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16pages vol. xxxvii. PPTPI?' ±C\ r'IOKTSS by carrier MM UK It 116. .JT XViVvJtl* . 4U KjEjW 1O PER MONTH INVESTIGATION OF BEEF TRUST IS SIDETRACKED Federal Prosecutor Says Routine Business Is Too Pressing TO ABSOLVE TARIFF Attempt Will Be Made to Show High Prices Due to Limited Supply Even Hetty Green Too Poor to Afford Meat NKW YORK, Jan. 24.—Mrs. Hetty Green, who has many million* of dollam, declared today tliat at present prices meat wan too dear for her, and she cut it out of her noonday order. Mrs. <ireen entered a modest uptown restaurant and scanned tbe bill of fare. Steuk she found nt SOr a portion, and roast lamb and roast heef at Ssr. Mrs. c.rtvii took halibut, which was 15c a portion. "Have you Joined the boycott?" asked the waiter. "Mo," said Mrs. Green dubiously, "but meat Id too high. You don't get your moneys worth. People really can't af ford to act it. There are other things just as good and cheaper." In response to a lighter demand, the price of beef in the Brooklyn wholesale dMrii-t declined -'O per cent today, and pork loins slumped sympathetically. [Special to The Herald.] CHICAGO, Jan. 24.—The long de ferred prosecution of the beef trust, which the government final ly threatened as a result of the power ful protest by the American people against the exorbitant prices of meat and the high cost of living, received a backset today. Tho federal prosecutor explained •there was some routine business to be disposed of first." Just how vigorous Is to be the fed eral prosecution of the trust remains to be seen, but it was reported from Washington today that the Republican regulars, aided by administration heads, would make a desperate effort to show that the high cost of living is not, as claimed by Republican in surgents and experts, a result of the Aldrich tariff, nor oil administrative policies. Before the actual prosecution of the trust is instituted Uncle Sam's agents, It is said, will present claims to show that the high cost of living (including the high price of meats) is caused by "the scarcity of farm help, the arbi trariness of grain growers, faulty range conditions and the excessive consumption of cities and the dimin ishing production of the soli. In fact, many and variable arguments will be brought to bear In the case, following the step already taken by Secretary of Agriculture Wilson to attribute the entire gamut of exorbitant prices to the influx of foreigners and their re fusal to work at agricultural pursuits. Retailers Charged More But how this will explain away the astounding difference between tho job bers' prices ia public institutions and those charged to retailers is beyond conjecture. Why meat is considerably cheaper in Chicago and Kansas City, the distributive points, than in the dis tricts from which it is supplied is an other .stunner for the politicians. Why beef can be sold profitably at 7 cents to hotels and restaurants, yet has to be sold at 2to 2 lfa cents higher to retailers, and in turn at 10 to 15 cents higher by retailers to consumers affords still another vexing problem. In delaying the action against the beef trust today it was stated that "a change had been made because the case against the packers was of such grave importance that it was deemed best that the twenty-three men Impan eled on the federal grand jury before Judgo K. M. Landis should familiar ize themselves with grand jury proced ure before considering the evidence." It was promised, however, that tho case would go ahead as rapidly as pos sible. The firms against which it is an nounced the government will proceed are Armour & Co., Swift & Co., and Morris & Co., who, it Is charged, eon- trol the National Packing company for their own benefit and arbitrarily regulate the prices and market supply- Many Subpoenas Served Deputy United States marshals early today were put to work with more than a score of subpoenas and writs to bring before the grand jury all packing house employes and books of the three companies involved. Every precaution was taken to keep tho Identity of the witnesses secret. A large number of secret service oper atives have apparently been brought here from other cities and it is believed they will be used in serving subpoenas and supplying evidence. At the city offices of the National Packing company and Armour & Co. it was said no subpoenas had been served. Judge Landis in his charge to tho grand jury today declared it was through information