Newspaper Page Text
THIRTY DEAD;
SEVENTY HURT
In Frightful Impact Between Pas
senger and freight Trams.
A SCENE OF HORROR
Victims Were Happy Excursionists Taking
a Holiday—Cars Were Splintered
and Occupants Mangled.
s
Thirty people are dead and more
than seventy injured, several of them
seriously, as the result of a head-on
collision Saturday between Salem,
Mich., and Plymouth, when a Pere
Marquette excursion train, bound from
lona to Detroit, crashed into a west
bound freight in a cut located at a
sharp curve on the Pere Marquette
railroad, about a mile east of Salem.
The passenger train of eleven cars,
carrying the Pere Marquette shop em
ployees of lona and their families to
the Michigan metropolis for their an
nual excursion was running at high
speedy, probably fifty miles an hour
down a steep grade. It struck the
lighter locomotive of the freight train
with such terrific force as to turn
the freight engine completely around.
The wrecked locomotives lay side
by side, both headed eastward. Only
a few of the freight cars were smash
ed, and it was only a few hours’ work
to remove all traces of them lrom the
scene. But behind the two wrecked lo
motives, six cars of the passenger train
lay plied in a hopeless wreck. Four
of the passenger coaches remained on
the track undamaged and were used
to convey the dead and injured to
Iona; one coach was entirely undam
aged, with only its forward trucks oft
the rails. These were the rear ilve
■cans. The two coaches next ahead of
these were telescoped. The next car
forward stood almost on its end after
the wreck, its forward end resting on
the roadbed and the rear end high in
the air, upon the two telescoped
coaches that had been following it. Two
eoaches were thrown crosswise of the
track and lay suspended from bank
to bank of the cut ( five or six feet
above the rails. Of the baggage car
not enough remained to show where
it had been tossed. Portions of bag
gage car and of the lccemotoive ten
ders and freight cars were piled in a
tangled mass of debris.
Janies Boyles, a farmer, was working
in the field near the scene
wheii the two trains approached from
opposite directions. The freight came
slowly up the heavy grade and had
just reached the curve when the pas
senger train appeared running at high
speed. Boyles saw the passenger ehgi.
neer shut off his steam and apply
the brakes and saw the crews of both
engines jump before the crash. He ran
to the tracks, where he found the un
injured passengers from the rear
coaches running forward and joined
with them in pulling ou: the injured
who could be seen on every hand.
There was a panic among the pas
sengers for a few minutes. Then, as
the uninjured people realized that they
had not been hurt, they rushed from
the cars to the rescue of their friends
and relatives who were pinioned
among the wreckage. Families were
scattered. Mothers ran screaming up
nnd down, searching for their children,
while many of the young people were
as frantically calling for their par
ents.
The dead were placed in a row
alongside the track and the injured
were made as comfortable as possible
until the arrivafi of wrecking trains
from Saginaw, Detroit and Grand Itap
ids made it possible to send them to
lona and Detroit.
Responsibility is put squarely upon
the crew cf the freight train by offi
cials of the road, who arrived at the
ccene of the wreck soon after the ac
cident, and who secured from the
crew of the freight train the orders
under which it was running, and
which clearly showed the position of
the .passenger excursion train and
that the freight train had encroached
upon the otjier train s running time.
The freight crew explained simply
that they had forgotten. The collision
occurred at 9:13 o’clock, and the
freight train should have reached Sa
lem at 9:10, to be within their or
ders.
The crash of the colliding trains was
heard for a great distance up and down
the tracks _ -r-3
KOREAN EMPEROR OUT.
Japanese Influence Forces We.k Ruler te
Abdicate Throne-Son Wiil
Take His Place.
Advices from Seoul state that the
emperor of Korea has turned over the
reins of government to his sou, the
heir apparent.
Briefly, the emperor in the imperial
rescript of abdication, expresses his
regret that during the forty-four years
of his reign national calamities have
followed in rapid succession, and the
people’s distress has become so aggra
vated that he deemed it now time to
transfer the crown to the heir appar
ent in conformity with ancestral
usages.
The throne, tottering with forty-four
years of misrule, toppled Friday. Upon
his arival, Viscount Hayashi, the for
eign minister of Japan, was greeted
by 15,000 Japanese, who were expect
ing the anexation of Korea.
A London special says: The emper
or of Korea is without a friend among
the governments of Europe sufficient
ly interested in the status of the an
cient Korean empire to interpose a
word in his behalf. His majesty had
always been friendy with Russia, and
the outcome of the Russo-Japanese war
was a great blow to him. He even look
ed to the United States for support.
