Evening Star Newspaper, December 27, 1930, Page 12

MMAJOR HIGHWAYS PLAN ADVOCATED INANNUAL REPORT Park_and Planning Commis- sion Urges System to Create Greater Capital City. MANY DEVELOPMENT FACTORS ARE INVOLVED Proposal Held Linked With Schools, Street Lighting, Traffic, Trees and Civie Protection, An official majer thoroughfare plan was advocated by the National Capital | Park and Planning Commission today | { in its annual report. “This plan for major strects proposes the improvement of a comprehensive system of wide, direct arteries in which the vital traffic flow of the community may freely move,” the commission as- serts. “To develop such a system re- quires an acceptance of the principle that all streets are not of equal im- portance in the circulation scheme, that some are of much greater value to the community than others, and that it is advantageous to select these communi- | ty routes and work them until they fu Need “There is in 3 urgent need major thooug idea. If streets.of this type can be set apart from all others in the popular mind and in the minds of officials, a notable step will have been taken toward the creation of a more perfect Capital ‘City. “Franchises for car or bus routes cannot be discussed intelligently with- out a major thoroughfare plan. Traf- fic regulations, such as those restrict- ing the movement of vehicles of cer- tain classes to marked routes, must be related to the major thoroughfare sys- tem. Street lighting plans, traffic sig- nals, paving specifications, school and playground sites, location of neighbor- hood store centers, fire and police sta- tions, tree-planting policies, even deed restrictions on private property, dependent upon a designation of major thoroughfares. Aid to Subdividers. “ A subdividee must move somewhat in the dark if he does not know where the thoroughfares of the district in which he is operating are or will be. It will be increasingly helpful to all ‘Washington to have an official major thoroughfare plan. “Through the co-operation of the ‘Washington Board of Trade a special committee from that body was set up to study and suggest revisions of the thoroughfare plan. Under the chair- manship of George V. Graham, the committee held over 12 meetings with the staff of the commission and made several very valuable suggestions. As a result of those suggestions some ad- ditions to the thoroughfare plan have been made by the commission (notably the extension of New Hampshire ave- nue), and the plan as a whole has been brought up to date. Important Step Taken. “An important step forward toward execution of the major-thoroughfare plan was taken by the Seventieth Con- gress in approval of a project for straightening Michigan avenue in the vicinity of the Soldiers’ Home and Trinity College. A short distance beyond the point where the straighten- ing of Michigan avenue has just been completed a grade crossing of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tracks intro- duces a danger point in this important arterial highway. A plan for the elimi- nation of this grade crossing has been pre] by the staff of the commission which would provide a 60-foot roadway passing north of the present buildings facing on Michigan avenue east of the railroad. Authorization for construc- tion of a viaduct along the lines indi- cated is included in a bill which has passed the Senate and is now before the House of Representatives. “The commission has prepared care- ful studies to provide an adequate cross- town route in the vicinity of Columbia road and Harvard strect from Sixteenth street to the Soldiers’ Home. These studies indicate that the most econom- ical solution of this problem is the de- velopment of these two strects as paral- lel one-way streets—Columbia road for westbound traffic and Harvard street for east-bound traffic. To securé the proper functioning of such a system of traffic it is necessary to remove the two off- sets of Harvard street at Georgia avenue and at Fourteenth street. The commis- sion indorses legislation.to authorize the straightening of Harvard street at these points. onzistently upon fon 2 High Bridge Urged. “The exchange of traffic between sec- tions of the city separated by the Rock Creck Valley is impeded and made un- duly expensive by the present necessity for such traffic going down as much as 200 fect into the valley and climbing an equal height on the opposite side. More- over, the passzge of a heavy stream of traffic over steep grades and across the park roads is a constant danger and a detriment to the paik. At least one of the projects for a high-level bridge up- #siream from the Calvert Strect Bridge should be adopted at an early date. “Another project included in the thoroughfare plan and deserving of early consideration is the extension of Vermont avenue to Georgia avenue at TTrumbull