Hundreds Drown When Getman Submarines Torpedo
HARRISBURG llfSfpli TELEGRAPH
(Thf Star- UnhtprnbfnL . .
LXXXVI— No. 124 16 PAGES
HIGHSPIRE MILL AND THREE
HOUSES DESTROYED BY FIRE
WHICH THREATENS VILLAGE
I
Steelton and Harrisburg Firemen Are Called to Help Out the
Small Department of the Borough Which Was Entirely
Inadequate to Stop the Fire; High Wind Fans Blaze and
Drives Swiftly Through Frame Structures Dry as Tinder
and Affording Ready Food For the Flames; Large Section
of Town at One Time in Grave Peril; Hope and Washing
ton Companies Make Quick Run
Fire at Highspire, which was still burning fiercely at 2.45 o'clock this afternoon,
completely destroyed a three-story flour and feed warehouse and three frame dwelling
houses in Front street, all owned by Mrs. Joseph Souder.
The flames were first discovered earlread rapidly and threatened todamagc ordc
strov a number of other properties in the vicinity. Harrisburg and Steelton com
panies have been called to the scene as fire-fighting facilities in Highspire are en
tirely inadequate to stop serious blazes.
The flame swere first discovered early in the afternoon in the storage part of the
grain warehouse, spreading quickly over the structure, then to the adjoining houses
occupied by Mrs. Souder, Charles Sliuman and family and Wm, Frazer and family.
Coal Yard Fire
Just a ross a small alley from the
Souder residence the coal and wood
yards owned by A. J. Hoke caught
fire and were completely destroyed
together with thousands of dollars'
worth of valuable fuel.
Sparks carried by the high wind
to the lower end of the town set fire
to a dwelling house across the street
from the Bodmer House and fire
men were immediately dispatched to
check this blaze.
Fire Chief John C. Kindler and
Assistant Marion Verbeke, of Harris
burg. and Fire Chief Malehorn, of
the Steelton Department, are at the
scene directing the men.
All the apparatus of the Citizen,
Baldwin, West Side and Paxtang
Hook and Ladder companies, Steel
ton and the Washington and Hope
companies of Harrisburg are in
service. Thousands of feet of hose
have been spread through the streets
of the borough.
I.ack of Water
Lack of adequate water supply
and a west wind that approached a
gale in velocity made the work of
the firemen difficult indeed. High
spire is not prepared for such a fire
as it was called upon to fight to
day. '
The only sources are the Susque-
THE WEATHER
For Harrisburg anil vicinity: Fair
to-night and Frlda} s some
what warmer Friday.
For Kastern Pennsylvania! Fair
to-night and Friday; slightly
warmer Friday.
River
1 he main river and the loner por
tion* of the -North and \Vr>t
branches will rise slightly;
other streams of the system will
fall alowly or remain nearly
stationary. A ataise of nliout
4.5 feet In Indicated for Harris
burg Friday morning.
General Conditions
The storm center has remained
nenrly stationary near Georgian
Hay, This disturbance has caus
ed llicht to moderate rains o\er
most of the territory between
the Great l akes and the Atlnii-
tic ocean In the last twenty
four hours, with strong winds
and (tales In some sections.
It Is 4 to 14 degrees cooler this
morning; In the Fast Gulf. Mid
dle nnd Month Atlantic Ktntrs,
except Florida. Over nearly all
the rest of the country a gen
eral rise of 2 to 14 decrees has
ocearred In temperature since
last report. Frosts occurred
this morning In South Dakota,
Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Temperature! S a. m.. K! degrees.
Sun: Kises, 4:34 a. si.
Moons Fnll moon, June 8.
Hirer Stagei 4J feet.
Yesterday's Weather
Highest temperature, no.
l.ovrest temperature, SI.
Mean temperature, M.
ftormal temperature, 04.
L.anna River to the west, the well at
the Highspire Distillury and Booscr's
Run at the lower end of town.
The firemen were compelled to
run long lines of hose to the run
and the river. Each line of hose
was more thon four hundred feet
ir. length, and the pressure, despite
the assistance of the engines brought
by the visitors, was not what it
should have been.
Time and time again the heroic
firemen risked their lives to carry
the streams right up to the blaze in
order to make the water more ef
fective, and repeatedly they were
driven back by bursts of flames that
followed the sharp veering of the
wind. Had it not been for the in
telligent work of the visitors, it
would have been impossible to have
stopped the flames short of the out
skirts of town.
The sky was filled with thousands
of sparks and people residing in
nearby houses were on their roofs
with water, wet blankets, and shov
els and brooms, and by this means
saved other structures that would
have caught. For hours the air was
a mass of blazing shingles and small
bits of woodwork torn by the wind
from the blazing houses and 'these
were scattered for many blocks
around.
