Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-30

/ communities gouged. Prosecution was un-
| dertaken in Philadelphia, Kansas city,
Omaha, Boston and Toledo, producing re-
suits only In the latter city, where officers
Of the combine were convicted and sent to
prison.
Prosecution Of public land thieves re-
suited In the conviction of fifteen persons
in Oregon, six in Nebraska and three In
Minnesota. And the end is not yet wyom-
ing, Utah, Colorado and Indian territory
are likely to yield even better results as
soon as courts and turtles reach the cul-
prits.
! An astonishing exhibit Of graft in the
railroad services was revealed by the In
/ vestigation Of the Interstate Commerce
commission into the affairs of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad company High officials
and underlings down 20 the car pushers
were shown TO have received liberal dona-
lions of cash and valuable stock from
favored shippers.
! A striking instance of the government s
tenacious pursuit of public crooks is the
case Of Benjamin d. Greene and John F.
Gaynor. Both were involved in the savan-
nah dry docks frauds and fed TO Canada
in 1900. For five years they secured protec-
ton from Canadian courts, were finally ex-
tradited last summer, tried, convicted and
sent to prison for six years.
General Events.
To promate a fraternal spirit among
American republics Secretary Root made a
tour OF South American republics, giving
20 officials Of each the glad hand and as
suances of good will.
The republic OF Cuba, under the presi-
dency of Thomas Estrada Palma during
the summer developed an insurrection led
by opposing party spoilshunters. resulting
in Intervention by the United States, the
retirement of President Palma and the
dissolution of congress. The instruction
ended as soon as the United States took
charge.
William Jennings Bryan completed his
tour of the world in July and was enthusi-
astlcally welcomed in New York harbor by
the Nebraska home folks" and others.
Lieutenant Peary returned from his
search for the north pole, having made the
''farthest north" record.
The Nobel peace prize was awarded by
the Norwegian Parliament to President
Roosevelt in recognition of his service in
ending the Russo-Japanese war.
Great Disasters.
Disaster is written large over the record
of 1905. Havoc wrought by the elements
almost belted the planet, leaving in con-
spicuous spots areas Of ruin a generation
cannot wholly efface. The destruction of
life and property by earthquake and vol
cano, storms on land and sea, were enor-
nous. rendering impossible accurate figures
as to number and value.
Warnings Of the years record Of earth
quake disasters were observed as early as
January Il, when slight tremors were felt in
no rtc % ~ aoIro
February two coast towns in Colombia
were shaken down and swept by seismic
tidal wave. causing much loss of life and
property. About the middle Of the month
the island Of Formosa, off the Chinese
coast, was shaken by earthquakes. This
was followed the first half of April by the
eruption of Vesuvus, and the San Fran
cisco disaster on the morning of April IS.
A period of four months of seismic calm
ensued when Valparaiso, the chief seaport
of Chile was stricken, August 10, and al
most destroyed. A notable incident pre-
sumed to have some relation to the seismic
disturbances is the discovery a new island
in the southern part of Boring sea, and
the disappearance of one of the Society
islands.
The outburst of Vesuvius was one OF the
most violent in its appalling history, over
whelming fourishing villages along the
mountain slopes and destroying vast areas
of farms and vineyards. The force of the
eruption was such that some of its fiery
contents were thrown 1000 feet in the air
and Naples felt in more danger than ever
before. In fact the roof of the principal
market was crushed by the weight of
ashes and cinders thrown out of the mighty
furnace. 1t is estimated that as much as
10000 tons Of ashes fell in Naples alone.
A dramatic figure in the reign of terror
was Prof. Matteucci, who, with his as
sistants, remained at the observatory on
the mountain side making records of the
varying phenomena of the eruption and
keeping the world informed Three hundred
feet of the mountain top was burned away
and the diameter Of the crater increased
from 1000 to 5000 feet. The loss of life
was Insignificant, but property loss was
enormous.
The Golden Gate Disaster.
The earthquake in San Francisco and
nearby towns entalled considerable loss
Of property, but the amount was trihing
compared with havoc of fire which swept
San Francisco during the ensuing sixty
hours. Water mains broken by the shocks
left the city helpless to fight the flames
Dyhaiiute WAS Ireely employed TO check
the torrent of flames, but It availed little
The total area burned over was about 1900
acres, containing $40 city blocks and about
5000 buildings, one-half of them residences
Insurance on the property destroyed ap-
proxmated $2S5 100000, and it's total value
is estimated at S85O.OOO,OOO. According to
official reports the number of lives lost
was ASP Fully one-third of the population
fed from the city as quickly as transpor-
taton could be had, thousands being given
free railroad transportation to eastern
friends and their wants generously supplied
by communities en- route Another one
third were quartered in tents in public
parks. Quickly and generously the people
and the government responded TO the cry
OF the stricken city, rushing trainloads of
food and clothing TO the coast and con-
tributing in cash s12,OOOOOO
Havoc at Valparaiso.
The devastation Of Valparaiso, like San
Francisco was due more to the succeeding
fire than to the succession of earthquake
shocks. The loss Of life was vastly greater
Two thousand victims were buried In Val
paradise alone and hundreds of bodies were
cremated in the ruins. Three thousand
persons were injured and 5000 rendered
homeless. Vina del Mar, watering place
three miles north OF Valparaiso. with
population Of 1900, was wrecked and
thirty persons killed by similar cause nj
Santiago. The damage TO property by fire
and earthquake in Chile was estimated