VOLUME XIV. VALDEZ, ALASKA MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1918 - NUMBER 48
m council has”
- TAHAM
Committees appointed to build Break*
water for Small Boats—Fresh
Fish Will be Bought
The City Council held a postponed
meeting Saturday night at the City
Hall, at which many affairs of great
importance to the city were discuss
ed and acted upon.
A motion was made and carried
that the city take up another thous
and dollars of its old Indebtedness,
leaving the municipality but $4000
in debt, and with ample funds to pay
off all warrants.
s A committee was appointed to look
after the proposition of building an
efficient breakwater and float between
the city dock and the Valdez dock for
the protection of small boats. For
many years boatmen of the sound
have importuned the city to make
some provision for the mosquito fleet,
the west winds playing havoc with
vessels tied to the present wharves.
While Valdez has one of the best har
bors on the coast it is nearly nine
miles long and six wide, allowing a
heavy swell to break on the city front
in a west wind. This will be remedied
by driving piling and making a break
water with a float of ample size be
hind it to afford landing facilities and
protection to visitors and boats work
ing out of this port.
The council is going after the down
sound business in earnest, and its ac
tion is meeting with universal com
mendation of the business’men and
citizens
Another meritorious proposition
was the appointment of a committee
to look after the interests of any firm
desiring to enter into business in the
city. Suitable sites will be selected for
proposed industries and every means
known will be used to induce capital
to invest in business enterprises, es
pecially along the lines of canneries,
salteries and factories dependent up
on the Ashing business.
The city council also voted to take
the initiative in investigating the pos
sibilities of working up a good mar
ket for fresh fish from this city. Any
fresh fish brought to the city from
now on will be paid cash for at the
market valuation, and placed in cold
storage and shipped outside. The city ;
council has no intention of entering
into the fish business, but is looking
up the possibilities and will gladly
turn it over to private concerns when
its* success is assured. Captains of
launches plying down sound can buy
fish along their routes and bringing
the catch to Valdez can secure lucra
tive prices for them. This will enable
settlers down sound to put In part of
their time fishing at a good profit, and
with the assurance that the city guar
antees the money for their catch. The
possibilities arising from this action
of the council are unlimited and are
bound to accrue advantageously to
the city. The idea is to induce a cold
storage plant or saltery to locate in
the city, and every concession will be
made to secure these enterprises.
The matter of going after a school
of mines and the proposed industrial
school was also discussed and every
means will be employed by the coun
cil to secure one of these government
al enterprises for the city.
This is one of the most momentous
meetings of the council for some time,
and is a step in the right direction.
Every member is a live wire, working
to advance the city’s interests and calli
attention to our unrecognized natural
resources. That great good will be ac
complished by the council’s action is
assured.
When the present council took of
fice the city was many thousands of
dollars in debt, with hundreds of out
standing warrants issued by previous
councils unpaid. Without raising
taxes this debt has been reduced to a
minimum, which speaks volumes for
the business capacity of the present
members.
The present council Is composed of
James Patterson, mayor, Wm. Meals,
clerk, E. Q. Ames, treasurer, Willard
Scott, marshal; Dr. J. A. Silverman,
health officer; and Coundlmen T. O.
Quinn, C. B. Smith, Ed. Wood, An
tone Carlson, A. J. Dlmond and Cbas.
Crawford. All are successful business
men, who dfe running tbe city's busi
ness as they would tbelr own.
Advertise in tbe Prospector.
GERMANS ARE HELD
BY BOLSHEVIKI AS HOSTAGES
AMSTERDAM, March II.—The
BoUhevlkl are making wholesale ar
rests of Germans in Russia and hold
ing them as hostages, according to a
Riga dispatch received by way of Ber
lin. Three hundred Germans and
many pro-German Esthonians at Dor
pat have been arrested and transfer
red to Kronstadt. All the food in the
Dorpat district has been confiscated,
and it is almost impossible to feed
the German women and children. The
lives of those arrested, are hourly In
great danger, adds the dispatch, as
the Bolshevik! threaten wholesale
butchery.
