9. London Lord Salisbury in a speech favors American acquisition of the Philippine Islands. 10. Wilmington, N. C.: Race conflict, 8 negroes killed, 3 whites wounded. Washington: Meeting of the joint high commission of Canada and the United States. Geneva, Switzerland: The assassin of the Empress of Austria sentenced to imprisonment for life, capital punishment having been abolished. Chinendaga, Nicaragua, chosen as the permanent capital of the United States of Central America. 11. Africa: Thirteen native chiefs hanged for the murder of English missionaries. Philippine insurgents capture the island of Negros from the Spaniards. 12. Quebec: Arrival of the Earl of Minto, the new Governor General of Canada. Princeton defeats Yale at football, 6 to nothing. 13. St. Paul, Minn.: Convention of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. 14. Marlborough, Mass.: Strike of 2,500 shoemakers against free shops. Cuba: Fight between United States colored troops and Cubans in Santiago province, several killed and wounded. 15. Illinois: The Virdin Coal Company concedes most of the points demanded by striking miners. Crete Prince George of Greece appointed High Commissioner of the European powers to govern the island. Russia orders the construction of 23 destroyers for her navy. Brazil: Inauguration of Senhor Ferraz de Campos Salles as President; United States steamships Oregon and Iowa participate in the ceremonies. 16. Italy Opening of Parliament; the King's speech favors peace and general disarmament. 19. Philippine Islands: Encounter between American soldiers and natives, 1 killed, 3 wounded. Harvard defeats Yale at football, score 17 to nothing. 20. Washington: Arrival of Jotura Komura, the new Japanese minister. Pana, Ill. Additional troops sent to maintain order. Russia: Hundreds of students arrested, some of them banished to Siberia for socialistic conspiracy. 21. Pennsylvania: Five true bills of indictment found against Senator Quay and his son, Richard R. Quay, and ex-State Treasurer Haywood; charge, misuse of State funds. Augusta, Ga.: Strike of 3,000 cotton-mill operatives against reduction of wages. Savannah, Ga.: Seven hundred tons of provisions shipped for starving Cubans by the War Department. Hungary: Disorderly proceedings in the Diet; the Premier, Baron Banffy, stoned by the mob at Buda-Pesth. Washington: Arrival of President Iglesias of Costa Rica: interchange of the usual official courtesies. 23. Russia: Anarchists attempt to wreck the Czar's train. Korea: Political street fight in Seoul, 23 killed. 24. Thanksgiving Day: The festival celebrated in Manila, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. Augusta, Ga.: Strike spreads among the cotton-mill operators, 6,000 stop work. Rome: All European nations represented at the anti-anarchist conference. University of Pennsylvania defeats Cornell at football, 12 to 6. 25. Africa: Emperor Menelek of Abyssinia reported to be under arms to take a hand in the partition of Africa. 26. Launch of United States battle ship Wisconsin at San Francisco. Cuba: Gen. Castellanos appointed Spanish Governor General in place of Gen. Blanco, resigned. Germany: Frank Knach, an American, arrested at Berlin on charge of leze majesty. China: United States marines landed to guard the American consulate. 27. Turkey: The Sultan for the first time grants permits to travel in Asia Minor. Northern India: Fighting resumed between the British and native tribes under the Mad Mullah. 28. Spain accepts peace terms proposed by American commissioners. 29. France: A bomb containing powder and nails found in the Bourse at Marseilles. 30. Disruption of the United States of Central America, the three states concerned reassuming their individual sovereignty. Spain: The Government decides to continue the suspension of constitutional rights. December 1. New York: George W. Aldrich, State Superintendent of Public Works, suspended at his own request pending investigation of the canal fraud. France: The Senate adopts a motion forbidding secret examination of accused persons prior to trial by court-martial. 2. Great Britain grants financial aid to Barbadoes and St. Vincent on account of recent disaster. Austria: Fiftieth anniversary of the Emperor's accession to the throne; a large number of convicts pardoned in honor of the event. 3. Havana: The work of cleaning the streets begins under American management. 4. Mexico promotes her representative at Washington to be an ambassador. 5. Washington: Congress meets at noon. Paris: Anti-Dreyfus riot, firearms used against the police. 6. Ohio: The State Supreme Court orders the Standard Oil Company to produce its books. Texas: Meeting of the National Farmers' Congress at Fort Worth. Argentine Republic: The Senate approves an extradition treaty with the United States. 7. St. Louis, Mo.: The street-railroad system sold to a New York syndicate for $8,500,000. Paris: A Dreyfus fight occurs at the opening of the new Théâtre Comique. Sir E. J. Monson, the British ambassador, gives great offense to the French in a speech before the Chamber of Commerce (a conciliatory explanation is afterward offered). 