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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 23, 1898)
FHE OMAHA DAILY BEE ESTABLISHED JUNE 19 , 1871. OMAHA , WEDNESDAY MORNING , MAliaCII 23 , 1808-TWELVE PAGES. SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. SAVES HAM LIVES America's Charity Com33 Like an Angel to Starving Cubans. ABUNDANCE CF SUPPLIES FOR TEN DAYS Bakeries in Havana Tnrn Into Bread All Flour Received. PEOPLE LIVE ON CORN MEAL AND BACON Three Hundred Tons of Meal Are Now Needed Each Week. FIFTY TONS OF BACON TO GD WIFH IT ncelplentM of Thenc Free Glfln IOMH the fieiieroiiM Hand * Which Si-ml Them 'Report from t 1,0uID < Cop > TlKht. 18M. by PrfM I'tibllM.Ini ? Company. ) HAVANA , March 22. ( New York World Cablegram Special Telegram. ) American relief work In Cuba Is In a mcst excellent condition. Heretofore the Inadequacy of supplies from w\merlca made operations on EO large and satisfactory a scale Impossi ble. Today there arc enough afloat for thirty days' requirements. On the arrival of the next cargo , due Thursday , every known cen ter of destitution will Immediately be pro visioned for ten days and 200,000 men and women will bo sustained by America's practical sympathy. Pending an official statement of actual needs thereafter the American relict will bo as far-reaching as possible to make it. . Letters and telegrams from consuls and consular agents received by me within three ( lays fully confirm the generally accepted views as to the magnitude and Intensity of the awful destitution. Consul McQcrr of Clenfugos , heretofore Incredulous , now re ports 15,000 destitute In his consular district and believes It is worse. Tomorrow on Kstrella street we open a central station for tbo relief of 12,001) destitute In Havana , also a diet kitchen for 2,000 sick In an Lazarlo street. Bakeries In Havana and suburbs arc turning Into bread all the flour received. The situation In a nutshell Is that there are 205,000 rcconccntrados In 402 towns and vil lages. Three hundred tons of corn meal and fifty tons of bacon weekly can save them. All look to America as their only hope and bless its people for the good already done. When Americans die , they say , 1'etcr will not wait for them to knock at the Heavenly gate , but will open It wldo before they knock. LOUIS KLOPSOH. oiM--iciits onuiruion HOMU. All Likely .to l/c me Illavann by Sleiiiner Todny. ( Copyright , 1SCS , by Press I'ubllsI.Sng Company. ) HAVANA , March 22. ( New York World Cablegram Special Telegram. ) In all prob ability the odlccrti of the 'Maine on duty at Havana will bo ordered home tomorrow. It Is believed that orders l-.avo already been received , but held until the last minute-to avert publicity. Three officers arc known to have already packed their trunks to sail on the mall steamer Mat'cotte tomorrow. In a zinc-lined pine box upon the stern of the Spanish floating morgue large lies American Sailor 'Bcrger-sen. ' Men on the wrecking tugs and barges arc undecided whether to bury their convradc at Havana or eend the body by the Plant line tomor row morning for burial at Key West on American soil. The whole wrecking outfit objectu to the Idea of the man being burled hero under existing circumstances. They eay : "Hergenson was an American seaman In the employment of the United States gov ernment and his body should rest on Ameri can eoll as well ea the Malnc'i ) victims re cently secured. " The death nan cast a deep gloom over the wreckers. Even although not ono mlnuto of work has been lost and half-masted rings only show a man has died , still the eight of the plno box , a few hundred yards distant , hcu taken the sap out of the men. Their work has be n frightful at I. a best and now that they labor In the midst of new deuth 49 well as old , they do it mechanically. To morrow Chaplain Chadwlck Is to read the services of the dead aboard the death barge ; which has borne so many American sailor tnartyn. AH hands will knock off work for the moment anil a proper observance will bo made. The ceremony will occur whether the body Is taken aahoro or to Key West ( or burial. Dr. Dudley asserts Bergensen's death was not from yellow fever or other Infectious disease * . It Is well that such Is the case , ( or the sickly season U rapidly approaching preaching when work will bo extremely hazardous for unaccllmated northerners and as the Spanish divers now say : "We will have the work all to ourselves , " seems cvl- denco of Intention to delay. The Spanish divers are now hardly working at all. They descend every other day not over an hour at a time. When the American force ceases work then the Spanish board may bo expected to report that Investiga tions are Incomplete and demand time fcr further work. I am able to produce testi mony , and the American divers know that the Spanish Investigations up to date have only endorsed the discoveries of our own men. But when the Americans are unable to keep check upon Spanish \\ork , sure state ments may be expected which Spanish divers working alone will bo easily able to create ( oundatlons for. In short , If Spain Is al lowed time to finish Its investigations before the United States makes reclamation there Is a strong probability that there will then bo presented Spanish claims backed by al leged Spanish discoveries which will be used as grounds for demanding an International board and delay the saving time which Spain BO badly needs. The Maine's first steam cutter raised shows the side smai ! ' ed In by a blow from heavy wreckage. The forward part Is