When Edwin V. Morgan, who was
American minister to Korea from July
26 until November 29, 1905, when the
legation was abolished, refused the re
quest of the emperor that he take ref
uge at the legation at the time the
Japanese w r ere pressing the emperor
to sign a treaty giving Japan control
of the foreign affairs of Korea, the
emperor of Korea was greatly disap
pointed, and the final removal of the
American legation was a great blow
and disappointment to him. Almost all
foreigners who know the emperor con
sidered him as a well meaning but
weak man, and his son, the present
crown prince, is not regarded as an
improvement on his father.
A special from Tokio, Japan, says:
Speculation is rife among the foreign
ers in the city as to the origin of
the idea of pressing the abdication of
the retix-ed governor of Korea.
It is definitely known, however, that
Marquis Ito, was only a silent specta
tor of the event, and that the idea
originated with the premier, Marquis
Salenji, strongly supported by the min
isters of agriculture and justice, both
of whom are strongly in favor of a
life of exile in Japan for the retired
emperor. Some thought that blood must
be shed before the abdication of the
throne could be effected, but fortun
ately that expectation was not fulfilled
and the aftermath is also likely to
prove les sserjous than present occur
rences at Seoul might Indicate.
It is believed that the wisdom and
resourcefulness of Marquis Ito will pre
vent the spread of any agitation de
signed to menace the general ipeace of
Korea.
RULES AGAINST THE DEFENSE.
Testimony Regarding Conspiracy by Mine
Owners is Eliminated.
The field for argument, both for the
prosecution and defense of William D.
Haywood, has been limited by Judge
Wood, who, in a decision, handed down
in court at Boise, Friday, removed from
consideration by the jury all evidence
bearing on the alleged conspiracy by
mine owners and others against the
Western Federation of Miners. Judge
Wood decided that the defense had
made no legal connection of the Mine
Owners’ Association, the Citizens’ Al
liance of Colorado and the Pinkerton
detective agency as laying a founda
tion for the evidence introduced by
the defense to show that the charge
against Haywood and his co-defendants
is the outcome of a conspiracy to ex
terminate the federation.
Immediately following the anounce
ment of this decision argument corn
fenced.
TELEGRAPHERS REMAIN FIRM.
Strikers Refuse to Accept Concessions Of
fered by Companies.
The striking commercial telegraph
ers, at a regular union meeting in Oak
land, California, Thursday, refused to
accept concessions as framed by their
national executive committee.
The Western Union and Postal Tel
egrah companies’ concessions were de
clined. They offered 25 per cent in
crease of pay, and would take back
all but three of the strikers. The
Postal would reinstate 80 per cent
of the strikers.
With Our
Lawmakers
“Until a state prohibition bill has
been passed by both houses of the
general assembly, signed by the gov
ernor, and enrolled on the statute
books, there will not be any other
legislation, whether demanded by the
Macon platform or not.” That is the
ultimatum which has been laid down
by the prohibition forces in the legis
lature. Though the measure has been
passed by the senate and was shown
by Friday’s test votes to be favored
by a great majority of the members of
the house, still the opponents of pro
hibition claim sufficient strength to
make an effective filibuster, and it Is
to meet such tactics that this ultima
tum has been issued. Practically the
whole of the session so far has been
devoted to a discussion of prohibition,
and a long-drawn-out fight In the
house w'ould undoubtedly block every
thing for weeks and possibly make It
necessary for the governor to call an
extra session. In this connection mem
bers of both hc.:ses are talking of an
interesting conference held between
Governor Smith and the prohibition
leaders. The governor, though a local
optiouist, stands pledged to sign a
state prohibition bill if such a meas
ure is seut to him by the legislature,
hut above everything else he is Inter
ested in si* ing those issues on which
he was elected actd upon by the gen
eral assembly. With this end in view,
it is said, he talked the matter over
with the leading prohibitionists, but
found them determined to go: their
bill put through before everything else.
It is said he urged a compromise, ma
king prohibition effective on July 1,
1909, instead of January 1, 1908, but
to this the legislators interested in
prohibition would not lis:en.
A message to the house from tho
senate announced the adoption of a
joint resolution in which the concur
rence of the house was asked, empuw
ring Attorney General Hart to take at
his discretion a decree in the United
States supreme court perpetually en
joining the Ducktown, Term., copper
mines from continuing to damag/ sur
rounding property in Georgia with de
structive sulphuric fumes. The res
olution was concurred in.
