8 Ufi)» &tar-3ndrpm2t»ttt | (AtaMUM Ml 1876) Published VNK STAR PRINTING COMPANY, x Building, WO It SMtk Third Str*«t. HmrUat Ma* Iwy twwlM I»o«p> aim day. Offietr*! XXlldwK ta»A*» F. lteT «*' r|| i|k>od poisoning. The explanation is that increased cleanliness and sanitary conditions among the soldiers prevent rifle bullets, unless they strike vital organs, from seriously endangering life. Credit has been given to bodily cleanliness in London for the stamp ing out there of the typhus fever, which is now bringing death to thousands in Servia. Much addi tional proof could be furnished by this country, or any other, that filth is the ally of disease and death. Blood-poisoning caused the death in the Franco- Prussian war of seventy-five out of every hundred wounded men who were operated upon, while in the more recent Russo-Japanese war only two men in a hundred died from this cause following opera tions. The figures are quoted by London surgeons as proof that increased cleanliness means fewer deaths from wounds not immediately fatal when inflicted. If soldiers in this war are being taught cleanli ness as thoroughly as is indicated by attending surgeons, then those of them who are alive after the war may reasonably be expected to profit by their training when they resume their ordinary oc cupations. As to the friends of those who bravely . and gloriously die despite all sanitary precautions, they will have the satisfaction of knowing that, with the exception of keeping out of the war, the soldiers did everything they could to preserve their lives. ANNIVERSARY OF MIDDLETOWN S FIRE Just five years ago to-day it was that the borough of Middletown, in the lower end of Dauphin county, was visited by the most disastrous fire in the town's history. Two blocks of the business section were swept away within four hours by flames that had their origin in the old frame market house, West Emaus street, in the afternoon at 2.15 o'clock. The blaze at first appeared to be trifling but within half an hour it had assumed such propor tions that the Middletown fire chief sent calls for assistance to Harrisbjjrg, Steelton, Columbia and Four steam fire engines, after working Injure than two hours, got the fire under control, flie visiting firemen, however, remained on duty during the greater part of the night. A high wind carried embers for miles and caused fires that destroyed the Fair Association's two exhibition buildings, three barns and two farm houses and also caused numerous forest fires. To-day Middletown has almost fully recovered from the effects of that fire. Modern brick build ings replace the frame structures that once formed a part of the business section. Only the Y. M. C. A. building, a few dwellings and several stables that were destroyed have not been rebuilt. The deter jjmination of the people of the town to overcome obstacles despite grave discouragements is shown in the thriving borough of Middletown to-day, with its expanding industries and its prospects for greater development. A CONVICT S QUEEB DISEASE An alien who has served in various jails more than half of his twenty-seven years in this country, for looting street corner mail boxes, was yesterday sentenced in a New York United States District vt'.-"- -?* yt ' ' " . -• T |- - irf "if- •' '%> ■ v-Vv-y- v: &fp - *.. a " • * "§P • f* ; ' ' HARRISBURG STAR-INDEPENDENT, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 9, 1915. Court to five more years of prison life, after plead ing guilty to his usual offense. A doctor's examination of the has resulted in a statement to the effect that the man is suffer ing from a mental disease about which even spe cialists in such disorders know little. The trouble is not kleptomania, in the doctor's opinion, but an unnamed disease which made the prisoner delight in stealing mail matter from street boxes, and made him careless of consequences. It is obvious that criminals prompted to steal solely for gain would not confine their activities to the looting of often unproductive mail boxes, and certainly they would not be likely to persist in their petty thefts after being repeatedly convicted and imprisoned for previous offenses of exactly the same kind. They would not regard their arrests and imprisonments so much as matters of course, either, as the "diseased" alien, who was again sen tenced yesterday, seemed to regard his. The man surely cannot be in a healthy state of mind; else why, if he wants to steal, should he dis regard, for instance, pocketbooks carelessly han dled in public places by thoughtless women, and turn all his attention to the contents of mail boxes, which for the most part contain nothing of interest or value to any persons except those to whom the separate pieces are addressed T The "diseased" alien's most recent crime, for which