you 13 VALDEZ, ALA8KA, MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1915. NO. 67.
EXTRA SESSION
NOI NECESSARY
President Wilson Denies That He Is
Contemplating Calling Extra
Session of Congress.
WASHINGTON, March 22—The ru
mor that President Wilson Is con
templating calling an extra session of
the new congress to deal with the Eu
ropean and Mexican situations has
been denied by the president. He de
clares that no occasion for alarm has
developed and that he hopes America
will be able to maintain a strict neu
trality in regard to Europe and will
not be compelled to intervene in Mex
ico.
Many of the leading publications,
both Democratic and Republican, are
opposed to the extra session, which
they characterize as dangerous in the
extreme. The situation is regarded as
too delicate to permit of congression
al jingoes meddling in foreign affairs
by ordering investigations which
might be offensive to the dignity of
the warring European nations The
belief Is expressed that the Depart
ment of State, backed up by President
Wilson, will be able to secure results
peaceably which might plunge Amer
ica into the struggle if demanded by
congress.
TEUTONS ORDERED
OUT OF HALT
Believed Both Italy and Greece Will
Join Allies To Share In Divis
ion of Turkey.
a*
LONDON, March 22.—Relations be
tween Italy and Austria are reported
to have reached the acute stages and
‘it is reported that all German and
Austrian subjects have been advised
by their consuls to leave the country.
The failure of Prince von Beulow
to prevail upon the German govern
ment to force Austria-Hungary to sat
isfy the demands of Italy that the
Venetian provinces, populated by Ital
ians, should be returned to Italy as
the price of her neutrality is regard
ed as a breach of faith. It is be
lieved here that Italy will declare war
against Austria during the week.
Greece is reported to have complet
ed the mobilization of her army and
to be ready to strike at Turkey the
moment the Dardanelles are forced,
as it is regarded as imperative that
Greece shoudl have a voice in the di
vision of that country after the war.
ADMIRAL WATSON
GOES TO KODIAK
Carries Big Crowd of Cannery Em
ployes To Their Stations At
Seldovia and Port Graham.
* _
*■
The steamer Admiral Watson
reached Valdez from Seattle shortly
after 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon,
bringing twenty-seven passengers and
considerable freight. The steamer
sailed for the westward about 2 o’clock
this morning and will go to Kodiak
^ this trip. She carried forty-one pas
sengers for Seward, twenty-eight for
Seldovia, thirty-seven for Port Gra
ham and six for Kodiak. The men
for the westward are cannery employ
es getting to their stations for the
season’s work.
The passengers for Valdez were:
B. E. Ritchie, Viola Purraw, Vera Pur
raw, Oak Olson, O. Hart and J. Ken
nedy, and twenty steerage.
PRZEMYSL FORTS FALL
PETROGRAD, March 22.—The Rus
sian war office has officially announ
ced that the fortress of Przemysl, Ga
licia, has been surrendered by the
Austrians to the Russians. The city
has been subjected to a terrific shell
ing during the siege, which has last
ed nearly four months, and is nearly
destroyed. The fall of the Przemysl
forts clears the way for the Russian
invasion of Hungary south of the Car
pathians, as it will release a Russian
army of nearly 250,000 men who have
been employed in the investment of
the city. The forts are reported to
have exhausted their ammunition and
supplies and were unable to reply xo
the Russian fire before surrendering.
Cracow Is Next.
It is reported that the capture of
Przemysl will be followed by the Rus
sians sending a strong force to cap
ture Dukla pass, south of the city, and
that tha army released from the siege
of Przemysl will advance against the
German-Austrlan forces holding Cra
cow. With the exception of the Aus
trian wedge holding Dukla pass be
tween Sonak and Lisko, the province
of Galicia has been cleared of Aus
trians from the Dneister river, in
eastern Galicia, to Cracow, on the
western frontier.
Fever Reported Raging In City.
Advices to the war office state that
the Russian troops have not been per
mitted to enter Przemysl owing to
the city and garrison having been de
vastated by the plague. Hundreds of
victims are reported as being claim
ed by the disease daily.
