davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
German Line Disappears
in Gigantic Explosion
Before British Drive


LONDON, juno S.-All the special cor
respondents at the front, in their descrip-
tons of the Messines battle, feature the
tremendous explosion of mEcs which pre-
ceded the British advance. THE earth
,uened and the German line disappeared''
is one terse description
Every writer likeas the effect on the
surrounding terrain to an earthquake One
saws that the hill on which he stood shook
like Jelly Another who says the explosive
used was amino, writes:
I'VE saw what might have been the
doors thrown open in front of a number
Of colossal blast furnaces. They appeared
IN pafrs in threeS and successive singles
and with each blast the earth shook and
shiyered beneath our feet 1t is worse
than an earthquake said some one who
had known ore Of the worst earthquakes.
ThundercIouds of smoke rose in solid form
10 immense heights from Hill 60. from
Wytschaete wood and other places, and
while our eyes were full of the Spectacle
a thousand guns opened fire. The air
shook as the earth shook. and where earth
and air met incredible explosions seemed
20 rend the world until we appeared part
OF some cosmic revolution.
Familiar Landscapes Vanish.
1--WE saw familiar landscapes. already
.Iowed and narrowed by the war, van
,sh or assume grotesquc shapes. Hill
so went up in fine dust"
The correspondents agree in anticj-
Eating desperate counter attacks. They
g.y the Germans are maSSing vast
forces and intimate that the battle has
only begun.
,r5o Pritish losses In yesterdays AT :
tack in Belgium were light, according
- an Official announcement issued here
today.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08

A floor fourteen feet square might be
covered with a single ounce of gold
leaf
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08

said they believed that 70 20 thfo0Gf
the form Of registration would b u
condone war.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
Enemy Takes No Alarm.

This nightly "strafing" had been
going on for so long that the enemy
considered it entirely normal and took
no alarm. Occasionally blue and yell
low rockets would be flung into the air
by Germans holding the front line The
Germans are always so prodigious In
their use of illuminants that the Brit
ish never bother about such details in
the trenches, leaving all this very un-
necessary but somewhat boring work
to the. enemy. The nights are very
short in these northern European lati-
tudes, and dawn comes at q very early
hour 1t was just after half-past 2
O'Clock that the British guns began to
cease fire, as if the nightly demonstra-
ton of hate" was ended. To those
strange silence had the same meaning
as a similar period of quietude just be
fore the battle of Arras broke into
flaming fury two months ago.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08

that they came from the explosion Of
mines.
From London to the region where
the British mines were exploded along
tho German front the distance ranges
from 100 to 140 miles.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
Hill go Destroyed.

Hill 60. of evil renown. always the
nearest menace to Ypres. went up with
Of hundreds and hundreds Of tons Of
secret explosive compound. The
mining plans had been so great and so
carefully made that the British knew
that even If they did not affect the
strategy of the situation they would
at least materially change geography.
However. both strategically and geo
graphically the assaults were vic
forionS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
Gunners Stripped to Waist.

1t was day Of intense heat. and the
gunners worked stripped to the waist.
The attack went forward with clock
like regularity. The British casualties
casualties were reported to be walking
cases. who would return to duty in a
few days.
The victory was a tribute to the
British army commanded by Gen. Sir
Herbert C. C. Plumer. This army has
had the defense of the famous Ypres
salient ever since the salient was
created. The army has sat in the
shadow during the brilliant phases Of
the Somme and Arras offensives, but at
last has come into it's own.
The preparations for the show had
been made carefully and deliberately.
Every detail was worked out down to
| the last-minute detail of the itinerary
| of each of the tanks. The. tanks. by
the way, had a field day.
The attack began at dawn and the
| setting was as picturesque as can well
be imagined. The day before had been
was series of thunderstorms. ~3ich
| extended well into the night, the Mt
ming mingling with the flashes oil. the
guns, but the thunder being virtually
unnoticed amid the din of the cannon.
A full moon struggled continuously to
break through the heavy clouds which
scudded across the yelvety night sky.
Familiar Pictures OF War.
On the way to the front were all the
familiar pictures of the war-endless
trains of motor trucks. all varieties of
horse transport, including old limbers
and wagons which had been handed
down from civil war days: the British
soldiers marching to battle, light of
heart and singing songs familiar in
every American community. The steel
shrapnel hats are uncommonly hot, so
in last nights humidity most of the
soldiers were tramping along bare
headed, loath to don this impeachment
until compelled to do SO by proximity
to threatening shells.
In the shadow of an old windmill
which has withstood the storms of a
century and been undaunted by nearly
three years Of war the correspondent
witnessed the last phases of the seven
day preliminary bombardment and the
final outburst of the guns which sent
the British infantry confidently
their way to new successes in fighting
the greatest military nation the world
has ever known. The guns were fash
ing all along the tcn-mile front at mid
night, just they had been flashing
for week past. From the German
line the same lazy. looping rocket sig
nails were ascending to illuminate the
treacherous bit of ground between the
trenches. known as no mans land.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
Howitzer Breaks Silence.

