davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-26
COL. MITCHELL
I SILENT ON
SENTENCE
Flier Refuses to Comment
on Coolidge's Action
on Punishment.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-CP9-
Stripped Of his rank as colonel in the
Army Air Service, William Mitchell
today began serving his sentence of
suspension from the army for five
years.
Contrary, however, 10 the decision
OF the court-martial which convicted
him under the 96th article of war Of
characterization in connection with his
determined fight for unified air
service, Mitchell will receive half-pay
and certain living allowances during
the suspension.
President Coolidge in affirming the
courts verdict, stipulated yesterday
that the sentence will be executed as
ordered, except as to the provision de-
priving the former colonel of ell pay
and allowances. Under the Presidents
decision, Mitchell will receive S391.61
monthly, during the pleasure of the
President"
MITCHELL SILENT.
Mitchell has met the new situation
thus far without comment. either te-
sarding the half-pay allowance or the
reports among his friends that he
will submit his resignation. His coun-
sci, Representative Reid, Republican,
Illinois, however, in a statement, de-
clared ~they have finally got Colonel
MITCHELL
Mr.. Reid criticized the "unseemly
haste" of the Presidents action and
he declared This whole proceeding
from start to finish" shows that an
invisible mind and hand have laborcd
without ceasing for this days YER
dict"
With the Presidents decision view
ed as closing the official phase of
fe case, it is likely that it will pro-
ride new material for discussion in
Congress, where the former colonel
has many friends. Representative
Reid himself is expected to open the
light on the House floor.
COOLIDGE LENIENT.
In the matter Of Mitchell's pay,
President Coolidge agreed with the
recommendations Of Secretary Davis
and disagreed with the suggestion of
the War Department board of review
which passed on the case, and Ma
jcr General John A. Hull, judge adj
vocate general. The board and Gen
eral Hull favored suspension of all
of Mitchell's allowances and one-third
of his pay.
Secretary Davis and the President
were moved to retain Mitchell on
the payroll because there are certain
statutory restrictions on the activities
of army officers by which the &C
crsed may be hampered in securing
employment to provide support for
himself and those dependent upon
him.
While Mitchell will receive his al
lowances and half-pay during the
pleasure of the President" it will be
possible during the five years TO re-
woke that modification at any time
without further court action.
In bis statement President Coolidge
reviewed briefly the causes and course
Of the trial, declaring Mitchell has
the administration of
fhe War and Navy Departments "as
criminslly negligent and
almost REASONABLE" and that the
beard of review ~finds that those
were made without basis
in fact"
The effect of the sentence, Repre-
sentative Reid declared, is that for
five years "the nation viii be with
out its foremost champion of an
adequate national defense
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-26
ORDER STREET RAISED

Because it is cheaper to raise the
street than it would be to lay storm
sewers, the city Monday ordered a
to Zarzamora street repaved.
Evening star., 1926-10-23
BUILDING RECORD
FOR 1926 NEAR TOP
Likely to Surpass That of Any
Previous Year, Experts
Figures Show.

