Bluefield evening leader. [volume], December 20, 1907, Image 1

About Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911

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PRICK TWO n-N K
JUHN SHARPE WILLIAMS AND
DEARAAOND HAVE EIST FIGHT
Mississippi ana Minority Leader
Come to Blows With Missouri
Representative Over Committee
Appointments.
Washington. Dec. 20.—The word
"liar” was twice used In anger on
the floor of the house of representa
tives yesterday, the first occasion be
ing when Kepresentative Gaines, of
Tennessee, denounced a local news
paper for printing a statement re
garding his alleged Interest in the
deficiency appropriation for seeds for
free distribution, and the second and
more serious occasion when Kepre
sentative Dearmond, of Missouri, ap
plied the epithet to Kepresentative
Williams, of Mississippi, the minori
ty leader, resulting In the two men
engaging In a fistic encounter which
only ended when they were forcibly
separated. The trouble arose over a
misunderstanding regarding a con
versation of a week ago about some
committee appointments. Mr. Dear
mond insisting he had not made any
specific recommendation, but only
had asked that Kepresentative
Booher, of Missouri, and one or two
other Democrats from that state be
considered according to their special
fitness. Mr. Williams maintained
otherwise, and the anger of the two
men increased until they came to
blows.
During its two hours and twenty
minutes session the house got down
to actual work, and transacted con
siderable buslneas. A ■« that had re
mained to make this possible was
the announcement of the committee
appointments, which was made by
the speaker. The several chairmen
immediately^ became alert with re
gard to their rights and forced the
reference to committee of aeveral
propositions upon which immediate
action was desired. This was not
accomplished. however, without
more or legs debate, which at times
grew warm.
The first .money appropriated by
the present congress was awarded
yesterday. The amount was $50,000
and it is to be used in supplying n
seed deficiency, caused by the de
af ruc^on by fire of the government
seed warehouse In this city.
The house will meet again on
Saturday, on which day adjournment
for the Christmas holidays will be
taken.
CUPID
work* overtime in* the
METROPOLIS RESPITE HARD
AXI> THE FINANCIAL
PANIC.
New York, Dee. 20.—Despite the
hard times and the financial panic,
Cupid is now working overtime in
New York. The coming holiday sea
son promises to be an unusually live
ly one, from a matrimonial stand
point, possibly due to the fact that
the legal conspiracy against Cupid,
engineered through the state legisla
ture, will become effective on the"
first of the year. After that dats,
those whoBe hearts are pierced by
the little god's arrows cannot se
cure relief by a hasty trip to a little
church around a corner. They will
have to make a trip to the city clerk’s
office and that dignitary, after un
winding many yards of red tape, may
or may not grant a license, as he
s'es fit. Now a license is not neces
sary to secure the tying of the knot
1n New York state. In short, New
NOTICE TO TAX-PAYERS.
All tax-payers are hereby notified
that 5 per cent, penalty and O per
cent. Interest will be added, as re
quired l>y law, to all city taxes re
maining unpaid after January 1st,
lOOft. Have the penalties by paying
now. Yours very truly,
I>. Cl. Til ELY,
Treasurer City of Minefield.
1 2-17-1 w
York state is going out of the Gret
na Green business after January 1.
Licenses will be issued by city
and town clerks, on blanks provided
by the state board of health. Appli
cants for licenses will be required to
swear that they are of legal age and
make affidavit to their right to mar
ry before the clerk will condescend
to consider them in the light of
matrimonial aspirants. Minors will
have to have the written consent of
parents gr guardians, or there will
i/r Iltntllo'o t.*,
others who marry people who are not
equipped with the necessary docu
ment will be fined and possibly sent
to jail.
A LULL IN THE
CHARTER BUSINESS
Charleston, W. Va., Dec. 20.—The
charter business has not been near
so brisk tin- past few months as it
was earlier In the year. The sale
of books, nowever, has been rather
good within a few weeks it is ex
pected that another volume of the
West Virginia Reports will be com
pleted by the printer and in the
hands of the stationery clerk. The
numerous decisions of the supreme
court of api»eal8 is causing the fre
quent issuing of new volumes which
has now become no small Item of
expense In printing as well as rev
enue in the sale of them.
MONITOR BRF.AD MARK* BRA HI
\m> nvactM
Try -- T-- ■■■■■■ - ■' ■ —..
