Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-31

season IOH pFOuuCllOl, lOlOWcO ny
phenomenal rainfall and destructive
floods During the first week of June
the state of Kansas suffered losses by
foods aggregating $11000,000 in mis-
celIaneous property and $3,OO0OOO on
crops destroyed. Hundreds of lives
We're lost by flood disasters on the Mis-
souri, and Mississippi rivers. In South
Carolina the June floods swept away
two towns on the river Pacolet, caus-
ing loss of life and damage amounting
to S3,O0O.O00.
Following closely the flood disasters
in America the world was startled by
the cold blooded massacre of King Alex
ander and Queen Draga of Servia, to-
gether with the Servian cabinet. The
derd was perpetrated by band of mill
tary revolutionists, who suffered only
nominal punishment for their crime.
The burning of passenger train in
the Paris subway, resulting in the hor-
rible death of scores of imprisoned peo-
pie, gave warming of the new danger
which the march of progress makes
possible in crowded cities. The long
impending and veXing question of the
succession to the papal throne made
vacant in July by the demise of Pope
Leo Kill, who lived one score and
three years beyond the allotted age of
man, was happily solved by the choice
of Giuseppe Sarto, patriarch of Venice,
devoted, yet liberal minded, church
man. Earlier in the year Cardinal Par
rochi, chief candidate for succession TO
the papacy when it should become va
cant. had been removed from the field
by death.
Death also removed from the worlds
stage during the year many men of
advanced age whose activities lent bril-
Iiancy 20 the era which produced them,
notably Alexander Balm, the master of
logic; Lecky, the English historian;
Herbert Spencer, the philosopher, and
Professor TheOdor Mommsen, whose
achievements in the domain of history
earned for him the unique title, the
grand old man of Germany" Other
noted deaths abroad were Sagasta, the
prime minister of Spain during the
Spanish American war; Du Chaillu. the
author I'D explorer; Whistler. the &C.
centric Lut talented artist, and Arch
deacon Farrar, distinguished English
churchman and author.
Three conspicuous literary lights of
the past died during the year-Richard
Henry Stoddard, the poet and critic;
Charles Godfrey Leland CHans Brett
MANN and Il. l.. FarjeOn. the novelist.
To say that the creator of John Ingle-
SAINT, died during the year. suggests to
few readers of that classic romance the
name of its author, Joseph Henry
Shorthouse.
The defeat of Shamrock III. by the
Reliance in the race for the Americas
cup added one more to the half score
of victories already won by American
defenders. On the turf the worlds
light harness records were materially
reduced by American horses. The trOt-
ting record of 2:02H was brought down
to 200 with thud by Lou Dillon, soon,
however, to be equaled by Major Del
mar. Cresceus quickly beat the record
down to :59&4. when Lou Dillon once
more lowered it to :JS12.
Grave financial troubles have been
experienced during the year. In mid
summer stocks fell and have remained
down, involving several large broker
age firms. Subsequently several bank
ing and trust companies succumbed.
The long looked for Panama canal
received serious setback by the re-
lection on the part of the Colombian
senate or the Hay-Herran treaty. In
censed over the prospect of losing the
rich treasure which the canal would
bring TO the isthmqs, the state of Pana-
ma seeded from Colombia and set up
an Independent republic under the pro-
lection of the United States navy. The
United States Immediately recognized
the new government and negotiated
treaty for the construction of the canal.
JANUARY.
1. Personal: The Indian durbar in honor
of the coronation of King Edward VII.
as emperor of India opened at Delhi.
2. Shipwrcck: The Norwegian bark Ar
thur Prince lost off Cape F'lattery; Is
sailors drowned
5. Obituary: EX-Premier Sagasta of
Spain. at Madrid; aged So
Z. Accident killed and 5 seriously in
jured in a wreck on the Pennsylvania
r. r. at Cochrane, Pa.
8. Accident: s killed and several injured
in a collision on the Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne and Chicago r. Z. at Ada, o.
6. Fire: Loss of 100000 by flames in Lon
don, Ont.
IL. Obituary: Gen. Samuel Thomas. noted
Ohio war veteran and prominent rail-
way capitalist. in New York city; aged
CO.
-. Accident: - killed and many injured
on the Great Northern r. r. near
ChiWal5um. Wash.
Hurricane Disaster: LOCO lives lost by
tidal wave in Society islands,
Is. Obituary: Cardinal Parrochi chief
candidate for succession to the papacy.
in Rome; aged 20.
ie- Fire: At Laurel Hill. n. Y; loss of
100000 by the burning of the Nichols
Chemical works.
Accident: killed and many injured by
the explosion of a shell on the u. s.
battleship Massachusetts during prac-
tiee off Culebra island, West Indies.
Is. Obituaries: NJ de Blowitz, famous
Paris correspondent, at Paris; aged Il.
Abram 8. Hewitt, noted ironmaster,
statesman and philanthropist, former
~ mayor of New York, in that city;
aged 81.
Venezuel. The German blockading feet
opened fire upon Fort San Carlos at
the entrance TO Lake Maracaibo.
10. Fire: At Scranton, Pa, 10 business
structures destroyed; loss. $4,000