Valdez Daily Prospector
PUBLISHED BY THE
Prospector Publishing Co.
TERMS.
Daily Prospector.
By carrier, per month.$1.00
By mail, per annum.10.00
The Weekly Miner.
By carrier, per month.40
By mail, per annum. 3.00
The Daily Prospector and Week
ly Miner by carrier to one ad
dress, per month. 116
The Daily Prospector and Week
ly Miner by mail to one ad
dress only, per year.12.50
Business Office and Editorial Rooms,
’Phone 162.
Advertising Rates on Application.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1915.
LOADED WITH TROUBLE.
President Wilson is urging congress
and the country to sanction his plan
for a government-owned and operated
fleet of merchant ships to engage in
overseas trade. The plan is too well
known to need detailed description.
Let us suppose that the sanction has
been given. What then?
The ships must be either built or
bought. To wait for their building
would not solve the present difficul
ties. Before any considerable num
ber of ships could be built the Eu
ropean war will doubtless be over, if
only through the exhaustion of both
parties.
The ships then must be bought.
The ships that might be bought are
of three kinds. Those now under the
American flag; those now under oth
er neutral flags; those now under
■belligerent flags.
Those now under the American
flag could probably be bought quite
easily. Private enterprise tends to
get out of any field into which gov
ernment enfers as a competitor. Pri
vate enterprise sees at once the in
equality of the forces. With its reg
ulatory and taxing powers govern
ment "carries too many guns."
But to purchase American ships
would not change the present situ
ation. It would not increase the ton
nage under our flag. How, then,
about buying ships now under other
neutral flags?
Well, they could doubtless be
bought, or some of them—for a price.
It would probably be difficult to buy
those under flags of nations that feel
or fear that they may get Into the
war. But others could be bought—
at a price. It would certainly be a
high price. They are very profitable
property just now. And for a variety
of reasons, both .economic and legal,
it has been, is, and for some time
may continue to be, more profitable
to build, own and operate ships un
der other flags than the American.
There remain the ships under bel
ligerent flags, of the Allies and of
the two German empires. The form
er, or at least all the best of them,,
may be dismissed from consideration.
Their governments need them in
their war business and will find means
to keep them. We might get some
cripples and discards, at high prices.
But that is about all.
There remains, finally, the German
ships, now lying idle in our own and
other neutral ports. Their German
or other owners would doubtless be
glad to turn them into cash. The
acquisition of these ships is in fact,
the immediately realizable, if not ex
actly the avowed, pupose of the
pending bill.
The European Allies have, in fact,
served notice upon the United States,
that they will not recognize the valid
ity of any such transfer of owner
ship. That is their interpretation of
the point of international law involv
ed.
At this point in the story many
Americans will doubtless feel like
flaring up and insisting that the Eu
ropean Allies be told to attend to
j their own affairs and not meddle In
| ours. Mr. Bryan has, in diplomatic
language, told them that they have
no right to protest until we do some
thing, and not while we are merely
talking about doing something. The
Allies answer that such is their set
tled policy and they are telling us so
frankly now that we may understand
just what we may expect if we buy
and send to sea those German ships.
In such a case It is useful, before
flying into a rage about our “rights"
»nd a threat of infringing them, to
ponsider how the other fellow looks
it his situation, whether we believe
le regards it correctly or not
The European Allies, like Germany,
onsider that their backs are against
he wall. Each side believes that
here can be no peace or safety for
►self until the other is beaten down.
Ve may regard this belief as a delu
fon—an insanity. However, It hap
sns to be their conviction.
The Allies further believe that the
jickest and easiest way to beat Ger
any is to starve Germany out.
Hence they will not permit, if they
can prevent it, anything that will de
lay the starving-out process.
Indignation will doubtless be ex
pressed in some quarters at tbe at
titude of the Allies toward Germany.
However, it Is quite certain that the
attitude of Germany would be the
same if Germany commanded the sea.
Both sides feel that their backs are
against the wall
From this review of the facts it is
self-evident that if President Wilson
gets his ship bill and buys the Ger
man ships what will be their first
cargo—with what cargo they will be
loaded to the guards before a pound
of freight is put on board.
That cargo is trouble.
After all, there is no point of na
tional honor in asserting a right to
buy some second-hand ships. Neither
a prudent man nor a prudent gov
ernment goes out looking for trouble.
