davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
IMPROVEMENT
OF reefs
PROGRESS
Four Squares on South
Washington Street Be-
ing Modernized
ROAD is 60 FEET WIDE
Will Improve Prince and Duke
Streets From Royal to Henry and
Pitt From Prince to Duke

The. work of improving the four
squares on South Washington street
between Duke and Franklin streets, is
now progressing in a very satisfac-
tory manner under the direction of
City Engineer +. c. Dunn. About
thirty-five men are employed on the
job
The new street is of bituminous
macadam &ad is sixty feet wide.
When finished this will complete the
Washington street road to Mount
Vernon and mark the completion of
the Improvement of most of Washing
ton street from end to end
The city engineer has just improved
the square on Duke street between
Washington and st. Asaph streets
with a forty foot bituminouS macadam
roadway and this square will, it is
stated, later be widened if the prop
erty owners so desire.
a part of the cost of the improve
ments on South Washington street is
being bourne by the property own
erS.
After the work on Washington
street is completed the city engineer
will next improve Prince and Duke
streets. On these two streets, which
run parallel to each other, they will
be improved from ROYAL to Henry
streets, total Of seven squares on
each street, or fourteen squares, and
in addition the city engineer also
will improve the square on Pitt street
between Duke and Prince streets.
When all of this work is completed
the city will have exactly twenty
squares of improved roadway of btu
minous macadam. In all cases where
the improvements are to be made the
property owners will pay their pro-
portion of the cost.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
CHICAGO FIRE
IS BLAMED ON
LABOR LEADERS
Partial Destruction of
Apartment Building Con-
sidered Terrorist Move
BOMB EXPLOSION
Worker Warns Women In Adjoining
Houses to Get Out Before Bomb
Expl0des

Chicago. Nav 17.-0pen defiance
of the effort of th> police to check an
outbreak of labor warfare, which has
terrorized the city for two months,
was seen last night in a spectacular
fire which partially destroyed 10
apartment building under construc
ton in the heart of a wealthy distri@
The damage is estimated at S2OO,0OO.
Starting Just before dark at several
points on the first floor the flames
spread rapidly through the S5O0.OOO
structure. and practically all fire
fighting APPARATUS in the northern sec
ton of the city was called before 1t
was brought Under control, with half
the building in ruins.
Workmcn on the structure were en-
ployed under the Lands wage award,
and police declared that the fire was
but another step in the campaign Of
terrorism directed against the award.
which was made by former Judge X.
NJ. Lands sitting as mediator in a
wage dispute ebetween the building
trades workers and contractors The
award was accepted by the contractors,
but was opposed by several of the
unions. which were dissatisfied with
its terms.
Investigation Of the fire showed
that it had been started simultaneous
ly in several places and had been
preceded bv the explosion Of bomb.
Two women in an adjoining apart
ment building told the police they were
warned by a man shortly before the
fire was Jecovered that the next build
ing would soon be in flames and that
thev should flee
Get out quick, this building is
going to burn. You'll hear an explo-
sion in minute. To h with the Lam
dis award The man shouted to Mrs.
Mary Corbett after calling her to
the door of her apartment.
He then hurried to the apartment
of Mrs. Frances Choate, wife of an
official of mail order house, and re-
peated his warning. Mrs. Choate was
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
Appoint Committees
For Memorial Day

At the regular meeting of the Mary
Custis Lee Seventeenth Virginia Regl-
ment Chapter, L. d. C., the following
committees were appointed to have
charge of the exercises on Decoration
Day, May u, 1922:
Cemetery-Mrs. Alexander, Mrs
Howell and Mrs. Doniphan.
Music-Mrs. Anderton, Miss Smoot
and Miss Zimmerman.
Christ Church Mound-Mrs. q. l.
Klipstein and Miss Klipstein.
Confederate Monument-Mrs. w.
ID. Ogden and Mrs. Simpson.
Decorating Truck and arranging
for Light Infantry and Boy Scouts
Mrs. Louis y. Duffcy.
All Daughters Of Confederacy are
requested to meet these committees at
Lee Camp Hall, Wednesday morning,
Nav 2ith, to assist them in any way
possible, and TO solicit flowers for
decoration. Anyone having flowers
to donate for this occasion will kindly
send them TO the hall or notify the
committees and they will be called for.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
TO
REPLY TO THE
HUGHES Note
Project Held up Pending
Final Decision of
United States
REQUEST MORE TIME
Soviet Asks Delay - Ambassador
Chids Tells Delegates Hughes
Note Is Not Flat Refusal.

