THE WEATHER FAIR TO-NIQHT AND TO-MORROW ) Detail HI Renrt P«|« 8 ' VOL. 77—NO. 72 FLOOD SHOTS OP OIG STEW Central Works Are "Compelled to Cease Operations by a 16- Foot Stage in River SO. HARRISBURG CELLARS FILLED Residents of Low Sections of the City Move Their Belongings Up Stairs— Forecasters Say the Danger Mark Of 17 Feet Will Not Be Passed When the flood in the Susquehanna river reached the sixteen-foot stage bore this morning at 9 o'clock, water •tvted backing into scores of cellars in Cwrtn Harristmrg. Many of the resi dents worked during the night remov ing to upper floors anything that might t>e damaged by water. This occurred in placed where there are open sewere in the cellar floors. This condition existed as far east as Cameron street where water backed into the cellar of the Susquehanna fire engine house to the depth of six inches. Water also backed into the cellar of the Paxton fire engine house, on South fc-econd street to the same depth. The river stage here at S o'clock this morn ing was 1*5.4 feet and had reached 16 feet an hour later. There it remiained for a time. Prospects of serious damage here from the flood is remote. The State Water Supply Commission to-day fore i-as ted a maximum stage well "within peventeen feet, the danger limit. Weather bureau officials fixed the maximum at seventeen feet. Flood Closes Central Plant The open he«rth furnace of the Oen tial Iron and Steel Company plant be gan to be flooded at a river stage of fifteen feet early this morning and •work at the plant, including all of the various m.lls. had to be suspended. ork will be started again a* soon as the water below fifteen feet, which will likely be late to-morrow morning. The Btato Water Supply Commission. »rhieh yesterday forecafted a floort stage for Harrisburg by this afternoon, is sued the following to-day: "On this particuiar freshet or high stage the Susquehanna river at Harrisburg will crest before the maxi mum stage of the North Branch reaches Wiikes-Barre. owing to the fact that the West Branch aud the Juniata flood waters were considerably ahead of the North Branch flow." The contractors on the two subways •nd the new bridge of the Cumberland Valley railroad at Mulberry street re ported to the railroad agents this morning tihat the water had not inter fered with the work on the subways or the bridge. Should the water go above the danger point to any extent, it wilt interfere with the work, but on being assured by the Weather Bureau this morning rhat the crest would not be above 1? feet fears in the direction ■were dispelled. Crest Late This Afternoon The water in the upper branches of the river is receding somewhat and .. Ss beiieved that the crest of the flood will pass Harrisburg late this after noon. Selinsgrove reported a rise ot 3.3 feet and Wiikes-Barre 3.9 feet in the twenty-four hours preceding S o'clock this morning. Wiikes-Barre was the only city in the watershed experi encing a flood stage last night. The rise in Harrisburg was greater than at any place, amounting to 5.6 aeet in the twenty-four hours preceding S o'clock this morning. Weather Bu reau officials to-day forecasted a flood t-:age, which is seventeen feet, for late this afternoon. Slight falling action is expected in the river to-night. Weather Bureau of tiviaJs forecasting a stage of 16.6 feet by So 'clock to-morrow morning. This ■will still keep water in the cellars in fcouth Harrisburg. Traction company officials watched the river for a rise sufficient to cause a back-flow into the Market street sub way, as this would make necessary the running of the Allison Hill cars on a block signal system on Thirteenth street, between -Market and State streets, and the Steeltou and Middle- Town cars by way of Hemlock and Race streets. It was believed late this afternoon that there would be no seri ous flood in the subwav. 7 W ITN ESSES IN LIQIOR CASE Straub Says He Will Be on Hand to Testify in Berrysburg Fight W. S. Straub, tie Berrysburg man who in a recent letter to the Dauphin county court alleged that the liquor laws have been violated by William H. Bowman, proprietor of the St. Law rence hotel, in Berrysburg. has written a second letter to the Judges, announc ing that he and half a dozen or more witnesses will be on hand Monday in au effort to prove his oharges. The court has fixed Monday as the time for a further hearing on the Bow man application. Straub charges Bow man with selling liquor to drunkards and persons ot known intemperate hab its. Representatives of the Dauphin County .Temperance Union have joined Htraub in the fight against the re licensing of the hotel The court late this afternoon had not disposed of the applications of Harry White, for the reli'eensing of the Ann Btreet hotel, Middletown. and the Harry F. Eckinger application for the Paxtonia Inn. All other applications have been passed on. • .jg ■ »• } '■ ■■••-• , vv. - « - v ■; ;■ • 1 • ■■— . • " • • -* \ ■ ~ __ -H» - v j -'• " , * - 1 " v -" " l _ ■' , > » i '* Stye Star- Iwkpetikttl RED CROSS LINE STEAMER. IN DISTRESS. ASKSFOR HELP New York, Feb. 26.