Iditarod
0ne Dollar Per Month. IDITAROD, ALASKA, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 18, 1914._Two Bits Pku Copy
ATLANTIC FLEET
ORDERED TO MEXICO
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
Washington, April 15.—Orders were sent this morning to the
commander of the Atlantic fleet of the United States navy to proceed
immediately to the port of Tampico, Mexico, and on arrival there to
at once send a boat to the city with a demand for the Mexican com
mander to salute the American flag. The Mexican commander is also
to be notified that if he refuses to comply with the request within
twenty-four hours, American marines from the Atlantic fleet of battle
ships will be landed at the port, with orders to capture the Mexican
federal forces and barracks. Should the American marines meet with
any resistance, the fleet will bombard the city.
Huerta Ready for Intervention
It is generally believed in this city by people who have been
closely watching the Mexican situation that Dictator Huerta is ready
tor intervention.
Cause of the President’s Action
Washington, April 16.—The immediate reason for the President s
action in ordering warships to proceed to Tampico to compel the
garrison to salute the American flag was the arrest of six marines
from the cruiser Dolphin, who were sent ashore to purchase gasoline.
They were later released.
The President asserts that the Tampico insult was only one of
many that has occurred recently.
Orders have also been issued for the blockade of the Pacific, c^ast
of Mexico.
Wireless advices state that the fleet of warships will reach Tam
pico within seven days.
Agrees to Comply With Demand
President Wilson late this afternoon instructed Charge d’Affaires
O’Shaughnessy to tell President Huerta that he accepts the latter’s
offer to salute the American Bag, providing the American ships return
ing the salute come to a stand. This will end the crisis unless disap
proval of the agreement should come from Mexico or the United States
congress. Not one gun less than twenty-one will be accepted, says tne
President.
The Atlantic Beet continues on its way southward, and will re
main at Tampico until the salute is really made, if less than forty-eight |
hours after arrival. > j
Huerta’s personality seems to be the only thing which yet rrnght
cause a hitch.
Leaves to Join Fleet
New York, April 16.—The battleship Louisiana left this afternoon
for the Mexican coast.
Assistant Secretary of Navy to Go
San Francisco, April 16.—Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roose
velt, who is in the city at present, expects to go south on the first bat
tleships arriving on the way to blockade the west coast of Mexico, un
less his plans are countermanded from Washington._
WILL GIVE NO PREFERENTIAL RATES
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
Seattle, April 16.—Since the sale of the Northern Navigation
Company’s business and equipment to the White Pass & \ukon Rail
way Company there have been various conjectures as to the effect the j
transfer will have on Alaskan transportation matters. Rumors have j
been circulated to the effect that a rebate agreement had been entered
into for the benefit of the Northern Commercial Company, and to set
at rest these rumors the White Pass today announced that it will give
no rebates or preferential rates. Its tariff schedule will be issued
shortly.
MICHIGAN COPPER MINERS ABANDON STRIKE
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
Hancock, Mich., April 16.—By a vote of the various miners’|
unions of the district it has been determined to abandon the disastrous I
strike which has been in effect here since last July. The men will
report for work immediately.
VALUABLE FURS LOCATED
AND THIEF CONFESSES
Fairbanks, March 24.—A wire to the
marshal’s office received today from Seattle
announces the fact that the valuable silver
Kray fox skins stolen last summer from
Hal Bailey, the Third avenue merchant,
have been recovered. William Malian, for
merly of this city, has been taken into cus
tody. charged with the theft of the hides,
and that he has confessed. The arrest was
made by Deputy Marshal Joseph F. War
ren, who had all of the data sent him by
the local officials, consisting of descriptions
and photographs of the furs.
The prisoner will probably be brought
back to Fairbanks to stand trial.
The skins were taken from Mr. Bailey’s
store in August, 1913. They were valued
ai about $2,000. Mr. Bailey suspected Mal
ian, and started in pursuit in an automo
bile. He passed Malian and a companion
on the trail, and Malian passed Bailey
while the merchant was asleep at a road
house.
The chase was continued and Bailey
caught up with Malian about thirty miles
from Fairbanks. Malian denied all knowl
edge fo the theft and offered to let Mr.
Bailev search his pack. This Mr. Bailey de
J
dined to do, having become convinced that
his suspicions were groundless.
When arrested in Seattle Malian was try
ing to dispose of the hides. He told War- 1
ren that when he discovered Bailey was
on his trail last fall he cached the skins in
a woodpile, and returned during February 1
of this year and secured them.
