THE WEATHER
FAIR TO-NIGHT •
AND TO-MORROW
(totalled Report* Pace 6
VOL. 77—NO. 30.
ESTABI.ISHED
DEC. 4. MIL
ABBOTT AND
PEN'YPACK'R
IN HOTCLASH
Commuters' Lawyer,
Who Attacked Com
mission,ls Heard Aft
er a Lively Spat
SAYS HE HAS
NO APOLOGY
former Governor, As Member of Board,
Rules Attorney's "Fifteen Ques
tions"' Are Irrelevant and Declares
Hearing Is Given on "Sufferance"
The meeting of the Public Service
Commission this morning was character
i»e»d by the liveliest scrap that has
ever marked its proceedings, the par
ticipants being former Governor Sam
uel W. Penny-packer, chairman of the
Commission, a.ud Edwin M. Abbott, the
Philadelphia attorney, representing
commuters, who recently filed charges
against the Commission because of its
actions in making known to the rail
road companies the decision on the
rates for passenger service.
Mr. Abbott wan the principal counsel
at the recent Philadelphia hearing of
the commuteis who protested against
certain features of the railroads' new
passenger rates, and he afterward
claimed that he should have been in
formed of tiie change in th? rates as
fixed by the Commission at the same
time as the railroad companies were in
formed. Indignant over the action of
cne of tlie members of the Commis
sion he prepared a series of fifteen
questions, all Iteari ng on the alleged
gins of omission and commission of the
Commission, which questions he not.
only sent to the Commission but also
to Governor Tenor.
Furthermore. Mr. Abbott, was report
ed as saying that if cognizance was not
taken of the Commission's actions by
the Governor and if an investigation
was not held, he would request Gov
ernor Brumbaugh, when he takes office,
to withdraw the nominations of the
Commissioners, which would have the
effect of ousting theiu. Failing in that
he would go before the Senate Com
mittee on Executive Nominations and
endeavor to have it make an adverse
report on the nominations. Governor
Tener acknowledged receipt of the
questions but upheld the Commission
ers.
Pennypacker Defends Johnson
To-day was fixed for the rehearing
in the matter of the passenger rates
for commuters and others before the
Commission, this hearing having been
asked for by Mr. Abbott and others
who were dissatisfied with some fea
tures of the rates, and quite a crowd
was present in the Supreme Court room
at the capitol, where the case was ar
gue.!. Attorneys representing the Com
muters and Philadelphia Unite.) Busi
nese Men's Association were present,
along with attorneys for the Pennsyl-
Continued on Second I'axe.
U. S. SEEKS PUNISHMENT
FOR SHOOTERSf HUNTERS
Washington, Jan. B.—The British em
bassy to-day was in receipt of a formal
note from the United States govern-1
ment asking that the Canadian militia
men who shot and killed Walter Smith 1
and wounded L harles Dorsch, American
citizens at Fort Erie,. Ontario, while
duck hunting in alleged violation of
the Canadian gume laws, be punished, j
The communication, which was of a
friendlv nature, was transmitted to
Great Britain through t>he British Am
ba«ftdor, Sir C-acil Slpring-Rice. It i
pointed out that not only was it expect
ed that the offenders be duly punished
but that the victims' families be ade-'
quately compensated.
After a persona! memorandum had \
been received by him from Sir Spring-!
Rice, which was coincident with the
dispatch of the note, Secretary Bryan j
declared that the British government
without deciding the question of li-!
ability, would consider the pavment of
damages to Dorseh and the family of
Smith.
The fftatement wai interpreted to
mean that damages would be paid fol
lowing completion of an inquiry by the
Dominion authorities.
Toronto, Jan. B.—A provincial con
stable. a corporal and two privates were
arrested at Port Erie to-dav on war
rants issued at the instance 'of the At
torney General of the Provin-e of On
tario, charging them with manslaughter
in connection with the death of Wal
ter >-mith and the wounding of < Carles
Dorsch, American citizen*, at Fort Erie,
on December 28, last. The men were
held without bail.