Your shipping bill is loaded with
Trouble, Mr. President, with Trouble
at home and Trouble abroad.—Chica
go Herald.
NEW METHOD ADOPTED.
Instead of having a Constitutional
Convention, Rhode Island, like North
Carolina, appointed a commission to
look into the matter and report sug
gestions. In North Carolina, a series
of well-considered amendments was
the result. The Rhode Island com
mission has submitted a revised Con
stitution. One of the changes made
serves as a reminder that the small
est state in the Union has the dis
tinction also oi retaining a property
qualification for voters. This qualifi
cation the commission would abolish.
It would further bring the state in
to line with most of her sisters by
substituting biennial for annual ses
sions of the legislature. The revision
reflects the feeling that our law-mak
ing bodies are not so businesslike as
they might be by a pair of novel pro
visions. One is that no bill intro
duced after the fiftieth day of the
;on shall be considered except by
a two-thirds vote of all the members
of the house in which it is introduced,
unless it is introduced at the written
request of the governor. The other
provision is that no bill passed on the
day of adjournment shall become a
law. These provisions are obviously
designed to discourage loafing during
the early days of the session and un
due haste at the end. Another limita
tion upon the legislature is that ap
propriations can be made only by the
vote of two-thirdr of the members
elected to eacn house. This provision
illustrates the difficulty of weakenmg
a legislator’s power without simultan
eously weakening party responsibil
ity.—Ex.
WEDDING AT RED
CROSSJDSPIUL
On Wednesday evening, February 3,
Miss Irodell Jones, matron of the
Red Cross hospital, and Elerey E.
Rogers were united in marriage, Rev.
Charles S. Price officiting. Only the
immediate friends of the couple were
present at/the ceremony. The bride
groom is engaged in the real estate
business in Saskatoon, Sask., and
came to Valdez to claim his bride.
The couple will reside in Valdez for
a few months. Their friends extend
best wishes for future happiness and
prosperity.
DANCE AT FORI
LISCUM TONIGHT
The dance of the Fort Liscum So
cial Club which was postponed last
night on account of the storm will be
given tonight. The Prospector has
been requested to announce that rigs
will be in front of the Seattle hotel
to take those going to the dance to
the wharf. Rigs will also meet the
Lieut. Donaldson upon her return from
Fort Liscum to bring the guests up
town. The Donaldson will leave Val
dez at 8:15 this evening and return
ing will leave Fort Liscum at 1:15
a. m.
Thos. J. Quinn, manager of the
Valdez Water, Light & Telephone
company, returned on the Admiral
Watson last night from a trip to Seat
tle.
No Show At the Orpheum.
There will be no show at the Or
pheum until next Sunday, being out
of pictures and none arriving on th'e
last three boats. Another sample of
Seattle spirit in neglecting shipments.
Prescriptions carerully compound
ed at Valdez Drug Co tf
IMAGINARY MILLIONS.
Money Myths That Hover About Eng
land’s Chancery Court.
Most people seeui to think that there
are countless and vast fortunes in
chancery waiting to be bestowed upon
their proper owners. This, as a matter
of fact, is purely a myth, and how it
arose it is impossible to say.
"We are supposed.” said an official
of the pay office recently, "to have
the estate of a man named Hoffman,
valued at £18,000,000. and we are re
peatedly receiving inquiries—almost al
ways from Poland—but we know noth
ing of the estate.” Another estate with
which the pay office has nothing to do
—that of the great Sir Francis Drake—
is also the subject of many questions.
In all there are 3,838 estates In chan
cery, but the value of the largest is
not more than £7,000. And, so far
from many millions, the paymaster of
the supreme court of Judicature has
only £1,250.000 in his hnnds awaiting
claimants. A large proportion of this
money, moreover, has been lying un
claimed since the early part of the
eighteenth century.
If you think you nre entitled to any
of this money you should first study
the official list at the law courts and
then mnke a formal claim. But, it
may be said. It very rarely happens
that such applications prove success
ful.— London Answers.
PASSING OF ST. HELENA.
Made Famous by Napoleon, the Island
Appears to Be Doomed.
When the great French emperor died
In exile In 1821 there was probably a
wish burled deep in Ills Corsicun heart
thnt the island which had been the
scene of his humiliation might lie
wiped from the face of the seas.
