New Britain Herald Newspaper, December 8, 1916, Page 1

HERALD BEST OF ALL LOCAL NEWSPAPERS NEW BRITAIN HERALD HERALD “ADS” MEAN BETTER BUSINESS PRICE THREE CENTS. NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1916. —EIGHTEEN PAGES ESTABLISHED 1876 MARINA, SUNK WITH L0SS OF AMERICANS, NOT A WAR VESSEL Vessel Destroyed by U-Boat Was Entitled to Immunities of Merchantman NEW NOTE TO BERLIN | sub-contractors STRIKE THREAT BY GARMENT WORKERS Thirty Thousand Will Quit Unless Eight-hour Day Is Granted By Employers. New York, Dec. 8.—Employers in this city were natified today that more than 30,000 members of the Amal- gamated Clothing Workers of America have empowered the officials of the union to call a strike if the workers do not receive the eight-hour day. The Vvote was completed last night. Some time ago the union served an ultima- tum upon the American Clothing Manufacturers’ association and its demanding an in- crease of two dollars a week in wages MAY BE SENT SOON and a reduction in working hour: The wage increase aggregating over | $2,500,00 a year was granted, but no | action was taken on the question of Bituation More Critical and Washing- | __ton May Ask For Berlin tation of Sussex Pledge—State De- partment Secks Information Re- garding Steamship Arabia, Also Sent to Bottom Without Warning. | Washington, Dec. 8.—Official in- | formation to the state department es- tablishes that the British steamer Marina, sunk by a German submarine | with losses of “Americans,” was in no sense a transport and was entitled the immunities of a peaceful thantman. Germany has announced her willingness to offer amends for the | destruction in such a case. New Note to Germany. A new note to Germany on the gen- | eral submarine situation appears to ! be among the possibilities which may | come out of the latest activities of the | undersea boats. | If decided upon, such a note would | be for the purpose of clearing up what ; appears to be different interpretation | $n Washington and Berlin as to what | Germany’s pledges in the Sussex case covered, cspecially to armed ships. | Secretary Lansing said today no fi- | nal course of action had been agreed | upon. i Although the state department has been deciding each case separately on | its merits, it was said today that the | pumber of cases had reached such proportions that some general action would be justified, although it was made clear that nothing had been de- termined upon. The Situation. The day’s development in the situa- tlon were: The United States askel Great Brit- | ain for information to determine the | status of the P. and O. liner Arabia, which a German submarine com- | mander took for an armed transport. Official information coming to the | state department established the | British ship Marina, torpedoed with | a loss of six Americans, was in no sense a transport and was entitled | to the immunities of a peaceful mer- chantman. On both cases Germany has Pressed a willingness to offer amends if her pledges were broken. mer- ex- the United States stands squarely on | the position it took in the Sussex case. This combined with Germany’s state- ment that she, too, holds to the | pledges she gave in that case, ‘leads | officials to declare there seems to be some difference ininterpretation. A new note, if it should be decided to send one, would be to clear this up. Seek Status of Arabia. Great Britain has been asked by the rtment for information of of the Peninsular and Ori- ental liner Arabia, sunk by a German | submarine without warning. Ge rnany in a note yesterday cites cir- cumstances which she contends justi- fied the submarine commander in tak- | ing the Arabia for an armed trans- port. | The state’ department’s information to date is that the ship was a passen- ger-carrying liner not subject to at- tack without warning. 1 The next steps in the situation, ad- ! mittedly more serjous since the Sus- | sex case, will not be taken until all | the information has been gathered. i | HEIRESS TO $12,000,000 DIES. Mrs. Harkness Fails to Recover Frow Operation. New York, Dec. 8.—Mrs. ary War- den Harkness. widow of Charles W. Harkness of the Standard Oil com- pany, whose estate vesterday was ap- | praised at $49,566,895, died today at | a hospital here, where she had under- gone an operation. The appraisal of Mr. Harkness' estate Fated him as one of the wealthiest men in the country. He left to his widow more than $12,000,000. M Harkness’ home was in Madison, N. J. FIREMEN THROWN FROM TRUCK Bridgeport, Dec. 8.—Lieut. Thomas Reilly and James Neary of the Bridge- Sport fire department, are in St. Vin- @ent’s hospital, the' former with a broken leg, the latter with concus- sion of the brain, the result of being flung from a skidding automobile truck answering an alarm of fire carly today. GIVEN 20 PER CENT. BONU New York, Dec. 8.