THE WEATHER FAIR TO-NIGHT AND TO MORROW I Kttllrt Hrr«rt. Pitt • HEMMS?" VOL. 77-N; SAYS COT CAN BUY FAR ORDER TAYLOjrSFIGHRE Mayor Asserts He Can Purchase Playground Plot in Hoffman's Woods AT LESS THAN $4,000 AN ACRE Declares Any Part of 17-acre Plot Can Be Acquired, and the City Commis sioners Tell H.m to Have the Prop osition Submitted in Writing Opposition to his plan to pay J2.700 for about three acres of land for a playground at Fifth and Emerald streets caused M. Harvey Taylor. Park Commissioner, at the meeting of the City Commissioners this afternoon to otter amendments to his ordinance pro viding for the purchase. His latest plau is to buy one and three-quarter acres of ground to frout 305 feet on Emerald street and 252 feet on Fourth and Fifth streets, and pay $14,700 for it. This price. Taylor said, is a trifle more than $29 a foot front, practically the same average as he proposed to pay under the ordinance as it stood originally for the whole plot. None of the Commissioners expressed approval of the amendment, but they consented to this being made, without adopting the ordinance as a whole. Then Mayor Royal said that he may have a substitute for Taylor's amend ment at the meeting next Tuesday. The Mayor explained he has received an offer under which the Cit; any part of tne seventeen-acre Hoff man 's woods, just north of the citv limits, a few blocks north of the Fifth and Emerald streets site, for less than $4,000 an acre. Want It Put In Writing This plan appealed to the Commis sioners and they urged the Mayor to get an offer "in writing' to be pre sented next Tuesday when the Taylor ord'nance may be further amended. Highway Commissioner Lynch's recommendation for the award of the contract for the proposed municipal asphalt repair plant to the F. D. Cum mer & Son Company, of Cleveland, 0„ was held over one week at the sug gestion of the Commissioners. The Cummer Company bid $9,768 on' a plant which would have a daily out put of from 750 to 1.000 yards of as phalt while the Barber Aephalt Com pany, of Buffalo. N. Y„ bid $7,495 on what the Highway Commissioner termed a "somewhat similar" plant. Comparison of the plants and specifi cations. made at his recent inspection led Lynch to decide to recommend the Cummer plant, he said. The contracts for constructing and equipping the Royal Fire Company houee were awarded to the low bid ders as recommended by Commission (onttanrd un .Mnth Pace. $15,500 FOR INSANE HOSPITAL Committee Lops Off 510.300 From Amount Sought by Local Institution In the Se >ate last night among the bills reported favorably were a num ber from the Appropriations Commit tee. The State Lunatic hospital. Har risburg. asked for $31,800 and was given $15,500. The request for $15,- 000 for land and buildings was denied f.nd the committee lopped $1,300 off the request for $2,800 for pig pens. Wernersville Insane hospital asked $197,800; got $112,800. Miners' hospital. Treverton, asked $113,000; got 555.000. Carlisle hospital asked $15,000; eot $7,000. For reimbursing counties for boun ties on noxious animals a total of $240,320.47 was recommended. Homeopathic State hospital. Ritters ville, asked $323,239; got $72,161. J ITS EY COM PA \Y IS CHARTERED Governor Brumbaugh Approves Appli cation of K&YOOU Harrisburg Firm Governor Brumbaugh last evening approved the charter of the Jitney Transportation Company of Harrisburg and the paper was made out at the State Department this morning, and will be filed with the County Prothono tary. The company is chartered ft>r the purpose of transporting passengers, baggage and freight by motor vehicles upon and over the streets and public highways in Harrisburg, Steelton and in the territory adjacent. The capital is $25,000 and the incorporators are Augustus Wildman, Hoss Oenslager and Owen M. Copelin, the latter being treasurer. P. B. B~ PLACES LARGE OKDER 6.300 Freight Cere to Be Added on Western Lines . Inquiries for the cost of 6,500 freight cars, 50 engines and 35 steel passenger cars were sent out by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company yester day. operating on the lines west of Pittsburgh. This order was not in cluded in the targe order sent out Sat urday. The cost will be additional $8,000,000. The latest inquiry, added to the for mal order, gives a total equipment in quiry of 16.245 freight cars, 195 loco motives and 191 all-steel passenger ears. O. 117. GETS AN QPHON ON CROSS PROPERTIES ON MARKET ST. A. J. Snyder, Associated With the Kaufman Interests, Obtains Long- Term Bight to Purchase Buildings Adjoining Stores at Rear It became known to day that A. J. I Snyder, associated with - Davr.l Kauf man in the Kaufman Underselling ; Stores, 4. 