Evening star., 1948-04-25
Fifty Years Ago

quiet 7pnilantnroplSt who never sought
public attention for his benefactions and yet
was responsible for a good
Cornell part Of the progress achieved
Benefoctor by organized medicine in the
past half century was men,,
toned in The Star for April 49, 1898, as having
made contribution Of $780, 900 to Cornell Uni
versity to establish a medical school. His
name was Oliver Hazard Payne; he was brig
adler general in the Union Army during the
Civil War and later secretary of the Standard
Oil Co.. and dominant figure in the Ameri-
can Tobacco Co.; his gifts to Cornell finally
totaled over 100000. The money made feas-
ible the development Of one Of the greatest
institutions for the relief Of human suffering
in the world.
President Mckinley on Monday, April 1S,
1898, reviewed a parade of colored residents Of
Washington originally scheduled for the pre-
vious Friday in commemoration Of emancipa-
ton. The Star reported
Emancipation Doy that the procession, after
Porode passing the White House,
moved to Lincoln Park on
the eastern side of the city, where former
Representative George w. Murray of South
Carolina delivered an grafton and E. v. Davis
master of ceremonies, read the proclamation
of freedom. Capt. Alexander Hawkins was
chief marshal, G. w. Ferkerson right aid and
Washington Perkins left. The Butler Zouaves
the Capital City Guards, the Century Bicycle
Club and the South Washington Tournament
Club were listed as being in line.
The Star of April IL, 1898, gave space to
news OF the annual meeting of the National
Academy of Sciences at the
Sovonts at the Library of Congress- saying
libror that many men distinguish
ed in all the higher branches
of studious and subtle research" were sharing
in the program arranged. President Wolcott
Gibbs was in the chair Prof. Ira Remsen Of
Johns Hopkins was secretary and Prof. Alex
ander Graham Bell, Prof James Hall, Prof.
Alexander Agassiz Dr. John S. Billings, Prof.
Simon Newcomb DR.. Eliot Coues and Prof.
Samuel F. Emmons were in active attendance
"a real gathering of intellectual giants. Some
of the papers read were about the geology, the
fora and fauna of the Fiji Islands.
Under this headline The Star on April 20,
1898. announced: THE Cuban resolution is
now a law of the land and the
Wor ultimatum to Spain an accom-
Now On plished fact. The President at
1924 O'Clock (a.m) anxed his
signature to the joint resolution Of Congress
requiring Spain to evacuate the island OF
Cuba. The ultimatum meanwhile had been
prepared at the State Department by Assist
ant Secretary Day, and at 1880 O'Clock an
nouncement was made at the Wnlte house
that it had been signed by the President and
had been sent to the Spanish government.
AS soon as the final determination to send 1t
had been reached and it had been started on
its way to Madrid, Senor Polo. the spanish
Minister, in accordance with dipiomatlc
co,rtesies. was furnished copy OF the paper
by the colored messenger OF Assistant oecIe.
tsrv Dav. The Minister, as soon as he had
received 1t. made a brief reply and requested
his passports" A dispatch from Key West,
Fla, printed In an adjacent column, said
"The officers Of the squadron are hoping that
when the ultimatum to Spain expires not An