he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, consisted of the theft from a corner mail box of a parcel containing thirty-two handkerchiefs. Five years is a rather long time for a thief to be impris oned for making so small a haul as that, but it is a very short time for a man to be safely in custody who has a disease which makes of him an habitual offender. It is to be hoped that some cure may be found for the disease, or that the victim may be moved, after he has served his term, to some place where there will be no mail boxes to tempt him. Even if he is not tiring of imprisonment, the postal authori ties are getting weary of arresting him. How to raise money for the State is not the least of Governor Brumbaugh's worries. The river wall gap will probably be closed if it doesn't make too big a gap in the City's finances. Some of the .justices of the peace who pay out the state's money in bounties for rat and chicken heads represented to be the heads of weasels and goshawks might profitably invest in strong-lens spectacles. We repeat the question, why do not the City Commis sioners purchase the land needed for the upper end play ground by the competitive bidding method? There are a number of plots that might well serve the purpose in the not-fully-developed northern part of Harrisburg. Apparently the Stock Market is not the only institution whose business is taking a boom, from which it may be argued that there is justification for the recent advances in the values of some of the standard securities that have not risen in too precipitate a manner. Investors should be cautious, however, in banking too heavily on the sensa tional advances that have occurred in some of the more speculative stocks. TOLD IN LIGHTER VEIN EASILY DONE In these mercenary days a man can break up his home by dropping his wad.—Dallas News. THE ACTRESS' TROUBLE About the time an actress recovers from one attack of matrimony she has another.—Chicago News. WHY HE WAS MAD One of the maddest men we ever saw was a chap who yelled loudly for a square deal and got it.—Philadelphia Inquirer. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN Miss Oldun—"l'd just like to see any man kiss me." Miss Young—"What a hopeless ambition!"— Boston Transcript. REASON FOR REITERATION The reason a politician always finds it necessary to reiterate the fact that he trusts the people is because he doesn't."—Boston Transcript. THOUGHT IT WAS A MONKEY HOUSE "Why, there's nothing but bees here." "What did you expect to find!" "Well, when I asked to be directed to the apiary I cer tainly thought I was going to the place where they kept the apes."—Baltimore America^. THE DELAYER The young man sits in the parlor and waists. He has waited a long time. When he remembers how long the time has been he uses strong language under his breath. And she had called to him that she would be right down. Pretty goon her scamp of a little brother comes into the room. "Sis is dolling up," he volunteers. "Oh, is that itT" says the young man as he frowns at his watch. "I was beginning to think she might be medi tating."—Cleveland Plain Dealer. 1 SHE UNDERSTOOD When you inspect 25 applicants for a position as your nursery maid for a whole morning, and then find yourself ;nuch in the same position as you started, you begin to feel tired. Just so was Mrs. XewTich. But No. 26 seemed to know her business: What was better still, she knew how to make tea "do" for six people without using more than three teaspoonfuls. Here was a capture. And you understand childree, you sayf I have four children,' said Mrs. Newrich. "Oh, yes; I understand 'em all right, and I'm blowed if I II work wherever the little varmints are, mum," came the disheartening reply.—Answers. JOSH WANTED TO WT-.r, Some time ..fjo Uncle Josh was spending the day with a city relative, and in order to while away the time he was taken around to the fire-house. Just as they entored the door an alarm was struck, and down the pole like squirrels came the firemen from their quarters overhead. "Come along, Uncle Josh," said the city relative as the apparatus sped out. "Let's go to the fire." "No fire for me, Henry," was the rather emphatic re sponse of Uncle Jose. "Im goin' ter stay right here." "What forf" was the wondering rejoinder of Henry. "Dont you care for firesf" "Yes," answered Uncle Josh, "but I want ter see 'em shoot UD that pole ag'in."