Evening Star Newspaper, September 8, 1931, Page 17

Washington News WASHINGTON, D. C, enin ITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION D.C. SURVEYOR HITS EXCESSVE COSTS OF BUN_I]EMNATIUNi M. C. Haz;n Recommends No Property Actions Except in Urgent Cases. HOLDS TOO FREQUENT ASSESSMENTS UNJUST1 Show How to Can Peaches 65 Cases on Court Docket in Year. Damages Total $1,088,844 Cited in Report. Melvin C. Hazen, District surveyor, in his annual report today recommended that no property be condemned for | streets or other principal municipal purposes except in the most ul'g!nbi cases, in order to reduce the enormous cost of acquiring land in the District for public use. “It is believed by this office,” Mr. Hazen wrote, “that as a general propo- sition condemnation proceedings should not be instituted except in cases where | it is proposed within a reasonable time to improve the streets or alleys to be acquired and open them for the usc of the public. “It is not believed fair to the property owners to levy assessments for benefits, and then permit the property to lie idle for some time, thus depriving the property owners of the enjoyment of the benefits for which they have been charged. Such cases should be post- poned unless it is certain that private building construction is to be started within the lines of the streets or alleys proposed to be acquired, which will prohibit their acquisition, or render the land to be acquired so expensive that condemnation would be impracti= cable. During the year there were 65 con- demnation cases on the court docket, 28 of which were filed during the year. The Condemnation Court confirmed 25 Jury awards. The total awarded as damages, plus court costs, was $1,088,- 844.78, and the total assessed as bene- fits $463,662.08. Statistics are given for other surveys made by the office, involv- ing extension of streeis, changes of the highway plan and the like. ‘The office of the surveyor has the task of measuring the routes of the bus lines which transport pupils to the crip- ples’ and health schools, as the price paid is calculated as so much per mile. During the year a total of 258 separate school routes were measured, aggregat- ing 1,739.6 miles. LABOR DAY TRAFFIC KEPT MOVING HERE Despite - Thousands of Visiting Autos and Parade, Only One Serious Jam Is Reported. Although there were thousands of wisiting automobiles in town, and Penn- sylvania avenue was roped off for the firemen’s parade during the peak of the | rush hour, trafiic for the most part moved through midtown Washington at a slow but even pace, and only one serious jam was reported. ‘This, according to Lieut. Milton D. Bmith of the Traffic Bureau, occurred at the corner of Thirteenth and F streets just before the end of the parade about 1 o'clock. Lieut. Smith said the intersection was cleared in 30 minutes. Police were stationed at nearby cor- ners along the line of march to warn | cars away from Pennsylvania avenue.! Lieut. Smith, who was in charge of the motor cycle detail, said he had 12 extra men on duty to untangle traffic snarls gnd keep the lines moving at intersec- ions. F IFTY women attended the cannin other groups in various commu: methods. Traynham and Mrs. Irma Moon showin, ‘The picture shows Miss Winifred Alvatcher, INSTRUCTORS DEMONSTRATE METHODS. g demonstration this morning arranged by the District Employment Committee as part of its food conservation campaign. The women, headed by Mrs. Harvey W. Wilcy, plan to instruct nities throughout the city in canning Mrs. Mildred the proper way to can peaches. . 3 e -Star Staff Photo STIMSON EXPECTS. FOUR WOMEN FACE EARLY RECOVERY Secretary of State to Tell Hoover of European Visit Tonight. By the Assoclated Press. Secretary Stimson said today he had returned from Europe very hopeful of | an early stabilization of economic con- ditions growing out of efforts by the varfous countries. The Secretary of State made his statement after a cabinet meeting. but said he had not given the President a complete report on his lengthy stay in Europe. He will be a White House guest to- night, and at that time expects to give the Chief Executive a comprehensive ac- count of his observations in European capitals. He returned to Washington vesterday. Sees Benefits of Trip. “The primary purpose of my trip, Stimson said, “was to get personally acquainted with the men with whom I | have constant dealings through letters and messengers. I believe that if the heads of the various governments could | get together and talk, good feeling be- | BANDIT WHO FLEES (Hold-up Man Fails to Collect | From Intended