The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., January 02, 1918, Image 1

About The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
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THOUSANDS LOSE POSITIONS REMINGTONS ARMS PLANT
; . W in
The Weather Report
New Haven, Jan. 3 For
Bridgeport and vicinity: Pair
tonight and warmer; Thurs
day rising temperature,
cloudy, probably snow.
VOL. 54 NO. 2
Reported Abrupt End of Pacific Conference When
Germans Insisted on Keeping Territory and
Maintaining Armed Garrisons in Russian Ter
ritory Red Guards Are Rushed to the Fron
tier Bolsheviki Apparently Prepares to
Fight Report Rumanians Are Shooting Bol
sheviki Officers.
London, Jan. 2 Peace negotiations in Brest Litovsk have
heea broken off by the Bolsheviki government because of the
German attitude in regard to Poland and Lithuania and the en
emy's proposal that garrisons be retained in libau, Riga and
elsewhere, according to a telegram from the Petrograd corre
spondent of the Daily News appearing in a late edition today.
TTie Daily News correspondent says further that consider
able number of Red guards are sent to reinforce the front, and
that other preparations for defense are made.
The despatch emotes an
from Hi Bolshevik newspaper Isvezta
dismissing "the new phase In the
peace necaMatianm." The article say
that owinc to pleasure from below
Che fl to ii i mi us taavw been obliged to
soil their lip with the formula put
forward by the Socialists at the be
glnntnff of the wax. bat the German
Imperta&sts would sot He Imperialists
If they did sot try to take back In
fax what with gritted teeth they
yielded Jn words.
The Rttsrtwi rerelirtloa eaimet ac
cent their condition to retain Poland
and Lithuania. Just you try It gen
tlemen," says the ustia.
This Is the line, the correspondent
adds, that probably will be taken at
a general meeting; tonight to consider
the repert mt Une Rnsslan peaoe dele-
The Blsntk fan, lie adds. Is a
world revohstlofi of peaoe on their
own terms which they think will dis
credit the lmverjattsts generally. The
correspondent continue:
"And if in the lone; ran Russia
is driven to conclude a separate peace
en any ether terms, I prophesy that
the Russian signatories to such a
peace will not be Bolshevik, but mem
bers ef eoxmsttion political parties."
Negotiations for a general peace in
Brest Utovak were adjourned Dee.
26 until Jan. 4. Since then in Brest
Liltoralc and in Petrograd represents
tires ef KjjsKta and the Central pow
ers have been dlatrassrag Informally
points to he settled in the event of a
peace agreement bins; reached.
I'WeUmaa Paviovitch. a non-Bolshevik
member lot the Essia.n delegation t
ffireet-Utwalc. according to an Ex
change Tslearaoh Co. dispatch from
Petrograd. says that the German at
titude in ressjd to the freeing of oc
cupied Russian territories depends on
!the rekutionafaio of the Bolshevik gov
ernment with the Ukraine and the
OseaafeB, He adds that if the En
tente allies refuse to negotiate a gen
eral peaee Germanv will not eonsridej
. iier declarations to the Bolsheviki
binding, '
Germany's fundamental war aim, M
Fafiovitch exMs, is to create an eco
nomic anion stretching from Ham-
-burg to the Persian gulf, giving Tur.
key i and Bulgaria, with certain re
strictions, the same position as that
tioeupied ty Australia and Canada in
their, economic relations with Great
Britain,
KILL RUSS OFFICERS
London, Jan. 2 Cossack troops have
occupied the town of Alexandrovsk
without opposition and the Bolshevik
parrison was disarmed, according to
reports received here from Petrograd
regarding the- civil war in Russia. It
is not stated which Alexandrovsk was
captured. There are several towns
and villages in Russia named Alex
androvsk but the nearest to the Coss
ack territory are those in Ekaterinos
la and in Stavropol,
Tito Bolshevik authorities, accord
ing to an Exchange Telegraph Co.
dispatch from Petrograd, have receiv
ed information that the situation on
the Rumanian front is very serious.
