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IDITAROD ALASKA SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 3, 1917 _25 cents per copy
ONE DOLLAR PER MONTH 1LH1AKUU. ML/AJrVrt, _"... .. ; --
NORTHERNERS CONCERNED
IN SEATTLE BANK FAILURE
SEATTLE, Jan. 31.—The Northern Bank h Trust j
Company, having $1,500,000 deposits, was closed,
by the state bank examiner yesterday morning. A |
run was commenced on the institution after the fail
ure o f the Broadway State Bank, with which it was
once allied.
A large number of Alaskans were caught m the
bank failure through their acquaintance with W. L.
Collier, its president, m the North. Collier, who was
merely a clerk, went to Alaska and upon his return
blossomed out into a full-fledged banker. Loans of
several hundred thousand dollars are said to have
been made to the Issaquah-Superior Coal Mining
Company, a wildcat concern promoted by Von Al
vansade, whose extensive British coal and lumber
holdings were confiscated at the beginning of the j
war.
Assistance Offered Other Banks
Up to 1:30 p. m. today offers of cash assistance
tendered to Seattle banks by outside institutions in
case of need totaled several hundred million dollars.
The Fremont State Bank, a Remsberg & Dixon prop
erty, closed its doors this morning, and the German
American Bank, upon which there was a run all day
yesterday, failed to ope nthis morning.
Ibere were runs on all the rest of the Seattle j
banks this morning, the most persistent being on the
savings institutions. The clearing house has given
notice that all solvent banks, whether members or
not, will be assisted.
Federal Reserve Bank Meets Crisis
SAN .FRANCISCO, Jan. 31.—Sixty-eight million
dollars was offered today by the federal reserve j
bank to the Seattle banks in case they needed it.
No Other Banks in Danger
SEATTLE, Feb. 1.—The clearing house guaran-j
tee has had the effect of stopping all runs save that
on the Scandinavian-American Bank, and withdraw-!
als from that institution are not nearly so great as1
they were yesterday.
The clearing house announced this morning that
it will “stand behind every bank open for business
in Seattle today." Which means that there will not
be another closing, regardless of runs.
SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT OF NAVAL EXPERT
AS TO GERMANY’S CHANCE OF WINNING WAR
LONDON. Feb. I.—The naval correspondent of
the Morning Post says: “If Germany can destroy
enough ships, both neutral and belligerent, before
she is defeated on land, she will win. If the allies
can maintain sufficient sea transport they will win.
At this moment it is impossible to predict the issue,
but the people of this country would do well to pre
pare for certain contingencies.
There are indications of an impending test of sea
strength between Great Britain and Germany. The i
allied naval councils at the admiralty are showing
much activity. As an inevitable consequence of
Germany’s latest note to the United States, Great
Britain is extending her mine fields to a new section
of sea area, and a finish fight at sea is predicted.
Quiet on the Western Front
PARIS, Jan. 31.—France is experiencing the most
severe winter weather since 1893, and all is quiet
on the western front excepting the artillery.
One hundred and forty men perished when the
French transport Amisalmagon was torpedoed in the
Mediterranean on January 25. Eight hundred were ;
rescued.
German Operations
BERLIN, Jan. 31.—A German submarine in the;
Mediterranean has sunk an entente transport |
crammed with troops.
The Turks have beaten off the Russian offensive !
at Zloa Lipa, Galicia.
There has been wide activity on the western front.
The German forces have broken up French surprise
attacks. Three assaults were made on Hill 34. The
British assaults north of Armentierres have failed,
with severe losses.
INVITES THEM TO VIEW ALASKA’S BEAUTIES
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29.—Congressman Hum
phrey of Washington, in the course of a banquet
speech delivered here last night, advised those who
are longing for the war to close so that they can
spend their money traveling in Europe, to turn their
steps toward Alaska, whose beauty surpasses that of
foreign lands.
