f ~~1 .. VALDEZ, ALA8KA, THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1915. NO. 76.
/ - VOL. 13. ^^_____^_______
DIVERS Ft 10
REACH IRE M
Department Has Authorized Expendi
ture of $20,000 To Recover
Bodies of Crew.
HONOLULU, April 1.—All efforts
of the divers to secure chains around
the wreck of the submarine F-4,
which dived to the bottom of the har
bor here last week and failed to come
to the surface again, have failed and
other methods will be necessary to
get the wreck into shallow water.
The Navy department has authoriz
ed the expenditure of $20,000 for rais
ing the submarine in order that the
bodies of the twenty-five members of
the crew of the ill-fated submarine
may be recovered. Divers were un
able to operate successfully with the
diving bells, as the wreck lies on the
bottom where the water is nearly 300
feet deep. Naval experts express the
belief that it will be necessary to
build pontoons to bring the F-4 to
the surface.
BIG PRICE PI
FOR SEWARD LOTS
Fourth Avenue Lots Sold for $8,000
On Strength of Report That
Terminal Be There.
SEWARD, April 1.—The announce
ment that Seward has been selected
by President Wilson as the terminal
of the government railroad, although
unofficial; is having a tremendous ef
fect on the real estate market here.
Four lots on Fourth avenue were
sold yesterday for $8,000, having been
bought as an investment by moneyed
men who recently arrived here from
the outside. Bob Ashland, who bought
the Laubner tract, states that he has
sold seventy-five lots in that addition
during the past thirty days.
The political pot is beginning to
boil in Seward and there will be no
shortage of candidates as there are
two tickets in the field with several
independent candidates.
EASTER LILLIES
FOUND READY SALE
The Civic League received its con
signment of Easter lillies on the
Northwestern today and the beautiful
flowers were placed on display in the
window of S. Blum & Co.’s.store. The
lillies were beauties and had stood
the trip in excellent shape. Soon af
ter the flowers were placed on dis
play orders began pouring in despite
the storm and the last flower was sold
before 4 o’clock this afternoon. The
ladies sold the lillies cheaper in Val
dez than individual plants could be
purchased for in the flower stores in
Seattle.
JUDGE LYONS FAVORS
MUNICIPAL ECONOMY
Editor Prospector:
Permit, me to state that I favor the
municipal program outlined by you
in yesterday’s issue. Ordinarily I am
in favor of liberal expenditures for
legitimate public improvements, but
in view of the general business de
pression which has reached Alaska
from the states I think strict economy
should be the rule in municipal gov
ernment the coming year. If I am
elected to the council I will act ac
cordingly. JOHN LYONS.
______
BABY GIRL BORN
TO KENATZ HOME
A fine baby girl weighing ten and
one-half pounds arrived at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kenatz this
morning. Both the mother and
daughter are reported to be doing
nicely.
George Dorsch left for across the
bay this morning.
REPORTS FROM CARPATHIANS ARE CONFLICTING
LONDON, April 1.—Reports from
the Carpathians are very conflicting
and frunish no clue as to the atcual
state of affairs there where one of the
most important campaigns of the war
is being waged. Dispatches from Vi-,
enna claim that the Russians are be
ing repulsed in their attempt to in
vade Hungary through Dukla pass and
that thousands of them have been
killed in their efforts to reach the
Austrian positions. Dispatches from
Petrograd state that the Russians
have cleared the pass of Austrians
and have captured thousands of pris
oners The Russian report also states
that its army has crossed the Carpath
ians at Dunajek and that the Aus
trians have lost heavily in northwest
Hungary. A strong Russian army is
reported being assembled north of
New Sandec to prevent the junction
of the German reinforcements and the
Austrians south of the Carpathians.
British Steamer Emma Sunk.
