davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
Eight Steamships, Instead
of Five, Destroyed by Ger
man Subs Off Irish Coast,
Surviving Officer Says.

Halifax, n. S., Sept. 24---The Brit
ish steamship virginian of 6,827 tons,
formerly. the Allan line transatlantic
passenger trader, is said to have been
one of the victims Of the massed at
tack by German submarines on a con-
voyed fleet OF British vessels off the
Irish coast early this month. Per-
sons arriving at an American port on
Saturday brought word of this attack, !,
their statements setting forth that five
merchantmen and two conveying de-
stroyers were sunk.
An officer on a steamship now In
Halifax said that eight steamships, IN
cIuding his own, and not five, were
DESTROYED, and that the Virginfan, ser
iously damaged and in sinking con-
dftion, managed to make the beach.
The officer was unable to say definite
ly whether any U boats were sunk by
destroyers as reported previously.
1--WE were scattered over quite an
area and our ship had. her own
troubles in getting away" he said.
serhe destroyers were busy, however,
and am quite sure some OF them got
what they were aiming at.
In August, 1914, the Virg1n1an was
one of the first steamships to sail from
Liverpool with Americans returning
from European war zones. The ves-
sci was one of the steamships which
responded to the Titanic's wireless
calls for aid, but arrived too late to be
of assistance.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
GERMAN ANSWER
EvAS|vE, THINKS
BRITISH PRESS
"Moral and Political Cow
ardice" in Note, Says
Guardian.

London, Sept. 24.-The Manchester
Guardian considers that the German
reply is not strictly an answer to the
pope appeal for peace. The Guard
ian says:
I'VE are sorry to say 1t. but we fird
a good deal of moral and political
cowardice in the note. There was
only one way by which Germany
could convince the world of the sin
cerity of her return to the humani-
ties, and that was by explaining why
she deserted them and what atone
ment she meant to offer. That would
have been the brave thing tc do, but
Germany hasn't done it,
The Guardian considers that the
note shows how far the education OF
the German rulers has progressed in
the hard school of facts; If not, thc
principles and language of the note
indicated that the rulers have beer
forced to pay marked Difference to the
views of the reichstag. The Guard
ian, drawing the conclusion that Ger
many'is rulers desire peace with q
passionate intensity, declares:
1--WE must help the German people
SO far as it is possible for US, in theil
struggle with their government" ane
concludes: "But we must beware. oi
raising the hopes of the forces of the
enemy by using the language that will
| help the government to identify itsel
with the interests of the people whicr
| they SO shamefully mismanaged.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
Government to Fix
Steel Prices Today

washington. Sept. 24-Steel prices
agreed upon between the government
and producers were announced today
as follows. Steel bars at Pittsburgh
and Chicago $3.50 per hundredweight.
Recent price was $5.50-
Other prices agreed upon, all sub
ject to revision Jan. 1. 1918, but to
become effective Immediately, follow:
Iron ore, basis, lower lake ports,
price agreed upon, $5.o5 gross ton No
change
Coke, ConneIlsvilIe, price agreed
upon IS net ton; recent price SIS a
ton; reduction of 62.5 per cent.
Steel plates: Basis Chicago and
Pittsburgh: Price agreed upon 1925
hundredweigfat; recent price $11 hun
dredweight; a reduction OF 7o.5 Per
cent.
Pig iron price agreed upon $500
gross ton; recent price $500 per ton
IA reduction OF 43.1 per cent.
Steel bars: Pittsburgh and Chicago
basis: Price agreed upon $3.50 per
hundredweight; recent price $3.50
hundredweight; a reduction of 47.s
per cea4.
Steel shapes: Basis Chicago and
Pittsburgh; price agreed upon s3.oC
hundredweight; recent price s6.oC
jhundredwsight; a. reduction of SO PEI
cent.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
RUSSIANS, IN OFFENSIVE
DRIVE ON RIGA FRONT.
CAPTURE GERMAN POST
Gain Position in Sector Of
Silzer1le After Fierce
Struggle -Teutons Leave
400 Dead on Battle Field.

