davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07

Two fires in the heart of Bridgeports shopping Ger last light damage that will total close $100 OOe Christmas business for dozen firms and sent ten by smoke and gas to the hospital The fires within few hours of each other and their origin is unknown fire1nen at the hospital discharged today little the for their experience.
 The first early in the evening in the Berger buding 12021212 Main street. and did damage close to S5OOOO. At this fire, dozen remen overcome by and ten of them taken to the hospital for treatment.
 The fire apparatus had hardly returned to their sta- tons when fire discovered in the Rogers Clothing Company, 951 Main street. A delay in sounding the alarm gave the fire good headway and the of four damaged to the extent of $45O OOO Heroic rescues of two and occupying above the store marked the second fire.
 Chief Mooney fire marshal, is Investigating both fires today Tenants in each building believe defective electric wiring caused the flames.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
DISASTROUS FIRES RUIN
 CONTENTS OF MANY MAIN
 STREET BUSINESS HOUSES
MOONEY CALLS
 STATE POLICE
 TO PROBE FIRES

Fire Chief Edward Mooney today is conducting a rigid investigation of the two fires that worked disaster In the shopping center of the city last night. Chief Mooney isn't satisfied with the defective wiring theory, as yet, and is going to make a thorough investigation.
 When seen by reporters. the chief would offer no theory as to the origin of the fires.
 That he intends to make a most complete probe, is evidenced by. the fact today he called State Policeman Robert IT. Hurley, from Hartford, to aid in the Investigation. Tenants of the damaged buildings were exanin d by the chief, who was continuing his inyestfgation at press time today.
 State policemen. residing in this city, who were at the fires are assist ing the chief in h-s probe.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
N. Y. POLICE
 BEST IN WORLD
 SAYS CAYN0R Chief Executive of Metropolis, in Special Interview Ana
 Iyzes and Comments on Becker Case Declares Indicted Lieutenant is Not Type of Officer, But is the "MOst Remarkable Grim nal of Generation Defend, Commissioner Waldo
GAYNOR ON GRAFT.

Of the twelve that dipped the sop with Jesus one betrayed him. It is not at all astonishing then that Becker betrayed Waldo.
 It would not only be weak but contemptible in a Mayor to sacri- fee his heads of departments when some cIamor arises.
 I will never set crook to catch a crook. My police head must be an honest man.
 The great sources of graft are enforcement of the excise law, the law against gam bling and the law against prostitution.
 There are grafters still left in the police of the old regime and I would not be surprised if an old time inspector should yet be caught.
 Becker is not a type If all the evidence against him is true he is the most remarkab ble criminal of a generation.
 In enforcement of the excise law we have cut off graft of $3,eOO,- 900 a year alone.
 To eliminate graft we must re- duce the contact of the force with the sources of graft; name an honest and incorruptible Commis- SlOner, ana let him enforce the laws.
 The social evil can never be cur ed. All that can be done, is to insist on outward order and de- cency.
 A sensational clergyman scatter ed the social evil all over New York with resultant scandal to our wives and children. r If Jesus were here do you think he would print his pictures at the head of newspaper col unn and then print uncharitable things about others.
 Some people think the Mayor should stop every vice and crime at once. Why all the preachers in the world have not yet brought about the observance of the ten commandments.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07

