The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], January 14, 1915, Image 1

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THE
BI RMINGH AM
AGEHE RALD
W-*— - - —- ■ - —
} VOLUME XXXXIV
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1915
10 PAGES
NUMBER 253
Avezzano, Italy,
12,000 Reported .
ITALY VISITED BY
THE MOST VIOLENT
QUAKE SINCE 1908
Houses Shaken to Ground and Thousands
Are Killed and Injured As
Result of Disaster
■ ■■■■ - ■ i —■ ■-■ r
VIOLENCE OF SHOCK FELT
FOR OVER 200 MILES AROUND
Calls For Medical Aid Pour Into Rome and Naples.
Telegraphic and Railroad Communications
Interrupted and True Extent of Disaster
Is Not Yet Known
Rome, January 13.—(11:50 p. m.)—The latest
estimates of the number killed in the earthquake
places the total at 12,000. It is further estimated
that 20,000 were injured.
Rome, January 13.—Italy has been visited by an earthquake
of wide extent, which according to the latest advices has re
sulted in the death of 12,000 and injury to possibly 20,000 more
in towns and villages destroyed.
The shock was the strongest Rome hat felt in more than a hundred years.
The town of Avezzano, in the Abruzzi department, 63 miles east of Rome,
las been levelled to the ground, and here 8000 persons are reported to have
jeen killed.
In many small towns surrounding Rome buildings were partially wrecked,
while at Naples a panic occurred and houses fell at Caserta, a short distance
o the east.
From below Naples in the south to Ferrera in the north, a distance of more
:han 300 miles, and across almost the width of the country, the undulatory
novement continued for a considerable period.
Home, January 13.—(7:50 p. m.)
1’he town of Avezzano was virtually de
stroyed by til© earthquake. The dead
are estimated at 8000. One thousand
persons escaped from the ruins but
r:OBt of them were injured.
The dome of the church «*f Saint
Charles Catinari was cracked. .\ l u g
piece of the cornice of the Jesuit church
of Saint Ignatius fell with a crash, ad
E*hur to the fright of persons in the
neighborhood.
Ceilings in many houses fell, a num
ber of persona being injured in that
manner.
A colloasal statue at the basilica of
Saint John Hat era n, which occupied
i position visible from many parts of
Rome, tumbled down and was shattered
on the steps of the edifice.
Several street car lines were forced
t-» suspend operations.
As details began to arrive it was ap
parent the disturbance in the province
r»f Rome and the Abruzzi had been
greater than at first believed and that
it a’so had been felt severely around
Naples.
At Monterotondo three persons were
killed and two wounded; at Zagarolo the
dome of a church fell; at (lallano part
i»f the cathedral was wrecked; at Veroli
two persons wero killed and two in
jured; at Tivoli one person was killed;
at. Hereto five houses collapsed and at
i’oggio Nulivo one persons was killed
and several were injured.
There is no communication wi»h the an
cient fortified city of Aquila, in t no
Abruzzi. owing to interruption of tele
graph service. It is reported, however,
that several villages were destroyed in
that vicinity. At Torre Cajutani. 37 miles
ast of Home, almost the entire village
was destroyed; at Arunta the municipal
building collapsed.
For numerous places calls for physic
ians are reaching Rome.
Rope Benedict was reciting the Thanks
giving after the morning mass when the
khock occurred. The pontiff retained his
ojnpofcure and gave orders immediately
lmt the damage, both inside and out
do t ie Vatican be ascertained.
King Victor Emmanuel also ordered the
i ii ieter of the interior to furnish him
vi*h ail details of the eartquake. The
King expressed a desire to visit th* dam
lged districts.
)LD CHURCHES
ARE DAMAGED
At the capit.nl two magnificent andle
iticks fell and were broken. At the Pa
bzzo del Drago, where Thomas Nelson
Page, the American ambassador, lives
several cracks in the building, which al
ready had existed, opened wider, and
blaster fell in several rooms. Glass was
jroken in the embassy offices.
In addition to the statue of St. Paul
>n the column of Marcus Aurelius tho
'acade of the Church of St. John Lateran
vas damaged and the statue of the Sa
2 SISTERS PRATING
• AS CRASH COHKS
? Naples. January 13.—(Via Rome,
• 2:15 i*. m.)~A violent earthquake
• shock occurred here today and
• caused i panic.
• It. is reported that many houses
i • fell in Caserta. northeast of Na
• pies. All the glass in the observa
• to ry on Mount Vesuvius was
f in the Church of the Divine
• broken.
