BY P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
There was a bad Spaniard from Cadiz
Who sneered and said Cuba was his biz,
He got gay at Manila
And there got his fill, ah,
And now he’s in a — of a siz.
—Manila hats will be worn this sum-
mer.
—That Philipsburg boy who coughed up
a full sized toad evidently had more than
a frog in his throat.
—A regiment of yellow journal war cor-
respondents ought to be mustered into the
army for service in Cuba. Surely they
would be immune from yellow fever.
—1If they haven’t had much rain on the
Philippines lately it has heen DEWEY
enough there since Sunday to make up for
the naturally dry condition of things.
—1If the war will have done the fellows
who have remained at home no other good
it will have caused the dust to be brushed
from many an old geography that hasn’t
been off the shelf since the school days,
years ago.
—Oh what a difference when STONE
comes to town, you will see the smart Re-
publicans all flockin’ ’round. They will
swear on stacks of bibles, full forty moun-
tains high, that they have always been for
QUAY; if not, they ‘‘hope to die.”
—Tt has cost us lots of money to pay for
the target practice of our tars, in fact we
spend three times as much for that purpose
as any naval power on the earth. But what
matters it about the cost so long as we hit
things like we did at Matanzas and Manila.
—With true Irish characteristics it was a
MuLLEN and an O’MALLY who fired the
first guns in the Spanish-American war
when the gun boat Nashville brought the
Buena Ventura to with several shots. Not
content with having been first into the
scrap the two Irish gunners are scrapping
now over the question of which one’s gun
went off first.
— At a meeting of the Blair county
Democrats in Altoona, on Monday, long
resolutions were adopted and the five dele-
gates to the state convention were instruct-
ed to vote for JAMES M. GUFFEY, of Alle-
gheny, for Governor. A. V. DIVELY, of
Altoona, was endorsed for Lieutenant Gov-
ernor, and W. FISKE CONRAD, of Tyrone,
for Congress.
—1Tt is reported now that the reason the
Spanish war ships were so slow in getting
away from the Cape Verde islands was be-
cause they could not get more than half
enough coal to fill their bunkers. Such a
little matter as that ought not to worry
them. SAMPsoN will make it so hot for
the Spanish when he meets them that such
a thing as coal will never enter their
thoughts again.
—Col VINCENTE DE CORTIJO, one of the
Spanish officers who was captured on the
Spanish steamer Argonauta, is said to be a
brother-in-law of butcher WEYLER. Col.
CORTIJO denies the unenviable distinction
and thinks he would rather travel on his
own record, which goes to show that this
Spaniard does not care to shine by the re-
flected light from such a despicable lumi-
nary.
—The Spanish fleet couldn’t whip DEW-
EY, so the Spaniards at Manila did the
next best thing, they cut the cable so
the world would not know of his victory
until it had been robbed of much of its
glory by getting stale en route. It doesn’t
matter to us whether it is an old story or
not, because we know it is a good one.
‘When it does come there will be a revival
of the old song ‘Tell Me the Old, Old
Story.”
——A matter of which Pennsylvanians
have to be proud is the mustering of the en-
tire Guard of the State into the volunteer
army. That the federal government has
accepted the Guard in its complete organi-
zation is a tacit commendation of our citi-
zen soldiers. It has always been the aim
of the State to make the Guard as nearly
as possible like the regular army and now
that it has become part of it it is a satis-
faction to know that the labor that has
been expended in perfecting its organiza-
tion was not in vain.
—When the great FARRAGUT said ‘‘damn
the torpedoes’’ and ordered his flagship, the
Hartford, to lead his fleet into Mobile bay,
after the boat that had been leading the
fleet signaled back to him ‘‘torpedoes,’”’” he
set an example that slept in the peaceful
bosom of the American navy fromAu-
gust 5th, 1864, until Sunday, May
1stl, 2898, when it awakened to make
GEORGE DEWEY a hero. It is not
known whether DEWEY used his old ad-
miral’s words, but he did emulate his dar-
ing deeds and they won Manila for Ameri-
can arms and an admiral’s rank for DEWEY.
