davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Dupont Company Receives
Warning Letters and Town
is in a Panic.

United Press Leased Wire Service }
ASHLAND, Wis, Feb. 2s.--Oh1clals
Of the Dupont Powder company 10,
Gay strengthened the guard arounu
the plant at Barkdale. Wis. and maze
other preparations to -.ght any AZ
tempts to blow up the works. Let
ters have been received by both ON
GERS of the company and workmen
threatening that the plant Will De
blown up on March L. tomorrow. Mys-
tterious aeroplanes have been seen
lowering over the plant during the
last three days and have aroused tne
people Of the city almost to panlc.
Powerful searchlights have peen
placed around the plant and at nlgh'
are constantly combing the SKY to ois-
cover any aeroplane which may oe
near
Two Women Killed.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. Feb. 29.-Wnlie
rescue parties continued their search
IN the debris today, county and clty
ofhcials began an Investigation into
me explosion late yesterday OF
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
THREATEN TO BLOW UP
POWDER PLANT TOMORROW

thousand pounds of dynamite at Ma
plewood. a st. Louis suburb, which re-
suited in the death Of two women.
Early today the injured, mostly wom-
en- and children, numbered eighty-fve.
The explosion which occurred in the
powder shack of sewer construction
company, wrecked houses within a
radius Of eight blocks. The loss Is
yariously estimated today at from
s1OO 900 to s250,000. What caused
the explosion had not been ascer-
tanned today.
Explosion Heard Fifty Miles.
WOBURN, Mass, Feb. 29.-With a
thunderous explosion which was
heard for fifty miles. the trtnitortoluol
building of the New England Mfg.
co where gases used in bombs for
fhe allied armies are manufactured.
blew up early today
Although 100 men were working IN
the building. a warning rumble gave
them time to escape and only one,
Who was showered with flying bricks,
was injured. The terrific force OF tne
ernlosion blew the building high into
tbe air and made the ground tremble
90 IN an earthquake for mlies around.
Tbe loss will exceed $4,000.
For three weeks the building mas
haan heavily guarded because OF
threatening letters received by the
company.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Small Likelihood of Any Being
Killed in New German U
Boat Campaign.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service ]
WASHINGTON. Feb. 29.-Ameri-
cans are in little immediate danger
from the new teutonic q boat cam
patgr which goes into effect on the
stroke OF II tonight, official Washing
ton was agreed today. There Is small
likelihood OF any Americans being
killed or injured, 1t is declared.
The administrations policy, how
ever today awaited receipt of Ger
man evidence that England has given
all merchantmen commanders secret
orders to attack submarines.
Ambassador Bernstortrs note to
Secretary Lansing, repeating assur
ances against unwarned attack Of pas.
senger liners, was to be laid before
the cabinet today by President Wilson.
1t was clearly indicated this govern
ment will withhold response or the
formulation Of any new policy unit!
the alleged British admiralty order ar
r1ves.
The administration will find way
to keep Americans out Of the danger
zone, II was practically assured today.
without surrendertng or abTidgtns
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

EUnited Press Leased Wire Service]
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29.-The lid
upon debate in congress of the dispute
with Germany over armed merchant
men was blown Off today. In the
first speech on the subject, Disregard
Ing the administrators desire to
prevent open discussion, Represents
tive Mondell (republican) Wyoming,
today delivered lengthy address in
the house bitterly criticising President
Wilson's refusal to warn Americans
off armed ships.
ANY neutral country that has any
regard for the lives Of its citizens or
it's own peace and honor; any nation
that desires to escape complications
that may lead to war over mere defini
tions, fine spun as a spiders web, will
not allow It's citizens to wantonly OK
pose themselves to harm and theil
nation to the horrors Of war;" said
Mondell Mondells speech threatened
to provoke an outburst of debate from
both factions in the house.
"The president strikes a pose OF
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
GERMANY

limited Press Leased Wire Service ]
BERLIN, Feb. %. Via London.)-
German troops have captured a small
armored works northwest Of Fort
Douaumont, the war office announced
this afternoon. ...
At the Same tlme It was announced d
that 16,575 French soldiers and 22a
officers have been taken In tho fierce
fighting In the Woevre region where
the Germans are assailing French po
sltlons southeast and east Of verdun
Tho booty includes sixty-eight cannon
and eIghty-eix machine guns. ~,
In the Woevre region, the state
ment announced, German troops have
passed Dleppe, Abacort and BIancee,
and captured ManheuIIs and Champ
lon.
Northeast Of BadonvlIer, a portion
Of French trench was captured and
many prisoners taken.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

