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Newspaper
Cranbury Press
Location
Cranbury, New Jersey, United States of America
Date
Jan 17, 1908
Page
1
A disaster at Boyertown Pennsylvania opera house leaves many dead and injured as men women and children perish during a church gathering turned entertainment event. Police and volunteers search for survivors while officials investigate cause and safety failures.
Eyewitnesses recount a flash of flame and a panicked stampede at the Rhoades Opera House in Boyertown. A theater blaze killed hundreds as spectators and performers scrambled toward exits, with many crushed or trapped amid collapsing flames and debris.
In Chicago a statewide education strain shows up as thirty three elementary classrooms report unoccupied teacher desks. The shortage mirrors wider national scripplin effects on public school staffing and class coverage.
The British Government appoints a commission to investigate the disappearance in Dublin of a state valued at $260,000. The case centers on regalla and involves unclear regional details.
Secretary Taft says there is absolutely no foundation for the rumor he will resign from President Roosevelt's cabinet. He explains he will not leave to devote himself to a presidential campaign.
After heavy detonations a cone section sank inside Mount Vesuvius crater causing intense ebullition. Enormous smoke rose from the crater as the event drew attention to the volcanic activity reported in the article.
The Reichstag in Berlin took up the question of improving the conditions of the working and middle classes, discussing measures aimed at social and economic relief.
The Chicago Great Western Railroad with a capitalization of 110000000 and 1474 miles of track went into receivership. President Stickney and C A J Smith were named receivers.
Ambassador Thompson in Mexico City received a painting of President Roosevelt intended for presentation to the President. Contract disputed and details unclear.
The general relief committee will employ homeless and unemployed men in Chicago to clean streets. For one day of work they receive a ticket good for three nights lodging and three days meals. A later note expresses gratitude from Governor Glenn to Governor Hughes of New York.
The United States army transport Sheemen sailed from San Francisco to Manila via Honolulu and Guam carrying about 1400 passengers including nearly 1000 enlisted men of the fourteenth Infantry.
Sugar Trust directors vote to abandon the secrecy policy once kept by the late H O Havemeyer. The move marks a victory for Claus Spreckels, the rival trust leader and director, who has long opposed the secrecy.
The borough president ordered all saloons closed amid rising disorder as liquor influence unsettled the town and challenged self control.
The Safe Roads Automobile Association reported about 500 Massachusetts crashes since June with 59 deaths and 464 serious injuries. Executives note weekly committee meetings as the issue worsens. Over a thousand convictions occurred for auto law violations and 56 licenses were suspended or revoked. fines exceed $11,000.
Major General W J Duvall asks Congress for a 10 000 000 appropriation to purchase arms and equipment for an army of 250 000 men in a special request from Washington D C. The request was strongly endorsed.
In New York, Asulgiant District Attorney Garvan presses murder in the first degree against Harry K Thaw for Stanford White's 1906 Madison Square Garden killing. Littleton's defense outlines a troubled lineage including hereditary insanity and a suicide attempt in Paris as Thaw's case unfolds.
A garbled notice describes multiple Thaw family members declared insane or mentally unbalanced, including Harry Thaw and Harriet Allen Thaw, with references to Pittsburg asylum, Horace Thaw, Adolph Thaw, and William Thaw. Related Copley figures Henry W. Copley and Josiah Copley are noted as mentally unstable or dying from hereditary causes.
The American fleet of sixteen battleships arrived at Rio de Janeiro at 2 p m after a 3800 mile voyage from Port of Spain without major incidents. Crowds gathered to greet the visitors as the ships swung at anchor at 4 p m in the harbor.
A crowd crush at a Barnsley cinema afternoon show left sixteen children dead and about forty seriously injured. Panic spread as seats filled the hall and ushers attempted to relocate youngsters to the stalls, triggering a deadly rush at the stairways. Police and staff battled to pull trapped children from the stampede.
A massive blaze at the Parker Building in New York City, a reputed fireproof thirteen story structure, kills three firefighters John Fallon George O’Cannor and Thomas Phillips and injures many more. The fire swells quickly threatening collapse and prompting subway traffic stoppage as crews race to contain the inferno. The loss is estimated above six million dollars with 50 000 spectators watching and thousands evacuated from surrounding blocks. The tenth floor housed a priceless Walters art collection including statuary paintings and bric a brac valued around two million dollars.
The article outlines potential economic effects of halting horse racing in New York State. It estimates losses in track receipts, breeder payouts, and employment, noting significant sums in purses, salaries, and bred stock, with figures for various racing associations and tracks.
Major General Franklin Bell and Assistant Secretary Robert Shaw Oliver plan a 2.5 million per year for four years to buy uniforms blankets mess gear and field equipment stored in New York Philadelphia and San Francisco. The proposal notes such equipment to be used in time of war as a distinctive point.
One of the heaviest penalties by the Supreme Court against a minor dealer was imposed on William Howard of Anson by Judge Cornish. A fine of 1000 dollars and costs plus seventeen months imprisonment with seventeen additional months if the fine is not paid. Howard failed to appear and the bonds were forfeited. The judge warned that similar sentences would be imposed on all convicted of liquor law violations.