Strong assurance that 1925 will see
all previous records for construction
activities eclipsed has presented itself.
Not only is the volume of building op-
erations for the first nine months 8
per cent greater than the volume reg
istered during the corresponding pc
period of 1925, the high year to date, but
vast amount of contracts have re-
Gently been awarded and will soon be
carried out to make the total for this
year reach an astounding figure, ac.
cording to statistics compiled by the
Associated General Contractors of
America.
The volume Of building contracts
awarded during August was the great
est registered in any month on record
exceeding the previous high mark, set
in August, 1925, by more than per
cent. The total volume of contracts
awarded during the first eight months
of 1926 exceeded by 10 per cent the
corresponding figure for 1925.
Big Volume of Money Invested
This vast activity in the awarding
of contracts, backed up by the actual
fact that construction operations are
keeping well ahead of the record
breaking pace set last year, is forcing
close students of the situation to the
conclusion that more money will be
spent this year for construction than
ever before in the history of the coun-
try within similar space of time.
The" volume of awards during Au-
gust reached index No. 2G4 on a scale
having as its basis the average for
1918. 1t is interesting to note that
the index figure for August, 1924, was
only 169.
Construction costs are showing little
inclination to change. During Sep
tember they remained on the level
they held throughout the previous
month, according to statistics. BY
al maintaining this position they con-
tinued for the second month to be
on the lowest plane registered since
March, 1928.
August Shows Decline i'm Cost.
There has been only one change in
the level of costs since June, and that
occurred when reductions in prices of
materials purchased by contractors
caused the August figures to show a
small decline from the July position.
During September no change was
noted in either the wages paid in the
construction trades throughout the
country as whole nor in the prices of
building materials. In only one month
during the past five years have the
. average prices for building materials
paid by general contractors been lower
than they were in that month.
Wages in the building trades held
fast to the level which they assumed
in June after dropping slightly from
the May figure. which was the highest
recorded for any month during the
past five years.
The September index number for
construction costs in general, based on
the 1913 average, was 1876. The cor
responding index number for average
prices of materials was 176, while the
figure for wages was 226. Thus the
total costs are shown to be following
line virtually midway between the
trend Of wages and the trend of mate /
rial prices. This has been the tend |
ency since early in 1923.
Evening star., 1926-10-23
PARK SITE CREATED.

The Overlook Development Co., has
dedicated a triangular area containing
approximately 100000 square feet at
the intersection of Branch and South.
Evening star., 1926-10-23

ern avenues for a public park, 1t was
announced yesterday by Melvin c.
Hazen, District surveyor.
The property is wooded and, will
make an ideal public park according
to Mr.. HaZen.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
S75,S96,652 ROAD
 PAVING CONTRACT
Warren Brothers Of Boston
 Recommended for Job

Boston, Dec. 20 P-Award Of a contract, involving expenditure of s75,S96,652 for paving the central highway of Cuba to Warren Broth CTS company Of Boston. has been recommended by the special board of awards of the Cuban government. This word was received by off cials of Warren Brothers todaA. They were informed that the rec ommendation will be acted upon soon at meeting of the Cuban cabinet.
 The contract calls for the paving
 of 75O miles of highway from Guane Pinar Del Rio Province to Santiago De Cuba. the entire length Of the island. Under the terms of the FDn-
 tract the contracting firm agrees to do the work in five years, provided
 funds to pay for it at that rate arc available. Work would begin in each of the six provinces within
 thirty day Of the execution Of the contract it was said.
 Cuban authorities were said tc have deemed the improvement of the highway an economic necessity anl an important step in promoting tourist travel
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
\ FIRE WITH \ SORROWFUL
 AFTERMATH

There are different kinds of fires, some spectacular, some doing great damage. It is rare, indeed, that a fire creates so many heartburnings as the one which occurred in this city when a furniture storage ware house was destroyed.
 Instead of there being one loser there are more than so. That number of families will never see their fur niture again. Of course, new and perhaps better furniture can take it's place; but every family has certain mementoes and heirlooms that can not be duplicated; to these their loss can never be replaced.
 Monetary loss, however, there ap- parently will be none. Every person whose beongings went up in smoke will be taken care of by the adjus- ters. But little Helen's crib, and the baby's stockings, and the other sen- timental heirIooms which parents cherish - they are gone.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
\ NOBLE, DEED BY EnAnE

