THE WEATHER
RAIN TO-NIGHT
AND TO MORROW
Detailed Report, Pace 6
VOL. 77—NO. 28.
ESTABLISHED
DEC. 4. IHJI
HUNDREDS OVERCOME
IN NEW YORK SUBW
Flames Break Out in Stalled
Train at Height of Rush Hour
This Morning and the Entire
Fire Department of the City
and All Ambulances Are
Summoned to Scene—Hun
dreds of Half-Suffocated Pas
sengers Rescued From Sub
way Stations and Hurried to
Hospitals—Preparations Are
Made to Dynamite Streets to
Let Air Into the Tube
By Associated Press.
New ork, Jan. (j.—New York's subway was visited by
fire and panic to-day which sent some 200 persons to hos
pitals, caused the death of one woman and damaged the
transportation system of the city.
The fire was said to have been due to an electrical ex
plosion in a conduit between the Fiftieth and Fifty-ninth
street stations. The noise and smoke terrified the 700 or
more passengers of two down-town trains stalled near by
and in their unreasoning efforts to escape scores were
badly bruised, many knocked unconscious and still others
Avere overcome by smoke.
The subway service, according to Commissioner McCall
ol the Public Service Commission, may be tied up for sev
eral days as a result of the accident. If this proves true,
it will mean that the more than a million persons a day
carried by subway trains will be diverted to the surface
and elevated systems and cause a congestion without a
parallel in the history of the city.
At first it was thought there had been a terrible
catastrophe and reports reached police headquarters that
at least a score had been killed. The entire fire depart
ment and all the ambulances in the city, together Avitli the
pulmotor squad, Avere rushed to the scene.
Smoke was pouring out of the subway entrances, man
holes and ventilators and screams for help could be heard.
It turned out, however, that Avhile police and firemen had
all they could do in bringing out the unconscious, including
a score or more of women AVIIO fainted, the early reports
had been exaggerations.
It was more than three hours after the accident that
the last passenger was rescued and during that time in
the streets nearby there Avas a continuous procession of
flying ambulances and private automobiles removing the
injured to the various hospitals.
The accident was described by the police as the Avorst
in the history of the subway.
New York. Jan. 6.—Three alarms of
firp were sent in for a fire in the sub
way at Broadway ' near Fifty-fifth
street to-day shortly after the resump
tion of slow service, following a tie
up of an hour anil a half. The service
•was again halted. Police headquarters
received word that a number of people
had been overcome in the subway and
ambulances were -cnt to the scene.
The early tie-up was sudden. Trains
came slowly to a standstill and remain
ed stationary. Some of them between
stations. Smoke from burning insula
tion at the Spring street station filled
the subway for blocks. A mile away
the fumes affected throngs of passeng
ers who crowded the station platforms.
All aloug the line the sale of tickets
■was stopped. Surface cars and elevat
ed trains were badly congested aoid all
subway stations were filled to over
flowing with struggling crowds. Many
persons imprisoned on trains stalled be
tween stations were overcome by smoke
and taken out unconscious by the po
lice.
Carry Out Unconscious Victims
The tie-up started at 8 o'clock this
morning, the beginning of the rush
hour. An hour and a halt lator, a slow
express service was started only to be
halted by the discovery of fire. Threo
alarms were turned in. Eigiht ambu
lances were soon on the scene. More
were called for immediately. From
trains stalled between stations firemen
emerged bearintg unconscious victims.
Every available fireman that could be
spared was called on to help.
Fire Commissioner Adamsua, who as
sumed personal charge of the situation
sent men scurrying throughout t'he city
with orders to bring every pulmotor
available to the scene. Some of the
ipßtor- Snkpcnktrt
victims died before the pulmotors could
be obtained.
Congestion, the like of which the
city has seldom seen, prevailed at al
most every subway station. At the
Brooklyn bridge, tho .Manhattan en
trance was choked by tens of thou
sands. For fifty minutes detachments
of po'lice reserves struggled with the
crowds there before order could be re
stored.
Take Sixty to One Hospital
Elevated trains and surface cars
were packed to overflowing all over the
city with throngs that were turned
away from the subway.
Sixty persons were taken in an un
conscious condition from the scene of
the fire to the Flower hospital. Other
hospitals received many victims, as
well.