furnished by him that tho present proceedings were started. Judge Landis also said that after he had notified the United States district attorney in Chicago January 20 he was surprised to see January 22 notices in the newspapers coming ostensibly from Washington that the government nitl cials there had ordered tho Investiga tion. It was announced, howeyer.s that ac tion on the beef trust investigation would be postponed for a few days un til some docket cases had been con sidered. "Having in mind the duty of the dis trict attorney," said Judge Landis, "I notified that office on the twentieth of the present month that on your as sembling here today tho court would direct your attention to the subject of the present investigation. Regrets Publicity Given •it Is a source Of profound regret that two days liter there began wide spread newspaper publication of mat ter purporting to come from Washing;- (Continued; »v Fage Eight) LOS ANGELES HERALD INDEX OF HERALD'S NEWS TODAY FORECAST For Los Angeles and vicinity: Cloudy Tuesday; light north wind. Maximum temperature yesterday 60 degrees; minimum 48 degrees. LOCAL Woman, nrreated on charge of being alien and undesirable, released, has trouble securing her bond money. PAQE 9 Women plan ■ unique auto rfde to obtain funds to furnish reception hall at U. B. C. PAGE 3 New receiving hospital soon will be ready for use; present cramped quarter's to be abandoned. PAGE 9 Montana visitor lauds Los Angeles on pub lic enterprise; declares city is model for entire country. PAGE 9 George A. Stone and wife, accused of mur dering Morgan Shlvely, appear uncon cerned and smiling in Alhambra court room; examination continued. PAGES City forestry department to be abolished and trees will be placed under supervision of park Biinprintendent. . rAfSS 5 Husband is accused of denying his society to wife, and latter brings suit for divorce. '- PAGE 6 Wife of former lieutenant governor of Louisiana successful in suit for divorce. PAGE D Editorial, Letter Box and Haskln's letter. PAGE 4 Chief of Police Dlshman arouses Ire of police commission by talking to press. PAGE Hollywood becomes part of Los Angeles by vote of more than 16 to 1. PAGE 1 Four babies are theirs, says Mrs. 'Wilson concerning dispute over quadruplets. PAGE 7 Clan Cameron observes the one hundred and flf ty-flrst birthday of Robert Burns. PAGE ft.' Threatened vaudeville war may be settled at conference of magnates here. PAGE li> Members of Inland empire excursion at chamber of commerce reception declare Los Angeles model city. PAQE I\> Arthur Letts tendered reception by his 1500 employes. PAGE It! Society and clubs. PAGE 7 Marriage licenses, births and deaths. PAGE 14 News of the courts, PAGE 5 Municipal affairs. PAGE 5 City brevities. PAGE 5 Mines and oil fields. ' PAGE 13 Markets and financial. ■ PAGE 12 Automobiles. PAGE 11 Sports. PAGE 10 Theaters and dramatic criticism. PAGE 7 Shipping. PAGE 6 Building permits. PAGE 13 Citrus fruit report. PAGE 12 Classified advertising. PAGES 14-15 SOUTH CALIFORNIA Peary Is praised. Cook called fakir by James W. Davidson, explorer and diplo mat. PAGE 14 8. H. Overacker, rancher near Santa Ana,' . held for the the murder of his neighbor, S. A. Wlnn. - : . PAGE 14 Wife of Los Angeles fireman attempts sui- • cide at Santa Monica. ■ PAGE 14 Mayor Earley replies to caustic question in - Pasadena water campaign. PAGE 7 Pomona Masons will dedicate new $30, --000 temple tills afternoon.' PAGE 7 C. K. Hamilton files distance of 34 miles at San Diego; crosses Into Mexico and returns. PAGE 1 COAST Society attends opening of what promises to be gay season In Santa Barbara, PAGE 7 EASTERN Banker robbed in New York when woman faints on his shoulder after financier had done an act of kindness; $28,000 lost. PAGE 1 Three persons killed and two fatally injured in auto which plunged over forty-foot embankment in Kansas City, Kas. PAGE 3 Fhlladelphlans approve GouldT-Drexel match and society is agog over announcement of engagement. PAGE 3 Report Is submitted to congress relative to waterways, and many recommendations filed. PAGE 3 Court's refusal to render decision in trust prosecution at St. Louis may cause government to abandon case. I PAGE 8 Mitchell pleads for "labor trust" and -defends civic federation. PAGE 8 Prosecution of Pulitzer for libel Is under way. PAGE 8 Investigation of beef trust sidetracked because, according to ;federal prose cutor, routine business la too press ing. , ■ PAGE 1 Immigration