VOLUME XJV VALDEZ, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1012 NUMBER 4»
NINETEEN KILLED
III TRAIN WRECK
EAST FREIGHT HITS EXPRESS
iTillman Car Smashed to Kindling and
^ Most of Occupants Are Instantly
Killed—Nine Bodies Have Been
Taken From Wreckage.
ALTOONA, Pa.. • Feb. 27.—Nine
teen passengers were killed at Union
|awn this morning when a collision
occurred between a fast freight on
the Pennsylvania railroad and the
Mercantile Express. The Express wa3
standing at the station at Uniontown
^waiting for repairs to be made to a
defective brake, when the fast freight
came through at high speed, striking
the rear of the express and completely
demolishing a Pullman. Nineteen
passengers in the Pullman were kill
ed, only a few escaping, and these
were more or less seriously injured.
The work of rescue was commenced
s.t oncefc&pd aside from those hurt,
Aiine bodies have been recovered none
of whicn have been identified.
MINORITY BULKS
EXTENDING PIER
4H»PONKM ARMING OK SHIPS
Members of House Foreign Relations
Committee Unfavorable to Granting
Further Powers to President or,
Arming Munition Carriers.
> -
WASHINGTON. D. C., Feb. 28.- -
^[ai the special session of the House
Committee oa Foreign Relations, call
ed by Chairman Flood yesterday aft
-rnoon, the minority members of the
committee violently opposed the arm
'ng of munition carriers, and balked
fit the authorizing of the President to
other instrumentalities for the protec
tion of American lives and ships. They
asserted that this was virtually plac
ing war-making powers in the hands
uf the President.
t _ ---
\ DAUGHTER ARRIVES
AT THE DUCKWA Id. HOME
The last mail brought cards an
nouncing the birth to Dr. and Mrs.
B. F. Duckwall. at Aspinwall, Penn
sylvania, February 16, of a daughter,
jjstty Jane Duckwall. Dr. Duckwall
was formerly post surgeon at Fort
Uscum, and left last spring for, the
states. Mr. and Mrs. Duckwall were
well known in Valdez, where they
have many friends.
New Arrivals Signal Corps
The steamer Northwestern brought
three members of the Signal Corps
^or service in this division. First
*Jlass Private J. A. Beal arrived from
Cordova and will be stationed at the
Valdez office. First Class Private H.
B. Clifton also came up from Fort
William H. Seward, and is now at
Fort Liscum. He will probably be
stationed at the Valdez office. First
Class private Carl E. Bell arrived
l»ni Seattle and 1b now at Llscum,
hut will probably be stationed out
on the line.
DANISH JEWS TAKE
UP IMPORTANT RELIEF
NEW YORK, Feb. 28.—Danish
Jews have taken over the work of the
provisional Zionist committee for the
distribution of relief funds in Pal
estine, Poland and Lithuania and to
■ ^ate more than $1,000,000 has al
ready been sent.
ARft&D GUARD PIiACED
EXECUTIVE OFFICES
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 28.—
A large iron gate has beeu erected
before the entrance to the executive
ifflces and armed guards stationed
Inhere to keep suspicious characters
away.
The Northwestern carried several
men for the new cannery being built
at Port Nellie Juan.
THAW BE EXAMINED AS
TO MENTAL CONDITION
“ I
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 28.—Mrs.
Thaw, the mother of Harry Thaw,
has petitioned to the court to ap
point a lunacy commission to exam
ine into the mental condition of her
son.
BRITISH IKE
FURTHER GAINS
IN THE VICINITY OF ANCRE
British War Ollice Reports Germans,
Driven Bacjt More than Two Miles
Along a Front Eleven Miles Wide
and Hold Positions.
LONDON, Feb. 28.—The war •■itL.f
today announced further great gams
by the British troops on the northern
French front In the vicinity of Aucro
the British advanced in force, oriving
the Germans back a distance of more
than two miies along an eleven-mile
front, and reached the outskirts of
several villages held by the Germans.
A heavy attack of tlje Germans
against the British positions south of
the Somme resulted in the repulse of
the Germans with heavy losses.
POLICE CM
UNDER ARREST
-. i
CHAHGKI) ACCEPTING A HIJIIlK
_ I
Another Seattle Officer In Tolls in
Connection With Bootlegging—At
torneys Busily Preparing for Trial
of Gill and Beckinghain.
SEATTLE, Keb. 2$.—Prosecuio.'