6 and 8 South Market ' square, which were destroyed by fire on the night of January IS, has obtained a long-term option to purchase the Gross properties, 115, 11" and 119 I Market street, adjoining the site of the Kaufman stores at the rear. E. Z. Gross, one of the heirs of the ' estate which owns the buildings, said this morning that Mr. Snyder obtained | the option shortly after the tire and j before the option expired obtained an I extension. The Gross drug store, which occupies the first fiaor at 119 Market street, will be permitted to remain in the present quarters in the event of the purchase, according to Mr. Gross. Roberts & Meek, wholesale paper dealers, occupy the buikiing at 115 Market street and the third floor over 117 Market street. The lower floors of Xo. 117 are occupied by Edward B. Biack, art dealer, and No. 119 is the Gross drug store. When Mr. Snyder, who is manager of the office of the Kaufman store, was seen in the Kaufman temporary ' store at 7 North Market square, he said he had the option but declined to discuss a rumor that the Kaufman stores plau an extension on the site of the Gross properties. RECEIVER FORROCK7SLAND Petition Filed in U. S. District Court To-day by American Steel Foun dries Company Bv Associated Press. Chicago. April 20.—Petition for a receiver for the Chicago, Rock Island «ud Panne Railway Company was I tiled in the United States District Court here to-day by the American Steel | Foundries Company. The railroad company filed an answer, consenting to a receiver, and Judge Carpenter an nounced that he would hold the matter under advisement until this afternoon. Ralph M. Shaw, of cqunsel for the American Steel Foundries Company, >tared U> Judge Caifetoer 'lhat Wi* Rock Isiwid had admitted its inability to meet obligation; ai>i that for the benefit of stockholders, bondholders ; and other creditors his client was •moved to ask for a receiver. Judge Carpenter asked why the bondholders had not made the application insteavi of the foundries company and the law yer explained that thus far the com- I pany has uot defaulted on its interest i on bonds. H. U. Mudge. president of the rail ; way company and J. M. Dickinson. ' former secretary of war, were appoint i ed receivers. Game Bill in Governor's Hands The new game bill, which was put through the Legislature by the State i Sportsmen s Association, is now in the I hands of the Governor, who will have j until Saturday, next, to take action on j it. Sportsmen express confidence that | the measure will be approved. It makes manv changes in the present lull. jornTebyJs~st«Tcken County Commissioner Suffers Attack of the Heart at His Home and for a Time Is Unconscious City Commissioner John H. Ebv. it j was announced in the Court House to j day, was stricken with heart trouble at ! his home in Lvkens Sunday afternoon. | On Sunday night Mr. Eby became un- j | conscious and his condition caused' I grave alarm. He rallied yesterday I from his stupor and late this afternoon was considerably stronger. WHEAT TAKES A Bid DROP May Delivery Suffers a Break of Al most Seven Cents a Bushel By Associated Press. Chicago, April 20.—May delivery of wheat suffered a break to-day of almost 7 cenft a bushel, Free selling ' of small lots of the May option at the j ! opening caught a number of stop loss orders and in the afbeence of any strong ! j support the market dropped with start- ! i ling rapidity. May, which closed last I night at 163 3-4. sold to-day as low i as 156 l-*2 but reacted to within one ; I cent of last night. New crop months, July and Sep- I ! tember, in which most of the specula tive business has centered of late, ' j were comparatively unaffected by the i flurry in, the old crop delivery, May. j I MERITKY AT SIMMER HEAT j Fall in Temperature To-night After Maximum of HO Degrees Is Reached The temperature is -due for a fall to night after giving Harrisburg un usual spring weather. No records were smashed but the temperature to-dav and yesterday hovered around the eighty-degree mark. The passing out of a storm area will cause a drop in temperature to-night of twelve degrees over that of -last night,/to fifty de grees A high pressure area from the northwest will bring normal weather, j Yesterday's mean temperature of 68 was 16 A NOW yfi J LA, I:T,S t*K Three of the promineut figures in the Barnes Koosevelt libel action now on trial at Syracuse, N. Y., are William M Ivins, who is looking out for the Barnes interests: John M. Bowers, who is defending Mr. Roosevelt, and Justice Wil Ham 8. Andrews, who is hearing the proceedings. MAJOR BENT, PROMINENT ENGINEER, DIES. AGED 85 Former Superintendent of Pennsylva nia Steel Works and Well-Known Business Man Is a Victim of Pa ralysis in Philadelphia Word was received here of the death of Major Luther Stedman Bent, for merly superintendent of the Pennsyl vania Steel Works, a Civil War veteran and prominent civil engineer, which occurred at his home in Philadelphia yesterday afternoon. Death was due to a ten-dav illness of paralysis. He was in the 86th year of his age. Mr. Bent was born in Quincy, Mass., December 6, 1829, the son of Ebenezer and Nancy Bent. While a boy he at tended the