1
.11
l3 a Yar, fca Advance.
FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
stags cm s
VOL. XXV.
PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1915.
NO. 30.
UN RUSSIAN A1Y
IS BUSILY ENGAGED
MME. JOFFRE
MEXICO AGAIN HAS
A NEW PRESIDENT
PRINCE VON BUL0W
NLAHD WATERWAY
ALLOWED $60010
STATE DEPARTMENT
WARNS CARRANZA
at 1
7.
CZARS TROOPS APPEAR TO BE
MENACING THE ARMY IN
EAST PRUSSIA.
BAYONET FIGHTING IN WEST
Germans and Allies at Standstill,
However Both Claim Minor Suc
cesses Near La Boisselle.
London. Characteristic fighting is
going on in northern France, where
the village of La Boisselle, 20 miles
lortheast of Amiens, was taken from
the French by the Germans and later
re-captured by the French.
At this point there has been much
"work with the bayonet. A French
ammunition depot blew up and part
of the village was destroyed by fire,
The Germans, taking advantage of
this incident, attacked the French
with the steel and drove them to posi
tions beyond. In a fierce counter-attack
some hours later the French re
captured the position.
A French eye-witness with official
authority gives some idea of the na
ture of fighting that has been going
on in the West. He describes the
fighting near Soissons 10 days ago
as resulting favorably, for the Allies
but later the waters of the Aisne,
swollen by the heavy storms, came
over the banks, washed away bridges
and prevented the Allies from send
ing reinforcements to points where
the French troops were being hard
pressed by the Germans. This result
ed in a retirement of something like
mile and the establishment of a
strong front in a good strategic posi
tion on the right bank of the river.
The long-awaited decisive action in
Hussian Poland has not developed,
probably because of the unfavorable
weather conditions which have pre
vailed for some weeks, but the Rus
sian statements tell of small engage
ments at certain points along the
trenches which indicate preparedness
on both sides to take advantage of any
opening that offers.
In Galicia the' Austrians have suc
ceeded east of Zakliczyn in forcing
"the Russians to evacuate their trench
es for several miles.
No further word has been received
regarding Russian operations in Klr
libaba Pass, througii which they ex
pected to carry their aggressive
campaign into Hungary.
SULLIVAN ASKED FOR GRAFT.
W. Lee Sisson Makes Bold Statement
Against Dominican Minister.
New York. James M. Sullivan, min
ister' to the Dominican republic,
whose conduct is under investigation
here before Senator-elect Phelan of
California, was represented by wit
nesses as having insisted in sharing
profits of a construction company or
ganized to obtain work contracts from
the Dominican government.
W. Lee Sisson, a construction engi
neer, who said the late Samuel L.
Jarvis, controlling the Banco Nacional
of Santo Domingo, had asked him to
Become president of the construction
comnany, testified that F. J. R.
Mitchell, resident of the bank, had
said to him:
"We'll have to take the minister in
with us and I think it advisable to do
so, as he can be of considerabel ser
vice in the way of throwing contracts
to us."
The witness said he had objected
and that Mitchell had replied:
"Well, the minister insists on it,"
and he (Mitchell) suggested that "we
might give him a five or ten per cent
interest in the company."
Wilson Is Proud Grandfather.
Washington. President Wilson's
talks with callers centered mainly
fnr tri1about the new white House arrival,
rtohitd. thf son of Mr. and
'BjMrs. Francis B. Sayre. Thousands of
congratulatory messages and many
presents arrived.
The grave look Mr. Wilson has worn
since his wife's death was supplanted
by a broad smile.
Maj. Elbert M. Bacon of Houston,
Tex., who was baptized by the late
Mrs. Wilson's grandfather, was one
of the first to congratulate the presi
dent.' A large heap of rattles was sent
the baby by members of the Wilson
and S?yre families and close friends.
Several baby baskets had also been
sent to the White House, but the
one used was prepared by Mrs. Sayre
herself.
A toy Princeton tiger for the Sayre
' baby was given to President Wilson
bv a committee from the Princeton
, Alumni Association.
, t 1D J-i-'v ? r
rV
J
Mme Joffre, wife of the generalissimo
of the French forces in the field.