—Exchange. Safe and Sure should be your relief from indi gestion, biliousness, or consti pation. Known to be reliable and famous for their prompt and certain efficacy—are Beecham's Pills UfcMt Sal* mi Amy km Um WotM. Sokl everywhere, la fcw, 10c., 25c. (Tongue- End Top ics| Belgians' Queen at the Front "I saw the Queen of the Belgians to-day," recently wrote a Scotch sol dier from the front to relatives in London. "I had gone up to the ruinedi Cathedral with one of my officers for the afternoon service. Wbil£ we were there the Queen arrived. She came un expectedly. No one, so far as I know, dreamed of her coming. She was dress ed with what I can only describe as re ligious simplicity—a severely plain costume and a tourist cap. Her com panions were a Belgian officer and her physician. So far as I could hear no word was spoken. Her Mepesty fasci nated me. She was as one who is weighed down with grief; her eyes were the eyes of one who has cried long, and could cry no more. She stood look ing at the burnt and battered walls of the sacred building, awe-inspired, brok en, crushed. She acknowledged our sa lute with a melancholy smile." • , . Work of the Women Patrols The National Union of Women Workers of Great Britain has issued an appeal for more volunteers to look aft er the welfare of girls in the neighbor hood of soldiers' camps. The work was started about three months ago and has met with the cordial support, both civil and military. The Union now has 1,200 volunteer patrols en gaged. Lord Kitchener recently issued a General Order informing officers that these women patrols were doing good service and should have every possible co-operation from the army officials. 625 Miles Prisoners To visualize the number of Russian prisoners anil guns taken by von Hin denbnrg in the so-called "Winter's Battle" to the east of the Masurian Lakes, one of the German papers has figured out what a great procession they would make. If the 104,000 prisoners, the 300 pieces of artillery, and the 2,000 wagons, it says, were to form a procession with four men abreast, with the artillery and wagons in usual marching order, they would roach 112 miles in length. It would require thirty hours for such a proces sion to pass a given point. In the same way it is figured that all the prisoners of war now held by Germany—a total of 780,000 men—would make a proces sion 625 miles long. • • • Clergyman's Strenuous Duties A call for recruits in Glasgow to as sist in the manufacture of shells brought forth a clergyman, who vras promptly accepted. He is the Rev. Stu art Robertson of Pollokshield church, a tall, athletic figure who now serves from 6 o'clock in the morning until 5 at night in a large engineering shop. His day'B work over, the Rev. Mr. Robertson attends to his pastoral du ties as hiis evening's recreation. Opposing Seizing Territory Count Julius Andrassy, former Hun garian Minister of the Interior, has written a book, just published at Buda pest entitled, "Who is Responsible for the War.'' The book has received of ficial approval and is to be published in German at Leipsic and Berlin, and in Switzerland in French. A version in Knglish will also be brought out. Count Andrassy is at present in Leipsic super intending the publication. The Count argues in his book that Slav aspirations brought out the war, and that the Rus sian ambition to possess the Darda nelles contributed greatly to it. He asserts that Austria and Germany had no intention in the beginning, of terri torial aggrandizement, and urges them not to think of it when final victory is won. He thinks they should be satis fied with monetary compensation, and that any territorial additions to their boundaries would not look well or prove of any great advantage. Jews Promoted From Banks A Jewish newspaper in Hamburg reports that the number of Jews pro moted from the ranks in the Prussian army to positions as officers was 43 up to the first of February. Because only partial lists of the promotions have been available it is believed, that the number is much larger. Until the pres ent war Jews were not eligible as of ficers. WHITMAN CHEATS CHAIR Commutes Death Sentence of Murderer Who Regained Sanity Auburn, N. Y., April Whitman yesterday notified Warden Rattigan, of Auburn prison, that he had commuted the sentence to death of Antonio Africano to life imprisonment. The murderer has been twice declared insane by commissions appointed by former Governor Sulzer and was sent to Dannemora State Hospital for Criminal Insane. While there Africano recovered his sanity and, under a State law, was sent back to Auburn to be electrocut ed. Governor Whitman, under the law, must designate the new date for his death. Instead, the Governor commut ed the sentence and Africano was yes terday taken from the condemned row and assigned to work in one of the pris on shops. He will be eligible to pa role after 20 years. He murdered Luigi Luciano, in Rochester, two years ago. 2°Sin | THE WONDER 1^1(1 No M ° re NO LeSS VIU J2ll Market Street v'U No LGSS Scientific Methods, coupled with unlimited Outlet is alone responsible lor the extreme low prices for the splen did Suits and Top Coats we sell to the consumer for * »10 The hundreds of Styles and the handsome Fabrics we are now