PIIIT1 PI H 11 P ,,,M l»«rk with iim, nnd In It
*in|| I A I I A||l| h» •!* «*f pretty thingt* for every mem*
Unll [|l ULnU U >H t Of the family.
IM >f,f jH
OHfNA
imit'-A-nRAr
Fl’RH
I’MlIRKMiAH
ftl/OVKH
HI IT CA*KH
THAVKMNO BA(W
THINK*
HATH ROIIHH
MM NOIVO ROOM*
JBWKf/VlY
HANHKBinTIIKFH
VMKWRIU
piuxnr top*
BMHROIliHHKH
l/INKNH
MilII (nilem Kereltp
Prompt Attention.
E. S. PEDIGO
ft2ft-lt27 Prlnroton Avmnr, nincflrid, Went Virginia
^ .. —^
I HE DHTS WIN
IN POCAHONTAS
Pocahontas, Va., Dec. 20.—The lo
cal option electlou passed off yester.
da> in a quiet, orderly and decorous
manner. Although there was Tntensc
feeling on both sides, neither dis
played any animosity in the light.
The drys devoted a considerable
l»ortlon of the day to song and pray
er, whilat the wet brethren did alt
they knew how to Influence votes In
other ways..
The final vote was announced:
For closing the aaloona . 92
Against closing the saloons .... 82
Spoiled ballots . 4
Total ..
Majority for local option.... 10
The Uland road Is in a desperately
rough condltlbn, caused by hard
freezes of the last few night. How
ever the produce wagons get over the
road better than when it la muddy.
The mail rider who has the star
route from here to Rocky Dap gets
there all the same, wet or dry, “with
certainty, celerity and security."
DAY WONT
DEBATE WITH
I SOCIALIST
New York, Dec. 20 —Gaylord WII
•hlre, “the millionaire Socialist."
who has tried for months to arrange
a debate with Chancellor James R.
Day, of Syracufie University, known
as “the derender of the trust*,“ an
nounce* that Day has finally and
definitely refused to meet him on the
,'platform. Wllshlro offered to pay
Day liberally for his Mine If he would
debate with him the question,
“Should the Nation Own the Trusts?*’
Chancellor Day based his refusal on
the ground that his university work
now fully occupies his time, and that
he doubted the profit of such a dis
cussion, because he believes Social
ism is so vogue a doctrine. Wll
■hire. who ia a banker, editor and
capitalist as well as a Socialist, has
vainly attempted for several years to
arrange for debatea with distinguish
ed men. once offering William J.
Bryan $10,000 if he would meet hlin
In a discussion of the subject of <
Socialism.
CHANGES IN THE
AUDITOR'S OFFICE
Charleston. W. Va., Deo. 20._
Some change* have taken place In
the auditors office, made necessary
by tho new insurance law*. Walter
Seherr. who ha* been chief clerk and
who has had a number of yearo’ cx
|>erlence iu the business ho* t aken
charge of the Insurance branch and
an experienced actuary will be
brought from the east. The chief
clerk's chair has been taken by a
brother of the auditors for the pres
ent. Mr. Matthews, who wih as
sistant to tho chief clerk, has been
compiled to take a vacation for a
while and will go to the southwest
for several months at tvast. HI*
place will lie filled by Mr. M'Grtw,
a son-in-law of Speaker Beamons. An
additional stenographer may be
found necessary <o complete the
force necessary for tho handling of
everything In tbat branch.
.T. W. Freeman wiu» right painfully
Inirt yesterday. While coupling ears
>n the yard the front Anger of his
light hand was mashed off.
ANOTHER STUPENDOUS CATASTROPHE
IN THE BITUMINOUS COAL FIELDS
Out of Two Hundred and Fifty Miners who Lost Their
Lives Only Eight Have Been Brought to the Surface.
Gaseous Nature of the Mines Retard the Progress
of the Rescuers.
^_ V--r■*>- — .- _ __. _ ... ....
riutfuurg. Dec. 20.—This morning '
rescuers had brought eight bodies
out of the mine at Jacobs Creek,
thirty others were laying about near
by the entries to the pit mouth, but
the gaaeous nature of the mine make
It difficult for rescuers to penetrate'
far Into the leads and entries. There
appears to have been but one explo
sion and after this the fire set In
which Is believed to have caused tho
death of some 250 men. Relief
partieH are being organized in dif
ferent parts and will endeavor to en
ter the illfated mine from three dif
ferent sections to search for Hie
bodies.