GERMANS MEET SUCCESS
FRENCH OFICIAL STATEMENT AD
MITS REVERSES ALONG THE
AISNE.
Were Not Forced But Retired to Con
centrate Troops Furious Fight
ing In Poland. s
London A reverse of the Allies a
long the Aisne in the neighborhood
of Soissons is admitted in the latest
French official statement although the
possible effect of the German advance
is officially minimized. After contin
uous engagements, which lasted nearly
two days, the Germans forced the
French to yield in front of Vregny,
east of Crouy. The French war office
explains that the flooding of the River
Aisne destroyed several of the bridges
and thus rendered precarious the
communications of the troops opera
ting on the right bank. These troops
were withdrawn, as it was thought
impossible to send reinforcements to
their support.
"The success is a partial one for
our adversaries," says the French
statement, "but will have no influence
on the operations as a whole."
Emperor William himself was
present at these operations which re
sulted in capture of several thousand
French prisoners and were continued
throughout January 12 and 13.
Petrograd claims progress on the
right bank of lower Vistula, where
the German cavalry was repulsed.
On the other, front fighting is made
up largely of skirmishes and artillery
duels.
The general staff of the Russian
Caucasus army devotes a statement
to operations in Azerbaijan, where it
is explained, it became expedient to
regroup the Russian forces, necessi
tating evacuation of certain places
previous occupied. No important ac
tion took place .
British aviators early in the week
dropped bombs on the German posi
tion in Antwerp, according to a
Netherlands newspaper dispatch. The
damage has not been ascertained.
Eighteen Russian generals have
been discharged from important posi
tions, according to The Hamburg
Fremdemblatt.
DON'T WANT COTTON MONEY.
No Applications Received After Feb
ruary 1st Only Few Made.
Washington. The Federal Reserve
Board acting as the central commit
tee of the $135,000,000 cotton loan
fund, decided not to comply with
requests recently received to extend
the time limit for loan applications
beyond February 1. Applications
mailed on that day will be the last
considered.
It developed that bona fide applica
tions to the New York committee in
charge of actual administraion of he
fund amount only to about $10,000.
This fact Is taken here to indicate
that probably not more than a few
millions of the sum subscribed ever
will be applied for. In view of this,
members of the board felt that it was
not just to keep all the money of the
subscribing banks tied up for a pe
riod beyond February 1.
In conection with its action on the
loan fund the board announced that
W. P. G. Harding its Southern mem
ber, shortly would visit each of the
Southern Federal reserve banks to
discuss with them questions of dis
count dates, eligible paper and other
matters. He also will investigate and
report on the cotton market and the
probable acreage of he next crop.
GUTIERREZ HAS FLED THE CITY
AND CONVENTION NAMED
ROGUE GARZA INSTEAD.
CITY UNDER MARTIAL LAW
Capitol City Placed Under Martial Law
and is Patrolled By Mounted
Policemen.
Mexico City.- Gen. Roque Gonzales
Garza was named Provisolnnal Presi
dent of Mexico by the convention In
session here over which he has presid
ed. The former Provisional President,
Gen. Eulalio Gutierrez, together with
Generals Blanco, Robles and Jose Vas
concelos, left Mexico City early in the
morning for Pachuco.
Martial law has been declared by
General Garza and tha city is being
patrolled by mounted police.
In electing Garza the convention
declared itself to be supreme and un
til a new President is elected has as
sumed the legislative, executive and
judicial powers.
Washington. Confirmation of the
designation of General Garza as Pro
visional President by the Mexico City
convention was received at the State
Department in a dispatch from Consul
Silliman. It -.added that the conve
tion had Issued formal orders for the
withdrawal of forces at Naco, Sonora.
El Paso, Texas. The sudden change
of the Chief Executive at Mexico City
was made at an extraordinary session
of the convention. The reason for
Garza replacing Gutierrez, who was
reported re-appointed a few days ago
by the Villa-Zapata convention was
not disclosed here.
General Villa with all the troops he
hastily could essemble, is bufrying to
the Capital from Aguas Calientes.
Washington. Col. Roque Gonzale3
Garza, elected Provisional President
of General Villa's principal officers.
