davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS
 VA RETURN TO WASHINGTON
They Expect to Deal Promptly With
 New War Legislation.

Washington, Dec. 30.-Congression- al leaders were returning to Washing ton today, cutting short their Christ . mas holiday to prepare for import ant work to be undertaken when con- gresa reconveneS next Thursday. They expect to deal promptly with pro- posed new war legislation, particular Iv that desired by President Wilson in connection with government opera ton of the railroads, which the pres fdent will outline in a special mes sage.
 Committees Investigating war ac- tlvities plan to work throughout this week except for New Years day. To- morrow the senate military commit- tee will hear Major General CroZier, chief of ordnance, in reply to crIt1- cisms Of Colonel Lewis, inventor Of the Lewis machine gun. Secretary Baker also will be afforded all oppOr- tnnity to make a statement on ma chine gun questions before the com r1ittee closes it's ordnance inquiry and turn to clothing and other supplies snd cantonment conditions.
 Investigation of naval affairs will be resumed Thursday by the house naval sub- committee.
 Inquiry into the delays ir the rne~- chant slipbujlding proGraIrme vii! contirue tomorrow with Eain 'Jr-dcc Colby of the shipping board Cn the stand before the senate commerce committee.
 SluQy O4 pEOD- 1ems will proceed tomorrow before the senate interstate commerce com mittee, with further examination of Interstate Commerce Commissioner Hall. A contest is in prospect be- tween Senators Pomerene of Ohio and Smith of South Carolina over the post of committee chairman vacant as a result of Senator Newlands' death.
 On Wednesday the senate commit tee investigating sugar and coal shortages plans to receive the long deferred statement of Food Adminis- trator Hoover.
 When congress reasSembieS Thurs day both houses will adjourn for the day out of respect to Senator New lnnds and Representative Rathrick ot Ohio, who have died during the re-
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
ARGENTINE TRANSPORT
 PIMENTO DRIVEN ASHORE.
Everybody on Board Was Taken Of B Safely in Brooches Buoy.

Ar Atlantic Port, Dec. 3o.-The Ar genuine transport Pimento, under stood to have on board members of an economic mission to the United States from Argentina, was driven ashore off the Atlantic coast during a storm last night and now lies high on the beach. Everybody on board was taken off safely in a brooches buoy by life guards.
 The shipwreclxed Argentinians are housed tonight in the life saving sta ton. They hope to board their vessel again tomorrow if she can be foated. and the wrecking crews now standing by think this may be done if the storm abates.
 A 50-mile gale was driving a heavy fan of snow when the ship lost her course last night.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
MUST REPORT QUANTITY
 OF FOODSTUFFS ON HAND.
All Dealers, Manufacturers, Hotel Men
 and Others Having $25o Worth.

Washington, Dec. sO,-An dealers, manufacturers. warehouse men. hotels and other institutions having on hand more than $25O worth of foodstuffs must report to the bureau of markets of the department of agriculture, giv- ing detailed statement of their hold ings tomorrow, Dec. .31, with a com parison of holdings on the same day last year.
 A statement tonight by Charles J. Brand says every effort has been made to send schedules to the firms and in dividuals who handle the food supply of the country, but that failure to receive schedule does not exempt anyone from complying with the regu- lations. If schedules are not re ceived by Jan. ?, application should be made to the bureau Of markets or one of it's branch offices. Failure to report holdings makes the offender l;a- ble to prosecutions.
 The bureau is making nationwide survey of food supplies for the govern ment's use in planning conservation, utilization and production.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
SNOW IMPEDEs ACTIONS ON THE FRENCH FRONT
Attempts by the Germans Garry Out Raids Small French Posts Near St. Quentin Resulted in Faiure-h Italian Theatre Only Big Guns Are Being Used-Ihe British Forces Continue Their Victorious March Against the Turks in Palestine

intermittent artillery activity along the entire French front
 In the Italian theatre the infantry for the present is idle, but the big guns continue to carry oCt mutual bombardments against opposing po- sitions in the hill region from the Asiago plateau eastward to the Piave river. This activity is particularly pronounced on the Monte Tomba sec tor and a. few miles to the east on both sides of Pederobba, near the up- per reaches of the Piave river.
 The British forces under General Allenby continue their victorious march against the Turks in Palestine. Considerable fresh progress has been made north and northwest of JeruSa- lem, particularly in the occupation Of Birch, about twelve miles to the north where the Turks offered stubborn re- sistance, but finally were overcome.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31