THE CORDOVA TEMPERAMENT
(Douglas Island News)
Again the people of Cordova have, it is
said, made of themselves a spectacle. Cor
dova first won distinction by holding a coal
party, casting a few tons of Canadian coal
'into the sea and then burning up the wires
with accounts of the thrilling event. Now
fceven members of the Alaska legislature
have been hanged in effigy by the angry
mob and the story of their rage has been
heralded to a curious world. This is all
very spectacular and sad, but the day is
past when the sensible, serious people of
the world are impressed by such sudden
hysterics. The contempt which the Cor
dovans share with many others for the
seven senators may best be expressed by
the ballot.
The Postoffice News Stand’s magazines
and periodicals will now be found on sale
at Hurst Bros.’ cigar store.
POLAR EXPLORATION IS
NO LONGER POPULAR
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
Christiania, Norway, April 1G. Explorer
Amundsen, fo Northwest passage fame, has
been compelled to announce the abandon
ment. of his proposed polar expedition be
cause he is unable to raise sufficient funds
to finance the enterprise.
DEATH OF A PIONEER
AT HIS HOME IN JUNEAU
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
Juneau, April 17. -Colonel William
Winn, a pioneer business man of this city,
agent of the Red Diamond Gold Mining
Company, and owner of the John Brown
and Peggy mines, died at his home here
last evening. Colonel Winn was the owner
of some of Juneau’s most valuable busi
ness property.
NEW COUNCIL
NOV ON JOB
The outgoing town council met on
Wednesday evening last at the fire hall,
transacted routine business, allowed out
standing bills and adjourned sine die, and
within a few minutes afterward the new
council had been organized and assumed
the management of the city’s affair- for
the ensuing term.
By unanimous vote Claude Baker was
re elected mayor and Bert Meyers munici
pal clerk, and the following committees
were appointed:
Fire Henry 0. Roden. J. C. Currin and
Joseph H. Smith.
Finance John Holmes, A. E. Malt by and
H. H Porter.
Streets Joseph H. Smith. H. II. Porter
and John Holmes.
Financial Report
The financial report submitted and ap
proved showed that there had been received
during the year from all sources a total of
$9,032.21. and that there was a cash bal
ance on hand of $1,990.58. The total re
sources of the city, including cash, real i
estate and an unpaid claim, amoun to |
$2,164.38. as compared with resources at j
the eori;!-.««iiOv rf the past fiscal year
of $212.15, which comprised $126.35 in |
cash and an unpaid claim of $85.SO.
MEN ARRESTED AS
SUSPECTED TRAIN ROBBERS
Seattle. March 26. Because a man dying
in a Canadian hospital confessed to the
facts, warrants have been issued for Henry
Mathews and Harry Ball, charged with
having killed three passengers when they
held up the Great Northern train near ]
Samish. Wash., recently. Both men are]
wanted for other crimes, and both are well- >
known ex-convicts with long criminal rec
ords.
The wounded man who was the means
whereby the discovery of the real culprits
was made was a pal of the other two men,
and on the occasion of the train robbery
was wounded by the conductor who was
killed by either Ball or Mathews. The man
was admitted to the General hospital in
Victoria, where it was found that a bullet
wound badly poisoned was slowly killing
the man. Efforts: to save him did not pre
vent his case exciting the suspicions of the
police, and when it was announced that he
was dying they succeeded in securing from
him the confession which implicated the
other two men.
Bali Arrested in Calgary
Calgary, March 26. Harry Ball was ar
rested on the streets of this city this even
ing on instructions from Seattle and Van
couver, B. C., police, and is now being held
pending the arrivals of the United States
officers with warrants and extradition
papers.
Ball was completely surprised when
taken to the police station, and denies that
there is a particle of justification for the
arrest. He says that he has not been in !
Seattle for many months, and does not j
know where Mathews is. Ball claims that j
it is a put-up job on the part of the
British Columbia police, who have sus
pected but could not prove any crimes
against them.
The fact remains, however, that it is
positively known that Ball came recently
from British Columbia, where he was
traced as far as the American boundary
line. He answers perfectly the description
of one of the robbers, while the dying man
answers the description of another.
The general belief is that Ball has been
rightly incriminated by his pal.
Peter Wirren, the blacksmith, who has
been trapping on the lower Iditarod river
during the past winter, has arrived in
town and will immediately commence work
at his trade for the Pioneer Machine Shop.
Job Printing at Pioneer office.
Location Notices at Pioneer office.
four mm
ELECTROCUTED
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
Sing Sing, N. Y., April 13. hrank \lul
ler, Frank Cirifico, Louis Rosenbat' and
Harry Horowitz, the four “gunmen” who
were convicted of the murde- of Herman
Rosenthal, the New York gambler, were
electrocuted today in the state prison here.