8. Naval-Constructor Hobson ordered to the Asiatic station for duty in raising the sunken Spanish war ships at Manila. Paris: Henri Lavedan elected a member of the French Academy. China: The new Russian minister declines to recognize the Dowager Empress. 10. Paris: A treaty of peace signed by the commissioners of America and Spain. Pennsylvania: A stay of proceedings granted by the State Supreme Court in the Quay case. Cuba: Mr. E. F. Rathbone, of Ohio, appointed Chief of the United States Postal Service in the island. Hungary: Disorderly scenes in the Diet during a speech of the Premier Baron Banffy. 11. It is announced that the young Queen of the Netherlands and Prince William of Wied are betrothed. 12. Col. William J. Bryan resigns his commission in the volunteer service of the United States. Havana: A street riot occurs between Cubans and Spaniards; several of the participants killed. 13. England: Sir William Vernon Harcourt resigns the leadership of the Liberal party. Africa: A party of Belgian traders murdered by natives in the Congo region. Formosa: Six Japanese policemen and an inspector killed by natives. Havana: Arrival of Gen. Fitz. Hugh Lee and staff. Washington: The President and a large party leave the White House for a tour in the South. Yale University: Resignation of President Dwight accepted by the corporation. 14. London: Release of the Christian Scientists indicted for the death of Harold Frederic. 16. Washington: Col. William J. Bryan announces his policy regarding the Philippine Islands, favoring relinquishment after a stable government is erected. 17. New York: Arrival of Major-Gen. Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., from his trip to the Philippine Islands. 18. New York: Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, accepts the resignation of its pastor, the Rev. Lyman Abbott, D. D. 20. Kansas City: Samuel Gompers re-elected President of the American Federation of Labor. Washington: The President returns to the White House from his Southern tour. 21. Crete: Prince George, of Greece, arrives to assume control of the island. Spain: Serious illness of Sagasta, and a ministerial crisis. 22. New York: Dinner of the Canadian Society, with speeches favoring an Anglo-American League, 24. Navy: Retirement of Admiral Francis M. Bunce from the active list, on account of age. 26. Philippine Islands: Spaniards forced by the insurgents to evacuate the city of Iloilo, the last post held by them; American gunboats sent to take charge. 27. Havana: The dangerous classes of the city become unruly in view of the approaching Spanish evacuation; American soldiers detailed to preserve order. New York: Annual meeting of the American Chemical Society. ⚫ 29. South Africa: A dangerous state of affairs exists in the Transvaal between the Boers and Uitlanders (mainly English). 30. India: Arrival at Bombay of the new Viceroy, Lord Curzon, with his American bride, Lady Curzon (née Leiter); they are received with great ceremony. 31. Austria-Hungary: Expiration of the international treaty. Havana: Preparations completed for raising the American flag over the city on New Year's Day, 1899. New York: Gov.-Elect Roosevelt takes the oath of office at Albany. EXPOSITION, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI AND INTERNATIONAL. Since the World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, four important interstate expositions that were international in character have been held in the United States. They were the Californian Midwinter International Exposition, held in San Francisco in 1894 (see "Annual Cyclopædia" for 1894, p. 91); the Cotton States and International Exposition, held in Atlanta, Ga., in 1895 (see "Annual Cyclopædia" for 1895, p. 269); the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition, held in Nashville in 1897 (see "Annual Cyclopædia" for 1897, p. 756); and the TransMississippi and International Exposition, held in Omaha from June 1 to Oct. 31, 1898, and of these the last-named was the largest and most successful. Organization. The beginning of the Exposition may be said to date from the meeting of the Trans-Mississippi Congress, held in Omaha in November, 1895. On Nov. 27, 1895, the Hon. William J. Bryan presented the following resolution before the Congress: "Whereas, we believe that an exposition of all the products, industries, and civilization of the States west of the Mississippi river, made at some central gateway where the world can behold the wonderful capabilities of these great wealth-producing States, would be of great value, not only to the Trans-Missippi States but to all the home seekers in the world; therefore Resolved, That the United States Congress be requested to take such steps as may be necessary to hold a Trans-Mississippi exposition at Omaha, during the months of August, September, and October, 1898, and that the representatives of such States and Territories