also instructed the admiral to press forward as rapidly as possible the work of sur vey upon the .Maine's hull and to have th court, of inquiry to proceed to. Ha vana as soon as possible, i It is iscarcely expected ait 'the depart ment that any ;inf ormation of value 'as to the cause of (the explosion will .be available until tlje court has hegun the formal inquiry. The divers now at work in the wreck are understood to he. in the removal of ship's papers and $n the removal of ships1 papers and small jarftides of value, so (that! .it' ist unlikely they would igive any heed ;toi the Ibottom of the hull buried, !as .it probahly is, deep in the; mud. . I PIECES OF TORPEDOES DIS- j ' " ; j j I COVERED. . ' ! ' j The officials hereyitmate Ithat the discovery of piece? . tbrpedoesil'is no to be taken in its fl. as j evidence of an outside attack upon Ithe vessel,' for it is fully expected that of the eight tor-i pedoes on the Maine, some were' more -or -j less "ruptured and", -scattered hy he explosion. which j destroyed the ship.' AMERICAIN JURISDICTION OVER ' ' . i (THE WRECK. . ' ! The apparent difficulty attending the sending down of divers to the- Maine; was relieved, of not entirely removed,!. by a j sitatem ent today I hy Senor du Bosc, charge d' aff aires jOf the Spanish legation, that a Complete and harmo nious understanding hetween Captainl Sjgsbee and the au'thorities at'Havanaj (had been i readhed on the matter of divers! and that' the Spanish authori ties viewed the Maine as exbra-terri- tordal;j-that is, a part o the sovereign termiory oi the - umcea states, tne same as a Unied Sfcattesj legation situ ated in foreigrt territory. With the Maine holding its status as extra-tear-! Tutorial all doubts as - to work on the wreck are removed. The waters of Havana harhor are of course Spanish territory and some confusion had heen aroused by the idea that this jurisdfcr! tkm over the waters attached also to! the wreckin its present helpless con dition at ;t! fbolttom of the bay. h. dispafIa: was received today from.' Afl miral S;ard. dated at . Key - West last night?fepealcing of the" assembling. oil ithe cofe of inquiry, i. Thel message wji3 as fg's: .i; rSecretarof the Navy: '! -.The 'Baer'-sa-fled from Key West for Hivana Tmh the divers and stores for thi MainJrTbe Iowa comes to- Key , Wssti on feae 19th'1 and ItheSampson co rrt of ' quiry on the Maine assem 5)1 s on th a.rrival here of Marix. The Mxssaohuit fts and, Indiana are a.t Tc rtugas.i tFrf teen officer' and fcrty se en nrei," !rom tbe Maine have been di tribu)te4,kt Key, West TmaWne hos pi al and f.it tlie;jarmy 'barracks. More ari due hti re on the 19th? hy the Man ;grv3. I Yiall hold all ait Key West, peiding tJe court, of inquiry. -No one ; of the tw -ity-one apprentices that the Teflas toe, I from New York I city, for thk Maine i Was on -hoard! that ship." ' LATEST i,EFORT OF CASTiAJLTTES. Captain igshee forwarded! another an I revisj I'st of Ithe injured and the de .4 so fj-r. identified this "morning as fol oys: ie hundred" t,anid twenty co firi- corainmgv125 dead ibodies now ibu-ied; nika1 more (bodies 'are feady for hutial toiorrow. In rthl hospital at 'Havana, tile are. ten 'wounded. . Nine' injured wie sent to Keyj West 'by Uhe Mangrove ?lfoday. Thirty fig'ht are all tha bodies Jha,t have ibeen Identified up to pate. t-H conitinue to flow irliNotable among the111 was oni that 2vfone to . handUast evening f irom the &teen regent of "Spain as fop . 'Madrid, - February 18, 198. , MPresidenfiiMcKinley, Washington. 