Ventilator gratings were taken up
from the sidewalks around the Fiftieth
and Fifty-ninth street stations and
many of the injured were removed in
this manner.
Fire Commissioner Admanson receiv
ed reports from battalions chiefs to the
effect that the fire was confined to two
subway cars, that several persons had
been killed and a great many injured
and overcome.
All manhole covers were removed as
well as tho ventilator gratings. In the
openings thus made firemen placed
their hose. Ot'her squads of firemen
crawled down through the blinding
smoke that poured from the Fiftieth
and Fifty-ninth street stations into the
tube itself and worked in relays.
Frantic Struggle of Passengers
Through the smoke that rolled up
from the manholes could be seen the
red flames below. #
Tho fire started in a train between
Continue* on Thirteenth Pace.
HARRISBURG, PA., WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 6, 1915—14 PAGES.
CIVIC CLUB FIGHTS
FOR $30,000 GIFT
Organization Carries to
Court Dispute as to
Ownership of the
Fleming Masion
TRUST COMPANY
RAISES ISSUE
As Executor of Estate It Holds Club
Has Not Legal Eight to Take Prop
erty Willed to It—Action to Decide
to Whom Mr. Payne Shall Pay Eent
Because the Civic Club of Harris
burg, com posed of many of the wealth
iest and most prominent women of this
city, to which organization the late
Viiginia H. Fleming bequeathed the
magnificent $30,000 Fleming mansion
at (112 North Front street, was not a
chartered corporation under the laws
ot Pennsylvania when Mrs. Fleming's
will became effective on June 14, last,
immediately following her death, the
Central Trust Company, of New York,
executor of the estate, claims the Civic
Club cannot take over the property.
The Civic Club disputes the trust
company, however, contending the club
is rightfully entitled to the mansion,
and it is because of this dispute that-
Frank Payne, the present tenant of
the mansion, a wealthy shoe manufac
turer, yvho is prominent socially, has re
fused to p#y his mfothlv rent either to
the executor or to the Civic Club, pend
ing an adjustment of the dispute as to
ownership of the property.
Mr. Payne is ready ami willing to
pay the rent, but lie, wants to be satis
fled, when he does make payments, that
he is giving the money to the legal
owner. The situation is almost unique,
few cases of its kind beiug on record,
Continued on Xlnth I'nue.
MILLIONMmPENROSE
So Declare Palmer and Rupley to the
Senate Elections Committee Pro
bing Campaign Expenses
Washington, Jan. 6. —■'Representa-
tives Palmer and Ruipley, of Pennsylva
nia, alleged before the Senate Elections
committee to-day tthat more than a mil
lion dollars was spent on 'behalf of Sen
ator Penrose in his recent successful
campaign for re-election.
The committee resumed consideration
of the Norris resolution to direct an
inquiry into Senatorial campaign ex
penditures in Pennsylvania and Illi
nois. On request of (Senator Oliver the
committee deferred action until M/r.
Penrose could be asked if lie wishes to
appear.
"We were able to show the commit
tee that more than a million dollars
was corralled and spent in behalf of
Senator Penrose's candidacy," said
Representative Palmer, who was the
Democratic candidate for Senator in
Pennsylvania.
"We charged that iboth Pennsylvania
and federal laws were violated in the
expenditure of vast sums 011 behalf of
Senator Penrose," said Representative
Rupley, "and that proper returns of
the expenditures never ha\ been filed."
Chops Brother's Fingers Off
Paul Fiscel, 3 years old, sou of Cal
vern Fiscel, of Gettysburg, was treated
this morning at the Harrisburg hospital
for a maimed left hand. He and an
older 'brother were playing when the
latter wielded a hatchet, chopping the
ends off three fingers of the child's left
hand.
YOUTH IS KlilED COASTING
John Walker, of Near Carlisle. When on
Sled, Crashes With Fence and
lb Fatally Hurt
(Special to the Star-Independent.)
Carlisle, Pa., Jan. 6.—John Walker,
19 years old, a farm hand, whose home
was in Huntsdale, died last night a
few hours after crashing into a rail
fence on his sled near Hunter's Run.
