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TOLIimItiV VAI-iDEZ, ALASKA, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 17, 1016 NUMBER 4*
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BfiEAT DAMAGE
BRITISH ISLES
' i -’
Hundred Mile Gale Sweeps Along the
British Coast and Causes Great
Damage to Shipping.
LONDON, Feb. 17.—A terrific
gale has been swepping the British
isles during the past twenty-foui
boars and has caused great damage
to Bhipping at many points along the
coaBt. The wind attained a velocity
; of one hundred miles an hour and
; many vessels were torn loose from
■ their moorings and driven on the
! rocks, hundreds of buildings were
blown down and wire communication
• bos been Interrupted yith many
parts of the country.
Advices from the north say that
• the storm has taken a fearful toll of
life among the fishermen whose ves
; sels were caught at sea. It is report
ed that many trawlers are missing
and itl» Wieved that they have been
lost as the storm was such that no
small vessel could live to reach shel
ter if caught in the gale.
Fears are entertained that a num
ber of liners may have been lost as
several are known to have been in
the path of the storm and have not
reported by wireless as to their
safety.
GERMS HIE
61 IT MS
British War Office Has Admitted that
Ground Gained in Offensive
Has Been Lost Again.
LONDON, Feb. 17.—The British
war office has admitted that the Ger
mans have made great gains from
the British troops,near Ypres, and
that important positions won during
the great offensive movement of the
Allies have been retak'en by the Teu
tons. The fighting is reported to
have been one of the greatest battles
fought since the beginning of the
■war. ^ j '/
Thq British positions, according to
disp&t^iedfrom the British headquar
ters In France, were subjected to ter
rific shelling by German artiltery,
which was followed ‘ by infantry at
tacks. It is admitted that the Brit
ish casualties were unusually heavy.
London Learns News.
LONDON. Feb. 1,7.—The people of
London scarcely required the official
announcement of the war office to
tell-them' that a big battle-was rag
ing on the western front. As has al
ways been. the case when offensive
movements are under way in France
thousands of British wounded have
Beta arriving on every steamer cross
ing the channel from France and the
.hospitals are crowded.
I .■■■ I »»■ .II
ALAMEDA WILL RETURN
! DIRECT TO CORDOVA
A message was received by the lo
ad agency of the Alaska Steamship
company from Fred Tracy, general
'•agent of the company, stating that
the Alameda’s passengers had been
at Cordova when she left to go
: to tA rescue of the steamer Pavlof,
•which is disabled off the west end'of
Kodiak island with a broken tall
-’shaft. The message states that the
Alameda - would return to COrdova
• from the westward and would then
’resume her regular trip.
She carries several hundred thou
> sand ties for the Copper River and
^ Northwestern railroad and this must
’ -ihe df»<$krted' before the shipments
f #br Valdet ahd'Seward can he reach
ed. ________
The local office of the Signal Corps
* received advices from Seattle this
morning stating that the cableshlp
Burnside would take her departure
. ’ from Seattle for Alaska next Satur
• day to repair the breaks in the gov
*•, eminent cable.
Prospector Ads bring results.
JAPANESE STEAMER
FOUNDERS IN GALE
LONDON, Feb. 17.—A Japanese
steamship, the name of which has
not been learned, foundered la a gale
off the coast of England Tuesday
night, causing the loss of several
lives. The survivore who escaped in
the ship’s boats were picked up by
a passing liner and landed at Ply
mouth.
ENLISTED TROOPS
FOR BRITISH ARMY
Canadian Indicted by Federal Grand
Jury at Spokane for Working
Among Men of State.
t
SPOKANE, Wash., Feb. 17.—E. C.
Brooks, a Canadian, has been indict
ed by the federal grand jury here on
the charge of having enlisted men
in this state for service in the Brit
ish army. He admitted the charge
but denies that he was authorized by
the Canadian government to seek re
cruits in the United States.
It is reported that several agents
of the British government have been
active in the northern parts of the
state in inducing Americans to cross
the border and join the new regi
ments which Canada is raising to
send to Europe, and that the arrest
of Brooks win be followed by the
apprehension of others.
The recruiting agent will be sub
ject to a fine and imprisonment of
not less than one year nor more than
three years.
AMERICANS IN BERLU?