Victims Calling Purses Empty. A hold-up man, who must have been “kidding” after all, stopped four wom- en in a limited area of the northwest section last night with demands for money, only to flee from each scene without accomplishing his purpose. On one occasion he wore a silk handker- chief across his face. Description of the would-be bandit were broadcast to all precincts and scout cars cruised the vicinity most of TEACHERS' COLLEGE T0 SEEK INCREASE IN'MEN STUDENTS President Higbie Plans to Offer Courses Aiding in Career Decision. IWILL GIVE GENERAL . SUBJECTS FOR 2 YEARS Dr. White, New Athletic Head, Preparing Sports Program for Boys’ Benefit. A marked increase in the number of male students at the Wilson Teachers' | College will be sought this year under plans now being completed by Dr. E. C. Higble, president. The percentage of men seeking teacher training in Washington, Dr. Higble pointed out today, is so far be- low the country at large as to be al- most inconsequential. “While the 83 teachers’ colleges in 27 States enrolled last year 20,291 men and 46,348 women, | ‘Wilson Teachers' College here had only 5 men in its total enrollment of ap- proximately 250. Aids Career Decision. Wilson Teachers' College this year. Dr. Higbie explained. has set up a course of training which provides not {only excellent preparation for the teach- ing profession, but an advantageous op- portunity to determine whether its stuy dents are fitted for the teaching profes- sion. The first two years of the four- year course, he said, provide a stand- ard academic education cf college grade | and enough of the various phases of teacher training to help students decide whether they want to continue in the teaching profession. If, after the first | two years, a student finds himself dis- satisfled with the teaching profession, he will be able to go to another college or university seeking training in an entirely different profession without material 1oss of college credits. Wilson College's new four-year course offers training in mathematics, psy- chology, English, sclence, literature, music and art and other standard academic subjects. Education, as a | subject of study, is secondary to these during the first two years. First Catalogue Issued. The complete outline of the courses | {obtainable is contained in the first | catalogue _ever issued by Wilson | Teachers College, which now is on the | presses at the Government Printing | Office. | ““The 20th century teachers college | appeals to men " the catalogue asserts. “In 83 State teachers training institu- | [ jury last night without finding a trace of | tions in 27 States there were enrolled | him. The women said he threatened |during the past vear 20,291 men and them with some sort of weapon con- | 46.348 women. From a very low per-; cealed in his coat pocket. centage of men in normal schools a | . 5 . | decade ago the enrollment has increased ' Between 9 and 11 o'clock the man ac. to nearly 30 per cent today. Men are now going into education ' not alone as administrators, but as class room instructors. The modern ideas, attitudes and higher require- ments attract them. The public is | costed Miss Eleanore M. Oehm of 1636 | | Rhode Island avenue, who was walking | on M street near Fifteenth: Elizabeth | Sheridan, 1620 R street, near Seventh | and P streets; Mrs. Maude S. Smith, | 2006 N street, near Twentieth and M| | streets; Mrs. Helen F. Coombs of the | oming to demand more of the mascu- Grafton Hotel, near St. Matthew's tween nations would advance with more | GHUrch. and Mrs. John Guest of the rapidly than ever before in history.” The conversations between Premier Laval of France and Chancellor Bruen- ing of Germany, Stimson said, should be regarded as highly significant and looked upon as one of the hopeful signs in_Europe, | These conferences, he added, probably | will be extended to include other na- tions and probably result in a basis for stabilization. Stimson emphatically said he had | found no feeling on the part of France or any other country for postponement | of the disarmament conference, which | :s scheduled to meet in Geneva in Feb- | ruary, 1932. Brings Back Ideas. In the opinion of Washington ob- servers, ‘Wyoming Apartments, near Twentieth and M streets. In three cases the robber fled when told his intended victim had no money, and he did likewise when informed by Miss Oehm _that she had a quarter in her purse. Miss Oehm still has it. HUGE SUBFOIJNDATIONS FOUND BENEATH MARKET Dynamite Called In to Clear Mass of Concrete and Steel on | Seventh Street Site. Old Center Market was more