davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER GIVES
 S1oo,ooo,oO0 CHRISTMAS PRESENT

New York, Dec. 24.-John D. Rocke- feller today gave to mankind Christmas present of $100, 900, ,000-half to the General Education Board to raise the salaries of college professors and half to the Rockefeller Foundation to aid in it's work of combating dis ease through improvement of medical education, public health administra- ton and scientific research It is es- timated that MT. Rockefeller's public gifts now approximate s450, 900.
 While le:Iving to the General Edu- cation Board the task of selecting the colleges which shall receive awards for their teaching staffs and the amount each is to receive. MT. Rock efeller urged that the principal as well as the income be used 'as promptly and largely as may seem wise"
 It is known that for long time Mir. Rockefeller has been interested in the problem of aiding teachers in the country's higher institutions of learn ing in meeting the increasing cost of living. Among the 500 colleges in the United States, campaigns are under way to raise approximately S150,000, 000 for this purpose, and while in mak i ing his gifts MT. Rockefeller does not 1 specify institutions receiving a share ] shall contribute sum themselves, this has been the great practice of the l General Education Board.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
NO TRACE OF BODIES IN
 RUINS OF MIDDLETOWN FIRE

Middletown, Conn. Dec. 24-Search of the ruins of one of the buildings of the Connecticut Hospital of the Insane today revealed no trace of the bodies of the nine men who are missing as a result of Tuesday nights fire. A bone from a mans arm was found by the searchers, who examined all of the ruins except a small portion, which was still smouldering. Dr. R. L. Leek, assistant superintendent of the hos pital expressed the opinion that the bodies of the nine missing patients were burned to ashes.
 Of fifty three patients in the build ing, twelve were reported missing i'm mediately after the fire, but three of them were located early today. None of the othrs was found in any of the hospital buildings or. in nearby farm houses and Superintendent Haviland said he did not believe they could have wandered further away.
 The destroyed building was a three story wooden structure and burned swiftly. The patients showed no pan | ic, it is said, and several carried out pieces of furniture. There was only one attendant in the building and ht
 aroused the inmates. Coroner Stephen B. Davis has not announced whether he will hold an in 1 quest --'
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25

Washington, Dec. 24.-President Wilson tonight issued proclamations returning the railroads and express companies to private control March l.
 Failure ot congress to enact reme- dial legislation was given as the reason fer extending by two months the time originally announced for re- linquishing government control of the railroad properties.
 In his message to congress last May President Wilson said the roads would he turned back at the end of the cal- eldar year.
 No agreement having yet been reached by congress" Secretary Tu- multy said in announcing the proc lamations, it becomes necessary in the public interest to allow reason able time to elapse between the issu- ing of the proclamation and the date of it's actually taking effect. The president is advised that the railroad and express companies are not or ganized to make it possible for them to receive and manage' their properties if actually turned over to them on De- cember 31.
 The Esch- Cummins bill designed to meet conditions incident to the return of the roads now is in conference, with the prospect that an agreement on differences between the house aAl senate will be threshed out before March 1. With one provision of the
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR
 PROHIBITION IN NEW JERSEY

Newark, N. J., Dec. 24.-The consti- nationality of the federal prohibition amendment will be challenged again in the supreme court of the United States just as soon as Governor -elect Edwards takes office, it became known today. After discussing his inaugural address with democratic legislators and leaders, Mir. Edwards staated he would direct Attorney General McCran to start proceedings and pending de- cision in the higher court bill de- claring beer and light wines non-in- toxicating and salable in New Jersey, would be introduced.
 Alexander J. Simpson of Hudson, senator elect. has drafted a tentative bill legalizing sale of beer and light wines in New Jersey which will be sent to the house, but before it reach es the legislators, "one of the greatest constitutional lawyers in the country" would pass on it, he declared.
 In support of the contemplated as- sault on the dry" amendment. MT. Edwards quoted the constitution of the United States, which says: "The powers not delegates to the United Staates by the constitution, nor pro- hibited by it to the states, are reserv- ed to the states respectively, or to the people"
 The governor elect declared he would use all legal resources within his power ito protect the rights O1 New Jersey and in the premises
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
PARSONAGE DYNAMITED
 AT JoHNSToWN, PA.

