davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

Some of the problems of war which
seem new are in reality old. For ex
ample, the South African Beers have
been most successful in concealing the
positions of their guns until the Brit
ish battalions were exposed to destruc-
tive fire. They have adopted device
for defensive operations in the field,
which is the chief motive of all the
great coast and frontier fortifications.
Visitors at Halifax, Dover or Gibraltar
are only allowed to see the parade
grounds and barracks. The secrets Of
the fortresses are not disclosed. There
are guns of long range, which are con-
cealed by terraces of grass or by OBJ
structions of various kinds. In time
of war these hidden guns would sud
denly be brought to bear upon an
enemys fleet.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
China set,,es Brooks Murder.

Pekin, April 1.-The Chinese govern
ment has settled" the controversy
arising ont of the murder December
3rd last of the Rev. Mr.. Brooks of the
Church Missionary Society, on the fol
lowing terms;
Two of the murderers will be be-
headed, one imprisoned for life, one
for ten years, another for two years,
n memorial chapel will be erected upon
the site of the murder, and a tablet
will be placed in Canterbury cathedral,
England. mt the expense of the Chinese
government.
Rev. Brooks. M the time Of his mur-
der, was stationed ut Pink Yin. in the
province of Shan Tung. He was cap
tured in that vicinity and killed by
members of the seditious society
known as Boxers" who have been
active in destroying villages and
slaughterlng native Christians.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

The meridian of Greenwich is gener-
ally accepted as the starting-line from
which to reckon longitude and time all
over the earth. But objections are,
from time to time raised against the
universal adoption of the Greenwich
meridian for such purposes. Recently
Italian savants have emphasized these
objections by pointing out that on the
meridian of Greenwich clouds and bad
weather are frequent. interfering with
astronomical observations. They sug-
gest that the civilized world should
agree to adopt the meridian of Jerusa-
lem as common reference line, be-
cause there the skies are clearer, and
the possibility of making Palestine
neutral territory would eliminate pol
itical objections.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
p,lnv In snlllnc of the PRISONERS.

Cape Town, April 2.-The departure
of the British transports with the Boer
prisoners for st. Helena has been de-
layed In consequence of the increased
sickness among the prisoners. Three
died to-day and twelve have died dur
ing the week.
Arrangements are being made to
prevent ovcrcrowding. The prisoners
do not complain of their treatment or
their food. Many of General Cronjes
men when captured We're completely
worn out with the hardships they had
undergone and little strength was left
them to fight disease. Moreover, the
confinement on shipboard is equally
lrksome to men who have been accus-
toned to outdoor life.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
BRITISH ENTRAPPED.
A Detachment Captured With Six Guns
Near Bioemfontein.

a DetAch meut Captured with SIX Gun1
Near Bioemfontein.
London, April 2.-The extraordinary
run of success which had hitherto at
tended Lord Roberts operations was
broken on Saturday, when part of
the British force operating east of
Bloemfontein walked blindly into
Boer ambush and was captured, with
six guns.
Colonel Broadwood, in command q
the Zenith Hussars, the Household cav
airy, two horse batteries and the
mounted infantry under Colonel Pit
cher, was in garrison on Friday at
Thaba Nchu. which is about half way
between the Free State capital and the
border of Basutoland. The British
commander was threatened by the
near approach of n large Boer force,
and finding his position untenable,
marched that night to the Bloemfon-
tein water works, lying south of the
Modder river, where he encamped.
This position appears to be on the road
to Bloemfontein and about fifteen
miles from that town.
Early Saturday morning the British
camp was shelled from the rear. Colo
mel Broadwood thereupon sent off a
convoy with his batteries, while the
rest of his force remained behind to
act as rear guard.
The road here crosses Il deep spruit,
in which the Beers had concealed
themselves.
According to one account the British
loss was not great, as most of the con-
voy were in the trap before shot was
fired.
Lord Roberts seems to have heard of
Colonel Broadwood's plight very
quickly and he sent General Colville's
division at once to his rescue. Latest
reports say that Colville arrived on the
scene Saturday noon and began shell
ing the Beers, so that there is some
hope that the guns and wagons will be
recovered
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
Nine Million Brick Combine.