Petrograd. Sept. 2ARussian forces
on the Riga front, in the region
south Of the Pskof high road. yes
terday took the offensive and after
fierce strusgle occupied the German
positions in the sector Of siizen1e, Ia
Russian war Office announced today.
The Germans sustained severe
losses and left 400 dead on the battle
field. The Russians took 60 prisoners
and 10 machine guns. The text of the
statement reads:
! Northern front: In the Riga
religion, south of the Pskoff high road,
our detachments initiating an attack
occupied, after a fierce struggle, the
enemy positions in the sector of Sill.
zeme, one mile northeast of Spitaliti-
merman. The enemy losses were Sc
were, and on the battlefield we found
more than 400 dead. We captured
60 prisoners and 10. machine guns.
General SokolNv was wounded in
the head by a shrapnel splinter"
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
Emperor William Visits
Rumanian Battle Fields

London. Sept. 24.-Emperor VIII
liam, says a despatch from Amstee.
dam to Reuters Limited. has visited
the battle fields in Rumania and IN.
spected the troops which participates
in the campaign in Pennsylvania and
Rumania in the autumn of 1916.
troops are now in the Moldavfa bat
tie front. Addressing the troops EN-
peror William pointed out the world
wide historical Importance of this
fighting, which he said was also of
great importance economically for
the homelands. The emperor con-
cluded with the declaration that if
war was to continue it was not the
Germans fault.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
BRILLIANT AERIAL
ACHIEVEMENTS BY
LIEUT.. LUFBERY

Somewhere on the French
Front. Saturday. Sept. 22-tBy
the Associated Press) II Lieut..
Raou1 Lufbery, of Wallingford,
Conn.,, one of the most prominent
members of the Lafayette flying
corps, continued his brilliant aerial
exploits today when he destroyed
one German machine and forced
another to land near the front
lines.
Sergeant Kennth Marr of San
Francisco, was attacked by four
German machines and was forced
to land when the wires controll-
ing the elevating planes of his
airplane were cut by bullets.
The members of the Lafayette
squadron witnessed a fight over
their own field this morning when
a French flyer of another squad
ron forced down a German ma
chine, which crashed to earth
about q mile away.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24

and possibly discharge.
One day the freight handlers asked
for five to ten cents day more than
they were getting. It was refused
and they walked out. The New Haven
failed to compromise.
From that day to the present, the
road has been paying nearly double
to move every ton of freight Ex-
perienced freight handlers have gone
to the factories where they get much
more than in the freight sheds, the
New Haven had recourse to out-of-
town talent
The talent wouldn't come, however,
without guarantees. First. those who
would consent to leaving their water
front roosts or box seat in a saloon,
demanded daily pay. Also they must
be guaranteed their dinners. Lodging
must be provided.
Now the New Haven maintains a
free boarding house for it's men, who
must be recruited twice a week or
oftener, owing to frequent desertfons
1t also buys their dinners. Further
more, it pays them more than the
strikers were getting two years ago.
The company is hard put to it,
now. 1t is offering all sorts of in
| ducements to men. Free meals, free
| iOuSliiSS, anu 9o!oV d -Osdy are De1HG
promised men on the streets if they
will come to work, according to some
who have responded
/ How many thousand of dollars 0e
l New Haven road has lost in the last
| two years through its shortsighted-
ness two years ago may beg uessed
4 from the fact that every ton of
freight moved IN those two years cost
more than formerly. Twice as many
men have had to be employed to move
half as much freight, and the bosses
never knew who their help would be
tomorrow.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
MEXICAN INSURRECTOS' COINS
BEING TURNED into BAR SILvER
AT HANDY & HARTMAN Refinery

