davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
Say North Pole
AirpIane Junk,
Flyer in Peril

BERLIN, May 23.-The airplane
in which Raold Tmundsen will at
tempt to fly across the North Pole
next month is an old, second hand
machine and may have & faulty
motor, according to information
given the Junker Airplane Works.
The explorer unaware that his
Machine is iii such dangerous condi,
tion has gone to a remote region OF
Alaska to prepare for take-off.
He is out Of communication with
civilization.
This information was given to
Manager SaXenburg of the Junker
works by Haakon Sammer of Seat
tie. The revelations caused at
tempts on the part of the Junkers
to finance n relief expedition to
Spitzcnbcrg so as to be ready to 90
to the rescue i'll the event of
Amundsen being forced to descend
in the Polar regions with only two
days supply of food.
According to Sammer's story
Amundsen bought the machine in
America under the impression that
it was a new American airplane in
perfect order. 1t is understood to
be II second hand German plane.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
BUSI NESS MEN
HEAR TALKS ON
REHABILITATION N
Chamber of Commerce
Luncheon Draws
Big Crowd

A splendid meeting was held to-
day at the weekly chamber of com
merce luncheon and the spirit that
was displayed augurs we'll for the
organization S activities under the
new directorate. It was especially
well attended and many new faces
were seen indicating a renewed in
terest III these important weekly
luncheons. Three prominent guests
were present: w. G. McWade from
the San Francisco office of the
United States Veteran s welfare
bureau; Alfred Livingston of the
San Diego district office of the
same bureau and Mr. Cunningham
of the department of interior.
After Il few predatory remarks
by the newly elected president of
the chamber, c. f. Scott, each of
these gentlemen was introduced in
turn and spoke on the different
angles Of work in connection with
the rehabilitation of war veterans.
Mr.. McWade in particular went in
to detail on the way things were
being done in the San Francisco
office and cited few cases show
ing the remarkable development of
some of the boys who are in train
ing.
He stated that there are 40
trainees down here in Imperial Val
ley on farms and that they are max
ing the best showing of any in the
state of California which speaks
well for the cooperation that is be-
ing given by the local people.
President Scott then made an
nouneenent Of the meeting of the
new board Of directors for this eve
ming and urged all members that are
interested to feel that they are well
come. He also urged everyone to
attend the Associated Chamber
meeting at Heber Friday night
Dinner will be at 7 o'clock. He
stated that he is not ready at this
time to make any definite announce
ment as to the future plans of the
chamber but intimated that the poll.
cy would be one of action and strict
application to work.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
BALDWIN CONFERS
WITH LEADERS ON
CABINET MEMBERS
By LLOYD ALLEN
U. p. Staff Correspondent

LONDON, May 22.-Prime Min
lister Stanley Baldwin conferred
with ministers and political leaders
today as he formed his cabinet to
replace that of Bonar Law.
There is doubt that Lord Curzon
foreign minister in the last cabinet
will retain that office. Lord Rob
ert Cecil who recently visited the
United States, speaking on the lea
que of Nations, is mentioned for
that post.
Sir Robert Horn is the leading
candidate for the chancellor of the
eXchequer.
Baldwin S belongings were being
moved into 10 Downing street. Bald
win expects to complete his cabinet
by tomorrow and Friday the minis
ters will go through the formality
of kissing the king s hand.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
ANOTHER
TORNADO
HITS EAST
by United Press Leased Wire

F. WICHITA, Kas., May 22.- A
score of persons were injured, sew
eral perhaps fatally, and considera-
BILE property damage resulted when
Il tornado struck Wichita and the
surrounding section during the night.
The twister came from the west,
sweeping almost everything in its
path for mile.
Houses, barns and refinery tanks
were blown down and telegraph
and telephone circuits put out of
commission.
One child was reported killed at
Greensburg near here. A score were
injured there, the report stated.
When the storm struck Wichita
three persons were seriously injured
and dozen bruised
The tornado swept in from
Northwest Oklahoma. Report;
from that section were that one per
son was killed near Freedom and
several injured.
Floods and Wind
Heavy rains preceded the winds
and waters in Northern Oklahoma
are at flood stage. Roads and eel
lars are flooded and rail lines arc
covered with water in many see
tions.
Mrs. Charles Miner, 70, who liv
ed in small frame building rcal
here, was not expected to live az q
result of injuries she received when
her home VISA struck by the storm
With her husband she was rescued
from the twisted wreckage by
neighbors. Parts of their home
were scattered over a ten acre
field.
Mrs. Mary Hopkins, Greenburg
suffered a broken leg. Two child
rem of z. c. Hall sustained skull
fractures and may die.
The home of II. A. Heckert, neal
by was left standing with the root
neatly lifted off by the winds
Heckert, his wife and children were
preparing to go to bed.
Reports from Greensburg said
that over a hundred persons wer,
made homeless and were being ear
ed for by townspeople. Forty resi-
dences there were demolished, the
report said. The town is without
lights and telephone service.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
WORST FIRE in HISTORY OF
VALLEY RUINS TWO BLOCKS;
NUMBER DIE UNDERGROUND
TRAGEDY, COMEDY
WALK HAND In
HAND AT BIG FIRE

