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VALDEZ, ALASKA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1914. NO. 296.
VOL. 10. _
___
CROWN PRINCE IS DRIVEN BACK
ALLIES CLAIM GERMAN CENTER FORCED TO RETREAT
GERMANS REPORTED TO HAVE EVACUATED LIEGE
RUSSIAN ARMY CAPTURES PRZEMYSL, AUSTRIAN CITY
SMI CARDER
WAS FORGED OUT
Carranza Wanted To Give Passports
To British Ambassador In Mex
ico—We Intervened.
NEW YORK, Sept 17.—Sir Lionel
Carden, the British ambassador to
Mexico, who reached this city today,
was ordered out of Mexico by Pro
visional President Carranza, and but
for the intervention of the United
States he would have been given his
passports, which would have meant
war between the Mexican and British
governments.
Carranza holds the British ambas
sador responsible for the prolonged
resistance of General Huerta, who
remained in the president’s chair for
eighteen months in spite of every
effort of the constitutionalists to oust
-im.
The administration at Washington
brought strong pressure to bear up
on Carranza in order to prevent a
break between the two nations and
it is rumored here that Carranza se
cured the withdrawal of American
troops from Mexico as the price of
allowing Sir Lionel Carden to retire
without friction.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17.—Sir Lio
nel Carden stated today when about
to leave here for Europe that the
government of the United States and
the people of America had a moral
obligation to perform towards the
Mexicans who had sought shelter in
Vera Cruz under the American flag
and that it would be a shame for
America to abandon them to the mer
cies of the rebels.
SNAG FOR OUR
LEASIN6 BILL
Senator Shafroth Objects To Imme
diate Consideration and Bill Takes
Place At Foot of Calendar.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17.—Senator
Pittman, on behalf of the Public
Lands committee, reported the Walsh
coal land leasing bill for the Alaska
coal lands.
Because of the objection of Senator
Shafroth the request for immediate
consideration was denied and the bill
was placed on the calendar.
The coal leasing bill is backed by
the administration, w ich is making
every effort to have the coal lands
opened and the coal mined and mar
keted.
MEXICANS GLAD
FUNSTON QUITS
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 17.—The peo
ple of this city are rejoicing because
of the announcement that the 7,000
American troops commanded by gen
eral Funston are to be " withdrawn
from Vera Cruz at an early date.
It is believed here that many of
the Mexicans, especially those who
have the money, will immediately
leave Vera Cruz for the United
States because of the certainty that
Huerta supporters who sought ref
uge in Vera Cruz will be executed by
the Carranza government.
Subscribe for the Prospector.
Antwerp Reports 60,000 Germans Coming From Aix la Chappie Into Belgium—
German Government States That Kaiser’s Army Has Taken the Offensive
and That Allies Havs Lost Tremendously During the Fighting and Are
On Defensive Hoping Only To Stop German Invasion—German Soldiers
Stupified When Told of Retreat From Paris—Von Kluck Is Reported Sur
rounded By Allies—Germans Returning From Russian Border To Aid Army
Now Fighting In France.
PARIS, Sept. 17.—The war office
officially announces that the German
center, commanded by the German
crown prince, has been forced to re
treat before the French advance and
that his forces are being pressed back
across the German border between
Metz and the Luxemburg border.
Still Offer* Resistance.
The report admits that the German
forces are still intact on the German
center and are offering desperate re
sistance in order to give the German
wings chance to recover, but the war
office asserts that both German wings
are in desperate condition and will
be cut off entirely if the crown prince
is forced to retire again.
German Reinforcements Arriving.
It is admitted that German rein
forcements are reaching the army
and that the superiority in numbers
which the allies have possessed dur
ing the past week’s fighting exists no
longer and the fighting is on an ev
en basis with the French still driv
ing the Germans back on the border.
Russians Capture Przemysl.
PETROGRAD, Sept. 17—The Rus
sian army has captured the Austrian
fortifications at Przemysl and have
taken a number of prisoners. The
defense put up by the Austrians last
ed only a few hours, when they evac
uated most of the forts and were
driven from the balance.