Authorities on silver claim that
aside from the Mexican situation there
has been a small but steady decline
in the production of silver during the
last decade, a ssnrinkage which now
amounts to about 40.000,000 ounces a
year. The worlds annual production
of silver is now well below 200, ,000, 900
ounces. -
India has been called the Sponge
Of Silver because her people are so
fond OF this metal. They use IT for
currency, in their religion and in their
arts and crafts. India has many
things which the world needs at pres
emit and her people demand that they
be paid in silver and refuse to accept
anything but silver. Most OF 1t disap-
pears from circulation.
During the last 30 months, TIE Brit
ish government has taken more than
20,000,000 pounds of silver for India.
The Allied troops in western France
have demanded that they be paid in
metal, which means silver. This is
because paper currency. due to con-
fiicting exchanges, has been found Ina
practical for soldiers. Minting more
silver coins for the payment Of sol
diers, naturally adds to the shortage
Ol lAS DAT IH6tdl. Ifl0 On1LGQ states
government is already demanding
large quantities Of silver bullion for
coins for the soldiers who are sen,
abroad.
Strikes growing out Of the I. W. w
agitations in the West have injuued
not only the mining of silver but Its
refining and transportation as well.
It is said that the entrance of China
into the war will have a tremendous
effect upon the silver market as China
is the only large Independent nation
with a silver standard and the wal
loans and taxes which must be levied
will cause an enormous drain on sill
YER
With all the other reasons taken
into consideration, one of the chie1
causes for the shortage Of silver is
the boarding of coins of this metal
by people everywhere. This is par
/ ticular1y true in the Central Allies
where, 1t is said, the people are be-
ginning to fear the stability of their
governments.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24

Hundreds Of thousands Of Mexican
silver dollars, many OF which no doubt
have lain in the pockets of insurrectos
and been present at tnnumerable
bloody scenes. are being melted into
bar silver at the Handy& Harman
Co.'s plant in this city. There is a
growing shortage of silver and a con-
stant increase in price in this metal.
With bar silver at a fraction more
than 100 per cent, the value of the
metal now far exceeds the exchange
value of the Mexican dollar which is
about 81 cents. 1t is estimated that
about 1.000,0o Mexican silver dollars
have been converted into bullion since
the value of the latter began to climb
several months ago. Handy & Har-
man Co. is one of the two concerns
in this country that do this work.
The Mexican silver dollar is easily
converted into, bar silver for use in
/ this country as it is $4,000 fine and
little pure silver needs to be added
with It to bring fl to 925.10o0. the
standard Of sterling silver.
Tableware from Mexican silver dol
lars is by no means a novelty as there
are many who will recall the thin
~e~~'A~AOAAe~NSAS
ago which were made from Mexican
currency.
During the last Is months silver
ware has doubled in value and SO per
cent. of this increase has taken place
since the United States entered the
war.
The advance on silver is due to war
conditions and silver brokers predict
that it will continue to rise in value
until these conditions cease to exist.
| The causes for the rise in the value
| OF silver are varied and interesting
! All nations are boarding gold as this
metal must form the basis of credit
exptnsion for financing the war. With
gold withdrawn from circulation. sill
yer must act as the principal medium
of exchange.
Mexico has been one Of the worlds s
chief source Of supply of silver. but
due to the internal troubles of the last
five years, there has been. great re-
duction In the amount of silver mined
in that country.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
U. S. SOLDIERS
ENCAMPED NEAR
FIGHTING LINES
Working Continuously in
Zone Covered by Ger
man Guns.
TWO OF NUMBER. ARE
ALREADY WOUNDED
Several Believed to Have
"Gone Over Top" With
. British Troops.

Somewhere Along the British
Front in France. Sunday, Sept. "a
(By the Associated Press)-On a. his
toric battlefield which merges into
the fighting lines are encamped many
Am merican troops, far removed from
the rest of their compatriots who
form the vanguard Of Uncle Sans ex-
peditionary force in France.
For military reasons it iy impossi-
BILE to tell the world just where these
men are, who they are or what they
are doing to further the interests Of
the Allied cause. but it may be said
on authority to friends at home that
they are a credit to the Stars and
Stripes which for the first time in his
tory flies over camp Of American
soldiers in this part of the war-wreck-
ed world.
Some Of them have been working
continually in a zone covered by Ger
man guns and already two of their
number have been wounded, fact
whereof they are exceedingly proud.
The Associated Press heard these
men were here and sought them out
The visit involved long motor trip
but the sight of their bronze faces
and the sound of their cheerful de-
| fO1CSS I1lOIS IAdh ISpdIu lOI
the long journey. They are a fine
healthy looking Iots and nearly two
months of hard work in the open un-
dear real campaigning conditions has
put them in shape and they are ready
for anything.
Especially are they prepared and
anxious to- try issues with the Ger
mans. In fact their only grievance il
that for the present they are not per-
| nitted, except where necessity de:
mands, to expose themselves to the
enemy's big guns. They want to fee
the thrill that one experiences wher
explosives are going up all about and
when shells herald their approach
across No Mans land with a wicked
whine which gives notice that in 8
fraction of g. minute deadly bits o.
ragged steel wfH be flying in all dt
rections,
In fact, until a stringent order wa.
| issued recently the American officers
had a hard time keeping their mei
! out of the British front line trenches
It Is said that more than one American
| soldier has crept off when off dut.
and few men making friends witt
the ''Tommies" have taken thei
places beside them for few glorfou
minutes while a minor battle was pro
| crossing.
| 1t would have been unwise. per
| haps, for the correspondent TO in
quire too closely whether any Of tn
American officers had done thei
| bit,' in this manner. Nevertheless
| the correspondent >had grave suspic
| ions that some of them had been love
the. top with their allies in days be
| fore orders forbade 1t. However
] they are good discip1inarians and no
body is disregarding the edicts which
have been issued by the higher com
nand,- although the sound of the ar
tiuery brings a wistful look into thei
| eyes.
Continued ON Page s.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24