Jacobs Creek, Pa., Dec. 20.—An
explosion of gas In the Darr mine
of the fMttsburg Coal company, lo
cated here, yesterday entombed be
tween 200 and 250 miners and
there Is scarcely a ray of hope that
a single one of them will he taken
from the mine alive.
Partially wrecked buildings In
the vicinity of the mine and the con
dition of tho fewr bodies found early
In the rescue work Indicates that
the explosion was of such terrific
force that It is Impossible that any
one could have survived It.
All of the thirteen bodies taken
out by this time are terrible mu-1
tllated and three of them are head
less.
This Is the third mine disaster
since the first of the month In the
veins of bituminous coal underlying
Western Pennsylvania and West Vir
ginia, for the Naomi mine, near Fay
ette City, and the two mines at
Monongah. W. Va., In which the
earlier explosions happened, are in
the same belt as the local workings.
Today's catastrophe swell the num
ber of victims of the deadly mine gas
In the last nineteen days to between
550 and 600.
That, yesterday's disaster does not j
equal or even surpass In loss of life
and attendant horrors the one In
West Virginia Is due to the devotion
to church duties of a considerable
number of the miners. In observance
of the church festival many of the
400 or more men regularly em
ployed In the mine who did not go
to work yesterday morning. Thou*
who escaped through this reason are
members of the Greek Catholic
church and they suspended work to
celebrate St. Nicholas Day.
As was 4he case at Monogah the
explosion followed a brief shut down,
the Darr mine having been closed
Tuesday and Wednesday. It waa
11:20 o'clock when the tenth trip of
loaded cam had been brought out ^
to the tipple when there came an
awful rumbling sound, followed Im- j
mediately by a loud report and n
concussion that shook nearby build
ing# and was felt for a radius ot
several miles. At the same time
there came from the mouth of the
mine an Immense cloud of dense
smoke and dust that floated across
the Youghlogheny river.
HJvery one In the vicinity knew
what had happened and atarted for
(he mouth of the mine. Not all of
them were able to reach the mine on
account of the scant facilities for
crossing the stream.
■The ventilation fans were kept In
ojx-ratlon as the power buildings bad
withstood the shock.
So far as known at the present
time only one man who went to
work yesterday morning **scnjx*d
alive.
Joseph Mapleton. a pum|>er, emerg
ed from one of the side entrances
shortly after the explosion. He had
left the part of the mine where most
of the men were working and was
on his way to the engine room for
oil.
“I was near entry 21.” said he.
“'When f heard an awful rumbling.
1 started towards the entry, but the
next Instant 1 was blinded, and for n
little while 1 did not know anything.
Then I got to the side entry and
worked my way out.
Mapleton was somewhat rut and
bruised, but later he returned to the
mine and Joined one of the rescuing
parties.
William Kelvlngston, superintend
ent of the mine, was not In It when
the explosion occurred and he quick
ly organized rescuing parties, start
ing them to work at abort Intervals
In the mein entry and similar forces
at the side entry. The officials and
the rescuers have only the faintest
hojio that any of* the men may be
living.
The main office of the company Is
In Pittsburg and Immediately upon
reee!|it of word of the explosion the
officers hurried to the mine and are
leading and directing the work of
rescue.
About l,r»dO feef. from the month
of the mine a he.ivy fall of roof
waa encountered by the rescuers. II
Is believed that the bodies of mosl
of the men will lx* found beyond tbU
tx»lnt. It Is hoped front the progress
made up to this time, however, thai
the further section will b<* reach**
early today. There are several side
entries, through which It Is exjx»cted
some of the m**n will he reached.
One remarkable feature of the dis
aster la the almost complete absenci
of harrowing scenei: usually enacted
by women friends and relatives ol
the victims. Conditions preventing
easy access tio the mouth of the mlm
are partly responsible for this and
those In charge of the work are do
Ing everything possible to keep th<
women and children away.
All who approach are turned back
to their homes after being atom red
that they can do^ahsolutely nothing
to benefit their loved ones and that
Ihe company will do everything pos
sible to bring the men, dead or
alive, to them.