street. The utility of Ver- mont avenue (160 feet wide) is greatly restricted by the inadequacy of streets into which it runs at Florida avenue. The commission is studying a plan for extension of this main high- way and at the same time providing a connection between W street and Trum- bull stréet which would facilitate traffic movements in this part of the city. ‘Would Change Bridge. “Under the Union Station terminal act of February 28, 1903, Ninth, Twelfth and Fifteenth streets are .o be carried above the railroads by suitable via- duct bridges, the cost whereof, with three approaches within the limits of the right of way, shall be paid by the terminal company. The studies of the commission indicate the desirability of slightly changing the location of the proposed bridge at Ninth ctreet to make it connect the intersection of T street and Brentwood road with Brentwood Park (Patterson tract). The proposed bridge at Pifteenth street might well be relocated farther east. The appro- priation for paving New York avenue northeast of the railroad tracks during the fiscal year 1931 indicates that the construction of these two bridges might advantageously be undertaken at this time and that legislation to carry out these projects with the elimination of the Twelfth street proposal should be sought at the next session of Congress, - e bl e B R “In connection ‘;t‘:: ’t.pne urect mu:ez it is es y importan rhr:‘“mm}or-t.homucmghu plan should be considered. The plan indicates the streets which may be widened in the future and along which it may be bet- the | the party. * |CORPS OF SOCIAL Radio stations last night broadcast the debut ball for Miss Helen Eames | Doherty at the Mayfiower Hotel. Miss Doherty posed for the cameramen hefors COMMISSION PLANS NIGHT SESSION T0 HASTEN LIGHT CASE He-aring on New Rate Sched- ule Probably to Be Held on Tuesday. TIME WILL BE ALLOTTED FOR ALL TO GIVE VIEWS Public Meetings Result From A tion of People’s Counsel at Citizens' Federation. A night session of the public hearing called on the 1931 electric rates by the Public Utilities Commission will proba- bly be held Tuesday in order to speed up the hearing. The hearing has been called for 9:30 Tuesday, instead of the customary 10. o'clock. Since Wednes- day will probably be a half-heliday, members of the Public Utilities Col mission are preparing for a night se: sion so as to be able to render a de cision on the rates early in January. Vice Chairman Harleigh H. Hart- man of the commission said today that those who have any evidence or argu- ments to present will be heard in full and that no effort will be made to shut anybody off, and that the night session and early starting hours will be resorted to in order to reduce tine number of days during which the —Associated Press Photo. SECRETARIES SCANS DOHERTY DEBUT GUESTS Radio Station Broadcasts Event as 1,500 Guests Hear Stars_an& Welcome Vice President and His Party. A corps of social secretaries stationed at long tables, placarded with the list of invited guests and armed with social registers, passed on the long line of guests who filed into the Mayflower last night for the debut ball of Miss Helen Lee Eames Doherty, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Doherty of New York. ‘The company was one of the largest ever assembled for an evening debut in the Capital, with the guests numbering more than 1,500 and including many Washingtonians as well as a large con- tingent of out-of-town guests. ‘There were several thousand “unseen guests” which the soclal secretaries did not have to pass on—for the hosts in- troduced something unprecedented in the National Capital. They put their daughter’s debut party on the air. A local station broadcast the event from the ball room. Many radio fans in the large assemblage saw«"in person” their favorites, Jessica Dragonette and the Cities’ Service Cavaliers, who delighted the company with a group of songs. Vice President Greeted. Almost the entire first floor of the hotel was taken over for the event, and another floor of the hotel was occupied by the out-of-town guests who came from New York on a special train, A wealth of poinsettias, banked with Southern smilax and evergreen, were placed throughout the rooms used for the reception, supper and dancing. The Chinese room where Mr. and Mrs, Doherty and the debutante &tood to re- ceive, was a veritable flower garden, with huge baskets of roses, in prac- tically every known variety and hue, placed about the room. On a large di- van just back of the receiving party there was a k of arm bouquets which the bud alternately carried throughout the reception. Upon the arrival of the Vice Presi- dent and his party, “attention” was sounded by the bugler of the 22-piece orchestra, and then Mrs. Doherty and the Vice President and his party, which included, his brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Everett Gann, marched the full length of the ball room to the box, where the Vice Presi- dent remained for a short time to view the gayety. Mrs, Gann walked with Mr. Gann and Brig. Gen. William E. Hor- ton, while the hostess was escorted by Mr. Curtis. Mrs. Gann Given Bouquet. * A bouquet of red roses was presented to Mrs. Gann by the debutante, and some of her other flowers also were given to her guests. Assisting Miss Doherty were Miss Dorothy Ann Rardin and Miss Garnett | Northcott of Huntington, W. Va.; Miss Margaret Morrey of New York, Mrs. William Mondell and Miss Elizabeth Dunlop, who were guests at her table at supper with the escorts, the Marquis George MacDonald, a lifelong friend of Mr. Doherty; Senor Don Ramon Pa- dilla of the Spanish embassy, William Mondell, Frederick Carbus of Phila- delphia, Carl Couchman of Long Is- land, Oliver Walker and Lieut. James Regan. A novel centerpiece on her table rep- resented & Winter church scene. Rib- bons were attached from the tiny church to each of the place cards and cigarette lighters and vanity boxes were giver as favors to each of her guests at her own table. Debutante Paints Autos. A five-course supper was served, after which the guests returned to the ball roam for dancing, which continued until early this morning. The debutante wore the simplest of gowns and her only jewelry was a small cross of diamonds. Mrs. Doherty was generally assisted by Mrs. Willlam Laird Dunlop, jr., who is in charge of the social bureau of the hotel. Miss Doherty has just returned from several years spent in Europe studying arts and languages. One of her out- standing hobbles is painting motor cars for her friends. Rumor had it that at last night's party the debutante would present several automobiles to close friends. This, however, did not take place, and Mrs. Doherty stated that it had never been the intention of her hearings are held. Claim Rates Too High. ‘The hearings, the first ever to be held on electric rate reductions, are the result of petitions by People's Counsel Richmond B. Keech and the Federation of Citizens' Associations, backed up by a ruling of Corporation Counsel William W. Bride that th rate cannot legally be changed without & public hearing. Previous to the decision to hold the hearing, the commission and the Poto- mac Electric Power Co. had come to the verge of an accord on the 1931 rates, but Mr. Keech and William McK. Clayton, representing the federation, claimed that the rates suggested by the company and tentatively agreed to by the commission were not low enough. ‘The commission had agreed to use as a reduction fund the sum of $830,- 000, representing one-half of the excess profits of the power company above 7%z per cent of its valuation in 1930. A Keech claimed that the rates proposed to accomplish this reduction not only would fail to reduce the company's profits, but would result in materially increasing them. Attacks Consent Decree. Mr. Clayton is making an attack on the consent decree of Equity Court by which the rates are annually adjusted. He claims that instead of using one- half of the excess profits for the reduc- tion fund the commission should seek to have the decree changed so as to n;’&ke three-quarters of the excess avail- able. ‘The primary rate for electric con- sumption is 4.7 cents per kilowatt hour and the company’s proposition was to reduce this to 4.2 cents. These were also numerous reductions offered in the various secondary and subsequent stages of the rate schedules. PITTS AND ANADALE HOLD OPEN HOLSE All But Newspaper Men Are Welcomed—Edwards Going to Lorton Monday. John H. Edwards, jr., convicted of a conspiracy to embezzle funds and de- stroy records of the F. H. Smith Co., will be sent to Lorton Reformatory daughter. TRIO OF THIEVES ESCAPE IN STOLEN AUTOMOBILE Guards Unable to Halt Fleeing Men, Who Had Robbed Reed 1 Hospital Commissary. | Shots fired by the guard on duty | falled yesterday to halt three men who {fled from the Walter Reed Hospital grounds in a stolen automobile with foodstuffs taken from the reservation commissary. Arcordelng to reports filed with the police, the automobile, taken without its owner's consent from the hospital grounds, was being driven toward the open gates. A guard fired several pistol shots at the car, but it failed to stop and disappeared beyond the gates. The three occupants were recognized as two Washington residents and one Mary- {1and man, the police were told. The property taken away in the car included a case of eggs, a sack of onions, a smoked ham and other provisions. None of the men have been appre- hended. Merchant Leaps to Death. NEW YORK, Decemhber 27 (P).—A | diamond merchant, David Polak, 54, { jumped from a window of his Nassau street office. 