vol 1() VALDEZ, ALASKA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1914. NO. 114.
WOULD MURDER
JAP CABINET
Plan to Assassinate Members of Mi
kado’s Cabinet is Discovered—
Expect Civil War.
TOKIO, Japan, Feb. 17.—A plot to
assassinate the members of the cabi
net was discovered here today and
several arrests have been made. Ex
tra police and troops have been sta
tioned at the homes of the members
of the cabinet and officers of the gov
ernment, besides which large bodies
of soldiers and a number of machine
guns are placed so as to protect the
government buildings.
It is now certain that if the gov
ernment attempts to carry out the
naval policy calling for a large In
crease in the amount of money for
the navy that a civil war will follow.
It is feared that the soldiers of the
Russian war will join the mobs and
bring out many hidden guns obtained
during that war and that the attack
upon the government will commence.
It is also feared that the troops will
mutiny because of the small pay and
poor rations given them.
The members of the government are
confident that they can handle the sit
uation.
RENO DIVORCE UW
IS BEING MED
Dozen Lawyers Whose Incomes Have
Been Effected Trying to Have It
Declared Unconstitutional.
—
15KNO, Nev., freb. 17- -A dozen law
yers appeared today in the test case
being brought to determine the con
stitutionality of the new divorce law
recently passed, and which if carried
into effect will seriously effect the in
' comes of a number of attorneys who
have been making large fees from
those who would break the marital
ties which bind them in unhappy wed
lock.
The lawyers are determined to beat
the law if it can be done, as but few
of them have made office rent since
it went into effect. Under the old
law residence could be secured in the
state in six months and a divorce se
cured in from seven to ten months.
Now a residence of a year is required
before suit can be instituted.
SEATTLE PRIMARY
IS HELD TODAY
Ten Candidates in Field for Position
to be Vacated by Mayor Cotter
ill of Spirit City.
r
*
SEATTLE, Feb. 17.—The munici
pal primary election takes place to
day and a large vote is looked for.
The women are taking considerable
interest in the selection of candidates
to run at the municipal election next
month.
Ten candidates are in the field for
the office to succeed Mayor Cotterill
and a lively fight is on for the honor
of the choice by primary.
ALICE ROOSEVELT
GETS THE MONEY
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 17.—A
grandmother of Alice Roosevelt, now
Mrs. Longworth, died here a few days
ago and it was found when the will
> was opened that an estate valued' at
*70,u00 had been w'lled to the daugh
ter of former President Roosevelt
ORGANIZE VALDEZ COMMERCIAL CLUB;
CIVIC BODY IS TO BE INCORPORATED
The city hall was crowded last night
by Valdez business men bent on or
ganizing an active commercial club to
raise the money necessary to carry on
the work of securing data and placing
it in the hands of the officers of the
federal government, Who are to de
cide upon the Alaska seaport town
from which shall be constructed the
trans-Alaskan railroad.
The club is also to work for the
many other advantages that can be
secured for this town through the
action of the business men combin
ed and working for a general purpose.
Attorney C. E. Bunnell opened the
meeting and called upon Mayor E. E.
Ititchie to preside. Following an an
nouncement of the purposes of the
gathering by the mayor, Mr. Bunnell,
who is the prime mover in the mat
ter, spoke at some length and urged
upon the business men the organizing
of a business men’s association, which
would do the work so necessary if
this city is to retain its position as
the largest city on the Gulf of Alas
ka. He proposed that the commercial
club should be incorporated so as to
perfect a permanent organizat ion and
its stock sold for $25.00 a share.
Mr. Bunnell was followed by many
other speakers. Senator Millard
urged the establishment of such an
organization provided it would be
composed of business men.