Johnstown, Pa, Dec. 24-Dynamite, exploding on the stone window sill of the study at the parsonage of St. Sasi- mir Roman Catholic church, Fifth ave- nue and Power street, tonight wreck ed the study and damaged the portico of the building only a few minutes after the pastor, the Rev. Father B. Dembinski, one Of the best known priests of the Altoona diocese, had left the room.
 Several arrests were mad on sus- picion and Johnstown police, state con- stabulary and county officers are run ming down clues to the authors of numerous threatening letters sent to Father Dembenski within the last three months. Father Dembenski has in his congregation more than 1000 Poles, most of whom were involved in the steel strike. He frankly advised them to return to work before the movement back to the mills was well begun and i he has publicly denounced a few un- American radicals among the large foreign element here.
 No one was injured by the explosion. which was sufficient force to break large pieces out of the hard stone win dow sill
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25

Lille. France. Dec. 24-Forty thous- and persons are at work in the French textile mills which only a few months ago were razed or footed by the Ger mans of their wonderfully delicate machinery. The correspondent of the Associated Press was given the facts regarding this industry today by the french authorities who have arranged trip to snow him the strides made by the nation in reconstruction.
 Within year, government officials and manufacturers agree, production of textiles will reach half of the pre- war total, and within two years, the 1914 output will be surpassed,
 The wool industry is said to be re- covering most rapidly, with cotton in second place. Linen weaving is re- ported to be slowest in getting back to normal because of the shortage Of flax formerly obtained from Russia.
 In Lille and the adjoining cities o1 Roubaix and Turcoing, where the tex tile manufactories are centered, it is estimated 30,000 men, women and chil- dren are now busted with comping spinning and weaving, and about 10, 000 are employed in the smaller mills of nearby towns where progress i: slower but is being pushed with equa 1 vigor.
 Statistics compiled by the govern ment from necessarily accurate state mentS, upon which factories are paiC 1 reconstruction indemnities, show tha i in the Lille district on October 1, last
 there were 36.3S4 persons working il 162 textile plants, compared witt
 1O6,O66 employed before the war il
 265 factories. In all of the 491 tex
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25

tile mills of the liberated regions there were employed in August of this year only 21,027 of the 152,94S persons al work four years ago.
 Reconstruction of the textile indus try was declared by manufacturers q few months ago to be almost a hope less task. Now, however, brighter view is being taken. and government figures show the industry has reached two-fifths of normal production. All agree that rehabilitation is proceeding more rapidly each month as the loot ed machinery is returned from Ger many or new installations are coming from England and the United States some of the equipment was not re- moved but merely damaged by the Germans, and this is being repaired.
 Direct damage to the textile indus try is estimated by the ministry of re- construction at twenty billion francs. In this section of France the heart of the industry, mills for the most part were knocked to pieces and the rest were damaged. All of the electric ma ctiinery, betting, shafting and similar | equipment were taken by the Ger mans, and seven -tenths of the spin ! dles, looms and combers were either shipped to Germany or pounded into utter selessness.
 1 The labor problem is not at this
 time particularly embarrassing to tex
 tile manufacturers. The task of re-
 placing the remarkably skilled work CTS, many of whom are now dead, is
 said to be in the way of solution be-
 cause women always were largely em- ployed and they are more keen that
 ever for such well paid work since many of them are widows.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
[ ines Dis(jse at
 Detzer COurtn1artiaI
Murders and Robberies Com mitted In Le Mans By Gangs of American and French Soldiers = Women Used as Decoys.