LONDON, April 1.—The British
steamer Emma was torpedoed by a
submarine in the English Channel
last night and sank before the boats
could be lowered. Nineteen members
of her crew were drowned, the re
mainder having been rescued from
floating wreckage by a torpedo boat
RUSSIANS CLAIM TO HAVE MADE ADVANCES AND CAPTURE OF
FIFTEEN THOUSAND MEN, WHILE VIENNA ASSERTS THAT
AUSTRIANS HAVE REPULSED IN VASION — BRITISH STEAMER
EMMA SUNK IN ENGLISH CHANNEL—BERLIN REPORTS 50,000
RUSSIANS CAPTURED DURING MARCH—RUSSIAN BLACK SEA
FLEET BOMBARDS TURKISH TOWNS—GERMANS REPORTED AS
SHIFTING TROOPS TO POINT NEARER COAST.
vicinity of Bartfield, commanding the
southern entrance to the pass.
Russian Army Captured During
Month.
BERLIN, April li—The German
war office has posted a bulletin giv
ing the number of Russian prisoners
captured during the past month as
58,000, including fourteen generals and
hundreds of commissioned officers.
Fighting In Argonne Disrict.
PARIS, April 1.—Latest advices
from the Argonne district state that
the Germans have started a tremen
dous offensive movement but are be
ing repulsed by the French. The
fighting is reported to be largely by
bayonets as the nature of the coun
try prevents machine guns being used
to advantage.
Russian Fleet Attacks Turkish Towns
PETROGRAD, April 1.—It is an
nounced that the Russian Black Sea
fleet has withdrawn from the bom
bardment of the Bosporus forts to
shell Turkish towns where Turkish
cruisers were reported as concentrat
ing for a raid on the Russian Black
Sea coast. Three Turkish towns are
reported to have been shelled and set
on fire.
destroyer, which had been attracted
by the explosion.
Merchant Vessels Want To Arm.
LONDON, April 1.—The sinking of
the British steamers Falaba and Aqu
illa by German submarines has caused
the shipowners to ask permission to
place guns on their ships, as a pro
tection against submarines. The offi
cers of both steamers assert that they
could have saved their vessels had
their ships been armed.
Germans Shifting Troops.
LONDON, April 1.—Night reports
from British headquarters in Belgium
say that the Germans have evidently
abandoned the attempt to break
through (to the French coast via
Yser and are shifting their troops to
west Belgium, where it is evident a
more extended attack is to be made.
The British troops are reported to be
in fine condition to meet the expected
offensive German movement.
Russians Abandon Bombardment.
LONDON, April 1.—Advices from
the Allied fleet of warships bombard
ing the Dardanelles forts state that
the Russian fleet which was bombard
ing the forts at the entrance of the
Bosporus strait has abandoned the ef
fort as the guns of the forts out
ranged those on the warships.
Russians Gaining In Carpathians.
PETROGRAD, April 1—The Rus
sian forces in the Carpathians are
making headway in driving the Aus
trians from Dukla pass into Hungary.
It is reported that 15,000 Austrian
troops have been captured during the
past three days. The Austrians are
offering a stubborn resistance in the
DELEGATE NOW
FOG STATEHOOD
Says Full Home Rule Is Impossible
As Territory Would Not Be
Self-sustaining
JUNEAU, April 1—James Wicker
sham, delegate to congress from
Alaska, has arrived in the city and
will take an active part in assisting
the territorial legislature to secure
measures for which he has been work
ing.
In an interview printed yesterday
the delegate opened the campaign for
statehood for Alaska. He declares
that he will make statehood for Alas
ka an issue and will introduce a bill
in congress at the next session for
that purpose. He contends that Alas
ka cannot have full home rule under
the territorial act, no matter how lib
eral a construtcion is placed on the
measure, as the territorial legislature
cannot control and tax many of the
most important industries of the
country Without this authority the
territory would not be self-sustaining
as under statehood.
Delegate Wickersham will deliver a
public address here Monday night and
'has requested other speakers to par
ticipate in the meeting.
WILSON'S PROTEST
IS KEPI SECRET
England Requests That She Be Per
mitted To Receive Message Be
fore Reaching Pre'ss.