—It was four years on Sunday since
post-master D. F. FORTNEY had been in
charge of the Bellefonte post-office and nat-
urally enough the people are beginning to
wonder when the name of his successor is
to be announced. A change might not be
made until after the Republican state con-
vention, but if Mr. QUAY is holding it off
for the effect it will have in the selection of
the Centre county delegates his friends
here, AL DALE and Mr. THOMAS HARTER,
don’t seem to be hustling much to name
men who will be'with QUAY and ARNOLD
when they are needed. No one questions
the ability of the two QUAY leaders to
name the men and it is quite probable that
all they will need to do is tell the convua-
tion who they want and the contest will
end, forthwith.
Ca”
Demacralic
_VOL. a3
How we May Dispose of our Conquests.
The loss of Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Philippine islands to the government of
Spain will be among the results of the
present war. This may be regarded as
manifest destiny. The arms of the United
States will be the agency by which this
decree of fate will be executed.
Upon Spain’s being deprived of these isl-
ands, which for nearly four centuries were
in her possession, the duty of disposing of
them will devolve upon the United States
by right of conquest. As to Cuba, we have
declared that the object of our interfer-
ence in behalf of her oppressed people was
in the interest of humanity and not for the
purpose of territorial acquisition. That
great island is a tempting prize, which any
European power would not forego if it had
the opportunity of gaining possession of it,
but the unselfish attitude we have assumed
in the question of Cuban liberation from
Spanish oppression precludes our acquir-
ing the island as conquered territory. |
After the expulsion of the Spaniards it
will be our duty to help the Cubans estab-
lish an independent government. No peo-
ple ever fought more heroically for their
freedom, and their right to it should be
confirmed by the generous assistance of the
United States in the unsettled period that
will come after the Spaniards shall have
been expelled.
That will be a trying time for the young
government, and there is danger of an in-
fluence being excited in the United States
with the design of serving interests that
will not be in line with the .interest of an
independent Cuban government. Such a
policy has been foreshadowed by the oppo-
sion of the McKINLEY adminstration—to
the Cuban republic. By ignoring the exist-
ence of a government in Cuba, the way
might be opened for a carpet-bag establish-
ment by which mercenary interests could
be served. This would certainly be a per-
version of the unselfish and honorable pur-
pose for which the sentiment of the Ameri-
can people compelled this government to
intervene in behalf of the oppressed in-
habitants of the island.
As for the Philippines, it will not be
the policy of this government to hold ter-
ritorial possessions in so remote a quarter
of the globe. ‘As those islands will become
ours by right of conquest we can sell them
for a good’ price to some power that is
more anxious for the ownership of colonies
than we are, and could apply the proceeds
of the sale towards paying the expenses
of the war. As the United States needs a
coaling station in the West Indies the
small island of Porto Rico could be retain-
ed for that purpose.
Shameful Naval Neglect.
We have properly criticised the conduct
of those long in control of this government
who have culpably neglected the American
navy, allowing it to remain weak when it
should have been made strong, while they
were squandering vast amounts of the pub-
lic money on objects of no public advan-
tage or national benefit.
The disgraceful effect of such licentious
management now makes its appearance in
the fact that a nation of boundless resources
finds itself embarrassed by naval weakness
upon its becoming suddenly involved in a
war with so comparatively feeble a nation
as Spain. Our inadequate number of war-
ships is strained to the utmost to guard
the points that may be attacked by a pow-
er that would be navally insignificant if
neglectful management had not failed. to
make us stronger than such an adversary.
After a succession of Republican billion
dollar Congresses there is something un-
speakably disgraceful in the fact that
enough money was not spared from the
prevailing extravagance to furnish the na-
tion with a navy that v'~uld have made it
at least as strong on t. ¢ sea as poor old
Spain.
