Newspapers / Asheville Citizen (Asheville, N.C.) / March 21, 1917, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Asheville Citizen (Asheville, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
THE ASHEVILLE CITIZEN THE WEATHER CLOUDY. CITIZEN WANT ADS BRING RESULTS VOL. XXXIII, NO. 149. ASHEVILLE, N. C, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 21, 1917. PRICE FIVE CENTS OF PRESIDENT WILSON URGED TO CALL SPECIAL SESSION AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE BY 0. SJORECAST RECOGNITION "Fine Fea1hers,f s NOT O GOVERNMENT ADVICES IDE BY Plans Being Made in Russia Call For Moral Support of This Country. AMBASSADOR GIVES NEWS OF SITUATION Declares There is No Opposi tion to New Republican Form of Government. WASlirNGTOX. .March 20. harly recognition by the I'nlted States of the new government set up ty the revolution in Russia was forecast here today tn the belief chat, with good order now prevailing, tho plans being made for a permanent consti tutional government call for the moral support of this country. All reports to tho state department, indi cate that the army and navy are sup porting the provisional government. Situation Summarized. Ambassador Francis at Petrograd summarized the situation today in the following cablegram: "The last week has seen the most astonishing revolution. Two hundred million people who have lived under absolute monarchy for one thousand years and who are now engaged In greatest war in history, have Has Not Yet Indicated His Views on Latest Submarine Outrage Discusses Situation With His CabinetOpinion is That State of War Exists. the forced their emperor to abdicate for himself and his son and induced the brother to whom he transferred im perlal authority to accept on condi non that constitutional assembly of people so wish and who will exer cise power under authority of govern ment framed by that assembly. "Xo opposition to provisional gov ernment which is council of ministers appointed by committee of twelve named by drfja. Absolute quiet here and throughout all Russia. Rodzlan sky and Mullukoff assure me whole army and navy in support. Every thing learned from unofficial sources confirms. Plans of Government. Plan of provisional goverment is to call constituent assembly or con vention whose members lie. elected by trie people ana who he empowered to organize good government. Whether republic or constitutional monarchy undecided, but conclusions of assem bly will be accepted by the people and enforced by the army and navy." The United States always looks with favor upon a movement for the extension of republicanism and has been eager to be among the first to welcome info the family of nations new governments knoV to be found ed upon the will of the peop?e. As yet no official action has heen taken because It is not felt certain that the revolutionary elements set in motion have entirely Uieted down into a stable government. Those (Continued on Page Two) OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE OF AVASHIM1TON, March 20. For two hours today J resident Wilson discussed the international crisis with his cabinet, and heard urgent suggestions that the date for the extra session of congress, fixed for April 16, be set forward to consider further steps in defense of American commerce against German submarines. It is understood there was not a dissenting voice against this advice. Undecided on Course. The president himself did not express his views, and so lar as could be learned later had not finallv determined upon the course to be pursued. The prevailing belief was that he would annouace the call for an earlier meeting of congress tomorrow. A . w i i ii , t . imong omciais virtual I v tiie unanimous opinion is that in spite of the technical armed neutrality status of the United States, actually a state of war exists as the re sult of the ruthless destruction of American merchant ships and the killing of American citizens in defiance of international law and of the, most solemn warnings one nation can give another. The only question is what shall be done about it, further than the arming of merchantmen to resist submarine attack if they get the chance. Cabinet Behind President. The cabinet members generally are said to have cx, pressed today their willingness to support a program based on an early call for congress and a formal declara tion that a state of war exists between Germany and the United States. Tonight the president went to the theatre a thing he frequently does when he has made a preliminary de cision on a grave question and wants distraction in order to look at the problem anew with freshened mind. After the cabinet meeting Secretary Daniels, saying that no new naval orders had been issued, hurried to the navy department and went into conference with members of the general board. Information for the president and tentative plans for f urther natal activttfeS WgfecBS'eussed. Can Do Almost Everything. The only argument known to have been advanced in official circles against the early calling of congress was that the president himself can do almost everything pos sible immediatelv. But in spite of this argument the pre ponderance of official opinion seemed to he that congress should be summoned just as soo as possible