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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1904)
- . ?TF f"J- -ftT 'W - minim aptwm , VOL. XLIIL NO. 13,524. POKTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1904. PRICE FIVE CENTS. ''"Tffn;W3iMrTC, v-wr M A I WIH SHIP Admiral IMaroff and 800 Men Go Down. EA FIGHT IS ON Russian Vessel Strikes a Submerged Mine. TURNS TURTLE AND SINKS Grand Duke Cyril, One of Few to Escape, Is Wounded, TOGO IS OFF PORT ARTHUR While Returning to Roadstead, After Steaming Out to Attach Jap anese, the Petropavlovsk Meets With Disaster. THE LOST SHIP. The Petropavlovsk, which had twice previously been reported damaged in Japanese attacks on Port Arthur, was a first-class battleship of 10,000 tons displacement and 14,241 Indicated horsepower. She was 307& feet lone, had CO feet beam, and her armored belt was of about 1C inches of steel, with 10 inches of steel armor on her turrets. Her armament consisted of four 12-Inoh, 12 flix-inch. 34 smallor Runs and sir torpedo tubes. The com plement of the Petropavlovsk, -when fully manned, -was 700 men. She was built at St. Potersburg, and was com pleted in 180S. Sho was a sister ship of the Poltava and Sevastopol. Tho .turrets of the 12-inch guns on these fMpe are of Russian pattern, of oval shape, and run on the "deck without protection to the edges. The elx-lnch gun turrets have protecting rims. Tho small rapid-fire guns are chiefly car ried right forward and right aft. There arc electric hoists to all of tho guns, and the big guns are electrically con trolled. The total weight of each of the ships' armor Is- 2700 tons. ST. PETERSBURG, April 13. Striking a submerged mine at Port Arthur today, the Petropavlovsk, the flagship of the Russian floot, -went down and carried with her Admiral Makaroff and between 600 and 800 men. Grand Duke Cyril escaped, but is wounded. Admiral Makaroff ordered his entire squadron out to ongage the Japanese fleet of 40 vessels which appoared off tho port early in the day and began an at tack which still continues.. According to the Associated Press in formant while Admiral Makaroff was re turning after going out to attack the Japanese fleet the Petropavlovsk struck a mine on her starboard side amidship and immediately began to" keel. Before the crew could flood the; port compart ments of the vessel. In order to keep her on an even keel, she turned turtle and sank in a few minutes, carrying ' down almost the entire crew. Captain Njakov loff, the Grand Duke Cyril and two other ofllcers were saved because they were standing on the super-bridge. The fright ful loss of life among the ofllcers and men was due to the fact that they were all at their stations ready for action. The Petropavlovsk turned turtle in a We Are Headquarters for All Kinds of ECHANICAL RUBBER GOOD BELTING, PACKING AND HOSE "CRACK-PROOF," "SNAG-PROOF" RUBBER BOOTS Beware of Imitations. GOODYEAR RUBBER COMPANY R. H. Pease, President. (teeiete(ito9itiiietafttiooei ASTMAN N. C. FILMS AND PREMO FILM PACKS i o 9 ft O o a o o e o ASS Are Superior in Every Inspect to the Old Style Curl ing rilm. We are Sole Agents. BLUIVIAUER-FRANK DRUG CO. 142-146 Fourth St. soossooeooosootctioosos SHAW'S PURE iiii JOSH'S fsrxv BLUMAUER & HOCH 108 and 1 10 Fourth Street Sole Distributers for Oregon and Washington, manner similar to the British battleship Victoria, which was rammed by the Camperdown in 1893, and to the incident In tho Chino'-Japanese "War, when a Chinese warship turned turtle, many of the crew remaining aboard for several days hammering desperately on the up turned hull. Report of Alexleff. The following dispatch to the Czar has been received from Viceroy Alexleff: "Mukden. April 13. A telogram has just been received from XJeutenant-General Stoessel, commander of the military forces at Port Arthur. I regret to report to Tour Majesty that the Pacific fleet has suf fered irreparable loss by tho death of Its brave and capable commander, who was lost, together with the Petropavlovsk." Another dispatch from Viceroy Alexleff to the Czar saysr "According to reports from the com mandant at Port Arthur, the battleships and cruisers went out to meet the enomy, but, owing to tho enemy receiving rein forcements, making his total strength 30 vessels, our squadron returned to the roadstead, whereupon the Petropavlovsk touched a mine, resulting In hor