British Wrn Much Ground in Opening of New Offensive on German Lines HARRISBURG SHRfiS TELEGRAPH LXXXVI — No. 86 18 PAGES *2SOKILLED AND 300 INJURED IN POWDER PLANT Three Explosions Wreck Eddystone Munitions Shops of Aetna Company; Physicians Rushed to Scene From Surrounding Cities and Towns; Fire Destroys Big Building; Whispers of Plot to Destroy Factories;j Place Was Well Guarded by Secret Service Men and Detectives By Associated Press Chester, Pa., April 10.—A terrific explosion at the great plant j of the Eddystone Ammunitions Corporation at Eddystone, Pa., a mile from this city, is reported to have killed 125 to 250 persons and i injured at least 300 more. A railroad official asserts that nearly 300 were killed, but this i estimate cannot be confirmed. • The explosion occurred soon after 10 o'clock in the pellet room j of the shrapnel building where about 100 girls were employed put-1 ting the finishing touches on shells. In a building adjoining ap-. proximately 30.000 shells were stored. A second explosion de- 1 molished this building and scattered the shells in every direction. Immediately calls were sent for outside aid and physicians, fire-: men and policemen from surrounding towns arrived in great num bers. The buildings in which the explosions occurred caught fire and by strenuous work the flames which burned two hours were 1 confined to these structures. Meanwhile charred bodies were being! pulled from the wreckage and injured persons were being picked up! and taken to Chester. The two main hospitals of the city were soon filled and others injured were taken to the Fifth Regiment Armory and a frame tabernacle re cently erected here for religious serv ices. No official of the company was found Who could tell anything about the explossion. There were whispers of a plot to destroy the plant. If there was a plot, no more effective spot could have been selected for the work. Jt was near the Delaware river bank well isolated. The plant was originally construct ed soon after the European war start ed by the Baldwin Locomotive inter estss. Recently it was taken over by the Russian government which has been employing about 10,000 people making shells. The place has been thoroughly guarded night and day and after dark immense searchlights made every portion of the ground as light as day. In addition secret service men and de tectives worked in the various depart ments disguised as munitions work ers. Confusion About Plant The greatest confusion prevails and no one is allowed to approach the plant in which the explosion occur red. The trolley line to Eddystone is not running because Its wires were destroyed. The little Chester morgue is filled with bodies and they are piled up on the sidewalk outside the building. It is stated the building in which r i Obey the Sentry's 'Halt' or He Must Shoot You Within the last few days several instances have occurred—some of them fatal —over the country of shooting of civilians by National Guardsmen. Just recently a sol dier on the Rockvllle bridge was forced to fire at a man. In every instance the shooting resulted from the failure of a civilian to obey a sentry's command to halt. In order to prevent, if possible, recurrences of these unfortunate tragedies. the HARRISBFRG TELEGRAPH advises all its read ers that a Guardsman on duty has full authority to enforce his com mands and has no choice but to I THE WEATHER] For Harrlsburg nnd vicinity: Fair, continued cold to-nlKht with lon eat tempfralurr about 30 degrees) Wednesday fair nnd wnrmcr. For Eautrrn I'rnnarlvanlai Fair to night nnd Wednesday, wnrnier Wednesday) strong northwest winds diminishing. River The Susquehanna river and all ita branches nlll continue to fall. A stage of about H-t feet Is Indicat ed for Harrlsburg Wednesday morning. General Conditions The atorm has moved northward some distance off the Atlantic from Virginia to Northern \ew Kiigland during the last twenty four hours with Increasing force. It ennsed snow In the w Eng land States nnd tlie St. Lawrence Valley, with strong winds and gnlrs along and near the Atlan tic coast from Hntteraa northward to the roast of Maine. The dis turbance from the North Paclflc k ocean la now central over Ne braska. It has caused light, scat tered rains and snows over the Pacific slope In the last twenty four hours, with a general rise of 4 to ltl degrees In temperature In the I'lalns States. Temperatures