The sporting fraternity of central Connecticut has done q fine thing in voluntarily contributing enough money to send the body of Charles Pcgulihan, the boxer who died as a result of a bout in Hartford last Monday, back to France.
 The Frenchman came to this country to follow his calling as a ring contestant. He knew he was a good boxer and came here imbued with the ambition to get ahead and earn money for q rainy day. His aims were entirely legitimate. and the sudden termination of his career clicited q wave of sympathy among all followers of the fight game.' When subscriptions were started the response was notable.
 Through the efforts of the fight fans the body of Pcgulihan will be buried in his native soil. as he would have wished.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20

following the late melon cutting, which is approximately 20 times what it once was worth.
 Despite the prevalence of specu- lative instincts throughout the na- ton, it can be said that the tendency 10 be conservative is vastly more de- velopcd. The steel melon was expect ed for rlore than a year. yet the most persuasive and convincing arguments could not induce much investment in Steel common. 4 few spectators got in on it, but that is all.
 Hardly had the melon been cut, however. when there was a scramble for the stock. The melon had tt be cut first, it will have been noticed, before the scramble started. If that isn't an evidence of conservatism
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
THE WILD SCRAMBLE FOR
 HIGH B(lIDINGS

Manhattan got a terrible scare [, week or so ago when it was an- nounced that the Book tower in De- troit would be the highest building in the world; in fact. it is destined 10 be higher than the Woolworth and the FaItiron buildings combin- ed.
 Think of il, Manhattan outdone in its own speciality. The New York papers carried the information with q tone of deep regret. It looked as if such a venture could not very easily be surpassed. even in New York.
 Comes a corporation in Manhat- | tan. however, and saves the day. The tight little is'c is to have a building of 110 stories, the supersllyscrapc- to be 1,20S feet high. This is con- sidcrably higher than the Ei.fel tower in Paris and more than twice as high as the Washington monu- ment in the nations capital. It is probable, of course, that this will not be the last of the suporsky- scrapcrS Ir the course of time there may be others even higher Detroit, having entered the high building race, may be again heard from.
 A week or so ago a convention of building engineers met and solemnIy declared that the skyscrapers were unnecessary and due 10 q wrong conception of progress, Most of them were built in a spirit of rivalry and for advertising purposes. They were a menace to traffic, it was said, and specifically Manhattan could never catch up to itself in subway con- struction if skyscrapers were built with such abandon. There will never bo a time when the subways will be able 10 accommodate the crowds employed in the multitude of sky scrapers. Whenever Manhattan builds q new subway q dozen or so skyscrapcrs are constructed along inc route and conditions remain about as they were before.
 There no doubt will be other suparskysCrapnrs built in New York. and also some more subways. But congestion and traffic difficulties will never improve so long as these huge buildings are multiplied. Man Iar'm, in fact should stop finding fault with tho lack of transporta- ton at the peak hours; it's citizens are doing their best to make mat tsrs worse rather than better.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
A REFERENDUM AT REGULAR ELECTION

The undemocratic city charfr "forbids' any special election except 10 fill an unexpirod term. Conse- qucntly a referendum vote upon any important public issue is barred.
 Just now there is contumaceous discussion under way as 10 thc pro- per kind of war memorial 10 provide whether 2 shaft costing $250.000 is to be constructed on the top of Walnut Hill park and part of the bill toward West Main street torn away so that it can he seen, or whether 10 perpotuatc the present Court of Honor in stone, which com petent individuals have disclosed can be done for less than half inc money.
 That surely would be something upon which 10 vote, seeing it is to be the peoples money which is tc pay for whichever memorial finally cventuates.
 It being impossible under Dh, present charter to vote upon the matter upon q special election. why not place It upon the ballot at lht next regular elcction' Surely th, charter cannot Do construed as for, bidding this exercise of democracy
 Or, f the views of cN-scryjce mer alone are desired, why not take g
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
25 Years Ago Today