commission threatened * . with dissolution as result of congress' -; refusal to provide further funds. PAGE 2 Hobo congress in session at Chicago. . . PAGE 2 Philanthropist, 90 years old, Intends to give away all las millions before death. PAGE 2 Use of public funds probed by congress ./' and ' land commissioner , denies Hitchcock's charges. . PAGE 2 Secretary of War Dickinson plans trip to Philippines. .; PAGE 2 FOREIGN Twenty-seven Japanese, plumage hunt ers arrested and 259,000 imir.s of wing's seized in Hawaiian islands. PAGE 3 Eighteen villages inundated, thousands homeless, one. hundred dead, many. : clinging to roofs, terrific rain falling, streams rising rapidly, one-fourth of. France is under water., and millions of dollars losses sustained by deluge. PAGE-1 Run started on Mexico City bank and, leading officer In Institution forced ' to resign. PAGE 1 MINING AND OIL California Midway well Is not damaged by water. - PAOBI* Strike on Black Butte at Diamond Held looks like a bonanza. PAGE 13 Jefferson well at Coallnga enters light oil. PAGE 13 New Bonnie Claire mine will soon install hoist and machinery. PAGE 13 New device may make gushers out of oil wells. , ' PAGE 13 Coaltnga crude petroleum used for drilling first wells. . ... v , PAGE 13 Caribou Oil company makes its annual report. • - ; ..-.'•. PAGE 1:1 SPORTING , - Talent has excellent day at Emeryville.' \ .-;, •-; ' PAGE 10 National 'Baseball league decides 'to play 168 games the coming Heason. ' PAGES 13 Swimming events at Y. M. C. A. attracts ' champions and near champions. PAGE 10 Prone - shooting Is not popular and scores ■ ■ made do not show vp # well. ■ - PAGB"ll Manager W. W. Finn resigns all connection . * with Utah Jockey club and P. p. Pom-' --eroy will not be reappointed ' presiding » judge at Salt Lake City. • . PAGE 10 Sam Lanmford arrives and his manager de clares Jeffries will whip Johnson if half ready; also says big fight surely will be '. held at or near Suit Lake City. . PAGE 10 Coast ant] State • leagues hold Important huslneus ■ meeting; State league accepts, San Joae as sixth city to complete Its 1910 circuit. . PAGE 10 TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 25, 1910. AVIATOR FLIES 34 MILES; SOARS HIGH OVER SEA Hamilton Breaks World's Record for Distance Above Water CROSSES INTO MEXICO Makes Journey Without Accident -- Ends with Moonlight Trip [Associated Frossl SAN DIEGO, Jan. 24.—Charles K. Hamilton flew in his Curtiss biplane across tho tiorder line of the United States into Mexico and over the an cient Mexican city of Tia Juana today, surprising iiic inhabitants of that sleepy little place into unusual life, and then flew back to the polo field at the Coronado Country club without a stop. He was gone from the field forty minutes and traveled thirty-four miles. For the greater pnrt of the time ho was over the Pacific ocean at a height of 200 feet. Not satisfied with furnishing this sensation today, the aviator made a flight by moonlight over the ocean, staying up for three and a half min utes and alighting on the field in the deep shadows that had settled below the sky line. Botli of these flights may be said to establish ijew records, for Hamilton flew farther over the water than did Bleriot In his flight over the English channel, and he made the first flight ever recorded where both start and finish were in semi-darkness. Slight Disaster . Hamilton's first flight of the day re sulted in a slight disaster. At 3:15 p. m. he went up while a strong wind wag blowing, and after zigzagging over the field for three minutes and while he was attempting to alight in the center of the field, a sudden gust caught him just as he struck the ground, causing »he machine to bound for ten feet. One of the rear wheels was crushed and two ribs on the lower plane were broken. After an hour of tinkering Hamilton had the machine repaired, and at 4:17 he was off for Old Mexico. Thousands of people in San Diego city watched him wing his way over the wide ex panse of blue water, flying steadier than the gull flies, while automobiles raced over the boulevard that extends along the ocean shore on the narrow strip of land from Coronado to Point of Rocks, trying to keep him In sight. Dusk was gthering when Hamilton ngnln alighted on the field, but tho big throng was still there to welcome him back, and when he said that he was going up again as ponn as the moon rose, many came over to his tent to dissuade him. Flies in Moonlight But Hamilton did