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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 29, 1906)
VOL,. XT.VL.-XO. 14,293. PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1906. PRICE FIVE CENTS. GULF CITIES TO OTTER RUIN Pensacola and Mobile Share Same Fate in Hurricane. HOUSES AND SHIPS WRECKED Scores of Great Steamers Sunk or Driven Ashore and Smashed. LOSS OF LIFE IS GUESSWORK People Homeless Amid Scenes of Devastation. CROPS ARE ALL DESTROYED Two Stricken Cities Alone Lose $8, 000,000 and Surrounding Coun try Is Laid Wast Whole Coast Littered With Wrecks. WORK OF THE HTKMCAXB. PENSACOTjA Ixwa of life cannot be estimated, but heavy amoni mar iners. loss of property, $5,000,000. Fifty bg steamers and sailing ves sel driven ashore. Thirty fishing vessels destroyed. Three blE fish-housea with their wharves tone. Iron ships driven through buildings a block Inland. Railroad wharves wrecked or dam aged. TTvrry house along water-front for ten miles destroyed. Every business house, unroofed and damaged otherwise. Klectrlc light, telephone, telegraph and trolley wires wrecked. Homeless families walk streets without food. Thirty miles of Louisville A Nash ville Railroad track destroyed. MOBILE Loss of life, possibly 50; many injured; BOOO houses dam aged; loss of property, 93,000,000. Many steamers sunk and driven ashore. TDvery church damaged. Revenue cutter Alert sunk. All wharves destroyed. JCo electric, telegraph, telephone or car service remains. Provisions almost gone. Hundreds of bales of cotton float out to sea. All streams overflow and country a lake for 25 miles north. Crops of fruit, vegetables, cotton and sugar destroyed. Brenvllle Square devastated. Many suburbs totally destroyed. Rainfall In two days, 6.4T inches; maximum velocity of wind, 96 miles an hour. MOBILE:, Ala., Sept. 20. Between 75 and 100 Uvea lost, folly two score ves sels driven ashore or wrecked In vari ous parts f the Gulf of Mexico, dam age amounting; to f-4,500,000 in the City of Mobile, and to millions more at out side points, is the record of the storm which swept Mobile Wednesday t and Wednesday night. No accurate esti mate of the casualties can be made as yet, and it is doubtful if exact flgrures will be known for a week; or more. Grave apprehension exists regarding Gulfport and Blloxl, where it is be lieved many lives have been lost. Re ports from those places are .meager and unsatisfactory. It In declared by the local municipal officials that no lives have been lost in Mobile, but that all of the deaths have occurred within a radius of 50 miles of here. PENSACOLA, Fla.. Sept. 27, via Flo- maton, Ala., Sept. 2S. The worst hurri cane to visit this city In history rased here furiously all last night, this morning- and today, with a gale still blow ing. The city presents a wrecked appearance and the damage is estimated at J5.000.000. The loss of life will be heavy among the mariners, but thus far only one body has been recovered, that of George Mor gan, a fisherman.. Other bodies are re ported along the shore, but have not been recovered. Cemmencing at 7 o'clock last night, the wind blew at 60 miles for three hours, then Increased to 65 miles. From that time until 5 o'clock this morning it re mained at about 80 and 90 miles an hour. - The tides from the bay backed Into the city for blocks, destroying homes and making rivers out of the streets. When the gale was at Its highest and women and children were running fran tically about the streets In darkness, an El alarm of fire added to the confusion. The lire started in the Pitt Mill near the busi ness district, and horses of the fire de partment refused to go out in the wea ther. "With tin roofs, trees and wires fall ing around them, the firemen dragged their hose wagons by hand to the blaze and after hours of work controlled It, Scores of Vessels Wrecked. This afternoon the wind rose until the business districts presented an almost in describable scene. Of the 50 or 60 big steamers and sailing vessels In the har bor, only Ave or six remain. They have been driven ashore, and along the water front Is a mass of wreckage from steam ers, to'wboats, launches and sailing craft. Thirtv flshine vessels have been de stroyed or damaged and the three big fish houses, with their wharves, are gone. Muscogee wharf and the Commandancia and Tarragona wharves of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, are badly damaged. Great iron ships of 2000 and 3000 tons have been driven not only ashore, but have gone through houses a block from the water front. Houses Destroyed for Miles. Every house along the water front for ten miles has been destroyed, and the wonder is that the loss of life is not greater. 