destruc tion. Grand Duke Cyril, who was on board, was saved. He was slightly in jured. Tho whole squadron then re-entered port. Tho Japanese are now off Cape Liao Shan." Hoar-Admiral Girgorovitch 'has reported to tho Czar that the Russian squadron was under Golden Hill when the flagship struck a mine and turned turtle. He also states that Rear-Admlral Prince Ouktom sky has assumed command of the fleet. Outlook Is Decidedly Gloomy. Even if Rear-Admlral Ouktomsky, who Is now in charge of the fleet at Port Ar thur, is able to go to sea with four bat tleships, which it Is not certain he can do. Vice-Admiral Togo could bring against him a greatly superior force. It Is pointed out that all the Japanese Admiral need now do is to be outside. Port Arthur, and that transports can pass with absolute Im punity. Every one admits tonight that the outlook on the sea Is decidedly gloomy for Russia. STILL SHELLING THE TOWN. Togo Has a Very Powerful Squadron Off Port Arthur. SPECIAL. CABLE FROM THE CORRESPOND ENT OP THE LONDON TIMES AND PORT LAND OREGONIAN. OX BOARD jTHE STEAMER HIAMUN, off Port Arthur, April 13, by De Forrest Wireless Telograph to "Wei Hal Wei, April 14. The Japanese torpedo squadron at tacked Port Arthur this morning, and the battleship and cruiser divisions are now shelling the town, firing in unison and with remarkable precision. The bombard ment began at 9:45 o'clock this morning, the flrst shell being fired from the flag ship. At 4:50 o'clock this morning our lookout reported a fleet of warships ahead. It was raining and very squally, but wo Anally made out a large squad ron holding on a line similar to our own. As the light increased it became manifest that it was the Japanese squad ron of six battleships, .followed by a cruiser scuadron of six vessels Argentine" Shfps in Line. The third and fourth of this latter line were the Kasaga and the Nisshin, built at Genoa, Italy, for tho Argentine gov ernment, and purchased by Japan Just be fore" the war began. This was their first appearance with the fleet of Admiral To go, and they looked as though they had been greatly improved since their par ticipation In tho bombardment of Vladi vostok. - The fleet, with the battleship Mikasa flying Admiral Togo's flag, was shaping its course toward Port Arthur. When about 40 miles distant from that port, the bat tleship division drew up at full speed ahead, and the Kaisaga and Nisshin left the cruiser division and joined tho bat tleship division. As we drew near to Port Arthur we found there were two flrst-class and four second-class cruisers which had been left there to cover the early morning attempt of tho destroyers to cripple some of the Russian warships under cover of dark ness. The battleships and the two cruis ers, on signal from the flagship, hoisted their sun-rayed battle flags and sailed at an olght-knot rate in single line form ation, with be Mikasa In the lead, and the Nisshin and the Kasaga bringing up the rear to within six miles of Port Ar thur's frowning promontory. Shore Batteries Open Fire. At 10:20 A. M. the shore batteries opened Are upon the Japanese fleet, but the Are was of only a desultory nature and seemed to be undirected. Admiral Togo's vessels flred their batteries with their usual expertness, but the bombardment seemed designed more for demonstration than with a view to accomplishing much actual damage. Three times the Japanese squadron cir cled the front of the Russian position, and at 12 o'clock the "cease flring" signal was hoisted and Admiral Togo withdrew his fleet. It was an inspiring sight to see (Concluded on Page f Five.) PORTLAND. OREGON. 9 e cesossesstssooseo , 9000000 America's ORIGINAL 7dALT WHISKY Without a Rival Today MALT TORN BI GRIEF Russia Stunned at Death of Makaroff! TRULY THE PRIDE OF NAVY His Loss Far More Serious Than That-of Many Ships, CZAR'S SORROW DOUBLY KEEN Valiant Officer Did Not Desire the Far Eastern Command, but His Ruler Would Not Accept a Refusal. M-UvAKOFF'8 BRILLIANT, CAREER Vice-Admlral Makaroff was appointed February 26 to the command of tho Russian Pacific fleet. He was one of the heroes of the fighting on tho River Danube during the Russo-Turkiah. "War. Makaroff and Skrydelroff, who have since many times been honored by their government, were at that time Lieuten ants In the Russian navy, and volun teered to make a night attack on a powerful Turkish