- New York, Dec T. The great
 Becker -RosenthaI gambling graft
 case was analysed to-day by Mayor
 William J. Gaynor in special inter
 view with the United Press, in which
 he pointed out lessons that may be
 drawn from it by the executives and
 people of other American cities. Sit
 ting at his desk in the City Hall, in
 the country's largest city, the white
 haired, gray bearded executive frank
 ly admitted there had been plenty of
 graft here and that some still re-
 mains. He insisted, however, that it
 was being gradually stamped out and
 defended the rank and file of the
 New York police as the best in the
 world.
 Gaynor insisted that he knew cer-
 tain old-time police inspectors were
 grafters. He would not have been surprised, he said, if one or more
 had been caught in the recent up- heaval, and hopes and rather expects some will yet be landed in the net. Instead of considering Becker a type of grafter the Mayor declared the lieutenant was the most remark able criminal of his day if all that is charged against him is true but with characteristic forbearance refused to deal with this subject at length be cause Becker's appeal from his con viction is still undecided by the high est court.
 The Mayor insisted that three 1 things contributed to graft, the en- forcement of the liquor regulation, anti-gam bling and anti-prostitution | laws. But taking the enforcement | of these out of the hands of the gen. | eral run of police and making a squad | under the immediate direction of the Commissioner responsible, the graft question is solved, he said. The M | ing, and made it very plain that, so 1 far as he is concerned, he believes l that he has solved the problem of how a city should be run. You ask me how I regard the New York police force to-day, as a whole, for efficiency and effectiveness 2" be- gan the Mayor, The best in the world. l say that advisedly. It is not gen. erally known that compared with oth- CT cities our police force here is very small. We have population of B. 100000, and only 10000 policemen. What do you think of that? Our full complement compared with the other large cities would be 15,000. But deficient in numbers as the force is. 1 it does excellent work. It is capa- ble of any work put up to it. Every 1 one who comes here to the city sees what excellent outward order and ] decency is preserved. It is also a fact that our secret service force does | the very best kind of work. It is very seldom baffled. It is, in a large sense, the secret service force ] of the whole country. We in fact do work for the whole country.
 we recently had two cases here which illustrate what I mean. One was the robbery of the bank messen-
 ger by the so-called taxicab thieves i The police had very little to go by,
 and yet they arrested them all. One
 l think they found in Memphis, one
 in some other western city and one I | think in Cuba, or on the way to or from Cuba. By the way, when a criminal here gets outside of the city
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07

For five hours, a big part of Bridge ports fire department fought a most stubborn fire that originated, about 7:f5 o'clock in the cellar of the Model Fur company, 1910 Main street, and Eutted the Berger building. The blaze was the worst the department has had to handle in a number of years The dense smoke that accompanied the blind cellar fire overcame a dozen fire men many of whom were treated at the hospitals All the firemen were discharged from the Institution today. They are:
 Lieut. Arthur Chambers, No. 5.
 Driver Thomas Monahan, No. 1.
 Capt Thomas Burns, No. 1.
 Martin Hayden, No. 5.
 T. P. Quigley. No. 5.
 Charles Burke. Truck No 3.
 Inspector F. T. Noonan.
 Thomas Reilly. No. 5.
 Joe DeForest. No. 5.
 The fire was discovered by Simon Bawer manager of the Model Fur Co He ran to the station of Chemi- eaI company No and gave the alarm ing lost in calling the department in this way An alarm was sounded a few minutes later from Box 323. call ing three engine com panie6 and two trucks to the fire
 When the engines arrived, the smoke was rolling in clouds from the store nf the Model Fur company The fire men were forced to fight the flames a t 2 great disa dvantage, being compelled ro play streams through street grat- Fngs amid the overpowering smoke
 The fire spread from the cellar of The Model Fur company to that of the Katz furniture company and that of inc Famous Hat company. It was only after hours of continued work that the flames in the cellars were lit orally drowned out.
 Through the partitions in the build ing the flames de headway to the roof and broke through in several risces. This necessitated quick shift snr In the manner of fighting the fire end the firemen did good work in halt
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
POLICE RESCUE THREE
 ATROGERS co. BLAZE

Two women and one man were res cued from sleeping rooms in the third ted the store of the Rogers Clothing Company and threatened to wipe out a section of the business center shortly after o'clock this morning. The reseues were made by Patrolmen Bar ney Glennon and James Dooley.
 The fire damaged four stores and put three of them out of business for mated at s45.O0o, the Rogers Clothing Company being the chief sufferer with a loss of $2o,000 on stock
 The sounding of the burglar alarm from the Rogers store in the office of the Western Union Telegraph office called Roundsman Michael Bayar to the store. On his way to the store, found one side of the store in flames. The fire had melted one of the burglar alarm wires, sounding the alarm in the telegraph office.
 More time was lost at this fire, too, in sounding an alarm. Box B. at Main and Bank streets, 5wouldn't t work when Bayar pulled it in. and Broad streets and called the depart ment from box IA. The fremen, most of whom had been on duty at the Berger block blaze, responded with dispatch and soon had several streams on the blaze.
 The fire was centered in the south side of the Rogers store under a stair
  conducted by Mrs Christina Bierni and Mrs Nettie Stowe. Patrolmen Glennon and Dooley rushed upstairs and reused Mrs. Stowe and Mrs. street, clad only in their night robes and blankets they had snatched from their beds.
 Mrs. Beirni told her rescuers that kJohn lille. a roomer, was asleep on the third floor. They went back into the building and brought him through the flames and smoke to safety. Oth- ] CT roomers in the building, Julius Mil Ter, Mrs. c. Hemingway, Charles John son, Andrew Stevens and Charles Hoyt got to the street without assistance after being routed out by the police men.
 The fire originated under the stair case to the apartments above the | stores, and may have been caused by defective wiring.
 The Rogers store was gutted by the flames and what stock was untouched by the fire was ruined by water and i smoke. Small damage was done by i fire to the store of the CoIey Hat Company, but the stock is total loss because of the water and smoke. The 1 Family Shoe Company suffered from ] water damage, and the apartments above were damaged by smoke and water. The office Of the Van Roster Bitters Company, owned by M. Michel son. was ruined with a loss of s25O | Charles J. Collins, manager of the Rogers store, said today that his stock surmise the cause of the fire. All the stores are protected by ample insur- ance.
 The fremen had Q hard fight for an hour, several streams of water be- ing played on the blaze before it was 1 theory that the blaze was of incen- diary origin.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
vork drowned the fire.