I AMERICAN TROOPS REPULSE MEXICANS MOB
EL PASO, Jan. 29.—Anti-American riots at
Juarez today resulted in Company A, Twenty-third
infantry, charging a mob of Mexicans who at
tempted to cross the international bridge in defiance
of quarantine rules. The Mexicans were driven
back.
DEUTSCHLAND PROBABLY LOST
NKW YORK, Jan. 29.—Fears are enter
tained that the German submarine mer
chantman Deutschland, which ,.i!ed from
Bremen on January 2, has been captured or
sunk.
CONSPIRE TO KILL PREMIER,
LONDON, Jan. 31.- Mrs. Alice Wheeldon, i
her two daughters and the husband of one .
of them, Alfred George Mason, were charged I
today with conspiracy to murder Lloyd j
George and Arthur Henderson.
TEST OF AMERICANISM
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2. Charles
E. Hughes, late Republican candi
date for President, said last night in
a speech delivered here:
“We are all Americans tonight,
standing behind our President, on
whom this great responsibility rests.
It is no time to embarrass him it
is the hour of test that will show
what America is made of."
OLE GETS A JOB
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27. -Secretary of ;
the Treasury McAdoo has appointed Ole j
Hanson, the Seattle Progressive politician, ,
n a member of the assay commission,
which is to meet in Philadelphia in Febtu- |
ary. I
BAD FIRE IN PITTSBURGH j
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 27.—A fire on Fifth j
avenue, in the heart of the business riis- |
trict, caused damage amounting to two j
million dollars this morning. j
OUR RELATIONS WITH GERMANY
LIKELY TO BE TERMINATED TOO AY
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.—German Ambassador
Von Bernstorff this afternoon handed to Secretary
of State Lansing a note from his government in which
Germany serves notice on the United States that, be
cause of the kaiser’s failure to accomplish the open
ing of negotiations with the entente allies, unre
stricted warfare on the sea would be inaugurated.
The note says that the imperial German government
is forced to abolish all restrictions which until now
have been impressed upon its fighting men on the
seas.
Anxiously Awaiting Action of Government
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.—President Wilson played
golf for an hour this morning with his personal aide.
Dr. Grayson. There is no doubt anywhere in offi
cial quarters that a break in the relations, not alone
with Germany, but with all her allies, is only a ques
tion of days, possibly hours.
The German and Austro-Hungarian embassies
were very quiet today. The officials remained in
seclusion, and they frankly say they are awaiting the
action of the Washington government.
Secretary of State Lansing authorized the state
ment today that so far no communication has been
sent to Germany. He refused to say whether any
instructions have been sent to Ambassador Gerard,
and declined to make any statement to account for
the delay in announcing the course of the United
States. He said he was not prepared to discuss the
matter as to whether or not any announcement would
be made today.
British diplomatic officials asserted today that
Great Britain is sinking German submarines at the
rate of two daily.
Senator Poindexter of Washington today intro
duced a bill for the immediate construction of 100
submarines.
Severance of Diplomatic Relations Predicted
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.—The situation created
by the German note is extremely grave. The gov
ernment is formulating a definite plan of action, and
a complete severance of diplomatic relations, it is
predicted, will be the reply. President Wilson re
tired after midnight last night and rose before 6
o’clock this morning.
The President remained alone in his study until
1 1 o’clock last night, considering a reply to the Ger-j
man note. He saw no one, but used the telephone
frequently.
Colonel House arrived from New York today for
a conference with the President.
European Neutrals Discontinue Sailings
LONDON, Feb. 2. -Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Holland j
have discontinued Bailings as a result of the. kaiser’s submarine j
threat. The eyes of Great Britain, and in fact of all Flurope. ere \
focused on the Washington government, as it is felt that the |
question of whether the United States will enter the war 13 now !
being decided.
