VALDEZ, ALASKA, MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1915. NO. 55.
WILL RE-SURVEY VALDEZ ROUTE
- ATTORNEY GENERAL
BADLY NEEDED
Resolution In Senate Asking Gover
nor To Name Attorney To As
sist In Preparing Bills.
JUNEAU, March 8—Senator Sulzer
has introduced a resolution in the
Senate asking that Governor Strong
appoint an attorney for the legisla
ture with a salary not to exceed $500
per month to act as advisor until the
federal government provides an at
torney general.
The resolution has been introduced
in anticipation of the failure of three
bills now before the house providing
for the appointment of an attorney
general. Senator Sulzer has also in
troduced a measure providing for com
pensation for Dr. P. Wilberforce for
services last summer during the out
break of smallpox among the natives
at Hoonah. Dr. Wilberforce’s services
are valued at $500.
Senator Sulzer has introduced a
measure providing a bounty of $15.00
for timber wolves and $1.00 for hair
seal. He asserts that the wolves are
destroying the deer and other game
in Southeastern Alaska and that the
hair seal is very destructive of food
fish.
RAGING PRIZES
60 TO FRANCE
0
Both the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix
Races Won By Italian Driving
French Machine.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 8.—Both
the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix cups
will go to France, having been won
by two successive victories by the
French car. Darius Resta, who is
driving for the Pengeat French Car
company, is an Italian, and won the
races of last Saturday and Sunday.
> His time in the Vanderbilt cup race
was 4 hours, 27 1-2 minutes. The
course is 296 miles.
Howard Wilcox, driving a Hutts car,
won second place; Eddie Puller, with
a Mercer, third. There were a num
ber of accidents and more than a doz
en of the cars failed to cover the
course.
Bob Burman, who suffered slight in
juries when his car turned turtle, is
able to be around, but it is fear^
that his mechanician will not recov
er from his injuries. In addition to
having both legs, his shoulder and two
ribs broken it is believed that he
suffered internal injuries.
EASY LEASING LAW
OF COAL LANDS
V -
WASHINGTON, March 8.—Secre
tary Lane, of the Interior Department,
has announced that the plans for leas
ing the coal lands in the Bering riv
■er and Matanuska coal fields in Alas
ka are being worked out. He states
that the leasing system will be made
very simple as the government is in
terested in having the coal mines de
veloped as soon as possible and will
only take precautions that no mo
^ nopoly is created which would serve
to keep the coal at a high price.
J. A. Baxter, the Democratic organ
izer, returned from Juneau on the
Alameda this forenoon.
NEW YORK, March 7.—Saturday’s issue of the New York Sun prints an
interview with W. J. Boland, attorney for the bondholders of the Alaska Nor
thern railroad, stating that all negotiations for the purchase of the Alaska Nor
thern by the government had been dropped. He expressed the belief that only
seventy-five miles of railroad will be built in Alaska this summer and that will
be from Cook Inlet to the Matanuska coal fields and that the Valdez Fairbanks
route would be surveyed.
The above message was received
yesterday by the Prospector from its
correspondent and when posted in the
windows of the Big Place created a
feeling of optimism among thet resi
dents of Valdez. The people of Val
dez have adherred to their faith that
the advantages of the Valdez route
from tidewater to interior Alaska
would not be overlooked by the en
gineering commission.
During the past few weeks when
rumor has been rife that other coast
points had been favored as the ocean
terminal by the commission the resi
dents of Valdez have not been down
cast but have assayed the rumors at
their true value. Ihe reports adverse
to Valdez have been regarded as
moves on the part of interested par
ties to create a sentiment favorable
for towns in which they were inter
ested.
The interview of Mr. Boland, in
the New York Sun, in which he
states that negotiations with the gov
ernment for taking over the Alaska
Northern railroad as part of the pro
posed government trunk line had
been dropped, can be regarded as
in no way an expression of the sen
timents of President Wilson, Secre
tary Lane or the commission as to
the selection of other routes. Mr. Bo
land necessarily could not speak with
any degree of authority as to the rec
ommendations of the commission ex
cept in so far as the Alaska North
ern was concerned.
At no time have the residents of
Valdez lost faith in the ultimate se
lection of the route from Valdez bay
to interior Alaska. The natural ad
vantages are too well known and too
decided to pe.rmit of being passed up
by any commission of competent en
gineers without careful consideration.
Army engineers, picked from the
most capable body of engineers in the
world, years ago decided that Valdez
was the natural gateway to interior
Alaska from the coast. The con
struction of the wagon road from Val
dez to Fairbanks attests the faith of
the government in the wisdom of the
army engineers’ choice.