The relations of the Bolsheviki with
Rumanian ofiicers are said to be be
coming alarming. It is said that the
Rumanians have occupied the Bessar
nbian town of Iuevo and have ar
rested and shot several Bolshevik
leaders.
A Petrograd dispatch to the Daily
Express says that railroad trains are
again running between Riga and Pe-trogra,
: i I
COLD CAUSE
OF CLOSING
10 SCHOOLS
Damage to the water and drainage
systems cansed by the cold weather
resulted In the closing of 18 Bridge
port school, including the High school.
Junior High school and two parochial
schools today, thereby giving approxi
mately 10,000 children an extended
Yuletide vacation.
The frozen pipes were discovered
on Monday and in each cases plumb
ers were called Immediately and
have been working to get the systems
In working order. At the High school
the steam pipes all over the building
were frozen and more than 1,500
pupils were turned away as they re
turned to resume their studies after
a 10 days vacation.
Other schools closed were: Junior
High school, Maplewood school, Jef
ferson, Hall, Staples, Whtttler, Ellas
Howe, St. Charles and St. Mary's. The
damage in all Is serious except in the
Staples school, which Js expected to
be opened for sessions tomorrow.
KEEP BETHEL SCHOOI;S CTjOSED
Bethel, Jan. 2. The public seheols
of this place will remain closed during
the remainder of this week because of
the severe cold, hermometers regis
teered 18 degrees below zero early this
morning and at one place outside the
village a temperature of 29 degrees
below was reported, making the morn
ing the coldest of the week.
TAX
INCOME
BESE1
BED WITH INOl)
For the next few days C. F. Mitch
ell, who is hereto collect the income
tax, will do notlting but answer ques
tions, and judging from the manner
in which citizens were firing ques
tions at him all today he will have
a man's size job on his hands until he
gets out the printed matter explain
ing the hundred and one items about
which the people want to know.
From the moment Mitchell arrived
in the Bridgeport Post Office from
Hartford, he has been deluged with
questions from both men and women
who want to know everything from
how much they will have to pay the
government out of their pin mone
or salaries to what is the best food
for a year old baby.
When the tax collector first arrived
he was of the opinion that it would
be rather plain sailing to start in
with his work ofg arnering ths shek
els for Uncle Sam, but he soon found
there was so much missionary work
to be done that ths mere fact of col
lection was a trifle compared to an-
' swering questions and explaining wh
BRIDGEPORT,
EXPLODING METEOR
SHAKES BUILDINGS
OF CHATTANOOGA
Chattanooga Tenn., Jan. 2 A
terrific explosion shook this city
early today. The sky was lighted
for several seconds and it was fol
lowed by loud reports that shook
buildings. A meteor is thought
to have cansed the phenomena.
It is quite possible that the il
lumination of the skies and the
explosion near Chattanooga was
a bi shooting star. Dr. G. P.
Merrill of Washington, one of the
head curators of the National
Museum, said today that such
shooting stars cause an Intense
light in the heavens and as they
come Into the earth's atmosphere
1 1 they make a loud noise somewhat
I like thunder.
ARMS L
FF 25
1PLQ
Two thousand five hundred men
will be laid off at the Remington Arms
Co. tonight on account of the failure
of the Russian government to meet its
obligation in this country. Notice to
this effect was given by the company
today.
The statement of the company fol
lows: The conditions in Russia are such
that payment on contracts in process
of execution in the United States are
seriously curtailed. This is true with
the contracts between this company
and the former Russian government,
and the situation has become so acute
that a large reduction of daily output
of Russstan rifles has become imper
ative. It Is necessary at owe to discon
tinue the night shift heretofore work
ing upon Russian rifles and to dis
miss such of the employes of this
night shift as cannot be given em
ployment on the day shift The night
shift employes will! be paid in full at
the employment office, between 5 and
8 p. m., Wednesday, Jan. 2, 1918.
