THE CHATHAM RECORD
H. A. London
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
Terms of Subscription
$1.50 PER YEAR
Strictly in Advance
; THE CHATHAM RECORD
Rates of Advertising
One Square, one insertion - - $L00
One Square, two insertions - $1.50
One Square, one month - - $2.50
For Larger Advertisements Liberal
1 Contracts will be made.
HOI
VOL. XXXVIII.
PITTSBORO, CHATHAM COUNTY, N. C, MARCH 1, 1916.
NO. 30.
(ft I'"'
' . Air
lift III
r V WW v V W
IMPORTANT NEIVS
THE WORLD OVER
Happenings of This and Other Nations
For Seven Days Are
Given.
THE NEWS WTHE SOUTH
What Is Taking Place in the South,
land Will Be Found In
Brief Paragraphs.
Foreign
Potato can.s, allowing a pound dal
ly to each person, which are already
in force in Dresden, will be adopted
shortly throughout the German em
pire. A potato census is now being
taken in order to ascertain Just how
serious the shortage may be.
The magistracy of Berlin has rais
ed the maximum price of pork at the
request of the butchers of the city
who are unable to secure swine at ex
isting prices.
Through the combined efforts of the
United States embassy at Berlin and
the consulate of the same city, ship
ments of aniline dyes for use in the
manufacture of postage stamps in the
United States has been arranged.
Efforts are being made in Germany
by interested United States firms 10
obtain a supply of sugar beet seed,
but to date the prospect is not hope
ful, but it is stated that the efforts
will continue to be made.
The presence of Emperor Nicholas
at the opening of the duma in Petro
grad is hailed by the press and pub
lic as one of the most important
events in the whole political history
of Russia,- . .
German newspapers print dispatches'
from Italy stating that a Japanese
fleet has crrived safely in the Medi
terranean sea together with a great
number of aircraft.
Announcement is made in Tokio
that a squadron of 'Japanese warships
has been dispatched to the Suez canal
to protecting Japanese. Ashing.
The British house of commons has
passed new; votes p,f credit to the
amount of ?2,100,000,000. : This is ex
pected to carry the War -to: the end
of . May. Premier Asquith says the
sum expended-so far ,is "not .only be
yond' -precedent,' but actually, beyond
the imagination of any -financier ' of
this or any other country."
More; than five hundred; prominent
men, including ship-owners and sen
ators froin. Hamburg, Lubeck and Bre-
meBj Germany, have signed a petition
asking, the German government to be
gin .peace overtures so that the war
may;- be ended in three -months. They
expressed' the fear thati otherwise the
Hans a. states will be totally, .ruined.
Washington.
-Washington hears, that The Nation,
a Ixmdon publication, with .a, big circu
Ration, characterizes CoL E. M. House's
.visit to the war zones as "a landmark
in the' war." JThe. Nation- says that
"Colonel" House impressed- everybody
with his f sense of prudence and re
serve.' '
Congress has settled .down to await
, developments in the. submarine contro
versy, between the- United States and
. Germahyj With -an ' overwhelming ma
jority of both houses apparently very
definitely determined-to take : no ac
tion , which .might embarrass the ad
ministration; in the present stage of
diplomatic negotiations.
Admiral Badger before a house com
L mittee . repudiated the suggestion that
military . men view all international
problems from the standpoint of force,
but stated, -that there was no .question
but that diplomacy ultimately de
pended on-- force.: ' ,
International considerations which
moved the. navy general , board to
change its ' time-honored- policy last
year and declare that the United
States navy should equal the strong
est afloat by hot later than 1925 were
disclosed to the house naval commit
tee in executive session by Rear Ad
miral Charles J.- Badger, a member of
the board.
Every agency of the government
, paused on the anniversary of Wash
ington's birthday to pay homage to the
"Father of His Country." Both houses
suspended business, and Washington's
farewell address was read.
The object of "the building policy
formulated in 1903 by the. navy gen
eral board,' it. : is now known, was to
keep the United States ahead of Ger
many, in the race for naval suprem
acy. " ' ,
National preparedness legislation
took a long step forward in congress
. when the . house military committee
reached a practical Agreement on the
outline of the army bill it will unan-
mously "present for passage. Chair
man Hay Will frame the measure,
The new 'national preparedness
measure will ..provide for an army of
oo,uuu, witn a reserve system to
more than double f the force on the
first call in case of war.
