davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
ANTIGAS TRUST
MEASURE IGNORED
BY COMMITTEE
District Bills Are Or
dered Favorably Re-
ported to the House.

F1r some reason. which a minute
search failed 10 reveal, the House Dis
ric Committee today took no action
whatever on the penGirg bill for the
repeal Of that section OF the gas mo-
nopoly's charter which allows il "a
initiate its stock.
Although every indication had been
siFen that the committee would report
the bill. it was calmly ignored.
When Chairman Smith was asked why
this delay occurred, he said he was
having conferences with various people
regarding the matter. Who these peo-
pie are he refrained from stating.
A date was fixed for giving hearings
on the various bills for prohibition in
the District. These hearings will bepfr
March IL and VIII be given in the com
mittee's new quarters on the third floor
Of the House office building.
Favorable action was taken o. the
following bills:
To amend an act for the extension of
Meridian place northwest.
To regulate the esta abIishment Of r,-i-
vate hospitals and asyIums in the Dis
trict
Authorizing the extension az New
York avenue from Fourth street north
east TO Bladensburg road.
Extending the ,.me limit for the COM
pletiOn Of the lines Of the East Wash.
ington Heights Railroad Company.
The subcommittee on Steam Railways
decided TO visit this afternoon the ter
ritory affected by the proposed changes
in the approach and entrance OF the
Pennsylvania railroad into the navy
yard.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
HACHEN PAYS FINE
TO GAIN LIBERTY

August w. Machen. formerly super-
intendent OF the rural free delivery CT
the Postofhce Department, and now q.
prisoner in the Federal penitentiary. at
MoundsvilIe. W. Va, will be liberated
next Saturday at noon.
Machen has turned over 10 the prison
officials $4,000, the amount OF the fine.
which was imposed by the court IN ad-
dition TO the imprisonment sentence.
when he, with Samuel Grof, Diiler 3.
Croft. ard George A. Lorenz. was con-
vlcted Of conspiracy to defraud the Gov
ernment in connection with the pur-
chase Of Government supplies
Machen has bad nearly a year taken
of his sentence for good behavior.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
INVESTIGATION has BEEN STARTED.

The Colimwood board of eduea-
ton is Investigating the cause Of
the fire. There has been nothing
disclosed to offer the slightest proof
that the fire was OF incendiary orig
in. In just which part of the base
ment the fire originated is still a
mystery.
Testimony at the school board s
meeting showed that the flames
were first seen near the front door
coming up from the basement steps.
This is directly over the closet, in
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
LUMBER DEALERS
HEAR ADDRESSES

Several members of the Forest Ser
vice and of the Bureau of Entomology
made addresses today at the conven-
tion of the National Wholesale Lumber
Dealers Association, which is being
held at the New Willard Hotel.
n p. Wheeler. chairman of the COM
mittee on forestry, read the report of
his committee, in which he Sc ID:
I'VE approve the forest res erye policy
of the Government in retaini 2g the
forest for benefit of future generations.
and Offering for sale only such timber
as can be disposed Of without detriment
TO the continuance Of the forests
He expressed hopefulness for the con-
servation Of the forests.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
What Congress Did
IN THE HOUSE.

The House adjourned because of the
death Of Senator Proctor
The Committee on Rules considered the
I-illey charges Of graft against mem
bers Of the House. but announced no
decision.
Attorney General Bonaparte asked the
House Committee on Public Lands for
authority TO institute suit to forfeit
titles 10 tracts Of land in Oregon.
The District Committee took no action
on the gas que stion but reported sew
eral measures for passage
The subcommittee on street railways
of the District Committee will inspect
this afternoon the proposed changes
Of trackagc by the Pennsylvania rail-
road in the vicinity Of the navy ward.
March II was set by the District Com
mittee as the date for hearings on
prohibition in the District
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
City and County Appropriate Money to Con-
duct BuriaIs and Relieve Pains of the
Burned Children-FOmes Con-
Vertcd Into MorgucS
Rigid Investigation of Disaster Begun This
Morning g-SpeCifiCations Show Doors
of School Ordered to Open Out"
Governor Orders Inquiry

