Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-20

chance to win. The American guns had a
| longer range and we're backed By superior
| Workmanship, The Spaniards would have
| been annihiatod In thirty minutes In d-
! rect engagement"
In further conversation about the fight
! the admiral asserted that ne had been almost
! positive that July would be the decisive
! day. He had a sort Of traditional belief In
| that date, on account of its association with
! the battle Of Gettysburg and other great
/ events in American history and he looked
| forward to 1t as the day on which the battle
| would be fought. Cervera evidently knew It,.
| too, for on July . he went to the archbishop
at Santiago and said Tomorrow will be the
| last"
| Speaking OF the criticism of Cerveras des.
perate venture he declared that the Spanish
admiral was confronted by a desperate situ-
alton, and he was compelled to meet it with
desperate remedy
Public Reception.
The public reception in the rotunda OF
the city hall this afternoon from
to 6 will furnish the only op>
portunity that the public generally will have
to shake hands with Admiral Schley. As a
consequence quite elaborate arrangements
are being made by. Mayor Moores and other
city officials to have this function as note
worthy as possible. 1t, however will be a
handshaking affair pure and simple without
speeches or anything else of the kind be-
cause 1t is realized that about everybody in
Omaha will want to meet the admiral. and
two hours is not any too much time for them
to do 1t.
The elaborateness of the reception will
consist in the decorations and the music.
The interior court CT the city hall Is to be
most profusely decorated, the material to be
used being the national colors in various de-
signs The two entrances to the building
will also be draped with flags. Conspicuous
features of the decorations will be portraits
of Admiral Schey, Admiral Dewey and
President Mckinley.
The guests of honor and the others who
receive with them will take position on the
staircase, which will be adorned with potted
palms and other plants. The band will be
stationed on the stairs above.
According to the arrangements so far made
the receiving party will consist of Admiral
Schley and wife, General Henderson and
wife and Mayor Moores. The mayor pro-
poses to introduce to the admiral as many
people as he can, but the jam is expected to
be so great that most of those present will
have to seize any chance they can get to
grasp the admiral by the hand.
The school children are to have a prom
inent part in the reception. Mayor Moores
in communication to the officers of the
school district suggested this and the idea
was at once seized upon. Notices have been
sent to the principals of all the schools, in
structing them to notify their pupils of the
hours of the reception and inviting them to
be present.
other Events.
The Union Veterans union has accepted
an invitation from General Henderson to
meet Admiral Schley informally at the
Henderson residence next Tuesday evening
The members of the organization will meet
at Jefferson square at 8 80 o'clock and march
in body to the residence, where they will
be received by the admiral at 6:30. I'm
mediately after the reception Admiral Schley
and Mrs. Schley will accompany General
and Mrs. Manderson to Boyd's theater where
they will witness the production of "Cyrano
de Bergerac" with Richard Mansfield in the
title role.
Tonight the members of the Military
Order OF the Loyal Legion in Nebraska will
entertain the admiral at their pleasant
quarters in the Range block
The most ceremonious event of the ad-
miral's stay will be the card reception which
will be rendered to their guests by General
and Mrs. Henderson Monday evening at the
Omaha club. The invitations that have been
issued Will limit the attendance to a point
conducive to comfort, but the function will
be attended by full representation of the
best social element of the city.
The final reception of the series will be
rendered by the local Royal Arcanum lodge
Wednesday morning. The admiral is
member of the order and its members expect
to entertain him in a manner in keeping with
the well known social character of the or
ganization.