—Two thousand employes of the Arlington company of Arlington, subsidiary of the Du Pont Powder company, have been granted an increase in pay in the form of a 20 per cent. bonus on annual payroll of $1,920,000, it was announced this which would require | vear. hours. MOVE T0 MAKE CITY CLERK SKY-PILOT T0O Charter Revisionists to Give Him Ministerial Powers. City Clerk Alfred L. Thompson may soon become a ‘“sky-pilot” with pow- ers so curtailed that he will officially be able only to tic the nuptial knot, though there will be nothing to pre- vent him from delivering a sermon, too, if he feels so inclined. That is if favorable action is taken on a resolu- tion sent to the charter revision com- mittee by Judge F. B. Hungerford re- | auesting that the city charter be so changed that the clerk, who has been dropped as a justice of the peace shall “have all the ministerial powers of a justice of the peace” ex-officio. As a result City Clerk Alfred L. Thomp- son’s chubby countenance is today bathed in smiles of the variety that won’'t come off, unless the charter change is not acceptable. Owing to the fact that there were S0 many young lawyers in the city who wished to be made justices of the peace, Col. Thompson's name was dropped by the town committee last month. When the terms of the old justices expire this year it is evident that the veteran of City hall will be tnable to join lovelorn couples in wedlock. Judge Hungerford’s letter to charter revision committee clerk self explanatory. Tt follows: “As clerk' of the charter the is < revision | will you kindly suggest an amendment to section 30 of the charter by in- serting after the words ‘compensa- tion therefort’ in the fifth line the following: “‘He shall also ex-officio have all the ministerial powers of a justice of the peace.” “I have suggested this amendment because it has always found conven- ient for the city clerk to be appointed on the justice li ‘With the growth . ; | of the city, however, the demand for Tt was reiterated again today that | iy, ", gtion has been so great that, Col. Thompson’s name has recently been omitted from the list. “It seems, however, that it ought to be so arranged that the clerk per- manently has these powers ex-officio | and I have spoken to some others who agree with me.” CANAL SHOWS DEFICIT, Expenses During Year Were $1,987,- 615 More Than Receipts. Washington, Dec. 8.—Possibility » Tecommendation for an increase in Panama Canal tolls is seen in a state- ment today of canal expenses and revenues for the year ended June 30. Expenses amounted to more than double the receipts of the canal proper, though if the revenues from the Panama railroad are taken into consideration the excess of expendi- tures over revenues would be only 6.77 per cent., and had there been no slides during the year the revenues would have exceeded expenses, No allowance is made, however, for a depreciation and interest $12,000,000 a2 Total expenses of the combined canal and railroad were $29,327,504 and the revenues were $27,339,888, or $1,987,615 less than the expenses. TRAIN CUTS LEG OFF. idge Worked, Caught in Frog, Un- able to Extricate Self. Ansonia, Dec. 8—William H. Sad- dlemier, a bridge worker was run down by a passenger train in the local railroad yards this morning and his right leg cut off at the knee. He is an assistant foreman in the employ of the American Bridge com- pany, was walking the tracks along with other bridge workers when the :33 passenger train pulled out of the station. All the men left the tracks when the train approached excepting Saddlemier, whose right foot caught in a frog. Unable to extracite him- self, he flung himself out of the way of the locomotive and escaped being ground to piece: At the hospital d to be serious. his condition was ANCHOR LI T.ondon, Dec. 8, Anchor line steamship Caledonia, of 9,223 tons gross, is believed to have been sunk, an announcement morning. made today Lloyds Shipping | Agency, Asked | | ment | out fund, | GERMANY DEFENDS AGTS IN BELGIUM Necessary for Welfare of Country Otfer Work to Natives NATION WAS DEGENERATING Drunkenncss and Depravity on In- crease, It Is Claimed, Through Lack of Employment—One-fifth of Popu- Jation Required Assistance. Berlin, Thursday, Dec, 7, Via Lon- Dec. §, 10 a. m.—The German government issued in explanation and justification for the transfer of Belgian laborers to Ger- | many. tI says the measure is by no | means a hardship for the laborers but is a social necessity. Owing chiefly to the British barga against Belgium’s oversea trade, which before the war supported a large part of the industrial population, large numbers of Belgian workers are idle, the statement says. and conditions are growing worse. Many families, after spending all their savings | have become objects of public charity. This state of things is not due as as- serted in Belgium, to German requisi- tions of raw material, it is explained, | for these requisitions occurred as a | rule only where factories were un- { able to continue operations. 