davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07

and other city officials expressed the
 Among the dead are Edward Con- don chief of the fire department; Will liam Brunt, deputy fire chief. Captain Peter Frederick of the fire depart ment, the wife and son of Rev. w. J. Sweatman of the Rye Street Methodist church and pr, Murdock Chisholm.
 The flame-swept area covers ap- proximately two and half square miles, It begins at what is known as the North street bridge, extending north to Pier on the Richmond water front and back to a point running parallel with Gottingen street. Noth- ing has been left standing in this sec tion of the city. Only a pile of smoul dering ruins marks the spot where the great building of the American Sugar Refining company stood, The dry dock and all the building which surround ed it were destroyed. The Richmond school that housed hundreds of chil- dren was demolished and it is reported only three escaped.
 The damage along the water front can not yet be estimated. Many of the men composing the crews of the ships in the harbor were killed or injured. On one steamer, the Pictou, It is reported that 8 of the rew of 42 were Killed. Bodies of many seamen have been picked up in the harbor. Rescue parties working among the ruins of buildings are removing the bodies of the dead. TWO SHIPS CRASH
 TOGETHER IN NARROWS
 The collision, which resulted in prob ably the worst disaster in the history of the Dominion, occurred near pier In the narrows leading from the harbor to Bedford basin. The munitions ship was bound from New York for Bedford basin when the relief ship Ioma. bound for sea, crashed into her.
 The Mont Blanc was pierced on the port side almost to the engine room The other ship. which was only slightly daI aged. backed away when flames bull. out on the munitions ship and was abandoned by the crew. The captain of the Mont Blanc also ordered his crew to the boats, as he realized an explosion was inevitable.
 The men ssd shore safely before the tremendo jst 17 minutes later which blew ti ship to pieces and wrecked lar4 Dart of the city. BUSINESS LIE OF CITY
 WAS JUST STARTING
 The business life of the city had Just bSrs1n for the day when the town WAS shaken to ita foundations by the ex-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07
DEATH TOLL IN HALIFAX FROM EXPLOSION MAY GO OVER 2OOO
Entire City Wrecked When Munition Ship Catches Fire
 Folowing Harbor Collision

Halifax N s. December With the toll of dead steadily mounting it believed early this that than 2O0 peshed the explosion and fire which followed the collision yesterday morning
 Halifax aror between munitions laden French ship another vessel loaded with supplies for the Belgian relief
 The disaster which has plunged the dominion into mourning probably will rank the most fearful that occurred the American continent Halifax relief into the have been almost dazed the extent of the horror
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07
13 Americans Are
 Reported Wounded
 m Ca71brai Fight
Names of One Lieutenant and 12 Enlisted Men From Railroad Engineer Unit Caught Be- tween Lines in Casualty List Cabled By Pershing and All But One Ser
 iOusly Injured

Washington December 6Second Lieutenant Allie l. Cone and 1 enlisted of the American army engineers have been wounded action Persng today reported to the department. the wounded No working British
  killed Pershin ,srenort tcoutain o
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07

,elief that it would exceed that number. i plosion. Persons in the streets were picked up bodily and hurled to the ground. Occupants of office buildings covered under a shower of falling glass and plaster Houses in the Richmond section crumpled up and collapsed. bury 1 ing their tenants.
 l In the main part of the city, where the
 buildings are chiefly of stone or con- crete. the damage was confined to the l shattering of windows and most of the casualties in this section were caused by flying glass.
 MANY HOUSES WERE
 BLOWN TO BITS
 l In the west and northwest ends the damage was more extensive and there the walls of many houses were blown to bits. It was in Richmond, however, i opposite the scene of the explosion, that
 the havoc was greatest. Whole blocks of dwellings. mostly of frame construc- tion, were levelled. Street after street | Is in ruins and the structures left stand l ing by the explosion were destroyed by
 fires which broke out simultaneously in
 a score of places, and which 1t was inn
 possible to eh~sN II had burned
 themselves out It is believed scores of
 persons who had been injured by the collapse of their homes perished in the flames. The fires in this district still
 are smouldering tonight.
 STREETS WERE FILLED WITH FRENZIED PEOPLE | Five minutes after the explosion the streets in all parts of Halifax were filled l witk frenzicd, panic stricken throngs
 striving to reach the outskirts to escape what they believed was raid by a German fleet. Hundreds of them had
 been cut by shattered glass.
 l In the Richmond section the scenes l enacted defied description. Seriously in ljurec men and women crawled from the
 wreckage of their homes and lay in the
 streets until they were removed to hos- pitals Those less seriously hurt aided
 those more gravely injuresi. In the
 streets, piled high with debris. were
 found the shattered bodies of many
 women and children Several children
 were crushed to death when they were
 hurled against telegraph poles by the
 force of the explosion.
 PEOPLE WATCHED CITY 1 BURN AROUND THEM I In scores of cases occupants of houses who had escaped without injury or who lwere only slightly hurt were baffied by < the flames In thelr search for members
 tce.tiaued en Psss Tws,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07