uninjured. Tbo cutter was riding moored at starboard boom about opposlte'the big magazine. Had this exploded , not only would the men not have been saved , but experts bellovo every bit of the cutter would have been demol- itbed. Already two slx-poundera and two Ix-Inch breech leading cannon have been reached. Even tbo one which had been on tbo forward superstructure and which hai been scorched seems uninjured. Expert tt think all are practically undamaged. Two more six-Inch guns are expected to be raised tomorrow , Klopsch'a estimate of reconcentrados to be fed now Is 205,000 , In 403 towns. Ho has sent food to 131 , and aska for 300 tons of I comma ! and fifty toni of bacon weekly to I < # 4 til. Tbta cUu ! food only people will cat. It Is not likely to be stolen and will cave the starving country people of Cuba. The Havana prc.ia again breaks out against correspondents. American food for Cubans Is also objected to In a vigorous , continuous manner. Jt Is evidently the dally propaganda established In favor ot letting the Cubans starve. There la much anxiety hero over tlio effect of the expected board's report on the Maine. Tlio volunteers have not yet been persuaded to deposit their arms In the ar.norlcs. Tbo general situation la most de pressing. SYLVESTER SCOVEL. HIMI.V AOW TALKS UlllUTUATIOX. Want * to Hnve the Mnlne Dlfferenee .Settled tlint Wny. ( Copyright , 1S5S. by Press IMbllitMni ; Company. ) MADRID , March 22. ( New York World Cable-gram Special Telegram. ) La Corre- spondencla hiving published telegrams from Washington foreshadowing the contents of t > o American report on the Maine , probable developments on this affair have been the principal topics In political , flronclal and diplomatic circles today. The people seem generally perplexed and anxious about the line of conduct their own government will take. Many ministerialists and financiers think tha matter might bo referred , to arbi tration , both eldcs selectli.g the same num ber of competent umpires , presided over by a sovereign or president ot eomo friendly power , such as Belgium , Switzerland or Sweden. Most Spaniards would object to England as an arbitrator , because they be- llcvo the United States and England are Just now Inclined : to help each other. The Impression ls that the Malno question will bo the object of distinct and separate ne gotiations between the American and Span-1 lah governments quite apart from other Is sues of the Cuban question. Orcat reserve Is shown In official circles , though It has trans pired that the state department today re- celvcd important tclcgraura from the Spanish legation at Washington that were Immedi ately communicated ( o Sagasta. Senor Polo y Barnabe also wires that ho Is hopeful about the prospect of treaty ot commerce negotia tions. ARTHUR E. HOUGinON. TAKE XOTC OF WAR PUKI'AIIATIOXS. Siiiinlnli I'll PITH Urue Tlielr Govern- inent tn Follow O.i. MADRID , March 22. The papers here publish full reports of the movements of the United States war ships and of the de fensive preparations being made by the government of the United States. It Is re ported that the Spanish war ship selected to convoy the torpedo fleet has sailed from Carthagena for the Canary Islands. It ap pears that the delay In the voyage Is due to the fact that the Arete , one of the Span ish torpedo boats , sustained eonie light dam- agd whllo on Its way from Cadiz to the Canaries.1 The Spanish newspapers advocate further strengthening of the naval squadron In Cuba , so as not to be caught at a disad vantage In case of war. The Hcraldo thinks that In view of the "ostentatious prepara tions" of the United States Spain has full liberty to make similar preparations. I The Olobo Insists that Injury has been done to Spain by the United States squadron remaining so clcso to tbo seat of war. It gladly notes , however , tint the verbal sug gestions ot Senor Polo y Bcrnabe ( the Span Ish minister at Washington ) to Secretary Sherman have led to the withdrawal of a portion of the squadron , thus demonstrating the cordiality existing between tbe two countries , THY TO WNLO.VD UPOJf UNCLE SAM. Hrokcrw Offer Joli I.otM of AVar Ma terial at I'llnex I'rleeM. LONDON , March 22. The return of the United States ambassador , Colonel John Hay , to London from Egypt has brought to the embassy a swarm of war munition men cud brokers who have options on war ships. Some of them renew efforts to sell to the United States obsolete craft at preposterous prices. Two brokers offeree ! one eblp at prices $750- 000 apart. New contracts for ammunition and guns will probably be made on the return of Com mander WHIard H. Brownscn , U. S. N. , from Paris , when there will be a conference ot the naval authorities to discuss the quo-stlon of buying move ships , upon which occasion Commander Brownson will report on the condition of the ships being built l i France which might bo purchased by tbe United States , | EXl'LOSIOX WAS FIUIM TUB OUTSIIJK. Spiinlnli MlnlHter Informix II In Gov- eminent of Court'H MADRID , March 22. The SpinUn gov ernment has received a dispatch from Its minister at Washington , Scnor Polo y Bcr- rabe , saying that the report of the United States naval court , appointed to Inquire Into the loss of the battleship Malno , holds the explosion was of external origin. WASHINGTON , March 22. Senor Polo , the Spanish minister , ealil today that the report from Madrid that ha had notified his government that the American na\al court of Inquiry's report was that the explosion was of external origin was an error. Ho