davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
EITHER GOVERNMENT CONTROL
Or SUPPORT MUST Be GIVEN

Ing reached no conclusion and the same
Indrtinitc situation prevailed at the
capitol.
The railroad heads in 4 two hour talk
with Senator Eewlands, who Is chairman n
of tn. congressional cnmmitte" inqu:r'
ing into transportation Problems. are
understood to hlv" declared one billion
dollars necessary for additional irriiin Il
facilities and rolling stock to meet cT.
pectrd demands next year. They polnt"d
unt IN" difficulty pf "ffr"tiv" unifi.,at'"l
unless antitrust and :lnti-pn"ling Jaws
are suspended. MS suggested by Ii"
c. c. in it's special rcp"rt tn congress
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
BIG L1OUoR HAUL.

CHARLESTON. W. Va. Dec. g.
Eight hundred pints nf whiskuy and tho
arrest Of six or seven men In charge of
tho liquor WAS. announced here this
morning. when Railrnnd Officers X. o.
McC:hcll and H. e. McClanc. arraigncd
Ernest Crosby. Woody Jones. George
Smith. John Williams. raul Smith and
+. NJ. Murray.aIl negroes. before MaGis-
trnir Gerald Malcolm. on tho charge OF
violating the prohibition law. Another
negro gnt away. The six men were ar
rested ahnv" cabin Creek Junction, In
:: ,'nrinarl "f hay. The liquor was found
in burlap sacks. Tho officers heard the
men trlkiug inside the car. II seems,
and Investigated. Tho negroes wern
hound for points above Montgomery on
the t.. & -. main line.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19

Temporary morsues have been
established In many buildings to
which a steady procession Of We
ryins for hours the bodies of men,
women and children. Most OF
them were so charred that they
were unacceptable. Thousands
of persons seeking trace OF reia-
tives and friends have passed by
the long, silent rows, attempting,
by the Pickering light of lamps
and lanterns, to identify the ones
they sought.
Scores Dying Hourly
Virtually every building in the
city which could be converted into
a hospital is filled with wounded,
many Of them so desperately in
lured that there. is no hope Of their
recovery. Scores already have
died in these temporary hospitals
An ever-incressing number is be-
ing taken from the completely de-
vas.ated Richmond district to the
relief station. An army Of rescue
workers is searching among the
ruins for bodies and for those who
have survived amidst the wreck
age left by the explosion and fire.
The city was in 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 nave
been virtually destroyed and the
only lights available are kero-
sene lamps. They furnished the
illumination by means Of which
surgeons and doctors toiled he
roieally throughout the night car
ing for the injured.
Soldiers on Guard.
Soldiers, sailors and police pa
trolled the streets tonight and
upon them fell the major portion
Of the burden Of searching among
the ruins for the dead and wound
ed. The Canadians were assisted
in this work by sailors from an
American warship in the harbor.
The flame-swept area covers ap.
proximately two and one hah
SQUARE miles. 1t begins at what
i. known as the North Street
bridge, extending north to Pier
on the Richmond water front and
back to a point running parallel
with Gottineen street. Nothing
mas been left standing in this sec
ton Of the city. Only a pile OF
snoulderine ruins marks the spot
where the great building Of the
American Sugar Refining company
stood. The drydock and all the
buildings which surrounded It
were destroyed. The Richmond
school that housed hundreds Of
children was demolished and It
is reported only three escaped
Worst in All History.
Canadian officers who have seen.
Iona service in France character
lied the castrophe as the most
(continued on Page Twelve.)
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19

WASHINGTON. Dec. 6.-Mcans OF
nnifvinr th. railroads rs declared
necessary for the war by tho lntcr:ttat"
t,o1nm.rrc commission "nEe discussed TO-
day at conferences between President
Wilson and three members ns the COM
mission. the president and Sccr-tar"
McAdoo and Senator Eewlands and rail-
way heads of the railroad war board.
Tho only apparent result OF th" dis
cussinns was u confirm tn" universal
bel1.r that further consolidation of rail.
road operation must be effected speedily
either trhouSh government operation
OF government support.
The president was represented as hav.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
Thousand Dea Other Thousands Wounded Halifax Wrecked
When Munition Ship Coide and Cargo Bou Up With Crash
Confusion of Whistles Cause of the Disaster