Chicago, April "A corporation en-
bracing "A majority of the brick man
ufacturers of Cook county has been
formed. The new concern has Il cap
ital of S9,00O,00O and will practically
control the brick market of Chicago
and the neighboring cities. Thirty-siX
firms, including all of the large and
important brick yards of Chicago,
have been combined in the deal under
the name of the Illinois Brick Com
pany.
All the individual offices of the thir-
ty-siN firms will be abolished and op-
Grating expenses will be further cut
by keeping n number of the present
yards closed for n time, until the de-
mand for the product requires their
operation.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

A feature of parliamentary practice
peculiar to this country, of which little
is heard in comparison with its i'm
portance, is the conference committee.
A bill before congress seldom passes
the house and the senate in the same
form freqently the differences are i'm
portant, and unless one house will ac-
cept as whole the doings of the other,
which rarely happens, the measure
must go to conference" as the phrase
is. Three members are appointed from
each house, two of the majority party
and one of the minority, usually the
members who have had most to do
with the passage of the bill. the details
of which are still in dispute. When a
conference committee begins its ses-
sions to adjust differences upon n par
ty measure, only the representatives
of the majority party. which would
now mean the four Republicans, ordl-
narily attend; as soon as they reach
an agreement, the two Democrats are
called in for formal assent, since they
have no real power of resistance. The
representatives of each house are ex-
peoted to strive for the bill as 1t passed
the body OF which they are members,
even though they personally may have
favored the form in which II passed
the other house.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
HIGHWAY ACROSS CONTINENT.
Automobile Club of America Puts Denver
on the Route Recommended.

Automobile Club of America Puts Denver
on the Route Recommended.
New York, April 3.-The Automobilk
Club of America gave n dinner tonight
to Major General Nelson A. Miles and
others of the commission which has
been considering the project of ma
tional highway from the Atlantic to
the Pacific ocean. The commission
adopted resolutions recommending as
the most feasible line for n national
highway from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific a route from Boston to Albany,
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Washington, Charleston, Savannah,
and ST. Augustine: from Albany run
ming west through Syracuse, Roches-
ter, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, through
Erie, Cleveland, Toledo. Adrian. Cold
water, Elkhart, South Bend, Chicago,
Davenport, Des Moines and Council
Bluffs, Omaha, Lincoln. Hastings,
across the Rocky Mountains at Denver,
Salt Lake, Sacramento and San Fran
cisco; a southern line reaching thence
to Los Angeles and n northerly one to
Portland and Seattle.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
Find Ancient British Guns

Savannah. Ga. April 2.-The dredgc
Bubcock. mt work in the river here to-
day, picked up two old type English
cannon in n man of war wreck. One
gun weighed about 1000 pounds and
the other $50 pounds. The vessel is
supposed to have been sunk at the
time of the British occupation of the
city. when the French allies sailed M
the river TO attack them. A number
of cannon balls and several silver
coins of date of more than 100 years
ago have also been taken out.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
want to Dodge American NAVY.

Vancouver, u. c.. April 3.-The
steamer Alpha owned in this port. will
sail for Cape Nome tomorrow without
any permit from Washington, and will
take chances ON landing passengers.
freight and United States mail. She
will carry n large quantity Of lumber
and mining camp supplies. and about
300 passengers. The owners are reti-
cent about their plans. but in case OF
any opposition will probably land pass.
engers and mails in small boats, three
miles out from Nome.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

After the unfortunate war in South
Africa is over a scientific problem of
much interest will be presented to the
engineers of the Transvaal gold mines.
Some of the shafts recently opened
on the Rand are expected to go down
1000 or 5000 feet in search of gold
bearing veins, but in the future, Mr.
John Yates says, it may be necessary
to descend $4,000 feet That, he thinks
will be about the limit of depth at
which men can work, because the tenn
perature there will be at least 100 de-
grees Fahrenheit. Other engineers
think the shafts could be sunk several
thousand feet lower through the adop-
ton OF devices for cooling the air
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

A bridge in the form OF an aerial
ferry has Just been opened at Rouen
on the river Seine. In order to avoid
interference with shipping, it WEE
determined to place no structure in the
stream, or near its surface. Instead Of
a bridge in any of the ordinary forms,
horizontal flooring, sustained by
steel towers and suspension cables,
was stretched across the river at an
elevation of 167 feet. On this flooring
run electrically driven rollers. from
which is suspended. by means of steel
ropes, a car which moves at the level
of the wharves on the river banks.
The car is thirty-six feet wide and for
ty-two feet long, and is furnished, like
a ferry boat, with accommodations for
carriages and foot passengers. The
ropes that carry the hanging car are
interlaced diagonally in such a man
ner that the support is rigid, and 4
swinging motion is avoided.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
DUBLIN AWAITS THE QUEEN.
City Decorated and Crowds Arriving
Channel Squadron at Kingston.

