Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], August 07, 1913, Page 4, Image 4

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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4
TROLLY ROADS ARE SOLD
A MAJORITY STOCK DEAL
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOVE
By Which Control of Springfield and
Worcester Systems Passes to
New York Firm.
Announcement was made Thursday that
the control of the New England invest
ment and security company had passed
into the hands of Sanderson & Portei of
New York, trolly contractors, promoters
and operators. This important change,
involving a new ownership fur the street
railway lines of the Springfield and
Worcester systems, some 418 miles in ail,
was brought about through the purchase
from scattered holders of a majority of
the common stock of the New England
investment and security company. The
financial deal was not of large size, as
only 1000 shares of SIOO par value had
' been issued, but the common shares carry
the control of the big Massachusetts trolly
system that was formerly directly in the
hands of the New Haven railroad. The
Berkshire street railway, which is direct
ly owned by the New Haven railroad by
sanction of the Massachusetts Legisla
ture. is not involved, not being s. part of
the New England investment and security
company system.
What the new deal amounts to by
which Sanderson & Porter buy the con
trol of the Springfield and Worcester lines
is not yet clear. The statement is made
in New York by Sanderson & Porter that
they intend to operate and develop the
Massachusetts trollies. It is s;gnincant,
however, that the 9.nnounccment of the
sale came from President Charles S. Mel
len of the New Haven railroad at New
Haven. The New Haven railroad does
not own or control the New England in
vestment company. The SIOO,OUU of com
mon stock was held by individuals scat
tered through New England and New
York, who bought it when the New Ha
ven road was obliged to divest itself ot
its Massachusetts trolly holdings. Pre
sumably the shares were held by individ
uals friendly to the New Haven road but
the New Haven road owned none of them.
The recent action of the Massachusetts
Legislature in passing an act permitting
the New Haven road to acquire the
Springfield and Worcester trollies and to
build rural extensions leads to a supposi
tion held in some quarters that the ac
quisition of the control of the system by
Sanderson & Porter is by no meams an
indication on the part of the New Haven
road of giving up its trolly properties or
abandoning its Massachusetts program.
Its purpose, these men say, is rather to
collect the scattered common shares of
the New England investment ?nd security
company and place them where they can
easily be gotten at in case the Massachu
setts public utilities commission decides
that the New Haven railroad is able
financially to go ahead with its trolly pro
gram in Massachusetts.
New Haven Hau a Largre Stock.
In support of this theory is the fact that
the New Haven officials have been aware
of Sanderson & Porter's plans for some
time, and the persons from whom the stock
was acquired were friendly to the New
Haven road. Also it is said that the sale
was planned before Mr Mellen resigned
from the presidency of the road, and the
statement was made yesterday that the
sale does not necessarily mean the disin
tegration of the New Haven trolly sys
tem. While not allowed to have a con
troling ownership in the Massachusetts
trollies, the New Haven road has a large
amount of money at stake in them through
ita guarantv of $15,000,000 of notes of
the New England investment and security
company and of $4,000,000 of the pre
ferred shares of the investment company,
which also it is obligated to liquidate at
105. although they are 4 per cent shares.
Altogether the NeW Haven is interested
in the Springfield
systems to the extent of over S2v,OOv,UW,
and this is taken as one of the reasons
why it is not anxious to give up its Massa
chusetts program.
One of the reports Thursday wns to the
effect that the New Haven road would be
relieved of its guaranties of the New
England investment and security company
stock and notes, but this is said by one
of the trustees, Col A. G. Bullock of
Worcester to be impossible. Sanderson
& Porter also asserted that there was no
understanding regarding the release of rhe
New Haven of its guaranties of interest
and dividends on the notes and preferred
stock. As Sanderson & Porter view the
purchase, these guaranties will remain ef
fective. although the control of the .ines
passes from the New Haven hands.
Little local information on the deal is
available. J. T. Harmer, president of the
New England investment and security
company gave out the following state
men :t: ■•Sanderson & Porter of New York
have acquired a majority of the common
shares of the New England investment
and security company, but I have no fur
ther information in regard to the matter,
and am, therefore, not prepared at the
present time to discuss any details.”
Statement by Mr Mellen.
Communication was had with officials at
New Haven, but no further information
was forthcoming. Mr Mellen in confirming
the sale is quoted as saying: “Your in
formation regarding Sanderson & Porter
having purchased the New England invest
ment and security company, I understand
to be correct. I cannot give yon details.
Am not interested in the transaction. Sup
pose they purchased for investment, as
they are trolly promoters, operators and
constructors, because there was a profit in
sight. Whether their purchases are limited
solely to the common stock or they hare
gone further and acquired an interest in
the preferred. 1 am not advised. The com
mon stock was much more easily obtained,
for it was smaller in amount and held by
few parties.”
Sanderson & Porter, whose office is at 50
William street. New York, are said never
to have been interested in any of Mr Mel
len's deals except that in 1904 as con
tractors they built for the New Haven
the Worcester and Connecticut Eastern
trolly from Norwich to Webster. A dis
patch from New Haven says that Sander
son & Porter have constructed lines in
Connecticut. They built the line from
Meriden to Southington and Lake Com
pounce, in 1808, with branches, for the
Meriden, Southington and Compounce
tramway company. This road was later
sold to the Connecticut railway and light
ing company, which is now a part of the
New Haven company's trolly system in
this state, known as the Connecticut com
pany.
