Diary 74-05: May, 1898 - preliminary transcript

Friday May 20

Variable -- warmer -- The wreck near Verdi being cleared away, the delayed train of Nebraska soldiers pulled out about 1 o'clock this morning and was soon followed by trains arriving from east with balance of their regiment -- & others from Minnesota, Colorado, etc, about a dozen trains passing through during the day -- Some stopped long enough to let the boys have a drill on the streets, get refreshments etc -- and some merely stopped a few minutes, keeping the boys on board -- Nearly or quite 3,000 soldiers passed through -- More coming tonight -- Most of the cars today were Wagner sleepers -- A Colorado train of 12 coaches & 3 commissary cars passing through at noon, had a big flyer on the wide of one car -- "Remember the Maine" -- This train only stopped at depot five minutes and had a full band in one car which played "Hail Columbia," in passing -- W J Bryan is stated to be raising a regiment, in Nebraska, which he will command -- only way he could get into commission --

72 -- Kansas and Utah troops pass through -- Col W J Bryan Second Cavalry Co at Carson completed The Charleston off for Manila -- Dewey War Naval News Very Conflicting & Unsatisfactory

Saturday May 21

Same -- breezy -- The Kansas regiment passed through last night for S.F. -- About 7 this evening, Batteries A & B Utah Volunteer Artillery arrived -- the boys paraded up & down street, briefly and after a stop of nearly

an hour passed on with whoops and cheers for S.F. One train carried their cannons, caissons, etc and 8 coaches carried the soldiers -- about 250 of them -- The cruiser Charleston left Mare Island on her final start for Manila -- Bryan's regiment he is raising is the 3d Nebraska Volunteer Infantry -- He has been commissioned Colonel -- So he gets into office that way, if he can't through election -- The second cavalry company at Carson was completed today, full ranks -- 84 including officers -- Bed 12 -- cloudy -- The Utah train this evening was decorated with flags from one end to the other --

Big 50 Mile Relay Bicycle Race -- Olympics -- 1898 Evangelina Cisneros to be married -- Frosty night

Sunday May 22

Cloudy, chilly -- a light shower or two of rain about noon -- No troops passed through today -- PM a big 50 mile relay bicycle race, out at the track between Olympic Club, S.F. and the Reno Wheelmans Club -- Good attendance & excellent race -- But the Olympics won by half a mile -- The best time made in a relay was the first, Wing, (Olympic) making the five miles in 12 minutes, 59 seconds to Stanley's (Reno) 12:59 1/5 -- About 1,500 spectators -- 25 cts admission -- Grand Stand 10 cts extra -- No new war news worth mentioning -- Bed 12 -- cold -- frosty night --

74 -- White Frost!!! On to Manila School Trustees Election

Monday May 23

Clear & pleasant -- warmer -- White frost early this morning reported especially on south side of the river, where it nipped tomato, beet and other varieties of garden truck, and alfalfa -- Very little this side (north) of the river -- When I went to bed at 12 last night, I set out a small tin dish of water, and it showed no ice this morning -- This frost did no damage to the fruit crop, it being too far advanced -- Great time in S.F. today -- The 1st California Volunteers Regiment, over 1,000 strong marched in from the Infantry Presidio & through the streets and on board the City of Peking to leave for Manila tomorrow -- The Oregon regiment will also leave shortly on the City of Sydney and the Australia -- going in company -- About 2,500 in all -- Annual election for School Trustees took place today -- 310 votes cast -- Judge Wm Webster and M E Ward the present Trustees were reelected about three to one (see next page) against Bechtel and Blakeslee -- This suits our folks -- Bed 11 -- Weather service says heavy frost tonight --

White Frost -- More Troops Pass -- Bellamy Dead The Queen 79 yrs old -- Capt Fred M Linscott J W Adams Sick -- Gov Sadler in Reno

Tuesday May 24

Same -- Another frosty morning same as yesterday -- The crack Pennsylvania 8th regiment of volunteer infantry passed through at 6:30 and 7 o'clock

this morning, in 2 sections -- Over 1,000 men -- Did not get off or stop over 10 minutes -- Queen Victoria 79 yrs old today -- Edward Bellamy the famous writer, author of "Looking Backward" died at his home in Chicopee Falls, Mass, on Sunday, of consumption in the 49th year of his age -- Governor Sadler came down on the evening train from Carson and remained over -- He will arrange for transportation of the troop coming from Carson -- Jewett W Adams, Supt Carson Mint is reported very sick with typhoid fever -- Vote for school trustees yesterday was: Bed 12 -- almost frosty

76 -- Capt Lord Withdrew -- Capt Linscott 75,000 More Volunteers Called for -Spain's Navy "Bottled Up" Hon Fielding Lemmon Dead

Wednesday May 25

Clear, warm & pleasant -- In this list Fred M Linscott of Reno appears in place of F C Lord of Virginia who withdrew, preferring to be captain of a new company of infantry volunteers expected soon to be organized at Carson -- This morning the President issued a call for 75,000 more volunteers -- The big Spanish war fleet is now definitely reported to be "bottled up" in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba, with Schley's squadron guarding the entrance -- Hon Fielding Lemmon an Assemblyman from Washoe county in the last legislature died here yesterday PM, aged 74 -- Old pioneer -- Governor Sadler returned to Carson this morning --

"Black Cat" Not Decided -- Bessie's Love Story -- 1898 Reno Red Cross Society -- Utah Cavalry Pass to SF -- Rain General Merritt & Staff Pass Through to SF -- Manila Troops Sail

Thursday May 26

Cloudy -- moderate -- Received "Black Cat" magazine for June -- It says examination of M.S.S. for the big story competition not yet competed therefore announcement of the result is deferred to the July number of the Black Cat -- Wife got letter from Bessie with a little love story in it -- The ladies of Reno held an enthusiastic meeting last evening at the Congregational church forming the Red Cross Society, No 2, that at Carson being No 1 for this State -- 73 signed the roll -- The last of the Utah Cavalry volunteers, 84 men and officers passed through here on a special at 1:30 this morning -- bound for S.F. -- General Merritt commander of the Philippines army of invasion and staff passed here from the East on the 9 AM west bound train for San F -- The three transports with first troops, 2,500 for Manila, & relief of Dewey -- army of invastion sailed yesterday from San F -- Big time -- The new troop of cavalry volunteers at Carson will probably come down tomorrow on their way to Cheyenne -- Bed 11 -- raining a little --

78 -- The First Regiment, Montana Volunteer Infantry Passes Reno for San Francisco Capt John Hallihan

Friday May 27

Cloudy, blustering dusty -- cold & disagreeable -- The First Regiment