One by one the guns became silent.
There was the old grandmother" how
itZer of enormous caliber which kept
breaking the peace at fve-minute in
teryals, the shock OF each succeeding
explosion and the shrek of the heavy
shells being emphasized by The silence
which lay over all the surrounding
country In this silence could also be
heard an ominous sound which hitherto
had been completely submerged In the
roar of the British guns 1t was a
spitefuI swish and spit of the German
shrapnel breaking above the British
battery positions.
After the British guns had been still
twenty minutes or SO even this sound
ceased. the German gunncrs evidently
considering they had effectually 81
fenced all the opposing batteries. For
about ten minutes the silence became
intensely oppressive. In the east
streaks of dawn were showing pale
through riffs in the storm clouds which
lurked along the horizon in all direc-
lions.
High in the heavens the full moon
struggled for supremacy over the thin
veil of clouds which all but hid the
less brilliant stars. Somewhere in the
distance cock crowed, strange
sound to be heard in the very storm
center Of the world. Then followed the
clang Of the triangle-an alarm that
enemy gas shells were about. The old
grandmother howitZer was again main
tanning at least a semblance of hate"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
Great Observation Value.

Messines ridge is a low-lying prom
)ontory extending along the greater part
Of yesterdays lighting front. 1t is an
Insignificant bit Of ground. to look at
from below. At it's greatest height 1t
rises barely seventy meters above sea
level. The surrounding country is SO
low and fiat, however, that Messines
had an observation value virtually In
calculable It was a position which
dominated the northern half of the
British line in the west. and no opera
lions of a large character could De
planned without its possession.
Seventy meters is not a great height,
but when you have been sitting at
twenty and thirty meters, with the
enemy looking down at you and pour
ing shot and shell necessarily about
you, possession of the higher ground
means a victory of supreme impor-
lance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
GERMANS WEAKLY
ATTACK THE BRITISH

CONTINUED from First Page.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
AL Deviltries Used.

Yesterdays attack was accompanied
| by all the arts and deviltries of latter
| day war The enemy guns and gun
crews had been bathed for days In gas
shells sent owed by the lonS-range
British guns. The night was filled with
red incendiary flame. Shells that
spurted molten metal in surging
streams of golden rain crashed in ap-
palling numbers about the heads of the
defending soldiers. High explosives
and shrapnel fire was carried out with
such rapidity that the very earth
writhed under the force of the attack.
Mines that had taken two years to
dig and fill with an overwhelming ex-
plosive broke into an avalanche OF
flaming destruction in the half light OF
dawn. This was indeed an Tyres day
of retaliation and victory for the vi
cious sufferings OF two years and eight
months
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08

Even the best and most broad-minded of US, if
live constantly place. meet the people, and
pursue the same round of daily duties and pleasures,
ant to become parocha to miss the wide sweep of the
Winds of thought and progress that blow about the earth
Thus situated we need some mental tonic some invig
Grating stimulus from without to bring into harmony
with the onward march of events And such tonic such
vitalzing stimulus every of may obtain in THE
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-08
Leaping Masses of Flame.