added that ho had not notified his govern ment what the report would bo for the rea son that he did not know and did not send cablegrams to hla government except where ho know what were the facts , and In this case ho was not In possession of facts. Old TIinerN for Xew Ilniterlen. CHICAGO , March 22 Nine troopers of light battery A , Second artillery , U. S. A. , will leave Fort Sheridan tomorrow for Fort Slocum , N. V. , where they will enter the now artillery regiments , the Sixth and Seventh , to arolst lu the work of drilling and organizing recruits. They will be given noncommissioned offices In the new regi ments. This Is the second squad ot Fort Sheridan men ordered to the seaboard gar risons within two weeks twenty-one sol diers having been sent with a similar pur pose about , a fortnight ago. Chaplain Chadtvlck'u Ileport. HAVANA. March 22.haplaln Chadwlck has completed his report , which shows that 257 men and two officers perished In the catastrophe , plx succumbed to their Injuries whllo lying In the San Ambroslo hcopltal here , ono died on tbe Spanish transport , 171 ' , bodies have been recovered from the wreck , of which sixty-one have been Identified ; 101 have been burled In Colon cemetery and eleven at Key West. Xew Orleun * Plnlnhra Conllnff. LONDON. March 22. The New Orleans , ( formerly the Arnazonas ) and the San Fran cisco completed coaling today. Tbe latter cruiser will await orders. The former will go at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning to Halhaven to chip powder and ammunition previously ordered by 'Brazil and will then await order * . 'Ambasmdor ' Hitchcock Presented. ST. PETERSBURG. March 22. Ethan Alltn Hitchcock , the new United States am- baoador to RuMla , bad an audience with the cur jr * Urdjr aad praented bit credential ! . I | COURT ( FINDINGS EN ROUTE Commander Marix Starts with Them for Washington , EXPECTED TO REACH THERE THURSDAY llenrer of Document ! ) Left Key Went for Miami Ye terdny Afternoon Striken the Itnllrunit nt tluit Point. KEY WEST , Fla. , March 22. Lieutenant Commander Marlx left Key West this after noon on his way to Washington by the way of Miami , taking with him the report of the court on the disaster. Commander Marlx brought the report ashore from the Nashvlllo today and Rear Admiral Slcard , with Commander Marlx , spent several hours In Ho further revision. All the officers of the 'Maine except Pay master's Clerk McCarthy have received or ders to leave for their homes and to await orders , as In the case of other officers who left hero last week. This Is considered to bo evidence that the court will not require the corroboratlon of technical evidence , as was tlrougnt a tovf days ago. Before leaving Key West Commander Marlx said nothing could be given out about the work of the court of Inquiry or Its find ings. Personally the commander said he was Intensely relieved at completing bis labors. The decision reached by the court Is still a matter of surmise. Perhaps some signifi cance may bo attached and conclusions drawn from a remark made by Admiral Slcard last night , when ho said to a corre spondent : "Tho case of the Maine Is most . peculiar , perhaps the most peculiar which has ever occurred In the history of the world. " From the general tone of his re mark's , It might bo Inferred that the court findings do not definitely solve the mystery of the explosion. Thin Is further borne out by the admiral's statement that even after the t report had been sent to Washington the department may require further Investiga tion. tion.Tho The feeling here last night , after It be came known that the report had been turned over to the admiral , was one of relief. Naval officers and others discussed the possibili ties of the court's finding until a late hour. The general Impression continues to prevail that the court had found that the Maine was Intentionally blown up , but no new reasons were adduced for this conclusion. Lieutenants Jungen and Hood , Cadets Branson and Boyd , Passed Assistant En gineer Morrla and Carpenter Hints of thu Maine left here today en the City of Key Wc.it for Miami. Gunner Halo of the lest battleship will leave later. There are no commlslacncd officers of ttlo Maine bore. The United States battleships Texas and Massachusetts passed hero at 5 o'clock yes terday afternoon on their way to Hampton Roads. The United States battleship Indiana arrived hero yesterday from the Tortugas Islands and Is anchored besldo the battleship Iowa and cruiser New York , six miles from shore. PKOVIDES FOR SIXTEEN A'EW SHIPS. . Three of Them Ilnttlenhlpi , One of AVhlcli 1 to Heniucil Mnlne. WASHINGTON , March 22. The navnl ap proprlatlon bill us reported to the house < o day carries a total of $35G83,05S , an In- ' croiso over last year of $3,764,432 , and over the current estimate ? of $2,514S24. Fcr the Increase of the navy the bill allows to be constructed by contract three seagoing coast line battleships designed to carry thi heaviest armor and most powerful orJ nance , displacement 11,000 tons .with the ' highest practicable speed for their class , t cost exclusive of armament not exceeding $3,000,000 each , ono to bo named the Maine ' six torpedo boats and six torpedo beat de stroyers , to cost not exceeding $2,340,000 and one gunboat to take the- place of th United States Steamship Mlchl Ban. to cost exclusive of ar raancnt not over $260,000 , to bo built on the great lakes. Ono of tbeso ships is ti bo built on the Pacific coast. The contract for the construction of all thesn vesso ! are to bo made