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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 1917)
Unl evsity at Oregon WEATHER iraximum yesterday, 91; minimum today, !) 4. FORECAST Tonight ami tomorrow, fair. ' Library L I MBUN DFORD MAI E f Forty-BPventh Year. 1 giiTTw,.f.h T.T. . , MEDFORD. OivlOOOy, SATURDAY, AIK i UST IS, 1017 : NO- 137 MANY SLAIN FIGHTiHG ALOHS ENEMY WARSHIP i "g- ,, WILSON PLANS ALLIES WIN iimd mm FLANDERS FRONT REPEATEDLY III W W TOREDUCE COAL m m Trip pi IrisEWE "I Mm wPc X Sk w.Ul DlU iLnll I German Barrage Inadequate to Stop British Sroutinfl in German Bay Open IVW T 'J x ' President Goes Over Figures on Cost 111 ILiBIvLJiIIiO J . , ., Advancing French and British Fire on Destroyer and Mine- II ft tj T 111 of Production and Plans Cut Not , . Series of Terrific Explosions Wreck Great Munition Factory at Rigaud, Quebec Death List Estimated as High as 250 Loss Runs lnto-Mil-lions Buildings Mile Away De stroyedCopper Colored Smoke Covers Country. RIOAUD, Quebec, An?. 18 The peat plant here ,of Curtis & Harvey, Ltd., explosive manufacturers, was wrecked today by a scries of terrific explosions and buried beneath the rums of a dozen or so structures 'comprised the factory are an un known number of dead. Several thousand male and female workers employed at the plant were in., tho danger zone for hours. An (t,'jy estimate, based on first reports, placed the number of killed at about 250, but indications were this after noon that there were comparatively few casualties. A relief train arrived from Mont real at noon, bringing-doctors and nurses, but owing to the fierce heat from the burning ruins of the plant, they were unable to approach. No death list can be obtained until the ruins cool. ,, Jxss Ilcnchcs Millions. The loss in the value of buildings nnd stock will reach well up into the millions of dollars. Tho first explosion was caused by the over-heating of the machinery in the nitric acid building. The flames leaped along thru the building and another explosion occurred. Most of the workers, however, are believed to have had ample time to escape. Other explosions occurred every five minutes or so, shaking the sur rounding country like a scries of earthquakes. Altogether fifteen de viations were counted. One of the explosions blew down a number of houses in Dragon, where laosf of the workers lived, and farm houses in the vicinity also cn.aglil fire. Provision was made by the people of Itignud for earing for the homeless workers. IiOss Estimated n( i!-0. , -MONTREAL, Aug. IS. A terrific explosion at the powder plant of Curtis & Harvey, l.ld., at Uiguud, Quebec, today is believed to ' have caused heavy loss of life, five thou sand men and women are employed rial the n nut. w hie i covers nn urea o va.; r roin points near liiguuil if. was learned that three explosions took place. The first, at 11 o'clock, was heard in Vaudrcul, miles away. It 's followed by two others in ipiick succession. The explosion disrupted telephone and telegraph continiinicatiiin with Hi'Aiud. Traffic on the Canadian 1'ai'ifie railway's Ottawa-Montreal line, which passes close to the plant, has been suspended. Trainmen who got away from the scene of the explosion reported that forty houses at Dragon, a little vil lage near the powder plant, occupied hy workmen, were raed by the ton e f the explosion. lac whole countryside was eover- M at 10 o'clock with a dense copper (Continued on pane fix ) WAY 10 SIBERIA t'l'TDiiill, t l t .... 1 - T "i iii'un.iif, .nr.'. ii. 1 - " Urines from Viatka, on the noillurn '"ale to Silieria, report the pa--i -gi ? two swcinl trains with lowered Minds which no one win allowed l approach. The trains, which are go lnR eastward, arc assumed to 'in -tain the former emperor, Nichol.i-. ad his family. Quick Work in Crossing Steenbeke Sweepers, Which Escape, Crippled, f ' mm$tt Only at Mines, But of Jobbers and Londoners Forced Back From Over Mine Field None of British fe J' 4 Retailers Government Likely to Advanced Positions. Vessels Damaged. . SU,1lIy Distrilllltion l'.UmSH KltONT IN FRANCE AND JSKIXilUM, Aug. 18. The fighting Thursday at Polygon was unusually desperate. Wave after wave of the enemy came surging up against the London troops, who held on determinedly with rifle and bay onet until two simultaneous counter allacks from different directions forced them to retreat. Ciiadually they withdrew, fighting all the way. Some few of them, in deed, were surrounded, nnd fought until forced to surrender. Ono young officer, in command of ten men, found himself encircled hy the enemy and his men being swept by machine gun fire. The last heard of him was contained in a message he signalled hack to his division, saying his men were fucing death and that he .saw no way but to surrender and save their lives. Along most of the. French front it was eomparatively quiet, altho a hard local battle was continuing about a strong German redoubt known as Les Lilas, which lies about n thousand yards southwest of the St. Jansheek rivow I'oeUet (lel'man Positions. In their advance, the French surg ed forward on either side of the pos ition, making a sort of a pocket about it, and it, was said the small (icrman garrison would be compelled to surrender shortly. The Germans delivered a counter-attack on the