davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
$435,0O0 in Fees
for 5 Executors
Estate M. F. Plant

Norwich, Conn, Jan. 2S.-A deci-
sion making awards Of fees to eXecu-
tors o fthe estate of the late Morton
F. Plant, was given by Judge Allyn
L. Brown today and instead OF the
million or more dollars claimed he
gives a total of s435,O00 to the five ex-
ecutOrS.
The individual awards are as fol-
lows:
To Francis Dec. Sullivan. former
confidential secretary to Mr.. Plant.
s1S5, 900: to George L. Scheler. New
York. $4,000; to the United States
Trust Company. 100000; to Sarah
May Hayward, who was Mr.. Plants
widow, who since has married Col.
Hayward of New York. $4,000 and
to Henry B. Plant. the son, $4,000.
Originally the executors save Mrs.
Hayward. asked for about sSoo.0oo
apiece and the claims were heard in
the Groton Probate Court. An APP
peal was taken by william H. Blod-
gett, state tax commissioner. and
Mrs. Hayward, from the decision of
that court, and the case was recently
heard by Judge Brown.
1t is not yet known whether the
awards Of Judge Brown will be &C
copied. The Plant estate in it's hnal
appraisal was valued close to 100000
600
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Assistant Postmaster
General and Family
Hurt in Theater Crash

Washington, Jan. 29-(By A. P.)--
Edward II. Shaughnessey of Chicago.
second assistant postmaster general,
Mrs. Shaughnessey and their two
daughters. Myrtle and Ruth, were
injured, Mr.. Shaughnessey seriously,
in the knickerbocker theatre disas-
ter. At the Walter Reed hospital.
where Mr.. Shaughnessey was taken
after his rescue from the debris sew
eral hours after the roof of the
building fell in, it was said he was
suffering from a broken pelvis and
internal injuries.
Mrs. Shaughnessey sustained a
fractured rib. Ruth, aged 10, had
both arms broken, while the other
daughter was bruised. All three are
at the emergency hospital
President Harding sent Brig. Gen.
eral Sawyer, his personal physician.
to the Walter Reed to make direct
inquiry about ahe condition OF Mr..
Shaughnessey and to inquire about
government employees caught in the
theatre who are under treatment at
that hospital.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
To Close All
Other Theaters
as Safety Measure

Washington. Jan. 29-(By a. P)-
Investigation of the collapse of the
knickerbocker theatre roof was or
dered today by the District Of Col
umbia Board of Commissioners the
governing body of the city of Wash
ington. At the same time orders went
out to close all theatres until the
snow had been cleared from the roof
and inspectors had made an eXami-
nation of the structures.
Officials said that until an inquiry
had been made the direct cause of
the collapse of the Knickerbocke err
roof could not be determined.
mo man can tell at the present
time just what was directly respon-
sible for the collapse Of the roof"
said Building Inspector Hcaly:
The inspector could not recall a
previous case of the collapse of a
building in the District of Columbia
directly as result of the weight Of
snow on the roof
It was stated that the inquiry
would be started as soon as the res
cuers at work in the wreckage had
made certain that all of the bodies
had been removed. The examination
of the wreckage will be made by
Major Cary Fl. Brown, assistant en-
gineer commissioner, aided by
structural engineers from the<build-
ing inspectors offices.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30

fees have been discontinued, in this
vicinity, namely. Gardinerville. West
Farmingdale, Chelsea, North Pittston.
Joyce, South and East Pittston and
Randolph. These places are now serv-
ed by this Office and rural carriers. The
number OF people now employed in the
Office is "a. The rural carriers from
this office cover more than 172 miles
every day delivering mail The post
office system Of the United States Is
the greatest in the world. In 1900 1t
had one-quarter of the post Offices on
the globe. In the year 1900 there were
less than 1000 offices in the United
States: today there are 52.1s8 and
$4,000 workers are employed. The
annual cost to the government is $780,.
600, 900. The last count kept by the
department showed that in every sim
gle hour in the "a. 100000 letters arc
mailed. in making up each letter IL
handled five times; it is collected.
faced up, stamp cancelled. postmarked.
sorted and tied into packets before
landing in the pouch. 1t is not gener-
ally known that there are stamps of
81, So and IS denomination. The sd-
hesive quality of the stamp comes by
virtue of the sweet potato. Two
kinds of gum are used. one for winter
and another for summer. To trans
port the mails 100000 sacks are in
constant us and more than 100000
miles Of Irvine are used for the pack
ages of letters. or more than enough
toercircle the earth at the equator 50
times"
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Many Health Hints
Contained in Bible

