Events of the Month · Improvement Era

EVENTS OF THE MONTH. BY THOMAS HULL, SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL BOARD OF Y. M. M. I. A.

September 19th, 1899: The third annual convention of the League of American Municipalities opens in Syracuse, N. Y. President Sam'l L, Black in his opening address, said: "We are not here to lose ourselves in abstruse and abstract speculations. Our purpose is a sternly practical one. We deal with human life; we seek to prolong it. We aim to work this out by disposing of such severely practical questions as garbage dis- posal, water supply, civil service reform, saloon regu- lations and similar measures. Neither the physicians nor the ministers of the gospel go before us in the humanitarian character of their work."

  *      *      The French council of ministers decides to pardon Cap-

tain Dreyfus and the pardon is signed. 20th: Captain Dreyfus is released at 3 a. m. and leaves Rennes for Nantes. 25th: Affairs are reaching a crisis between Great Britain and the Transvaal republic in South Africa. The Orange Free State has decided * * * rpjjg to assist the Boers in case of hostilities. pj|j_

pinos capture an American gunboat the Urdaneta. All her crew are missing. 26th: Admiral Dewey arrives off New York at dawn, two days ahead of schedule. 28th: Governor Wells and staff call on Admiral Dewey on the Olympia. 29th: A great naval parade is given in New York in honor of Admiral Dewey. It is said that nothing like it was ever seen before. Three million people witness the gigantic pageant. * * * 'pjjg

situation in the Transvaal is such that hostilities may occur at any moment. 30th: The City and State of New York and the Nation unite in a vast demonstration in honor of Admiral Dewey. The great land parade rpj^g is described as the wonder of modern times. * * *

80 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

Boers are mobilizing their forces in the Transvaal, and it is believed * they will initiate hostilities shortly, * * Fourteen Ameri- can prisoners are released by the Filipinos. October 1st. George Swan, the City Auditor of Salt Lake and who was for many years the secretary of the Utah Central Railway, dies suddenly in Salt Lake City. 2nd: Another great ovation is given to Admiral Dewey. This time it is in Washington, D. C, and it is the greatest tribute ever paid by the Capital to any person. 3rd: The first State Fair in Utah opens in Salt Lake City. *

*       President McKinley presents to Admiral Dewey the handsome

sword awarded him by Congress. 4th: President McKinley directs the immediate dispatch of a number of war vessels to the Philippines. This action is the result of his inter- view with Admiral Dewey. * * * President McKinley leaves Washington for a visit to Chicago. 6th: The seventieth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opens in Salt Lake City. 7th: The now notorious C. M. Owen files a complaint against Presi- dent Lorenzo Snow, charging him with unlawful cohabitation. 8th: Bishop Edwin Stratford of the Fourth ward, Ogden, dies at his home in that city. * * * jjqjj_ -^j^^ j_ gj-yan ig taken

sick with throat and lung trouble, at the home of Fred. J. White the Democratic candidate for Governor of Iowa, in Webster, Iowa. *

*       Active war preparations continue both in England and the

Transvaal. 10th: President Kruger of the Transvaal issues an ultimatum to Great Britain. 11th: A remarkable phenomenon is seen in Butte, Montana. One half of the town is said to be sliding down hill. Many buildings are badly cracked by the movement. * * * Free State Burghers, South Africa, seize a train at Ladysmith, which was the property of the Natal (British) Government. This is practically the beginning of war with England. 13th: The county attorney of Salt Lake County refuses to prose- cute President Snow on the ground that there is not sufficient evidence to convict. * * * The first battle in the Transvaal war is fought. The Boers destroy an armored train and kill fifteen British soldiers. 14th: C. M. Owen files a complaint agaist Congressman-elect Roberts charging him with adultery. 16th: The Columbia wins the first race in the international contest.