Fortuna tely this criminal indifference
to the defence of our country, which has
characterized past Republican adminis-
trations, is prevented from being attended
with disastrous consequences by the valor
of our sailors ; but is it not shameful that
the duty of defending their country with
such limited means has been imposed upon
them ?
While the effects of bad government
could not appear more glaringly than in
the strain that is required of our navy in
furnishing defense against so comparatively
feeble a power as Spain, nothing could re-
flect greater luster upon our sailors than
that with the limited means given them
they are able to maintain the blockade of
Havana, keep a watch of Porto Rico, hold
themselves in readiness to check an attack
on our Atlantic cost, and win a brilliant
victory in the Philippines.
But why should a meagre number of
ships have been compelled to perform this
difficult and hazardous task when enough
money has been wasted to have built a
navy that could have crushed Spain’s naval
power at the firing of the first gun. Hon-
or to the glorious American seamen whose
skill and courage can remedy so shameful
a deficiency.
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
"BELLEFONTE, PA., MAY 6. 1898.
Democratic Support of the War.
The Democratic party may be relied on
to stand by the government in its war
with Spain. This is a fact about which
there can be no question. It was the
spirited posture of the Democrats in Con-
gress that kept McKINLEY’S administra-
tion from slinking out of a fight with the
treacherous Spaniards, which it wanted to
do even after the destruction of our war-
ship and the murder of our sailors. It
was this patriotic element in Congress, re-
flecting the popular sentiment, and repre-
senting the old Democratic war spirit,
which more than any other influence pre-
vented a hesitating President and his
mercenary advisers from sticking to their
purpose of peace at any price that would
have dishonored the nation and humiliat-
ed the American people.
These are the facts connected with the
Democratic position in regard to the war
with Spain. The Democratic party is now,
as it has always been, the war party when
the nation is assailed by a foreign enemy.
Yet in the face of this truth a prominent
Republican organ has the effrontery to con-
strue the vote of the Democrats in the
House on the war revenue bill as being in
opposition to the war, saying: ‘‘The most
radical cheap-money advocates must see
that at this time the country will not tol-
erate obstinate attempts to embarrass the
administration in the conduct of the war.”
The Democrats in Congress, whom this
goldite organ designates as ‘‘radical cheap
money advocates,” are ready to vote mil-
lions for the national defence, but they re-
gard it as bad financial policy to increase
the honded debt of the nation by borrow-
ing money for war purposes, upon which
interest will have to be paid, when the
means for carrying on the war can be se-
cured by processes that will be less burden-
some to the people. Why tax the people
for the benefit of bond holders, when the
government can furnish the very best and
safest of paper nioney, as it did when it is-
sued the greenbacks during the civil war,
upon which no interest need be paid?
There is, moreover, millions of uncoined
silver in the vaults of the treasury which
would be serviceable if converted into mon-
ey for war purposes. And, furthermore, the
government has a right to look to the
wealth of our millionaires as a source of
revenue, a class whose incomes should not
escape taxation when men of limited means
not only help to pay the expenses of war,
but also face the dangers of the battlefield.
Democratic Congressmen, when called
upon to vote on the subject of war revenue,
had a right to ask that the government
should adopt the method that would be
least oppressive to the people, and not cal-
culated tc promote the advantage of the
money lenders and bond dealers, while pro-
tecting the interest of the wealthy by ex-
empting them from paying their share of
the war expenses.
To construe such action as opposition to
the war is an assumption that well suits
the organs of a party which, in peace or in
war, is always at the service of the pluto-
cratic class.
The Great Victory at Manila.
Gallant commodore DEWEY has confer-
red new honors upon the old flag and cov-
ered himself and the American navy with
an additional installment of glory. He
went about thrashing the Spaniards in reg-
ular American style, adopting the tactics
which DECATUR practiced when he sailed
his ship into the unknown but unfeared
danger of Tripoli harbor, and which im-
parted such brilliancy to FARRAGUT’S fear-
less performance in Mobile bay.
