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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1917)
THE O’NEIL FRONTIER ft H. CRONIN, Publisher. #MK1LI._NEBRASKA The damage done annually to under ground pipes, cables and other metal •truelures in thia country by electro* lysis amounts to many millions of dal* fcrs. There are very few water, gas •r lead cable systems that are not more Sr less subject at some points to elec trolytic damage from stray currents. Moreover, the loss does not consist gaerely In the shortening of the life of Hich structures; electrolytic damage is Pie of the causes of the leakage of wa ter and gas from distribution systems, fhe failure of such systems on account »f electrolytic action may also involve •arious dangers to the life and health If human beings. According to the bu reau of standards, more than 25 sep arate and distinct methods of dealing With the electrolysis problem have been proposed and experimented with from time to time. Some of these methods •re useless, or even harmful. The bu reau of standards has been studying the subject of electrolysis mitigation tor the last six years, and has aided in Installing complete mitlgative systems in several cities. The bureau makes somewhat detailed tests In each of these places about once a year to make (jure that the protective systems are being properly maintained. An extend ed series of experiments has recently been undertaken in the city of Spring field, Mass., with the so called three wire system of electric railway opera tion; a system which offers consider able promise for the mitigation of elec trolysis troubles under certain condi tions frequently met with in cities. The electric railroad running from Barcelona to Sarrla, Spain, a distance of three miles, has recently been ex tended as far as Las Planas, about three and one-half miles farther. The new section starts from the station of Harris, passes through a tunnel 653 feet tn length, follows the mountain stream Pomaret, the course of which has been partially diverted, passes through a sec ond tunnel 1,194 feet long and farther on through a third tunnel 564 feet. At the exit of this tunnel an underground station has been built, beyond whlah the line passes through a fourth tunnel piercing the mountain of Vallvidrera. This tunnel, one mile 175 feet long, la the most Important work on the exten , slon on account of the difficulties en countered In Its construction. The roll ing stock of this Spanish line has been especially built to conform to the requirements of the local service and comprises electric motor cars and trail ers. The cars were built by a Philadel phia company and are mounted on trucks provided with four motors of 125 horse power. The passenger cars tire closed and are 66 feet long, designed for tingle and double-end operation. The cars have a maximum speed of about 37 miles an hour. Freight cars consisting of a platform mounted on two truck* with two compartments for the motor man are also In use both for transport ing general merchandise as well os the company’s construction material in continuing the line, which in duo course will be extended to the interior towns of Tarrasa and Sabadeli, and eventually farther. By a curious irony, the dahlia flower, popular at the flower shows, is of very bumble origin. It' has been developed from the Mexican tubers. Some century and a half ago this plant was intro duced into Europe by the Swedish botanist, dr. Dahl, for the purely com mercial purposes of supplanting or sup plementing the potato. But they did not prove popular and the dahlia dish soon disappeared from the dinner tables of Europe, but the gardeners saw the lat ent possibilities of the flower, from which they have evolved the double dahlia and other popular floral fancies. It would thus appear that the dahlia had reversed the fate of the red clover, which was originally Introduced as a garden flower, but was found to be much more desirable as a fine forage. The tubers of the dahlia, though bitter, are still eaten In some parts of Franca Bernard’s “Runaway* star, as the star of remarkably great proper motion recently discovered in Ophluchus is called by some astronomers. Is probably nearer to the solar system than any Other fixed Btar whose parallax has been measured with the exception of Alpha