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About The Yamhill County reporter. (McMinnville, Or.) 1886-1904 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1898)
Admits There an Explosion. DIFFERS MUCH A Full FROM OURS Synopsis of the Report of the Spanish Naval Commission — Com plete Text of the American Court of Inquiry Into the Maine Disaster. Washington, March 80.—A full syn- opsis of the report of the Spanish naval commission which investigated the de struction of the battle-ship Maine is here given. It is taken from a copy of the original report, which is now on its way here from Havana, the synopsis being cabled and today being in the hands of this government. The conclusions are directly opposite to those in the report of the court of in quiry submitted to congress today. The synopsis is as follows*. The report contains declarations made by ocular witnesses and ex]>erts. From these statements it deduces and proves the absence of all those attend ant circumstances which are invariably presented on the occasion of the explo sion of a torpedo. The evidence of witnesses compara tively close to the Maine at the moment is to the effect thut only one explosion occurred; that no column of water was thrown into the air; that no shock to the side of the nearest vessel was felt, nor on land was any vibration noticed, and that no dead fish were found. The evidence of the senior pilot of the harbor states that there is abund ance of fish in the harbor, and this is corroborated by other witnesses. The assistant engineer of the works states that after explosions were made during the execution of works in the harbor, he has always found dead fish. The divers were unable to examine the bottom of the Maine, which was buried in the mud, but a careful examination of the sides of the vessel, the rente and breaks, which all point outward, shows without a doubt that the explosion was from the inside. A minute examination of the bottom of the harbor around the vessel shows absolutely no sign of the action of a torpedo, and the judge-advocate of the commission can find no precedent for the explosion of the storage magazine of the vessel by a torpedo. The report makes clear that owing to the sepcial nature of the proceedings following, the commission has been prevented from making such an exami nation of the inside of the vessel as would determine even the hypothesis of the internal origin of the accident.. This is to be attributed to the regret-4 table refusal to permit a necessary con nection of the Spanish commission with! the commander and crew of the Maine, and the different American officers commissioned to investigate the cause of the accident, and later with those employed on salvage work. The report finishes by stating that an examination of the inside and out side of the Maine, as soon as such ex amination may be possible, as also of the bottom where tlie vessel rests, sup posing that the Maine’s wreck be not totally altered in the processor extrica tion, will wanant the belief that the explosion was udoubtedly due to some interior cause. AMERICAN REPORT IN * À DETAIL. Full Text of the Findings of the Maine Court of Inquiry. U. S. S. Iowa, first rate. Key West, Fla., Monday, March 21, 1898.—After a full and mature considera tion of all the testimony before it, the court finds as follows: First—That the United States battle-ship Maine arrived in the harbor of Havana; Cuba, on the 21st day of January. 1898J and w*as taken to buoy No. 4, in 5% to 9 fathoms of water, by the regular govern- ment pilot. The United States consul then at Havana had notified the authorities at that place the previous evening of the Intended arrival of the Maine. Second—The state of discipline on board the Maine was excellent, and all orders and regulations in regard to the care and safety of the ship were strictly carried out. All ammunition was stow’ed away in accordance with instructions, and proper care was taken whenever ammunition was handled. Nothing was stored in any one of the magazines or shellrooms which was not permitted to be stowed there. The magazines and shellrooms were al ways locked after having been opened; and after the destruction of the Maine the keys were found in their proper place in the captain’s cabin, everything hav ing been reported secure that evening at 8 P. M. The temperature of the maga zines and shellrooms were taken daily and reported. The only magazine which) had an undue amount of heat was thef after 10-inch magazine, and that did nos explode at the time the Maine was de stroyed. The torpedo warheads were all etowed in the after part of the ship under* the ward room, and neither caused nor participated in the destruction of thé Maine. The dry gun-cotton primers, ant) detonators, were stowed In the cabin aft. =1 A Famous Inventor. Salem, Mass.« March 80.