The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 17, 1903, Page 1

@all, VOLUME XCIV—NO. 139. 2 SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, OCT OBER 17 PRICE FIVE CENTS. FIRE IN WASHINGTON TOWN CAUSES FOUR DEATHS AND ONE MILLION DOLLARS LOSS JAPAN LANDS ARMED FORCE DEVONSHIAE EADS FOES OF BALFOUR Significant Actionj in the Fiscal } | Contest. ~The Duke of Devon- ident of the Council, | e presidency Iy accepted t a which League, gn against the verlain and Mr, is or- B t move in the fiscal con- n condi- committee | usly accept- | s action was ated to the Duke | substance of the HIS GRACE. | hire House, Oct. 13. | informed me when | tely an e taxation | countries the colo- f on im-| cts do mot Yy of the volicy is reserving to the Government | of proposing to Parliament tariff | for the purpose of negotiating eaties and the mitigation of | the Duke of Devonshire re- ability of restraining “the t tendencies he duty of combating the doctrines of the Reform League should not be left radicals and members of the PRESIDENCY ACCEPTED. The Duke says he cannot reject the invitation of the Free Food League to president, although he must that office conditionally. He con- | is seventeen years since I took an active part in the campaign against home rule. It is not in my power to take the same active part now that I took then. I must be regarded as adverse to the propositior her than as a combatant h some reluctance that I consent to even this limited part in the present con rsy, but I feel that many | Unionist members of Parliament whose ideas 1 believe agree with mine are mak- ing great sacrifices in order to maintain their opinions, and I am unwilling that they should regard me as indifferent to their political interests. Sincerely yours, “DEVONSHIRE.” the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord George Hamilton, late Secretary of State for India, have also joined the league. The Duke of Devonshire's adhesion to the Free Food League is regarded as gveatly strengthening the free trade party. of it. It is w Mr. Ritchie, News of Sarafoff’s Death Confirmed. SALONICA, Furopean Turkey, Oct. 16— The report of the death of Boris Sara- }¥ foff, the famous Macedonian leader, is confirmed. An imperial irade has been received hLere ordering severe punishment to be meted out to soidiers guilty of bru- gality, theft or drunkenness. i VIEW OF A WASHINGTON TOW. =l e £ 1= .“L‘." WD ) 1 | ! { . THE BUSINESS SECTION OF WHICH WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE YESTERDAY, ENTAILING A s LOSS OF $1,000000 AND CAUSING FOUR DEATHS. " s | FIRE which burned for five howrs in the town of Aber- deen, Wash., yesterday, d estroyed ten business blocks, en- tailing a loss of $1,000,000, and caused the death of four per- sons. The flames spread rapidly and for a time threatened the entire town with destruction. Every business man in the town is a sufferer, as not more than one-half of the loss is covered by insurance. Dynamite was used to check the prog- ress of the flames. L 5 | Business Section of Aberdeen Is Reduced to Ashes and Her Merchants Receive a Crushing Biow. BERDEEN, Wash., Oct. 16.—Fire which burned from 9 o’clock “this morning until 2 o’clock this afternoon caused four deaths, injury tosix persons and destroyed property valued at approximately $1,000,000, The dead: CHARLES ROLFS. CALVIN McKENZIE. DANIEL WEBSTER. UNKNOWN MAN. The injured: John Steen, kicked In the head by a runaway horse; J. D. Han- sen, head and body bruised; A, Bretberg, head cut; H. W. Lacey, kicked in the head by a runaway horse; John Mills of Hoquiam, foot injured; William Ogles- by, partly suffocated. The fire was the most destructive in the history of the town and wiped out business blocks and residences. Not more than one-half of the loss is covered by Insurance, for the reason that the insurance companies have refused to carry any great risk on account of the inflammable material of which all the build- ings in Aberdeen are constructed. Every business man in the city is a loser, either by fire, water, removal or by theft. Not anticipating that the flames could get beyond the Fire Department’s control many waited until the fire was close upon them before starting to move out. The streets were soon strewn and littered with all kinds of material and the rush and haste of teams and people in every direction caused great confusion. The fire started in the old Mack building on Hume street, owned by Oscar L. Cain, which had been regarded as a fire trap and a dangerously constructed building. It was three stories high and was occupied by many single men, who cooked their own meals, chiefly on oil stoves. It was in a room on the third story where the fire started and the interior of the building was a mass of flames before an alarm ‘was sent in. The bullding was leased by Loulsa Sel- borg, who had just fitted it up with new furniture. She escaped with her chil- dren, saving no clothes. 