than | surface deep, as contractors excavating | line influence for its growing young people. Coincident with this increase in the number of young men has been a decided rise of the intelligence levels of both the men and women who are attracted to education.” In order to meet the anticipated in- crease in the number of men at the ‘Wilson Teachers College, Dr. Guy Har- ris White has been 1nstalled as director of athletics. He plans to establish a program of athletics which eventually . HE family of Lawrence T. Washington, 1468 Meridian place, had a narrow escape yesterday when an airpl TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1931 ane crashed into thelr parked automobile at Congressional Airport, smashing the windshield. In the photo, left to right: Mrs. Washington, Georgia Ellen, Dorothy Anne, Elizabeth, Lawrence, jr., and Mr. Washington. TESCAPEINIURY ASPLANEHTS AR Student Pilot, Taxiing Ship, ! Fails to See Auto and Family Within. | Seven persons narrowly escaped in- from the whirling blades of a taxiing plane at Congressional Airport, on the Rockville pike near Halpine, Md., late yesterday afternoon when their parked car was struck by an air- plane piloted by Elmer T. Matter, 609 Ridge avenue, Silver Spring, Md. The car, occupied by Lawrence T. Washington, an electrical contractor, of 1486 Meridian piace: his wife, four chi- dren and a friend, was slashed and bent about the body and the windshicld broken. The airplane propeller wa smashed to bits. Saw Car Too Late. Following the accident, an argument over responsibility for the damages en- sued. Mr. Washington said. Matter alighted from the plane, displayed his student pilot's permit, and informed him that the accident was unavoilable, | as he saw the car too late to turn away | without capsizing, Mr. Washington re- | ported. The manager of the airport. Glenn Elliot, was summoned, but. re- | fused to make a statement regarding the responsibility of the airport or the | ilot. 5 The contractor's version of the in- cident stated that on the entrance road of the airport, with his_daughter, Dorothy Anne, 7; his son, Lawrence, jr., 6, and a friend, Miss Dolly Dolphin, 1815 Newton street, in the front seat, while Mrs. Washing- ton was seated in the rear cf the sedan | with the two younger daughters, Eliza- —Star Staff Photo. Thieves Strip Model In Showcase of All But Her Stockings A wax model in a four-sided lobby showcase at 1109 G street, about as conspicuous as a gold- fish in & bowl anyhow, attracted more than usual attention last night when passersby began to notice she was clad only in stockings. Police were notified by the night watchman, and learned that a thief had stripped the model after breaking the catch on the glass door to her showcase. A coat and dress, as well as several other. garments, were missing, ac- according to the manager of the M. Brooks & Co. clothier. LORTON CONTRACTS FOR BULDINGS LET Two Cell Houses Projected. D. C. Awards Six Jobs on Sewer Lines. The District Commissioners today IS HELD JUSTIFIED /Stoll Reports Two Drivers Tried to Run Down Men, | Who Then Fired at Cars. J | 2utomobiles last week were justified in using their weapons, Inspector Louis J. | Stoll, who investigated the gunplay, re- ported to Maj. Henry G. Pratt, police superintendent, today. Stoll declared his investigation dis- closed a deliberate attempt on the part | o f the drivers of the pursued machines to run down the officers during the chases. The policemen involved in the shoot- ing freys were W. D. Perry, third pre- cinct, and John O. Hite of the Traffic Burcau. Perry said he fired at the driver of the fleeing machine at Nev: Hampshire avenue and N street after the driver is | said to have attempted to run over | | him. Perry said he had leaped from | the nolice car directly into the path of | the pursued machine. Perry said he fired when the machine was driven straight at him. Hite, who with Policeman C. L. Smith | started chasing an automobile at New | awarded two contracts in connection York and New Jersey avenues, said he GUNFIRE BY POLICE Two policemen who fired on fleeing | with the development of a group of fired only after the driver of the pur- at Lorton, Va. where certain prisoners | can be kept in confinement. There is | an appropriation of $150,000 for devel- oping this “inclosed group.” One of the contracts, for the con- struction _of two cell houses, went to the Van Dorn Iron Works Co. of Cleve- his car was parked | buildings at the District Reformatory.