Those employes of the night shift
who can be given employment on the
day shift will And a card in their pay
envelopes instructing them to apply
at the emiployment office, January 3,
between 8 i ni. and S 5. m.
The company anticipates in the
early spring using an even larger
larger number of employes than are
engaged at present, after the comple
tion of the special tool equipment nec
essary to the manufacture of supplies
for the United States government
i
COLLECTOR
the Income Tax.
When asked what he theught of the
situation he said "I ara more than sat
isfied as soon as the people understand
the law governing the paying of the
tax everything will run smoothly, but
at the present time I will be satisfied
if they continue to ceme in to see
me in the manner they have started.
"I expect there will he a big busi
ness dome in this city and just as soon
as I can get my list of answers to
questions published and distributed
there will not be the slightest hitch in
the proceedings. All citisens will have
to pay a tax upon incomes of $1,009
or over for single men and on $2,000
orover for married men. What the
exact amount Willi be is not given out
at the present time, but will be pub
lished later." -"
Mr. Mitchell's office Is located on
the second floor of the Post Office
building, and is open at 9 o'clock each
morning. He wants everyone t"
come up and see him and ask him
anything they maiy be in doubt about
He will be only to glad to explain thf
law and assist the people of Bridge
port in any manner within his powei
AYS
00
YEES
RES
and Evening Farmer
COm., WEDNESDAY, JAN, 2, 1918
C j u Jill kJ lt JiO lTO r
Ice 11 Inches Thick
Holds Barges Fast and
Ties Up All Traffic by
Water Boat Crews
Walk Into City From
Sound.
Ice has covered Bridgeport
harbor so thoroughly that this
morning it was a common sight
to see folks either walking or
sleighing , across the wide
stretch between Pleasure Beach
and High Run and the captains
ef all tugs and barges lying in
the basin walked into town as
unconcernedly as though their
boats were high and dry on the
land.
Captain Robert Baisden of the stake
boat Pilot, walked to town this morn
ing and reported! that his boat was
held In eleven inches of ice. He gave
little hope that matter! will be im
proved in the- near futire and feels
corafldent that he will Ibe able to walk
to town every morning tor some time
to come. 1
At the office of the Brllgeport Tow
ing company, it was slated that it
took their most powerful tugs more
than an hour to smash a passajge
through one-auarter of a mile of the
ice and then the captains were taking
a risk of having their bolts damaged.
No hope was held out of any pros
pect of coal arriving by water soon
and the telephones of the Towing1
company were kept .busy with frantic
appeals from manufacturing plants
for fuel, (but the captains of the
barges and tugs finding that it is Im
possible to move their boats have all
turned land lubbers ani many deep
sea yarns are being spui around com
fortable stoves ashore.
The S. S. Naugatuck lad the great
est difficulty in forciig a channel
through the ice this morning and it
is expected that the difficulty will in
crease unless the weather moderates
considerably. As she Is of no more
beam than some of the larger tugs in
this vicinity the passage which she
breaks through the lea is not wide
enough for barge traffic so that little
if any advantage can lie taken of the
narrow lane she makes through the
frozen surface of the liarbor.
Harbor Master iLamond Is busy
making numerous lnsiiection trips to
every section of the harfeor and is
vainly looking for signs of a break
up in the present condition. When
seen this morning he said: "It is im
possible to hope for a let up in the
fuel situation under the present con
ditions. Shipping is uaralyzed both
in the Sound and Bridgeport harbor
and it mav toe some considerable time
before the normal activities of the
port can lbe resumed."
NEW REPUBLIC
ON BLACK SEA
Petrograd, Tuesday, Jan. 1 A new
republic has been set up in the Black
sea territory, with Novorossysk as the
capital. A coalition cabinet, includ
ing Constitutional Democrats, has
been formed.
Delegates from Ukraine to the con
stituent assembly will arrive in Pet
rograd tomorrow. Na effort was made
to open the assembly today.
Tchernomorsk, of the Black sea
territory, is a district of Transcaucasia
consisting of a long narrow strip on
the coast of the Black sea and on the
wests lope of the Caucasus.