The heroic commander of the American
fleet at Manila feared neither the hidden
torpedoes, nor the fortifications that frown-
ed on his advancing ships from all sides,
nor the fleet of the enemy arrayed in line
of battle to greet him with a deadly wel-
come. He astounded the foe by his bold
advance into the midst of the dangers they
had prepared for his reception, and then
followed up the surprise with so fierce an
attack on their fleet and batteries that the
flag of Spain went down before the tre-
mendous onslaught and Old Glory waved
supreme where the Spanish ensign had
floated for nearly four hundred years.
It was a great day for the American navy
and the star spangled banner.
——CoMMODORE DEWEY had an advan-
tage in operating against the Philippines
which no doubt greatly contributed to his
brilliant success. He was so remote from
Washington that he was not hampered
with instructions to carry on a ‘‘peaceful
war.’ McKINLEY wasn’t near enough
to prevent him from sailing in and thrash-
ing the enemy.
——Retributive justice overtook the
Spaniards at Manila for their treacherous
destruction of the Maine. The well de-
served punishment they received was ad-
ministered in open fight and not by the
sneaking method of the assassin that char-
terized the outrage they committed in
Havana.
The People’s War.
There was never in the history of the
world a more righteous war than this which
the United States is waging against Spain.
Our nation has been called to arms for the
relief of an oppressed people and .in the
interest of liberty and humanity. The de-
sign of territorial conquest was not an
element in the motive that has impelled
this nation to assume a posture of bel-
ligerency, nor has it been moved by the
expectation of material gain as a conse-
quence of the hostilities it has undertaken.
It is true that after the patience fof the
American people had become exhausted by
Spanish inhumanities in Cuba a fierce feel-
ing of vengeance was excited in themijby
the treacherous destruction of our ship at
Havana, but apart from this wrathful in-
centive, which sprang from a justifiable
desire for revenge, it can be truly claimed
that in this conflict the American people
have accepted the horrors and expense of
war more for the sake of others than for
their own. No nation ever before displayed
such lofty disinterestedness in the cause of
oppressed and suffering human beings.
The American people, impelled by, the
noblest sentiments, have demanded this
war. They could not endure the outrages
practiced upon the oppressed people fof
Cuba. Long before the occurrence of the
Maine horror they desired that relief should
be extended to a population struggling for
their freedom against oppression fof the
most revolting character, but when to this
generous feeling was added the exasperation
excited by the crime in Havana harbor, the
popular wrath could not be averted by the
men at the head of the government who ig-
nobly preferred the policy of peace at any
price.
Parties who were high in the councils of
this administration believed that there
were claims stronger than the claims of
humanity, and interests that [were of
more account than the national} honor.
If this influence would have been al-
lowed to have had its way, and could
have held its ground against the people’s
demand for relief for Cuba and retributive
vengeance for the Main outrage, it is proba-
ble that the shuffling and evasive policy
that was so long responsible for the contin-
uance of Cuba’s wrongs, and which actually
encouraged the Spaniards to commit the
crime on our battleship, would still govern
the action of the men at the head of the
government.
Tke people forced the administration to
abandon its attitude of peace when there
could be no peace without actual disgrace
to the nation. To the American people,
uninfluenced by sordid and selfish motives,
belongs the credit of this war, which could
have been evaded only with national dis-
honor and a base disregard for the claims
of humanity.
Wanamaker’s Campaign.
Though JOHN WANAMAKER is charge-
able with political shortcomings it can not
be denied that he is doing the State a ser-
vice by the attack he is making on the cor-
rupt political machine that has control of
the state government. The campaign he
is carrying on against QUAY and his base
method of politics is remarkable in many
of its features, and even those who have
not admired WANAMAKER’S political con-
duct in the past find their attention arrest-
ed by the evident truth of the charges he
is making against Pennsylvania’s corrupt
Republican boss, and the political vices
for which he is responsible.
