Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-07-22
FROM WASHINGTON.

Within ten days the army board OF
engineers that is toapportlon the recent
$40. OO0. 900 appropriation hopes to
start west on its tour OF inspection, ac-
rurding to Il statement made by Col.
Bil,Ilc. chairman of the board today.
The board is now engaged in an ex-
haustivc study OF the data ut the rec
Iamation Office here relative to the va
riouS projects.
The question Of the accessibility ofthc
United States to Jews induced to flee
from Russian persecution to this country
bv the American Jewish Aid Society
again came up todayin the Department
OF Commerce and Labor through the
news that another shipload OF Russian
Jewish immigrants is destined to arrive
at Galveston, Texas, next month.
Secretary Bresslcr of the Jewish Aid
Society and Representative Bcnnet OF
New York called upon acting Secretary
of Commerce and Labor Cable with II
delegation of prominent Jews to feel
out the attitude Of the department on
the admittauce Of the immigrants.
Secretary Cable told them that every
case must be considered by itself, but
that he was strongly of the opinion
that insomuch as each immigrant
would probably present an ldentlilca-
ton card made out by the aid socIety'S
agents in Russia it argued that they
came at the insligation of the society
and that if, together with this, the
testimony OF the Immigrants showed
that they had received aid from
America to come and had been prom
iScd employment after their arrival
that they could not be admitted under
The immigrations laws. The secretary
told them that he would be glad to
have Il test case on this question taken
up i'm the courts, SO that the matter
| might have Il final decision upon which
tn base future action. This is the
second Shipload of Jews to arrive re-
Gently ut Galveston, and it is admitted
by the aid society that this is only the
beginning Of the migration OF Jews
into the south Of this country as they
plan it.
Fortress Monroe. which yesterday
was guy with anticipation over an un-
usual military spectacle, is today en-
shroudcd in unrclicyed gloom. Col.
Townslcy has informed the relatives Of
the II men who were killed by the
premature explosion OF the big l2-inch
gun in battery De Russy OF the fatal
accident and will await their replies
regarding the burial Of the men. The
bodies will be shipped at the expense OF
the government to the homes, if it Is
desired. Otherwise they will be buried
at the military cemetery nearby. Col.
TownsIcy sent the following official
message to the War Department late
last night: In reference to accident
at target practice the following further
particulars are reported: Accident due
to premature discharge Of gun number
one, battery De Russy; brcech block
blown to rear, discharge occurring be-
fore rotation of block had begun. y :"
Despite the accident in battery De
RuSsy the guns OF the other batteries
continued firing their allotted rounds
and the entire practice, with the eX-
ccption.of the one battery, was over be-
fore the fact OF the accident became
known. OF the two targets which were
towcd nj Il range of 5000 yards one
was smashed To bits and the other was
hit Il number OF times. Forty-thrce
shots in I'LL were fired and the artillery
officers estimate that at least 80 per
cent of these hit. Had the targets been
baitIcShps, which they were designed
to represent. the vessels would have
been hammered to pieces by the heavy
prujcctilcs and sunk before they had
proceeded Il dozen yards.
The attitude of the United States
toward the su-callcd blockade of Blue
fields by The Madriz faction and to-
ward the warning sent out by the
Norwegian government to vessels under
its register navigating those waters was
communicated to the Bluetelds Steam
ship Co. and several other American
firms today. \ copy of the dispatch
was also handed to w. I. de Munths
dc Morganstierbe, the Norwegian
charge. The firms to whom the COM
munication was made had all made
inquiries of the department as to what
would he done. Several have charter
cd Norwegian vessels lying at the docks
in New Orleans waiting to sail as soon
as assurance could be received OF the
protection of the government. Acting
Secretary OF State Wilson in his COM
munication said; Official reports just
received from. Blueficlds seem to in
dictate that the reported action of Nor
way may have been based upon err
roncouS information The resigna-
ton OF Vice Consul Clancy, who acts
also rs Vice Consul for Norway at Blue
fields and who is supposed to have
given the Norwegian government an
erroneous impression regarding the
blockade was accepted by the State
Department today.
The proposed increased rates of the
Western Trunk lines will be suspended
until November l next as the result
Of an agreement reached today between
Chairman Knapp of the interstate
commerce commission and Chairman
". 3. Hosmer aud a dozen members
of the Western Trunk lines committee,