Agitation ..'in : congress for action
t warning . United States Citizens off of
armed ships of the European belliger-
enta suddenly grew to such propor
tions that the Democrats of the for
eign relations committee voted to can
vass the sentiment of the house on
several pending, resolutions of that na
ture. '
At Mount Vernon, on the Potomac,
on the Virginia side, wreaths and
flowers were laid on the first presi
dent's tomb, and many made pilgrim
ages to the mansion and reverently
passed through the room where George
W?shington lived and died.
Domestic
An Atlanta, Ga., dispatch states that
me Russian government will spend
millions of dollars In the Southern
states in the purchase of supplies and
munitions. The Russian - purchasing
commission is traveling in a special
car through the South, and will likely
establish some central point to mob
ilize the supplies.
The Texas state agricultural depart
ment estimates that the Texas wheat
crop this year will be less than one
half of last year's crop and that oats
will' show a decrease , of nearly three-
fourths.
Information from Brewton. Ala-
says a cyclone practically demolished
tne small town of Appleton, ten miles
away. The storm appeared to De
general in central Alabama. Consid
erable property damage was done at
Appleton, but no loss of life is re
ported.
The Mississippi house of representa
tives passed a farm loan bank bill.
which provides for the establishment
or banks with capital stocks of not
less than S300.000. the fitids to be
loaned for the purchase, development
and improvement of farms.
Charles Gaddis and Jack Homer We-
hunt were drowned in a well filled
with beer in the mountains at Dah
lonega, Ga. Government raiders had
wrecked an illicit still and poured the
beer in an old well. The men were
trying to dip some of the beer from
tne well when all three fell in and
were drowned before they could be
rescued. -'
Before four hundred Wisconsin Pro
gressive Republicans, gathered in a
conference at Madison. Senator Rob
ert M. LaJ'ollette announced his can
didacy for the nomination for m-esi-
dent on the Republican ticket. -
Brighter prospects for assistance
for the marooned inhabitants in the
flooded section of' northern Louisiana
gave those engaged in relief work in
that district a more optimistic view
?f .the . food situation. Jt is stated
that food will be sent by boats to te
marooned people.
Disregard of a cautionary signal
probably was responsible for the rear
end collision of ther New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad in which
nine persons were killed and fifty-injured.
A state investigation is under
way.
An earth tremor of slight but .dis
tinct nature made Itself felt through
out Georgia, North ahd Soiith Caro
lina, Virginia and portjons of eastern
Tennessee and Alabama at about 5:40
o'clock, central time, Monday after
noon, February 21. In no case was
any damage reported.
Governor Manning of South Caro
lina has signed the-Liles bill which
provides for at least thirty days'
sentence oh the chaingang for every
one convicted of selling (liquor in
South Carolina. In no instance will
a fine be accepted. . For subsequent
offenses the penalty is from one to
five years at the option of the judge.
Hundreds of educators from all
parts of the country are in Detroit to
attend --conferences . and conventions
which began with brilliant openings.
These meetings will dispose of a mass
of routine business incident o the
annual convention which will be 'hl
in New York City in July.
European War
Along the front In the region oi
Verdun the Germans and the -French
continue the great struggle which be
gan with the Germans on the offensive
and their aim evidently the" great
French fortress of; Verdun.
; It is authoritatively estimated that
the German losses in the drive against
Verdun totaled one hundred and fifty
thousand men.
The French at Verdun have lost
ten thousand men taken " prisoners by
the Germans.
Troops belonging to seyen army
corps, under Crown Prince Frederick
William, are engaged along a 25-mile
front north "of Verdun, France, in a
desperate effort to drive back the
French defending forces, wjth the ul
timate aim of capturing Verdun.
A dispatch received in London from
the Canard Islands says the British
steamer Westburn has put in at San
ta Cruz for repairs flying the German
flag and with a prize crew of seven
men and one officer, in addition to
her crew there are 206 British pris
oners on board. . " '
The Italians, after weeks of ham
mering at the Austrian position with
their big guns, - have captured the
mountainous region of Callo in the
Suganovalley, and also have occupied
the towns of Roncegno and - Ronchi.
There has been vicious fighting in
the Artois region of France in Cham
pagne and along both, banks -, of the
Meuse above Dun.