• Providence, sisters wore praying
• around the bier of a dead nun
• when the iirst tremor caused one
• of her arms to move. The sisters
• at first cried out that the miracle
• of resuscitation had taken place,
• hut simultaneously the candlesticks
• and crucifixes in the chapel began
• falling. Then they realized what
• was happening and rushed, ter
? ror-stricken, to the street.
i Great crowds of the populace fled
t into the thoroughfares and formed
• into processions, reciting the lit
t any of saints. Many of the people
• In their excitement declared the
? earthquake was a punishment, for
• the sins of men fighting against
? their brothers in the European war.
! ^ ^ ^
vlour. 50 feet high, whs twisted out o
plumb.
In the Eat era n palace, especially tha
part occupied by the profane museum
the earthquake caused cracks htg enoug
to permit outside light to penetrate tli
building. The hall of the Chamber o
Deputies likewise was cracked.
Among other edifices damaged were th
churches of St. Andria Fratte and S1
Agatha of the Goths, the latter bein
the oldest church of Teutonic origin i
Rome.
When the shock was felt, frightenei
(Continued on Page Two)
•MtMMtHMHNHaMattUHMMMMIHttMMIW**
TODAY’S AGE-HERALD
_
1— Violent earthquake hits Italy.
Prohibition bills to be passed Satur
day.
Austrian foreign minister resigns.
Battles raging In war zone.
2— Closslp of the capital.
3— Prominent men write on buslnas
conditions.
I—Editorial commeht.
5— Steady operation at Ensley mills.
To provide markets for diverslfle
crops.
Prentiss praises Birmingham spirit
6— Society.
7— Proposed naval rendezvous changed.
9— Markets.
10— Rigid probe Into state’s financial ml
fairs planned.
Facts About District
Swept By Earthquake
kvessano is Ancient City and Had Population of 10,000—Mosl
of Other Damaged Sections Are in Heart of Italy.
Country Has Had Many Like Disasters
LAtmmm, where the greatest number
casualties have beea reported as
he result of the earthquake. Is In tke
irovlaee of Agulla, la the Abruaai de
lartmeat, 03 mllra east of Rome and
i abort distance from the bane of Mount
el I on. It la aa aaeleat town and had
i population of some 10,000. Uae well
reserved building was the towered
untie built by Gentile Ylrglnlo Voalno
a 1-490.
Most of the damaged towns are In
he heart of Italy, in a line running
lortheast and southeast from Rome
artward toward the Adriatic sea. The
ountry in the province of Romo and
he department of the Abruzzl Is mostly
lountalnous, and thickly populated.
Numerous villages and towns dot
he territory. Monte Rotandd libs a
ovulation of about 6000.' It wua. nere
' : ’ V ■ i
in 1867 that Qaribaldl defeated thi
papal forces. At Tivoli, there is a pop
ulation of some 14,000. It lies 18 milei
forth of Rome and retains many o
the antiquities of the old Roman days
among them the Temple of Tlberlui
and the Villa d'Eate, celebrated for thi
beauty of Its architecture. Pofi is t
vilage of 4000 .Inhabitants.
Zagarolo, Pallano, Vercll, Pereto
Pogglo. Nativo and the other placet
where damages or fatalities are report
ed, are small towns.
Numerous Tragedies
Italy in past years has had numer
ous visitations from earthquakes
thousands of persons have perished am
millions of. dollars of property damagi
has resulted.
It has fell to the lot of Italy to suf
fer what probably was the greatest
(CeaHawed «a Pace -Two)
Destroyed By Earthquake;
Killed and 20^000 Injured
...
IT IS ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER 1
I WHEN GOOD FELLOWS GET TOGETHER
- - | - —|— ..
► I- -—
i BATTLES RAGING AT
i,VARIOUS POINTS ON
I THE VAST FRONTIER
i _
i
[ Troops Now Occupy Persian
| Town and Will Invade
Egypt
i
\ -
| RUSSIANS RESUME
OFFENSIVE IN EAST
* _
f Firce Fighting Continues In West.
t Germans Retake Ground Recent
ly Lost—Russians Claim
, Successes
I _
5 Dover, January 13.—(Via London,
! 8:45 p. m.)—The port authorities deny
1 the report current here today that two
i German submarines were fired upon
and sunk by the coast batteries off
, Dover.
London, January 13.— (101.35 II. m.)
Ilnttlea, largo and small, all having aa
Important bearing on tbe situation, are
ragtag at widely eeparated points In
Europe and Aala.
The Turks have occupied the l*er
, slan town of Tabriz, which la a Rus
sian sphere of Influence are battling
with the Raaalana In the ('ecacoaua and
j are reported to be making prepara
tions to Invade Egypt.