In court, the defense argues Charles Thaw’s insanity, citing previous treatments in Monte Carlo and London sanitariums. Evidence from relatives on both sides allegedly includes relatives who were insane, while Thaw sits defeated, facing possible electric chair. The judge and counsel push for a narrative of inherited mental illness and diminished responsibility.
The Budapest correspondent reports a Belgrade police raid on a club in high society leading to numerous arrests, with several figures disguised as women. The government plans drastic measures regardless of offender status.
Manila reports a severe cholera breakout in the Mariquina Valley source of Manila’s water. In four days there were 43 deaths, 17 new cases and 13 deaths on Sunday, with fatalities mainly among natives and several Americans affected. Three Tenth Cavalry troops guarded the watershed.
Caracas reports an executive decree annuls the national match monopoly and ends the concession of the National Match Company. The firm was capitalized at 1,000,000 dollars with most shares held in England and recently quoted at eighty five.
Secretary Joseph Kalbfus recommends Governor Stuart seek a state bounty to kill house cats, claimed to be the greatest destroyers of bird life. The text also notes Senate Finance Committee opposition to the currency plan, with only Senator Hansbrough supporting a central bank of issue.
Count von Kanitz alleges anti American corporate measures caused global financial troubles during a Reichstag address in Berlin. He argues curbs on American corporations fueled economic strain and world instability.
Heinz e Pleads not guilty to the indictment in New York City federal court. He is ordered to surrender his Mercantile National Bank stock to Edwin Gould as part of the proceedings.
Kentucky Governor A. E. Willson opens his address to the General Assembly focusing on lawlessness in the tobacco war and proposing measures to end the trouble. He urges strict enforcement and legislative remedies to restore order in the industry.
Mrs Grover Cleveland of Trenton, an OMco holder, is named a member of the New Jersey State Commission on Epilepsy. This marks the final appointment signed by Governor Stokes, the outgoing executive.
Summaries of the New York Stock Exchange transactions to December 1907 show 195,169,192 shares of listed and unlisted stocks traded and a total par value of 461,661,000 dollars in bonds bought and paid. The totals are lower than in recent years and mark the decade’s lows.
Dan Eis a noted Federal scout of the Civil War era died near Elizabethtown Tennessee at age seventy nine. He was known for his service to Union forces during the conflict and was a respected local figure.
Mrs. Anton Sadwski of Cleveland testifies against her husband in a neglect suit alleging six children rely on her for support. She describes him as lazy and explains he pulls up the attic ladder to sleep, making mornings impossible to wake him.
The Chicago health department bulletin reports nearly 650000 residents ill with influenza or related illnesses. It notes no prior January death rate as high since 1899 and reports thirty one deaths in the last week.
Rolayves of Count Laszlo Szechonyi arriving in New York to attend the wedding of Miss Gladys Vanderbilt. They will be guests of Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt until the ceremony.
James R. Randall author of Maryland My Maryland died in Augusta Georgia at age fifty nine. Born in the United States he left his bed at midnight at twenty two to compose the poem under candlelight.
The report notes imports of diamonds declining by about four million dollars and cites a small estimate of 20 000 NYC children in need of food. It mentions Congressman Lamar of Florida aiming to succeed the late Senator Mallory and an ex judge Marvel of Wilmington on Judge Gras's personal bond. It also references a Paris driver shortage, Columbia University funding for a Harry Bergh memorial, and election campaign curiosity.
In Schuylkill precinct Philadelphia, scores of Dobson mill workers and their families faced weeks of hunger after mills closed for lack of orders. Police and local wealthy residents arranged relief, with several dozen families receiving help from the Society for Organized Charity via a visiting agent to provide groceries and support.
The District Court of Appeals set aside the judgment in the Eugene EB Schmitz extortion case tied to the French restaurant matter. Abe Ruef withdrew benefits, claiming guilt to an act not illegal under state law. News of the decision spread quickly, provoking mixed reactions citywide.
Tokyo reports incoming dispatches showing strong American support for an exclusion policy, causing unease among leaders of all political stripes. They insist Americans do not want to discriminate against Japanese and hope Japan’s stance will avoid embarrassing the US while preserving Japan’s self-esteem.
The Circuit Court of Appeals mandate was adopted by the United States Court in Macon Georgia under Judge Speer. Greene and Gaynor were ordered committed to the Atlanta Penitentiary for four years.
The first class at the Military Academy West Point New York will graduate on February 14. The army is short of officers and the early graduation will aid in filling vacant assignments with experienced officers.
Mary Hector De Castro wife of the American Consul General in Rome dies after an operation following her child's birth. The infant also dies. Mrs De Castro was forty two.
Merchandising activity is expected to pick up as consumer demand strengthens. Traders report light inventories and optimism for an early revival in purchases, signaling a rebound in retail activity.