Germans Leaving East Prussia.
The French and English govern
ments have been advised by the war
office that the Russian aviators have
reported large numbers of German
troops being withdrawn from East
Prussia and are being sent to France
to reinforce the German army now
fighting for its very life on the
trench border.
Russians Will Start New Campaign.
The Russian war office is prepar
ing to withdraw large forces of Rus
sian troops from East Prussia and
send them through Poland to rein
force the Russian army, which is to
move Into Germany through Sillcia,
which ofTers the least resistance to
the Russian march upon Berlin.
German Forts Are Strong.
The German forts along the Vistu
la are powerful and would require
some weeks to reduce, while no forts
have been erected by Germany on
her frontier between Germany, and
Austria and it Is upon this unprotect
ed; Isectlon that the Russians will
now hurl their full strength.
Berlin Denies Defeats.
BERLIN, Sept. 17.—The reports of
victories for the allies in today’s
fighting is; emphatically denied by
the war office, which announces that
the allies have exhausted themselves
everywhere and have been throwing
away many lives assaulting the Ger
man positions in a vain attempt to
force the German line back into Ger
many.
Allies Victories Reported False.
The government has announced
that the statements given out by the
Paris-London government are abso
lutely false.
Von Kluck Reported Surrounded.
LONDON, Sept. 17.—General von
<Kluck, commanding the right wing of
the German army, is reported sur
rounded by a superior force of Brit
ish and French troops, who expect
to force his surrender.
Germans 8ay Battle Is Indecisive.
BERLIN, Sept. 17.—The war office
today issued a statement regarding
the big battle fought in France be
tween the Germans and the allies and
after stating that the battle line ex
tended from Verdun to Paris and that
the extended line made it impossible
to make known the conditions all
along the front, yet so far neither
side had gained a victory and the
battle was still raging.
More About Russian Victory.
PETROGRAD, Sept. 17.—The Rus
sian victory in Galicia is the great
est in history, says the war office
here and they claim that in the fight
ing in Galicia to date the Russians
have killed, wounded or captured a
total of. 350,000 Austrian troops.
Russians Approach Przemysl.
The Russian troops are pursuing
the fleeing Austrians and the ad
vance guard of the Russian army has
reached the outskirts of the city of
Przemysl, which is expected to fail
without a battle.
Germans Demand More War News.
THE HAGUE, Sept. 17—The peo
ple of Germany are demanding of the
government more war news, as they
fear that German reverses are being
kept from the public and in as much
as the people, especially the women
and children, are the greatest suf
ferers in the war and have sacrificed
everything so that the men might go
to the front they claim that they are
entitled to the news of the war as
fast as it is possible to be given
them.
Crowds Storm War Office
A large mob stormed the war office
BELGIUM PROTEST TO UNITED
STATES AGAINST GERMANY
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17.—Carton
de Wiart, Belgium Minister of Jus
tice and he&d of the Belgian mis
sion to the United States to protest
to‘President Wilson and the Ameri
can nation against the atrocities to
Belgian non-combatants and to the
violation of Belgian neutrality by the
German troops, was received today
by President Wilson. The commis
sion of three high Belgian officials
accompanied the minister of justice.
They pointed out to the president
that the German army had killed
men, women and children who were
not armed or had in any way mo
lested or hindered military opera
tions. He further stated: “Our ad
versary, after invading our territory,
has decimated the civil population,
massacreed women and children, car
ried into captivity inoffensive peas
ants, put to death the wounded, de
stroyed undefended towns, and burn
ed 'churches, historical monuments,
and the famous library of the Uni
versity of Louvain. All these facts
had been established by authenticat
ed {documents, - each of which we
shall submit to the government of
your majesty.
“Despite all this suffering in Bel
gium, which has been made the per
sonification of outraged right, the
country is resolute in fulfilling to the
UUUU91. UU1 UUUUO IWWOIU £|U1V^IC.