American Vessels Sail Under Convoy
NEW YORK, Feb. 2. Vessels were permitted to pass out of !
port last night, each being escorted by a torpedo boat destroyer. \
Stock Market Affected
NEW YORK, Feb. 1.—Opening prices on the stock market to- j
day showed big losses. The effect of the German declaration of a 1
sea blockade, is felt in every port on the Atlantic. j
Interned German Ship Scuttled
CHARLESTON, S. C., Feb. 1.-—The German freighter Lieben- i
fels, which has been tied up here since the beginning of the war, I
began sinking this morning. Marine men believe the ve-sstl was j
ecutiled, as the master refused the aid of tugs.
Valuable German Shipping in American Ports
SEATTLE, Feb. 1.- No valuation placed on the fifty German j
vessels interned in American ports is yet available. Some of those 1
interned at Atlantic ports are among the largest in the world, j
Three vessels are interned on Puget sound.
Predictions of Newspapers
WASHINGTON. Feb. 1.- The press of the country regards a
break in the diplomatic relations with Germany inevitable.
It was announced today that all ships will be permitted to j
clear in regular order under the regular procedure to and from
the port of New York.
World Says “Germany Has Declared War”
NEW YORK, Feb. 1.—The World, under the caption. "Ger
many Declares War,” today asserted that there can be but one
answer to the German submarine proclamation that the German
ambassador must receive his passports today.
Dutch Ship Was First Victim
LONDON, Feb. 1. The Dutch steamship Epsilon was the first
to be sunk in the new barred zone today.
THOUSAND PERSONS KILLED !
IN EXPLOSION OF ARSENAL
PARIS, Jan. 27 - The arsenal at Dresden j
has been blown up and a thousand women
and girls killed, according to a letter taken
from a captured German soldier. The
writer says that all windows within a radius
of twelve miles were brokeu by the explo
sion. The German government suppressed
the news.
LACK OF TRANSPORTATION
CAUSING FAMINE IN RUSSIA
LONDON, Jan. 29.—Russia is experi- ;
encing famine in the midst of plenty, ac
cording to an undated article in the Times
from its correspondent in that country. The
article refers confidently to the situation at ;
Petrograd and Moscow, and states that the ,
inadequacy of railroad facilities for the dis- ’
tribution of food is the cause of the trouble. ^
LOOKS LIKE A DIRECT SLAP
AT AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
THE HAGUE, Jan. 31—A thousand Bel- j
giang connected with the work of the Amer
ican relief commission have been deported
to Germany, over the strong protest of the '
commission. j
PIONEER? MEETING
The next regular meeting of Igloo No. 10, j
Pioneers of Alaska, will be held at A. B.
hall, this city, on next Wednesday night,
February 7, at the usual hour.
-«
Louis Dahl, an old resdient of the Koyu
kuk country, was recently adjudged insane i
before the commissioner at Ruby and or- [
dered to the Morningside sanitarium for i
treatment.
. i
ion PASSES i
BONE MY BILL
-77— !
A wireless flash” late last'
evening announced that the 1
house of representatives had i
passed the Alaska “bone dry”
prohibition bill, and that only
the signature of the President is
now needed to make it law.
MAIL SERVICE DEMORALIZED j
BECAUSE OF DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN CONTRACTORS
Because of the alleged failure'of H. E.
Revell, the contractor on the' Seward-to
Iditarod mail route, to compensate the sub
contractors for services rendered during the
present winter, Iditarod and vicinity has
been without mail for more than two weeks.
A belated consignment arrived here on Fri
day, however, and it is likely that the un
fortuante delays may hereafter be avoided.
George Adams, who left here with the
outgoing mail on Wednesday, January 24,
returned on Saturday last without the in
coming mail, bringing the information that
the carriers on the southern end of the route
had failed to bring the mail through, and
that Tom Boyd, the sub-contractor on the
Iditarod end of the route, had started to
ward the Seward end to locate the difficulty.
Mr. Adams left, again on Wednesday la-st
with the outgoing mail.