1 GREAT VOLUMES OF FLAMES SHOOT INTO THE AIR. From the Mack block the fire spread to the fine new hosehouse and head- quarters of the Fire Department and matters began to look exceedingly gloomy. Great volumes of flames shot into the air and the heat became unbearable a block distant. The saloon next to the engine-house was' soon blazing and then the flames jumped across the alley to Walker's saloon, and every building in the block bounded by Heron and F and G streets, including Kaufman’s brick block, were destroyed. Word went along every business street to prepare for the worst and as far up as the Commercial block there were hurried preparations to get out of danger. 2 From the engine-house the fire leaped into the Dabley block, a one-story structure, and to the Anderson block, just north. All the buildings in the block bounded by Heron, Hume and G and H streets were soon in the grip of the flames, * The fire was also playing havoe with the front of stores on the north side of Heron street. From Anderson’s block the fire jumped to the State Bank and every store from that corner to the Hayes Bank and 41l the buildings in the block bounded by Heron, G, Wishkah and H streets were burned, ‘including the Central School building, Pfund’s jewelry store, Fuller's store, Brecker's grocery, | a new billiard parlor, the City Coungil chamber, Wheeler Bros.’ store, Lucart's candy kitchen and the express office. George Wolff’s dry goods store in the fine Weatherwax block went next and then came the destruction of the finely equipped Crescent Hotel. 7% Continued on Page 2, Columns 1 and 2 ten T PINEYAN Alarmist Reports - 8till Come Out of Orient. Hundred Thousand Sol- diers Concentrated at Hakodate. Russian Encroachment Upon Korea Includes Build- ing of Forts. LONDON, Oct. 17.—Special correspond- ents continue to send in alarmist reports of the Russo-Japanese situation. The | correspondent at Chefu of the Morning Post has gone to Weihalwel, whence he cables: “I am informed in trustworihy quarte's that Japan has landed troops at Pingyan, at the outlet of Korea Bay. It is cur- rently reported that the conference of the Russlan and Japanese authorities has been futile.” The correspondent at Hakodate, Japan, of the Dally Mail announces unusual mil- itary activity there, saying 100,000 men have been concentrated at Hakodate in readiness for embarkation in event of hostilitles. The correspondent adds that torpedoes are being laid in the ports of ‘Western Japan. Other of the Daily Mail's correspond- | ents report the recall by Japan of her military commission which has been ex- amining the Swiss hospital system, and the uneasiness of the Russian authorities as to the capability of Port Arthur to re- sist attack from its land approaches. The Daily Mail points out that Hako- date is the port which would be used in the event of Japan sending an expedition against Vladivostok, and says that such a large concentration of troops there shows that part of the Japanese army has been quietly mobilized. It was rumored on the Cardiff Coal Ex- change that both Russia and Japan were seeking large purchases 5/ Welsh coal. Cabling from Tientsin the correspondent of the Standard says a visitor to Yon- gampho, Korea, reports one Russian fort | already bullt there and another in course of construction. The Russians are said to be extending the boundary of their leased territory south of Taesan. The Morning Post, discussing the rumors of the partition of Korea and of the erection of Russian forts at Yon- gampho, declares that under no circum- stances would Japan consent to the par- tition of Korea, because to permit Russia to absorb a portion would only be a pre- lude to the annexation of the whole of Korea. The paper adds that the Anglo- Japanese agreement provides expressly for the maintenance of Korean integrity, and it is therefore unlikely that Russia has erected forts at Yongampho. R M MAY INVOLVE AMERICA. Naval Board Plans to Protect Our Interests. ‘WASHINGTON, Oct. 16.—The most im- portant plans of campaign prepared by the general board of the navy since its organization are being perfected with reference to the prospect of war between Rursia and Japan over Manchuria and Korea. Not only do they provide for the conduct of the American fleet on the Asistic station in the event of such con- flict, but they go to the extreme of con- templating the contingency that the United States, on account of its material interests in Manchuria, may Le drawn into hostilities in the Far East, In preparation of these plans the Presi- dent and the State Department have been consulted and the conclusions of the gen- eral beard have the approval of the ad- ministration. It is evident from what has ‘been determined that the President and his