not heed their pro testations and at 6.03 he left the ground and made an indescribably beautiful picture as ho soared to a height of 200 feet against the dark background of the distant mountains, and then came suddenly against the brighter blue of the sky in which a great round moon sailed with him. Tomorrow morning if conditions are favorable, Hamilton will try for the altitude record of the world. Discussing his world's glide record made late yesterday at Coronado field, Charles K. Hamilton today said: "In Los Angeles I had to take a, chance on a glide when my propellor shaft broke, and the experience taught me something, I know now that I can glide safely to earth from any height I go." This is in direct contradiction to the belief generally held by Curtiss and others that death a waited the avia tor whose engine stopped while he was any distance from the earth. Hamll tin yesterday made two glides, the first of some 300 feet and the second of 575 feet, the latter being officially designated as a world's record by H. LaV. Twining, president of the Aero club of California, whose presence here is for the purpose of making official any records Hamilton may make. L. F. Walsh whose monoplane, crashed into tho fence yesterday has decided to construct a biplane, in Which* he says, he r;\n fly successfully. Paulhan Braves Wind SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 24.—1n order to please a few thousand people who waited through a stormy afternoon to ace him fly, Louis Paulhan, the French" aviator, took chances against threaten ing clouds today and rose over the fields in a 10-mile flight from Tanfor an park to San Bruno hills. To do this he had to lift his machine from a sod soaked ground. He came back without mishap just before a hall storm, broke. Paulhan made several short flights during the early part of the afternoon. but the wind was too strong to risk leaving the ground far or for any con siderable time. WILL FLY IN UTAH SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 24.— Louis Paulhan and his company of aviators will appear In Salt Lake City January 29 and 30 for flights. Nego tiations to this end have just been concluded. The Commercial club is handling the event. Particular inter est attaches to the proposed flights here because df tho altitude, the start ing point being four-fifths of a mile above the level of the sea, and the sustaining power of the atmosphere diminished in proportion. WIFE SLAYER SENTENCED GOLDFIELD, Jan. 24.—John Sheri dan, who was convicted on the charge Of manslaughter as a result of the stabbing of his wife a year ago, today was given the extreme penalty for his crime. The court sentenced Him to ten years and ignored the plea for clemency made by the jury. Sheridan stabbed bis Wife while In a drunken frenzy, and she died some time after ward. FAIL TO GET JURY RENO, Jan. 24.—The ninetietli tales man was examined and dismissed this afternoon in the trial of Mrs. May Tal bot for the murder of her husband, E. A. Talbot, without a jury being se cured. Eleven men are in the box, and the defense has one peremptory challenge remaining. The state ex hauste.] all of its peremptory chal lenges this morning. MONOPLANE WHICH MET DISASTER IN ITS FIRST TRIAL AT SAN DIEGO .■.;,;■; , .'.; ; ■;■:'■:■^-,:v.,,,.; ; .^^v--;-:.■■ :.;.-:■■..-.■ : ;;;;.^<,v.o) 'v-v|lj ■"■■•■ ''" ■■■.•■ .^ .■ -: ■■■::; ■■"■:■ . ■-' x.v -^\# ■'" :■. ' ;f : - ■ :.-V. ■-■■;::. w;. :'■■.'■■ ■■/.■■■■;,;:;.-'- ■■-; ■: ■■■■-■.. I-'''./" W'.t;':V ;.V^ -■? ■S. ;'■'. > '■.■'"■■^ ■;■:.'.- ■■■■'."".V-i ■■■■::- ' '■■-.''.- ■'■■■'. ".■■:',■'--:. ■;•■'■■■■■■'-.'. "■■.;; ..-■■■■ ■■::"-- /.;■■:" ""■■■;■> 'v'-v' 1-; 0:- . 1;>-^S^s| ' '** ■'* ■ ■ ■ '**" 'yfc '' ■''■■ ■'' a I'**l"^'4' k " ■■■ '■ ■' -■■'■■■■■ ■.■.-■'■■-'■:■■■■■'■:■■■■■■-■■'■■■■ ..■■■■■■ ■■.■.■..-■-■'.■. /■.'-■■.■ * ■■■ .-...-■■■ ■ - ■ VHll Mii^ii^BM^^^^^MHn^B^M^MV^^Blnv ' I |[ V hi I ii' ' w *"*llWlMiifcll I ''I w Hi, i »<?JT»*i <■' *• * ■ aksfl The upper photograph shows the monoplane designed and built by C. F. Walsh of San Diego which was wrecked in an attempted flight at the polo grounds of the Coronado Country club Monday. Below is the wrecked machine after it had crashed into the fence. RUN STARTED ON MEXICO CITY BANK GEORGE I. HAM IS FORCED TO RESIGN Depositors Become Uneasy and With. draw Large Sums—President Well Known in Los Angeles [Special to The Herald.] MEXICO CITY, Jan. 24.