The Connecticut Lines.
The announcement of the transaction in
Massachusetts by the New Haven com
pany directs attention to the future of
the trolly system in Connecticut, says the
New Haven dispatch. It is stated with
authority that recent action of the New
Haven company in leasing its eastern Con
necticut trollies to the Shore Lin»- electric
railway company—the Plant system-and
sale of its interests in the Massachusetts
tro>’ properties already mentioned, does
not necessarily mean any further segrega
tion. or disposal of lines in this state. The
leasing of the New London and Eaat
Lyme railway company by the Shore Line
company. The small line at East Lyme,
out, is probably the basis of reports as to
the future of the lines of the Connecticut
company. The small line at East Lyme,
heretofore independently owned, becomes
a connecting link between the Plant sys
tem east of the Connecticut river and
those lines which gridiron the rest of the
state controled by the Connecticut com
pany By an extension the two systems
will be in physical connection for the first
• time.
I Scope of the New Fnßland Company.
The New England investment and
security company, a voluntary association
| formed in 1906 to take over the New Ha
ven's Massachusetts trollies, now controls
most of the street railway mileage in
central and Western Massachusetts, out
side of the Berkshire street railway. The
principal operating subsidiaries are the
Worcester Consolidated street railway,
20$ miles; the Springfield street railway,
136 miles: the Milford, Attleboro and
Woonsocket, 28 miles, and the Interstate
Consolidated railway. 22 miles.
The trustees of the New England invest
ment and security company are Henry
L. Higginson of Boston. J. T. Harmer and
A. W. Damon Of Springfield. A. G. Bul
lock of Worcester. C. E Ware of Fitch
burg and Bentley W. Warren of Bos
ton, there being one vacancy. The officers
are: President, J. T. Harmer; vice-presi
dent, Bentley W. Warren; secretary, F.
P. Mclntyre; treasurer. L. Candee.
Statement From Sanderson A Porter.
It is asserted in New York that Sander
son & Porter have acted for the Morgan
interests, which originally had an impor
tant part in securing the trolly roads for
the New Haven. According to a state
ment made by Sanderson & Porter at
New Y'ork yesterday, the lines were se
cured by buying a controling interest of
common stock of the New England invest
ment and security company from individu
als. The identity of these individuals San
derson & Porter declined to reveal. The
firm also asserted that there was no under
standing regarding the release of the New
Haven of its guaranties of interest and
dividend on the notes and preferred stock.
As Sanderson & Porter view the purchase,
these guaranties will remain effective, al
though the control of the lines passes from
the New Haven's hands. The stock was
bought as an investment, the firm asserts,
and it is the intention of the new owners
to operate the properties. In due time, the
firm announced, new directors will be
elected.
According to Richmond Talbot, of San
derson & Porter, the terms of sale do not
release the New Haren from its guaranty
of the 4 per cent dividend on the $4,000,-
000 preferred stock -of the security com
pany. and on the principal and interest on
its $15,000,000 notes. Mr Talbot says
that the New Haven did not figure in the
transaction: that control of a majority of
the SIOO,OOO common stock was acquired
from a considerable number of individuals,
connected only indirectly, if at all, with the
New Haven. Mr Talbot also says that
it is the present purpose of his firm to
operate and develop the properties. No
changes hare yet been made in the official
staff of the company, nor in the board of
directors, but changes will be made in the
future. The common stock has the right
to elect four directors and the preferred
stock three. .
The Berkshire street railway company is
in no way identified with the sale of the
Springfield and Worcester street railway
systems to Sanderson & Porter. L'ntil
1910 all of these systems were directly
under the control of the New Haren rail
road system, but as a result of legisla
tion passed in this state three years ago
there was a separation, the New England
investment and security company becom
ing a holding company" for the Springfield
and Worcester systems, while the Berk
shire company was controled by the New
Hnven interests. The Western Massachu
setts street railway company, which oper
ated the line from Westfield to Hunting
ton, is now a part of the Springfield sys
tem.
NEW POSITION FOR BYRNES.
New Haven Water Lines Head—Part
of Reorganization.
Timothy E. Byrnes, former vice-presi
dent of the New York, New Haven and
Hartford railroad, will be head of the
steamship lines now maintained by that
company, says the Boston Transcript. The
steamship service of the New Haven is to
be entirely reorganized, and the depart
ment will be administered as independently
of the road as possible, the plan being to
have it operated like the Boston and Maine
railroad, a subsidiary of the New Haven.
The statement has been made that the
president of the New England steamship
lines would be J. Howland Gardner of
Newport, superintendent of marine con
struction. Mr Gardner has not been con
sidered for the position and is not. as has
been stated, a vice-president of the New
Haven.
Since it was announced in the Tran
script last week that Vice-President
Byrnes was to leave the New Haven road,
there has been considerable speculation as
to what he would do. Mr Byrnes is rec
ognized as a big man in railroad and finan
cial circles, and upon the fact of his re
tirement from the New Haven becoming
known. New York financial interests
sought to hare him in that city. Mr
Byrnes, however, preferred to live in Bos
ton, and his position as head of the steam
ship lines will enable him to do so. His
retirement from the New Haven will be
made apparent when the, new time tables
and other stationery is issued, as his
name will not appear, either as vice-presi
dent or director.