board the Wasper g., to escape,
as she was blown up. My son,
who worked with the drydoek,
WAS killed."
Colonel Mackenzie Bell, who
spent two years on the firing line
in Flanders, said tonight, he never
had seen anything on the battle
front to equal the scenes Of de-
struction he witnessed in Halifax
today.
IT was reported tonight, that
all the guests in the hotels Of
the city are safe. Some Of them
were cut by flying glass, but none
was seriously hurt.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19

the munitions ship struck us" he
said. I'VE had just left the dry
dock to go to Bedford Basin to
get some plates and were opposite
the Lorne Club when we saw the
Iona coming down from the Basin
and the Mont Blanc going up.
"l heard the Belgian's steamer
whistle blowing and then saw the
munitions ship was on fire on the
starboard side. We tried to turn
back to warn the officials at the
drydock but before we reached
there d she'll struck US. believe
was the only one Of the five on
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
HUNDREDS Of
SEANEN KILLED..
BODIES FLUNG
INTO THE SEA:
CITY OVERWHELMED
BY THE CATASTROPHE IE
Scores Of Temporary Morgues
and Hospitals Placed
In Use.

HALIFAX, N. S. Dec 6--ee-
tween 1000 and 2,2no persons were
killed, according to careful esti-
mates tonight, when the French
munitions ship Mont Blanc blew
Up In Halifax harbor after 4 COLI
sion with the Belgian relief steam
ship Iona at 9 o'clock this morn
Inq. Thousands were. injured
and It Is expected many OF them
will die
Virtually all the north end Of the
city was laid waste and tho prop
erty damage will run far into tho
millions. A part Of the town Of
Dartmouth, across the harhor from
Halifax, also was wrecked. Near
ly all the buildings In the dock
yard there are In ruins.
The Zone of Destruction
The xone Of destruction In Hal
flax itself extends from the North
Street railway station az far north
as AfricvtlIe, to Bedford Basin,
and covers an area of about two
square miles In the section known
as Richmond. The buildings
which were not demolished by the
force Of the terrific explosion were
destroyed by the fire which fol.
lowed.
Scores Of persons were injured
by tho collapse Of the railway Sta
ton, Arena rink, military Gymna-
sium, sugar refinery and elevator.
All business has been suspend
ed. Armed guards Of soldiers
and sailors are patroIIina the city.
Not street car Is moving and
part Of Halifax Is in darkness to-
night All hospitals and many
private houses are filled with in
jured. Temporary hospitals and
morgues have been opened In
school houses in the western sec
ton Of the city.
Many Sailors Killed.
Tho damage along the water
front cannot yet be estimated.
Many Of the men composing the
crews Of the ships in the harbor
were killed and injured. On one
steamer, the Pietou, it 10 reported
that SO Of the crew Of AZ were
killed. Bodies Of many seamen
have been picked up In the har-
bor. Rescue parties working
among the ruins Of buildings arc
removing the bodies Of the dead.
The Collision.
The collision which resulted In
probably the worst disaster In the
history Of the Dominion occurred
near Pier 8 in the Narrows, lead
Ing from the harbor to Bedford
basin. The munitions ship was
bound from New York for Bed
ford Basin, when the relief ship
Iona, bound for sea, crashed into
her.
The Mont Blanc was pierced
on the port side almost to the en-
eine room. The other ship,
which was only slightly damaged,
backed away when flames burst
out on the munitions ship, and was
abandoned by the crew. The cap
tain Of the Mont Blanc also or
dered his crew to the boats 40 he
realized an explosion was inevita-
BILE. The men reached shore
safely before the tremendous blast
seventeen minutes later which
blew their ship to pieces and
wrecked large part Of the city.
The City Shaken.
The business life Of the city had
just begun for the day when tho
town was shaken to Its founda-
tlons by the explosion. Persons
In the streets were picked up bod
lily and hurled to the ground. De-
cupants Of office buildings covered
under a shower Of falling glass
and plaster. Houses In the Rich
(oonttuusd On FaES 1va1vA)
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19

