VOL 10 VALDEZ, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1914. NO. 129.
WILSON OEMS
ANOTHER MESSAGE
Tells Congress to Change the Canal
Tolls Law Which Exempts
American Shipping.
WASHINGTON, March 6.—In the
shortest message he has yet read to
congress, President Wilson yesterday
addresse dthe two houses of the leg
islative body upon the matter of re
pealing the Panama canal tolls,
against which the maritime nations
► of the world have protested.
The president stated that the ex
emption of American ships from the
payment of the same lolls as paid by
foreign vessels was clearly in con j
tra vent ion of the treaty with England. I
The interpretation of the treaty is
general with all the foreign govern
ments, the president declared, and we
must consider the opinions of others
as well as ourselves.
1- The president also insisted that the
canal tolls matter was of the grav
est importance to this country and
that we must sustain our national
honor, which is involved.
LONDON, March 6.—The newspa
pers of this city are devoting much
praise to President Wilson for his
stand in the matter of the repeal of
the canal tolls granted to American
ships passing through the canal.
CONFEREESHME
WITHDRAWN BE
Found Number of Errors and Decided
to Have Bill Reprinted—Alas
kans Watching Lobby.
WASHINGTON, March ti. The
conference report on the Alaska rail
toad bill which was reported Wed
nesday to the House, was withdrawn
yesterday by the committee because it
developed that several errors and
changes had been made in the bill
which were not intended by the com
mittee and they therefore requested
the privilege of withdrawing it and
have the new bill printed today for
distribution among the members.
Congressman Houston stated today
that he was confident the bill would
pass both houses today and that it
would go to the president for his sig
nature on Saturday.
Alaskans here are watching the bill
with great care, fearing that the lobby
here representing large interests in
the territory will endeavor to put a
joker into the bill which would favor
the interests.
- ADMIRAL EVANS
LEAVES SEATTLE
Has Large Passenger List for Valdez
—Also Has a Large Freight
s'
Cargo for This Port.
SEATTLE, March 6.—The steamer
Admiral Evans, o fthe Admiral Line,
left here last night for Valdez with a
good passenger list and a large cargo
of freight.
The following passengers left for
Valdez: Tony Carlson, Mrs. McDan
* •''lew, J. W: Neil, T. J. Lane, J. L. Mc
Lean' find wife; Jack Blbthe, E: W.
Greene and wife, Dr. Cockerille, John
Zug, Squier, Jake Hepfinger and 14
second-class.
Nels Jepsoij, the Beaver Dam
^ loudhotise keeper, reached. Valdez last
night from the interior.
For Past Ten Months the Government
Collects That Sum From the
Rich of the Country.
WASHINGTON, March 6.—A report
issued by Secretary of the Treasury
McAdoo today states that for the past
ten months the income to the govern
ment from revenues collected from
corporations under the corporation tax
law and from individuals under the
new income tax law totaled $100
000,000.
This is considered an excellent
showing and will care for any deficit
from the lower tariff duties.
The secretary states that the treas
ury never was in better condition than
at present and that the gold reserve
is the largest in many years.
MEXICO INDIANS
START TROUALE
Indians, Under Gen. Juan Fran
cisco Lucan, Cause Huerta
Much Concern.
MEXICO CITY, March 6—That the
situation in the Puebla mountains has
become extremely serious is the state
ment made today by (Jen. Blanquet,
who !s evidently greatly worried over
recent developments in that region.
The Indians are threatening to cut the
power line from Necaxa, supplying
power and light to the capital. It is
believed that the band which is giving
trouble cut the power branch to Pac
huca on Saturday last.
| Military men estimate that 25,000
I trained troops will be required to pac
ify these Indians, in view of the rug
ged nature of the districts they oc
cupy and the prowess they have
shown in past campaigns against
strong federal armies.