showing, are considerably more impressive than all the eloquence and literature that could be crowded into five pages. We do away with the Middleman's Profit, and we place the Consumer in absolute touch with the Producer, and save him from $5.00 to SIO.OO. All the new Spring Styles now on exhibition in every conceivable model. We Can Fit Every Man Remember-—lt Is Satisfaction or Money Back f>Ml 0 THE WONDERIII ft Morß NoLeSS«PI" 211 Market Street J No L&SS LANDMARKS THAT HAVE CONE FROM SOUTH SECOND STREET Caatlnnrd From First Pace. established there August 10, 1793, with John Wyeth as the first post master. Another picture was of the Adam Boyd home, at the southwest corner of Mulberry and Second streets, which was made of bricks imported from England especially for the con struction of that building. Three Governors of Pennsylvania lived i>n the section—'Governor Shunk, at 133, and Governor Packer and Curtin, the war Governor, at No. 11l South Second. Kobert Harris, son of John Harris, founder of the city, lived at 218 South Second street, one of the buildings torn away. Another his toric building removed was that at the northeast corner of Second and Mul berry streets, which was oince a hotel patronized by the most distiuuished visitors coming to Harrisburg, includ ing General Lafayette, in 1824. It was known at different times as Sinull's hotel and the Mansion House. Dr. Hamilton said in the course of his talk: "Us fellers whose thin hair shows like snow, "Though still about here—down be- low. "We've lived to see the air-ships fly; "An' dart like swallows round the ' sky; "The lightin' running the railroad cars, "An' electric lights outshine the stars. "Real old-time candidates for the sky, "That have read their titles in days gone bye; "An' this is the thought that's creep in' niighf "I know not what sorrow is o'er me, "What spell is upon my heart; "But a .tale of Old Times is before me, "Incidents, that will not depart. "Travelers from the Holy Land re vert to Biblical narratives. Shakes peare has rendered places in Italy and England immortal by bis dramas. Scott has filled Scotland with charac ters that made its glens storied with vivid pictures of olden times. "This new country passes so rap idly from country lanes to oity pave ments! -Who has not "gone for" chestnuts, hickorynuts and where now hard asphalt and stdrn straight streets cover the sward of previous joyous juvenile trips! "How soon the lanes and byways of Old Louisbourg and Maclaysburg, less than lO'O years, are forgotten while in realization of the facts to day that some of the streets and fields of Harrisburg formed by the union of these, villages known to us since child hood 's days, are being obliterated. "We walk and chat by the Sus quehanna river whose glorious sunsets reflected in its slowly flowing water are admired because it is now "The Harris Park." "Hardserabble" is vanishing. The Eighth ward sinks to its own demolition. "Encircling our city, like ramparts, runs the Parkway, embracing the Res ervoir and Wildwood's nature garden. The Capitol building is adorned with appropriate statuary, forever fixing in carved imagery the gracious history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylva nia, the veritable Keystone of our Re public, of our Statehood and of this its own Capital City. "To-night, your attention is called mow before it is too late, to the changes in South Second street below Chestnut—the original town of Har risburg. The abode of the fashionable and prominent in the former days. The scene of paegents until it fell asleep PUBLIC AUCTION SALE! Of Ladies' and Gent's Custom Clothing, Children's Outfits, Dry Goods, Woolens, Embroideries, • Laces, Etc. The Entire Stock of the REX CLOTHING CO. 925 North Third Street Cars Stop at Boas Street Sale started this afternoon at 2 o'clock and will continue to-night, Saturday, Monday, and so on until stock is entirely sold. Every Garment is of the Latest Style and Well Worth Your Attention. Do not miss this important sale. J. S. BELSINGER'S SPECIAL OPTICAL OFFER To Enable You to Get Acquainted With BELSINGER SERVICE BEGINNING TO-DAY Good Until Saturday, April 24 Inclusive Your eyes examined, proper glasses fitted to your eyes and mounted in U m Jill guaranteed 20-vear gold Illy filled eye glass or spectacle (l/jyiV y frames. You can choose styles desired. Complete, $2.00 205 Locust Street (J£.7* Opposite Orpheum Bell 965 L V V Eyes Examined, Lenses Ground PRESCRIPTION OPTICIAN Exclusive Opticnl Store amid its lack of appreciation of ita visitation and suink deep, into Blum slumbers." I>r. Hamilton then displayed th« photographs of the various individual buildings that have been lazed and gave the history of each. "Sir, I came down from a long line of ancestors." "Indeed! Were many of them hang ing on it?"— Exchange.