10 storfes to death yes- { terday in the busy thoroughfare. De- ! tectives could find no motive for the | sulcide. Scores of bankers and their | clerks saw Polak’s death leap. British Farm Expert Dies. LONDON, December 27 (#)- nouncement has been made here of the MISS ELIZABETH W. FRY OF CHEVY CHASE DIES Resident of Washington for Past 20 Years Passes Away at Her Sister’s Residence. Miss Elizabeth W. Fry of Chevy Chase, a resident of Washington for the past 20 years, died last night in Martinsburg, W. Va., at the residence of her sister, Mrs. J. L. Daniels. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, in Martinsburg, and interment will be in_Middleway, W. Va. Miss Fry was a former member of the Southern Society, the West Vir- ginia Society, Lebanon Chapter of the Eastern Star and the Red Cross. In addition to Mrs. Daniels, Miss Pry is survived by her mother, Mrs. Nannie Fry of Wi n; three brothers, Dr. David P. Fry of Hedges- ville, Va.; J. D. Fry of Washington, C. L. Fry of Birch Tree, Mo., and three sisters, Mrs. Stanley E. Harmer of Winchester, Va.; Miss Maude M. Fry of Washington, Mrs. G. H. Gardner of Chambersburg, Pa. LIQUOR RUNNERS ESCAPE Officer Crowded Into Fence and Evaded by Smoke Screen. By using & smoke screen, an automo- bile, thought to have been laden with liquor, escaped from Private E. E. Saar of the United States park police, after a chase through Rock Creek Park early this morning. Picking up the chase of the rum car on Broad Branch road about 3 o'clock death December 23 of Prof. T. Wib- berley, 50, one of the most widely known of British farming experts. He origl- nated the Wibberley system of intensive arable stock farming and wrote many notable articles on farming. and pursuing the machine through the ford, Private Saar said his vision was obscured by the smoke screen. After being crowded close to a fence near Plerce Mill, he said he was forced to abandon the chase. HIM ESCAPE By the Associated Press. ‘YONKERS, N. Y., December 27.—The bangdit got away—but it was & moral victory for 13-year-old Josephine Albacello. At 8 o'clock Christmas morning a man without hat or coat but wearing ter to t two rows of trees or to oflzunmc a single row of street trees back from the curb to allow for such widening without destruction of AR, &1 W SN A London restaurant is en its customers with a dcs whi Laini ich bar s a heavy sweater entered the grocery store of Stephen Zacchio, Josephine's brother-in-law, and bought a nickel cigar. Josephine was alone in the store. ‘The man made a motion toward his hip poeket as thought to draw a pistol and then d manded money. He opened the cash Tegisten, Al thal BANDIT’S SWEATER TEARS TO LET 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL Monday to commence service of a three- year sentence. His fellow conspirators, G. Bryan Pitts and C. Elbert le, will re- main in the District jail while their convictions are being appealed. Edwards’ Health Checked. Edwards, who elected to forego an appeal and begin serving his sentence immediately talked yesterday with Capt. M. M. Barnard, superintendent of local penal institutions. Capt. Barnard ques- tioned the former vice president of the Smith company regarding his fitness for prison work, but it was understood he did not decide to what particular task Edwards would be assigned when taken to the reformatory. Pitts and Anadale held open house for all but newspaper men during the two-hour visiting period at the jail yes- terday. Pitts, described as the ring- leader of the conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 14 years, and Anadale, another vice president, to nine. Pitts received several friends during the visiting hours, and then spent the afternoon conferring with one of his attorneys, George D. Horning, jr. Pitts Appears Restive. The former chairman of the Smith Co. board was said by jail attendants to_be getting restive. In an effort to secure his release from the jail pending the appeal, his attorneys, Wilton J. Lambert, Rudolph Yeatman, Frank G. Raichle and Horn- ing, are considering making application for a writ of habeas corpus. It is not probable, however, that Pitts will be able :.? secure his freedom through such a writ. ‘The defense attorneys also are busily engaged in drawing up a bill of ex- ceptions, which will be presented to the court within the next few weeks in furtherance of their efforts to secure a reversal on appeal of the convictions. S e R B MARCELINE DAY ENGAGED Film Actress to Marry Wealthy Los Angeles Furrier. LOS ANGELES, December 27 ().