This movement is distinct from the
| Carranza insurrection, the Indians not
recognizing any other leader than
their own, Gen. Tuan Francisco Lu -
cas, a former lieutenant of Porlirio
Diaz during the wars of reform, and
known as the "Patriarch of the Sier
ras.” The trouble arose from the
failure of the central government to
I allow the Indians to elect their local
authorities, forcing loans upon them,
and drafting them into the army.
A recent uprising was quelled by the
promise of the government to allow
the Indians to elect their own auth
orities and also to liberate the Depu
ties from their districts, who were im-»
prisoned. The promises were kept for
a short time, but later, the Indians
say, were broken, since the military
officials continued to impress the In
dians into the army and the ob
noxious local authorities refused to
yield their posts, making it necessary
to remove them by force.
The seriousness of this movement
does not cause great alarm here, be
cause it is known that these Indians
will not commit depredations similar
to those of the rebels of the north or
the Zapatistas ol' »lie south. Many
instances are quoted of events hap
pening in the former attack upon Tez
uitlan, where the Indians captured
wealthy men, but did not rob them.
[On one occasion they captured a bank
[clerk who was carrying 50,000 pesos
in large hills, but did not rob him,
[except to take his pistol, and gave
i him safe conduct through the-terri
tory they controlled.
Diplomats, however, regard thlsup
rising as seriously complicating the
situation, since the success of the
Puebla Iildlafis will mean ' that1 they
will not accede to the demands of
the northern rebels, who, it is under
stood, they despise. The same Indians
revolted against the Madero regime in
Its latter days; wherefore it is not be
lieved that they will be willing to see
former Maderlstas return to power.
Paid Out $2,000,000 in Strike Benefit
to Colorado Strikers During
Present Trouble.
DENVER, Colo., March 6.—The
treasurer of the United Mine Work
ers, who testified today before the
special congressional committee In
vestigating the situation among the
coal strikers of this state, told the
committee that the mine workers had
conributed more than $2,000,000 to
the aid of the strikers and that they
would still aid them in the fight.
The money, he said, was paid out
in strike benefits to the men and their
families so that they might not starve
while the battle for better wages pro
gressed.
Several ot Uie congressmen wanted
to know why if the union was able
to pay $2,000,000 in strike benefits
they could not have leased a coal
mine and given the men work, a plan
which, they stated, would have work
ed in the interest of the unions as
demonstrating that co-operative labor
could do, also retaining the profits for
the men in the mine, while at the
same time competing with the coal
operators. The treasurer stated that
the union did not contemplate enter
ing business but was organized to se
cure living wages for the men.
The- committee held its last hear
ing today and left for Washington late
this afternoon.
NAVAL BATTLE IN
Rebels Have a Gunboat Which Fights
for Two Hours With Federal
Navy—Nobody Hurt.
MEXICO CITY, March 6. The
greatest naval battle in the war of
rebellion in Mexico was fought today
at Tampico between a rebel gunboat
and- two of the warships of the fed
eral navy. Although the three vessels
fought for several hours not a shot
hit 'the warships, but several did con
siderable damage to buildings ashore.
The battle was watcsed with great
interest by the naval officers on for
eign ships in the harbor, all of whom
withdrew to a safe distance. The rig
ging of the foreign battleships were
black w'th the sailors, who watched
the exchange of shots.
The rebel sh‘p then withdrew and
the battle ended. All of the vessels
are ol dand out of date.
STEFANSON PLANS
LONG SLED TRIP
Says He Lost One Year’s Time—Will
Go to Prince Patrick Island
From Point Barrow
WASHINGTON, March 6.—A letter
was received here today from Explor
er Stefansson, written to the Nation
al Geeographic Society, in which the
explorer stated that he would make a
sledge trip front' Point Barrow to
Prince Patrick Island, which lies' 600
miles' to the northwest of Point Bhr
row.
The explorer says that he has lost a
year by the unfortunate acqident of
losing his ship, which was blown from
shore and caught in the ice floes when
he and other members of his party
were ashore hunting.