advisers are willing to go to ex- tremes in maintaining the right to trade freely with Manchuria, secured urder the new commercial treaty between the United States and China. GOVERNOR TAKES ACTION TO PUNISH LYNCHERS Lanham Instructs District Judge and Peace Officers to Bring Crimi- nals to Justice. AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 16 — Governor Lanham to-day took action looking to the arrest and punishment of the white men who are guilty of brutally torturing and murdering inoffensive negroes of Rusk ' County. He instructed the District Judge and peace authorities of that county to leave nothing undone that would bring about the punishment of the men who are guilty of the terrible crimes. The identity of many of the men who committed the murders and outrages are well known and it is expected that they will be ar- rested without further delay. —_————— AND TWO MEN ARE KILLED Constable Shot Through the Heart ©* and a Black’s Life Is . Ended. ' McKEESPORT, Pa., Oct. 16.—As the re- | -sult of .attempt by three officers to arrest nej at Glassport to-night Con- stable Willlam Shields of Glassport, aged 44 years, was shot through the heart and almost ‘instantly killed and Peter Mel- vin, one of the negroes, was shot dead CENTRAL AMERICAN REPUBLICS AWAIT THE CONFERENCES —— . ERNMENT WILL NOT PERMIT e e o IdzvADaR, | TWO OF THE CENTRAL AMERICAN PRESIDENTS TO HOLD A CON- FERENCE AND THE NICARAGUAN EXECUTIVE WHOSE GOV- HIM TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. President Zelaya of Nicaragua Is Refused - Permission to Leave the Country to Meet Executives. ANAMA, Colombia, Oct. 16.— Nicaraguan cable advices received here by way of Acajutla, Salvador, say the conferences proposed by Presidents Escalon of Salva- dor, Bonilla of Honduras and Zelaya of Nicaragua will take place October 20 without the presence of the last-named President because the National Assembly has refused to permit him to leave the country. Confidential agents of the Governments of Nicaragua and Guatemala have re- | established friendly relations between these republics. ’ The Nicaraguan Assembly has closed its session. A Mr. Dietrichs has offered | to buy 7600 hectares of national territory | on the Atlantic littoral. The negotiations of Mr. Manning for | the purchase of the Nicaraguan railroads have failed. L e e e e e e Y RAILWAY PRESIDENT'S SPECIAL IS WRECKED Engine of Stuyvesant Fish’s Train Goes Into the Ditch at Orange, Texas. HOUSTON, Texas, Oct. 16.—A special train of two private cars on the Southern Pacific, bearing President Stuyvesant Fish of the Illinois Central and party, was wrecked at 5:30 o’clock this morning at Orange, Texas, the engine and tender going into the ditch. The cars miracu- lously stayed on the rails. The party was abed and was tumbled around roughly, but none was injured. President Fish, Mrs. Fish and a party of friends were en route from California to the East. The wreck was due to the failure to regard a crossing signal, the engine striking a ground rail and heading to the ditch. Wreck trains cleared the way in four hours and the special pro- ceeded. ————— PREMIER ZANARDELLI ~ MAY RESIGN OFFICE Persistently Rumored That Council of Ministers Is Called for Offi- _ cial Notification. ROME, Oct. 16.—Premier Zanardelli ar- rived in Rome this morning. It is per- sistently rumored that his object in sum- ‘moning a council of Ministers to-morrow is to notify his Ministry of his determina- tion to Signor Nasi, Minister of Public Instruction, s said to have con- JRUSSELS, Oct. 16—M. Pepin, a So- | FARMER IS THE VICTIM OF ACCIDENTAL POISONING Takes Strychnine Mistaking It for Quinine and Dies After Hours ‘of Terrible Agony. FRESNO, Oct. 16.—George B. Mathis, a farmer living near Wheatville, thirty- five miles west of this city, took a dose of strychnine yesterday by accident and died after suffering terrible agony for several hours. Mathis complained of a headache when he got up m the morn- ing. He attended to his chores, and on returning to the house for breakfast went to his bedroom to take a dose of quinipe. He had been in the habit of taking quinine in a powdered form, measuring the dose on the point of a knife. Wednesday Mathis had been to Laton, the nearest marketing place, and had there purchased a small box of strychnine, which had simply been label- ed “Strychnine; poison,” and not marked | faborious. with the customary sign of the skull and crossbones. Being a little nearsighted he did not notice the label, opening the box and taking a dose of the drug before he realized his mistake. “He called to his wife that he was poisoned, but before he could explain what had happened he was siezed with terrible cramps and from that moment until his death was writhing in awful pain and unable to speak. Mathis was 49 years of age. He leaves a wife and two grown daughters. — iyt FRIGHTENED WOMEN DIE DURING HOSPITAL FIRE siany Negro Inmates of an Institu- fim_ in Atlanta Have Narrow Escape. ATLANTA, Ga., Oct. 16.