Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-31
4 YEAR Of
GREAT EVENTS.
The Record of 1898 a
Memorable One.
WARS and DISASTERS.
Diary Of the Conflict
With Spain.
DEATHS HEAVY ROLL.

Fatal Explosions and Shipwrecks.
Fierce Storms and Destructive Con-
Hagrations-Many Noted Names In
the Obituary List-PersonaI, Mis-
ceIIaneous and Sporting Events-A
Chronological Summary From JAM
uary to December.
The powerful young republic of the
western world torn by what some of her
leading men regard as the relentless
graspof destiny from her policy of inter
national isolation, TIE political relapse of
one OF the ancient Kingdoms of the orient
and the disn,emberment by force OF a
monarchy dating from the middle ages
are three events Of 1895 the results Of
which upon the progress Of civilization
cannot be so much a. cOnjectured. OF
<iinor Importance, yet Of farrcaching and
u still unknown significance, came the
Dreyfus agitation In Franco and the An
glo-French imhrogiio in west Africa. All
OF these movements We're accelerated by
the Developments of the opening months
of the ycnr
In January Tic Maine was ordered to
Hgvaia. a step followed by the infamous
do I1oGno letter and the explosion in Ba-
American Teoplc to "a degree which carried
tho nation beyond the control Of her con
seFystivo statesmen. IN January, also, the
persecution of lola for libel i'm the defense
OF DFeyfus opened an endless chain of
startling denoucments, which bid fair to
unsettle the domestic peace Of France.
The year ushered in sensational ruinors
of the partition OF China, and in the first
weeks tho powers seized each fragment,
Great Britain declaring that her interests
would be defended against Russia,
franco ard Germany Eat the cost Of
war il necessary.
In February the French crossed tho Nj
ger, the Maine was blown up while resting
under the safeguard of Spanish honor"
ard Russia was found secretly plotting
for the lions share in China. April, the
historic month in American annals, saw
the Spanish war an established fact. the
Cuban ports blockaded and both the Span
ish and American fleets active
May day was crowned with n new sig
nificance by Dowey's victory at Manila, "a
blow so surprisingly novel and audacious
that the brightest statesmen of the uni
verse have not yet ceased to marvel at It,
During this month Cerveras squadron
reached the Caribbean sea unmolested,
taking, some thought. the second trick
I'm tho game of naval strategy, but the ad-
vantage was lost by his speedy retreat in
20 Santiago harbor.
In May, also, Italy was convulsed with
bread riots, the Carlists threatened to
overthrow the monarchy in Spain. peace
was barely preserved among Germans and
SIavs in Austria Hungary. and tho pros
pect of an Anglo American alliance set
the whole world to figuring upon the flu
ture arbiter of the destinies of the nations.
During June and July all interest is CEN
tered in tho invasion of Cuba and the mil
itary occupation of Manila harbor. From
the hosting of the flag ut Guantanamo,
On June 10, until it replaced the standard
Of Spain above tho governors palace at
Santiago, July Il, there were skirmishes
daily and tho three desperate battles of
July l. ., and resulted in bringing the
doomed city under Skaters guns, with
the luckless Cape Verde squadron. SPANS
last hope in the west, lying wrecked upon
the Cuban shore
In August Porto Rico fell under Amer
lean sway, the city of Manila also, and
the peace protocol was signed. The last
question in dispute was settled by spain 5
acceptance ON Nov. IS Of America 5 de-
mand regarding the Philippines. Mean
while military occupation OF distant lands
has given the American people n sterner
sense of the problems involved in the new
national departure.
During the months OF greatest interna-
tional excitement, May and August. two
OF the worlds most influential men, Bis
marck and Gladstone, passed away. To
crown ALL in tho passes OF tho ancient val
Icy of the Nile was settled at a stroke the
great problem OF modern warfare by the
humiliation of an army of 10000 der
wishes 1t the hands Of few skiliful artil-
lerists whose machine guns literally piled
the ground with MOslem slain" This
unparalleled military achievement fol-
lowed close upon the heels of the cars ;
manifesto urging general disarmament in
the interests of peace, and may have has |
tened the approval given by the powers TO !
the farsightcd autocrat's well timed ap-
peal.
Then, as a sort of an anticlimax to the /
cumulative series of startling events, came 1
the royal tragedy enacted in the peaceful |
envirors of a free city OF Switzerland. |
when the dagger OF wandering anarchist l
mt An end to the troubled life of Austria's /
Venerable and most estimable empress.
Man knoweun not indeed what n day \
NAV bring forth much less year of 800 |
days
/ Fire . acres OF factory buildings ourn-
81 Al TNinooski. VI. loss. 10000
obituary: Richard Curzon Pouitney. |
noted American artist IN LONDON. IN 4
that city: aged =
Accident: = people killed and many n
5ured by the collapse OF MOOR IL Lon
1on ont.
/. OBITUARY: Ex-Gov. l. s Ross. noted 4
confederate veteran. at College sta
ton Tex aged O.
Personal: Ii Hung Chang recaleo 10
Sire. cram warehouses OF the Farm
ers' Union Milling CO. burned al StoeA-
ton Cal: io< $1,000
obituary. Gen Johnson Hagood
Confederate veteran OF note al Barn