—The steame> Mongolian of the Bed Cross Ldne bound from Philadelphia for Glasgow, Scot land, is in distress 400 miles off Cape Race, according to a message received here to day by Bowring & Company, steamship agents. The Mongolian was said to be calling for help and leaking badly. The Red Cross liner tephano, is about 416 miles from Halifax and is rushing to the as sistance of the Mongolian. A m«*age to Bonrring A Company, agents for the Steplvano from J. R. Ben nett, aeiting premier of N«w Foundland, said that the Mongolian had 200 pas sengers aboard. It was upon the pre mier's request that the Stephano was j instructed to go to the Mongolian's , assistance. Mr. Bennett "s message read ; as follow*: ''Urgently request that t*he Stepha !no be sent to assist the Mougoiian. j Lxiakiiig badly and heading in for Hali ; fax. Consider action urgent." The Mongolian was reported by wire less yesterday to be returning to Hali fax for repairs. It was said she began 1 to leak when 1,000 miles off the coast of New Foundland. The Mongolian stoppeji at St. Johns on her way from Philadelphia to Glasgow and it was be lieved in maritime circles here that passengers boarded her at St. Johns. The Mongolian sailed from Philadel phia on January 29 and from St. Johns February S. She is 4,800 tons register and is 298 feet long. WOMAN CLUBBED TO DEATH Third Mysterious Murder Added to Climes That Have Baffled Police at Aurora. Illinois By Associated Press. Aurora, 111., Feb. 26. —In an old woolen glove the police to-day pinned their greatest hope of running down the mysterious murderer who last night stiuck down Miss Emma Peterson, 21 years old, with a piece of gas pipe. The | glove, with the weapon, was found i within half a block of where the young woman was killed. The victim's j handbag, openeu and tilled, was found a block and a half away on the North western railroad tracks. The glove has 1 been fafefullv guarded and will not be : exposed until It is given bloodhounds 1 fir the scent. The hounds are on the j war here from Decatur, 111. Forty-two suspects, 25 of them ne ' groes, have already been picked up in ; this, the third unsolved clubbing to death of an Aurora woman within a | year. The other unsolved murders are: Theresa Hollander, who was clubbed 1 to death in a cemetery on the night of February 16. 1914. Tony Petras, a former suitor, was twice tried on a | charge of having slain here and ac quitted. Jennie Muller was clubbed (o death in a church yard on the night of No -1 vember 19, 1914. Several arrests were made, but the crime was never solved. NEAR PANICJN WHEAT PIT Critical Situation Regarding the Pos sible Opening of the Dardanelles Was Chiefly Responsible Bj Associated Press, Chicago, Feb. 26.—Selling that bor dered on a panicky nature swept the < wheat market dovtn more than five ■ cents a bushel to-day. The critical sit j uation regarding the possible opening of the Dardanelles was chiefly respon i sible. May wheat sold as low as 1.45'.; at the opening as against 1.53% at the close last night. July wheat dropped 4 cents. Sup ! port from those who believe that the j straits are still a long way from being ' open to the shipment of grain was forthcoming at the decline. (May sold up to 1.4 9% and July, which had touch ! Ed 1.21H4, advanced to 122 within the first ten minutes of trading, j On the second wave o>f selling May I dropped to a fall of 7' j com pared with last night. The extreme set oack for July meanwhile was 4% to 10*g. The crowd of brokers in the wheat pit was not so large as frequently is seen during a much less excited market. The rapidity of the transac- tions to-day, however, was at a rate * seldom equalled. Mar wheat at one time to-day touch ed 1.46. a fall of 7 5-8, compared with last night, but closed nervous at some thing of a rally with the P price, 1.49 1-4 a net loss of 4 3-8. July delivery, which was more largely traded in, drop ped 5c to 1.20 1-4 and finished 3c off for the day. SOLD WHEAT LESS THAN COST Leiter, Once Noted Operator, Says Fanners Are Poorly Paid By Associated Press. Npw York, Feb. 26.