Ironclad. "With a torpedoboat, they succeeded 'In blowing up the Turkish vessel, and It was as sorted at tho time thereby made tho flrst successful demonstration of the usefulness of torpedoboats in naval warfare. Makaroff originated the Idea of constructing: the famous ice-breaking steamer Ermak, which was built on the Tyne from his designs. Ho visited the United States, 1SD8-97. i. ST. PETERSBURG, April 13. The awful disaster to the battleship Petropavlovsk at Port Arthur, with the loss of almost her entire crew of 600 men, and the death of Vice-Admlral Makaroff has been a terrible blow. It would have fallen less heavily if the ship and the Commander-in-Chief of the fleet had beon lost in bat tle, but to be tho result of another acci dent, following upon the heels of a suc cession of tragedies of which the Port Arthur fleet lus been tho victim has I UI.G4&LVU ouiuvuuut .&.; VWUObV. .MUS. "Reverses we can endure, . said a prom inent Russian, "but to havo the Petro pavlovsk meet the fate of tho Tenesol and the Boyarin is heart-breaking." Besides it has just become known that the battleship Poltava several weeks ago had a hole rammed in her by the battle! ship Sevastopol while the latter was man euvering in the harbor at Port Arthur. First Inkling of the Catastrophe. The day has been one of intense excite ment in St. Petersburg. The flrst inkling of the catastrophe leaked out on the re ceipt of a telegram by Grand Duke Vladi mir from his son, Grand Duke Boris, an nouncing the loss of tho Petropavlovsk and tho wounding of Grand Duke Cyril, who was flrst officer. Grand Duchess Vladi mir was almost frantic on the receipt of the telegram, being convinced that the message was only a precursor of worse news, as It was signed by Grand Duke Boris, instead of by the aide to Grand Duke Cyril, Lieutenant von Kube. Lieutenant von Kube had gone down with the ship. The youngest son of Grand Duke Vladimir, Grand Duke Andrew, dashing young guardsman, behind the fastest trotters, hurried to the Winter I palace, tho Admiralty and elsewhere seek ing confirmation of the news, which came two hours later In a message to the Em peror from Rear-Admlral Grlgorovitch, the commandant at Port Arthur. News Broken to Mrs. Makaroff. A religious service was immediately held at Grand Duke Vladimir's palace, in which thanks were returned to the Al mighty for tho sparing of the Grand Duke Cyril, but tho Emperor was so over whelmed with, grief at tho death of Vlce Admlral Makaroff that neither he nor the Empress attended the service. Instead, the Emperor sent a member of his per sonal staff to break the sad news to Vice Admiral MakarofTs widow, who is liv ing at Peterhof, a few miles west of St. Petersburg. Meantime the city was filled with the wildest rumors, but tho official dispatches were so meager, and private dispatches so conflicting regarding what had occurred, that the public was kept In suspense for six hours. Then, although the report was incomplete, dispatches were posted on the Ncvsky Prospkt and other war bulletin boards. The grief of tho crowds, whoso worst f ears were thus officially confirmed, was touching. The Ministry of Marina was soon surrounded by thousands of per sons eagerly asking for more details. The crowd of Inquirers were the stricken rela tives of those who were on board the Pe tropavlovsk. Togo Probably Lured, Him Out. What occurred prior to the blowing up of the Aagship was only vaguely known. except that Admiral Makaroff, with his flag flying on the doomed vessel, sailed out to engage tho enemy until his rein forcements appeared. It is thought prob ably that Vice-Admlral Togo planned an ambuscade by sending in a small squad ron in the hope of drawing out the Rus sian commander to the open and then cut ting off his escape. Tho Associated Press learn3 that the location of six mines planted by the Tenesel were unknown, tho charts hav ing been lost when that vessel went down. Probably It was ono of theso mines that the battleship struck. Pride of the Navy. Vice-Admiral MakarofTs death" is really a greater loss than would be the loss of several battleships. Tho pride of the navy was he, and ho enjoyed tho con fluence of the Emperor, as well as of the officers and men. Speaking of his death, officers hero, remarked on the strange fatality that ho should lose his life on the heavily-armored battleship to which ho had a particular