'jiHer' viU'-ytesty,- the queen, has just sietit jon4 cf;.'the entlemeri 'of ithe royal househqldM'to express thrbugh me to your lexc-teqiicy her ' profound sorrow and sympathy in the sad accident 'which ha befallen, the TJ-hited States isteamer'iSi'ine at . Havana.' K I The; coi4?act f or the wftrka of saving por'tions oStfthe Maine, ajrio.' if possible, raising ihte-v was nolt closeil today, al theugh'; r-spregtentatiyes of JwTecking concerns i'iere in cojifererioe -'With navy dfepartmeivl ;oflioiaTs : through ! the : day, Captairii : ftily,Who will i if ram'e the coifttratst, &id - that progress had been Taade;tovrard understanding' ithe gen eral plari?!5?fv operation',"" fbut a . final agreement jad not bean reached, j'Until X&ty' the Merrttj ; and 'the Boston' ' Boat Company - have been-, alnf ;dn the . field, ajid ! ithe de pa'rtm'eint hdersltcod ;they I had com !bined,;thef interests.' .This would 'have v insured .;the. - (government . the double" faetfties ' of ithesa extensive vrrecivens ha would' 'have, tgiy en them Ithe contira But today Ithe iLucken- bach VVre'iJcn'g Company; of New York city.tlfjitered oipon A corriioe'tition f6r the iWcAlc, and heifdre Hthe 1 day clbsed-Jit fed "made a hid.'-, The other concerns ij not hid today, but expect ltodJ so iSonday. ' The plain. "proRosea. by them usethe lare . wrecking tug Oriori.'lf" the Boston::, company, in conjunction j with the powerful cranes of the Meatfftt company. ' If 'this plan as adopted, the Orion .will carry the wrecking u 4it!erial to Havanat and then serve i in 1 -ahsporling Vh$t' h$avy tur rets,.'' guns SMd dQtachahle: parts -of the Mai'ite hac Ho the Norfolk navy yard, Where it -proposed to assemlble the remiiarits Vf . the Ship. The I iLucken- bacW Com'ny propose 1 a f jdifferent plan! Theibid con temp ja;te"s', the use of aajrge bges, hauled ,by oqe,an tugs, in hiinigngiarts of the wreck; to Nor folk. In oer respects . ithe iplan of operitionspf all . bidders is; !tx assume the i eritireitwork ; of furnlshahig appli ances,; -diirs v. etc., an i delivering such., miteal as is . saved;a Norfolk. A goviernnit official is t rnke gen erai 'irispieMon'of ,' the;wCTsk?;4s it pro ceedSv I .Thlfotf Luckenbachpw Company ClairQ.tthathe use of fbares (will cost orie; 'ourthKess and will giyie elttQr re suitsl I Thetugs : dra wimg '. "th - j 'barges mak& ; eLghlaiO(tsi an hour ihe OTdon ; mak?s ttennbiots.- This S difference lis said to'ibe nna!terial, maliihgi ai' differ ence of .feijffi. two days inf t'he time of delNeryi ajie Norfolk nsavyf'yard. - Wle th disaster to the Maine has crea;cd ."a feiriper iri" the housej oh, favor of ii Deral f,propriaitions for the navy and whiTe M; d undoubtedly rue that the louse fct its "present frame of mind woutd. noftJi.: .heisitate to vote for two newj IbattlO'hips, . one-, to r replace ; the Maiier thitemper is predicated upon the. toeorythat the Mai4'e .was: Mown up liy exfte.'nal agen'cies. I If the result of $i :e offiial Imqiuiiry slhouild develop the: fact 'bVfond peradventur?. that the Ms! TBxaifsA-ne. exploxieid -rMian! fire or otho- causj, i within 'her hull,! t is be lieved a se itimen't in congress will ;be created agjtinst ithe ; expenditure of millions in the consitruction! of war ships that ftiay 'blow up at any tinie. It ee?ms; likej fthata congressional in-' vestgatioDtWiill 'follow arrepjort from the board l?of inquiry' attributing the lossfof .the.j'&aine to an explosion of her magazine. ";' s ' ' ;V;-K :j- DINERS AT WRK. H.vanaj:Vebruary IS. The ;United Btartaa: flaH.is. floating at half mast front the i;p of ithe Maine, today and Jtwoiaivervit'h, six assistants !are at worf aboiithe wreck under the di rection oMCaptato igsbe. It ap peaiis thatylte preliminary work of the di'Vers wfllrtfe directed tovrards salvage only qWhfcjS the mvestigiori into the, Spanish, gi ernmerit, it "is. said here, waM!conab:4ate'.- ' ;; jh -.:' : K4y : We Fla., FehmfLrVl 19.-The condition pthe mjiired itt ithe marine hospital aP the ibarraCll is slightly impTOved.. vhe injured xgin iwho ar rived or ttoh)grove fhfe'nkbrnang in care, of Drnendennin, fjrnl jthe tbar- rackB, arefering mostlM frbria severe hurnsvibuts:they are doing! nicely: The eleven ver Jseriousl y injured i who are still, in hospital at: Havana will probably .hrought. here t dn! a few days by -eteamer Fern. ill The baship Iowa came; ?up from the; 31ee't ,-U;'j&.y, arriving off here at 5 oclock thi.K-afternoon. Sh'e'j I had oh board .the'lmanders of. the Massa chusetts aiJ, the Indiana,;, who will be members M the committee; ' to inquire fnto the d Sister to the Maine Rear A.4i?aral. " Sicard came ashore from the -fjfew York on the j Ericsson, probably 'iZ-t.1 secure . a platee i for the meeting o0:the court of inquiry. Madrid, Jlje;bruary 19.A dispatch Admiral received to !ay ' .from Rear i Manterolaiyhe naval commander M Havana, Bays proof exists that no dead fish; came to -the suTfaoe after the ex plosion that Wrecked the CMatoe, arfd that when the disaster occurred there was not the slightest upheaval of the water, such as would 3nevitahly follow a marine explosion. I "1 ANOTHER RAIIjWAT I IiEASE. The Question of leasing, the Atlantic and North. 