Valdez Daily Prospector
PUBLISHED BY THE
Prospector Publishing Co.
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Daily Prospector.
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By mail, per annum.10.00
The Weekly Miner.
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by carrier to one address, per
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’Pbone 152.
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1914.
THE KNELL OF THE HORSE.
This war is more than the slaughter
of Europe’s best youth and manhood.
It is a vast liectacomb of horses, a
sacrifice which may end almost in the
extermination of man’s best friend.
The conflict may, indeed, mark the
end of equine epoch that began be
fore the dawn of history.
The present wastage of horses is
incalculable. With more than 20,000,
000 men under arms, there must be
several million horses employed. The
first emergency order issued by the
British war office called for 74,000
horses for the artillery and transport
service and 56,000 for the cavalry.
Subsequent drafts doubtless run in
to the hundreds of thousands, for
England’s small army alone. They
have been taken from the plow, the
delivery wagon, the livery, the omni
bus. Stock farms have been robbed
of all but the finest brood mares and
blooded stallions. Hunters trained to
take a fence like a swallow are now
leaping barbed wire entanglements in
pursuit of a human quarry. Polo pon
ies accustomed to shock and skilled
to spin and plunge are wearing their
lives out in pitiless scouting expedi
tions or cavalry charges. Their
humbler brethren are dragging heavy
guns and caissons and commissary
wagons over the broken highways
and through the mud of a thousand
positions on the complex battle front.
The rout of every army, particu
larly an army in retreat, can be trac
ed by the swollen bodies of horses.
In this war the mortality of the poor
brutes is unprecedented owing to the
vast amount of artillery engaged and
the extent and fierceness of the strug
gle. Their bodies lie by thousands
and tens of thousands along the
Marne river and the Aisne. They
clog the muddy ditches and canals of
Flanders. They fill the swamps of
East Prussia and dot the plains of
Russian Poland and the valleys of
Galicia. Every stream in Belgium
and northern France is polluted with
uieir carcasses.
It is incredible how soon a sound
horse wears out in arduous campaign
ing. Military officers say it is doubt
ful whether any of the contending
armies has in its service today a
single horse that did duty at the
opening of the war. The cavalry
work, particularly of the scouting
parties, which calls for incessant rid
ing day after day at top speed, kills
a horse in two weeks to a month, or
so breaks its spirit and endurance
that it is worthless thereafter. Its
reward is a bullet in the head.
It is well known that horses, in
spite of their strength and size, have
less endurance than men. Seasoned
infantry, in the long run, can out
march the best cavalry. Moreover,
horses are subject to the same fate
as soldiers. They are more liable to
wounds, because more openly exposed
and . their wounds oftener prove fa
tal. Overwork, underfeeding, bad wa
ter, exposure, Wreak havoc with them
faster than with humans.
If 2,000,000 or 3,000,000 horses—
which seems a low estimate—have al
ready gone to the scrap heap in this
war, we may form some notion of
the total sacrifice to be expected.
Great Britain is already pretty thor
oughly drained of available beasts.
Every decent horse in Belgium was
confiscated by the Germans. Germany
must by this time have exhausted
most of her own cavalry and draft
animals, and can import but few. II
many German cavalry troops are not
already permanently dismounted, they
soon will be. The guns will have tc
depend more and more on automo
biles and steam traction engines foi
conveyance. No wonder England de
dares gasoline “contraband.”
Russia, with her great numbers 01
hard-riding Cossacks and her bac
bad roads must be suffering an ap
palling waste of horses. But her owi
supply is almost inexhaustible
France, like Great Britain, can im
port fresh material as the old wear:
out.
Therein lies one of the best war op
portunities of the United tSates. A1
ready French and British army offi
cers in Chicago, Kansas City and St
Louis, buying horses by tens of thou
sands. The purchases are sure to in
crease rapidly while the war lasts.
The buyers will doubtless soon learn,
too, the military virtues of the Mis
souri mule.
We can spare a good deal of horse
flesh. Last year we had 20,000,000
horses and 4,000,000 mules. But the
departure of a million or two of our
best animals would make a very no
ticeable dearth of both saddle and
draft horses.