Channel squadron at Kingston.
Dublin, April 2.-The British chan
mel squadron has arrived off Kingston
for the Queens visit. which is awaited
with intense and ever-growing enthu-
siasm. Dublin is filling rapidly. AL
ready the hotels are crowded and
trainload after trainload is arriving
from the provinces.
Grand-stands have been erected in
the streets, which are prOfusely decor
ated, and soon it will be difficult to
find space for hanging another flag. A
general holiday has been proclaimed
for Wednesday throughout the county
of Dublin.
AS last attempt ut a counter at
traction, the extremists have placarded
the city with an invitation to citizens
to join a monster procession of nation
alist societies, which. according to
program, is TO start from the Trans
vaal committee rooms the night of her
majesty's arrival. 1t is probable that
the demonstration will be forbidden.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

Is it possible for jury to be too in
telligent? One writer has recorded an
answer in the affirmative. But If there
may be over-intelligent men in the
panel, are we not in peril also from an
excessively impartial judge, unduly
truthful witnesses, too much pure air
in the court room breathed by litigants
anxious that their opponents shall win
the suit? 1t may all be when men and
women are really too good to live;
but not until then.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
Russia Win. in Turkish Dispute.

Constantinoplc. April 2.-Thc Otto.
man government addressed n note last
evening to the Russian embassy. de.
claring that In the event of the porte
not constructing railway lines In the
Black sea districts bounded by rail
ways already conceded to others, then
concessions will be granted to RUSSIA.
II Is considered that the porte In this
way settles the Russian demands In
the premises
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
WEBSTER DAVIS RESIGNS.
Assistant Secretary or the Interior Wants
to Help the Beers.

Washington. ID. c.. April 2.-Mr. Da-
Wis formal resignation was sent to the
White House tonight through his pri.
waite secretary. Al the White House
no statement was obialnablc concern
Ing the resignation other than the fact
tlint 1t. had been received and the oili.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
government PARTIES Start for Alaska

Seattle, Wash. April 3.-Three gov
ernment parties left from Copper river.
Alaska, on the steamer Alaska tonight.
Captain II. n. Allerbach. L. S. A.. with
thirty-five men, goes to Tyonook, where
he will prepare the government steamer
Duchesney, used by Captain Glenn last
summer to be taken TO st. Michaels.
The Duchesney will ply on the Yukon
as dispatch boat for General Randall.
James and Oscar Fish 90 north to car
fy the mails under contract between
Port Naldes and Eagle City, on the
Yukon. They will use the Abercrom-
bic trail.
number of men and large quanti-
ty of supplies and materials were sent
to Port Naldcs for the use of Captain
Abercrombie this summer
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

Experiments made by French ga
wants on Mont Blanc, last summer,
showed that the ice Of great glacier
will serve as support for telegraph
wire without Insulation. naked gal
vanized iron wire laid upon the ice
transmitted telegraphic signals more
than mile.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
Germans VII, scnr. China

Berlin. April 3.-Owing TO the strong
representations of Bishop Amer of
ShanTung. Count Won Buclow. thg
German foreign secretary. ON Emperor
Williams orders. has wired the Ger
man minister at Pckln To pursue here
after n more vigorous policy there.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

The man who is to construct New
York's rapid transit tunnel has had
his life insured for s2.000.000. 1t Is
pretty hard for anyone to do a thing
like that without running the risk Of
Being looked upon as an egotist.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05

The Brooklyn surgeons have discov-
cred a man with a folding vermiform.
However, it is not as dangerous as the
folding bed.
Gilpin observer., 1900-04-05
K,nr of I,nn succeed. noh,r,.

