Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1907-01-04
ABOUT THE
YEAR 1905

1t is usual at this season to review
the year just closing, noting the more
important events, so they may be pre-
served for future reference.
In the long list of accidents and dis
asters three of natures convulsions
stand out in calamitious relief-name-
ly, the fiery upheaval of Vesuvius.
April Z, and the Pacific coast quak-
ings. which resulted in the tumbling
down and burning Of the greater por-
tions of San Francisco, April II. and
of Valparaiso, Chile, August is. A
storm September 81, swept the gulf
coast, taking over 100 lives and doing
a millions damage. 1t IL too soon to
know the total fatalities and losses
from the various railroad, mine, fire.
flood and shipwreck accidents.
Deaths harvest included Christian,
King of Denmark; Harper's eduoator;
Field, merchant; Wheeler. soldier;
Dunbar, poet; Mccall, financier:
Arthur, playwright; Swift, packer:
Brill, car builder; Shaler, geologist;
Martin Jesuit leader; Curie, scientist:
Schurz, reformer; Anthony, suffrag-
ist Ibsen, dramatist Mulvaney, paint
er; Davitt, reformer; German, senator;
| New. journalist; Seddon, New Zea-
land premier; H. W. Ward. naturalist;
| Jules Breton, painter; Garca, singing
teacher; Belt, diamond king; Craigie,
novelist; Rosewater, journalist; Hit.
congressman; Cutter. poet; Ketcham.
congressman Henderson, former speak
er of the house Langley, scientist;
Scofield, soldier; Richter. German
radical leader; Sage, Elinancier ;1Kod-
anna, head of Japanese army; Jones.
evangelist; Mrs. Jefferson Davis;
Shafter, soldier, Brunetiere, French
critic Baroness Burdett- Quits, philan-
thropist.
President Roosevelt made a notable
fight on the Beef Tust, and is now en-
gagged in seeking control or curbing the
greed of the great financial octopuses.
A Pure Food law went into effect
Tuesday; also denatured alcohol will
benefit the nation. Organized labor
entered politics. Secretary Taft made
visit of comfy to the South Ameri-
can republics. The final decision to
make the great ship waterway across
the Isthums of Panama in the form of
a lock canal as definitely announced
by the canal commission January z.
and in November President Roosevelt
broke precedent by a chief executive
setting his foot on foreign soil, visit
ing Panama and Porto Rico.
An executive order, September 10.
extended the eight-hour law to all
public works, whether conducted in
government shops or otherwise. The
civil service rules also we're extended
to include all laborers in the COVER
ment employ.
The examination of Pennsylvania
railroad officials shocked the public by
its disclosure of numerous official hold
ings of stock in coal companies, which
was open to no other construction
than that of bribery to secure railroad
favors.
Several railroads, sugar and other
corporations were fined for rebating.
The life insurance scandals was the
greatest sensation of the year.
Additions to the navy during the
year included the battleships New
Jersey, Georgia and Vermont. and the
cruisers Washington and Montana.
Several midshipmen were dismissed
from the academy at Annapolis for haz
ing. The dry dock Dewey reached
Manila safely July A. On April "a the
body of Admiral Paul Jones was buried
at Annapolis with fitting naval and
civic ceremony.
Lieutenant General Chaffee retired.
and was succeeded by General Bates.
February 4, and September 30 Mao
Arthur succeeded Corbin as lieutenant
general.
The situation which developed in
Cuba when the Palma government
failed to check the rebellious elements
placed upon President Roosevelt the
necessity of making a momentous dec
ision for or against armed interven-
ton and occupation Of the island.
General Magoon is provisional COVER
nor supported by an American army.
Three companies of colored infantry
were discharged by the President, for
completely in a riot at Brownsville,
Texas.
Secretary Hitchcock ordered the
withdrawal Of all public coal and oil
lands from sale or settlement, October
s.
Z Cabinet changes were Bonaparte to
be attorney general Moody to the
supreme bench Metcalf to the navy;
Oscar S. Straus, the New York merch-
aut, commerce and labor; Ambassador
Won l.. Meyer to be postmaster gener-
al Cortelyou to the treasury; Gar
field, secretary of the interior. Hich-
cock and Shaw retiring.
Oklahoma and Indian territory be-
came the State of Oklahoma on June
IS.
1t remained for the world of 1905 to
see the first mechanical navigation Of
the air from a standing start in
screw propelled aeroplane. This WAS
achieved by NJ. Santos. .Dumont. at
Paris, September 13. in his airship.
the Bird of Prey.
Lieutenant Robert E. Peary carried
the American colors over the treaoher-
Gus Polar ice fields in the long Artic
night to the farthest point ever reach
ed by man, or to the 87th parallel.
Captain Amundsen. returning from
his navigation of Northwest pass
age, announced that he had located