Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

TPUt fjrjlfTRR WATCHMAN, g>tabU Consolidated Aug. tt, l; ENEMIES SUB! FIRE. TWO NORFOLK BLOCKS DF HTROYFR BY FLAMFS. Flame? Causing I<om of One Life, Many Injurtee and Great Property Datnage?Relieved to nave Been Started by Incendlartee? Number of Arrests Made. | Norfolk. Va. Jan. 1?Nearly two blocks in the heart of Norfolk's bust-, neea dletrtot. Including the Monticello Hotel, were destroyed, one man was filled and a score more injured In a series of explosions and tiros tod ly which both the police and uavul au? thorities here believe were Incendiary. The tire bad been checked tonight, but still was burning ilerccly in the mine The loss is roughly estimate, at more than $2.000,000. Three distinct explosions in gg many bulldiuc*. one after the tire virtual./ hud been brought under <amtrol, ie<l to the general belief that enemy agents were at work. Mayor Mayo practically placed the city under mar? tial law by turning the situation over to naval officers and some 2.&00 ma? rines and bluejackets from nearby naval stations assiuted the police and ' home guards in maintaining order and preventing vandalism. Naval patrols rounded up susplc loue persons throughout the afternoon while five men were arrested as sus? pects. Two of these, Hugo Schmidt und H. K. Lessing, said to be Oer mans, were turned over to department f Justice agents. Tonight there were reports that Two Germans had been shot by aellore during the day but neither the police nor naval authori? ties would confirm them. The fire started before dawn in the old Gran? ny Theatre on Granby street and Ruined rnpid headway as. the firemen were handicapped by frosen hydrants, lour water pressure and near sero temperature. It quickly spread to the Monticello Hotel and other nearby bnildlags in the block. It was brought under control late in the day but broke out anew early tonight, leaped across Granby street and leveled hair of the block there beforo being cheeked ' Failing floors and walls took a toll of firemen and naval guards. One fireman. Charles McCoy, was killed, and seven others hurt in the collapse of an upper floor of the Monticello Hotel in the day and tonight two fire? men and several sailors were caught In a falling wall of the Lenox build? ing. Three were brought out badly hurt but two others were left In the debris. Firemen of Norfolk, Portsmouth and Suffolk with organized sailor bri? gades fought heroically amid Ice and blinding smoke, and bluejackets led the rescue work when the fighters were trapped. Several of the firemen caught In the hotel were brought out alive through the daring of a score of the Jack lee. Reports as to, the number of ex? plosions vary. It was first said that the fire in the Granby Theatre h:vl followed an explosion but Fire Chief Mclaughlin and naval investigators announced tonight that this was not the case. They said there had been three eeperate and distinct explosions. The first was In a cloak and hat shop near the Monticello. The second was on the *lxth floor of that hotel after t the first fire was practically under control and tb.- third in tho Lenox building, whieh l iter was flcetiaisfl Guests from the Monticello, who were forced to gee n the biting cold of the dawn a ft si they had watched the thea*er burn, were taken care of in nearby homes and hotels. As build? ing after building went down, with now and tb?m an apartment house, scores were made homeless and the National 'luard armory on City Hall Avenue was thrown open. At the granary during the late diy Red Cross workers and other volun? teers looked after the homeless and also ggpgdled h<d eafTse and sandwich? es for the nif. ?I patrols and firemen who w*r*? f sreed to seek r?st front their gruelling work against the fin men. When tho dreSSCR responded to th" alarm for the theatre fire they found ? II hydrants In the vicinity frogen. Fires had to be built to thaw them out In the meantime the ft reman looked on helpless while the big theatre building burned When wa? ter finally came, the pressure was so low that streams would not reach to the upper stories of th?? burning huild lag and the fire soon was bOyoad eon trol. Portsmouth, across the Blbslbeth ftrver. wss cnlled upon for nid and the fire wss rhedced until falllnar sparks fired the Monticello. where many of the guewts had gone back to fcfttd April, 1880. "Be IM ? ?81 8 FORCES FOB SEAS. HENRY FORD rIX> BUILD HUGE SHIP PLANT IN SOUTH. Charleston Named as Possible Loca? tion of Yard Promoted by 'Detroit Man. Washington, Jan. 1.?A big New Year's surprise for the South was an? nounced here today when It became known that within the next ten days in all probability the site for one of the largest shipbuilding plants* in the world will be selected by Henry Ford, the plant's chief promoter, with the assistance of Chairman Hurley of the I'nited States shipping board and .1 score