Tom Boyd Arrives in Town
Tom Boyd, the sub-contractor, arrived in
town Wednesday, having come here to get
into telegraphic communication with Con
tractor Revell and the postal authorities
with a view to straightening out the muddle.
Mr. Boyd has charge of the transportation
of mail from Flat and Iditarod to Anderson’s
roadhouse, which is about half way to Sew
ard. F'requentlv it has happened that he
has carried the mail to Happy River, the
next stop, and even to Mountain Climbers,
to meet the incoming carriers. Under the
terms of his contract with Revell he was to
receive extra compensation for this service.
In the mail received yesterday was a letter
from Ellexson, the sub-contractor on the
run between Anderson’s and Knik, to the
effect that hereafter the mail would not
he turned over to Mr. Boyd except at An
derson’s.
Mr. Boyd himself has likewise been put
at a disadvantage because of failure to re
ceive compensation for work performed, and
before the muddle is straightened out he
will be compelled to make arrangements
with either Mr. Revell, his bondsmen or
the government for the. money due him.
It appears from a previous communica
tion to Mr. Boyd from Revell that the
latter is in financial difficulties and unable
to meet his obligations.
Government Official Notified
The Iditarod Commercial Club, of which
Major G. W. Albrecht is president and Percy
Charles secretary, has taken up the matter
of the collapse of the mail service, and on
Wednesday last dispatched the following
telegraphic message to Alvah Eames, chief
clerk of the railway mail service, at Cor
dova, who has charge, of the transportation
of mails over the trails:
“Have received no mail here for over
two weeks. Reported Reveli's sub-con
tractor, Ellexson, has ceased carrying, owbng
to failure to receive compensatoin. What- j
ever is cause, will you not take immediate |
action tending to resumption of service? !
Business here seriously suffering. Please j
wire our expense, when we may expect re- !
lief. IDITAROD COMMERCIAL CLUB. ’
Eames Makes Reply
The following reply was received from Mr.
Eames yesterday:
"Cordova, Alaska, Feb. 1, 1917.
"Iditarod Commercial Club,
"Iditarod, Alaska:
"Flat dispatch December 26 arrived Sew- j
ard today. Revell states Eliixson still carry- J
ing mail, and that delays are due to heavy
snowstorms Dear Rainy Pass.
“EAMES.” j
The above shows that the last mail to j
reach Seward from this end was at least j
thirty-five days in reaching the coast termi
nal, as against, the twenty-five days allowed j
by the. contract. There seems to be a dis- j
crepancy, however, in the statements of |
those concerned as to the cause of the delay. |
Rainy Pass is on this sde of Anderson’s, the j
end of Mr. Boyd’s run, and that gentleman j
ositively states that there not only have not |
been any severe Rtorms near Rainy pass re- j
cently, but that there has been no delay of
the mail on his route.
Mr. Boyd states that the mail carriers
employed by him will continue to bring the
mail consigned to their care, but that before
he leaves Iditarod he must have a thorough
understanding with the contractor and sub
contractors in order to avoid further delays.
.A.
FORMER AMBASSADOR
IS PEEVED AT PRESIDENT
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Jan. 27.—Henry
Lane WLson, former United States ambassa
dor to Mexico, in a letter to former Presi
dent Taft, announces his resignation as
^resident of the Indiana hranch of the
League to Enforce Peace, because, as he
says, it appears to him that the league is
about to adopt President Wilson’s senate
speech as its peace program.
BRITAIN TO COMB THE SEAS
FOR COMMERCE RAIDERS
NEW YORK, Jan. 30.—A big squadron of
British naval vessels has been formed into
a huge net to comb the seas for the two
German commerce raiders, which have
abandoned the South American field for the
steamship ltnes to the north.
E
SEATTLE. Jan. 30.—Mayor Hi Gill was arraigned
in the federal court here yesterday morning and
pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiring to
commit a crime against the United States in bringing
whisky into the state. Mayor Gill and Chief of
Police Beckingham are striving to secure separate
trials, but the court has virtually held that Sheriff
Hodge and the other defendants must be tried at the
same time. Hodge's attorney demurred to the rul
ing of the court.