Former Mayor Quinn also urged the
organization of a commercial club,
DANIELS WANTS OIL
SUPPLIES FOB NAVI
Burning 30,000,000 Gallons, He Tells
Committee, May Need 125,—
000,000 Gallons Soon.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.—The need
of obtaining an adequate supply of oil
fuel for the navy was emphasized by
Secretary Daniels in testimony today
before the House committee on Na
val Affairs. With only a portion of
the fleet thus far equipped to burn
fuel oil, he added, the navy was usr
ins 30,000,000 gallons of fuel oil this
year, and he thought the time would
soon come when the annual quantity
of fuel oil needed would be around
125,000,000 gallons.
Mr. Daniels said the navy had work
ed out a plan for the establishment
of oil fuel tanks at various ports and
strategical points, and these tanks
would be built well ahead of the time
they would be needed. But he was
anxious that the navy should have an
adequate supply of oil, and was now
waiting on a report from a special
board h ehad appointed to investigate
the oil from lands of the Osage In
dians in Oklahoma.
The navy had heen counting on ob
taining much of its fuel oil supply,
Mr. Daniels said, from lands with
drawn by executive order of President
Taft in southern California. But these
lands were now in litigation, and Mr.
Daniels said there wa sno telling when
the case would be settled. It was for
this reason, he explained, that the
navy was now considering the advis
ability of obtaining its oil fuel supply
from the Osage lands in Oklahoma.
Secretary Daniels said he hoped
that by the time the Panama canal
was completed the navy would be able
to obtain part of its fuel oil supply
from the petroleum reserves in the
Elk Hills and the Buenavista fields
in California, and that the govern
ment would by that time have its own
refinery in operation.
Mr. Daniels strongly advocated the
enactment of legislation to enable the
navy to refine its own oil from its own
oil well and thus relieve itself otthe
need of purchasing oil at rapidly in
creasing prices. O naccount of the
(Continued on page 2.)
I
LARGE MEETING AT CITY HALL—STOCK IN CORORATION TO BE
PLACED AT $25.00 A SHARE—ONLY SHAREHOLDERS ARE TO
BE ALLOWED TO VOTE—RAISE OVER $1,000.
provided it was properly organized
and rigidly safeguarded from polit
ical and personal control, which had,
he stated, wrecked many similar or- I
ganizations in this city.
The opinion seemed unanimous that
no political consideration should be
allowed to creep into the new organ
ization if it were perfected. Mayor
Ritchie urged that the constitution of
the club be so stringent that a reso
lution favoring the president could not
be considered; not that the president
might not deserve it, but rather to
prevent discussion either commend
ing or condemning public men, be
cause if once started it would lead
to the disruption of the organization.
After a general debate of an hour
and a half it was decided to perfect
the organization as outlined, and
subscriptions were asked for from
among those present who were will
ing to buy one share of stock in the
STEAL ft CHURCH
Father Gruze, Reinstated by Court
Order, is Kept From Building by
Mob, Who Fight Police.
SOUTH BEND, Ind., Feb. 17—Fath
er Gruze, a Catholic priest of this
city, secured an order of the state
court upon the members of the state
court upon the members of the police
for his reinstatement in charge of the
congregation, but when police arriv
ed at the house of worship they found
four hundred parishioners barricaded
in the building and they refused to
leave it.
The police, reinforced by reserves,
endeavored to tear down the barri
cade, but it was found impossible and
the fire department was called, a
line of hose laid to the church
building and the water turned on the
people inside. Just as the police
thought they were about to win a
bloodless victory, and while their at
tention was directed towards the
church, the mob of Polish sympathiz
ers, who were in the crowd watching,
suddenly closed upon the police and
the hose was cut in a jiffy.
The mob became so threatening that
the police withdrew and will await
further developments.
In the rioting more than a hun
dred people were hurt and the po
lice made many arrests.
PRACTICE MCE
Preparations for Vanderbilt Race Re
sult in Overturning of Car Driv
en by Dave Lewis.
SAN MONICA, Cal., Feb. 17—The
Vanderbilt cup practice races held
here in preparation for the big event
resulted today in overturning the cat
driven by Dave Lewis, and as a re
sult six people were'injured. Doth
the driver and his mechanician were
hurt, as were four bystanders, who
were watching the races.