Lundiu last evening caused the ar
rest of headquarters Police Captain
Powers on the charge of accepting a
bribe of $30 on February 9. The of
ficer was admitted to bail in the sum
iof $5,000 which was immediately
raised by his friends. The trial of
Powers will probably come up im
mediately following that of Mayor
Gill and Chief of Police Beckinghain
A formidable array of legal talent is
now engaged in preparation of the
final details of what promises to be
the court fight in the history of Se
attle. The application of Mayor G M
for a separate trial has been denied
l.y the court, and he and Becking
iiam will be tried together. The gov
ernment attorneys are marshaling a
great mass of evidence against the
accused, and express confidence that
they rjrtH secure a conviction. The
trial is set for March 5.
* -i
I
Powers Says Frame-Up.
SEATTLE, Feb. 28.—Police Cap
tain Powers, who was taken into cus
tody last evening on the charge of
having accepted a' bribe, declares the
arrest was a frame-up. Chief of Po
lice Beckinghamr and Mayor Gill arc
supporting'Powers. Prosecutor Lun
din states that he is Just starting on
the police graft investigation, and
that before he gets through he will'
have the whole bunch.
MONTREAL MAN SAYS •
SAW LEWIS KILL MODEL
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Feb. 28.—
Frederick J. Farrel, 25 years old serv
ing the army medical corps has sur
I rendered to the police In Montreal ac
cording to a telegram received here
| by Captain of Detectives Tate. Farrel
I told the Montreal police he was
I sought In the connection with the
i murder of Masie, Colbert, (Grace
| Roberts,) the advertising model kill
I ed in her apartments hfre on Dec
ember 29.
, ^ ,
NORTHWESTERN ARRIVES
AND SAILS FOR SEWARD
The steamer Northwestern arrived
in port about 5 o’clock this morning
and sailed for Seward about three
hours later. Her passengers for Val
dez were Mrs..C. O. Braenr and M.
Brock.
STEAMER ARIES
SUNK BHERMAUS
DETAILS ARE NOT YET GIVEN
IJoyd's Reports the Torpedoing and
Sinking of the British Steamer
Arles Yesterday by a German Sub
marine—Registered 3071 Tons.
LONDON, Feb. 28.—Lloyds this
morning reports the torpedoing and
sinking of the British steamer Aries
yesterday by a German submarine,
but give no details of the affair. The
Aries was a steel steamer of 3071
tons, built in 1895 at West Hartel
pool, England by W. Gray & Co., and
owned by Rickinson, Sons & Co. She
was 325 feet long, 47.1 feet beam and
22.4 feet depth of hold.
ARE SUBSCRIBED
TO NEW BRITISH WAR I A) AN
Tlirw* and Three-Quarter .Million
People Take Itonds in the New
“Victory lioan” Floated by the!
Government in England.
LONDON, Feb. -S.— The chancelio •
of the Exchequer announcer today
that a billion pounds had been sub
scribed on the new British war loan.
The number of subscribers to the
loan is stated to be three and three
quarter million. The success of the I
attempt.to float this huge sum ini
the country has far exceeded expecta-:
lions, and the amount subscribed is
in excess of the loan authorized
116 LACONIA
AN OVERT AGIN
WAR WITH GERMANV IMMINENT
High Officials of the Government As
sert Declaration of War With Ger
many is Almost Certain to Ensue
In less Reparation Made.
WASHINGTON. D. C., Feb. 28.—
High administration officials today
admit that war with Germany is al
most certain. It is believed that the
sinking of the Canard liner Laconia
will be interpreted as an overt act
on the part of the German Admiralty
and that war can scarcely be averted.
Consul Frost, at Queenstown, wired
today to Secretary Lansing confirm
ing the report that six rockets sent
up from the Laconia attracted the
British patrol boats to the scene.
Jeff Devinney returned to the Three
in One mine yesterday after spending
a short time in town. He reports the
machinery at the mine operating very
satisfactorily and that the mine is far
exceeding his expectations in the
richness of the ore produced.
YOUNG TALBOTT
MARRIES WIDOW
CHICAGO, Feb. 28,—Mrs. An
drews, widow of the late E. W. An
drews, president of the Seattle Na
tional Bank, and Edward O. Talbott,
a Terra Haute Indiana artist and 1?
years her junior were married last
Saturday
H. H. Jones, gncretary of the Val
dez Chamber offttommerce, who h-<
been visiting tinSluattle the past few
weeks, left recently for a tour of the
Eastern states on business matters.
