V VOL. 13 VALDEZ, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1916 NO. 34.
MONDEL SCORES
BRYAN II HOUSE
Declares Secretary Left Capital Dur
ing Critical Period To Deliv
er Lectures.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.—Repre
sentative Mondel, of Wyoming, bit
terly assailed Secretary Bryan in the
House yesterday afternoon. He de
clared that Bryan should have re
mained at his post in the capital
during a recent critical period in
stead of traveling over the country
delivering speeches and lectures.
The Wyoming representative de
clared that he did not believe the
contention of German sympathizers
that the Secretary of State was par
tial to nations at war with Germany,
but Mr. Bryan had shown remarkable
indifference to the affairs of the coun
try when he had left the capital to
deliver a lecture when the Mexican
situation was such as to plunge this
country into war at any minute.
Representative i Mondel’s tirade
against Secretary Bryan is recogniz
ed by Democratic members as be
ing in line with a plan of the Repub
licans to discredit him as secretary
of state and break his influence in
view of the part which he will play
in the coming election.
NANAIMO GOAL
MINE FLOODED
Twenty-one Miners Drowned When
Ocean Broke Throuugh Into Work
ings—Fear Mine Lost.
NANAIMO, B. C., Feb. 10.—The
coal mine, known locally as the Brit
ish Columbia mine, was flooded with
water last night from the ocean,
causing the deaths of twenty-one min
ers. It is feared that the miners,
who were working a considerable dis
tance under the ocean, broke through
into a deep crevasse extending down
from the bottom of the ocean, in
which case the mine will be a to
tal loss.
The water entered the mine at a
point where but few men were work
ing and the immediate sounding of
the alarm warned the hundreds of
miners who composed the working
gang to seek safety at the surface.
Many of the miners were injured in
the wild rush for the shafts. The
water in the workings continues to
rise and must have flooded every por
tion of the mine.
BIG STORM HITS
THE CANAL ZONE
Thousand Feet of Breakvyaiter Being
Built To Protect Shipping Is
Washed Away.
COLON. C. Z., Feb. 10.—A terrific
storm which swept in from the ocean
last night wrought havoc with the
breakwater which is being built to
protect shipping entering the Panama
canal. One thousand feet of the
breakwater has disappeared and as
the storm still rages it is feared that
further damage will result.
The storm came without warning
and a number of ships which were
awaiting passage through the canal
were forced to hastily seek shelter
by putting to sea to ride out the
storm. The damage to the eastern
breakwater Is estimated at more than
*500.000.
GERMAN ATTACKS AT WARSAW WEAKENING
LONDON, Feb. 10.—Military ex
perts in touch with the situation in
Poland express the belief that the
fear of the capture of Warsaw by the
Germans has passed and that Gen.
Hindenburg will shortly begin re
treating to the German border.. The
latest news from Warsaw indicates
that the Russians operating south
west of Warsaw have made gains and
are threatening the German line of
communication. The offensive move
ments of the Russians north of Lip
no and extending through East Prus
sia to Gumbinnen, in the Mazur lake
district, is evidently worrying the
German general staff. Reinforce
ments intended for Gen. Hindenburg
at Warsaw, are reported as being
rushed into East Prussia in an at
tempt to check the Rusisan invasion
through that province.
Expect Victory Where Defeated.
The Rusisan positions in the Lake
district where the battle is develop
ing is near the scene of the Russian
disaster some months ago when more
than 70,000 Russians were captured
by the Germans. The military ex
perts express the belief that, now
that the lakes are frozen, permitting
the rapid movement of troops, that
the Russians have more than an even
chance of turning the tables of the
Germans in the battle which is be
ing waged.
German Attacks Weakening.
PETROGRAD, Feb. 10.—The sever
ity of the German attacks against the
Russian center is weakening and it is
believed that Gen. Hindenburg is pre
paring to withdraw from further at
tempts to capture Warsaw. The Rus
sian force southwest of Warsaw have
gained ground and are now threat
ening the rear of Hindenburg’s com
mand.
