Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1898 — COAST FORT DEFENSE. [ARTICLE]

COAST FORT DEFENSE.

*EW YORK, BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO NOW SAFE. The War repartition! Is Concentrating Ita Efforts Upon the Strengthening of Defensive Works for Coast Cities— Doves Replace Champagne. Defense from Foreign f oes. Definite plans have been made in Congress for the further prosecution of the work of fortification along the coast. The fortifications bill will carry a considerably smaller amount than that of last year, but the money spent will be spent where it wilj have an immediate effect in protecting coast defenses. It is a secret which has been carefully Kept by Government officials, and especially by the heads of the War Department, that New York, Boston and San Francisco are to-day for-, tified to a degree sufficient to keep off almost any forefgn fleet. There are already on hand and ordered many more big guns than could possibly put in place in the next two' years. What "is wanted now is, first, simple fortifications and emplacements for the guns now lying around on skids; second, a large-supply of the "hew type of carriages; third, light fortifications to protect jthe gunner, and, fourth, barracks and houses for the artillerymen. The purpose of the War Department and of Congress is to fortify large cities, whicn could be made the basis of an attack for the levy of blackmail. The small towns along the coast will be allowed to take care of themselves. The officials have figured out that if they concentrate their energies on places like Boston, New York, the entrance to Chesapeake bay, Mobile, Savannah, the mouth of the Delaware, Charleston, the mouth of the Mississippi, Galveston, San Franeiscoy the Puget Sound, they will be reasonably secure against- the attacks of foreign fleets, which would not be likely to make a combined movement against the smaller places, because their destruction would not inflict a severe blow upon the commerce of the country. <y a—sooo,ooo Fire in Minnesota. A large portion of the business district of East Grand Forks, Minn., was wiped out by fire, entailing a loss of over SOOO,000. The blaze was discovered in G. W. Hines’ saloon, and before the fire department could do effective work the flames had crept under the approach of the De--mors avenue bridge, attacked Itussell & Doll's saloon, Rogers’ case, the Great Northern grain elevator, Dan Sullivan’s, William Dobmier’s and Kelley’s saloons, and all these buildings were destroyed. A sudden change in the wind saved the entire business district from ruin. This is the second time within a year that this district has been cleaned out by fire. AVife to Get Mangled Remains. A horrible fate intercepted W. C. Hoge of Nevada, Mo., on hfs journey home to meet his wife, with whom he was about to become reconciled. Hoge fell under a Memphis freight train at Fulton, and his underclotning and parts of hisi body were found at Liberal, Mo., three miles distant. He was mutilated beyond description, but was identified by an affectionate letter from his wife, pleading with him to stop his -dissipation nnd return to her. As much of the body as could be gathered in a basket has been sent to his wife at Nevada. Doves at a Launching. The Japanese cruiser Kasagi was successfully launched at Philadelphia. The Kasagi is the most important ship ever built in the United States for a foreign country, and is the first foreign warship launched in America since the Russian worship Zobiaoa in 1878. Ever since Japan ball a navy the custom of liberating doves has been in vogue and the release of the two young doves was to symbolize the happy fruition of a great endeavor accomplished through the intercession of white-winged peace.