Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 December 1897 — WHAT 1897 HAS SEEN. [ARTICLE]

WHAT 1897 HAS SEEN.

RECORD Of THE IMPORTANT EVENTS OF THE YEAR. Graeco-Turkish War and the Cuban Insurrection—The Great Strike in the Coal Fields Political Changesof Twelve Months. A Chronological Table. The year 1897 has been, it might be said, almost a commonplace one, since its commencement, that Tb, : no events of overwhelming moment have taken place, but there has been no dearth of important occurrences. The war between Turkey an 4 Greece, the struggle for freedom in Cuba, the' long-drawn-out strike in the Ohio and Pennsylvania coal fields, the change of national administration, the enactment of the Dingley tariff law, the disastrous spring floods in the Mississippi valley and autumn fires in the West and Northwest, nnd the epidemic of yellow fever in the Southern States are clearly not matters of small importance in the history of the world. The year has been an unusual one from the fact that but few men of really great reputation have passed from the stage of their earthly labors; their number can be computed upon the fingers of the two hands. The most important events of the year are recorded below in the order of their occurrence: JANUARY. 1— Thirteen miners perish at Pachuca. Mexico. .. .Extremely high temperature and heavy rains in Northwest... .Piugree inaugurated Governor of Michigan. 2W. A. Hammond, wrecker of Illinois National Bank, commits suicide. .. .Fatal storm In Southwest. .. .Nashville, Tenn., lias $400,000 fire.... West and Northwest deluged by rains. 3 Snow and frost succeed rain. 4 Furious blizzard in the West.... Gov. Scofield inaugurated at Madison, W 15.... Three St. Paul banks fail. 5 Gov. Altgeld pardons 19 criminals. .. .St. Stanislaus parsonage at Bay City, Mich., sacked by warring church factions. ... Four children die by fire near Westfield, Wis.; three near Babcock, Wis. 6 Illinois Legislature meets. .. .Seven Ursullne nuns perish by fire at Convent of Our Lady of LakefSt. Johns, Roberval, Quebec. 11— Tanner Governor of Illinois with much pomp and ceremony.... Mount inaugurated Governor of Indiana with very simple style. .. .House kills Pacific funding bi 11... .American-Brltish arbitration treaty signed. 12— Five children drown, skating, at St. Louis... .Four die in powder explosion at Shainokin, Pa. 18— Five killed in a Pottsville, Pa., coal shn ft. 14 —News of capture of Santa Clara by Cuban insurgents. .. . Bombay, India, a city of deatli and terror because of ravages of bubonic plague (black death) and famine; thousands dying, ami city being depopulated; dead lie unburied, nnd vultures hover over the town and country: sky ablaze by night with funeral pyres; Europe greatly alarmed. 19— Win. E. Mason chosen Senator from Illinois... .Three negroes lynched in Louisiana. 21— Nine sailors drown off Long Island. 22 Mercury falls 30 degrees to zero at Chicago... .Death of Sir Isaac Pitman at London. 24 Widespread cold wave; Chicago temperature IT below zero. .. .$300,000 fire loss at Northwestern stove repair works and C. J. Barnes’ residence in Chicago. 25 — Twenty below zero at Chicago. 26 Fourteen below zero at Chicago; 700 poor families nided; relief measures adopted over entire city. .. .$2,500,000 fire at Philadelphia. .. .$.’150,000 fire at Chicago. 27 Continued cold weather in Northwest. 28— Lyman J. Gage of Chicago accepts treasury portfolio. 31—Family of seven die by fire in Hoboken, N. J.. .. .Cruiser Brooklyn on the rocks.

