Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-05
BISHOP RECEIVES A WARNING
Orders from the Pope Must Pass the
Government Scrutiny.
OTHERWISE ARE NOT OBLIGATORY
Christmas Celebration in Russia is
Cause of Many Suicides,
GUARDING AGAINST THE PLAGUE
story OF Heroic work by n Party OF
seRmen Comes from odessa,
where n Earning ship En-
danHered Many.
BY GEoRan FRASER.


ST PETERSBURG, Feb. 4.--(Special to
The Bee 1.-The relations between the Greek
and the Roman churches have become
strained and the ministry of the interior
has dispatched a circular addressed to all
the Roman Catholic bishops in Russia in
forming them that papal orders not passing
through government channels are mot
obligatory upon Russian subjects" The
ministry points out that recently various
acts and encyclica letters, including the
Motu Proprlo were not communicated to
the Russian representative at the Vatican.
u is not likely that anything serious will
come of t. but Russia is extremely jealous
in church matters and is suspicious Of any
thing out of the routine.
Christmas Made Lively.
The Russian Christmas was celebrated in
lively fashion. Complete police returns
show that there were as a result OF the
festivities in st. Petersburg twenty-seven
suicides or attempted suicldes: 5000 arrests
were made for drunkenness. 10 per cent OF
the offenders being women, and over thirty
deaths from alcoholic poisoning were regis
tered at the municipal hospitals.
Guarding Against Plague.
| Extraordinary precautions are being
taken by the Russian government for the
prevention OF the Introduction of the plague
/ AAoHh hoiOuuIlds sllNe Tekuld-
tions have been established and will be
vigorously enforced. According to the lat
est advices the situation in Manchuria will
now become much worse. because the Rus
sian doctors arc all leaving the infected
districts in consequence OF the distrust
! manifested by the Chinese The Chinese
complain that the Russian physicians are
the slaves OF use and want and unwilling
10 allow for the idlosyncracles of the
Chinese inhabitants.
Heroic Work by sailors.
! A most remarkable story of gallant
fight for life-by Russian seamen- comes
from Odessa. The steamer bulgaria was
set afire by an explosion in the midst of
1 o deckload OF benzine and turpentine In
/ earboys.
L The liquid. overflowing the deck. got into
the hold where it ignited. and like wild
fire the flames spread wherever 1t flowed.
The engine room staff were quietly com
PEELED to leave their posts. The chief Of
ficer and a couple OF firemen were seri-
ously burned. All this had taken place in
a very short space OF time. The bridge
was enveloped in flames and the captain
was compelled TO abandon his post
In the afterpart OF the vessel there Is a
long poop. where the first-class accomrno-
dalton is situated, and there the doctor,
second officer, chief steward and a bow
we're sleeping. II was impossible for these
four to get to the fore part OF the vessel,
the bridge being enveoped in flames with
great difficulty they got on the poop and
took shelter In the afterpart. Gradually
the flames advanced towards them, until
they saw that their only hope was 10 risk
drowning Downing life belts, and making
stout rope fast over the stern, they
! threw themselves into the Icy water and
made for the rope. They continued hang.
, ing to this rope for some time, the boy,
whose strength was giving out, having to
be supported by the second officer.
A Swim for Life.
At last the fire reached the rope and
burnt ii through. and nothing remained
for the men but TO endeavor to swim "a
the fore end OF the vessel. in the hope OF
being seen by their fellow shipmates. This
after superhuman efforts, they succeeded
in doing, the second officer swimming with
the boy on his back. Whilst all this hac
been going on the captain, chief officer
and the remainder of the crew were gal
lantly fighting the flames against IN,
greatest possible odds. as without am
steam from the donkey boiler for pumpin,
water on the flames, and with all theil
buckets burned or burning, they had {,
make the best substitutes they could from
n barrels The ship was rolling heavily, an,
= as they had opened the bulwark gangwayi
{ the sea was able to wash the deck and 5,
e keep that from taking fire.
: After three hours OF persistent effort tn
e crew succeeded in getting the fire undo
e control. Eventually the ship reached port
= taking twenty-four hours to traverse wha,
I under ordinary Circumstances, would hav