II you want to keep well and avoid
doctors bills, study your Bible. That
would seem to be the moral drawn
from remarks of Sir James Camille
the famous English surgeon. who 70.
Gently pointed out that medicine rest,
on the law of Moses.
There is not one page OF the Bib,.
which does not teach us some hygien.
ic fact" he said.
For instance, the wrong Use a.
milk is the cause of indigestion and
bad teeth. Moses laid down the sal.
utary law that milk should not hs
drunk until at least two hours after
eating fish, three after eating chick.
en- and four after meat. hut this /,
disregarded and milk IL drunk a,
meals. No careful Jewish mother
gives milk 10 her child when mea, /,
served.
Sir James points out how the dan.
gers of plaques carried by rats wa,
learned from the Bible. IS years
ago, when he was a doctor at Hong.
kong. there was a bubonic plaru,
and he and others searched the en-.
cyclopcdia for information. Then n
clergyman came TO him and asked
him to read the fourth, fifth and
sixth chapters OF the Book Of Samuel
where five models OF swclings and
three golden images OF rats were de.
scribed as being offered TO the God
of Israel.
That's the cause Of your plnru.
these rats" said the clergyman. and
on that basis the medical authoritie,
went to work.-Pittsburgh Times
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Hathaway Gives
Interesting, Address

At the regular meeting of the Coun-
Gil of Post Office Employees held in
the Swing room of the government
building Saturday evening, George
Hathaway, at the request Of Acting
Postmaster Smith. gave an interesting
talk regarding the early days of the
Gardiner post office, of which the fol-
lowing is a part:
"Barzilla Gannet was the first post
master in Gardiner and he kept The
Office in small store on what is now
lower Water street, where he traded.
Later he moved it to the house a the
foot of Vine street, which is now oc-
cupied by Judge H. L. Cook. The
following year the office was moved
to the house of Frederick Allen on
Main avenue where for over AZ years
c. T. Stackpole made his home.
'In 1890 trere was not more, than
one mile of road in Gardiner where f
carriage could travel and the mail was
carried on horseback to Portland,
through Monmouth. In 1909 Seth Gay
became postmaster and moved the Of
flee to what was then known as the
North house, which was built by Or.
Gardiner in 1868, and sold to Mr..
North 10 years later. 1t stood in Tie
heater piece north of where the Farm
ers Union building now stands and
was torn down 40 years ago. At the
time Mr.. Gay took the Office there was
one mail week from Portland. The
postmastcrs salary was $3.50 year
"a oil
amounted to about s125 per annum.
THE first stage coach came tc Gardi
ner from Brunswick in 1911. Mr.. Gag
served as postmaster until April, 1885,
and was succeeded by William Palmer,
who remained until Oct. !, 1S41, and
Thomas Gay was appointed in his
place. June so, 1915. DR.. Joseph Mer-
rirl became postmaster and removed
the office to what is now the work
room of Charles A. Davenports jew
elry store. The entrance was from
Depot Square through an arch some
IL or Is feet wide. This arch was
closed up years ago and the space Is
now occupied by Charles Z. Taylor's
barber shop.
About the year 1850 the office was
moved to where the Music Shop is now
! located and Hon. John Berry appoint
T, ed postmaster. In 1896 it was moved
to the Patten block and five years ago
the eighth of this month to its presen.
site.
, 1T was while DR.. Merrill was post
| master that envelopes first came into
use. Prior to thise the written sheet
was folded and sealing wax used to
stick the edges together. No stamps
were used. but an impression made
with an iron hand stamp with the
words Postage paid and the amount
Of postage required filled in with pen
eand ink.
I'VE can hardly realize what great
change has taken place since 1922. At
that time my grandfather was a mas
ter of sailing packet that trans
ported freight. mail and passengers
between Bangor and Boston. When l
entered the service % years ago the
number employed in this poet Office
was FIVE. including the postmaster.
Since that time eight small post Of
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Hatpin Day is Over