WASHINGTON, April 1—President
Wilson has received a request from
the British government not to make
the text of the president’s protest
against the British blockade of food
stuffs to* Germany public before Ap
rll 7, when the British government
will have received the message.
No Information concerning the atti
tude of President Wilson has been
permitted to reach the press, but it is
believed in diplomatic circles that
the president insisted upon the right
of American vessels to carry ship
ments to neutral nations of Eu
rope without being searched by the
hostile powers for contrabands.
SENATE FAVORS
Turns Down Statehood Resolution
and Will Adopt Measure for
Fuller Home Rule.
JUNEAU, April 1.—Senator Hub
bard’s resolution for statehood for
Alaska was defeated in the upper
house yesterday in favor of Senator
Millard’s memorial to congress ask
ing for a fuller form of territorial
government for Alaska.
The senate committee has refused
to grant the request of President
Nichols, of the Pacific Gypsum com
pany, to exempt it from the eight
hour law. The committee holds that
the gypsum quarries are mines and
come under the law governing all un
derground workings.
The senate seems to be favorable
to exclude stamp mills under five
stamps from the eight-hour law on
the grounds that the small mines are
mostly owned and operated by poor
miners who are not always able to'
employ men exclusively for under
ground work.
GOH BREWERY
INTO CREAMERY
Olympia Brewing Company Will.Make
Both Beer and Butter Until Law
Goes Into Effect
OLYMPIA, April 1.—The directors
of the Olympia Brewing company
have announced that a portion of their
plant will be converted into a dairy
creamery on June 1 and that the rest
of the brewery will be used for that
purpose after the prohibition law
goes into effect on January 1.
The officials of the company believe
that the plant, which occupies splen
did shipping facilities, will be a pro
fitable industry as a dairy. They state
that farmers in the district will be
encouraged to increase the number
of cows and that the company will
establish large dairy farms in order
to guarantee sufficient supply to keep
the plant busy.
Al. Dubeck and Prick were nearly
snowed in last night, but Von Hinder
dug them out in time for breakfast.
GOVERNMENT MUST
KEEP PLEDGES
Former Vice-president Says That
President Wilson Is Obligated
To Develop North.
SEATTLE, April 1.—Vice-president
Fairbanks, who is visiting in the
city, in an interview printed in an
afternoon paper yesterday, expressed
the opinion that the development of
Alaska will make Seattle one of the
greatest cities of America.
The former vice-president stated
that the administration had pledged
itself to build railroads in Alaska
and if the pledges were fulfilled that
the greatness of Alaska was assured
as all authorities were agreed that
the fisheries and mineral resources of
the territory were unequalled by any
other portion of the United States.
He showed that he was well inform
ed concerning the territory and its re
sources and predicted that capital
would not be slow in proffering its
assistance in hastening the develop
ment of the territory.
ENGINEERS ARE
GETTING READY
Purchasing Agent Assembling Sup
plies In Seattle and Party Ex
pected North Soon.
SEATTLE, April 1—L. K. Wilson,
federal purchasing agent of the Alas
ka engineering, commission, arrived in
the city yesterday from Washington,
to begin the purchasing of supplies
for the engineering parties which will
make railroad surveys in Alaska dur
ing the coming summer. Bids will
be asked for the supplies.
Wilson states that Lieut. Mears, of
the commission, will arrive in Seat
tle about April 6 and that the engi
neers will leave for the north as soon
as the supplies can be assembled. No
information concerning the routes
which will be surveyed has been giv
en out, but it is believed that the
work of completing the survey of the
Broad Pass route will be the first
work undertaken.
The launch Mary Lee left for a
trip to Solomon bay this morning.
FROZEN 10 DEATH
ON DELTA RIVER
Caught On Trail By Sudden Drop In
Temperature and Blinding Bliz
zard—Body Found.
McCALLUM, April 1.—Oliver Baker,
an oldtimer in the Fairbanks and Hot
Springs districts, was frozen to death
during the sudden cold snap and bliz
zard Monday night. Baker was known
to have left one of the roadhouses,
and when he- failed to arrive at the
next the alarm was sent over the
wires that a man was lost.