in Congress be requested to favor such an appropriation as is usual in such cases to assist in carrying out this enterprise." It was adopted unanimously, and after the ad journment of the Congress the proposition was thoroughly canvassed in Omaha, resulting in the publication of a call for a meeting to be held in the Commercial Club on Jan. 18, 1896. The TransMississippi and International Exposition was then organized and articles of incorporation adopted. The latter provided that the capital stock should be $1,000,000, issued in shares of $10 each, and that the life of the Exposition should be from June 1 to Nov. 1, 1898. The following officers were chosen: President, Gurdon W. Wattles; Vice-President, Jacob E. Markel; Treasurer, Herman Kountze; and Secretary, John A. Wakefield. Agitation was at once begun to secure national aid, and for that purpose bills were introduced in both the House and the Senate asking for an appropriation of $250,000, such appropriation to be available only after a like amount of the capital stock of the exposition had been obtained. Meanwhile, the local canvass for subscriptions had been energetically carried on, so that in November, 1896, the amount promised reached $330,000. This sum being sufficient to warrant the beginning of building operations, a meeting of the stockholders was held on Dec. 1, when it was decided to divide the work of the Exposition into seven departments, the heads of which should constitute the executive committee, who should have the active management of the affairs of the association. The officers elected were as follow: President, Gurdon W. Wattles; Resident Vice-President, Alvin Saunders; Treasurer, Herman Kountze; and Secretary, John A. Wakefield. Executive committees: Chairman and Manager of Department of Ways and Means, Zachary T. Lindsey; Manager of Department of Publicity, Edward Rosewater; Manager of Department of Promotion, Gilbert M. Hitchcock; Manager of Department of Buildings and Grounds, Freeman P. Kirkendall; Manager of Department of Exhibits, Edward E. Bruce; Manager of Department of Concessions and Privileges, Abram L. Reed; and Manager of Department of Transportation, William N. Babcock, Later the departments of publicity and promotion were consolidated under the management of Edward Rosewater. The organization was then completed by the appointment of a vice-president by each of the 24 governors of the Trans-Mississippi States. The success of the enterprise seemed assured, and as the requirements of the bill providing for Government appropriation were satisfied, the Secretary of State notified foreign governments of the international character of the Exposition, and invited them to participate. The failure of President Cleveland to sign the sundry civil bill containing the Government appropriation which had been cut down to $200,000 was a source of some disappointment, and delayed work on the Government Building until the passage of the bill by the extra session of Congress called for by President McKinley. Meanwhile, local subscriptions had increased until the amount of $420,000 had been promised, and later the State of Nebraska and Douglas County each appropriated $100,000. Aid from various State legislatures was also received as follows: Illinois, $45,000; Iowa, $35,000; Montana, $15,000; Utah, $8,500; and New Mexico, $1,500. Among Eastern States the following sums were appropriated by their respective legislatures: Georgia, $10,000; New York, $7.500; Massachusetts, $6,000; and Ohio, $3,000. The Kansas Legislature refused to appropriate any money, but the people themselves made contributions equivalent to nearly $30,000, and the following amounts may be credited to the people representing their respective States: Minnesota, $20,000; Montana, $15,000; and Wisconsin, $12,000. Location. The site chosen was on the north side of Omaha, within the city limits. The area Kountze tract, was an area of sixty acres, known as the Bluff tract, stretching along the bluffs and overlooking the river country beyond. In this tract were grouped the State buildings. The remainder of the Exposition grounds were north of the Kountze tract, west of Sherman Avenue, and included the old fair grounds and the land beyond it, embracing in all about eighty acres. In this tract were the amusement features. On the old fair-ground site were the live-stock and irrigation exhibits, the display of transportation and agricultural implements, and the Indian village. Two viaducts across Sherman Avenue connected the Bluff tract with the Court of the Grand Canal, and with the large area to the north. The north viaduct immediately connected the sections devoted to the amusement features, the one on the Bluff tract lying parallel to Sherman Avenue, the other being west of the avenue, which latter continued westward to a connection with 20th Street, which led southward to the Grand Court. The main entrance to the Exposition grounds was on the south line at the intersection of 20th St., through the Arch of States. |