UN MERCHANT
ACCUSED Of TREASON
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 10.—A sensa
tion has been caused in commercial
circles here by the news that Sena
tor Pessehl, the head of the great
firm oi L. Possehl & Co., has been
arrested in Germany on a charge of
high treason, being accused of trad
ing with the enemy. He is being
tiied by court-martial at Leipsic.
Herr Possehl is one of Germany’s
richest magnates. He is a member
of the Herrenhaus and a personal
friend of the emperor.
GOVERNMENT WILL
ESTABLISH SCHOOLS
French Will Render Assistance To In
jured Soldiers Incapable of Car
ing for Themselves.
. PARIS, Feb 10.—The government
has established schools where men
who were Injured in battle which pre
vents them from returning to the
front or earning sufficient to keep
from becoming burdens upon their
•relatives or the country, will be
taught trades and professions.
Since the beginning of the war last
August thousands of men have been
injured in the engagements and af
ter being discharged from hospitals
have been thrown upon their own re
sources as the pensions paid by the
government is Insufficient to main
tain them.
The maimed soldiers will be taught
trades which will enable them to be
employed in factories and other in
dustries which is adapted to their af
fliction. Many of the crippled sol
diers were formerly students in col
leges before enlisting in the army and
they will be afforded an opportun
ity of finishing their educations and
will be employed in the government
service where possible.
PETROGRAD REPORTS THAT GERMANS HAVE EVACUATED MANY
POSITIONS AND THAT TROOPS ARE BEING RUSHED NORTH
WARD TO LAKE DISTRICT, WHERE BIG BATTLE 18 DEVELOP
ING—LONDON BELIEVES DANGER OF CAPTURE OF WARSAW IS
THING OF THE PAST—RUSSIANS ADMIT REVERSES IN BUKO
WINA BUT CLAIM GAINS IN GALICIA—GERMAN GOVERNMENT
TAKES POSSESSION OF WIRELESS STATIONS — BLACK SEA
FLEETS ACTIVE.
Czar Nicholas At Warsaw.
So confident Is Grand Duke Nich
olas, commander-in-chief of the Rus
sian army, who is now at the front
directing operations against Gen.
Hindenburg before Warsaw, that the
Germans have spent their strength
and are about to retreat, that he has
in^ted Czar Nicholas to visit Rus
sian positions along the battle line.
The czar has been in Warsaw since
the battle began which has resulted
in terrific losses to the German forces
in the desperate bayonet charges to
capture the Russian trenches.
Admit Losses In Bukowina.
PETROGRAD, Feb. 10.—The war
office admits reverses in the Austrian
j province of Bukowina and has an
nounced that the troops were being
withdrawn from that district. The re
verses in Bukowina, it is officially
stated, are more than offset by the
Russian successes over the Austrian
German forces in Galicia and along
the Carpathians.
German Troops Going Northward.
PETROGRAD, Feb. 10.—Informa
tion from Warsaw states that the
German forces are .being withdrawn
from the attack against the Russian
center and are being entrained for
shipment into East Prussia. Many
German positions along the battle line
before the Russian center were evac
uated during the night.
Battle Developing In Lake District.
That the German general staff re
DEADLOCK III SENATE STILL UNBROKEN
SENATOR JONES SPEAKS FOR FOURTEEN HOURS ON PROSPECT
OF BREAKING DEADLOCK WHILE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS SLUM
BER—WILSON MAY CALL EXTRA SESSION FOR MARCH 5.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10—The Sen
ate is still in continuous session on
the administration’s ship purchasing
bill. Senator Jones, of Washington
state, after speaking for twenty-four
hours continuously on the measure,
spent fourteen more hours express
ing his views of the deadlock and
the prospects of breaking it. He was
speaking when many members roll
ed up in the cloak room for a nap
and was still speaking when they
awoke in the morning.