The entire crew of about twenty-two
men of the Zeppelin airship' which was
shot down by the French hear Brabant-le-Roi,
perished in the flames which
enveloped . the aircraft as it fell from
a height of 6,000 feet.
The Germans have been operating
vigorously against the . British and
French along the Yser-canal in Bel
gium, to the north of Ypres. From
the British . 350 meters of a position
were captured and held, despite hand
grenade . attacks to recapture it.
The Russian army which captured
Erzerum in Armenia is endeavoring
to mit off the retreat of the Turks
who are retiring with as much speed
as possible.
The French steamship Memphis has
been sunk by an Austrian submarine
off Durazzo, according to news from
Vienna.
The French in Champagne; between
the Meuse and Moselle rivers and to
the west of the forest of Apremont,
have bombarded successfully . German
nnsitinns while in the Arconne forest
I a mine exploded by the French shat
' tared the German work.
GERMANY UPHOLDS
FORMER ORDERS
ONLY UNARMED MERCHANT
SHIPS OF PEACEFUL CHAR
ACTER FREE.
WILL GIVE NO WARNING
Bernstorff Delivers Instructions -to
Lansing. Score of Incidents Are
Cited. New Orders, Issued.
Washington. Germany has instruct
ed Count von Bernstorff to inform the
United States Government that the
assurances regarding the future con
duct of submarine farfare, given in the
Lusitania and Arabic cases, still are
binding, but that they apply only to
merchantment of a peaceful character.
The German government is understood
to contend that armed merchantmen
have without regard to the nature of
their armament shown themselves not
to be peaceful and therefore are sub
ject to destruction without warning.
The instructions direct the German
Ambassador particularly to tell Secre
tary Lansing that British merchant
men armed ostensibly only for de
fense have not assumed the character
of peaceful traders, but that on the
contrary they carry guns for the spe
cial purpose of attacking Germau
submarines. To support this claim
the Berlin Foreign Office has sent the
Ambassador for presentation . to the
state department a list of at least 20
Incidents where it is claimed British
i merchant ships have attacked sub
marines. . Confidential advices received from
Berlin state that German and Aus
trian submarine commanders already
have been given their new orders and
that from midnight Tuesday, Febru
ary 29th, they are authorized to
sink without warning all armed mer
chant ships of the enemies of Ger
many. It was said also that many of
the submarine commanders probably
"had left their, bases of voyages and
then even should the United States
request the postponing of the opening
of the campaign, it would be impos
sible to get word to many of the sub
marines. It was stated, however, that
so far neither the United States nor
any other nation had asked a post
ponemenL AGREE ON ARMY BILL.
Regular Army With Peace Strength
of 143,000. Federalized Guard.
Washington. A growing tendency
to provide for a Federal army reserve
in addition to the regular army and
federalized national guard was mani
best in both the house and senate mil
itary committees. Members of both
committees said they favored a prac
tical test of the possibility of forming
a federal volunteer army in peace
times on lines somewhat similar to
the continental army plan. The appa
rent intention to abandon the conti
nental project wholly was one of the
causes leading up to the resignation
of Secretary Garrison.
The house committee agreed upon
the general terms of a bill it expects
to get before the house in ten days
providing for a regular army with an
authorized strength of 143,000 men; a
Federalized National Guard which
reach a fixed minimum strength of
424,000 in five years: adequate reserve
systems for both of these forces; and
organization of civilian training camps
with wide discretion reposed in the
war department as to the terms of en
listment, training and government.
Wilson Addresses Gridiron Club.
Washington. President Wilson told
members and guests at a Gridiron
Club dinner that America ought to
keep out of the European war "at the
sacrifice of everything except this sin
gle thing upon which her character
and her history are founded, her sense
of humanity and justice."
The address was confidential, since
the speeches at the dinners of the
Gridiron Club, composed of newspa
per correspondents, are not reported.
It was made public, however, with the
consent of the president and the club,
because many of those who heard it
arged that it should go to the country.
Dover Mines Sink Ships.
Dover. The steamship Maloja, a
12.431 ton vessel, struck a mine and
sank within a half hour two miles of
Dover. More than 40 persons were
ddowned or killed as a result of the
accident. The Maloja left '.' Tilbury
only the day before for Bombay with
mails, 110 passengers of all classes,
and a crew numbering about 200, most
of them lascars. Other passengers
were to join the ship at. Marseilles.
Another ship aiding in the rescue work
was also sunk.
