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'-VALDEZ, ALASKA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1914. NO. 368.
VOL. 10. _^____________________________________
GERMANS 15 MILES FROM WARSAW
RUSSIANS ADMIT TEUTONS NEAR POLAND CAPITAL
GERMAN CRUISER DRESDEN NOT SUNK AS REPORTED
ALLIES TAKE OFFENSIVE ALONG FRENCH BATTLE LINE
SOI SPEED 10
THE WIRELESS
Government Observers State That
Speed of 175,000 Miles a Second
Was Recorded.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.—The Nav
al Observatory has completed the re
duction of the observations for the
direct determination of the difference
of longitude between Washington and
Paris, made last winter by its par
ties, and finds it to be 5 hours 17
minutes 36.658 seconds.
The velocity of transmission of
radio signals given by these observa
tions is 175,000 miles per second,
which is probably the best value yet
obtained, though owing to the dis
tance—3,831 miles on a great circle—
between the stations, which, compar
ed with this velocity, is small, it is
subject to a probable error or 16,000
miles per second.
These observations constitute the
first direct determination of the dif
ference of longitude between Wash
ington and Europe, and it is the first
time that radio-telegraphy has been
used for transatlantic longitude de
terminations. Independent observa
tions were made by the United States
and French governments, each hav
ing two parties (which exchanged
station at the middle of the observa
tions), one at the United States Nav
al Observatory, and the other at the
Paris Observatory, using the navy
radio station at Arlington and the
Eiffel Tower, respectively, for radio
transmission.
GARDNER INSISTS
ON INVESTIGATION
Wants Resolution Passed To Investi
gate Our Condition To En
ter War.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.—itopre
sentative Gardner, in a speech yes
terday afternoon, severely attacked
the administration for its opposition
to an investigation into the condition
of the American army and navy and
its preparedness for war.
The congressman was bitter in his
denunciation of the administration
leaders. He insisted that it was the
right of the people to know the con
dition of the army and navy. The
taxpayers were entitled to know what
was being done for the vast amount
of money spent each year on the
army and navy.
It is not believed that the friends
of the resolution to investigate the
conditions for war in the United
States will be able to muster enough
votes to pass the resolution over the
Rules Committees objection.
Sam Mandel’s residence was en
tered last evening by unknown par
ties and his distillery was tampered
with.
General Mackenzen’s Troops Make Great Gains In Poland—Russians Still Hope
To Save Poland—French Re-establish Government In Paris With Germans
66 Miles Away—Germans Proud of Record of Fleet Which Worked Great
Damage To Allies Shipping Besides Sinking Number of Warships—Kaiser
Is Better—Allies Capture Roulers—German Submarine Near Dover—Ger
mans Willing To Grant Christmas Truce.
PETROGRAD, Dec. 11.—It is ad
mitted that General Mackenzen’s
command of Germans is sweeping
through Poland and is now within 15
miles of the capital. The Russian gen
eral staff states, however, that the
Germans cannot reach the city, which
is strongly fortified, and because
strong reinforcements are beginning
to reach Warsaw and will soon check
the enemy.
Allies Report Advance.
PARIS, Dec. 11.—The allies are ad
vancing. The troops along the 250
mile battle line have been sent for
ward in one general attack along the
entire line of battle. The artillery
duel of the past two days prepared
the way for the infantry attacks now
under way. The new French field
guns are being used to terrible ad
vantage at strategic points but the
number is small. British naval guns
are also used at points near the coast
and they have a range as great as
that of the Krupp siege guns.
Paris Again Capital.
The government is again fully es
tablished in this city. The Germans
are 66 miles from here along theAis
ne river, but it is thought impossi
ble that they will ever again threat
en Paris.
Germans Proud of Fleet.
BERLIN, Dec. 11.—The German
people are proud of the little fleet of
warships which has finally been de
stroyed by superior numbers. The
ships have sunk one Russian, one Ja
panese, and three English warships
before the last encounter, in which
the British loss is not stated. They
have sunk shipping valued at fully
$75,000,000; have blocked the ocean
lanes of travel; forced the British
to send more than naif their fleet
in search of them; have paralyzed
shipping between the British colonies
and England, and for five months
have evaded capture by the super
ior fleet of the enemy. The task of
securing coal has also been a diffi
cult one, yet it has been accomplish
ed. While regretting the loss of the
fleet yet the people are proud of the
great record it has made for itself.
German Submarine Near Dover.