Houses Burn
Houses just across the street from
the Souder mill, occupied by Edward
Duncan and Edward Chapman, are
threatened but so far firemen are
succeeding in their efforts to keep
the flames from reaching these prop
erties.
At 3.15 there seemed little danger
of the blaze reaching the business
section of the borough, but every
precaution is being taken by prop
erty owners to limit the area of the
flames.
Blaze Spreads Three Blocks
The blaze at the home of William
Kline, in Second street, three blocks
from the big fire, practically de
stroyed this property before Hope
firemen of Harrisburg could play
strong streams on it. Sparks falling
on the shingle roof started it.
As there are no building adjoin
ing the firemen had little trouble in
checking it.
Estimates on the damage to the
Souder warehouse and dwellings
could not he obtained this afternoon
as Mrs. Souder, the owner, is out of
town.
413 LOSE LIVES
WHEN SUBMARINE
SINKS TRANSPORT
Former Passenger Liner Tor
pedoed in Mediterranean
on May 4
By Associated Press
London, May 24. The British
transport Transylvania was torpedoed
on May 4 with the loss of 413 per
: sons.
I The Transylvania was torpedoed in
the Mediterranean. The following
! oflicial statement was given out to
jday:
"The British transport Transyl
; vania, with troops aboard, was tor
i pedoed in the Mediterranean on May
4, resulting in the following losses:
29 officers and 373 of other ranks;
| also the ship's captain, Lieut. S. Bre
i ncll and one officer and nine men of
the crew."
TRANS-ATLANTIC SERVICE
The Transylvania, an Anchor Line
steamship of 14,315 tons gross, has
| been in the service of the British gov
ernment since May 1915, when her
[sailings were canceled. There hava
been no recent reports of her move
-1 ments. When she was first taken
. over by the British government she
1 was engaged in transporting troops to
: Gallipoli.
The Transylvania was built in 1914.
.She was constructed especially for
passenger traffic between New York
and Mediterranean ports. She was 54S
tect long' and had accommodations
for 2,450 passengers.
45 DROWNED BY I*l KATES
By Associated Press
Paris, May 24. lt is officially an
nounced that the French liner Son
tay, bound for Marseilles from Sal
onika with 344 passengers, was tor
pedoed on April 16 with a loss of 45
lives. The steamer sank rapidly in a
heavy sea but the prompt and meth
odical manner in which the small
boats were launched shved the ma
i.iority of those on board. Captain
■ Mages went down with the ship.
; The Sontay was a vessel of 7.24 7
| tons and was built in 1908. She was
! ovyned in Marseilles.
Dentist to Die Tonight
For Murder of Wife's
Father a Year Ago
By Associated Press
Ossining, N. Y., May 24. Within
three days of the first anniversary of
his conviction, Dr. Arthur Warren
Waite, a young dentist, will die in
the electrtc chair in Sing Sing Pri
son at 11 o'clock to-night for the
murder of his wealthy father-fn-law,
John E. Peck, of Grand Itapids.
Mich.
A jury in the Supreme Court of
New York-xountv found Waite guilty
on May 27, 1916, after he had told
! how he had anesthatized Mr. Peck
and then smothered him with a pil
low. This was after admitted at
tempts to kill his victim with poison
suffocation and other methods.
Waite also told the Jury that he
, had killed Mrs. Peck by inoculating
her with disease germs and then
giving her poison. His life was a
self-confessed record of theft from
the time he was 13 years old.
REPORT OUT EVERYTHING
Fifty-two bills adding new routes
I to the State highway system were
reported to the House at the morning
session to-day by the public roads
committee. They would add several
I hundred miles to the road system.
HARRISBURG. PA., THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 24, 1917.
FALL IN LINE
—Columbia State.
SWEAR IN CITY
REGISTRARS TO
DRAW UP ROLL
Board Immediately Divided
Into Three Districts to
Facilitate Work
The city draft registration board
met this morning and was sworn in
by E. Bruce Taylor, notary public.
The members, Mayor Charles A.
Miller, City Solicitor John E. Fox
and Dr. J. W. McMullen, at once
elected City Clerk R. Ross Seaman
clerk of the board and divided the
city into three districts, appointing
committees for each one.
Wants to Register
The first inquiry concerning reg
istration was received this morning
at the city clerk's office. Lawrence
O. Hager, who formerly resided at
1937 Park street, has removed to
Munhall, Allegheny county, and is
very anxious to be told how he can
register at Harrisburg.
The first district comprises the
First, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth
wards. Mercer B. Tate has been
named executive officer of the sub
board. Other members are Dr. J.
ROBS Swartz and B. Frank Nead.
The second district includes the
Second, Eighth, Ninth and Thir
teenth wards, with Frederick R.