Centauri. The parallax observa i tions at the Allegheny observatory give a value of .5 second, while from micro metric measures made by Bernard, Russell obtains a value of .70 seconds. The parallax of Alpha Centauri Is .76 seconds, corresponding to a distance of 4.3 light years. According to determina tions made by F. Gonnessiat, of France, from a comparison of photographs ex tending back to 1897, the new star is even newer than Alpha Centauri. He finds Us parallax to bo approximately I second, representing a distance of only 3.26 light years. The Germania, a famous racing yacht formerly owned by Lieut. Krupp Von Bohlen and Halbach, of Germany, Which was seized by the British gov MWment at Cowes at the beginning of the war, has been sold for $50,000 to Captain Hannevig, of Norway. The fiermania twice won Emperor William’s rnp at Cowes. She cost $225,000. Cap tain Hannevig also purchased the rac ing cutter, Paula III. for $8,000. The Lasca It sold for $19,600. Both these yachtB formerly were owned by Ger mans, but were seized at Cowes when the war began. Insecurity is increasing In a disquiet ing manner in Germany, and particu larly in the country regions. Thefts of all kinds of field produce and foodstuffs occur frequently. The farm livestock In the meadows is no longer safe. Cattle, sheep and pigs are stolen, or slaught ered in the fields and the meat and hides carried off. Bands of watchmen are everywhere being formed out of the older male members of the population left at home. Members of such bands In turn go on guard, particularly at night and are equipi>ed with arms. Honors were awarded to several . American students of the' third year :iass at Oxford university with the an nouncement of the results of the final examinations. The list Includes: W. C. Boaworth, Vermont; B. H. Brans somb, Alabama; C. ft. Clason, Maine; A. G. Fite, Tennessee; P. F\ Good, Ne braska: B. C. Holtzclaw, Georgia; B. M. Mow’, Idaho; P. P. Werlein, Louis iana; E. P. Woodruff, Texas; H. E. Vntoma, Michigan. The first bomb dropping balloons were humble enough and equally futile. Balloons had been used in war as early I the siege of Muubeugc by the Aus trians for observation put poses. The irst talk of bomb dropping wils in 1812, when iho Russians were said to have »ad a huge balloon for that, purpose; Ait nothing was done with it. In 1847, However, the Austrians, when attacking Venice, sent up paper fire balloons, wi.ioh were to drop bombs Into the sown. But the;’ forgot to allow for CHARGE THAT ALLEN FAILS TO PROSECUTE ■ U. S. District Attorney Not Go. ing After Pro-Germans, Detractors Say, 7,lne©In, Neb., Aug. 20.—Federal Dis trict Attorney Allen is under fire from the radicals who don't think he is show ing proper diligence in prosecuting pro Germans who have been talking and acting in a manner most distasteful to the red bloods. They claim that he has not diligently followed up all of these cases and has given clemency in others that was not justified. Mr. Allen says that not one in 50 of the complaints that come to his office prove, upon investigation, to he viola tions of any federal law or to have any basic evidence that will secure a con viction. In many cases where, if the Offense could have been established, punishment would have followed the evidence has broken down. This is due to the fact that for busi ness and personal reasons it is difficult to get one neighbor to testify against another in a matter that means the lat ter’s incarceration. Recent criticism has been of his release upon baii of a man named Bowman from Hubbell, who called the president a murderer. Attorneys . showed that Bowman, who was interned as an alien enemy, was a Citizen of the United States under the ruling of the federal supreme court that gave Governor Boyd citizenship and his Job. The attack on Alien is un derstood to be largely political. He is a brotherinlaw of W. J. Bryan. SCORES OF YOUNG GIRLS ARE MARRYING SOLDIERS Omaha, Neb., Aug. 20.