so that the full power of the government would be assembled in Wash ington. Plans for organizing patrol squadrons of privately owned motorboats and yachts along the Atlantic coast Vere discussed tonight at a conference between Secretary Daniels and Captain George It. Marvell, an assistant tor operations, who has Jiist returned from a trip to New York, Boston and other coast points, to enron vaiuaDie PURCHASE BY SOUTHERN OF $175,000 VANDERBILT LANDS PART OF COMPANY'S NEW MILLION DOLLAR TERMINALS HERE Purchase of U0 Acres Brings Southern's Right of Way Close to Billmore Estate Entrance Connally Lands Will Also Be Bought Part of Depot Street to Be Vacated by City for the New Freight Depot. HUES OF ALLIES Despite Every Effort of Ger mans to Impede Progress, Pursuit Continues. FRENCH AND BRITISH CAPTURE VILLAGES No Important Engagements Reported From Other Main Fronts. First Torpedo Missed the Freighter and Second One Was Fired. FIFTEEN LIVES LOST. WASHINGTON, March 20 Consul General Skinner at london, forward ed to the state department today a dis patch from the consul at Plymouth giving the most complete official re port yet received on the unwarned torpedoing of the American steamer Vigilancla with a loss of fifteen lives, including several native American cit izens. The report follows: 'Vlgilancia of Wilmington, Pel., from Xew York for Havre with gen eral cargo of smelter structural Iron, asbestos, dried fruit and straw, sunk without warning on March 16 in lati tude 48.57. longitude 9.34, or about 145 miles from nearest land, by tor pedo from submarine of unknown na tionality. 'Two torpedoes fired at ship; first missed, second struck ship on star board side by third hatch. Ship sunk In ten minutes. Weather at time clear with moderate sea swell. Xo other vessel in sight. Crew of forty-three men attempted to abandon ship In two lifeboats. ocean swell, twenty five men were washed out of boat Of these, ten were saved and fifteen drowned. 'Among the drowned are Third En gineer Car; Adeholde, a native Ameri can citizen, and Third Officer Xeils North, a naturalized American citizen. tsome or tnc crew drowned were American citizens. "CreW adrift in lifeboats from Fri day morning, 10 o'clock, until Sunday afternoon, 4 o clock. Submarine of unknown nationality followed life boats at distance of fifty yards from 10 o'clock Friday night to 1:40 o'clock Saturday morning. Submarine and lifeboats did not speak. "Survivors landed St. Mary's In own boats, after suffering greatly from cold, wet and fatigue. One seaman, a S nan lard, paralyzed from exposure. "This information obtained by tele irraphone from Penzance. Crew com ing to Plymouth today." Consul Frost at Queenstown an nounced the arrival of the missing men from the American steamer City of Memphis at Glasgow in the follow inr brief disnatch: ""Captain Borum. City of Memphis, and his eight boats' crew landed safe ly Glasgow, care Consul McCunn." (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) UNITED STATES STEEL WAS ATTENDED BY GREAT PROSPERITY! 1916 Earnings Greatest in His tory of Vast Corporation Despite Extra Expense. LARGE DIVIDEND. STRENGTHENS ENTENTE Says it Will Bind Western Countries More Closely to Russia. AIMS ARE SIMILAR. XEW YORK, March 20 Unprece dented prosperity attending the opera tions of the I'nlted States Steel cor Doration for 1916 are set forth in the annual report issued today. Total earnings of 1342.997. 092 ex ceeded those of 1915 by $202,747,026. net income of $294,026,565 showed an Increase of $196,068,602 and surplus net income for the year aggregated $201,835,685 as compared with $44, 260.374 in the previous year. This last Item is the more remarK hle from the fact that It lnciuaes regular and extra dividends or 4. i7 ia nn the common stock as against only $6,853,781 disbursed in 115. Aiturei during 1916 for maintenance, renewals and extra ordinary replacements totalled $69. 392,627, an increase of 60.01 per cent over 1915. To meet the corporation's enormous output of finished materials, produc tion of Iron ore, coal, coke and other by-products show corresponding in crease. Net expenditures on .property account amounted to $64,680,648. The average number of employes in the service of all the subordinate com panies during 116 was 262.668 as against 191.126 in 1915, with total salaries and wages of $263,85,602, an Increase of $86,684,638. Average salary or wage per day. exclusive of general administrative and selling force was $3.2. an In crease of thirty-six cents. Including the general administrative and selling force the salary or wage Increase was thirty-five cents to $3.36. Export shipments of all kinds of material for 1916 increased U.Is tons, or three per cent, to 2,501,637 tons. The Southern railway's million dol lar Increased terminal facilities here will include 110 acres of the Vander- bilt estate purchased yesterday for $175,000; an additional area from Mrs. Alice Connally whose lands ad join those of the Vanderbilt estate, and the moving of a part of Depot street and the present car tracks there. The Montgomery home, sur rounded by the lands of Mrs. Con nally and Mrs. Vanderbilt, was the first, to be aca.ii.lrsd by the railway company for its ioftreased terminal facilities. Approximately $260,000 will be spent