'Carolina Railway to the South- tern Under Consideration CSpecial to The Messenger.) Raleigh, . N.: C, 'February 19.-The couricil -of state 'held a very important session todays It considered the. leas ing of the Atlantic and "North Carolina railway, it is well understood thai'the Southern, railway . desires to leajse it. Members of ;the council are extraordi narily reticent. , The proposition I the Southewi makes it that it will take the road at a good rental arid put it : in first-Jclass condition, prqvided the jgov ernor and railway commission, or, rath er the new members of the latter, cease their; war for lower passenger rates, whiqjh . appears d'lbe particularly j di-r Tect.idr:at''.theOTiti and jNtirth';darblin-a' railway . is much run down,:with some hridges not at all modern .and unfit for heavy traffic,! and its dividends have .been paid at the ex pense of its equipment. Inquiry was made as to what. would ;be thought a fair Tate of rental of the! road, and it was replied that the state, could afford-to rent ;for:2 ,to 4 .... 1 I per cent, on the capital stock. Rumors as to the rental to be paid ranged all the way from -2 to 5 per cent. - j ' It ,is said the governor is very desir ous to know the attitude.' of Caldwell and Pearson, of "the railway commis sion, : as to stopping the rate war,i as they tare the majority of the commis- sion.. There was a conference of; the commissioners this evening. The com mission meets again Monday, and, so it is alleged, will the council of state. E. (H. Meadows, a director of the!A;t- 1 antic and North Carolina railway ?has resigned. The. governor i declines to give out Meadows' letter! but it was dated prior to the dismissal of -Robert Hancock., as president. Meadows was one. of Hancock's supporters. It' is further learned that next Tuesday, When the directors meet, they wfll not elect a successor to Meadows, neitheif will they elect any one president before Septem'ber, but L. fHill will act as president. ' . RAILWAY COMMISSION CASE. Caldwell's Doubts as to Its Status Before d the Federal Supreme Court . ; !; (Special to The Messenger.) ! Ra-leih, ON. C,' February 19. Tonight at 9 o'clock your correspondent inter viewed Chairman CaldweJl, of the-'fail- way . comnu ssioni ana asked 'him - -whet ti er he thought the "United States supreme court n ex t Monday would oust him and Pearson. ' Caldwell said: V ! ' ' 1 "T received a' copy ; of the court's ! no tice to show cause why the relief; prayed for shoula . not ibe granted. To me the notice appears ambiguous. Tt may I be construed to mean one of two things -thaf . we may be called' upon to answer for contempt or that 'the relief prayed for in the original petitions by us. should hot be granted. If the court divides; the case and hears simply -the contempt pro- oeeding and its opinion is adverse to us, we would be in contempt, and to purge ourselves of this, it is possfble:' wie would be required to vacate office. This would reinstate Messrs. Wilson; but if the case is heard upon its merits and the mat ters of law therein decided, the court will be compelled, as we understand j t he law, to grant the relief we pray for and affirm the opinion of the North Caro lina supreme court and dismiss the case This, of course, would discharge the rule for. contempt. I stand ready to go to Washington upon . notice; fronv- the court ; so' does-Person." . , - . ' Wants Declsion'on the Telephone Case. (Special to The Messenger.) -. .' Raleigh, N. C, 'February 19. Chatrman Caldwell, of the railway comanissron, tells