— Abnew Cheney Goodall. died here, aged 83 years. He perfected the first printing pres8 that printed on both sides in onq Operation. He also invented tha cracker machine and perfected the preparation of copper and steel plates for use by engravers. and remote from the scene of the expIo- pion. The waste was carefully looked after on board the Maine to obviate danger. ¿Special orders in regard to this had been given by the commanding officer. Var nishes, dryers, alcohol and other com bustibles of this nature, were stowed on or above the main deck, and could not have had anything to do with the de struction of the Maine. The medical stores were stowed aft. under the ward room, and remote from the scene of the explosion. No dangerous stores of any kind were stowed below in any of the other storerooms, or in the coalbunkers, Of those bunkers adjoining the forward magazine and shellrooms, four were empty; namely, B3, B4, B5, B6. A15 had been in use that date, aivd A16 was full of new river coal. This ooal had been carefully inspected before reoeivlng it on board. The bunker in which it was stowed was accessible on three sides at all times, and the fourth side at this time, on ac count of bunkers B4 and B6 being empty. This bunker, A16. had been inspected that day by the engineer officer on duty. The fire alarms In the bunkers were in work ing order, and there had never been a case of spontaneous combustion of coal on board the Maine. The two after boil ers of the ship were In use at the time of the disaster, but for auxiliary purposes only, with a comparatively low pressure of steam and being tended by a reliable watch. These boilers could not have caused the explosion of the ship. The forward boilers of the ship have since been found by the divers, and are in fair condition. On the night of the destruction of the Maine, everything had been re ported secure for the night at 8 P. íd. by reliable persons, through proper au- thorltles to the commanding officer, At the time the Maine was destroyed the ship was quiet, and therefore the least liable to accident caused by movements from those on board. Third—The destruction of the Maine oc curred at 9:40 P. M. on the 15th day of February, 1898, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, being at the time moored to the very same buoy to which she had been taken upon her arrival. There were two explosions, of a distinctly different character, a very short but distinct in terval between them, and the forward part of the ship was lifted to a marked degree at the time of the first explosion. The first explosion wras more In the na- ture of a report, llko that of a gun, while the second explosion was more open, prolonged, and of a greater vol ume. The second explosion was, in the opinion of the court, caused by the par« tlal explosion of two or more of the for- ward fnaga zines of the Maine. | His In Full Poiimnion. Peking, March 30.—The Chinese gar risons were withdrawn today from Port Arthur and Talien-Wan. The Russian standard and Russian flag were hoisted at both places. SIGSBEE'S STORY Detailed Testimony Before Board Regarding the Diaaater. the WASHINGTON, March 30.—Captain Sigsbee, in testifying before the court of | inquiry, said that he assumed command of the Maine April 10, 1897, and that his ship anchored in the harbor of Havana the last time January 24, 1898. The au- I thoritles at Havana knew of the Maine’s coming, Consul-General Lee having in- ' formed the authorities according to offi- , vial custom. Aft» r he took on an official i pilot, sent by the captain of the port of ! Havana, the ship was berthed in the man- of-war anchorage, off the Machina, or the Shears, and according: to his understand ing, it was one of the regular buoys of the place. He then stated that he had been in Havana in 1872, and again in 1898. He could not state w’hether the Maine was placed in the usual berth for men-of- war, but said that he had heard remarks since the explosion, using Captains Ste vens, temporarily in command of the Ward Line steamer City of Washington, os authority for the statement, that he had never known, in all his experience, which covered visits to Havana for five or six years, a man-of-war to be anchored at that buoy, that he had rarely known merchant vessels to be anchored there, and that it was the least used buoy in the harbor. Tlie Maine's Snrronniling«, In describing the surroundings when first moored to the buoy. Captain Sigsbee stated that the Spanish man-of-war Al fonso XIII wus anchored in the position now occupied by the Fern, about 250 yards to the northward and westward from the Maine. The German ship Grie- senau was anchored at the berth now oc cupied by the Spanish man-of-war Le Caspo, which is about 400 yards due north from the Maine. He then located the German man-of-war Chariote, which came into the harbor a day or two later, which was anchored