At Saturday’s session the house con
tented itself with the Introduction of
new bills, the passage of local meas
ures and the reading of a number of
bills for a second time. One of tho
more general measures introduced was
that by Mr. Huie of Clayton, which
seeks to redistrlct the state, senatori
ally, increasing the number of sena
tors and districts from 44, at present,
to 59. Another bill of a general char
acter is that of Mr. White cf Screven,
which seeks to make it a misdemean
or to give, furnish or sell to any mi
nor in the state tobacco in any shape
or form.
There was no session of the senate
Saturday. On Friday the solons caught
up with all their work, having clear
ed the calendar.
Soon after the senate was called to
order Monday morning, Senator Felder
sent to the clerk’s desk, a petition
from the Fulton County So
ciety relating to the prohibition bill
before the house. The clerk began to
read it before any one discovered just
what it was. The president asked to
see it, and when he informed the sen
ate the nature of the document, Sena
tor Knight arose quickly and objected
to the reading of the petition. On a
motion by Senator Felder that the com
munication be read the vote stood 12
to 12, when President Akin again asked
to look ac the document, for now he
was called upon to decide the question.
Senator Knight arose quickly, and,
drawing from under his desk a large
bundle about the size of a good size
tub, said; “I have here more than 500
petitions signed by more than 40,000
people, asking for a straight prohibi
tion law, which I shall insist on being
read in case you permit that petition
to be read.” The president took a has
ty glance at the large bundle on Mr.
Knight’s desk and smilingly said, “Be
cause of the length of time which
would be consumed n. reading so large
a number of petitions, I vote no,” hence
the motion of Senator Felder was lost,
and the petition was not heard by the
senate.
Solicitors General of the several su
perior courts of the state will receive
an annual salary of $2,650, instead of
fees, which run from $5,000 to $20.-
000, according to the wealth of tha
circuit, if the report of the special
judiciary committee of the house made
Monday afternoon is enacted into a
law. This was brought about by the
favorable report given the three com
panion bills which were introduced by
Mr. McMichael of Marlon, whereby this
change is to be wrought.
Eighteen members of the railroad
committee of the house on Monday
morning filed a minority report to the
report of that committee recommend
ing that the Hal lanti-pass bill do pass,
as amended. The minority report
points out that the Hall measure fails
to reach the evils of the free pass sys
tem, and but inadequately undertakes
to deal with the prohibiting of the use
of free passes by public officials. It
declares that the substitute prepared
by a minority of the committee and
voted down in the committee rooms
deals with the evils of the free pass
system from a political and economical
standpoint, and is in conformity with
the overwhelming sentiment of the peo
ple of the state of Georgia.
TYPOS SPENT IMMENSE SIM.
Outlay for Past Year Was $1,642,441 But
Membership Decreased.
The annual reports of the national
officers of the International Typograph
leal Union to the fifty-third session
of the International, which will be
held at Hot Springs, Ark., Augus; 12-
17, have been printed, and are being
mailed to the convention delegates.
The report of the president, James
M. Lynch, touches on the struggle for
an eight-hour work day, and says the
strike roll has been reduced compara
tively to inconsequential propor ions
in all except a few cities.
Considerable space is devoti and to the
efforts toward sanitary conditions and
the effort to stamp out tuberculosis.
Various other ina.ters of general in
terest to the members of the Interna
tional, including the relations between
the five international unions in tne
printing trades, tha Union Printers’
Home, the apprentice problem, etc.,
are set forth.
The report of the secretary-treasu
rer, J. W. Bramwood, shows that there
was received during the year end and
May 31, 1907, $1,804,950, and that there
was expended during the same period
$1,642,441.
The assets of the organization as
r. presented by the money In the vari
ous funds May 31, 1907, is give;, at
$283,952, an increase during the year
in the regular fund of $162,489.
The report shows that the average
paying membership of the last year
was 42,357, a decrease of 2,623 mem
bers. It is stated, however, that “In
this connection it is well to remember
that for twenty months the organiza
tion has been battling for a universal
eight-hour work day in all branches
of the printing trade.”
The report shows that there were
576 local unions xMay 31, 1907, a de
crease of 60.
SHORT SENTENCE FOR GARNER.
Stole Sum of $37,000 But Gets Only Two
Year* in the Pen.