—Soldiers and girls under 18 years of age are the fac tore In the greatest epidemic of girl brides In the history of Douglas county. Records of the department super vised by "Cupid" Stubbendorff, mar riage license clerk in the county court, show the record rust\ of girls in their teens to the marriage altar. Nearly every other license issued in the last few days has been to couples where the prospective bride was from 16 to 18 years old. Five soldiers, about to leave for training camps or the front, have taken brides in the last 24 hours. Acting County Judge Sundblad has performed several soldier-girl bride ceremonies in the last few days. ‘1 never saw Buch a flock of young girls rushing to the marriage altar,” declared Judge Sundblad. “The mar riage germ seems to have hit the' younger generation of Omaha. June records, usually the biggest, because of the proverbial ‘June brides,' have gone a-glimmering In the face of the patri otic rush to wed preparatory to soldiers leaving for France.” NEBRASKA SOLDIERS ARE ENTRAINING FOR DEMING Hastings, Neb., Aug. 20.—Nebraska soldiers are leaving for Deming, N. M., os fast as transportation is furnished. Companies have been entraining for several days from the two forts near Omaha, from the home towns of com panies of tho Sixth and from Lincoln. There are still 500 or 600 men in the samp at Lincoln. They sleep in bar racks made out of the permanent buildings on the fair grounds and eat in screened buildings. This has result ed in few cases of sickness. The boys put in the time not spent in drilling in sports of various kinds. Baseball is the more popular. Lieutenant Colonel Mack, of the Sixth, has gone to Fort Sill, Okla., to study machine gun tac tics, and will report in several months to his regiment at Deming, where the hardening and training of the men will take place. SCORES LAWYERS FOR AID EXTENDED TO SLACKERS Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 20-—Chairman Ashton, of the district appellate board which hears appeals for exemptions from the South Platte district, is out with a statement in which he excoriates the lawyers of the state, who, he says, are too ready, in preparing cases for the board, to look after the interests of their clients rather than of the coun try. In a few in»tances that have come to the notice of the board gome lawyers have refused to prepare affi davits where the facts related tp them did not Justify such action, but in the. majority of instances these have been drawn in such a way as to withhold from the board all the facts, as has been discovered in subsequent investi gations by government agents. Mr. Ash ton declares that such lawyers are not serving their country. NEW CHIEF TO CONQUER ’EM WITH BARE HANDS O’Neil, Neb., Aug. 20.—Mike Kerwin, O’NeUI's new chief of police, astonished Mayor Edward Whelan yesterday when the mayor called Kirwtn in to give him the cnstomery billie, six gun and come alotig. Kirwin, in his shirt sleeves, calm ly informed his honor that if he couldn't out-go any rambunctious cuss with his bare knucks he would Jump out of harness and run away from O’Neill for ever. Mr. Kirwin believes that to carry a gun or other graveyard tool, Is to in vite trouble. And he declares he car. attend to the wants of his beloved elastomers with his fists. RAISE REWARD FOR THE SLAYERS OF NEBRASKAN Columbus, Neb.. Aug. 20.—Citizens of Columbus are raiding a fund to be of fered as a reward for the apprehension of the slayer of Phillip Oreisen, who was shot to death by highwaymen near Columbus Monday ntght. Oreisen had been selected for service In the new army. He was en route to the homo of an uncle who had died three hours before when the shooting occurred. Young Griesen was to have been married, but no date had been set No cause for the shooting Is known. Three men were seen loitering about the spot where the tragedy occurred. Dogs fol lowed the trail of the slayers to a point where it appears they entered an auto mobile. CRUDE OIL IS $2. Independence, Kan., Aug. 18.—Crude oil advanced another 10 cents here to day to 82 a barrel. That price was posted by the Prairie Oil & Gas com pany. APPEAL TO BOTH SIDES TO END OMAHA STRIKE Omaha, Neb., Aug. 20.