to the southward of the Maine’s berth about 400 or 500 yards. In describing the surroundings at the time of the explosion, Captain Sigsbee stated that the night was calm and still. The Alfonso XIII was at the same berth. The small Spanish dispatch boat, Le Caspo, had come out the day before and taken the berth occupied by the German man-of-war, the Griesenau, which had left. The steamer City of Washington was anchored about 200 yards to the ________ south and east of the Maine’s stern, slightly on the port quarter. The Coal Was Safe. The Maine coaled at Key West, taking on about 150 tons, the coal being regularly inspected, and taken from the government coal pile. This coal was placed generally in the forward bunkers. No report was received from the chief engineer that any coal had been too long in the bunkers, and that the fire alarms in the bunkers w’ere sensitive. The regulations regarding Imflammables and paints on board, Captain Sigsbee testified, were strictly carried out in re gard to storage, and that waste also was subject to the same careful disposition. The inflammable© were stored in chests according to the regulations, and Inflam mables in excess of chest capacity, were allowed to be kept in the bathroom of the admiral’s cabin. Regarding the electrio plant of the Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there was no serious grounding, nor sudden flaring up of the lights before the explo sion, but a sudden and total eclipse. As for regulations affecting the taking of the temperature of the magazines, etc., Captain Sigsbee stated there were no spe cial regulations other than the usual regu lations required by the department. He examined the temperature himself, and conversed with the ordnance officer as to the various temperatures, and the con tents of the magazines and, according to the opinion of this officer, as well as Sigs bee, the temperatures were never at the danger point. “I do not think there was any laxity in this direction,” said the captain, replying to a question of Judge-Advocate Marix. He had1 no recollection of any work go ing on in the magazine or shell rooms be fore the explosion. The keys were called for in the usual way on the day in ques tion, and were properly returned. Condition of the Wreck. Fourth—The evidence bearing on this being principally obtained from divers, did not enable the court to form a defi nite conclusion as to the condition of the wreck, although it was established that the after part of the ship was prac tically intact, and sank in that condition a very few minutes after the destruction of the forward part. The following facts In regard to the forward part of the ship are, however, established by the testi mony: That portion of the short side of the protected deck which extends from about frame 30 to about frame 41, was blown up aft and over to port. The main deck from about frame 30 to about frame 41 was blown up aft and slightly over to starboard, folding the forward part of the middle superstructure over and on top of the floor part. This was, in the opinion of the court, caused by the partial explo- sion of two or more of the forward maga- zines of the Maine. Fifth—At frame 15 the outer shell of the ship from a point 11% feet from the mid dle line of the ship, and six feet above the keel, when in its normal position, has been forced up, so as to be about four feet above the surface of the water, there fore about 34 feet above where it would be had the ship sunk uninjured. The outside bottom plating is bent into a reversed V-shape, the after wing of which, about 15 feet broad and 32 feet in length (from frame 17 to frame 25), is doubled back upon Itself, against the continuation of the same plating extending forward. At frame 80 the vertical keel is broken in two, and the flat keel bent into an angle similar to the angle formed by the outside bottom plating. This break is now about six feet below the surface of the water, and about 10 feet above its normal position. In the opinion of the court, this effect could have been pro duced only by the explosion of a mine, situated under the bottom of the ship, at about frame 18, and somewhat on the port side of the ship. 81xth—The court finds that the loss of the Maine on the occasion named was not in any respect due to fault or negll- gence on the part of any of the officers »or members of the crew of said vessel. i Seventh—In the opinion of the court, the Maine was destroyed by the explo sion of a submarine mine, which caused the partial explosion of two or more of her forward magazines. Eighth—The court has been unable to obtain evidence fixing the responsibility for the destruction of the Maine upon any person or persons. W. T. SAMPSON. Captain, U. S. N., President A. H. MARIX, U. S. N.. Commander. Judge-Advocate. The court having finished the inquiry it >was ordered to