work drowned the fire.
 The Katz store and stock suffered damage mostly from water and smoke, although the showroom on the second floor was damaged by fire. The fur company store and the Famous Hat company store were gutted. Sabine suffered mostly from water and smoke, but the Ladies' tailoring department on the second floor was burned.
 On the second floor. the Pfqr1ette Piano Company had 20 new pianos that were ruined by water and smoke. The Keller Piano Company had four in struments that were damaged almost beyond repair.
 Chief Mooney today said the fire was one of the worst the department has encountered in some years. The difficulty of access to the blind cellars was increased by the overpowering smoke and the danger from escaping gas. The chief was most appreciative Of the courtesies extended by MT. Lus- tig, who opened his sotre as tempor- ary hospital for injured firemen. and by the Waldorf Lunch. which served hot coffee to the we'll nigh austed fremen.
 The police lines at the. fire were well maintained by a special detail from the center of the city under Sergeants Prout and Sanger.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
WOMAN LEAVES S79OOO AFTER LIVING FOR
 YEARS IN POVERTY

Greenwich, Dec. Much surprise was expressed here. today, when the E VIII or Baenel @ Ann knapp; filed in the she left estate of $79, ,000 The won1- an had lived in seeming poverty for several years and her neighbors SUD- posed she had only a meagre income. By the terms of the will, the estate is left to 15 nieces and nephews.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
SS.OOO TENEMENT
 BLAZE AND NARROW ESCAPE OF FAMILIES

Greenwich. Dec. Fire, yesterday. partly destroyed a three story frame tenement house owned by Michael Gas started on the second floor and is sup posed to have been caused by the ex- plosion of lamp: The occupants or the tenement lost nearly all their poe sessions, the fire spreading so rarEdly that they had only just time to mako
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
STRIKE OF 5000 RAILWAY
 WORKERS IN ENGLAND

London, Dec. 7-More than 5000 railway workers employed on lines in the north of England, today. went out on strike. They demand more pay. shorter hours and other improved conditions. It is believed that tne movement will spread
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
Who Wants To Rent a House

If you have a house or flat to rent, tell the readers of The Farmer about it through the classified columns, you will find a tenant in short order.
 Watch the classified page. mo- tice what others are doing; they use want ads in The Far rner because it PAYS THEM.
 Word your ad. carefully, tell just what you have got to offer people want the facts without too much trouble in making in- VeStjgationS.
 Try it for day,15 words 15c: classified three times, 35c.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
Nine Bremen Overcome by Smoke and Gas Rally Quickly in H0spitaIs--Losses Will
 Run Into Many Thousands
Berger Block Shoulders Ftuy For Hours Sleeping inmates Rescued in Tenenl3nts CVer Rogers Clothing Co., ImprGVIsed Hospital Kept Busy
 Treating Fireman
BERGER BUILDING FIRE LOSSES

Katz Furniture Company. ............... $1Oooo Model Fur Company 12OOO sabine Tailoring Company 5000 Piouette Piano Company 4ooo Famous Hat and Shoe Company. 4OOO Keller Piano Company 1000 Silver T17,nlz Company 300 Tnion Dry Goods Company 200 Damape to building 75oO
 CITY BAKERY BUILDING LOSSES
 Rogers Clothing Company. $2OOOO Family Shoe Store 5000 Colev Hat Company. ~ 5000 M. Nicholson 250 Christina Bieri 100 Damage to buildings ngs....... 5000
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
ALI. THE LATEST

Local and Photographic News
 of the Day
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-03
EAST SIDE BURGLARS
Grocery Store and Barber shop Are
Robbed.