—The state council of defense, which at first re fused to pass upon the mutter, has is sued a statement calling upon the em ployers and their striking emoloyes in Omaha to settle the strike there. The employers insist that the strike is over and that they have won, but there are, several thousand men who have not gone back to work or got jobs else where. This condition is viewed with alarm by the council of defense. It con JOBBERS OF PRODUCE ~ REAP GREAT PROFITS Net Earning's 50 to 100 Per Cent — Lincoln Proposes Open Competition. Lincoln. Neb., Aug. 18—Following the suggestions of Food Controller Hoover, the Lincoln city council has Issued or ders to the city attorney to draft ordi nances for Immediate passage which will provide a public market, which will reduce the price of hucksters' li censes from $25 to $5 a month, and will permit producers anywhere to ship to the city In carload lots or less and sell to anybody out of their cars. So far the council has not acted on a de mand that standard weights for loaves of bread be established. At present tkey are sold for 5 and 10 cents, with weights varying. The matter was presented to the council by Federal District Attorney Allen, following an Inspection by a fed eral agent of the books of the principal jobbers and commission men of the city, which disclosed that they were making from 50 to over 100 per cent on their Invested capital. CHECK UP ELEVATORS TO PREVENT GRAIN HOARDING Pender, Neb., Aug. 18.—The state railway commission has sent its sleuths out over the state to Check up on the elevator men. In order to force prompt settlement for grain delivered, the last lagislature provided that any elevator that did not settle for grain within 10 days should automatically become a public warehouse, and must give bond for payment and for all losses thereon, save market changes. Word having come to the commission that this law was being violated, men have been sent out to check over the books. The first reports coming in from these men are from Cuming, Dodge and Saunders counties. The commission representative reported that the elevat or men are in symapthy with the law, and while there have been some techni cal breaches, he believes an honest ef fort to comply with the law can be con ceded to most of them. The representa tive was instructed not to dig up past violations, but to make sure that none are committed in the future without the penalties of the law being inflicted. The farmers’ cooperative elevator companies are having the most1 trouble, due to the insistance of stockholders on storing their grain in their elevators despite the fact they have no license. Only about one In 30 or the 1,300 elevat ors In the state has^such a license. SCHOOL BOARDS ADVISED TO ERECT FIRE ESCAPES Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 18.—The last legislature having placed in the fire commissioner the control of fire es capes, Commissioner Ridgell is sending out notices to them and insisting upon compliance therewith. His notice reads: “In case you have no fire es capes on your school building or build ings, you will please make arrange ments at once to comply with this law, as we shall insist that fire escapes be put on all school buildings In the state of Nebraska. Please let us know when yon have compiled with the law. The legislature of 1911 passed a law re quiring all schools to teach fire pre vention 30 minutes a month. Tour su perintendent has been supplied with fire prevention text books and you will please see that all teachers comply with It and also hold a fire drill at least once a montli WILL NOT REMOVE AGENT WHO OPERATES SIDE LINE Omaha, Neb., Aug. 18.-—The state railway commission has declined to de mand the removal of a Burlington sta tion agent at a small town out in the state because he has engaged in pri vate business. An investigation re vealed that the complainant is engaged in the same line of business, that of selling autos, and that he was. unable to make any showing that the private affairs of the agent resulted In any neglect of his duties as representative of the railroad. WIFE AND FARM HAND SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR Verdel. Neb., Aug. 18.—Mrs. Joe Bailey, wife of a prominent farmer liv ing west of town, and Harry Wagner, a farm hand in the employ of Peter Boltz, are alleged to have eloped late Monday night with a team of horses belonging to Mr. Boltz. The deputy sheriff and several citi zens have joined In the search for the missing couple. Mr. Bailey and four small children are grief stricken. HOLD PICNIC ON FARM OCCUPIED 50 YEARS AGO Emerson, Neb., Aug. 18.