VOLUME XIV. VALDEZ, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER S, 1®17 NUMBER 233
GREATEST BATTLE OF THE WAR
BRITISH TAKE MANY OF THE GERMAN POSITIONS
FIERCE HG IG
) in_ ns
Germans and Hungarians make Vio
lent Attack on British I-lnes
Which are Repulsed
LONDON, Oct. 3.—German and
Hungarian force along the Ypres
front In West Flanders made violent
attacks upon the British positions
last night, but were repulsed with
sanguinary losses. Fighting has been
unusually violent in the vicinity of
Ypres and Dixmude, the most mom
entus infantry action of the European
war being now in full swing. The first
phase of the great battle, which was
fought last week, resulted in a vic
tory for the allied forces, and shook
the German hold upon the Belgian
coast from Zeebruggee to Antwerp.
Today's action follows the most
terrific bombardment of the war, The
artillery roars Incessantly and for
weeks the terrific detonations of the
big guns have resounded from Ver
dun to the Champagne.
Aerial activity has kept pace with
the fighting on the ground, and for a
time every aeroplane in possession
of both armies was in the sky. There
were many spectacular contests be
tween the airmen, in which the a!
lies seemed to have the best of it.
Lieut. Vossee, one of the most fam
ou of Germany's aviators lost his life
in one of these short duels. The roar
of the fighting can be heard over a
hundred miles.
An appalling feature of today’s bat
tle is the spread of the artillery fire
from the Flanders front to Verdun,
where the super guns of the French
and Germans served by monstrous
ligures clad in armor and breathing
flame from tank and emplacement
seem to rend the very heavens, Their
great shells are rumbling thru the
air with a noise like that of a heavy
laden train crossing a railway trestle,
and bursting with a roar that shakes
the earth.
Shortly after dawn this morning
the British and French drum fire
which reached ear-splitting intensity,
paused with dramatic suddenness for
a few moments that seemed like
hours. This maneuver was taken to
give the Germans a chance to replace
their killed and wounded in the bat
tered trenches with fresh men, and
hell broke loose again. An hour or so
after dawn the sun shown in the sky
as red as blood, resembling an eclipse.
The British forces received a com
mand to advance. Every German po
sition that had come under the with
ering fire fell with but little resist
ance, there being none but corpses
and maimed and wounded to guard
them. Great bodies of men cut off
from retreat by the fire behind them
and unable to advance were taken
prisoners as well as great quantities
of munitions, guns, trench mortarB
and supplies of every kind.
Military experts regard the battle
of yesterday and today as the great
est in the history of the world wars.
If the British succeed in turning the
German flank along the northern end
of the western line the kaiser’s hold
upon Zeebruggee and Flanders will
be broken. The movement so far has
been crowned with unexpected sue
cess.
At Verdun the contest between the
French and German troops has reach
ed a stage of frightful ferocity, but
beyond comment upon this feature,
no gains are claimed by either side.
Alarmed by the success of the great
allied drive, the Germans are rush
ing forces to Galicia and Bukowlna
to m«et the pressure on the Bulgar
ian and Austrian front on the lower
plateau of Bainiila In Galicia and
Bukowlna. The Russian forces are
working up the Dniester river to ef
felt a juncture with the allied forces
and may turn the flank of the Teuton
ic forces.
Alogn the northern half of the bat
tie line to the east of Ypres, the Brit
ish drove a wedge into the German
trenches extending from a few yards
to a half mile. At many places the
Britih troops have advanced to within
a few yards west of the Zonnebee.
The Germans are resisting desperate
ly and along a front of several thous
and yards on the Ypres-Menin road
a terrific struggle is proceeding.
The most important points involv
ed in today’s fighting are the strong
ly held elevations between Ypres
Koullers and the Ypres-Menin high
way. The losses on both sides are
heavy, the fighting many times reach
ing a hand-to-hand stage.
FAMOUS AVIATOR
KILLED IN ADDON:
—
German Flier w ho lia<l Record of 12 j
Planes Downed Found Dead In
side British Lines
|
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS, Oct.
3,—Lieutenant Vossee, famous Ger
man aviator, who had a record of hav
ing downed forty-two allied planes
i up to September 10, was found dead
yesterday inside the British lines, he
having been killed In an aerial bat
tle with British and French aviators.
Lieutenant Vossee was given a mili
tary burial by his foemen, and parts
of his machine placed to mark his
grave.