Whatever may happen, she must de
fend her existence, her honor, and
her liberty.
“King Albert bade us tell all the
world that Belgium Is not crushed,
and never will be crushed. Such
a spirit as we heve can never be
downed. We will fight on and on,
and success finally will crown the
efforts of the allies”
“I have a statement,” said M. de
Wlart, "from a reliable man who vis
ited Louvain on Aug. 30, which says
that the Germans were still burning
buildings that day and scattering
straw so that every house standing
would be destroyed. Drunken Ger
man soldiers were reeling through
the streets with bottles of wine, and
officers were drinking at tables set
In the streets.
"Louvain looks like a second Pom
peii. Only the town hall and the city
station are left standing. The cathe
dral and the theater have collapsed,
as also has the library, with its rare
old manuscripts. The university,
which had 2,500 students, is a total
ruin.
8aye Men Were Buried Alive.
"Aerschot, with 8,000 Inhabitants,
and Diest and many other unforti
fied villages suffered the same fate
as Louvain. At Diest a mother and
her daughter of twelve were shot to
death, a young man was bound to a
tree and burned alive, and two men
were burled alive with their heads
downward.”
M. de Wiart charged the Germans
with theft in the taking of funds
from the National Bank of Louvain,
an institution in no way connected
with the government, and said that
the bombardment of Antwerp with
out giving twenty-four hours’ notice
vaoi a violation of international law.
"I personally saw,” said Emile Van
dervelde, Belgian Minister of State,
who is a member of the mission,
“the bodies of a father and son, non
combatants, cut all to pieces by Ger
man bayonet thrusts. This was near
the River Meuse. I have reliable in
formation that the Germahs held
Belgian women and children before
them in the same vicinity.
"At Mallnes the Germans contin
ued to storm the town after the in
habitants had all gone, trying *o ter
rorize the entire neighborhood and
drive everyone possible into Antwerp,
so that the food supply would be ex
hausted there and the siege shorten
ed. Belgian soldiers lying wounded
were Dayonetea ny me uermans ai
many places. The savagery of the
Germans Is unbelievable.”
"I personally saw the havoc wrought
by the bombs thrown into Antwerp,”
M. de Wiart continued, “and I know
how barbarous was the attack of the
Zeppelin airship. It was not civilized
warfare, But barbarism. I saw the
mangled bodies of women servants in
their attic rooms killed by bombs
hurled against the roofs.”
President Wilson, in replying, stat
ed that he felt honored by the ap
peal of the people of Belgium to
the American nation for succor and
support, but that it would be unwise
for a single nation to at this time
ezpres any opinion upon the merits
of the disputes In Europe.
He also told the commissioners
that a final day of judgment would
come when peace is declared and that
all the viola'ions of the code of war
fare would be paid for in full by the
violators.
President Wilson will send the
same reply, in almost the same word
ing, to the protest of Kaiser Wil
helm of Germany, who has protest
ed to the United States, claiming
that the French and British are us
ing dum-dum bullets.
last night demanding news of the
battle raging in France and refused
to leave until the secretary of war
sent an aide, who stated that the
German army was making a determ
ined stand along the German fron
tier and had repulsed the allies with
tremendous losses.
Deny Withholding News.
The war secretary states that the
government Is not trying to withhold
news of battles that have passed, but
must withhold information which
would be of aid to the enemy.
Germans Abandon Liege.
ROME, Sept. 17.—An official bulle
tin dispatch to the Italian govern
ment announces that the Germans
have evacuated the city of Liege,
withdrawing across the German bor
der.
British Surprised At Abandonment of
Liege.
LONDON, Sept. 17.—The military
experts here cannot understand the
German general staff’s move in aban
doning Liege, which' they sacrificed
so many men to take and which is
a strong position guarding Germany
from invasion through Belgium.
Germans Resume Offensive.
The German army in France has
been g'vlng ground for the past two
weeks and has almost been pushed
across the German frontier, has again
taken the offensive according to the
reports from General French, com
manding the British troops, and the
public are waiting with intense in
terest the result of the new German
ttuaua.