— Marceline Day, film actress, formally announced her engagement, yesterday to Arthur J. Klein, wealthy Los Angeles furrier. “We have been friends for five years,” the actress said and, displaying a | diamond ring, added, “this was his Man Gets Only $20 From $200 in Metal Box When Child Puts Up Battle. was there was the nickel he had just paid for the cigar. He took it. Christmas present to me, The wedding will take place not too soon and not too late.” —_— Playing Child Starts Fire. A child playing with matches was blamed for a small fire in a closet on the second floor of the home of Rich- ard Watson, 400 block of Second street He then demanded to knolv‘vn where the upon & tin register and he snatched at it. 'l'he'g.l'l screamed for help and fought with the man. ‘Ther $200 box, but so furi- ously did the child fight that the robber mlxsh get $20 of it. He also $1.05 which was in the girl's pocketbook. He escaped. “But he wouldn't have.” the girl told pollec, “if his sweater, wi was glng on to, hadn't torm® R S, southwest, yesterday afternoon. The child was not burned. Damage to house and contents was estimated at $25. BTN Janet Gaynor Improved. HONOLULU, December 27 (#).—Janet Gaynor, motion picture actress, sat up yesterday for the first time since she was opercted on eight days ago for ap- pe . Her hus said she would leave | Al last Summer a mere trinkle of water dropped over the Pierce Mill dam in Rock Cre¢k Park. Last night's rain, the heaviest since last June, sent the waters of the creek splashing over the rocks in its bed again.—Star Staff Photo. CAPITAL AIRPORT EARNS HIGH RATING Activity Today Almost Dou- bles That of Le Bourget ‘Field in 1929. ‘Washington-Hoover Airport, the Na- tional Capital’s air transport terminal, today is the scene of almost twice the daily flying operations recorded in 1929 at Le Bourget, the world-famous airport of Paris, according to a report on the activities of the French fleld received here today. Le Bourget in 1929 registered 7,400 arrivals and departures, or an average of but little more than 20 a day. Dur- ing that year it was considered one of the world’s finest and most active air- ports, the hub of a network el European air lines. ‘The Capital's local commercial field today records 32 plane arrivals and de- partures daily on regular schedule alone, not _including miscellaneous operations. Eight additional airmail plane arrivals and departures are scheduled daily at Bolling Field, and these may be trans- ferrad later to the air terminal field Non-scheduled operations at Wash- ington-Hoover Alrport, even during the ‘Winter months when flying of a mis- cellaneous character is at its minimum, bring the total of arrivals and de- partures to more than 40. Le Bourget first came to the atten tion of Americans when Col. Charles A. Lindbergh ended his New York- Paris flight there. The Paris air termi- nal long has been regarded as one of the three most important airports in the world, the other two being Temple- hof, at Berlin, and Croydon, at London, According to the report issued here today, Le Bourget in 1929 handled 132,- 000 passengers, 12,000 tons of freight and 33 tons of mail. VENISON IS SERVED AS DEER HITS BUS 150-Pound Animal Is Struck on Christmas Day as It Runs From Thicket. Special Dispatch to The Star. FREDERICKSBURG, Va., December As a result of the carelessness of a 150-pound_deer, officials and employes of a bus line running between Wash ington and Richmond are today enjoy: ing venison n various forms. M. M. Tate, bus drver, has reported to his superiors that as he was ap- proaching Richmond on Christmas day the deer ran from a thicket a short distance below here and direct- 1y in front of the machine. He swerved in an attempt to avoid striking the frightened animal, but was unsuccess- ful. 21 Passengers assisted in loading the in- jured deer on the bus, and ‘when Tate arrived in Richmond he took the animal to a veterinarian, who stated that it was impossible to save the deer’s life and permitted it to be killed. Tate had the meat distributed among his employ- ers and fellow workmen. SUSPECT IN TAXICAB ROBBERY IS BOUND OVER Colored Man Arraigned in Arling- ton in Hold-up of D. C_ Driver More Than Month Ago. James Northrup, colored, was held for action of the Arlington County grand jury today following his arraign- ment in Arlington County Court House Police Court on a charge of having held up and robbed a Washington taxi- cab driver, Ernest Freeman, more than a month ago. Freeman reported to Arlington County police on the night of November 4 that he was held up and robbed of $19 and his cab near the Army-Navy Country Club property by a colored man. Yes- terday Freeman saw Northrup on the street here and caused his arrest, claim- ing that the latter was the alleged bandit. Northrup denied the charge, claiming that he was working in New York City that day. —_— $619 HAUL AT STORE Wearing Apparel and Cash Are Taken by Burglars. Burglars entered the store.of the Ideal Clothing Co., at 1206 Seventh street, and escaped with wearing ap- | parel and cash valued at $619, early today. 