The Republicans have held the
floor continuously for more than a
week in an effort to talk the meas
ure to death while the Democrats
have always kept a quorum handy to
immediately spring a vote on the bill
should the Republicans ■ make a par
liamentary slip which would cause
them to lose possession of the floor.
Senator Jones asserted that the Re
publicans intended to fight by all
means at their command to prevent
a vote being taken on the question.
The Democratic senators are confi
dent that the Republican filibusters
will wear themselves out and that
they have the necessary number of
votes to pass the bill when It comes
to a vote.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 10.—It is re
ported in congressional circles that
President Wilson will call a special
session of congress to convene on
March 5 if the filibustering opposition
to the administration’s shipping bill
is continued. The session has been
in session continuously without a
break for more than 48 hours and the
members are nearly exhausted
through loss of sleep.
Not since the now famous session
of congress in 1893, when the House
deadlocked over the question of re
pealing the Sherman clause in the
silver act providing for the purchase
of silver, has a deadlock cqntinued
so long, and been fought with such
persistence.
Steamer Wilhelmina
Reaches English Port.
FALMOUTH, Eng., Feb. 10.—The
steamer Wilhelmina, loaded with cot
ton from Texas but destined for
German consumption, has put into
this port. The captain reports that
while he was In almost constant sight
of British cruisers during the last
four days of the trip the Wilhelmina
was not molested in any manner.
The vessel has been visited by the
British customs officers but no action
has been taken as yet in regard to
giving the ship her clearance papers.
It is believed the British government
will soon announce that the ship has
been seized and will be held as cot
ton has been declared contraband
when shipped to Germany.
The arrival of the Wilhelmina at a
British port caused considerable sur
prise as it was believed that an un
derstanding had been reached where
by the vessel would be seized by a
French cruiser, the French govern
ment having notified all neutral na
tions that she would regard all ship
ments to Germnay as contraband af
ter the beginning of hostilities. Had
the ship been seized by a French
cruiser, it is asserted, the owners
would have had no room for protest
and would not be backed up by the
United States government, as will be
the case when seized by the British
customs.
NOTE—The Wilhelmina is one of
three German boats interned in
American ports when hostilities in
Europe began, but were later pur
chased by American citizens and reg
istered under the Stars and Stripes.
Another of the ships, the Dacia, is
now on her -way across the Atlantic
with a cargo of cotton from Galves
ton to Bremen, Germany. The Brit
ish government has notified the
•American secretary of state that the
•ship will be seized. The third, which
sailed from San Francisco with a
cargo of coal, later turned up with
Admiral Spee’s fleet off the Falkland
islands and was sunk.
gard the Russian offensive movement
in the Mazur lake district as serious
is indicated by the heavy reinforce
ments which are now being sent
northward. The Russians occupy po
sitions 72 miles from Koenigsburg
and victory there would clear the
way to again laying siege to the
fortress The Russian offensive move
ment extends from north of Gumbin
nen, in East Prussia, to Lipno, north
west of Warsaw, in Poland.
Little Doing In West.
PARIS, Feb. 10.—Only minor en
gagements were indulged in by the
forces holding the western battle
line. There Is no change in the po
sitions of the different*armies. It is
reported that German reinforcements
are being sent to the Argonne dis
trict where an offensive movement is
believed to be planned.
Government Takes Over Wireless.
BERLIN, Feb. 10.—The German
government has taken charge of all
wireless stations in Germany and will
permit them to be used for public
business only. It is reported that the
wireless companies have been send
ing out news concerning the war sit
uation of which the military authori
ties did not approve.
Black Sea Fleets Active.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Feb. a.,—
Turkish gunboats yesterday bombard
ed several Russian towns on the
Black Sea. The gunboats gained in
formation that a Russian fleet was
searching for them and returned to
the shelter of the forts here.