There can be no doubt of the trend
—as a direct effect of the war the
horse is going out and the automo
bile is replacing him with bewilder
ing rapidity. The tendency is most
observable abroad, but is already felt
here in America. In both military
and civil life the motor car and the
truck will multiply. The automobile
business is evidently starting on the
greatest boom of its history.
TOO MANY LEADERS.
None of the Mexican patriots seem
to think as much of his country as
of himself. The perpetual war of per
sonalities goes on while the people
suffer. In four years Diaz and his
nephew. Madero, Reyes, Orozco, Hu
erta, and many others have been
eliminated, one way or another, but
the dispute is still about men. Car
ranza wants to rule, not to secure
peace to Mexico; Villa will retire,
or says he will, if Carranza will do
likewise: the personal pretensions of
Zapata, Obregon, Angeles, and others
are in the way of a sensible settle
ment of the national problems, and
that is merely a repetition of Mex
ico’s old trouble/
The will of the people, or of any
part of the people, is never taken
into consideration, There (are too
many leaders every time there is a
political overturn, and they all want
to rule. That might happen in any
country, but in most the peoples have
learned that the good of all is super
ior to the desire of a few. Until Mex
ico comprehends the idea of a repub
lic, or until some man of unquestion
ed authority gets hold of the reins
of government, the trouble must con
tinue. There is no big man, no mili
tary or executive genius, now in
sight. Wherefore, there could be no
better time than this for the estab
lishment of a real republic if the few
men whom circumstances have placed
in the limelight would stop squab
bling.—Ex.
Crabs! Crabs! Crabs!
Fine fresh crabs received on the
Alameda by the City Express. Tele
phone your order and enjoy a fine
crab dinner. Listen for the horn.
Joe always has something good when
he blows his horn.
STORES TO CLOSE
THANKSGIVING
All the Valdez mercantile stores
and the banks will be closed on
Thanksgiving day, as is the usual
custom in this city and the clerks will
go to church and attend the Thanks
giving services.
a. e. TiFlT
NOTJNDICTED
The federal grand jury returned a
“not a true bill” against A. E. Todd,
of McCarthy, who was charged with
an assault with a dangerous weapon
upon Dean Officer, also of McCarthy.
The defendant, who was out on bond,
s ordered released by the court.
EXCHANGE RATES
NEARLYJORMAL
NEW YORK, Nov. 24.—The ex
change rate between the United
States and London is now near nor
mal and is expected to reach a point
a trifle higher than the rate of last
July. The extra rate will care for
the increased cost of transportation
of gold from one continent to the
other, which is more dangerous now
than at any time for many years.
Weather Report.
Valdez, Nov. 23. 1914.
Barometric pressure .29,738
Temperature at 7 p. m. 8
Maximum temperature .29
Minimum temperature . 6
Mean temperature .171-2
Precipitation .12
Clear, light wind northeast nine
miles. Snow at night.
Ladies leather and silver hand bags
at 60 per cent. off. Plant & Co.
HINDERBERG’S
ARMYDEFEATED
(Continued from page 1.)
the coast to attack England. The
war office has informed the admir
alty of the conditions and in conse
quence all islands in the Channel are
being fortified with heavy naval guns
and garrisoned by coast guards be
cause the islands would be of im
mense advantage to the Germans as
a base to operate against English
points.
Germans Bombard Libau.
The German fleet yesterday re
sumed the bombardment of the Rus
sian Baltic seaport at Libau. The
amount of damage cannot, be ascer
tained at this time.
Austrians Announce Russian Retreat.
VIENNA, Nov. 24.—The war office
has issued an official statement in
which it is claimed that the Russians
have been forced to retreat for 100
miles from Cracow, which was threat
ened a week ago, but it is now clear
of danger. The Austrian troops have
captured many Russians, taken many
cannon and large stores of war sup
plies.
GERMANS WOn
INVADE IRELAND
BERLIN, Nov. 24.—Roger Case
ment, leader of the Irish volunteers,
who is now in this city, was assured
today by the German government that
the kaiser had no intention of invad
ing Ireland.
Civic League Dance Thursday.
The Valdez Civic League will give
a dance next Thursday night at Moose
hall for the purpose of raising funds
for the work of the organization. The
ladies will serve a dandy lunch at
midnight. The music by the Reinke
orchestra will be good. Admission
f 1.00. k 27
Thinks Germans Checked.