The Russians have resumed the offen
sive in East Prussia, while the Germans
continue to attack them In Poland, and
‘ they again are trying to cross the Nfda
river, in Southern Poland, held by the
■ Austrians.
The battle creating the greatest Interest
Is that in the Alsne valley, northeast of
Solssons, where the Frhnch have been
attacking the German entrenchments for
| a week. They took Important position^
Friday and again Sunday, but the Ger
mans, bringing .up reinforcements, re
covered some of the lost ground. Other
wise the unfavorable weather has com
pelled the Germans and allies to confine
themselves to artillery engagements.
Russians Active
Renewed Russtan activity In East Prus
sia Indicates that the freezing over of
the Masurian lakes has occurred at last,
for otherwise It would be Impossible for
1 troops to advance through the narrow
defiles defended by the Germans.
The Russians claim also to have made
- a further advance southwest of Raws, an
other indication that they contemplate
a repetition of their attempt at an In
vasion of East Prussia from the east and
1 south, despite the tact that repeated Ger
man attacks south of the lower Vlctula
In Poland are keeping them fairly busy.
These attacks are being made at differ
ent points, and. according to the Russian
official statements, are easily repelled.
There Is nq recent account of fighting
In Southern Poland and Galicia, but a
Bucharest dispatch says the Russians
have begun an attack on the Austrian
fortifications In the mountains which di
vide Bukowlna, now In their possession,
and Transylvania, an attack on wlilch Is
, considered likely to bring Roumanla Into
the war on the side of the allies.
To Try Invasion
The Turks, according to a Cairo dla
t Continued oa Page Tw*>
.......I
AUSTRIAN FOREIGN.
MINISTER RESIGNS
s ...- .
Action Causes Sensation In European
Diplomatic Circles
Vienna, January 13.—(Via London, I
Austrian foreign minister, Count Von I
Vienna Fremdemblatt. It published thi
“Count Von Berchtold, who for a I
asked the Emperor to relieve him of
Emperor, recognizing the important pei
ister to take this step, has granted his
■'Count Von Borchtold will bo succeeded
bs' the Hungarian minister, Baron
Btephan Uurian Von Hujecz."
Berlin, January 13.—(By wireless to Say
ville.)—A statement issued hy the offi
cial nreSR bureau today said:
"The Austrian Emperor has agreed lo
the renewed demand that lie accept the
1:20 p. m.)—The retirement of the
lerchtold, was announced today by the
s statement:
ong while desired to retire, and who
his office, renewed the request. The
sonal reasons moving the foreign min
■equest.’’
resignation of Count Von Berrhtold. min
ister of foreign nfTalrs. which was ten
dered for Important personal reasons.
"Count Von Berehtold's successor has
been appointed. Ife Is the Hungarian
minister to the royal court, Baron .Ste
phan Burlap, a son-in-law of Gen. Baron
(Continued ou Cage Two)
•••*••••••••*••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
MINORITY LEADERS
SHARPLY CRITICIZE
Warm Debate In Senate Fol
lows Attack On Indianap
olis Speech—Williams
Leads Defense
Washington, January 18.—One of the
liveliest debates o* the present Con
gress stirred the Senate today when
repabllcaa lenders launched a vigorous
attack on President Wilson’s Indian
apolis speech, the administration’s Mex
ican policy and democratic legislation.
Democrats met the attack with praise
(or the President and n prediction of
Ms re-election#
The debate was precipitated over Sen
ator Cummins' resolution, asking the Pres
ident to Indicate .what the government
proposed to do-with Mexican customs col
lected during the occupation of Vera Cruz.
Action on the resolution was postponed
until tomorrow.
Senator John Sharp Williams, one of
those who replied to republican cMMcIsm
of the administration, declared with em
phasis that President Wilson would be
"renominated for the presidency" because
"the American people have found him I
not only able to take the place of men
about whom they were quarreling, but
good enough to stand In hla own stead.
Senator Cummins voiced a wish that
President Wilson could be conllned more
closely to "the exercise of his constitu
tional powers."
Borah’s Attack
Senator Borah made a general broad
side attack on the administration. He
declared President WJIson’a statement at
Indianapolis that It would bring "deep
I bitterness to men who should dare to
(CMDaisi sa Pact Tna)
REFORMATION OF
STATE’S JUDICIARY
Lusk Introduces Bill Look
ing Toward Betterment of
Existing Conditions.
Explains Measure
By HUGH W. ROBERTS
Montgomery, January 18.—(.Special.)