of expert steel men and ship? builders. A brief announcement of a few days igsj nuikes It Is almost certain thnt one of the following localities will be < hr.sen: Charleston, Savannah, prnitsjwteki Jacksonville. Fernandlna, Tinnp-i or Pensaooln. Inspection of sites will h'*g:n Immediately and al? though Ford's friends her?' today wore not prepared to make public their itlnernry of Southern cities to bo visited, it was stated that practically all plans hod been agreed upon at a conference between Mr. Ford and the I government authorities and that all that is lacking is an availably site. It was explained, however, that there would be no further delay In the matter and no red tape. Ford is ready to begin hiHldlng the steel ships aw soon as he can get the land. He pnvi he can turn out a dozen ships a day and the payroll would be the largest any one In any section of the United States has ever seen. His head man alone receives a salary of $45,000 a year and having already perfected all plans down to the smallest details for rushing the ships there will be abso? lutely no delay. Although these ships will be of steel there must be millions of feot of Georgia, Florida and South Carolina lumber, for use in their construction, and this feature alone will mean that much money will be spent in these States for material alone. ~n?2_^. MOOE SENTENCED TO DEATH. Such Is Verdict of the Court in The Houston Riot Trial. Ban Antonio. Jan. 2.?Five of the negroes tried by the last court-mar? tial for connection with the Houston riots have been sentenced to be hanged, according to the verdict of he court, as announced by Major General Ruckman this morning. bed in the belief that the fire wai controlled. They were soon forced to turn out again. The combined departments appar? ently were making good headway against the flan. es. when the explo I sion occurred in the cloak shop and ' another blaze started. Suffolk then was asked for aid and rushed appara tus to the city by train. In the mean? time the naval authorities at the navy %; rd and naval base offered aid an.l I fire brigades were soon on the scene. When the second explosion occur? red, this time in the Montic-Ho. Mov <>r Mayo put the naval authorities In charge. They placed patrols through? out the bur'ness district, th .?w a cor don of marines ond bluejackets II (Mind the fire d'strict. Department of Jnttioe agents join et! with the City detective force in MOklng 10 unravel the mystery of the explosion* Throe Of Urn men arrest? ed were placed in the city jail and federal agents took charge of the other two, Pchmtdt and Legging, The Ir.ttrr, Offb'ers said, first represented himself as a department of justice of? ficial. I m Plrt tugs from the navy yard earl? in the day took up positions on tl <? ?rater front throe blocks away an I as? sisted the fire engines ami pumped tons of Mater irto the burning buildings, but Ihe block ?ui Graaby Street from City Hall Wenuc to Tasewell Street, vii loaliy v. ..s .i. strayed, Just ;it duos the iii?- in the Montl COllo l'to'.o mit afresh and, despite ihe heroic work of the Dromon and snilois. the I.??no\. Carpenter and Tasewell build I ago, six story struc? tures acrosj the street wore wrecked. I'??r i time tie- naval V. M. (\ A. was t area toned. Although the tire still was burn Ing in th.> mini IntS tonight. th?* tire chief announced thai the danger was over if the naval patrols could "check ihe wori. of Incendiaries." The f i? swept district in hut three blocks from the RUaaheth River tra? tet front on the north and five on the west. It is more than a mile from llM Norfolk navy yard, which iKloe.it cl tip the Elizabeth River in the wes? tern section of Portsmouth. ;t)man od Fear tvot?Let an the ends Thon Ata UMTER, 8 0., SATUilE BOLSHEVIKI HOLDS MMm SAID TO HAVE ARRESTER!) MEMHERK OF RAILWAY MISSION. Dispatch to London Newspaper From' Petrograd Announces Action by j Lenine-Trotzky Clan. ? London, Jan. L?It is- reported the Bolsheviki have arrested the mem? bers of tho American railway mis? sion at Iikutsk, Siberia, says a dis? patch to tho Exchange Telegraph from Petrograd. The United States railroad commis? sion to tho Russian government ar? rived In Petrograd last June and until the recent bolsheviki disturbances hgd been busily engaged in assistJng the Russian railways out of their, operating difficulties. The personnel df the commission, i Whtoh Was not Officially announced follows: "John F. Stevens of New York, tminer chief engineer of the Panams ? anal, chairman; \\ . i,. Darling of St Paul, chief engineer of the North I t em Pacific Railway; Henry Miller of | St. Louis, former operating vice pres? ident of the Wabaah Railroad; G<o. Gibbet of Philadelphia, former chief j mechanical engineer ?l the I'ennsj 1 vania Railroad and J. P. Griner of Baltimore, chief consulting engineer! Ol the Baltimore A Ohio Railroad. Chairman Stevens bad ihe rank of] minister