Granted that orders for merchant
men to operate extensively against
submarines were secreliy issued, as
charged by the Germans, the defense
of the British government doubtless
will be that this step became neces-
sary on account of the adoption by
the Germans Of the policy of sinking
vessels without warning. It was not
long after Der Tag that there began
a series of submarines without warn
ing not only Of unarmed passenger
liners and cargo snips, but also Of
inoffensive fishing vessels.
The British view is that the inaug-
uration Of this sort of warfare thor
ougu,y justified the nullitication by
Great Britain Of the pledge given to
the United States through Ambassa-
dor Sir Cecil Spring Rice that BrlCish
merchantmen would never be used
for purposes of attack; that they
would be armed only for defense and
that they would never fire unless nrst
fired upon.
Recent dispatches from Berlin quot
ing various public men to the effect
that the recent practical suspension
of submarine warfare in the vicinity
of the British Isles was due to de-
sire to conform to the wishes of the
United States government, are prob
ably being read with conslderabl
amusement in British official circles.
For example. to Count Reventlow Is
attributed the statement that this sus-
pension was undertaken expressly to
please President Wilson. Further
more, the count is reported to have
said that England had gotten the full
benefit Of Wilson's action whereas
Germany has sacrificed much valu-
able time on the altar Of Americas
friendship"
Ibis is not the way the British
look at it. President Wilson's notes
to Germany had nothing whatever to
do with this practical suspension"
of under sea warfare in near-EnKlisn
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

limited Press Leased Wire Service. !
LONDON, Feb. 29.-The decisive
battle for Verdun is about to begin.
Checked in savage Opslaughts
against Pepper heights, the Germans
ore moving up their heaviest artillery
to blast away the armored trenches
on the ridge, barring their further ad-
vance from the north.
While Understandable slaughter con-
tnues about the ruins Of Fort Douau-
mont the teutons are feeling out the
French line along a 100 mile front
with artillery poundings and infantry
attacks. There is every indication
that the whole western front may sud-
denly burst into the fame Of struggle,
taffling Imagination.
A slackening of German artillery
Ore on the eight mile front north and
portheast Of Verdun during the great
Or part of yesterday was reported In
Paris dispatches today. This was un-
doubtedly due, Paris reported, to the
shifting Of artillery by the crown
Prince and to the need Of bringing up
fresh reserves to take the place Of
the regiments blotted out in the first
week of savage lighting.
Paris is cody confident that the
fortress will never fall by a frontal
attack over the strongly fortified Pep
per heights. French war office Of
feials believe the kaiser already de-
spairs Of victory in front of Verdnn
land either is searching out new road
Ito Paris through the Champagne, or
win renew the attack through Fresnes,
|simed at Squeezing the French out Of
|verdun.
All dispatches from Paris today,
though recounting the rejoicing in the
French capital over the checking OF
the Verdun drive, gave warning that
the crown prince is about to renew
the attack with all the artillery ana
Infantry at his command. But Paris
believes that the tide of battle Is about
TO turn in favor of France.
Berlin dispatches received here
early today were non-committal. They
carried dispatches Of correspondents
with the crown princes army regard
ing the early days of the fighting. but
carried no comment on the prospects
Of German success.
Dispatches from Swiss sources to-
day insisted that the Verdun attack
Is a mere diversion. The Germans
tl.ese advices said, are about to break
out with a great blow between Noyon
and st. Quentin, where the oattle
front is barely more than sixty miles
Dortheast Of Paris.
Swiss newspapers estimate the Ger
man dead in the early days or the
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
IBy Ed. L. Keen, General European
Manager United Press.l

