Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-08-03
A REVIVAL OF HOPE.
Many Evidences of Safety of Min
listers at Picking.
SITUATION Is pERlLOUS, HOWEVER.
AnxiousIy Awaiting Arrival of Relief
Forces. ana Fear Their Ability
to Hold Out if These Are De-
lnycd Much Longer.

p. H., VIA CnelOo. July ~. anu onallS
hal, July 81. says that a courier
reached Tientsin with dispatches ad-
dressed to Maj. Waller. the comman-
der of the American marines. These
dispatches were dated July p. and
were from Minister Conger and the
representatives at Picking of the Brit
ish, Japanese and German govern
ments. There were also several pri-
waite messages all of which corroborat-
reiterated the statements as to the
bad condition of the roads to Picking
and the numbers of Chinese who lined
the way Minister Conger in his note
to Consul Ragsdale says: "Since July
16 by agreement there has been no fir
ing: we have provisions for several
weeks, but little ammunition. Ii
they continue to shell us, as they have
done. we cannot hold out long and
complete massacre will follow. / hope
relief can come soon. We We're glad
TO hear of the victory at Tientsin,
but regret the terrible cost. All safe
and WE'LL" The last refers to the min
listers family. Sir Robert Hart, the
imperial maritime commissioner of
customs. sent word to Commissioner
Drew and the customs staff that he
and his family were still safe.
Feeling of Certainty.
Washington, Aug. doubt has
given way to a feeling akin to certain
ty that the lega TONERS at Picking and
the gallant marines who managed to
nj ol ing in, ha
nick of time were not only alive on
July %, but, in all probability, are
Still alive and likely to remain so un-
til they are released from their state
of siege The officials here feel GER
tain that the attack by the Chinese
on the legations will not be renewed.
They are convinced that the counsels
of the viceroys in the great southern
and central provinces and the advice
of Ii Hung Chang have had effect and
that whosoever is in power in Pessing,
whether emperor, empress, Ching,
Tuan or Tung, now have been made to
see the necessity for the preservation
of the legations.
Welcome News.
The official confirmation of the news
that Minister Conger is safe and we'll,
coupled with the statement that he
has provisions for several weeks and
that the firing on the legation has
ceased, was welcome intelligence,
though not unexpected in view of re-
cent news. The information from Col
Daggett was promptly telegraphed tc
President Mckinley at Canton, who
has been advised of the receipt of mes
sages always as soon as they reach
here. The last message which came
from Minister Conger was that which
was obtained through the interme-
diary of Mr.. WI, and was supposed
to be dated the 18th ult., before
which time nothing had come since
June 12, almost two months.
The Advance on Picking.
It is expected now that all the en-
ergies of the government as well a
those of other nations will be concen
trated for an advance on Picking. SeN
eral of the reports which have com
from China seem to indicate that thi
will occur very soon, some of the dis
patches placing the date as early a
Monday. The officials here, however
do not look for SO early an advance
the allied commanders adhere to thei
original estimate of $4,000 men as nee
essary for the campaign, as the lates
reports received here do not show hal
that number on the ground. Still
other reports indicating the possibil
ity of the advance being made by tn
British and American armies hav
come.
Waiting for Relief.
Washington, Aug. 1.-Adjt. &c,
Corbin has received dispatch fro
Lieut.. Col. Coolidge, commanding tt
Ninth infantry at Tientsin. 1t cam
by way of Chefoo and is as follows:
''Tientsin. July 27.-Folowing letter
Lieut. Col. Shiba, military attache at tt
legation of Picking, dated July 49, arrive
Tientsin rs, at nine O. clock in the evening
F" Picking. July %, evening.-We are a
awaiting impatiently arrival of reenfor
ing army. When are you coming? All
cations have been blockaded since 18th la
month, and since the Goth we have been a
tackled continually night and day by Il
Chinese soldiers from more than ten e
campments. BY a supreme effort we a
tlldefending. We are daily awaiting wi
the greatest anxiety arrival of reenforcil
army, and If you can't reach here in lie
than a weeks time it is probable that '
will be unable to hold out any longer. Ell
peror and Empress Dowager appear to
still at Picking. Were our reinforcement
to arrive, very probable that they wou
flee to Wan Shoshan. Killed and wound
up to date. eight killed, one captain a,
an ambassadors attache; seven serious
wounded, the first secretary of legation b
ing one of the 20 slightly wounded II
number Of Europeans killed is 60 in ALL
COOLIDGE
From Japanese Minister.
Washington, Aug. 1.-The Japane
consul at Tientsin telegraphed on t
27th inst. dispatch dated the 10
from the japanese minister at Peki
to the foreign Office at Toxic, viii
aadreached Tientsin by special couri
on the 25th. The minister says:
1.-The Japanese marines and others &C
tinue. under command of the military
tache, Lieut.. Col. Shiha. to resist the
peated attacks of Tung Fuh Siang's troo
think we can hold out, though the ia
IS by no means an easy one. until we
relieved by the division of Japanese troo
which. hear through special messeng
will arrive at Tientsin by the end of q
month The Chinese have stopped fri
since the 18th, and the Chinese authorit
are apparently dispo 'ed to open negot
tons Attache Kojima, Capt Ando,
the imperial army; Mr.. H. Nakamura a
five marines have been killed; while Ha
student and six marines, have been woul
ed, though not mortally. Many others hs
also been slightly wounded"
gIv1 u Dali Inn