—Following the action of two other banks in plac ing one of their men in charge of the institution, a run was started on the United States Banking company late this afternoon. Twenty accounts, ag gregating $200,000 (Mexican), were with drawn. The president and chief stockholder of the bank is George I. Ham, well known in Los Angeles, and whose spec tacular rise from the position of a lo comotive engineer to that of head of one of the largest banks in Mexico City has made him famous. Mr. Ham's resignation as president was forced by two big local banks from which the Ham bank had borrowed $5,000,000 m Mexican money. Tho run started when it became known that Hani had resigned. De positors are being paid as fast as checks are presented. Assurances were, given that the bank will pay in full. The National Bank of Mexico and the Bank of Montreal have placed James Forsythe, assistant manager of the Mexican branch of the Bank of Montreal, in charge of the affairs of the United States Banking company. Amassed Fortune Mr. Ham is a Canadian and one of the heaviest stockholders. Since he came to this country ho is saiil to have amassed a fortune of $2,500,000 pesos, and is said to have transferred all his personal possessions to prevent the bank from closing its doors. He is now in a sanitarium suf fering from the effect of overwork. The United States Banking company is capitalizes at 2,000,000 pesos, with deposits amounting to 8,000,000 pesos. It is an institution without govern mental concessions and therefore dOM not enjoy certain banking privileges accorded under the Mexican law, in cluding the issuing of currency. It is .said the bank recently borrowed 5,000,000 pesos from the Bank of Mon treal and the National Bank of Mexico. This was loaned to a local corporation, which was unable to meet the obliga tions when it becamo due. This is said to account for the action of the two banks in placing Mr. Forsythe in charge. Mr. Ham and his family are well known in Los Angeles. Mrs. Ham has been living in Whittier for several months .with her daughter. Mr. Ham and his son have made their home in this city. In addition to his banking business Ham was financially inter ested in other enterprises, including the Mexico Daily Record, an afternoon newspaper published in English. He is probably the most widely known mem ber of the American colony in Mexico. EARTHQUAKE IN ISLANDS ST. THOMAS, D. \V. 1.. Jan. 24.— Earthquakes have been felt In a num bor of West Indian Islands. Sunday af ternoon there ware two sharp shocks at St. Vincent and Demerara, a slight One at Trlnldttd and prolonged shocks at St. Lucia, Barbados and lin-nada. i image is reported. HOLLYWOOD IS VOTED INTO CITY Returns from Election Show Consoli dation Was Carried by an Overwhelming Ma jority By a vote of more than 16 to 1 Holly wood was consolidated with Los An geles at the election held yesterday. The total vote, as recorded at the of fice of City Clerk Harry J. j Lelande last night, was 6,618 for annexation and 393 against. This means that one of the prettiest foothill suburbs of Los Aanseles is, barring a few preliminary legal steps, to all Intents and purposes an integral part of the Southern Cali fornia metropolis. \ ' .. That Hollywood was willing and anxious to join hands with Los Angeles is demonstrated by the vote, which stood 409 for annexation as against 19 in opposition, when the count was made at the Hollywood city hall last night.' This shows the territory most vitally affected by the consolidation movement was 20 to 1, and better, in its favor. San Pedro's three precincts, only re cently annexed to the city themselves, came loyally to the polls and rolled up a vote of 167 for the annexation, as compared with 9 against it. Colegrove, a near neighbor of the town, nestling against the Santa Mon- 1 ica mountains, cast a vote of 67 to 2 for the annexation of Hollywood. Before the actual annexation of Hol lywood and its being made an integral part of Los Angeles can be effected the vote must be legally canvassed by the members of the city council; a cer tification of the legal canvass must be sent to the secretary of state and a return certificate must be received by 1 the city clerk from Sacramento. This means a matter of only a com paratively few days, and it Is probable that Hollywood will be an integral part of Los Angeles in less than' two weeks. The vote by precincts at yesterday's election was as follows: .