for the winter from the palatial shed
they have been occupying on the
waterfront to frame house near Wa
ter and Drouve streets, are demand
ing $3.50 a day in addition to their
food and lodging, and as the road will
not pay the stipulated amount, there
has been a freight tie-up here. NO
Bridgeport freight was moved over
the weekend.
In the effort to offset the shortage
of help, the company offered a bonus
last week. After gang had moved
40 tons Of freight, % cents a ton
would be paid the gang for <every
extra ton moved. A gang consists
ordinarily Of four truckers and a
checker or tallyman. Thus, the 28
cents would be isplit five ways. The
bonus didn't solve the problem.
The New Haven road prior to the
strike of last week was spending be-
tween 40 and SO cents ton to move
freight. Two years ago it paid about
26 cents a ton.
The answer is this. Two years ago
the road had an organization for
moving freight in Bridgeport. Under
the guidance of men who knew some
thing of the freight business the local
Offices were competing successfully
with other cities on the line. It had
a force of freight handlers mostly
Irfsh-Americans, Russians and Poles
who had been working there long
enough to know how to handle freight
which in it's way is as much an art
as driving au automobile these
men were moving anywhere from sc
to 10 tons of freight per gang pei
day, depending on the efficiency o.
fthe gang. Any checker whose
I.gang'' failed to move more than 81
tons a day was due for a repriman6
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
That is Claim of Former Al
derman, Who Figured in
Merger of Two Bridgeport
Companies When Pledge
Was Made, He Declares,
That Never More Than
One Five Cent Fare
Should Be Charged With
in Limits of the City.

There is an implied contract
between the trolley company
serving Bridgeport and the
City Of Bridgeport, that there
will always be one fare of no
more, than five cents, from city
limit to city limit.
This is the contention of Attorney
William II. O'Hara, whose offices are
in the Newfield Building who was
member of the Board of Aldermen,
in the early ZOOS, when the consolida-
.tion of the Bridgeport street railway
lines was affected, and the nucleus OF
the Connecticut Railway & Lighting
Co.. owned by the u. q. l., was begun.
said Mr.. O'Hara this morning: 1T
SIS the duty of the executive and the
city attorney to bring immediately
IA petition to the Public Utilities Com
mission, estoppfng the operation OF
the six cent fare on the lines Of the
Connecticut Company.
Ell the city government declines to
do it's duty, then committee OF ten
ritizens should bring the petition
am sure that in such an action the
best legal talent OF Bridgeport would
be furnished without charge. to hight
the case"
Mr.. O'Hara believes that the city
has a ground OF action even stronger
than its right to have rate that viii
provide no more than, g. fair return
upon the value OF the property ems
ployed for the public.
at was" said the counsellor, today
"a member of the Board of Aldermen
---Nen the two street railway compan-
les. one ON the East and one on the
-. s,ideGof the city, were consolt-
dated. Each company charged IT.
scwn fare 1t was of the utmost con.
cern. what fare was TO be charged 4
these two companies should be con.
solidated into one. AS member o1
the board talked the matter over
personally with the late Andrew
Radel and the late Col. N. H Heft
and remember distinctly that there
was an understanding for one fars
from city limit to city limit. II tht
city would give its consent to ths
,conso1idation. There has always beer
one fare. one five cent fare. The cit1
has contractual right to the connnu'
ance Of this fare; has it under any OF
all circumstances. Has it whether i
is profitable or II not profitable
when should action be brought :,
'TmmediateIy. The city should
move now. Notice that the rate viii
take effect In posted in all the car
of the Connecticut Company. The pc
tition should be presented before thu
fare is collected. This should estoI
the collection of the fare until thu
case is determined.
s.If the company should attempt t.
collect the six cents while the rat
case is pending, recourse might b'
had to the courts for an injunction
The city should move and move now
not to protest, but to require In tn
strictly legal way the city's rights un
<Iay- fha law
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
BARREL OF DYE,
LONG LOST NETS
HUGE PROFIT NOW