Russians Bombard Trebizond.
The Russian cruisers which were
searching for the raiding Turkish
fleet by way of retaliation bombard
(Continued on page 2.)
VAPORS FROM WINE
' VAT PROVE FATAL
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10.—The
health authorities of the city are in
vestigating the deaths of two work
men who are reported to have been
asphyxiated by vapors in a three
thousand gallon wine vat which they
were cleaning. Shortly after the men
entered the vat other workmen heard
them singing but paid no attention to
them. When they failed to respond
to calls an investigation followed and
both men were found dead.
SHIP BUILDING
ACTIVE IN EAST
Experts Believe Destruction of Ships
By Warring Nations Will
Cause Shortage.
NEW YORK, Feb. 10.—Great aetiv
ity in ship building is reported from
many points along the Atlantic coast.
Ten large merchant ships are under
construction in the yards here and
builders report they have been asked
to furnish estimates of the cost of
construction of many more. All or
ders placed contain clauses providing
for completion of the vessels at the
earliest possible date.
The activity among the ship build
ers is regarded as the beginning of
an active campaign of American ship
ping Interests to go after foreign
trade which has heretofore been en
joyed by the nations of Europe now
at war.
It is asser*ed by shipping experts
that the destruction of vesesls by the
warring nations will cause a great
shortage of ships to handle the over
seas tAde after the cessation of hos
tilities in Europe. A large propor
tion of the vessels now under con
struction on the Atlantic joast are
designed for carrying freight with
limited passenger accommodation.
ROCKEFELLER TO
Labor Leaders Are Securing Convinc
ing Proof of Mine Manager’s
Unfair Methods.
DENVER, Colo., Feb. 10.—Labor
leaders in this state express satisfac
tion at the announcement that John
D. Rockefeller, Jr., will visit the coal
mines under his control in the state
next spring as a result of the confer
ence with Mother Jones and other la
bor leaders.
The unions have appointed com
mittees to secure additional data of
the methods employed by the man
agers of the mine to bring on the re
cent strike, which resulted in the kill
ing of scores of innocent women and
children. A complete list of the gun
men, with their former records in
connection with strikes, who were
enlisted In state militia and mine
guards is being secured.
New evidence tending to show that
a number of gunmen were permitted
•to fill the places of enlisted men iu
the militia under the assumed names
of the mili’iamen. It is believed the
federal government will investigate
the charges as the substitution could
only have been with the consent of
the officers.
—
BAKERS URGING
WHEAT EMBARGO
Bakers Declare That Serious Shortage
of Grain and High Prices
!
Face Americans.
CHICAGO, Feb. 10.—The master
bakers of this city have prepared a
petition which will be forwarded to
President Wilson asking him to place
an embargo for ninety days upon the
exportation of flour to European coun
tries.
The bakers declare that if the ex
portation of wheat is continued for
ninety days at the rate which pre
vailed during the past month that
this country will experience a serious
shortage of grain which will result
in prohibitive prices and much suf
fering.
It is asserted that the shipments
of grain from American ports to Eu
rope during the past thirty days ag
gregated 40,000,000 bushels and that
much of the grain in America had al
ready ben purchased by agents of the
warring European nations.
BALANCEOFTRAOE
IN U. S FAVOR
i
—
Exports for Week Ending Feb. 6
Amounted To $60,000,000 and Im
ports $22,500,000. I
WASHINGTON. Feb. 10—American,
trade with foreign nations shows a,
decidedly healthy increase in the
customs report of the week ending
February 6, showing a balance in fa
vor of the United States amounting
to $37,000,000.
The shipments during the weel
broke all records for a single week’
exports, being over $60,000,000. Tk
imports during the same wee
amounted to $22,500,000.
Chas. Anderson will leave In a fe’
days to do his annual work In tb
Nelchlna. He Is busy gathering h
outfit together and expects to be got)
all summer.