Hats to At the head have caused
women to Danish not only from their
minds, but also from their hats,
those steel weapons which figured so
largely 2 few years ago in Staying
the villain in the best snappy stories.
Women no longer wear hatpins.
1t was left to kozo Tada, an cleo
trical engineer from Toxic, Japan, to
make this discovery, or at least to
voice it. He declared that when he
first came to this country every time
he got in crowd he was pokcd in
the face and head by hatpins. but
now he moves about quite free from
attack And his observations were
pronounced correct by milliners and
managers of notion counters, who
declare they haven't sold an honest
to-John' hatpin in ages Pins for
ornament are popular, but they are
solely for ornamental purposes.
Milliners say milady insists upon
correct fit in her hats, just as she
does in her gowns, and the becom-
ingness of headgear ranks first in i'm
portance. still if the head size is not
right. it must either be stretched. IL
too small, frightened by a velvet BAN
lace. if too large, or~discarded alto
gcther II it cannot be made into a
comfortable fit.
AS to just what women have sub
stituted for purposes of defense in
place of the hatpin no one is pre-
pared to say. The CLASSY stare is a
possible suggestion, but this is gen.
orally believed to be not nearly so
cff1cacious. Women themselves de-
clare they are altogether ignorant on
the subject. It's possible men are
aware of the up-to-date weapons
used, but they are carefully guard
ing their knowledge.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30

died With both hands In those OF an
army officer who was directing her
release. One man. pinned beside his
dead wife. was freed from pain with
a hypodermic needle and survived
the long night to safe removal.
A moment after the crash Father
John Floersch, priest of nearby
church. entered the ruined theatre.
Knee deep in the snow that covered
all, for the benefit of the dying
around him. he gave general absolu-
ton and the final rites of the church
to the dying. Then he plunged into
the rescue work.
Notable was the speed of the Red
Cross organization. whose local chap
tiers forced their way to the theatre
site across the city whose normal
transportation lines had been paraly-
zed in the snow. and set up canteeps
for the workers, hospital facilities for
the wounded, and ambulances for the
dead and the injured who had to
reach operating centers. Scores of
surgeons and nurses answered the
summons with instant speed. and
their Succor both saved lives OF the
victims and sustained the unfiaggins
zeal of the rescuers.
The last person to be taken from
the ruins was DR.. Scott Montgomery
of Washington, who was rescued Il
hours after the roof collapsed. He
was pinned by his legs underneath a
beam which killed the young woman
he I, l. \ H.
The beam was part of the structure
of the balcony and was literally key
log in the jam above them.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
$500 Will Be Halt Million in Century

Compound interest IN wonderful
device and the New Jcrseyite who
planned TO use IL in order 10 make his
beauest increase and multiply may
have been OF sound mind. Assuming
that $500 which he left will he OIL
lowed TO grow from the addition ~
interest at s per cent. Compounded
annually. the principal will become
100000 in perhaps a century. But
why did this shrewd benefactor limit
the growth OF his bcquost 20 that
which viii occur in 100 years? n he
rad provided that his trustees should
continue to accumulate interest ~
the assum" rate for 400 years. the
available total would be rather more
than 10000, 900. ao6; and IL he had i'm
structed that the bequest lie fallow
Tor four centuries, his trustees would
1ind themselves the owners OF the
whole world ut the end OF that peri
od. After carrying the investigation
TO this point. II begins 10 appear that
there Is a limit to the good which
post-mortem thrift can effect-Bal.
timore Sun. q
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Over Hundred Hurt
(Continued from PAGE Onel