The residents of Valdez are not sel
fish in the matter. Naturally, they
would welcome the selection of this
town as the terminal of the trunk line
•but they realize that when the gov
ernment railroad is built it will be
mainly for the purpose of providing
transportation for the great interior
of Alaska and not to create a city on
the coast. Should Valdez fail to be
the choice of the commission after
the advantages of all the routes had
been carefully considered the resi
dents of this town will enter no pro
test.
CRUISER TACOMA RUSHES TO VERA CRUZ
WASHINGTON, March 8.—Excite
ment is noticeable In official circles
here in anticipation of the reply of
Provisional President Carranza of
Mexico to the latest demands of the
United States.
Late Saturday night President Wil
bon received a message from his
special representative in Mexico City
and the communication was of suf
ficient importance to immediately
cause Secretary Bryan and other
members of the cabinet being called
into conference.
Conditions in Mexico City under
the rule of General Obregon are as
PATIENCE OF PRESIDENT WILSON NEARLY EXHAUSTED AND HE
WARNS CARRANZA THAT UNITED STATES WILL INTERVENE IF
CONDITIONS ARE NOT IMPROVED IN MEXICO.
serted to be worse than first reported.
The populace are dying in hundreds
from starvation and a reign of terror
exists % the city, foreigners have
not been molested but the starving
peons are threatening to attack the
foreign quarter in the hope of se
curing food.
President Wilson has requested
Carranza to take steps to improve
conditions in Mexico and has warned
him that the United States will be
compelled to intervene if immediate
provision is not made to relieve the
situation in Mexico City.
Unusual activity is noticeable
among the officials of the army and
navy departments and it is believed
that should Carranza send his cus
tomary curt reply to America’s latest
protest that the patience of President
Wilson will become exhausted and
that the United States will act with
out further notice and land armed
forces at a number of places in Mex
ico.
The cruiser Tacoma received or
ders this morning to proceed to Vera
Cruz with all possible speed and to
be prepared for instant action. Sev
eral other cruisers are also reported
to have been coaled and provisioned
in anticipation of an unfavorable re
ply from Carranza.
BIG BATTLE RAGING ALONG THE VISTULA RIVER
|
PETROGRAD, March 8—A tremen
dous battle has Btarted along the Vis
tula river _ northwest of Warsaw,
where the Russians are advancing
against Thorn. The Germans are
strongly fortified and are offering
stubborn resistance. The trenches
captured by the Russians have been
KING WILL FORT
ANTI-WAR CABINET
Populace and Press of Greece Are De
manding That Country Enter
War Against Turkey.
LONDON, March 8.—It is regard
ed as almost certain that Greece will
be forced Into the war by the popu
lace of the country despite the ef
forts of King Constantine to preserve
neutrality. The action of the cabi
net in resigning in a body is upheld
by the press of Greece and it is pre
dicted that the king will experience
difficulty in selecting an anti-war cab
inet as the people are strongly in
favor of war.
Late dispatches from Athens ex
press the fear that a rebellion will
follow the formation of a new cabi
net by King Constantine as the army
par‘y openly asesrt that the king is
under Teutonic domination, and would
side with Germany if permitted to
do so.
RUSSIANS REPORT GAINS HAVE BEEN COSTLY IN THE MARCH
AGAINST THORN AND GERMANS BEGIN OFFENSIVE MOVEMENT
SOUTHWEST OF WARSAW TO-OIVERT RUSSIAN FORCES—ARMY
BEING MOBILIZED BY THE FRENCH IN NORTH AFRICA TO AT
TACK CONSTANTINOPLE—BRITISH WARSHIPS SHELL SMYRNA
IN ASIA MINOR—GREEK RESERVES CALLE.D TO COLORS.
costly and were won only after des
perate hand to hand fighting. Near
Plock a bayonet charge lasted for two
hours.
German Aggressive From Rawa.
The Germans have started an of
fensive movement near Rawa, south
east of Warsaw with the evident in
tention of relieving the pressure from
the Russian attacks along the Vis
tula river.
Drive Germans From North Poland.
Advices from north Poland state
that the Rusisan Tenth army oper
ating from Lohmza, on the River
Nare, has routed the German forces
there and driven them back across
the frontier Into East Prussia. Rein
forcements have been sent from the
victorious Lohmza army to the Rus
sian forces operating from Grodno,
which are now attacking the German
positions at. Augustowo, in Suwalki.
New Russian Army In Field.