within sixty days ot the en actment of the bill. Toward the construction of four tlmbe : dry docks $200,000 each Is allowed , each t be not less than 700 feet Icng and eufllcleia to meet probable future requirements of th largest vessels. They are to be located a Portsmouth , N. H. , Boston , Long Island an Mare Island , Cal. , the total cost when com pleted not to exceed $850,000 each. At Al glers , La. , a dry dock Is to built , -but Is t bo of a double-sided steel floating typo known ae the combined floating and self' docking dock , capable ot lifting a vessel o ; 15,000 tons displacement and twenty-seve feet draft ot water , to cost , Including moor Ings and wharf , $830,000 , of which $200,000 1 appropriated this year. The bill directs the appointment of a boar of naval officers to determine the deslrabtllt ; ot locating and constructing a dry dock lu the harbor of Galveston , Tex. , and to repor to congress at the next eesslcn. Tbe bill provides that It the vessel to b built on the Pacific coast cannot bo built a a ccst not to exceed 4 per cent above tb Ion cat accepted bid for other battleship It Is to bo constructed elsewhere. The secretary ot the navy Is authorized t enlist at cny time after the passage of th bill as many men as may bo necessary t' ' man the vessels placed In commission , pro vlded tbo total number In general acrvlc and In training shall not exceed 12,750 inn and 1,000 boys. The bill provides that no person shall b appointed assistant surgeon until examine by a board ot surgecn * , nor who Is under 2 or over 30 years ot age , and authorized th president to appoint for temporary servlc twenty-five acting assistant surgeons , have the relative rcok and compensation o assistant surgeons. HI.AXCO TIIHEATEXS TO HESIG.V Stopping of Torpedo Fleet Xot to III Llklnw. NEW YORK , March 22. A special dU patch from Havana alleges that Captain Gen eral Blanco and Captain Manterello hav notified tbo Madrid government that the will resign their offices If the Spanish torped fleet Is to bo detained at the Canaries 1 obedlenco to the demand of President Ms K la ley. Captain Eulato of the Vlzcaya la also alleged to have sent a message to tbo | ' Spanish admiralty , similar In tenor to tbose ! j of Dlanco and Manterello. It la knowa positively that the negotia tions betweea General Pundo , Ramorez aad Oh&rver and General Ciltxto Garcia and other prominent Insurgents , In which the . radical autonomists made what are cald toj be final offers of practical Independence , have proved an absolute failure. General Panda's command U again moving eastward , purpo- ng to carry out tlio plans to ! the province ot ucrto Prlnclpo and Santiago , de Cuba pro posed prior to the gcceral'a arrival at the Ity ot Sontlago de Cuba/ I The fact that General Oo&tci remains In- Ido the Jucaro-Moron trocha and in Gen * Ml Pando'e rear makcd the latter the sub- cot of criticism upon the part ot military men In Havana. However , in view of tbe 'act that the details from Spaniards and .nsurgents . are meager , all judgment paosvd s liable to revision on receipt or fuller In- orrr.atlon. The Insurgents recently captured rd destroyed Fort OlcsO , In the district ot Ian Juan Marcz , province ot Plnar del Rio. 'Ivo of the Spanish garrlcon were killed and vo wounded. The rumors that General Pcndo has been ecallcd and Is awaited here with 6,000 men re pronounced to be without foundation. Generals Pando and Salccdo , tt Is given out , re ccntlnutng their operations In Puerto 'rlnclpo province , The Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII entered tie new floating dock today , In order to have ts hull cleaned , but owing , It Is nald , to : omo difficulty with the electric battery the dock , as this dispatch Is cent , had not been floated. It Is announced from Spanish sources that he Spanish brigadier , Rafael Cabrera , died recently from sickness at the farm Of Laa Ollvas. Ui the district ot Sar : tl Splrltua , province of Santa Clara. In a skirmish at Jlbarp- eight Insurgents were killed , according to the 'Spanish report , and the government forces also lost eight men killed. , wni * XOT coxHiniia IXDIDMXITY. Spain AV'III Appeal Uo Powom for Intervention NEW YORK , March 22. "I am In a posl- lon to Inform you and It Is highly Impor- , ant Just now In connection with the pollt- cal calculations ot the Immediate future that the Spanish government will refuse to accept any finding of the Maine commission which may suggest Spanish responsibility , " says the Madrid correspondent of tbo Herald. 'The Spanish ministerial view Is that the mputatlon which such a finding would have , If admitted , would forever be an Irremovable blot upon Spain's reputation as a civilized country , which It could hoi possibly bear. "If the report of the commission throws blame upon Spain , which would carry with It a call for Indemnity , the peninsular govern ment will forthwith make jn appeal to the combined European powers ! on the pica of equity and common falrnesq to Intervene In favor of Spain against what every Spaniard would esteem as the most monstrous and Iniquitous finding. 