CARRANZA REMOVES EMBARGO.
Danger of Serious Complications Has
Been Removed.
Washington. The British Embassy
received word through the British le
gation in Mexico City that General
Carranza had lifted the Tampico em
bargo on exportation of oil, which had
threatened the fuel supply of the
British fleet. No details of the extent
of Carranza's modification of his pre
vious decrees was received but dan
ger of serious complications was be
lieved to have been removed. Nego
tations still are being conducted to
enable American and British owned
companies upon whom prohibitive
taxes had been levied to re-open thair
plants. ,
Italy's Dead May be 50,000
Rome. Detailed reports of Itlay's
latest earthquake disaster increase the
appalling list of dead and the enor
mous property loss.
The Messaggero after a careful com
putation announces that the number
of dead and injured in the AbruzzI
alone is 30,000 without including the
Sora district. San Atolio has 200 dead
and 500 injured. Morino, 1,500 dead.
Canistro 600 injured, Curvaro 300 vis
tims, Borgo 50 dead and Valleroveto
1,800. At Civitalla Roveto almost the
entire population escaped because
they were working in the fields when
the shock occurred.
Charlotte Has Another Big Fire.
Charlotte. Fire which originated at
the rear of the store of S. H. Kress &
Co., at 11:30 p. m., ravaged the entire
interior of the building, wrecking the
structure and resulting in a complete
loss of the stoqk of goods.
The stock of Kress & Co., who oper
ated it as a 5 and 10-cent store, was
worth in the neighborhood of $20,000.
The building is the property of Mr.
D. Parks Hutchison and was worth
about $35,000. It consists of three
stories and a basement in front and
two stories and a basement in the
rear.
Ship Purchase Bill Worries.
Washington. Division in Democrat
ic rank 3 over the form of the govern
ment ship purchase bill developed at
a party caucus held to clarify the leg
islative tangle which threatens the
administration program for the short
session. Although a resolution was
adopted to make the shipping bill the
unfinished business of the Senate after
passage of the District of Columbia
appropriation bill, it was accomplish
ed only on decision to hold another
caucus to pass on amendments to the
ship purchase bill.
Prince von Bulow, the new represent
ative of the German Kaiser at the
Italian court, has arrived in Rome.
He was formerly chancellor of the
German empire and is considered a
great political force.
EARTHQUAKE KILLS30.000
ROME SHAKEN HARDER THAN
EVER BEFORE. TOWN AVEZ
ZANO DESTROYED.
Building Where American Ambassa
dor Lives is Cracked, Several
Villages Destroyed.
Rome. Fear of additional shocks is
entertained throughout the earthquake
devastated district, according to re
ports brought to Rome by refugees
Basis for this anxiety is found in a
dispatch from Sora, which says an
other strong earthquake occurred
there demolishing the walls of partly
ruined buildings. .
Only scant reports of death and
damage in remote places have been
received and information from the
larger places still is incomplete but
there is no reason to doubt that when
the death roll is made up it will con
tain fully 30,000 names. Probably
twice that number were injured.
The Worst Sufferers.
The places which aparently suf
fered most were: Avezzano, with
about 10,000 killed; Pessina, 5,000;
Celano, 4,000; Cenchio, 2,400; Marsi,
1,000; Daterno, 1,000; an Pelino,
650, and Fralturo, 200.
It is reported that Maza d'Albe lost
one-eighth of its population while
Pesoasseroli was completely burned.
Rome. A terrific earthquake, the
strongest ever felt in Rome, lasted
several seconds and caused a serious
panic, people everywhere rushed from
their houses in terror. Many build
ings were damaged by the shock.
Th town of Avezzano was virtually
destroyed by the earthquake. The
dead are estimated at 12,000. One
thousand persons escaped from the
ruins but most of them were injured.
The dome of the Church of St.
Charles Catinari wa3 cracked. A
large piece of the cornice of the Je
suit Church of St. Ignatius fell with
a crash, adding to the fright of per
sons in the neighborhood.
Ceiling in many of the houses fell,
a number of persons being injured in
that manner.
TWO DREADNAUGHTS PROVIDED.
Also Number of Smaller Vessels in
Committee Report.