Flood Refugees Suffering.
Natchez, Miss. Cold weather, rain
and sleet added to the suffering of
the flood refugees in Tensas and Con
cordia parishes and those in the back
country as well. Temporary shelters,
crudely constructed from driftwood
and lumber cast off by levee workers,
have been built by refugees along the
river, mostly negroes. More appeals
for clothing and material for build
ing huts were expected by the Natchez
relief committee. Very little relief is
expectd within a week.
THE ENTIRE NAVY
SfSTEKI AT FAULT
&DMIRAC WINSLOW CITICIZES
WORKINGS OF SYSTEM BE
FORE COMMITTEE.
WOULD TAKE FIFTY YEARS
Without Radical Changes Would Take
long Time to Produce Efficient
Fighting Force.
Washington. The United States
aavy's whole system of government
and operation, from education of offi
cers to questions of ship and gun con
struction, was sharply criticised before
the house naval committee by Rear
Admiral Cameron McR. Winslow, commander-in-chief
of the Pacific fleet.
Without radical changes, the admiral
declared, a fully efficient fighting
'orce comparable to the British navy
jould not be produced in 50 years.
The witness said the system of
education at Annapolis Naval Acad
emy was wrong and urged restora
tion of the old grade of midshipmen in
the fleet. Boys should enter the ser
vice at from 14 to 16 years of age, he
said, spend two years in preliminary
schooling ashore, then go to sea to ac
quire the 'sea habit" from actual con
tact with things of the sea before com
pleting their educations ashore.
The polytechnic education now
given midshipmen at the Academy is
utterly unsuited, the admiral declared,
to the training of men to handle ships
and combinations of ships at sea. He
could see no value to be gained from
making all navy officers" experts in
higher mathematics, and thought con
structors, engineers, and ordnance ex
perts, should be trained as specialists
and never be called upon to command
ships.
From the days boys entered the
academy, he said, a system of selec
tion should be applied to govern pro
motions, eliminating men unfitted for
the daring, nerve-racking tasks that
would be theirs in war. He added
that fellow- officers should determine
these qualifications and that a plan
of this sort was being worked out by
the navy department.
With two opposing fleets sweeping
toward each other over the sea for
an action to be carried out at a speed
of 20 knots or more, the admrial in
sisted, there would be no time for
hesitation by any ship commander. He
told of how he trained a squadron of
four dreadnaughts he commanded two
years ago until his orders were carried
out within six seconds of the time he
gave them, 60 manuevers being carried
out in a single forenoon.
GERMAN ATTACKS CONTINUE.
Object of Great Onslaught is Great
French Fortress of Verdun.
London. Along the front in the re
gion of yerdun the Germans and the
French continue the great struggle
which began several days ago with
the Germans on the offensive and their
aim evidently the great French fort
ress of Verdun.
' Notwithstanding a heavy fall of
snow the Germans to the north of Ver
dun have attacked with what Paris
terms unprecedentid violence and with
large forces, French positions at sev
eral points but according to the
French official communication the at
tacks were without success. Especial
ly has this been true at La Cote du
Poivre, about four and a half miles
north of the fortiess, the attainment
of which would give the Germans a
good vantage point from which to
operate against Verdun.
The artillery on both sides along
the entire battle front is keeping up
an incessant bombardment of oppo
sing positions. So intense are the
detonations of the big guns that the
sound of them has penetrated" east
Ward to the left bank of the Rhine
in Rhenish Prussia.
Heavy casualties are being inflicted
by both sides and the Germans claim
that they have taken many prisoners
the aggregate at last reports total-,
ing more than 10,000. .
Justice Kelly Defends Brandels. ,
Washington. Louis D. Brandeis'
part in the New York and New Eng
land Railroad litigation in 1892 was
defended before the senate sub-committee
investigating Mr. Brandeis fit
ness to be a supreme court justice by
Judge Kelly of the New York supreme
court, who employed him. Those op
posing Mr. Brandeis charged that he
had been employed to wreck the road.
"Mr. Brandeis was not employed to
wreck the road," Justice Kelly told
the commitee. "It was already
wrecked."
Oppose Compulsory Training.
Detroit, Mich. The department of
superintendence of the National Edu
cational Association at its closing ses
sion here went on record as opposed
to compulsory military training in the
public schools. The educators, how
ever, favored a plan whereby the
"American youth' who wishes to re
ceive military instruction can find spe
cial schools available. The action of
the department vas- generally regard
ed as a compro. jnise between advo
cates of a stron r military system of
nrenaredness an( opponents of such.