Plans for the reorganization of the
marine department of the New Haven road
are well under way, and will be carried
out substantially as recommended by the
interstate commerce commission. The
f’auama act of 1011 requires railroads en
gaged in interstate commerce to divest
themselves of all competing steamship
lines, on or before July 1. 1914. except in
so far as they may be permitted bv the
interstate commerce commission to retain
these lines in the public interest. It is
believed that the interstate commerce
commission will sanction the holding of
the Fall River line steamers by the New
Haven road, as the public looks upon the
Sound line as an integral part of the New
Haven system. The New England steam
ship company operates not only the Fall
River line but the New London. New Ha
ven. Bridgeport, Providence. New Bed
ford. Providence-Block Island, New Lon
don-Blntk Island, Merchants und Miners
and Boston and Philadelphia lines. Mr
Byrnes, upon becoming president in pla’e
Of Mr Mellen, it is understood, will have
as assistants, three vice-presidents, in ac
counting, traffic and operating depart
ments. It is also stated that the New
England steamship company will have
a board of directors, independent of the
New Haven, and its relations to the road
will be similar to those of the Boston and
Maine.
A change of considerable interest was
made in the New Haven offices yesterday
when Robert Newcomb, who has held the
position of publicity agent of the New En
gland lines in Boston, gave np that place
to become publicity agent of the Boston
and Maine railroad. Mr Newcomb has
been succeeded by Howard Moulton, his
former assistant. Both are popular of
ficials and were receiving congratulations
from their associates yesterday morning.
The change is significant t.s showing how
completely the new policy of separating
the New Haven and Boston and Maine
is to be extended. For the present Mr
Newcomb will have hit office at tho South
station, but as soon as possible will re
move to the North Station.
It was learned that Attorney General
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 191,3.
Mcßey’nolds would he in Boston to-day,
and it is expected that he will confer with
Assistant Attorney General Jesse C. Ad
kins and T. W. Gregory, a special agent
of the department of justice, woo have
been there for several days studying the
New England railroad situation. It is
thought probable that while Mr Mcßey
nolds is there, something definite will be
determined regarding the request of Presi
dent-Elect Howard Elliott of the New
Haven that any proposed proceedings
TIMOTHY E. BYRNES.
(To be head of the New Haven water lines.]
against the company under the Sherman
act be deferred until opportunity has been
afforded the new management to carry
out a policy in harmony with the law.
IMPROVEMENTS ON NEW HAVEN.
Semaphores for Local Line—Automatic
Signal System to be Extended to
New Haven.
The New York, New Haren and Hart
ford railroad company is to extend the
new automatic signal system recently in
stalled -between Stamford and South Nor
walk. from the latter city to New Ha
ven. The first section of this new sys
tem was put into operation on July 21),
and the extension of the work will be car
ried out in two sections, one from South
Norwalk to Bridgeport, and the other from
Bridgeport to New Haven. The work is
expected to be completed by January 1,
1914.
The signal system from New Haven to
Springfield is also to be replaced, and work
on this will start within a week. The
old-style banjo signals are to be discarded
and signals of the semaphore type substi
tuted. Alternating current will be used
to operate and light these signals. The
semaphore will be operated in three posi
tions in th.e upper left hand quadrant.
The automatic signals now in use be
tween Stamford and South Norwalk, and
which will be installed between the latter
city and New Haven, are the most com
plete and up to date that the science of
signaling can devise. The interlocking
towers through this territory are equipped
with approach annunciators, approach
locking, route locking and detector lock
ing safeguards. . The signals are suspend
ed from the catenary bridges in plain view
of approaching trains 1 just to the right of
the track they govern.
The entire system is operated ny the
use of alternating current, thus avoiding
the interference with the signal system by
foreign direct current accumulating In the
tracks from trolly lines that are in close
proximity. The power for operating this
system is furnished from independent sig
nal generating units in duplicate located
in the Cos Cob power-house, and is sup
plied to the signal system over duplicate
power wires supported bv the catenary
bridges, two being located on ths south
side of the track and two on the north
side, making it practically impossible,
when the iob is completed, for the entire
system to be without power. Signals ."re
lighted, by electric lights, thus avoiding
the failure of oil lamps and obscure lights
caused by the lenses in the lamps be
coming smoked up.
This system replaces what is known as
the old lock and block or manual-con
troled system. The home signals at inter
locking towers are operated electrically
and are known as semiautomatic, that is,
they are controled electrically from the
interlocking toner, but the train puts them
automatically to the stop position regard
less of the action of the levermen. This
insures the signal being in a stop posi
tion behind each train, thus giving it
proper protection while passing over the
line.
CLOUGH TO SUCCEED ELLIOTT.
Will Have Title of Chairman ot North
ern Pacific Board.
William R. Clough, first vice-president
and a member of the executive commit
tee, is to be the successor of Howard El
liott as head of the Northern Pacific rail
way, according to authoritative announce
ment in Wall street, New York. Friday.
