The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-04-25
Commercial and Industrial.

At Portland. Me. on April Is the first
commercial wireless telephone system IN
the world was opened TO the public. four
out OF thirty stations which are to con-
meet the city with the Islands in Casco
Bay being in commission The first mes
sage was one Of congratulation from
Mayor Clifford 10 A F. Collins. the in
ventor OF the system. who was at Cape
Elizabeth. across the bay. Heretofore
telephone connection between these two
points has been impossible owing TO the
rocky bottom Of the bay and the swift
tides. over four hundred messages were
sent the first day.
The Hamburg-Amer!can liner kaiserine
Auguste Victoria. which arrived at New
York last week. possessed new wrinkle
in transatlantic luxury On the after deck
of the boat was an actual garden, In
which strawberries and lettuce were
grown FOR the table OF the passengers
The gardener was the chief steward
ID 10 the end OF last week the Patten
corner in the wheat market was credited
with a profir OF about s.. 6o0. 600. OF which
tWo-thf-ds went 10 James A. Patten In
person and the rest 20 his supporters
This meant that the Patten group OF
gamblers had sold no less than 9.g0e9
bushels Of wheat 20 the public al TOP
prices The OutCry against Patten was
on the increase IN press and pulpit while
there was more talk about action in Con-
gresS TO stop such speculation in the ne
cessities OF life Small bakeries were
closing as the price OF four scared, and
the price Of bread was up a cent a loaf
=--- of hfc- mi IL
ers we're unable 70 sell their output. while
others sgd the day OF cheap wheat and
-four was gone forever. One Of the most
mysterious things about the corner was
the known large surplus OF wheat IN the
granarles OF the big Northwestern mills.
Patten had received so many threats
upon his life that he went about his bust
ness constantly with a strong guard. To
the threat from Washington that Con-
gress would take the duty OF wheat Pat
ten replied that II would not change the
price a cent Secretary OF Agriculture
Wilson issued 4 strong bearish statement
10 the effect thai there Is reserve OF
145. 10000 bushels o. wheat in the United
States He predicted the Ultimate failure
Of the Patten corner. and that the farm
ers would lose IN the end by overprod6c-
ton. while the consumers would suffer.
Patten replied that the Wilson figures
were unreliable. But on Tuesday last the
decline IN Nav wheat had reached 81
cents and IN July 81 cents The break
continued Wednesday and Thursday.
Armour being pitJed against Patten.
The directors Of the Chicago. Burlington
and Quincy Railroad have decided 10 re-
fund all its underlying bonds except those
OF the Illinois division. or total near 20
S.. 0do 900. al Per cent. Holders OF the
old bonds viii have the option OF an ex-
change for the new.
The Western theatrical Managers As
ISOLATION. representing f19 theaters in the
middle West. has declared for the policy
OF an open door by announcing that its
members viii produce PLAYS from any
source. and win not bind themselves 10
book only those OF the trust or any set
OF producers
James 3 Van Cleave. the St. Louis
stove manufacturer, who has been promi-
nent in the fight on the American Fedora
ton of Labor officials as president Of the
Citizens Industrial Alliance, has rendered
his resignation OF that Office owing to the
antagOnism Of manufacturers to his
policy
At Chicago. where the tile settlers union
and allied trades have been on a strike.
TIE HSSSC4dteQ DOiloih6 lEd0eS ana It's
officers have been enioined by Judge
Mack from ordering sympathy strike or
from using persuasion or threats OF vio-
lence against the employees Of the boy
cotted firms
The result Of the conference between
the anthracite coal operators and the
miners in the Reading Terminal al PhiIa-
delphia Wednesday and Thursday was
an informal agreement 10 sign a three
years scale next week. based largely on
the strike award, but with certain modi-
ficatiOns. The operators are to recognize
the district presidents IN the agreement.
and this IS taken 10 be a virtual recog-
milton Of the union. although the union
titles are not &c - used in signing