Events of the Month

EVENTS OF THE MONTH, BY THOMAS HULL, SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL BOARD, Y. M. M. I. A. June i8th: Advices received at Victoria, British Columbia, state that the ships composing the first Manila expedition arrived at Honolulu on June first and were royally welcomed. igth: The most disastrous fire that ever happened in Utah occurred in Park City. All of Main Street and much of the residence portion was destroyed. The loss is estimated at about $1,000,000. * * # Under the second call for volunteers, Utah is required to furnish one battery of light artillery consisting of 109 ofiScers and men. 20th: C. O. Whittemore is formally inducted into the office of United States District Attorney for Utah. 2ist: The United States army for the invasion of Cuba arrived ofif Santiago de Cuba at noon. It consists of about 16,000 men commanded by General Shafter, 22nd: The Convention of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs met in Denver. * * * The United States forces under General Shafter landed at Daiquiri, Cuba. 24th: In a battle near Santiago de Cuba the Spaniards were driven mto the city. The American loss was twelve killed and fifty wounded. * * * The second section of the train carrying Torrey's regiment of Rough Riders to the south was wrecked in the yard at St. Joseph Mo The engineer was killed and his fireman badly scalded. 26th: Another accident occurs to the Torrey Rough Riders. The second section of the train carrying the troops dashes into the first section at Tupelo, Miss., and four are killed outright, one fatally injured and four- teen seriously injured, including Colonel Torrey. 27111: The third Manila expedition sailed from San Francisco for the Philippines; it consisted of four transport ships carrying four thousand men 2gth: Maj. -General Wesley Merritt sailed from San Francisco on the steamer Newport, for Manila, where he goes as Military Governor of the Philippines. * * * The senate passed a resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Naval Constructor Hobson for his brave act in sinking the Merrimac in the entrance to Santiago harbor; the resolution included the names of the common seamen who accompanied him 30th: The Mothers' Congress of Utah was opened in Salt Lake City * * Mayor Hill of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, proclaimed July the 4th a public holiday in that city, and public-spirited citizens are preparing for the first celebration of Independence day in Canada The proclamation is attributed to sympathy in the Anglo-American alliance movement, and it is believed that several Canadian towns will follow the example of Niagara Falls. * * * The Irish National Society at Newcastle, N^ H , adopted a minute protesting against an Anglo-American alliance and declaring that the efforts in that direction were regarded as a

784 IMPROVEMENT ERA. conspiracy on the part of the British Government and abettors on this side of the Atlantic. * * * Serious riots are reported in parts of China. It is reported in Shanghai that the American mission establishment at Tongchow, near Wuchow, has been attacked by a mob, looted and burned. July jst: The War Revenue Law goes into effect. It is estimated that it will cost Utah $50,000 in July. * * * Inquiries at the Treasury department elicit the information that the total subscriptions for the bond issue of $200,000,000 aggregated $790,000,000. Of this amount there have been received and absolutely accepted subscriptions for amounts of $500 and less, $40,000,000. Subscriptions in amounts of over $500, subject to future allottment, $250,000,000. * * * General Shatter's army captures the outer works at Santiago, after an engagement lasting from 8 o'clock a. m., until sundown. The Americans lost about 1,600 in killed, wounded and missing. jrd: The Spanish Cape Verde fleet under command of Admiral Cervera which has been lying in Santiago harbor for weeks, guarded by American ships, made a dash out of the harbor in an attempt to escape and was entirely destroyed by the American squadron. 4th: Dispatches from Honkong state that the United States dispatch boat Zafiro reports that the American troops which left San Francisco May 25th, convoyed by United States cruiser Charleston arrived at Cavite on June 30th, having taken the Ladrone Islands on the way; a force of troops was left there to hold possession. The United States troops com- menced to disembark on July ist. £th: Advices from London, England, state that the stars and stripes were profusely displayed all over Great Britain yesterday, in honor of Independence Day. bth: The first International Mining Congress opened in Salt Lake City. * * * The great French ship La Bourgogne collided with the British sailing ship Cromartyshire in a dense fog off Sable Island, in the North Atlantic, and almost immediately sunk. Over 600 lives were lost on La Bourgogne. yth: Governor Wells announced the appointment of the following ofl&cers of Battery C, Utah volunteer artillery: Frank W Jennings, captain, J. D. Murphy, first, and W. J. B. Stacey, second lieutenants. * * * The senate passed the resolution annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States and the President afl&xed his signature to the resolution shortly after, at the White House. * * * Richmond P. Hobson, who sunk the Merrimac in Santiago harbor, and the men who accompanied him, were released by the Spaniards in exchange for Spanish prisoners. * * * Advices from Honolulu, Hawaii, received today report the second Manila expedition, in which the Utah batteries sailed, arrived at that place on June 23rd and 24th, all well. They were royally received. 8th: Both houses of Congress adjourned sine die. nth: The Spanish Cabinet tendered their resignations to the Queen Regent. J2th: Two explosions occurred at the Laflin-Rand powder works, Pompton, N. J. Eleven men were killed and about twenty wounded. Two buildings wrecked and great pecuniary damage done. i^th: The troop of Utah Cavalry Volunteers, now at San Francisco, are relieved from duty with the Philippine expedition forces, and ordered to report to the commanding general of the department of California, for in- structions. 14th: The city of Santiago and all of southeastern Cuba surrendered to General Shafter. The United States agreed to transport the Spanish troops to Spain. j^th: Major-General Otis sailed from San Francisco with the fourth expedition for Manila. The expedition numbered nearly 2,000 men.