Genoa, May 1.-THE Genoa confer.
ence will reply to Secretary Hughes
refusal to accept the invitation to the
Hague conference with new set of
proposals. it is indicated in authori-
tatiye British circles.
Declining to accept the Hughes
note as the last word on Americas
attitude, and clinging to the hope that
its final paragraph offers loophole
through which the United States may
change its position, the conference
leaders will explain that the Hague
commissions are to be appointed for
the very purpose Of settling the issue
outlined in the concluding words,
where the Secretary of State says the
present suggestions lack, "in view OF
the Russian memorandum" the de-
initeness which would make possible
the concurrence of the government in
the proposed plan.
As long as there is the slightest
hope of persuading Washington to
participate in the Hague discussions,
every effort vii be made to adjust the
European nations without forsaking
any of her principles. From the Brit
ish standpoint, the only hope for the
Hague conference appears to rest in
this action.
Following on the heels of setback
occasoned by the Hughes note and
the widespread disappointment caused
by the Washington declination the at
titude of France and Russia has also
become doubtful.
The Soviet delegates have asked for
another twenty-feur. hours in which
to consider the question before making
a formal reply. The French, II is
indicated, not only at Genoa, but IN
Paris. will follow the lead of America.
Consequently, in view Of develop
mentS in the past twenty-four hours
the Hague project is completely IN
the air, with the British leaders do
ing their utmost to save ii from COM
plete abandonment.
Disappointment was the keener be-
cause it had been previously rumored
that America would display more
favorable attitude. Italian officials
had understood that the United States
acceptance would hinge largely upon
two conditions which the conference
has already adopted-prohibition of
separate agreements and the under
standing that the commissions at The
Hague will not have final authority,
but will refer their decisions to the
respective governments.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
HOOVER CALLS
CONFERENCE ON
COAL PRICES
Object Is To Avert Further
Advance In Charge
To Consumer
TO END WALKOUT
Strike Conference to be Called Later
in Hopes of Adjusting Differences
With Miners.

Washington. May 17.-Secretary
Hoover announced last night the call
ing of conference of coal operators
to devise measures for the protection
of consumers from the teC'ncy of
coal prices to rise at the mine in GER
tain districts. which he declared will
be checked,
No date has been definitely set for
the conference. 1t is expected to be
held in the next few days.
Some outlines of the tentative pol
icy adopted BY the Administration to-
ward the general coal strike also are
becoming visible. 1t is probable that
within six weeks or some such period,
after satisfactory indications are Civ
en- by the union leaders and coal mine
operators that such step would meet
success, a conference will be called.
Either President Harding or some
Cabinet member will issue the invita-
ton. possibly without publicity, and to
a limited group in the first instance,
but later to representative numbers,
and ask the parties to the controversy
when assembled to negotiate for set
tlement.
Mr.. Hoover requested the American
Railway Association and the public
utilities associations to create buying
committees to handle their coal pur-
chaSes, and announced his intention of
asking other large consuming indus
tries TO take similar measures to stop
bidding against each other and
against the general consumers.
AT the present time" he said, the
price Of coal has risen undulv in GER
tain districts, while in other districts
there Is an insuficiencv Of orders to
employ the miners full time. There
are very large stocks of coal in the
country in the possession of conSum-
erS and the problem is one of co-ordi-
nation and cooperation.
"The report of certain wholesalers
that there is shortage of coal is un-
true and designed to further their per-
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17