Instead of being president, however, he
will become chairman of the board of di
rectors. a new position soon to be cre
ated, following . the example set by the
New Y’ork. New Haven and Hartford,
the Great Northern, and otner companies
in methods of railroad administration.
The office of president will be filled, it
was said, by J. M. Hannaford, now second
vice-president, whose duties will be con
fined to the operation of the roads; George
T. Slade, son-in-law of J. J. Hill, and now
third vice-president, will become first vice
president. Mr Clough, who is a lawyer
and has for many years acted as legal
adviser of the Northern Pacific, will have
charge of the financial administration of
the road. His offices will be in New
York. J. P. Morgan and George F. Baker,
who were members of the committee of
New Haven directors who formulated the
new administrative scheme for that road,
are also directors of the Northern Pacific.
“STATESMAN’S YEAR BOOK.”
The edition for 1913 of that invaluable
reference book, “Statesman's Year Book,"
with its statistical and historical informa
tion of the states of the world, has re
cently been published by the Macmillan
company ($3). It is the jubilee, volume of
the work, which was founded 50 years ago
by the late Frederick Martin, and in con
sequence an interesting attempt has been
made both in the maps and the introduc
tory matter to indicate the contrast in
certain aspects of the -.tates of the world
between then and now. Thus, for ex
ample. maps are given of Europe in 1863
and 1913, showing graphically the extent
of the railways >n the two years, together
with th p considerable change in national
boundaries, although we are i eminded that
in the Balkans the boundaries are still
under revision. The edition is edited by J.
Scott Keltie, secretary of the Royal geo
graphical society, and contains nearly 1500
pages of closely condensed and well-ar
ranged information.
The Huerta government is still un
recognized, and the signs multiply that it
will not be; yet the threatened cataclysm
has not come.
'NICARAGUA PLAN SHELVED
NEW TREATY TO BE SUBMITTED
PROTECTORATE POLICY OPPOSED
Wilson and Bryan Consent to Action
by Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
Secretary Bryan's plans for an Ameri
can protectorate over Nicaragua providing
American supervision of Nicaragua's
finances, independence and foreign rela
tions, was shelved Saturday for the time
being. Apparently with the knowledge of
the administration at Washington, the
Senate foreign relations committee, be
fore which the project has rested for two
weeks, passed a resolution asking the sec
retary of state to submit a new
Nicaraguan treaty, omitting the protecto
rate policy. The compact, at the request
of the Senate committee, is to oe limited
strictly to the original negotiations with
Nicaragua, by which the United States
was to pay $3,000,000 for an exclusive
canal right across the country, a naval
base site on the bay of Fouesea and a
lease to the Corn islands in the Caribbean
sea.
The situation had been laid before the
president, it is understood, and it is ex
pected that the administration will submit
this week a new draft of the treaty that
will comply with the Senate’s suggestions.
Members of the foreign relations commit
tee asserted yesterday that the future
policy Of the government as to the estab
lishment of Central Ameriaan protecto
rates had not been determined. Chairman
Bacon was instructed by the committee to
ask Secretary Bryan to submit a treaty
limited to the following provisions:—
The grant by Nicaragua to the United
States of a perpetual and exclusive right to
build a canal across Nicaragua.
A 39-year lease on a naval base site on
Fonseca bay anil a Pfl-year lease on the
Corn islands in the Caribbean sea.
The payment by the United States to
Nicaragua of $3,000,000 in return for these
concessions.
These terms are practically identical
with those of the treaty as originally pro
posed by Secretary Bryan before he de
cided to add the amendment by which an
American protectorate would have been
established. The Senate committee did not
definitely settle the question of future pro
tectorates in Central America, however.
It is understood that the administration
is willing to withdraw the suggestion for
the present in order to secure an early
ratification of the Nicaraguan compact.
Strong opposition was led in the commit
tee yesterday by Senators Borah, Clarke
of Arkansas, Williams, and others, who
were opposed to Tiny action by the United
States toward the exercise of sovereign
authority in the Central American coun
tries.
Other senators of the committee defend
ed the policy with equal vigor. A vote
was proposed to Settle the question, lut
some senators of the committee refused to
register a final .decision at present, and
the proposal for a vote was withdrawn.
Opponents of' the proposed protectorate
had made it clear that it would be iihiios
sible to secure ratification of the Nicaragu
an treaty in the present Congress if rhe
so-called Platt amendment were included
in it. This sentiment is understood to
have induced Secretary Bryan to consent
to its withdrawal.
FEDERAL FUNDS FOR CROPS.
McAdoo Authorises Deposits—Prime
Collateral Paper to be Accepted.
Between $25,000,600 and $50,000,000 of
government funds will be deposited in the
national banks of the South and West at
once by Secretary McAdoo to facilitate
the movement of crops. Federal, state
and municipal bonds and prime collateral
paper will be accepted as security for the
money, upon which the banks will pay 2
per cent interest. The motive of Secre
tary McAdoo in establishing this new
policy is to anticipate the money stringency
in the late summer and fall, which inva
riably accompanies the marketing uud
movement of crops, especially when the
crops are unusually large, as the harvest
now beginning forecasts. He intends to
take time by the forelock und prevent or
minimize the usual tightness of. money.