—Joseph Leiter, noted wheat operator ai fifteen years ago, testified to-day at the state inquiry into the increased cost of bread, that American farmers had long been selling wheat for lees than whart it cost. The farmer, Mr. Leiter said, has nothing to say concerning what price he shall receive for his product. That is usual ly done at the terminal markets or ex change, he added; and the Liverpool Exchange as the leading Exchange otf the world usually fixes the price. The farmer to-day cannot obtain the proper return on his work, Mr. Leiter said, on the old basis of wheat prices because farm labor has increased in price and the laborers' hours have been shortened. The production of wheat in this country is gradually being re duced, he testified HARRISBURG, PA., FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1915—14 PAGES. nmmm OVER BY PAIR CO. Deeds Filed For Trans fer of Lands Near MidJletown to Key stone Association MORTGAGES ARE GIVEN ON PART Mrs. Kunkel Receives $3,000 of the $30,000 Purchase Price on One Tract—Mrs. Dunbar's Property Acquired—Third Plot to Be Bought Deeds marking the transfer of two of the three farms skirting the Sus quehanna river between Middletowu and Highspire which have been select ed aa the site for the proposed expo sition grounds or tihe Keystone State Fair and Industrial Exposition Associa tion this morning were filed in the office of the Dauphin County Recorder of Deeds by a representative of the fair association, which thus takes over the land. Options held on these two tracks of land ran out last evening, at which time the deal-, were consummated. The transfers were made by Mrs. Klisabelh C. Kunkel and Mrs. Catherine S. Dun bar, with the Harrisburg Real Estate Company, acting as agent for the fair association. The association also has an option on the farm of Charles A. Kunkel. which adjoins the land bought last night. That option will not expire until next week. Representatives of the associa tion this morning said the Charles A. Kunkel land will be purchased before the option expires. The land taken over by the fair as sociation to-day constitutes something like 255 acres, the consideration be tween the real estate company and the Keystone company being sl. •80,000 intimately to Be Paid However the deed between Mrs. Kunkel and the real estate company represents $30,000 as the purchase price. while the orn. given by Mrs. Dun bar to the same company represents $16,250. The deed shows the amount of actual cash paid to Mrs. Kunkel for her farm was $5,000, as the re«l estate company gave a $25,000 mortgage, pre sumably to cover the bfttence. To Mrs. Dunbar was given a mort gage by Hie same concern in the sum of $14,500, the difference between that and the purchase price being $1,750, Contlnofd on Mntb Pnjce. ARE TWICE US GF.NPRfIIF HEBE AS 111 PHILADELPHIA Citizens of Harris burg Aiding Home and War Relief at Rate of One Cent Each Per Week—Musical® to Bene fit Red Cross Comparison of the relict" work done by the Home and War Relief Commit tee of Harrisburg with that of the Emergency Aid Committee of Philadel phia shows that citizens here contrib ute nearly twice as much per capita as those of Philadelphia. Harrisburg, with an estimated popu lation of 70.000, is furnishing relief to the needy families at the rate of S7OO each week. Philadelphia, with an estimated population of 1,750,000, is furnishing relief to its needy fam ilies at the rate of SIO,OOO each week. This means that Harrisburg citizens are contributing money at the rate of one cent each per week, while Phila delphia citizens are contributing at the rate of slightly more than half a cent each Per week. More Than $9,000 Collected ' Such a comparison is highly gratify ing to the local committee, wuich, through the Ways and Means Commit tee, has collected more than $9,000. At tirst not more than $7,000 was be lieved necessary for the handling of the winter's relief work. Need for a continuance of the work is apparent, not only to the volunteer workers in actual touch with condi tions, but to citizens generally. There are very many families throughout th 1 city which have no other way to secure a livelihood than through the work of fered by the relief committee. If this work stops they will be forced to be come object® of charity. Persons in a position to do so are urged to contrib ute liberally. John F. Sweeney, Mechan ics Trust Company, is treasurer. Musicale for Red Cross Benefit A musicale for the benefit of the Bed Cross division fund has been planned by Mrs. Roy Cox, vocalist, and Miss Sarah l>emer, violinist. It will be given Thursday evening, March 11, in Kahnestock hail, Y. M. C. A. building. A splendid program will be offered. The entire general committee, which is serving without pay, requests that interested citizens call and inspect the work going on daily at headquarters, 7 South Front street. Office hours are from 10 to 12 and from 2 until 5, ex cepting Saturdays, when the house closes at noon. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the four subdivisions may all be seen working, although the For eign and Red Cross divisions are open on the other days. Coroner to Hold Inquest In Murder The Coroner's inquest over the mur der of John Polmuch, who wae shot Monday night, February 15, in » Cherry street boarding house, will be held this evening in the office of Du st rict Attorney Michael E. Stroup. CAINS POINT IN HIS SUIT FOR CHOCOLATE CO. BONUS Snyder, a Former Employe of the Her sbey Plant, (tots Verdict for $144 Which, However, Depends on Deci sion of a Pending Local Question Paul B. Snyder, a Hershey youth, to day gained a point in his suit against the Hershey Chocolate Company for a bonus on waives received during 1911, in which year he was regularly employ ed by the company for eleven ami A half months. A jury in Judge McCar rell's side of common pleas court re turned a verdict in his favor in the sum of $144.25, representing the full amount of his claim for $l2O together with interest amounting to $2-4.25, but there still remains a le»gal question to be disposed of before judgment is en tered. This decision to-day merely settles a question of fact —that Snyder was yet in the employ of the company as a sus pended employe, although not aurtually at work when the bonus was paid to other employes. Judge MoCarrell next will be called upon to determine, in so far as the county court is concerned, the legal question of whether the com pany's paying this annual bonus was a gratuity on its part to faithful em ployes or a profit-sharing proposition. Counsel for the company raised this legal point when the testimony was closed, having asked Judge M ••Carrel 1 to give binding instructions to the jury to return a verdict in favor of the de fense. The court, however, reserved devisiou on that application aud will dispose of it after argument is present ed on a "motion for judgment notwith standing the verdict" which the de fense will make in a day or so. Snyder and a hundred other choco late company employes were suspend? t in December, 1911, they said, because of lack of work. All remained idle until a month or so after that awaiting a call, they said, to go back to work. Witnesses for the company declared that the employes had been discharged outright, because the installation of modern machinery done away with many positions. Two weeks after these men were thrown out of work the company de clared the usual twenty per cent, an nual bonus on wages, but restricted it to those employes who were then in ac tive service of the company. Thirtv-two former chocolate com pany employes who, like Snyder, suf fered the loss of the bonus, have re tained counsel and are planning suit, should the pending action result in an ultimate victory for Snyder. Not more than two cases similar to this one have been tried in other states of the Union, and in each of these the appellate courts decided in favor of the employes. No such case ever before was tried in this state and it was said about the Court House to-day that no matter what the Dauphin county court may de cide. the matter will be taken to the highest court as a test case. i LICENSES IN UNION COUNTY Two Hotels in Lewisburg Favored Un der Restrictions Lewisburg, Pa., Feb. 26.—A. W. Johnson and Associate Judges Diefen derfer and Rowe, of Union county, to day granted liquor licenses to two hirtels in Lewisburg, where Bucknell University is located and refused the applicatio'n of one hotel. This reduces the numbcir of licensed places in the county from 17 throe years ago to two. No treating, no women in the places, no selling of bottled goods, and close at 10.30 at night, were the instructions given the hotel men by the court. Nary Plucking Board to Go Washington, Feb. 26.