lance and at the far end, paralleling
the stage front, the back wall COM
pletes the auditorium proper, also
about 200 feetN in length.
This whole space stood roofless to
the sky a moment after the FIRST hiss
ing sound of the breaking roof gave
warning above the music of the or
chestra There is only one survivor
thus far who has told of having
heard that warning and seen the first
powdery handful of snow sift down
over the head of the orchestra leader
in time to make his escape. From
his seat, we'll forward on the main
floor, he raced for the doors at the
back. A great blast of air. expelled
as the roof came down, hurled him
out through the doorway to safety.
Most Of the bodies were recovered
from the floor of the pit beneath the
wreckage of the balcony or from the
front of the balcony itself. Follow
ing the rule of motion picture audi
ences and with an almost empty
house to pick from, those on the main
floor had grouped themselves in the
row of seats just below the front of
the balcony. They were back far
enough to see we'll and the front and
back rows were almost empty.
At the point they had chosen the
danger proved to be just double. Few
of those seated there could have es-
capped. Even though the falling con-
crete slabs and steel work of the roof
missed them. the solid mass of the
balcony front came down on the first
wreckage with crushing. weight.
The cleaning brass rail that adorn-
ed the balcony front lay spread over
the wreckage of the roof fifteen feet
below when rescuers reached the
scene.
Those farther back on the main
floor probably II escaped. The
beams that supported the back end of
the balcony did not let go their'clutch
on the wall. The wide sweep Of seats
they supported titled down until the
wreckage below took the weight off
the front end. then stood covering
the back rows of the main floor like
a tent.
The front rows OF the balcony
were ground TO a twisted mass of
ruin in the fall. There was no wood
in the structure. 1t was all steel
and concrete. but the enormous
! weight of the balcony was itself
sufficient to wind the tortured beams
into fantastic shapes. Here again
chance played a part in reducing the
number of victims. The front rows
of the balcony, four or five tiers
deep, were known as reserved"
seats. They were priced above the
succeeding rows and except when the
, house was damned. commonly were
not all occupied. With the small at
tendance of last night, probably only
few had paid the extra price for
these seats.
Preferring to sit further back,
many of those behind scrambled up
the steep slope of the fallen balcony
to safety. although many were struck
down in the first blow when the roof
came in. Some were hurled down
into the pit wreckage when the bal
cony front fell and even some of
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Cassel Estate Is
Valued mt f6,000.000

London,-Sir Ernest cassel the A.
nancier who died here recently. lA,,
an estate valued at 5000. GOO, ar.
cording to his will, which was pro.
bated yesterday. This estate is liable
to a duty at tho maximum rate ~ 60
per cent, and the public treasury
will benefit to the extent OF EsiOO..
000.
The largest part Of the estate was
bcqucathed to two grandchildren,
after whom tho chief beneficiary iSA
sister. Large legacics were left 20
other relatives, while employees and
friends also were remembered. But
if all trusts mentioned in the docu.
ment ultimately fail. tho whole rcsid.
uary estate will go TO London hos
pitfalls.
Among residents NJ New York city
named in the long list NJ 'old and
valued friends who will receive gifts
from the tcstators furniture. picture.
and plate are Mortimer SchiN, Paul
Warburg and Felix WarhurE snd
their wives. These gifts viii be So
lected by Sir Ernest's sister.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30

Victor S. Wrenn, the we'll known
baritone of the Arlington Opera
company of Boston, who for several
days has been in Gardiner as the
guest of Eben Haley, sang at Christ
church Sunday morning the selec-
ton HE That Dwelleth." Mr.. Wrenn
has sung at several private recitals
while in this city and those who
have been so fortunate as to hear
him in this intimate way have been
enthusiastically apprcciative of the
opportunity.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Invented New Pleasure.

This year the centenary OF aspsra-
gus is celebrated.
At least. it is the centenary 81 the
Argcnteuil variety. which is practi-
cally the only one cultivated IN
France-the fat. white. luscious sort
with purple tips. which is perfect hot
with melted butter.
The story Of how Argenteuil, q IT.
tie village on the Seine. near Pans,
! came to give birth TO the giant which
replaced the stringy stun that our
grandfathers called spruce" is rath-
err curious.
Formerly Argenteuil and tho neigh
boring hamlets that slope down n
the river produced a rather famous
small" wine much beloved by
Parisians.
But at the beginning OF the last
century the grape vines were a.
tackled by disease. One dav
peasant, standing among his stricken
plants. had the idea OF planting
asparagus among the rows.
Three years later. when th"v had
come TO maturity, he was able 80
send to the Paris markets asparagus
of n size and succulence that as
founded and delighted the eourm''%
The OLD peasant had endowed man
kind with n new pleasure.
Next year all his ncighbors were
pulling UP their vines and planting
the 'Argenteuil giant" To-day. though
the place Is now 4 big railway
junction surrounded ny bolching fac
tory chimncys. the finest asparagus
In the world is still produced IN IN"
district, sticks weighing n pound zach
being by no means unusual. And ail
over the world the thick juicy varie''
has replaced spruce, At only for soups
and garnishiny.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Senate to Get Resolution
On. Theater Disaster

