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About The morning Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1899-1930 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1907)
UBUtHKt PULL AttOOIATIO . RBPORT UOVR TMf MORNING FIILD ON THt LOWBft OOLUMBIAil VOLUME LXlll NO. 50 ASTORIA OREGON, FRIDAY, MARCH IS. 1907. PRICE FIVE CENTS BIO FLOOD IN EAST Losses Will Run Into Mil lions of Dollars. FOURTEEN MEET DEATH Three States InvolvedMany Flee From Pittsburg City.. HOTEL GUESTS USE SKIFFS Wor,t Condition! In Pittsburg Evor Recorded Hundreds of Buinit Houee Flooded, Waters Roaching Cvtn to 8oond Stories of Building. 1'ITTHULJM, March 14.-8erlous flood condition prevail tonight In wes tern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and eatorn Ohio. At Mven o'clock the water reached the Ma go of 34.6 feet at llvrra Inland and 33 fool at Market Hi root and at headwaters. Tho rlvor, mo now stationary. The crest of the flood la exacted to roach her about night whun 35 foot will bo recorded. Thla Binge la 13 foot abovo danger mark. At four o'clock thin afternoon, tht Ice gorge at 1'ark.ir Pennn., broke and la moving toward ht city. The immense leu gorge In Clarion River baa alo alartad down stream. Condi tion in I'lttiburg ur the worat ever recorded. The whole down town dl trlct la floodud, In mmie place several ftt. Hundred of business houe lire flooded, In some caos the water be ing almost up to tho aooond flood. The JJcluaco, Alvln and HIJou thoutre arc surounded by water and will be un ablu to upon for several day. Guosl at aoveral hotela are compel led to ue tkJITa to go and come from the building. Thousand of people are taking train for the suburb and neighboring cities. Within tho past 38 hour, 14 fatalities have boon recorded, all di rectly duo to the flood. The damage to perishable good and property In Pittsburg ahmo will amount to $1,000,000. At Connellsvllle the duuingQ done to the coko region la es timated at 32,000,000 and over (00,000 persons In that district are out of em ployment. Tho flood directly affect over 2,500,000 person. CLEVELAND, March 14. Many fihlo point aro experiencing disastrous flood. Dispatches to tho Associated press from many place' tell of swollen stream and of death, damage and privation a a result of tho flood. At Zanesvllle, where three poraona were drowned today, tho Musglngum river I rising tonight nt the rata of one and a half Inchoa an hour and 1 near the high water mark of 1898, when the mot disastrous' flood known In thla section occurred,. In Springfield and vicinity more than 3100,000 damage has resulted to pro perty' and two hundred families have been made homoloss by a sudden rise of Mad Rlvor and its tributaries. . . WHEELING, March 14. Wheeling la in the mldHt of the worst flood since 1884. Tonight the mark shows 44 feet an da rising of four inches an hour with the expectation that the top notch will be reached tomorrow noon and will be between 47 to 48 feet. This com pletely isolates the city, every rail road and trolley line having been sus pended. In Wheeling and surrounding towns it Is estimated that fully three thousand houses have been wholly or partially submerged , and nearly 15. 000 people driven from their home or to upper floors. The villages of Ma jlorsvllle and Vlcela in Wheeling Creek valltiy am reported to have been wlpd out by a sudden frsht early today. INTERNAL CONFLICT. VICTORIA, II. C, March 14. Another relationship between British Colum bia and the Dominion has arisen with regunrd to tho dolimltoJ ara In Peace River Valley selected under tht set tlements act of 1184 and consisting of 8,500,000 ttcr of land. Tho Dominion holds that the act vest all rights in tho land which includes practically all the arable land of tho peaco River valley and in addition to tho valuable coat lunds of that section. Tho pro vince contests this claim, holJIng that all mineral rights belong to tho pro vlnc and will refuse to give crown grants for anything mors than tho surface rights, reserving all else. WANT CABINENT CHANGED. BUENOS AY RES, March 14 - Rum ors aro afloat to the effect that For mer Preldent Roca, who Is expected hero shortly, will take sides with tho authorities of the several province against th Federal Government In Insisting upon tht cange in the cabinet. Tho former President' arrival hen Is awaited with great In terests. Ho ha expressed, the de sire that no demonstrations be made In hUv honor. PREPARE FOR STRIKE. ST. PETERSBURG. March -14.