The city darkness tonight except for the flames from the fires still burning in the wrecked buildings in the north end The electric light and gas plants have been virtually destroyed and the only lights available kerosene lamps By them surgeons and doctors tod heroay throughout the night caring for the injured
 Soldiers sailors and police patrod the streets tonight and upon them fell the major portion of the burden of searching for the dead and wounded The Canadians assisted this work by sailors from American warshp the harbor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07
Greatest Catastrophe. Which Has BefalLen
 Any City In the World

officers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07
PEOPLE WATCHED CITY
 BURN AROUND THEM

1 In scores of cases occupants of houses who had escaped without injury or who were only slightly hurt were baffled by the flames In thelr search for members
 tCe.tinusd sn Psxs Twsl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-07
yQ 5I KN 1kSky A1% '. n M M
 WAS JUST STARTING

The business life of the city had Just bSr,n for the day when the town was shaken to its foundations by the &x-
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Colgate Says Company
Decided to Stand Suit

Commenting upon the indictment Of
Colgate & Go. at Norfolk, Va, to-day,
Sidney VI. Colgate said here yesterday
that the Department Of Justice had
offered the company the alternative Of
abandoning its established policy OF
price protection or being sued by the
government" and that the company
chose "to accept suit, feeling com.
pelled, in justice TO fair dealers every
where. the public and ourselves. to
take definite stand for our mutual
well-beng"
Mr.. Colgate said the company had for
more than forty years refused TO sell
its products 40 those dealers who were
unwilling to sell them at prices sug-
geSted by u.s. Lhd that many other
manufacturers have pursued a similar
policy.
at has always been our intention" :"
he added, "and we believe that the
lacts vii. show that it has been our
practice, TO carry out this policy for
the good of all of our customers. as
well as for the good OF the general
public"
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Sherman Laws
Repeal Urged by
Industry Heads
New Jersey Manufacturers
Council Appeals to Con-
gress in Resolutions

NEWARK. y. j.. Dec. l9. The war
convention Of the manufacturers OF
New Jersey, which was held here to-
day under the auspices Of the Manu-
facturers' Council of the State Cham
Der OF Commerce, passed a resolution
with but one dissenting vote calin.,
upon Congress TO repeal the Sherman
antitrust law at once so that bust
ness might combine to aid the nation
in the most vigorous and cficien,
prosecution Of the war
The convention also suggested that
the government establish as soon a.
possible an academy Of commerce in
which men might be trained in ship
building and navigation as thoroughly
and broadly as they are now trained
IN warfare at Annapolis and West
Point.
Warren c. King, chairman Of the
convention, pointed out that at present
contracts for government work were
uneyenly and inefficiently distributed
Many factories which could have been
used TO advantage had been. he said.
passed over. while others had been
overloaded with work they could not
turn out. Had the factories been al
lowed 70 combine and cooperate. he
added. this would not have occurred.
Until the United States entered the
war;" he continued. "it has been a vio-
lation Of the law for manufacturers en-
gagged in similar line of work 10 meet
and fix prices. 1t ia still violation OF
the law.
Yet our government at Washington
has called together members of vari-
Gus trades and has established prices.
The present session of Congress should
repeal the Sherman law, and fair
law should be placed upon the statute
books of this country. permitting man.
ufacturers to establish prices. so long
as they worked no hardship upon con-
Sumers."
Governor Edge in his address urged
that the government ownership idea ad-
vanced during the war should be cur
tailed at its close.
Colonel Austen Colgate advocated
that greater consideration be shown TO
their employees By manufacturers.
Wise men, some years ago" he re-
marked. "called labor the handmaiden
of capital. That might have been true
once, but now labor is suffragette
and stands on an equal footing with
capital. Give her what she wants or
she will take il anyway"
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
News in Brief

