Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 40, Number 177, 8 July 1915 — Page 1
t: mic. KM RICHMOND, IND.. THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 8, 1915. Vvlrf. 1IU III. Consolidated. 1H7 SINGLE COPY. 2 CENTS Y JV nn ii MM
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LQJLra British Ammunition- Ship Afire on Atlatic Ocean
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MINNEHAHA SAILS BACK WITH FIRE THREATENING 17,000 TOMS OF POWDER Owners of British Liner Fear Bomb Planted by Holt Exploded in Hold, Starting a Blaze Near a Cargo of Munitions for Allied Armies.
SHIP IS HEAVY MUNITION CARRIER OF ALLIES
Shipment of War Supplies Purchased by J. P. Morgan Company for Allies Flames Reported Under Control in a Wireless from the Captain.
NEW YORK, July 8. The British liner Minnehaha, the largest ship engaged In carrying munitions from America to the Allies, was set afire by an explosion that occurred late yesterday afternoon in hold No. 3, while the vessel was about 570 miles southeast of Halifax, N. S. The liner Is now speeding to Halifax. The cause of the fire was revealed for the first time by a dispatch received at the Atlantic company's offices at noon today. The information came in a wireless message from Captain Frank Claret, who stated that the flames were under control. His message strengthened the belief that had been growing that a bomb placed by Frank Holt, the dynamiter and assailant of J. P. Morgan, was responsible for the fire. The dispatch announcing that the fire was caused by an explosion follows: "Fire caused by an explosion, now controlled by steam. Much smoke In holds. Deem it expedient to make Halifax. Due Chebusto Head at 9
o'clock Friday." 1 Carried No Passengers. The dispatch from Claret was sent last night. In an earlier one sent at 5:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon, he gave the information that fire had broken out in No. 3 hold and that the ship was making for Halifax. :,The Minnehaha is 600 feet long and Is owned by the Atlantic Transport was on fire came In a wireless dis company. First news that the ship that an explosion aboard preceded the , patch from Captain Claret, who added flames. He said the fire had been ' confined to hold. No. 3 and that it was not serious. The ship carried a crew ! of 150 men, but had no passengers 1 aboard when she left on Sunday. Heavv Powder Cargo. The liner carried 17,000 tons of am munition consigned to tne rnuu government and purchased here through the firm of J. P. Morgan & Co. Siie also carried a general cargo. That no passengers are on board is considered remarkable as this is the first voyage made by the Minnehaha since the war began that she has not carried at least two or three hundred passengers. Like the Adriatic she was built for freight and passenger service and has bulkhead compartments. The fact that she has turned toward shore indicates that grave damage has been done. According to the Atlantic Transport officials few munitions of war are in hold No. 3, as that was filled principally with ordinary freight matter. If a Holt bomb shipped as freight was on the ship it probably would be in this hold. U. S. ASSUMES DIRECT CHARGE OF SAYVILLE WASHINGTON, July 8. Secretary of Navy Daniels today announced that he had instructed Captain Bullard, chief of the radio service of the navy, to take possession today of the wireless station at Sayville, L I. The government assumed direct charge of the Sayville station because it was unable to prevent by censorship the sending of unneutral messages by representatives of the German government to the submarine fleet off the British coast. Weather Forecast U. S. Report Fair tonight and Friday. Rising temperature Friday. Temperature. Noon 65 Yesterday. Maximum . 75 Minimum 59 For Richmond Fair tonight. Fri- ; day fair and warmer. General Conditions The severe storm which passed the Great Lakes and central states yesterday and last night is now central over the eastern . states and is being followed by fair weather. An area of low barometric pressure over the northern plain states will cause a reaction to warmer weather by Friday. It will be unsettied again in a few days. ( W. E. Moore, Weather Forecaster.