-The workmen of Moscow aro preparing for a strike if there appears to be any likelihood of Parliament being dl. solved when the opposition begins its campaign against Tremor Stolypln's outline of tho policy of the govern ment. It Is Mid the Premier's speech will be held within the bounds of a recap! fjulatlon of legislation enacted by the government since Parliament ilond and the law U expects the present to that body to enact. COPPER STOCKS FALL Boston Brokers Flooded With Or ders to Sell. SHARP DECLINE IN PRICES Loading Copper Fall From Five to Twenty Points Trinity Among the Latt to Fssl tho Decline in tho Cop per Msrkst. . BOSTON, March 14. Panicky con dition prevailed In the local market for copper stocks today. Brokers were cent. 'Declines from ten to five- to sharply, cloning at the lowest. Rates on money roso gonerally to ton per cent. rfecllncH fro mten to five to twenty point were made in leading copper sjiares. Trinity was ano of tho fentures of local market. It with stood the storm until about noon nnd then declined nearly seven point, re covering fractionally at tho close. Tho Issues suffering moat were Osceola, off 20; North Butte off 15 8-4; Cop per Range off 9 1-8; Utah oft 12; Quin cy off 4 1-2; Tamarack oft 11; Butte Coalition off 7 3-4. 8IGNS WITH BROOKLYN. NEW YORK. March 14. Willis Jor dan, first baseman of the Brooklyn National Baseball Club, who made a reputation last year by making more runs than any other player In cither of the big leagues, has finally signed to pluy in Brooklyn again the coming season. Jordan has been holding out for a large salary Increase, RECEIVES APPOINTMENT. SAN FRANCISCO, March 14. Pro fessor Edward B. Clapp, head of the Greek Department of the State Uni versity, has been appointed professor if Greek In the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. He will shortly leave for Athens. DISPUTES I Alienist Declares Thaw Was Not Insane. FIRST DOCTOR OF SIX Answers Same to Hypothetical Questions of Delmas and Jerome. LATTER'S QUESTION LONG Alienist Flint of Opioion That Taw is Liable for Murder in First Do- , gree Trial Will Last Out tho Month, of Msrch, NEW YORK, March 14. Answering the same hypothetical question in re sponse to which the alienists had de clared Thaw wa suffering from an unsound mind and did not know the nature or quality of his act when be shot Stanford White, Dr. AuUn Flint, first expert called by District Attorney Jerome In' rebuttal, declared it to be his opinion that Thaw did know the nature and quality of his act and knew that the act was wrong. When the court aJJourned Delmas had not be gun hi cross examination of Flint, who was thft 'flrt of six of the alien ists to bo called by Jerome. After receiving Flint's answer to the Delmn hypothetical question, Jerome had reud to the witness the prosecu tion's hypothetical question, which con tained some fifteen thousand word and' which required one hour and 18 min utes In It reading. This question con contained a history of the case and the events leading up to the night of the tragedy, Including Thaw's courtship of Evelyn Nesblt; her account of her maltreatment by White, the trip of Thaw and Evelyn to Europe before they were married, when they travel ed as man and wife; the testimony of James C. Smith as to Thaw' conduct on the night of the killing before Thaw shot White, and of conversation be tween Thaw and alienists at the Tombs prison. When the question was finished, Jer ome again asked Flint If Thaw knew the nature and quality of his act and If ho knew the act to be wrong, and Dr. Flint agln said without qualifi cation that Thaw knew hla act was wrong and Is therefore liable for mur der In tho first degree under the sta tutes of the state of New York. Del ma indicated that he would cross ex amine each expert searchlngly. Jeronio's sanguine prophecy that the tnlng, of testimony would be concluded tomorrow night has been abandoned and those concerned in the case again look to April 1 us the earliest moment of closing tho trial. NEW YORK, March 14. A crucial point in the trial of Harry K. Thaw has been reached. It revolves about the affidavit which Lawyer Abraham Hummel has In his possession and which Is said to have been dictated by him at the instance of Evelyn Nesblt Thaw. The legal tight to admit this testimony began yesterday when Dis trict Attorney Jerome made the most Impassioned address yet heard at the trial, in which he pleaded eloquently for its admission. The fight twill con tinue when the trial is resumed today and Lawyer Delmas for the defense will argue against Its admission. It was to give the defense time iri which to study precedents and to otherwise prepare for the fight that court ad journed yesterday, after a session last ing less than two hours. The Importance of the contents of NSAN1TY the affidavits wes brought out by Mr. Jerome in hi address yesterday. He tolJ of Evelyn Nesblt. Thaw's story on the stand, which she said she tolJ to Thaw in Paris, and the