DOVER, Dec. 11.—A German sub
marine was sighted near this port this
morning at daybreak and several
British submarines and a number of
fast torpedo boat destroyers imme
diately took after the German under
water fighter. The chase has led the
boats out of sight of land and the
outcome is unknown. The sight of
the German boat at this port, where
thousands of troops are embarking
every day, sent a thrill of horror
through the crowds.
German* Agree To Christmas Truce.
BERLIN, Dec. 11.—The German
government has signified its willing
ness to grant the “Christmas truce"
-asked for by the Pope of Rome.
The German government, however,
insists that certain arrangements
shall be made between the belliger
ents before the truce becomes effect
ive.
Germans Flanking Russians.
The German successes in the west
continue. The flanking movement of
troops from East Prussia has proven
a surprise to the Russians. The move
ment has been a success and the ad
vance guard of the new German army
is in contact with the Russian flank
and has driven it back towards the
center in confusion. The utter rout
of the Russian center is predicted
here by the military experts.
Kaiser Is Improving
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 11.—The Ger
man kaiser is rapidly improving and
is expected to be able to leave for
field headquarters in a short time.
Dresden Reported Cornered.
LONDON, Dec. 11.—The German
cruiser Dresden is cornered in the
Straits of Megallen. The German ship
cannot escape according to reports re
ceived here.
Sturdee Ordered To Clear Sea.
The admiralty has sent orders to
Admiral Sturdee to clear the sea of
German cruisers and auxiliary cruis
ers. The ocean is to be free to the
commerce of the allies.
Allies Take Roules.
LONDON, Dec. 11.—The allies now
hold all of the city of Roules ten
miles north of Ypres. The fighting
at that point has been heavy and the
losses to both armies are great. The
Germans are making repeated at
tacks to retake the positions lost, as
the army between Roules and the
coast is in danger if the allies hold
Roules.
Germans Evacuate Armentieres.
The Germans have evacuated Ar
BIG 1 SHIP
. FOR THE U. S.
%
An Ohio Factory Is Turning Out
First of Fleet of Giant Arm
ed Dirigibles
I
AKRON, O., Dec. 11.—A dirigible
airship, fully equipped with machine
guns, wireless telegraph apparatus,
armored cages, and sensitive air in
struments, is being constructed here
for the United States government,
it was learned today. If the balloon
proves satisfactory at completion the
government expects to place an or
der for six larger ones with complete
war equipment.
The airship now being built is 165
feet long and 40 feet in diameter,
with a lifting capacity of nearly 12,
000 pounds. ■ It will easily carry 12
men in a steel car suspended beneath
it. The car will carry machine guns,
oxygen tanks, and air pumps to sup
ply the crew at any altitude. Two
engines of 100 horse power each will
he used to propel the ship. Another
20 horse power engine will be in
stalled to start the larger ones. The
carrier car will be 75 feet long and
10 feet Wide.
• Ralph H. Upson, pilot of the Good
year balloon, which won world hon
ors last year from Paris, and R. A.
D. Preston, his aide, are supervising
the work on the big dirigible. They
expect to complete it within six
months. It will be shipped to the
seaboard for trial flights.
The approximate cost of the air
ship will be $150,000. Others, which
will be constructed on a larger scale,
will cost more. The largest will be
350 feet in length, and will comfort
ably carry a crew of 20 men.
MEXICANS MUST
GET FROM BORDER
' i •
-— i Li
Uncle Sam Does Not Want Shells
' Dropping Among His Arizona
Children.
WASHINGTON, Dec. .11.—The
State department has sent a sharp
note to Provisional Presidents Car
ranza and Guterrez notifying them
that the patience of the American
government was exnausted and that
if any further shooting occurred
across the border at Naco that the
American troops would immediately
reply and would Are upon both sides.
The note stated that the Mexican
fighting lines must be so arranged as
to prevent shells falling into the Un
ited States.
The department means business,
according to the officials. The pa
tience of the administration is ex
hausted. The troops at Naco have
been heavily reinforced and are now
ready. More troops will be sent to
Arizona at once. The entire com
mand brought back from Vera Cruz
is ready at a moment’s notice to
start the fireworks, but it is believed
that as both Mexican generals want
to avoid American interefrence that
they will respect the orders which
have been Issued by Secretary Bry
an rather than bring on intervention.