RESTRICTION ON
MEAT WITHDRAWN
Tem|K>rary Surplus of Livestock lias
Caused Komi Administration to
Partly Modify Pules
. JUNEAU, March 2.—Owing to a
transportation shortage arising large- i
ly from weather conditions and the]
scarcity of ocean transportation to j
handle foreign shipments a tempor-1
ary surplus of marketable livestock |
has arisen in the United States. To,
hold this over until later in the sea-j
son would cause the sacrifice of corn.]
much of whicli has already been used
in fattening cattle because of inabili
ty to market corn due to said weather
conditions, therefore the food admin
istration authorizes the withdrawal of
all restrictions on the use of meat and
pork except beef less and pork less
Tuesdays until further notice.
It is urged that during this tempor
ary reduction of meat restrictions the
public will use meat products to
offset the consumption of wheat to
which there is a greater necessity for
its conservation than ever.
If the nineteen eighteen home card
is not yet distributed we suggest
printing or writing in the left-hand
margin as follows: “Temporarily the
food administrator asks you to ob
serve beefless and porkless Tuesdays
only. Omit meatless meals and pork
less Saturdays.”
“GUNNISON."
The above was received from Wash
ington several days ago by the Pros
pector, and published at that time,
but local administrator Arthur Lang
received confirmation of its authen
ticity this morning from Food Ad
ministrator Gunnison at Juneau.
From now until further notice per
sons may eat meat at any time except
on Tuesdays.
STORK WORKING OVERTIME
A fine son was born to Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Kelsey Sunday morning at two
o’clock. Mother and baby are doing
well, wh|le Bob is convalescing. Dr.
Silverman was the attending physic
ian.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry B. Neilson are
also rejoicing over the arrival of a
fine baby boy, which was born Satur
day night. Dr. Silverman attending.
CHINA WILL SEND
TROOPS SIBERIA
Forty Thousand Will be Dispatched to
Aid Japan in Occupying Rus
sian Province
TOKIO, March 11.—The cabinet
at Peking today decided to dispatch
40,000 Chinese troops to Siberia to
aid the Japanese in occupying that
province. The expenses of the expedi
tion, which will amount to 10,000,000
yen will be authorized by the crea
tion of a foreign loan.
CHICAGO MAYOR’S WIFE
LOSES VALUABLE DIAMONDS
_____ V
SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 11.—Mrs.
Thompson, wife of the mayor of Chi
cago, was robbed last night of a ring
set with a cluster of diamonds valued
at 95000. No clue to the perpetrators
of the robbery has yet been dlscover
ed.
HIGHLANDER BRINGING IN A PAIR OF BOCHES
During u recent British advance on the west front this Hlghlunder was
cuught by the camera bringing In two Germans whom he had captured, and
he was compelling them to carry In their own machine gun.
VICTjMOF THUG
Woman of I'nderxvorld Murdered—
Itubhery evidently Motive—No
Clue Found of Murdered
Advices received at the marshal’s
office late Saturday evening from De
puty Marshal Millsap stated that iKose
Selberg, a woman of the underworld,
and for some time past a resident of
that place, was found dead in her ca
bin Saturday. Investigation revealed
that the woman had been murdered,
robbery evidently having been the mo
tive of the crime as the place had been
stripped of all valuables. The offic
ials are Investigating the affair, but
have as yet unearthed no clue to the
perpetrator.
LENINE SAYS
1W ARE EASY
—
Napoleon 'Imposed Conditions Ten
*
Fold More Onerous Aocoiding
to Russian Premier
PETROGRAD, March 11.—Premier
Lenine, in speaking to the council of
workmen and soldiers today stated
that while the terms imposed by Ger
many were severe, they were not as
onerous as the terms imposed by
France during Nayoleon’s raid, and
that Russia being in no position to de
fend herself from the Germanic inva
sion must do the best she could. The
discussion waxed warm at times,
many of the delegates refusing to con
sider the occupation of Russian ter
ritory by the Teutons.