'l'hye loot, according to a report made by the proprietor to police of the second - precinct, included $2¢ in cash, 4 men’s suits, and $400 worth of lingerie, 5 women’s coats, and 2 evening dresses. WAR AVIATOR ARRESTED Detective Sergt. Eugene Davis left * for Lexington, Ky., to take into Hugh L. Wilson, 31~ year-old war-time aviator, for arraign- menbh on a charge of passing worthless arrested in Lexington for after he is said to have : m.a‘- number of bad checks on local g American Discovers Lost Statue From Grecian Parthenon By the Associated Press. ATHENS, December 27.—One of the lost statues of the Parthe- non, buried for years in a pile of “junk” marble near the ruin, has been discovered by Prof. Rys Carpenter, director of the Amer- :,cnn School of Classical Study, ere. Once it adorned the west pedi- ment of the Parthenon, but it disappeared when the Venetians bombarded the Acropolis in 1687. For 250 years it has been known to students by the symbol “U."” When found the top was miss- ing but the remainder represents a draped woman seated on a throne. Prof. Carpenter describes it as an example of the finest tradition of the Phebian- school. ACTIVE THIEVES GET §290 IN PROPERTY Clothing, Jewelry, Cash and Merchandise Is After- Holiday Loot. Four persons were robbed of property aggregating $290 and a fifth was swindled out of $6, according to re- ports made to the police late yesterday and early today. | ,Wearing apparel and jewelry valued t $142 constituted the most valuable single “haul.” Marie Hawkins told po- | lice the property was taken from her residence, in the 1200 block of First street southeast, during her absence late yesterday afternoon. Clothing ap- praised at $75 was reported taken in a similar robbery from Sadie Jones of 911 T street. Drug Store Has Loss. Dr. Walter J. Donohoe, pharmacist, of 2701 Twelfth street northeast, told | police that pens, pencils, compacts and other articles on display on his coun- ters, valued at $45, were stolen during his absence Wednesday night. Maude Thomas reported the theft of | her pocketbook containing $22, a check (and the key to her apartment from her guarwrs. in 2222 Q street, late yester- | day. ! Uniform Swindle Successful. Moses Simpson, colored, of 411 New York avenue, was the swindling victim. Approached by two strangers at his home who sought to hire him as a hotel porter, Simpson agreed to their propo- sition. When he admitted that he had no uniform he was told by his-“friends” that that was of noi consequence, that he could give them any cash he had as a down payment on a uniform and the balance could be paid out of his sal- ary. He gladly handed over his last $6 and went with them to a building at Massachusetts avenue and Tenth street, where the suit was to be ordered. The men left Simpson outside and went within, they told him, to transact the business. They failed to return and Eic:lpson reported the affair to the po- BLADENSBURG ROAD JOB ORDERED BY COMMISSION Pennsylvania Avenue Reésurfacing Approved With Other Contracts for Spring Program. The center parking of Bladensburg road northeast was ordered filled in with concrete by the District Commis- sioners yesterday, from L street to the District line. ‘The Commissioners also approved a recommendation of Capt. Herbert C. Whitehurst, District highway engineer, for resurfacing by the “heater” method of Pennsylvania avenue between Sixth and Fifteenth streets; east side of Seventh street between G street and Massachusetts avenue; west side of Seventh street between G street and Mount Vernon place. The order was issued at this time so that the necessary engineering work may be accomplished and the bids ad- vertised early in January for the Spring program. | WEATHER HALTS PLANES “Airmnfl Service Delayed Tempo- rarily by Low Visibility. ‘Thick weather, made more dangerous 1 by, tendency toward heavy formation of ice at places along the line, kept planes on the ground on the coastal airmail line last night. Along most of the route pilots would have been forced % “blind,” owing to the low visibility. fact, coupled with the lormnfon of heavy ice on the planes, probably would have had serious consequences if an attempt were made to fly it was decided. h, Auto Man Asks Bankruptey. Listing liabilities of $54,497.07 with no assets, William E. McReynolds, an automobile merchant, has filed a peti- tion to be adjudged bankrupt. He ex- plains that many of his obligations were assumed by bhim several years ago when he took over the business of R. | Reynolds & Son, Inc. & lander et i et il FIND MRS. TROWER IN ROOMING HOUSE Police Locate Missing Wom- an Who Went for Ride With Man She Knew. The mystery surrounding the strange disappearance early Christmas morn- ing of Mrs. Katherine E. Trower, 41 years old, from her home, at 3310 Twenty-second street northeast, was solved by police late yesterday with her discovery in a rooming house in the 300 block of C street. ‘The former