have risen slightly over the greater part of the territory east of the Mississippi river. Frosts occurred this morning In Aln bamn, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina and freealng tem perature from the Upper Ohio Valley and the l.ake Region east ward to the I'aclfle coast. Tempers litre i R a. m., SO. Nam Rises. ,li3fl a. m, Moon I Risen, 10181 p. m. River Stage* 7.H feet abave low water mark. Yesterday's Weather Highest temperature, 41, l.oweat temperature, !Pi, • Meaa temperature, 34, Normal temperature, 4M, • the explosion occurred was used for | making time fuses for shrapnel. The ; workers were mostly women and ; young girls. Mostly Girls and Women j The first explosion originated in the | structure known as the 10-F building, j Immediately there was another ex-1 I plosion in the old F-building, adjoin ing. These two structures were Ue-, ; stroyed. About 400, mostly women : and girls worked in these buildings. At 1 p. m. firemen, policemen and i others were still dragging bodies from | the wreckage. Shells were found scat -1 lered about the scene for a space of : two blocks. STATE TO INVESTIGATE Lew Palmer, chief of the Bureau jof Inspection of the State Depart ment of Labor and Industry, left at i noon for Eddystone to look into the | explosion. He was accompanied by ' a corps of investigators. Gross to Fine Company $5 For Each Complaint of No Ash Collections Complaints by card, letter and phone j that ashes have not been collected for j weeks in all parts of the city, poured ' into the city health bureau office all j day, following the request of Commis sioner K. Z. Gross. One resident, near Second and Maclay streets, reportedhe had thirty-six boxes filled: another. William Ford, 610 Har ris street, reported he had four large boilers and two big cans full. Com missioner Gross declared he will pen : alize the Pennsylvania Reduction Com pany for each compalint that is sent .in to the health offices by card. Al most fifty were received before noon. | The to fine is allowable under the eon j tra>-t. Commissioner Gross said, and I will be enforced.. | "Each card means money to the city i and will help to bring results," lie I said. War Between United States and Austria-Hungary Now Seems Practically Certain By Associated Press | Washington. April 10. War be- I tween the United States and Austria j Hungary seemed practically certain i to-day following the break in diplo matic relations. President Wilson, | however, was believed to have no In -1 tention of forcing it by asking Con gress to declar that a state of war ; exists unless some muture overt act is . committed. The seizure of a num- I ber of Austrian ships in American I ports may be interpreted as an act of ! war by Austria. Intentions of Bulgaria and Turkey were not known to-day, but officials I generally believed they also would j break relations eventually. Labor Men Would Prohibit Manufacture of Liquor By Associated Press Leeds, Eng., April 10. — At a con ( ference here of the Independent La j bor Party a resolution was unanimous ly adopted calling on the government I to prohibit absolutely the use of food- I stuffs In the manufacture of alcoholic i liquors during the war. JfATIOSfAI, I.ABOR LEADER HERE Among those wno are here for the sessions of the State Editorial Associa tion are Mr. and Mrs. David J. Berry, of Pittsburgh. As managing editor of the National Labor Journal and State organizer of the publicity department of the American Federation of Labor, Mr. Berry Is In close touch with the great labor movement throughout the country. He la well known In Harris burg, having frequently appeared here In his official capacity. FIRE IN CLOTHES RACK First starting from a clothe* rack too close to the stove, damnged the home of M. A. McN'eal, 1213 Walnut 'street, to the extent of S6O at 11 | o'clock this morning. The raek had ■'een placed close to the stove for the ; clothes too dry when they became ig nited from the exoeaslve heat. The clothes were burned and the room ( slightly damaged HARRISBURG, PA., TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 10, 1917 HOME GARDEN MOVE WELL UNDER IVA Y; WHOLE ST ATE NOW READY TO MOBILIZE Legislature Outlines Dill Following Telegraph's Agitation For Hiring of Supervisor; Gov ernor Urges School Authorities to Enlist Boys and Girls in Movement ITfe. _gm_. in j CAPTAIN HENRY M. STINE HEADS TELEGRAPH FUND WITH $1(0 GIFT. NOT cfnly Harrisburg but the whole State has become aroused to the necessity of organizing: boys and girls and men and women for garden work the coming summer. The movement to raise a fund for' the hiring of garden experts to 111-' pervise the work of young vacant lot, Bardeners in Harrisburg was started by the HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH several weeks ago, followed by an , urgent appeal for money for the pur pose in Saturday's issue. Captain Henry M. Stine, who has been prominent in military and civic circles in Harrisburg for many years,; STOTESBURY AND FELLOWS PLEDGE BILLIONS TO PA. Tell Governor Their Finances Are Absolutely at Disposal of State and Nation Pennsylvania may be called upon to assume from eight to ten per cent, of the proposed war loan to the Allies of $3,000,000,000. The possibility of this was discussed at last night's conference between the Governor, the Attorney General and Senators Crow, Sproul, McNichol and Snyder. While the State itself might not sub (Continued on Page 18) l'. S. AVERTS TIX SHORTAGE Washington, April 10. Efforts by the Government to avert a tin short age promise to be successful, Secre tary Redtteld yesterday said after a conference with other officials and with tin-plate manufacturers. Distri bution of supplies hindered by the car shortage will be taken up immediately by the Council of National Defense through Daniel Willard, of its advis ory commission. DRUG HABIT SENDS HUNDREDS TO RUIN IN PENNA. YEARLY Archibald Mackrell Makes Elo quent Plea For Remedial Legislation "Across the page of that one sordid chapter which must be written in the history of every nation—'lt's Crime' — should be inscribed in glaring letters one little word 'DRUG' and that would tell the whole story as briefly as it could ever be told. I sav that with out exaggeration or embellishment, because experience has taught me the truth of it. The one simple little word composed of four small units of the alphabet is the foundation of a story that no orator or writer could adequately describe because its rami fications are so numerous and its de (Continued on Page 5) TELLS HOW FLAG PROTECTED 20,000 HELPLESS SYRIANS Presbyterian Missionary in In terview Here Relates Atroci ties of Kurds How the American flag for five months protected over 20,000 helpless Armenian and Syrian Christians from the wild and blood-thirsty hords of Turks and Kurds, Is related by Dr. F. O. Coan, who has been a missionary of the Presbyterian church at Urumla. Persia, for the last thirty-one years. In nn interview on the Persian situa tion. Dr. Coan arrived In this co-intry [Continued on I'njcr IS] Pit. VASTINK'S FATHER I)EAI> Sunbury, April 10. T. J, Vnstme, father of Dr, Harry M. Vastine, of Harriaburg, died at his home here this morning, Mr. Vastine was aged 81, and had been sick for a long time. ®hc Slur- Unfotpcnbtni was the first contributor. He came into the TELEGRAPH office yester day with a check for SIOO. Important Movement "The employment of an expert to j supervise backyard gardening is very important to the solving of Harris j burg's food problem the coming sum : mer," said Captain Stine. "I believe there should be three of four or , ganizers and superintendents to teach the boys and girls and keep their in terest up during the growing season. Keep up the agitation. You oupht 1 to get money together easily for this i work from Harrisburg people patri- CONSCRIPTION ARMY PLAN IS MUCH OPPOSED President Wilson Tries to Break Down Opposition to Measure Washington, April 10.—Efforts to j break down opposition to the draft j feature of the proposed army bill were continued to-day by President j Wilson. He arranged to see Repre sentative Anthony, of Kansas, a Re publican member of the House Mili tary Committee and an opponent of conscription and to explain how (Continued on Page 5) CARLISLE PRESBYTERY MEETS The spring session of >the Presby tery of Carlisle opened in Mechanics burg this afternoon. The Rev. Harvey Klaer, pastor of the Covenant Presbv terian Church, the retiring moderator will deliver a sermon entitled "The City and The Garden," late to-day. President E. D. Warfield will have ad his subject "The Endowment of the Biblical Chairs of Our Colleges." The new moderator is the Rev. Thomas J. Ferguson. VOLUNTEER UNITS | NOT WANTED FOR NATIONAL GUARD War Department Will Not Accept Nondescript Com panies and Regiments Washington, April 10.