STEAMER ALAMEDA ARRIVES
IN PORT FROM SOUTH
The steamship Arrived in port this
morning about 8 o'clock with a large
consignment of freight and the fol
lowing passengers: Mrs. Charles
Kraemer, A. J. Meals, Val Fleet, J.
Norton, Mrs. Maxine, Eva Nanelef,
Mr. and Mrs. Janies I,. Galen. Mrs.
Ross Paden, A. Therrif and wife.
The Alameda sailed at about two
o'clock for the westward.
CANADIAN LABOR WILL
NOT FIGHT DRAFT LAW
OTTAWA, .Oct. 3.—The trades
and labor congress last night passed
a resolution by a vote of 136 to 106
reaffirming the unqualified opposition
of the congress to the principle of
conscription.
The resolution recited, however,
that the congress does not "deem it
right, patriotic or in the Interests of
the labor movement of the Dominion
of Canada to do or say angthlng that
might prevent the government of
Canada from obtaining the results
they anticipated in raising reinforce
ments for the Canadian expeditionary
forces by the enforcement of the law.”
CIVIL WAR IN GERMANY
NOW BEING TALKED
AMSTERDAM, Oct. 3.—According
to the oclalist newspaper Vorwaerts,
of Berlin, the following manifesto has
been circulated throughout Germany:
"Cltzens! the fatherland is in per
il. It is in worse peril than three years
ago. Today the enemy is in our midst
and he is at work.”
The newspaper adds: "It is not
enough that the whole world is fight
ing us. The men who are responsible
for this manifesto being issued also
want to war against their own peo
ple. The civilian truce is over. Let us
have a civilian war! Very well, let
them have it! But the relchstag must
see to it that nothing shall Interfere
with the people’s defense against the
civil war agitators.”
E. Friend, of Juneau, was a thru
passenger on the steamship Alameda
for Seward, where be goes to assume
the management of the Gateway. Mr.
friend Is a newspaper man of exper
ience and has many friends in the
territory.
AT BUTTE MINES
Pro|»erties of Anaconda Copper Min
ing Company Resume Ojiera
tions Today
BUTTE, Mont., Oct. 3.—The prop
erties of the Anaconda Copper Mining
Company, closed down since August
24 because of a walkout at the Wa
shoe Works in Anaconda resumed op
erations this morning. At Anaconda
and Great Falls, where the smelting
plants of the company are located,
more men applied for work than were
needed for the morning shift: at all
the mines of the company in Butte
work was started, hut because of the
absence from the district of many
miners it is expected that full shifts
will not be secured for several days.
At no place was there trouble of any
kind, striking miners not being in
evidence.
__
LIBERTY BONDS SELL
ABOVE I‘AK TODAY
NEW YORK Oct. 3.—For the first
time since Liberty bonds were listed
on the stock exchange in June when
the securities sold at slight premium
during the initial week of their of
fering they went above par today,
reaching 100.02 on small transac
tions. After the sale of two blocks of
$500,000 each and one of $513,000
the securities rose to a premium.
Trading iu the bonds was active.
Shipping Resumed
NEW ORLEANS. Oct. 3—Shipping
was resumed today when striking
longshoremen returned to work, their
demands for increased wages having
been granted pending settlement in
conference or by arbitration by the
national adustment commission. Un
ion freight handlers remained out
pending settlement of their demands.
STANTON HELD
to mn jury
Well Known Mail Contractor Held to
Answer to Charge of Assault
With Deadly Weapon
Joseph J. Stanton, of Cordova, the
well-known contractor and transfer
man, was held by Commissioner Med
ley of that place to the grand Jury,
a few days ago, on the charge of as
sault with a deadly weapon.
The charge, it is alleged, grew out
of a dispute between Stanton and a
man whom he had discharged from
his employ. The fracas is said to have
accurred in Stanton's office, in Cor
dova, during which Stanton is said to
have drawn a gun in an endeavor to
force the ex-employe to leave the of
fice.
Stanton was arrested, and at a
hearing before Commissioner Med
ley was held under bonds of $500 to
answer to the charge. H. I. O’Neill,
of the Blum, O’Neill Co., and Ed. Kel
ter qualified as bondsmen and Stan
ton was released.