Day was scarcely breaking when
from the dimly visible ridge a score of
fiery volcanoes seemed suddenly to
spring from the earth. The night had
been filled with strange noises, and
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Bank Feels Confidence
In Future of Russia

Confidence in the ability of the Rus
sian people 20 bring their country out
Of its present condition of political
and economic chaos has induced the
management Of the National Bank of
Commerce in New York TO send "A COM
mission to Petrograd. II was stated by
officials of that Institution yesterday.
The banks representatives. includ-
ing L. G.. Hutchins. jr., senior vice
president; II. z. Barrand, assistant
cashier in the foreign department, and
several assistants, have already left
for the Pacific Coast. They will sail
from Vancouver within a few days.
They will spend some time in Japan
and go from there to Russia, where
they will remain from two to three
months. Prior TO the return trip they
will spend considerable time in the
Scandinavian countries.
I'VE are firm believers in Russia's
future" said an officer of the bank
yesterday. Eve think that Russia will
emerge from the war an awakened ma
tion. While there may be government
tai changes from time 10 time. il is
our belief that Russia eventually will
take her place alongside the United
States as a sister republic. The men
our bank is sending to Petrograd will
look over the ground in Russia and
will endeavor to establish actual COM
mercial relations with the largest
banking firms and houses in Russia
supplementing those which have been
established in recent years.
II could not be learned yesterday
whether the National Bank of Com
merce intends to open branches in
Russia.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Can. Car & Foundry
Earns Net Profit,
Despite Troubles

The Canadian Car e. Foundry Com
pany, Limited, which encountered seri-
Gus difficulties in fulfilling n contract
with the Russian government for sS3,-
OOO, 1000 worth Of shells and shrapnel, =,
and whose plant at Kingsland. y. j.,
was destroyed early this year, issued
its annual report yesterday covering
operations in the twelve months ended
September 30 last. After charging Off
all expenditures for maintenance and
renewals Of plant and equipment gross
profits were sl,292.1O5, compared with
1921 $40 in the corresponding period
Of 1915. After deductions for bond in
tercst net profits aggregated s353,25C,
compared with a deficit of s55S,57l in
the previous year.
The directors announced that the
money advanced 20 the New York
agency OF the company for use in
carrying out the Russian she'll con-
tracts has been returned and that
profits tnerefrom will be included in
the statement for the current fiscal
year.
Untitled orders on the books Of the
company NJ the present time aggregate
value Of S23,500,000,
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Federal Sugar
Pays Dividend on
Common Stock
Expected Fight on Spreck-
els Management May Not
Materialize

Directors Of the Federal Sugar Com
panv by declaring a dividend OF -
per cent on the common stock yester-
day gave an unexpected twist to the
contest for proxies to be voted at the
stockholders meeting, on June 10
Minority interests in the company
headed by Clarance Mackay. vlce-pres-
ident and n director, according to re-
port recently published, intended TO
make a fight to oust the present man
agemen. headed by Claus A. Spreckels,
chiefly because of the delay in resum-
ing dividends on the common Stock
which were discontinued in 1872.
The minority interests argued that
the common stockholders were justly
entitled to share in the prosperity
which the company is known to be
cniovinc. although it has adhered to
the policy of making no public state
ment of its earnings, the adoption OF
which caused its securities in 1913 to
he stricken from the New York Stock
Exchange list.
The answer made By Mr. Spreckels
70 the criticism of the management was
that the directors we're opposed to re-
suming disbursements on the common
stock until this issue could be placed
on a permanent dividend basis. At the
same time Mr.. Srreckels stated that
the management had paid for all i'm
movements out of the earnings and
set up working capital which would
enable the company 20 go through un-
settled periods without risk.
In view OF Mr. Spreckels's recent re-
marks. it is inferred in Wall Street
that the Federal Sugar directors now
feel confident of the ability of the COM
pany to continue the payment OF dlvi-
dends on the common stock. Whether
this action will be satisfactory to the
Mackay faction and put an end to the
fight for control of the coming meeting
Of stockholders is a question not yet
answered.
In anv event. the stockholders. it is
said. will be asked to authorize the
board of directors to resume the prac-
tice Of making full and complete dis,
closures of tie company's financial
condition. Ever since the war started
the company has been a heavy exporter
of sugar TO the Allies. One contract
for 10000 tons was closed last fall,
presumably with Great Britain. Ship
ments we're completed last March.
The dividend just declared is payable
June - to stock of record May 29.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Dividends