me he will be glad If the riiatter can be arranlg-e to g-et the telephone rental case before the' state supreme court immedi ately,' and would like to have the record made up as speedily as possible. He is in grave doubt as to the power of ; the commission and wants. ,the highest court to settle the question. - i ' : j s Warning to Foot Ball Men from the .Bench London, February 19. A . case heard toy Justice Hawkins is of interest to foot ball players all over the world. A man was killed at foot , ball and the prisoner was charged with mansaughter andj con victed. Justice Hawkins laid down j his view of the law with unmistakable clear ness, lie said that if a man caused vio lence, whether wilfully or Iby negligence to another, in such a way as to produce death, he was guilty of murder and, therefore, "rough players of this danger ous game": must beware or get into seri ous trouble. The judge added: " As, how-. ever, the prisoner has exhibited; sincere sorrow and hears, a' good character, I will discharge him ononis own recogni zance in 50 bail. . , I Bepablican Campaign Officials Charsed with .Larceny . . - f - Washington, February 19. James Yer ser and Robert N. Mills, who were con nected with the republican congressional L committee during the late campaign,were arrested today, on the charge of steal ing six million envelopes, the property of the committee, which were stared in the old congressional Globe building. The envelopes were sold for waste . paper at the rate of $1.00 a thousand. Verser Is from. "Virginia ad Mills from Texas. Yer se4 asserts that he only took waste mate rial ani that he is innocent of any in OPPOSED TO FDSIOIL T5-- KO DESIRE FOR FUSION FOCSI" AMONG DEMOCRATS- mm 4tantle and North Carolina Railway Xi ,;reetorsto Oast Has cock, as PreaMc&l - . y8alt Against, Insurance Comptsy Smr hjFraod of Agent Federal Govern nas-vt m -fFarnlsh Uniforms to State Troops Kfcli ay Commission Notes r I , f.J , Raleigh, NfC, Feby: 19, 1S3S. " I In: the course of ..'conversations' "Exilic .kany democrats ' here no trace of airjr entiment 4n favor of fusion can Sse? ffund. ;The . condem-nation " of Qeztalss t&'U ! i - ' i j' " ''T ' ispt is an assured facit. that the idiree -fers j the Atlantic and North 'Caro-. ffha railway -w-ill -next Tuesday oasXL, ancock as prasiden t. He may esSl -ovc' ibut even this is hardly re--f!rded jias proibable. : There; will tie zw " Ppubt ihe will institute rnatidaiaus--pceedinigs, injunction, or somethiiir 1 t jthe sort at once as he ds-deternrincdE - ;g!tomms,.' ;Pou and Ward itojday Attorneys brought suit in be-half of JL. fi( Fortune;, clerk of the Unit edi &tastes istrict court, and others against lbs ' uiuai, LKeserve Km-nid lAle Insuranxis ; qimpany. The la'tter it is asserted in -ie complaint, has arbitrarily raisd- e ages, of policy-holders, in Fortune's- Insured he was 60 years old when tie-' ras only 38. The suts are on the Itaet -QC those recently brought in Virginia-" $,At the Agricu'lturall and-'MecaaanicaCL : "Allege last evening Ai. Cohopn wosa' ie Jorators meda)l in the annual con- ' St. . s '. : :'. .. . The ;i executive committee of ' tbe- frth i Carolina Teachers' ' asselIsv m'ptosed of. Thompson, of tatesvffle- , i4rimsley; Graham, of - Charlotte . lagsdale; 'Gully, of Wake Forest, sm powers, of 'Trinity, "met here tlbis aP tgrnoo'n, accepted the resignation of CL " X" Parker as secretary and elected. "WL.., njH? i TTTT-,! i. X. I. ,i . , . ., . .... . - i V -v ..fi.fi v iinxsei t to nnat posiuon, j Klhe clerk3 in the office of the reTe rare collector here-taday sent to 2vfir- - Tork,. to ex-Judge TJB. Worhack. ' Tias chiefi clerk under collector Sim- " Mons, a very handsome bicycleJ SThere were rumors last night etaoveu...'. eprt of, a sensation regarding 'the rail ' Tray commission, 'but thev did rsot ,ma tlri'alize; The commission lh.fti.rf n. xtr cslssiori today ibut discussed minor inx' ra.'