The blacksmith ahop has been fit
ted up as a temporary morgue and
physicians are In attendance.
Mrs. John Campbell, wife of tho
mine doorman, whose home Is lo
cated SO yards from the mouth of
the mine, graphically described the
explosion. «ho said:
“About 11:30 there was a loud re
port and the dishes in my cupboard
and on the tables rattled, while the
glass In the windows was shatter
ed. Instinctively, I knew what had
hap|>ened. I have for a long time
feared an explosion In the mine, for
I knew It was gaseous. My husband
and f often talked of It and he fre
quently referred to the gas In the
mine. My husband was Just about
duo for bis dinner when the loud re
port came and 1 looked out the hack
door to the runway from which he
usually came from the mine to his
meals. Instead of my husband I
saw a great cloud of dust, and smoke
coming from the mouth of the mine
and out of the manway. It floated
upward and disappeared across the
river. I am sure Mr. Campbell will
be found In the entry not far from
the mouth of the mine, for 1 know ho
must have been on his way to din
ner.”
A considerable number of fbe
miners were Americans. Borne of tip*
officers last night estimated that
probably one-half of the victims are
Americans, as many of the foreign
ers did not work yesterday.
The Darr mine is located on the
west side of the Youghlongheny river
In Westmoreland county, along the
line of the Pittsburg and I-ake Erie
railroad, forty miles southeast of
Pittsburg and eighteen miles north
west of Connellsvllle. The main line
•f the Baltimore ft Ohio Railroad
runs along the east hank of the
river. It is one of a group of five
mines within a radius of a mile and
a half and Is a part of the original
Connellsvllle coke fields, Ita product
being used for coking. It is a slope
mine, opened In 1KS9, very similar
to the Naomi mine of the United
Coal company at Fayette City where
the explosion on December l klllei
34 men. The two mines are about
j ten miles apart.. This mine Is one of
the largest of the Pittsburg Coal
company, having a dally capacity of
’ 2,000 tons and It Is modern in all Its
' equipment onlu ctUNfl-65 lmWuu
i equipment. including a complete
electrical plant.
A new air shaft for the mine Is
> In course of construction.
j m "I —■» — -»* —•
SECRETARY WM. B. TAFT
MAKES NO STATEMENT
Having Been Out of Touch With the
Political Situation Declines to
. Talk—Will Confer With Presi
dent Without Delay.
New York. Dee. 20.- Having been
away from the United States for 120
day* and been out of touch with the
public affair* generally, therefore I
don’t feel that at thl» time I should
talk on any public question, but may
have something more to say later
on. I expect to have yiy nose set
to the grindstone for some time to
come and my absence from homo,
due to my extended trip, has pre
vented my keeping abreast of cur
rent events. Under no circumstances
ENGLISH PUBLISHER
CORNLNS WOOD
PULP
liOltD NOiniM’IdlF, TIIE PEEK
OE 1’rilMMHEIl.H, tWItltI EH OUT
GREAT NEWSPAPER PRINT
iPKtM K(T.
London, Dec. 20. -Unless Lord
Northellff of tho London Daily Mall,
encounters some entirely unforeseen
obstacle In his plan for cornering
tho world’s wood pulp, Ilrltish and
American newspapermen seem likely
to be In a position soon where they
lctffWj#YC, J^ckon with the great
r&r pt-nm-aTly the
lordship conceived ... _ * <ti
her of years ago of making New
foundland the world’s wood pulp
center and on his advice th<* AnuM
gamated Press, which controls the
Dally Mall, Is Investing four million
dollars In the enterprise. European
experts agree that tli * result prom
Isos to be the Generation's financial
coup for the aHtute newspaperman,
whose factories are now almost ready
to b< gin production.
VIRGINIA DEBT QUESTION
KEEPS IVIANY BUSY
CharlMton, W. Va., Dor, 20.
Attorney General May Iioh l>< # n
forced to spend a great portion of
hln time In thn east recently 01 a'’
oount of the Virginia debt question
which Is In the supreme court, and In
conferring with the associate counsel
retained by the state, Messrs. Spoon
er and Carlisle have bad frequent
conferences with General May and
other counsel from this state at New
York and Washington. The legal
question doubtless had much to do
with the general's declination to be
come a candidate for governor and
his announcement, that h • would
stand for re-election to his present
office,
IOV 1*01 NTH TO NW'KHHITV Ol'
T/fj)rilHIiATl RK OKTTI5K4 TO
(JKTHKR.