CLEVELAND, March 5One hundred and sixywo bodies have
been recovered from the ruins of the North Conwood School This
accounts for all OF the missing according to City Engineer Gould
Conwood who in charge of the search during the night Of these
40 have been positively identified.
The successful search OF this morning started by Gould who
rang the fire bells and blew the fire whistle voun
teer men the town assist in the work Gould refused
when relieved today after working all night OF the recovered dead
59 have been taken the temporary moTgue the Lake Shore
house The three recovered today to the morgue
Coroner Burke who in charge of the work identification
IeveS that least thirty of the dead will be identified The
bodies badly burned he says that there nothing left identify
To assist the work of buryng the dead the local board trade
has appropriated S. AMI the town council additional s5oOO
This will be used to help those unable provide proper funerals
their loved ones.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Patent Office
Merely School,
Currier Says

That the work of the Patent Office
involving property rights worth mil
lions Of dollars. is improperly done: that
patents have been granted which should
not have been granted; and that the
institution has degenerated into post
graduate school where the graduates of
technical schools work only long enough
10 perfect a technical education. are
some Of the startling statements made
today by Representative Currier OF New
Hampshire. chairman OF the House
Committee on Patents.
Il say these things" declared Mr..
Currier. because 1 know them 10 be
true or because I have had evidences
and statements of them made to me In
repeated instances.
Much Work and Small Pay.
The trouble comes from the fact that
the force which is charged with the
tremendous duty Of passing on appIica-
tons for patents must do work In a few
hours which lawyers do only in two
or three weeks. The press OF work is
something fearful. In addition TO this,
the force is always changing because
the salaries are so pitifully small that
they cannot keep the men I'm the ser
vice.
THE result is that the patent exam
liners are. in great part. young men
who. have graduated from technical
schools and who are working in the
Patent Office merely to perfect their
educatiOns. have been told that every
lawyer on the stan OF the General Elec-
trio Company was at one time IN the
Patent Office. ] have also been told
that technical school IN New England
had sent thirty Of its graduates to the
Patent Ofnce. the young men deClar-
ing their only reason for taking the
employment was 70 perfect a legal and
technical training so that they might
start out in the practice OF patent law.
Increased Salaries the Remedy.
The only remedy for this constant
changing In the office. which is det-
rimental TO the service, IS higher pay.
Salaries in the Patent office must be
made big enough TO satisfy the men to
make the work a lifelong service. The
Committee on Patents has such a bill
now pending before the House.
some realization OF the seriousness
OF the situation can be obtained when
1 say 1 nave been told that recently
patents which have been granted by
the United States have been turned
down and rejected by the German aud
English governments This means that
the hurried examination made neceg-
sary by the conditions in our Patent
Ofnce failed to disclose that the ar
ticle was not a novelty while the more
minute examination OF the foreign gov
ernmeuts discovered the true situation
This condition. should be remedief
and higher Pay Tor the Patent Office
| employees Is the only remedy possible
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
THE WEATHER REPORT.

The gradual advance of the South
west depression across the Rocky noun
tabs has initiated a general snow and
TaiIistoTm, whose eastern front has
reached the Ohio valley, whence il ex-
tends westward and nOrthWestward to
the eastern slope OF the Rocky noun
taius. In the Dakotas, the upper Mis-
sissiPpi valley, and the upper Lake re-
gIuu the precipitation is In the fern of
snow. Rain or snow has also fallen
west OF the Rocky mountains TO the
Pacific coast. The temperatures in the
upper Missouri valley are close TO zero.
4 period of general rain is indicated
for The middle Atlantic States and the
Ohio valley, and snow or rain for the
Lake region and northern New York.
The temperature viii rise slowly in
northern districts. but a general thaw
does not seem probable within the next
few days
Steamers departing today for Euro
pean ports viii have fresh northwesterly
wines, diminishing Friday. and fair
weather 70 the Grand Banks.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Wished Son to Succeed Him.