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FOUNDERS IN WATER IN PUBLIC STREET Lozas Augi, an Italian, might have been drowned in a public thoroughfare of this city during the storm last night if it had not been for Patrolman Fee. He found- Augi, dead drunk, sprawled out under & wagon in a gutter on North D street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, a large stream of water pouring over him. In city court this morning Augi pleaded guilty to public intoxication. "Drunk like hell," he informed the court. He was fined Jl and costs. FALLS OFF TRAIN. INDIANAPOLIS, July 8. While attempting to get off of a moving train this morning, James Mica, 18. of Springfield, O., fell and was injured. Mica was removed to the city hospital. His left hip is broken and he Is cut and bruised. The accident occurred at Tibbs avenue and West Michigan street, where the Big Four railroad crosses those streets.
HIGHER ASSESSMENT ON WATER WORKS PLANT MEANS HIGHER RATES Superintendent Dill Tells Board of Review Either Assessment Must Be Decreased or Risk Action from Utility Commission Increasing Water Rate to Pay Taxes.
Appearing before the board of review today at a special hearing, H. A. rmi nnHntendent of the Richmond City Water Works company, made a statement In which he saw tne Doara must either reduce the assessment of the water works holdings so that the taxes amount to $10,000 or send a larger collection to the state and risk action on the part of the public utilities commission increasing water rates to take care of the higher taxes. The Water Works company was assessed more than $50,000 higher this year than last year and an investigation in the methods of assessing will result. Mr. Dill said he believes, the assessors added $51,000 in improvements finished in the past year whereas these improvements had been included in the utilities commission valuation which was used as the basis for the 1914 assessment. Find Assessment. A double assessment of $10,000 was found in part of the real estate owned by the company. Also in the assessment is believed to be included much of the intangible value represented In the utilities commission valuation, good will, going concern value, future water rights and rights of way. The board of ,review will make an investigation tomorrow and will call Mr. Dill as a witness again on Friday or Saturday. A reduction for the return made by the assessor is certain, but the extent is unknown. Assessment In 1915 The assessment returned this year by the assessor is $478,000; last year, $425,000 based on sixty per cent of the commission's valuation; and 1913, $209,500, based on previous valuations
4 BANKS SHOW BIG DECREASE IN ASSESSMENT
$150,000 Decrease of Local Financial v Institutions in Assessment Shown by Re port of Review Board. WAYNE WORKS GAINS Assessment of Corporations oCmpleted Except for the Water Works to Be Taken Up at Hearing. Almost one hundred and fifty thounu aouars aecrease in tne assess ment of banks In Richmond, was t . S a . . suqwo ioaay wnen tne ooara or review - completed its review of the sworn statements made by the bank owners. The remainder of the banks in the county were about the same as last year, indicating that the country bank business has been well maintain ed In the past year, while the city Banks showed a decrease. The. First National bank lost $10,000 in its assessment; the Second Nation al lost $65,000; the Union, $7,000; and the Dickinson Trust company. $60,000. The German American Trust and Sav ings bank was assessed only on the capital stock Issued on March 1, at the time the organization was started. Its assessment was fixed at $6,140. Plan of Assessing. The assessments were taken on the same basis as last year the board using seventy-five per cent of the sworn capital, surplus and undivided profits. This . year, real estate was included in the bank assessments but was kept separate on the assessment sheets. Eleven of eighteen banks own real estate. ;. The assessments exclusive of real estate-tills-year an iaaor follow "T Richmond. 1915 1914 First National.. Second National Union National. Dickinson Trust German-Am. . . . $143,630 $153,500 362,170 428,540 198,900 206,370 201,250 262,500 6,140 (new) Boston. Farmers State. . 18,490 18,020 Cambridae City. First National.. 39,860 43,560 Wayne National 45,460 45,550 Centervllle. Wayne Trust Co 19,679 19,560 Centervllle State 28,210 26,250 Economy. Northern Wayne 8,310 8,220 Dublin. First National.. 20,550 21,640 Fountain City. Fountain Bank . 