Bills to Increase U. S. Army
Washington, Jan. B.—JBillg to carry
out Secretary (farrison's r>»commedia
tions to add 25,000 men and 1,000 of
ficers to the army and 8,000 men to
the coast artillery corps arc to be tak
en up by the Senate Military -ommittee
and pushed for passage at this session
of Congress. At a special meeting of
the committee it was decided to-dav to
act along that line and also to consid
er measures for an army reiserv«.
®)c £>for~ Snkfiewkiti
LAW-MAKER PAYS $5 FINE
AFTER MARKET ST. FIGHT
Representative Adams, Who Once Of
fered to Swim tbe River in Dead of
Winter, Gets in Argument About
Proper Military Salute
William L, Adams, of Beaver Brook,
Luzerne county, Pa., a member of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives,
and a Spanish war veteran, met Harry
Porter, another foreign service vet, in
a hotel in the central part of the city
last evening and they had a delightful
discussion until they differed as to the
manner of giving tie preper military
salute. They ultimately came to blows
on Third street, near 'Market, at 12.30
o'clock this morning. This they both
admitted in police court before Mayor
Royal this afternoon when they appear
ed to answer a disorderly conduct
charge.
Policemen MvOann and Buch saw
Porter lying on the street shortly after
midnight and Adams walking away,
and they placed both under arrest, in
the dock at Police Headquarters im
mediately following the arrests, Adams
posted a $5 forfeit for himself and an
other for Porter to keep both out of
jail during the night
In police court tJie erstwhile an
tagonists were very friendly. Porter,
seciing Colonel Hutchison's badge as a
Spanish war veteran, claimed comrade
ship with him. Colonel Hutchison smiled
and Mayor Royal said:
"Five dollars or ten days in jail
for each defendant."
The forfeits were turned into the
coffers of tie city as •'fines'' and the
pair departed the best of friends.
A iums was first elected to the House*
in 1912. He was a prospector in
Southern Nevada at one time and dur
ing the Spanish-American war served
with the Governor's Troop, of Harris
burg. He afterward served on tile
United States Flagship, New York, and
with the I'nited States Marines served
through the Philippine insurrection and
in the Boxer rampaign. He is the au
thor of "Exploits of a Soldier Ashore
and Afloat." He came into public no
tice luring the legislative sessions of
1913 through his reported offer to swim
the Susquehanna river in the dead of
winter.
WAR RECORD WHEAT PRICES
May Cereal Jumps to #1.40 Bushel,
Highest Figure With Few Excep
tions in Fifty Years
Sv Aisociafed Press.
Chicago, Jan. B.—Wheat shot ftp to
day and as high as $1.41% a bushel
was paid for May, the rihief speculative
option, a rise in excess of tihree cents
a bushel beyond What could have been
| realized when values yesterday were at
' the acme of a big whirl. The close was
unsettled with May at $1.40y„, a gain
of 2V4 cents compared with last night.
Chicago. Jan. B.—Smashing of war
record prices for wheat began promptly
to-day at the first gong on 'change.
Opening quotations were 7-8 to 1 5-~Bc
above last night. May wheat, the lead
ing option jumped to $1.39 3-4, as
against $1.38 o-S, the tip-top for yes
terday. Reports of an ultimatum to
Continued on Second Pagrc.
STROUP BEFRIENDS A SQUIRREL
Feeds Park Pet Which Calls Three
Times a Day at Office
one of the pet squirrels in
( apitol Park, after a chase through the
streets and over electric light wires,
jumped into the office of District At
torney iM. E. Stroup, in t'he Buss build
ing, <ourt and Strawberry streets, sev
eral days ago, presumably to get a tip
from the prosecutor on "how to take
a rest in the village of New York."
The squirrel and the defender of the
Commonwealth at once became friends
and Mr. Stroup decided to contribute
toward "Billys" maintenance. With
a handful of tacks the District Attor
ney "fenced off" a space on the win
dow sill, just outside bis office. There
he daily places nuts and the little squir
rel has not since neglected to make
three calls a day, at meal times.