Zeppelins Raid Paris.
PARIS, March 22.—Four Zeppelins
started to raid Paris last night, but
were sighted before reaching the city
and attacked by French and British
FALL OF GALICIAN CITY HAS RELEASED GALICIAN ARMY AND
MAKES POSSIBLE INVASION OF HUNGARY AND SIEGE OF CRA
COW—ZEPPELINS BOMBARD PARIS AND SPECTACULAR FIGHT
IN AIR ENSUES—RUSSIANS CLAIM GERMANS BEING DRIVEN
BACK TO EAST PRUSSIAN FRONTIER—BIG BATTLE DEVELOP.
ING IN EASTERN GALICIA, WHERE AUSTRIANS ARE MAKING
LAST STAND NORTH OF CARPATHIANS.
aviators. One of the Zeppelins evad
ed the aeroplanes and reached the
city. Many bombs were dropped into
the city but little damage resulted.
The Zeppelins were traveling at a
high altitude and prevented the small
er machines from dropping bombs on
them. The fight in the air outside Pa
ris is reported to have been a spectac
ular affair. The searchlights of the
outer forts were kept playing on the
Zeppelins in order to guide the avia
tors in their attacks. The attacking
fleet of airships came from the north
and sought safety in that direction
when forced to retreat before the
scores of aeroplanes which attacked
them.
Russians Claim Gains.
LONDON, March 22.—Latest ad
vices from Petrograd state that the
German forces are being gradually
forced back all along the line in north
Poland. Heavy fighting is reported
from the Narew river district and also
near Augustowo, in the province of
Suwalkl.
Battle Developing In Far East.
It is reported that a large Austrian
army is being mobilized to resist the
Russians marching along the south
bank of the Dneister river toward
Czernowitz, in eastern Galicia. Czer
nowitz is the last Austrian strong
hold in Eastern Galicia north of the
Carpathians. The Russians are in
control of the Galician railroads and
can rapidly assemble troops at any
point along the Carpathians since the
Przemysl fort has surrendered.
Britisher Sunk In Channel.
LONDON, March 22.—Another Brit
ish steamer was torpedoed by a Ger
man submarine in the English Chan
nel last night while returning from
the French coast. The vessel sunk
a few minutes after being hit. The
crew were saved.
London Is Again Uneasy.
LONDON, March 22.—The report
from Paris stating that city had been
attacked by a fleet of Zeppelins has
caused great uneasiness in this city.
During the past week comparative se
curity has been felt as it was re
garded as impossible for the huge air
machines to operate In England ow
ing to the stormy weather, but it is
feared that with the coming of spring
the long expected air raids will ma
terialize.
Weather Hindering Bombardment.
LONDON,, March 22.—Advices from
the Allied fleet attacking the Darda
nelles state that bad weather Is hin
dering operations and that activities
Of the fleet are being confined to pre
venting the Turks from rebuilding the
buter forts.
Berlin Reports Minor Successes.
BERLIN, March 22.—The war office
reports several minor successes in the
Vosges and states that all the re
mainder of the western battle front is
quiet owing to bad weather.
Belgians Raising German Pork.
ROTTERDAM, March 22—The Ger
man government, in order to ensure
a supply of meat for 'its army, has
sent one million hogs to Belgium to
be billeted on the Belgians. German
officials have instructed the Belgians
that the animals must be properly
cared for and conserved for the exclu
sive use of the German army, or
heavy punishment will be imposed.
Russians Claim Germans Repulsed.
PETROGRAD, March 22.—Advices
from north Poland state that the Ger
man forces have been forced back on
both sides of the Nlemen river and
that they are now on the defensive.
Desperate fighting is reported to have
occurred Sunday when the Germans
attempted to advance along the right
bank of the Narew river, north of
Warsaw, but were checked by the
Russians. The Germans repeatedly
charged the Russian trenches after
having subjected them to heavy ar
tillery fire.
German War Loan Subscribed.