public schools there until 12 years of age, after which he worked on his father's farm until fifteen years old, when he went to Boston, where he served five years in the New England glass factory, than one of the largest concerns in the country. During the war he served as ma,ior of the 18th Massachusetts Volunteers. At the close of the war he was em ployed as civil engineer to supervise the construction of the Union Pacific Railway, and remained in that com pany's service from the commence ment to the completion of that great work, filling various positions. IJe was one of the largest contractors for grad ing the road comprising 200 miles through Salt I*ike Valley and the Promontory. Following the completion of this work he became engaged in cattle raising, being the first to establish cat tle ranches along the line of railroad in Nebraska. Here he remained for three years. About 1874 he returned East and took the superintendcticy of the Penn sylvania Steel Works. He retired as head of the company about ten years ago. At the time of his death he was a director of the Northern Central Railroad and the Earn Steamship Com panv. He was an active member of the Tirst Unitarian church and the Loyal Legion. In club life his connections were with the Philadelphia, Art, Engi neers,' Automobile, Corinthian Yacht and Merion Cricket Clubs. While in this city he was an active business man and took much interest in the advancement of Steelton. He was a part owner of the Harrisburg Railways Company, the Steelton Na tional Bank, Steelton Trust Compar and the Harrisburg National Bank. He is survived by his widow, who was Miss Mary Stern Felton, of Phila delphia, and three sons, Felton, Sted man and Quincy Bent. PLANS CONCERTS IN PARK Association Formed to Collect Money to Support Them Weekly Dur ing Summer at Reservoir Planning to stage band concerts in Reservoir Park at least one evening each week during the months of June, July and August, in addition to after noon and evening concerts on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, the Harrisburg Band Concert Association to-day appointed a commit tee of ten solicitors to obtain funds with which to carry out the project. On this committee are: M. Harvey Taylor, president; Clarence Backeii stoss, treasurer; R. Ross Seaman, secre tary, together with W. Fred Weber. E. E. Eshenour, Frank Blumenstine, V. Grant Forrer, Harry C. Hartzcll, H. H. Etter and J. Steawrt Askins. The Chamber of Commerce has approved the formation and purposes of the new organization. Besides the afternoon and evening holiday concerts the following dates have been selected: Each Friday in June; last three Friday in July" and all Fridays in August. Since July 4 falls on Sunday the holidays concerts will be hell on Monday, July 5. It is estimated that )1,500 will be necessary to carry out the association's plans afod that any additional concerts will require more money. ROSEBUDS FOR CHILDREN Five Thousand Youngsters Will Plant , Trees at Wild wood Five thousand rosebuds are to be dis tributed among school children taking part in the Arbor Day celebration at Wildwood Park on Friday afternoon when the public schools of "the city will be closed for the event. Miss IMira Lloyd Dock, of Chambers burg, will be in charge. Five thousand trees will be planted-by the youngsters under the direction of City Forester i Mueller. IPHOTOUPHS OF ALLEGED LIBEL Barnes' Counsel to In t rod lice Copies of Newspaper Article Attributed to Colonel JURORS SPEND NIGHT AT HOME Rumor That the Talesmen Would Be Kept in Custody After the Taking of Testimony Was Begun Is Au thoritatively Denied To-day By Associated Press. Syracuse, April 'JO.—Counsel for William Barnes in his suit for alleged libol against Theodore Roosevelt rest ed their ease to-day after they had of fered evidence calculates to prove publication of the alleged libelous statements uttered against the former chairman of the Republican State Com mittee by the former President of the United States. Mr. Barnes' counsel place l ,l only one witness on the stand. He was John McGrath, Colonel Roosevelt's private secretary. He testified that he gave out the statement complained of to newspaper reporters at Oyster Bay. The case of the plaintiff was rest ed after counsel for both sides had de livered their opening addresses to tho jury and one witness was heard. William H. Van Benschoten, for the defense, described the colonel as the champion of good and honest govern ment and said that he had been prompted to make the statement by the belief that there was corruption and rottenness in the administration of the government of the State of New York. Roosevelt Takes the Stand Roosevelt went upon the witness stand to defend himself in the suit. In reply to a question he said he was the man who made the statement com plained of. He added: "1 am 58 years old and have a wife.and six children." In replv to questions by Mr. Bow ers he