HUSBAND" YEAR 89; No. 208, KINGSTON, ONTARIO. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1922, QUEBECS OLD BASILICA ' ISDESTROYED BY FIRE Believed That This Ancient Edifice Was Se Ablaze By a Fire Fiend. Church Erected in 1647--It Was ~ General Wolfe Quebec, Dec. 22.--The church of When the British Old French City. pressure. Hose were noticed to be Notre Dame de La Recouvrance, the | sending water only a few feet and oldest basilica in the city, and many | very soon after the outbreak it was art treasures, were destroyed by a: Obvious fire that left the edifice a mass of | ChUTCh was ruins early today. The loss is esti. | JUMmPed across the mated one million dollars. For a time many of the city's fin- endangered. These included the Chatean Fronte-] nhac, the Canadian Pacific Raliway hotel and newspaper offices. ~The flames threatened' the historic palace of the cardinal behind which Quebec seminary, which also is being showered with sparks. So serious was the situs- tinn that the students of the semin- Ary were marched out in the dark of the early morning and distributed about the city. Sparks endangered the north side of Buade stret on the office of the Quebec Chronicle and the Quebec Telegram. Sparks aiso fell on build- Ings on Anne street, most prominent of which are the Morgan Block and In front of the buildings is the square on one sida of which is Chateau Frontenac and on the other the Anglican cathedral. The fine basilica, the pride of Que- bec and the church of the only ¢ nal in Canada, was a centre of pil- ost Dulldings were is situated the which are. situated 'the Union Bank. grimage. Believed Incendiary. The fire was believed to have been incendiary, The chief of provincia: received a threatening g letter several days ago saying that ~ ihe church, the most beautiful in all Canada, would be burned December 28th. The blage was the climax to a number of others Ia Cahadi recent< 17 which dustroyed churches. The same fire bug, the police said, is believed to have been responsibia for the destruction of many religious edifices in the last few years. The firemen were greatly hamp- ~ ered in their efforts by poor water detectives to onlookers that the doomed. The flames narrow street which separates the church from the business section of old Quebec. Firemen checked the progress of tle fire in this direction. At 2.30 a.m. the great tower, and the chimes fell into the narrow streets across which the flames.were shooting. The power was off and the firemen were fighting with low pressure. Fortunately Father La- flamme, the pastor, was able to save the Sacred Host and other vessels but nothing else. could be carried out. The fire broke out in the Basi- lica itself shortly after midnight. Great Ecitement. The Catholic population is excited and alarmed and rumors continue to spread that the Ku Klux Klan is re- epbnsible. It is impossible to ignore the significant fact that Catholic in- stitutions 'have suffered more than any other section of the community. This winter great fires have dostroy- ed "St. Boniface College, university i. | of Montreal, and the Church at Oka while it 1s leg: than year since the destruction of the miracle-working | shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre. Among the treasures destroyed were the religious garments of the clergy, said to be the most beautiful on the American continent, a paint. ing of Christ by Van Dyke and a painting of St. Paul by Carlo Marat. far Reb vestments were donated to the church by the old Wench kings. The church; rich in historical and romantic = religious lore, was the seat of the only cardi- Dal in Canada. It was/erected in 1647. It was bombarded in 175) hy the British under Wolfe and about 90 persons were buried in the crypt. - Loadon, Ont., Dec. 23.