9,990 8,930 Continued On Page Two. taken by the city and on the appraisement of the assessors. Auditor Bowman agreed with Mr. Dill that the high taxing of a public utility plant since the commission has been in full charge of utilities, is like putting money from one pocket into another. "The tax payers will pay the increased taxes of the company in increased water rates," said Mr. Dill. "The commission allowed $10,000 a year for taxes in fixing the present rate. Last year we paid $12,330 and under this valuation, we will pay $14,000. Unless the valuation is reduced, we will be compelled to notify the commission, who in turn will have to increase rates. The commission has no authority to order a reduction of the assessment, but the members were very much provoked last year when they found our taxes were much higher than their estimate. "Except for the inconvenience of submitting to another rate hearing case, it is immaterial to the company. The company is always blamed more than any one else when rates are increased, although we are powerless to dictate our rates or expenditures. In former years, the directors of the company and the stockholders would stand the increased rates, but now it is shoved back on the tax payers." The assessors increased the assessment on the reservoir from $2,000 to $10,000. The total increase of the valuation as estimated by the assessors was $90,000 of which sixty per cent was taken as the assessed valuation increase, making the assessment $54,000 higher, i
TORNADO EXACTS LARGE DEATH LIST FROM FIVE STATES
Latest information shows these results of the tornado that swept five states: Ohio Cincinnati swept by the storm. Thirty-three known dead. Believed that 100 and possibly more were killed. Property loss in Cincinnati estimated at nearly $1,000,000. Train reported wrecked at Painesville, O., with eight killed. Kentucky Covington, Ludlow, Dayton, Bellevue and Newport suffered heavy property losses. Reported nearly a score of lives lost In those cities. Illinois Russellville struck by tornado reported seven dead. At Lawrencevllle two reported killed. Enormous property damage at both these cities. - Indiana . One killed at Vincennes. One killed at Lawrenceburg. Heavy property losses in both places. Missouri Seven reported dead in St Charles. Town of St. Peters said to be partially wiped out. MISSOURI TOWN SUFFERS HEAVY IN STORM BLAST $70,000 Church Totally Wrecked and Death Toll for St. Charles County Reported to Be Seven. ST. LOUIS, July 8. Seven persons lost th,eir lives in the tornado that swept St. Charles county, Missouri, according to unconfirmed reports that reached here, today. More than $250,'00 damage 'was 'done to Str-'CnaTles; St. Peters and Coolesville, according to the same reports. Telephone and telegraph communication with these points had not been restored at an early hour today. Mrs. Thomas Slattery and her two children were reported killed when their home, eighteen miles west of St. Charles " was wrecked by the storm. An unidentified man was killed in Wentsville and another at Gilmore. The St. Charles Borromeo church which was erected in 1869 at a cost of $70,000 was totally wrecked. St. Joseph's hospital was seriously damaged. The storm struck St. Charles late yesterday afternoon. A small funnel shaped cloud with a twisting tail appeared as the storm approached, moving with terrific speed upon the city. A Wabash passenger train from St. Louis to Kansas City passed Gilmore, Mo., just before the storm reached there. The train rode into the tornado a few miles beyond ther, and the forward four caches were blown from the track. The engine and the remaining five caches stayed on the rails. Mail clerks U. G. Whitehead, William T. Clary, Earl D. McKinley and Rolla M. Botts were 6lightly In-' jured in the wreck. Leaving Missouri the storm took a northeasterly course into Madison county, 111., where heavy damage was reported to have been inflicted. FREE LUNCH HIT BY ORDER OF HEALTH BOARD Dr. Joseph H. Kinsey, president of the city board of health, said today that prompt action would be taken to comply with the order of the state board of health requiring that all free lunches in saloons be served under strict sanitary conditions. "Secretary Smelser and myself will take up this matter at once, and it looks as if the result will be the abolition of free lunches in saloons," Dr. Kinsey said. "I have talked to some saloon keepers on this matter, and I have formed the impression from these conversations that they will be pleased if the free lunch is abolished." The free lunch forms a large Item of expense in the operation of a saloon, and Is, of course, productive of no direct revenue. Richmond saloon keepers would undoubtedly have done away with the practice some time ago, if all would have agreed to such a plan. Dr. Kinsey said even if lunches were placed on bars under screen or glass enclosed boxes, absolute sanitation,' as required by the state board, would not be secured. When customers open such boxes, he pointed out, flies are admitted. "I hope the health authorities stop the free lunch practice," a local saloon keeper said today. , "Our business, as a whole, has been very dull this year, and the free lunch is more of a white elephant on our hands than every before."