In a statement at Washington Thursday
the secretary made the significant an
nouncement that government bonds would
be accepted at pat as security for the new
deposits, and that the additional money
would be placed only with banks which
have takeu out at least 40 per cent of
their authorized circulation. The United
States 2 per cent bonds, serving as se
curity for most of the national bank cir
culation, have been depressed recently to
new low market records, dropping to 95%
during the past few days. The secretary's
willingness to accept these bonds as par
as security for the $25,000,000 to $50,-
000,000 of promised deposits and the in
ducement to the national banks to increase
their circulation up to the 40 per cent
limit is expected to help in restoring the
parity of the depressed 2's by creating a
new market for them.
For the first time in history, the gov
ernment will accept prime commercial pa
per as security for deposits. This, privi
lege will be granted, announced the secre
tary, in order to make these special de
poaits available to the banks ou securities
readily within their reach. "The commer
cial paper submitted,’’ added Mr McAdoo,
"shall first be passed upon and approved
by the clearing-house committees of the
cities in which the banks offering such pa
per may be located. All commercial paper
and bonds must finally be passed upon and
accepted by the secretary.” Approved Com
mercial paper will be accepted as security
for the deposits at 85 per cent of its face
value and high-class state, municipal and
other bonds, exclusive of government
bonds, at 75 per cent of their market
value.
The additional deposits will, be placed
with the national banks in the two or
three principal cities in each of the states
where harvesting is now in progress and
■where the demand for money for moving
the crops most conveniently can be met.
The secretary said it would not be prac
ticable to scatter the deposits among the
smaller cities, especially in view of the
character of securities necessary. The
banks will be required to return the money
to the public treasury when the crops
have been moved. The present suggestion
is, Mr McAdoo said, that 15 per cent be
repaid in December; 30 per cent in Janu
ary; 30 per cent in February and 25 per
cent in March next.
“Steps are now being taken to carry
out the plan,” added the secretary, “so
that the funds may be promptly available
for the movement of the crops." The
names of the banks to receive the deposits
and other details of the arrangement* will
be announced later.
This new policy is the antithesis of that
adopted by former Secretary of the Treas
ury MacVeagh, who a year ago declined
to make government deposits to .relieve
the tight money market, on the ground
that the moderate surplus federal funds
at that time should be held as a reservoir
to be utilized at some possible critical
stage. With the net balance in the gen
eral fund yesterday amounting to nearly
$132,000,000, Secretary McAdoo has taken
the stand that the government should an
ticipate the situation by placing deposits
where and at the time they are needed.
If the full $50,000,000 is deposited this
step will temporarily nearly double the
government's deposits with the banks
which ut the present time hold $58,000,-
000 of federal funds.
Just as Secretary McAdoo was announc
ing his plan Senator Tillman of South
Carolina was issuing a statement declar
ing that unless Congress acted quickly to
provide an emergency currency the cotton
planters of the South would lose SIOO,-
000,000 through inability to get money to
move their crops.
STORM TERRIFIES CAPITAL.
THREE DEAD IN COLLAPSE.
Damage to Property Enormous —
Workmen Have Thrilling Experl
ences.
Like a giant flail, a cyclonic storm of
wim", rain and hail whipped back and
forth across Washington, D. C„ last
week Wednesday, leaving death and
ruin in its wake. Three dead, scores
injured and hundreds of thousands
of dollars worth of property mined
were the toll recorded in the hurried can
vass made when the city aroused itself
from half an hour of helplessness in the
grasp of the elements. Out of a blazing
sky under which the city was sweltering
with the temperature at the 100 point,
camo the storm roaring from the north,
driving a mass of clouds that cast a mantle
of total darkness over the town. The gale,
reaching a velocity of nearly 70 miles an
hour, swept the streets clear, unroofed
houses, tore detached small structures from
their foundations, wrecked one office build
ing, overturned wagons and _ carriages in
the streets and swept Washington’s hun
dred parks, tearing huge branches from
freer, and even uprooting sturdy old elms,
the landmarks of a century.
Wednesday night Washington’s well-kept
streets, with their wealth of trees, were
littered with broken foliage, roofs, debris
and dead birds, as if a playful giant had
carelessly swished his club up and down
the city. As the wind wreaked its havoc
the rain came and in five minutes the tem
perature from the 100 mark dropped to be
tween 60 and 70. Then the rain turned
hail and hailstones battered on roofs and
crashed through skylights and windows.
For half an hour the city cowered,
paralyzed, under the beating of the storm,
every activity suspended. Trolly lines,
telephone lines and street traffic were halt
ed and the government departments sus
pended operations. The wind wrecked a
three-story brick office building occupied
by the B. S. Saul company, real estate
dealers, and 15 persons were carried down
in the crash. W. E. Hilton, vice-president
of the real estate company: Thomas B.
Fealey, 65 years old, a clerk, and an un
identified man who entered the building
to try to rescue those caught ih the wreck
were taken from the ruins dead. Half a
dozen were taken to hospitals seriously in
jured and half a dozen more were treated
for slight injuries. Last night the police
were still digging in the ruins in the fear
that other bodies might be uncovered.