He had been coasting down a steep
hill and while going at high speed his
sled left tho road resulting in fatal
injuries. '
The boy had been alone fen the sled,
but his companions were nearby and
rushed to his side. They pulled him
on the sled to the dome of his broth
er, Levi Walker, where a physician
was summoned, but the doctor was un
able to save the boy's life. His ab
domen was injured where it struck the
rail. There were no bones broken.
Besides his mother, the boy leaves
three brothers, Levi, Leo and Harvey,
and a sister, Claire, of Huntsdale, and
a sister, Mrs. May .Beid, of Uarrisburg.
HONOR MEDALS TO
VERACROZHEROES
Presentation Was Made
by Secretary Daniels
at Brooklyn Navy
Yard To-day
BRAVERY OF THE
MEN EXTOLLED
Head of Navy Also Pays Touching
Tribute to Nineteen Sailors and
Marines Who Lost Their Lives Dur
ing Occupation of Mexican City
By Aarociated Press.
New York, Jan. 6.—Thirteen enlist
ed men of the United States navy who
won special mention for distinguished
conduct at the occupation of Vera Oruz,
were presented medals of honor by Sec
retary Daniels to-day 011 the deck of
the battleship Florida at the Brooklyn
navy yard. Hear Admiral Fletcher, now
commander-iu-chief of the Atlantic
fleet, who commanded the American
naval forces at Vera Cruz and other
high officers of the navy participated
in the formal ceremony.
The medal winners were: Henry N.
Nickerson, boatswain's nmte, first
class; Abraham De Somer, chief turret
captain; Joseph G. Harner, boatswain's
I mate, first class; George Cregan, boat
| swain's mate, first class; Lawrence C.
I fcinnett, gunner's mate, third class;
j Percy A. Decker, chief boatswain's
mate; Charles P. Bishop, quartermas
ter, first class; James A. Walsh, quar
termaster, third class; Charles L. Nord
siek, seaman; Fred J. Schnepel, sea
man; Berrie IT. Jarrett, gunner's mate,
! third class; William Zuiderveld, hos
pital steward; Harry C. Beasley, cox
swain.
Edward Cisburne, electrician, second
Continued on Eighth Pnt?c.
SAYS CROOKS GOT HIS S3OO
Frank Marshall Tells Police He Was
Cheated Out of the Money by-
Pair of Clever Rogues
Frank Marshall, of 94 6 Paxton
street, told the poJice this afternoon
that he has been cheated out of S3OO
in a novel way, by two men known
only by their descriptions, who, he
said, fled from the city. He asserted
the men offered him a job in a Market
street hotel yesterday morning, posing
as the proprietors of the establishment,
ami requiring a check for S3OO from
him as security for the job.
He handled over the check, he said,
and the men then took him to the ho
tel, where they as though they
owned the place, treating him at the
lunch counter and even showing him
rooms up-stairs. He left but returned
again, according to his story, and de
manded the S3OO back, telling the men
that lid had changed his mind about
taking the job offertiI 1 to him.
The men, he said, then ran from the
building and made their escape in a
hired automobile, refused to pay the
chauffeur, Archie Qlewine, and made
their getaway on a train to Elizabeth
town.
CUTER AND BARBER ARE
RE-ELECTED UNANIMOUSLY
No Evidence at Reorganization Meet
ing of Directors of the Poor of Al
leged Plan to Oust These Two Coun
ty Employes—Walters President
John P. Guyer, clerk to the Directors
of the Poor, and S. F. Barber, steward
in the Dauphin county almshouse, wore
unanimously re-elected to their present
positions and all other county employes
connected with the poor department,
were retained for another year when
the directors organized this morning
for the new year. Harry A. Walters,
one of the Democratic majority mem
bers, again was elected head of the
board. Charles L. Boyer, the other ma
jority member, was elected agent, and
B. Frank Ne-ad again was chosen as
legal adviser.
There was not the slightest evidence
of the alleged plan, referred to recently
iby Director Walters, under which he
said politicians sought to compel him
to "fix!' Guyer and Barber. Walters
miade no reference to the so-called
Continued on Ninth Pace.