The campaign which the Philadelphia
leader is waging against QUA Yism is a good
deal more than a faction fight. It is based
on facts that carry with them a large degree
of political criminality. = WANAMAKER
has a thorough knowledge of the inside
working of Pennsylvania Republican poli-
tics. He has been there himself and knows
all about it. From his knowledge of the
subject he is making disclosures that should
command the thoughtful attention of every
citizen of the State. Each of the speeches
he is making to audiences in all parts of
the Commonwealth is a bill of indictment
against the dissolute gang of political cor-
ruptionists who have secured control of:
the state government and are using it for
their personal profit. He is bearing testi-
mony against them that should secure a
verdict of condemnation at the polls. If
his charges should be made the subject of
legal prosecution there is enough criminal-
ity in them to send the majority of the
gang to the penitentiary.
Such an arraignment of QUAYism and the
political evils it represents, should have its
effect upon the public mind. WANAMAK-
ER ig making these charges as a gandidate
for Governor against the QUAY machine.
But in the event of his defeat for the nomi-
nation, whieh is quite probable, is his in-
crimination of the corrupt boss and ma-
chine to amount to nothing? Will the
thousands of Republicans who attend his
meetings and are morally convinced of the
truth of his charges, so ignore their con-
sciences and stultify their intelligence as
to fall in line and support the state ticket
that will be furnished to the party by the
NO. 18.
usual machine methods, representing, as
usual, the foul politics and vicious prinei-
ples of the machine rule which Mr. WANA-
MAKER is so graphically exposing and so
strenuously denouncing ? ’
If such should be the case, what a ridicu-
lous conclusion it would be to the WANA-
MAKER campaign against the iniquities
and abominations of machine government.
But it cannot be believed that it will have
so ridiculous and fruitless a conclusion.
It May Be the End of the War.
WASHINGTON, May 2.— The general
opinion among prominent members of the
administration is that the naval victory at
Manila is not only highly important of
itself, but that it will have a very decided
influence among the nations of Europe,
which may ultimately result in their united
action in forcing Spain to an early relin-
quishment of the impossible task of com-
pelling this country to change its course
with respect to Cuba.
The attorney general, when questioned
to-day, said that in his judgment the Ma-
nila victory was the beginning of the end.
A few such defeats must convince the
Spanish government that their case was a
hopeless one, and it was his opinion that it
would be a matter of only a few weeks or
months, at least, before Spain would be
anxious to reopen negotiations with the
United States with a view to a complete
surrender of her sovereignty over Cuba.
Thinking men, he said, the world over have
been convinced from the first that there
could be but one issue to the present strug-
gle. Spanish sovereignty in this hemisphere
must end completely and forever. This
view, he believed, had been shared by the
leading members of the Spanish govern-
ment, but they were powerless to prevent
a conflict which they well knew must re-
sult fatally to their cause.
Secretary Gage held similar views, and
he was inclined to the opinion that Spain
might not wait for more crushing defeats
before she set on foot negotiations looking
to the cessation of hostilities. There had
not been from the first and could not be
any question as to the final result of war
between the two countries. We were so
far superior to them in everything that
goes to make up a great nation that only a
short time would be necessary, in his judg-
ment, to demonstrate even to the satisfac-
tion of the Spaniards themselves that they
were completely outclassed. However, the
initiative probably would be taken by a
concert of the European powers, but how
soon that influence would be effectually
brought to bear upon the Spanish govern-
ment could not be foretold.
FUTURE COURSE OF THE-ELEET.
Although the victory at the: Philippines
undoubtedly will have the effect. of releas-
ing at least a part of Commodore Dewey’s
fleet, members of the administration are
not inclined to discuss what action will be
taken in that regard. Whether or not they
would be sent westward against the Span-
ish fleet at home or proceed east to join our
fleet in the Atlantic is not known. It is
obvious, however, that as soon as the
islands have been taken complete possession
of by Commodore Dewey, a sufficient force
of United States troops will be sent thither
to hold them and to exercise proper police
supervision.