BOMBS IN NITRATE
ON JAPANESE SHIP
A PACIFIC PORT, Oct. 3.—Explo
sion of a bomb in sacks of nitrate be
ing loaded on the Japanese freighter
Seiyu Maru while the vessel was ly
ing at Ipuipul, Chile, killed two and
injured ten, it was reported on the
arrival of the vessel today. After the
blast three other bomb were heard.
Members of the crew said that a Ger
man plot was suspected.
LABOR STRIKES
MAY BE ENDED
Basis of Negotiation Expected to be
Reached This Week—Seattle
Yards Agree I’ve I/timber
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Oct. 3.—
Shipping board officials are confident
that a basis will be reached this week
for settlement of all labor disputes
in Pacific coast shipyards.
On receipt of reports of the strike
of iron workers at San Francisco to
day the board made efforts to hasten
a settlement of the strike in Seattle
shipyards, in the belief that it will
serve as a basis for agreements at
Portland, San Francisco and other
places.
Only a few minor points of differ
ences on the wage increases and the
proportions to be paid by the gov
ernment and shipbuilders remained
to be considered today at a confer
ence between builders, union lead
ers and shipping board officials.
SKIMiT. BKXXY WALLER
MADE FIRST LIEI'TEXAXT
Word was received here recently
that Sergt. Benny Waller, well known
here, and who was transferred to Fort
Wood, New York, had been promoted
to a tirst lieutenancy, and would
leave for the front in France in the
near future.
After leaving here Mr. Waller was
promoted to first class sergeant, and
in a few mouths took the examina
tion for master electrician. The
news of his promotion is a source of
great gratification to his friends.
FONT OFFICE BOXES
AKKIYE OX ALAMEDA
The boxes for the new postoflice
building arrived on the Alameda to
day and will lie placed immediately
by Contractor Charles Crawford. They
are of the latest pattern, with com
bination lock.
STRIKE OX THE JOB,
FLAN OF I. W. W.’S
SEATTLE, Oct. 3.—Hundreds of
Industrial Workers of the World went
back to the lumber camps Saturday
and Sunday to work again as loggers
after having been on strike for sev
eral months. Several hundred of the
last to leave the city met at head
quarters of the organization Sunday
afternoon and listened to the har
angues of their leaders, who urged
them to return quietly to work, but to
“strike on the job.”
This striking on the job is a
scheme to obtain their ends by going
to work at 8 o’clock in the morning
and quitting promptly at 5 o'clock
In the afternoon. This they propose
to repeat from day to day until they
have won the concession of the eight
hour day from the employers.
FOOD IN HOMES
NOT TO BE TAKEN
WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 3.—
The untracable rumor that the gov
ernment intends to take canned and
dried foods from homes persists and
has spread to such an extent that the
department of agrlculturture today
placed an explicit and official denial
in the hapds of every county agent
and representative, with Instructions
to give it widest publicity. The gov
ernment never has contemplated
commandeering foods from the homes
in any sense, and the persistency of
the rumor leads officials to believe
that its basis probably will be found
in propaganda to hinder food con
sumption and thereby continue high
prices.
J. Norton was an arrival on the
Alameda this morning.
e
WRECK IS FATAL
to nVgko PASSENGER
NEON. Ky„ Oct. 3.—John AllphitT
fireman, aud two negro passengers
were killed and about twenty other
negro passengers were Injured when
a freight locomotive, running wild
early last night, crashed into a Louis
ville and Nashville passenger train
about one mile west of here. The lo
comotive Is thought to have been set
in motion by a negro.
S. Diakl. M. White and E. Washing
I ton were passengers to Latouche on
the steamer Alameda.
FLAGMAKERS
HOLDUP PUBLIC
Commission Investigates Sudden
Itaise in I’rlres of Hags After
Declaration of War
WASHINGTON, D. C.. Oct. 3.—
Twenty leading Hag makers in dif
ferent parts of the country were for
mally charged by the federal trade
commission today with making ex
I horbitant profits out of American pa
triotism by concerted illegal action
to raise flag prices. The complaint
was the result of the commission’s
recent investigation Into the sudden
rise in flag prices, after tiie declara
tion of war. made at the request of
the senate. The investigation showed
that in osme cases 300 per cent pro
fit was made. Hearing on the charges
will be November 4. The association
of fiag manufacturers and its chair
man, Harold M. Turner, was charg
ed with acting as a clearing house
for price information.
NKI TKAIi SHITS AID’.