'It Is hoped that under such circumstances the United States will agree to the appoint ment of a neutral court Dt naval construc tors , who could carry out 'their work with perfectly unbiased minds , a.condition almost Impossible to officers of the United States , who would naturally seek to exonerate their service from all fault or blame- and would look upon Spain as an enemy. It may be stated , however , that the ministry ettll clings to the thought that thecommlsstm , ( cannot possibly return a verdict otfier than that the explosion was accldqnfal. "Constant reference Jo Plans for the solu tion of tbo Cuban question by means of pur chase , coming from Washingtonicauses great , affront hero , and will not bo entertained. There are other'means noncommercial ones by which , If 'autonomy' Is not successful , Independence coUld be given to Cuba , but It must corao thorugh some third and friendly power. " C11IXESC WITHHOLD I'UXISHMEXT , Mllltln Prevent * Execution of the Murderer * of n iMIxHlonnry. SHANGHAI , March 22. Further telegrams from ' Chung King 'Fu regarding the eack'lng of the Methodist medical mission in the Klang Pchl country show that the Chinese' mllltla ' b now there In largo force and re fuses to allow the execution oi the death sentence passed upon the murderer of the student who was killed by the rioters , who also destroyed the mlsslop , as announced In these dispatches on Marph'-16. The foreign consuls' have demanded that the taotal disperse the mllltla , execute the murderer , arrest the leaders of the rioters , pay COO.OOO taels for ( to property destroyed , allow the mission to reoccupy Its premises and engage to protect tbe members of the mission. XATIVES DEFEAT TUB FRENCH. Onuntltle > of 'Arnm ' and Ammunition Captnred. PARIS , March 22. The Slecle today says a French expedition uont against DossirlrU ) , ID tbo Island ot Madaciscar , 'has met with serious resistance , six ofllcets and 100 men "being killed. The Insurgents , It is added , alflo captured'a number of rifles and 125,000 cartridges. Dock Laborers Strike. ( Copyright , 1SDS , by Press TuljlltlJng Company. ) COLON , Colombia , March 22. ( New York World Cablegram Special Telegram. ) The Panama railroad dock laborers struck toJay , the men refusing to accept the superintend ent's proposal regarding night work. The men demand $2 a day. The present rate is $1.50 per day. All the laborers hero are In sympathy with the strikers and the strlko Is general , affecting all the other wharves , and the steamers ore lyqg | 'Idle ' , The Panama rallrcad'a steamer Advance- arrived today from New York but cannel discharge Its mails. The Gorman agency la likely to ac cede to the demands ot the men. EiiKlnnil .Xot I'lottliiK | far Hawaii. LONDON , March 22. In the Houeo of Commons today. Sir Jatncs Ferguson , con servative member for northeast Manchester - ter , questioned the government as to whether there was any truth In the accusations brought In the United States senate coratnlt- tee on foreign relations Hawaii report td the effect tat Great Britain was plotting for the absorption ot Hawaii , 'ilr. Curzcn , the parliamentary secretary for tbe foreign office , In reply slid he did not know9 whether the published statement of the accusations was . authentic , but If such were 'tho case , ho added , there was no truth at all In the alle gations made. Cnlilncl Crliiln In Clilll. NEW YORK. March 22. A dispatch to the .Herald from-Valparaiso says : Chill Is con fronted by another ministerial crisis. Mem bers of tbo cabinet have been dismissed and to Sennr Eulojo Altamlrsno has been entrusted - trusted the work of forming a new cabinet. Confidence of all political parties Is now 'sought by the government In view of the serlo'usncs of Internal and foreign 'affairs. In private circles one hear a nothing but war talk. Sulmerlue for theChlnene Loan. LONDON , March 22. There was no rush here to subscribe for the Chinese loan and | t is doubtful wlfether tbo amount will be covered. BBRLIN , iMarch 22. The Chinese loan was largely om-iubaaribed here today. GREAT EQUINOCTIAL STORM BUmrds Visit the Inlands and Floods Fol low tbo Rivers EVERE DAMAGE TO FRUIT IS REPORTED Hirer * Appruneli the DniiKer Point and ( In Many 1'lueen the Low Ia IIIH Are Flooded with Witter. ST. LOUIS , March 22. Tbo steady down pour of rain for the last five days has not xcltod alarm , but there Is a strong proba bility that some sections of the Mississippi valley will suffer the disasters of a flood. The fall has been exceedingly heavy and for the last forty-eight hours the river has risen steadily at the rate of an Inch an hour. The ra'a extends generally all over the Missouri cid the eastern Mississippi valley. Tonight at midnight the river gauge reg istered twenty-two feet , with a probability that It would reach twenty-flvo feet by morn ing. ing.In In the district south of the city along the river , known as "Little Oklahoma , " the river Li almost over the bnka and the Inhabitants worked all day In the pouring rain to re move their belongings to places of safety. A special to the Republic from Louisiana , Mo. , save ono of the wovst rainstorms ever known there prevailed last night and rail cud wagca roads arc washed out. The Durllagton comes over the Chicago & Alton to this point , owing to o severe wash out near Wlnfleld. Salt river la on the ram page and the Mississippi Is rising rapidly. All malls are delayed and railroad traffic Is paralyzed. From Emporla , Kan. , word comes that a genuine blizzard prevailed today In that portion tion of Kcasas , with no Indications at noon of Its letting up. Richmond , Mo. , reports that a hurricane swept over that city this morning about 2 o'clock. Houses and barns were blown down , trees were torn up by the roots , chimneys were blown from houses , telephone and electric light wires were blown from poles and considerable other damage done WASHOUT WRECKS A TRAIN. Elsbcrry. Mo. , was visited last night by the hardest rain that over