Three searching parties immediate
ly started out to hunt for Baker in
'the blinding blizzard and were out
until midnight, but were unable to
find trace of him, as the storm had
obliterated all sight of his tracks.
The search was again taken up yes
terday morning at daylight and his
body was found on the Delta river
about 500 yards from Yost’s road
house.
Several others were caught on the !
trail by the sudedn drop in temper
ature and they were unprepared for
cold weather. Many travelers were
badly frostbitten and it is feared that
several foreigners who were en route
to Fairbanks have suffered.
ten In
BACK TO WORK
Prosperity Hits Workers of Steel
Mills In Middle West Who Have
Been Idle for Months.
CHICAGO, April 1.—Signs of re
turning prosperity to the middle states
are manifest by tne steel mills be
ginning activities on a larger scale
than for several years. Ten thousand
employes of steel mills in this state
I started work this morning after hav
ing been idle since January 1.
Steel manufacturers have announ
ced that heavy orders have been plac
ed by the western railroads in antic
ipation of being allowed the increase
in freight rates by the Interstate Com
merce Commission. The orders in
clude every class of material used by
railroads but the bulk of the orders
are for freight cars, one western com
pany having contracted for 5,000 cars.
EXPECT JAPAN
TO DECLARE WAR
Is Reported To Have Taken Offense
At Wording of China’s Agree
ment To Her Demands.
PEKING, April 1.-—The situation
between China and Japan is reported
to be very critical and diplomats are
expecting Japan’s declaration of war
at any moment. The wording of the
Chinese government’s agreement to
Japan’s demands has given offense to
Japan and it. is feared that all nego
tiations may be summarily broken off.
It is realized that Japan is seeking
every opportunity for pretext to In
vade Chinese territory while the Eu
ropean powers are involved in war
with Germany and Austria and will
press her demands to the extent of
declaring war.
Japan’s demands to share in the
salt monopoly of the government is
regarded as unwarranted and is being
resisted even by statesmen who favor
ed granting her demands for railroad
and mineral rights in Manchuria.
PRESIDENT SENDS
NOTE TO GERMANY
Protests Against Sinking of American
Vessel On High Seas By Ger.
man Cruiser.
WASHINGTON, April 1.—President
Wilson has sent an official note to
the German government protesting
against the sinking of the American
bark William P. Frye, by the German
cruiser Eitel Fredrich. on January 27
Commander Thierichens, of the Ei
tel, through German Ambassador
Bernstorff, furnished the State De
partment with a complete account of
the sinking of the Frye and his rea
sons for doing so It is believed that
Germany will apologize for the ac
tion of the Eitel’s commander and
promise to pay for the vessel and its
cargo. The bark was valued at $150,
000 and the cargo of wheat at $250,
000.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
MEETING TONIGHT
A meeting of the Valdez Fire De
partment will be held in the Fire hall
at 8 o’clock this evening when meth
ods will be discussed to increase the
efficiency of the department. Chief
Finical has just returned from a trip
to the coast cities and while there
was afforded an opportunity of seeing
the latest methods of fighting fire and
it is expected that he will have some
thing of interest to tell the firemen
regarding improvements. A full at
tendance is requested and business
men owe it to themselves to attend.
SEE SNOW FOR FIRST
TIME THIS WINTER
Joe Iboch and wife, who have spent
the winter on Middleton island, where
they are caring for Tint Markam’s fox
ranch, arrived in Valdez this morning
on the launch Katalla Queen. The
launch ran into the storm at Ella
mar and gave Mr. and Mrs. Iboch
their first touch of winter for several
years. This is their first trip to Val
dez since going to the island last
June.
BRIGHTON FOR PORT
WELLS TOMORROW
The launch Brighton, which was de
layed in receiving the mails from the
Northwestern did not sf%:l for Port
Wells today, but will leave early to
morrow morning if the weather will
permit.
James Wilson was awarded the
government contract to move freight
over the trail. He left for Fort Lis
cum today.