$2,006 RAISED FOR RED CROSS
Reports Compiled of the Sales of
Christmas Stamps in This County
Reports compiled to-day showed that
the receipts from the saie of the Red
I Cross Christmas stamps in Dauphin
| county during the holiday season to aid
the anti-tuberculosis campaign, amount
ed to $2,006.80, or more than S6OO
below what was received last year.
The total number of stamps sold'here
this season was 200,680, against 262,-
632 a'year agd. The decrease is ac
counted for by the fact that there are
so many other demands for charitable
aid from extraordinary sources this
winter.
Reports yet are to be received from
agents who took out 45,000 stamps,
just $450 worth. It is believed a*bout
twenty per cent, of these have been
sold.
MURDER TALE IS GROUNDLESS
District Attorney's Investigation Proves
Adam Cico Was Not Poisoned
Foreigners living in the neightnTr
hood of the home of Adam Cico, 1103
South Ninth street, a man who died on
Wednesday night, were responsible for
a report to-day that Cico had been mur
dered by poisoning % and this led to an
inquiry by District Attorney M. K.
Stroup and Coroner Jacob Eckinger.
Both county officials subsequently
said they are satisfied the man's death
was due to nephritis and they both de
nied and repudiated the murder story.
Cico was taken ill on Tuesday and
died less than twentv-fonr hours' later.
A foreigner admitted he spread the
murder report, the Coroner said, be
cause he had a petty grievance against
Mrs. Cico.
HARRISBURG, PA,, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 8. 1915 14 PAGER.
ICE 1 TIE RIVER
BREAKS AT 3 A. 1.
Is Running Smoothly
Over Entire System
Except at Warrior
Ridge, on the Juniata
UNEXPECTED RISE
LESSENS DANGER
The West Channel Opened at II O'clock
Last Night—Little Damage to Cof
fer Dam at the Cumberland Valley
Railroad Bridge
On a river stage slightly higher than
was anticipated, ic» on the Susquehanna
river broke and moved off opposite
Harrisburg early this morning, the
heighth of the river being such that
the possibility of damage to the coffer
dams about the piers on the Cumberland
Valley railroad bridge being greatly
lessened. Fears are felt tint some of
the big tiiilbers will be carried away by
the water, but the w>rk has been ad
vanced to such a stage that little dam
age to the work on the piers is ex
pected.
Should the river go to 12'./ a feet to
morrow. the stage forecasted by the
local officials of the Weather Bureau,
ice will be thrown atop the walk at the
top of the river front steps. Ice was
running this morning over the third
step from the top on a stage slightly
Over 10 feet
Ice Running Freely
Beginning at 3.25 o'clock yester
day afternoon where a break occurred
in the ice on the main river at the
Rockville falls, slight breaks occurred
from that on southward until 11 o'clock
last evening, when the west channel
opened and the ice began running free
ly. The east channel as far south as
North street was broken up by 11'
o'clock. The ice piled up there, but
Continued on Second rngf.
FLOOD TIES UP RAILROAD
Williams Valley Line Blocked by Dirt
Washed Onto Track
Traffic on the Williams Valley rail
road, which connects with the Philadel
phia and Reading road at Brooksvde,
this county, and runs to mining towns
in this and Schuylkill counties, was
blocked for several hours yesterday due
to several small streams washing coal
dirt on the road'bed near Williamstown
to the depth of a foot. Track hands
got the dirt from the tracks late in the
afternoon yesterday.
The Williamstown passenger station
was surrounded by water, due to the
flooding of tbe small streams by the
heavy raiu of Wednesday night.
SIBUGHSfIYSIHUGSPURSUE
Tells Altoona Audience Also That They
Should Stand by Goveernor
Brumbaugh
Altoona, Jan. S.—Declaring that the
liquor people are camping on his trail
and have- hired gunmen and assassins
to "get" him, l>r. Henry W. 54 to ugh,
the evangelist, who is conducting the
revival in the big taibernaele at the
Cricket field, last evening hurled de
fiance against them and announced that
he was going to remain in Pennsyl
vania and fig'ht t" em with all the force
at his command and help the people ~
the State to get rid of their influ
ence..