—Mrs. Geo. McLaughlin, of Sioux City, Mrs. H. E. Mason, of Meadow Grove, Neb., and Mrs. Geo. Demme, of Emerson, daugh ters of Mr. and Mrs. William Paul, sr., enjoyed a reunion and picnic last Sun day on the Elk creek farm that their parents occupied nearly 50 years ago. Miss Lillian McLaughlin, of Sioux City, H. E. Masdn, of Meadow Grove. Neb., C. E. Paul, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Demme, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Demme. Mr. -and Mrs. Axe! Erickson and son Morris, of Emerson, were some of the reunionists. NORTH BEND-H. R. Partridge, science teacher at the high school in Fre mont, has been elected superintendent of the schools of North Bend at a salary' of $1,400 a year. Mr. PartRdge, who has a wide reputation for his school garden club work, has announced that he will resign at Fremont to accept the North Bend position. FREMONT—Local railroad men say that on account of the war preparations railroad service to the state fair at Lin coln next month is going to be somewhat curtailed. Most of the roads will run specials only on two or three days of fair week. FREMONT—Graduation exercises were held at Fremont college yesterday morn ing. Prof. W. H. Clemmons, president of the school, who Is now state superintend ent, came up from IJncoln to present diplomas and degrees to the 239 graduates. EMERSON—A record for Dixon county was made Monday on the E. Harrigfeld farm, near here, when the Fred Stewart crew threshed a little more than 1.600 bushels of oats from a 15-acre field. The grain was measured by weight. OSMOND—The Catholic Forresters held their annual picnic here yesterday. A big crowd attended to hear the address by Father Pietz, of Randolph, in the after noon, followed by races and a dance in the evening. CEDAR BLUFFS—Cedar Bluffs has just signed up for another Chautauqua en gagement in U1S. The Chautauqua this year proved a success. EMERSON-Scoutmaster •Rev. Lewis took a dozen of his Boy Scon ft* to Bly burjf lake for five day*’ * roughing it" in camp life. NEBRASKANS TO FORM GORNHUSKER BRIGADE i - Boys From 16 to 21 Will Enlist to “Get All Nebraska’s Corn in Crib by Christmas.” i Wayne, Neb., Aug. 18.—The Nebraska state council of defense has undertaken ; the organization of a cornhusker bri gade. Its activities will not interfere With the cornhuskers of the state uni-< versity who have brought fame to the state on the football field. This bri gade will be real cornhuskers and their performances will be upon the corn fields of the state. "Get all Nebraska’s corn in the cribs by Christmas," is the slogan. Phil Mc Kee, one of the state secretaries of the T. M. C. A., has been placed in charge of the work of organization. He will issue a call to all boys between 16 and; 21 to enlist for the work. Every boy! will be given a service badge, and also proper pay. It will be the boys’ work ing reserve with the object of aiding the farmers in getting their corn har vested early. Each boy will have to pass an examination for physical and hioral fitness before being accepted. It Is to be a strictly nonmilitary organi sation. MERCER WILL RUN FOR U. 8. SENATE, IS RUMOR Omaha, Neb., Aug. 18.—David H. Mercer, who represented the Second district in congress, for several terms, is sounding the sentiment of republicans here and elsewhere in the state'on th^ absorbing question of whether they .think he would not be a humdinger as a candidate for United States senator. Mr. Mercer calmly ignores the fact that Douglas county now has a United States senator and that this is the turn of the South Platte to enjoy the honor. Arti-J ficial lines of that sort are abhorrent tej Mr. Mercer’s tender nature. Mercer is enjoying a comeback in politics. He was put down and out by Gilbert M. Hitchcock years ago, when, Hitchcock was first elected to the lower .house. Last year he tried out locally 'as a candiadte for the republican nom ination for congress in this district, but Ben Baker beat him nearly two to one.1 Mr. Mercer would be highly pleased if Congressmen Sloan and Reavis and ! former Senator Burkett would also getj into the race against Norris. As he has it sized up, these South Platte candi dates would kill one another off and leave the victory easy for a North Platte man. In political circles here It is said Mr. Burkett has been tapping the hammer pf hope upon the walls of sentiment in order to find out if he could also execute d comeback. HALLER MAKES NO REPLY TO DEMANDS HE RESIGN Omaha, Neb., Aug. 18.