40 DAYS WITHQUT MAIL
BERLIN, Peb. . 17.—Americans
and' Other foreign residents in Ber
lin are Indignant because fcr forty
days they have been without mail.
They blame the British po lcy of
holding up all mail whether sent by
British or neutral steamers, or to
whom addressed. James W Oerard.
the American ambassador, is the only
person who receives his mail prompt
ly, as the official mail pouch is not
disturbed by the British offlci rs.
REPUBLICANS ARE
FOR PRERIMEDNESS
i • .• ,
" ' ' *
Root Declares that Wilson’s Foreign
Policy Has Killed Respect of
k . . ’ . » »
Other Nations for U. 8.
. ..
NEW YORK, Feb., 17.—Complete
national preparedness is the national
plahk in the ptttform adopted'by the
committee New York
state in convention yesterday. The
convention was presided over by Wil
liam J. Barnes Jr., and was addressed
by EHhtt Root and Justice Hughes,
both of whom are regarded as presi
dential possibilities.
Speaking before the convention.
Mr. Root severely criticised the ad
ministration ana ^^uiared that Pres
ident Wilson’s atory policy had de
stroyed the respect of foreign na
tions for the United states. He at
tacked the president’s watchful wait
ing policy as applied to Mexico and
declared that only the war kept the;
European powers from - invading the
neighboring republic as America had
failed to secure protection tor the
lives aad property of - her' own citi
zens, or of other foreigners. •
An attempt was made to have the;
convention go on record as favoring;
Root for the Republican presidential;
nomination at the Chicago conven
tlOn but it was foted'dawn by a large)
majority. vj
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High Explosives.
A Matter of High Explosives with"
all its ups and downs-hr the laugh
able comedy at the Empress.. Change
of movies tonight.
Hotpolnt Electric Heaters, Cookers.
Bakers, Percolators and Vacuum
Cleaners arrived on the last boat for
the Emporium. tf
STEAMERS AND LIGHTERS
BURNED AT BROOKLYN DOCK
BRITISH STEAMSHIPS BARTON CASTLE AND PACIFIC AND FORTY
LIGHTERS LADEN WITH OIL, COTTON AND MUNITIONS OF WAR
FOR THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT _alERDAY—FIRE
STARTED IN WAREHOUSE AND SPREAD TO VESSELS LADEN
WITH OIL AND EXPLOSIVES—TWO LIVES LOST AND PROPERTY
TO VALUE OF FIVE MILLIONS BURNED.
NEW YORK, Feb. 17.—The larg
est fire which has occurred on the
New York waterfront for many years
raged yesterday afternoon when two
steamers and forty lighters together
with their cargoes of oil, cotton and
munitions burned at the Atlantic
docks in Brooklyn. The steamships
were the Barton Castle and the Pa
cific and were owned by the British
government, but the cargoes were
destined for Russia.
The fire started In the warehouse
on the pier and quickly spread to the
steamers and lighters which explod
ed with terrific force when the
flames reached the oil and munitions.
Windows for blocks around the wa
terfront were scattered and hundreds
'
of pedestrians were injured by the
falling glass.
Two seamen are known to have
perished and many are reported miss
ing. Thrilling rescues were nade by
the sailors and firemen of persons
who had plunged into the water when
cut oft from shore by the flame.
The steamers Pacific and Barton
Castle had been loaded several weeks
ago and were among the vessels de
tained in New York when the Rus
sian government notified - shippers
that Archangel port had been closed
with Ice. The Barton Castle’s entire
cargo consisteu of sugar.
The property loss resulting from
the fire and explosions is estimated
to be in excess of five million dollars
and falls on the British government.
DRASTIC ORDERS ISSUED
DY BRITISH GOVERNMENT
NAVY DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GIVEN COMPLETE CONTROL OVER
ALL MERCHANTMEN FLYING THE HKIIis.. FLAG AND MAY IN
TERRUPT INTERNATIONAL SERVICE — MINISTER OF MUNI
TIONS VESTED WITH AUTHORITY TO SEIZE ALL FOODS, WAR
MATERIALS AND TO CONVERT PRIVATE FACTORIES INTO MU
NITION PLANTS—FOLLOWING GERMANY’S EXAMPLE.