NACO, Arlz., Dec. 11.—Three bat
teries of field artillery are ready to
shell the Mexican positions. The
batteries command both the Carran
za and Villa positions and can sweep
the positions. Infantry supports are
holding lineB to protect the batteries
from any sudden rush.
mentieres, a large city south of
Ypres, in which they were in dan
ger of being surrounded if the Rou
tes positions are held. The once
prosperous city is now in ruins.
Dresden Not Sunk.
LONDON, Dec. 11.—The German
cruiser Dresden, the 28-knot German
ship, which left the German South
American fleet at the Falkland Is
lands when Admiral Spee and his
command was defeated, was able to
escape the British warships which en
gaged her yesterday near Buenos
Ayres and is still fleeing northward.
Nine British ships are pursuing the
Dresden.
England Celebrates Naval Victory.
LONDON, Dec. 11.—The people of
England are celebrating the great vic
tory of the British ships in South
American waters. The escape of the
Dresden, severely damaged, has not
dampened the celebration. It is still
hoped that the German ship will be
overhauled or failing that that her
condition is such that she must make
a neutral port and be interned.
Przemysl Siege Near End.
ROME, Dec. 11.—It is reported here
that the garrison at Przemysl is
ready to surrender. The forts have
been demolished and can no longer
hold out. . The garrison insists, how
ever, that they will only surrender if
allowed to march out with arms and
baggage. This the Russians have re
fused to grant.
Letting Germans Come On.
PETROGRAD, Dec. 11.—Germans
advancing directly from Thorn along
both banks of the Vistula have gain
ed points within a few marches of
Warsaw, and are still forcing their
way -along by direct fighting; the
Russians continue their steady pene
tration of East Prussia, and 300 miles
to the south of the Russian left is
investing Cracow. This is about all
we are allowed to know.
The situation is precisely that of
the anxious periods which preceded
the defeats of the Germans on the
Nieman and before Warsaw. Where
the main Russian forces are and what
the strategic plan now in course of
execution is we may not even guess,
but .-the importance of that which is
now in preparation far exceeds any
thing that has gone before.
What object the Germans hope to
Attain by their headlong charge upon
Warsaw is from a military point of
view difficult to understand. It is a
move that perhaps may be utilized
powerfully from a political point of
view. Germany has hounded Turkey
upon the Russian rear and is strain
ing every nerve to force several Bal
kan states into the conflict against
Russia; but principally Germany is
suspected now of desiring to gain
some advantage which, represented
in the customary Germanic coloring,
may suffice to bring Sweden into the
arena.
In this second invasion of Poland
(Continued on page 2.)
BIG MELON FOB
FORD EMPLOYES
$5,000,000 Worth of Homes Bought
Since Opening of Sharing Plan
—Some Frauds.
DETROIT, Mich., Dec. 11.—As a
result of the ten months’ operations
of the Ford profit-sharing plan em
ployes have purchased on contract
homes valued at $5,000,000 upon which
they have made payments aggregat
ing $1,200,000, have taken life insur
ance to the amount of about $3,000,
000, and have saved on an average
of $48.65 per month each, which is
either in savings banks or invested
in real estate. These figures were
made public today.
About 9,200 employes are under the
profit-sharing plan. More of them are
coming up to the qualifications con
stantly. Since the plan went into
effect the average gain per man in
bank deposits has been 130 per cent.,
in life insurance 86 per cent., and in
homes owned 87 per cent.
An amusing feature of the plan has
been the deceptions practiced by men
who could not qualify for the profit
sharing. They have borrowed bank
books, passports, children, and even
“wives,” inducing women to pose as
their spouses. Hundreds have ob
tained a share of the profits under
such false pretenses.
No less than $8,000 has been paid
lack to the company by men who
dishonestly obtained it.
A BIG BRIBE
Will Give Italy Trent If She Will Re
main Neutral In Present War,
Says Rome Report.
ROME, Dec. 11'.—It is reported here
that Count von Buelow, the former
foreign secretary of the German em
pire, and who is married to an Ital
ian woman of high birth, will offer
to the Italian government the city
of Trent and a part of Tyrol prov
ince, in which many Italians live,
provided the Italian government re
mains neutral.
The government is anxious to se
cure the territory offered but the peo
ple continue the demand for war
against Austria and the taking of the
provinces in Austria in which 90 per
cent of the population are Italians.
Many fear that if the victory goes to
the German-Austrlan alliance that
Italy will be singled out by those
countries and crushed.
S. Gluk arrived from Fiarbanks to
day, coming over the government
road.
Matinee at the Orpheum tomorrow
afternoon. This will be the last mat
inee for the winter unless a better at
tendance Is secured.