The Century Chronicle

Real Estate Licensing Bill Offered in House

Provision for a board which would license all real estate operators in the National Capital, aiming to prevent fraudulent transactions in real estate, is proposed in a bill introduced today by Representative Blanton, Democrat, of Texas.

This is essentially the same as the measure which Mr. Blanton proposed in the last Congress and which received the approval of both the Senate and House District committees, being incorporated as part of the Copeland bill.

In view of the death of the Rent Commission, Mr. Blanton said today that he believed his measure to be constructive legislation which will receive approval of the House District committee.

Handsome Traffic Markers Sought

Theft and destruction of traffic signs calling attention to the parking limit led M. O. Eldridge, Director of Traffic, to ask the Budget Bureau today to approve a special emergency item of $3,600. He plans to buy permanent ornamental markers to install on lampposts, far out of reach of the average person.

Attractive shields with a green and white color scheme, suspended eight feet above the pavement on a horizontal spear-shaped bar, are proposed to supplant the present markers now tied to trees and other objects in the restricted parking zone.

These signs will be so placed that any motorist can discern them at a distance, and consequently will be unable to conjure an alibi when arrested for violating the parking regulations.

Director Eldridge has good reason to believe that the temporary signs now adorning the trees and lampposts are too easily removed by motorists. Cases have been reported where signs were found in the tonneau of automobiles labeled by police for overtime parking.

Stove Causes $50,000 Blaze

An overheated stove was given today as the cause of a fire which swept the Frank Laugh lumber plant here Friday night with a loss of $50,000.

The company's main building and a large stock of lumber were destroyed by the flames, which raged unchecked for more than two hours.

Fire apparatus was called from Newcastle and Greenfield to prevent the blaze from spreading. The blaze started in the office, where there had been a hot fire in a heating stove.

U.S. Vice Consul at Teheran on Way With Sensation Report

Opium smuggling transactions totaling millions of dollars will be described to the State Department at Washington when George G. Fuller, American Vice Consul at Teheran, Persia, reaches Washington.

He was interviewed here yesterday upon the arrival of the President Cleveland. Mr. Fuller said he would report the arrest in Bushire of M. T. Woodward, an American citizen, and the seizure of a suitcase of papers revealing how an international ring was smuggling high-grade Persian opium into China aboard Chinese warships.

Among other things, Mr. Fuller told of three huge shipments of opium into China shortly before the arrest of Woodward last October. The shipments were conservatively valued at $10,000,000.

Mr. Fuller's home is in Rochester, N.Y. He succeeded the late Maj. Robert Imbrie at Teheran after the latter had been slain there by religious fanatics.

200 to 0 is the Vote Against Smoking

Parents of women students of the College of Practical Arts and Letters at Boston University have been asked to express their opinion on the question of smoking.

An announcement today said that 200 replies have been received from 700 letters sent out to parents. The verdict so far was against smoking by girl students by 200 to 0.

There is a strict rule against smoking by women students at the college. "That rule will remain in force irrespective of the results of the questionnaire," Dean T. Lawrence Davis said today.

In his letter to parents, Dean Davis referred to the recent decision to permit smoking among students of Bryn Mawr College, expressed his opposition to the practice, and added: "I am looking for an expression of opinion... You will not hurt my feelings if you disagree with my views on the subject of smoking."