bewildercd by his words and asked
him to repeat them. In answer ne
to kick her and then fled.
Squads of patrolmen armed with
rifles were rushed to the building and
a search begun for the man.
The fire followed several days of
quiet during which the police have
oeen checking up much evidence seized
last week in raids on union head
quarters, the arrest Of more than $50
labor leaders and the Indictment of
eight, including Fred Nader, presi-
dent of the Building Trades Council,
in connection with the Staying of the
two patrolmen by four bombers who
escaped in an auto.
The new arrests were made yes
terday following reports that con-
fesson duplicating several persons had
been made by John Miller had pre-
viously been quoted as saying the
auto was stolen from him several days
before the crime. One of those taken
into custody was Mrs. Margaret Mil
Ter, his wife, the other is a "mys-
terious stranger"
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
CONVENTION OF
WOMENS CLUBS
Opens Today at Richmond
Governor Trinkle Makes
Welcoming Address
Tonight
Miss Helen Norris Cummings to Pre-
side Over Convention and In
trOduce Speakers
(Special Dispatch to Gazette.


Richmond, May 1.-THE state con-
vention of Women's Clubs opens here
today. and vii continue in session to-
morrow and Friday. A large number
Of delegates are in attendance, and
many important matters are slated
for consideration. The membership
comprises the leading women from
every town in Virginia, and is infuen-
tial in determining the activities of
the women of the state in all matters
pertaining to civic welfare. The dele
gates here today are enthusiastic as
to the outcome of the convention, and
many interesting discussions are
promised.
This afternoon a reception will be
rendered the delegates by the Wo-
mems Club of Richmond, and tonight
Governor Trinkle will deliver the ad-
dress of welcome. to be followed by
other notable addresses. Miss Helen
Norris Cummings will preside and
introduce the Governor and other
speakers of the occasion.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
Sentences Imposed in Cases
of Benz. and Aldred
Waters
HEARD IN FAIRFAX
Were Charged With Assaultlng ana
Beating Robert L.. Merchant-bond
Fixed sat $500 Each

One year each in Jail and fines OF
$500 each were the sentences imposed
by Justice Frank W. Troth of Mount
Vernon district Fairfax county, TINS
afternoon in the cases of Benjamin
Waters and Aldred Waters, father ana
son respectively charged with as
saulting and beating Robert l.. Mer-
chant. a public hacker, which occur
red late Saturday afternoon on the
road near the old watering trough
about two miles south OF Alexandria
The hearing took place at Pulmah ;
Store.
An appeal was noted by Attorney
Edmund Burke representing the de-
PENDANTS. Attorney II. Noel Garner
represented Merchant.
BENJAMIN Waters admitted the as
sault but denied that his son Aldred
Waters had anything to do with the
assault, although ne said his son got
out of the machine on the Fairfax
road when he did.
According to Benjamin Waters
when the police last Saturday after
noon visited the home Of Waters they
were driven in an automobile owned
bv Merchant and witness said that
Merchant called to his wife when Sne
leaned her head out of the window,
"You had better come down some
body wants to see you His wife he
said became nervous as a result.
Merchant denied calling to Mrs.
Waters.
BENJAMIN Waters also denied send
ing a phone message TO Merchant to
come into Fairfax county. Merchant
testified that ne received a phone mes
sage from a man purportlng to be
Mr.. smith asking him to come to
a certain place in Fairfax county to
tow in his car TO Alexandria, 1t having
broken down.
Bail was fixed at $4,000 each.
When the case was called today in
this city before Justice of the Peace
Frank w. Troth of Mount Vernon dis
trict Fairfax county. there was some
DELAY incident to arrival of counsel
for Waters. Finally Justice Troth de
cided TO hold the hearing in Fairfax
county, telling those assembled that If
there was any objection on the part
of anyone he could not legally hear
the case i'm this city.
The defendants in the case and
others interested, including witnesses,
then left in automobiles for Pulman'S
store i'm Fairfax county. Merchant
took the stand and testified to the as
sault which lhe stated took place about
> o'clock Saturday evening while he
was in his automobile.
The testimony was all in and JUS
tice Troth was about ready to pro-
nounce sentence when Attorney Ed
mund Burke of Washington, called up
and announced that he would like to
hear the testimony in the case as at
torney for the defendants, and the
court there upon suspended sentence
and agate heard all the testimony. At
the first hearing neither Waters nor
his son testified on the ground that
they We're without counsel
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
WINS HONORS
4. II. S. Debating Team Takes Third
Place AMONG Contestants From
200 High Schools