The neatly-kept lawns of the White
House were devastated. Three huge elm
trees uprooted by the wind were thrown
bodily across the lawn and up to the very
portico of the building, blocking the drives.
President Wilson was seated in the ex
ecutive offices when the wind crashed
through several windows in the White
House proper. Secretary Tumulty hur
ried the president and Representative Kor
bly of Indiana, with whom he was con
ferring, to a sheltered interior room away
from the searching lightning flashes.
The capitol, set high above the city,
caught the brunt of the wind, rain, hail
and lightning. The Senate was in session
when the hail swept down with a deafen
ing roar, beating on the glass roof of the
chamber. The tumult made further bus
iness impossible, and hurrying to the vice
president’s desk Senator Kern megaphoned
with bis hands a motion to recess. The
motion was put, and although the senators
could hear nothing the Senate quit busi
ness for 15 minutes in confusion.
Workmen on Capitol Dome.
When the storm broke 35 painters were
at work on the dome of the capitol swarm
ing over the curving surface or swinging
high on shaky scaffolding. William
Reese, the foreman, hurried to the dome
and got most of his mtn to shelter in
side the big inverted bowl. But Jim Boyle,
John Ford, Noble Bailey and Bruce Jones
were too late. Bailey and Jones suceed
ed in scaling the dome in the wind and
rain and gained a sheltered ledge, where
they weathered the storm after trying in
vain to get inside. Boyle and Ford were
caught on a swinging scaffold just under
the eaves of the dome and there they
swung, buffeted by the wind, beaten by
the hail and soaked by the rain, while
the big flashes of blue lightning trickled
around the dome, down from the platinum
lightning points in the head of the God
dess of Freedom that surmounts the
structure. When the storm was over
they crept, shaken and bruised, to safety
inside the dome.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS HIT HARDEST
Local Showers Relieve Oppression In
Some Towns—Cairo Gets First Rain
In Three Weeks.
Midsummer heat, bringing to many
cities temperatures as high as 106 and
making the 100-degree mark common over
wide areas, extended throughout the cen
tral states last week Wednesday.
Generally described, the heat wave
extended from the Rocky mountains
to the Atlantic coast, but the max
imum temperatures were reported from
points between Kansas and Ohio. The
weather bureau temperatures, usually
several degrees lower than the street level
temperatures, from Cincinnati. Indianap
olis and Davenport, la., were 102, and at
Louisville, 101.3.
Southern Illinois got the full blast of
the heat. At Galesburg it was 106 and
at Peoria 104. Burlington, la., also re
ported a temperature of 106. Local show
ers relieved the heat in some places. While
at Galesburg, Hl., no rain has fallen since
the 9th, Cairo, 111.. Wednesday enjoyed 2%
inches of rain. Over Missouri, Illinois,
eastern lowa and southwest Ohio the heat.
generally was about the 100 mark. Scores
of deaths and numerous prostrations were
reported.
The will of Mrs Anna Fallon Moore of
New York city providing SBOO,OOO or more
to establish a hon.e for convalescents, if
sensibly administered, promises to do
i great good. Every city hospital is com
pelled at times to turn out men and wom
en without financial backing, too weak to
hunt a job or to till it if found, but no
longer needing hospital care. A person so
situated, homeless and without connec
tions. is in a desperate plight. Hunger and
exposure are the worst possible aids to the
recovery of strength. The good which a
wisely planned and properly administered
institution of that kind could do is not
easily calculated.
CONGRESS IGNORES HEAT
HOW PRESIDENT KEEPS COOL
THE MILITARIAN PROPAGANDA
Mexican Situation Unduly Advertised
by Army and Navy Interests—
Junkets and Local
Legislation.
From Our Special Correspondent.
Washington, D. C., Sunday, August 3.
There is hope in legislative Washington
because the last of the hot days will, be
fore long, be passing. The Senate of this
Congress comprises fewer aged men. A
burden of years makes legislative work in
the hot summer particularly irksome.
There are at least a score of middle-aged
senators, most of whom have come in dur
ing the last two years and they manage to
get along comfortably. Then the demo
cratic majoiity has not been in power long
enough to become over fussy about working
more than six months in 12 for a salary
of $7500 with certain fat perquisites. Ac
cordingly the general tone around the north
end of the capitol is tolerably good.
President Wilson is getting through the
summer vety satisfactorily. He works
diligently at his offices during stated hours
but after that seeks diversion. H e ™*es
much in the cool of the late afternoon
and early evening. He dines
the open air upon one of the White .House
terraces. Several theatrical companies are
playing in Washington this summer and fre
quently the president patronizes one of
these in the evening. Twice or thrice a
week he rides over into Virginia tor a try
at golf and is said to be getting into very
fair golfing form. His steady golfing part
ner is Dr Grayson of the navy, who is also
his medical adviser and keeps watch and
ward over the president's health.
The policy of fiddling on but one or two
strings during the extra Session of Con
gress has curtailed activities here very
much, hut has undoubtedly contributed
something to the president's successes.
First, it was tariff, but that became tire
some about as soon as it was clear that
President Wilson had won with free wool
and free sugar. Then he began to tune
up about currency. In the meantipie there
has come up the Mexican situation. At
times it has overtopped both tariff and
currency in prominence. There is ques
tion whether this was not somewhat ar
tificial. If interested parties had not
manipulated things to give Mexican trou
bles undue publicity, it is a question
whether the matter would have assumed
the importance at Washington that it now
has.