First Step in Resistance on All Fronts
Causes Transfer of Seat of
Government
PETROGRAD, March 11.—The
government Is moving to Moscow as
the first step in the organisation tor
a general resistance to Teuton en
croachments on all fronts, according
to an announcement today in an of
ficial Russian paper.
UMATILLA STILL AGROUND
SEATTLE, March 11.—A cable re
ceived today from Tokio by the Pa
cific Steamship Company says that
the steamer Umatilla previously re
ported ashore on the Japanese coast
is still aground, the report that she
had been pulled off being an error.
GERMANS ATTACK
BRITISH LINES
I'udvr Heavy Bombardment Teutons
.Attempt Drive ut .Armentieres
.Attacks Increasing
LONDON. March 11—General Haig
says that Sunday the German troops
under a heavy bombardment attacked
the British lines at East Armentieres,
and tljat a fqw British are milling.
The raids were repulsed with losses
to the enemy.
Haig reports that the German ar
tillery has shown a marked increase
In activity on the front and back area
from the Labasse Canal to Ypres.
The war office states that the allied
forces are in a position to repulse any
attack made by the Teutons, of what
ever magnitude.
RAID CAUSES
MUCH DAMAGE!
_ I
Enemy Machines Drop Bombs on j
f
Paris—I joss of Life and Much
Broperty Damage
PARIS, March 11.—Official figures
show that 2 persons were killed and
a number wounded in the enemy air
raid on this city Friday night. Much
property damage was done. The ma
chines were driven off by French avi
ators, and during the fight which en
sued two of the German machines
were downed.
Many Killed and Wounded
PARIS, March 11.—Twelve squad
rons of airplanes participated in the
aerial attack on Paris in Friday’s
raids, killing 13 and wounding 50.
ADVANCE
EUPHRATES
Occupy Eighty Miles of Front Near
Bagdad—Advancing in Palestine
At All Points
LONDON, March 11. — British
troops have occupied positions eighty
miles west of Bagdad, on the Eu
phrates river in Mespotamla, and in
Palestine have made a general ad
vancement on both sides of Jerusa
lem, and on the Nablus road on a
front 13 miles in width to a depth
of two miles.
Lest you forget, the Order of Alas
kan Moose will give a grand ball on
Saturday, March 13.
CENTRAL POWERS WILL
CONFER AFTER EASTER
AMSTERDAM, March 11.—There
I will be a conference of the sovereigns
] of the central powers and Turkey and
Bulgaria immediately after Easter,
according to a dispatch here from
Hungary.
SECRETARY OK WAR
RAKER IS IN FRANCE
PARIS, March 11.—Secretary of
War Raker arrived at a French port
Sunday. Hla visit to the front is pure
ly from military reasons and not from
a diplomatic standpoint.
Received by Officials
PARIS, March 11—American Sec
retary of War Raker arrived in Paris
today and was received by high of
ficials of the republic.
ADMIRAL MS
j _
j Woes Ashore in Hawk Inclt Ow ing to
Shifting of Starboard Huoy by !
Winter Wales
!
—
SEATTLE, March 11.—The steam
ship Admiral Evans, en route from
| this city to Southwestern Alaskan
I ports, was wrecked Saturday night in
I llawk Inlet. Her passengers and mail
! were taken off by the Canadian liner
I Princess Sophie, and taken to Juneau.
The wreck was caused by a star
board buoy shifting during the win
ter gales, causing the. vessel to strike
a reef with considerable force. Her af
ter compartments and engineroom are
filled with wate*.„
It is believed that^the vessel is in
no danger and can be floated easily,
unless some unforeseen circumstance
adds to her danger.
This is the third liner to be wreck
ed this winter, the Mariposa piling up
on Strait Island reef, the Spokane
striking Idol point near Miilhank
Sound, and the Evans going ashore
Saturday night.