—Plans for the National Guard were definitely outlined to-day by the War Depart ment. Adjutants general of the States have been informed that no new units of the guard will be recognized except such special forces as may be neces sary to complete divisional organiza \ tion of the present establishment and those which have armories have been recruited in definite localities and I have other indications of probable ! permanency. j The purpose of the department Is (Continued on Pane 18) BRAZIL BREAKS RELATIONS WITH GERMANY-REPORT Martial Law Is Declared in Guatemala Because of Teuton Plots Guatemala City, Guatemala, Monday, April 9.—Martial law lias boon declared In Guatemala. The action was taken on Information of disturbances along the Mexican and Salvadorean frontiers, sup posed to have been creaK-d with German assistance. I-ondon, April 10. ptplomatlo re lations between Brazil and Germany < Continued on Page 18) HOG SKT XKW RFOOHl) Chicago, April 10, Hog prices reached a new high record to-day when choice heavies oIU at 1(1.60, an advance of $1,50 In a little more than a week otic enough to do their small part in this way." Last night both Governor Brum baugh and the Legislature took no tice of this backyard movement. Legislators from third class cities, including: Harrisburs. are framing a bill that will empower their cities to employ garden supervisors and so into the gardening business. This bill will be designed to meet the demands of the men, women and children who would be willing to un dertake the management of a garden to obtain some expert supervision. [Continued on Page 0] AMERICAN LINER HITS MINE OFF LIVERPOOL BAR The New York Manages to Steam Safely Into Port Washington, April 10.—The Ameri can liner New York struck a mine at 7.40 p. m. last night, five miles off Liverpool bar. No casualties were reported. The vessel later proceeded to Liverpool. Consul Washington at Liverpool reporting the incident to the State Department to-day said: "The American liner New York struck a mine 7.40 p. m. last night, five miles off Liverpool bar. Com pany reports passengers landed at Liverpool except four who are still on the ship. No casualties. Vessel pro ceeded under her own steam and is now (1 o'clock this ir.orning) enter ing her dock." American on Board New York, April 10. —The Ameri can Line steamship New York left this port on March 29 for Liverpool with fifty-eight passengers, cargo and mail. The passengers included seven American citizens. She carried a naval crew of gunners and was arm ed. The ship's crew of 234 men in cluded 144 American citizens. STATE EDITORS PLEDGESUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT Penna. Newspapers Endorse Declarations of War * on Germany Endorsing the action of President Wilson and Congress in declaring war on litrmany and plc-dging their hearty | support to the government, the Penn , syivania State Editorial Association, the Associated Dailies of Pennsylva nia and the Pennsylvania Association lof Weekly Newspapers assembled in joint session this afternoon, unani ; mously adopted the following resolu tion: j "Whereas, the people of the United : States, upon the advice of their X'res . | ident, Woodrow Wilson, and by vir [Continued on Page 3] THREE NOMINATED TO FILL VACANCY* IN CITY COUNCIL J. Grant Koons, William Pa vord and Charles A. Miller Are Named Three men were nominated this morning at Council, one of whom is to be elected to fill the unexpired term of the late Commissioner Harry F. Bowman. Commissioner E. 'A. Gross named J. Grant Koons, engineer at Tech nical High School for ten years, ex select and common councilman. . (Continued on I'age 1H) l)H. J. K. MITCHKLIi DIKB Philadelphia, April 10, Dr. John K, Mitchell, noted as a neurologist, writer ot medical works and univer sity lecturer, died to-day. He was 58 years old and was a son of the late Dr. 8. Weir Mitchell. GERMAIN LINES WAVER UNDER NEW ASSAULT British Offensive Opens With Material Gains in Men and Booty For Haig's Troops; Series of Hills Taken Give English Immense Advantage in Driving Wedge Into Enemy; 9,000 Taken Prisoners By Associated Press London, April 10.