| sued car sideswiped Smith's motor cycle, throwing him to the ground. The first chase began when Perry observed an automobile running with- out headlights. The second chase started after the automobile passed through a traffic signal. beth, 4, and Georgia Ellen, 2. | 1and, for $19,208. The second, for put- The family watched the planes land | ting’ up slate roofing on some of the and take off for a few moments, Mr. | buildings, was awarded to the Buck- will place Wilson Teachers College on | a par with other academic colleges, i MRS. ROSALIE HAMMOND, 78, 1S KILLED IN FALL | Plunges to Death Down Stairs at| Home of Daughter, Mrs. James Washington said, and saw the plane piloted by Matter land at the other end of the field and come toward them. As the plane drew nearer. and did nct | swerve to the pide, Mr. Washington said | he got out of the car and signaled to the oilot 1 nan effort to make him Givert his course. The machine came straight on, Mr. Washington reported, ingham-Virginia Slate Corporation of Richmond, Va., for $9,088.57. Six contracts for sewer construction | in the District also were awarded as follows: To Roy D. Schlegel, Thirty-eighth street storm water sewer, in the vicinity of Thirty-eighth and _Huntington streets, for $5.440.70; Thigty-ninth and he had to scurry aside to prevent ' street storm water sewer, between Jeni- being crushed as it struck the side of | fer and Huntington.streets, $2,544.55; WHOLESALE PRICES | Commerce Department Reveals Halt to Decline in Monthly Survey. IN JULY HOLD FIRM PAGE B—1 NATIONAL LEADERS GOMING TO LEGION JOBLESS PARLEY States, Citics, Labor and Capital Represented Monday. VETERANS WOULD HELP ALL RELIEF AGENCIES Closer Co-ordination of Posts' Em- ployment Bureaus With Va- rious Groups Sought. Natlonal officials of the American Legion here received notice fr-m Ralph T. O'Neil, national commander, that ! Governors, mayors and representatives of labor, capital and industry have accepted invitations of the Legion to meet in Washington next M a conference on unemploymen economic situation. | Officials said that during the cor {ence the full strength and influence of the Legion will be offered to the Pre dent’s organization on unemployment relief and to all municipal, State znd other governmental agencics to be used in helping relieve the present unempic ment condition. Plans have been going forwayd eral wecks for the conference. according to Comdr. O'Neil, and now acceptance to the invitations are being i daily from Governors and other officials. The invitations to mayors are limit~d to the 15 largest cities and others where large public p: been started. The American Federation of Labor and the United States Cham- ber of Commerce have signified th 1 would have high officers and committ present, with such advice and informa- tion as would be possible to supply. Closer Co-operation Sought. “One main purpose of the confer- ence,” O'Ntil said, “is to got ideas and suggestions that will enable the Legion's National Employment Committee to be more effective. We believe the Legion, through the agencies of its many pos! can be very effective in helping solve this serious problem which now con- fronts our Nation. “It is our intention to co-operate with all existing agencies, both public and semi-public. I have called this confer- ence at this time so that suggestio iand ideas we receive can be submitt~d {by our Employment Commission to the | national convention to be held in De- troit, September 21-24 “We believe the Legion will be able o increase employment during the cor i Winter and also help outline a prog that may be of some permanent be during any period of depression.” Three-Phase Program. ‘The national commander said the | Legion's National Employmert Com- | mission, of which Howard P. Savage of | Chicago, pest national commander. is | chairman, last year worked on a - | phase program. The first effort has been to provide employment for as many as possible, and this has been done for {200,000. The commission, as the second phase, advocated such a meeting as will | now be held in Washington. As the third step. the commission several months ago inaugurated a Na- ! tion-wide campaign to promote nceded | public improvements and speed up such | public projects as have been authorized, but have not yet passed the paper stage. The commander said there is now $4.000,000,000 worth of public and semi- public buildings upon which work has jnot been started, while actual contracts in this year's building program of the Nation have been lei for about $2.- 000,000,000 worth. He s2id these figures were cbtaired recently in a survey made under Legion direct:on here. Monday's conference will be held at the Mayflower Hotel. 