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 13 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Topeka State Journal
Location
Topeka, Kansas, United States of America
Date
Jul 11, 1898
Page
3
A detailed look at naval rank devices for Admirals to Captains analyzes four officer classes in the United States Navy. It explains how commissioned line and corps officers wear two gold bullion epaulets and the embroideries on shoulder knots and collar on service coats.
A descriptive note detailing a uniform center anchor on the chest, three half inch FSC cuffs, and a lieutenant commander shoulder strap with gold oak leaves indicating rank. The phrasing implies a precise naval rank insignia description for a formal uniform.
A historical note describes a lieutenant’s insignia with two gold bars at each end of the strap and a central fouled anchor. Sleeve markings show two half inch lace strips.
The shoulder strap decoration for junior grade lieutenants features one silver bar at each end and a silver font anchor centered between them.
The article describes shoulder insignia for petty officers, masters at arms, quartermasters, boatswains mates, gunners mates, and commissioned officers. It notes the placement of chevrons, bars, wings, and specialty marks on the arm, plus the captain’s pennant for commodores, referencing Winfield Scott Schley’s flag and the star and blue flag with a white star.
Description of a rear admirals insignia: two stars on the shoulder strap with a silver fouled anchor center and a gold embroidered white oak leaf strip.
A Portsmouth dispatch recounts the torpedo boat Ericsson's daring pursuit of the Spanish cruiser Vizcaya near Santiago. The Ericsson closed in amid smoke and shellfire, delivering damage that doomed the Vizcaya. Survivors were rescued as officers and crews faced a brutal aftermath, including near‑starvation and harsh aboard conditions aboard the burning wreck.
Supplies arrive rapidly for Camp Thomas Tennessee with express shipments accelerating outfitting of the Army. Captain Zalincki reports multiple carloads of clothing and gear received in the last 24 hours, shifting from freight to express delivery for immediate distribution to various commands.
Sunday country riding mood and local updates from Topeka include Mrs. Stewart enlarging her Harrison street home, convalescences of Mrs. Kinslinger and Mrs. McFadden, Mrs. Henry’s return after Stormont hospital, and the State Journal March played by Marshall’s band. Judge Hagen to leave town for summer. Rep race near. local baseball enthusiasm grows. Injunction delays state house pay. Also reports on a doom-town carpet store, Rock Island switchman injury, crowd at baseball park, sermon takeaway on lawyers’ faith, public buildings elevators misused, Sunday school songs, patriotic music, Clifton Gardener’s bicycle accident, and Santa Fe Route dining cars with electric fans.
Sergeant Betz of Company A Twentieth Infantry reported killed at Bastingo. He was in Topeka with Captain Morrison before departing south to recruit for the regular army. Known in Topeka, he had been stationed at Leavenworth. They recruited Topeka boys for the regulars. no casualty reports received yet, but believed they were in the battle.
Washington July 1 report the president will promote Acting Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley in recognition of their roles in destroying the Spanish fleet. Sampson ranks above Schley in naval hierarchy though both await final word on full promotion extent. Commodore Watson remains senior in grade with promotion decisions pending.
A government gas plant is near completion in Tampa under Major Reber. Gas will be produced, placed in cylinders, and shipped to Havana for use in signaling balloons. A large 20 foot observation balloon is to be deployed with several smaller balloons. Each will be color coded and stationed over army divisions for signaling.
A fragmented New York newswire fragment discusses Kansas as a symbolic location with garbled remarks about crops, poets, and political control. It mentions a meeting of Captain H. M. Phillips’s military company at the coroner’s office, weather notes for Kansas, and travel/advertising items for the Santa Fe Route and local remedies.
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.