Whether or no such a curse was ever
cast upon the island, it Is certain that
St Helena is doomed if uot to extinc
tion at least to become an uninhabit
able rock. With the advent of steam
navigation the island ceased to be a
regular port of call, so that its always
scanty exports dwindled almost to the
vanishing point; plagues of insects de
stroyed its. vegetation; ruts, brought
thither by foreign vessels, multiplied
and overran its soil until the govern
ment was compelled to offer a bounty
of a penny for every rodent captured.
Then the English garrison, which had
been practically the sole source of in
come to tbe Inhabitants, was with
drawn, and the needs of tha natives
became desperate.
Then, as if this series of misfortunes
was not enough, tbe termite—that
curse of tropical and semitroplcal coun
tries—invaded the island and will un
less controlled reduce the city of
Jamestown to a pulp of sawdust—New
York Independent
Possibilities Overlooked.
fie was a suburban garden faddist,
who Innocently bored all his friends
by asking them down for week ends
and showing them around his 2 by 4
estate. Just now it was Brown from
the office. He shewed him his three
rose trees, his pocket shrubbery, his
half inch fountain Jet with Its little
basin and pair of goldfish. He showed
him his summer house, which would
accommodate two people at the same
time.
"Never know what yon can do with
a bit of ground till you try!’’ said the
host gleefully.
"Quite so—quite so!" returned the
visitor. "But why don't yon take a
strip off the flower bed—say about six
inches wide—turf it over and make it
into a blooming golf links?" — New
York Post
Wagner and Beer.
Signor Augelini Giustiniaul, who
traveled specially from Rome to Bal
reuth in order to be present at the first
performance of "Parsifal" July 2tt.
1S82, gave an account of his impres
sions In the Rassegna Contemporanea.
He was surprised at seeing Wagner
drive up to the theater "in a carriage
which also conveyed a large barrel of
beer perched conspicuously on the box
seat by the side of the driver. This
was carried into the theater, presum
ably with a view to slaking the thirst
aroused in Wagner and his friends by
the performance of bis masterpiece ”—
I/ondon Chronicle.
Two Queer Epitaphs.
Near Salisbury plain, in England, is
the grave of one William Button. His
epltapb runs:
Oh. sun. moon, stars and ye celestial
poles!
Are graves, then, dwindled into Button
holes?
Which is not as clever as this ept
taph which a famous New York dentist
composed for himself:
Stronger, approach this grave with fitting
gravity.
Here Ilea a dentlst-Mllng his last cavity
Missing Opportunities.
“I have no patience with a man who
makes the same mistake twice," said
Armes. rather severely, in speaking of
an unfortunate friend.
“Neither have 1," agreed his wife,
“when there are so many other mis
takes to make.’’—Youth’s Companion
Mfsasd His Chanee.
Hank—Yes; Kelley's been under
bonds to keep the pence for some time.
Bill—I wish I’d known. I’ve missed
several fine chances to call him a liar
—Knnsas City Star.
Banish Your Worries.
Cut out tbe fear of things thHt never
bappen and you will be able to reduce
your troubles 1)0 per rent-Chicago
News. _
The knowledge of thyself will pre
serve thee from vanity.—Cervantes.
Household and Camp
Necessities
Wear-Ever Royal Granite ware
Luminum Cooking Utensils. Cooking Utensils and Table
Light and durable. Guaran- ware. A brand well known
teed to meet every test. to all users of the best.
White Enamelware, fancy and plain Chinaware;
; Glasses and Glassware; Butcher Knives and
Cutlery; Tinware and Ironware.
Our^assortment is too numerous to enumerate-If you need anything see us first
The City and the Child.
New York city—the length and
breadth of Manhattan—and Boston,
from the Fenway In three directions to
the water front, are as unfit for a child
to grow up In as the basement of a
china store for a calf. There might
be hay enough on such a floor for a
calf, as there is doubtless air enough
on a New York city street for a child.
It is not the lack of things—not even
air—in a city that renders life next to
impossible there. It is rather the mul
titude of things. City life is a three
ringed circus, with a continuous per
formance and interminable sideshows
and peanuts and pink lemonade. It is
jarred and jostled and trampled and
crowded and hurried, and it is over
stimulated, spindling and premature.—
Suburban Life.
Studied Insult.