Tragedy and comedy, pathos and
laughter walked hand in hand yes
terdaE during the exciting moments
of the most disastrous fire the val
ley has ever known.
Scores of slant-eved Orientals
scuttled here and there carrying
queer looking Chinese chests and
trunks ontheir backs or pushing
them in wheelbarrows. Others sat
disconsolate ontheir handful of pos
sessions tied up in an old blanket.
An ironic feature lay in the fact
that scores of refugees huddled to-
gether in groups on what was the
former site of the most notorious
spot on the North American CONT
ncnt, the Owl.
AS they sat and stared duly into
space, the jazzv strains of an or
chestra poured out its crazy music
a half block up the street, making
one think of Nero who fiddled while
Rome burned.
One young girl, not more than 1S,
and bearing the unmistakable palor
of confirmed drug addict, careen-
ed into a saloon seeking to drown
her trouble in liquor.
A Mexican, who had owned a lit
tie "tienda'' or shop, rushed up
and down the. steet wildly hanging
onto huge bunch of bananas.
When asked why he guarded them
he cried che had lost everything
this was all that was left.
An enormously fat Mexican wo-
man, homeless and waddling, ear
ried in her capacious arms diminu.
tive hairless chihuahua dog, which
seemed to be greater source of
concern to her than several dirty
little kiddies clamoring at her
skirts
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
FIRST PHASE OF
PLANE DASH TO
POLE NEARS END
Amundsen and C0mpan-
ion to Make Sensa-
tional Experiment
BY United Press Leased Nfre

NOME, Alaska, May 23.-Word
Of the arrival at Wainwright, Alas
ka, of Captain Raold Amundsen
and party was expected momentar-
lily today.
1t will mark safe completion of
the first phase of Amundsen s
spectacular drive towards the North
Pole. The noted explorer who
with Captain Oscar Omdahl Of the
Danish army, will attempt to fly
across the "top of the world to
Spitzenbergon was last reported
leaving Kotzebue on the Seward
peninsula, for Wainwright, Il dis
tance of $50 miles over a difficult
trail, On April IS.
He expected to reach Wainwright
May l.
Before his departure Captain
Amundsen while refusing to divulge
details of his plans, indicated that
he proposed to chop off, for the
unknown regions of the pole at the
first favorable opportunity after
arrival at Wainwright.
Two in Airplane
Only Amundscn and Omdahl will
make the airplane flight. Amund-
sen announced before leaving koJ-
zebue. They will carry provisions
in the lightest and most compact
form; instruments for observation
purposes and all of the remaining
carrying capacity of the plane will
be devoted to gasoline.
Three fourths of the total gaso-
line carried will be reserve supply.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23

fire, and the supposed reputation OF
many of the resorts, good order was
maintained at all times.
The question of deaths in the dis
aster is a much mooted one, and ap.
parently one mans guess is as good
as another's. Morning Los Angeles
papers stated the death list from 20
to $50. The latter figure is consid-
cred ridiculously high and it is
doubtful if even 20 people were kill
ed. Due to the reluctance of any
of the Mexican officials to discuss
the number of deaths, it was i'm
possible to verify whether there
were even any deaths at all.
None of the CaleXico or Ell Centre
undertakers received any bodies,
and the local men stated that gov
ernmcnt red tape in MeXicali might
prevent any accurate check of the
dead being made. 1t is quite likely
that there were Il number of deaths,
as the burned area was heavily pop
ulated.
Ruins Still Shoulder
al . " ClOCh IHlS tHC
ruins were still smouldering and a
force of firemen was throwing
water on them, but there was little
left to burn. Debris was piled high
in the easements of all the burned
buildings and a casual view of the
ruins revealed all sorts of house
hold articles, shop and bar equip
inc Of tr,ba ~ hn1
once been food products. Groups OF
stolid faced Orientals stood about
the streets, viewing the ruins of
their homes and business with their
traditional stoicism. Scores Of po.
lice maintained guard about the
burned district and prevented any
one from passing inside the fire
lines.
H. H. Griswold, Calexico insur-
ance broker, estimated the loss to be
between $1,500,000 and $4,000
though agreed that this estimate is
conservative. What insurance there
was, is distributed mainly through
operating in Mexico. That the loss
to American and English companies
would reach $3,000,000 If any &C.
curate check up of property could
be obtained, was statement made
by another insurance man.
The fire attracted large crowd
from the American side Of the line
hundreds going over from FL Centre
and Calexico. Last night MexieaIi
was the point of attraction for
Continued on Page FourJ
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
Widest Confusion Reigns as Flames
Wipe Out Many Notorious Resorts
and Trap Those in Underground
Passages.