'The tracks of the Terminal Rail road to the navy yard and barracks nave been destroyed. No communication can be had with the navy yard. Everv business house from the wharf on Palafox street to the Union Station has been unroofed, stocks badly damaged and wires and poles all mixed together. There are no electric lights or cars or telegraph or telephone service. The tracks of the Louisville & Nash ville Railroad on the Pensacola and Atlantic divisions have been destroyed for 30 miles, and two engines and cars sent out to the quarantine station have been lost. People Homeless and Hungry. Actlner Mayor Maura ordered every saloon closed this morning, and 50 extra policemen have been sworn in. The home less families are housed in all portions of the city, but many will walk the streets without food or a place to sleep until some order can be brought out or the chaos. Thieves are breaking open trunks along the beach, entering unoc cuDled houses and stealing everything in sight. Several arrests have been made, but it Is impossible to protect property under such conditions. Five sailors from a British steamer were clinging to a boat that was ashore today. Three others from the same vessel were drowned. Vessels of Navy Lost. . War vessels at the Pensacola Navy Yard undergoing repairs were the gun boats V'xen. Machias, Isla de Luzon and Gloucester, beside several smaller craft and the quartermaster's steamer Poe. They were in an exposed position, and It Is feared they may have beached. . x MOBILE REDUCED' TO RXJ1XS Business District Wrecked, Vessels Sunk and Country Becomes Lake. MOBILE, Ala., Sept. 28. (Via Meri dian, Miss., Sept. 28.) Loss of life vari ously estimated at from 5 to 50, many persons injured, 5000 houses damaged, the business section devastated and a property loss of fully $3,000,000, Is the effect of the tropical hurricane upon the City of Mobile. The storm, which struck the city about Wednesday midnight, raged for hours, the wind reaching a velocity of 90 miles an hour. The water of Mobile Bay was blown Into the city by the gale, and for a time was seven feet deep in the wholesale district, which Includes that section from Royal street to the Alabama River. The loss of life Is believed to be malnly among negroes, although con ditions are so chaotic that definite in formation Is impossible. Shipping suffered severely. Among the steamers sunk were the river boats J. P. Schuh, Mary E. Staples, Mary E. Blees, Cama, Overton, Hattle B. Moore and City of Camden, the United States revenue cutter Alert and many other small craft. It Is feared that the crews of these boats have been lost. The city has been placed under con trol of the militia. Nobody Is permit ted on the streets except newspaper men and persons wearing badges. Much apprehension is felt for the suburban towns, as It is feared they have been obliterated. The chances are that the loss of life on Dauphin Island Is heavy. Many fishermen live there, and In other outlying marshy districts, and from these no tidings have been received. The suffering in Mobile 1b severe. The annihilation of transportation fa cilities has shut off all supplies and, unless help reaches the city soon, gen eral distress will result. Every church In Mobile was dam aged. Christ Church Cathedral and St. Francis-street Baptist suffered more than others. The damage to the former is estimated at $40,000, and that to St. Francis-street Baptist Church at $10,000. All Wharves Destroyed. Mobile's shipping suffered' more than anything else. Many of the river boats are now beached or sunken, all com plete wrecks. The railroad docks and those of private corporations are fear fully wrecked. The revenue cutter Alert has gone down in Mobile River. She was rammed by some other Vessel and sank immediately. Her crew Is believed to have escaped, but nothing has been seen of it. The city was put under martial law at dark Thursday, and no person Is al lowed to enter the