fell there. A southbound freight train which left at 1 o'clock this morning was wrecked by a wash out at nob's creek , fifteen miles south of Elsbcrry. Twenty-ono cars were ditched and three negro tramps were killed outright In the wreck , and ono white tramp was badly Injured. At noon the mercury at Dallas , Texas. , registered S3 degrees above zero. At 7 p. m. It was down to 30 degrees above. The bliz zard brought discomfort. The drop of.63 de grees endangers the fruit crop of northern Texas , which has made unusually early and extqnslvo advancement. Up to today no rain has fallen to speak of during the month. At. DenLson , T x. , there was freezing weather tonight , and the fruit crop will be damaged , If not entirely ruined. Special dispatches received hero from points In Missouri , Illinois , Kansas and parts of Texas show that the cqulnoxlal storm ts very severe , and that llvo stock will suffer greatly. In these states thousands of cattle are feeding , and it la believed the loss will be icavyj while the loss of ehccpi Is certain to be very heavy , INDIANAPOLIS , March 22. At midnight the rain ceased , falling , after an almost un interrupted downpour lasting since last Sat urday. During that time In Indiana six and a half Inches of rain , fell and the precipita tion amounted to two and a half Inches for the last twenty-four hours. Much damage has 'been ' done to crops throughout the state and railroad traffic tonight Is practically at a standstill In Indiana. Tbe tracks In many places are submerged and culverts are washed out. Since C o'clock tonight bu three passenger trains have reached the union station here. They are being held a various paints for four oi accident. RIVER RISES RAPIDLY , BEAVER FALLS. Pa. , March 22. Th river at. this place at midnight Is very high and is rising at tbo rate of six inches nt hour. Rain is coming down heavily at midnight , and It has been raining here practically without a stop elnco last Sal urday , There was a tremendous landslide on tb Erie & PIttsburg railroad across the rive this evening. It is completely blocked , am no trains have run this evening , and ma not before morning. The Pltteburg & Lak I Erie railroad also had a big landslide be tween tbla city and Fallston tbls evening. Pccplo are in a state of terror , and man fear that-big hills that surround ( tie town , ot this whole valley will come down upo them. Poeple who live at the foot of th hills are preparing to move out at any tlm at the slightest Indication ot a "slide , " an In all sections of the town people arc sit ting up and ready to leave on the Ehortes possible notice. Walnut Run , at the wester part of town , Is tonight over Itn banks an the big consolidated steel mills are partial ! under water. PORTLAND , Ind. , March 22. The ter rifle rains have caused an unprecedented rls In the Salamonla river and It Is out of It banks , submerging hundreds of acres o : farming lands. The water Is expected t como much higher. Great damage has al ready been Oono. MILLE-rtSBURG , 0. , 'March ' 22. The wors Hoods since 1S95 are prevailing here. Th Kllbuck river Is rapidly rising and rain 1 still falling. People living In the low hot torn lands are leaving their homes. > Ni trains arrived here during the day , thcr being bad washouts on the Cleveland , Akroi & Canton and the 'Baltimore & Ohio rail roads north of hero , and they were not re- paired so that trains couU resume running until this evening. SYDNEY , O. , March 22. The heavy rain have caused the ( Miami river to overflow Its banks here. The river rose over a .foo today and is still rising and many peopl living along Us banks have commenced t move out ot their homes. CINCINNATI , March 22. Continuous ra'n which have fallen hero for several days hav filled all streams to flood tide. A remarkabl accession of rainfall tonight makes the sit uatton threatening , If not positively danger ous. News from tbe headwaters of th Ohio and all Its tributaries la that they ar full and rising rapidly. Tbe river at Cln clrnatl at midnight Is forty-two feet si : Inches , which Is wltkln two cud 'a half fee of tbe danger line by government utandard No forecast can be made of tbe Ohio lloo till the extent ot tonight's rain U Lnonci , PITTSBURO , March 22. At midnight re porta from up river points show that th . I rivers have reached their height toil ar slowly receding. The danger line , twenty two feet , baa been reached here , with th water itlll rlilng ( lowly. The fear ot ex THE BEE Weather Forccnit for Fnlr ; 1 Hellef of the PliidlniTKl Start ( Jrcat I'reildent " Ttro llaMleihlp Henrlnir on PortfyTJKr Cane. IIiuiNe IHNene/Jwe / Krintliie Mill. .1 Little I > ar of ifP ftnte Hill. Auditor Cornell Deti'ildit lllnmelf. 4 ICilltorlal aiiit Comment. R Itlvnlry IleMreeti Wenlern Itondn. Clnrk liiRtlltitceeil * .Money. AITnlm nt South Omnlia. 0 Connell Illuffi Local Mnttern. Iowa I.eclnlatlvo I'roeeedliiKM. 7 neuernlewn of the Further Went. Jeffrie * KitnekM I'ete .laeUxon ( Int. 8 Otiinliii .Veed * n Convention Hall. City Connell I'roeeeilliiK" . Woninii'N Cluli rireetM lm. llenrotln l > Review * of Current I'nlilloalloaM. Money I.oiiner * lilt Hard. Mure ThliiKT ttninliler Jump * Hall. 1 Commercial anil Financial Ncnii. 2 "A Fortunate Flood. " ItecoIIcetlonn of Andrew Johnnon. Temperature nt Oiniihni lour. I ) fir. Hour. IrC. R n. in Itl 1 p. in Ill o n. m in a p. 111 in 7 n. nt IK n p. m IN 8 n. in 14 4 p. m 2O n n. m i : t n p. m ui : 0 n. m 1U ( t p. m ! 