French extreme right Hank, but this was repulsed by artillery fire. The contact between the French and British armies was excellent. The prisoners accounted for to date total more than .'170, and this figure represents considerably more than the entire French casualties along their whole front in Thursday's of fensive. The remarkably small num ber of casualties was due to the fine work of the French artillery. Pre liminary bombardment of German positions was very effective and the advance was made under a perfect barrage. ItuiTugo Inadequate. As was the case on the Hritish front about l.angcmarck, the German barrage was totally inadequate and the counter battery work, upon which so much depends, gave no trouble. The French counter battery firing re sulted in silencing a large number of enemy guns, nnd as a result the French have been little troubled by gan fire in carrying out consolida- tioas. 'flic work rif the French engineers (Continued on Pag Six.) Ti lidf Mc llioiiMiml prlncr were Inken l)- (Jcncnil hornlloff from llio Ansliiniis cm tho (iulli Inn front lim ing tin- .oii rliiiii parly's vlll. Hero arc purl of llieni Ih-Iiik taken I Hie war under Kiinrcl. To Ititilil: lliitslan women are clciln tlielr klinra of the Irnivy wink licwk of Uio new ilcinoirai j-'s IrriK-lii-s. Here Is shown itroup of lliein r-mli-lng a mil road track . cvllte Uiinscrtiitk.n of IlioarniJ-. , , , , ., - LONDON, Aug. 18. Tlio admir alty announces that a hostile de stroyer and two mine sweepers were damaged severely by Hritish naval forces on Thursday. The British warships were not damaged. The announcement follows: "Some of our light naval forces scouting a German bight on August Hi sighted an enemy destroyer, at 9:4.1 a. m. Fire was opened and the enemy destroyer was chased. She was seen to bo repeatedly hit and to be on fire, but she escaped thru the mist over the mine field. Mine Sweepers lilt; "Enemy mine sweepers were sight ed shortly after the sighting of the destroyer nnd a heavy fire was op ened on them. At least two of the mine sweepers were seen to be very severely damaged, but similarly with the destroyer, our ships were unable to follow them, owing to the proxim ity of the. mine fields, t "During tho engagement our ves sels were attacked by a submarine. After the action a second submarine attacked, in both eases without re sult. Our vessels suffered no damage." (crnijiii Account. MKRLIN, Aug. .18. An official statement issued at the German ad miralty today regarding the naval clash between Hritish and -German light forces on August Hi, says: "On Thursday a Geimnn guard patrol m tho North sea encountered enemy cruisers and destroyers on the fringe of the Knglish barred zone and attacked them. Tho enemy, who hnd a large superiority, turned away under the well-placed German fire and withdrew from the engagement with all possible haste. Wo suffered no losses." AMSTERDAM, Aug. 18-The mil ituiy commander at Stettin, Gcit many, has forbidden, "in the interest of public, safety," meetings in Stettin hnd in the district of Rantzow. The socialist organ, Vorwaerts, says the executive committee of the socialist party sent to Chancellor Michaelis a protest against Rucb prohibitions, which are reported in nil parts of Germany, and a request for the abol ition thereof. RETURNING AMERICAN C0MMIS R ill J iir FLv "i.tr . , - ' I General Scott and Colonel Navie seen ill, the trenches on the Galiciau- SENATE BILL TO STOP INSULTS BY WASHINGTON, Aug. 18. Con tinued disorders this week in front of tho white bouse, as a result of the picketing by militant suffragists, to day caused the Washington police to put into effect an order prohibiting further demonstrations. Assailing the militunt pickets' in tinsparing terms, Senator Myers of Montana today introduced a bill to prohibit white bouse picketing. "Proceedings have been outrage ous, scandalous and almost treason able," he said. "I think eople are disgusted with the woineit. The president, nut. of the generosity of bis heart, pardoned the women re cently sentenced to the workhouse for sixty days. I think be erred; they ought to have been compelled to serve out their sentences. It is lime congress acted to stop these insults to the president." J. J. Voope! of Van Wert, Ohio, Is a week end tourist visiting In the city. SlOff BRINGS PICTURES FROM ' lskoy of the Russian army are hero front. " . :i : !(' J Hl PARIS, Aug. 18. Major General Pershing told the Associated l're-is today that the war can be won only by hard nnd forceful blows delivered by a well trained American army, working in conjunction with the nl lied armies. Deploring the liikcwarmiiess of the American people in regard to the war, General Pershing added : "Kvery man, woman and child should support, the administration in its dctcrniinulion to arm ami equip the American army and to keep up its morale and that of the allied ar mies. This war will not, be won by talk or by siilncril.ing to the Red Cross. The Ameri-an penile must come to a full rcalizahon of wnat the war means. "It, can be won -m'v by sinking hard and fun-el". d l.lows, not other wise." The general was very emphatic in the interview, which lasted hat a f-iw minutes. THE RUSSIAN WAR FRONT ,CW. . M 5c? '! -n. . - A ' - ' VKTnmmn l WASHINGTON, Aug. Hi. Presi dent Wilson went to the