The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-01-06
News Held Back at ST. Petersburu.3

News Held Back at st. Petersbura.
The authorities at st. Petersburg,
in the absence Of direct official news
from Gen. Stoessel that Port Arthur
had surrendered. have not permitted
the news to become public. Emperor
Nicholas is in the South Of Russia,
and his ministers are for the time be-
ing in the dark as to what dispatches
have been sent to him from the front.
Toxic was the scene of rejoicing.
people Of all ranks finding in the out
come compensation for all the sacri.
flee Of life and money that was en-.
tailed in the ten-months siege
To what extent the fall of Port Ar.
thur will make for restoration Of
peace is an open question. There is
An Encouraging Note
in the expression by Baron Hayashi,
Japanese minister at London, of the
''hope that in some way it will facili-
tate final peace" though the pacific
note is perhaps lost in the later words
of the minister which call attention to
the fact that the besieging army will
now be free to go north, where it will
be an offset to the reinforcements
Gen. Kuropatllin has been receiving
from Russia since the battle of
Shakhe. The spirit of the Russians
may be judged by the statement of the
secretary of the embassy at London
that the campaign will be renewed
with fresh vigor in the spring. and
that the nation will not be content to
permit Port Arthur to remain in the
hands of the Japanese.
Baltic Fleet Can Go Home.
Both in Paris and in London the
opinion is that the squadron under
Vice Admiral Rojestvensky which
started from Libau for the Far East
three months ago will have to retrace
its way phome,e as adherence to the
original plans would invite disaster
without probability Of effecting juno
ton with the warships at present in
the harbor of Vladivostok.
That Japan may not be permitted to
retain possession of Port Arthur with
out dispute is shown in the fact that
Paris newspapers are already reviving
the claim made in 1901 that the hold
ing of that position, commanding the
Eastern seas, by the Japanese would
be menace to European powers.
Talk Of Peace.
There is an expectation in diplo-
matte circles in St. Petersburg that
some one of the powers may make a
tender of friendly offices. and the init
nation is conveyed that the United
States may take the initiative. Should
this be the case it could only be upon
assurances from both the warning pow
crs that the tender would be received
by them in good part.
Port Arthur Hell.
Chefuc Jan: 4-The Russian officers
who arrived here yesterday from Port
Arthur on the torpedo boat destroyers
which escaped from that place have a
single word for describing what the
fortress has been for the past five
days during which the Japanese have
bombarded and assaulted necessarily
night and day. They used the word
importantly and convincingly, declar-
ing that the horrors witnessed We're
beyond any description.
There is not single spot in the
town which was safe from shrapnel.
Many of the hospitals were hit and
the wounded refused to stay in them.
Some lay in the streets on heaps of
debris, exposed to the bitterly cold
weather, and some staggered back to
the front, hurting stones and defying
the Japanese until taken prisoners or
death came mercifully
To End Their Sufferings.
There were five days and nights of
this state of affairs. The stock of am
munition which had been carefully
husbanded for months was almost
gone and it was all too evident that
Japan was about to grasp the prize
which had cost her an army of mel
and countless treasure.
The capture of 2O3.Meter hill by the
Japanese was the garrisons first vital
wound. Then came the capture of
Rihlung, Sungshu and Panlung noun
tains. Gen. Stoessel had announced
that he would fight till the last.
Ellis plight last night" said Capt
Kartow, commander of the torpedo
boat destroyer Vlastni, Cooked like
the last.
There was no stopping the Japan,
csc, who died in droves, fighting with
the last instructive twitch of the
nerves, with eyes fixed on Liaotie
mountain. Stoessel had killed Jap
anese army and exhausted his ammu-
milton, but" added Capt. Karow, ''they
became more furious, ferocious and
fateful than ever.
$50 the white flag went up"
stoessel Sharply Criticised.
Toxic, Jan. 4-Gen. Stoessel is be-
ing sharply criticised for destroying
the Russian warships, attempting to
choke the entrance to the harbor Of
Port Arthur. and dispatching the tor
pedo boat destroyers to Chefu subse-
quent to his offer to surrender the
fortress. y
The Nichi Nichi says that. while
Gen. Stoessel madea gallant defense,
Ia ~