Alexandria High Schools debating
team claimed third honors at the an
nral meet of the Virginia Literary So
cietv held in Charlottesville Friday
and Saturday of last week. The team
from Staunton won first place and
Bristol High School took second. More
than two hundred of Nirginia's best
hich schools had teams entered in
this contest and the winners were
chosen hv a group Of Judges from the
University of Virginia. Miss Vinita
Smith and Clarke Slaymaker compos-
ed the team sent from the local high
school and since the good news has ar
rived have been kept busy receiving
the congratulations of the faculty and
the students.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
MEMBERS REPORT

CAPTAIN Lawrence E. Gardner. COM
manding the Alexandria Machine Gun
Company, says that he will eudeavor
TO form company to participate in
the parade Of the Virginia Historical
Pageant in Richmond next Monday.
He requests that all members Of the
company who desire to 60 Richmond
with the company report to the Ar
mory Hall tonight at s o'clock in full
uniform. This is important as II must
be decided upon at once in order to
have a special car ordered in time to
make the trip.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
MUSICAL TEA

Don't forget the high school tea to-
morrow afternoon. Additional num-
hers to the program printed Yesterday
are as follows: Speaking by Paul
Keough. violin selections, John
Strauss. A silver Offering will be taken
for the benefit of the high school
athletic fund. Time to s, Place, 800
Prince street.
healthier Alexandria. and therefore a
Greater Alexandra"
Hurrah for the Gazette's Campaign
for Greater Alexandria" Hurrah for
those two words Public Park" on the
flag of its masthead!
P. B.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
ISAAC GREGG.

sonal ends"
From the White House also there
came word YESTERDAY of the Govern
ment's intention to take hand in the
situation arising from the advance in
the price Of coal at the mine in some
districts.
President Harding and other Off
cials of the Government consider. it
was stated. that in spite of the strike
there exists no possible reason for
general advance in prices outside of a
huvers' manic. At nresent through a
General nrjce of SLIGHTLY above 81 per
ton for bituminouS is rulEg over the
country. In few districts Secretary
Hoover has found that So per ton and
more has been collected.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
IN CONGRESS
YESTERDAY
SENATE

Met at 10 a. m. and recessed at
Cos n. m. until IL o'clock this morn
ing. The usual night session was omit.
ted to permit the pages as guests Oh
Senator Elkins to attend the circus.
The first vote was reached yes.
terdav after six and half hours OF
debate, when the committee rate on
court-plaster was sustained.
In prepared address Senator Cap
per. of Kansas, opposed the American
valuation plan of assessing rates OF
duties on the ground that 1t might
conceal excessive rates.
Chairman Gooding, Of the Republic
can agricultural tariff bloc, In speech
declaring the pending measure was
the first ever framed that gave the
farmer a square deal" and pointed
out that all farm products were on
the dutiable list, the average rate
being trifle more than q per cent.
Senator Underwood, replying to
Mr.. Gooding, declared that for every
dollar of protection the farmer would
receive he would have to pay 500 in
taxes to producers of necessities which
he used. '~AW
Senator Walsh Democrat), Mass
achusetts, estimated that the ulti-
mate cost of the pending tariff bill to
the American consumer would be SFi,-
600. 900 600
These figures were challenged, and
Chairman McCumber pointed out that
as the total income of the wage earn
ers of the country was only $1,000
100000 year, the public could not
spend more than it made.
Passed House bill appropriating
$50O,000 for the Department of JUS
tice to be used in Investigating and
prosecuting wartime fraud cases, and
the measure now goes to the Presl-
dent
Adopted the Mccormick resolution
declaring against the use of the naval
transport Henderson to take to Japan
American naval officers who were
classmates at Annapolis of Admiral
Urui, of the Japanese navy, for re-
union to be held in Japan this sum-
mer.
HOUSE
Met at noon and adjourned at 1:4e
D. m. until today at noon.
In a set speech Chairman FOrdney,
of the ways and means committee,
using an unusually large exhibit a
foreign-made goods to illustrate and
support his argument. explained what
he characterized as "the robblng of
the government" by differentiation Of
imnorted products.
He quoted from invoices to show the
small prices at which the articles had
been bought, and enlightened the
House and the country as to the prices
asked in retail establishments, both
facts, from his point of view. proving
that both the government and the con-
sumner is being robbed
The Butler bill authorizing the
President to scrap warShips in confor-
nifty with the conference agreements
and the navy treaty and to authorize
the conversion Of two battleshipS into
airplane carries was discussed through
out the day. but no action taken.
Howard Elliott, chairman of the
! Northern Pacific railway board, be-
( fore the interstate commerce commit
tee opposed repeal of the transporta-
tion act so as to restore rate making
powers to State commissions. and told
the committee that 'the health of
( the country as a whole means that we
must look at railroad questions from
national standpoint and not from
the divergent and sometimes narrow
view of the States"
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
Communications.
A Public Park