New York, Dec. 24-Murders and robberies committed in Le Mans by gangs of American and French soldiers using women as decoys were describ- ed today by Major George Armstrong, a Detroit efficiency engineer, who served as assistant provost marshal 1 in the American troop area.
 Major Armstrong was called by the defense as witness at the court martial on Governors Island of Cap | tain Karl Detzer of the 308th Military cruelty to prisoners while directing i criminal investigation work in Le Mans, Lieutenant Thomas Heffer- ! nan, defense counsel, in attempting i to show that these charges were 1 brought by ring" out to get Det-
 ger and he has attacked the credibili. l ty of virtually every government wit ness.
 ! Major Armstrong testified that he 1 had direct charge of 2,200 M. P.'s in | Le Mans from August, 1918, until Jan
 uary, 1919, and that during this pe-
 riod 100000 passed through the Earea.
 I A large lawless element was at
 work. he said, and while he was in i T1e Mans. 25 murders were committed and chateaux robbed of thousands of dollars. worth of furnishings. The ! thugs, he said, were known as the
 river gang" chateau gang" 'jewelry
 gang" and other designations denot- ing their speciality. One French count
 alone, he said, lost $25.O00 through the ! operations of the chateau gang"
 The river gang" he testified. made
 a practice of using women to lure the victim to robbery All the thugs, he
 said, were arrested by the military police and are now serving sentences of two fifteen years. Despite the
 character of the men with whom they had to deal, he said, all I'M. P.'s" 1T
 the area were ordered not to str1Kt
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25

bill would order the return of the roads at the end of the calendar month in which the bill was approved, it was considered hardly likely that an agreement would be reached quick ly enough to pus the roads back Feb ruary l, or one month earlier than or dered by the president. There are in- dications of lively fight before either house adopts the others position on anti-strike clauses of the bill or the question of continuing the government guarantee to the roads until they can obtain increased rates to meet ad- vanced operating costs. Also it was said tonight in congressional quarters that because of the presidents deci- sion no attempt would be made to rush through the necessary legislation.
 InaSmuch as the staffs of the Va rious systems have been retained vir- tually intact by the railroad adminis- tration, the return of the railroads to private control will involve legal and financial rather than operating ques- tions. Those departments of the railroad administration will remain in existence with increased personnel for months after the operating officers have left the government service. Swagar Sherley, former chairman of the house appropriations committee and now director of finance for the railroad administration, probably will (continued on Page Nine, Col. Five)
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
OUR GREATEST CHRISTMAS
CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER)

CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER) Was ever such Christmas since the day the Angles sang And music more than mortal through Judean pastures
 rang? Was ever such meaning in the cry of Peace on Earth Since the first Christmas morning when the Prince of Peace
 had birth? A never has Good Will to Menhad such hopeful sound Since shepherds kept their watch by night all seated
 the ground Q little town of Bethlehem, the promise of the past Has been redeemed and thou art the Masters fold at 1as After two thousand years of wrong the word that conquers
 death Falls like benediction on the hills of Nazareth; Once beneath the wondrous Star that lit thine
 cent sky, little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee 1ie! And all the nations doth the healing grace descend They learn of ore and all their terror hath end The goal for which through blood and tears the human race
 has striven Is reached-for unto Child is born, Son is given And now song of praise rings out from brmmng
 hearts again. Glory to God on high and peace on earth good will to
 men
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
SAYS ANNOUNCEMENT IS
 SATISFACTORY TO RAILROADS

Philadelphia, Dec. 24-Thomas De-
 witt Cuyler, a director of the Pennsyl-
 vania railroad and chairman of the As
 sociation of Railway Executives, re- presenting virtually all the important
 railroads of the country, said tonight
 the presidents announcement regard
 ing the return of the roads to their
 owners on March 1, is admirable in
 its tone and substance and is entirely
 satisfactory to tn railroads" MT. Guy ler's statement follows: "The presidents statement is admir- able in it's tone and substance and is entirely satisfactory to the railroad companies. They will be fully prepar- ed and organized to take over their
 properties. I entertain no doubt but that by March 1 congress will have enacted a sound and constructive law for the protection of the railroads and the public alike"
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
Heaviest Christmas
 Mail in History
More Than 16,00O, ,O0O Pieces Handled In New York In the Last Two Days-Feminin, Santa For Wounded Sol diers.