make, adjourned at 11 A. M., to await the action of the con vening authority. W. T. SAMPSON, Captain, U. 8. N., President. A. H. MARIX, U. S. N., Lieutenant-Commander, U. S. N., Judge-Advocate, U. S. Flagship New York. March 22, 1KW, Off Key West, Fla. The proceedings and findings of the court of inquiry in the above case M. STCARD, are approved. Roar-Admiral, Commander- n-Chief. U. S. Naval Force of the North Atlantic. CAPTAIN Relations With Spanish Anthoritles. : | ! j I i Speaking generally of the relations with the Spanish authorities. Captain Sigsbee stated that with the officials they were outwardly cordial. The members of the autonomistlc council of the government, however, seem to have brought to the at tention of the navy department the fact that he did not visit them, and that fact brought embarrassment to the govern ment at Washington. He took the ground to the department that It was unknown etiquette to call on the civil members of the colonial government other than the governors. Without waiting for such an order, Captain Sigsbee made -a visit after wards, and, as he states, was pleasantly received and his visit promptly returned by certain members of the council. A party of ladies and gentlemen called, and the president of the council made a speech which Captain Sigsbee could not under- stand, but which was interpreted to him, to which he replied. ‘‘My reply,” said Captain Sigsbee, “was afterwards printed in at least two papers in Havana, but the terms made me'favor autonomist government in the island. I am Informed that the autonomistlc gov ernment in Havana 1s unpopular among a large class of Spanish and Cuban resi dents. I have no means of knowing whether my apparent interference in the political concerns of the island had any relation to the destruction of the Maine.” Exhibition of Anlniostty. When asked whether there was any demonstration of animosity by people afloat, Captain Sigsbee said there was never on shore, as he was informed, but there was afloat. He related that on the first Sunday after the Maine’s arrival the ferry-boat, crowded densely with people, civil and military, returning from a bull- fight at Regia, passed the Maine, and about 40 people on board Indulged In yell- ing, whistling and derisive calls. Every Precaution Taken. I During the stay in Havana, Captain Sigsbee took more than ordinary precau tions for the protection of the Maine by p>acing flentries on the forecastle and poop, quarter line and single decks, on the bridge and the poop. A corporal of the guard was especially instructed to look out for the port gang way, and the officer of the deck and quar termaster were especially instructed to look out for the starboard gangway, a quarter-watch was kept on deck all night, sentries’ cartridge boxes filled, their arms kept loaded, a number of rounds of rapid- fire ammunition kept in the pilot-room and in the spare captain’s pantry, and under the aft superstructure were kept additional supplies of shells, close at hand for the second battery; steam was kept up in two boilers instead of one, and positive instructions were given to w’atch carefully all the hydraulic gear and report defin itely. He said he had given orders to the mas- ter-at-arms to keep a careful eye on everybody that came on board, and to carefully observe any packages that might be held, on the »upposition that dynamite or other high explosives might be employed, and afterwards to inspect the routes these people had taken, and not to lose sight of the order. He state* that very few people visited the ship, Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright be ing rather severe on visitors. Spanish Officers on Board. Rewlwtanea rrged. Yokohama, March 30.—The unoffi cial section of the prese is actively urg Great preparations are being ma<fa ing the government to resist Russia’s for the atockgrowers’ convention to be action in China, but the official press is silent The diet will meet May 3. held in Denver next January. There were only two or three of the Spanish military officers came on board, but, according to the captain, they were constrained, and not desirous of accepting much courtesy. The visit was during the absence of the captain. He said he made every effort to have Spanish officers to visit the ship to show his good-will. Description of the Explosion. A He then went into a description of the explosion when he felt the crash. He characterized it as a bursting, rending and crashing sound or roar of immense volume, largely metallic in its character. It was succeeded by a metallic sound, probably of falling debris, a trembling and lurching motion of the vessel, then an impression of subsidence, attended by an eclipse of electric lighu» and Intense darkness w’ithin his cabin. He thought Immediately that the Maine had blown up and she was sinking, lie hurried to the Btarboard