p. 14 | Current Events

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 10, 1911

Current Events

On Christmas night, in the open air at Lotta's Fountain in San Francisco, the famous soprano, Luisa Tetrazzini, sang to the thousands of her charmed listeners who had gathered to hear her. The vast concourse were moved to almost reverential silence as they listened intently to the sweet notes of the singer, singing sweetly to high D with a volume of voice carrying clearly beyond the sound of the orchestra. Madam Tetrazzini says of the occasion:

"This I shall remember always as my night of nights. No setting, no audience, no scene has ever so deeply moved me. I shall carry the memory of it with me always."

The United States Steel Corporation has laid off within the last few months about 46,000 men, and is still laying them off. It is thought that the number of unemployed men will soon number 75,000, one third of the entire working capacity. Ten thousand workmen from the great Pittsburg iron and steel district are going home to Europe or are already on their way. There is little encouragement given to the men to return after the holiday season.

Thirty-nine firemen — some reports say 45 — met their death December 22 in two fires. In both, deaths were caused by falling walls. In Chicago 25 firemen were killed, including Chief Horan, 50 injured, and a property loss of $1,500,000. In Philadelphia 14 were killed, 40 injured; property loss $30,000. The day previous three persons were killed and several injured in a fire in Cincinnati, Ohio, which destroyed property worth $2,250,000.

Rockefeller's last gift to the University of Chicago is $10,000,000, the largest amount donated at any one time to an institution of learning. Since he founded the university in 1889 his gifts have aggregated very close to $35,000,000. His trustees have resigned, and he has withdrawn all connection with the university, turning the institution over to the support of the people of the great middle West to whom the university belongs.

Sixteen firms and thirty-two individuals in the bath tub trust have been indicted by the Federal Grand Jury. The criminal proceedings grew out of a civil suit to dissolve the alleged combination, begun by the Government in the Federal courts at Baltimore. Both suits have been instituted under the Sherman anti-trust law.

The main building of the Llewellyn Iron Works in Los Angeles, California, was wrecked by an explosion, which the police say was caused by dynamite, there being no inflammable materials nor explosives inside the building. Citizens are aroused, and the Grand Jury will be called upon to take special action.

A strike which has been threatening sixty-one western railroads, and which might have been the greatest known, has been averted at the last moment. The settlement provides for a general increase for the employees of 10 1-3 per cent, which on normal service amounts to about forty cents a day.

Three persons were killed at Millstone Junction, New Jersey, in an accident which caused three railroad wrecks. In England near Hawes Junction a wreck of the Scotch express carrying 500 Christmas excursionists, resulted in the death of eight passengers and twenty-five injured.

In Russia the whole Astrakhan coast and provinces have been devastated by floods and storm. It is estimated that 300 persons have drowned. Thousands of horses, cattle, and sheep have perished. Intense cold aggravated the suffering, and many have frozen to death.

The last New York Christmas mail broke all records, when 40,000,000 pieces, it is estimated, were handled. Ocean liners brought 21,690 mail-sacks from abroad. On the Friday preceding Christmas, 428,000 letters were mailed for the East from San Francisco.

The German steamer Palermo is a total wreck off Cape Corrubedo on the west coast of Galicia, Spain. Her five passengers and crew of nineteen were lost.

The worst coal-mine disaster England has ever witnessed occurred recently near Bolton when an explosion caused the death of three hundred workmen.

In a fearful explosion in New York City ten have lost their lives and 108 have been hurt, the result of a runaway New York Central trolley-car.

Forty expectorators on the sidewalk have been arrested as a result of general orders issued by the chief of police in San Francisco.

Through an American syndicate, it is said, China is endeavoring to obtain a fifty million dollar loan.

England now has twelve great battle-ship-cruisers of the new type. "Prepare war."

Eighty-two persons were killed by automobiles in the first eleven months of 1910.