--Christ- mas, associated so familiarly with merry smiles and rollicking laughter, will for one unfortunate citizen of ) 'only serve to inspire visions 'a radiant bride whose wedding, d for Christmas day, was pre- by the ruthless scourge of a Ontario fires. Victor Colin, 7 's | Friday morning, it 'was stated that ridegroom; of his 8. Re- A steer r0es0000i0en * SIGN DECLARATION * OF ALLEGIANCE » i + Dublin, Dec. 22. -- A large ® number of Irish republicans, # prisoners in Mountjoy prison, * will, it is understood, be releas- ® ed at Christmas, having signed # a declaration of allegiance to ¢ the Free State. For the re- 4 mainder no holiday parole will # ® be granted. < 0202400000000 0000 -------- WORKING ON ROBBHRY, Special Constable On Duty Al G. W. V. A. Rooms. There is still a good deal of €pecu- lation regarding the robbery at the Great War Veterans' Association. On Phd b bone the loss coud not be; accurately es- timated, but it is beHeved that it wit not exceed $30, Detective James Cotter ig working on the case, but it would appear that his main chunce of solving the whereabouts of the burglar lies in the 31st battalion crests smong the booty obtained. A constable wag on duty in the association rooms during the night him {in case that the robber might return, and yesterday procured th by an irronical coincid- bat of fireman in a local but the latter is apparently satisfied that there is no money to de had ana propably intends to steer clear of the neighborhood in the future. Montreal Is Considering Underground. Railway Lines ---- g Montreal, Dec. 23.--A question that first received attention in 1914 is again mooted at the AMENT MAY RE-OPEN ON JAN. 25 | The Members' General Desire To Assemble Earlier Seems | Impossible. ] ---- | Ottawa, Dec. 22.--The date of |the opening of parliament will be | discussed and possibly settled at jus afternoon's sitting of the cabin- et council. Before the close of the last session a committee of members representing the three parties inter- viewed all and sundry as to their idea when the next session should be called. The plan of a fall session was re- jected almost unanimously and one starting in the first half of" January Wag recommended. It had been in- tended to comply with this request, but the delay in the home-coming of Messrs. Fielding and Lapointe has 86t back the plans. The idea never- theless is that the session should op- en before the end of next month. If the custom of starting on a Thursday is adhered to it will likely be on the 25th. To that end there are signs of pre- paration. Departmental estimates are being got ready and data as- sembled for the revision of the Bank Act, while a redistribution bill has been drafted. It is all preamble. The filling in of schedules, defining the boundaries of constituencies, will be assigned to a special committee, which will sit behind closed doors. In the natural order of things, fol- lowing the new unit of representa- tion, the cities will all get an in- Crease in. the number of mem 9g and there will be some reduction corresponding in the rural parts. The enactment of redistribution will pave the way for' a general el- ection whenever circumstances are considered to warrant it. The gov- ernment is practically pledged not to dissolve parliament for any reas- on until this new electoral scheme Is Implemented, but once it is they will be free to do so. Province Gets $3,477,430 ORILLIA POWER RATES CUT $1 PER HORSEPOWER Report Shows Receipts Exceed Expenditures by $22,028.87. Orillia, Dec. 22.--The Orillia Water, Light and Power Commission has announced a further cut in eles- tric light and power rates, effective December 22nd. All power rates have been cut $1 Per horsepower per annum. Domes- tic light rates have been reduced for meter service from 5 cents, 2 1-2 cents and 1 cent to 4 cents, 2 cents and 1 cent per kilowatt hour; flat fates from 12 to 11 cents per lamp ver month; commercial light flat rate from 15 cents to 14 cents per lamp, and also a reduction in motor rates; factory lights from $1.11 per annum to $1. There are no floor-space or stand- by charges on Orillia lights and in this respect they differ from other Hydro power rates. AH rates are sub- Ject to 10 per cent. discount for prompt payment each month, A GREAT FIRE AT BROOKLYN An Apartment House Burged Two Firemen Missing, Chief Badly Injured. New York, Dec. 22.---Two fire men were reported nissing ana tafr- teen were injured in ga spectacular fire that drove scores of apartment house occupants to the street in their night clothes in the Wildaburg sec- tion of Brooklyn early to-day. Some of the firemen were injured by a falling trolley wire which caus- ed explosions. Others were hurt by the collapse of the front wall and Toronto Dec. 22.--The province's revenue for the past fiscal year from automobile fees, has totalled the sum of $3,477,430, according to a state ment from the Ontario Highways De- partment. This figure is over half a million dollars in excess of the rev- enue of $2,045,360 which was re- ceived during 1921. ing the year from 201,500 to 22 600. ------------ Officially Denied, Berlin, Dec. 22.