cabin, hut changed his course to the passage leading to the super structure. He detailed the manner of meeting Private Anthony, which is much the same as has been published. Lieutenant - Commander Wainwright was on deck when Captain Sigsbee emerged from the passageway, and turn ing to the orderly he asked for time, which was given aa 9:40 P. M. Sentries were ordered placed about the ship, and the forward magazine flooded. He called for perfect silence. The surviving officers w’ere about him at the time on the poop. He was informed that both forward and aft magazines were under water. Then came faint cries and white floating bodies in the water. Boats were at once ordered lowered, but only two were available, the gig and whaleboat. They were lowered and manned by officers and men, and by' the captain’s directions they left the ship and helped to save the wounded jointly w ith other boats that had arrived on the scene. Fire amidships by this time was burn ing fiercely, and the spare ammunition in the pilot-house was exploding. At this time Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright said he thought the 10-inch magazine for ward had been thrown up into the burn ing mass, and might explode any time. Everybody was then directed to get into the boats over the stem, which was dbne, the captain getting into the gig, and then proceeding to the City of Washington, where he found the wounded in the dining saloon being carefully attended by the officers and crew’ of the vessel. He then went on deck and observed the wreck for a few minutes, and gave directions to have, a muster taken on board the City of Washington and other vessels, and sat down in the captain’s cabin and dictated a telegram to the navy department. Spaniards Express Sympathy. WARNING TO SPAIN Detail»» of tlie Second Explosion. Coni Bunkers Not Hot. Captain Sigsbee, being recalled, stated that he had detailed Lieutenant-Com mander Wainwright, Lieutenant Holman and Chief Engineer Holman, all of the Maine, to obtain information in regard to any outsiders who might have seen the explosion. Captain Sigsbee also gave as his opinion that if coal bunkers A16 had been so hot as to be dangerous to the 6- lnch reserve magazine, that this condition would have been shown on three sides where the bunker was exposed, and that men constantly passing to and fro by it would have necessarily noticed any un due heat. Captain Sigsbee was recalled and examined as to the ammunition on board the Maine. He stated that there were no high explosives, guncotton, deto nators or other material in magazines or shell rooms which the regulations prohib ited. He testified1 that no warheads had been placed on torpedoes since he had had command of the ship. ITEMS OF INTEREST COMBINE Populists. Silver Republicans and crats of Oregon Join Issues. Madrid. March 3D.—President Me- Kinley has cabled two notes to Spain through Minister Woodford, One deals with the Maine, the other with Presi dent McKinley’s plan of humanitarian intervention in the Cuban war. Both notes are expressed in strong, firm lan guage, without a suggestion of a threat. They are, perhaps, meiely preliminary. For the destruction of the Maine, the president demands no indemnity. He merely acquaints the Madrid gov ernment with the fact that the court of inquiry finds that the ship was blown up in Havana harbor by an external agency ami that nothing but a mine or toqtedo of the largest sizo could have wrought the destruction. The presi dent submits the facts to the Spanish government, and waits a reply. Mr. Woodford did not even demand an early response. As to the war in Cuba, President McKinley advised the Spanish govern- ment in the politest t er in g that the time is fast drawing near when the United States would be compelled to act upon the warning so often given to Spain since the struggle in Cuba began. The president clearly intimated that the war in Cuba must cease, but he fixes no date. The note makes the question of Cuban intervention para mount to the Maine case, which the president’s memorandum refers to merely as a lamentable incident. The issues and problems of the Cuban war, the United States government now calls urgently to the attention of Spain, de claring that the conditions prevailing in Cuba, so near to the shores of the United States, have long been intoler able to the American people. Three state conventions met in Port land last week, the Populist, silver Republican anti Democratic. A union of forces or fusion ia the result. AU parties united on the platform adopted by the Populists at Friday’s session, and agreed to a division of the offices by a conference committee. The plat form as adopted reads: part of Spain for even a temporary peace a direct result of President Mc Kinley’s diplomacy, and they naturally are disposed to contend that the presi- , dent should be left free, for