In acquiring all the land. Include' Greenhouses. It is understood the purchase made yesterday includes the site of the greenhouses on the Vanderbilt estate and comes close to the estate's en trance. It ha a tremendous front age on the river, runs for a distance on both sides of the Meadow road, mid penetrates well Into Biltmore. This purchase, and the shortly to be announced purchase of lands owned by Mrs- Alice .Connally, revives the rumor that the Southern railway will erect a new passenger station some where between the present Aahevllle station and Biltmore. It is said the site of this new station, to he a build ing in every way fitting, may be on the present, site of tho Biltinor greenhouses. Conferences between the city com missioners and Vice-President Oeorgo R. Ixya)l of the Southern railway have been held during the past sixty days looking, to a new location for a part of Depot street which wouli mean moving, the street car tracks there and the, building of a new street. The city commissioners havo made numerous trips to the present pas senger station In company with Su perintendent W- c. Hudson, of the Ashevllle division, and E. It. Acker, from the engineer's office of the Knoxvllle division. Detailed plann which show the Improvement at this end of the presenl yards have been approved. It Is understood, by tho general officers of the company at Washington. With the aid and co operation of the city the present freight depot will be enormously en larged and the building will occupy the land now used as a city street. During one of the conferences be tween Vlcs-Presldent I.oyan and 'he city commissioners. Mr. I.oyall said that all the necessary expense of re paving and other expenditures involv ed In movlog Depot street would be borne bv the railway company. To Imprivc Facilities. Tt Is understood that Mr. T-ovnll voiced the Intention of the Southern railway to make certain Improve ments in the Ashevllle terminal facili ties. He did not Indicate the extent of the Improvements to b made, however, and during the many con ferences hfeld between Mr. 1-oyall, who was in Ashevllle yesterday, and other representatives of the railway company and the city commissioners there has been no intimation as to just exactly what these plans Includ ed. The rumor that they actually do Include the building of a new pas senger station here is more than a rumor. .lust whore this new station In to be built is a matter of conjec ture, as Ls.Us-eot- The point has al ways been emphasized, however, that the building of a new passenger sta tion did no necessarily mean the abandonment of the present station, which would still be used for certain passenger traffic. Attention Is drawn to the fact by the purchase of Vanderbilt lands that a passenger station built where the greenhouses of tho Biltmore nurse ries now stand would afford an op portunity of building an entrance to the main part of Ashvillo which for beauty would not be surpassed any where in the United States. Atten tion Is also directed to the fact that ravines and depressions from this proposed site for the new station lend almost In a straight line to streets which again connect by easy grade with the new Coxe street, built nt a cost of $75,000 and now being still further Improved by the city. The purchase of the Vanderbilt lands yes terday, and the coming announce ment of the purchase of the Connally lands adjoining, indicaf- thnt the Southern railway Is prepared to pro ceed with its long contemplated plans for enlarged facilities here. Regard less of what may be t!ie Intention of the railway company as to the erec tion of a new passenger station, which seems to be clearly Indicated bv the very extensive land purchases already made. It can he stated posi tively that lt approved plans for additional freight terminals are now completed. Present Yards Inadequate. It Is not considered likely that the cltv commissioners will offer any ob jection to aiding In bringing about these plans. It has long been com mon knowledge. It Is pointed out thst the present freight yards and the present freight depot lire both sadly Inadequate to the tremendous growth of business here. All of the Murphy branch line (raffle Is handled here, and this Is one of the best-paying feeders on the entire Southern sys tem. There were 27.000 car loads of hard woods products handled by the Southern rnllway here last year. In spite of adverse conditions, anil the greater part of this business came in over the Murphy line. One of the largest Industries In this part of the south is loca4id at Canton, on this line. To make Its purchase of the Van derbilt lands of any value, the South ern railway must have already have purchased or have under option, lands owned by Mrs. Connally adjoin ing the Hans Rees tannery and with a frontage on, the French Broad river. This land l on both sides -of the present right-of-way of the Southern. Adjoining; this land of Mrs. Connally towards "BITfmore Is the Vanderbilt land. There Is a sharp curVe between Ashevllle and the Bilt more stations. This Is known as the Montgomery place and was bought ty the railway comlpanv three wteeks ago- This hill. It is said, will be torn down. From that point on the land acquired yesterday I all owned by the Vanderbilt estate