Aside from bombardments and re- ciprocal artillery duels little is going on in the major theatres of the war. On the French front the weather is stin cold and this, with the snow that covers the ground everywhere, is in- peding operatiotas cn a large scale.
 The Germans Saturday night es- saved an attack against the British northeast of Ypres, where for several days past they had been laying down heavy preparatory artillery f1rel
 The attack, however, was futile, for the British, ever on the watch, raked the Germans with their fire and re- ISilsed them with considerable losses.
 Likewise, attempts by the Germans to carry out raids on small French posts near St. Quentin, Bezonvaux and Vauquois resulted in failure, and in addition the enemy lost men made prisoners. There is still considerable
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
Earthquakes Ruin
 Guatemala CitY
SERIES OF SHOCKS COMPLETED
 THE DESTRUCTION.
125,0o0 ARE HOMELESS
A Number of Persons Were Killed by Falling WalIs-coIon- Theatre Col. lapsed-NaVaI Vessels cn Being Rushed There With Assistance.

City, capital of the little Central American republic of Guatemala, has
 been laid in ruins by a series of
 and culminating last night in violent
 shocks which completed the work of destruction. A cable gram to the navy department today said 126.000 people
 that number were killed by falling walls.
 Sending Assistance.
 Naval vessels in Central American
 waters have been ordered to the
 stricken city to render all possible as Sistance.
 Following is the brief despatch which brought the news of the catas- ti'ophe:
 Bad earthquake yesterday. finished the work of others. Everything in
 ruins and beyond description as re- suit of last nights shock. One hun dred and twenty-five thousand people
 are in the streets. Parts of the coun-
 try are very cold and windy. Tents
 are needed badly. Quite a number
 The shock probably occurred be-
 tween 5.57 and ' o'clock last night. Violent quakes were recorded at that time by the siesmographs Of the Georgetown university observatory. and the distance was estimated at 1900 miles from Washington. Red Cross Takes Hold. The machinery of the American Red Cross has been set in motion to re- lieve the earthquake sufferers. In re- 1 sponse to an appeal for assistance ] from Alfred Clarke, chairman of the Red Cross chapter at Guatemala City, a preliminary appropriation of $10 900 | has been authorized for the purchase | of relief supplies. Materials for tenn l porary shelters are being assembled, mi nF he a1;v 70 ;@, xka 4 vastated region minirnizes fears of suffering likely to be caused by ax- posture.
 At gulf port large quantities of | flour, potatoes, crackers and other Sta- | pie foodstuffs, as well as disinfectants l and stores of galvanized iron for tenn :
 porary buildings, already are being
 loaded on a vessel to sail for Barrios on the east coast of Guatemala. l As soon as news of the first quake l; reached Washington the Red Cross | cabled an offer of assistance to fife | president of the republic. The Amer
 lcan minister also was asked to or 1 ganize committee of relief workers
 among the American residents. Fur | ther relief plans will be made as soon as the relief committee forwards a l statement of it's needs -- Hospitals and Prisons Damaged. | Various hospitals and asylun1s. and 1 the prisons were badly damaged a11d many patients and prisoners were ] killed 70, The railroad depot. the sugar mills. I the postoffice, the American and Brit 1 ish legations. the United States con l sulate and all the churches in the | city have been levelled.
 | Pastures Opened in Middle of City.
 Deep Assures opened in the middle | of the city. | The inhabitants in panic have ned from the capital. More than s0,00a persons are homeless The stock of
 provisions in the city is scant and aid | is required promptly.
 | ~ The Salvadorean government has | suspended the official New Year ceie- bration and entered into mourning in sympathy with Guatemala a -f- 1-
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
B Below Zero in
 New York City
COlDEST WEATHER IN THE HIS
 TORY OF BUREAU
3 DEATHS DUE TO COLD
Scores of Persons, Suffering From Exposure and Frosthite, Were Treated at Various HospitaIs-Many Took Refuge in Police Stations.