The best racers in the world will
be on the road when the Vanderbilt
cup race is run. Thousands of dol
lare is being wagered on the result
of the race.
SHARKEY CONVICTED
Gunning bawdy house
NEW YORK, Feb. 17— Sharkey, the
pugilist, was sentenced to serve thirty
days on Blackwell’s island because he
owned and ran a bawdy house in open
violation of the law. He will appeal
the case.
GORE TESTIFIES
IN OWN DEFENSE
_
Says He Never Made Indecent Pro
posal Nor Did He Attack the Lady
—Calls it a Frameup.
'
j OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb. 17.—Sen
i ator Gore, the blind senator who is
j bein sued by Mrs. Bond for $50,000,
testified today that the suit against
him was a frameup; that he had nev
er in any way made an indecent pro
posal to the woman nor had he at
tacked her at the Washinton hotel, as
she states.
The senator said that when Mrs.
j Bond entered his room unannounced
she had informed him that unless he
would agree to sign an endorsement
of her husband for the position she
desired him to have and promise that
lie would do all in his power to sc
cure tiie appointment from President
Wilson, then she would scream and
declare that he had assaulted her.
The senator testified that she had
carried out her plan, had torn her
clothes and screamed that she was
being attacked when he never so
much as laid a hand upon her.
Al. Jennings, th ex-outlaw and now
a candidate for governor, was a wit
ness for Gore today and testified that
Mrs. Bond was determined, at any
price, to secure for her husband the
position desired, and that she had so
stated to him.
ILSON ILL VETO
HHHHIOH BILL
Doe* Not Like the Literacy Te*t Pro
vided by the New Measure—Lit
eracy No Test Citizenship.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.—President
Wilson will veto the immigration act
as soon as it is presented to him
for his approval because of the clause
in the bill which requires that all
immigrants shall be able to read at
least one language.
Several attempts have been made
by congress to have a literacy test
incorporated into the immigration
laws of the United States, but two
previous presidents have vetoed sim
ilar bills, claiming that literacy is not
a fair test of good citizenship, es
pecially of would be citizens who come
from countries where no school facili
ties are provided.
_y_____
9. A. Hemple returned from his
property at Landlock where he has a
crew of men engaged in opening up
the mine.
Subscribe for the Prospector.
Valdez Commercial Club at $25.00 a
share and forty shares were sold in
a few minutes. A committee was
named to draft a constitution and by
laws for the corporation and to re
port next Wednesday, when they will
be passed upon by the stock owners.
The stock subscription lists are to
be kept open and all business men
desirous of aiding the work of an ac
tive commercial club are urged to
subscribe and join in the work. The
list is at the office of C. E. Bunnell,
the temporary secretary.
The plans of the promoters, as out
lined at the meeting, call for the
election of a paid secretary, who will
put in all his time gathering data, an
swering correspondence and doing the
work so necessary if the club is to
be the success its sponsors hope.
The following business men sub
scribed for stock:
B. F. Millard. 2: M. Blum, 2: Geo.
II. Walker, H. P. Sullivan, T. E. Wik
idel, A. Lang. Geo. J. Love, C. G.
Wulff, James Fish. T. G. Quinn, Alas
ka Water, Light & Telephone Co., J.
Spenard, T. J. Donohoe, John Fein
bloom, H. B. Ingram, H. F. Suessdorf,
W. M. Wilson, I. Hamburger, Inde
pendent Laundry. Schmidt’s Bakery,
O. Kanitz, E. E. Ritchie, C. E. Bun
nell. J. R. Gelineau, A. Von Gunther,
Valdez Drug Co., Eli Larson. A. Swan,
John Crawford. O. Riffle, J. C. Mar
tin, C. H. Kraemer, J. M. Lathrop, J.
E. Wilson, II. T. Whitley, J. Callin.
J. D. Jefferson, Arthur Pinkus.
Chicago Wrecking Concern Con
tracted to Buy Old Material
For $215,000.