--It was official- ly denied here yesterday that Chan- cellor Cuno or any other govern- ment official had suggested the ap- pointed of a United States commiss- fon to investigate Germany's econo- roof of the 1 A business building oe- From Motor Car Licenses \cupied by a baby carriage concern | where the fire was believed to have started. Light wires were put out of com- mission, throwing the scene Into darkness, save for the flames, and causing a panic. Five adjoining dwelling houses caught fire ana sev- eral apartments were endangered be- fore the blaze was Drought under The number of {control at six ©'clébk this morning. vebicles in operation !ncreased a . Chief John ¥. O'Hara was 9,- among those injured by the falling wall. O'Hara's condition ds report- ed as critical. Debris of the building is being searched for the missing firemen. A check up of hospitals is also being made to learn if they were injured and taken away in taxicabs. Number of good quality horses in the dominion at present indicate a mic conditions. THE VIRGIN'S BABE. \ scarcity in the near future, v lehem. Joy. Yes. The great American was first-born babe, "I had no idea being voice: Lord Himself had promised centuries being translated, "God with us." Virgin-born." Sweet and Holy Virgin Mother. This week once more the world thrills with its annual joy. The skies may be murky, the frost king stern, but in a million homes the fires of love are glowing, the lights of peace and charity shine bright, and a warmth of gladness shines in young and old. And all because one night long centur- les ago, while the festive crowds were gathering in the Inn a Little Baby Boy was born in a lowly manger in the City of David which is called Beth- The mystery ang glory of life have ever centred in the child, and as they circle round the little life that lies so puny in the cradle, strong men grow tender, rough youth seems strangely softened, the children gaze', children of the United States in with gladness while maidens and mothers bend with awe and sacrificial right when he said that a baby was better for the heart than a whole academy of philosophers, and so we are not surprised go read that a young missionary Madonna wrote home of her Buty a mother was 50 wonderful. most wonderful is the thought of Bethlehem's Babe. "Why do we keep Christmas?" sald the teacher to a lot of scholars in a school in England, and a dear little mite piped out with a sweet little "Please, sir, it's God's birthday." "God's birthday!" Ah, that explains it all. For the Baby born that, day was the Hope expected a thousand years. Hé was the Sign the before: "Behold a virgin shall con- ceive, and bear a son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel," that is, And that changed the world, bisecting it, so thatiall before is B.C. (the year of Our Lord) a million million in every age have sald or sung with gladness: "Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given." (Isa. 1x: 6). "Oh, come let us adore Him; with joyful and triumphant gladness, let us greet the ce that glorious morn the day Oh mothers, think and thank the Giver of all joy, that the tender mirth and sacred love of every mother has found its culmination in the Of fathers, forget not that all the merry. happiness of a myriad British homes has its rise and reason in the helpless Baby Boy that God gave for us men and our salvation. Oh children, shout for gladness as you open the stockings, and dance rount the Christmas| tree, but remember as you do, the poor and the sick, the en orphan. Be like the little girl that sald: "Mother, may I send uncle gave me to the poor little cripple we were told about Now Daddy's well again, and hard times are over, I feel A DEFINITE ~~ PLAN SOON In Connection With the Prob- lem of German Reparations. THE US. 45 NEDUTOR Britain And Germany Are Agreeable--France is Dis- cussing the Proposal. Washington, Dee. 22.