Two or three years ago it was given
ont that Senator Proctor intended TO
resign from the Senate in 1903 10 leave
vvav for his son TO step into his shoes
Without much doubt Senator Proctor
had this in mind. Whether he gave it
nm is not known. At any rate, it was
denied otHciaIly. Close friends Of Sena-
tor Proctor. however. had no doubt
that If was his wish that his son should
succeed him.
Former Governor Page was in Wash
ington recently. He is a strong factor
in the politics Of his State. He has been
a. member of the house of delegates.
served in the state senate, was state
inspector OF finance and member and
chairman of the Republican State COM
nittee. He is said to be the largest
dealer in calfskins in the world, deals
extensively in hides and talloW, and is
president of two banks, as well as a
director in various corporations inClud-
ing the St Johusbury and Lake Champ
lain Railroad.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
ONE BIG FUNERAL
IN SPECIAL LOT
PLAN FOR VICTIMS

CLEVELAND, March 5.-Collinwood
viii bury It's dead in one great funeral,
probably tomorrow. one fund viii pay
the cost of burial and one held viii
hold the little bodies. One great monu-
nent Will mark the spot.
Partial arrangements for the funeral
were completed today at a joint meet
ing of Mayor WestrOpp, the council,
board of education. preachers, and un-
dartakers. \ field Will be purchased BY
the city.
Unless private funerals are desired
bv some parents, all the graves viii be
aug here. And no other bodies Ssill
ever lie in this plot than those Of the
fire victims The bodies burned beyond
recognition will be placed IN graves
bearing numbers. Services viii be held
in all the churches. at the same time.
The date VIII be fixed tonight.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Florida and Carolina Resorts.

Best reached by Seal board Air Line Ry. |
Three daily trains. ONCE 1421 Pa. Ave |
-AdVt,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05

which some girls were hiding while
playing a game.
The architects scout the theory
that the flames crawIed to the front
of the building from the furnace.
Janitor Hirter testified that the
first knowledge he had of the fire
was from a young girl ia the base
ment.
Hirter said:
Il ran upstairs and gave the sig
nal for fire drill-three taps of the
gong. Then I threw open all Of the
doors leading to the outside of the
building. These consisted of two
double pairs of doors in the front
and rear of the building. After that
l did all in my power 10 aid in res
cuing pupils"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Superintendent Stuart
Told by Principals
RegulationsAreB Be-
ing Observed.
Doors Open Outward,
StairWayS Slate, While
Fireproof Buildings
Are Urged.

A repetition of the holocaust at Cleye-
land is not apt 10 occur Ia Washing
ton, think those responsible Ior the
safety Of the school children here, yet
20 make assurance doubly sure, meas
ures OF precautlon were taken today,
Superintendent Of Schools Stuart re-
minded supervising principals OF the
regulations providing FOR IRE drills,
while the District Commissioners again
urged their stand that freproof build
ings and school houses easily emptied
81 time OF necessity should be provided
FOR the children Of Washington
''The danger OF a disaster such as
took the lives Of nearly TWO hundred
helpless school children in Cleveland
yesterday is reduced 10 a minimum IN
Washington, said superintendent OF
Schools Stuart this afternoon
To-day / communicated with every
supervising principal 10 ascertain II fre
protection orders were being observed,
and am assured that they are.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
IN TIE SENATE.

The Senate adjourned after adopting
resolutions on Senator Proetor's death.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Testimony Conflicting.

The testimony as TO which way the
rear doors opened is conflicting. The
plaI.s Of the school show the rear doors
opening out, not in. Whether they were
built according 10 the plan is very much
in dispute. The evidence is. Of course.
destroyed
The flames were shooting out OF the
woodwork and from the flooring around
the front door when the children
reached the lower hall. one OF the
teachers rushed her pupils through the
flames TO safety.
CraZed with fright, crying madly for
help. the other children, however, rushed
to the rear Of tho building in the hope
of making their way out in safety
through the wide doorway there.
Lakeview school had S73 pupiIs en-
rolled Probably $50 or more attended
school yesterday morning. Many Of the
smaller children on the first floor had
already left the building before the
panic. but more than 200 pupils still re-
n:ained inside
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Doors Kept Unlocked.