Railway Steel Spring. quarterly
dividend of IA per cent on the common
stock payable June 80 TO stock Of record
June 10. and regular quarterly dividend of
ia per cent on the preferred stock, payable
Juns % TO stock Of record June D.
l.. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.-Regulsr
quarterly dividend of Az per cent on the
common stock. payable June 10 to stock Of
dend Of ! !, per cent on the debenture stock.
payable July % to stock of record July 10.
T.. I. du Pont de Nemours Powder Co.
Regular quarterly y per cent on the COM
mon and = per cent on the preferred, both
payable August ! to stock of record July 2l.
Ia Belle Iron Works.-Regular quarterly
dividends OF per cent on the preferred. !
per cent on the common and an extra Of ,
per cent on the common stocks, all payable
June 30 TO stock of record June 10.
Ohio Cities Gas.-Regular quarterly dv-
dend of Ia per cent on the preferred stock,
payable July to stockholders Of record
June IS.
American Sumatra Tobacco.-lnitial div-
dend Of ! per cent on the common stock.
payable August IS TO stock Of record August
!. and regular semi-annual dividend of 3i2
per cent the preferred stock. payable
September | TO stock of record August is.
Sears, Roebuck & Co. Regular quarterly
preferred stock, payable July to stock OF
record June 10.
Pierce Manufacturing. Regular quarterly
dividend of - share ard an extra of S25.
payable June ].
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Hooking Valley Ry.
Reports Big Gains
Net Income for 1916 Shows
Increase of S2.9 Per
Cent

The Hooking Valley Railway Com
pany, in its report for 1916, issued
yesterday, shows total operating reve-
nues of SS,2OO,i19, an increase of ST.
75s.975, or 2L3 per cent over 1915.
Net operating revenue amounted to
S5,597 .8S9. an increase of S1,525,O26,
or 37.4 per cent. Net income after
all charges amounted TO Sl,376,l26. an
increase of s29 per cent over 1918.
George W. Stevens, president, said
that the revenue coal and coke tom
mage was 8,290,499 tons, an increase
of 35.7 per cent: other revenue freight
tonnage was 3.76S SAL tons, an increase
of 25.6 per cent. Total revenue tonnage
was 13,059,340 tons. an increase of 32.6
per cent. Freight revenue WAS Sc,
681,2 ,262. an increase Of 29.7 per cent.
Freight train mileage was l,365,54
miles. an increase Of l1.5 per cent
Revenue ton miles were l,644.l53,Tl7,
an increase of 3l.1 per cent. Ton mile
revenue was 4.06 mills. a decrease of
l2 per cent Revenue per freight
train mile was Si.S93. an increase Of
l0.5 per cent. Revenue tonnage per
train mile was 1,204 tons, an increase
of ll.6 per cent, including company's
freight. the tonnage per train mile
was 1 ,237 tons, an increase Of 1l.3 per
cent. Tonnage per locomotive. includ-
ing company's freight. was l,045 tons,
an increase Of 10l per cent. Revenue
tonnage per loaded car was 40.i tons.
an increase of 5.s per cent. Tons Of
revenue freight carried one mile per
mile of road we're 1894 ,S99 an in
crease Of 3l.4 per cent.
There were l,763,Sll passengers car
red. an increase of 2.1 per cent The
number of passengers carried one nile
was i7,226,930. an increase of 10 per
cent Passenger revenue was S917,-
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01

Wall Street sentiment underwent
no important change over the holi-
day. The days stock market per-
formance was in many respects a
repetition of what occurred on Tues
day. There was a big, broad mar
ket, with rising prices in the indus
trial department early in the day
giving way to reaction downward at
the close. Dealings again exceeded
a million shares. There have been
a number of sessions in which trad
ing has touched million shares or
more since the current movement
began, and yet the Street has shown
no undue excitement. Broad markets
have become thing to be expected.
Just at the present stocks seem to
te rising, not because of any par
ticularly favorable news, but be-
cause sentiment among the profess
SIGNALS has undergone turn for the
better. Over the holiday nothing
unusual happened in the way of
news, although the further reduc-
ton in the shipping loss through the
German submarine campaign was
favorably construed. Reports from
Pussia do not appear so satisfactory
as those which were coming through
a week and a half ago, but seem
ingly they are being disregarded as
a marketwise factor. Traders are
still confining their attention largely
t. the industrial shares, and United
States Steel common again led the
ca"ly rise, mounting TO a new high
record at 1868, and falling back to
Il close of 134B, where it showed a
net gain of "a. More than a quar-
ter Of the trading was in Steel. The
rails remained firm, but did not fig
ure so Importantly in the market as
they did toward the close of last
week.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Holding Company Bills
Meet with a Protest
Will Lead to Financial Juggling.
Governor Whitman Is Told