505,000 Out of Employment. Of 1,200,000 employes engaged | Belgian industries before the war 505,000, including 158,000 women, are | now wholly without worlk, and 150,000, | including 46,000 women, are partly ; without work, making a total of 655,- ! 000 persons dependent on public aid. | In addition to these there are 293,000 | wives and 672,000 children or men | without worl. so that 1,560,000 per- | sons, ar one-fifth/of the total Belgian | population, require assistance. More than 300,000,000 francs already has | been spent in | sons and 20,000,000 francs monthly | will be required henceforth. These | masses of idle people, the statement says, are degenerating and drunken- and social depravity are resulting. Von Bissing’s Plan. German governor general, ng, rly recognized he. necessity of taking measures to help the idle to obtain employment. He caused municipalities to under- take public works to create employ- where this was possible with- impos too great financial bur dens. Upon the suggestion of Bel- gians of practical insight, the gover- { nor general issued an ordnance in August of 1915 against persons un- i willing to work, which was - made more stringent last March. These ordinances pro e for compulsory | transfer of workmen only persons refused to accept work at | reasonable pay, the provisions of in- | ternational law - protecting them | against working on war material be- ing recognized as adequate ground. The ordinances were directed chiefly | against influgnces .aiming to prevent laborers from accepting work volun- { tarily only because it was offered by | Germans. Nevertheless tens of thou- | sands voluntarily accepted work in Germany at profitable wages. Conditions Growing Worse, The statement goes on to say that the labor situation in Belgium has grown worse and that conditions are | now ment. Hence the ordinances must be | enforced more vigorously in order to | relieve the situation. Before com- pulsory transport, however, every idle | person is offered the opportunity vol- | untarily to accept profitable work on | contract, and compulsion is restored | to only where the laborer stubbornly | refuses. Workmen coming to Germany are | placed on the same footing as Ger- mans and are earning higher wages than they ever received in Belgium. Steps have been taken to send part of their earnings to their families in Belgium. The laborérg also are per- mitted to make regular visits to their homes, and families are allowed to accompany them to Germany. Provi- sions also is made for religious servs jces in their own language. The statement says the transportation of workmen to Germany means a con- | siderable betterment in their position. Inasmuch as hundreds of thousands are being ruined in Belgium, while aged men, women and even children are wearing themselves out with work in Germany, the transportation of only a right but a social duty of the German government. TO RESTRAIN LABOR UNION. Hartford Firm Asks Injunction and Damages of $25,000. Hartford, Dec. 8.—Corn and Roth, electrical contractors of this city, pre- gented to the superior court today an application for an Injunction agaihst the Bricklayers’ union and other unions of Hartford, restraining from interfering with the flrm’s busi- A hearing will be held next week. REP. TRIBBLE EXPIRES. Washington, Dec. tive Samuel J. Tribble, democrat, of Athens, Ga., died here early today as the result of a stroke of apoplexy suffered three days ago. He | serving his third term in consress. was statement today ! em- | in supporting these per- | when idle | such as to necessitate improve- | Belgians, the statement asserts, is not | them | ness and asking for $25,000 damages. ! | S.—Representa- A. J. BALFOUR FOR FOREIGN SECRETARY y Yord Robert Cecil Sectetaryship—Premier May Settle Irish Question. London, Dec. 8, 2:19 p. m.—At a meeting of Liberals today it was stated that A, J. Balfour would be foreign secretary in the mew cabinet and that Lord Robert Cecil would re- main parliamenta; under secretary for foreign affairs. The Evening ews, one of the strongest supporters of Premier Lloyd George, publishes prominently a pro- test against the suggestion that A. J. Balfour be appointed foreign secretary and Lord Robert Cecil retained as par- liamentary under secretary for foreign affairs. The Manchester Guardian says that the report that Premier Lloyd George will attempt an immediate solution of | the Irish question by means of an im- perial conference is not unlikely. The Reform club, today passed a resolution expressing confidence in Mr. Asquith and also the determination of the organization to support the new government in whatever steps it may take to prosecute the war vigorously. EAST GUT OFF FROM WESTERN SUPPLIES Penna., Erie, New York Cen- tral and Wabash Order i Embargoes. to Have Under Chicago, Dee. 8.