wholesale district. The city authorities were quick to act. All wharves, from Fascatl street, the extreme south end of the city, as far lip the river as Three-Mile Creek, are total wrecks. This Includes also the new Mobile & Ohio docks and the Louisville & Nashville docks. Telegraphic communication Is par alyzed with poor prospects of a wire for several days. Electric light serv ice, street railways, and in fact, all business, has "been suspended. The Mobile & Ohio Railroad was the first (Concluded on Pass a.) CUBAN CONGRESS GIVES UP CONTROL Taft Assumes Govern ment of Islands. HE WILL ISSUE PROCLAMATION Palma Refuses to Recall Res ignation of Office. FIRST LANDING OF MARINES American Commissioner to Be Pro visional Governor Palma and -His Supporters Part With Tears and Embraces. HAVANA, Sept. 28. American Interven tion In Cuba will be an accomplished fact tomorrow. President Roosevelt's peace commission ers, although clothed with the fullest authority from him to take such action whenever It became obvious that the securing of peace by harmonizing the warring Cubans was impossible, patiently withheld their hands from thus setting aside Cuban sovereignty until the . last hope disappeared, mis stage was reached at a late hour tonight, when a majority of all parties refused to attend the ses sion of Congress called to act upon the resignation of members of the govern ment and declared definitely that they would have nothing more to do with the government of Cuba, As was expected, there has been much rabid denunciation of the course .pursued by the American commissioners, who. It has been alleged, have acted unfairly to wards the government, but the great mass of the residents of Cuba, Cubans, Span lards, Americans and all other foreigners, welcome Intervention as something for which they have longed throughout six weeks of unrest, disorder and ill-feeling. First Landing of Marines. No sooner was the. failure of tonlghf'n adjourned session of Congress and the declared Intention of the government of ficers no longer to serve reported to Secretaries Taft and Bacon, .than the preparations for armed Intervention were put into operation. A telephone wire had been laid from the American legation to the battleship Louisiana and as soon as the order was received from Mr. Taft 30 marines were landed at the Captain of the Port's wharf and proceeded quickly and quietly to the treasury building, where they went on guard. Meantime Captain Albert R. Couden, commander of the naval forces; Cap tain Seaton Schroeder, of the battleship Virginia; Brigadier-General Funston and Major Ladd were In conference with Messrs. Taft and Bacon, complet ing plans for the guarding of the city tonight and arranging for the occupa tion' tomorrow. General Rodriguez, commander of all the Cuban armed forces, is acting In perfect harmony with the American commissioners. Although there was no apprehension of trouble tonight, the rural guardsmen were directed to police Havana, the police being not fully trustworthy. The commissioners, through the American military at taches, have had satisfactory under standings with the rebels. This even ing Major Ladd visited Pino Guerra, Loynes del Castillo and other rebel commanders, who are tonight at La MAY GO WITH ARMY TO CUBA. Brigadier-General Thomas H. Barry, recalled from Europe, la preferred by some members of the. General Staff at Washington to Funston to head ths American forces In the event of active intervention. ' Lisa Hotel, Just beyond Marianao. These men dominate the rebel forces, and, for the present at least, there Is no anticipation of trouble in that quar ter. Taft Will Become Governor. The proclamation will be issued to morrow. It will be signed by Mr. Taft. by virtue of the authority vested in him by President Roosevelt. It will create Mr. Taft Provisional Military Governor of Cuba until he deems the country sufficiently pacified for civil government, whereupon he will call Beckham Winthrop, Governor of Porto Rico, to act as civil Governor. Cuba tonight Is without a govern ment, inasmuch as Senor Palma and his Cabinet have ceased to act, and Mr. Taft will not assume the government until tomorrow. Tonight Senor Palma sent a letter to Mr. Taft, stating that he and the officials of his government had resigned, and that Congress had not appointed successors.