—None of the members of the board of regents have received any word from Regent' Haller, president of the board, whose resigna tion has been demanded by R. L. Met calfe. of the state council of defense. Mr. Haller is absent from the state on his vacation, and it is likely that no ac tion will be taken until bis return. He has not, so far as known here, com municated with anybody with respect to the charge of Mr. Metcalfe that prior to the war he wrote, under the assumed name of “Patricia Newcomb,” letters to the World-Herald lauding the kaiser and- belittling America. GERMAN SPY SUSPECT IN JAIL AT.GREGORY, Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 18. — W. S. Ridgell, fire commissioner, has received word of the arrest in South Dakota, Close to the Nebraska line, of a man who is strongly suspected of being a German spy. He is now in jail at Greg ory, S. D. His description answers that of a man claiming to be a repre-i sentatve of the fire warden and insur ance associaton and sent out to inspect elevator risks. He told several differ ent stories in South Dakota, where ho attempted to secure entrance into a mil, then an oil tank and then an ele vator. —f— ASKS 30 CENTS DAMAGES AS RESULT OF LAWSUIT Aurora, Neb., Aug. 18.—Thirty cents is the damages Charles P. Craft claims to have suffered to his business and reputation by the complaint recently filed against him by Lawyer Roscoe R. Smith. This complaint was dismissed yesterday by County Judge Fred Jeffers and Craft immediately filed a damage shit against Lawyer Smith, Theodors E. Nordgren, Smith’s brotlieriniaw, and Richard W. Stanley, Smith’s detective.' The suit created a sensation here fol lowing the dismissal of the charges filed against Craft by Lawyer Smith. In his complaint Smith charged Craft had at tempted to obstruct justice in the fa mous case of State vs. Fred Luff. Smith assisted the county attorney in that trial, and the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty shortly after the evidence was in. PLAN ANOTHER TRACTOR SHOW AT FREMONT IN 1918 Fremont, Neb., Aug. 16.—Frepara tions will be made by the Fremont Com merclal club for another tractor meet in 1918. George F. Wolz, of the Com mercial club says that only two ot three of the big companies are in favot of abandoning the annual exhibition oi farm power machinery and that Fre mont will go ahead with plans for a tractor meet that will be begger and better than ever. HAILSTORM DOES HEAVY DAMAGE AT JAMESTOWN Jamestown, Neb., Aug. 16. ...Utorns practically ruined the corn on six farms. The loss will be in the neigh borhood of $10,000. The storm swept over a tract less than a mile wide and loss than five miles in length. Hail stones as big as hen> eggs fell in such quantities that farmers made ice cream from them 24 hours after the storm. _ _ ACCUSED BOARD PLEADS. New York, Aug. 16.—Tentative pleas of not guilty were entered* today by Dr. Samuel J. R- Bernfield and Louis I Cherey, former members of exemption board No. 99, and Kalman Gruher. a dentist, indicted yesterday charged with conspiracy to frustrate the operation of the draft law and demanding or accept ing bribes. ORDERS MINERS TO WORK. Springfield, 111., Aug. 16.—Following a meeting of the Illinois district executive board of the United Mine Workers, Frank Farrington, district president, sent telegrams to the presidents of 68 local miners' unions ordering tiie strik ing miners to resume work immediately under penalty of expulsion from .0le union. Farrington’s action was taken as a result of the ultimatum issued by tha state mine operators, which charged Railroad Tracks Tern Up. Farm Houses Mile Away Demolished and Hundreds Reported Dead at Rigaud. HUGE PLANT DESTROYED Munitions Works Employing 5,000 People Wiped Out by Three Explosions— ' Details Unknown. Riguad, Que.. Aug. 20.