Smith as executive officer and Dr.
Thomas E. Bowman and Alderman
George A. Hoverter on the board.
The third district covers the Sev
enth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth
[Continued on I'agp I.]
$350,000 Capitol
Park Appropriation
Up Finally on Monday
The Woodward bill carrying the
appropriation of $:>50,000 for the
treatment of Capitol Park Extension
district in accordance with the Rrun
ner plans, was passed on second
reading in the House of Represen
tatives to-da.v without discussion or
dissent. It will be on third reading
Monday night and be passed to the
Senate.
Commissioner Gross
Undergoes Minor Operation
City Commissioner E. Z. Gross un
derwent W minor operation this aft
ernoon at the Harrisburg Hospital
for the removal of a small clot of
blood on his hip.
According to a statement at the
hospital it may be some time before
he will again be able to assume his
duties. He was struck last Friday
by an auto driven by William S. Es
sick.
MORE RECESS TALK
There Is talk among legislators to
day of a recess being taken next
Wednesday until after the registra
tion day, which comes on June 5.
Leaders of the House declined to talk
about the proposition, which seemed
to have more support among rural
members than anywhere else.
RED CROSS WAR
COUNCIL PLANS !
BIG RELIEF FUND
Hundred Million Dollars to Be
Used in Helping
Sufferers
(
By Associated Press
Washington, May 24. —Tlic new
Red Cross war council, lieadcd by j
Henry P. Davison, began Its lirst con-I
ference here to-day making plans [
for the $100,000,000 was relief fund, j
Representatives of more than forty \
cities were, present. The hundred
million dollar fund, under Chairman I
Davison's plan is to be used not]
only for Red Cross relief for Amer- '
icans/ but also for the the destitute l
in the foreign war zones, whatever!
their nationality.
To-day's program included a gen-i
era) statement by Chairman Davison!
outlining the details of his plan.
Lan Malcolm, of the British official j
mission, made a general statement of |
needs abroad; Frederick Walcott, a|
members of the Rockefeller Commis- '
sion, recently returned from Poland, |
spoke of Polish needs in particular. j
John H. Gade. of the Belgian Relief!
Commission, told of the needs ofj
Belgium.
To Raise Money
The actual machinery of the great!
money-raising campaign, according!
to announced plans will be i;i the
hands of Charles S. Ward, Interna- !
tional Young Men's Christian Asso-!
ciation secretary, who also is secre- i
tury of the war tinance committee. '
The campaign in New York city will j
directly be in charge of Cornelius N.
Bliss. Jr. The meetings are being]
presided over by Seward Prosser i
New York.
To-morrow former President Taft
will confer with representatives of
the various Red Cross chapters.
Herbert C. Hoover will present rec
ommendations for the rehabilitation
of Northern France.
Germany Disappointed
at Russia's New Stand
By Associated Press
Amsterdam, May 24. The So- j
cialist newspaper Vorwaerts of Ber- ]
lin says that the recent statements of j
Premier Lvoft and Foreign Minister I
Tereschtcnko, of Russia, expressing i
determination to continue the war:
with the country's allies, are a great
disappointment to those in Germany |
who expected a separate peace quick
ly with revolutionary Russia. The
Vorwaerts says Germany's policy is!
not dictated by the pan-Germans and j
that the statements of the Russian j
ministers would never have been 1
made had Chancellor Von Bethmann j
Hollweg replied fully and satisfac-1
torily to the interpellation of the So- j
eial Democrats regarding war aims |
and said that the desires of Austria j
and Russia were also ihose of the j
German government. '
Thn Kreuz Zeitung considers the
statements of the Russian ministers
to be the first success of British
policy in the new situation and a 1
demonstration of the fact that !
"politically time is not on our side." j
House Passes Bills
Carrying $15,000,000
The House of representatives !
to-day passed bills carrying over i
$15,000,000 on second reading. They'
were the appropriation bills reported
out by the appropriations commit
tee this week.
In the list were $3,900,000 for
care of Indigent insane; $200,000 for
purchasing toll bridges over the
Delaware river; $368,800 for the,
State Game Commission and a num
ber of State hospitals.
F. A. VANDERLIP
I TO ADDRESS LOAN
MEETING HERE
President of Largest Bank in
World Coming in Interest
of Liberty Bonds
President David E!. Tracy of the
. Ilarrisburg Chamber of Commerce
j announced to-day that he had re
} ceived a telegram from Frank A.
j Vanderlip, president of the National
, City Bank accepting an invitation to
j address a mass meeting on the Lib
! crty Loan in Ilarrisburg on the ove
j ning of Thursday, June 7, under the
' auspices of the Chamber of Com
-1 merce.
