The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-01
In the Midst OF LITE We Are in Death.
Wilson, February 25.

Wilson, February Is.
Editor Messenger:
I'm the midst of life we are in death"
The future is dark to us all. There IS
not a human being on earth today that
can see an hour ahead of him. 1t may
be smoothe sailing with Is today, the
future bright. our business prospering,
enjoying good health, having life, food,
rainment, health. strength and employ
ment, but tomorrow, if we are alive, 1t
maybe altogether different with US.
The storm may have arisen, he hre
may have swept most or all earthly
possessions away, or some entirely I'M
expected and awful calamity may have
befallen us in the way Of sickness, acc1-
dent or death. We ought to be thankful
that it is as well with us as 1t is. We
are that much more fortunate than
thousands of our fellow-beings if we es-
cape the many n awful things which
are happening to others over the world
and which we see and read and hear
about every day.
The bov and nan more thoughts
were brought 20 mind mostly by reading
the account of the sudden sinking, after
striking a rock, of the Pacific mail
steamship, City of Rio de Janeiro, in
sight of the Golden Gate at a Fra
cisco on the morning Of the 22nd in
slant, which resulted in such great loss
Of life. among whom were Consul Gen.
| eral r. Wildman and family.
The following extract from my Hong
| Kong letter. to The Messenger of May
18th, 1900, while on my recent trip to
hat part of the world, particularly ex-
| plains my deep interest in the account
| of the awful and sad end that so sud
| denly came to General Wildman and
family while so nea the shores OF
America, and after such a Ions absence
| from home and such a long voyage
across the Pacific:
II had the pleasure this morning Of
visiting MI. r. Wildman, our consul
general at this place. 1 found him
comfortably situated in one OF the
most beautiful parts of the city. He
is a very pleasant gentleman and
treated me very courteously. While
in his Office I also had the honor and
pleasure Of meeting Mr.. Hubbard
Taylor Smith, of Indiana, our vice
consul at Canton. He came in while
I was there. He also seemed to be a
very nice gentleman. They asked me- tc
tell The Messenger that they were look
ing after Uncle Sans interests in this
TAR away country as best they could.
etc. The New York Times has the fol-
lowing to say Of Mr.. WiIdman, who is a
newspaper man himself of considera-
bic experience. and who seems to take
a great interest in the news of the
world as furnished by the press:
"Rounsevelle Wildman was born at
Batavia, N. Y, March 10, 1864, n is
the sol Of a Methodist minister. he
We educated at the Genesee Wesleyan
seminary, at Lima and at Syracuse
university. After leaving college he
went west. and. going into journalism,
soon became editor Of h Idaho
ae a delegate to congress, and 1t was
largely due to his efforts that the ter
ritory was admitted as a state. In 1891
he married Miss Letitia Aldrich, neice
of Senator Stewart. of Nevada, and
took his bride to Singapore, India
where Mr.. Wildman a been appoint.
ed consul general by President Harri'
son.. He was subsequently appointed
consul at Bremen. Upon his return
to this country he developed himself II
magazine work. and was editor o.
The Overland Monthly when appointed
consul to Hong Kong by President Nc
Kfnley.'
both Of the gentlemen kindly attach
ed their names to NV passport"
The Cliff house. mentioned In b pa
pers as being in sight Of where the shil
went down, is right on the shore a
the entrance to the Golden Gate. an.
from which I had one OF the grandes
views Of the surrounding country an'
the Pacific ocean hat could be ha'
from any point on the Pacific coast
IL Respectfully yours,
/. ]. A. CREWS.