HEAVY DELUGE INJURES CROPS DURINGSTORM Three Inches of Water Falls West of Richmond Rain Washes Out Bridge on Short Creek.
TRAFFIC IS DELAYED Pennsy Holds Train No. 17 in Cincinnati Tree Grazes Smoker of No. 9, Endangering Passengers. Richmond has passed through one of the heaviest rainfalls recorded in recent years. The extent of damage is unknown, but crops suffered from the steady beating given them by the sheets of water which fell and from heavy winds which passed over parts of the county. The rain started yesterday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock and fell almost without cessation until midnight. In eight hours the rainfall was 3 inches in places west of Richmond. The official record at the pumping station showed 2.94 inches in seven and onehalf hours, according to Walter Vossler, government observer. South of Richmond the greatest damage was done by water. One road in Boston township was made impassible and others were gutted to a dangerous condition. Crops are Damaged. Fortunately, the farmers in almost all parts of the county have cut their wheat. This probably is the saving of the wheat, as thousands of dollars' worth would have been lost in the field. Oats suffered the greatest damage, although many farmers said they expected to find their fields in worse conaittonthlr mornrag, considering the extent of the storm. Green Parks, colored, who was sentenced to the penal farm in June, after living with a young colored girl to whom he was not married, was struck by lightning and killed yesterday afternoon, according to a telegram received by J. A. Anderson, a farmer living two miles north of Richmond on the Union pike. Parks worked for Anderson for several years and had given Anderson's name to the penal farm authorities upon entering the institution. Railroads suffered little damage. There were a few wash-outs between Richmond and Indianapolis, and practically no damage north and south on the Richmond division. Train No. 17, north bound, due at 2 o'clock in the morning, did not arrive until 7:25 a. m. Because of the severity of the storm in Cincinnati, the train was ordered to remain in the sheds until it was safe to proceed. Tree Grazes Smoker. Train No. 9, leaving Cincinnati at 9 o'clock last night, narrowly escaped being wrecked when passing Reading, Ohio. A tree near the track blew down, striking the side of the smoking car and settling clear of the tracks. Had the train passed a few seconds later, a wreck probably would have been j the result. When the train reached Richmond it was found that the smok ing car was only slightly damaged, but the roof was covered with nmos ana leaves. A house at 1003 South Fifth street. was struck by lightning last night and the chimney destroyed. A small nre started but was quickly controlled by the fire companies and extinguished before much damage was done. Fire alarm lines were put out of commission from the electrical play on some of the boxes, and Chief Miller and his men spent part of the day restoring connections and removing grounds and short circuits. A flood of Whitewater river was averted by the presence of Morton Continued On Page Two. RIVER TOWNS SUFFER FROM HEAVY STORMS LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 8. The storm that swept eastward from Missouri inflicted heavy property damage throughout almost the entire length of the Ohio valley. A score of towns were struck, steamboats were sunk, the crews of several big boats were reported lost and enormous crop damage was done, according to the latest reports received here today. All passenger steamers between Louisville and Cincinnati were reported safe. On the anniversary of the devastating storm that visited Henderson, Ky., in 1914, the city was hit by a furious storm last night. The entire city was left in darkness and many thousands of dollars' worth of damage was done. Estimates made today on the damage by the storm along the Ohio river stated that the property and crop loss would reach half a million dollars.
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PROPERTY LOSS MOUNTS TO MILLIONS IN WEST Seven States Swept by Fierce Storm Four Persons Killed in Indiana and Eleven in Missouri Crops Badly Damaged Many Wires Reported Down.
STORM SWEEPING TOWARD EASTERN COAST Vincennes, Terre Haute and Brazil Suffer Heavy Damage Much Live Stock Drowned Small Tornado in Missouri Sweeps Through St Charles County.