BERLIN, March 22—The chancellor
of the exchequer has announced that
?2,500,000,000 of the second war loan
authorized by the reichstag has been
subscribed during the first week.
NEGRO FIEND IS
TAKEN AT LAST
St. Louis Police Arrest Colored Man
Believed To Be Responsible
for Thirty Murders.
ST LOUIS, March 22.—The police
of this city believe that in making the
arrest of Loving Mitchell, a negro,
they have apprehended a man for
whom every official in the state, as
well as several federal secret service
officials, have been searching for
years. Mitchell is believed to have
been responsible for what is now
termed by the police as the “axe mur
ders.”
uuring we past tour years tnirty
persons have been killed in various
parts of the city and in each case
the victims had been killed by their
heads having been crushed in by a
blunt instrument. Mitchell was ar
rested through information furnished
by the police by a woman with whom
he lived. The woman asserts that
she feared for her life as he has
threatened to kill her with an axe,
and that in several of the cases when
murders were reported Mitchell was
absent from home and had returned
with his clothing smeared with blood.
STEAMER EVANS
BEENMED
Juneau reported today that the
steamer Admiral Evans, which sailed
from Valdez last Monday for Seattle
had been detained in Juneau for sev
eral days in order that Col. Jacklln
and his party of engineers could fin
ish their inspection of the Alaska
Castlneau mine and take the steam
er southward. As the Evans is sched
uled to sail north from Seattle next
Thursday it is believed she will be
several days late in making the next
trip.
ATTORNEY COTTON
NEW YORK MAN
Mew Counsel of Alaska Engineering
Commission Member of Big New
York Law Firm.
WASHINGTON, March 22—It is un
officially stated that the Alaska en
gineering commission will leave for
Seattle about the middle of April and
will conduct most of the business in
connection with the government’s
railroad activities in Alaska from Se
attle.
Attorney Joseph Cotton, counsel for
the engineering commission, was
formerly a law partner of ex-Senator
Spooner, of New York. He Is report
ed as stating that final negotiations
were being completed for the pur
chase of the Alaska Northern road,
the bondholders having accepted the
offer of $1,100,000 made by the govern
ment for the company’s holdings. The
ratification of the deal awaits the re
turn of Secretary Lane from San
Francisco.
SIDEWALKS MUSI
BE CLEARED OFF
Chief of Police Willard T. Scott to
day gives notice to all property own
ers whose property adjoins the streets
where sidewalks have been built that
the walks must be cleared during the
present week or the city will cause
the work to be done at the expense
of the property owners.
Many of the property owners have
not only had sufficient civic pride to
clear their own sidewalks of snow
but have shoveled the walks of oth
ers who neglected the matter. The
snow is going fast and it behooves
all residents to clean up their yards
If they wish to avoid trouble with the
city health authorities.
Subscribe for the Prospector.
FLOUR TAKES
SUDDEN DROP
Price Falls $1.00 Per Barrel In Chi
cago and Bread Goes Back To
Old Five-cent Rate.
CHICAGO, March 22.—The price of
flour took a sudden drop this morn
ing and is selling one dollar per bar
rel lower than on Saturday last.
Bread has also dropped back to the
flve-cent rate. It is believed the fed
eral investigation has resulted in the
price being cut, but dealers assert
that the drop is due to the fact that
ships cannot De secured to transport
the grain and (lour to England owing
to the German submarine blockade.
The cut is regarded as a vindica
tion of the Agricultural Department’s
contention that there was no threat
ened shortage of foodstuffs in Amer
ica owing to the Immense export of
grain to Europe. It Is asserted that
the United States could continue to
export grain at the rate of one mil
lion bushels daily without any short
age being occasioned before the har
vesting of this year’s crop.
The fact that the dealers have been
unable to secure transports to carry
the grain has forced them to realize
-on their holdings' by selling to mill
ers and the latter have, in turn, been
enabled to reduce the price to the
bakers.