Eight Chinese are definitely known to
have perished in the fire at Mexicali last
night, and it is probable that other dead will
be found when it becomes possible to search
the ruins of the burned area.
Guillermo Guellen, inspector of Mexi-
cali police, stated this afternoon that five
of the Chinese perished in a store next to
the Chinese Mexicali Commercial Company.
John Wah, Chinese, was run over by fire
truck and is not expected to live.
Policeman Miguel Espinosa, it was learned
today, fought his way through the fire to
basement and rescued Chinese woman
and two Chinese babies. Thirty other
Cinnamon, huddled in the basement, were
too frightened to move and it was neces-
sary for Espinosa to draw his gun and herd
them out of the building like so many cat
tie to safety.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
Phil Swing at
Brawley Meeting

A rousing meeting is to be held
in Brawlcy tomorrow evening al
which Congressman Phil d. Swing
win be the principal speaker, dis.
cussing the Boulder Dam and All.
American canal.
The meeting will be held in the
grammar school auditorium and
more than a thousand are expect
ed, as members of the American
Legion, U. s. War Veterans, Ro-
tary Club, Brawley Commercial Club
and Spruce Farm Center are unit
ing to make this joint event that
will long be remembered by those
who attend.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
500 MEN WORK ON
S. P. TUNNEL FIRE
by United Press Leased Wire

REDDlNG, Cal, May 23.-Five
hundred men were engaged today in
building a temporary track around
Tunnel No. |, on the Shasta main
line of the Southern Pacific be-
tween Kennett and Coram, which
WAS bloekaded yesterday when fire
ate away the tunnel timbers and
caused tons of earth and rock to
descend upon the main line.
Passengers are being forced to
climb an easy trail over the hill to
trains waiting on the opposite side
of the tunnel. Baggage is being
transferred along the state highway
from Redding to Pollock, a distance
of 30 miles. Passenger service is be-
ing delayed from two to three hours
by the blockade.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
) ) INJURED IN
STRl KERS' RIOT
BY United Press Leased Wire

MARTINEZ, Cal, May 23.-Re-
newed violence in the strike of boil
ermakers employed by private firms
on contracts at oil refineries here,
was feared this afternoon, following
"a hours marked by rioting and the
establishment of picket lines of the
county roads.
This afternoon strikers appeared
at the sheriff's office and demand
ed arrest of four alleged strike
breakers. charging that the four
men fired 10 shots during a riot at
the plant of the Associated Oil com
pany early today. Action was not
taken pending further investiga-
tion.
Five men were injured in the riot
Investigation showed that five au-
tomObiles We're wrecked by the riot
ers, who attacked the machine. al
legged to have been used by strike
breakers.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
AFTER KILLING
MAN, WOMAN
TRIES TO DIE
by United Press Leased Wire

PHOENIX, Ariz., May 23.-Mrs.
Lcalah Crandall was in hospital
here today suffering from self in
flicted bullet wound and accused by
the police of having killed w. E..
Remington, automobile salesman
and former member of the Arizona
legislature.
Remington was shot to death in
an apartment here last night.
Police found Mrs. Crandall in the
apartment suffering from a bullet
wound which had penetrated one
lung. She was rushed to q hospital
where it was found she would not
recover.
Officers said Mrs. Crandall admit
ted the shooting.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
PROMINENT MEN
URGE QUICK TRIAL.
by United Press Leased Wire

LOS ANGELES, May 23.-Urg-
ing that the court grant him an ear
ly trial, Josiah Kirby, ex-president
of the Cleveland Discount Company,
pleaded not guilty to the indictment
of violating the California "Blue
Sky law through sale of his com
panv s collateral securities.
His brother, Carroll Kirby, Cali,
fornia representative of the dis
count company, also pleaded not
guilty to the charges. Both were
allowed to go free on $4,000 bal,
each. The date of trial viii be set
next Tuesday. ,.s,
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
PROMINENT ARMY
MAN, WIFE FACE
HOLDUP CHARGES
by United Press Leased Wire