—The great ilant here of Curtis & Harvey, Ltd., ex plosive manufacturers, was wrecked ;pday by a series of terrific explosions ind buried beneath the ruins of a dozen ir so structures that comprised the lactory are an unknown number of lead. Thousands in Plant. Several thousand male and female workers employed at the plant were in h6 danger zone for hours. An early istimate based on first reports placed he number of killed at about 250, but ndications were this afternoon that :here were comparatively few casual ties. A relief train arrived from Montreal it noon bringing doctors and nurses, tut owing to the fierce heat from the turning ruins of the plant they were tnable to approach. No death list can he obtained until the ruins cool. The loss in the value of buildings and dock wMll reach well up into millions. The first explosion was caused by the tverheating of the machinery in tiie litric acid building. The flames leaped tlong through the building and another •xplosion occurred. Most of the work ;rs, however, are believed to have had simple time to escape. Other explosions occurred every five ninutes or so, shaking the surround ng country like a series of earthquakes. Altogether 15 detonations were counted. Homes Blown to Bits. One of the explosions blew down a number of houses in Dragon where most of the workers lived, and farm houses in the vicinity also caught fire. Provision was made by the people of Rigaud for accommodating the home less workers. Ottawa, Aug. IS.—First report re ceived here from the scene of the pow der explosion today at Rigaud. Quebec, state1 that in the neighborhood of 250 persons have been killed. plosion at the powder plant of Curtis & Harvey, limited, at Rigaud, Quebec, to day is believed to have eaused heavy loss of life. Five thousand men and women are employed at the plant which covers an area of five square miles. Reports received here soon after the explosion said the plant was nearly all in flames. From points near Rigaud. it was learned that three explosions took place. The first at 9 o'clock was heard 20 nyiles away. It was followed by two others in quick succession. The explosion disrupted telegraph and telephone communication with Rigaud, making it difficult to obtain in formation. Traffic on the Canadian Pacific railroad’s Ottawa-Montroal Ijne. which passes close to the plant has been suspended. Trainmen who got away from the scene of the explosion reported that 40 houses at Dragon, a little village near the powder plant, occupied by work men were razed by the force of the ex plosion. The whole countryside was covered at 10 o’clock with a dense copper colored smoke. A special train of doctors and nurses left here at 10:30 o’clock for the scene of the disaster. 300 Killed by Blast. The officials here of Curtis & Harvey, ltd., lacked information as *.o the cause of the explosion. It was said that probably 300 persons were working in the section of the plant where the first explosion took place. It. was believed by the officials the other two explos ions were caused by fire which spread from the first. Passengers on a Canadian Pacific railroad train which passed ;be scene of the disaster, placed the number dead from the first explosion at 20. The passengers said it was impossible to obtain definite figures as hundreds rushed into the op»n country when the first explosion occurred, and a few had returned when their tnrun left for Mon treal. The extent of the explosion mav bo judged by the tact that two farm houses over a mile from tee plant were blown down. At noon the village of Dragon wa~ blazing and it looked as >} it would be destroyed_ PRESIDENT STUDIES I. W. W. SITUATION Threatened Miners’ Strike in Alabama May Be Averted, Officials Say. Washing ton, D. C.. Aug. 20.—Presc ient Wiisot: Is making a personal rt«dy jf the labor in the northwest, ‘specially In Washington. Otegor, Mon tana and Idaho; wlsrre a general strike of the L W. W. is threatened next Mon day. Officials in close touch with the threatened miners' strike situation In Alabama, were opttmtrti* e;>riv today that the strike woir'.d he averted by de velopments within a hewrs WATER SilPPLV VfRECKED. Pan Diego, Cat, .tog lSe--S*tanj than 20 feet of the <0 Lncn «lt»r nir.'n «-»n necting the San ih«ao >'Hy water im pounding system with t;*e dftoribufing system was blown out fcy an •xplosicn at 11 o'clock last night, .••recr liivr to announcement shortly N-f»re aoon to day by City Manager t». M. Lockwood. That a deliberate effort was cried.' to cripple the San Diego mrter supply system was the ann.o»a*e<f belief of Manager Lockwood, vthd «t!<l that shortly after the t-xpCwicu two meg were seen running from VlW scene. ■■■■————i——1rr.Tr;n — Austria Expected to Cerre Gt# in Complete Favor ef Pen tiffs Proposals for Ending War. GERMANS OPPOSE PLAN? Bulgaria Will Frown on Atteipp^ at Restoration of Pre-War Status Because She d Lose Gains. Copenhagen, Aug. 20.