Jnnketa for Congrew.
Now and then a House committee has
attempted a little work. Ou the naval
committee are numerous junket-loving
members, both democrats and republicans.
They have been traveling to their hearts’
content this summer, but, bless you, every
man of them would insist with his last
breath that it was in the interest of the
naval service. There are peripatetic mem
bers also oa the rivers and harbors com
mittee of the House and some nice little
trips are being arranged in that quarter.
Somehow or other the corresponding Sen
ate committees manage to attend to theif
legislation without so much traveling and
look upon their House brethren, going up
and down the land, with silent contempt.
However, journeys for congressmen are
not so numerous as of yore. There is the
trip to Panama yet, praise be, and many
scores of the free-ride congressmen have
gone thither many times till the voyage
has no further novelty for them.
A volume of local legislation is in pros
pect for the next, or regular, session of
Congress. Every local hill means more
or less industry on the part of the con
gressman particularly interested. He
would like to “lay his pipes” now in ad
vance if he could. But there is little he
can do. He can “work up’’ the data for
his public buildings bill at the treasury de
partment, perhaps. He can visit the chief
of army engineers and gather a little in
formation about the dredging of the river
that flows through his district, provided a
survey has been ordered. Occasionally of
a cool evening he may get the ear of an
idle colleague, who serves on the public
buildings committee or on the rivers and
harbors committee or on the appropria
tions committee. But he cannot advance
his bill before the committe to the extent
of haring it favorably reported and placed
npon the House calendar. Therefore, it is
that Mr Congressman is doing a pile of
loafing in Washington, unless his home
be so near he can hie away, attend to
some business and return here whenever
duty calls.
There will probably be no intervention
in Mexico, but army officers are talking
about our unpreparedness and, of course,
it is true that the country is by no means
on a war footing. But there is a purpose
to call attention to the actual status in
the hope of spurring Congress to enact
some of the legislation which would be
necessary, even if there might be no
cloud on the Mexican horizon. The army
could be quickly increased to an author
ized war strength of 100,000 men It is
now about 20,000 short of that. ' There
are 15,000 men on the Mexican border
comprising the division that was moved
some weeks ago to the vicinity of Gal
veston. There are 20.000 men in the
coast artillery, whom it would not be
feasible to muster for service in Mexico
although it would be possible to send them
thither. arc 14 000 more regulars
in the Philippines, some of whom could
be brought to this country if there were
urgent need for their services. But that
would be a matter of some weeks, or
even some months with the transport fa
cilities the government now has There
are 1000 soldiers on the isthmus of Pan
ama and 4000 in Hawaii, but these are re
garded as permanent garrisons.
While army authorities are availing
themselves of this opportunity to impress
upon the people at large advantages of
increasing the army, or at least of having
authority for recruiting a large volunteer
force, the navy is not losing time The
Pacific coast wants a big fleet in its vi
cinity and is encouraging the talk about
building three monster new ships next
year as well as of establishing a great
station at California City, just out of
San trancisco. Incidentally, some very
enterprising citizens who own a big tract
of land within range of that place have
been whopping it up at intervals for sev
eral years on one pretext and another,
and it would be no surprise if they were
somewhere in the background whence
originates the present clamor for a great
station near San Francisco, to the detri
ment of the Mare Island yard.
COMBINATIONS AND TRUSTS.
Dr William S. Stevens of Columbia uni
versity has compiled a source book of
“Industrial Combinations and Trusts”
(Macmillan & Co), which should be of
much value to the student of such prob
lems. for he has included in it as many as
possible of the leading decisions and docu
ments which concern this vexed question.
He presupposes a familiarity with the gen
eral situation and gives only the scantiest
explanation of what is to come, taking it
for granted that the documents and legal
decisions will be entirely self-explanatory.
h l s its chief value as a refer
vJ"< Ok as v' lts v very nature it is too
snhLV i‘, ny close student of the
X? r, L n * hrsr "'th the cases of
dt i“ S i' hfi - arraa ^ hiß documents,
? Dd °P«“ l ons SO as to conform
to r/rSa ^.h ro “ oIo g.v Of the trust and show
mol J™?™™ Yetopment from the first infor
mal agreements to the colossal combina
tions ne see to-day. Articles of assoeia-
WOrd for word: thp la ws of
? U* P ril >ted; decisions of
montr^tiT, Ud r 1: ’"^'Vidnal trusts’ docu
“ethods of dissolu-
L” ? 1 l,ook will fake its place
wutoes^*™* value of the orisinal
FERRIS FAILS AS MEDIATOR
MINE OPERATORS REJECT PLANS
Michigan Owners Say They Win Deal
with Representative* of Men an
Employee — Arrest* for Atlantic
Riot.