These orders, which ! issued when
superintendent several years ago. just
after the IroqUois Theater disaster pro
vide that at no time during a school
session shall the doors TO a building
lie locked. The doors. furthermore. all
open outward and there are no build
iLgs with less than two exits. while
many have more I understand the
Cleveland school building had but the
one exit open"
Mr.. Stuart explained further that un-
der orders of tht. Board of Education
regular Ere drills are held in all
schools. exits being made az both sides
OF the building. Even the basement
doors must be kept unlocked during
school hours. tie iauitors are warned.
After the Iroquois fire. continued
Mr. Stuart. when there was agitation
OF this kind everywhere. nearly all of
cur wooden stairCaSes were torn down
and iron and slate staircases subsu-
tuted. In no three-story building is
there a wooden staircase All -hree-stOry
buildings have fire-esCapes as an add
tiOual protection.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
State Executive Expect
ed to Make Recess Ap-
pOintment to Senate.
G0VERNJ

Senator ProctOr's sudden death has
given rise TO curious political complica-
tions H. the State Vermont the out
come Of which cannot be forecast.
il was the hope and ambition Of Sen
ator Proctor that his eldest son, Cover
nor Fletcher Proctor. who is now in
Washington, should succeed him In the
Senate.
At one time the Senator talked Of
resigning for ais sons benefit, but Gov
ernor Proctor, now the chief executive
of the state, IS practically 7recluded
from getting the Olrce. except as he
may obtain f. in contest before the
Legislature.
II would be possible, Of course, for
Governor Proctor 10 leave vacancy IN
the offce until the next meeting OF the
Legislature. in October, Then he might
90 before the Legislature as a candi-
date. But the expectation is that he will
make an appointment 10 last until the
meeting of the Legislature, in october.
and that when that body meets it viii
make a selection for the unexpired term
OF Senator Proctor, ending March 8, 1911
Likely to Appoint Page.
Former Gov. Carroll Smalley Page. Of
Hvde Park. VI, is one OF the
strong figures in the State, and in a
contest would be probably the hardest
man Governor Proctor would have 10
face Yet il is deemed likely the gov
ernor HiH appoint him. Several other
able Neruaonters are looked upon as as
nirants before the Legislature, ami as
DossfbIe appointees. They are Repre-
sentative David J. Foster of Burlington
and former Gov ]. G. Mccullough. An
other man mentioned is Judge Charles
4 Proutv. of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. The difficulty in his way Is
that he comes from the east side of the
state whereas, according to custom,
the west side. or that part lying west
of the Green mountains, Is entitled 20
the Mace Senator Proctor has lett
n is not certain that Governor Proc
TOR will make an appointment, as he
nav Drefer to leave II 10 the Legislature
10 select his fathers successor. 1t Is
deemed Dossible that he viii reach s. me
SORT of an agreement with Mr.. Page,
Dar6aDs appointing him and allowing
hin, 10 serve the uneXpired term with
ont opnositfon. on the understanding
tbat Page will not stand In MS way
urben l. comes 90 the election Tor the
fuU term. which will begin In the spring
of 1911.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Relief for Sufferers.

Plans for relief were formed at a
ioint session of the board of trade and
council committee with a committee Of
business men at noon today.
Police Captain SchmunK today asked
Inspector Rowe for ten more policemen
TO help handle the crowd about the
Lake Shore mOrgue,
The Cleveland Y. NJ. c. A. today sent
out 100 women to assist in caring for
the injured anC to prepare Tor the
funerals.
A legal fight over the burned and
twisted body Of one of the CollinWood
fire victims 3 threatened between the
child's father and his divorced vile.
AS a result the little body lies At
CoIIlnwood n;orgue guarded by an OF
ficer and orders of Coroner Burke. The
child is John Rush. aged g. lie was
one of those who went 10 deatn IN
the mad panic during the fire horror
vest eEdaE
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Reverse of Cleveland Plan.


Another thing in vogue here which
minimlzes the danger is the rule Of
having the cIassrO0ms for the smaller
children on the ground floor. In Cleve-
land it was just the reverse This
should never have been. For thirty years
we have also made a practice Of hay
ing the classroom doors open while the
sessions are in progress. This was not
done on account Of fear of FIRE. but
would be Of assistance in an emergency.
"On the whole. I believe our protec-
ton against fire 10 be as good as any
in the country.
Engineer Commissioner Morrow, as
a meI--ber of the school COM
mission composed of himself, James
Knox Taylor. supervising architect Of
the Treasury. and Dr.. William Stuart,
Superintendent Of Schools, recently made
a thorough inspection OF the schools
not only Of Washington. but OF num-
Der OF the large cities of the country.
Their recommendation as to improve
ments in the buildings are contained
in a report submitted TO Congress last
week.
The parents of Washington can feel
assured that thei. children are reason
ably safe" said Commissioner Morrow
today.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Child in Mothers Custody.