SCORES BURIED BY
SLIDE IN MINE
VANCOUVER, B. C., March 22.—
A slide in the Britannia coal mine in
this province is reported to have bur
4ed scores of miners in the workings
and it Is feared that many have been
killed as the air-shafts have been
closed by the slide.
1
Andy Berglund arrived in town from 1
lx)we river this morning. (
IS ORGANIZING
NAVAL RESERVE
Believed By Navy Department That
Fifty Thousand Former Mem
bers Are Eligible.
WASHINGTON, March 22.—Secre
tary Daniels, of the Navy Department,
has started the work of organizing
the naval reserve force as authoriz
ed by congress during the last ses
sion. It is estimated that there are
fifty thousand men in the United
States who are eligible to become
members of the force.
The department is consulting the
records of the department and will
at once try to secure the addresses
of former sailors and marines who
have seen service in the American
navy.
wolveTdestroy
IMG GAME
That wolves are much more plen
tiful than for a number of years and
that they are destroying much big
game, is the report brought to Fair
banks by Game Warden Andy Hoey,
who has returned from the Wood rlv
»r district. In many places partly
5aten carcasses of big game are to be
lound, and numerous tracks of wolves
n the immediate vicinity.
The natives of the upper Wood riv
sr are on a big hunting trip now, se
:uring enough meat to last them for
he remainder of the spring. The na
dves reported to the game warden al
io that they had seen many wolves
ind that a number of them had secur
;d wolf skins.
£
Henry Suessdorf, Tony Wendler,
rake Hepflnger, Angus McDougal and
Vm. Harrington leave on a bear hunt
ng trip tomorrow, going in Harring
on’s launch.
GERMAN STEAMER
TRIES TO ESCAPE
Was Leaving San Juan Without Clear
ance Papers But 8topped By
Guns of the Forts.
SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, March 22.
—A German steamer which has been
tied up in this port for some weeks
attempted to leave last night without
the formality of securing clearance
papers. The vessel had coaled and
taken on a cargo of supplies during
the week and the authorities were
watching her movements and were
ready for action.
Three shots from the guns of the
forts guarding the entrance of the
harbor brought the steamer to a stop
and she was returned to her berth
by a government cutter. Two shots
were fired over her bow and when
she failed to stop another shot was
dropped directly in her path only a
few yards in front of the vessel. The
captain has admitted that he hoped
to be able to join one of the German
commerce raiders.
The customs officials will hold the
vessel awaiting instructions from
Washington. It is believed the ves
sel carried contrabands which will
not be allowed to pass the customs.
GEN. scon BRINGS
INDIANS TO TIME
Visits Tribe and Returns With Mur
derers and Leaders of the Re
volting Piutes.
DENVER, Colo., March 22—Success
has apparently crowned the effort? of
General Hugh L. Scott in treating
with the Piute Indians on the war
path as he has arrived at Bluff, Utah,
accompanied by the Indians accused
of having murdered a white man.
which started the uprising.
Advices from Bluff state that the
Indians are returning to their reser
vation and that the settlers who fled
from their homes in the district,
Where the Indians were resisting the
deputies, have returned to their
homes. The uprising has cost the
lives of nearly a dozen Indians as well
as several whites.
General Scott first visited the chiefs
of the warring tribes ani was ac
companied by them to the mountains
to treat with the younger members,
who had taken to the war'path rath
er than surrender one of their num
ber accused of murder to the white
man’s justice.
POLAR REAR TO
HUNTJXPLORER
Canadian Government Believes Stef
ansson and His Companions May
Have Reached Land.
SEATTLE, March 22.—The steam :
whaler Polar Bear sailed from Seat
tle today on her trip to the Arctic
ocean, where she will engage in whal
ing during the season. Arrangements
have been made by the owner of the
Polar Bear with the dominion gov
ernment to hunt for Explorer Vilhjal
mar Stefansson.
The whaler wHl push her way north
as far as possible with the ice and
spend a portion of the season trying
to locate the explorer and his com
panions, who are believed to have
reached some island in the Arctic or,
possibly on the Siberian coast.
The Prospector office for Job work.