It is stated by high authority that Com-
modore Dewey’s instructions were of a
general character, simply directing him to
reduce the Spanish fortifications of ths
island, and take possession. To this end,
he would be permitted under his instruc-
tions to exercise his judgment as to whether
bombardment of the city of Manila itself
was necessary, and to do whatever the sit-
uation required within the limits of civil-
ized warfare. It is the opinion, however,
of high officials here that only in the event
that a Spanish force occupied the city and
could not be dislodged otherwise, would a
bombardment be probable.
At the foreign embassies and legations
intense interest is shown in the news of the
decisive victory at Manila. It was stated
by a high diplomatic official to-day that
another such victory would end the cause
of Spain and would force her to seek an
armistice and peace. The universal belief
in diplomatic quarters is that this stroke
in the Philippines will be followed imme-
diately by aggressive action in Cuba.
MAY CAUSE TROUBLE IN SPAIN.
Aside from the immediate effects of the
Manila engagement foreign representatives
here say it is likely to precipitate an inter-
nal confusion in Spain. This has been ap-
prehended by the European powers, and
has been the chief cause of their activity,
and it threatens to bring the war to the
continent of Europe.
It is understood that the British consul
at Manila, Mr. Rawson-Walker, has as-
sumed charge of American interests in the
Philippines, and under such circumstances
he is at present charged with the impor-
tant duty of protecting the lives of the
Americans on shore at Manila and else-
where. It is believed that Commodore
Dewey will give his first attention to look-
ing after these Americans ashore.
The cable from Manila, it is learned, is a
British and not a Spanish cable, and it is
believed that British operators have charge
of the cable station. While they would be
subject to Spanish censorship yet there is no
doubt this British ownership would insure
a more prompt and unprejudiced transmis-
sion of official and unofficial reports than
if it were not a British cable. The cable
goes to Hong Kong, and thence by the way
of Aden and the Red sea to continenal
Europe and London.
Leading diplomats say no step toward
European intervention is likely to be hast-
ened by this disaster of Spain. It is looked
upon simply as a war reverse, which can-
not be turned into political channels by
Spanish appeals to the great powers. This
is the view alike in British, French and
German quarters. It was rather expected
from the British, but it is none the less ap-
parent among French and German officials,
who regard the time for meditation or in-
tervention as past.
-—~Subscribe for the WATCHMAN.
Spawls from the Keystone.
—From a score of applicants H. H. Moore
was elected prison keeper at Lancaster.
—After many years of idleness, the Lochiel
iron furnace, at Harrisburg, will be put in
operation.
—Aged Nathaniel Ellmaker, of Lancaster,
celebrated the 60th anniversary of his admis-
sion to the bar on Tuesday.
—Charles D. Arters, of Pottsville, was ap
pointed warden and Mrs. C. D. Arters matron
of the Schuylkill county prison.
—B. F. Gilkeson, of Bristol will deliver an
address before the Hugh A. Martindell post,
of Langhorne, on Decoration day.
—With poison furnished by his wife,
Thomas Gallagher, a prisoner in the Wil-
liamsport jail, tried to end his life.
—The mines of the Wyoming region will
work on increased time this month, and the
outlook is considered very bright.
—~Carpenter Levi Lentz, of Weatherly,
Carbon county, fell from a roof which he
was repairing and died from his injuries.
—The junior order of American mechan-
ics, of Bristol, have pledged themselves to
support the families of all members that en-
list.
—The heirs of the late Sarah Kirkbride, of
Philadelphia, attended the sale of the per-
sonal effects of Mrs. Kirkbride at Bristol on
Saturday.
—Burglars effected an entrance foto the
First Presbyterian church at Bloomsburg
Saturday night, but did not discover the val-
uable silver service.
—Cracksmen blew open a safe in Fremont
Clark’s bakery, at Stroudsburg, and fired
harmless shots from their revolvers when
discovered.
—R. H. Brubaker has been elected Presi-
dent of the Conestoga national bank, to suc-
ceed David B. Landis, recently murdered by
Ralph Wireback.