'WOMAN, 68, FELLED av for and the Taxicabs and parking space were at | the ‘Secretary of State has | oy o o thets dlaray his automobile Randolph street extended outlet sewer, | & premium downtown and Fourteenth street was blocked with pedestrians for a considerable time after the last of the parade had passed. Trafic was hampered on Highway Bridge for about 30 minutes when a large crane in use on the Memorial Highway was moved across the struc- ture. The flow of cars around the crare ‘was not entirely stopped, although badly slowed down. e ROBBERS SLAY BUTCHER WITH KNIFE, TAKE $300 Body Hacked With Cleaver—Vic- tim, Fearing Banks, Carried Huge Sums. By the Associated Press. SALEM, Ohio, September 8.—George Schmidt, 23, meat market proprietor, was murdered in his shop here today by robbers who cut his throat with his own butcher knife and then hacked him with a cleaver. About $300 which Schmidt was known to be carrying was stolen. Because of a recent bank fail- ure, he had lost confidence in banks and carried all his money with him. A dry cleaning establishment near Schmidt's shop was broken into soon after the murder and three suits of clothing stolen. Noting blood stains on a window sill of the cleaning place, police concluded that there had been three bandits, who stole the suits to replace their blood-stained clothing. No cast-off clothing was found, however. Schmidt's body was found in the rear of his shop soon after he had opened it this morning. The pockets of his clothing were turned inside out and slashed with a knife, apparently in a search for money. Schmidt had shown Jarge sums of money at & picnic yes- terday, friends said. | LONG ILLNESS IS FATAL TO AUGUSTA RESIDENT Epectal Dispatch to The Star. STAUNTON, Va.. September 8 —Mrs. Anne Elizabeth Rawlinson died Sunday after a protracted iliness at Herringston, the Rawlinson home in Augusta County. Mrs. Rawlinson before her marriage was Miss Anne Elizabeth Cochran. daughter of the late Col. Jones C. and Elizabeth Brooke Cochran. She was born in Augusta County. She is sur- vived by her hisband, Lionel Seymour Rawlinson, son of Canon Rawlinson of Canterbury Cathedral, who was a pro fessor at Oxford University. England; one daughter, Miss Elizabeth Seymour Rawlinson, and one brother, Mr. Joseph 8. Cochran of Folly Farm. ‘The funeral was held this morning from Trinity Episcopal Church. Serv- ices were conducted by the Rev. John J. Gravatt, with burial at Thornrose Cemetery. brought back from Europe the ideas of other governmental heads concerning the coming conference and will place | them before President Hoover at to- night's conference. BLAZE ROUTS SHOW | CROWD IN DANVILLE Spectators File Out Quietly When | Film Catches Fire—Building ‘ Is Saved. Special Dispatch to The Star. DANVILLE, Va., September 8.—A | holiday audience last night made an | orderly exit from the Capitol Theater | when fire broke out in the projection room, caused by a flaming film. The audience was informed of the blaze by | an employe and quictly emerged from | the theater just as firemen arrived. It was sald the damage would be re- paired in time for opening of the thea- ter today. | Subfoundations of steel and sclid con- crete, too big to yield to the steam | shovel, have been encountered beneath the construction site of the new Ar- | chives Building. | _ Contractors Jarboe & Houghton have summoned Harry Gough, dynamiter, who levelled the 185 foot smokestack at the Government Hotels, the expert Poll's Theater and the old towers of | the market to blast out the obstruction. Local historians observe the Center Market operaticns with interest, as more remains of wharfs and docks of the sort discovered beneath the new Internal Revenue Building location, may be found there. An ancient canal for- merly traversed the area occupied by the Revenue structure and the Market, it is believed. Taxicab Driver Robbed. Howard Kaylor, taxicab driver, 935 K street, was robbed of $3.35 at South Capitol and I streets this morning by a_colored man, he reported to police. The colored man had been a passenger in his car, he stated, and asked for change when he produced a $5 bill. He ren from the scene when Kaylor handed him the change, without having given the driver the bill. POLICE HOLD “KINDERGARTEN” FOR LABOR DAY’S LOST “KIDS”| |Parade of Children to No. 1 Precinct Calls Forth Ice Cream and Cookies as Word Degree Fails. “Frightened, hungry, tired, they were, but_as well mannered a bunch of kids as I ever saw! “Why, one—she couldn't have been over 8—she said to me, ‘I want my mamma!’ And then, remembering her bringing up, added, ‘Please, sir!’ “And when the men,” Capt. W. E. Holmes nodded toward the squad room at No. 1 precinct, “brought them ice cream cones and cookies, the kids quit crying and said, ‘Thank you!” “It was a job, all right. Not being a kindergarten teacher, I never saw as a?ny children in one place in my life ore. y came and went so fast we could hardly keep track of them. At one time, I recall, there were 14 in the precinct. “Parade days it's always that way, but this Labor day the number of lost kids was greater. “Our men picked them up in scout cars, motor cycle side cars and some- imes strangers who had found them in the crowds along the line of march brought them. “They began to come in long before the parade started and the last parent called here for her child about dark yesterday.” As for the Individuals, 10-year-old Virginia Prime was lost, with her two | sisters, Nettle May and Emma, from Springfield, Md. “I'm not frightened,” said Virginia bravely, “because I'm the oldest of six. There were seven, but one died last May. Once, when mother was sick, I did the cooking four days.” There was also Mary Jenkins, whose grief was well-nigh inconsolable, and Jack Owens, who explained mournfully that he was lost and from Ohio, and Margaret McCarthy and Tom Kane, next-door neighbors, who got lost to- gether. ‘The nurse came for them fluently. and Mary, occupied with an ice cream cone, was smiling when her anxious mother appeared. | ., And finally there was Alice Marie | Haley. Alice, she sald, wanted to go | home because she was tired—a very good reason—and the Police Depart- ment was willing to oblige, but Alice was only 4 and not at all certain where home might be. Alice, being the last, was beginning to fob, first softly and then hysterically, as time when on and her parents falled to_appear. It was almost dark when they came for Alice. She went, choking back her sobs and trying to smile. “Kindergarten’s over,” said Capt. Holmes, and if & sigh of relief escaped him that is his ewn business. W. Girard. Mrs. Rosalie Hammond, 78, was killed almost, instantly this morning when she fell down a flight of stairs at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James W. Girard, | at 2810 Military road, as she was de- scending for breakfast She stumbled over the top step when her heel caught and fell to her death on a first-floor landing below as her daughter and grandson, James W. Girard, jr., looked on. 3 Dr. C. E. McNamara of Emergency Hospital, who responded to the emer- gency call in the hospital's ambulance, pronounced the woman dead upon his | arrival at the house. Coroner J. Ram- say Nevitt announced he would issue a certificate of accidental death. Mrs. Hammond, a native of Montana, is survived by two sons and two daugh- ters. In addition to Mrs. Girard, they are Mrs. A. F. Muchmore of Missoula, Mont. Mont., soula. Thirteen grandchildren also survive. Mrs. Hammond had been visiting her daughter for the past two years. Her son-in-law is employed in the Forest Service of the Agriculture Department and was out of town when the accident occurred. FARM HAND KILLS SELF BY HANGING FROM JREE West Virginia Worker Ties Rope About Neck and Steps Off Limb. Children Find Body. Special Dispatch to The Star. CH. ‘TOWN, W. Va., September 8—Luther Lanham, 45, farm hand, committed suicide yesterday on the G. 6. Marlowe farm, near here, where he was employed, by hanging himself in a sherry tree. Children found the body. He had ased a stepladder to climb into the tree and there attached a rope to a limband swung off. No motive for the suicide could be established. He was a native Mr. Washington reported the acci- dent to the Montgomery County police substation at Bethesda and asked for action in the matter of damages. Corpl, Oscar Gaither informed him that, as the mishap did not occur on ! the highway or on public property, it would be necessary to refer the matter toothe leronlll!l?; division of the De- partment of Commerce. Report to Be Required. E 1 office of the Commerce ne'rl;';:enult?g: division said this morning that & report of the accident would be required and an investigation would be made regarding the pilot and the owner of the plane, but that this in- uiry would in no way affect the problem, as that would require adjudication in civil courts. Elliot said the plane was damaged to the extent of approximately $150. The ship is the property of G. D. Murphy, 3148 O street, he said. Matter, who is a mechanic at Washington-Hoover Air- port, is permitted to use the plane at times in return for mecnanical work on it, Mr. Elliot stated. He explained that he refused to fix_responsibility in the accident because he did not witness it and consequently could have no part in the damage settlement. Matter said this morning that he did not see Mr. Washington wave to him and that when he saw the car he was too close to stop. P e {PLUNGE IN COURT HOUSE SHAFT KILLS LABORER Man Breaks Neck and Sustains Other Injuries in Accident in Rockville Structure. Special Dispatch to The Star. ROCKVILLE, Md., September 8.