2it 1 n. ni 11 7 p. m Sit 2 m 11 : H p. 111 in ( > p. ill 17 enslvo damage has passed , although n very eavy rain , lasting several hours , fell to- Ight and at midnight has again started and Is coming down In torrents. DELAWARE , 0. , March 22. The rain- term here tonight has proved to bo serious and destructive. People residing nsar thu Olentangy river were compelled to move out ' n carts and boats because of the rising water. The bursting of the water main tonight - night near the water company's plant cut > ff the city's water supply , causing the elec- .rlc light plant to shut down , thus throwing he city Into total darkness and stopping treet car trafllc. The condition Is very alarming. \I > ASKA-1IOUM > ViSSKI. AVIMCCKF.I ) . All KM Crew anil1 Pa HenciTN llelleved to ' .lie I.osl. SAN FRANCISCO , March 22. Up-n the ar rival of the Pacific Coast Steamship com pany's steamer Santa Rosa from SMI Diego oday the news was received of another horrible rible accident , Indirectly attributed to the Alaskan gold excitement , which Is believed to have cost the- lives of forty paascngern an ] sailors. Captain Alexander of the Santa Rosa reported - ported that early this mornlag , whllo nine miles off Point Bonlta , at the mouth of tlm Golden Gate , he sighted a derelict , bottom up. The tug Sea Witch was Immediately dispatched to the point indicated and found the dercllct-to be the-bark Helen W. Almy , Captain Hogan'which sailed hence for Cop per river points with twenty-seven passen gers and a crew of thirteen on Sunday last. The bark lay upcn Its starboard side with Its stern low down In the water , Its deck hamper badly wrecked and several planka of Its hull washed loose by tbe seas which broke over It. Whllo there were no signs of boats among the wreckage , it Is not be- llovcd that ita passenger. ? and crew escaped by putting oft from the vessel In them , as there has been a very heavy sea for several daya past. Furthermore , no word has been received from the survivors , If any exist , al though the derelict was sighted within ten miles of the chore and fully forty-eight hours | have pacsed since the wreck occurred. According to the tug boat men there waa a | pretty stiff breeze when , the Almy Balled out of Golden Gate on Sunday last and by no en It was blowing a gale. It left hero under the topsal's cad 'When lest seen was stand- lag out for an offing. There was a heavy sea running and It Is supposed that some tlmo during the night It wcs struck by a squall and turned turtle. The following ts a list of Its passengers and crew. . Passengers A. Anderson , David Anderson , A. B. Beach , G. D. CJnotto , Theodore Crcber , . E. P. Currier , Oscar D. Jersandcr , Fred \ Franks , Julius Gllll , J. T. Gotsky , Gus JourI I raer. M. R. Lemley John Lsvlck , William McCray , R. N. Nichols , James Ronalds , J. T. Reason , James B. Sagon , John Sncll , William Snedon , C. B. Spikes , Charles R. Smallwood , John Vance , Adolph WaUl , Jotn Walker , John Westwlck and an unknown man. The Crew W. J. Hogan , captain ; V. B. Crantz , chief mate , native of Boston , 35 years old ; F. Macklc , second mate , Califor nia , 20 years old ; John Hlgglns , cook , Massa chusetts , 30 years old ; W. C , Hopkins , stew ard , Illinois , 4G years ; Ira Cook , cabin boy , Connecticut , 40 years ; Fred Cromwell , ap prentice , 20 years , Pennsylvania. Seamen P. Bronson , United States , 40 years ; J. B. Underwood , Jersey , 24 years ; Charles D. Leach , Connecticut , 21 years ; Ernest Tallan , England , 29 years ; William McKeon , New York , 27 years ; Antonlne Nicholas , Australia , 20 years. The Helen W. Almy was once a South sea trader and was quite famous for Its mtny adventures among the reefs. Its commander was Captain Tuttrell and he operated It la the Interest of John Wlghtraan , who retained - m Interest In It when It entered tbo Alaskan trade. The ve sel was ! n good condition for on old vessel and perfectly seaworthy. It was on the dry docks some dajs before being put on the berth and Its owners spent $3,000 In repairing it. It had a temporary house on deck. deck.When When the Almy left port It had 125 ton * of ballast In , besides the provisions of the passengera and their outfit. . It uas a vessel of only 250 tcis : and was therefore balaated ufflclently to make It "etlff. " Fourteen lloii c Wrecked liy Wind. KANSAS CITY , March 22.-A cpcclal to the Star ? ays : A storm wrecked fourteen houses and destroyed < many smaller buildings nt Blue Mlll , .Mo. , a llttlo village on the sum mit of a hill , about ten miles northeast of Independence , on the Missouri Pacific road , today. The only house occupied , that of Martin llueglo , was carried a. distance of 120 feet. Hutslewas Internally Injured and may die. Neither Mr ? . Hue-glo nor the chil dren were Injured. The property damage was nominal. Movement * of llornti VoNxelN , Miireh 22. At New York Arrived Patrla , from Mar- sellles. Sailed Lahn , for Bremen ; Georglc , for Liverpool. At Naples Arrived Burgundla , from New York. At Philadelphia Arlved Waesland , from Liverpool. At Ilicmen Arrived Kaiser Wllhclm Dcr OroEsc , from New York , via Plymouth. At Delaware Breakwater Passed Wnes- land , from Liverpool. At Lizard Passed St. Lou If , from New York , ( or Southampton , PRESIDENT IS FIRM There Must Bo an End to tlio Present Situation in Cuba. MAINE EXPLOSION SIMPLY AN INCIDENT Stops to Eo Taken by This Qovommonfc Decided Upon , SPAIN WILL BE ASKED TO MAKE AMENDS- Parley or Delay on Its Part Not to Bf Toltntod , ON ITS ACTION ALONE WAK DEPENDS 1'renlilcnt niul 111 * Advliier * Conelnd * Hint the Atrocltlen lu the Inland lime Tunned