New York, Dec. 24-The heaviest Christmas mails, in the history of the New York postoffice were reported to- night. More than 16,000000 pieces have been handled here in the last two days and there has been no hitch or congestion.
 Foreign as well as domestic mail has shown full 100 per cent. increase for the holidays, with records broken for numbers of pieces outgoing and in coming, money orders bought and cashed, value of insured matter and registered parcels. Nothing like the volume of business ever has been re- ported before in any postoffice on the American continent, it was said.
 Registered Christmas mail alone showed an increase of 200 per cent. in the New York postoffice and the ave rage number of money orders paid here daily this week has been S0,000.
 Steamers arriving from Europe are bringing an average of 100000 let. ters each this season.
 Christmas and New Years cards have increased sixty per cent. over other Yuletides, it was announced.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENTS
 IN NEW YORK CITY TODAY

New York. Dec. 24.-Christmas, the children's day of days, was dedicated afresh to children this year by New York. The nations metropolis enjoy ing tide of prosperity unequalied in its history, will witness the climax to- morrow of a. series of children's enter tainments on more gigantic scale than was ever even contemplated in bygone years.
 At the various headquarters Of New York's hundred and one welfare and patriotic organizations it was open house for children from early his morning and will remain open house rrtil long after the tired reind d4cr of Santa Claus have reached their Arctic stable tomorrow. Hundreds of thou sands of dollars have been raised so that Santa may be a reality and not dream to the vast multitude of chill dren who live in New Yorlx's great tenement districts on the East ~'1e and in Brooklyn. Santa's white whis- kers and red coat will be visible ev- anywhere in Greater New York to- morrow. He will be present in every one of the scores of branches of the Y. M. c. A.. the Salvation Arn'T- and kindred organizations, where htera mountains of toys and candy were piled tonight, while an army of cook: | prepared Christmas dinners for the children of the city's poor.
 | Police captains in Brooklyn vii
 present tomorrow toys, shoes ant | clothing to 1000 children from tht poorer sections of the borough, select l ed through an organized canvass O
 the precincts by the bluecoats. In nn' Manhattan district today similar gift
 were distributed to 1.500 childrel chosen by the police on like plan
 One of the biggest celebrations plan ned for tomorrow for need little one
 will be the result of fund of '= do
 contributed by employees of the Todt Shipyard corporation. With this sun i about 5000 children from Brooklyn
 congested districts will be entertained
 q tthe shipyard and an effort will b.
 made to provide every little one wh,
 needs clothes wit ha complete neV
 outfit
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
HOME MADE WHISKEY COST $6
 PER GALLON; SOLD FOR $1oo

New York. Dec. 24.-Four men were arrested tonight in raid by federal agents in a Brooklyn liquor store which was declared to be doing a rushing holiday business in home made whiskey. Five barrels of alco- hol were seized and a quantity of the whiskey which, according to the agents, was manufactured out of raw alcohol, brown sugar and water.
 The place was crowded with cus- toners when the raid was made, and were purchasing the liquor in bottles and demijohns at prices ranging from $75 to $10O a gallon. Federal officials said the cost of the "whiskey" to the manufacturers did not exceed s6 a gallon. Information in regard to the place was received by the department of justice in a letter from little school girl who said that her father was constantly intoxicated and sick as result of drinking liquor bought at the store
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
NORTHEASTERN FRANCE
 IS FLOODED BY RAINS

Paris. Dec. 24.-lIeavy continuing rains have flooded the rivers in the shut down and rising above the bridges at Belford, cutting the roads and interrupting wire communication. Much damage to property has occur red.
 Yesterday the wind blew over the victory statue at Nancy, which was dedicated by President Poincare.-Sev- eral fishing vessels have been wrecked by the storms off the north and west coasts and several drownings have been reported.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
ONE AND TWO DOLLAR BILLS
 CLEVERLY RAISED TO TEN

Stamford, Conn, Dec. 24.-one and two dollar bills cleverly raised to $10 by the pasting of figures on the cor- ners have been freely circulated here the past few days. One local bank ac- cepted a number of these bills. Today the police turned Joseph Lombarde and Joseph Burgelonge whom they had arrested, over to the federal officers who took them to Bridgeport to be ar raigned on the charge of counterfeit ing. The federal officers say these men may belong to a band which has been putting out these altered bills A man was arrested in Waterbury whose connections run to this band.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
WHITE STAR LINER CANoPIC
 HAD A STORMY PASSAGE