— While at work on the new court house, in course of completion here, Anderson Neal, 45, colored, of Charlotte, N. C., fell through the elevator shaft this morning and was killed. He was helping to erect a scaffold on the third floor and ‘plunged down tbe of the Luray (Va.) section, but had been employed here for some years. A verdict of suicide was given. CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. TODAY. Meeting, Business Women’s Council, Church of the Covenant, 8 p.m. Card party, Mothers’ Club, 8t. James’ Catholic Church, Thirty-seventh street and Rhode Island avenue, 8 p.m. 3 FUTURE. ¢ Luncheon, Exchange Club, Carlton Hotel, tomorrow, 12:30 p.m. Luncheon, Lions Club, Mayflower Hotel, tomorrow, 12:30 p.m. Luncheon, Monarch Club, Hamilton Hotel, tomorrow, noon. cheon, Optimist Club, Hamilton tomorrow, 12:30 p.m. Lun Hotel, shaft when he took a step backward, falling all the way to the basement. He sustained a broken neck and other in- juries and died within a few minutes. Neal is survived by a wife and three children. The accident was the first. serious one which has taken place since the construction work was started, about & year ago. FORMER RESIDENT DIES Frank James Allen Buried at Bos- ton Today, Friends Hear. Frank James Allen, former resident of this city, died Saturday at Allen- hurst-by-the-Sea, Humarock, Mass., ac- cording to information received here today. Funeral services were held to- day at Boston. A]fle is survived by his widow, Edna R. en. | vicinity of Sixteenth street and Piney Branch parkway, $1.723.49; Eighteenth street, branch, Section 2, East Brookland | storm water sewer, in Eighteenth street | | northeast, between Lawrence and Jack- son streets, $4,844.73: Benning road | service sewer. ' between Nineteenth | street and Eighteenth street extended | northeast. $2,119.65. To William A. Pate, Sixteenth street | storm water sewer, between Colorado | avenue and Kennedy place, $9,456.13. SR A THUGS USE RUBBER HOSE | Chuckles and Some Chagrin Mani- fested by Police on Hearing Report. The Police Department is getting some chuckles and a little chagrin out of a robbery report on file at head- uarters. One Luther Wiltshire, it seems, was set upon and robbed of $8 by four white thugs as he was crossing the P Street Bridge Saturday night. ‘The weapon, police confess, used to separate Wiltshire from his $8 was a—— Yes, it was a rubber hose. Veteran I.Tiren—len, 80 and 82 in Ages, March Entire Way | | Two Others of Baltimore Group, 79 and 74, Are Among Paraders. Among the paraders who tramped | along Pennsylvania avenue yesterday were two Washingtonians who werc fighting fires before most of their ic! low marchers were born. They werc 80 and 82 years old, respectively, and walked the entire length of the line of march with the veteran firemen of the Association of Oldest Inhabitants. ‘They were James F. Woodward, who has just turned 80, and James H. Hous- ton, his senior by two years. Mr. Wood- ward was the shortest of the Oldest Inhabitants in the parade and Mr./ Houston was the tallest. Both were members of the old Wash- ington volunteer department and saw service with “Old Columbia,” the hand- pumper, built in 1850, which followed them in the parade. ‘The Veterans’ Volunteer Fire De- partment of Baltimore sent a pair, wha almost rivalled Mr. Woodward and Mr. Houston in age. They were Joseph J. ‘Walling, 79, of Baltimore, and J. M. Berger, 74, of Crisfield, Md. Both have attended each firemen’s parade here since the inauguration of the annual feature nine years ago. Mr. Walling marched the entire length of the ave- nue, but drop out at Fourteenth street. 