avorslon. This morning for tho first time ho raised his flag on a battleship. Previously, he had gone out on board tho crulsor Novik or the cruiser Askold. It was at the urgent request of his friends that he did not risk his life in this fashion and trans ferred his flag to tho Petropavlovsk. It is now an open secret that Vice Admiral Makaroff was not anxious to re sign his command at Cronstadt to go to tho Far East, which necessitated his leaving his wife and family, but the Em peror h.eld suchfl. high, opinion ofhhn that he declined to consider other can didates, although it was pointed out that Rear-Admlral Rojestvonsky, chief of the general staff of tho navy, who has just been appointed to command the Baltic squadron, and who Is now destined to succeed Makaroff, as well as others, wero .anxious to distinguish themselves. Czar Would Take No Refusal. The Emperor in his summons' to Vice Admlral Makaroff, said: "My choice has fallen upon you, and I will not take a refusal," and so tho Ad miral went to the Far East. Tho Em peror's sorrow is doubly keen on this ac count. By Imperial command, a requiem ser vice will be celebrated at tho Ad'miralty Church at noon tomorrow. Tonight the grief-stricken widow, ac cording to the Russian custom, had a requiem service celebrated at her resi dence. She had been much worried over the health of her husband, who suffered from diabetes, reference to which was made in a recent telegram from the Ad miral, in which he said he was com pelled to disobey orders as to taking regu lar i sleep. The Admiral's death Is also mourned (Concluded on Page Three.) aW L & tJ7BSxX. z :3rwKWi JSh ' ". , jyfmmwmr : , w mr -ySsmm Lil Tfl DEATH Terrible Disaster on Battleship Missouri. TWENTY-NIKE MEN KILLED Powder Ignites as It Is Being Rammed Home. FOUR OTHER CHARGES IGNITE Captain Cowies Promptly Floods the Handling-Room, Saves Vessel and Then Heads Res cuing Party. The blowing up of the Maine, to which the Missouri disaster Is likened, was accompanied by the loss' of 258 lives. It occurred at Havana, Feb ruary 13, 1S0S, where the Maine was sent on a peace mission in the Span-ish-Cnban "War. It was this calamity that caused America to step in and end the conflict. The Missouri is the latest of the bat tleships to go Into commission. Tha flag was hoisted on her In December last, at Norfolk, by Captain Cowlcs, brother-in-law of President Roosevelt. She collided with the Illinois off Fen sacola a few weeks ago, and has had very. little flring with her big guns; in fact, the nine or ten rounds which had been flred from each big gun was In the course of official trials, and she is now going through her flrst regular target practice. PENSACODA, Flo., April 13. By the ex plosion of 2000 pounds of powder in the after 12-inch turret and the handling-room of the battleship Missouri, Captain "Wil liam S. Cowies, commanding, this after noon, 29 men were Instantly killed and Ave Injured, of whom two will die. This is the moat serious accident that has occurred in the American Nayy 'irincc the blowing up of the Maine in Havana Harbor in 1SSS. -. The Missouri was on the target range with the Texas and Brooklyn at practice about noon, when a charge of powder In the 12-Inch left-hand gun Ignited from gases, exploded and, dropping below. Ig nited four charges of powder in the handling-room, and all exploded. Only one man of the entire turret and handlling crew survived. But for tho prompt and efficient action of Captain Cowies in flooding the handling-room and magazine with water, one of the magazines would have exploded and the ship would have been destroyed. Cause of the Explosion. Captain Cowies, completely overcome by the disaster, reforrcd all newspaper men to Lieutenant Hammer, the ordnance offl ccr. The latter gave out a statement of the explosion and its probable cause: Ac cording to him, about noon, after the flrst pointer of the after 12-inch piece had flred his string, and the second pointer had flred the third shot of his string, tho charge ignited. The fourth shot was be ing loaded, and from all indications the flrst half of the charge had been rammed home and the second section was being rammed home, when gases from the shot previously fired or portions of the cloth cover ignited the powder. The breech was open, and' a dull thud ' i- v '. VU. gave notice of something unusual. No loud report was made, but