HALIFAX, NJ S., Dec. 6.-Pllot
Frank mackle, Of the Mont Blanc
declared tonight that the fatal
collision resulted from a confusion
of whistles sounded by the Iona.
He believes the fire which caused
the explosion was due to the fact
that the munitions ship carried a
deck load of benzlne.
Charles Prest gasoline engineer
on the steamer Wasper g., which
had been in drydock, had narrow
escape from death.
ave had 80 9alIone Of gasoline
In our tanks when a shell from
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
MOST FEARFUL DISASTER IN AMERICAN HISTORY,
WITH THE DEATH ROLL NOUN TING EVERY HOUR

mounting
pehed the explosion
between
and another vessel loaded with supplies for the Belgian
relief commission
which plunged the Dominion into mourning probably vi" 3
relief workers who have into the city have b
anostda at
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19

Corporal PHILIP A BERK, Brooklyn.
N Y.
Corporal CHARLES ]. CRIrCHLHY.
New York city.
Corporal JAMES ANGUS Aberdeen.
Scotland.
Private s JAMES A GRoGAE.
Brooklyn. N. Y.
Private ISADORE S. EISENRIGEI.
Cotcsvillc. Pa
Private JAMES a EAGAN, Great
Neck. n. Y.
Private WILLIAM l. BARNES Port.
land. Oregon.
Private CHARLES GEIGER. Chica.
60.
Private GEORGE F. JONES' 0zun-
ton Pa
Slightly wounded
Private LOUIS O ROHLANn, Brook
lyn, N Y.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19

From, EcrIin comes tho annuun'"mHnt
that an ar,.tisttr.- t,t ten days. t" begin
Friday at noon, has been arranged frr
tho cntir,. Russian front. la F"riftcn-
ton of prcvi"r;e r"ports that IN" i.u-
,nau;anS were not seeking an artniSttc"
with the enemy iS l;unianian official
communication saying that attempts
made by tho enemy I" frat"rnizH With
the Rumanian troops !S"r" put down
with shot aud shell. Denial ais" -
mad, that ,hr nGw Ukrninian govern
mcnt had opened negotiations for sep
,rate peace with the Central powers.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
HTAvY FIRE LOSS

TORONTO. p"r. G. Fire which uri,;-
mated i'll The pn'i"rn shop Of the FOLSOM
Iron works on thu Toronto water front
"arly i"nirht completely d"siroyrrI ihaI
building and Il number "f sheds ami b.l,I-
ly damaged Il larc" freight boat aud u
irawl.r TIL" total daiuaEr WIS rStIInui-
I'D ut trnm $25n.nGn I" $500 .U0n. covered
hy !nS'Iran'". Tn" virgin "t the ire is
Il mystery.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
DEPUTY COLLECTOR NAMED

FNlRMONT. II. Va. Dec. f.--.1ohn
II. Rock. nf this city. las been nar"d
deputy stamp cnllrrt"r If Internal r"v-
cnuns for t'Air1n"nt. succeeding Major
Earl II. Smith. who l,ld this CuuriS-
sion until r"r"ntlr WIS called tu tn"
trout IN the United States army. MIR
Rock assumed lis now duties today
MIR Rock il t"llrr al thr National
Eank Of F'airmnnt.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
Italian Staten eut

ROME. Dec 6.--Aftcr lighting all
day. III" Italians withdrew their lin"
from IN" slopes south NJ Monte Cas-
tclgomhrr to the Fnza Spur. On IN"
northern front. III" war ofTic" an
nounc"S.
The enemy took advantage "f his
gains on Tuesday between Monte Ton
darccar and Monte EadcncCrhc. says tho
statement and carried tn" engagement
tn it's highest pitch in mn effort TO takn
tho formidable bastion formed by Monte
Castclgornbcrto md Mclvtta dl Gallo.
from the rear
Ec had to give UP this effort, how
ever. and make n frontal attack, which
the Italians resisted sruhhornly. giving
up ground only foot by foot and retiring
to the rear line only when support
troops had been brought UP To hold
it
ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS.
IN NORTHERN ITALY. l'"". ".-~thy
The Associated rrcsS>-li"nvE iGhtlnE
around Asiagn has dcNcluprd rapidly.
The enemy assaults hogan With intCnS"
artillery preparation. followed by liquid
gaS and waves of infantry. TIL" night
ing continued throughout yesterday and
last night along tho heights bark hr
.tsiagn marked by the z"n" between tho
hnights Of Monte SiScmol and Mont"
Mclr;t:L This linr extends nearly ten
miles.
Nttnck and cnunicr-attack arr going
on. leaving the final outcome still open.
The attacks reached tn" maximum ui
Intensity toward four u'clnck yesterday
afternoon. They came from tw" d.
rrctions, The IlrSt uu III" left Of the,
Ilalimn lin" aruuud M"lrtta heights, and
Continued on Page Twelve-)
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
THE WEATHER.
wASHINGTl