New York. Dec. 30.-New York city
 experienced the cOidest weather in the
 history of the local weather bureau
 today when the temperature at S.30 a.
 m. went down to 13 degrees below
 zero. Except at and 4 o'cloek this
 afternoon when it stood at zero, the
 mercury lowered between and 13
 degrees below. Suffering was general
 Lowest Ever Recorded.
 The weather bureau announced that
 the record, 13 below, was ' degrees
 more than the mercury had ever
 dropped since the bureau had been in
 existence. On only four occasions had it ever gone to 6 below. After S.30 o'clock the temperature slowly rose,
 but at o'clock in the afternoon an other downward trend was percepIble.
 No hope of relief before Tuesday
 was held out by the bureau, which
 predicted another day of extreme cold tomorrow.
 Three Deaths Due to Cold. Three deaths due to the cold were reported. A taxicab driver was found frozen to death in his machine in a garage in Jersey City. A baby found dead in it's crib this morning is said to have succumbed to the severe cold and a traction employe was killed when he became numb and fell to the pavement in front of a street car. Scores Treated at Hospitals. Scores of persons suffering from ex- posure. and frostbite were treated at various hospitals.
 Dense clouds of vapor, caused, har- bor men said. by the water being warmer than the air, rose from tl-c rivers and bay throughout the day virtually suspending harbor traffic. Ice in the rivers for the first time ir many years threw ferryboat schedules out of any semblance of regularity and tugboats were kept busy during the day breaking ice in the slips. Took Refuge in Police Stations. Hundreds of men, women and chil- dren, driven from their homes when their coal supplies ran out, took refuge | in police stations. Many stations were crowded throu ghout the day.
 Missions and lodging houses were 1 kept busy providing shelter for the 1 homeless, but it was stated that the | past years, due to the comparatively | small number out of work. Record for Fire Alarms. 1 e Fire Commissioner Adamson an nounced tonight that all daily records for fire alarms were broken. Many of them were false alarms, caused by frozen valves and standpipes, whick disrupted the signal mechanism, he said, but most of them were due tc overheated furnaces and accidents with oil stoves.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
BULGARIA HAS ACCEPTED
 RUssIA'S PEACE PROPOSALS.
Premier Has Sent Message to All
 Provincial Prefects.

Amsterdam, Dec. 30.-The Bulgarian premier, Vaseil Radoslavoff, according to a Sofia despatch, has sent a mes sage to all the provincial prefects to the effect that Bulgaria has accepted the Russian proposals-first, that the war between Bulgaria and Russia be ended; second. that the status quo ante bellum with respect = to commercial treaties and consular and other con ventions be re-established; third, re- garding the Danube question: that this be decided tomorrow at "a plenary meeting of all the delegations Bull garia to have representative on the Danube commission.
 The prenier's message added: Both parties have congratulated each other on the result.'
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
SUFFERED
 FROM THE COLD
WiInantic Sends the Low Record, 30
 Degrees Below.

New Haven, Conn, Dec. 3O-Con- necticut today had one of it's coldest days for the month of December since the institution of weather bureaus in the state. Suffering in many places was made greater by the lack of scar city of coal. Upstate. the coldest rec ords were made but temperatures along the coast were but slightly less rigorous than inland. At New Haven the harbor was frozen over, except for the main channel, an unusual phenomenon so eocly in the winter. Numerous fires were caused by care less use of flames to thaw frozen pipes and one woman was seriously burned while warming herself at a portable stove.
 In Orange a barn owned by Robert J. Woodruff was burned through the agency of an electric heater, causing the death of a horse and a pony.
 In Willimantic the low record. un- officially, was 30 below zero and nu- atures of 20 to 25 below. Two cases of children receiving frostbites were reported there.
 Danbury reported low of minus Is, the city's coldest day in thirty years.
 At New Fairfield it was 20 below and nearby towns showed equally low records.
 Winsted recorded low of 12 below, zero being it's warmest point Su-
 
 cases drop to 25 below zero and at Satan's Kingdom it was 20 below without a bod of coal in the place. Neighbor assisted neishbor in cutting wood so that all might be warmed.
 Waterbury had it's coldest day since 1884, the range being from 13 below zero to above. It was below at 8 in the evening and growing colder.
 In Meriden 8 below was shown and at the city reservoir at Broad Brook 21 below and g below at Kensing- ton.
 Hartford recorded a low of IS below zero and a high of one below. Near by towns reported the cold as being several degrees below these points.
 Tn the city of Norwich the official low record was below zero with places near showing lows of from 10 to 15 below. Norwich had a high of 3 above.
 New London's lowest record was II below zero with a high of above. Here three fires were started by ex- Dloding stoves. In each case the damage was slight.
 Middletown had a record of 20 be- low zero and here four of the towns largest churches voted to consolidate services to corsorve coal during the remainder of t.~ winter
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
AGREEMENTS REACHED =. &z<
 AT PEACE CONFERENCE
Include Liberation of War Prisonsr, and Resumption, of Commercial Re. lations. T