At New Orleans Monday Rudolph
Garner, formerly a voucher clerk in
the office of the Southern Pacific rail
way, pleaded guilty on two counts of
an indictment charging him with ob
taining money under false prtenses
from the railroad company, and was
sentenced to serve two years in the
Louisiana state penitentiary.
Garner issued vouchers at various
times amounting in all to $37,000 to
•‘Henry I. Stewart," under the pretense
that they were in payment for rail
road ties.
POPE SCARED BY APPARITION.
Alleged Appearance of Virgin Mary's Hand
Moved Him to Action.
A dispatch from Rome says: A mem
ber of the pope's hcusehold In 'the
course of an intend ;w says Pope Pius
hesitated somewhat before he took the
grave step of ordering the publication
of the syllabus with regard to the so
called moderni. in in the faith, but that
all his doubts were removed by a
miraculous apparition of the virgin,
which extended its hand over his head,
as though in answer to his prayer
for heavenly guidance, and that the
pontiff thereupon rose from his Jokob
and signed the decree.
WATERY GRAVE
FOR HUNDRED
Steamer Sinks in Collision Causing
Frightful Loss of Life.
VICTIMS WERE ASLEEP
Passenger Vessel Was Rammed by Lum
ber-Laden Schooner and Wont to
Bottom in Five Minutes.
A San Francisco special says: In a
collision between the passenger steam
er Columbia and the steam schooner
San Pedro off the Mendocino coast,
one hundred passengers lost their lives
early Sunday morning. The Columbia
was sunk and lies completely sub
merged In the deep waters of Shelter
oove.
The collision occurred at midnight,
when all on board save the lookout and
officer on the bridge wire asleep ia
their berths. The Columbia was steam
ing north at an easy rate, having
left San Francisco at noon. Suddenly
out of the fog loomed the dark hulk
of the steam schooner San Ptdro,
southbound, which was evidently out
of her course. Whistles were blown and
frantic efforts made by the helmsman
of each vessel to avoid the collision,
but without avail.
The San Pedro struck the Columbia
In the port bow, tearing an immense
holo In her side through which tha
water rushed in great volume. Alarms
were sounded on the passenger ship
and the terrified passengers scrambled
from their staterooms in an effort to
escape from the doomed vessel. But
the time was too short to aid the life
savers. The vessel sank within five
minutes of the time of the collision. A
life raft was launched with a number
of passengers on board, bu only a few
of the entire number aboard were
saved.
Of the 249 persons on the steamer
Columbia, one hundred and forty-four
were landed at Eureka, Cal., Monday
by the steamer Elder. Of these 107
were passengers and 37 mom ben; of
the crew of the Columbia.
In addition to these four life boats
are reported to have been picked up,
oue containing thfrteen people, one 18,
and one 15. The number on the fourth
boat Is not given.
Nearly all of the Columbia’s passen
gers and many of her crew were asle< p
in their cabins and bunks when the
crash came. As the San Pedro backed
away the sea poured in through the
ragged hole in the Columbia’s bow
above ike water line, and in five min
utes the Columbia sank to the bo tom,
the deep waters of Shelter Cove cov
ering even the tops of the Columbia's
masts.
The story of that five minutes is yet
to be told, and aw it is to be told by
some survivors, only Ihe facts of the
tragedy can be guessed at.
According to J. 8. Flynn, a passenger
on the Roanoke, Captain Doran of the
Columbia succeeded in launching four
lift! boats and two rafts before the
Columbia sank.
Flynn, in an interview, is quoted a*
saying that 88 passengers, all
men, got away in that manner, and
were saved; that Captain Doran acted
with great coolness in the face of
death, and went down with his ship.
Flyim is further quoted as saying that
none of the hundred odd women were
saved.
Shortly after tin- collision the steam
ers Roanoke and George W. Elder and
the steam schooner Daisy Mitchell, all
southbound, came to the scene and
stood by. The Elder took the San Pe
dro In tow and the last report, an
nounces their arival in Eureka. The
stem of the San Pedro was smashed
to splinters, one of her masts was
'snapped a, the deck, and she was set
tling and had a heavy list when taken
In tow.
COBB RESIGNS THE JUDGESHIP.
Associate Justice of the Georgia Supr
Tire3 of His Job.
Associate Justice Andrew J. <
of tho Georgia supreme court. Me
morning presented to Governor
Smith, his resignation to take
on October 12, 1907. Justice C<
termined several weeks ago tl
from the supreme bench, to rf
in the practice of law at At/
Justice Cob, when he retly
tober, will have served o J
prema bench tor nearly el J