—Abolition of the navy plucking board, as provided in the naval bill by the House, was approved to-day by the Senate. RECOMMENDS NEW BRIDCE FOR NINETEEN!!! STREET County Engineer Declares That the Present Structure Was Never In tended to Carry the Heavy Traffic For Which It Is Now Being Used Clinton M. Hershey, c-ounty engineer, who was directed by the County Com missioners to examine the Nineteenth street bridge over the tracks of tlie Philadelphia and Reading railway in this city, following a request for such examination made by City Highway Commissioner Lynch, made a report this morning in which he recommended that a new oridge be constructed there. He said that while the present struc ture is in good repair, except with re gard to the footwalks, the traffic over the bridge to-day is much heavier than it was ever intended that the bridge should carry. The County Commission ers took no action to-day on the en gineer's report, which is as follows: "As per your request I have exam ined the bridge on Nineteenth street, crossing the Philadelphia and Beading tracks, and so far as I am able to dis cern, find not anything particularly wrong with the bridge except as report ed on an earlier inspection—the bad condition of the cantilever footwalks. Brackets for the repairs thereof have been ordered and are on the ground. "But will say that the bridge is over-taxed and never was designed for the loads it is asked to carry. The pipe lines, che traction company and ten and twelve ton trucks passing over this bridge, the combined weight of which over-taxes ita capacity, and since the motor cars are even on the increase in capacity and weight and the automo bile trucks are becoming more in use daily and have larger capacity, in my judgment, the only safe thing" to do is to erect a new bridge designed to carry loads to meet the present and imme diate future traffic. "I cannot suggest any way of strengthening the present structure, be ing a truss bridge aad it is the truss part that is over-taxed.'' Dm o. s. FOODSTUFFS DOTE German Officials and Ambassador Gerard Giving the Subject Much Consideration REPLY IS TAKING DEFINITE FORM Said That American Proposals Are Re garded as Constituting a Satis factory Basis for Future Negoti ations—To Banish Floating Mines Berlin, Feb. 26, Via London, 10 A. M.—The American note to Germany and Great Britain on the subject of foodstuffs to civilian populations of bel ligerents and submarines activities at sea, a copy of which was handed to the German Foreign Oflice bv Ambassador Gerard the night of February 22, has been a subject of exhaustive discus sion, the .past two days bebweeu the German imperial authorities concerned and the American Ambassador. As a result of this close attention the German reply is gradually taking definite form. The correspondent of the Associated Press has been assure 1 by a most competent and reliable au thority that the American proposals are regarded as constituting a satisfactory basis for future negotiations and that they are themselves in many respects acceptable. Certain of the proposals, however, will be subjected to more or less important modifications. Impressed With Friendly Spirit Government oflicials expressed them selves as impressed by the friendly spirit in which these proposals have been advanced, and the evident desire on the part of the American adminis tration to reach a solution of the dif ficulties involved in the present meth ods of maritime warfare, to belligerents and neutrals alike. The American note probably will not be published here until a German re sponse has been sent forward, but there is good reason to believe that it deals with three principal subjects, namely mine and submarine blockade of coasts'; the use of floating mines, and the entry of foodstuffs for civilian populations. It is difficult to obtain any authori tative expression of opinion concerning the German point of view on th§se points from any of the imperial govern mental departments interested in the negotiations or to overcome the censor ship restrictions in treating of this uiat- Continued on \lnth MISS C MP EXONERATED SAYS PRINCIPAL MILLER He Begs Former Harrisburg Young Woman Who Oot "Hello, Girlie," Letter to Continue as Teacher, but She Indignantly Resigns Post (Special to the Star-Independent.) New York Feb. 26.