- Th$ next session1 'of ' the ctrsr-. assi)Qn will :be held. March loth. A3t. j.at. time-an ffort will Ibe made to tia-.' . mice, very considerably . the pxtw - ffes on fresh fish fromj Morefceaidt ty, and no fixt:-smc- ZKOntslm.tm-1 ) Tjr.os joith-e state and to pointa at de the -state One of the coimnis- , eibners 'says the rates are now bicit- ' as- to double the price of! fish; in ies'tem - part of the state.!. The' c6m " isamts of preferencevfor Richmond: asi Tqrfolk as against Wilmirigton xes gurding shipmentsi of molassesr to joints rin the interior of North Caro- tena will also 'be investigated, tlie ims: being that the freight discrimi- . Ration; is glaringly great. . 1. i prh.e supremie court rwill devote j-neadt -flfek 'to the hearing of appeals frmtzi - Ihe ' Third disityrict' TlhPi finmltJn- I i;irrv : ' ly all during the Ipresent term 3s "Vry light. ' .; L : uiRaMway commissiorieT', . 'Abbott -Tiaa -ployed his point that 'one- commissiia fgj can issue subpoenas, for witnesses- he oomimission while discharging- Uc ftnessesi fbe summoned, allows .-'their ger diem and mileage. . ITheJ Wilbur ' Opera -. ' 'Xmmsiny:: . fiaus- ; tgjyen. !a most delightful series !of oner pic.periormances nere xnis week. There were .several disappoint mere' esterday at the refusal of ithe now - ifpJLway commission to put : Major -mi-s rw. Wilson and H. A. :Pag? a - the witness stand. The latter wouli -ive' testified thatVhe had heard tbatt povemor Kusseii had said he proposs ' qc Crush to the wall the Southern raQ- -.ray and Vice fPresident A. ( B. r Ao jiews. -;'.'. .v. -. i .'. ; iA circular was today sent out ! not? -ffltagi state guards that in future tmi orms will -be issued made-up i that Tjjt .jrder of the secretary of war cloth a-rtT ' . Unmade clothinig are no longer fssuea ip the mi'Liitia. - !?; ' ': ' . . . - : r - . f. The House Passes Ihe Bankruptcy BUT" .'Washington, T). . C, February w.A.T, tr ... four days of consideration, t&- -louse today passed the bankruptcy bC Reported by the house committee on the' Judiciary as a substitute f or the ; KeVsovt Mill oassed bv the spnnt at liaT.fr last summer. The bill,is known a& e Henderson bill and: contains; bdth volr- ytitary and involuntary features. It fi!nsidered less drastfc than the mieasHre- .passed by the lftst , house by a vote of TjZ 87. The inypluntary features hoWevefv. ttttd hut 16 majority. Today a motion ta" srike out the lnvoluntarv f tirriia iMcr peffeated by a majority of 19 and the InU a3 passed by a majority of 23, the wtoe fetandinff aves.. 158: navs." i rvrsirYttgxon. feptdbiicans voted against the bill ami Itwelve democrats for it. The populist, fwith one exception1, voted against it- s Todav tha Mil was cnnsMwiul' i.nn. tfee five minute rule for amendment; bar--3he reading of the hill, whk:h contains" Eighty- pages, only advanced through trw x?irst, section and only one unimnortAnf ;hendment . was adopted. It related t jpte oenninon or a term m the WU arnX brorrected an. adrrtitted Inconsistency. It. m&s only hy a slight inadvertancje on tha Part of the chamnions of Senator Ttfa hony's ,i (republican, of ; New York. - amendment to limit tbe operation of tb arieasure to two years that this ameruS ment was hist. It was voted into the-MTS-' jbfore 4 o'clock, when the final j vote trae T$ be taken under the order, but a motion lay, on the table a motion to reconsM was carried Jby a narrow limit, tfat go-M- call extending beydnd that hour,- ami' She' friends of the amendment allowccl. fie. motion to reconsider to prevail with niit" a divislori. Intending to let the vote- " ffne:: again upon the amendment. BatL. point of order was interposed to cut cSZ' thts. vote on the ground that tbe boor--for taking the final vote had arriv?il 'Some .delicate parliamentary, oapriwr- I occurred, but the point was sustained trsri toe speaker. Had the friends of the riendment interposed, similar point tT der; against the motion to ;reconsidcr also would probably have toeen soaia- ki and the amendment would harp, nw .trained 5n the bill. . , , ; - Ifp tent to derraua.. . . ; , . . .i , ; - ; r ' I m
The Wilmington Messenger (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 20, 1898, edition 1
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