district at torney said If the Jury believes this story It would carry weight In their minds and seriously affect them in de termining the question of whether Thaw's reason wa unhinged. "If, on the other hand," he said, "I am allowed to show that Evelyn Nes blt did not tell Thaw that White had drugg'-d her and attacked her; if I can show the Jury that there is grave reason to doubt the story, will not that be a fact which the Jury should weigh when they retire for their final delib eration in determining whether this man was of unsound mind, when he killed Whiter' . Mr. Jerome declared that In this affi davit Evelyn Neablt Thaw swore that she had never told Thaw in Paris' the story about her ravishment by Whit. Furthermore, she swore that Thaw had tried to induce her to sign papers in proceedings to get White put in Jail, using the story as a basts, that she told him it was not true and that when he Insisted that she sign some papers and she refused, he stripped her end beat her lashed her with a whip until her skin was lacerated. Thus the Importance of the legal fight over the affidavit and its bearing on the case, If admitted, can readily be appreciated. There is hardly a doubt though, that even if the affidavit is admitted the defense will attempt In Its turn, to discredit Lawyer Hummel anJ this, in view of his past record, may be accomplished. It will get down to the question, then, who the Jury will believe, Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, or Lawyer Hummel. RATIFY BOUNDARY TREATY. BUENOS. AYRES, March 14.-Par-aguay and Bolivia have ratified ,the bout.day treaty which was signed here January 12. Arguments Advanced to Check Legislation Causes Panic. HARRIMAN ADMITS CHARGE Attitude of Federal Government Not Cause of Panioky Conditions on Wall Street President and Cortelyou Flooded With Appeals For Aid. WASHINGTON, March 14.-For more than fortyelght hours the White House and Treasury Department have been flooded with appeals fqr President Roosevelt and Secretary"fcortelyou to take some action to avert the "threat ened disaster" in the nanclal and rail road world. It can be stated however, that the president will not change his attitude toward the railroads, though It Is admitted that the administration has no Intention of entering on any ex tremely radical attack on railway cor porations. While It It known that the apparent failure of J. P, Morgan's ap peal to the President last Monday night to Issue a reassuring statement to the country in regard to the admin Istration's attitude toward railroads has much to do with the panicky con ditions' which swept over Wall Sareet today. . President Roosevelt has repeatedly stated that he Is not an enemy of the railroads and that those which obey the laws have nothing to fear from the government. While It Is not definitely decided the President may Issue a state ment outlining his attitude after the meeting with railroad presidents which will be held early next week. The ad. ministration is firmly convinced that tho great unrest in financial circles have been bought on b ythe arguments advanced by the railroad Interests in various states is trying to prevent "hostile legislation" and not by the at titude of the Federal government has taken to enforce the laws regulating common carters. RAILROADS BAD WALLSTBEET Di n n Decline in Stocks Nearly Causes Panic. LITTLE BUYING DONE Wildest Trading Since Days of the Northern Pacific Flurry. WORST NEAR CLOSING TIME 8lowing Up Would Moan Curtaillmont Stocks For Day Ranging Up To Near ly Twenty One Per Cent on Par- Market Without 8upport NEW YORK, March 14. Under the effect of 25 percent money and a gen eral pessimistic sentiment, developed as the result of the recent heavy de cline, trading on stock exchange to day reached a stage of demoralization bordering on actual panic. The. worst period of the day was shortly before closing, although there was an ex tremely violent falling off in price be tween twelve and one. New low re cords for the year and in some instan ces for several years were established n .speculative lssuea tinder precipitate selling, with a market apparently with out other buying orders than those of bears to cover their short contracts and realise their profits. Closing quo tations showed the following decline for the day In leading shares: Amal gamated Copper 17 8-4, American Smelting 16 1-8, St. Paul 13 1-8, Con solidated Gas 7, Delaware and Hud son 19 1-4, General Electric 9 1-2, Great Northern 5 1-2, Minneapolis St Paul and Sault Ste Marie 7-8, Mis souri Pacific 7 1-4, National Lead & S-4, New York Central 6, Norfolk and Western 7 1-4, Northern Pacific 8, Pennsylvania 6 1-2, Reading 20 3-4, Southern Pacific 5 3-4, Twin City Ra pid Transit '5, Union Pacific 20 3-4, U. S. Steel 3 1-8 and U. S. Steel. In most instances even these figure do not show the extreme declines as Reading closed two points above the lowest quotation and Union Pacific 4 1-2 above the lowest of the day. Business on Exchange started rather quietly, apparently Influenced by bet ter prices in London, but before eleven o'clock a heavy selling movmnt was In progress and prices lost from one to four points. Later prices steadied af ter which there was a falling off in business and the market remained rel atively quiet until between twelve and one, when the bears centered their at tack on Union Pacific, Reading and Amalgamated Copper. The whole list was affectejd by the rapid selling and the falling off in these shares', and the scene became one of the wild confus ion. There seemed to be absolutely no support to the market, the trading be coming demoralised. ' This downward movement seemed to spend its force in a short time only to be succeeded about 1:30 by the wildest trading that has been known since the Northern Pa clflc panic of 1901. All three stocks, Union, Amalgamated and Reading sat fered heavily and traders thought the worst of the day was over but more sen sational scenes were to come Just be fore the close. Brokers who had call ed on their customers and had not re ceived satisfactory responses- threw over their stocks almost without re gard foor the prices ecelved. Af ter the most urgent selling had been ac compllshed, there were sharp rallies in a number of shares, most of the leaders- closing ono to three points above the lowest point reached dur ing the day. NORTHERN VOLCANO. Active Eruption On Island Off Coaol of Alaska. " SEATTLE, March 14. Word ha been received by the Post-Intelllgen-cer, from Valdes, Alaska, that the volcano on the Island of Akutan, off the penlsula of Alaska and not far from Unalaska, was In active erup tion when the steamer Dora passed tha Inland at 2 A. M. February 22. ' All the passengers on tho Dora were) aroused to witness the sight, which la said to have -been a magnificent one. At about the same hour, a sever earthquake occurred at Unalaska, al though it did no serious damage. Tho natives of the Aelutlan Archipelago are becoming frightened believing' part of the islands will sink. , BRYAN IN NEW YORK. f. Stop in Metropolis on Way to Maka 8pooch in Boston. NEW YORK, March 14. W. J. Bry an will pass through thin city today on bis way to Boston, where he Is to speak tonight Mr. Bryan will be met at the train by William Hoge, H. W. Walker and other managers of the Bryan head quarters In this city. They will escort him to the Manhattan hotel, where he will breakfast He will then receive a delegation from the Brooklyn Dem ocratic Club, whose Invitation to at tend its Jefferson dinner on April 13 he has accepted. r NEW YORK, March 14. The Hamburg-South American Company, bought the four steamers of the Rlbert Slo man line, the Guthrune, the Gunther, the Slegmund, and the Flegllnde. The Sioman line plies between New York and Brazilian parts. The Hamburg American also announced that there will soon bo a passenger service be tween Hamburg and Galveston, Tex. LOGGERS SATISFIED Columbia River Men Do Not Fav- . tor Portland Tie-Up. MAY BE STRIKE-BREAKERS Said To Bo in Ugly Mood Because Strike Has Cost Theit Jobs. And May Go to Work in Portland Mills to Take Places of Strikers. PORTLAND, March 14. No signs whatever of yielding are shown by the either striking sawmill operatives or their engineers. An effort is being made by Mayor Lane of this city to bring the contesting parties' together, but he declined to say what, if any, his success had been. From what in formation can be gained, It Is believed the Mayor made little or no progress, for the contestants were more firm. If possible, today in their assertions that they had nothing to arbitrate. What may eventuate in a rift in the cloud, is an assertion made by one of the largest loggers in the Columbia River district TWs man says the men em ployed in the logging camps In that district were not in sympathy with the present strike; that they were satisfied with the wages they were getting and are inclined to be in an ugly frame of mind because the strike has caused a shut down of the logging industry. There are about a thousand hands em ployed In the district and he says he believes that after a week or ten days the laborers will come to Portland and offer their services to sawmills. CANAL WORK PLEASES. PANAMA, March 14. All the mem bers of the Congressional party head ed by Speaker Cannon expressed great surprise yesterday at the work that has been done on the Panama Canal. The party visited both La Boca, on the Pacific side and the famous Cule bra cut. , 'r-