—Embargoes which ‘practically bar the west from ship- ment of commodities for export from | Atlantic ports or for eastern con- sumption, went into effect on the Pennsylvania lines and the Erie rail- road east of Chicago today. Two other reilroads, the New York Central lines and the Wabash, ordered embargoes today. The Wabash placed an embargo on grain shipments, and the New York Central on all food- stuffs, except perishable and live- stock. The orders bar virtually every com- modity, the usual exceptions being { made, however, for perishable freight in transit and for United States gov- ernment shipments. " . . Snyder, as- sistant general freight agent of the Erie, explained that the order of his road “even applies to livestock to the extent that we no longer accept live- tock from connecting lines.” No limit is set on the duration of the embargo, which is attributed to the congestion of loaded freight cars in the yards on all Atlantic sea- boards. The Erie order fixes Marion. O., as the farthest east point of destination. Staple foodstuffs, which do not re- quire cold storage, are forbidden by the embargo from going east of the Pittshurgh-Marion lines. This would | apply to potatoes, flour, beet sugar | and canned goods. Such commodities as wheat, corn, building materials and manufacturing articles are also brought under the ban of the embar- go orders. Local railroad officinls asserted that frequently cars of goods for export j have been shipped without arrange- jments being made for hottoms to car- ry their load to Europe and that as a result the tangle of freight cars has | grown so great that eastern roads | have found it difficult to carry on their necessary business. Bfforts of - the X it was asserted, to carry out the recent orders of the interstaie com- merce commission to return the cars [to the eastern lines have brought the | situation to a crisis. Officials of other roads, operating east of Chicago early today, do not comment on current rumors that oth- er lines intend issulng similar orders, ASQUITH SNUBS KING { Deposed Premier Declines to Accept Earldom and Knighthood in Order of the Garter, London, Dec. 8, 7:25 a. m.—Accord- |ing to the Chronicle King George | yesterday wrote to former Premier | Asquith offering him an earldom and | the Order of the Garter. It is under- stood that Mr, Asquith asked permis- sion to decline both honors. GERMAN MARK DEPRECIATES. Genova, Dec. 8, via Paris, 5:35 a. m.—The German hundred mark biil has dropped another 1 1-4 points on the Genova bourse and 13-4 points on the Zurich bouwse. It is now quot- ed at 79 francs and 78 francs, 25 cen- times, respectively. The fall is at- | tributed to the establishment of the | mass levy in Germany, which it is feared will result in the partial sus- pension of the economic life of the country. EX-PRES. OF Sant! .~—Herman who was of the for the term which ended died today. CUBA DEAD. Riesco, republic in 1906, WEATHER, 8.—For Rain Sat- Hartford, Dec, Hartford and vicinity: and warmer late tonight. urday rain. P T e T S CANNOT LIVE ON PRESENT SALARY Grade Teachers Present Argu- ments for Increased Pay EFFICIENCY IMPAIRED?| Petition to School Board Says Cost of Living Has Increased a Third, But Salaries Are Almost Station- ary. Is the average salary of the grade teachers in the New Britain schools | that, without practicing the | strictest economy and taking advan- tage of material aid given by their relatives and parents, they would not | be able to live within their incomes? | Is the salary of these teachers so 10w, in comparison to other cities, that the maximum is not high.enough to at- | tract and retain capable and efficient | women in the teaching profession? | Has the cost of living been increased | so much out of balance with the salary of the teachers that they are in | dire need of more money? These are | all matters of really vital importance | to every teacherand every citizen and | were brought up for discussion at the | meeting of the school board this after- | noon at 4 o’clock when a petition ask- | ing a substantial increase in salary was recelved from the grade teachers. | Petition Made Convincing. This petition is unlike any ever be- fore presented to the school board. It is printed and reads like a debate, the teachers putting questions about the high cost of living and the low scale of wages, and then answering the same in a manner intended to leave no doubt as to the necessity of im- mediately conceeding all requests. The leading statement of the peti- tion follows: ‘We, the teachers of the Grammar and Elementary schools respectfully submit a petition for increase in salar- fes. We present a statement of facts to I answer the following questions: What is the per cent. of increase in the cost of living in New Britain ‘ since our last petition in 19112 | What does it cost a New Britain teacher to live? Have the salaries of teachers in- creased in proportion to' those of other workers? How do the salaries of Britain teachers compare of teachers in other citie: ‘What is the proposed salary sched- ule? How much will the proposed salary increase the school expenses? Expenses Increase a Third. Question 1, is answered in three parts, the first credits Bradstreet with | the statement that the general increase such the New with those | | Whig-ille Water Shed Will Have to Bve BLOCKADE OF GREEK | PORTS BEGINS TODAY Government Claims Move- ments of Troops Has Been Discontinued. Athens, Thursday, Dec. 7, Via Lon- | don, Dec. 8, 11:47 a. m.