the present ' at least, to pursue a policy which prom ises much in the way of preventing war between this oountry and Spain; also of bringing to a close the hostilities in Cuba. Hence there will be an efforj on the part of the peacefully inclined in congress to hold that body in check I and to prevent inflammatory utterances I there until this promising diplomatic lead may be exploited. On the part of the administration it is stated that the development of the j situation will not require a great length , ot time, and hence there will be no ex tended delay. | A policy has been fully determined i upon by the president. It is to bring I the Cuban war to a close. This will j be accomplished by pointed interven | I tion, if necessary, but it is considered far preferable that the end should come as the result of peaceful negotiations than that it should be accompanied by hostile demonstrations on the part of the United States. Hence the disposi tion of the president is to give Spain an opportunity to secure an armistice with the Cubans and allow her a rea sonable time to come to an understand ing with the hostiles. It is stated that there is no abate ment of the president’s intention to see that the war is terminated, and that it is closed on terms that will render the Cubans practically a free people. Friends of the administration feel that the situation is very delicate, and much will depend upon the course the Cubans may pursue. I ‘ j i I The Spanish Elections. Madrid, March 29.—The election« for the popular branch of the cortoa have passed quietly. The indications are that tlie government of Senor Sa gasta will have an enormous majority, estimated at 300 of the 432 seats in tlie chamber. Disorders are apprehended at Bilboa, where the polling caused great excitement The military judge at Bilboa issued a warrant for the ar rest of three socialist municipal coun cilors. One of them was taken into custody, but the other two escaped. Spain's Refusal. It is stated that sharks have now pen etrated into the Mediterranean through the Suez canal from the Red sea. In France there have been found only two criminals whose measurement by the Bertillon system coincided. The Adams homestead at Quincy, Miss., has been restored under the di rection of the Quincy Historical Society. The largest room in the world under one roof and unbroken by piHars ia at St. Petersburg. It ia 620 feet long by 120 in breadth. Ginger ia a tropical production of Mexico, where it growa wild. It haa been cultivatded from an early period to tropical Asia. The oldest city in the world la Nip- pur, the "Older Bel’’ of Babylon; th* foundations were laid 7,000 years B. C. and the ruins have lately been un earthed. PARTIES Two Note. Cabled by the President to Mini.'.r Woodford. Various Spanish officials came on board Negotiations to Kn<l the War. and expressed sympathy and sorrow for the accident. Tlie representatives of Washington, March 29. — The de General Blanco and of the admiral of the station were among the Spanish officials velopments of the day in the Cuban who tendered their sympathies. About situation indicate progress in the nego four or five men were found that night tiations of this country and Spain look who survived. By the time Captain Sigs ing to the maintenance of peace, for the bee reached the quarterdeck it was his impression that an overwhelming explo present at least. There is good au sion had occurred. When he came from thority for saying that Spain’s with is the cabin he was practically blinded for to secure a cessation of hostilities in a few seconds. His only thought was for Cuba, rather than to engage in a war the vessel, and he took no note of the phenomena of the explosion. In reply to with the United States, and that it is the question of whether any of the mag more than probable that the negotia azines or shellrooms were blown up, the tions with the Sagasta ministry will captain «aid it w’as extremely difficult to take such a turn in the immediate come to any conclusion. The center of the explosion was beneath and a little future. The present Spanish minis forward of the conning tower on the port try has expressed a pacific disposition side. In the region of the center or axis from the beginning, and the indica of the explosion was the six-inch reserve tions are strong now that it will avail magazine, which contained very little powder, about 300 pounds, The 10-inch itself of the good offices of the United magazine W’as in the same general re States to the fullest extent that public gion. but on the starboard eide. Over opinion in Spain will allow in bring- the 10-inch magazine In the loading room of the turret, and in the adjoining pas ing to an end the hostilities in Cuba. To what extent the United States sage, a number of 10-inch shells w’ere per manently located. According to Captain may go in assisting