FEBRUARY. 2—Pennsylvania State capitol burned; loss $1,G00,000... .Venezuelan treaty signed. B—Admiral Ituuce’s squadron ip a storm off Hampton Hoads; three seamen swept away, several Injured. .. ..$200,000 railroad shop fire at Prineeon, Ind. 10—Bradley-Martln ball at New York costs $500,000. ... Phenomenal drop In price of steel rails. 13— Aid. O’Malley acquitted of murder at Chicago... .Death of J. Randolph Tucker at Lexington, Va.. and Gen. J. O. Shelby at Adrian, Mo.; both noted Confederates. 14— bombard Canes, island of Crete, under Turkish rule. 15— Appeal of Jos. It. Dunlop, convicted of improper use of malls at Chicago, to Supreme Court falls. 16— Millionaire Duestrow hanged at Union, Mo., for wife murder; Peter Schmidt and Sam Poster hanged at Clayton, M 0.... Greeks capture Turkish fort at Crete. 17— Powers of Europe protest against action of Greece. 18— Two thousand Moslems slain in Crete by Greeks. .. .Big shortage of State officials discovered In Nebraska. 21— Cauea bombarded by the powers.... Baby girl at the Harrisons’. 22 General observation of Washington’s birthday... .Floods In Ohio Valley. 25 Powers decide Greece must evacuate Crete. MARCH. 4 McKinley Inaugurated... .Six killed at Boston by gas explosion. 5 Extensive floods in Mississippi Valley, and In Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.... Greece deties the powers. t—Foundering of steamer Ville de St. Nazalre off Carolina; 65 lives lost. ft—Tremendous rainfall In central States. 10— Six killed in a wreck near Princeton, Ind. 12—Blizzard sweeps the Northwest —$400,000 wholesale grocery lire at Chicago. 15—51,500,000 fire at St. Louis... .Floods In Mississippi Valley make thousands of negroes homeless. 17—Fitzsimmons whips Corbett at Carson City, Nev.... 78 lives lost by foundering of French steamer off Carolina. 21— Powers blockade Cretan ports to Greek ships. 22 Cyclone kills eight and Injures 23 school children at Arlington, Ga.; family of five killed in Henry County, Ala. 23 Heavy fall of slushy snow In Northwest. 30— Forty-five killed by a cyclone at Chandler, O. T. 31— House passes Dlngley tariff bi 11.... Powers bombard Cretans. APRIL. / 6 Carter H. Harrison elected Mayor-of Chicago by 75.000 plurality.... Alarming floods In Mississippi Valley. 8— $1,000,000 fire at Knoxville, Tenn; 17 people killed. o—Snow storm In Central States. 10—Daniel W. Voorhees, former U. S. Senator from Indiana, dies at Washington. 15—Blots In Indianapolis over 3-cent carfare. .. .$500,000 fire nt New Orleans. 17— War between Turkey and Greece. 18— Fierce windstorm In Chicago; $150,000 fire. 20—Desperate fighting In the Levant.... First execution by electricity In Ohio. 23 Osman Pasha assumes command of Turkish troops, which have met severe reverses. - , , 24 Turks capture Larissa... .Vast floods in Missouri and Mississippi Valleys. 26 Hundreds of families at Ottumwa, lowa, and Quincy, III.? homeless by floods. 27 — Dedication of Grant’s tomb at New York... .$2,000,000 fire at Newport News, Va. 28— Greeks at Athens riotous because of army reverses. .. .Flood at South Guthrie, O. T„ kills over 70. 29 Ralll heads new cabinet of Greece.... Wild gale with loss of life and vessels on Lake Michigan. 30— Greeks win a big battle... .Seven negroes lynched by a mob of negroes In Texas. MAX. 1— Snow at Chicago. 2 $4,000,000 fire at Pittsburg. Pa. 4—One hundred die by fire In a Parisian basar. 7 Brutal murder of the Harris family, near Wankeaha, Wia., by Wm. Pouch. 9 Sixteen die by Ore on Mallory Line

• steamship Leona, off Sandy H00k... .Greece asks Intervention qt powers. 14—Snow at Chicago. 18—Czar Intervenes to stop war in the Levant. 31—Severe earthquake shock In Cincinnati and southeast... .Five of a picnic party killed on Long Island. JUNE. 2 Spanish cabinet resigns. 3 Two of a mob of lynchers killed at Urbana, Ohio, and nine wounded, by militia under command of Sheriff McLean. 7—Six killed in a wreck near Hudson, Wis. 9—5200,000 fire at Cartinville, 111. ...Death cf Aivan Clark, famous lens-maker, at Cambridge, Mass. 11— Wife murderer French hanged at Rockford, m. 12— Mayor Richards killed at Bunker Hill, 111., by Editor Hedley. 13— Attempt to kill President Faure by a Paris bomb-thrower: - 14— Suicide of Barney Barnato at sea. 15— Temperature of 98 in Chicago; 40 prostrations. 16— Northwest suffers from awful heat.. 18 —Storm kills four children at Lincoln, 111.. . —Cyclones in many Western localities. 21—Victorian Jubilee celebration commences at London. 24 — Cyclone in Kansas kills three; hail bombards Topeka. 25 Lynching at Crystal Springs, Miss.... Race war at Key West over attempted lynching, .. .Cornell defeats Yale and Harvard in -college boat race... .Four legal executions at St. Joseph, Mo., Fayetteville, W. Va., Atlanta, Ga., and Houston, Texas. 26 Seven killed in a wreck at Missouri City. Mo. 29 Three killed in wreck of a Christian Endeavor train at West Chicago; 15 hurt.... Five men drowned at Chicago while bathing to get relief heat... .Northwest scorched. 30— All districts report many fatalities from heat.