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-Porecast:
West virginla-PaIr IN west snow tn
east portion Friday; Saturday fair.
Western Penusylvuntn-Snow Fridly;
Saturday partly cloudy; continued cold
ono-Fair Friday and Saturday !;
slowly rising temperature.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
KERENSKY IN HIDING
TELLS RUSSIANS THEY
HAVE BEEN DECEIVED

PETRoGRAD. Dec 6.-Thc social
revolutionary newspaper Uiolnnaroda
(Thc Peuplc's Wnrk) publishes Il letter
from kerrnsky. the former premier in
which the following passage occurs:
"Du you not see that your franknos>
is being rnadc use Of and that yuu ;lr"
being d"ccived? YOU were promised
peace with the Germans within three
days. Where Is it" Where is III" lib
erty which was promised you"
at is diShonurublc, infamous. Fools.
Ii is J. kercnSky. who tells Nuu this
For eight months ! safrEuar1cd tho IIh-
crty OF tho people and the future hap
pinrss or tho masses Ot workers. NOw
they realize that when | Was in Inw"r
liberty and democracy really existed. E
STOCKHOLM, Dec. Eth" lIclSnr-
furs Huvudstadshladrt reports that for
mer Premier kercnsky is in Il plac" #
complete safety. Tho newspaper SayS
he Is engaged in preparations for the
constituent assembly and already has
been placed on the list of candidates
1t many places throughout tn" en-
uiro.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-19
HostilitiGs Suspended on
Eastern Front for 10 Days;
RumanianS Won't Yield

BERLIN, Dec. 6.-Vta London
Suspension Of hostilities over
the whole Russian front for ten
days beginning at noon on Fri
day has been arranged the War
onice announced today.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-30
PRIVATE BILL" COMM HOME

Ma is in the kitchen workin' like u
slave,
Bakin' cakes an maxim pics galore
The turkey is all ready, also pickles,
jam an such
When we need food we do not phone
the store.
Sis is in the parlor singin' as she
sweeps;
She has tdicd up tn house from
stem TO stern;
! She has made IL rift of changes with
out oonsultin' ma
You'd think the whole caboodlc was
all hcr'n.
Pop he is a-whistlin' almost the whole
day long;
He's rs cheerful as Il dclsie bird
could be.
He forgets bout cost of livin' an the
price of gasolenc--
You'd think from trouble he was
wholly free.
AS for me, Pm all but crazy-tht
hours go by like snais,
Christmas day seems miles an mile!
away.
No attention paid to Jim am Pm thu
same as dead
1t is seldom little brothers have say
Why all this connection, with tn,
family's youngest shelved?
Why has bridge whist sister sudden
ly took to work?
The answers from Camp Lee an it,
signed by "Privatc BILL:
"I'll be with you for my old-tim,
Christmas turk"
w. w. O'Connor.
apologies for slight change.)
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-30
SHORT WAR NOTES.

Thirty-four different race of per-
sons bought bonds of the second Lib
crty loan.
Young Mems Christian Association
plans for work in France include the
establishment of 78 libraries.
Express companies are concentrat-
ing their efforts to insure prompt and
safe handling of all food products of
"A perishable nature.
In the United Suites Armies No
vember Z. there were 1915, 1000 men,
in the Navy 1871 OF the total
of 2,0S7.39l. approximately 100000
voluntarily enlisted.
Furloughs for Yuletide week will
be granted all men at Army canton
ments whose absence can be permit
ed in the opinions of the division
commanders, to enable them to spend
Christmas ut their homes.
The sugar used for making candy
in the United States, according to
the Food Administration is sufficient
to meet all the sugar requirements
of England under the rationing sys-
TEN adopted there.
Since the war insurance plan be-
came operative in October more than
$4,000 soldiers have applied for in
surancc, amounting in all TO nearly
half billion dollars and averaging
about $4,000 man.
The 1917 potato crop is estimated
to consist of l53,000,0 900 bushels,
or half again as much as last year.
Reports from the commission on ear
service Indicate that more than $780,
600 cars will be needed TO handle it.
The Illinois College of Agriculture,
Urbanan, ILL.,, has published a pamph-
let giving recipes for making various
kinds of war bread, most of which re-
quire no wheat flour. The list includes
several varieties of corn bread, bar
ley bread, rye bread. oatmeal bread.
etc.
Newton D. Baker. Secretary of
War, estimates the losses up to June
of the British cxpeditonary fore
es in deaths in action and from the
wounds at per cent. OF the total of
all men sent to France since the be-
ginning of the war. lie adds that
the ratio of losses of this character
today, because of improved tactics
and swiftly mounting allied superior
ity in artillery, is less than Z to every
100 men
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-30
CATS A NUISANCE.