A new Russian army is marching
down the right bank of the Dneister
river and will form a junction with
the Russian army operating in the
province of Bukowlna. The united
army will attempt to clear Carpathian
passes for the Hungarian invasion.
French Army In Africa.
PARIS, March 8.—A strong French
army Is being mobilized In North Af
rica to march against Constantinople
when the allied fleets have reduced
the forts guarding the Dardanelles.
The British army landed on the
shores of the Dardanelles is reported
to have defeated the Turkish force
sent against it from Adrianople.
Fighting On Western Line.
Brisk fighting Is reported to have
occurred during the night near Yp
res and Nieuport but resulted in no
change in the situation. Dispatches
from the Vosges tell of a desperate
attack by the Germans against the
French trenches. The attacks were
repulsed after sharp fighting.
British Fleet Shell Smyrna.
LONDON, March 8.—Advices from
the British fleet in Turkish waters
state that the British warships had
shelled the ancient Turkish city of
Smyrna in Asia Minor, but had been
unable to secure results. The bom
bardment of the Dardanelles still
continues. *
Deny Loss of Cruisers.
LONDON, March 8.—The British
admiralty has Issued a denial of the
report sent out from Constantinople
that two British cruisers were ser
iously damaged by the guns of the
Dardanelles forts. It Is asserted that
the only lives lost by the attacking
fleet were three men killed and five
Injured by a shell which fell on the
Agamemnon, shortly after the bom
bardment began.
Army of Greece Mobilizing.
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 8.—
(Continued on page 3.)
END Of STRIKE
NOW IN SIGHT
One West Virginia Coal Company
Meets Demands of Miners for
Increased Scale.
WHEELING, W. Va., March 8.—Re
cent developments in the strike situ
ation in this state indicate a speedy
settlement of the warfare which has
been waged for nearly a year by the
managers of the coal mines and fir
teen thousand miners who were form
erly occupied In the mines.
The management of the Edge Hill
Coal company reached an agreement
with the labor leaders Saturday night
whereby the company agrees to meet
the demands of the miners for a
scale of 47 l-2c per ton mine run of
coal. The strike was called in April
last year and this is the first mine
to accede to the Increase.
Chas. Anderson returned from a
trip to Shoup bay today.
OBREGON ANGRY
111 CARRANZA
Believed Foreigners Will Be Permit
ted To Send Relief Expedition
To Mexico City.
WASHINGTON, March 8.—The
State Department has asked Provis
ional President Carranza for permis
sion to allow foreign nations to pro
vide help for the starving populace o£
Mexico City. Carranza has also been
requested to make provision for the
distribution of the food in order that
it will not be seized by the army un
der General Obregon.
Secretary Bryan expresses the belief
that Carranza will grant the request
as dispatches from Mexico City re
ports friction between Carranza and
General Obregon. It is reported that
General Obregon is angry at Carranza
because the latter failed to sustain
the special tax which Obregon levied
on all residents of Mexico City.
Carranza has also interferred with
Obregon’s plans for wringing the
$500,000 ransom from the Catholic
church from the native Mexican
priests now in prison. The belief is
expressed that Obregon will break en
tirely with Carranza and will start an
independent insurrection.
PASSENGERS ARE
SAFELY LANDED
Fire In Hold of French Liner La
Touraine Damaged Hull and Caus
ed Vessel To Leak.
LONDON, March 8—'The passengers
of the French liner La Touraine have
been landed in a British port by one
of the steamers which went to her
assistance when the alarm was sound
ed Saturday that the vessel was on
fire. *
"fete Rot*erdam, which was also en
route from New York to Liverpool,
was only a few hours steaming from
the La Touraine when the signal was
received stating that the liner was
burning. The Touraine’s passengers
were taken off by the Rotterdam and
later transferred to another steamer,
‘he Rotterdam remaining to act as a
convoy for the disabled liner. The
fire in the hold of the ship damaged
the hull and caused her to leak, but
the pumps are reported as being able
to control the flow of water.
GREAT EDITOR
IS NEAR DEATH
KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 8.—
William Nelson, who has been editor
in chief of the Kansas City Star for
many years, is dangerously ill and is
not expected to live through the day.
Calvin C. Hazelet, son of George C.
Hazelet, of Cordova, and well known
in Valdez, was a passenger on the
Alameda today for Latouche, where
he has accepted a position with the
Beatson Mining company. Cal. has
recently graduated from the Univer
sity of Washington and will follow
his father’s footsteps as a mining en
gineer.
Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Hemple, who
have been absent from Valdez two
months and nine days, returned on
the Alameda this morning.