Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-13
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Deaths in Northwest From
Shortage Of Cars.
MILLION OF PROPERTY LOST
What Senator Flint Told the Presi-
dent Today.
AN INHERITANCE TAX
State Attorney General Arguing
Case Before the United States
Supreme Court.

According to Information placed in the
hands of President Roosevelt today, people
are freezing to death in North Dakota and
elsewhere in the cold northwest because the
railroads claim to be unable to get fuel to
those sections by reason Of shortage in
cars. The President will transmit the in
formation to the interstate commerce COM
mission at once with request for a search
ing investigation.
A. ]. Gronna of Lacota. N. D., who has
been before the interstate commerce COM
mission giving testimony as to the general
car shortage in the west. saw the President
and gave him letter that had been re-
eeived from A. M. Beveridge. editor of
paper at Lacota. N. D. This letter states
that the cold weather of the last few weeks
had caught hundreds of people without
fuel, Notwithstanding their struggles to
get 1t and their offers of exorbitant prices
for something to build fires with.
THE. situation. said Mr.. Gronna, "ap-
pears to be d .arming and 1t seems 10 me
action should be taken as quickly as pcs
sible. / notice where TIE railroads have
been confiscating. coal for their own pur-
poses, thus deprivlng the people. Conditions
are almost as bad as to supplies of all
kinds.
Millions Lost in California.
Senator Flint of California told the Pres
ident today that the Mexican government
is probably responsible for the loss of mil
lions of dollars of property in the United
States. This has been caused by break
in the Colorado river, which has made
vast lake out Of a territory many miles
long and wide. The President told Senator
Flint that the State Department is in COM
munication with the Mexican government,
but SO far has not received any answer to
mil a
1.-The people of the east have no realfza-
ton of the situation in the ] aperial val
ley," said Senator Flint. There is a ter
ritory Of two hundred miles by fifty which
will, If the river is not controlled, soon be
inundated by water 2S5 feet Deep More
than 5000 persons will be made homeless
and millions upon millions of dollars worth
of property will be destroyed just because
some careless persons across the Mexican
border dug hole in the bank of the Colo
RADIO river to draw off water fv. irrigation
purposes. They did not properly safeguard
the work and the result was that me
break in the river bank has become $500
feet wide and is growing every minute.
Unless something is done within the next
sixty days it will be impossible ever to do
anything. for the Imperial valley will be
filled up and the towns of Imperial Braw-
ley and Heber will be wiped off the map"
Proposed Increase in Salaries.
A recent statement by Representative
Livingstone Oh SeOTSld tHdI uHucFStooo
the President would soon send to Congress
a special message advocating an increase of
20 per cent in the salaries of government
clerks, cannot be confirmed at the White
House. The President has no such mes
sage in mind at the present time, but later
on may send one of this kind. Figures are
being prepared in the departments as to the
salaries of government employees and the
increase in cost of the commodities OF life.
When these have been laid before the Presl-
dent it is possible that he may take the
matter up with the view OF special
message.
Senator Alice of Delaware called on the
President today regarding an appointment
in that state. He also presented three in
fuential members of the Delaware legisla-
ture-Dr. John w. Messick, A. o. Benham
and ]. Cary Palmer.
New York's Inheritance Tax.
Attorney General Mayer of New York.
who is here arguing the stock transfer tax
case before the Supreme Court, was es-
corted to the White House this morning by
Representative Parsons. If Mr.. Mayer
wins the case it will mean about $7.0C0.OOO
additional income year for the state of
New York. 'As the total expenses Of the
state are about $2S 600, 00O," said Mr.. Par
sons, "it would help considerably if the
attorney general wins the suit" New York
is now collecting about $5,0OO,0OO from the
inheritance tax, SO If 1t comes out all
right on the stock transfer matter it will
mean that 40 per cent of the expenses Of the
state will be provided for."
President Invited to Dedication.
President Roosevelt was today rendered a
cordial invitation to attend the dedication
OF the monument which has been erected to
Commodore John Barry, commonly called
1.-The father of the American navy" which
has been erected in Independence Square,
Philadelphia. The invitation came from a
AW|FIU)l AGONY of PILES