--The move to extend United States aid in solv- Ing the reparations problem has reached a stage where a definite plan of action may be decided on in the near future. As it now is under consideration, the proposal contemplates appoint- ment of a United States commission to study economic and industrial conditions in Germany, and to fix the total of reparations which the German Government may reason- ably be expected to pay. It is the understanding in auth- oritative circles here that both Great Britain and Germany are willing to accept the award of such a commis- sion. On the part of France, discussions are understood to be in progress at Paris between Premier Poincare and certain German captains of industry looking to the feasibility of the United States commission plan, but a decision fs regarded as likely be- fore the Council of Allied premiers re-assembles to discuss reparations on-January 2nd. . United States State Department officials declared that the discus- sions could not properly be consider- ed to have reached the stage of "negotiations," and that published reports that Great Britain had sent a formal note accepting the commis sion plan were in error. PHANTOM SHIP ON LAKE. ~ Survivors of Tug Reliance Claim Eerie Oraft Crossed Bow. Sanit Ste, Marie, Dec, 22.--SBuper stitious survivors of the wrecked tug Reliance, arrived here with a tale of a phantom ship which, they assert crossed their bow shortly before the Reliance smashed on a reef off North Lizzard island last Wednesday. The phantom ship, they said, was sighed off Gargantua, shortly aftor dark. Within two hours, e Reliance had struck Lizzard reef, and three of her crew, including John McPherson, first to sight the phantom ship were drowned. ? The phantom ship is known to north Lizzard islanders, several of whom claim to have seen it, as "the ghost of the Lambton," a government boat which sank with all hands on its maiden trip last spring, as it was tak- irg a group of lighthouse men to their posts. U. 8. President Wishes Children Merry Christmas New York, Dec. 22---President 'Harding sent Christmas greetings to the form of a telegram to the Santa Claus association, a national organis- ation which receives letters written by children to Sania Claus and sees that they are suitably replied to "Merry Christmas to the children of the United States," the president's message read, The words were sent by radio to each of the 48 branches of the Santa Claus association In the country. Canadians Marry at Westminster. London, Dee. 22.-- Twelve brides maids and pages attended Miss Helen Baton, daugh'er of the late Lieut.-Colonel Vernon Baton, of the Canadian Horee Artillery, when she was married in St. Margaret's church, Westminster, to Sir John Lindsay Dashwood, premier Baronet of Great Britain, THE TIERNANS TO TRY TO DROP THE PAST Family in New York With Parents Striving to Make |! "New Start." New York, Dec, 32.--Professor | and Mrs. John T. Tiernan, of South | Bend, Ind., and the boy upon whose head fell he brunt of their paternity court battle against Harry Poulin, wealthy South Bend merchant, were found yesterday living in a hotel in Greenwich village. With them were their two daugh- ters. All were registered as "Wil- Ham A Ross and family, Detroit." They have been in the city ten days Professor Tiernan, with relatives in New York, canie here for the an- nounced purpose of making a "new start." - Mrs.' Tiernan and the ehil- | dren have remained in seclusion. ven taking their meals in their rooms. Professor Tiernan had been grant- ed a divorce, but this was annulled after he had married again soon after the decree was granted. Prof. Tiernan returned to the hotel soon afterward, but he was as silent as his wife. LORD CURZON MENTIONS GANDA. TREATY The Irish Free State Is Not To Be a Dominio Like New York, Dec. 23.--That the British empire has ceased to be and that "The British Commonwealth of Nations' has taken its place will be officially anndunced in London with in the next ten days, says the Wash- ington correspondent - of the Naw York Tribune. News to that effect, he says, was learned in Washington last night. "This plan," continued the cor respondent, "which has been under consideration between Downing street and the Déminfons for more than a year has been brought to a head, according to information In Discussing Question of Sov- ereign Rights With Turke ish Representative. ' Lausanne, Dec. 22.