Salt Lake. Utah. April 3.-King.
uemD for Congress. Is elected over
Hammond iRepD by probably 1000
majority. His majority in Salt Lake,
was T5i
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-07-27

spite of our experience since 1896, they
still threaten the country with free silver;
still. in effect, threaten to reduce us to
state of silver recommendation. This Is
Of itself not only sufficient ground for the
Republicans, but for all other friends OF
good government, to inflict defeat upon
the Democratic party even more COM
plete than In 1896. The ghost of free sill
yer should be buried beyond all hope of
resurrection.
'All that the Republican party promised
to accomplish for the country In 1885, 1t
has been instrumental in bringing about
and accomplishing. The languishing in
dustries have been revived, money has
become abundant at low rates of interest
and its quality can not now be question
ed. Prosperity in all directions and in
all channels has come and remains with
us in as full a measure as we hoped and
predicted and prayed for in 1896. The cur
rent of our economic and industrial life
Is moving steadily and safely onward and
upward on a safe, sound basis and at
a rate and volume the wonder and envy
of the other nations Of the world. What
other country on the face of the earth
Is blessed with so good a government and
such high degree Of progress and pros
perity as ours?
'In addition to the important duties and
vast responsibilities foreseen and as
sumed by the Republican party in 1896, du-
ties and responsibilities of an unforeseen,
grave, new and far-reaching character
have been entailed upon the administra-
ton of President Mckinley. No presi-
dent, save Washington and Lincoln has
mad a greater task or graver duties than
President Mckinley. In 1896 a civil
War Was Pending In Cuba.
The Cubans were then, and had been for
years, struggling for independence from
the wretched and tyrannical government
of Spain. The Republican party sympa-
thized with the Cubans and was disposed
to second their efforts by peaceable
means. and hence our platform of 1896
declared that,
We belieye that the government of the
United States should actively use it's in
fiuence and good offices to restore peace
and give independence to the island
I'm pursuance of this policy, President
Mckinley, as soon as he was settled in
the White House. proceeded. through
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-07-27

ION the twenty-third Of April the pres
ident issued call for 125,OOO volunteers;
this was supplemented by a call for 75,-
600 on the twenty-fifth of May, and in the
meantime our regular army was in
creased to 60,0Q0 All this vast number had
to be organized. drilled, fed, clothed,
equipped. armed and nodded into an eff
fective army. Considering the fact that we
were wholly unprepared for war, the task
Of creating this army and putting it on
a war footing in so brief a space of time
as was done, was a manifestation of re-
source, energy and skill highly credit
able to the administration and to the
American people. No other nation with
so scant preparation could have ac-
complished this task so well and in so
short space of time.
ION the fourteenth of June our army of
invasion-a scant 17,000-sailed for Cuba
under Gen. Shafter. On the twenty-sec-
ond 1t landed; on the twenty-fourth it
fought its first battle, and on the first
and second Of July it stormed and capt
ured the hills and works of Ell Caney and
San Juan in the suburbs of Santiago and
the city and Spanish army were at it's
mercy. The eager valor of our troops,
lead by such heroes as Shafter Lawton,
Roosevelt and others, made short work of
the war. A war, begun at Manila on the
first of May, was finished at Santiago on
the third day of July. There are rapid
firing nations as well as rapid firing guns,
and the United States stands chief among
the former. On the twelfth day of Aug
ust, the protocol of peace was signed
On the tenth of December, 1898, the treaty
of peace was signed, and on the sixth of
February. 1899, it was duly ratified by
the senate. In less than year from the
time of the destruction of the Maine, we
had acquired Porto Rico, Guam and the
Philippine islands, and had forced Spain
to relinquish her hold upon Cuba. Such
great results from war SO brief and
entailing comparatively so small loss of
life, were never known before. This war
and this result have infused into the ma
tons of the Old World regard for the
wishes, views and policy of the United
States that they never possessed before
1t has demonstrated to them that we can
no more be lightly reckoned with in war
than in peace. We are no longer to them
an isolated and far distant star in the
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-07-27