MOTHER WHO RISKS LIFE TO SAVE
SON AT FIRE; BOY SHE RESCUES
+ :*(>. .0
- - >*:■*
-
f Mj
% -, * * jy& ./V
* '
MRS. A. 0 BLAIR
Carries Child Through Smoke-filled
Hails at Early Blaze
RISKS LIFE SAVING
HER son II
Mrs. Blair Carries Boy-
Through Smoke-Fill
ed House, Then Helps
in Mother's Rescue
GAS EXPLODES
DURING BLAZE
One House Ruined and Four Others
Damaged by Early Morning Flames
—Rescued Woman Seriously Burned
—One Man Injured
Through the smoke-filled halls of her
burning home at 2 o'clock this morn
ing Mrs. A. C. Blair, 613 Schuylkill
street, carried h«r son, Roy, 10 years
old, saving his life and risking her
own. Then she directed the efforts
of Claud Lontz, 20 years old, of 611
Schuylkill street, in rescuing her moth
er-in-law, Mrs. Wilbur Blair, from a
burning rear room of tho second floor.
Mrs. Wilbur Blair was burned about
the face, hands and feet when she at
tempted to extinguish tho fire which
started When a blazing matchhead foil
on tho carpet as she attempted to light
the gas. She was taken to the Har
risburg Hospital where her condition is
said to be alarming, although she ha 1 *
a chance to recover. Eugene J. Mc-
Curdy, of 612 Schuylkill street, was
burnt by falling plaster while helping
the firemen.
The fire destroyed the Blair home,
did slight damage to the adjoining
house, 611 Schuylkill street, occupied
by Charles l«ntz and the house ad
joing tho Blair home on the other side,
615 Schuylkill street, occupied by
G-eorge W. Pressley, superintendent of
the Pennsylvania Railroad stockyards.
An explosion which occurred in the
Blair home before the firemen arrived
slightly damaged two other dwellings,
617 and 619 Schuylkill street. The
houses arc all in one row and aro
owned by J. C. Mehring. The loss will
reach $3,000.
The explosion which followed the
Continued on Kl(hth I'age.
WILL BRING WITNESSES
HERE FROM FLORIDA CITY
County Officials Working Hard to Se
cure a Conviction of H. R. Mercer
and Fred Leßrun Charged With
Forgery and False Pretense
That the Dauphin county officials
are determined to do everything pos
sible to secure the conviction of H. R.
Mercer and Fred Leßrun, now await
ing trial in the .January term of Crim
inal court on charges of forgery and
false pretense, is apparent when it be
came known this morning that wit
nesses will be brought here from Jack
sonville, Fla., to appear for the Com
monwealth.
Armed with a subpoena for two bank
Continued on Allntk Pave.
7 -
* #M. JP
■'
ROY BLAIR
Boy, 10 Years Old, Who Is Rescued
From Flames by His Mother
TO-DAY'S BARCAIII
PAGE IS THE LAST
Final Awards in Star-
Independent's Con
test to Be Made Next
Wednesday
THIS WEEK'S
WINNERS NAMED
Best Letters Selecting Offers Appear
ing on Page Are Written by Mrs.
H. F. Stahl, Paul E. Reiff and R.
M. Baskin
In to-day's issue of the Star-Imlo
pendent there appears for the last time
a Bargain and Educational Page, and
the final opportunity is offered read
ers to select what they consiller the
best bargains and to receive prizes of
$3, $1! and $1 for the host letters on
the subject. These last prizes will bo
awarded next Wednesday.
The winners of the prizes this week
are: Mrs. H. F. Stahl, 1114 Bnrtine
street, first prize of $3; Paul K. Keiff,
New Cumberland, second prize of $1!,
and R. M. Baskin, York Haven, third
prize of sl. The prize winning letters
follow:
First Prize Winner
The Bargain Editor:
Dear Sir—
Of unusual importance to the aver
age woman and girl is the cost of lin
gerie. It has been the aim generally
to dress eligibly at the least possible
cost. How to do this has always been
wisdom bought at the loss of dollars
and cents. Yet when one is compelled
with the necessity of mimimizing, no
better opportunity affords than the an
nounced bargain of Ea Perle, 20 4 Lo
cust street, which to the average, per
son and especially to my judgment is
the biggest bargain listed on your es
teemed page.
