Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-13

as possible.
American Soldiers Give $4,000
&C. Major Fitzgerald OF the American
army presented to the relief commit
tee $500 which had been subscribed
by men under his command.
Factories made an attempt To-Day TO
resume operations. but found great
difficulty in inducing employees to re-
turn to work. Steps were taken by
the municipal authorities to curb the
growing practice among merchants or
charging exorhitant prices for certain
classes ot goods which are in greatest
demand
Attorneys have begun consideration
filing claims for fire insurance. There
is division of opinion as to whether
companies can be compelled legally to
pay for any damage except that caused
directly by the fire. Some lawyers
maintain that inasmuch as the disas-
ter was. the result of a fire no board
the Mont Blanc all damages can be de-
scribed as straight fire losses.
Calvin Austin Arrives
The relief ship Calvin Austin, first
vi d 1ltSL CoillIiiS W viz iSf7t"N Va Sii
afflicted city, steamed into the harbor
today. while crowds ashore clapped
their hands and cheered.
None of the hundreds of other ships
that have been here received such well
come.
Snow lay deep and hard on the ice
along the channel through which the
ship moved slowly to her dock, her
flags swapping wildly in the cold north
wind as if i'll answer to the greeting
from shore. The British Jack futter-
ed from her forward mast, the Red
Cross banner on her main and the
Stars and Stripes aft.
Edmund Billings, collector of Gus
toms at Boston, who had left the
ship at Yarmouth to come here by
rail was first across the sangplank
and a moment later the matches fore
and aft swung wide TO, unload a cargo
that about solves the immediate prob
lem here.
General Funeral on Friday
A general funeral service for all the
dead is to be held on Friday. Some
will rest beside victims of the Titanic
and I.aBourgogne disasters in Fair
view cemetery. Others will occupy so
many graves in Camp Hill cemetery
that it will be filed. Thereafter II
will be closed.
The military service council has
suspended operations Of the draft in
the Halifax district on account Of the
disaster.
1t was definitely established today
that seven men were killed on the
Canadian cruiser Niobe, used as a
training ship. and that six others OF
the crew were killed in small boat
or on pier.
Nerves Still Unstruns
The nerves of the public are still
unstrung and intense alarm was
caused over Il rumor that the author
tiles Were to blow mp q munitions ship
in the harbor. What had been an
nounced was that the sunken hulk OF
| the Mont Blanc would be destroyed as
q menace to navigation. The official
statement failed to reach the public
generally and great crowds gathered
in the parks many persons being
seemingly panic stricken. Soldiers
went among them allaying their fears
and big posters We're placed in CON
spicuous places pointing ont that not
the least danger attended the destruc-
! tion Of what remained of the NUM-
tons ship.
Traffic conditions improved today
The telegraph service was still delayed
and the companies had not vet caught
up with the rush of business involved
| in the receipt and despatch OF thou
sands of messages concerning the fac
OF those having friends at a distance