Frank Cirifico made a complete confession,
but claimed he had nothing to do with the
actual killing.
Story of the Crime
The murder of Rosenthal, f ” which the
four men paid the extreme > oc
curred early in the morning of July 16,
1912, and the whole country was aroused
by the boldness of the crime. Rosenthal
was called out of the cafe of the Metronole
hotel, on West Forty-third street, a
hundred feet from the heart of Broadway,
and shot to death.
Rosenthal, who was an East Side gam
bler. had gone before a magistrate a few
days previous and made an affidavit charg
ing oppression against certain police offi
cials. and asking for their arrest. The re
quest was denied, but the newspapers print
ed the story of Rosenthal's visit and an
interview with him. He made charges
against the police, declaring that a lieuten
ant of police was a partner in the gam
bling house conducted by him, and shared
in the profits of the house.
On the afternoon preceding the murder
District Attorney Whitman made an ap
pointment with Rosenthal to go over all
the evidence with him the following morn
ing. Rosenthal did not keep the appoint
nient. In executing the affidavit he had
unwittingly signed his own death warrant.
On July 29 Jack Rose, a gambler and a j
collector of graft for Lieutenant Becker ; |
“Bridgie” Weber, another gambler, and
Harry Vallon. all accomplices in the mur
der. gave themselves up and confessed un
der promise of immunity. Lieutenant
Becker and the four men just executed were
arrested as a result of this confession, and |
after a sensational trial were convicted. I
The trial disclosed how Becker had «ent
for Rose and told him tha^ Rosenthal was j
■getting dangerous” and hat “he must be i
stopped.” Becker had 4-M him to get
some of “Jack” Zelig’s gang and have Ro
senthal '‘Vroaked.” Rose tixed up the job
with Vallon and Weber, who had money.
They arranged a cold-blooded compact with :
four of Zelig's gang to kill Rosenthal.
The trial of Becker resulted in his con- j
viction and sentence to death. He has re
cently been granted a new trial by the
court of appeals.
The trial of the four gunmen Frank
Muller, alias ‘ Whitey” Lewis.; Frank Cir
ofico, alias “Dago Frank"; Louis Posen
berg, alias “Lefty Louie,” and Harry Horo
witz, alias “Gyp the Blood, commenced on
'November 8, 1913. and on November 19.
after but twenty minutes' deliberation, all
four were found guilty.
PORT TOWNSEND’S MAYOR
HONORED BY KING HAAKON
Port Townsend, Wash.. March 19—Os- ■
car Klocker, mayor of Port Townsend, re- !
ceived word recently from Norwegian Am
bassador Bryn at Washington that he has
been knighted by King Haakon of Norway
and is formally dubbed a Knight of St.
01 af. This high honor comes to Klocker
in recognition of his many years’ service
to the throne of Norway in the United
States. Australia and several European
countries. The Order of St. Olaf is one of
the highest honors conferred by the Nor
wegian government.
Just received -large assortment Howard
watches, the best made. J. L. SALE, Lead
ing Jeweler
Location Notices at Pioneer office.
Last Dance
of the Season
A. B. Dance
A. B. HALL
FLAT CITY
ADMISSION $2.00
NO REFRESHMENTS
PUGILIST OWEN MORAN
DYING OF CONSUMPTION
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
London, April 17.- Owen Moran, Eng
land’s famous lightweight pugilist, is dying
at his home in Birmingham of consumption.
Moran is nearly 30 years of age, and has
been in the pugilistic game for the past
fourteen years.
RUSTGARD WILL RESIGN
AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY
(By Wireless to The Pioneer)
Juneau, April 17.—It is announced in
this city that District Attorney Rustgard
will resign his position, to take effect in
June next.
Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Bayles were the
Lest end hostess at an enjoyable dinner
and card party last Sunday evening.
SERIOUS FIRE
AT BIS. OTTER
Fire broke out on Tuesday night in the
restaurant operated by Mr. and Mrs. Al
Morris at Discovery, and in a short space
of time the building and contents were
entirely consumed. The fire, which is sup
posed to have started in a defective Hue,
was confined to the one building, and al
though neighboring structures were some
what scorched, none received serious dam
age.
Mr. and Mrs. Morris had but recently
started in business, and their loss is a se
vere one.
Sam Bayles, who was in the city yester
day, is profuse in his praise of the splendid
work done by the volunteer fire fighters at
Discovery. He said that it was most re
markable that the entire town was not de
stroyed, and nothing but the valiant efforts
of the bucket brigade and an act of Provi
dence prevented it.