Spain in her pres Sigsbee it would be difficult to’ conceive ent design of securing an armistice is the explosion involved the 10-lnch maga zine, because of the location of the ex not determined, but the conservative plosion, and none of the reports show that element in the administration consider any 10-inch shells were hurled into the air the manifestation of this desire on the because of the explosion. The captain went into details aa to the location of the email explosion. He said that he did not believe that the forward or 10-inch magazine blew up. The loca tion of the gun cotton was aft, under the cabin. He stated that he had examined the wreck himself, conversed with other officers and men, but, as the Spanish authorities were very much adverse to an investigation, except officially, on the grounds, as stated by the Spanish admir alty, that the honor of Spain was in volved, he forebore to examine the sub- mr.rlne portion of the wreck for the cause of the explosion until the day the court convened. He said the discipline of the ship was excellent. The marine guard was in ex cellent condition. The report of the medi cal department shows that about one man and a quarter per day were on the sick list during the past year. In the engineers’ department the vessel was al- ways ready and always responsive. He paid a tribute to the crew, and said that a quieter, better-natured lot of men he had never known on board of any ves- sei in which he had served. He had no fault to find with the behavior of any man at the time of the disaster, and considered their conduct admirable. On his examination by the court, Captain Sigsbee said that the highest temperature he could discover was 112, but that was in the after magazine, the temperature in the forward magazines being considerably lower. There was no loose powder kept in the magazines. All the coal bunkers were ventilated through air tubes, exam ined weekly by the chief engineer, wnd were connected electrically to the annun ciator near his cabin door. The forward coal bunkers on the port side were full, The forward coal bunkers on the star boat side was half full, and it was being used at the time of the explosion. POLITICAL Berlin, March 29.—The Madrid correspondent of the Berliner Tageblatt Bays: “Spain will not only refuse to allow American interference in assist ing the suffering Cubans, but will de cline to pay indemnity, unless it is shown unmistakably that the Spanish authorities were responsible for the Maine explosion. If President McKin ley demands these two things, war io unavoidable.“ A Fand to Bay Warship.. Madrid, Maroh 29.—The latest intel ligence from the United States has oc casioned a great patriotic movement throughout Spain. A large number of persons have announced their intention to give up a day’s f>ay for services in order to raise a fund to purchase war ships. A committee, over which the bishop of Madrid will preside, has been organised to receive the subscription*. MV Dei United tn a oomtnon cause for th« sacred purpose of preserving the principles of gov- eminent by the whole people. In fact as well as in name, restoring and malnt&'nlng equality, under that government, of all classes, we, the people's democratic and sll- ver-republloan parties of the state of Ore gon. waiving all minor points of diffsrsnc% and uniting for ths purpose of carrying out lhe great underlying principles upon which ; we are all agreed, do make and present to the people of this state the following dec laration ot principles, and to ths carrying out of whloh we solemnly pledge each and every candidate upon our united ticket: First—We demand the free and un rest dot ed coinage of silver and gold at ths pres ent legal ratio ft 14 h- I, without wilting for the consent of foreign nations; and we are unalterably opposed to the policy of ths present republican administration in de manding the retirement of greenbacks, and the turning over of the money-making pow er of the government to the national banks, as presented by the bill drawn by the repub lican secretary of the treasury, and Indorsed by President McKinley; and we especially denounce the avowed attempt by said bill to fasten the oountry Irrevocably and forever to the single gold standard. We demand a national money, safe and sound, issued by the general government only, without the Intervention of banks of Issue, to be a full legal tender for all debts, public and private; also a just, equitable and efficient means of distribution direct to tlie people through the lawful disbursements of the government. We demand that the volume of circulating medium be speedily Increased to an amount sufficient to meet the demands of the busi ness and population of this oountry, and to restore the just level of prices of labor and production. We favor such legislation as will prevent for the future the