narcotic investigator and one-time matron at the District Jail set to rest the fears of relatives that she had met with foul play and told detectives she left willingly for *“a ride” with a man she knew and they returned to the city too late for her to_go home. Detectives were furnished information by James A. Collins, a taxicab driver living in the 3200 block Wisconsin ave- nue, which led to the finding of Mrs. ‘Trower. Driver Aids Search. Collins appeared at police headquar- ters early yesterday afternoon, after reading newspaper accounts of Mrs. Trower’s “abduction” and related an account of ng driven a man, who had hailed him in Georgetown, and a woman he had picked-up at the ‘Trower home to Hyattsville and then to a rooming house on C street. Detective Sergt. Joseph Waldron and the cab driver searched the neighbor- hood in which Collins had let his pas- sengers out on Christmas morning and finally located the place. No charges were placed against Mrs. Trower and she was released after being questioned by detectives at headquarters. ‘The search for Mrs. Trower started two days ago when the woman’s mother reported that a man attired in a chauf- feur's uniform had called at her home at 1 o'clock Christmas morning and said that “Mr. Cox from headquarters” was waiting outside to see Mrs. Trower. Joins Man in Cab. Naturally assuming that “Mr. Cox” was some one who wished to see her daughter regarding narcotic work, the mother called her daughter to the door, and the latter, clad only in a night- gown, robe and bed-room - slippers, Joined the man in the cab. When she failed to reappear, the mother called police headquarters and reported’ the case, stating that she feared her daughter had been abducted y some one seeking revenge for being sent to jail through Mrs. Trowers’ un- dercover work. Collins told detectives his “fare” told him to go up to the door of thé Trower home and say that “Mr. Cox from head- quarters” was waiting outside. CHRISTIAN CHRIST, BAKER, KNOCKED DOWN BY TAXI Receives Severe Injuries in Aceci- dent While Awaiting Approach of a Street €ar. Christian Christ, 54-year-old baker of 6222 Fifth street, received cuts about the head last night when a taxicab driven by George B. Pates, 38, of 1129 New Hampshire avenue knocked him down in the 6300 block of Georgia ave- nue. Christ, who was waiting for a street car when he was struck, was taken to Walter Reed Hospital for treatment and later was removed to Emergency Hospital for further attention. His condition ’s not serious. An auton."bile operated by Luther S. Cannon, 125 Thestnut avenue, Takoma NCH OF RAINFALL * IS HEAVIEST HERE SINCE LAST JONE 17 Precipitation Yesterday and Today Brings Total for Year to 21.57. BURNT MILLS RESERVOIR FILLED TO OVERFLOWING . No Prospect in Sight, However, That Maryland Will Have Suf- ficient Water Supply.* One inch of rain, the first real heavy downpour since June 17 last, was re- corded at the Weather Bureau here early today. The nearest approach to this mark was 0.87 of an inch on July 1. Cooler weather is expected tonight and tomorrow will be partly cloudy, accord- ing to the forecast. Official statistics disclosed the total rainfall so far this year has been 21.57 inches, approximately half of the nor- mal quantity. The average over a period of 60 years has been 42.16 inches. ‘The aggregate last year was 3941 inches. Figures by Months. A glance at the monthly figures re- vealed the totals of 0.62 of an inch in August and 0.28 of an inch in October represented records for those months. ‘They were the lowest in 60 years. The total in January was 2 February, 1.64; March, 2.26; April, 3.12; May, 1.8i; June, 3.19; July, 2.30; September, 0.76; November, 0.79, and so far for Decem- ber, 1.95. Although the rain of the last 24 hours filled the Burnt Mills reservoir to overflowing for the first time in many ths, the quantity of water there is eXpected to run off rapidly and there is no immediate prospect of the Washing- ton Suburban Sanitary Commission dis- continuing the use of water drawn.from the District of Columbia mains, officials of the commission said today. ‘The Burnt Mills ', ‘which stores the water normally used in nearby Maryland, became so low last Summer the Maryland authorities were forced to tap the District mains to pre- vent a water famine in the suburban area. Draining Under Ice. As a result of the snow and rains of the past week the reservoir has been slowly filling, but there is an ice crust on top and the water is being drained from beneath to supply the Hyattsville pumping plant, so that Deputy Chief Engineer Harry R. Hall said it is im- possible to obtain a normal measure- ment which would reveal how many inches the reservoir has risen during the past 24 hours. ' Aside from feeding the Hyattsville plant the only use that has been made of the water in the reservoir