CHICAGO, July S. Between fifty and sixty lives were lost and a' hundred persons injured in a series of violent wind and rainstorms that swept over the vast reach of country from western Nebraska eastward to the Great Lakes and southward from the valley of the Ohio river to its junction with tie Mississippi last night and early today. Seven states vere Etorm swept, and property Jainag. amounting to more than one million dollars was done. The storm, according to the Chicago weather bureau, was sweeping eastward, although diminishing in intensity, and was today over western and central Pennsylvania. Cincinnati and several Kentucky towns were the worst sufferers. Thirty three lives were lost in the vicinity of Cincinnati, and scores of persons were injured. Nineteen race horses, en route to eastern tracks, were killed. Eleven lives, according to Incomplete information, were lost in Missouri, seven at St. Charles, three at Dardennis and one at Wentzville. Four persons met death in Indiana, one each at Martinsville, Vincennes, Bicknell and Putnamvllle, and many were injured. Vincennes, Terre Haute and Brazil suffered heavy damage and washouts on railroads were numerous. Much live stock was drowned. Three lives were lost in Illinois. . Nebraska and Iowa suffered heavy damage to crops, but no loss of life has been reported. ' 1. - - v - ' : .
CINCINNATI AND SUBURBS SUFFER HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY IN STORM
CINCINNATI, July 8. Cincinnati was struck by a tornado early last evening, resulting in the deeath of thirty-three persons and causing great property damage. Twenty persons were injured in the city, and thus far forty persons are unaccounted for. Ten known dead in the city were killed under the ruins of houses demolished by the wind. A Pennsylvania train, known as the "Race Horse Express," bound from Cincinnati to Acquaduct, N. Y., was blown from the track at Milford. a suburb of Cincinnati. Three persons were killed and seventeen injured. The train carried a number of valuable races horses, several of which were killed. Steamer Convoy Sinks in Ohio. The steamer Convoy sank near the Ohio shore, and it is believed that fourteen members of the crew were drowned. Another boat carrying thirty men is missing. The packet Fulton sank at the foot of Broadway street, and it is reported that some lives were lost. The storm struck Cincinnati at 8:30 o'clock last night and raged for almost an hour, growing in intensity until 9 o'clock, when it reached its height. By 9:30 o'clock the wind had subsided and the police began relief measures. Not more than a dozen persons, however, were sent to the hospitals. Street Car Service Stopped by Storm. Street car service throughout the city was brought to a standstill, and for two" hours Cincinnati was cut off entirely from communication with the outside world. Great damage was done on the hilltops surrounding the city and in small towns along the Ohio river. Railroad traffic in and out of the city was entirely suspended for several hours after the storm. Debris covered the tracks for miles. Reports this morning indicated that the storm was more severe in Dayton and Bellevue, Ky., and near-by towns along the river. The property damage is conservatively estimated at $500,000. Twenty-five Houses Destroyed. More than twenty-five houses were blown down in the west end of the city. Plate glass windows in the business section were smashed, church steeples were razed and railroad communication was cut off for hours, until the wreckage was removed from the tracks. Joseph T. Allen, superintendent of the children's department of the Ohio Humane society, was killed when part of the Masonic temple col lapsed. Many others others who, with Allen, were attending the lodge meeting, were seriously injured. The wind lifted the tiny cottage of Mrs. Rose Tennenbaum, on the west side, from its foundation, and carried it several hundred feet. The woman's body was found in the wreckage a today. Others asleep in the house escaped. Mrs. Marcus Cohen, living in another section of the city, was instant ly killed- by sections of another house which were blown through her windows. x f Street Car Service is Paralyzed. No attempt was made today to run street cars on schedule time and practically all of Cincinnati walked to work. Only a .few telephones were serviceable and only two telegraph wires out of Cincinnati work Ing. . . " During the height of the storm the wind blew seventy miles-an hour, according to the local weather bureau. While the storm continued, rain came down in blinding sheets. The storm had no entirely ceased, when the fire department, police patrols and ambulances were called out by alarms from all parts of the city. They found that the greatest havoc was wrought at Sixth and Mound streets, where five buildings in one block had been demolished. Forty persons were in a tenement house which was demolished at Continue On Page Two.. '.
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