A barber shop and a grocery store
in Parkdale were robbed last night.
The barber ship is owned by H. L.
Watson at 1905 East Sixth avenue.
Burglars entered this place and stole
more than a dozen razors and a num-
Der of other articles
The grocery store is located at 1901
East Eighth avenue and is owned by
Cyrus Dwiggins. The burglars entered
this store through window and stole
box of cigars, some ham, cheese and
a quantity of other edibles- The loss
was small in this establishment.
Officers are working on both cases
and believe that the burglaries were
committed by boys.
Chief of Police Morris Jenkins has
offered a reward of SIS for the arrest
of Emanuel Vargas, a Mexican. who
is wanted here for having taken part
in the murder of one Mexican and
Woundfng two others in the Santa F'e
yards about two weeks ago. Cards
containing a description of the Mex
lean are being sent out to all officers
in the state and in nearby points in
other states.
Emanuel Vargis is described as five
feet, nine inches tall, about 80 years
old, light complexion, weight about
10 pounds, curly, -bushy black hair,
smooth faced which is slightly pitted
with smallpox scars, a slim face and
q pointed chin. Chief Jenkins warns
persons who come in contact with
him, as the Mexican usually is heavily
armed with dangerous weapons and
will not hesitate to use them.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-03
WHO IS DR.. DAY?
Mysterious Man Puzzles Portland
Peace Authorities.

Portland, Ore. Jan. 3.-The police
of this city are puzzled over the 1den-
THY of DR. J. c. Day, who was taken
into custody Monday last after he had
made a disturbance in local MOTEL
IN searching him the authorities state
the,- discovered bank books made out
in the name of Frank c. Smith OF Los
Angeles, shares in a copper company
and in a realty company issued TO
Smith and a will in which Smith IS tes-
tator Besides these they found
check drawn on a Seattle bank by
John A. Miller for $65,000 in favor OF
J. c. Day; travellers checks amount
ing to $1,000 issued in British Colum-
bia to H. H. Chase; a money pelt
marked IF. w. Black. Soper Lumber
company, Chicago"
He wears a charm of the Royal
Arch Masons, and has a demit from
the royal arch lodge in Chicago dated
1898, made out in the name OF Day
Besides a large quantity of morphine
and cocaine, there was found, the OF
ficers say, correspondence with a
Texas sanitarium, from which, it ap-
pears, he has been taking treatment
Chicago, Jan. 3.-Fred w. Black, a
| bookkeeper for the Sopher Lumber
company, said today that he had never
known any one by the name OF DR..
Day and had never owned money
holt
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-03
DR.. COOK BRINGS SUIT
Explorer Wants Damages for Publica-
ton OF 'AIob'' Story.

New York, Jan. s.-Dr. Frederick A.
Cook, the explorer, has commenced an
action against the Times for 100000
for the publication of a story that the
doctor was mobbed and showered by
bad eggs when he lectured at Copen-
hagen in October.
DR.. Cooks attorney says by way Of
explanation:
DIR. Cooks primary purpose in bring
ing suit is not to procure any large
amount of money. DR.. Cooks sole pur-
pose is vindication. All that he de-
mands is that the American people be
given the truth about his case and de-
eide for themselves. It is interesting
to note that DR.. Cooks claim is now
receiving the endorsement of foreign
scientific bodies and various noted sci
entfsts Following DR.. Cooks recent
appearance before board of scientists
in Brussels he received offers to lee
ture in Germany for an entire year.
It looks as though Europe were going
to accord fair play to DR.. Cook even
before America
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-03
LOSSES IN LOANS
Gain in Deposits Shown by National
Bank Reports.