plenipotentiary to the Rug* ?Ian government but his appointment did not infringe on the status of Am? bassador David R. Francis. J A dispatch from Toyko dated De? cember 27, said Mr. Stevens had ejr> 1 rived at Nagasaki, Japan, from Vladi? vostok and that he had reserved the accommodations of an entire hotel In Nagasaki for 320 members of his staff, who accompanied him. The dispatch also carried a statement from Mr. Ftevenw In which he declared It was his Intention to return to Russia with his staff. NO OFFICIAL NEWS. Washington Would Not be Surprised to Hear of Arrests. Washington, Jan. 1.?No word from official sources had reached the 'State department tonight regarding ! the reported arrest of members of the American railway mission at Irkutsk. The department's com? munication with ItUSSlfl h is been very irregular, however, and officials would not be surprised if the report woro true. Although several railway units each comprising several hundred men are in Siberia to assist in Improving con* 'ditlons on the Trans-Siberian Railway. I j it is thought that only a few could have been at Irkutsk. They probably r I are scattered in small detachments along the entire route. There have been frequent rumors that the railway mission was about to withdraw and return to this coun? try, but the State department has in? dicated that the men would be kept at their posts and that although rec Ognltlon of the Bolshovlkl regime is withheld, there is no disposition to j curtail the work. PEACE CONFERENCE ENDS. Bolshevik I Break Off Negotiation \\ idi Germans. London, Jan. 2.?Peace negotiations at Prest-Lltovsk have been broken off by the Bolshevlkl government owing to the German attitude In re? gard to Poland, Lithuania and Ene ? mya. Proposal that garri.sons be re? tained at LlbaU, Riga and elsewhere, according to a telegram from the Pe? trograd eorrea > ndf ni Of The Daily News today, were objected to. GERMAN RAIDS REPULSED. ( Brttssh Win in Skirmish on Belgian Front. London, Jan, 2, -Severhj i- ids by German forces on British positions on the Belgian U,nd Arras fronts. Were repulsed, the war Office state? ment today says. N FW PEACE PROPOSALS. Germans Said to Be Preparing New I Statement of conditions. London. Jan. 3.?Tho Centril pow? ers within the next ten days will make new declarations regarding Germany's peace conditions, a df? pitch from Geneva to The D.ii'y Rxpreaa quotes the Munich Nach richten 9W saying. It Is added that [modifications mnv be Introduce I lowing to the attitude of the entert'/) I powers. j i j. ' "1 ss*t at be thy Country's. (H) t*<?a ? a ?AY. JANUARY 5 191f PEOPLE FIGHT FOR GOAL disorders in new york street. Director General of Railway Issues Order Calculated to Furnish Much Fuel. New York, Jan. 1.?With another day of bitter cold and intense suf? fering from the general fuel shortage. New York had today its Ant real coal riot. The disorders began when several hundred men, women and children who hud lined up outside a large coal yard at One Hundred and Nineteenth Street and the East Riv? er, discovered several loaded trucks leaving the yard alter announcement had been made that thero was no coal for sale. Some of those who had been wait? ing patiently with pails, bags, email wagons and baby carriages at once began to stone the office win.lows. Others followed the trucks, unhooked the rear chutes and seized the coal that streamed into the street Police reserves wert palled and succeeded in restoring order when a representative Of the coal company announced that coal wouid he sold in small lots after certain hospitals had been served. Early relief from the fuel shortage is expected to result from an order issued late today by William G. Me Adoo. director general of railroads, permitting the Pennsylvania Railroad Company's tunnels under the Huds n River, heretofore devoted to passen? ger traffic, to be used by incoming coal trains. Reeve Schley, New York County fuel administrator, stated tonight that during the last 48 hours 64,000 tons of coal had been brought to the city and that 4,600 carloads were now at tidewater. Navigation from New Jersey ter? minals across the Hudson to Manhat? tan Island is greatly impeded by ice floes and the Harlem River and Prooklyn's water approaches are In the same condition. GERMAN DELEGATES IN RUSSIA. Spend Much Time in Petrograd in Discussion of Trade Relations With Russin. Petrograd, Dec. 31.?The German political delegates who are visiting Petrograd, headed by Count von Mirbach are devoting much of thei? time to preliminary discussions of the question of trade, relations. l.'avon Admiral Keyser a.c declared today that no fmc was more suitable than the presei t for making peace, as he considered that it probably would be difficult to reach terms with the con? stituent nssi jnbly, ! The Germans and also the Aus trians who are in Petrograd, are mak? ing themselves thoroughly at home, visiting