3 | | his comrade was forced 0| by the By the Assoclated Press. Wholesale prices were said today by the Commerce Department to have remained firm during July for the first time since September, 1930. In its monthly survey of eurrent | business, the department added the general level of commodity prices failed to move downward during the month, although early in August there was a tendency toward further weakness. “During July,” the report said, “there were relatively few changes in the gen- eral trend of business activity. The adjusted index of industrial production fell 1.3 per cent, the decline being due to equal recessions of more than sea- sonal proportions in both manufactur- ing output and mineral production. “The declines in the adjusted index of factory employment as measured by the number of employes and of freight- car loadings were identical with the slightly greater than seasonal recession in general output. “Iron and steel activity and automo- bile production, as in June, showed relatively sharp recessions, while textile output, which, according to the re adjusted index, experienced a marked drop in June, rose by 5.1 per cent dur- ing July. Wool and silk receipts in- creased during the month and the movement of such consumption goods as shoes and rubber tires was on a higher level than June. “Contrary to the movement during June, the unadjusted index of the.value | of building contracts awarded showed a marked drop during July. Depart- ment store sales dropped slightly more than is usual for the month, while the total amount of pay rolls and total bank | debits outside of New York fell 5.2 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively. “Although the trend was generally downward. the average of stock prices held slightly above that of June, while alternate gains and losses have featured the "security markets during the first half of August. “In comparison with the general level of activity during the first seven months of 1930, industrial production during the January-July period of this year showed a drop of 16,5 per cent. Em- ployment showed & decline of 16.3 per cent, or virtually equal to that of gen- ernlnpmd"hl:ct\on. Tousirig “Fre car s dropped 17.7 per cent. Retail trade, as measured by the index of department store sales, re- ceded only 7.6 per cent from the cor- responding seven months’ level of 1930. beRecesflons in lmd ge& activity }&:vc en accompanied by a_correspondin; shrinkage in foreigh trade. » “The drop in wholesale prices, the average of which was 18.4 per cent lower during the first seven months of 1931 than during the corresponding period last year, was influenced in large part by the sharp drop in the price of farm product.” s S S Commissioned in Reserve. ‘Willis J. Nolan, 507 Cumberland ave- nue, this city, has been commissioned ) War Department a first lieuten- ant of Infantry, Army Reserve Corps. v BY VISITOR’S VEHICLE | Miss Clementine Kratz Injured Critically—Four Others Hurt in Accidents. Miss Clementine Kratz. 68 years old, {of 1030 Seventeenth street, was in | critical condition at Emergency Ho | pital today after she was run down by |an automobile while crossing Sixtesnth | street in front of the Roocevelt Hotel. The automobile, according to police, was operated by Howard L. Maithews of Cleveland, Ohio. who is stopping | temporarily at 921 Nineteenth street. | Miss Kratz was removed to the hos- jpital and treated for shock. She re- mained for observation and her condi- tion this morning was described as serious. Three colored persons were treated at Casualty and Providence Hospitals last night for lesser injuries received in an automobile accident at Fourth and B streets southeast. ‘They were Fannie Coleman, 50, of 1513 Swann street; Joseph Bundy, same address, and Carter Willia of 811 New Jersey avenue. patient was taken to Provide: the others to Casualty Hospital. Nine-year-old Leonard Deal of 125 Yuma street southeast was injured painfully last night when he laid hold of the bumper of a moving automobile while at play in the street before his home. The child was treated at home by a Casualty Hospital doctor for lacerations about the hands and knees. Claude H. Jones. whose address was not. obtained by police, was driving the automobile. FIRE START'S IN SHAFT Short-Circuit Believed Cause Blaze in District Building. A fire, caused by a short-circuit in an elevator shaft at the west end of the District Building about 5 o'clock this morning, sent charwomen scurry ing about in fright before it was ex- tinguished by firemen. Little damage was done. ‘The fire was discovered by a colored charwoman_ on the third floor. She summoned Harry Mundy, night watch- man, who called the firemen. ‘The elevator, in the shaft of which the fire started, was out of order at the time. The fire disabled the ad- Joining elevator. of BANK FAILS TO OPEN FRANKFORT, Ind., September 8 (#. —The Citizens Loan & Trust Co., with total resources of $927,000, failed to open its doors y. The institution was capitalized at $75,000. The First State Bank failed to open last Wednesday. The city has two other ‘banks. v