Massachusetts and Michigan have
passed laws declaring cats following
on the track of game birds, public
nuisances, and their owners guilty of
misdemeanors, if cats are allowed to
run at large. The destruction of the
game and song birds, young rabbits,
and young birds by prowling old cats
is greater than is supposed every
where. Generally, the more cats about
the place the greater the number of
rats and fewer the number of birds.
If these prowling, squalling, scratch
ing old cats would go after the rats
and English sparoows, there would
be different song to sing. But who
ever saw cat catch an English spar
row? When did your cat catch a
rat? They are nice pets sometimes
and sometimes good mousers, but not
often, Sorry dogs, too, should come
under the ban.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-30
THE REPUBLICAN VOTE IN THE
STATE.

Won't some wise newspaper man
in Richmond, Lynchburg, Roanoke,
Bristol, or Bluefeld, or some one in
some other center of intelligence and
great. learning, publish or have pub
lished, the figures showing the vote
cast and how cast in the November
election? Every newspaper coming
to this office since election day, be-
sides inquiries made of leaders and
leadcrlets, has failed to give the de-
sired information.
Some one suggests that the Gre
turns are being held back" Anoth-
er suggests that the Republicans are
ashamed and chagrned by the size
of The vote. We don't know how this
is, but we do know that the public
would like to see the tabulated vote
of the State
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-30
PLEASE GIVE PRONUNCIATION

Writers of news and magazine az
ticles will confer great favor upon
the reading public if they will give
the English pronunciation of the
many outlandsh and unpronouncable
names they find it necessary to use.
Many of these are composed of let
tiers of the alphabet thrown togeth-
CT promiscuously. Even educated
people are non-plussed when trying
to talk about the war. For goodness
sake, put in brackets the English
pronunciation after these foreign
names, We purveyors of war news, if
you know? If you don't, it will
be taken for granted that. like your
country cousins, You don't know how
yourselves.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-30

with Mr.. Wilson at the national cap
ital during the war, But that will
please them and will not hurt the
Government either now or then. Do
you realize he has been in there now
more than half an hour? Who lives
in that house?"
81 don't know. If l were keeping
n diary for my grandchildren / prob
ably would put down that this might
be the home of Colonel House, but |
havn't the least idea"
"There is church on the corner
and that sounds like the closing
hymn. hope he doesn't come out
just as church lets out, when the
crowd will come along to see him and
follow him back"
81 see you like to be alone with
the President"
"Well, it seems more dignified, less
as if you were butting into his pri-
vacy, to have him alone, instead OF
following with crowd. There he
comes now. Who are those people
coming out with him?
"Why, that's McAdoo and Mrs
McAdoo, the Presidents daughter
and young McAdoo. That solves the
mystery of the house. 1t is where
the Secretary of the Treasury lives
This is family party. l guess
won't trail them back to the White
House."
"You're right. | guess | won't
thank you very much for helping m,
out and telling me who Rochambea,
and McAdoo were and about the Rus
sian Embassy"
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-30

am oppressed by the sense that thou
art demanding from me my best
thought und action. Thou knowest, o
God, how weak l am for all my
strength, how ignorant for all my
learning and how far short come
even of my own poor ideal of what
| should be and do. Wilt thou enable
me to live on the level of the great
things, touching my life to finer is
sues than it has yet dreamed? May
l be helped to keep my manhood
sweet and wholesome and strong.
May remember there is no path so
dark but thou hast troddcn it be-
fore, and so 1 may go forward with
out fear. Amen.-Ex.