— Precinct. Yes. No I'reelnet. Yes. No 1 339 844 80 4 2.. , 116 7115 ', 93 WU 3 88 22 48 88 i 4 140 1147 72 1 5 0* 948 57 4 I! 80 3 49 71 7 7 .83 ' 250 71 ' » 8 137 B|sl 73 10 0 ISO JIM 21 7 10 135 9|53 53 8 H 98 11154 8* 5 13 119 OISS 63 10 18 110 ..50 44 8 14 29 .. 57 78 8 15 120 188 64 6 18........ 113 : , 158 48 18 17 . ... 73 .VHO 33' 11 18........ 135 ' « til ....... 23 ' 5 19 85 4162 15 14 20... 138 ' M 38 1 81 .... ii.-, 164. 99 15 22 90 605 30 23... 38 ..00 89 3 34 ...... 54 767 101 »5 135 188 104 4 UOy. 183 568 38 ,' 27 .11 .70 38 3 88 108 2 71 42 1 21) . 80 »273 97 5 SO JW »'» *• 81 -..I 674 4:1 V 3 S3 40 1175 38 2 83 28 .110 118 1 34 SO 377 28 1 85 40 . ..U8 67 * 38 73 ' ■:".» «i . 2 87.; ... 111 IIM 40 * .. 38 .... 117 51 ■» •-—. . -^- 89 13 ■ ..(Total cits- Ml 375 40. ....... 84 ,''»]' HOLLYWOOD 41.. 103 -B|Bl .... 40» 18 13.: '. 88 81 - (3 ....... 80 .. JGrand tot, 6818 * 393 SIxSGLJiI OUIJJIIJS: on XIIAIXS. s cents WOMEN ROB RICH MAN Of $28,000 BANKER VAN NORDEN OF NEW YORK LOSES BIG SUM Supposed Thief Swoons on Shoulder of Financier in Front of Waldorf. Astoria —Two Suspects Are Under Arrest [Associated Press] NEW YORK, Jan. 24.—Warner M. Van Norden, the banker and president of the Van Norden Trust company, was held up and robbed of $28,000 last Wednesday night as he was leaving the Waldorf-Astoria. With the arraignment of Bessie Rob erts, alias Kitty Dowdell of Chicago, and Annie Williams, alias "Chicago Margie"l same the story how Mr. , Van Norden's exceeding graciousness cost him his fat pocketbook. ■ He left the hotel and was about to take his automobile when he saw two women walking along: Fifth avenue. One of the women dropped a pocket book, and Mr. Van Norden politely picked it up and returned it. A hearty slap on the back was the somewhat startling manner in which one of' the women signalized ! her thanks. There was a profusion of thanks and bows and one of the wo man fainted suddenly on Mr. Van Nor den's shoulder. ... - Roll of $28,000 Stolen She quickly revived and the banker went home in his machine. Then ho discovered the $28,000 was missing. The women have been IWd in $30,000 bail for further examination. Van Norden at once reported his loss to police headquarters and on his descriptions of the women Inspector McCatferty said he was sure the yung er woman was "Margie Williams" of whom the police havo heard much recently. Kitty Dowdell, or Bessie Roberts, was arrested yesterday and the Wil liams woman was found later. They admitted they had spoken to a man as he was leaving the Waldorf. The William:: girl, who is described by her associates as the "big- blonde,'' denied she had robbed any one or that she knew of any robbery. "If Dowdell got away with any body's roll,' she observed, "she didn't give mo any of it. I wasn't wise to ■ the operation." • ■* ' » RECOVER FOUR BODIES SUDBLTRY, Ont.. Jan. 24.— re covery of four bodies and the Identi fication of two women found yesterday was the net result of today's work at the scene of Friday's wreck at Spanish river. The bodies recovered today were those of Miss Mulroy, Cache Bay, Ont.; — —Hansen, a man of 40,'ad dree unknown; Mrs. Kelley, wife of Joseph Kelley of Leavenworth, Wash., and Florence Kelley, 10 years old, daughter of Mrs. Kelley, . . « • » 1 ... _ TO PROBE INSURANCE VICTORIA, B. C. Jan. 24.—An In surance commmisslon, consisting of R. S. Lennie, D. H. McDowell of Victoria and'A, B. Ersklne of Vancouver, was appointed by the provincial ■ govern ment today to lveitlirat« lire insurance matters in British Columbia, Including the operations of American companies in tho province. , The ■ commission will report upon tho advisability of legisla tion for, the regulation of foreign;fire : insurance associations.'..; < *^ CENTS 18 VILLAGES IN FRANCE FLOODED; HUNDRED PERISH Fourth of Country Under Water, Rivers Are Still Rising THOUSANDS SUFFER Food Prices Soar—Famine Is Menacing Poor of Many Districts (Special Table). PARIS, Jan. 24.