The attempt of Gov Ferris of Michigan
to end the Michigan copper miners’ strike
through a conference at Lansing failed
last week Wednesday. The gov
ernor's plan was presented to both
sides and accepted by the union,
but declined by the operators, who,
however, said they were willing to meet
committees provided the men came as em
ployes and not as representatives of the
western federation of miners. Such is
the gist of the answers mailed to the state
capital last night. Gen P. L. Abbey, com
mander of the state’s brigade of militia,
carried the governor's proposition to the
employers and employes. None of those
who attended the conferences would dis
cuss results, but it became known that
the operators declined to be represented
at the proposed conferences, whereas the
union had officially indorsed the plan.
Wednesday with, the strike situation un
changed. generally, there was apprehen
sion in the community that possibilities
for a peaceful settlement were decreas
ing. Scores of surface employes returned
to work at the various mines yesterday
and a renewal of the shiggings which
chracterized the beginnings of the strike
was predicted. To meet this situation
guards were increased at the shaft houses
and the signal corps, which possesses 45
horses, was converted into cavalry and
used for patrol duty. Troops escorted to
their homes such nonunion workmen as
feared to walk the streets alone.
Gen Abbey went to union headquarters,
accompanied by Majs Harvey and Ingra
ham of his staff. There they met Guy
E. Miller and J. L. Lowney of the ex
ecutive board of the western federation
of miners and William J. Rickard, Vic
tor Berger and George Males of the local
unions. In the general discussion of the
situation which developed, the general was
assured the union was opposed to violence
and that every effort would be made to
prevent the recurrences of slaggings.
The general, in turn, told the union men
that the troops were not sent to Calumet
to settle any dispute, but merely to pro
tect property and prevent interference
with any man who wished to work. After
the Houghton conference, Gen Abbey in
spected the South Range, where there had
been disorders Tuesday and early yester
day. On the way he met a party of
strikers going to another mass-meeting in
the forest, and the commander of the
troops rode through ranks of union men,
who opened a way.
Arrests for alleged participation in the
riot near Atlantic Tuesday night were in
creased to 12 Wednesday. Three of the
prisoners, who were accused of being ring
leaders in the attack on nonunion men, re
sisted the sheriff's deputies and were taken
Only after militiamen had gone to the as
sistance of the civil officers. In addition
three men were arrested tit Baltic charged
with leading 100 laborers who tried to pre
vent workmen from returning to their
tasks. Charges of assault, carrying con
cealed weapons and similar misdemeanors
were lodged against the men.
"Mother” Jones was asked last week
-Wednesday to lend her aid to the
copper miners. A telegram asking
for her services was sent to the
united mine workers, and a response
said that the invitation would be for
warded to her in West Virginia. The
telegram from John P. White, president
of the United mine workers, indicated that
the support of his organization was at the
disposal of the Salumet strikers. The
western federation headquarters also an
nounced that a message offering aid was
received from Butte. Mont., local No 1.
which, with its 8500 members, is the lar
gest local jn union circles.
SECRETARY REDFIELD AGREES.
Powers of the Department of Com
merce Should Be Extended to Cover
Cases Like the Overloading of the
Launch Palaids.
To the Editor of The Republican:—
My attention has been directed to the
editorial in your issue of July 20 respect
ing the overloading of the launch
Palaids and the powers of the govern
ment in connection with such cases. I
am so fully iu accord vdth the views sug
gested by your editor at that time that
after an investigation of the circumstances
it has occurred to me that a statement
of the powers of the department in such
matters may be of interest.
The Palaids is a motor boat 32 feet
over all, drawing four feet of water. She
carried 62 passengers and has 100 cork
belt life preservers. It she were a steam
vessel, no matter of what size, this depart
ment could inspect her hull and machin
ery and restrict the number of passengers.
Being, however, a motor vessel, the de
partment has no power as respects pas
sengers or machinery. It can merely in
spect the hull, hut only when the vessel is
of 15 tons measurement or more. As the
Palaids is less than 15 tons measurement,
the department has no power under the
law either to regulate the number of pas
sengers or to examine her machinery or
hull. Its powers are limited to seeing
that she is provided with the necessary
life-saving equipment, lights, life pre
servers and means of extinguishing gaso
line fires. Here the powers of the govern
ment stop.
Let me be perfectly plain. If the gov
ernment inspector stood upon the dock
watching the Palaids sail away with
three times as many passengers as she
ought to have, with net machinery defec
tive and her hull leaking, he would have
no power in the premises since Lhe is a
motor boat under 15 tons measurement,
except to see that there was a life pre
server in good order provided for every
passenger on board, that she had the
proper lights and the proper means ot ex
tinguishing gasoline fires, with a whistle
and a bell of standard dimensions. Your
editorial is timely, therefore, and it is
earnestly to be hoped that it. may be
heeded.
This department has repeatedly recom
mended that its powers be extended :n the
respects where they are lacking as above
stated, and will continue so to recom
mend. Yours very truly,
William C. Repfield. Secretary.
Washington. July 58. 1973,
A fresh effort is to be made to enforce
the District of Columbia regulation against
riding on the running board of open cars.
whi«h last summer proved a dead letter.
Bv the new plan conductors are to re
fuse fares from passengers who will not
“step up inside,” and turn the offender
over to the next policeman. But "step
?ing np inside" is about as bad ns stuf
ng on the running board: one is metre
dangerous to self, the other more obnox
ious to others. The open ear is not die
signed no* fit for carrying "standees.”