News and Miscellany

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 12, 1911

News and Miscellany

Notes and clippings from the daily and weekly press

—Admiral W. S. Schley was stricken with apoplexy while walking the streets of New York City, October 2, and died immediately. His life affords a long and honorable record of military and naval achievements.

—The worst storm for several decades raged on the North Sea October 3. A large number of vessels were wrecked. On the Belgian coast two hundred forty lives are known to have been lost. It is believed that a much larger number have been drowned.

—Spirited negotiations have been carried on between France and Germany for some time over the commercial relations of the two countries, particularly with respect to Morocco. At one time the discussion reached such a stage that it was feared by many that unpleasant relations between the two countries would ensue. Diplomacy, however, has succeeded in accomplishing its appointed task, and a settled agreement is about to be reached between the two countries.

—Relations between Italy and Turkey during the last few days have reached a critical stage. Italian gunboats have made a demonstration against the Tripolitan coast, and it is believed at this writing that they have taken military possession of Tripoli. In consequence of the strict censorship of despatches, the exact situation of affairs is not clearly known. The Porte has appealed to the powers for relief, but intimates that if they do not use their good offices in inducing Italy to retire from her position, Turkey will assume the defensive, and begin active operations. The situation is being watched with keen interest by the European courts.

—September 30 a large dam belonging to a paper company, one and one-half miles from Austin, Pa., burst. Nearly 500,000,000 gallons of water rushed down the valley in a wall ten feet high, breaking every structure in its path. Austin, a town of 3,000 inhabitants, was practically swept out of existence. Other towns in the pathway of the water were likewise swept away, or greatly damaged. Warning given the people through the telephones, by the blowing of whistles, and in other ways, enabled the large majority to flee to the hills and other places of safety. From 150 to 200 persons were drowned. Millions of dollars’ worth of property was destroyed. This will rank among the prominent flood fatalities during recent years. In the year 1910 a flood at Cologne, Germany, June 13, resulted in the loss of life to 150 persons. One at Budapest, Hungary, August 16, brought death to 300. In a flood at Tokio, Japan, August 14, 385 were drowned. In a flood at Victoria, British Columbia, September 3, 1,000 were drowned. These fatalities, however, do not compare with the Johnstown, Pa., flood, May 31, 1889, when 2,200 persons lost their lives, nor to the terrible tidal wave which inundated Galveston, Tex., Sept. 8, 1900, when 6,000 persons were sent to a watery grave.

—Apartment-house life is extending rapidly in New York City. Gigantic buildings, ten or twelve stories in height, are crowding out the single dwellings on many of the finest streets and avenues. The record figure for apartments was reached a few days ago when a millionaire leased one on the tenth story of a new fire-proof sky-scraper on Fifth Avenue, consisting of twenty-two rooms and eight bath-rooms, at $25,000 a year. Two other apartments on the fourth and tenth stories were leased at $20,000 each.

—The Post-office Savings-bank, the most popular bank in Great Britain, has just celebrated its jubilee. It began in 1861 with 301 offices, and now has 15,000. The idea of the bank seems to have originated with a Huddersfield banker named Sikes, who wrote in 1859 to Mr. Gladstone, then chancellor of the ex-chequer, urging him “to bring the savings-bank within less than an hour’s walk of the fireside of every working-man in the kingdom.” And that his legislation fulfilled this injunction was one of the things of which Mr. Gladstone was proudest.

—Sunday, October 1, Francisco I. Madero was elected president of the Mexican republic. While much apathy existed on the part of many of the people, so that only a small vote was returned, President Madero was clearly the choice of his countrymen. He has promised many reforms in government administration, and it is believed that he takes his high office with an honest desire and an earnest determination to work for the advantage of his people and country. It is believed since this election that conditions throughout the republic will become settled.

—President Taft is making a 13,000-mile journey, covering the majority of the States in the Union. He is delivering speeches on vital national questions at many of the important places en route. His genial good nature makes for him friends wherever he goes, even among those who are opposed to his policies. At a banquet tendered him in Lincoln, Neb., Mr. Bryan sat by his side, and paid him a glowing compliment as the head of the nation. President Taft replied, expressing his hearty appreciation of the compliment given him, particularly by one of an opposing party.

—The most recent despatches from Cheng-tu, China, announce that the foreigners who remained in the city have not been molested, and are being civilly treated by the authorities. Food is again entering the city, and the shops are re-opening. A cablegram from the British consul says: “There has been no fighting within the city since September 7, but there have been several engagements outside the walls, the insurgents losing considerably and loyal troops inconsiderably.” Despatches to the French and German legations from Cheng-tu dated, respectively, September 10 and September 11, indicate that the commander of the troops in the capital of Szechuen attempted to conciliate the besieging forces by promising not to decapitate the leaders of the antirailway movement, and by offering to indemnify the families of the insurgents who had been killed. The antirailway loan movement seems to be taking on an increasingly revolutionary character throughout the country.

and the government is concerned over the recent meeting of antiloan agitators at Hongkong. At this meeting it was resolved to organize the opposition in the provinces of Hu-peh, Hunan, Kwang-tung, and Szechuen. In Peking the palaces and the residences of the officials are protected by extra guards.

—Coat- and cloak-room concessions in the large New York hotels and restaurants are a source of almost princely revenue. In a recent suit in the Supreme Court, it came out in the evidence that one holder of a hat-checking concession in a well-known hotel was paying $1,750 yearly for it and $1,500 rental besides, and was clearing a handsome profit, until some one, as he alleges, offered the hotel $6,000 yearly for the same privilege. It was shown that there were many such concessions for which sums varying from $6,000 to $8,000 were paid.

—The office of the supervising architect of the Treasury Department is daily turning out work in the way of plans and estimates, the effect of which is being felt all over the country. At present there are 190 buildings in the course of construction under the supervision of the Treasury Department. The supervising architect’s office has charge of the designing and construction of all the post-offices and custom-houses in the United States and insular possessions. James Knox Taylor is the supervising architect.