LOS ANGELES, May 23.-Gran-
vile B. Blair, former regular army
lieutenant and military instructor
at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and
his wife, Jency o. Blair, were ar
rested by detectives on blind
charge of implication in the rob
berry of David Antink, cashier of
the Sun Drug Company, last Mon
day.
Blair had two bullet wounds in
his body from which he had lost n
quantity of blood. Antik had emp,
tied his gun at three holdups who
secured S3S,000.
Police allege Blair confessed to
his part in the robbery.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
CHINESE CAPTlVES'
FATE IN BALANCE
AS POWERS WAIT
Threat Set Tuesday as
Dead Line for
RANSOM
$4,000 Troops Woulo
Be Needed to Hunt
Bandits
BY RAY G.. MARSHALL
United Press staff Correspondent

PEklNG, May 23.-The diplo-
matte corps is waiting news as to
whether the Shantung bandits killed
two of their captives last night in
execution of their threat.
NJ. Berub, the Frenchman who
brought the threat from the brig
ands' camp, returned to their
stronghold to ascertain what had oc-
CURED. He carried no reply to the
menacing message.
II the prisoners have been slain
it is expected the powers will be
forced to act directly against the
outlaws.
If the captives have not been
harmed, stronger measures against
the bandits probably will be put in.
to effect.
The cabinet met to consider the
situation but was unable to agree.
veral foreigners includ-
ing Roy Anderson are on tine way
to Tsao Chuang to aid in relief
work.
W WASHINGTON, May % The
state department was advised late
today by the American legation at
Picking. that the diplomatic corps
has dispatched an international
commission to Saoszhwang, ten
miles from the bandits. stronghold
to investigate the report. This wa,
believed at the department to be q
preliminary step of the combined
powers toward direct negotiations
with the brigands, though in the
absence of definite information
from Peking they were not certain
No fewer than $4,000 troop.
would be of any use and even ther
it would be next to impossible tt
run down the bandits in the desc
late mountainous country they in
habit.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
i. S. Bankers to
Float Austrian
Is Million Loan
by United Press Leased Wire

NEW YORK, May 23.-American
bankers stand ready to float $25,-
100000 worth of bonds in this
country as America S share of the
$130,000,000 international loan to
Austria, j. p. Morgan today noti-
fled Commissioner General thinner
man of Austria.
Leading bankers in New York,
Pittsburg, Boston, Cleveland, De
troit, Chicago, st. Louis and other
cities have already arranged to
float the bonds, Morgan announc-
cd
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
To Eat Entire
Ham at One
Sitting!
Ey United Press

FORT SMITH, ARK, May %.
Alexander Ross, employee of
Swift and Company, here, who
weighs 275 pounds, has agreed to
eat aten pound ham at one slit
ing or pay for the meat.
Ross viii stage the eating stunt
hero Saturday.
AS preliminary to the main
event Ross today consumed three
pounds Of limberger cheese, 80
eggs, q gallon ard a halt Of near
beer and two pounds of ba-be-
cuei meat, at one sitting.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
TWO MILLION DOLLAR FIRE AT MEXlCAI
1895 Descendants
| Mourn This
Mother!

~ United Press Leased Wire
DIXON SPRINGS, Tenn, May
23.-The south today mourned
the passing of orc of its most
famous mothers, Mrs. Jane Ben
nett, 72 years old.
Mrs. Bennett is survived by
Is children, 142 grand children,
565 great grand children, IT'S
great-great grand children and
100 great gTeat-great gra. i child
rem.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
0BRECON FETES
U. S. ENJOYS
by United Press Leased Wire

MEXICO CITY, May 23.-The
Mexican-American recognition con
ference continued its discussions Of
preliminary essentials today. After
a session tomorrow the meeting will
adjourn until Monday, the commits
sioners going to Cuernavaca for the
week end.
Tonight the commissioners will
be the guests of President Obregon
at dinner.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
3 Burned, Star
Suffers in Blast
BY United Press Leased Wire

LOS ANGELES, May 23.-Three
men were severely burned and Ora
Carewe, film star, suffered severe
nervous shock early today when a
lighting machine exploded at the
Universal City Film studios.
The injured men were badly burn
ed about the face and hands.
Miss Carewe was confined to her
he'd
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
WHAT'S DOING

City Council meets tonight,
City Hall.
Meeting of Chamber of Com
merce directors.
Boyce Aten Post initiation,
Elks Hall.
Prayer meeting at churches.
big Game in Africa at
Palace Airdome.
Wrestling bout, recreation
center, Calexico.
Rotary luncheon tomorrow
noon.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23