the Point of l' < ( rbenraiice. WASHINGTON , 'March ' 22. The cabinet meeting today lasted something over ai hour , and was devoted exclusively to the Spanish situation In general and to Uie forthcoming report In particular. The presi dent was firm and determined that thcr * must ' come an end to thu present situa tion In Cuba. Secretary Long authorized the statement that the understanding before the cabinet was that the report would reach the ropl- tal Thursday or Friday ; that It was very voluminous ( ; that the publication nnJ trans mission to congress would" not occur until Monday or TuroJay ; that the president would require that much tlmo to give the document ' the matuto consideration that Its momentous charac.er required. Other cabinet ofllccrs stated that the gen eral plan 'Included the sending of a presi dential message with the report , stating that Spain had bicn called upon to make suitable response tn the coso presented by the couib of Inquiry. Wdllo the cabinet associates ot the pres ident maintained their usual reserve as to the exact character of their deliberations , jet It was conceded tl.at the dissuasion pnw cceded on , the theory that the coining report would bo that the destruction of tlio Malud woo not duo to accident. There js no doubl that fiubstantl.il unanimity exists wild tlm president acid all his cabinet , both as to tag Muluo question and Cuba. The possibility of a recourse to lnterven tlon la case Spain declined to make Miltubly rcspone.0 to tde representations wo will nmkj itftcr receiving tbo M > ilne icport , has been fully discussed , although necessarily It ho been an abstract discussion thus far , and ua- conclusion has been reached , nor Is It pos sible until tlio vital qucstlcci 05 to ( ha court's findings la bcforg the president un < ? cabinet. , | CONSIDER PKOCEDUriE. At the saruo tlmo there Is a very evident Intention to cor.aldor all eventualities l.i- cludlng recourse to Intervention , tbo recog nition of independence , and other method ! which appear to suitably meet the require ments ot uuch a condition. It Is believed to bo the Intention of the president to bring about a very material cad satisfactory change In Cuba , by what shall seem to bo the best and most practicable method of obtaining this end. It la to be hoped that Spain will ECO the ncrcrclty for such radical action on Its part with respect to Cuba as shall command the approbation of thl , ? country and thus put an cud to all differences. ! The Sprulsh minister , Scnor Polo , re quested today that a ( statement be made that reports attributing to him expressions on the subject of Independence were unwar ranted and untrue. Senor Polo eaya he has not dlacussed this or any other of the pccd- tng questions. Outfilde of the cab'nct meeting the day , was exceptionally quiet. Secretary Ixwi was able to clear Ills desk at .1:30 : o'clock for the first tlmo since the Maine disaster occurred - curred , and ho left the department before offlco hours closed to enjoy a walk. During the afterncon the bureau ot navi gation posted the notlco that the Massachu setts had sailed from Key West for Hampton Roads , following the Texas , which left yes terday. About the eamo time Commodore * Schley , who had been suggested as the probable - able commander of the "flying squadron" centered at Hampton Reads , called at the department and had a conference with As sistant Secretary Roosevelt. The cruiser Brooklyn is at Newport News and the monitor Puritan Is under orders to proceed there , so that these vessels will to near the Hampton Roads rendezvous If It is determined to establish the squadron there. Orders for tills move have not yet been made , however , nor has Commodore Schley lecelved any Information from officials that ho would bo placed In command of tb.9 squadron. WATCH THE SPANISH FLEET. The Navy department contlnuca to keep Informed as to the Spanlch torpedo tlcct now stopping at the Canaries. Word of Its departure has not yet reached the depart ment. It can bo Mated positively that the report that President McKlnloy has protested against the coming of th'ls flotilla la un warranted. There was no such protest. At the Navy department nothing Is Uncr.vu of the reported ordering homo of the Malno officer ! at Havana. It Is said thcyjo order ! ) , If given , would como from Admiral SlcarJ , and not from the Navy department. The several Malno survivors who arrived hero lest Saturday came In response to ordera from Admiral Slcard , and It wa for tills rcaaon that their arrival was a surprho td the naval olDccrn here. H Is not expected , that Captain Blfcsbee , Lieutenant Commander Walnw right and others , who are assisting In the work of wreckage , will leave Ha- vena until the salvage of the Malno Is com- ploted. Serious attention Is being given by the Navy department officials to tjo question ot acquisition of a suitable coaling statlo-i eomcwliero ( n the West Indies. Steps havu already been taken to establish such a ela tion at ( do Dry Tortugas , but this , It U said , 1s the only deep water harbor avallabla for big war vecsels between Hampton Road * and tbe Rio Orando. Besides , It Is practi cally unprotected at nreacnt , and a float would have to bo stationed there to protect the coal itorca , which U unsatisfactory. The officials , therefore , have bcon casting about for a location which would servo thd purposea of a coaling station and wtilch tti United States might acquire as a purcha * < or a cefcolon , from on ot ttio friendly gor < 4 ernments. "Then * are a number of One lrt W