—"N0, indeed, I never am going back to the Guiten berg public school again, to teach or anything else," snapped Miss Helen Ida Cramp, formerly of Harrisburg, as she stood over the trunk she was packing in her boarding place in Wee hawken. "Why won't I go back? Suppose, everywhere you went, some one called out at you: 'Hello, Girlief That's what they have been doing to me ever since I got up this morning and my name was brought into that affair with Charles W. Blackmore, the school trus tee, who took me to dinner in a cafe in New York and wrote that "Hello, Girlie' letter. "I feel as if everybody I meet is looking at me, and I'm not on dis play-,'' and Miss Cramp bent low over her trunk and beat hard at clothing she was pressing down. She was mad clear through. "Where am I goingf Well, I'm go ing away from here and I'in not com ing back. First, I'm going to New York to visit relatives. Then I'm go ing to my home in Pennsylvania. Don't you ask me where my relatives live. I don't propose having theni brought into old man Blackmore's at tCLtions to me. It's hard enough on me.'' The first thing Miss Cramp did yes terday morning, after reading the newspapers which broug. 26, by Wireless to Say viHe—The Overseas News Agency to day gave out a story to the effect that the "Corriexo Delia Sera," a newspaper of Milan, declares that Lloyds Agency has received a telegram from Bust bcmnie, in Sussex, to the effect that a British transport lias gone down with I,SOO men. The foregoing dispatch doubtless is another referenoo to the reported tor pedoing of a British trau«|>ort by a German submarine. Announcement to this effect has boon made officially in Berlin, but tie British authorities deny the story. FRENCH BESTROYER HITS AUSTRIANiWIEMI SINKS Paris, Feb. 20, 12.10 P. M.—The d®- etruction of the French torpedo boat 1 destroyer Dague in tho Adriatic, sea! was announced to-day by the French Ministry of Marine. The official announcement follows: "The French torjH'do boat destroy er Dague, while escorting a couvoy with provisions for Montenegro, struck an Austrian mine off the port of An tivari (Montenegro) on February 24 ! and sank. Thirty-eight of the crow disappeared. The accident did not hinder finishing the work of provision ing and the return of the convoy." The Dague was 250 feet long and had a displacement of 720 tons, She i was built in 1911 and was rated at a I speed of 33.1 knots. Her complement | was 81 men. She was armed with two I 3.9 inch guns, four 9 pounders and j i four 18-inch torpedo tubes. 3 LIVES LOSTWHEN U.S. SHIP CARIB SUNK INNORTH SEA Berlin, via London, Fob. 26, 11.15 ! i A. M.—Three members of the crew of the American steamer Cariib lost their lives when their ship was sunk Tues day in the North Sea, probaMy by a mine. It has been learned that the C&rib 1 j went down off Borkum Island at the j mouth of the Ems river and not near Helgoland (another island, 45 miles northwest of the mouths of the Elbe j and Weser rivers) as was presumed j from the first announcement. The j American steamer Evelyn also was sunk off Berkum Island. No furthor details of the Oarib disaster are available I here. DEPUTY DROPS DEAD AS HE URGES ITALY TO ENTER WAR Milan, Italy, Feb. 26, via Rome, j 6.15 A. M.—Signor Mosti-Trotti, aj ' Radical deputy, died suddenly to-day j • while ho was delivering a speech in ! i favor of the intervention of Italy in I i the war. Signor Mosti-Trotti was addressing l a large crowd in the Verdi theatre. His j remarks stirred the crowd deeply. As ' he reached the climax of his speech, I amid an unusually enthusiastic buret of j applause, he suddenly pitched forward, , dead. FATAL RIOTS IN ITALY FOLLOW NEUTRALITY DEMONSTRATIONS Genoa, Feb. 26, via Rome, 6.15 A. M.—One person was killed and many were wounded during riots at Ven timiglia, which resulted from a demon stration in favor of the maintenance of neutrality by Italy. A counter demon stration by persons desiring the inter vention of Italy in the war led to a i serious fight. Police and carbineers interfered but : were unable to restore order for some i time. During the fighting several of the police and a major of the carbineers were injured. LATE WARIWS"SUIHMART Two additions to the long list of dis ; asters at sea during the war were made : known to-day. The French destroyer Dague struck a mine in the Adriatic and j went down, with the probably lost of 33 lives. The Swedish merchantmen ; Svarton wis damaged badly by a mine or torpedo in the North Sea but was able to reach a Dutch port. From Constantinople is announced a victory by the Turks over Russian forces in the trans-Caucasus. It is said that after a battle of several days the Russians were put to flight having suf