Dr. R. NJ. Clark is in New York before leaving town the chairman of the health board reiterated his views in regard to vaccination as the pre- ventive of the small poX contagion
 Tomorrow will be the shortest day of the year, the sun being above the horizon for only 2 hours and 15 minutes.
 The goth anniversary of the Put nam PhalanX Ladies' society was 'ob- served last night with reception in Putnam Phalanx hall in Hartford Among the ladies who poured were Mrs John Pinches and Mrs. F. H. Johnston of this city.
 A. r.. Weiant is confined to his home with lame shoulder the re- suit Of fall from a ladder recently
 Wallace Beach took part in the Grange entertainment in Bristol Fri day night He admirably presented negro comedy specialties.
 A. II. X l.. W. Abbe advertise Edi- son monographs for S20 and up, 'IapHdBilpH'S IOI So dul Hp, anu records for $5 q dozen.
 At the A. T. Whist club meeting last night E. l.. Mercy and Mrs Bert Loomis won the prizes. with John Young, Jr.. taking the booby.
 Hartford high defeated New Brit ain at basketball last night by l7-1 , in the last minute Of play at the high school The feature of the game was a shot by Brown from side center New Britain used Captain Hartman and Coholon, forwards; Morgan, center; and Brown. Alling and Chamberlain, guards. The home team appeared in new suits, consist ing Of crimson and yellow jerseys. black trunks and crimson golf stockings.
 The raising of the telephone rates sooms 10 be regarded as q retaliatory move on the part of the company against in" city for tho subway. AL dcrman Curtis said yesterday that inc city could get along with fewer telephones and that if the unncccs- sary ones were taken out the con- pany would save money.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
down a rope, were arrested, and are reported to have confessed.

down rope, were arrested, and are reported to have confessed. Two fences who sold a fortune in smaller jewels which were stolen in October. also were arrested while other accomplices are being sought. The thieves themselves got only S0,3o0 francs (about s1,200). They took the various smaller gems, from their mountings. threw the settings, some of which were of great value, into the Seine and sold the stones to unsuspecting reputable jewellers. The Seine is being dragged at a spot in- dicated by the thieves.
 The mystery of the theft, which created much interest at the time, was cleared up chiefly because kaulfcr talked too much One of his lapses from. caution was promptly reported to the police through the widespread system of informers maintained by police.
 "The Grande Conde," rose colored heart-shaped stone almost an inch long and more than half- inch wide, is valued at more than S2,000,0 900. It is named for the Prince De Condo, the most noted of it's ancient owners
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
TRYING TO BUILD IEN CRIISEKS

President Coolidge hasn't exactly done a service to the navy in his agreement to espouse the construc- ton of ten new cruisers, but under the condition that no money be ap- propriatet until the next Congress convenes, or late in 1927.
 The President has merely yielded House leaders ten birds in the bush for three birds in hand-there hay ing been plan afoot to appropri- ate money for three cruisers this year. This plan was jcttisoned by the President in favor of the ten-cruiser- some time later scheme.
 It seems that sundry enthusiastic House leaders. fresh from a delight ful interview at the White House, did not really realize how nicely they had been taken in until some of the hard boiled colleagues on the hill called their attention to the "catch' in the presidential agree ment.
 There is another angle to the scheme. however, which is no less important. It has 10 do with a pro- vision that construction of the ves- sels shall be subject to any other international arms agreement limit ing such vessels. In this case the President would be empowered to suspend in whole or in part all con- struction authorized
 It is claimed that this section o, the bill is merely a matter of form, rather than an anticipation that such a curtailment of naval power will eventuate. Still, it remains some thing of a matter of opinion. Such an international conference may come again within the next few years, especially if 1t is considered good politics to bring one about.
 The cruisers will cost s10, ,500, 900 each-a neat sum for cruisers, but nothing to what battleships would cost. There was a time when it was easier to obtain appropriations for battleships than it now is to get money for cruisers. Times have changed, but not for the improve ment of the navy.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
|OGREN SWORN IN
 AS COUNTY LEADER
Installed in Office at A. |. Meet.
 ing at Warehouse Point