- Mr. Taft will visit Benor Palma to morrow and talk over the situation. The headquarters of the provisional government for the present will be at the American legation. It is expected that Senor Palma will go' to the United States soon. LAST ACT OF CUBAN REPUBLIC Palma Insists on Resigning and Congress Abdicates Functions. HAVANA. Sept. 28. Up to the time that Congress took a recess at 5 o'clock this afternoon, today was a day of waiting. After that hour various prob abilities became certainties. By 5:30 (Concluded on Page 5.) EVERYTHING COMING HIS WAY I v I V f : T IN DEMOCRATS BOLT THE TICKET True to Party, but Can not Stand Hearst. WILL ALL VOTE FOR HUGHES McClellan Declares Himself and Gets Retort. TAMMANY CHIEF RESIGNS "Humiliation," Says tho Mayor; "Gives Me a Headache," Says An- ' other Hearst Repudiates Platform of Party. KHW YORK, Sept. 28. (Special.) Prom inent Democrats all over the state are bolting the nomination of William R. Hearst for Governor, and many of them announce tholr intention to vote for Charles B. Hughes, the Republican can didate. The Times has made a canvass of 83 Democratic papers. Nine bolt Hearst outright, three are noncommittal, and of the 71 which accept him as the regular nominee a number make . extremely wry faces. Mayor McClellan, In a formal state ment Issued this afternoon bolts the nom ination of Hearst, but supports the rest of the ticket. The statement reads: McClellan Chief Bolter. "As I said yesterday, I am a Democrat and accept the action of the Democratic convention. I will be a Democrat while my party has a name. But, as a Demo crat and as Mayor of this town, I am un alterably opposed to Charles F. Murphy and to everything that he stands for. "I recognize the humiliation that I must endure In common with other Democrats. Nevertheless, I will vote the ticket of my party in this state, but never for William R. Hearst. Him I will not vote for." When Mr. Hearst was shown this state ment he void: "If Mayor McClellan attached as much Importance to the votes of others as he does to his own particular vote, he would not now be occupying the position of Mayor of New York. "I consider Mayor McClellan's opposi tion an honor which I shall always en deavor to preserve." - Louis Stuyvesant Chanler, who was present, added this: "I'm damned sorry McClellan did not include me in that statement." Tammany Leader Revolts. There was another political sensation today when James J. Martin, the leader of the Twenty-seventh District, resigned from the Tammany executive committee because he cannot support Hearst. Mar tin opposed Hearst in the Tammany cau cus at Buffalo. He was for many years chairman of the Tammany executive com mittee, and he is one of the ablest men In the organization.. He has held no pub lic office since he was president of the Police Board In Mayor Gilroy's time. In 1901 he opposed the nomination of McClel lan for Mayor on the floor of the con vention, and has always been regarded as the most independent man on the execu tive committee. Cannot Vote for Hearst. Herman A. Metz, the Comptroller, says: "It gives me a headache to think about it. I have not decided as yet whether or not I shall go fishing on election day." Ex-President of the Borough J. Edward Swanstrom says: "I am an enrolled and lifelong Demo crat, but I cannot vote for Hearst. His nomination was certainly stolen. I am for Hughes. I wlU work for him. I will vote for him." Ex-President of the Borough Martin W. Littleton thus expressed himself: "This year, at least, I will confine my political work to the booth, ballot and lead pencil, using the three as my con science directs." William C. Redfield, ex-Commlssloner of Public Works, said: "I am an enrolled Democrat, and, be cause I am such, shall vote and work for Charles E. Hughes for Governor. I am opposed to bosses, and particularly one who, being boss of a private news paper trust and of great personal wealth, uses both to debauch the politics of my city and state." Stands on Own Platform. Edward M. Shepard, who was the Dem ocratic oandidate for Mayor In 1901 and presided at the Albany conference, Issued a statement registering his continued op position to Hearst. Hearst's nomination was ratified at a mass meeting in Madison Square Garden tonight. Hearst said he would stand on his own platform, meaning