—As a result of a fire in the Grady Hospital, the largest the city, two negro women died and for some time the lives of a score or | more were jhreatened. The two women died as the result of the it and 3. | not from infuries recetved in the Are. The left in the laundry Y3 LIGHT AN GOVERN 3tk SECRET Eastern Physician Claims a Great Discovery. Prismatic Rays Said to Alter Prenatal Conditions. Demonstrations Will Be Made at One of the Prom- inent Colleges. ————— Special Dispatch to The Call GENEVA, N. Y, Oct. 6—Dr. E. D. Babbitt, LL. D., D. M., formerly dean of the College of Magnetics in New York, declared to-day that he had discovered that sex could be governed prematally | by means of prismatic rays of lght, cer- tain rays being favorable to one sex and different ones to the other. Dr. Babbitt has just been chosen one of the faculty of Smith College for women | and he says he will instruct students in the manner of using polychrome rays. He will have a “sun room” on the college building’s roof., equipped with varfous lenses. “My system of controlling sex is much simpler and far more practical than that of either Dr. Schenck or Dr. Rixt,” Dr. Babbitt declared. “I claim many advantages over these eminent men. For years I have carefully studied the subject and I am prepared now to sustain my discoverles with dem- onstrations of their eficacy and praecti- cability. It would not be practical to give a full account of my system, but I think that it will be in wide use before long."™ GUARDS AT SAN QUENTIN DROPPED FROM PAY ROLL Warden Tompkins Informs Seven of Them That Their Services Are No Longer Required. SAN QUENTIN PRISON, Oct. 18— Warden Tompkins has commenced to wield hig official ax. To-night seven prison guards, some of whom have been | attaches of the State penal institution for many years, are hunting for jobs; others who were former Warden Aguirre’s fa- vorites were on the list for political de- capitation and received official notice this morning that their services would be no fonger required. No specific charges were made that the guards’ services were not efficient and no time was given them to hunt for other positions before being taken off the San Quentin pay roll. In dismissing the guards the Warden simply informed them that he wished to fill thele places by more efficient men. Those who were dismissed to-day were S. Taylor, F, Finney, D. Avila, J. D. Ma- chado, R. O. Pryor, M. Powell and J. D. Figueroa. Of this number three were particular favorites of Warden Aguirre Their positions during the Aguirre regime were coveted plums. Their work was light and the remuneration handsome. ‘With the new Warden, however, the jobs were not so pleasant and the work more These three, D'Avila, Fig- uerca and Machado, had the positions of night watchman at the Warden's house, outside horse guard post and inside guard tower, respectively. M. Powefll, one of those dismissed to-day, was one of the oldest employes at the prison in point of service. He has been employed there for the past twenty years. Most of that time he had been located in the jute mill. To- night many other of the employes are fearing that they will soon receive their walking papers. —_—————— COLLISION ON THE BAY IS NARROWLY AVERTED Steamers Cazadero and Ocean Wave Nearly Crash Into One Another in the Fog. SAN RAFAEL, Oct. 16.—The steamer Cazadero, loaded with commuters, was nearly run into by the Santa Fe ferry- boat Ocean Wave last night. Both ves- sels were just off Alcatraz Island. There was a heavy fog at the time. The Caza- dero was en route to Sausalito loaded with passengers for various places along the line of the North Shore road. They left San Francisco at 6:15. The Ocean ‘Wave was en route from Point Richmond to San Francisco and was taking the place of the San Pablo. When about half way between Alcatraz and Whart No 27, ‘the Cazadero showed up out of the dense fog bank. Soon thereafter the whistle of an approaching boat was heard, but her location was not certain. Sudderly the two boats passed each other in close proximity. The screaming whis- tles aroused the fears of the passengers and many of them, especially the women, were badly frightened. The cooler ones, however, knowing- the danger had passed, quieted the timid ones and the passen- gers were soon thereafter landed on the Sausalito ferry slip. —_————— FEARS FOR FISHERMEN IN TEMPESTUOUS SEA Furious Storm Sweeps the New- foundland Coast and Does Great Damage. ST. JOHNS, N. F., Oct. 16—A hurri- cane ragedyhere last night and caused immense damage to fishing property. Many boats have foundered and it is feared thé fishing fleet, which is now making its last trip to the Grand Baokas, may have suffered disaster, -