REED liECOVERUVG.
Responding to careful treatment,
the man who was overcome by drink
ing hot whiskey in a saloon at Main
and State streets, yesterday, regained
consciousness and gave his name as
Daniel Reed, of 80 Courtland street
Reed's stomach was chilled before
he took the whiskey, and the sudden
hange rendered him unconscious. Dr.
"3. C. Pasuth of the Emergency Hos
ital staff, attended W first and then
.ent him to the hospital ; where the
nan's condition is today reported to
e not serious. I
v " . . A
Factories Reopen Their
Doors With Supply on
Hand to Operate For
About Two Days
Urgent Appeals Made
to Washington.
Employing every conceiva
ble plan to conserve fuel, all of
Bridgeport's munition factor
ies opened today, but measur
ed each shovel full of coal as it
was hurled into the gigantic
furnaces, which play a most
important part in supplying
the United States with muni
tions that are depended upon
to pave the path to victory.
Washington officials are Impressed
with the seriousness of the Bridgeport
situation, although no official state
ments have toeen received.
The manufacturers today, with the
exception of a few, are on the brink
of absolute famine, the only saviour
(being the immediate suwolv of hun
dreds- of tons of soft coal. This is ad
mitted by the Manufacturers' asso
ciation heads and Carl F. Siemon,
chairman of the local fuel commit
tee, who says, "The situation Is still
as bad, if not worse, than ever. It is
critical." Telegraph wires are hum
ming with appeals from this city and
in fact from every other town and
city in New England.
(All are awaiting relief. Many of
Bridgeport's most important "manu
factories are running with only three
or four days' supply of fuel ahead.
Thousands and thousands of skilled
craftsmen are wondering at what mo
ment their employment will cease.
The fuel committee is extending it
self to the limit in its endeavors to
get relief and conserve the supply on
hand. The committee plans for a
rigid enforcement of the conservation
regulations and commencing tomor
row night the Bridgeport merchant
failing to comply will be penalized by
having his electricity supply shut off.
Inspector Frank Fitzgerald, it is un
derstood, has been instructed to turn
off any electrical display sign or win
dow display found burning tomorrow
night, one of the "lightless nights'
designated toy the government.
The enforcement of the govern
ment's orders relative to curtailing
the hours of theatres, saloons, meet
ing places and the closing of churches
kwill be strictly followed and prompt
(Continued on Page 2.)
AGENTS OF U. S.
HOLDING 25 FOR
FIRE IN NORFOLK
Norfolk. Va.. Jan. 2. Twenty-flve
suspects were on the grill today in
the investigation of the mysterious
series of fires that yesterday did $2,-
000,000 damage in Norfolk and less
damage in iNewpert News and Ports
mouth nearby.
A mass of ice covered ruins was
surrounded today by sailors, marines
and home guards artdi the city gave
the appearance of being under mar
tial law.
While the local authorities seemed
today to toe less of the opinion that
the fires were part of a plot to destroy
thee ity, or to distract attention from
the governments' war plants on the
water front while enemies might work
destruction there, the department of
Justice was active today and about 20
suspects were turned over to the gov
ernment agents by the police court
without hearing.
Tuo women are among those de
tained, and among the men is W. J.
A. Brosvordt who is charged with
havine made tdastoval remarks while
the If onticello hotel was (burning. His
room at another hotel was searched
and jthere were found German papers,
maps of Norfolk, and a book of Ger
man memoirs with a picture of the
kaiser in the fly leaf.
Merchant Ship Building
Speeded Up and Closer Co-Operation Given
Allies, House Reports to Washington.
Washington, Jan. 2 American troops are to be rushed to.
Europe in as large and as constant a stream as is humanly pos
sible; the Allied nations will so
provide the necessary transportation; the merchant ship build
ing program must be rushed; there is to be closer co-operation
of all the co-belligerents to pcesent a single and united front
to German autocracy; the part of the United States has been
clearly defined and arrangements have been made to carry it
out.