he will repu diate certain planks of that upon which he was nominated. HEARST IS GIVEN OVATION Tells Ratification Meeting He Stands on His Own Platform. NEW YORK, Sept. 28. The state ticket of the Independence League was ratified at a gathering that filled Madison-Square Garden to Its capacity tonight. The Mu nicipal Reform Alliance joined, the league in the meeting. The principal addresses were delivered by W. R. Hearst and Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler, respectively tho candidates for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor on both the Democratic and Independence League tickets. Former Congressman John Dewttt War ner presided and evoked much applause when he declared that there had never before been a time "when the scoundrels of tho state were massed against a party (Concluded on Page B.) CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 73 d-pg. ; minimum, 41. TODAY'S Showers. Cooler. Southerly winds. Great Storm on Galf Coast. Immense lose of life and property at Pensa cola and Mobile. Page 1. Both cities almost destroyed and scores of great ships wrecked. Page 1. Whole country around Mobile becomes great lake. Page 1. Crops destroyed In wide area. Page 1. Many miles of railroad ruined. Page L Cuba. Palma resigns. Congress abdicates and Taft assumes government. Page 1. Proclamation declaring him provisional Gov- . ernor will Issue today. Page 1. Cuban Congress dissolves for lack of Quorum after final appeal to Palma. Page 1. Army and Navy ready for intervention, but need transports. Page 8. Politics. New York Democrats bolt Hearst by "whole sale. Page 1. Hearst accepts nomination and defines his platform. Page 1. Bryan completes tour of Oklahoma and wears out his voice. Page 1. Russia. Plot to assassinate Czar discovered. Page 5. Now outbreak of Jewbaiting at Odessa. Page 5. Domestic. Hill closes deal with Steel Trust for iron ore land. Page 3. Japanese steamer accused qf refusing aid to the Mongolia. Page 4. Woman refuses to answer negro lawyer's questions. Page 3. Preacher protests at being; Qslerlzed. Page 3. PpOTt. Dick Hyland beats Ed Hanlon soft; wins In 13th round at San Francisco. Page 7. Beavers cinch pennant by winning another game from San Francisco. Page 6. Pacific Const. Sale of champagne cider containing much alcohol stopped at Corvallls. Page 6. Polk County School Fair opens with big at tendance. Page 6. ( Three prisoners saw way out of County Jail at Pendleton. Page 6. Washington State Auditor holds up $1000 salary of Railway Commission's expert. Page 6. Oro Fino. Idaho, destroyed by Incendiary fire. Page 6. ?, S. Van Auker, ex-bank cashier, released by Magistrate at Rainier. Page 10. Stockholders of a Seattle corporation fight over record books. Page 0. Commercial and Marino. Prune trade bothered by question of quality. Page 13. - Shorts in stock market squeezed. Page 15. Wheat turns weak at Chicago. Page 15. Retail trade expanding. Page 15. Oriental liner Aragonla arrives from Hong kong and Yokohama. Page 14. Longshoremen want increase In wage for handling1 lumber. Page 14. Mountain Gem will handle grain crop for Open River Company. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. Chamber of Commerce' advocates extension of Port of Portland district to raise money for deepening; of the Columbia. Page 11. Workers for Y. M. C. A.-Y. W. C. A. build ing fund will attempt to raise $20,000 to day. Page 10. Police Department Investigates charges against Detective Mears. Page 16. Portland boy explorers come to grief in Ca nadian waters. Page 16. Oregon Bar Association will hold meeting .tonight to inaugurate campaign for re form of code. Page 11. All locomotives on Southern Pacific lines In Oregon and on O. R. & N. being equipped for oil fuel. Page 14. Methodist conference plans to mark graves of pioneer ministers. Page 10. Services In Jewish churches celebrate advent of new year. Page 0. Bast Side Improvement Association will fight attempt to block Bast Alder street. Page 11. Divorce granted to deaf-mute couple by Judge Frazer. Page 9. SETS AUKER FREE Refuses to Bind Over Rainier Banker. HAS NO PROOF OF HIS GUILT District Attorney Will Lay Case Before Grand Jury, THINKS THE JUSTICE ERRED Believes State's Evidence Is Strong Enough to Justify Further In vestigation E.x-Cnshler Main tains Bold Front