I "Let us stand by Governor Brum
: baugh,'' he said in his evening sermon,
''and pray God to hel-p him to put upon
| the statute books of Pennsylvania a
local option law. They say "that Ohio
j went back at the late election. With
I the exception of Cleveland and Cincin-
I nati it went for prohibition and when
j you get a local option law in Pennsyl
l vania t his State will go dry from Pitts
burgh to Philadelphia, and when my
I friend Billy Sunday gets through with
i Philadelphia, it will go dry, too."
Miss Josephine Colt, in charge-of the
; personal workers' classes, left yester
i 'lay for her home in Berwick. Mi'ss Colt
is suffering from a hemorrhage of the
I blood vessels on her tongue and will
undergo treatment at the hands of a
specialist. She will resume her work
at Lancaster where the party goes
next.
STOUGH TABERNACLE SOLI)
May Be Used for Exhibition or Other
Purposes Before Removed
The Stough tabernacle has been sold
by the Bogar Lumber Compaky to John
E, Dare. Church committees from
Lancaster, Reading and Hagerstown are
now considering the advisability of
buying the .tabernacle and transferring
it for use in evangelistic services in
-their communities.
The building committee of the Read
ing Stough evangelistic campaign has
visited the tabernacle here, but lias as
yet arrived at no conclusions. Prefer
ence will be given by Mr. Dare to the
church committees and meanwhile he
is considering offers from various
sources for the use of the building be
fore it is removed for exhibition and
convention purposes.
Fractures Hip In Fail on Stairway
Mrs. Margaret Friese, 71 years old,
1738 North Fifth street, suffered a
fracture of the right hip yesterday aft
ernoon when she fell down a flight of
steps at her home. She was aidniitted
to the Harristourg hospital for treat
meat.
SOCIETY WOMEN STUDY TO GO TO FRONT AS NURSES
lilliPpr
M 165 Josephine Nic£>ll.
phot* %y LUitlS tlwc-
MISS ESTHER CLEVELAND
ENROLLS AS A WAR NURSE
Daughter of Late President and Other
Young Women Prominent in Society
Will Take Eleven Weeks' Course in
Caring for Wounded Soldiers
New York, Jan. 8.- —Miss Esther
Cleveland, dftughter of the late Presi
dent Grover Cleveland; Miss Josephine
Nicell and many other young women
prominent in social circles have been
enrolled in the winter nursing course
at the central branch of the Young
Women's Christian Association, in this
city, where, under the direction of Misi
Louise Henderson, they are studying to
care for wounded soldiers.
The course, which is technically
known as trained attendance, includes
daily lessons for elevOn weeks, with
three afternoons a week devoted to
work in the hospital. There are fifty
in the class at the present time and all
are Kkelv to go to tli>e European war
front.
BURNS FATAL 10 MS. BLAIR
Woman Who Attempted to Extinguish
Fire Starting From Flying Match
Head Dies This Morning
Mrs. Wilbur Blair, 6 6 years old,
who was severely burned while trying
to extinguish a lire she started iu her
sou's home, 613 Schuylkill street, at 2
o'clock WeLnesdav morning, died from
her bums at 10.35 o'clock this morn
ing at the Harrisburg hospital. She
was burned about the face, hands, arms
and feet.
She became ill during Wednesday
night and in attempting to light the
gas in her room struck a match, the
head flying off and starting a fire in
the carpet of the room. She beat the
fire with her hands and stamped on it
but her efforts to extinguish it were
futile. Her daughter-in-law, Mrs. A. C.
Blair, and Claud Lontz, 611 Schuylkill
street, rescued her from the burninn
house.
She seemed to recoved from the
shock of the burns and was able to
tell about the fire the following morn
ing, but she showed signs of bronchial
trouble and physicians believe that she
inhaled some flames. The funeral ar
rangements have not yet been made.
Five houses werp damaged by the fire,
causing a loss of nearly $3,000.
HIMMEL MANSION REMODELED
Old Frout Street Property Is Being Con
verted Into Apartments
The Hummel mansion, 107 South
Front street, whi h recently came into
possession of V. Lome Hummel, under
the will of his grandmother, Mrs. Kich
ard Hummel, is being converted into
apartments.