Washington. Provision for con
struction of two great dreadnoughts,
six torpedo-boat destroyers, 16 coast
defense submarine, a hospital ship, a
transport and a fuel ship at an ag
gregate cost of $33,168,828 is made
in the naval appropriation bill agreed
on by the House Naval Committee.
All told the bill carries $145,500,000 of
which $22,903,98S Is for new con
struction. Chairman Padgett protested that
the committee was "runing wild" with
appropriations.
The program proposes the building
of:
Two battleships at not more than
$7,S00,000 each, eclusive of armor
and armament.
Six torpedo-boat destroyers a, not
more than $825,000 each, exclusive of
armament.
One seagoing submarine at not
more than $1,400,000 exclusive cf
armament.
Sixteen submarines at not more
than $550,000 each.
One hospital ship at not more than
$2,250,000.
One transport at not more than $2,-129.700.
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES MAY
FOLLOW CONFISCATION OF
FOREIGN-OWNED WELLS.
MAKES AN URGENT PR0TES1
Sent By British Ambassador to the
British Consul at Vera Cruz for
General Carranza.
Washington The United States
Government has warned Gen. Venusti-
ano Carranza that "serious conse
quences may follow" his threatened
confiscation of foreign-owned oil plants
in Tampico. This announcement was
made by Secretary Bryan to day af
ter a conference with Sir Cecil Spring-
Rice, the British Ambassador and rep
resentatives of the American oil con
cerns. Already the Carranza officials have
enforced a virtual embargo on the
exportation of oil by a big English
company.
The British Ambassador at Mr.
Bryan's suggestion, sent to the British
Consul at Vera Cruz an urgent pro
test for General Carranza. As the
British fleet obtains much of its fuel
from the Tampico oil fields, the pos
sibility of serious complications over
Carranza's attitude is fully realized
by the American governnjent.
' Mr. Bryan said that the foreign
owned oil companies "feared confisca
tion of their wells" by Carranza and
that today's action had been taken to
forestall such action. A decree is
sued by the Carranza government
makes it impossible for some foreign
oil companies to operate without the
consent of the Carranza authorities
and it is said some American con
cerns have been forced to pay so
heavy a tax that they have been com
pelled to shut down.
The prospect of a battle on the
outskirts of Tampico Is expected here
to develop the situation further. If
Villa forces are victorious, a solution
of the problem is confidently expected
because of previous assurances by the
Villa Gutierrez officials.
EVERY BUILDING DESTROYED.
Only 2 or 3 Per Cent, of Avezzano's
Poupulation Escaped.
Rom William Marcoai who re
turned here from Avezzano on board
the train with King Victor Emmanuel,
said words could not describe the hor
rors he had witnessed. The town had
been wholly leveled, he said, and res
idents who escaped death were desti
tute. "King Victor Emmanuel told me,"
said Mr. Marconi, "that he had visited
the scenes of all earthquake disasters
in Italy since he was a child, but that
this supassed all, Including Messina.
The king said survivors of Avezzano
were only between two and three per
cent of its population, while in Mes
sino one-third escaped.
Describing the damage in Avezzano
Mr. Marconi said:
"Avezzano has ceased to exist. In
Messina some buildings give one the
impression that they are still intact,
their facades having survived the
shock.
"Not so with Avezzano. No wall
there remains erect. It seemed as
though the town had been ground tc
powder by some gigantic machine."
Nation Unready For Fight.
Washington. In urging upon the
senate the need for a commission to
report on national preparedness or
a permanent council of naval de
fense, Senator Lodge declared that the
national defense of the country "is not
only imperfect and unbalanced but
that it has grave and in some in
stances fatal deficiencies. "He desig
nated what he termed many of the
defect and said theiy were "almost
wholly due to congress."
An adequate national defense the
senator said, could be obtained
without additional expenditure. "Cut
off our needless army posts, navy
yards and stations," he advised the
senate.
"Lay aside for a few years ap
propriations for the public buildings
and river and harbor improvements
where they are not needed. Drop all
the expenditures which are designed
for spots where votes are lying thick
est and you will have money enough
to provide for a sufficient army and
an adequate navy without adding to
the burden of taxation."