Subscribe 'or the Prospector.
SNOW AVALANCHE
KILLS TROOPS
Austrians Lose Twenty of Their
Mountain Soldiers When Slide
Hits Detachment.
VIENNA, Austria, March 6.—Word
reached this city today that twenty
soldiers were caught by an avalanche
in the Tyroleian Alps and killed,
while scores of the troops were bur
ied but their comrades succeeded in
digging them out of the snow and
ice.
The accident happened when a de
tachment of troops were ntannoeuvr
ing on the snow in the valley, whet)
the effect of the continued volleys
caused the snow high up on the
mountainside to start down the slope
with terrific velocity, burying many
of the men, killing some outright,
while others were only slightly injur
ed.
Those of the troops who escaped
immediately started the work of res
cue and also sent to the nearest town
for assistance. All the bodies but
two have been recovered and the
men are still working to uncover
them.
—
Fruit Shippers Protest.
WASHINGTON, March Q.—Fruit
shippers today asked the Interstate
Commerce Commission not to burden
the consumer with further charges by
way of increased freight rales to
Kastern railroads.
MILITANTS RAVE
SCARED TRE KING
George V., of England, Ireland and the
British Domain Beyond the Sea,
Is Afraid of Militants.
LONDON, March ti.—King George
V„ by the grace of God, of the Unit
ed Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland
and of the British dominions beyond
the sea; king, defender of the faith,
emperor of India and a few other ti
tles, dare not appear in public be
cause of the activities of the militant
suffragettes, who threaten to force the
king to receive their demands for the
right of the ballot.
So great has become this fear that
the king has not appeared in public
since the opening of parliament
The militants are more and more
aggressive and have destroyed several
churches and public buildings the past
week in spite of the vigilance of the
police and of special officers.
HUERTA WILL
TAKE 11RELD
Will First Arrange For New Executive
Satisfactory to United Staes and
Europe.
MEXICO CITY, March 6.—It is ru
jinored here today and generally be
jlieved that Provisional President Hu
lerta will soon take the field in per
; son against the rebels and that he has
arranged for the selection of a presi
dent who will be satisfactory to the
American hdmtnistfat'ipn ! ftnd to' the
powers of Europe.
Huert is determined to put down
the rebellion and has been drafting a
large number of recruits for his army
and accumulated vast war stores.
Jack McLean and his bride are com
ing north on the steamer which left
Seattle last night.
LARGE FORTUNE
FOR DAY LABORER
Mother Dies Leaving Winthrop Vin
ton an Estate of $250,000—He
Leaves to Claim It.
BERKELEY, Cal., March 6.—Win
throp Vinton, a day laborer of this
city, received the news today that his
mother had died at her homo in Mass
achusetts leaving him an estate esti
mated to be worth a quarter of a
million dollars.
Vinton immediately started for the
East to claim the estate. He states
that he never knew his mother was
wealthy, thinking only that she had
enough to live on and that he had
come West to earn a living. The in
vestments were in real estate, which
had greatly increased in value the
past ten years, he stated.
LANE FAVORS THE
NEW LEASING ACT
Says It is Aimed to Compel the
Development of the Coal
Fields of Alaska.
WASHINGTON, March 6. In an
interview today Secreteary of the in
terior Lane went into details in ex
plaining what is intended to he ac
complished by the bill to provide for
the leasing of coal lands in Alaska
and which has h's hearty indorse
ment.’ He said:
“It is a leasing bill with a m'nuuum
of detail and a maximum of advan
tage to Alaska. It lays all practicable
safeguards against monopoly and yet
permits of large working areas. It re
serves to the United States definite
tracts in the known Helds, more than
sufficient, it is believed, for all gov
ernmental needs, and throws open to
immediate and individual use the
lesser coal beds under safe restric
tions. 1 can think of nothing which
could be done to make Alaska coal a
world resource for which this does not
provide. Its terms appeal to me as
those which will make for the full
opening of Alaska’s coal lands with
but the slightest opportunity for their
monopolization. It is aimed to com
pel the development of coal and not J
to form a foundation for speculation!
in the value of coal lands.