George W. Wsnmakcr. former Appraiser
Of the Port Of New York. who's will was
filed IN the Surrogatcs' Court lett an estate
valued AZ more than $4,000 His children.
Lottio and Harry. ere to receive $1,000 each.
and the residue OF the estate goes to his
widow.
Disheartcned because he had ben rejected
hy the navy on account Of his eyesight. and
fearing ;hat hs sweetheart would think him
Stacker. Herman SchVerdsfsgsr. nineteen
wears old. of $50 East Twenty -frst street.
tried TO shoot himself His mother dis
armed him.
An unidentified Italian was found At 10th
Street and Morningside Drive. with hi.
throat cut and right wrist slssnsd. lie is
dying in the knickerbocker Hospital
LONG ISLAND CITY-An unknown
womsn drowned herself in Newtown Greek
az the foot Of Vernon Avenue She was well
dressed.
NEW WICK. y John Brill
nine years old. punctured his heart while
attempting 10 sharpen a pencil IN ST Johns
School here The lad was holding the pencil
against his breast when the knife slipped
EAST ORANGE. y. Mrs. Michael
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Colgates Indicted
AS Price Fixers
In Federal Case
Norfolk Grand Jury Finds
Company Refused to Sell
Dealers Who Cut
[SnecinL Correspo pondencel


NORFOLK, Va, Dec. 19.-Colgate &
Co, Of jersey City. one OF the nations
largest and best known msnufsctur-
ers OF soaps. perfumes and toilet
preparations. were indicted to-day by
a Federal grand jury on the charge OF
conspiring 20 restrain trade and 10
throttle competition.
The case is answerabe this term OF
court. and indications point 70 Wig
orous and aggressive prosecution Of
the company for alleged violations or
the law forbidding any act or agree
ment in restraint or monopoly OF
trade.
The case against the company de-
yeioped on charges brought BY certain
local wholesale and retail dealers ham
ding the products of the company who
cut prices Of certain articles manufact-
ured by the concern. When they at
tempted to replenish their stocks they
were met with a fiat refusal Of the Col
gate goods, unless they agreed 10 main
tain prices az fixed scale.
This they refused to do, and com
plant was promptly made 20 Federal
authorities, and it was the complaining
merchants who appeared before the
grand jury to-day.
The Indictment charges that the de-
PENDANTS did, through wholesale and re-
tail dealers, fix the prices at which all
their products should be sold, and that
they refused to sell their products 20
those dealers. wholesale or retail, who
would not agree to sell at the scale Of
prices fixed by the defendant company,
thus suppressing competition and con-
stituting restraint and conspiracy 70
contract the market. Several Of Nor
folks leading retail merchants, It is
said, will be government witnesses.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Wounded Troops
Of Canada in U. S.
Halifax Disaster Forces
Transport to Dock at
American Port

Az ATLANTIC PORT. Dec. IA
British transport. one of the largest
that has come 10 America since the
war began. arrived here to-day with
f.206 Canadian soldiers. some on leave
and others incapacitatcd for further
military service. On board were S05
women and children. part Of the first
$4,000" that rushed to England as soon
as Canada began to send troops abroad.
Congestion in the dock and tide con-
ditions held the troop ship outside her
dock from I q. ~. until 3:i5 p. NJ
when she warped i'm amid the cheering
Of the returning men of Canada.
From stem 10 stern along the star
beard side the various rails of the
gray transport were trimmed with the
olive brown of uniforms, and the entire
forecastlc head was packed with sol
dierS.
Two priyatcs Of the United States
Coast Artillery, assigned TO guarding
the waterfront, attracted the attention
OF the Canadians.
Tell me-" shouted ono Canadian,
whose tan denoted Scotch regiment,
tell me, can we get mug OF ale mere
when we 90 ashore
Sure you can replied ono Of the
coast artillerymen. but we can't"
Tough luck for you. Sam
Part o. the ships passenger compile
ment of 1908 persons, destined for
Halifax, bat shmtcd here because Of
railroad congestion in the stricken
Canadian port. were taken in baTges
to a railroad terminal and sent 10 their
various destinations in the Dominion
on special trains. Only about 700 were
cntrained tonight; the rest remained
aboard until tomorrow.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Price Maintenance
Regarded as Suppression