—The German foreign officers are not yet ready to an nounce fhe government’s standpoint on the pope's peace proposals and an an swer probably be delayed considerably while the four central powers are en deavoring to reconcile somewhat di vergent views and interests regarding peace. A cordial article in the Cologne Gazette perhaps pressages the German point of view by declaring it is the duty of all governments to support any ef fort at honorable meditation. It is evident that Austria-Hungary will throw its full weight In favor of an affirmative answer to the pope’s welcome proposal, just as Bulgaria will flatly and vehemently oppose any ac ceptance of the return of occupied areas. While the newspaper Germania, as befits its representative Catholic char acter, is decidedly optimistic regarding thp prospects for tangible results, most papers are rather skeptical as to the chances that it will lead to any thing in the immediate future. At least pan German papers insist that peace on the proposed basis is utterly impossible. The Berlin Tages Zeitung, in its com ment says the evacuation of Belgium and all occupied rigious of France is impossible, just because independent Belgium henceforth would be an irrec oncilable enemy of Germany and it must be subordinated to the security of Germany’s frontiers. Even the plan of the former German chancellor, Dr. Von Bethmann-Holweg, for a polish protectorate, is rejected because the Poles have shown themselves ungrat* ful tot favors granted them. FOOD HOARD DISCOVERED Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 20.—Or«tt juantities of foodstuffs being held for ligher prices have been discovered hid den away in old barns and sheds by officials of the state fire marshal’s of fice, according to a statement issued to day by Alfred T. Fleming, state fire marshal. WASTE NO S\ THY ON TRAITOL JYAN Should Not Cloak Attacks Un der Claim of Freedom of Speech, He Says. Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 20.—“No sympal hy should be wasted on those arrested for unpatriotic utterances,’’ W. J. Bry an said today In a signed editorial in his paper. The Commoner. And this, he says applies to utterances against our allies as well as against the United States. “Before the war,” the editorial says, ‘it was perfectly proper to discuss the wisdom of going to war, but the deci sion is closed when congress acts. After that no one should be permitted to cloak an attack under the claim of •freedom of speech.’ “No sympathy, therefore, should he wasted on those arrested for unpatri otic utterances. They abuse free speech. And this applies to our allies as well as to ourselves, for to withdraw sup port from our allies would throw the whole burden of the war upon us. We must stand together and fight this through. There are only two sides to a war. Every American must be on the side of the United States.” NEBRASKA EDITOR’S LIFE THREATENED IN LETTER Hebron, Neb., Aug. 20.—Hurling de fiance at “cowards, traitors and assas sin who may be skulking in the rear with knife, gun or bludgeon,” Editor E. J. MitchelllPof the Deshler Rustler, announces he has turned over to the authorities an unsigned letter in which his life was threatened. The authorities are investigating. Richard Kiene, prominent merchant of Deshler, also has received threaten ing Jptters with black hand signatures. Mr. Kiene, although of German de scent, is a strong anti-kaiser man, and is not afraid to say so. COLONEL LINCOLN CHIEF OF STAFF AT DES MOINES Washington, Aug. 18.—Col. Charles Lincoln, of the Second infantry, son of James Lincoln, of Iowa, has been named as chief of staff of the new can tonment at Des Moines. He is given tho place instead of Col. P.diront., of the quartermaster department, who was first named. Colonel" Lincoln is now in Honolulu, and will return immediately. He greatly desired tc serve in Iowa, and lienee the new order, through in him the post as a mark of honor to General Lincoln. GUNNERS TO FRANCE. Washington. D. C., Aug. 18.—Young artillery officers just graduated from the artillery iraining school at Fortress Franco, in tile lists are First Lieut. Albert F. Hull, of Marshalltown and First Lieut. Ernest V. Evans, of Wil liamsburg, and Second Lieut. Harold