demonetization of any kind of legal-tender money by private com- tract. We demand that the government, tn pay ment of its obligations, shall use Its optlow as to the kind of lawful money In which they are to be paid, and we denounce the present and preceding administrations for surrendering this option bo the holders of government obligations. We demand that there shall be no further u«ue of United States Interest - bearing bonds. We demand that postal savings banks be established by the government for the safe deposit of the savings of the people and to facilitate exchange. We demand the election of United States senators by direct vote of the people. We demand the Initiative and referendum system of law-making in its optional form, local, state and national, and the submis sion by oongress of all important national Questions for an advisory vets of the peo- , pie, until such time as the national oonst^ tut ion shall have been amesided so as bo provide for direct legislatkxx We oondemn as dangerous and unjust th* surrender, in all departments of the govern- ' ment. to the Influence of trusts, aorporatlone and aggregations of wealth generally; and the packing of tlie highest courts of the land with corporation lawyers, too ready to do the will of their late employers, and to set aside valid and wholesome laws passed by the legislative deportments of the states and government, upon flimsy pretexts, at ths be hests of suoh institutions. We ass opposed to goverrnneot by injuno Mon. (A stats matters^ ws demands A slinpbs and well-guarded MgMratkn law. A more equitable mode of appointing judge« of election. j Stringent law» to regulate the operation of fish traps, fish wheels and aU âshîng gear in the waters within the Jurisdiction of the state. We denounoe and condemn the corrupt and extravagant repuhfican legislative assem- bllee, and charge that the republican party, In itg eaaemes^ for the ecoil• of office, hoe become divided into warring factions, so that K is Incapable of government as es- emplifled by the oondltlon existing In the of- floe of the state treasurer, there being at this time more than $500,000 therein wrung from the people by the process of taxation* while state warrants ars stamped ‘‘Net paid for want of funds.” We demand that all district and oounty of ficers be placed upon salarie« commensurate with the duties to be performed by them. Inasmuch as railroad and other oorperato property is not bearing Its proportion of taxation, we demand that such property shall bear Its just and equal share of tha expenses of government. State Nominations. For governor—W. R. King, populist, of Baker For congressman—First district, R. M. Veatch, democrat, Linn; Second district, C. M. Donald* son, silver republican, of Baker. For secretary of state—II. R. Kincaid, sllvei republican, of Lane. For supreme judge—W. A. Ramsay, democrat^ of Yamhill. For attorney-general—J. L. 8tory, populist, of Wasco. For state printer—Charles A Pitch, populist, of Clackamas. For superintendent of public Instruction—H. 8. Lyman, populist, of Clatsop. District Nominations« First district—Judge, E. C. Wade, silver re» publican; prosecuting attorney, A. N. Sloiss, populist; member of board of equalization, C, A. Worden, populist. Second district—Judge, J. W. Hamilton, dem« ocrat; prosecuting attorney, H. Denlinger, jr., populist. Third district—Judges, R. P. Boise, populist and P. II. D'Arcy, democrat; prosecuting au torney, S. L. Hayden, democrat; member of board of equalization, John P. Robertson, populist. Fourth district—Judges, J. V. Beach, demo» crat, department 1; Themas O’Day, democrat, departments; Dell Stuart, silver republican; prosecuting attorney, no nomination. Fifth district—Judge, W. D. Hare, populist; district attorney, no nomination. Sixtn district—District attorney, J. T. Hinkle, populist. Seventh district—Judge, W. L. Bradford, dem« ocrat; prosecuting attorney. A. Van Vactor, populist. Eighth district—No nominations. Ninth district—Judge, M. D. Clifford, demo crat; district attorney, E. Hicks, democrat; in am tier of board of equalization, J. R. Gregg, populist.___________________ St. Paul Bank Wrecked. fit. Patil, March 28.—The Bank of Merriam Park, this city, failed to open today, on account of a time-check fraud. The bank’s capital is $50,000, of which $80,000 is reported to have been invested in Southall government time checks. Robbers Make a Rich Haul. Traver, Cal., March 28.—North bound paaeenger train No. 18 was held up at CroM creek bridge, four mile* south of Traver laet night, about 10:55, by two trainrobbers. The mon boarded the train at Goahen, and soon after pulling out climbed into the engine and compelled the fireman to cease fir ing. When the train reached CroM creek the steam gave out and the trai# «topped, lhe express car was then blown up with dynamite. It was com pletely demolished.