JULY. 1— Continuance of fearful heat... .Close of Victorian Jubilee. 2 One dead and 16 prostrated by heat at Chicago, in a temperature of 95 degrees.... Cornell Boat Clcb defeats Columbia and Pennsylvania. 3 Awful heat in Chicago kills six and prostrates 40; 13 die at Cincinnati... .Snowstorm in Colorado. ...Deluge at Duluth does $1,000,000 damage. 4 Heat and fatalities continue east of Mississippi Valley; thunderstorm at midnight relieves Chicago, after eight have died. 5 Twenty die at Chicago from previous exhaustion by heat, though temperature did not exceed 78 degrees... .Celebration claims five deaths there, and scores of injured victims.... H. B. Stone of Chicago killed at Nonquitt, Mass. 6 Ten killed by cyclone at Lowry, Minn. ... .Nine killed by boiler explosion at Hartsviile, Tenn... .Coal miners' strike becomes general in the East. 7 Continuance of extreme heat and consequent fatalities—Senate passes tariff bill. ....Six killed at Bay City, Mich., by street car plunging into nn open draw. 8— Chicago and Alton freight house burns at Chicago; loss $250,000... .Heat and death roll increases. .. .Death of Senator Harris cf Tennessee. * 10—Drop of 35 degrees in temperature at Chicago; change general. 12—Deatli of Millionaire Columbus R. Cummings of Chicago. 15—Negro lynched for assault and murder at West Point, Tenn... .Illinois and Indiana coal miners go out. 17—News of fabulous gold finds in Alaska. 19—Tariff bill passes the House... .Snowstorm in Chicago. 22 Logan monument unveiled at Chicago. 23 Four killed by explosion of naphtha on steamer at Bridgeport, Conn. .. .$1,000,000 grape sugar factory fire at Peoria, 111. 24 New tariff law enacted; Congress adjourns. .. .Cloudburst at Boston. 30—Seven killed by cyclone at San 111.

AUGUST! i 6 Elevator fire at Chicago kills four firemen, hurts 20 more, aud does $500,000 damage. B—Assassination of Premier Canovas of Spain. 15— Orleanlst Prince Heriri seriously wounded by Italian Count of Turin hi a duel at Paris. 16— Great boom in wheat... .Cold wave at Chicago. 17— Snowstorm in South Dakota... .Wheat touches ftSflggt Chicago. lft—Unknown man killed by farmers near Chicago, for assault.... Four killed by glucose factory explosion at Davenport, lowa. 21—Wheat reaches the dollar price in several cities and occasions great excitement. 23—Three hundred Sepoys massacred by Afridis In India. 26—President of Uruguay assassinated. 29 News of a great tidal wave in Japan. 30— Steamer Portland arrives at Seattle with Alaskan treasure. 31— Yc-jlow fever breaks out at Ocean Springs, Miss. SEPTEMBER. 2—Crops reported greatly damaged by long continued drought. 7 Railroad collision near Emporia, Kan.; several killed.... Lake St. Clair yacht capsized, drowning six.ft—Terrible bead-end collision near Newcastle, Colo., kills 30 people and mangles many others. 10— Twenty-two striking coal miners near Latimer, Pa., shot dead by deputy sheriffs; many others wounded. 11— Miners’ convention at Columbus settles the great coal strike. 13—Tidal wave along the Texas coast took many lives and did. great damage to property. 15— Five alleged burglars taken»from jail by a mob at Versailles, Ind., and lynched. 16- assaults President Diaz of Mexico; death of the assaulter at the hands of a mob. 20— Outbreak of yellow fever In New Orleans. 21— President Ratchford of the United Mine workers declares the coal strike ended. 26—Niue men killed In a bloody riot at Girardville, Pa.... Mrs. John Becker and five children slaughtered near Oarroll, lowa. ....Railway hold-up at Moorhead, Minn. 2ft—sl,ooo,ooo fire in Washington, D. C... . Fall of Azcarraga ministry in Spain. 30—Resignation of the Ralll ministry In Greece.