“I wish,” said the waiter who had
been serving the man with the grim
face and the pert looking girl, “I could
think of some way to get even with
that fellow. He complained about ev
erything I put on the table and growl
ed about every move I made.”
“What did his bill amount to?"
"A dollar and ninety cents."
“And how much money did he hand
you?”
"A two dollar bill
“It's easy. Have it in two nickels
when you return his change.”—Chica
go Herald.
Legend of a Lake.
Avernus is the lake in the neigh
borhood of Naples where the waters
are so unwholesome that birds never
fly near its banks. In ancient times It
was thought to be the entrance to
hades and where Ulysses descended to
the lower regions.
Not Always Certain.
Daughter—A certain young innn sent
me some flowers this morning. Mam
ma—Don’t sny “a certain young man,”
my dear. There is none of ’em certain
till you’ve got 'em
TIDE TABLES PORT OF VALDEZ.
Compiled from the official tide t*
hies issued by the Coast and Geodet
ic Survey. The time for high and
low water is for the Port of Valdez
and is Valdez time. Immediately fol
lowing the time of high and low wa
ter is given tiie height of the tide
in feet and tenths:
Friday, February 12.
High *ide 10:50 a. m„ 13.0.
Low tide 4:44 a. m., 2.6; 5:48 p
m., 1.4.
Thursday, February 11.
High tide 9:64 a. m., 12.6; 11:3<
p. m., 10.1.
Low tide 3:40 a. m., 3.3; 3:59 p
m., 1.1.
Saturday, February 13.
High tide 12:07 a. m., 10.8; 11:38
p. m„ 13.1.
Low tide 6:34 a. m„ 2.0; 6:24 p
m„ 1.4.
8unday, February 14.
High tide 12:41 a. m., 11.3; 12:22
p. m., 13.1.
Low tide 6:16 a. m„ 1.8; 6:58 p
m., 1.3.
Weather Report.
Valdez, Feb. 10, 1915.
Barometric pressure .29,431
Temperature at 7 p. m. 25
Maximum temperature . 35
Minimum temperature . 24
Mean temperature . 291-2
.Partly cloudy, fesh gale, wind north
east 45 miles.
*
Copper River Lumber Co., Inc.
ALL KINDS OP
Native and I I TJVflDUD and Building
Puget Sound IjUIVIDILIx Material
CONSTANTLY ON HAND
Prices Right W. M. FINICAL, Mgr. Phone 18
Patronize a Home Industry
Independent Laundry Co.
Satisfaction Guaranteed I I Foot Keystone Ave
Telephone 66 I I Rough Dry 10c lb.
ALASKA
STEAMSHIP CO.
S. S. Mariposa and S. S. Alameda sail from Seattle
the 1st, 8th, 16th and 24th
EVERY MONTH
From Valdez south—7th, 15th, 23rd and 30th for Cordova,
Juneau, Ketchikan and Seattle.
Regular freight service for Ketchikan. Juneau. Sheep creek Treadwell. Douglas
Cordova. Ellamar. Valdez and Latouche. Explosives. S S Seward. S S Seward. 5th
S S Latouche. 15th; S S Cordova. 25th of each month—Right reserved to change this
schedule without notice.
F B. Tracy, Gen’l Agt- Valde* Dock Co., Local Agt.
I •OmiD W*AH° |
FULL
QUART
■ ■BOTTLED m BOND.
Has Had no Peers for Fifty Years
_ SOLD BY ALL DEALERS
WEATHER BULLETIN.
Valdez. Alaska, Feb. 11, 1915.
STATION Above Below, Snow In. WEATHER CONDITIONS
Donnelly . 2 6 Cloudy, calm, trail good.
McCallum . 0 25 Clear, calm, trail good.
Paxson’s . 10 17 Clear, calm, trail drifted.
Hogan . 2 17 Cloudy, windy, trail heavy.
Gulkana . 6 14 Clear, calm, trail heavy.
Copper Center _ 8 10 Clear, calm, trail heavy.
Tonsina . 7 25 Clear, calm, traU drifted.
Teikbell . 5 26 Clear, calm, trail fair.
Beaver Dam . 11 40 Clear, windy, trail good.
Summit . 10 80 Clear, windy, trail drifted.
Wortman's . 28 41 Clear, high winds, traill drifted.