--The note of the United States that it does not re- 8ard an international commission as necessary undoubtedly bore fruit, as Lord Curzon gave careful considera- tion of Ismet Pasha's plea that Tur- key would consider international in- terference with Turkey's affairs as "worse than death." An agreement will likely be reach- od exempting the demilitarized zone along the straits from control by the proposed international commission which will have jurisdiction only over navigation of the straits, leav- ing even the pilotage to the Turks. Isinet Pasha also pleaded for fur- ther guarantees for the safety of Con- stantinople than those which would be afforded by the League of Nations and proposed additional guarantees similar to those given to the Aland Islands. He insisted that Turkey must have further assurance from the it powers individually and eodllectively that her territory wiil not be violated. He accepted in principle the fundamental provisions for control of the traits outlined by the Allies but pleaded that Turkey ust have her sovereign rights thor- cughly safeguarded, Lord Curzon, M. Barrere, Baron Hayashi, M. Spalaikovitch and other speakers expressed great satisfaction over Turkey's conciliatory attitude. Baron Hayashi said he was espec- lally gratified to see the conference, which bad almost reached the stage of ultimatums, settle down into such calm and reasonable consideration of the straits problems. All Make Concessions. Lord Curzon, after hearing Ismet's statement of the Turkish position, sald thet Ismet's acceptance of the general principles of free passage as outlined by the allies now made 1' possible to discuss details of the prac- tical application of those principles. He expressed sympathy with Ismet's anxiety lest Turkey's sovereignty should be affected by the proposed 'reaty, but pointed out that in a measure every power surrendered some of its sovereign rights when it negotiated treaties, He mentioned the great lakes treaty between Opnada and the Unit- ed Btales as oie which fn"a sense limits against 'the sovereignty of either, and ided that the pro- posed regulation of the straits was the same. oh. gulag 3 . As it Is clear Bat the United States will accept no seat on a straits con- trol commission, regardless of how much the powers of this proposed in- ternational body are limited, the members of the Amerivan delegation were asked tonight whe*her the Unit- ed States would in any way, be bound to respect the regulations imposed by this body if the United States would negotiate a treaty, immedidtely, with reaching here, by the Irish Free State, which will be part of the Brit- Ish Commonwealth of Nations but not a dominion as Canada and Aus- tralia have been dominions. "Intimations of the new status of the British Empire were given a year ago during the armament limit. ation conference, but hsd been al- molt forgotten. It is announced now that the plan has been complet- ed, and all negotiations with the do« minions have been satisfactorily consummated." NG KEEP UNDESIRABLES FROM COMING INTO CANADA And Also Stem Exodus From Dominion to the United States. Montreal, Dec. 22,--An gpen doos® poliey of immigration is not favored by Dr. T. A. Brisson who addressed the chamber of commerce here yase terday. He declared that the gove ernment should first try tor ; exodus of emigrants from minion to the United States. warned against undesirables being invited to Canada. Without procs surveillance, he declared, radical prospective paupers, the riff-raft European cities and criminals would find their way to Canada to fill the jails and asylums and become a burs den upon the populace. Christians Are Leaving Asia Minor For Greece Constantinople, Dec, 32.--Tweive thousand Christians from Asis Minot left Constantinople yesterday in # Greek steamers bound for Greek is lands and the Greek mainland. Th were brought here by British Malian vessels from the Black ports of Samsun, Trebizond, In and Ordou and were tra: waiting - Greek vessels in the phorus. VIRTUAL DEATH WARRAI FOR IMPRISONED REBEL Decision of Irish | Continue Querilia Warf Condemns Them, Dublin, Dec. 32--The decision insurgents to continue guerillas ware fare in County Kerry auton becomes & virtual death warrant four imprisoned rebels here. four condemned men were sente: immediately after the execution seven pests by the Free State week, but sentence was on condition thst the nur) cease their campaign of incend ism, bombing, assassinations other joutrages. - ---------------- Toronto Toronto, Dec. 22.--C. A. Magulr mayor, and Robert J, x y nominkted for the mayoraity yesterday. : W. W. Hilts, Thomas Foster, J eph Gibbons and A. R. Nesbitt, Joa eph Singer, Altred Burgess, Sam Bride and J. B. L. Starr were no naied for the board of control, first four form the present board, EI E---------------- j19934e9000009440