He warned that the ocean barrier
that defended the country in 1776 and
1812 had been destroyed by steam and
electricity. Unarmed, unready, un
defended, the nation stands an invita
tion to aggression and attack, he said.
SEVERAL ITEMS IN RIVER AND
HARBOR BILL ARE APPROVED.
NORTH CAROLINA FAVORED
Many Important Appropriations Are
Approved Tor Improvements In
This State.
Washington A $600,000 appropria
tion for the inland waterway from
Norfolk to Beaufort Inlet, N. C, $1,
500,000 for continuing improvements
on the Hudson River, to connect with
the new State barge canal, were,
among the important projects In the
river and harbor bill approved by the
House. .
Numerous other items were agreed
to and many projects were turned
down.
Advocates of the measure pointed
out that it provides only for necessa
ry work to carry on existing pro
jects. In the light over the Norfolk-to-Beaufort
inland waterway Represent
ative Small of North Carolina said it
was the most important link in th
chain of waterways along the Atlantic
seaboard primarily because it lies in
side of Cape Hatteras and Lookout,
the two most dangerous points on
the Atlantic seaboard. He said that
when completed the waterway will
attract a large through commerce be
tween the ports south of Hatteras,
and those to the north, He said that
because of Cape Hatteras, the coast
wise commerce between the North
and the South now is negligible.
Mr. Small explained that the pro
ject provides for a water way 12 feet
in depth at mean low water, at an es
timated ultimate cost of $5,400,000.
Other appropriations approved in
clude: James River, Virginia, $100,000;
Pamlico River, N. C, $33,800; New
River and Waterways to Beaufort,
N. C, $37,300; Cape Fear River above
Wilmington, N. C, $173,000; Cape
Fear River below Wilmington, $$205,
000; Winyah Bay, South Carolina,
$50,000; Waccamaw River, N. C., and
S. C, $55,000.
J. W. Murry Killed on Yacht.
Newbern J. W. Murry, president
of the Piedmont Trust Company of
Burlington, Mrs. W. E. Porch, wife
of the manager of Ye Old Colony Inn
at Beaufort, and G. P. Dodson of
Norfolk, Va.t are known to have been,
killed or drowned when the gasoline
tanks of the yacht Julia exploded re
cently near Longshore River at a
point about 20 miles from Englehard.
Hyde County, and the vessel sank
before any aslstance could reach her
or its occupants. Mrs. J. W. Murry,
who was on board the vessel with
her husband, succeeded in swimming
to shore, two milas distant. The fate
of the crew is problematical, as it is
almost impossible to secure definite
information in regard to the catas
trophe. The catastrophe is one of the most
appalling to occur in the waters of
eastern North Carolina in years. Mr.
Murry, who is one of the owners of
Ye Old Colony Inn at Beaufort, had
gone to Norfolk early in the week, ac
companied by his wife and Mrs Porch,
wife of the manager of the inn, to
purchase the yacht Julia from R. H.
Dodson of that city.
The purchase was made and they .
accompanied by Mr. Dodson and it
is supposed one or more members
of the crew, started back to Beaufort
on board the vessel. The start' was
made, and so far as is known, the trip
was uneventful until the explosion of
the gasoline tanks occured.
Another Ice Plant For Hickory.
Hickory. J. A. Mauney and R. A.
Roseman, Jr., of Lincolnton have pur
chased the Prof. R. L. Fritz property
near Lenoir College, adjoining Pro
fessor Fritiz's residence, and will bd
gin work immediately on the erection
of the plant for the manufacture of
ice. The plant will be of 12-ton cap
acity within ninety days. This will
make the second ice plant for Hickory.
Physicians Are Prohibitionists.
Kinston. When asked about the at
titude of the physicians of the state
toward a bill prohibiting the sale of
liquor in North Carolina for medical
purposes Dr. J. M. Parrott, former
president o fthe State Medical So
ciety, who addressed, the Antl-Saloon-ists'
meeting in Raleigh, said he be
lieves the great majority of the prac
titioners would favor the complete
prohibition. They have already gen
erally stopped prescribing whiskey on
account of the Influence of the Medical
Society's action last year.