LONDON, Feb. 17.—That the En
glish government is prepared to adopt
drastic measures whereby the effi
ciency of the navy or the production
of war munitions may be increased
was evidenced by two executive or
ders which were issued yesterday and
immediately became effective.
The British Admiralty has Issued
an order which is taken to mean that
practically every ship flying the Brit
ish flag is soon to be taken over by
the government to be used for mili
tary purposes. The order gives the
navy department complete control
over all merchantmen Irrespective of
the service in which the vessels have
been engaged, and many of the larg
er shipping companies fear that it
will have the effect of interrupting
service with many parts of the world
where British steamers are operat
ing.
Another order which is regarded
as even more drastic gives the Minis
ter of Munitions authority to seize all
stocks of food in j^giauu, all mate
rials from which war munitions are
manufactured, and to seize and pri
vate factory and convert it into a mu
nition plant.
It 1b believed that the action of
the government in authorizing the
seizure ot the merchantmen, the
stocks of food, war material and pri
vate factories is for the purpose of
silencing the criticisms of the Labor
ltes that capitalists were reaping
harvests of mm.ons from war orders
while the laborers were being draft
ed into the army or urged to refrain
from engaging in strikes to secure
an increase, of wages. . - , i
I t
Explosion of Nitroglycerin Shatters
Building and Terrifies People
of Cleveland Suburb.
> - ■
CLEVELAND, O., Feb. 17.-r-Wll-j
liam Hulse, a mechanic, was blown
to atoms by an explosion of nitro
glycerin last night a Bearlee, a su
burb of this city. The force of the
explosion was so terrific that a shed
in which Hule was working and an
auto, truck were torn to fragments
and scattered over a wlde area.
The explosion caused Intense ex
citement in the city as it was believ
ed that the dynamite outrages such
as have been perpetrated in other
cities in the east had destroyed some
of the public buildings. The poliae
have been unable, to determine why
Hulse should have the explosive in
his possession.
The windows in the buildings for
several blocks around the place where
tho'accldent occurred were shattered.
Furnished rooms at Mrs. Osland's
Prices reasonable. •
TWO MILLION
FIRE DAMAGE
Two Blocks in Center of Massachu*
- setts City are Wiped Out
. i: by Incendiary Fire.
FALL RIVER, Mass., Feb. 17.—A
fire which is believed to have been
of Incendiary origin destroyed two
blocks in the center of this city last
night and caused a loss of more than
two million dollars. The entire fire
fighting force Of the city was unable
to confine the flames to the block in
which they originated and for a time
it was feared that the city was doom
ed to destruction.
A heavy fall Df snow which pre
vailed during the time the flames
were raging is declared by the fire
men to have saved the city as the Are
had gotten beyond their control
when it caught in the second block.
Investigation of the origin of the
fire has convinced the firemen and
police that it was incendiary and the
records of the tenants who occupied
the buildings are believed to have
been a possible incentive for the fire.
>
BODIES OF BUTTE
MINERS RECOVERED
BUTTE, Mont., Feb. 17.—Twen
ty-one bodies of tbe miners who per
ished from a fire in a copper mine
near here have been brought to the
surface by rescue workers. A roll
call of the miners who were known
to be working when the fire occurred
show that two are still missing and
it is feared they have perished.
PLOT TO DESTROY
N. Y. CITY HALL
Commissioner Has Placed Heavy
Guards Around City Hall and
Other Public Buildings.
NEW YORK, Feb. 17.—Heavy
guards of uniformed officers as well
as detectives in plan clothes sur
round the New York city hall and
other public buildings owing to Hie
police commissioner having received
a warning that a plot existed for the
destruction of the buildings.
The officials have refused to com
ment on the warning which is sain
to have been received by the c.r- inis
sioner but it is believed to have
close connection with the discoveries
of the Chicago police investigating
the Anarchistic plots there.
Guards are also on duty night and
day at the residences of many of the
prominent families and hundreds of
special police are now on duty, which
is taken to indicate that the warning
of the plot came from some reliable
source.
OFFICIALS GUARDING
AGAINST LOTTERIES
- " ‘ i
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 14.—
Increase In the number of lotteries
abroad as the European war drags
itself out is forcing the United
States postal authorities to be espe
cially watchful to prevent their ad
vertisement in this country. The lot
teries are advertised in America in
two ways. Individual letters are
written to American citizens in an
effort to induce them to purchase
tickets and news stories are circu
lated of fabulous sums won.