TBy Ed. L. Keen, General European
Manager United Press.]
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29-Amer-
ica's future attitude in the submarine
controversy now depends almost alto
gether upon the nature and extent of
the secret orders alleged by the Ger
man government to have been issued
to the captains of British merchant
men.
Shortly after the Germans began
their undersea warfare. it was cur
rently reported in Europe that Ine
British admiralty mad taken steps to
safeguard merchantmen against at
tack by subn arines. 1t was further
reported that these steps included the
placing of guns and naval gun crews
on certain classes Of merchantmen
and instructions to the captains to
endeavor to sink submarines when
ever encountered, either by gun fire
or by ramming.
Nothing official on the subject has
ever been published by the Britis-
government On the otner hanu there
has been no official denial Of current
reports.
1t is altogether likely that some
sort Of general instructions covering
the conduct Of merchantmen when in
the vicinity Of submarines were is
sued. but whether they were as
sweeping as the Germans charge will
not be definitely known until the re-
ceipt of the facsimile photographic
copies now said to be on their way to
Washington from Berlin. lat spe-
cial instructions directing captains of
passenger ships how to avoid the sub
marine menace have been issued from
time to time is not denied. This fact
was brought out before the court of
inquiry that investigated the Lusi-
tania case, although the text of the
Instructions which were sent to Cap
tain Turner by wireless. was sup
pressed
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Review of Events Which Led
Up to Submarine Controversy

waters, according to the British.
was British ingenuity. applied through
the British navy that turne- the
trick.
The North sea and adjacent waters
have been rendered exceedingly un-
safe cruising grounds for the under.
sea boats of the enemy. The British
claim to have conquered the subma-
rine menace, SO far as this field of
operations is concerned. by lne adop-
ton of various devices, incluuing
steel nets and drags, the utilization
Of the famous Sperry detector-an
American invention whereby not only
the presence but the direction and
approxim ate distance Of a submarine
are disclosed-and a number Of other
schemes concerning which the admir-
atty has not yet taken the public into
its confidence.
The Germans continued sending
submarines into English waters untll
SO few of them came back that lurther
operations in this particular quarter
became an expensive luxury, say the
British The last official British
statement on the subject made in the
house of commons last Novem Der
credited the British navy with put
ting out of business either by sinking
or capture seventy-eight German sub
marines. The exact score to date,
is problematical, but common gossip
In England now fixes the total at
more than 100.
Some four or Ave months ago the
Germans transferred their undersea
activities to the Mediterranean where
the British and their allies have not
yet been able to perfect their anti
submarine defenses TO the extent
that prevails about the British isles
Nearly all the recent submarinings
have been in the Mediterranean wat
ers. Most of the vessels officially re-
ported as sunk in the vicinity of
England have been the victims Of
|mtnes-not submarip>A
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Six Miners Killed.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service. |
KEMPTON, Maryland, Feb. 29.-S1x
miners were killed, a number were
injured and thirty-three are stf1l re,
ported entombed in mine number AZ
Of the Davis Colliery company here.
following a terrific dust explosion
early today.
Mine rescue cars were rushed to
the scene in an effort to save those
still buried. Following the explosion
twenty-six men were brought out I'M
injured, carrying the bodies Of the Six
dead
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
F RANCE