—On the street at Mahanoy City Charles
Holman was attacked by several drunken
men and twice stabbed by Anthony Dem-
breski, one of the party.
—Walking in his sleep, aged Benno Wirth,
of Easton, stepped out of a second-story win-
dow and fell on the pavement, sustaining in-
juries from which he died.
—Mrs. D. N. C. Brock, president of the
state federation of woman's clubs, of Mount
Lebanon, was seriously hurt Monday night
in a runaway accident.
—William Snyder, aged 61, of Lebanon,
was stricken with apoplexy while descending
the stairs at his home, and fractured his
skull, dying soon afterward.
—The society for Prevention of Cruelty to
Children caused the arrest of Eli Bierman,
of Bethlehem, who for more than a year has
lived by send ing his six children out to beg.
—Ernest Van Dyke, 15 years old, of
Weatherly, attempted to steal a ride on a
coal train Saturday evening, but fell between
the cars and had his right leg crushed so bad -
ly that it had to be amputated.
—Judge Gordon has appointed Alfred M.
Liveright special district attorney for Clear-
field county to fill district attorney Wood-
ward’s place during the absence of the latter,
whovis-eapteimef-eompany.E, of the National
Guards.
—The young Americans, of Patton, the
other evening, armed with guns and headed
by a drum corps, dragged a dummy of Wey-
ler through the streets, then bound the fig-
ure to a tree and riddled it with bullets, and
as a final act of their vengeance, threw the
dummy into a creek.
—The Lewisburg and Tyrone railroad
company, an affiliated line of the Pennsylva-
nia, at the annual meeting held on Monday
elected officers and directors as follows:
President, Samuel Rea ; directors, James P.
Coburn, S. C. Stewart, N. P. Shortridge, W.
H. Barnes, Charles E. Pugh and William A.
Patton.
—While William Kissel was working in
the Beech Creek railroad shops at Jersey
Shore a few days ago, his coat caught in the
cogs, and his arm was being rapidly drawn
toward the revolving wheels. In response
to his cries, his fellow workmen succeeded in
stopping the machine, but not before his
hand was caught and terribly lacerated.
—Hotel Shikellimy, the summer resort lo-
cated on the summit of historic Blue Hill,
opposite Northumberland, was totally de-
stroyed by fire Wednesday afternoon. The
flames started about 2 o'clock in the office
and spread with great rapidity. It had not
yet been opened for the season. The hotel
occupied a position on a bluff at the junction
of the two branches of the Susquehanna
river. It was builtin 1891 and cost $75,000.
—The man Malia, who fired the first gun
when the Buena Ventura was captured near
Key West last week, was formerly an em-
ploye of Central Pennsylvania telephone and
supply company, whose line runs through
this city. About two years ago, while un-
screwing the bolt that fastened the cross arm
to a pole one day, he sat astride the arm, and
when he removed the bolt he fell with the
stick to the sidewalk. He was severely in-
jured. After he recovered he enlisted in
the navy.
—At Jersey Shore a Spaniard, who had
been employed on the Beech Creek gravel
train, quit work a few days ago and an-
nounced his intention of going to Spain to
enlist in her army. He could not hold his
tongue and denounced the United States gov-
ernment as well as the people. Several
railroad hands took the Spaniard in hand
and gave him a taste ot American indignation
in the way of fist blows and rough tumbles.
The foreigner then skipped out and left on
the Fall Brook railroad.
—C. K. Sober, of Lewisburg, is starting a
chestnut orchard on his farm, near Shamo-
kin. He is grafting some choice varieties on
native young trees, the tract adjoining the
mountain side. He already has about one
hundred acres prepared. Lastyear he began
on a tract of some thirty acres. The trees
are about a rod apart. He expects returns
in three years, each tree likely to yield about
a peck from the start. There are one or two
large chestnut orchards in the State, started
the same way, and are said to be excellent
investments. Mr. Sober’s experiment will
be watched with considerable interest,
though it is an assured success.