—With one-fourth of France under water tonight, eighteen villages inundated, thou sands of homes flooded and hundreds of persons reported drowned in the de partments of the Seine and Marne, tho situation tonight is the worst in tho nation's history. The heavy snowfall of yesterday was followed today by a terrific downpour of rain, and tonight every river in east ern France is a raging torrent, pouring in great volumes over quay, dyke and levee, driving thousands of persons to their housetops and tearing up trees and fences for many miles. The larger rivers are filled with cattle, trees and debris. The dyke at Saonc-Ah-Doubs broke tonight, and ten villages were flood ed. The streets of C.'haions-Sur-Saone arc five feet under water, and several persona have been drowned in at tempting- to escape from their hoi Hundreds of persons at Chalons are clinging to the roofs of buildings ery *lng frantically for help. The scene presents innumerable appalling fea tures. Despite the use of hundreds of boats at rhalons, the work of rescue is at tended by unusual difficulties, owing to the torrential downpour of rain. Four inches of rain has fallen in two hours this afternoon —a record unprecedented, and bringing the pre cipitation almost to tho proportions of a cloudburst. Water Rising Fast The Marne at Rheims is reported to be rising at the rate of two inchest an hour, with no prospects of the flood crest passing Ilheims before tomor row morning-, even should the rain cease falling immediately, of which there is no indication. Tours-Sur-Marnc is completely under water. Ten large structures in that town have collapsed, and several per sons are bleieved to have met death in the wreckage. Twenty-seven other buildings are said to be seriously men aced. Ruin and consternation prevail among the inhabitants, and municipal authorities held conferences late into the night to decide measures of relief. The situation in Paris tonight is the most critical In the last century. The Seine continues to rise, and three fourths of the city is in darkness. Tho Hoods drowned out the large ek plant in tho chamber of deputies, and the deputies tonight were compelled to meet by lamp light to consider steps to relieve suffering. Premier Briand has introduced a bill carrying approximately $400,000 for tba immediate relief of the homeless and destitute. The soldiers and gendarmes have done heroic work in saving lives and protecting property from ghouls. Food Prices Soar Owing to the difficulty of getting food Into the city, market prices have almost trebled in the last threo days, and the poorer classes In many in itancet are reported on tho verge of ■tarvatlon. Thousands are without beds or shel ter of any kind except that which is provided by the government ;illli mu ni' Ipal authorities in the parka an.l public, places which so far are not under water. Twenty-live thousand factory men have been thrown out of work along the river-front warehouses. Many narrow escape* from death are reported. The explosion of boilers in Inundated factories is an occasional nt of danger. An enormous amount of live stock 19 reported to have been drowned in th? departments of Marne, Aub'e, Aisne and It is now believed the Kiffol tower, the foundations of which were threat ened by the waters, is no longer in danger of collapse. However, the wire less station at the top of the tower has been abandoned temporarily. The rivers Rhone and Loire are re ported falling ami the situation ac cordingly improved at Lyons, Lymogcs, Troyes. Annecy and Auxerre. Tho property damage cannot be estim with any accuracy, but.it will be very great. President Tours District Late this afternoon President l-'al lieres and Premier Briand made a tour of tin 1 flooded districts. Tho crest of the flood had then almost touched tho top of the arches of the Poni Alma. Preparation!! were made to blow up the span with dynamite, If # lc should become necessary. The sewer in tho Plae'! Havre lias caved in and tho Avenue M 'iitaignn has been invaded by the water*. Tl o schools in the inundated suburbs havo been closed. The trains in the subway am be ing sent out only from the stations at St. Lazare and the Invalides. The lower Btretcben of the road have been adoned. In the submerged dis tricts women fled from their homes with their children in their arms. Two thousand homeless persons hive arrived in Paris seeking shelter. The Seine has risen nine inches sinco L' o'clock and the river now registers 7.68 metres at Pont Royal. This H the highest since ISO 2, when it reached B.SO metres, the highest point recorded in the history of France except in tho Hils. A terrible tempest of rain and wind which broke over the city at daylight only adds to the horror of the situa tion and to the sufferings of the poor and homeless. Although the waters of the Seine af fluents above the city are still rising rapidly, the municipal authorities wera hopeful this morning that the maxi mum stage of tho waters would be reached by nightfall. Sight Awe.lnspiring The river presents an awe inspiring A miarter of a mllllos people In a drenching rain throng the {Continued on Fas* Eight).