■
PANAMA, Feb. 17.- Out of the sale
to a-Chicago house wrecking company
of the old junk taken over by the
Isthmian Canal Commission under its
purchase of the property of the
French Canal Company has arisen
one of the largest claims against the
canal government.
The wrecking company, which in
1911 bought the scrap, has tiled with
Col. George W. Goethals, chairman
of the Panama Canal Commission, a
claim for about 200,000 tons of scrap
material which it declares should
rightfully be delivered to it. The
market value of the scrap is estimat
ed at nearly $2,000,000.
Hearings in an effort to effect an
equitable settlement of the claim have
been begun by H. A. A. Smith, ex
aminer of the accounts of the Canal j
Commission, who is attempting to de
termine what scrap it was contem
plated to sell under the terms of the
contract with the wrecking company.
The company declares that it is not
only entitled to all the scrap on which
it based its bid of $215,000, but also
to all the material which originally
belonged to the French Canal Com- j
pany and which has since been aban
doned as junk by the Canal Com
mission. The company insists that
this junk includes many French
barges, dredges, tugs, scows, launch
es, dump cars, and engines which the j
commission repaired and placed in
service in the construction of the ca
nal.
The sale to the company was au
thorized in September, 1911, after the
company had made the highest bid,
\vhleh was based, the commission
says, on scrap which was shown to
the company’s representative. The
officials of the commission declare
that it was intended to sell all the
abandoned French material not ac-:
tually in use at the time the sale was t
made, though the contract states "or i
had not been credited to the French
(Continued on page 2.)
ALASKA SENATORS
BURNED IN EFFIGY
Cordova Mob, Led by George Dooley,
Burn Alaskan Senators in Effigy
Because Fail to Boost Their Game
CORDOVA, Feb. 17.—A mob of cit
izens of this town led by George Poo
ley burned all the members of the
Alaska Senate in effigy, excepting Dan
Sutherland, because of the action of
the members of the Senate in oppos
ing government ownership of rail
roads for Alaska.
The burning in effigy was the direct
result of reading the Congressional
Record of January 28, in which a
letter signed by the seven senators
is printed. The letter states that the
Alaska Senate took no action for or
against government building of rail
roads in Alaska, but left the matter
entirely to Congress, but had, howev
er, endorsed the report of the Alaska
Railroad Commission.
Senator Millard, when interviewed
by a representative of this paper, did
not seem at till troubled or put out
by the action of Dooley and his
henchmen, and said that the Alaska
Senate had not gone on record for
or against government ownership of
railroads but had left the matter open.
HEAVY FINE FOR
Voted to Give His Own Firm a Con
tract With Government and is
Fined $65,000.
LONDON. Felt. !7. Smart Samuel,
,i member of the Lnglish parliament,
was fined $6fi,bbh today because, while
a member of parliament he had voted
to give his firm a government < on
tract.
i'nder the Lnglish law no member
of parliament can sell to the govern
tuent at any price and violation of
the law is punishable with a heavy
fine. Dr. Bird, who was the com
plainant against Samuel, receives the
fine, as the law also provides for the
payment to the informer of the
amount of money which is assessed as
a fine.
Samuel will appeal the case, as he
hopes to have the verdict set aside.
MAY ABANDON NAVY
AVIATION SCHOOL
Secretary Daniels Says Cost of LiTj
is Excessive and Would Employ
Civilians.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 17—Sc civ
tary of the Navy Daniels announced
today that the cost of human life was
almost too large to justify the expe: >
ments in aviation by the men of the
army and navy.
The death toll is greater than that
among civilian aviators and is so
heavy that the department heads are
considering abandoning the naval
school for aviation and when need
arises to employ civilians who have
made It their life work.
BRIGHTON RETURNS
FROM PORT WELLS
The launch Brighton returned 1> t
night from Port Wells, where she
went on her regular trip to the gold
camp. A number of passengers came
up to attend to business in Valdez.