Brest Litovsk. Friday, Dec. 2s,1 via Berlin and London, Dec. G0.-Provis- ional agreement on a series of impcr- tant points, including liberation of war prisoners and resumption of com mercial relations, was reached today by the delegates of Russia and tho Central Powers in discussion of 4is- sues which, in the event of a general peace, would have to be settled among the nations represented in the ncgD- tiations here. This provisional dis cussion was terminated today, the basis of an agreement being adopted under the reservation that it was to be examined by the governments rep resented by the delegates.
 In respect of treaty rela tions, an understanding was arrived at regarfi- ing the restoration of the situation as it existed when the war. began E
 It was provided that certain laws adopted during the war shall be can celled. and that those affected there by shall. be restored to their previous rights or indemnified.
 The rules in regard to payment of war costs and damage were defined in greater detail. Provisions were made concerning damages sustained by ci- vi.ians outside the war area
 An agreement in principle was reached regarding the reciprocal lib- cration and return to their homes Of war prisoners a:ld interned civilians and also for Ire return of captured merchant vessels l.
 Speedy resumption of diplomatic and consular relations is embraced 1n the understandings It is set forth that there shall be immediate stoppage Of economic warfare, establishment of commercial intercourse and the orr ganized exchange of commodities r A substantial understanding was arrived at on which the basis of ecc- homie relations shall be settled per raapaat1U-
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
OBITUARY.
Brig Gen. Anson George Mccook.

New York, Dec. 2O.-Brigadier Gen el'a1 Anscn George McCool. president of the New York Law Publishing war, died at his home here today from pleuriSy.
 General McCool1 was born in. Steu- benville. Ohio, October 10, 1885, moved to Pittsburgh when he was 16 years old and successiVely became a clerk, taught school and worked on the Fort Wayne railroad. In 1854 he drove cat tie to California and was a gold pros, pector tilere for five wears When the war started he organized volunteer company that became pa Tt of the Serond Ohio Infantry, saw ac- tion in several historic battles and retired in 1865 brigadier general of General NIcCool1 represented the Eighth New York district in congress from 1877 to 1883. The New York Law Journal was started by him in 1873 as the Daily Record
 A widow. a daughter and a son, Lieuterant George -.. McCook, aide to Brigadier General F. A. Johnson at Camp Upton, Yaphank, N. Y, sur vive him.
 Mrs. Mary L. Woods.
 Hartford; Conn.,. Dec. 30.-Mrs. tdary Mary L; L. Woods. go years old, died Hills. She was the widow of Dr. Will liam Woods, an ardent collector of birds nests and eggs. His life accu- mutation of such articles is. now at the Morgan Memorial and is said to be the finest of it's kind in America Mrs. Woods was the daughter of the, late Erastus Ellsworth, who built the Hartford Theological Seminary in 1854 in Windsor which has long been vacant because of the removal of the seminary headquarters to Hartford David Bonner. New YQr1< D.oo oO-n,vi5 for more than half a century a prom 1nent figure in the horse world as road rider, breeder and official in harness racing and horse shows died Of pneu- He was S1 years old
 MT Bonner was regarded as one of the best known judges of trotting horses, and was, acknowledged by sportsmen as one of the foremost fig ures in the development of the trot ting race.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
TELEPHONE OPERATORS
 GRANTED WAGE DEMANDS
Threatened Strike of N. E. T. C. Em-
 pioyes in Boston Averted.

Boston, Dec. 3O.-A threatened strike of telephone operators of the New England Telephone company in this city and nearby, districts was averted tonight when the principal wage de- mands were granted by the company. The settlement was announced after conferences between a federal medi- ator and representatives of the com pany and the young women of the op- orators union.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
STAMFORD C. 4. MEN
 REFUSED TO PAY FARE
On the Ground That the Railroad is
 Now Government Property.