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -Malnten-
ance by manufacturers or wholesalers
of agreements with retailers 70 sell at
specified prices always has been re-
carded by the Department of Justice
and the Federal Trade Commission as
constituting suppression of competition
and restraint of trade in violation OF
antitrust laws.
The charges against Colgate & Co.,
whose officers were indicted at Norfolk,
are similar TO those in the Paris Medi-
cine Company case, in which the Fed
eral District Court at st. Louis recently
upheld the governments contention
completely and ordered discontinusnce
of resale price practices.
II was found that the medicine com
psny gave extra supplies of patent
medicines without cost to dealers
who entered into agreements to main
tain retail prices at rates prescribed
by the manufacturers. The company
was enjoined from making these agree
ments or even indicating" resale prices
TO dealers.
The court also forbade such evasive
practices as refusing 10 sell 10 dealers
who would not adhere 10 the price
agreement or maintaining any other
sort of selling terms discriminating
against a cut-price dealer.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Place Heard in
West Side Case
N. Y. Central Vice-Presi-
dent Tells of Vast Amount
of Freight Handled

Do. Place v.ce.rrc s.Gcrt Of she
Ncw York Central Railroad COMPANY.
testified Yesterday before the spec.aI
West Side Commission hearing az the
Chambc~ of Commerce. lie also ileo
memorandum of more than 21'OOo
words.
Nr. Place traced the history Of the
entire question from 1876. when the
Hudson River Railroad Company was
incorporated TO build line from New
York City TO Albany.
In the Manhattan area. Mr.. Place
said. the company is handling 80 per
cent Of the Vestbound freight and 80
per cent of the eastbound freight. and
added that 23ia per cent Of all freight
entering the Port Of New York from
tho West comes IN over the Grand Cen
tral lines. The question Of congestion
in Manhattan viii be gone into again
az the hearing this afternoon, wnen
sir. Place viii continue his testimony.
During the discussion Mr. Place said
he believed that a reciprocal agree
ment between the city and the com
many was necessary 10 q satisfactory
solution. He stated that the decision
Of The Court OF Appeals had settled
the question as 20 whether the city
had a right TO oust the company. II
was his opinion that the state would
have a right TO modify but not 20 ter
inmate the company's rights.
William H. Van Bcnschotcn, t1e
chairman Of the commission. to-day
sent a letter TO Mayor-o!ect Hylan
notifying him that the hearings would
be continued. a. Nr. Ilylan had hoped,
after January !. but would be con
cluded in time to allow the commission
10 submit its report on February J..
when u is due.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Christmas Mail To Be
Delivered on Time
Despite Enormous Quantities
Offered, Department Has
Situation Well in Hand

WASHINGTON, Dec. ~. C9Ih'
Wandering Of baggage and mail stor-
age cars by the War Department mas
added 20 the diiIiculties of moving
Christmas mail, but Otto PraegeT, sec.
ond Assistant Postmaster General saio
today that barring q blizzard ana =
Good Of bclatcd packages. u was noped
20 deliver all nolida5 mail By tnrist-
u9s eve.
Never "a the history o. tnH depart
mont had there been eIcn a call on
facilities. The Gyrfagc daily business
since November - has equalled the
Christmas business of 1916, which was
tre larges. eycr known, ard the volume
Of Christmas mail has still further N
creased the amour- ci mail 10 De
handled. Nevertheless. congestion is
ICES now thaa a. .Lo corfcsp bonding
time last -car. "bop q BLIZZARD rade
sport Of al attempts 90 run 'roins. ..
ship early" campaigns have been OF
material benefit in moving tGr.s;M1s
mail. it vas s2.d. and unless great
MANY persons failed to heed such a
warning or the weather develop. OBJ
etacl.s an gifts viii he I'm their own
ers' hands b. next Tucedoy.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
City Club Women
To Aid Childs' Strikers
Several Volunteer After Dis
charged Waitress Tells
Workers Case

