This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 14 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Graettinger Times
Location
Graettinger, Iowa, United States of America
Date
May 05, 1898
Page
8
Commodore Dewey's American ships unleash wrecking blow at Manila Bay as battleships squadrons unleash shells on fortifications. Filipino defenses crumble under heavy bombardment, signaling a decisive U S victory in the harbor siege.
Commodore Dewey’s six cruisers and gunboats engage the Spanish squadron in Manila Bay. The American fleet defeats the Reina Christina and Don Juan de Austria as explosions and heavy gunfire scorch the harbor. Casualties mount for Spain as the US claims a decisive victory in the Philippine waters.
Casualties include the Reina Marie Christina burnt, Castilla completely burned, and Don Juan de Austria exploded. Several Spanish ships sunk or damaged. United States vessels reportedly lost none. Captain Cadarzo and crew of 370 perished on the flagship. commanders of Castilla and Don Juan de Austria and about 500 crew also lost.
Washington erupted in patriotic celebration after news of Admiral Dewey’s victory off the Philippines. Crowds filled sidewalks and newsboys cried headlines as Madrid reports sparked elation and pride across the capital. President McKinsey commented on the Madrid dispatch and the nation’s mood surged with every bulletin.
The War Department faces roughly 20 million dollars in deficiencies for the next two months. Estimates include signals, pay, subsistence, supplies, incidental expenses, transport, clothing, and ordnance. Separately, news from Havana reports the destruction of the battleship Maine wreck by Spanish authorities to prevent salvage, fueling calls for retaliation.
Lieut. Tienry E. Whitney of the Fourth United States Artillery reached Gen. Gomez's camp with escort from Col. Bermudez after meeting on the coast near Cuibarien. He delivered letters and instructions from Gen. Miles directing Cuban forces to unite with Brig. Gen. Nunez's army to be equipped by the United States. The plan calls for seizing a northern coast base, with Cardenas a likely site. The first move is expected against Matanzas, twenty five miles from Cardenas, then the base moves to support an advance on Havana.
The Senate Military Affairs Committee approved a bill to authorize an extra brigade of volunteer engineers and empower the President to enlist up to 10 000 men without state apportionment, with immunity from tropical diseases, amid fever scares and prize captures in the war. The list shows captured Spanish prizes and the ships involved, including the Ste. Buen Ventura, Nashville, New York, Mileosan, Portland, Detroit, Winona, and others.
Great naval bombardment by the New York monitor Durutan and Cincinnati under Admiral Sampson lasts about thirty minutes. Spanish land batteries at Matanzas harbor suffer serious damage as Puritan, New York, and Cincinnati engage in the action. Reported casualties among defenders few. Morro Castle fires observed during the engagement.
The New York steamed between batteries and opened all broadsides on the Spaniards as the Puritan and Cincinnati engaged Ruba Cava. Explosive shells missed, but a shrapnel burst above the New York and another near the stern. The batteries fell silent after twenty minutes and were left in ruins. no coastal watchers were visible as puffs of smoke rose from the shore.
Henry Watterson reports his sons have enlisted as war progresses with Spain sending troops into Porto Rico from Cuba. The St. Paul sails for scouting duty while Cuban minor cities face abandonment. A thousand Johns Tropkins students enlist for service and Spanish torpedo boat destroyers patrol the straits of Gibraltar as shipping interests press Spain for indemnity.
A War Department notice bars officials and clerks from releasing information to the press and foreign missions. Reports mention Manila harbor, Mangrove light tender and vessels, a Newport schooner, and the Terror and Monitor ships. The Philadelphia cemetery group offers graves for war dead, while the Treasury orders release of the Saturnina seized at Bolixi harbor.
The week’s cool, moist conditions slowed farm work across New England, the central valleys, and east Gulf States with drought persisting in California and parts of Florida. Planting advances unevenly, with corn mostly south of Arkansas Tennessee and the Carolinas line and limited planting in Indiana. Western regions report drought relief in places, while wheat and oats progress vary by state. Transplanting continues in South and North Carolina as tobacco suffers from drought in Florida.
A massive explosion at the California powder works in Santa Cruz sent shocks through the city and shattered buildings. Fifteen to twenty workers, mostly young boys, were killed with many more injured as successive blasts from gun cotton, nitroglycerin, and smokeless powder magazines followed. Authorities cited spontaneous combustion as a likely cause amid rumors of Spanish involvement.
Two thousand beef steers are gathered in Montana for shipment to Dawson in June via the Dalton trail. O. W. Thebo, backed by Butte men, has shipped 1,800 steers to be fattened until May 20. Jack Dalton plans to drive 700 more, with 120 cowboys and 240 horses across two expeditions. Skookum will carry 900 steers to Pyramid Harbor, while the rest sail from Vancouver. Cost to date is about 200000, aiming at 25 cents a pound for a 1000 weight, with potential profits over 500000 if the Klondike trail opens early.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.