A year ago his father was divorced
from his wife. With the decree OF
separation the court gave the mother
the custody of the child.
Since then the wife has married CIin-
ton Taylor an employe of the Lake
Shore. The body was identified by his
foster-fatheF. Later Rush. the boys
father. appeared at the morgue and
identihed the body also. He asserted
his right to IL. But the mother refused
to surrender it. The mother claimed
the nody as hers by order of the court
which gave her the boy when she got
her decree OF divorce. The father in
sisted that he would get a writ OF at
tacment If necessar.5.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Buried Under Stairway.

According 10 the story Of enc lad
who is dying in the hospital, the stair
way TO the second floor fell in. burying
many helpless little ones in the blazing
debris.
Material distress has existed in Col
linwood for months, due % the fact
that many factories have be, n partially
closed. Scores OF families are without
money or food Physicians are doing
heroic work 10 relieve suffering OF
injured children and 7rostrated parents.
but without money many fear to seek
aid
The Collinwood council and board Of
trade, the press OF Cleveland, and its
business men are extending aid TO the
sufferers.
John H Moran. chief State factory
Inspector, whose department has juris-
dictiOn over all buildings. left Columbus
for Cleveland this morning 10 make an
examination OF the ruins of the build
ing the inspection viii be made win
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Jap Speech Rankles.

Oluma s speech at a Japanese banquet
some time ago. almost openly assuring
the population of India that it would
have Japan's sympathy in the event
Continued on Fifth Page)
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Doors Here Open Outward.

"The doors on all Of the buildings open
outward. and the buildings are so con-
structed as to avoid congestion in the
case of a panic It was the panic that
caused the terrible death rate in the
Cleveland school Had the children and
teachers not lost control Of themselves
there would have been nothing like so
..1S6e school buildings o. Washington
are not fireproof, ana the school COM
mission. as we'll as the Commissioners.
have recommended that they be made
so Not only is the danger from fire
greatly lessened. but there is less like
lihOod Of a panic, because teachers ana
pupils. assured that they are IN fire
proof buildings, are more apt 10 retain
their presence Of mind.
Commissioner West said that in his
opinion the school buildings in this
city are safe. but he also expressed
himself as in favor OF nre-proof con-
structiOn He called attention to an
Investigation of the schools In 1905
which disclosed the fact that a number
of the buildings contained wooden
stairways.
priation for iron stairw.ys and $4,000
was given for this purpose. The stair
vyaNs were installed in the Randall.
Thompson. and Cook schools and the
Van Buren annex
Macfarland's Views.
Commissioner Macfarland, in com
menting upon local conditions, said;
'.The Commissioners have been en-
deavoring for at least seven years to
prevent such conditions as seem to
have had much to do with the school
disaster. and / believe that the improve
ments made. especially in having doors
swing outward, in having sufficient eN-
its. in providing fire-fghting and fire
escape facilities. together with the
careful fire drill work OF our teachers,
minimize TO the utmost the danger OF
such d disaster here.
we are fortunate, in my judgment.
IN having few large or high non FIRE
proof buildings, and / believe that we
should have no new large or high build
ings which are not fireproof or rather
fire-resistant.
I'VE are fortunate also in that most
of our buildings are not overcrOWded.
and that we DO not peck too many chill
dren into a school rooJII.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-05
Rush for the Doorway.

These 20 began a struggle to escape
through one doorway. Some OF those in
front tripped and fell. Others. trying
10 force their way out, fell upon them.
In an instant the doorway was
blocked with struggling mass of chill
dren. Boys and girls in the rear con-
tinued To fight for their lives, endeavor-
ing TO climb over those in front. but
they were hopeiessly eutangled.
What had seemed 10 be a way OF
escape became "a death trap. Children
in front, only a few feet from safety.
were not only lost. but they barred ths
way of those bac,- of them.