The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-16
HISTORY MADE DURING
THE YEAR OF GRACE 1908
Record Is Of Change and Death,
but Also of Peace and
Prosperity.
NATIONS HAVE NEW RULERS.
Many Persons Known in Statecraft,
Politics, Music and Letters
Pass Away.

The year 1908, like most Of those pre-
ceding it, has brought about many
changes in all parts of the world. Death
has taken rulers and governments have
been changed, men and women of prom
inence and achievement in many lines
have passed into the silent hereafter,
fire and flood have levied their toll
upon human life and property, greed
and hate have melted to grave crime in
numerous instances. But the record is
not all dark. Mans activities along
peaceful ways have gone steadily for
ward, achievement has made decided
Roadway, the quiet lives of the major
ity of earth's people have moved on I'M
vexed by war, pestilence or famine, and
a grateful material prosperity seems to
be the portion of most of the civilized
nations.
Early in February the king and
crown prince Of Portugal were assas-
sinated in a street of Lisbon and the
crown passed to young son and broth
er, the present King Manuel. The
deaths, in November, Of the Emperor
and. the Dowager Empress of China
caused a change in the ruling head of
the Celestial empire. A new president
has more recently taken hold of affairs
in Hayti, Bulgaria has declared itself
Independent of Turkey, and the last
named country itself has made radical
innovations tending toward constitu-
ttonal government.
The neurology Of the year is memoir
able for the number of notable men
and women of prominence in the world
Of art, letters and music who have
passed away. Among those to succumb
during 1908 were ex-President Grover
Cleveland, Sir Henry Campbell
man, ex-premier of England; Tomas
Estrada Palma, Cuba's first president
Bishop Henry C. Potter and Rev. Nor
gan Dix Of New York, Ira D. Sankey,
Pablo de Sarasate, August Wilhelmj,
Edmund Clarence Stedman, "Ouida,'
Joel Chandler Harris, Murat Halstead,
Bronson Howard, Victorien Sardou,
Louise Chandler Moulton, Harriet Hos
mer, Chas. Emory Smith and VIM. B.
Allison.
A destructive theater fire and panic
in Boyertown, Pa, the burning of a
school house in a Cleveland suburb,
mine explosions, forest fires in Michi-
gan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and
storms and floods in various parts of
the country caused the loss Of many
lives.
The year witnessed the starting of
Admiral Evans fleet Of warships on Its
triumphal tour Of the Pacific.
The horrible developments upon the
murder farm of Mrs. Belle Guinness,
near LaPorte, Ind, the unlawful activi-
ties of the night riders in Tennessee
and Kentucky, and the race riots in
Springfield, ILL.,, are dark spots upon
the record Of the year.
The principal events Of 1908 may be
thus epitomized:
JANUARY.
Jury disagrees in trial of Caleb
Powers for murder Of Gov. Goebel of
Kentucky i. Jury acquits Geo. A. Petit
bone of Steunenburg murder in Idaho.
13-Theater fire and panic in Boyer
town, Pa, causes 1877 deaths and injury
Of Is persons. Union station annex in
Kansas City burns.
18-Death of Edmund Clarence Sted.
man. poet. Three miners rescued after
being buried for 46 days in mine at
Ely, Mo.
19-Death of Chas. Emory Smith OF
Philadelphia, former Postmaster General
PSI 100000 fire in Portland, Me-.
ist
25-Death Of "Ouida," English novel
list.
28-S1, 100000 fire in Chicago.
3O-Death of Burr Robbins, well.
known circus man.
FEBRUARY.
liking Carlos and Crown Prince
Luiz Felipe of Portugal assassinated in
streets Of Lisbon. /. Harry Thaw &C
OulICCQ OIL OCdu1OAO w uACS u01OCI
Gov. Toole of Montana resigns.
MANUEL II. proclaimed King Of Por.
tugal.
Death of Col. Thos. G. Lawlor Of
Rockford, Ill.
1O-Burial of King Carlos and Crown
Prince Luiz Felipe of Portugal.
11-Anthracite centennial celebrated in
Wilkesbarre, Pa.
12-$23,OOO bank robbery IN Rich Hill,
Mo.
15-Marriage of Miss Theodore Shonts
and Due de Chaulnes.
1&191Severe blizzard sweeps middle
and western States.
2O-Death Of Senator Latimer Of South
Carolina.
21-Death of Harriet Hosmer, Ameri-
can sculptress.
27-Mine explosion near San Juan
de Sabinas, Mexico, kills rs miners.
28-Unsuccessful attempt made to Kill
Shah of Persia with bomb. Nv. @
Bradley, Republican, chosen Senator from
Kentucky.
1-Great fire In Tampa, Fla.