New London, Conn.,, Dec 20.- Twelve men of the Stamford coast artillery company which is stationed at Fort Wright. arrived here on an afternoon train without having paid any fare from their home city on the way back to the fort. They made the claim that the road was now gov ernment property and on that account declined to pay The conductor took their names. allowing them to ride, and will report them to the com mandant at the fort.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
AN UNKNOWN STEAMER
 STRANDED OFF COAST,
Reports Indicate That the Crew Has
 Been Saved

An Atlantic Port, Dec. 30.-An pm known steamer stranded off the coast here last night during a snowstorm and a northwest gale estimated at from 60 to 80 miles an hour A life saving crew had got a line to the vessel and reports late today indicated that the crew had been saved.
 Two unidentified steamers and a tug. supposed to be the w. B. Keene, with two barges, were forced to anchor They were reported in good shape.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
CHURCH AT ABERDEEN
 DESTROYED BY FIRE
The Immanuei Lutheran-Loss is Es-
 timated at 5o,oO0.

Meriden, Conn.,, Dec. 30.-The Im- manuel Lutheran church, built in night. Neither Rev. Paul Kirsch, the pastor, nor the janitor, who banked the furnace for the night at 9.30 o. clock, could account for the origin of the fire. The loss is estimated at s5o,090, most of which is covered by insurance.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
GUEST OF AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION.
Sir Frederick E. Smith, Attorney
 General of Great Britain.

z Washington, Dec. 30.-Sir Frederick F. Smith, attorney general of Great Britain, who has just come to this country as guest of honor of the American Bar association, will speak at the series of war conferences to be held under the auspices of the speak ing division of the committee on pub lie information during the week Jan- 14-i9. He is to De one of the party which will travel and speak with Sec Kay Lane at these meetings.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
COLON THEATRE COLLAPSED;
 WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE
There Were Many Casualties Among
 the Audience.

r. San Salvador, Dec. 30.-Guatema1a City. capital of the republic of stroved bv an esrthoualce. Many persons were killed in the disaster
 some in their homes and others in the streets. tl=s F.
 The Colon theatre, which was filled with people. collapsed There were many. casualties among the audience
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
Russian Fort Blown un-

/ London, Dec 31-One of the forts at kronstadt, the naval base near. Petrosrad, has been blown up by an extremely violent explosion, accord ing to Petrograd despatch to the Times. There are no details
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
Four Persons Killed by Escaping Gas

Pawtucket, R. l., Dec. 30. = Four members of the household of Dam tiste VigueIi, including his wife, his two small children and Henry Dan toni, a boarder, were killed by escap- ing gas in their tenement on Cato avenue early today.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
Mys.erious Fire at Newark.

Newark, N. .,J,, Dev. 30.-In mys- terious fire that was discovered just after dark this evening, an immense office building and a storage house of the contracting firm of Post and McChord, at the Federal Shipbuild- ing Go. yards the Kearney Meadows near the Hackensack River
 were destroyed
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
ee Degrees Below Zero.

Glens Falls, N. Y., Dec. 39.-Unofl- cial reports from the nor..: ern section of Warren county state that the tenn rerature this morning ranged from 52 to 69 degrees below zero, the lowest mark being recorded at Thurma n Station. Just outside the city of Glens Falls it was 40 darraas hAlnp-
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
FELL DEAD WHILE
 DELIVERING AN ADDRESS
]. Charles BieeIow of New Haven
 Succumbed at Houston, Tex.

r Houston, Texas, Dec. 30.-Whi1e delivering an address on the war here tiiis afternoon. Colonel Charles Bige- law, a lecturer of New Haven, Conn.,, fell to the platform and died within five minutes. Apoplexy was given as the cause of his death
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
TO ROUTE THROUGH
 FREIGHT AROUND CHICAGO
To Cut Down Time Of Coast to Coast
 Service Ten Days.

Chicago. Dec G0-In compliance with the orders of Secretary McAdoo, director general of railroads. the heads of all roads entering Chicago will meet tomorrow to take the necessary steps in routing through freight around Chicago instead of through the city.
 It is expected that this will cut down the time of coast to coast ser vice between ten days and two weeks
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31

Bessarabia is Government of southwestern Russia, adjoining Ru- mania. About hale the inhabitants are Rumanians. Tne population is in the neighborhood sf 2,OOO, 900. Kishinev is the capital of 8essarabfa, which has an area of aboot 10000 square miles
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31

Count Julius Andrassy, former Hun garian Premier, declared that ''the United States must save the Entente '
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31
CabIed Paragraphs
Bessarabia Declares fndeoendence

Petrograd, Saturday. Dec. 29.--Res- sarabia has declared it's indcpe af.ence as the Moldavian republic. tC, form a part of the Russian federated repUb- lie.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-31

A Dutch steamer from the West In dies brought the body of Captain Mar tin of the United States Marine Corps.