Boston. Dec. 24.-The White Star liner Canopic docked today after a stormy passage from Genoa, Naples and Ponta Delgada with 5S saloon, 4O5 second cabin and 1,1SS steerage pas sengers. The, steamer was delayed at quarantine for a day by heavy fog. Among the passengers was Countess Fannie Montgelas, whose husband handed Ambassador Gerard his pass when the United States declared a state of war existed with Germany. The countess. who was accompanied by her two sons, was formerly Miss Fannie Hazeltine of Grand Rapids, Mich.
 Also on board was the Baroness Edith (Berwind) Kleist, wife of Ger man nobleman and daughter of a Philadelphia coal magnate. Rev Thomas Sherman of Santa Barbara Calif another passenger, who is a son of the late General sherman, learned upon lea ing the ship of the recent death Of his sister here.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
BURGLARS MADE $2.ooo .G
 HAUL AT GREENWICH

Greenwich. Conn. Dec. 24.-Burglars who were in the home of Alfred l.. Ferguson, treasurer O. the Windsor Print Works, New York city; during last night took silverware of S2.0O0 value. The family were at home. and the cook in the kitchen. The latter heard noise in the dining room but paid no attention to it.. The burglars at the time were. examining and se- lecting articles from the sidsboard.
 Outside the house felt slippers. a cap and automobile tracks were found.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
SERIOUS BRITISH LOSSES
 IN FIGHTING IN INDIA

London, Dec 24-Serious British losses are officially reported in fight ing in India. Two British units of young troops, which had already suf- fered considerable casualties, were at tackled on Decemeber 19 by Mahsuds and Waziris. holding strong positions in the hills. The British wavered un- der severe losses and then retired, but ! made a successful attack against the positions next day.
 Indian advices say that after the setback sustained by the Derajat col umn on the 18th the advance was con tinued. Severe fighting took place on the Fist, in whiA the British casual ties were 5S killed and missing, includ- ing two British officers, and 222 wounded, including eight British off 1 cers. The Mahsuds suffered heavily The British regained the lost posi-
 ton on December P without opposi- l ton.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
GAS CAUSED
 TWO DEATHS AT BURLINGTON. V

Burlington, Vt, Dec. 24.-Two wo- men were killed and twelve persons #eer overcome by illuminating gas which escaped through a break in a maln early today and penetrating a sewer made it's way through drain pipes into a half dozen residences Mrs. Martha A. Harrington and Mrs George Raymond were suffocated. Seven of those overcome were taken to a hospital. but it was said tonight that all would recover.
 It is believed that additional deaths were prevented by the prompt sound ing of an alarm to hospitals, the police and the fire departments, by two men who were awakened by the fumes i1 their homes.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
KANSAS CITY WANTS THE
 DEM. NATIONAL CONVENTION

Kansas City, Mo-, Dec. 24.-An ef- fort will be made by Kansas City to obtain the democratic national con vention for 1920, it was decided today at meeting of directors of the Cham Der of Commerce and representatives of the special campaign convention committee. It was agreed that the city would limit its guarantee fund to $50, 900. Plans will be made next Fri day to raise $20.o00 of this fund, the chamber of commerce already having guaranteed $30,o00.
Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-25
BODY OF. SIR JOHN ALCoCK TO BE BURIED IN MANCHESTER

London, Dec. 24.-The remains of Sir John Alcock. who died December 19 at Rouen from injuries received when his waterplane crashed near Cottevrard, Normandy, were brought here today. The body will be. depos- tied in the Marylebone Chapel and conveyed to Manchester tomorrow for interment in the southern cemetery after special services at the cathedral
 The Aero Club of America has sent the following message:
 Please convey to Sir John Alcoclx's family our deepest condolences and express on behalf of the American ae- ronautical world our realization of the great and irreparable loss. we have sustained"