OCTOBER. I—Five bandits held up a train in Indian Territory . .. .Thirty persons hurt in railway accident at Medford. Mass. 3 Death of Gen. Neal Dow. 4 Sagasta ministry assumes control in Spain... .Austin, I’a., almost entirely destroyed by Are. 5 Connecticut votes an educational test for voters. —- 6 Alton train held up near Kansas City, M 0.... .Thousands of lives lost and much property destroyed by a typhoon In the Philippine Islands. .. .$117,000 Are at Chicago stock yards. .. .Large fire in Detroit... .Six girls burned to death at Planklnton, S. D.... Disastrous fire at Medora, 111. 7 Two prisoners roasted in Opelika, Ala., ■frm— —„ : 8— Gen. Wc-ylcr recalled from Cuba.... Death of ex-Scnator McPherson of New Jersey.—— —— : ■ ■ 12—Bandits rob a train near Austin, Texas.... Death at Detroit, of ex-Senator Chas. W. Jones of Florida. 14— Four people killed in a railway accident at Stittsvllle, Ont. 15 — Four persons killed and many Injured by caving in of a theater roof In Cincinnati. 16— Steamer Triton sunk in Caribbean Sea and 150 lives lost. 17— Windsor, N. S., fire-swept and 3,000 people left homeless... .Death of Chas. A. Dana of the New York Sun. lft—Death of Geo. M. Pullman of Chicago. 21—Jury In Luetgert murder case In Chicago disagreed. 24 —Twenty lives lost In New York Central accident at Garrisons, N, Y.... .Bank wrecked at Blalrsburg. lowa. 27—Wabash Railroad offices-In St. Louis burned. 2ft—Henry George, single-tax advocate, died of apoplexy at New York. NOVEMBER. 1— Sale of the Union Pacific Railroad. 2 Thirteen firemen injured by a gasoline explosion at a fire In Philadelphia... .Election day; New York elected Van Wyck (Tammany) Mayor; Ohio, Pennsylvania, lowa and Massachusetts went Republican; Maryland, Nebraska. New York, Kentucky and Virginia Democratic; Colorado was carried by silver men, and in South Dakota Republicans and Democrats won over Populists. 4—Chesapeake and Ohio train wreck at Charlottesville, Va., In which fonr people are killed and many Injured... .Five men badly burned by molten Iron In Milwaukee, and two die from their injuries.

6—Train robbery near Grants, N. M.....' Fourteen Uvea lost by the sinking of the steamer Idaho on Lake Erie. 11— Yellow fever quarantine declared off in New Orleans... .Thieves steal $14,000 in money and Jewelry from a Silver Creek, N. Y., bank. 12— $50,000 fire at Fostoria, Ohio. 13— Three Indians lynched by a mob at Williamsport, N. D. 17—Three people Injured In a railway wreck near Cleveland, 0hi0... .Pani(* In a Cincinnati school caused the Injury of four children....Rozel, Kan., sinks Into the prairie in a night. 19— Three miners killed in railway wreck at. Coal Bluff, 1nd.... Great fire in London, England; loss $25,000,000. 20— Masked negro, attempting to hold up a Kansas City street car, shot conductor and motorman. 21— Fire at Melbourne, Australia, in which $5,000,000 of mercantile property was destroyed... .Two motormen killed in a collision in Baltimore, Md. .. .Fire at La Grange, Ohio, In which $25,000 worth of property was destroyed. 23-F. a. Novak found guilty of murder at Vinton, lowa. 25—Capt. Lovering fonnd guilty by court martial at Fort Sheridan, Chicago. 28—Resignation of the Badeni ministry in Austria.. Three men asphyxiated In the Grand Trunk tunnel at Port Huron, Mich. 30—New cabinet formed in Austria.... Eleven persons killed in a railway accident at Warsaw, Poland... .Martin Thorn convicted of the murder of Wm. Guldensuppe atNew York. --——-

DECEMBER. I— Thirty-seven miners killed in Homburg, Bavaria, by explosion of fire damp.. . .Furious riots at Prague, Bohemia. 4 Three men killed and several persons Injured in a collision of trolley ears near Detroit, Mich. 5 Resignation of the Italian ministry. 6 Congress convenes in regular session at Washington. ll Two men killed in railway collision at Oakland, Cal Haytian cabinet resigned. 13— New Haytian ministry formed. 14— Resignation of Chilian cabinet.... Rudini cabinet reconstituted in Italy. 16— Three men killed in C., E. & I. wreck at Clinton, Ind...:Death of Alphonse Daudet, noted French author... fwilliam Terriss, English actor, assassinated in London. ....Ratification of peace treaty between Greece and Turkey... .New Chilian cabinet formed. 17— Six lives lost in fire at Ottawa, 0nt.... Three persons perish In an $850,000 fire at Grand Forks, Dak. 18— Zero weather In Chicago... .Death of Hon. Washington Hesing, of Chicago. 20— Five train wrecks —at Castle Rock, Colo., two persons killed; at Pontiac, 111., five persons injured; near Benson, Ariz., one man killed; near Rlpton, Ala., four men killed; at St. Louis, one man killed and two injured. 21— Sucide of Miss Leila Herbert at Washington, D. C Three skaters drowned at Tonawanda, N. Y... Three skaters drowned at Gardner, Mass.