and for a part of the distance runs with the Meadow road. The 1,200 acres. It has been estimated, brings the Southern lands dose lo the entrance to the Biltmore estate and penetrated for possibly 1,300 feet Into Biltmore. Some of this property, especially that along the river, Is admirably adapted for factories, and to those who are watching the industrial de velopment of Ashevllle. this Is signi ficant. This property was originally a part of the old Smith and McDowell tracts, was sold to Colonel V. 8. l.usk, who In turn sold to George Vanderbilt. It has nlways been un derstood that the present owner of the Vanderbilt lands objected to the development of the lands so long occupied by the famous Biltmore nurseries as factory sites or for any other purposes. The ncrual sale of the lands lends color to the oft-told stnrv of the sale of Biltmore village. Should there be a new passenger sta tion erected between Ashevllle and Biltmore, It Is pointed out that but little disturbance of realty values In that part of the cltv where the pres ent station Is located, would follow. A very considerable portion of the passenger traffic coming of the rail way would still be handled there, and I he freight business will enormously increase. STIM, AGROUND. NKWPORT NKW8. Va.. March 20. The steamer Hay View was still aground at Hog Island at a late hour tonight according to reports received here bv her agents. The coast guard cutter Yamacraw was standing by and the Bay View was tn no Im mediate danger. The steamer went aground this morning. She lost her rudder snd slightly opened several seams but Is otherwise undamaged. AMSTERDAM. March 20. (Via London) The Berlin Iokal Anzeiger, a copy of whic has been received here, says that if the Russian revo lution has resulted in a decisive vic tory over Russian absolutism. It means the disappearance of an Im portant element In the Russo-French alliance and makes for the stability of the entente, as the war alms of the democratic western powers could not. In the long run, be the same as the aims of Russian absolutism. "The great Russian revolution," says the Lokal Anzelger, "will make an end to this antagonism. If the revolution succeeds In establishing! miiyming permament. tne most com plete agreement regarding constitu tional principles will exist between the allies and therefore during the peace negotiations they will be able to come forward with a much more harmonious program than would states governed according to various antagonistic political principles. . . "The perils threatening Germany's future would be formidably increased if a state with a democratic consti tution were to arise on her eastern frontier. The strongest guarantees must be found against the colatitlon which, through the removal of the deep antagonism which hitherto has divided it, will become stronger and more cohesive." MONROE JOHNSON SAVED E GOVERNOR MANNING SAYS TWO GERMAN U-BOATS Governor Bickett Commutes the Sentence of Guilford County Man. THE WEATHER. WA8HIXOTOV, March JO. Fore cast for North Carolina: Increasing cloudiness Wednesday, followed by rain in west portion and at night In east portion; Thursday probably rain. pJl shore. RALEIGH. N. C . March 20 Oov ernor Bickett commuted to life Im prisonment the death sentence of Monroe Johnson, of Guilford county, who was to die In the electric chair Friday of this week, for the murder of carl Preddy. at White Oak mills. Six of the Jurors answered the gov ernor they would have found only second degree murder had they known facts now presented. These and oth er conditions constrain him to com mute the sentence. Governor Bickett left tonight for Coker college, south Carolina, to take part in the inauguration of Dr. E. W. Sykes. as president He and Sykes were college and room mates. ' TIME TO FIGHT HAS GOME People Are Clamoring For War, Governor of South Carolina Asserts. WASHINGTON. March 20 Gov ernor Manning of South Carolina, who called at the white house today, said tl'.at although he had been opposed to war with Germany until recently, he l-elleved the time had come for ARE TRAPPED IN NETS Captain of the American Steamer Alaskan Tells of Taking of Submersibles. Notwithstanding bad weather and almost insuperable conditions of ter rain and the obstacles placed ty tha Germans (o protect their retreat, both, the British and French armies In France have made further notable, gains. Fourteen additional 1 villages have) been entered by the British forces from Arras southward to Ham ana they have passed the general line of Canlzy, .Kntroe-En-Chaussee, Nurlu, Velu and St. Leger. The forward march beyond Kutree-En-Chaussea places the British troops within twelve miles of St. Quentln. French (Jo Forward. On their part of the line, however, the French have thrown their cavalry to within four and a half miles of &t. Quentln and also have re-occupied considerable territory between the Homme and the Aisne. Paris reports that the losses of the French troops in their pursuit of the Germans havo been Insignificant. Berlin in its official communication says that in the retreat of the Ger mans, they have rendered the Held se-' lected for the coming engagement with the entente forces useless from a military standpoint, having render ed everything unsreviceable which could