is to flush the sewage from the Northwest Branch. Mr. Hall declares the ground along the upper part of the Northwest Branch, which feeds into the reservoir, is frozen, and when it thaws a rush of water may be expected. But this will run off rapidly unless sufficient rain falls to moisten thoroughly the lands adjacent to the stream, and suburban Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties will have to depend on Washington for its water supply at least until that time. Potomac Rising Rapidly. A total of 2.61 inches of rainfall at Hagerstown during the last"24 hours caused the Potomac River to start ris- ing rapidly this morning. The river has been running very low since the drought, but the heavy rainfall around its headwaters in Western land caused officials of the Potomac Edison Co. at Williamsport to predict that by tonight the river would return to nor- mal flow for the first time since Jume. The 2.61 inches of rainfall recorded up to 11 am. brought the December total to 3.22 inches, which is only .03 of an inch less than the average for the month. BREAD PRICES PROBED Missouri Attorney General Prom- ises Prosecution if Warranted. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., December 27 (#).—An investigation of bread prices in Missouri’s larger cities and towns will be made ‘by the attorney general’s department to determine whather pre- vailing prices have responded to the lower wheat market, Attorney General Stratton Shartel announced yesterday. If it is found baking concerns are get- ting an unfair profit and violating State laws, prosecutions will follow, the at- torney general said. S A reasonable reduction and a result- ing increase in consumption would aid both the consumer and producer of wheat, the attorney general said, add- ing that “even a slight, though con- sistent increase in consumption of wheat over the United States would certainly strengthen the present wheat market.” ENGINEER SEES COOKING Gas Consumption Indicates How Turkeys Were Baked. The cook was not the only person in Washington who knew when turkey was done last Thursday. In the East station of the Washington Gas Light Co., near Anacostia Bridge, Walter S. Russell, chief engineer of company, could estimate ost to the minute when your Christmas turkey was placed in the oven, when it was taken Park, Md., skidded on the wet roadway of Colesville pike near Toll House Tavern and went into a ditch. driver suffered minor cuts and bruises and was taken home by a passing au- tolst upon refusing hospital treatment. The car was wrecked. . OFFICE OF RECREATION PROPOSED FOR CAPITAL Planning Group Report Recom- mends Board to Formulate and Adjust Policies. Establishment of a department of recreation in Washington to operate the proposed recreation system here and formation of a Recreation Board to formulate and adjust policies are recom- mended by a special board, comprised of interested Federal and District organizations, in the annual report of the National Capital Park and Plan- ning Commission, made public yester- day. The report of the commission urges that lands owned by either the Federal or District Government and now adfministered for other than recre- ation pu be transferred. ‘The Public Buildings and Public Parks Office or the District Commissioners would obtain these lands, under the plan, for use as part of the park and layground system. General legislation provide for these transfers is recom- ded by the commission. Returns to'Find Home Robbed. BALTIMORE, Md., Decéfier 27 (). Mrs. esterday other- Pont, Pl to ‘ment Alfy L to find thal at Wilmington, Del r- had robbed i cr home of Ty ab T e P The | & the 8. at Eighth street and =sceped with & fur coat, bave been valued at $250, shortly bee 2 NN out and when the family sat down to linner. A chart registering the amount of &as consumed indicated to him that most housewives started cooking be- tween 10:30 and 11 o'clock. “By 2 ucloc‘lf in the afternoon,” Mr. Russell said, “the chart took a sharp and steady drop. indicating that most of the peo- ple had ‘started eating.” Eer—— THIEVES IGNORE WARNING St. Thomas’ Church Poor Box T Emptied Regularly. ‘The St. Thomas Apostle Church, at Woodley *road and Twenty-seventh street, is under the protection of a Eflx\ll::eflyd;éec:]‘(lle lngency and there's Inte ate in the vestil Se!}';lnkntll;dfe forlh‘? o evertheless, the church r box has been rified periodically. mn the Christmas _spirit had no effect on the thieves. Within the last two days, cording to reports to the police, Some one emptied the poor box of about $20. Rev. Thomas A. Walsh, pastor of the chureh, is now inclined to believe that the thieves can't read or else they don’t believe in signs. $10,000 Ring Reported Stolen. Thieves Smash Window. Thieves smashed a display window at Kann Sons Co. de) A ent X Market place, and reporied