WOULD DRAW HER
COLONIES CLOSER
British Government will Investigate
Changes Which Would Work
for Benefit of. Empire.
LONDON, Feb. 17.—Sir Rider Hag
gard, the author, has been commis
sioned by the British government to
visit all the British colonies with a
view of investigating the changes
which will be necessary in rebuilding
the empire after the close of the war.,
It is stated that he will visit all the
principal colonies and will confer
with the colonial governments in or
der to ascertain their views in regard
to trade relations and other matters
of vital Importance to the empire.
The government of England has
long recognized that the hope of the
future for the empire lies in the loy-.j
alty of the colonies and that soine!
plan must be evolved whereby they
would be drawn closer to the mother '
country.
The war has caused the British na
tional debt to mount to enormous fig-;
ures and British statesmen fear for
the future unless the colonies assume'
a portion of the debt. *
COMPULSORY MILITARY
SERVICE H CHINA
PEKING, Feb. 1?.—The govern
ment has announced that the con
scription mer.snre' phtch became ef
fective on JanadiV 1, lftld, will be
enforced to crefl^d strong army ir
order that the iwttfliou* rebellions
against tie r|bto*atH» Of Jhe Chi
nese monarchy may tip suppressed
The federal troops are being massed
to march against the rebels in the
southern provinces.
BIG BUSINESS
WANTS THE MONET
»
Will Fight Government if Plana far
Government Owned Factories
Are not Abandoned.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Keb. 17.—
It Is reported in congressional cir
cles that tbe big business interests
are preparing to light the plan of tbs
government to establish government
owned and operated armor plate and
munition factories in the event that
the measures providing for the in
creased national defense are adopted
by congress.
The big steel companies, according
to a congressman who is believed he
be in position to know whereof hs .
punj b oj paqiJDsqns a abq ‘steads
and will light all measures for ap
propriations for establishing plants
which would come into competition
with them in supplying material for
the new navy which would be built
under the administration’s prepared
ness program.
It is reported that at a recent meet
ing of the representatives of the
trusts that it was decided to advance
the price of steel two hundred dol
lars per ton if the government eo’er
ed into competition lor supplying ar
mor plate.
AMERICAN CLUB
WAS DESTROYED
Teutonic Conspirators Wipe (M
Headquarters for American
Legion in Canadian City.
TORONTO. Feb. 17.—The Ameri
can club building In this city was de
stroyed yesterday afternoon by fire
which followed several explosions in
the basement of the building.
Tne American ciud nan oeen tna
scene of many demonstrations by
Americans who are in sympathy wltb
Great Britain in the war and has
been headquarters for the officers ot
the American legion which is now hik
ing formed here for service la
France.
The origin of the fire was identi
cal with that which resulted in tha
destruction of the Dominion parlia
ment buildings in Ottawa and waa
undoubtedly the work of Teutonia
conspirators who are retaliating
against Canada for sending troops to
Europe.
' The nature of the chemicals vied
in the manufacture of the bomba la
puzsling the authorities as in both
cases where explosions occurred tha
flames spread with marvelous rapid
ity throughout the buildings.
Victims of the Fire.
TORONTO. Feb. 17.—One life waa
lost and six persons Injur id as a
result of the explosions a;.d . fire
which destroyed the American club
building in this city. The <*nthort
tles are confident that the fir- was ot
Incendiary origin and several sus
pects have been placed under arrest.
TURKISH ASIA MINOR
, CITV BEEN CAPTURED
LONDON, Feb. 17.—Offio'al dis
patches from Petrograd state that the
-Russian army in Asia Minor has
again defeated the Turks ard that
the remaining forts guarding the city
if Erzerum have been captur-id. Tha
Turks are retreating toward tiha
westward.
NEW’PLACER STRIKE
, REPORTED NEAR JUNEAW.
Juneau Dispatch: There Is a quiet
movement towards some place not
more than 50 miles from Juneau*
where It t is claimed that good plagsr
1 iroBpects have been made. It * 1*
•lalmed that the Georgia IS used ta
, each the place. The ones on tba
•round floor are trying to keep tba
matter quiet until more prospecting
nny demonstrate the work of tha
ground. ;;
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