Coal Lands Rarely Bought.
"The plan proposed, to lease the
lands to operators, has several points
of value It is. in the first place, the
normal plan. Not only is this recog
nized by many of our Western states
in their statutes governing the dis
position of state owned coal and ore
lands, but it is ttie method under
which practically 90 per cent of the
coal of this country is mined. We hear
of coal operators and mine workers,
but seldom of coal land proprietors.
This is because the coal of the coun
try is not mined generally by the land
owner but by lessees. In some of our
largest.fields the royalty paid is more
stable than the freight rate or the
price of coal itself. In some of the
Australian colonies where coal is pro
duced for export to South America
and this country the law permits coal
lands be bought or to be leased. Yet
the sale of the land is practically un
known. The reason is apparent. Why
tie up capital in the coal itself when
such capital may be more profitably
used in development? And one may
reasonably ask, why should it be the
policy of our people to limit coal op
erations In Alaska or elsewhere to
.those who have, money enough bo al
low a large: investment.to .1 ie jdte in
a coal field'? Could there be n great
er temptation tot monopoly or a more
certain warning to men of small
means (hat they arc not to be regard
ed ns factors in the coal Industry?”
Watch crystals 26c. Flint £ Co. tf
GOVT. RAILROADS
Says That Only Adjoining Territory
be Benefited, While Wagon
Roads Would Help All.
BOSTON, March 6.—Archdeacon
Stuck, the man who climbed Mount
McKinley a year ago, in a statement
issued today to the press of this city,
said that the Alaska railroad will fail
to develop the territory of Alaska and
that had the same amount of money
been spent in building wagon roads
and trails and means of transportation
that would open up all sections o;"
Alaska it would have done more good.
The archdeacon stated that only the
country adjacent to the rairload would
gain anything by the building of the
government road, and that only a vcr>
small portion of the north could Im
reached by the government line as
now planned, but that had a large
sum of money been spent upon wagon
roads and trails all sections of the
country could have been benefited.
He declared Alaska had a systeii
of natural waterways in the interio;
and short lines from the coast come
easily have been built, giving all sec
tions of the territory a fair chance.
”A system of wagon roads would di
more for Alaska in a few years than
the proposed railroad will do in a
decade,” said the churchman.
CHICAGO JURY
For
true to Him—Judge Hands Him
a Package of 15 Years.
CHICAGO, March ti. William El
lis was convicted here today of mu;
der lor killing his w;fe after he foun.
that she was unfaithful to him. E.
lis tried to commit suicide at the tint ■
of the murder, but failed. He appeal
ed not at all concerned at the verdii t
of the jury.
The verdict rendered was not ex
pected, as the evidence showed cleat
ly that Mrs. Ellis had been untrue to
her husband and had frequently tm :
her paramour at different Chicago ho
tels, and that when Ellis becam -
aware of her unfaithfulness he pri
pared to and did kill her.
The attorneys for Ellis gave notit<■
of appeal.
The trial judge p'assed sentence in;
mediately and sent Ellis to the pen,
tentinry to serve a sentence ot 15
years.
GOES TO JAIL
Because He Said It Would “Be Misfor
tune If Crown Prince Ascended
the Throne of Germany.”
BERLIN, March 6. — Hans Leuss. a
writer, was sentenced here today to
serve six months in jail because he
stated that "it would he a great mis
fortune for Germany and the German
people if Crown Prince William
should 'ascend the throne of Ger
many.”' "
His remarks W'ere overheerd and
he was haled into court and sent to
jail for his lese majesty.
John Zug, the engineer of the Alas
ka Road Commission stationed at
Fairbanks, is coming north on the
Evans.