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
PARIS, Feb. 29.-Standing on a hill
four miles north Of Fort Douaumont,
Kaiser Wilhelm watched for six hours
the bloody struggle for possession of
the fort, according to German prison
ers whose stories were teIegraphed
here today.
A raw wind blew sheets Of rain and
snow across the hill and staff Off
cers urged tho emperor, on account
Of his recent illness, not to expose
himself.
Despite their entreaties, he held to
hls post, fold glasses In hand and
protested by 4 great storm proof coat
until the erandenbursers charged
into the French positions.
The Douaumont guns did friahtfuI
execution before thoy were sileneed
by German howitxers. Battalion after
battalion Of German troops almost
disappeared from sight as big shells
tore their fronts.
the plain outside the fort, French
fierce hand to hand combats over
piles Of dead bodies. craters blown
up by the great German shells are
filled with corpses. Wounded mon
have been crushed down and smoth-
cred under the weight Of cadavers.
German and French dead are mingled
In piles, mantled by the latest snow
fall.
The slaughter north Of Pepper
Heights equals that around Douau-
mont.
Every foot Of land approaching the
ridge is commanded by French guns.
Steady sheets Of snrapneI and shells
are breaking over this plain. Not
even by defending them selves behind
parapets Of dead bodies could the
Germans hope to advance through in
fantry actions. They are bringing up
new guns, planning to silence the
French artillery.
The number Of prisoners taken by
the French has been comparatively
small, It was stated here today. The
shell fire on both sides has been 80
fierce, it was stated, that groups OF
soldiers cut off and surrounded, have
been cut to pieces before they could
make their way to the enemy's lines
with offers Of surrender.
ALL ATTACKS REPULsED.
PARIS, Feb. 29.-AII German at
tacks In the Verdun district In the
past twenty-four hours have been re-
pulsed, said an official statement from
the war office this afternoon. French
troops now entirely surround Fort
Douaumont, the official statement
said.
The war office, however, admitted
that tho Germans have captured the
village Of ManheviIes, eleven miles
eo,,$h ~ ~ VArdun In their ea4tVvard
drive to force the evacuation Of Ver-
dun by "squeezing out" process.
Loss Of several trenches In lor
raIne to the Germans was also ad-
mItted. 1t was stated, however, that
these positions were Immediately cap
tured by the French.
Heavy bombardin ent Of the entire
French front, north and northeast Of
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Warned Of German Raider.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
NEW YORK, Feb. 29-Warnings to
watch for a German commerce raider
attacking shipping In the Atlantic, pos.
sibly accompanied by consorts, we're
received here by the Standard OIL
tanker Communipaw February II
when the vessel was south of the
Azores, she reported today.
The Communipaw arriving from AL.
giers reported receiving a wireless
message saying two other ships had
been chased by the raider. The raid
er carried two guns.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
NO IMMEDIATE DANGER
FOR TRAVELLING AMERICANS

any legal rights Of Americans to travel
on armed ships, the administration IS
not prepared to insist they may travel
Cn ships with orders to act extensively.
The administration desires to recog-
nize the tremendous sentiment IN
congress and the country to avoid a
break with the central powers, while
maintaining every American right I'M
der International law. If the state de-
partment decides Germany's case
proved by alleged admiralty secret
orders the danger % Americans who
travel on such ships will be made
known. The administration is not
planning to make any further move
with either the allies or central gov
ernments unless some Americans
should be teopardized, injured or
killed.
Permission to Sail.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29.-The state
department today gave permissions
for the Italian steamers Giuseppe
Verdi and San Guglielmo, both armed
''for defense" TO sail from New York
harbor. The department has been
considering since Friday the ques-
tons involved.
Assurances We're given by the ItaE
ian embassy that the guns mounted
aboard the vessels would be used
only for defensive purposes. The
treasury department wired Collector
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Practices What She Preaches

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service ]
CHICAGO, Feb 29.-"Miss" crystal
Eastman Benedict, suffragist. peace
advocate and former member Of the
New York industrial commission was
on record today as practicing what
she preached.
In her suit for divorce against Wal
lace Benedict, electrical engineer, she
made no demand for a1imony.
"AIfmony is relic OF the dark
ages" Miss Benedict has declared
In feminist addresses.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
ENGLAND

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service! =!
DOVER, England, Feb. 2o.-That
tho liner MaIoja, sunk Off Dover Sum-
day with loss Of moro than $50 lives,
was torpedoed and did not strike q
mine, was the sensational testimony
offered at the eoroner's inquest today
by chief Officer Forbes.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
All Passenners Saved.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service. J
MARSHFIEILID, Oregon. Feb. 90
All twenty-five passengers and sailors
were believed to have been saved to-
day from the wreck of the steam
schooner Fifield which ran on the
rocky beach near Bandon shortly be-
fore a. m. Al hole was stove in the
FifeId's bow below the water line.
The sea is moderate. but the small
vessel Of 400 tons displacement IS ex-
pected to be q total loss.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

charge Of using the mails to defraud.
Lyman decided not to fight extradi-
ton after federal authorities had left
him alone for several hours perusing
volumes from law library dealing
with similar cases.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Fall of Douaumont Was Costly to Germany
Which is Now Determined to Capture
Pepper Heights.
'VERDUN ATTACKED BY 100000 MEN
Whole Western Front Expected to Burst Out
Into Flame of Struggle, Battling
Imagination.

