The Butler weekly times., 1897-09-23
STARTLING STORY,
Report That Gen. Woodford Had Pre-
sented an Ultimatum to Spain.
THE BICYCLE FOR ARMY USE
Lieut.. Moss Makes Report of His Journey
from Fort Missoula to st. Louis
Southern Attitude Towards
Colored Ofciais.

WAsHINGToS, Sept. a1.-A dispatch
from Madrid to the Paris Temps that
Gen. Woodford had delivered an ulti-
matum to the Spanish government
that, unless the Cuban war was brought
to an end during the month Of October,
the United States would feel called
upon to interfere, receives no credence
here. 1t would be contrary to all pre-
cedent in international negotiations
for Minister Woodford to practically
close the controversy to diplomacy
upon his first interview with the Span
ish premier. There is hardly doubt
but that he recounted the situation in
Cuba to the duke of Tetuan in q
forcible way, and pointed out to him
that the loss of Cuba to Spain
was inevitable. He recounted, too.
most likely, the great damage that the
commerce of the United States was
sustaining in consequence of Spain's
failure to put down the rebellion, and
probably limited that the United States
interests demanded some solution of
the situation. But that he told the
Spanish premier directly that Spain
would be given until the end of Octo-
Der to end the war, and that if she did
not end it by that time the United
States would take steps to secure the
independence of the island, is con-
sidered here to be altogether improb-
able.
The Bicycle for Army Use
WAsHISGToN. Sept. a1.-The war de-
partment has made public the report
of Lieut.. j. A. Moss, Twentv-Fifth in
fantry, who commanded the bicycle
corps which made the long Journey
from Fort Missoula, Mont, to St.
Louis last summer. The document is
filed with information of the greatest
value to bicyclists who contemplate
making long trips a-wheel. Every
ounce of food eaten, every days events.
mishaps, are set down with military
exactness, vet in a style that makes
the subject entertaining reading for
wheelmen. There were many long miles
| of walking and sleeping in the rain,
of toiling along in the hot sun or sleet,
| or suffering from the use of alkaE
water, of hunger and of thirst. The
| purpose was to test the bicycle as a
| military adjunct, and Lieut.. Moss
sums up as follows: THE bicycle has
| number of advantages over the horse
it does not require as much care. it
| needs no forage, it moves much faster
over fair roads. it is not conspicuous
and can be hidden from view more
| easily. it is noiseless and raises but lit
tie dust and it is impossible to deter
mine direction from its track. Fur
| thermore, the fighting strength of a
bicycle corps is not diminished by
| horse holders Under favorable con-
| ditions the bicycle is invaluable for
courier work. scouting duty, road pa
trolling, rapid reconnaissance. etc"
| Attitude Toward Colored Ofiiciais.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21.-The killing
of the colored postmaster at Hogans.
vile, Ga, was the subject of much
comment among the representative
| colored men who called on the presi.
dent yesterday. One of them. Ma
| tional Committeeman Hill, of Missis
| sippi, who was postmaster at Eicks
| ourg under the Harrison administra
tion, said that the Hogansville Incl
dent was in no way characteristic OF
| the attitude of the people of the south.
The racial feeling had been largely
overcome, he said, and such as existed
was confined to the smaller communi-
ties. The choice of colored official Is
| would not. he said lead to any general
| opposition. so long as the men named
were capa BILE of transacting the public
| business