flames were seen to leap from every portion of the turret. A few seconds later another ex plosion, somewhat more fierce, occurred. This was in the handling-room below, where 1000 pounds of powder, or four charges, ready to be hoisted above, had ignited. Fire quarters were sounded, and every man of them responded, and the magazine and handling-rooms were flooded with water. In less than Ave seconds after the first explosion two streams of water were being played' in the rooms, and when vol unteers were called for every man re sponded,eager to go into the turrets and rescue the crew. Captain Cowies gave his commands, and but for his presence of mind and that of the officers of the ship the Missouri would have gone down. The second explosion occurred near one of the magazines, and so hot was the Are that the brasswork of the magazines was melted. Smoke and tha .fumes of the burned powder made it almost Impossible to enter either the tur ret or handling-room, but officers and men with handkerchiefs over their faces made efforts to rescue the men inside. Cowies Leads Rescuing Party. Leading the rescuing paty was Captain Cowies. The ofllcers endeavored to keep him from going below, as men fell un conscious as they entered and had to be pulled out by their comrades, j but. un heeding their advice, the Captain rushed below, followed by Lieutenant Hammer, the ordnance officer and Lieutenant Clel land David. Captain Cowies caught up a dying bluejacket In his arms and stag gered to the deck with him. The blue Jacket, with two others from the handling room, had crawled partly from their place of duty when they had been overcome. Before the fumes of the burning powder had left the turret, officers and men were laying out the dead and dying men. Three minutes after the explosion all were on deck, and the surgeons from the Missouri, Texas and Brooklyn were attending to those not dead. The 25 men of the turret were found lying In a heap. They had started for the exit when the first explo sion occurred, and had just reached there when the more terrible explosion in the handling-room occurred, which burned and stranded them to death. Bodies Hardly Recognizable. Lieutenant Davidson, the officer In charge of the turret, evidently had given somo command to the men, as ho was on top of the heap of men, having fallen there after he had allowed them to pass him to get out of the turret. The bodies were hardly recognizable, the terrible and quick Are having burned the clothing from the bodies of the men, and the Aesh hung from them In shreds. The faces were mu tilated by the smoke and flames. Only one man was breathing when the turret crew was rescued, and he died a monient after he reached the deck. OFFICIAL REPORT OF DISASTER Consternation Reigns at Capital Moody Wires Victims' Relatives. Washington, April is. News of the disaster on the battleship Missouri was conveyed to the commandant at Pensa cola by wireless telegraph from the Mis souri, and thence by him transmitted to "Washington, while th6 big ship was creep ing back to port with the dead lying on the Ceck. The account which reached "Washington of the accident was contained In the following official dispatch from Admiral Barker: "Lieutenant Navy, "Washington: "Five officers and 24 men are dead. . Two more cannot live, result explosion on Missouri. Three rounds had been fired from the aft 12-inch gun, and shell had been sealed. Two sections of powder was rammed In the hole when the explosion occurred, killing every officer and man in the tur ret, and all but three in the handling room. Commanding officer has informed relatives." Admiral Barker then gives tho list of the dead appearing elsewhere. The receipt or this message caused consternation at the Department. Secre tary Moody transmitted it to the Presi dent at the "White House, and officers' clerks at the department were soon en gaged In making out dispatches to tho rel atives and friends of the officers and men who were killed so that they might not have to receive their first news from the morning papers. Nearly all the dead offi cers were In the Aush of early youth. AL.L, UVCR DU1 1 nE '; JV0TNG m jUNE WITH ONE VOIG J. N.Williamson Is Nomi nated Representative. MOODY DRAWS OUT OF RAGE His Followers Make Choice of Convention Unanimous. NATIONAL DELEGATES NAMED C. H. Carey and N. C. Richards Will Represent Second District Repub licansWilliamson and Moody Forces Fight for Committee. WORK OF THE CONVENTION. Republican nominee for Representa tive In Second D!trict J. N. William eon, of Prinevllle. Delegates to Republican National Convention C. H. Carey, of Portland, and N. C. Richards, of Sumpter. Resolutions Indorsing President Roosevelt, the Oregon delegation in Congress, and Representative J. N. Williamson were adopted. 