Russell Hermann and S. Curti3s
Wheeler were out on Lowe river on
s hunting trip yesterday, with what
success has never been ascertained.
COMMITTEE VOTES
TO ARMSTEAMERS
GIVES PRESIDENT AUTHORITY
Senate Committee on Foreign Rela
tions Reports Ravorably on Resolu
tion Authorizing President to Arm
Mercnant Ships.
—
W ASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 28.—
The Senp.te Committee on Foreign
Relations today voted to give Presi
dent Wilson authority to arm Ameri
can merchantmen, takihg the guns
from the various navy yards, and
trained gunners to man 'them from
the navy. The Laconia incident un
doubtedly hastened the action of the
committee, and in a measure undoubt
edly influenced the favorable consid
eration of the resolution.
on. prostrId
LOSS OF FAMILY
FORMERLY RESIDED IX CHICAGO
American Physician, Doctor Hoy, Re
siding in London Mourns Loss of
Wife and Daugliter on the Laconia
Were Coming to Join Him.
LONDON. Feb. 28.— Dr. Albert
Hoy was completely prostrated with
grief when he was informed yester
day of the loss of his wife and daught
er on the Laconia. The doctor and
his family formerly resided in Chi
cago. and came here some time ago.
Mrs. Hoy and her young daughter
were on their way to join him her?
and took passage on the Laconia.
SURVIVORS PRAISE
COURftGE OFFICERS
MAINTAIN STRICT DISCIPLINE
)
Due to Coolness and Courage Many
Passengers Taken off Safely— Sec
ond Torpedo Struck Enginroom and
Vessel Sunk Rapidly.
_
I
QUEENSTOWN. Ireland, Feb. 28.
—Survivors of the Laconia are loud
in praise of the bravery of the officers
and crew of that vessel. Following
the explosion of the first torpedo the
officers maintained the utmost disci
pline, and it was due to their cool
ness and courage that so many of the
passengers were taken off the steam
er in safety. The second torpedo
struck the steamer at the engineroon
compartment, blowing a great hole
In her hull, following which she sank
rapidly.
IF AMERICAN SHIPS
’ SAIL THEY WICKEDLY
TEMPT GOD, IT SAYS
AMSTERDAM Feb. 26—The Lokal
Anzeiger, of Berlin, expresses the
hope that cabled reports to the ef
fect that American merchantmen
are sailing in defiance to the sub
marine blockade are unfounded. "The
plan for such sailings," it says, “at
the bottom amounts to nothing else
than most wickedly tempting Ood.
• H. E. Ellis left for the Cliff mine
this afternoon after a visit of several
days in town.
■ ■ ■■ ■■■y:
William Morgan l«^t this morning
to return to Wortman.
Jack Whalen, who has been spend
ing several days in town, left this
morning for down the Sound.
Kenneth Rudolf and Earl Hinds
made a trip to Mineral creek Monday
returning yesterday.
GERMANS REPORT SUNK
A BRITISH TRANSPORT
BERLIN, Feb. 28.—The German
Admiralty reported today that a Ger
man submarine torpedoed and sunk
a British transport on February 19
PRESIDENT ASKS
TOO MUCH POWER
SPEECH STRONGLY CRITICIZED
Executive Plainly Evidenced Strain
Under Which He Has Been Labor
ing and His Dislike for His Task
| Was Apparent.
I
WASHINGTON. D. C., Feb. 28.—
In his address before the joint ses
sion of the House and Senate Mon
day afternoon President Wilson plain
ly evidenced the strain under which
he has been laboring. His weariness
waB plainly evident, and the fact that
he disliked the task was apparent. He
was deeply moved at the thought of
the country becoming engaged in the
great European war, and asserted tnat
he was in favor of peace at almost
any cost. His address was applauded
from many quarters of the ehambei,
but in a perfunctory manner. The
address, particularly on the Repub-1
licau side, has been severely criti j
cized, .he opinion being freely c>-;
pressed that the President is asking!
far too much power.
ON THRESHOLD
OF GREAT WAR
_
FOREIGN SITUATION IS OMINOUS
I
_ I
I
Domestic Situation Also Declared Dlf-j
Acult—Senate Pacificists Blocking j
Legislation and Forcing President |
to Call Extra Sessiou.