theaters, among them the French theater, and also the cafes ^ond taking possession of the reading [end lounge rooms in two adjoining ho? stels in which some entente allied offl cet8 are quartered. The delegates ex? pect to return to Prest-Litovsk with? in two weeks. \ GENS. HOYLE AND DUVALL RE? TIRED. Generals Sihert and Mann Brought Homo From IVanco to Relieve Them. Washington, Jan. 2.?Maj. Genera! William I*. Bibert, who r< turned yes? terday from France, will be assil n to the command of the Southeastern Department, it is understood here to? day, relieving Ma;or General William P. Duvalli retired. Major Genera' William a. Mann, who also returned yesterday from France, was assign? ed today to the command of, the Eastern Department, relieving Major General KU D, Hoyle, retired. It is understood that Generals Hoyle and Duvall will return to the retired list. SNOW over STATE. White Blanket Covers all South Car* olina. Columbia, J in. 2.?a rise in tern* perature, accompanied by snow fall was reported to he general through? out the State this morning. The fuel situation is reported still acute, al? though some supplies are now beim; received. intern all aliens. Italy Will Round up AU Ali n \:ne. mica at Onoo. Rome. Jan. 2.?The Italian gov? ernment has taken measures to Intern all enemy subjects In Italy Within the next four or five days, Laepaco says. No exceptions will be made. ad rrmos'sv THE LHVh MAL TRAINS MOVE FAST. ! NEW GOVERNMENT ORDERS KPEED FREIGHT. Prompt Actio? Taken?All Existing Priority Orders for Whole Country Suspended in Favor of Fuel. Washington, Jan. 1.?Coal trains went forward today under new gov- j emment orders bubed on the belief of director General McAdoo that rail? way congestion rather than actual Shortage is responsible for the fuel famine in many districts | Upon receipt of reports that hun? dreds of loaded coal cars were stalled on sidings behind long strings of cars containing shipments of higher pref srential rating than coal, aii existing priority orders for the entire country were suspended by Robert S. Lovett, prtoritj dire tor of the war industrial board, on recommendation of the di? rector general. This is expected to result in quicker movement of the i Li tire mass Of congested freight whose Sluggishness has been cans d largely by a, multiplicity ot priority ciders. President Wilson, it was learned to? night, Will AO before COnglUBW Friday to present his recommendations fo legislation to make government oper? ation fully effective and to provide for I compensation of the carriers and leg? islation which has already been [drawn Will be Introduced immediate? ly .after his address. Some officials .think there will be a vigorous fight over the question of whether the leg? islation should be effective only for the period of the war and a limited time thereafter, or should remain in force until specifically repealed or ' modified by congress. Representatives of the railroads ' were to have appeared tomorrow be I fore the senate interstate commerce j committee but when word came that the president desired to address con? gress Friday, it was announced tlvat j they would ask permission to wlth ,hold their statements for the present. I The committee instead will hear Com mtssloner Atchlson of the interstate commerce) commission. Director General McAdoo spent s busy New Year's day. He broke rall i way precedents by ordering that the j Pennsylvania Company's tunnel under I the Hudson river, heretofore restrict I ed to passensjer trains, be used to hasten coal supplies into the heart of j New York city. The orders are to be followed, even If they Interfere with passenger schedules. The action was considered signlfl ! cant by rallror.d men not only because of the direct results, but because It indicated how determined the govern? ment is to use all facilities to their utmost regardless of previous prac? tices, to relievo congestion and pro? mote efficiency. At the first conference of Mr. Mc? Adoo in the New Year with his ad? visers and executives, it was decided to put additional ships now controll? ed by the shipping hoard into service i carrying coal from Hampton Roads to '.New England. Hundreds of telegrams pouring into railroad administration told of coal tiains or individual cars apparently lost in yard confusion. These reports-, most of which submitted to interstate 'commerce commission inspection, were l " referred to railway executives with instructions to clear cut the stalled i freight as fast as physically possible. Early action to divide the country Into operating districts with a govern? ment supervisor over each and pos? sibly a f?deral railroad agent for each State has boon urged strongly upon Director General McAdoo and he is said to be considering this pol? icy. CANADA MOBILIZES DRAFT ARMY Men Will Join Colors Thursday For Preliminary Training to Be Com? pleted Overseas. Ottawa, Jan. I.?The fust draft