EMPEROR DIRECTS
BATTLE 1(1 FRANCE
GERMANS AND FRENCH ENGAGE
IN: ONE OF THE GREATEST
- BATTLES OF WAR.
FRENCH LINES NOT BROKEN
Germans Force Back French Wings.
Ferocious Onslaughts Continuous. ;,
Heavy "Tolls Both Side.
London. Inspired by the presence
of their Emperor and led by Crown
Prince Frederick .William, the Ger
man troops are engaged in one of the
greatest battles of the war on the
Western front centering around the
fortress of Verdun. Attack has fol
lowed attack against "the 'French line
after bombardments, Incessant and
terrific, continuing for several days.
While the Germans nave been un
able, despite the rain of shells and
ferocious onslaughts by the infantry,
to break the French line, neverthe
less the French on their right and
left wings have been compelled to
withdraw their lines, respectively to
the south of Ornes and behind the
town of Samogneux, six miles north,
of the fortress.
Only between Malancourt and the
left bank of the Meuse has there
been and diminution in the intensity
of N the artillery fire. With Brabant,
Haumont and Samogneuv and the
woqded sections north and northeast
of Beaumont, in their possession the
Germans from the Meuse eastward to
Fromezey are forcing the fighting,
seemingly regardless of cost of life.
The French guns have answered
the German guns shell for shell and
the casualties on both sides are very
great. The French official report de
scribes the battlefield between the
Meuse and Ornes as piled with Ger
man dead.
In Champagne at several' points,
and in the Argonne Forest German
works have been pounded by the
concentrated fire of the French guns,
while in Lorraine, the French repuls
ed a German reconnoitering, party
that attempted to capture a French
post north of St. Martin.
1 On their end of the line near Hul
luch, the British exploded a mine "and
occupied the crater and also bom
barded German trenches near Freling
hien and Boesinghe.
PACIFIC FLEET EASY VICTIM.
Admiral Winslow Says One Battleship
Could Capture All.
Washington. While the House Mili
tary Committee was taking steps to
ward getting its bill" for increasing
the regular army and federalizing the
National Guard before the house with
in ten days, the Naval Committee was
being informed, by Rear Admiral Cam
eron McR. Winslow that the entire
Pacific fleet might be an easy victim
for one good enemy battleship.
Admiral Winslow said the force un
der his command was wholly inad
equate, even with all its reserves cal
el out, to meet any probable enemy
in the Pacific. Navy department plans
for meeting an emergency there or-in
the Atlantic, however, he said were
confidential matters of strategy.
Testimony of Brig. Gen. William
Crozier, chief of army ordinance, be
fore the fortifications committee, . re
vealed that the war department plans
for coast defense contemplate placing
the heaviest new fortifications at the
mouth of Chesapeake Bay, which he
described as one of the several places
where "facilities for land operations
are so good that it is worth while to
especially fortify them to prevent that
operation." At other points, such as
Rockaway Beach, New York and San
Francisco, he said 16-inch guns mount
ed in turrets would be added to the
batteries.
Bank of Essen Fails.
London. A dispatch 1 to the Ex
change Telegraph Company from Zur
ich says: "The failure of an important
bank at Essen, Germany, is announc
ed. It is believed many Krupp work
men lost their savings."
Munitions Train Attacked.
Seattle, Wash. Attacking a. Great
Northern freight train loaded with
automobiles and war supplies for ship
ment to Russia from Seattle, in the
Northern Pacific freight yards here
six or eight men cut the air hose be
tween cars in five places, and cut the
train in four sections. The train crew
fought them aff and captured two who
gave the names of Sam Rusky and
John Ross, and their nationality as
Austrain. Officials said it was known
that the train carried supplies for
Russia.
Emperor William With Army.
London. Emneror William has es
tablished his headquarters at the Ger
man positions aci?ig Verdun, accord
ing to information received from Ber
lin by The Evening News by way of
Copenhagen.
The dispatch hich is dated, Feb
ruary 23 says: "It is reported that
the Emperor is more energetic than
even, making daily speeches . to the
troops and encouraging the soldiers
not to yield. His Majesty is mainly
inspired at present with a desire to
defeat the French army at any cost."