The Hre started about midnight, and at
the first alarm scores of men rushed to
the scene and rendered every assistance pos
sible in stemming the ravages of the flames.
Fortunately there was no wind, and the
fire was confined to the one building. The
volunteers mounted the adjoining building
and succeeded by the use of blankets and
plenty of water in saving it, although it
had caught fire. The men worked in the
intense heat without flinching.
When the conflagration was at its height
it seemed that nothing could save the town,
and the business men and citizens generally
began the work of moving their goods to '
places of safety. They were greatly elated j
that their losses consisted of nothing more
than the time and labor of replacing and :
rearranging their goods.
The loss will fall heavily on Mr. and
Mrs. Morris, as there was no insurance It
is understood that they will rebuild and
reopen for business in a short time.
FORMER ED3TAROD MAN
MEETS DEATH ON TRAIL
Joe Mills, who returned last week from :
Marshall City, brings word of the death
last February of Joseph Wood, well known j
in this district, who left here for the lower
river last summer.
It appears that Mr. Wood, accompanied
by James Fredrickson, started from Mar- :
shall City for Nome some time in February. ;
Shortly after they had passed Andreafski i
on the way down the river, Mr. Wood was 1
taken ill with stomach cramps, and before ]
they could reach Mountain Village he sue- '
cumbed. Commissioner Frank Waskey of
Marshall City went to Mountain Village
and held an inquest over the remains, and
the jury brought in a verdict of death from
ptomaine poisoning. His friends here, how
ever, believe his death to have been due
to chronic stomach trouble, from which he
had suffered while here, having been con
fined to the Emergency hospital at Flat
City some time last spring.
Mr. Wood had been engaged in mining
on Otter creek for some time previous to
his departure, He was an old Fortymile
miner, having mined on Jack Wade creek
in early days. He was an old resident of
West Seattle, and about 58 years of age. ,
He leaves a daughter, Jessie, who is now 1
in Seattle, and a stepdaughter, Mrs. Mike j
Feeney, also of Seattle. Philip S. Kellogg, :
employed at the Great Northern grain ele
vator at Seattle, is a stepson.
The news of the death of Mr. Wood was
received by his many friends in this city
and vicinity with profound sorrow, as he j
was well and favorably known, especially
among the old-timers. The body was bur
ied at Mountain Village.
NOTICE
The owner of the dog rented by Captain
John Worth for a trip to Takotna, said dog
being described as black, with white feet,
aged, is hereby notified that he is being
cared for at our expense, and that from
this date such expense will be charged
against the rental.
NORTHERN COMMERCIAL CO.
(By Wireless lo The Pioneer)
Washington, April 16.—In the house yesterday Delegate James
Wickersham introduced a bill providing for the creation of an Alaska
development board, which shall administer the public lands and the
interior affairs of the territory that are now handled by different bu
reaus of the interior department at the national capital. The bill pro
vides that the board shall consist of five members, to be formed of
the territorial governor and surveyor-general and three other members,
who are to be bona fide residents of Alaska. The bill also provides for
; the appointment of an attorney-general for the territory at a salary of
i $6,000 a year.
Would Prosecute Seal Killers
Representative John H. Rothermel of Pennsylvania, chairman of
the committee appointed several months ago to investigate the -eal
industry of Alaska and its adjacent islands, submitted a report yes
terday in which the committee strongly recommends that the attorney
general of the United States at once start proceedings against the
North American Commercial Company and its agents, who, says the
committee, are held responsible for the ruinous killing of the seal herds
of the Pribiloff islands. The investigating committee’s report also
charges that the agents for the government were in collusion with the
defendant company.
To Aid in Survey of Alaskan Waters
Senator Poindexter of Washington has introduced a resolution in
the senate appropriating the sum of $18,000 to purchase equipment
to be used m the survey of the waters off the Alaskan coast.
JOHNNY BALLAINE SMELLS A MICE”
(By Wireless to Tlif Pioneer
Seattle, April 16.—John Ballaine, the Seward, Alaska, booster,
who has been in Washington in the interest of railroad legislation, has
created something of a sensation here by the public announcement
that the Alaska bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce is con
trolled by the Guggenheims. He states that the Guggenheim syndicate
endeavored to have jokers inserted in the Alaska railroad bill while
it was pending before congress, and that the representatives of the
cattle Chamber of Commerce, who were in Washington supposedly
lobbying in the interests of the bill, assisted them in their efforts.