Battle Line 100 Mile* Long.
The battle line Is fully 100 miles
long and the armies number more
than 2,000,000 men with the forces
about equal, as the Germans have re
ceived large reinforcements from Bel
gium and from the interior of Ger
many.
German Defeat Would Be Disastrous.
A defeat for the Germans now
would be disastrous as they would
then be driven back into Germany
a beaten army with all the prestige
of victors gone and would be forced
to fight upon their own territory a
defensive war with but one end in
sight—ultimate defeat. i
Battle Line North of Reims.
The battle line is north of Reims
with its center directly north of that
city and the Germans are pounding
away at the allies from Verdun to
the Ardennes mountains, which lie
directly behind the German positions
and through which they will be forc
ed to" retreat if defeated.
French Vineyards Destroyed.
The French vineyards in the cham
pagne district have been destroyed by
the marching troops, and it is esti
mated that it will take five years for
the district to recover.
Germans Stuplfied When Order Given
To Retreat
The French people of the districts
through which the German soldiers
retreated from Paris, say that the
rank and file of the German army
were stuplfied at the orders to retreat
from Paris and they were dishearten
ed and discouraged at losing the ad
vantage won by the forward march.
More Germans Invade Belgium.
ANTWERP, Sept. 17.—Reports re
ceived here state that 60,000 German
troops are Invading Belgium from
Aix-la-Chapelle following the report
of the abandonment of Liege. The
people are surprised and many be
lieve that the Germans have not left
Liege as reported and that the new
roopg are destined to reinforce the
German forces surrounding Antwerp.
(Owrttaned on pace 2.)
BRITISH POLICE
And Now the People of South Africa
Are In An Ugly Mood and
Threaten a Revolt.
JOHANNESBURG, S. A., Sept. 17.
—Mistaking General Jacobus De Lar
ey, the Boer war general, for a ban
dit, British police shot the general
when he was riding down the street
of this city and as a result the Dutch
inhabitants of the Transvaal are
up in arms and threaten an insurrec
tion.
The British government has order
ed an investigation and has express
ed to the relatives of the dead gen
eral the profound regret of the gov
ernment at the accident.
While considerable anti-British sen
timent has been clearly shown by
many of the veterans of the
Boer war the government does nor
anticipate a revolution, although they
admit that they have been better off
under English rule, which gave them
all the benefits of self-government,
than they were when the Boers had
several small states in South Africa.
Northwestern Sails South.
The steamer Northwestern reached
Valdez at 2:30 this morning and
sailed south at 6 with the following
passenger list: Clifford Faubion, \V.
M. McEachern, C. T. Johnson, Mr.
and Mrs. E. B. Spiers and son, Sam
Wilcox and son, C. A. Lockeville, J.
Bloomquist and twenty-four steerage.
WILL SOON PASS
NEW TAX BILL
House Committee Abandons Efforts
To Tax Freight Receipts and
Railroad Tickets.
- i i
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17.—The
Democratic House comittee has aban
doned its efforts to place a tax upon
railroad passenger tickets and freight
receipts because of the tremendous
opposition to the plan. The new rev
enues will be raised by taxing bank
ers and brokers transfers, as was
done in the Spanish-American war,
tobacco is to be taxed heavily and
all commercial paper and amusement
tickets are to pay towards the gov
ernment deficit.
Gasolene is to be taxed two cents
a gallon and beer and wine are ex
pected to pay a tax estimated at $65,
000,000 a year, which is double the
tax now imposed by the internal rev
enue department.
CAUGHT REBATING
ARE FINED $12,000
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 17.—The
Pennsylvania railroad and two grain
dealers were fined a total of $12,000
here today by the federal court be
cause they had been found guilty of
rebating. The railroad officials were
warned that upon a second offense
the men involved in the rebating
would be given jail sentences and
that rebating must stop at once.
Dick Nand left this morning for
his property near Wort man.