in Court. RAINIER, Or., Sept. 28. (Special.) C. S. Van Auker. ex-cashier of the Stata Bank: of Rainier, was given his liberty today after a preliminary examination on a charge of larceny by embezziement from that dnstitutlon. The evidence that he was involved in the robbery of the bank on September 3 was declared to be insufficient, and Justice of the Peaco William Symond refused to bind him over. So strong is the District Attor ney belief, however, that Van Auker took the money and invented the hold-up story that the matter will be presented to the grand Jury of Columbia County, which meets October 9 at St. Helens. District Attorney Harrison Allen is by no means satisfied with the action of the Rainier Justice of the Peace, and will lay the facts, as fully as they have been ascertained, before the inquisitorial body next month- Whether an indictment will follow, he does not know, but if the facta should seem sufficient to the grand Jury Van Auker will bsiarrested again on the same charge. "The evidence brought out at the hear ing was sufficient, in my Judgment, to hold Van Auker to the grand Jury," said Mr. Allen tonight. "It was shown that he was a confirmed gambler, and dis crepancies in his story of the hold-up were apparent. The matter will be pre sented to the grand Jurors next month, and If they Indict him he will again face the charge that has Just been dismissed." Shows a Bold Front. As unruffled as ever. Van Auker came to his preliminary hearing. He was rep resented by W. M. Cake, of Portland, while District Attorney Allen attended to the prosecution, assisted by his deputy, William H. Powell, of St. Helens. Van Auker came to court in custody of Sher iff Martin White, of Columbia County, who brought his prisoner from the Coun ty Jail at St. Helens, where Van Auker was taken after his arrest. The splendid! "front" that the ex-cashier has maim-; taitned ever since the Investigation was begun was kept up to the last. All along Van Auker has made a good showing for. himself. G. W. Allen, manager for tho Stato, of Washington for the National Surety Company,, and other detectives who have worked on the mysterious rob- bery, have been bending every effort to convict Van Auker. They are mor ally certain, after the investigation they have made, that he looted the. bank, but they have been unable o far to prove it. In any event, thai surety company Is bound to lose the., missing J1667, for it signed a fidelity! bond for Van Auker personally, and is also tho surety on the bank's burglary, bond. If Van Auker robbed the bank, the company must pay the shortage, while if two holdup men took tho money, the company must still maka good the bank's loss. The sole satis faction tthe surety company can get out of the Incident Is In the punish ment of the robbers. The belief of the company is that Van Auker is tho guilty man. Asks Gambler's Help. Testimony brought out at tho hear ing was to the effect that Van Auker sent a letter to Isaac Gratton, proprie tor of the Milwaukle Club, asking hint to forget that he was ever seen there. This letter was dispatched after the Investigation of the robbery of the Rainier bank was begun. Tho reason given by Van Auker for mak ing this request was that it would look; bad for him if the fact became known that he had gambled at Milwaukle. Another damaging point was brought out in the testimony. This was tho statement of Charles Mauris, a work man at a Rainier mill, who cut the ropes that bound Van Auker and re leased him on the afternoon of Septem ber 3. He said that after freeing tho caehier he took the latter's keys and went around to the front door of tho bank and unlocked the door. When he entered he found that Van Auker had come out from the directors' room, where he was tied, into the main room of the bank. In his signed statement made -soon after the alleged robbery. Van Auker claimed to have been locked up in the directors room, from which he was re leased by Mauris, Van Auker said of this phase of the case at the time: Contradicts First Story. "After MrMauris had cut the rojjes binding my arms, he took my key and enteriug the bank from the front re leased me from the directors' room." Sheriff White and the detectives tes tified today of the unsuccessful sweat ing of the cashier and the steps they Concluded on Page 6.) IC T BATE 1