un? der the military service va<-t will join the colors Thursday. Commissioned and non-commissioned officers with actual war experience will give pro? limlnary training to the men who will thus be familiarised from the outset with warfare under modern conditions, it is expected, however, that the greater part of the training will bo given overseas. GERMAN AIRPLANES DESTROYED No Other Fighting, Kxocpt With Ar? tillery, on Western Front. Paris. Jan. I,?Six German air? planes were put out of action yester? day by the French, it is announced officially. Artillery fighting continues at various points on the front, but no large infantry actions are reported. Vol. XLV. No. 41. NEW tERMAN SCHEME. INSIDIOUS EFFORT TO INVOLVE ALLIES IN PEACE TALK. If tho Hi iti ? h and French Premier* Meet in iris They Will Consult Washlngt? a. Washington, Dec. 31.?Insidious ef? forts of the Germans to involve the United States and the entente allies in the peace negotiations proceeding with the Russian Bolshevik! have de ; veloped to such a stage that, in the opinion of ome officials here, notice of the propaganda must be taken and !an attempt made to neutralize IL If the Er dish and FYench premler? are to meet in Paris soon with the purpose of discussing advisability of receiving e nd arguing the proposa of. the Bolsheviki to participate in the ncgotia ions as have been report re", by a b iding conservative British . spaper, tl.ey ^vill act in accord e with 'he agreement rigidly ad-^ ?o-i to ! ? all the entente allies im f i! the iii dlon of Russia not to on tcrtain any peu.ee pioposals from the < :, . y will out ''onsultation with each other. In diplomatic circles here to? rt iy it was .said that any decision from such a meeting would be piomptly laid before the American ?t?te depa: tment. Germany is believed to be prepared to offer a most any conceivable bait to an Indi ddual enemy in order to drive a w?''dge into the allies ;tnd c: n. e its disruption and.-'having suc? ceeded me isurably with Russia, is trying to ;et that nation to menace T ' her late a lies. Rumors that have existed for past fortnight to the effect that another peace proposal was about to be launched >y the central powers, ei? ther thro gh the Vatican or some neutral state, are believed to have their foundation in the adroit at? tempt of he German negotiators to use the Russian delegates for that purpose. But in either case, if there is to be another peace proposal through those channels or if the Rue* sisn negotiations are to be made the vehicle tc carry forward the German designs, it. is believed in some quar? ters here that the time is ripe. a for a strong and well considered dec? laration ly the entente powers and America that will effectively antic! pate and counter this attack. It haa been poir ied out by state department \ officials 1: tat President Wilson al? ready bar twice announced Amcr ca'i ! war aim:s in unequivocal terms)* Therefore it is assumed that if Lloyd George and Georges Clemenceau, af jter consuming the spokesmen of the j allies, deride that a reply shall be made to the German proposals, that reply muijt take some other form than an address by the American chief executive. Since none of the entente coun? tries haa recognized the Lenlne-Trot zky regime In Russia it will be diffi? cult for tiie Bolsheviki to convey the invitation for a peacj discussion, but it is regarded as entirely possible that the Gerr :n government might re? cces; the >w\sl foreign office to trans? mit an inhibition to America and to her co-bc lligerents. Genera', start officers here are un? derstood to attach great significance to the pr sent attempt of the central powers to force the entente powers to peace negotiations. To their mind it a; a clear indication that the German ;military leaders have accomplished ?ill that they feal capable of doimr in the Held. They can -hold on" for a long turn yi > it is su ;geste?d. bdt they <?? n tot extend fields of occupa? tion without an enormous loss of men and time at the risk of a terrible de? feat. Tllerefore the Teutonic diplo? matists s. ek to realize everything pos? sible from what'the German armiee have don and tho Prest-Lltovsk ne gotlatlons are the first steps towards . that end. Pence Eh legation Returns to Petro? grad. Petrograd, Tnesdsy, Jan. I.?The Runian \ ace delegation returned to? ri" v. it km report*'.1. from the joint session fi soldiers* and workmen's bodies engaged In negoiations for peace at Brest-Liu? sk Fighting in Rassln. Petrog id, Dec IL?Th?5 batt?a between 'he KaledlnSS Cossacks and Bolsheviki troops has been resumei :<t Km si; midwav betwec i Moscow nnd Itos! >v on Pen. It Is ropertea that ther- have been heavy CSeuaH ties m the three days' lighting. The Bolsheviki are reported to have oc ?i led Poltava, the scene of the historic rattle between 1 eter tho c.reat an*! Charles of Sweden. There is a fat ine in the government ot Moscow.