—The blockade | of Greece will begin officially at 8 o’clock tomorrow (Friday) morning. | The members of the British navy mission have been ardered to embark on the Greek trans-Atlantic liner King | Constantine. In response to the demands of the Entente for an explanation of the movements of Greek troops, the gov- | ernment has stated that these movVe- | ments have ceased. London, Dec, 8.—A Reuters de- | spatch from Athens under date of Monday, December 4, says: “The Venizelist prisoners today were trans- ferred from the parliament house, where they had been detained, to the | Averoff prison. They were led through the stadium street tied in fours and followed by a jeering crowd.” London, Dec. 8, 2 p. m.—A despatch from Switzerland, as forwarded from Rome to the 'Wireless Press says Ger- many and Austria have offered their services to Greece in opening land communications if Greece declares war on the Entente. Paris, Dec. 8.—The health of King Constantine 1s again causing anxiety, according to mnews from German sources, says a Zurich, despatch to the Matin. The old wound in the king's patch says, and has kept constantly side continues to suppurate, the des. | FRENCH BATTLESHIP WITH 730 ABOARD MAY BE LOST; | MISSING SINCE NOV. 24 Suffren Was 410 Feet Long, Displaced 12, 730 Tons and Wag Hit at Dardanelles I TEUTONS IN RUMANIA 'AKE 8,000 PRISONERH More Than 10,000 Captured in suit of Fleeing Troops in Wes Part of Country—Raussians Oanno) Find Weak Spot—French Claims Have Recaptured Trenches Take: By German Forces at Verdun. Paris, Dec. 8, 2 p. m.—The battle ship Buffren, which left port on No vember 24, has not been heard fron and the minister of marine consids the vessel lost, with all on board, The Suffren sailed for Lorient, Trench naval station in Brittany. The French battleship Suffren dif | placed 12,7560 tons. Her normal com | plement was 730 men. She was 4 | feet long and 70 feet of beam, ‘tag laid down in 1899. She | armed with four 12-inch, ten 6.4-ing] | and eight 4-inch guns, twentytwo pounders and four torpedo tubes. Last year the Suffren took part i the bombardment of the Turkish fo! | at the Dardanelles. She entered straits to attack Turkish batteries & according to an official Turkish &1 nouncement, was damaged seriol | and withdrew. She was sent back Toulon for repairs. §,000 Rumanians Surrendered. Berlin, Dec. 7, (Thursday) by wil | less to Sayville.—The surrender of open. The king is sald to weak. be very CITY HAS SOLD ALL ITS BLIGHTED TREES Re-forested Before Very Tong. The water commissioners have just closed a deal with a Burlington lum- i ber dealer whereby he has acquired the right to cut down and haul all in the cost of living is thirty-three and one-third per cent. higher. The sec- | ond part states that a teacher, who in | 1911 received $700, would now find ' that this same salary had a purchasing | power of only $525. Part three de- clares that it is only by decreasing the standard of living and practicing great economy that the teachers can | make their present salaries cover the cost of bare necessities. | How a Teacher Live: | A tabulated reply to question No. 2 | is as follows: Board and room, $364; | laundry, $26; professional expense, | $21; carfare, $40; amusements, $10; | charity, $20; clothing, $200; miscel- | laneous expense, $60; total, $741. Fol- | lowing this is the statement that the | “average salary of women Grammar | school teachers in September of the | present year was $760.87 and the | average salary of the elementary | school teachers was $625.85. It Iis! only by having the co-operation of | their parents and relatives from whom | they receive ald that the teachers can live within their income.” The answer to question 3 is that | since 1911 the general increase in wages of other workers is twenty per cent., but teachers’ salaries have re- maingd almost stationary. Comparison of Salaries. The following tabulated record an- swers question No. 4: 2) Minimum Elementary (Including K Grammar Maximum Maximum > $ 800 800 9 1008 950 Ansonia Bridgeport Cambridge East Orange Greenwich 900 Hartford otlon 1000 (Brown district) | Holyoke 800 | Meriden G5 500 | Middletown 800 | Montelair 1250 | New Britain i 800 | New Haven ....... 