Individual members Of the Womcn's
City Club promised yesterday TO join
the strike pickcts in front OF Chllds
restaurants. Their decision was
reached Hftcr a committee from the
club had listened 10 Miss Clara Cary, a
discharged waitress from a Chllds res
taurant At l437 Broadway. present the
case Of the Childs strikers. The meet
ing OF the committee was held at the
Hotel Vanderbilt.
Miss Cary, who said she had been a
waitress for the Childs restaurants
ever since the first one opened, twenty
three years ago. represented three hun
dred women from all departments Of
restaurant work who. she said, have
been refused unemployment by the
Childs company because they struck
for % cents an hour instead of the 20
cents they were receiving.
She also told the committee. which
was headed by Miss Mary Dreier and
Mrs. Clifford Pinchot, that women en-
ployes OF the Childs chain Of lunch
rooms are compelled TO work each day
longer than the law governing women
employment allows. These she said
were scrub women and "silver women"
who cannot speak English and have
been unable 10 demand their legal
rights
"A girl cannot live on the wages
Childs pays" said the waitress. NO
body Is tipping much these days among
our patrons. for the people who est al
Childs are working people. Some Of
the eirls on part time earn only 81
q week
at wouldn't be so bad. though. il
mattresses could serve customers all
the time, for then the tips would
amount something But half our time
is taken up with cleaning. washing the
walls. twisting crullcrs. filling the
sugar bowls"
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Queens Patronage Fight
Embarrasses Hylan; Ip0
States Are in the FIess

Msyor-elcct Hylan has been plss's :
an embarrassing position in res''a "
patronage in Queens. owing TO t* y
tional fight which developed ye''s''"
in the Queens County Democrats "
mittee. The new Mayor will os o.
upon TO decide. so far as he allon -
pointments 10 Queens, between W.
srste and distinct "slstes ifoa y,
Democratic organization Of IN"
ough.
Or. Arthur +. Heating, Of EIn,,. 4,
who was ousted a. Chairman v.as
Queens County committee. was - s.,-,l
be among the leaders who CONT
with Charles F. Murphy a, Delne.s:r, -,
yesterday. One Of the reasols ~
for ousting DR.. Heating nom ,ns ~
manship Of the county eomnls,.- :
that he was ",oo close 20 AufPs!.,,e
is understood that the deposed .s,,,
man will make a hard sight 70 -
the patronage Of his borough, sne
Get a helping hand from the Isn'"
chief. I..s,f
Mayor-elec. Hylan reeelyea 1,,,..
Yesterday from William II. .ss.,
state superintendent Of the ~ ~
loon League. protesting SSsnahs, .
reported Intention Of Judge hy%
appoint Charles J. Liebmsnn' go
known brewer. TO the new ~
Board. Mr.. Anderson said 'a.s-ss
OF the brewers journals sn.'I ~
that Judge Hylsn probably "V
point Mr.. Lehman. IA. ~
Mr.. Anderson declared 'hs' s<ss
propriety Of putting on the .s,sct
Board a man engaged in the 49,
ure Of alcoholic liquor ""
New-York tribune., 1917-12-20
Three Teachers
Ousted; Held
To Be Unfit

ers attempted to run the schools he
would close them up.
Mr. Levy asserted that Dr. Francis
Paul. principal OF De Witt Clinton, on
discovering the Objectionable pupils
letter i'm Mr. Schmalhausen's room had
said. in reference TO Mr.. Schmalhau-
sen, "Now I've got him. and then had
called DR.. Tildslcy 30 start the "inSidi-
Gus prosecution lie charged that Mr.
Whalen. because Of his resentment
toward the resolutions, was disquali-
fed 10 sit as Judge At the trial Of the
teachers"
Dr. Franklin n. GiddinGs. who. with
Mr. Whslen and Miss Olivia Loventritt,
conducted the trial; George ". Win
gate and Arthur S. Somers contcnded
that the evidence was sufficient TO show
the "unfitness" OF the teachers. Dr.
Giddings said Mr.. Schnecrs bibliog-
Iaphy contained many books that could
be claSscd as literature. but they were
selected and recommended a. smutty
iooks."
Professors ". r. Bush. John Dewey,
Carlton II. Hayes. W. =. Montague.
Thomas Reed Powell. J. II. Robinson
and David Sneeden, Of Columbia Uni
NtlNIt4s dUN ] IOAtNNbIe ". IA. NoUtlf
A. j. Goldfarb, y. p Mead. II. 4. Over
street and J. 7. Turner, Of City Col
lego, sent joint letter TO the board
asking that the cases Of the teachers
be delayed. on the ground that the real
cause Of the charges "is found in in
tcrnal friction in the administration
Of the Dc Witt Clinton High School" 4"
President Wilcox. in conycning the
board. said:
"The main question before US is
whether these teachers may be trusted
TO exert positive influence in the
classroom and in the schools to instill
in their pupils loyal and patriotic sup
port OF the American government in
the prosecution OF the war. or whether
they are lacking in this vital qualfca-
tion for teaching in our public schools
during this crisis
The Teachers Union announced that
it would fight the dismissals in the
civil courts