have been of advantage for their operations. A high German mll-i Itary official told The Associated Press that the maneuver of the Germans' had ended the plans of the entente i for their spring offensive and that from strong new positions, the Ger-. mans will give battle to the British' and French as they come across the devastated battlefield. , No Other Kngagement. , From none of the other front has there come a report chronicling par tlcularly sanguinary engagements. There has been an increase In the out. post skirmishes in Russia. In Mace donia and north of Monastir th French war office reports the capture, of Teutonic allied positions, nine ma chine guns and 1,200 prisoners. The Berlin war office, however, says that all the French attacks here have been ' without result. On the Austro-Italian front the us ual artillery duels and minor Infantry operations are still In progress. Nothing new has come through concerning the operations against the Turks by the Russians in Asia Minor, and Persia and by the British in Me sopotamia; Berlin reports the sinking In the Mediterranean Monday by a German, submarine of a French battleship of the Danton class. This class of ves (Continued on Page Two.) SEVEN MEN KILLED ON BELGIAN RELIEF SHIP SHELLED BY SUBMARINE Tunisie Proceeds on Voyage But Haelen Puts in For Repairs. MARKINGS IGNORED. NEWPORT. R. I., March 20 The trapping of two German submarine was reported tonight by Captain E. I... Smith of the American steamer Alaskan, which arrived today from lyaPallice. France, for New York, nc- uslng the full strength of the I'nlted I cording to the pilot who brought the States to protect Its rights. He added .'ship Into the hsrbor. The U-boats, SEA W.ED AMB11AVCE PIAXXED BOSTON, March 20. Naval of ficials aald today that plans were un der consideration for a squad ron of sea sled ambulances to carry Injured and sick members of the powerboat patrol fleet from exposed stations off the New England coast to a base hoa- that he favored the Immediate um monlng of congress, the csllln out cf the national guard, the summon ing of volunteers snd an aggre.ve use of the navy. The people were clamoring for war. according to Governor Manning. He had been convinced, he said, by the exposure of the German plot to in volve Mexico and Japan in war against the United States snd he re cent German submarine activities that the time for action had come. Governor Manning also said that he believed the country should have uni versal military training as quickly as possible. The South Carolina na tional guard. Just back from the border, had been greatly improved by tho service there, said he. Smith said, were detected beneath the surface of the observers of the aircraft Captain lurking sea by patrol. The airplane signalled fur trawler and circled about directing the placing of nets. In a Ititle while the nets were drawn completely about the un suspecting submersibles, which were hopelessly enmeshed and brought to the surface. They were lying side by aide In the harbor of LaPallice when the Alaskan sailed. The steamer left Bonston January 28 wtth horses end a general cargo for LaPallice. During a series of violent storms on the voyage over 102 horses were swept from her decks j and lost. The return trip was even wore stormy. TjONDON, March 20 The London office of the Commission for Relief In Belgium, has given The Associated Press the following blatemeut re garding the shelling of the relief hips Tunisie and Haelen, with the killing of several members of their crews, reported In last night's dis putrhes: "The Tunisie and the Haelen were attacked by a submarine without warning outside the danger zone. 56 15 north latitude. 5 22 eas- longi tude, (oft the southwes: coast of Nor way). Tho ships were not sunk. The port boat of the Haelen was smashed by a shell and seven men were killed. The Tunisie Is proceeding on her voyage. The killed include the flrst and third officers. "Apparently the Haelen proceeded under her own steam to Stavanger, (Norway), where temporary repairs were ordered, after which she pro ceeded to her American destination. "The pilot reports that while he was leaving the ships off the Hook of Holland, five German seaplanes ap peared and after circling around and examining the ships, flew northward. "The ships balled from Rotterdam last Friday and passed the Hook of Holland for Sandy Hook, all via the north route, with sailing Instructions to keep out of the danger zone. All had double sets of lighting equip ment and safety markings consist ing of four each of flags, pennants, side cloths, deck banners, signal balls, lamps and tanks; also safe conducts issued bv the German government with photographic reproductions of the sailing directions and guarantee of safety after March 1$. sealed and certified as correct by the German legation at The Hague attached to the passes. "The shelled ships sailed in com pany with three other Belgian ships under commission charter, all carry ing similar safety markings and passes and all sailing tn ballast for American ports to load food supplies for the people of Belgium and North-, rn France." V
Asheville Citizen (Asheville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 21, 1917, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75