Mr. Vanderlip, as is well known,
i is the president of the largest bank
I in the new world and a forcible and
| interesting speaker on tinancial mat
| ters. Mr. Vanderlip is enthusiastic
j over the Liberty Loan and giving a
i great deal of his time to this matter.
The Chamber of Commerce is en
gaged in completing plans for the
! evening's program which will be
! announced shortly.
I A meeting on June 7 will be in the
1 nature of a great patriotic rally to
j impress every citizen with a direct
j sense of the obligation to support the
j government and will be a duplication
in many ways of the Gerard meeting.
Tracy is Chairman
Donald McCormick, chairman of
] the Ilarrisburg Clearing House and
i the Third District of the State Bank-
I crs' Association is arranging a
[Continued on Pago 13]
Food Legislation Before
Both Houses of Congress
By Associated Press
Washington. May 24. Food leg
islation was before both houses of
Congress to-day. The Senate had
| Under consideration the administra
tion bill to increase the production
of food, and expected to discuss it
continuously until passage. The
] House took up the second adminis
] tration measure providing for cre-
I ation of a food administrator, pre
j ventlon of hoarding and price iix-
I ing.
Herbert C. Hoover, who has been
: chosen by President Wilson as food
administrator under the pending
] legislation was installed in his new
offices here to-day, and soon will
] name assistants who are expected to
: work without pay.
Monument Authorized in
1778 to Be Unveiled Soon
By Associated Press
Boston, May 24. A monument
in memory of a French naval officer,
I ordered erected by the Massachusetts
' Legislature in 1778 but only recent
ly completed, was unveiled on the
grounds of King's Chapel to-day. The
1 officer was the chevalier Da Kaint
■ Sauveur, who came to soston in 1778
| with the fleet commanded by
D'Estaing. While ashore one night
! with a company of officers he visited
] a part of the town in which a riot
had broken out and was fatally
{ wounded.
In the following month the vote
for the monument was passed in the
1 Legislature. An inscription was pre
nared by Count D'Estaing, but for
some obscure reason the erection of
the monument was postponed and
finally forgotten. A century and a
1 quarter later records of the vote
were discovered and last year the
Legislature made an appropriation
for the memorial. The architect wa*
] Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, a
i nephew of the poet.
ITALY TAKES 12,000
PRISONERS IN NEW
LRIVE ON AUSTRIA
Great Offensive Makes Important Gains in Mountainous
Country; Zeppelins and U-Boats Figure Most Prom
inently in Official Dispatches; Military Operations
in France Quiet Although Germans Lose Heavily in
Futile Counterattacks
London, May 24. Tlie Italian offensive lias enter
ed into its second stage with new and important gains
between Gorizia and the sea, said Major General F. 6.
Maurice to the Associated Press to-day. The first day
of the new drive has resulted in the capture of more
than 3,000 prisoners.
Italian forces yesterday broke through the Austro-
Ilungarian lines from Castagnavizza to the sea, taking
more than 9,000 prisoners, says the official statement
issued to-day by the Italian war department.
i
j 1 he Zeppelin and the submarine figures most prominently
; in the war news of the day with a raid by airships on the English
east counties announced and the sinking of the 14,000 ton trans
i port Transylvania officially reported.
i lie submarine did its deadliest work in many weeks in the
i torpedoing of the Transylvania in the Mediterranean on May 4.
413 lives being lost. With the exception of less than a dozen of
the ship s complement a;l those lost were army men and officers,
I2 9 of the latter perishing. The Transylvania was a former Anchor
I Liner with accommodations for 2,450 passengers.
The Zeppelin raid began shortly be- tie success In locating their poal- '
1 fore midnight and seems like other
I raids since the British defensive
measures were perfected, to have been
; a rather abortive affair. Four air-
I ships penetrated Inland above thick
; rain clouds, which handicapped the
! raiders and the British defensive
\ forces alike. The Zeppelins had lit
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lone. Two firemen
i < % Houder and Harry Kurtz, of t! ! 1
p; ,iy, h* .<! U town, were hm-i-.f . f br. , the f>< e, and J
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* i;
<' MARRIAGE
, Clann* E. Mouse and Kutkfr P. Judy. Mlddletonn.
i I'aul Ktvert Miller, KnoU, and Kdltli Irene Uamber, West Fatrrtew.l ►
i Ralph l<ester Hrets and Rutli llryan Ulchelherger, Ilarrlnbarar. i '
?" William C. Slpe, Uoldaboro. and Mill* M. Millard, Shelly'a Island.
>■ *v- ■ v* i w ■■■■ -o
Single CODV. 2 Cents
tions and tlio bombs they dropped
fell In country districts, the reports
indicating that the damage caused
was negligible, while the only cas
ualty was one man killed in a Nor
folk village. The Zeppelins got away
from the pursuing airplanes during
the thick weather.
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