The reformation of the Judiciary aya
tem of the atate which ban been de
Nerfbed aa antiquated, la now under
wny. Thin morning Senator l.nalt of
Murahall Introduced n bill which, If
adopted, will revolutionise present eoti
ll It Iona. It la Intereating, however, to
note that In bla measure no reference
In made to either the Niipreme or ap
pellate courts, both of which. It la
thought, will, In the long run, he con
sidered.
The reformation of the judiciary Is a
subject of such great Importance that It
Is generally admitted that a committee
will be named to give it long, ^areful and
undivided attention. Mr. Lusk, the author
ot the first bill dealing with the subject,
in to be chairman of the judiciary com
mittee of the senate, and the discussion
is genera! today to the effect that he will
be named chairman of the committee to
deal In detail with the subject of the Ju
diciary.
Lu,k Explains Bill
Senator Luak, asked to explain for \gr
Her&ld reader, the effect which hi, bill,
If enacted Into law, will exert, wrote out
the following:
First—It consolidates all circuit,
chancery, city, law and equity court,.
Second—It establishes practice simi
lar to that In l ulled States disirict
courts.
Third—It reduces the number of cir
cuit judges by between 10 and Ji.
Fourth—It provide, that circuit so
(CsaUaued an Pas* Tern)
LEWIS’ CORPORATION
RESOLUTION THROWS
SENATE INTO PANIC
OF BODY TO STATE
CONNECTION, IF ANY,
WITH CORPORATIONS
Resolution Believed Aimed
at Alabama Power Com
pany In Connection With
Rumored Prohibition Past
MEASURE ADOPTED
UNANIMOUSLY AN1)
GOES TO THE HOUSE
Action Follows Warm De
bate on Purport of Meas
ure—Horton Defends the
Power Company in His
Speech on Measure
By HUGH W. ROdEllTH
Montgomery, January (3.—-< SpridaJ.)
If n resolution of Senator Lewi* of Ma
con fnren ns well iu the house It
fnreil tliln morning in the non ate It will
he simply a matter of time before the
people off Alabama will know In reality
’vho repreaeuta them.
The resolution in question provides that
each member of the legislature be cited
to slate whether or not he is connected
with a corporation, and if so. what cor
poration; to set forth the salary which he
is paid, and in the event that at the
present time, he is not connected with a
corporation, to declare whether or not be
has been within a period of one year
preceding the organization of the present
legislature.
Lewis Resolution
"Re it resolved by the senate, rn^
house concurring. That all members of
the respective branches of the legisla
ture, who are attorneys for, connected
with, os own any stock in ajiy public
■service corporation in Alabama, are here
by required to register their names, to
gether with the namo and style of the
corporations for which they are attor
neys, connected with, or in which they
own any stock, with the time of such
employment or connection. In a book to
be furnished by the secretary of the
senate and the clerk of the house, re
spectively, to the end that the members
of the legislature may be fully informed
relative to their connection with any
corporations or interests that may he af
fected by legislation.
"Resolved, further, That at the expi
ration of throe days the record contem
plated by this resolution shall be incor
porated in and become a part of the. Jour
nal of the senate und house, respec
tively."
The resolution, it Is generally accepted
as true, was aimed at the Alabama
Power company. The.ro has always been
an impression here that the Alabama
Power company aided tin* prohibitionists
in their efforts to organise the legisla
ture. Inasmuch as tlio resolution came
from tiie defeated candidate of the local
optionists, Mr. Lewis, who desired to be
president pro tern., there seems to bo
certain force tn the contention that its
utilitarian aspect Is to a limited extent
at least contaminated with a spirit or
retaliation. At. any rare, it will very
probably be demonstrated within the next
few days whether that report emanating
from Birmingham that 38 members of
the legislature are employes or the power
company Is true or false. This report,
is is remembered, was denied through
The Age-Herald by Thomas W. Martin,
general counsel for the company.
Senate Becomes “Panicy”
There can be no gainsaying the fact
that the introduction of the resolution
threw the senate into a panic. ’It caused
several members to rise spontaneously
to their feet with argument against its
inmedlate consideration. It resulted in a
hasty assemblage of the members of the
*ul«s committee. It resulted in a recess
it the senate, and a formal sitting of
the rules committee. And then after a
period the senate reconvened and the
(C'oatflnued an Page Two)
PROHIBITION BILLS
WILL BE PRESENTED
TOGOVERNORFORHIS
APPROVALSATtlRDAY
Legislature Determined To
Pass Measures In Least
Time Allowed Under the
State Constitution
GOVERNOR IS NOT
DECIDED REGARDING
VETOING MEASURES
Two Houses Occupied With
Routine Business Last
Night—Committees Re
fuse to Delay Action
»y I. », m,:rn
Montgomery, January —(Swviml.*
State-wide prohibition bill., repealing
• hr pr.„„, loci „p,(oil
In effect the regn.s.lon.
