Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-16
low ANS INTERESTED
Former Residents Of ottumws Nos
Live on the Isle Of Pines and Others
Who Reside Here Own Property
There-LIttIe Encouragement In
Washington.

DR.. F. W. Mills, OF Ottumwa,
who owns land in the Isle OF
Pines and has visited there on,
several occasions, Is personally
acquainted with all of the men
elected as officers for the new ter
ritorial government. He says
they are not grafters or agitators.
but men Of good character. hav-
ing large property interests, D.,
b. Wall, who was elected sheriff,
is the son of an Osceola physician.
The Ottumwans who own prop.
erty in the Isle of Pines are Dr..
Il. w. Mills, G. Haw, William Van
Voris, Mary Haw Smith, DR.. VIII
liam Hansell, George Wilson,
4 Charles Aringdale, George Wheat
on, Charles Mast, DR.. M. B. Mills,
& Henry Bremhorst, James Proctor,
DR.. A. M. Stark, Mrs. Emma Wit
ter, l.. p. Witter, George Witter.
Lloyd Bell, Celia Bell and Fred
Fink. OF this number Lloyd Bell,
l.. e. Witter and George Witter
are now on the island G.. g..
Mills, a brother of DR.. F. w. Mills,
o. b. Stark, brother Of Dr..
Stark, and l.. e. Byers, are also
on the island at present. A mum.
ber of Fairfield people also own
property on the Isle of Pines and
some of them are located there.
Havana, Cuba, Nov. 15. ~ Presi-
dent Pelma said today that the
Cuban government has had no
definite Information about what haA.
occurred on the Isle Of Pines.
-:-t
Havana, Nov. 15.-The declaration
of independence of the Isle OF Pines
was promulgated today when the peo-
pie Of the island held their elections
and elected territorial officers, declar-
in5 at the same time their independ-
ence of the Cuban government and
their desire to become territory Of
the United States. A delegate to con-
gress will be sent to Washington and
an effort will be made to bring before
the house of representatives In the
next congress the question OF the fu-
ture Ct the island.
A mass meeting was held under the
name Of a territorial convention and
officials were appointed to fill all po.
sitions except those that must be
named by the President under the
constitution of the United States. The
first officers Of the new territory are
Secretary Of state-T. B. Anderson.
Treasurer-James M. Steere. f
Delegate to congress-Ed. C.- Ryan.
Chief justice-A. T. Friese.
Sheriff-David B. Wall.
Elections Arc Held.
The convention divided the island
into five districts and ordered elections
to be held yesterday to select tax as
SCISSORS, collectors and members OF the
legislature, which is to convene nexi
week. One ticket was named in each
district, the only political question be
ing to keep the island under the Stars
and Stripes. The election Is proceed
Ing in an orderly manner under ths
forms of law, the men on the different
tickets announcing that they will take
office without regard to those servine
under the Cuban government.
The first official notice Of the at
fair is contained in this letter:
Theodore Roosevelt, President
Washington. Dear Sir:-The people
of this island having purchased homes
under the treaty of Paris, believing /,
was United States territory, and haY
ing waited over three years for recog
milton Of their rights as American citi
zens, fearing a continuation Of these
conditions and feeling alarm at the
condition of Cuba during the comins
election, have taken preliminary steps
for the establishment Of territoria
government under the constitution q
the United States, believing this ths
proper step for us to take and the mos
effective way to receive justice ant
equity from our national law makins
body, also relying upon you, our Presi
dent, for a square deal. We trust on,
action will meet your approval. Yours
respectfully,
"T. B. Anderson,
Chairman Territorial Convention.
"Nueva Corona, Isle Of Pines, Nov
H."
All Favor Action.
This action by the convention is sait
to represent the opinion Of PRACTICAL,
the entire population of the Isle o
Pines. At the meeting there was onl,
one voice raised against the actor
taken. That was by a man who ex
pressed fear of the results, assertin,
that all are liable to punishment unde,
Cuban laws.
Fully cne-third Of those now Twin,
on the island are American cif;yonr