To the Alexandria Gazette:
Within the past week, Alexandria's
citizens have certainly displayed a
civic pride that Washington himself
would have commended. The splendid
"esprit-de-corps" which characterized
the "Y" campaign, and the forgetting
OF all personal likes and dislikeS of
each individual in an effort to raise
that $4,000 for the erection of mo-
dern "Y" marked great milestone IN
the history of our town. Too long have
we allowed our little "party-policles'
to sway us; too long have we been
dominated by our petty prejudices.
At last we stand, a civic body united
in the common cause of greater Alex
andria. We are all one now:
What's to be done next by the splen-
didly organized groups of citizens?
Shall we allow this fine civic virtue,
concerted action in public improve
ment, to die of inanition. Faith with
out works is dead" Therefore let us
to work.
A prosperous community is happy
community. What could increase the
happiness and therefore, the prosper
ity Of our people more than public
park? We are located in the South,
and therefore most of our days would
be preferably spent in the open. How
ever, at present there is no open place
where we may go TO spend warm
evening on a comfortable bench with
cur favorite magazine or book. There
is no place where tired mother may
bring her little family to romp and
play on the grass while she gets the
much-needed air and sunshine. As a
result we see whole families of chill
dren parading up and down our shop
ping district, King street, IN an at
tempt to give the children an airing.
If Alexandria had a public park, out
side of the dusty business district
with a few swings and some simple
play-apparatus for the youngsters, a
great improvement in the general
health of our community would soon
be apparent.
Our older boys and girls need a
place to stroll too. Only a short while
ago. we met quite group of them
paired off in twos and threes, in Il
cemetery. When questioned as to why
Youths gayety should choose Deaths
garden for a rendezvous. we were told.
There's no place, except the movies,
to 90 to- It's so pretty out here
These young people wanted to be close
to the green grass, the flowers,-it
was the call of Mother Nature to
Youth. Shall we satisfy this in q
lovely park facing some of the beau
tiful vistas that Hunting Creek or the
Potomac shore afford? Or shall we
still let them wander over the tomb
stones?
Alexandria is particularly fortunate
in the many lovely natural spots quite
close to the main part of the city. a
public park could be made from any
one of these with a modicum of eX-
pense, since there is so much beauty
even in the contour of the land around
here. Take any one of these spots as
the basis of our recipe for civic hap
piness. Add to it a planting and ar
rangement of attractive shrubbery,
some flower gardens, comfortable
benches scattered under trees, ten
mis- court, swings and other simple
play apparatus that make children
happy, rosy youngsters,-and perhaps
band stand for evening concerts by
our Citizens Band. The result would
unfailingly be a better Alexandria, a
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
r. s. Barrett Will
Address KiwanianS

Robert S. Barrett tomorrow after
noon will address the members of the
Kiwanis club of this city at the week
Iv luncheon of that club which will be
held in the Westminster building. A
Of members Of the Kiwanis
Club will 90 to Washington tomorrow
night to be the quests Of the Wash
inpton Kiwanis Club.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-17
Case Set For June 20
Seek to Recover $4,000 For Death
of Stanley Kelly

The suit of James L. Kelly, admin
istrator, against the Texas Company
the purpose of which is to recover
damages in the sum of $4,000 for
the death of Stanley Kelly, August 2,
1921 IN the corporation court today
was set for trial June 20. Stanley
Kelly was driving a motorcycle when
he was struck by an auto delivery
truck of the defendant company it is
alleged.