(Charleston, W. Va , Deo. 20. The
question of an extra session of the
state legislature appears to be set
tled In the minds of the public.
There appears to be no way for the
governor to get out of the matter now
and a call Is looked for every day.
There is much speculation, however,
as to what the governor will ask
the legislature to take tip. fl')c
levy question of course will he one
of the lny|K>rtant Items. The recent
explosion has stirred tip a great deal
of Interest In mining legislation an I
there is a desire to know whether
the laws are too weak or whether
t%o laws now on the statut book**
are strong enough but not enforced.
Borne of the well known mining men
claim that the laws are sufficient
•htn ' «Hh<u*h political affairs at
present. I have had n splendid trip
»nd found Americans very welcome
•» ®very place i reached.'* |„ tho
above at ate merit. Secretary Tart to
day evaded all efforts to get him to
discuss Ills boom for the presidency,
as he landed from the llamflmrK
American liner. President (Irani. Sec
retary Taft is in splendid health, al
though grieved over the death of hl«
mother, lie expected to go to Wash
ington without delay to confer with
the president.
but, they /arte not 'enforced while
others assert that some minor
changes are necessary to bring about
tho proper results. The mining cont
iuIrhIoh appointed during the ««>«
slon or the last legislature has visit
ed i lie Mononjrnh mine explosion and
"III have n r-port to make to tho
governor. It is not know when this
report will he ready to submit to
the governor before the call for tho
contemplated extra session la hold
so that the recommendations or that,
commission can he embodied In tho
recommendations of the governor.
The dirr retire of opinion as to
whether there Is a weakness In the
present laws to the extent of pre
v ntlng the enforcement of thorn, or
* weakness in t ho mining department
In the enforcement of the laws, la
usHtimlug no email dimensions and
"ill likely cun so some Interesting
illscitHslon when the legislature
meets. Home of the legislators bnvo
led a red openly that the department
>f mines has the right to close mines
I hut are found to bo ultsufe In the
•fltlnmtlon of the chief mine Inspect
where Boimo‘’o^,'W^,, IfflUfeAUKf Lwftty
ifuanls have not been compiled with,
find that these mines have not been
closed by the department until tho
laws are complied with and the noc
'■ssnry safeguards provided. Presl
lent of the Senate McDermott In In
terviews since he visited the Mon
rmgah explosion and made his report
to the governor at the suggstion of
the lntter, declares tin* present mine
Inspection force should he doubled.
Dp until last summer thor • were but
six In the Held hut Ibis number was
increased to twelve, but. at this It l«
conceded that the deputies cannot
get over the territory and make In
spect Ions properly and ns frequently
ns conditions warrant. Mr. McDer
mott Is reported as saying Hint ad
ditional (iilning laws are necessary
but does not state In what particu
lar. ¥
'POSSUM A COURSE
AT CHRISTMAS DINNER
Gainesville, Ga.. Gee, 20. Thorn
will bo 'jmsmtm served at the Christ
mas dinner at the White Hou.t > a
fat, Juicy Georgia 'possum, fattened
on persimmons. The little animal la
now about ready for the slaughter
and will he sent to Washington In
time for the [(resident's Christmas
dinner. The ’possum will bo tho
gift of Mrs, Helen l/Ongntreef, .post
mistress at Gainesville, the widow
of General I/ongstreef, one of the
most famous military leaders of tho
Confederacy, «
BONAPARTE WHL BE
THE GUEST OF HONOR
Chicago, l)ec. 20.- The nt ignlfl
eenf new clubhouse of th New Illi
nois Athbdle Club, one »,f the finest
buildings of its kind In the co itry,
will Is* formally opened tomorrow
evening with a great lutnque . at
which many distinguished men o th •
e|ty. state and nation will spea'-. At
torney General Monapsrte will I,* tho
guest of honor and Is expert t to
make some Important political nn
nouncements regarding the polity of
the administration.
The rewult of the cleetlon In Moca
bonta i y nl^rdfly seems to pleaso
everybody In Rhiefleld. While tem
perance people here are rej.ilrlng
over the defeat of the w'o'S the whis
key people lose nothing by th * re
sult as It don’t interfere with their
business. >