The indictments were returned by the federal
grand jury late last Saturday afternoon, and charge
Gill, Beckingham, Hodge, the Billingsleys, the Jesse
Moore Company, the Hunt Company of San Fran
cisco and former Patrolman Margett with conspir
acy. The federal authorities assert they have a mass
of evidence on which the indictment were returned
which clearly dislcoses the systematic co-operation
of Hodge and Beckingham to prevent Sergeant Put
nam from seizing Billingsleys’ shipments of liquor,
and that when Putnam would get too hot on the trail
Hodge and his deputies would make the seizure,
Hodge later delivering the liquor to the Billingsleys.
The federal officials intimate that they will offer
no opposition to Mayor Gill’s demand for a speedy
trial, and it is practically certain that the prosecu
tions will implicate a number of others who were
members of the ring of conspirators, whose opera
tions are said to have been managed by Prosecuting
Attorney Lundin.
The grand jury adjourned on Monday afternoon.
Many seizures of liquors billed through from
Butte and San Francisco to Alaska points are being
made by the police, who announce their intention of
seizing all such shipments and holding them unless
it is proved they are going to bona fide consignees.
ALASKA PROHIBITION BILL PASSES SENATE
AND IS MOST STRINGENT IN ITS PROVISIONS
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.—The senate today
passed the Jones bill, making Alaska prohibition ter
ritory. The bill provides for the prohibition of the
manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors in the
territory, and also makes it unlawful to transport
liquor into Alaska. The bill has not yet passed the
house.
Stringent Provisions of Measure
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.—It is considered certain
that the Alaska “bone dry” bill, if gotten to a vote
by March 4, will pass the house in short order. By
its terms anyone can swear out a search warrant
One provision declares that no property rights in
alcoholic beverages will be recognized. A maximum
penalty of one year’s imprisonment and a fine of
$1,000 is provided. The bill will become effective
January I, 1918. Authority is given to the terri
torial legislature to pass additional legislation to aid
in the enforcement of the law. The district courts
are permitted to grant licenses until January I, the
license fee to be computed on a pro rata basis of the
yearly license.
Delegate Wickersham has introduced another res
olution designed to meet the objections raised to the
provision for a congressional committee to visit
Alaska. The new resolution provides that $5,000
be taken from the Alaska railroad appropriation to
defray the expenses of the committee.
The house has adopted an amendment to the riv
ers and harbors bill providing an appropriation of
$105,000 for the Snake river basin at Nome.
OFFICIALS OF GOVERNMENT RAILROAD
MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR YEAR’S WORK
SEATTLE, Feb. I.—Bids are to be opened for
1,300 tons of steel rails to be used in the construc
tion of the Nenana-Fairbanks branch of the govern
ment railroad in Alaska. Howard P. Curtis, general
storekeeper of the Nenana-Fairbanks division,, is in
Seattle to confer with Purchasing Agent Dole as to
methods of purchase and transportation of supplies
to Nenana. W. B. Reaburn, superintendent of con
struction of the same division, is in Seattle to look
after the shipment of supplies and equipment.
Mr. Dole has purchased a fifty-ton locomotive of
the ten-wheel type for use on the Alaska Northern
stretch of the government railroad.
_A_
NOTORIOUS NORTHERN WOMAN SENTENCED
FOR COMPLICITY IN ROBBERY AND MURDER
SPOKANE, Wash., Jan. 30.—Vivian Tozier, the
former wife of a Fairbanks attorney, and now the
paramour of Robert A. Hood, found guilty recently
of murdering Mrs. Margaret Braun for the purpose
of robbery, has been sentenced to six months’ im
prisonment. James Weston, who was sentenced to
five years for complicity in the crime, testified that
the Tozier woman stood guard outside the door dur
ing the robbery.