'By Wireless to The Pioneer'
Nome. April 11. The annual All-Alaska
Sweepstakes dog race starts on Monday
morning next at 9 o’clock, with four en
tries—Allan <fc Darling, Allan driver; Fred
Ayer, manager of the Wild Goose Mining
Company, self driver; John Johnson, self
driver; Leonard Seppala, self driver. John
son and Seppala will drive Siberian dog
teams, and Allan and Ayer will drive
mixed bird-dog teams. The teams will av
erage about sixteen dogs each.
During the past year Seppala has been
maintaining kennels in this city for racing
dogs for the polar expedition of Explorer
Amundsen, wliieh, it was supposed, would
leave here next summer.
Ayer will drive several of the dogs which
were in Delzene’s winning team last year
Delzene not entering this season.
At this time the weather and trails are
perfect, and all previous betting records
were broken.
Miss Barbara Meister, daughter of the
post hospital surgeon at Fort Davis, was
elected queen of the racing season, and
also official starter of the race. The elec
tion of queen raised $1,800 towards the
purse.
The total purse amounts to $2,750, di
vided as follows: First team. 60 per cent
of purse; second team, 25 per cent; third
team, 15 per cent.
The Start
Nome, April 13. -Johnson was the first
starter in the race this morning, followed
by Ayer, Seppala and Allan, who left one
minute apart. All the time was taken as
9 o’clock sharp. Weather is blustery, snow
ing, and a ten-mile wind is blowing. Press
reports state, that blizzards prevailed over
the entire peninsula yesterday, but it was
calm here until this morning. At Solomon
the thermometer is 2 above zero; at Coun
cil, 14 below, with no wind; at Candle, 12
below, cloudy, with slight wind. All dogs
and drivers are in fine shape. Ayer and
Seppala are driving fourteen dogs each. Al
lan is driving sixteen dogs and Johnson
eighteen.
Racers Storm-Bound
Nome, April 14, 11:26 a m.—'Seppala,
after passing Topkok, wandered into Bluff
City. The other entrants, becoming
alarmed at his continued absence in the
blizzard then prevailing, sent a searching
party for the missing racer. After a long
search the party located Seppala and guided
him to Timber, arriving there at midnight,
where they found Ayer, Allan and Johnson,
all storm bound in a blizzard at 29 below
zero. During last night Council and other
stations along the race course experienced
blizzards and 20 bel >w zero weather. The
weather is moderating this morning.
Ail the teams left Timber early this
morning- Johnson at 4:20, Ayer at 4 30.
Seppala at 4:40, and Allan at 4:4*. All
the teams passed Council in fine condition,
but were making slow time on account of
the heavy trail. Johnson and Ayer passed
Council at 6 OS, Seppala at 8.50, Allan
at 8:30 and the race is on.
Seppala Meets With Accident
Nome, April 14. 5:04 p. m. -Last night
while lost near Bluff City, Seppala went
over two cliffs, and today discovered that
four of his dogs were injured. It is re
ported that he has dropped out of the race,
but will proceed to Telephone to take the
place of a helper who was badly bitten by
a dog.
Johnson Has Slight Lead
Nome, April 15, ll .il a. m. The racer?
reached Candle, the half-way station this
morning as follows: Johnson at 3:54, did
not stop, but went back to Gold Run; Ayer
at 3:51; Allan at 5:35:15. Allan and Ayer
both stopped at Candle.
On the Home Stretch
Nome, April 15. 1 :55 p. m. Ayer left
Candle this morning at 8:55. He was carry
ing one dog that was in poor shape; the
other dogs of the team and himself were
in good condition. When Allan reached
Candle he had three dogs running loose and
one in the sled. Johnson’s famous leader
Kolma, was loose when he reached Candle,
but for the homeward-bound run he was
put n the lead Allan left Candle this
morning at 10:07.
Johnson Wins
Nome, April 17, 10 a. m.—Johnson
reached Nome last evening at 6:03:45r
thereby winning first place in the 1914
sweepstakes. His time was 81:03:4.5. John
son was received in this city by the entire
population of Nome and the creeks amid
much enthusiasm.
In the opinion of many dog fanciers the
accomplishment of Johnson's team proves
the superiority of Siberian dogs over all
other breeds for long-distance racing.
Veteran Allan Gets Ovation
Nome, April 17, 3:08 p. m.—When
Scotty Allan, the veteran racer, reached
this city this morning, at 3:26:40, the en
tire population was in the vicinity oi the
goal to give him an ovation. Six dogs of
his team were running loose.
Charles Denton, in charge of the refriger
ator barge Tnnder, arrived in the city Fri
day.