4 With one voice the Republican convert-, tlon of the Second Congressional Dis trict yesterday declared J. N. Williamson, of Prinevllle, the Republican nominee for Representative. The convention took less than five minutes to select the nominee when it reached that order of business. A word from the chair that the nomina tion of a Representative was In order, the formal presentation of Williamson's name, a motion by a Moody man that Williamson be nominated by acclamation, three or four seconding speeches and th toboggan slide waa over. Thus a fl;ht which has kept the hills and dales of pastern Oregon months In clamor was terminated harmoniously In a few mo ments. The patriots were highly rejolped If tho noise emitted from their lungs was evi denced They thumped the floor with their boots as when a drove of Eastern Oregon cattle thunders over a rldge, clapped their hands as when tho fair circus lady does the trapeze act and exercised their vocal chords as wnen the torchlight pro cession passed by in their boyhood. When the Williamson bandwagon hove In sight it swarmed with vociferating giants and when it rolled away not a seat was vacant. The gaily-painted vehicle may have been a juggernaut to the polit ical hopes of man' Moody patriots, but they didn't throw themselves under tho wheels; instead, they clambered aboard Just the same as those flrst In grace. Then the bandwagon halted long enough (Concluded on Pace 10.) CONTENTS OF TODAY'S PAPER Rutto-Japanese War. Admiral Makaroff and about 800 men are lost with battleship PetropavlovfiJc, which strikes a mine at Port Arthur. Page 1. Japanese continue bombardment of Port Ar thur. Page 1. All Russia mourns the death of Makaroff. who was the pride of the navy. Page 5. Japanese navy now has an enormous advan tage. Pago 5. Congress. President Roosevelt sign, the Lewis and Clark Fair bill. Page 2. House has up the Philippine bill guaranteeing interest on railway bonds. Page -I. Senate considers form of government for canal zone, and Morgan makes attack on Panama Company. Page 4. Domestic. Explosion on battleship Missouri costs 29 lives. Page 1. Minnesota court will pass on petition of Har riman In merger suit today. Page 4. roll t leal. Leading Democrats meet at Chicago banquet and difcus3 campaign issues. Page 3. Blnger Hermann renominated to Congrese by acclamation in First District Convention. Page 6. Wilson will not commence fight on Pile?, and Plies resumes negotiations. Page 7. Thurston County Democrats Indorse Gcorgo Turner for United States Senator from Washington. Page 7. Pacific Coast. Wreckage found on Vancouver Island confirms lose of the Lamorna. Page G. Prominent attorneys at Salem engage in nst fight on the streets. Page G. Five killed In wreck of Great Northern train near Leavenworth, Wash. Page G. Commercial and Marine. Weekly review of locaf produce and jobbing market. Page 15. Sharp advance In wheat at Chicago. Page 13. New York stock market unsettled. Page 15. Japanese again buying barley at San Fran cisco. Page 15. Heavy salvage award In Meteor case. Page 14. Steam seheoners again engaged coastwise. Page 14. Proposed amendment to bridge signals. Page 14. Sports. R. L. Macleay wins golf match at Victoria. Page 7. Oregon dogs fare well at Seattle. Page 7. Scores of Pacific Coast League: Portland 11, San Francisco 10; Tacoma 0, Los Angelea 0; Oakland 11, Seattle G. Page 7. Portland and Vicinity. J. N, Williamson nominated Representative by Second District Republican Convention. Page L Republican State Convention convenes In Port land today. Page 10. Homer Davenport announces Intention of retir ing to Waldo hills. Page 11. Only one application for Cecil Rhodes scholar ship. Page 14. Democrats will hold County Convention today. Page 10. NO appropriation for new work on Oregon rivers and harbors. Page 14. Proposed method of rewarding rockplie gang for good conduct. Page 11. Oregon building at St. Louis nearly finished, and will be great attraction. Page 11. rV- f