toid in a firm clear voice the story of his early life. Then he sketch ed hk political career. He told of his appointment on the Civil Service Com mission, to the office of police commis sioner of New York and Assistant Sec retary of the Navj. He then told of organizing with Ge'neral Wood of the Rough Rider regiment to participate in the war with Spain. Tells His Record in Spanish War \ft. Ivins, Mr. Barnes' attorney, objected to this line of testimony and Mr. Bowers said he was trying to" show just who the witness was and withdrew the question. The witness then describ ed his first engagement in the Spanish war and Mr. Ivins again objected. The court did not rule and Colonel Koosevelt continued: "We then moved forward toward Santiago." "I object to that," said Mr. Ivins, "what difference does it make where he moved % tof 1 want to shorten this trial as much as possible." Justice Andrews said the witness had ibetter confine himself to the is sue. The first witnesses, it was said, would be newspaper reporters to whom Colonel Roosevelt gave the statement upon which the suit is based and to whom he is said to have made certain verbal statements. Mr. Barnes' coun sel also had ready to introduce in evi dence nearly a hundred photographs of newspapers containing this statement and others which it claimed Colonel Roosevelt issued. The attorneys said they expected to show that Colonel Rocsevclt for many years has exhibited malice toward Mr. Barnes in written and verbal statements. Large Crowd Again on Hand As was the case yesterday, a large crowd gathered at the Court House early in the hope of being permitted to enter the rrom where tho trial is in progress before Supreme Court Justice William S. Andrews Members of the jury, which was completed yesterday, were permitted to spend the" night at their homes. It was rumored to-day that there was a plan afoot to keep the jury in custody after the taking of testimony had begun. It was au- Coatlaued oa Seventh Page. TWO TURKISH TORPEDO BOAT DESTROYERS ARE BLOWS UP Paris, April 20.—Two Turkish tor pedo boat destroyers were blown up, says a Saloniki dispatch, while passing through a mine belt which Russian ships had succeeded in laying across the entrance to the Bosphorua while the Turkish fleet was cruising in the Black sea. The explosions caused by the destruction of the two Turkish boats g»*e warning to the rest of the fleet, which, the dispatch says, was obliged to remain in the Black sea because no mine sweepers were available. BRITISH LOOO MEN IN FICHT WITHJHE GERMANS Berlin, by Wireless to Savville. Aipril 20.—Among the items given out for publication to-day by the Overseas News Agency were the following: "Special mail reports from East Af rica state that in a two days' battle German troops near Paugani routed a strong force lauded from British cruisers and transports. The British lost 700 j»en. among them four com panies captured, besides many rifles and I large stores of ammunition. The Ger-> man casualties were 7 officers and 13 men killed, 14 officers and 22 men wounded. "The 'National Tidende,' of Copen hagen. again asserts that German nffi cers in Belgium are discouraged with the results of their administration. It is officially stated, however, that the contrary is true. The military govern ment is supplying Belgian farmers with seed potatoes and oats, with the under standing that the same quantities shall be returned in the fall after the har vest. "Eight victims of the late French aeroplane attack on Freiburg were bur ied at the city's expense, the entire population participating in the services. Berlin school children sent a telegram of condolence to the relatives of the [school children k'lled a Freiburg.'' Destroyed by Own Picket Boats London, April 20. 2.22 P. M. —The British Admiralty announced officially to-day that the British submarine E-15 was destroyed in the Dardanelles by British picket boats. Official reports say the submarine was in serviceable condition and iu danger of falling into enemy's hands. It was therefore decided to destroy her. This was a hazardous undertak ing but it was accomplished success fully. Allies' Forces Occupy Important Town Cape Town, Union of South Africa, April 20.—Forces of the Union of South Africa have occupied Keetaans hop, the most important town in Ger man Southwest Africa next to Wind hoek, the capital. It is an important railroad junction and gives General Botha, the Boer leader, command of the railroad to Windhoek. Austrians Repulsed With Big Losses London, April 20.—"1t is reported here," says the "Times' " Bucharest correspondent, "that the Austrians at tempted on the night of April 18 a vig orous attack on the frontier of Bess arabia, Southwest Russia, but that they were repulsed with heavy losses after a violent struggle." Spirited Artillery Exchanges in France Paris, April 20, Via I>ondon, 2 P. M.