Reports note a Mexico Netherlands extradition treaty, England faces unrest over imperial immigration into white colonies, and Morocco accepts French and Spanish demands. Roosevelt Hospital reports a successful fund filing in New York, while Monte Carlo struggles with visitor delays and a committee forms for brighter amenities. We also hear of anniversaries in New York, Root’s Coastal American Peace Conference dissolution, and emigration crises impacting charities.
Mayor Busse calls council attention to Chicago dropping from first to fourth in lake commerce as yearly losses mount and interest rises.
General Booth asserts American vigor over English. Judge Tarr dies in Kentucky at eighty two from pneumonia. Count Quadt named German Minister to Persia. Senator Allison backs Cleveland pension plan for ex presidents. Northwest railroad president’s son touts private game preserve near Michigan. Leavenworth Times editor Anthony Jr. a candidate for Congress. Yukon MP Thompson predicts Klondike gold output to reach 20 million dollars annually within five years.
In Bryson City North Carolina a fire destroyed the county court house and all records for fifty years after clashes between whites and Negroes. The town council met and passed a curfew law requiring Negroes to be in by 9 PM. Five whites were shot and several others injured in the street clashes.
Price recovery for silver shown in early year trading with quotes at fifty eight and three quarter cents per ounce versus fifty two and one half cents at start of year. Strong shift in market sentiment noted among investors and traders.
About forty nine parishes in Louisiana show a dry trend with twenty three voting for prohibition following Georgia Alabama and Kentucky. The report notes rising temperance support across the state as counties decide on liquor controls.
A collage of notes mentions a Chicago policewoman Miss Abbie Tathrop from Granby Mags a mouse farm run by Inegish women lamenting marriages Lord Kelvin bequeathing 5 000 000 to his widow Mrs Eddy founding an institution with 1 600 000 endowment for poverty relief and various social notes including a New York ordinance affecting women patrons in theater.
Robert Ryan warden of the Hudson County Almshouse at Snake Hill shot himself in his office after years of poverty and misfortune among the inmates. He left a note and was described as highly sympathetic to the ill and destitute. The article also notes a whale hunt off Carson's Inlet and a separate assault incident involving Dr Franklin Gaunt and others.
Mrs Wesley Gable of Williamstown fainted twice after attempting to bite her initials carved into a lemon handed by her sister Miss Lillian Richardson of Wilmington. Dr J G Edwards revived her each time and restoratives were used. Her sister swooned as the jaw was reset.
Morris County public schools chief Watson Bryant Matthews died at home in Dover from Bright's disease. Born April 28, 1854 in Orwell Township, Bradford County, Pa., he began teaching at eighteen. He was twice married, first to Ella M. Potter in 1875 who died in 1891, and then to Jennie Roberts in 1894. he is survived by three children from his first marriage.
The Newark Diocese Catholic churches contributed to Peter's Peace totaling 10 240 dollars. Several hundred parishes gave amounts from five to one thousand dollars. St Mary's parish Bayonne donated the top gift. A special pilgrimage from the Newark Diocese to Rome will mark the presentation of the fund to the Pope.
Three Passaic youths enter the State street Station of the Passaic post office and steal 242 dollars from the safe. Delbert Yensen aged sixteen Joseph Mazza fourteen and Frederick Lesanter all of Passaic are arrested and charged. Mazza is said to be related to the station superintendent and knew the safe combination.
John Bains Jr a Black man was found dead on the porch of his wife’s home at Long Branch with two bullets in his head. He had separated from his wife and reportedly went to her home seeking evidence to obtain a divorce.
Thomas L. Pierson former acting Judge in the Second Criminal Court collapsed at his Newark residence. Newspapers say he appeared in good health the day prior and died suddenly from apoplexy.
A new baby with two teeth is welcomed at Charles Umba’s home in Woodbury. Richard Morris of Lovelane, Millville, fractures a shoulder blade in a wingwaly game. Warden Phifer oversees fish in Union Lake. Miss Lydia Courter of Clinton Way becomes the first woman to propose on leap day. Theodore W. Reeves is named clerk by West Cape May Council for the tenth year. Albertus Shmmernan of Williams Town reports water supply from a private plant. Raritan township pays $502.47 for farm equipment. East Amwell Committee elects George B. Harthence president and George S. Strimple treasurer. Rev. TL. Matowell ends Baptist pastorate to study at Crozle Seminary in Chester.
The article notes a rapid influx of Japanese residents in Los Angeles within a year, with many employed and prospering while white laborers face destitution. It describes Japanese groups in San Francisco gaining control of orchards and agricultural lands through leases, supplanting other labor interests.
Late wires report Attorney General Bonaparte urging actions against railroads under the Safety Appliance law. Services note friction rumors dismissed between Japan and the United States over emigration. ICC data show one fatal accident per 124 workers in 1907. Secretary Metcalf names Dr. Charles Stokes to hospital ship Relief. Congressional action on a national holiday Discovery Day proposed. Local officials in Ravenna Ohio and Auburn New Hampshire report deadly cases. International items cover Hawaii immigration, Manila politics, Guatemalan project progress, and European budget deficits.
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