food admin istration today for a personal con fereneo with Herbert. Hoover, and later went to tho federal trade com mission. H was believed tho 'presi dent discussed the coal situation and the. extent to which he would assume tho powers to control distribution vested in him by the food hill. Under the law the president may fix the price of coal operato the mines or connnanileer stocks unit sell to the public. Some decision of which course be will pursue is ex pected us the result, of today's, con ferences, which were based on the federal trade commission's new com pleted report on the coal situation. Takn Ovor Supply. At the federul trade commission I he president went, over the figures gathered on costs of producing eoul. The trend of tho commission's report on the subject was to urge the presi dent to tnfco over tho supply 'ami its distribution. , The president will take some ac tion in Ihe'coal silualion early next week. He carried back to the white house from the trade commission a mass of statistics on coal production costs and will go over them tomor row. His decision probably will he announced Monday. To Cut Present Pi-tecs The president's intention, it was learned aulhorilalivcly, is to reduce the present prices not only at the mines, but of jobbers and retailers. The trade commission's report, indi entes that operators can sell their bituminous at a price far below the maximum of $', fixed at a recent conference between mine managers and government, officials, and still make a handsome profit. Evidence was given the president that operators have failed to abide by the If-ll a loll agreement and that t'.i iv have been selling their product fin ally uinounl they could get. Short ages in some parts of the country have made it. possible, it, is said, for I hem to obtain extortionate pi-ices. The trade eommissio ngave to the president siceifie recnmmenduli ins as to its ideas for handling the situ ation. It was Huggesti d, it is under stood, that the president inuacil.atcly put into operation provisions -if (he food control bill which give the gov. eminent nulhorilv to take over and resell to the public all coal mined. Mrs. John K. McDonald Is spendluK tho week end visiting friends at Grants Pans. Germans Admit Loss of Langemarck Efforts to Retake Lens Posi tions Fall French Make Further Progress Along Steenbeke River and Recapture All Positions Re cently Lost on Verdun Front. HKRIIN, Aug. 18, via London. The war office announcement of to day says tho Germans occupy posi- tiims in front of laingeniurck. They" lost Langeinarck after a strong local attack by tho enemy in the afternoon, the statement says. ; ; ' The Helgian town of Ijangcmnrek was eaptured hy the Hritish in their recent, attack and yesterday the Ger mans unuounccd that they had re-: taken it. The Hritish official press bureau denied this claim. Germans Itepiitsccl, -HRITISH FRONT , IN FRANCK AND HF.LGICM, Aug. 18. Gerimm troops delivered another . sharp but: futile counler-attaek against a sec-: Hon of tho new Canadian positions northwest and west of Lons early this morning. The Germans succeed- , ed in penetrating tho Hritish trenches. hut were driven out immediately as the result of strenuous hand-to-hand fighting which cost the attackers a. considerable number of dead and a few prisoners. , . PARIS, Aug. IS.-The French last' night, made further progress in Hel giuni north of the road between Hix- scboole ami l.angcmarck, it is , an- noiinccd officially. They captured a strong point of support east of. thn Sleenheko river. German at tacks on the Aisno front were re- tinlsnfl t On the Verdun front the French, in a brilliant attack, recaptured posi tions recently taken by tho Germans, completely re-establishing their lines. The ii it n i ii 1 1 n-.'i ii i-ii (. follows: Official Slalemenf. "Ill Helglum our troops continued to make progress north of the road from Itixschoote to l.nngcmarck and carried a strong enemy point of sup port, east, of Steenbeke. "North of the Aisno we repulsed several attacks, especinllv east of the Froiihuont. farm, in the Cham pagne our artillery fire prevented an attack which the enemy was prepar ing in the sector of Massiges. "On the right bank of thn Mcnso V..-. I.... I ll ..... i .....i.. .. iiiiiiiui I loin ) mil iiiiiiin iiiion- it brilliant counter-attack at Cuurires wood and recaptured elements of trenches taken by the enemy on Aug ust It! nnd 17. Our line was re-established completely. Heavy nrlil lery fighting continues in this sector. "In Alsace a German attack near Slcinbach was repulsed by our fire. Elsewhere the night passed in quiet." Hussion Offensive PI-.TRnCHAD, Aug. 1H. The. Rus sians have taken the offensive) on tho Caucasian IVoiit ami have occupied a scries of villages, the war nlfiec an-noiiui-cil. SAN HlKliO, Oil., Aug. IS. Moro than 2 feet of l ho -in-tncli water main connecting tho San IHcko water impounding, system witli tho distrib uting system, was blown out hy an explosion nt 1 1 o'clock last nlKht, ac cording to announcement shortly be fore noon today by City Manager F, M. l.ockwood. Ttint. a deliberate ef fort was made to cripple thn San 111 oko water supply system la tho an nounced belief of Manager l.ockwood, who Miya that shortly after tho ex plosion two men were seen running from tho Bcono.