•>.v the old Fuller-t armlehnel bill., will
be presented to Governor O'Xeol for his
approval on Saturday.
• he A Inborn. legl»|«|Ure I. ,|rtfr.
"•'"r.1 lo p«s* state-wide prohibition
".ensures In five d.ye, the lenst time
allotted under the constitution.
That the Passage of the prohibition
mo sure, within the .e„s, time pre
S'H'-e.l hy law Is absolutely certain Is
indicated by the action of Che two
blanches of the legislature tonight
I-Oth or which met for the s de pin
nose of giving the bills „ second raBd.
Both the senate and house eommlt
, on toniperance reported the bills
favorable and in both houses they will
b. road tomorrow for final pJs..UR,
committees voted favorably
on be meusures hy overwhelming run
joritles.
Tile bills aro known as the Merrill
Oonaon mens<ires and are practically
•be rntiuv W hether the Merritt or la , .
"nn bl,,s ,,r« Presented to the governor
depends solely upon the first r0 pass.
"•ill Act Tomorrow
Boih branches of the legislature will
•ml on tho measures tomorrow. Them
" 'll hardly bo „ fight on the pnssnite
of the bills, lor it Is certain beyond all
doubt that there will be no contest
The local opuoiilsla may protest
"r-.aiust I he passage of the bills, and
Mils they will do. hut It will have no
fTccr. Mole than two-thirds or the
members of the senate „re prol.lt,,
tionlsts and „ like proportion obtains
in the house. Hence, to fight the pass
age of the bills would bo little less
than absurd, and the local option fa,
real Isos this fact. But they will
I'lulosi against the measures.
" let the governor of Alabama will
do with I lie prohibition blits is nut
knout,. In fact, the governor himself
doc,, not know tic may veto the m.ss
"res an,l return them at once t„ the
legislature, or he may allow them lo
lie oh his desk for Governor ilender
.'’Oil lo diKpOMG of.
The governor was asked tonight by
The Ago-lfc raid correspondent what
action he proposed lo take In the evonL
the bills were prl^pnted to hlru before
his tetlremenl from office.
on know I will not approve them,”
I he said.
When asked whether he would veto
•bom, the governor frankly replied that
bo did not know, lie stated that this
was a mutter that required consider
able thought—whether he should veto
them, or allow them to remain on his
desk for tho consideration of Gover
nor Henderson, who, as Is well known,
concurs wtth the governor regarding
tho question of local option.
Routine Business
The business before tho two houses
tonight, with the exception of the
committee reports on tho prohibition
tills, was merely routine. Speaker Cat
nlchael presided over the house and
(Continued on Pngn Two)
Kilby Reticent Regarding
Personnel of Committees
Strongly Rumored That Chairmen of Most Important Com
mittees Have Been Decided Upon—Judge of Jefferson
Will Not Have Chairmanship
By HUGH W. ROBERTS
Montgomery, Junuary 13.—(Special /
While Lieutenant Governor Kilby is
very reticent regarding the personnel
of the committees of the senate, wh'ch
he will name In the morning, It Is
current gossip that of the following
committees the following gentlemen
will be named as chairmen:
judiciary—Look of Marshall.
Rules—Jones of Barbour.
Teuipcronre—Deacon of Greene.
I.oeol Legislation — Wallace of
Shelby.
Corporations—Hill of Montgomery.
Revision of Laws— Mllaer of Lamar.
Hashing—Greene of Morgan.
Roads and Highway*—Key of frank
lin.
Mining and ' Manufacturing—Brown
of Tuoralooan.
Penitennarlea—-Pride off Madiasii.
.%Krleulture—Cooper of Bibb,
education—'Weathers of RoaoofcOi
Commerce and loamoa Carriers' ■
Borne of Ta lladega.
The only other of the so-called big
committees which !s without a chair
man Is the finance and tajtatlon com
mittee. It is considered probable that?
Senator Hartwell of Mobile will be
named to this Important post.
Senator Judge of Jefferson will not
have a chairmanship aa ha was «ie of
the leaders In the fight to prevenVMr.
Kilby from appointing the committed.-.
However, he will have valuable com- ' ,
"litter assignments. He will bo on th*
judiciary, the finance, the temperance
and possibly the committee on local
legislation. It unfortunately happens,
however, thgt several Interests In Bir
in inghdin- have protested against nam
ing Senator Judge to that committee
and Mr. Kilby. It Is said. Is in a Quan
dary.