WILSON DEMANDS
AMERICAN
RIGHTS
CONGRESS FAVORS WAPNING
AMERICANS TO STAY OFF
BELLIGERENT SHIPS.
PRESIDENT OPPOSES SUCH
Leaders . Hope to Continue to Give
Executive Fcee Hand in Dealing
With. Grave Problems.
Washington. Agitation in Congress
for action warning Americans off arnl
ed ships of the European belligerents
suddenly grew .to such proportions
that the Democrats of the foreign re
latione committee voted to canvass
the sentiment )f the house on sev
eral pending resolutions of that nature.
Sentiment in the senate in favor of
some such action, also was openly ex
pressed, but at the end of a day of
surprises, tension and agitation such
as had not been seen in Congress in
some time, the word came that Presi
dent Wilson still was unalterably op
posed to any such action by congress
and believed that he would only be
embarrassed thereby in the negotia
tions with Germany.
, To widely circulated suggestions
that the situation had reached a point
where the president would lay it be
fore congress, that Secretary Lansing
might in some way define the attitude
of the government in a communica
tion to Senator Stone and that a time
had been fixed within which the
United, States would expect Germany
to signify her intention to abandon
the announced intention to sink
armed merchant ships without warn
ing, the uniform statement was made
officially that nothing had been de
termined upon, and that the situation
though grave, still was a waiting one,'
that no final position would be an
nounced until Berlin was heard from.
The sudden developments at the
capitol brought surprise and appre
hension to the administration leaders.
While confronted with the possibility
of congressional interference with all
its grave aspects ranging from a de
fection from the administration policy
to downright embarrassment of the
president and the secretary of state,
the .leaders were confident they would
control the situation and leave the ex
ecutive branch of the government free
to carry on diplomatic negotiations
with Germany.
NO PEACE, DECLARES ASQUITH
War Will Continue Until Rights of
Small Nations Are Secured.
London. Premier Asquith found
himself unexpectedly face to face in
the house of commons with a new de
mand for the government's views on
peace.. He took up the gauntlet al
most eagerly and in a bristling 15-min-ute
speech made it clear that the
British government's determination to
carry the war to the end without com
promise had not abated a jot or tittle
since the early days of the struggle.
'The only terms of peace Premier
Asquith offered to the enemy coun
tries .were contained in the historic
announcement which was the out
standing feature of his speech at the
London . Gipld Hall in November,
1914, whidh he repeated:
"We shall' never sheathe the sword,
which we have not lightly drawn, un
til Belgium and I will add, Serbia
recover in full measure all and more
than - they : have sacrificed; until
France is adequately secured against
aggression; until the rights of the
small nations of Europe are based
upon ' an unassailable foundation and
until the military dominance of Prus
sia is wholly and finally destroyed."
Bitten by Rattlesnake.
Thomasville, Ga. Mrs. John F.
Archbold, a daughter-in-law of John
D. Archbold of New York, president
of the Standard Oil Company of New
Jersey was bitten by a rattlesnake
while hunting on the Archbold estate
near here. Physicians here said that
a heavy leather boot worn by ' Mrs.
Archbold prevented comnlete poison
ing and her wound would not prove
fatal. Mrs. Archbo'd shot the snake
after she had been bitten.
Ten Thousand Persons Need Food.
.Natchez, Miss. Approximately 10,
000 persons, mostly negroes, in the
flooded district of northern Louisiana
are in need of assistance, according
to Mayor M. DavMson of St. Joseph.
The negroes who conduct their own
farms are reported to be suffering the
most, while compjratively few white
planters are able to care for their ten
ants. Planters anc" citizens of Newell
ton, said Mayor Js eoby over the tele
phone, are of the c pinion that Govern
ment aid should e given the flood
victoms there.
Germans Get nother Prize.
London. A dispatch received from
Santa Cruz, TeneriTe (Canary Islands)
says the British steamer Westburn
has put in there for repairs flying the
-German flag and t'ith a German prize
crew of seven m .n and one officer.
The officer is believed to belong to
the German raider Moewe. ; In addi
tion to her own crew there are 206
prisoners taken f rom various British
vessels, on the W estburn. The West
burn left Liverpool January 21 for
Buenos Aires. The Westburn is a
vessel of 3,300 to.is.
r
PRITGRARD HEADS
EW CHORUS CLUB
ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR,
BUILDING LARGEST AUDITO
RIUM JN AMERICA.