Washington. Jan. 29-(By A. Pr
Senator Capper of Kansas, a member
of the senate district of Columbia
committee, announced tonight that as
soon as the senate re-convened he
would introduce resolution calling
for an investigation of the knicker-
booker theatre disaster and also OF
the large building constructions in
Washington since the beginning CT
the war.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Science Church
First Aid Station
for Injured Victims

Washington, Jan. 29-By A. P.)-
Recovered from the wreckage and
horror of the ruined Knickerbocker
theatre, a pitiful stream of mangled
bodies, dead and living, flowed all last
night and today into the lower rooms
of a Christian Science church a few
hundred yards away. At the first
word of the disaster, the place was
thrown open to those stricken folk
and the hundreds Of others who came
to search for their dead or injured.
And as the full weight of the losses
became known, the dead monopolized
the space, crowding the injured in
the all too small rooms.
1t was merely first aid station,
for those taken crushed. but alive,
from the wreckasc: They were car
ried in strctchers over the slippery
pavement with lines Of soldiers keep
ing the crowds far hack. Doctors
and nurses and women eager to bring
their sympathy and cheers to the
suffering or bereaved. waited in the
church. They tenderl% washed away
the gray dust of the crumpled con-
crete, the grim and caked blood.
bla ckened some times by hours of
waiting pinned under the debris I'M
til the rescuers cut the victim loose.
Bandages were applied and then the
al or home.
But the dead lay long in the double
rows in which they stretched across
the floor. lay until a fearful relative
or friend, husband. or wife. or faith
err or a mother. recognized the csush-
cd form at last. Up and down these
aisles of the dead walked those whose
fears had drawn them here because
of some one missing in the family cir
Gle. Women already weeping in cer-
tainly of what they must find sooner
or later beneath the kindly blankets
that shielded the sleepers made the
journey Of sorrow many times before
they found what they sought.
Men with working faces leaned 70
draw back the coverings and then
gasp with short lived relief as they
moved on to the next huddled form.
Some of these seekers came with
IIlC Viii diiu VI AHC "lStiAdS Z
upon them still. Some had passed
through the crash OF roof and bal
cony only to leave a dear one dead
in the tangled mass. They had
worked hours with the rescuers to
find that one. only to turn now and
then for a hurried trip to the cham
Der of death.
Eleven times death struck down
husband and wife, side by side. But
many other times it was only the
wife or the husbands who persisted
and the grim survivor must make the
terrible pilgrimage of recognition in
the grim chamber of the dead.
The times when children were talk
en- We're sparingly few. The storm
that wrecked the Knickerbocker kept
most of the little, folk at home that
night
Up the long path. trodden through
heavy snow. that ran from the i'm
promptu morgue to the Knickerbock-
er. struggled the stretchers squads,
army and navy men mostly.
Some of the dead were alive when
rescue work began. but died before
the saving hands could reach them.
One girl child, pinned under a beam
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30

About 80 members of the Epworth
League of the Methodist church of
this city attended the Federation of
Epworth Leagues held in the Gardi-
ner Methodist church last Friday
evening" There was a large attend
ance at the Federation and a most
delightful time was enjoyed by all.
Rev. c. o. Perry. pastor of the Meth
odist church of this city, also presi
dent of the Federation, gave the adj
dress of the evening. He took for
his subject, what Pastor Can Ex-
pect from His Epworth League"
This Federation was organized in the
Methodist church of this city three
years ago and since that time it has
grown very rapidly, both in num-
bers and efficiency.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-30
Magnet Mystery

The exact principle which causes
the magnet to take hold of metals
and cling to them with q force which
overcomes the principle OF gravity is,
like electricity, one of natures I'M
solved mysteries.
Scientists merely know that a piece
OF iron which has been electrically
treated will attract and hold various
other metals. The force it exerts they
call magnetism" and let it go at that.
The most logical explanation would
appear TO be that an electrically
treated piece of iron gives off a force
analogous to that given off by radium.
in that 1T will affect other pieces of
metal without materially lessening
its own power.
The name magnet" is derived from
the mineral magnetic" This. in
turn, is so-called because it was first
discovered in magnesia. Magnetic is
natural magnet, of which lodestone
Is one of the best-known varieties
Pittsburgh Gazette Times.