political armament. Our lack of a large
standing army and our moderate sized
navy will no longer initiate against us
abroad.
We Are To-day as Safe
from inroads from abroad as though we
had the army of Russia and the navy of
England. Is there an American citizen
unbiased by party spirit who is not graf
flied with and thankful for this record
and standing Of our country? If such
there be, his range of vision, his judg-
ment and his patriotism are exceedingly
narrow and limited.
up to this point 1t does not lie in the
mouths OF our adversaries to criticise and
object They were at least as eager for
the war as we were. Bryan himself adj
vised the ratification Of the treaty of
peace, and 1t was the vote OF fifteen anti
Republican senators, now the followers of
Bryan. that made it's ratification possible.
Senator Morgan of Alabama in a speech
in the United States senate last May said ::
I am proud that our distinguished
party leader. Mr.. Bryan, came to Wash
ington to urge the Democrats of the SEN
ate to ratify the treaty of Paris.
by thus helping to ratify the treaty,
they Joined us and justified us in ac-
nuiring Porto Rico, Guam and the Phil
ippine islands. Recent events at Kan
sas City, however, give us good grounds
for believing that 1t was not altogether
patriotic motives that induced them to
thus counsel and aid in acquiring these
possessions. 1t seems now that they de-
sired these possessions for the purpose of
securing an issue in this campaign. Agui-
naldo is now their hero and the Tagal re-
bellion. of which he is at the head. fur
nished the basis for their cry of "im-
perialism'' and "militarism" What they
would do with Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines they fail to state. but that we
have Numbered and jeopardized the well
fare of our country at home and abroad,
in our management of these islands, Is
now their great grievance and battle cry.
But what are the facts and what is
the law in the case? For two years prior
to 1893 the Tagals in Luzon, under the
leadership of Aguinaldo and his chiefs,
had been in open rebellion against the
Spanish government. During the last
half of 1897, and long before the arrival
of Dewey, the rebellion had terminated
by an arrangement between the Spanish
government on the one part and Agui-
naldo and his chiefs on the other part.
pursuant to which the Tagals were to
submit and to lay down and surrender
their arms and Aguinaldo and his chiefs
were to leave the country. In considera-
ton of this there was to be a general am
nesty and certain reforms were promised.
and Aguinaldo and his chiefs were to re-
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-07-27

diplomatic channels, to theoretically in
tervene in behalf of Cuba. with good re-
suits. And 1 have no doubt would in
due time have succeeded, backed by the
great moral and material momentum of
our country, in securing the independence
of Cuba by peaceful means. But while
diplomacy was making it's slow and
steady progress a catastrophe occurred
which at once put an end to peaceful
methods, On the night of Feb. 10, 1898,
the battleship Maine, on a peaceful mis-
sion and lying at anchor in Havana har-
Dor, was sunk and destroyed by an ex-
plosion from the outside, resulting in the
death of 26O of our gallant seamen. This
made the nation eager for war. so eager
that Democrats, Populists and Republic
ans alike were all equally swift in rush
ing us into war with Spain. 1 remem-
Der very we'll how Populists and Demo-
Gratis in congress chided and criticised
the president and the Republican party
for being less eager for war than they
themselves were Congressman Champ
Clark from Missouri, one of the leading
Democrats of the house, in a debate,
among other things said:
"'You talk like you brought on this
war. This is not Republican war. but
an American war. My Republican
friends, we took you by the scruff of the
neck and dragged you into 1t, and that
will be the verdict of history. We start
ed the fire among the people. and they
heated you so hot that at last you had
to go into it or go out of business
Eyes, it is true that it was a war of
the American people, but it was carried
on and conducted gloriously and to a
most successful issue under the direc-
ton of President Mckinley and his ad-
ministration. Though a strong and
wealthy nation, we were wholly unpre-
pared for war. Our navy was neither
fully manned nor fully equipped and our
small regular army, less than $4,000 and
scattered in small attachments over the
country, was a mere skeleton. In few
days after 1t became evident that war
would come, our fleet, thanks to the
great energy of our secretary of the
navy and his first assistant, our noble
guest and unanimous nominee for the
vice presidency, was fully manned and
equipped and ready for action. On April
p, $685. Sampson sailed for Cuba; on the
LIST of May
Dewey Entered Manila Bny.
destroyed the Spanish fleet and avenged
the destruction of the Maine. and on the
Sd day of July Sampson and schley de-
stroyed the great fleet of CeWera near
the shores of Santiago. In ths space Of
,ixty-four days the American navy ard
is efficiency became the marvel Of On
astonished Old World