There are to be three apartments in
all, two of w*hich face on Front street.
Phev will be ready for occupancy by
the middle of the montlh.
GERMAN CRUISER DAMAGED BY STRIKING MINE
- THE GOEBEN . "
A despatch from Copenhafcen says that word from Constantinople states that the German cruiser Goeben. which
now flies the Turkish flag, has been very seriously damaged by Kussian mines near the Bosphorus. Thin news, th*
despatch adds, has be«n kept a secret from the people of Turkey. The damage to the Goeben is so severe, it U
stated, that at leaat three months will be required to repair the cruiser.
GETS IT FIR
FROST SI. Fill
City Enters Contract
With Excavating
Firm to Provide 15,-
000 Cubic Yards
TOTAL COST
TO BE $4,000
Earth Will Be Taken From the Site
of the Proposed Pennsylvania Rail
road Warehouse By the King-
Brown Construction Company
Under a contract closed to-"lay be
tween M. Harvey Taylor, Commission
er of Parks, and the King-Brown Con
struction Company, contra*.-tors, who are
grading the site for the proposed Pcnn
sylvan ia Kailroad warehouse, Second
street, south of Mulberry street, some
thing like 15,000 cubic yards of dirt
will be obtained to use for making the
fill along the river bank between Cal
der and Maclav street.
The agreement was enteral into
when the contracting company made
an offer to the city to furnish and haul
that quantity of dirt, or more if neces
sary, at the rate of twenty-six and two
third cents a cubic yard. This price is
the lowest yet received by the city and
makes it possible to get the desired
filling material for about $4,000. The
price demanded by other contractors
who submitted_ estimates was almost,
twice that amount.
Work of making the fill will be start
ed in a few days or immediately after
the King-Brown company gets another
steam shovel at work on' the warehouse
job. One steam shovel has been in op
eration on the grading job for two
weeks.
Should the City Commissioners decide
to make a lil. along the river bank,
north of Maclav street, the contractors
have given them assurance that addi
tional dirt can be obtained, at the same
rate, for which the 15,000 yards can
fce furnished.
ALLIES GAINING GROUND
IS ARTILLERY FIGHTING
IN FRANCE. SAYS REPORT
Paris, Jan. 8, 2.45 P. M.—The ex
tomtoil French official report given out
in Paris this afternoon shows the cus
tomary artillery activity all along the
sea to Alsace anil says that the
French guns are gaining the advantage.
The French claim some infantry ad
vances. Near Hheims they movjd for
ward 200 yards. Referring to the sit
uation in Alsace, the French report
claims favorable developments. The
statement follows:
"The artillery of the enemy showed,
during all the day of January 7, great
activity in Belgium and in tilie vicinity
of Arras. The French artillery respond
ed spiritedly and efficaciously.
Damage German Trenches
"Our infantry made some progress
J near Lombaertzyde. We occupied at
i a point fiftjt yards in advance of our
trenches a hillock which had been held
by the enemy. To the east of St.
Georges we gained ground and we in
dicted serious damage on tho trenches
of the enemy in the vicinity of Steen
straate.
"In the sector of Arras, at tho for
est of Reithonval, without being attack
ed, we were compelled to evacuate cer
tain trenches Where our men were up
to their shoulders in sand and water.
Continued on Thirteenth Pa are.
LUTE WARNEWSSUMMARY
Capture of another town in Alsace to
the south of Sennheim is reported by
the French War Office in Its statement
of to-day. The German communication
neither affirms nor denies the report,
saying merely that fighting is still in
progress for possession of the town.
It is stated, however, that repeated
French attacks in Alsace broke down
under the German artillery fire.
In a few other localities between the
North sea and Switzeralnd sharp fight
ing is in progress, in which each side
has scored its minor victories, but over
most of tjie line there is little activity.
The armies in the east are similarly
inactive. Tho German communication
mentions an engagement east of the
Rawka river, where, it is said, the ad
vance is still in progress, but the spec
tacular clashes of great masses of
troops during the early part of the war
have no parallels now along the War
saw front.