—The British offensive between Lens and St. Quentin with which the spring operations have been opened and which is still in progress has proved even more successful than the earlier accounts indicated. General Sir Douglas Haig to-day reports that yesterday's cap tures exceeded 9,000 men, while forty guns fell into the hands of his troops. The Canadians, who had one of the hardest bits of the front to contend with, are now in complete occupation of the famous Vimy ridge, even its eastern slopes having been cleared of Germans. The Canadians also have repulsed German counterattacks. These reactions by the Germans indicate the importance they attach to this position, whence the conquerers look down over the plain of Douai. With Vimy ridge gone, the whole German line covering the French towns and industrial districts to the north be comes a wavering one and any leisurely retreat the Germans may have planned is made uncertain and precarious. London, April 10. The news of, tlie successful opening of the new British offensive has stirred intense in- j terest and high hope among the peo- I pie throughout the country. What ever the enemy may have claimed as to the retreat in the Somme sector I having been pre-arranged and strate- ! gical, it is contended that their recoil before the blow delivered Arras- | Lens region cannot be explained away I in any such manner. It is urged that ! there is no possible voluntary element in this retirement and that there can , be no dispute as to who took the! initiative. A new chapter in the conflict on the ] western front has begun and whether or not it is to prove the beginning of a decisive battle it is bound, accord ing to the prevalent opinion here* to lead to results of the highest Import ance. The main feature of the battle > MAY AGREE ON WAR BOARD Harrisburg.-- The proposal was male this nf'.-rrnocn that the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Auditor General and the St.*': T:• asuret begiven a comuir. on t. supervise the $2,000,000 the State will appropriate foi Safety and Defense pi. poses. Then plan has the support of Senator Vare and / ill be submitted to Governor Brum baugh for his approval this afternoon. ONE UNDERTAKER HAS 80 BODIES , Chester, April 10.—At the undertaking place of Coronc: White there are eighty bodies, seventy-nine being those of girls. Thousands of girls were employed at Eddy stone plant, coming from Philadelphia, ten miles av ay Thej were attracted by the high wages. T CLOSING HEAVY —Pices sagged again in the laM hour, some specialties then making lowrst quotation'-: The clos;.! , vu:s hcay . Munitions, equipme. *.oil. and a wide variet /of /-dairies yi< 'ded Itos .oi • inde: further pressure to-day. Sales estimated at 700,000 > hares CONGRESS MAY ADJOUR JUNE 1 Washington, April 10.—The meeting of the k: v . Finance Committee to lay developed a feelint anion- ' Democrats and Republicans that Congress should atteinj no legislation but that of an emergency character at the pres ent special sessioni and should adjourn by June 1 .T. R TO GET BACK $40,000 Washington, Aptil 10. Senator Lodge introduced a ! bill to-day to return to Theodore Roosevelt the $40,000 cash ] Nobel prize which the Colonel gave to the foundation j for the promotion of industrial peace while President. Th<: J money has been insufficient to carry out the purpose of th*. i foundation, | I I MARRIAGE UCENSES ~ Mlcbael O'llnnlon, WllkeM-llarre, and Klliabtth Miiry Murphy, Iltarrla bur*. l'ornflla Jeaae Kelt. Mill Clly, nnd Grille lleatrlce Dunkelberser, Kawllnic *prlni*pi. Hoy William lleldell and Jennie Irene "Miller, I'entirook. Cheater Hhope Coranlta, KnUaut, nnd Harriet Amnlln Caldwell, Har rlablft. ChrUtlan Khy Meliler nnd Klale Kllen /.Inn. Harrlaburg. llarry Albert Grlmea nnd Mary Kathar lloycr, Harrlabnrff. Single Copy, 2 Cents HOME EDITION thus far. on which attention has been fovused. is the capture of Vimy ridge The immense value of this series of heights, which dominate the plain for an elevation of 400 to 500 feet, has been recognized throughout the war and great sacrifices have been regard ed as justifiable if they resulted In its possession. Long Fought For The French and Germans fouglu fiercely for control of the ridge In the summer of 1915, both sides suffering heavy losses but In the end the Ger mans held the main ' portion of thf position. Later the British took ovei the French lino and were ousted b* the Germans from the part of th< ridge which had been won by thei predecessors. One military critic, com menting on the present battle, thu [Continued on Page 3]
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