lincoln, N. H., Sept. GA bar
rel OF German red dye, hidden
away I'm a stock room of a local
paper company since its purchase
three years ago for $50, while war
conditions boosted its value, has
been sold to New York, concern
for IS, 600, it became known today.
The paper company's plant re-
Gently was sold and the new own
ers found the barrel and put it on
the market.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
MAYOR mitchell
WANTS RECOUNT
OF PRIMARY VOTE

New York, Sept. 24.-The apphca-
ton Of Mayor Mitchell for a recount
OF the vote in the Republican primary
last Wednesday was presented in the
supreme court here to-day before JUS
tice Cohalan, who said he would sign
the order. Council for William M.
Bennett, whom the mayor defeated by.
small margin on the face of the re-
turns, and counsel for the board OF
elections both entered formal consent
to the recount
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
Quantities of Provisions
Fall Into German Hands

Berlin, Sept. "a. via London
General Won Ludendorff announces
in the official German statement IS
sued today that rich quantities of
provisions, including bread and flour,
fell into the hands of the Teutons
when they captured the Russian
town of Jacobstadt, on the Dvina
river, last week.
The statement says that the Bri-
tish troops made no fresh attacks
Yesterday on the Flanders front.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
Camp jackson, Columbia, S

Camp jackson. Columbia, ST. c.,
Sept. 24-Fourteen Cherokee Indians
from North Carolina accompanied by
two exemption board members to ex-
plain their status have arrived to serve
in the national army. The Indians
have separate schools and associated
with neither white people nor negroes.
Another contingent of 25 is expected
.TuesdaE
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
Old MERGER AGREEMENT
MAY COMPEL CONN, co. TO
GIVE. CITY 5 CENT Fare
BRIDGEPORT VOTING LISTS TO.
BE MUCH SHORTER Than LAST
YEAR, REGISTRARS DISCOVER

ed in all districts and the registrars
have now started to work in the 18th.
Work this year is far behind. Regis
trar Lounsbury declares stormy
weather and frequent changes OF ad-
dresses are to blame.
Applications for those who would
be made voters will be received up
to s o'clock Oct. 15. Voters will be
made Oct. 20 and Oct. %. from 8 a.
M to D. m.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24

Fewer voters will be on the Bridge
port lists this year than last. the
registrars have discovered.
Registrar William Lounsbury said
today that while more than 10000
were recorded last year, the 1917
mark will fall below 10000 because
many of the newly y-made voters of
1916 stayed here not much later than
election time.
The city census has been complet-
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
LEAD WORKERS FEAST
plumbers.

Master plumbers. journeymen
plumbers and sheet metal workers
patched up any differences that might
heretofore have existed between them
during the past when they met in har-
mony and concord on Saturday last
at Forest Grove park. The usual clam
spazeE andrgames1yere- sn5gysds !,
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
EXPLOSION KILLS SO
I'm GERMAN MINES

Amsterdam, Sept. 24.-Budapest
dispatches printed IN German news
papers arriving here tell of an explo-
sion in the Lubenz coal mines. Fifty
nine persons were killed and 65 in
Ijured.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24

The New Haven roads star boarders acquired years
ago when policy of penury prevented the grant
ing Its freight handlers five ten cents day
strike and result not freight in the
Whiting street house since Friday afternoon
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-24
STRIKE BREAKING
FREIGHT HANDLER
Cause TIE-uP HERE

Free Meals and Change of Free Apartments Fail to Sat
isfy Men Who Struck Last Week-Road Generously
Offers to Split % Gents Bonus Among Five Men
Thousands of Dollars Lost in Two Years Through
Policy of Penury.