AT BLACK MOUNTAIN, N. C.
Structure Will Cost $200,000 and Will
Seat 21,500 People. Be Built of
Concrete, Steel and Stone.
Black Mountain. The first meeting
of the stockholders of the National
Festival Chorus Club of America was
held here at which an organization
was perfected and arrangements made
for the erection of the greatest audi
torium In America. The structure will
cost $200,000 and will seat 21,500 peo
ple. It will be built of reinforced con
crete, steel and stone and will be
ready for the opening event in August
of the" singing of oratorios' in one
grand united chorus of 2,000 voices un
der the direction of Walter Johannes
Damrosch, who is head of the musical
organization of the club.
Hon. Jeter C. Pritchard, ex-United
States senator and judge of the Uni
ted States -circuit court of appeals,
was elected president of theclub. Mr.
G. W. Henshaw, capitalist of Winston
Salem, was elected vice president.
The board of directors is composed of
Judge Pritchard and Mr. Henshaw;
J. Elwood Cox of High Point, J. B.
Blades of Newbern, Walter Thompson
and H. D. Shutt of Winston-Salem and
Thomas Woodroffe of Mount Airy.
The architect of the auditorium is
Louis Asbury of Charlotte. He was
instructed to secure bids" for the erec
tion of the building and It was decid
ed to let the contract at the earliest
possible moment. In the meantime,
Mr. F. S. Westbrook, the secretary,
was instructed to proceed at once
with the organization . of the music
board and to do everything necessary
toward bringing together the full cho
rus of 2,000 voices on August 15, for
the purpose of giving a series of per
formances, the program by Damrosch
to be given the public immediately
Thereafter.
Th auditorium will be entirely en
closed and will be the largest struc
ture of the kind in America and so
far as known in the world. It is to
serve the purpose for Damrosch in
America that the auditorium at Bal
reath, Germany, which was built by
the King of Bavaria for Wagner,
serves for Europe. It will have near
ly twice the seating capacity of the
Balreath structure and barring one
open-construction auditorium in Cali
fornia, will be the only auditorium in
the United States where the Greek
plays can be presented.
The auditorium is designed to set
against the side of a mountain, a tract
of 10 acres having been selected and
the slope of the hill will ' be utilized
In the, elevation plans of the seats.
The Interior plan is In the shape of
a megaphone. In front of the orches
tra the first row of seats of 245 feet
in length. The rear row is 400. The
stage will' hold 2,000 people and the
orchestra 1,000. In connection with
the auditorium a hotel to accommo-f
date 3,000 people will be built, but for
the first summer the visitors and at
tendants will be tented in colonies,
as was done at the Robert E. Lee Hall
and at Montreat.
Hickory Guards in Fine, Shape.
Hickory. At the annual Inspection
of Company A of the First Regiment
of the North Carolina National Guard
held here there were 67 men and three
commissioned offioers . present, the
largest number of any company In
the state turned out so far during the
inspections this year. The Inspector's
report will" give the company an ex
cellent rating and the property was
found to have been kept in good
shape.
New Church for Salisbury.
Salisbury. A special quarterly con
ference held at First Methodist church
authorized the building of a new
house of worship for this congrega
tion and appointed a building commit
tee to look after the erection of the
'louse and financing the project.
May Extend Railroad.
Kinston. Norfolk Southern Rail
road officials have been conferring
with persons here over the proposed
extension of the Kinston-Snow Hill
Railroad, a Norfolk Southern subsidi
ary, from Snow Hill to Walstonburg
or Stantonsburg. It is believed in
well-informed quarters that the Nor
folk Southern is preparing to build
the link, which would be only 14 or 15
miles in length. The business inter
ests and planters of Greene county are
enthusisatic ever the idea, and are
anxiuos for the extension.
To -Washington For Operation.
Salisbury. Harry Tally, the young
Charlotte man who was so fearfully
Injured in the .football special wreck
in the Salisbury yards of the South
ern the night before Thanksgiving
and who has since been in a local hos
pital, was taken ta Washington City
for further treatment on his Jaw. Mr.
Tally was accompanied to Washing
ton, by his mother, Mrs. C B. Tally,
and his nurse. He traveled in the pri
vate car of Dr. Jack Applegate, that
eminent physician having come here
(rom Washington for him.