LONDON, Nov. 23.—Military ob
servers believe that the German move
ment toward the French coast has
been definitely checked and that the
allies’ advances, reported by the Paris ^
official bulletin, show that the Ger
mans have been compelled to weak
en their centre and left in order to
strengthen their right again.
However, although the Germans
have failed to break the allied line,
and have themselves been compelled
to give ground, they are now in a
beter position, having a front which
stretches from, the Swiss frontier to
Antwerp and Dutch territory, so that
there are no flanks which the allies
can turn. The allies can attempt to
break it, and this is believed to be
what they are trying to do on the
Belgian frontier.
Evidence that the German assaults
are being made with less force is
conveyed in the intimation that be
tween the Somme and the Oise their
artillery attacks are not being fol
lower up with infantry charges. In
the centre the allies have also ad
vanced, particularly toward Craonne
and northeast <of the road from
Berry-au-Bac to Rheims. North of
Prunay, which is slightly to the south
east of Rheims, some German trench
es have been carried.
A report comes from Basle through
Get Busy!
There Is a Lot to Do Before the Deep Snow Comes
YOU NEED WINTER CLOTHES
We Have Them for Men, Women and Children.
Fur Caps,
Felt Shoes,
Overcoats,
Malone Pants
Fur Coats,
Wool Gloves,
Buckskin Lined
Corduroy Vests,
Roughneck Sweaters
Don’t Wait Any Longer.
Fur Band Caps,
Felt Slippers,
Mackinaw Coats,
Mackinaw Pants,
Parkas,
Wool Mittens,
Ladies’ and
Children’s Furs.
Come In and Buy Now.
Valdez I^odge
No 168,
Free and Accepted Masons
Regular Communications first Wednesday in
each month In MoKtnley Hall Visitors always
welcome.
A. K. GRIGSBY. W. M.
C. C- Reynolds. Sec
Rome that the French have reoccu
pied Altkirch and Mulhausen, in Al
sace, but if this were so, it probably
would have been mentioned in the
French official statement.
The main German force is thought
to have proceeded southward to assist
in the attempt of the Germans to es
tablish themselves on the French
coast. With the allies occpuying
Ypres, and possibly other troops be
tween that city and Nieuport, ten
miles southwest of Ostend, they may
be compelled to fight their next ser
ious battle along the roads and rail
ways running eastward from the
coast.
Nelson Jepson arrived in town yes
terday from the summit and will re
turn on his way to Beaver Dam to
morrow.
Biss Erickson came in yesterday
from the Valdez property and return
ed this morning.
Crabs! Crabs! Crabs!
Fine fresh crabs received on the
Alameda by the City Express. Tele
phone your order and enjoy a fine
crab dinner. Listen for the horn.
Joe always has something good when
he blows his horn.
Photo by American Preaa Association.
Austrian Mountain Gun Detachment
In the conflict between Austria and Servia a great deal of the lighting
will be In the mountains. Neither country has a first class navy, and the
armies will be depended on tor victory. In this picture there Is shown a num
ber of the Austrian mountain guns. These are manned by efficient corps of
soldiers, about six men to eacb gun.
Copper River Lumber Co., he.
ALL KINDS OP
Native and ¥ ¥ TR/IDCD and Building
Puget Sound LUlVllJLiiX Material
CONSTANTLY ON HAND
Prices Right W. M. FINICAL, Mgr. Phone IS
Patronize a Home Industry
| Pacific Alaska
1 Navigation Company j
I Alaska Pacific S. S. Co. Alaska Coast Co. f
I PUGET SOUND-ALASKA ROUTE
;2 Steamers sail from Seattle s
| Nov. 15th, Dec. 5th and 25th |
:2 via the Inside Passage for Ketchikan. Juneau, Yakutat, Ka- g
5 talla, Cordova, Valdez, Seward, Cook Inlet points and Kodiak, g
5 PUGET SOUND--CALIFORNIA ROUTE g
5 Seattle-San Francisco, connecting with steamers Yale and g
5 Harvard for southern California ports. §
5 nil'llt reserved toelmnac datesand steamers without notice 0
| VALDEZ DOCK CO. g
5 Local Agent g
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, Ellatnar. 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- Valdea Dock Co., Local Agt.
FULL
QUART
Has Had no Peers for Fifty Years
SOLD BY AIL PEALER8