Great Britain's preliminary reply to
the American note concerning British
interference with American shipping
Continued on Thirteenth I'age.
POSTSCRIPT
PRICE, ONE CENT.
FIGHTING IN
ALSACE NOW
VERY FIERCE
250,000 Soldiers in All
Are Engaged and
Both Sides Are Using
Heavy Guns
CASUALTIES SAID
TO BE ENORMOUS
Battle Has Been Resumed On the Ser
vian Front With the Servians Being
Reported Victorious in An Engage
ment Near Belgrade
Geneva, via Paris, Jan. 7, 11.55 P.
-M-—The fighting in lower Alsace is
daily growing in intensity around
Steinlbaeii, Coruay and Thauu. Villages,
houses and trenches are taken and re
taken at the point of the bavonel and
the casualties ou both sides have been
extremely heavy.
It is stated that about 250,000 in
all are engaged and that both sides are
using heavy guns. The Germans are
continuously hurrying reinforcements
from the Kliiue forts.
General Pau, it is stated, is in com
mand of the French forces which have
made progress despite the fierce resist
ance of the Germans. French aviators
from Belfort are assisting the artillery,
the booming of which is heard day and
night in the neighborhood of the l'rou
ticr.
Fighting on Servian Front Resumed
Paris, Jan. 8, 3.05 A. M. —Fightiug
has been resumed on the Servian front,
aceordiug to an official communication
issued at Nish, Servia, and forwarded
to the I lavas Agency here. The light
ing in which the Servian's were the vie
j tors, according to the statement, occur
| red near Belgrade. The communication
follows:
"Strong forces of the enemy occu
pied the island of Tziglia, near Bel
grade, on January 3. .Small detach
ments of our troops surprised and
routed the Austrian* during the ijij-ht
of January 4, capturing 45 soldiers, a
sergeant major and two sergeants. Our
loss was insignificant. Beyond this en
gagement there is nothing important to
report on any of the fronts."
Austrians Admit Falling Back
Vienna, Jan. 8, via London, 12.17
P. M.—An official statement on the
]><rogTess of the war was given out in
Vienna to-day. It follows:
"In the Carpathian forest lands and
in the southern part of the crown land
of Bukowina, regard for the safety of
our advance troops oibliged us to fall
back on the principal mountain passes
before an enemy numerically superior
to ourselves.
"On the Hungarian-Galician front
everything is quiet; in the higher dis
tricts there is some frost and snow.
"On the Bunajre rivor and in Kus
sian Poland there have here and there
been smart exchanges."
READY TO MOVE ARCHIVES
FROM TURKISH CAPITAL
Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan. 8, Via London,
12.24 P. M. —Dispatches reaching
here from Constantinople describe the
situation in the Turkish capital as in
creasingly alarming. The local authori
ties appear to apprehend not only at
tacks from outside, but internal disor
ders as well. The archives of the
state have been packed up ready for
removal from the city and many of
them have been sent away.
Preparations have been completed
also for the removal of the treasury
ami locomotives are kept constantly
under steam in th! railroad yards of
Stamboul to meet the possible neces
sity of conveying the officials of the
government to a place of safety at
short notice. Preparations have been
made at Adrianoplo for the quartering
of the state officials should eventualities
cause the Porte to decide to quit the
present capital.
Value of American Dollar Increases
Berne, Switzerland Via l'aris, ,la i.
8, 10.40 A. M. —The American dollar
is now worth iive francs 25 centimes
($1.05) at Berne. This represents a
remarkable rise since the opening of
the war, when checks on America
yielded only three francs 50 centinr s
(70 cents). The rise in exchange is
due to heavy buying of grain in th
United States for Switzerland.
WALL STREET CLOSING
By Associated Press.
New York, Jan. H.—Beading, South
ern Pacific and Amalgamated were ta
ken in advance in the final hour, but
selling of Union Pacific and Pennsyi
vania checked the general rise. Tin
closing was irregular. Greater breadth
and activity were shown by to-day's
market. Some material' gains were
made, mainly in special stocks.