In conclusion allow me to say that
good lingerie when sold at half price
is not only a big bargain but a sacri
fice. Sincerely,
Mrs. Helen P. St all 1,
1114 Bartine street.
Second Prize Winner
The Bargain EM'itor:
Hear Sir —
The best bargain, in my opinion, is
Continued on Klrvrnth I'Hflrr.
COUNTY TAX RATE WILL
REMAIN AT FOUR MILLS
This Is Practically Assured When Pris
on Inspectors and Directors of the
Poor Announce They Can Get Along
With Smaller Appropriations
County Controller Henry W. Gough
and the County Commissioners to-day be
gan the real work of preparing the
1915 annual appropriation bill for tho
courts. The Directors of the Poor and
the Board of Prison Inspectors both
asked for decreased appropriations and
it now is conceded that the county tax
rate can be fixed at the same figure as
last year and 1913—four mills. The
tax rate in 1914 and in 1913 was half
Continued on Ninth Pase-
POSTSCRIPT
PRICE, ONE CENT.
TURK CORPS
COMPLETELY
ANNIHILATED
Defeat Inflicted on the
Ottoman Army at
Sari Ramysh Was a
Crushing Blow
RUSSIANS TOOK
MANY PRISONERS
Turkish Losses in Killed and Wounded
Were Enormous—Victorious Troops
Now Pursuing the Tenth Corps,
Which Is Trying to Escape
\
By Associated Press,
Petrograd, Jan. 6.—The following of
ficial communication from the headquar
ters of the army of the Caucasus was
issued last night:
"The defeat winch we inflicted on
the Ottoman army in the region of 'Sari
Kamysh is complote. The Ninth Turk
ish corps was completely- annihilated.
Wo made prisoner the commander of ttie
corps, Iskhan Pasha; the commanders
of the Seventeenth, Twenty-eight and
Twenty-ninth divisions and two lieu-
tenants (these chiefs with their staffs)
more thun a hundred officers and a
great numiber of soldiers. The Turkish
losses in killod and wounded were enor
mous. V\ e took many cannon, machine
guns, munitions of war and revietualing
convoys.
"A company of one of our glorious
regiments captured the entire command
of the Ninth •corps. Our victorious
troops are pan-suing the rest of t'he
Tenth corps which is trying to escape.
"During the taking of Arduhan one
of our Siberian cavalry regiments
charged the enemy and cut to pieces
two companies of Turkish infantry. A
squadron of the same cavalry regiment
captured the Hag of the Eighth regi
ment of infantry belonging in Constan
tinople. The Turks are retreating ii> all
directions."
LATE WAR IWS" SUMMARY
A German trench nearly half a mil#
long in the Argonne region wa3 blown
up by the allies, according to to-day's
official statement from Paris. The
French then made an infantry attack
and captured half of the trench. Dur
ing this charge a grandson of the Ital
ian patriot Garibaldi was killed. The
recent death iu action of another grand
son was said in Rome to have reawak
ened the war spirit in Italy.
Aside from the fighting in the Ar
gonne, activity is limited chiefly to up
per Alsace, where the Germans seem
to have checked the French advance.
The only claim made in the French
statement is that the ground won has
been held. The loss of one position to
tlie Germans is admitted
The Berlin War Office states that
the French are bombarding towns to
the rear of the German lines and "seem
indifferent to the killing of their own
countrymen and to the destruction of
French homes." The capture of several
trenches from the allies is reported.
Fighting continues along the main
line west of Warsaw, but dispatches
from Petrograd and Berlin agree that
there have been no important develop
ments recently. To-day's developments
German official communication says that
few Russian positions were captured.
The garrison which has been defend
ing the Galician fortress of Przemysl
under siege by the Russians for many
weeks, attempted another sortie. Of the
Continued «o Milk Pace.
WALL STREET CLOSING
By Associated Press.
New York, Jan. «.—Late dealings
were noteworthy chiefly for recurrent
weakness in the Gould group, Missouri
Pacific and Denver and Rio Grande,
pfd. and St. Louis Southwestern de
clining to new low prices. The closing
was irregular. Intermittent advance)
and declines marked the course of to
day's stock market, final prices show
ing general recession from the best.