Verdun offensive at about 10000 bu
make no estimates on the number o.
wounded.
Three-quarters OF million Ger
! mans are now taking part in the on
| slaught on Verdun, the Mails Paris
correspondent wired today. confirming
also the report that the Pepper heights
positions and the district around
Dauaumont is now the scene Of the
| heaviest fighting
THE great majority Of German
troops is massed on the bottle neck
ridge Of Meuse heights three miles
across the dispatches said.
"On this narrow ledge, is concen
trated the fire of 1.100 guns and in
the last two days this has been the
theatre of the -bloodiest, hghting oi
| the war.
During Friday and Saturday the
crown prince swept with 200 batteries
of heavy guns the ~ote De Poivre
pepper heights) and Fort Douaumont
The possession OF these positions
would have given him the mastery OF
the two main roads leading to Verdun
from Sedan and Ornes.
Again and again the flower Of the
Kaiser lTOOpS IuoASo W o.sASAA \ Va
Douaumont They carried BeZonvaux
on Friday and established themselves
on the Vauche ridge only few hun
dred yards from the fort. Early sat
urday morning they again attacked.
They were repulsed time after time,
but by noon the famous Brandenburg
corps stormed the position and took 1t.
"1'hey had been sent with orders TO
take Douaumont, no matter what the
cost Their losses were greater than
in August. 1914, when the Germans
threw themselves against the forts OF
Liege"
Over $4,000 Killed.
t. LONDON, Feb. 29.-More than for
ty.five thousand Germans have peen
killed in the assault on the Verdun
nositions. according to Central News
dispatch from Amsterdam today, quot
ing Dutch sources as authority.
On one two mile front. the dispatch
stated. we're found 5000 German
corpses. One regiment, 1t was stated
has been formed from the fragments
of eight German regiments, nearly
wiped out in the fighting around Hau-
mont.
FndIess trains Of wounded from tho
German front were reported to be ar
living at Metz. Hospitals at Coblentz,
Treyes, Cologne and other German
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

Lyman is Coming Back.
United Press Leased Wire Service.
NEW YORK, Feb. 29.--Dr. J. Grant
Lyman, alleged mining stock swfnd-
ler today is on his way back to new
York from Tampa, Fla. to face a
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
French Cruiser Provence Sank
in the Mediterranean
Sea on Satur-
day.
LESS THAN HALF SAVED
Ship Had 1900 Souls on Board and
It 10 Feared That Many
Lost Their
Lives.

BUnited Press Leased Wire Service1
PARIS, Feb. 29.-Nearly 1000 lives
are believed to have been lost in the
sinking of the French auxiliary cruis-
er Provence, formerly in the service
as a transatlantic liner, in the mid
die of the Mediterranean on Saturday.
Eighteen hundred persons were on
board the cruiser, an official state
ment from the minister of marine
stated.
OF this number, 2ee Of the crew
have been landed at Malta and about
400 on the Greek island Of Melos.
A later official statement from the
admiralty put the total number prob
ably saved at $40 making the number
missing about $50.
Ten boats are now at the scene of
the disaster, continuing the search for
other survivors, the minister Of ma
rine announced.
Searching for Survivors.
PARIS, Feb. 29.-Between 900 and
1000 persons are believed to have
perished in the sinking of the French
auxiliary cruiser Provence in mid
Mediterranean Saturday.
OF 1,S0O persons aboard the cruiser,
the latest statement from tho ministry
of marine declares, about 87O have
been saved. Ten other vessels have
rushed to the scene in search Of more
survivors. ~.... ......-.
Probably Torpedoed.
NEW YORK, Feb. 29.-Dispatches
to the United Press from Paris, trans.
mitted through Paris direct, and also
other dispatches. transmitted through
London did not state whether the
Provence was sunk by a submarine,
by mine or was the victim Of an
accident.
Submarines are known to have
been operating in the mid-Mediterra-
mean for some time, the British
steamer Fastnet and Swedish
steamer having been torpedoed in
those waters within the past few
days.
Recently the British censor has
eliminated all references to subma-
rine attacks, allowing messages stat
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

Continued on page 81
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Probably Torpedoed.

CONTINUED on page s.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29
Over $4,000 Killed.

CONTINUED on page ~
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

fContinued on page 81
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-29

Subscribers of The Daily Gate
City are served the full Leased
Wire Service Of the United
Press Associations.