—The French War Office this after noon gave out a report of the progress of hostilities, which reads as follows: "There have been particularly spir ited artillery exchanges in the region of Soissons and in the sectors of Rheims and the Argonnes; otherwise there is no news to give out." LATE WARIjWS SUMMARY Definite gains by the German forces in the west are announced to-day by the Berlin War Office. Attacks were made yesterday in the districts In which the French offensive movements have been undertaken recently, partic ularly in the region between the Meuse and the Moselle rivers. The Berlin Statement says the Germans succeeded in penetrating French positions, and stormed and reoccupied the village of Embermenil. In the Vosges the Germans pushed forward, their line UK) yards in an en gagement near Hartmans-Weilerkopf, a position which has been in dispute for several months. Progress in the Cham- Cwttiaci •» Ntatk Pace. POSTSCRIPT PRICE, ONE CENT. A GENERAL PEACE PLAN IS RUMORED Reports in Rome That the Grave Questions Confronting Italy Will Soon be Solved MAY TERMINATE WHOLE CONFLICT The Time Limit Fixed by Italy for the Consideration of Any Proposals Austria Might Wish to Make Ex pires To-day Rome, April 20.—Within the past 2 4 hours there have arisen in Rome persistent reports that the grave inter national questions confronting Italy may be solved in the near future by what at first sight seems almost in credible, the conclusion of a general peace in Europe at a no distant date. While these reports are intangible and cannot at present be ascribed to a definite source, they nevertheless are reflected in high quarters and they are given heed by careful observers of in ternational politics. Excellent Field for Negotiations Among other reasons in support of this, the argument is offered that Rome i» an excellent field for the conduct of negotiations of this nature; Prince Von Buelow, one of the ablest of Ger man 'diplomats, is in Rome as Ambas sador to Italy; and the official relations between Italy and Germany as well as between Italy and the powers of tha Triple Entente, are cordial. In certain quarters in Rome the idea prevails that the advent of spring has not been such resumption of aggrei. sive hostilities as has been promised, a fact regarded as significant. Sofia is being regarded with much interest just at present. Efforts are being made by representatives of the belligerents to induce King Ferdinand to announce his decision. The importance of the attitude of Bulgaria is recognized fully in Rome. Should she side with the Teutonic allies it would be difficult for Rumania to make war upon Austria-Hungary, for she would then be subject to attack by Bulgaria as well as bv Turkish troops coming through Bulgarian territory. In this connection a prominent diplo mat said: "Once more is the fate of the Bal kans in the hands of Bulgaria. Indeed, this time her decision may have great weight on the general development of the war." Von Buelow Visits the Pope Paris, April 20.—Italy some time ago fixed April 2 0 as the latest >date for the consideration of any proposals Austria might wish to make according to a report current in Rome, says a dispatch from the Figaro's correspon dent. Baron De Macchio, the Austrian Ambassador, already has given notice to Embassy servants who are paid dai ly, it is said, and the same is true of the payment of tradesmen's bills for goods supplied the embassy. The Figaro's dispatch declares it is stated in Vatican circles that the vis it made to the Pope a few days ago by Prince Von Buelow, the German Ambas sador, was to bid farewell to the Pon tiff, as the diplomat believes his de parture from Rome is imminent. Keeping Swiss Forces Mobilised Rome, April 19, Via Paris, April 20.—Ulrich Wille, commander of the Swiss Army, is quoted in an interview in the "Tribuna" as declaring his country's military forces must be kept mobilized. Although no other power at present threatens Switzerland, he said, an incident might occur on the frontier at any time which would com pel the Swiss to enforce their rights and their neutrality. After describing the military organi zation of Switzerland, Colonel Wills closed the interview by saying: "Sup posing as a mere hypothesis that any one wished to violate our neutrality, they must first crush us." Wounded Page in Critical Condition Word was received here this morn ing that John Styles, of near Potts vi lie, a page in the State Senate, who was accidentally shot by his father while the latter was endeavoring to unload a revolver at his home yester day afternoon, is in a critical condi tion. WALL STREET CLOSINQ fly Ansociatcd Prctt. New York, April 'M.—Heavy buy ing was resumed in the last hour. Amal gamated Copper going to its record price and New Haven making a total gain of 7 points. The closing was strong. To-day's stock market was swayed by conflicting conditions in the early trading, but became strong later Substantial gains were made.-by New Haven, Coppers and specialties.