The Public Service Commission yes
terday fled with Governor Whitman a
protest against the knight and Pratt
bills. permitting holding companies TO
acquire more than 10 per cent of the
stock Of public service corporations.
Tho commission strongly urged the
Governor to dsapprove the bills. The
measures were alleged to be in the in
terest of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company.
William L. Ransom, chief counsel Of
the commission, appeared before Gov
einor Whitman TO argue against the
bills. He declared that the approval of
either Of the bills would lead to a
return of a great deal Of the financial
juggling which "disgracod the state
and cursed for years 10 come the whole
field Of public utility operation, up to
the time of the enactment Of the Pub
lie Service Commission law in 1907"
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
The Dollar in Foreign Exchange

Weakness of exchange on Petrograd
furnished the outstanding feature Of
the foreign exchange market yesterday,
rubles dropping to $3.50 cents. COM
pared with 27O5 on Tuesday. Selling
was based on the less favorable reports
from Russia.
The rest Of the market was quiet.
Spanish pesetas continued strong and
sold at $3.50 cents, equalling the high
record made early in the week.
Closing rates yesterday, compared
with a week ago. are given in the table
below American bankers have sus-
pended all dealings in German and
Austrian exchange, so that daily quo
tations for either marks or kronen are
no longer available.
Week
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Benjamin franklin '@y'
"Pay what y'a err AID yo1HAT''
~h6i'5 yoar S'gs.'
Wa SeyUice

Many men who contemplate ser
vice in the L. S. A,my or Naey ar
now making arrangements with US 70
the care their securities and incom
while they are away.
As Agfpt or Custodian we are PIE
pared to assume the entire manag'
men, of your real and personal pro
perty, collecting income, paying .
charges, and rcmi,ting the net incom'
in such amounts and to such person
as may be desired.
Our charge for this service !
moderate, and our long experieno'
assure, efficient management.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01

934.75, an increase of 1l.9 per cent.
Revenue per passenger per mile was
100 cents, an increase OF 10 per
cent. The number of passengers car
ried one mile per mile Of road was
i34,s57, an increase of lO2 per cen,
Passenger train mileage was ioo'ooo'
an increase of y per cent. Passenger
revenue per train mile was sl.21l. an
increase of lis per cent; including
mail and express it was sl.463, an IN
crease of 12.4 per cent. Passenger
service train revenue per train mile
was 1881, an increase of ia per
cent.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Immense Fruit Crop

There is some carly fruit in the mar
kct and much more on the way. for the
fruits winter Of discomfort. that of late
frost, is passed, and if only the calam-
itous "June drop" due to much rain
fall, be omitted. the growing fruit crop
will be one Of immense proportions
that is. all save peaches and citrus
fruit. which were hurt by frost and
freezing.
or the many cheering features IN the
agricultural situation none promise
better for both the near and far future
than the increasing Intelligent selec-
tion Of crops best suited for each Sec
tion. In Alabama, for instance. be-
cause of heavy annual rainfall IL is
being concluded that cotton is largely a
gamble with the weather, so less cotton
is being cultivated and more foodstuffs
for man and beast, especially navy
beans, velvet beans, peanuts. corn and
such like, as are nearly always sure
crops. and make possible an increase in
cattle. hogs and dairy cows. The semi
arid Southwest. after several trials and
misfortunes, has finally settled down TO
less Indian earn and wheat and TO more
non sacchar,ne sorghums and legumes,
which can be depended upon to mature,
despite mach heat and drouth.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
L. G. Fritch Joins the
.Seaboard Air Line

Norfolk, Va. May 3l.-L. c. Fritch,
general manager Of the Canadian
Northern Railroad, has been appointed
general manager OF the Seaboard Air
Line, succeeding c. S. Lake, resigned.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Exchanges to Close
Registration Day

The New York Stock, Cotton,
Produce and other exchanges will
be closed next Tuesday, Draft
Registration Day. The leading
exchanges in other cities will also
be closed.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-01
Elections

". X. Cleverley and L. \. De Naus-.
ney have been elected e-presldents OF
the Seaboard National Bank.