Smoudering ruins and stark blackened walls at Mex
ca covering two bockes square, today mark the
OF the most devastating fire in the history of the
valley which broke out shortly after o'clock yesterday
afternoon in small moving picture house Avenida Ten
iento Guerro and spreading quickly to nearby buildings
had destroyed two blocks of business houses and
resorts entang loss conservatively estimated from
million and half to two million dollars.
From the theater the fire spread the Mexcai
Bar and the Black Cat cafe the upper story of which
nearly SO of the underworld located Having
had previous experience with fires the inhabitants of the
building made all haste gather together what few belong
ngs they could and seek safety the streets Eastward
the flames hit the heart of Chinatown hundreds of small
stores and shops being enveloped in the flames.
Several Chinese mercantile establishments located in
the block heavily stocked with food products in pre-
paraton for the cotton season. and lost practically every
thing. The entire block south from Avenida Tenento
Guerro was occupied in the main by the Chinese and only
they could know what their losses entaied The custom
OF the Chinese in engaging in small business also handicap
ped an authentic guess to their losses.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23

Paris Cafe Gone
On the east side of the block
south of Avenida was the Paris
Cafe, popular place with white
folks of the valley, and several of
the larger Chinese mercantile
houses, all of which went up in
flames. The eastern limit of the
flames on Avenida Teniento. Guerro
is marked by the Oriental Banking
Company, and this alone, of all the
buildings in the block is practically
unharmed. The fire departments of
Mexicali and Calexico concentrated
their work on saving this building
and keeping the flames from it long
enough to allow the money stored in
the bank to be removed
Under instructions from Governor
Lugo, several companies of soldiers
were thrown around the building as
a guard, and the bank employees,
assisted by members of the fire de-
! partments, loaded the bank s money
into trucks and it was removed to u
safe place.
Despite strenuous efforts on the
part of the firemen, the flames
hurdled the block south of Avenida
Teniento Guerro and destroyed the
Chinese Masonic Temple and a
| block of Chinese stores and ware
houses. The members of the Ell
Centre fire department, with a wag-
! onlOad of hose, went to the scene of
| the fire and performed good service.
| Both fire wagons and a ma jority of
the firemen were left in Ell Centre
to take care of any blaze that might
| start.
Confusion Rcigns
Indescribable confusion reigned
in the two hours it took to destroy
the blocks. Chinese and Mexicans
living, or doing business in the
treatened area, were rushing back
and forth removing their belongings
from the path of the Flames, chat
tering in their native tongues and
taking all sorts of chances of being
struck with falling walls in an eff
fort to save what little they could.
A number of saloons and cafes in
/ the destroyed district furnished
plenty of liquor to attract hangers
on Most of the liquor stocks were
not destroyed, were well protected
to prevent them being looted by
spectators and the thirsty, who had
expected an unlimited supply Of
"hootch - to celebrate the event,
were disappointed, Considering the
number Of people affected by the
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
CALF. SHRINERS ARE
STUCK IN KANSAS MUD
By United Press Leased Wire

bE VHIttu f-TtSN TtUStU WITt
TOPEKA, Kas., May 23.,-Cali-
fornia Shriners, travelling across the
continent and stuck in the mud in
west central Kansas, were near
Linsborg today, where a rainfall of
ESQ inches was reported.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
School Burned
By United Press Leased Wire

LITTLE ROCK, Ark, May 23.--
Fire, caused by bolt of lighting
this morning, did damage estimated
at 100000 to the U. NJ. Rose high
school building and equipment.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
EXCHANGE LOWER
By United Press Leased Wire

NEW YORK, May 23.-Foreign
exchange closed lower. Sterling 4.63
l-S; francs .0666h; lire .04S2 !;
marks 53,333 to the dollar,
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
NORWAY PREMIER DIES
ny United Pres. Leased wir

by United Press Leased Wire
CHRISTIANA, Norway, May 90.
Premier Halvorsen of Norway,
leader of the conservative party
died here today.
Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-23
Bad Jail Conditions

They told of alleged narrowing
conditions in the jails where they
asserted wobblies'' were confined.
In one tank cell over 80 men were
packed in and the heat turned on,
they alleged. Wedge said he saw
Chief Oaks himself administering a
severe beating to one of the prison
ers.
Sinclair will address the San
Pedro mass meeting tonight from
Liberty Hill where he was arrested
when he read the constitution to a
small gathering last week. Tonight s
free speech meeting will open with
a rendition of America by the
assemblagc, Sinclair announced.