Edward E. Ogren wasfsworn in as county commander of the Amer ican Legion at gathering at Ware house Point, by State Commander Harry c. Jackson yesterday. Le- glonnaires gathered from all over the county for the ceremony which ended with banquet served by the Warehouse Point post. Retiring Commander Kenneth Cramer called on the posts represented to tell of their activities. and ended his term by reading his annual report which featured the good work done by Eddy-Glover post of this city.
 The assembly took decided stand on the retention of ANingtown hos pital in West Haven. The United States government has decided that the hospital should be discontinued, but the Legion hopes that this de- cision will be changed. State Com mander-elect Cramer brought out that the state department of the American Legion has gone on record favoring the retention of the hos pital in Connecticut and the sena- tors and representatives in congress have received telegrams to that ef- feet. II was voted to pass a resolu- ton in favor of the retention of All ington. and forward a copy to Sen ators Bingham and Mclean and Representative F. Hart Fenn of the
 first congressional district. Com mander Jackson said that the posts around the state have passed resolu- tions and that the senators and rep resentatives have been told about It. The ladies' auxiliaries of the Legion have passed resolutions of the same tenor, Commander Jackson said.
 The luncheon club idea for the Legion is growing. according to re- ports of county Legion officials who openly thank Eddv-Glover post for starting the idea. The statement that New Britain was to build war was enthusiastically re- ceiv. by the assembly. The next coun ty meeting will be held in Windsor Locks on January 16.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20

straw ballot of the wishes of the $500 war veterans in the city-pos- sibly their families or kin included and let them determine whether the memorial shall be the Court of Honor or the hill shaft?
 The Spanish War veterans were asked to determine the type of memorial they preferred and where they wished to have it placed. The same privilege should go to the World war veterans of the city. So far it hasn't been attempted.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
STRENGTHENS NEW STATION

Springfied's new railroad termin- al, which is being opened to the public for the first time. gives to that city q railroad station com mcnsurate with it's importance as a railroad junction point. As a large number of travellers from western and southern New England use Springfield as a place 10 change cars, the Springfield station func- tions for many more persons than those travelling to or from Spring field only.
 The old station in Springfield was as ancient. relatively speaking. as the old pile still regarded as de- pot in New Britain. Springfield has been more fortunate than the hard ware city. The Boston &a Albany had hand in the matter, and that made a difference, as it did in Worcester some years previously.
New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
FEELING LOSS OF CITY MEETING BOARD

It is now discovered that the city meeting board was knocked out of existence for the purpose of giving the Common Council greater power; and to insure this power being eX- ercised by the majority party with out public interference there is no provision in the city charter for a referendum on pressing public is- sues.
 There can be no doubt that the non existence of the city meeting board yields more power to the Common Council, but it's elimination, regrettable as it may have been, was not due to any machinations of the powers that-be at the time. The city meeting board yamoosed during the Paonessa administration and came about solely because of lack of attendance. When General Apathy took control a brilliant opportunity came to the city government to centralize itself to better advantage. To squelch the city meeting board seemed reasonable at the time, for if it's membership did not see fit to attend the meetings it could scarcely be expected to function as an important and responsible part of the civic government. Thus absolute control was quite automatically handed over to the Common Council, composed of semi-professional poli- ticians, whereas the city meeting board had been composed of an as semblage of disinterested-too dis interested to attend--citizens.
 Now it is found that the city meet ing board could have functioned in the important disturbance over the site for the war memorial. It cer- tainly could have repeated itself once again on the proposition-in the manner of it's previous decisions and all argument would have been avoided, with no likelihood of a shaft on the hill, either.
 But this possibility is past. The city meeting board remains but memory. It's demise was the un- avoidable concomitant of lack of popular interest in what should be everybody's business-popular gov ernment. The c. m. b. was the rem nant of direct popular control over civic government as handed down by the early fathers; but in this day and generation folk became too busy 10 care about such things. and they have been pleased and satisfied to hand over their control to represent tatives elected ever so often, giving them carte blachc orders to vote ac- cording to party principles rather than public principles. and having no strings tied to them that any politician can notice as binding.
 If the public has any kick coming il should kick itself.