500 850 | Newton Pittsfield Providence Quincy Stamford pringfield ‘Waterbury Worcester oo oo B oScwso B .. 600 950 | What is the proposed | e? Here it Elementary 500 550 rammar 3 680 650 | st Year Second year (Continued on Ninth Page.) | one on a salary basis. blighted timber on the city water sheds in the Whigville district. Ac- cording to the report in the water de- partment, after a chestnut tree has been affected with the blight for two vears the sap leaves the trunk of the tree and the wood becomes so hard that it is a most arduous task to cut it. { The Burlington man will cut all the | blighted wood under the supervision of Inspector C. W. Beach, in charge of the water sheds in that locality. The time is not far off, the com- missioners state, when the city will need to have all the brushwood cut from this watershed and the entire place re;forested. Last vear 10,000 trees, alternate white and red pine, were set out on the Shuttle Meadow water shed and the success of this venture will be watched before another job is begun. Reports from the government bureau show that the white pine is now be- ing attacked with a dangerous blight, but the city feels fairly safe since it has about as many red pine on its sheds. Dead wood, good for fire pur- poses, is daily sold'at the Shuttle Meadow sheds. COUNCILMEN ASKED TO' ATTEND MEETING Quartet of Council Members Expected To Be Present at Charter Revision Discussion. Important reports and business matters will come before the sched- uled meeting of the charter revision | committee tonight. One of the new | items, printed in another column, is to change the charter giving the city clerk the right to marry couples. It is probable too, that there will be sug- gestions made that would provide fory the splitting of the safety board into two boards of police and fire com- missioners. In this connection it is understood that Chairman E. G. Bab- cock of the safety board some suggestions to make that would tend toward establishing the office of safe- ty board chairman asg a permanent Alderman John Stadler, Councilman Charles May, Councilman O. . Cur- | tis and Councilman J. Andrews | have been invited and are expected to attend tonight’s meeting in order to champion their council resolution asking that the city boards be made par her than hi-partisan. Rep- resentatives of the Swedish-American Republican club have also been asked to attend in connection with their re- anest for action that would give the city court the right to issue naturali- zation papers. is i ( buil is force of 8,000 Rumanians is aif | nounced by the war office in the | cial statement issued this evening. Rumanian troops retreating fro | the Predeal and Alt Schanz pas | were cut off by Teutonic forces, & most of them captured. | In western Rumania the pursuit | | being continued by the Austro-Gel man troops, which tog more than 10,000 p Russians Still Held Off. Berlin, Dec. 8, (By wireless to Saj ville).—Attacks made by Russid | troops yesterday in the Ludova M gion in the Carpathians, and in ¢ Trotus valley, on the northern R manian front, were repulsed wif heavy losses, the war office aif nounces. Galician Line Tntact. Berlin, Dec. 8, (By wireless td 8 ville).—The Russians made an atiay vesterday on the Dvina front, on Russian-Galician line but failed gain ground, it is announced officiall Allies Fail in Macedonia. Berlin, Dec. 8, (By wireless to Saj ville).—On the Macedonian frent la night attacks|\made by Serbian trood near Trnova, in the Cerna river rq glon, were repulsed by the Germa and Bulgarians, the war office nounces. “Renewed British attach in the Struma sector also failed. French Regain Trenches, Paris, Dec. 8.—The Germans night were driven out of the trenche which they had captured on the eas ern side of Hill 304, on the Verdu front, it is announced officially, French Report Contradicted. Berlin, Dec. 8, (By wireless to Sa. ville).—An attack was made French treops yesterday on the Ve dun front, in an effort to recaptu trenches taken by the Germans o Hill 304. The fallure of this attac| is announced in today's communic tion from army headquarters. MERIDEN HAS FIRE IN MAIN ST. BLOC Series of Wooden Buildings Thread ened by Flames Which Cause Damage of $3,000. Meriden; Dec, 8.—Damage estimg ed at about $3,000 resulted today fro, fire in a wooden business and tepnd ment block on Main street. fire started from defective chin ney. Much of the damage was' du to water. ¢ The street ficor was occupiod by th| tobacco store of Julius Kuniz and sa loon of Meiklem & cc any T owned by Michacl . Ml was one of a ser! W00 d at one ti appeare as if the flames would sweep throug! the row but the firemen were able t confine the blaze to the Moran huild ing. a ran. It en blocks o e it REAR ADMIRAL $UCCUMBS, New I.ondon, Dec. miral John Porter Merrell, U. 8. N retired, died today at his ' apartmen at the Mohican hotel, 8.—Rear Ad