NOT TO HK SKIZKD
WASHINGTON, H. I’., Oct. 3.—
Strong intimations cume front gov
ernment sources today that Dutch and
other neutral ships lying idle in Am
erican ports because of fear of sub
marines, would not be commandeer
ed for allied use as has been suggest
ed in some quarters. The Unites States
lias sufficient tonnage, it was said, to
provide tor Immediate needs and by
the time more bottoms are required
for increased food and war materials
tranportatlon, a number of former
German vessels and government com
mandeered ships will be ready.
The government, moreover, is un
derstood to be opposed at this time
to establishing any cause for irrita
tion of neutral governments such as
seizure of tonnage which they would
wish to hold for their own uses lat
er.
Big Sum Asked for Army
WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 3.—
More than forty million dollars for a
general epeditionary force supply de
pot, telephone systems for canton
ments and target ranges and reserve
equipment was asked of congress by
the war department today in esti
mates sent to the senate appropria
tions committee to consider the $7,
000,000,000 war deficiency bill.
Deadlock at Frisco*
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3.—Nego
tiations looking toward a settlement
of the strike of 25,000 members of
unions affiliated with the Iron Trades
Council, who walked out a week ago
for higher wages, were deadlocked
early today, after an all-night confer
ence between representatives of the
men, their employers and federal me
diators.
Mrs. Charles Kraemer arrived on
the steamer Alameda this morning,
and will make Valdes here home this
winter.
Mrs. Maxone arrived from Seattle
on the steamer Alameda.
WILSON'S PUN
IS A DREAM
P«l»e Will Direct Another Note to Bel
ligerent* a* Soon as Fntente Al
lies Reply to First One
HOME, Oct. 3.—The reply of the
entente allies to the peace note of
Pope Benedict now is being awaited
by the Vatican, after which the pope
will again address a note to all the
belligerents. The pontiff will point out
that the questions on which all agree
really represent the foundation of a
new era of peace for humanity. The
secondary problems, he will say, cer
tainly can be adjusted easily and bet
ter through good will and friendly
discussion than by force of arms.
It is understood that the next pap
al note virtually will embody the
views expressed by Cardinal Caspar
ri, the papal secretary of state, in
commenting upon the situation after
the publication of the reply to the
central empires to the pope's note:
“President Wilson's proposal to re
duce armaments and impose interna
tional arbitration by force through a
society of nations is a dream. An in
ternational army to enforce the ver
dicts of the court of arbitration? In
which country would it be located
without being influenced by local
politics and prejudices? The moon is
the only place.
“All the other inconveniences and
objections could be avoided by sup
pressing conscription, with the pro
vision that it could not be re-estab
lished without a law approved by the
people, which in normal conditions
would be improbable, indeed, normal
ly impossible. To Ibis some would ob
ject that certain governments first
would declare war and then present
a bill to parliament for the adoption
of conscription and the formation of
a Targe standing army, which parlia
ment undoubtedly would pass from
patriotic motives. All this would be
possible, but it would he difficult, as
such a government first would have
to violate a treaty signed in conjunc
tion with all civilized nations. Then
it would not always be possible to in
duce parliament to vote large mili
tary appropriations."
Work Resumed in Steel Plant
SEATTLE. Oct. 3.—The wood
workers in the steel shipyards of the
Seattle Construction & Dry Dock Co.,
the largest plant here, resumed work
today, the company having given bond
to use only lumber manufactered In
eight-hour mills. Two other large
yards had previously resumed work,
using eight-hour lumber. Although
only a few hundred woodworkers are
employed in the steel yards, making
scaffolding and doing like work, there
was danger that the steel workers
would be obliged to stop work for lack
of scaffolding. There was no change
today at the wooden shipyards, which
have been tied up for several days
by a sympathetic strike of the wood
worker against ten-hour lumber.
The feeling at Btrlke headquarters
is that the difficulties of the wooden
shipbuilders as well as the metal
workers will be settled by negotia
tions now in progress at Washing
ton.
Nurses Sent to France
WASHINGTON. D. C., Oct. 3.—
The American Red Cross announced
today that Dr. Harry U. Moore, of
Portland. Ore., with sixteen specially
trained nurses had been sent to the
front In France to reinforce the in
fare unit. .
---
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Galen, of Cor
dova, and former popular Valdesans
arrived on the steamer Alameda thla
morning and will visit friends In this
place a few days.
A Mahoney arrived at Fort Llscumt
on the Alameda today. r
VJa .m«. i