I
WASHINGTON. D. C„ Feb. 28.—
The United States is on the threshold
of war is the announcement made by
high officials of the government this
afternoon. Every effort has been
made to prevent the outbreak of an
armed conflict, but the Laconia inci
dent and the speech of Chancellor Von
Hollweg before the Reichstag yester
day in which he claimed that the
United States is doing all in its power
to help the Entente allies, have tend
ed to precipitate the country into the
struggle. The Chancellor’s speech is
declared a direct insult to the United
States, and excuses the holding of the
Americans on the Yarrowdale as pris
oners. While the foreign relations of
the country are considered ominious,
the domestic situation is also difficult.
Senator LaFollette, leader of the Sen
ate Pacificists, is blocking the grant
ing of additional powers to the resi
dent until Saturday, and then force
the President to call an extra session
of Congress.
ANOTHER AMERICAN IS
LOST ON THE LACONIA
LONDON. Feb. 28.—The report of
the Cunard line officials as to the
loss of life aboard the Laconia, shows
that beside Mrs. Hoy and her daught
er and the six negro firemen, Charles
Ivatts, a naturalized citizen of the
United States, and a theatrical man
ager in New York, lost his life when
the vessel went down.
THE EMPRESS TOMORROW
NIGHT IN EAGLE HALL
Fine Triangle Program.
“Acquitted,” 5-act drama with in
teresting plot featuring Wilfred Lu
cas and Mary Alden.
Also a Keystone comedy In thre
acts, "His Hereafter." played l y
Charles Murray. Harry Booker and
Louise Fazenda.
Don M. Thomas left today for Cul
ross Island after spending a day or
two in town.
WANTED—First class canip cook.
Inquire Dougherty’s store. 7t
BELIEVE SINKING
All OVERT ACT
PRESIDENT MAY DECLARE WAR
Administration Officials Express Be
lief That Torpedoing of Cunartl
Liner Constitutes an Overt Act—
Situation Most Critical.
WASHINGTON, D. C.. Feb. 28.—
Many of the Administration officials
express the belief that the sinking
of the Laconia by a German submar
ine constitutes an overt act against
the United States and chat a declara
tion of war is not improbable. It is
generally admitted in official circles
that the situation at this time is even
more critical that at any time since
the sinking of the Lusitania. The
terrible details of the sinking of the
Laconia have silenced the pacificists,
and while throughout the country
there has been no outburst of in
dignation as was the case when the
Lusitania went down, there is a strong
undercurrent in favor of adopting
the most drastic of measures to put
a stop to the German submarine cam
paign. Last e/ening Secretary of State
Lansing held a long conference with
the President, presumably upon the
Laconia incident, but whatever con
clusion was arrived at has been kept
secret.
SAYS AMERICA
NOT NEUTRAL
FAVORING ENTENTE POWER*
Chancellor Von Hnihveg, in S|«eeclt
Before Reichstag, Asks What
Would Ha|»i<en if United States In
sisted on Trading With Germany.
BERLIN. Feb. 2S.—In an address
betore the Reichstag yesterday after
noon Chancellor Hollweg declared
that the United States was not neu
tral, and was upholding tne law only
with respect to Germany. “What
would happen.” he asked, “if the
United States made as determined a
stand to maintain its commerce with
Hamberg and Bremen?” He declared
one of the main objects of the Ger
man submarine campaign was to dis
courage neutral shipping from trans
porting foodstuffs and munitions to
British ports.
“SOAP AGENTS” WERE
GOVERNMENT SLEUTHS
8UNBURY. Pa.. Feb. 28.-—Secret
service men, posing as soap agents
finally caught and arrested Joseph *
D. Ferry, charged with counterfeit
ing.
Ferry, who is a Harrisburg auto
mobile dealer, has been held in $10.
000 ball by Federal Judge Witmer. ft
Is alleged that Ferry is implicated in
the counterfeiting of more than $16
000 worth of Federal Reserve Bank
notes, of $10, $20. and $50 aenom
{nations.
The 8ecret Service men, posing ;is
soap agents, hired autos from Ferrv
and gained his confidence.
WILSON WISHES TQ AVOID
CALLING SPECIAL SESSION
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 28.—
President Wilson is urging haste in
completing the administration legis
lative program in the hope of avoid
ing an extra session of Congress. Un
less greater speed iB maintained dur
ing the remainder of the present ses
sion a special session will be called
for early in April,
Widow Found Murdered
BELLINGHAM Feb. 28.—The body
of Sadie Margeson. a widow, was
found on the roadside near Chuchaa
ut this morning. Richard Duncan, her
supposed sweetheart was arrested and
charged with the crime.
Kor Rent.
Five-room house completely furn
ished. Modern conveniences.
2t ALASKA INV. CO.