Washington, Jan. 3.-The condition of
national banks shown by the treasury
call of December 5, indicated consid-
cradle shrinkage in business as COM
aDared with September 1. All national
banks showed losses in loans aggregat-
ing 81. 301. 246. in cash 1872 6S1 ,21O but
gain in deposits of $46,047, 269.
The situation in the eastern states
was puzzling to treasury officials. The
banks in that section lost a total in
loans OF 1913, 914. 742; in cash $S7, 216, 121
and in deposits 73,72O,000.
Country banks in the east showed
gains in all three items, but they were
not sufficient to counterfeit losses in re-
serve cities. The returns indicate that
New York city lost 6,956,299 in loans;
S37. $40. 764 in cash and SIS, 1906, 977 ende-
posits Losses in all three items also
were sustained in the middle western
states.
Gains, however. prevailed in the New
England, Southern and Western and
Pacific coast states.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-03
JOE RYAN FOUND DEAD
known on Two Continents as Wit and
Newspaper Man.

Chicago, Jan. 3.-Joseph z. G. Ryan,
known on two continents as wit, news
paper and publicity man, was found
dead in his apartments at the Con-
gress hotel late yesterday afternoon.
Heart failure is given as the cause of
death.
George AIDE said:
'.In all my travels I have never en-
tered a cafe where Joe Ryan or one
of his stories had not been there be-
fore me-
MIR. Ryan was busy man but he
spent most of his time making smiles
Business men lost their cares and dig
nifty when sJoe" Ryan talked Multi
millionaire and bell hops claimed him
as their friend.
With the exception of a slight cold
Mr.. Ryan was in good health when
last seen on Monday night. He left
party of friends in the hotel lobby and
retired to his room. A house detec-
tive noticed a pile of papers and let
ters at Mr.. Ryan's door and recalled
that he had not seen Mr.. Ryan about
the hotel during the day. An investi-
cation was begun and the body was
found in bed. DIR. J. D. Hammond,
who was summoned, asserted death had
occurred several hours before and as
cribed heart failure as the cause.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-03
HE HYPN0TIZES DOG
WhistIing Tunes ON Photograph Puts
Canine to Sleep.

sGreeley, Colo, Jan Am unusual
method Of putting a dog to sleep has
been devised by Deputy Sheriff G: e.
Peterson of this city, who learned that
his pet dog, Joker, can be practically
hypnotized by the music of a phono-
gra PHI -
Peterson has several records in
which whistling predominates, and the
animal gives these close attention
When Joker hears the phonograpn IN
onara+iou he will sit in front of it
until he drops off to sleep. This usual
ly takes about ten minutes.
Peterson, at times, has experienced
difficulty in awakening the Dog, out
raoantlV1 he discovered that the ami
mai is promptly aroused by the plac--
ing of a piece of raw meat in front of
its nose.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-03
Neiswanger Says He Is Detri-
ment to City.
His Reelection Stands Against
Topeka Speaker Declares.
ONE PHONE SYSTEM.
Urged Because Two Cost $780,
600 Too Much.
East Side Park and More Shop
Land Needed.

". a. NeiSwanger, who read a paper
on What Is the Matter With Topeka,
before the members of the Topeka Reai
Estate Dealers association today as
serted that one of the things that is a
detriment to the city is the fact haV-
ing reelected mayor who stands for
that which the city does not
.'Ixans IS has received great deal or
unwholesome advertising - because OF
our mayor" continued the speaker,
land he will go down in history, not
as the father of any municipal achieve
ment, but as the man who advised MIS-
souri, to vote against prohlb1tlon ana
whose defamatOry testimony of KAN
sas was scattered broadcast through
Maine during her campaign for resuo-
mission; also as@he who sent sianderous
letters to far off New Zealand as re-
corded in the evening State Journal OF
October 18th. last.
Another thing that is the matter
with Topeka is the almost intolerable
nuisance (to say nothing OF expense
of the double telephone system one
of our most careful business men anu
a leading financier states that ne De-
lieves it is costing the city at least
100000 per annum and that the proper
effort could bring about an amalga-
nation.
ing fine work, but 1 believe that there
is a field and province for the clup
that it has not realized, chiefly because
we have not gotten behind it with men
and means as we should. To my mind,
the secretary should have such assist
ance that would give him his time ap-
solutely from the routine OF offlce du-
ties SO that ne could become intimate
with every shop, mercantile and manu-
featuring establishment and business
concern in the city
The speaker advocated the imme-
date purchase of more ground Tor
shop purposes, stating that the shops
district is particularly in need OF
parks. The investment of money IN
local enterprises instead of sending 1t
away from Topeka, and while he de-
voted much of his paper to the Santa
Fre railroad and the advantage the sys-
tenn has been to Topeka, he favored a
traffic bureau that VII deal fairly with
all traffic conditions.