fered heavy losses. So far as official statements from London, Paris and Berlin show, there have been no important changes on the main battlefields of the west or east. In London the opinion is growing that the Germans are soon to make a great gen eral attack in France, remaining on the defensive in Poland. Petrograd, on the Ceatlaaed Math Pace, T POSTSCRIPT PRICE, ONE CENT. ALLIES'SHIPS DAMAGED DY TURKISHFIRE In Reducing Darda nelles Forts Three Big Vessels of Allied Fleet Suffer FIRING LASTED FOR 7 1-2 HOURS London Announced Last Night That All Forts at Entrance of Dardanelles Were Reduced by Combined Fleet* of Great Britain and France Constantinople, Feb.,26, via London, 12.33 P. M.—Three warships of the allies were damaged in the bombard ment of the Dardanelles forts February 25, according to an announcement given out to-day at the headquarters of the Turkish army here. Here is the text of the announcement. "Ten big armored vessels on Febru ary 25 again bombarded the Turkish forts at the Dardaneller for a period of seven and one-half hours. At the con clusion of this operation they retired in the direction of the Island of Tenodos. "One ship of the Agamemnon typ® and two other armored vessels were damaged by the (ire from the forts o& the Asiatic side of the straits." It was announced from London last night that all of the forts at the en trance of the Dardanelles had been re duced by the combined tleets of Great Britain and France, a naval force which had been estimated at something over thirtv vessels. The English announcement made no mention of losses, either to vessels or in men. It described the operations as successful and said they were continu ing. Key to Constantinople The Dardanelles are the key to Con stantinople, and tho effort to force them has been going on since the middle of December. In possession of this water way, which is a strait about forty-five miles long and from one to three miles wide between the sea of Marmora and the -Mediterranean, the warships of the allies would not encounter any serious difficulty in making their way to Con stantinople and training their great guns on the Turkish capital. Turkey always has relied upon the strength of the Dardanelles fortifications for pro tection from attack by sea; their de fenses in the sea of Marmora and arouud Constantinople have been de scribed as relatively unimportant. It has been declared that with Con stantinople in possession of the allies, a vast amount of Russian wheat would come out from the Black sea and be distributed to ports in France and England. The possession of Constanti nople also would have the effect of driving Turkish naval powen and par ticularly the former German cruisers Goeben and Breslau into the Black sea where they would be without any port of refuge. Aeroplanes Assist the Fleet While the efforts to force the Dar danelles have been going on for over sixty days, the immediate operation which, according to the British official announcement, has not resulted success ful, began about a week ago. Aero planes are said to have rendered ma terial assistance. The Dardanelles were forced in 1807 by an English admiral who made his way through the sea of Marmora to Constantinople, but then encountered much more difficulty in getting back through the narrow waterway than lie had in going in. The Agamemnon type of British bat tleship is of 16,500 tons displacement and 435 feet long, with a main bat tery of four 12-iuch guns. BIG VICTORY REPORTED FOR TURKS OVER THE RUSSIANS Berlin, Fob. 26, By Wireless to Say ville.—A dispatch received in Berlin from Constantinople transmits a report received by a Turkish news agency from a correspondent at a Black Sea port which says that recent fighting in the vicinity of Bertschobo in Trans caucasia, between Artvin and Batum, has ended in complete victory for the Turks. The Russians lost severely a>ccording to this information and took to flight. Before this result was obtained the fighting had l»een going on for several days. Thieves Loot Chicken Coop Thieves stole nine chickens in a coop of Abraham Levin 718 North Seventh street, last night. The theft was dis covered this morning and reported to the police. WALL STREET CLOSING ' New York, Feb. 2tt. —Renewed buy ing in the later session almost restored the early price level, but the recovery was not fully maintained. The closing was firm. Prices rose and fell in to day's stock market, largely as a result of varying conditions in the foreign situation.