Tkiuin awv II,. ?An1 wiM.K' no Ilia,, nffntvt V" tTIrf t V
the recent inter-allied war council in Paris, annotreToiray,: y S
for. the first time by the state
Through a new inter-allied
shipping resources arrangements have been made to devote
"the greatest amount of tonnage possible for the transportation
of American troops."
A definite plan was formed
American naval forces and an agreement was made with the
British admiralty to effect certain plans for anti-submarine;
warfare. .
ALLIES TO POOL RESOURCES
The contribution of the United States to a pooling of war ;
resources was agreed upon. The arrangement guarantees full .
equipment of every kind will be
sent to Europe during 1918.
Arrangements were made to have the United States parti
cipate in military deliberations of a supreme war council "as a
step toward efficient and centralized unity of control of mili
tary operations."
Plans also were worked out whereby, in order to permit the
United States to visualize the problem of food control at home,
Great Britain, France and Italy agreed to put in legalized and ,
compulsory control of foodstuffs in their countries.
The extent of the military effort to be aimed at by the
United States was clearly determined, and an Allied advisory
board was created to advise each nation on allotments of ships,
so as to permit the American military effort to be realized. Jt
The principal recommendations of the American delegates, -headed
by Col. E. M. House, as President Wilson's personal re- ,
presentative, are:
"That the United States exert all their influence to secure v
the entire unity of effort, military, naval and economic, be
tween themselves and the countries associated with them in the
war.
"That the fighting forces of the United States be dispatcheii v
to Europe with the least possible delay, incident to training and p
equipment."
JEW WAR BUREAU WILL
COST THE CITY $13,000
DURING ITS FIRST YEAR
The Bridgeport War Bureau, organ
ized on a patriotio basis, requisitions
the city of Bridgeport for a sum of
$13,000, of whieh the bureau con
templates handing out nearly 8,000
in salaries, for the maintenance of
the bureau during the fiscal year
starting April X The bureau itemise
its requisitions as follows: Rent,
$750; salaries, $3,640; furniture,
$400; telephone, $84; stationery and
postage, $500; incidentals, $826;
committee on education, $2,500; food
committee, salaries, $3,600; incident
als, $800,
Other requisitions totalling more
than $3,000,008 were filed with the
city auditor today. The sewer com
mittee of the Common Council leads
with a request for $1,099,100, The
most important subjects are; West
Side main interceptor sewer, $332,
964.45; north side interceptor, four
sections, $39,214.46; Grand street,
southwest outlet, $16,000; pumping
station, $280,006; Bryant, Samoa and
Hubbell street sewers, $1,I16.
The streets and sidewalks commit
tee asks for an apfdfiii&UeB Pf &
The Woman's vPage
Do you want to know about
clothes? Housewives, do
you want to obtain soma use
ful bints? See Paso 8.
PRICE TWO CENTS
Program Will Have to Be
arrange their shipping as to
department.
organization for co-ordinating
for more active utilization of'
available to all American forces
514, ,of which amount $408,909 is for"
macadam and $114,805 for . grad- j
ing.
The registrars of voters ask for
$11,359.50, an Increase of $4,000. .
City hall committee requests $12,605,
the claims committee, $18,500;
Memorial Day committee, $2,400; city
sealer of weights and measures, $4,- ,
175, including- $1,000 fes new automo
bile; city eourt, $24,409 and tax col
lector, $15,613.
The health department requitislona ,
for $341,007 to maintain that branch
during the next year. Included In the '
total is $103,000 for the collection of '
ashes which was refused by the board .
of apportionment last year. Other
items are; General expenses, $85,-.
885, including $45,208 for salaries;
slaughter house, $1,140; garbage col
vey fund and culture stations, $1,- '
survey fund and culture stations, $1.- ;
800; medical '-'.nection and installa- ;
tion of denial clinic in parochial
scheels, $13,785; equipment for new!
offices in Welfare building, $4,600ij
equipment and maintenance of pre-, j
posed Isolation hngciWU M- !