The Evans was in command of
Capt. Glasscock, the well known mas
ter at the time of the accident, which
was unavoidable owing to the thick
weather and the shifting buoy.
The passengers have been quarter-1
ed at Juneau until the Alameda ar-j
rives, when they will be sent north on j
her.
U. S. TROOPS ARE
JJNDER FIRE
Extremely Heavy Bombardment With
Gas Shells Directed at American
Forces at Toul
AMERICAN ARMY, France, March
11.—All day Sunday the American
troops on the Lorraine front were
bombarded heavily by Germans ar
tillery, hundreds of gas shells being
fired into the American lines by the
enemy. Not a man was sent to the hos
pital, however, owing to the rapidity
with which the gas masks were ad
justed.
» Patrols Clash Sunday
FRANCE, March 11.—American
and German patrols fought a short
battle Sunday in No Man’s land near
Chemin des Dames. One, and probab
ly three Germans were killed, while
the Americans returned to their lines
unharmed.
Raid Trenches at Tool
AMERICAN ARMY, March 11.—
Troops holding the American sector
north of Tout made a successful raid
against the Bochee this morning. This
last raid was exclusively an Ameri
can affair without French participa
tion. Much damage was done the ene
my trenches. »
Bold Raid on Teutons
PARIS, March 11.—The American
troops made a bold raid on the Ger
man Hnes In the Lorraine sector the
war office reported this afternoon, do
ing much damage.
THE BOLSHEVIKI ~
DM SLAVS
Germany notifies Russian Government
Must be Returned Immediately
to Tlieir Homes
BERLIN, March 11.—Six hundred
porsons from the Baltic province*
have been deported to Siberia by the
Bolsheviki government. Germany has
notified Premier Lenine that these
persons must be immediately return
ed to their homes, and that she will
hold the Bolsheviki government res
ponsible for their safety.
All the exiles .are prominent Rus
sians who belonged to the old mili
tary regime of the czar, and whose
property were confiscated by the Red
Guards.
SI'IIS 'CACHE MANY DEATHS
German submarines, according to
Andrew Bonar Law, government lead
er in the British House of Commons,
have caused the death of 14.120 non
combatant British men, women and
children since the beginning of the
war.
TWENTY AMERICANS KILLED
WASHINGTON, D. C„ March 11.—
The war department has issued a list
ot twenty Americans killed in recent
battles on the French front.
DON’T KILL LAYING HENS
An order issued in the interests of
food conservation forbids the killing
of laying hens between February 11
and May 1. It is expected that this
order will add five million dozen egg*
to the total supply.
CHEHAUS MAN
FOUNDNOT GUILTY
After Being Out a Short Time Jury
Acquits Oscar .Main of Murder
of Grocer Fred Swayne
CHEHAUS, \Ya.h.. March 11._
After being out a short time today,
the jury in the trail of Oscar It. Main,
found tlie defendant not guilty of tho
murder of Fred Swayne, a Napavino
grocer, who was found murdered in
his store January 12.
The trail attracted considerable at
tention in the community, owing to
the prominence of the accused, who
is the brother of Chief Justice Main
of the state supreme court. Young
Main was one of the pallbearers at
the funeral of Swayne, and was loud
in his denunciation of the murderer.
His wife and Mrs. Swayne were warm
friends and at the trial it was shown
that the victim and the accused had
always been close companions, and
that there were no other reasons for
his arrest than small town gossip. His
acquittal was expected by all who
knew him.
LANDING TROOPS
IN FINLAND
Detachment Composed of 2000 Infan
trymen Expected to Occupy Russ
Province Tomorrow
STOCKHOLM. March 11.—It Is ex
pected that a detachment of 200 Ger
man Infantry will be landed tomor
row In Finland in the neighborhood
of Abo. A number of heavy pieces of
artillery will also be landed.
GERMAN ADMIRAL OF
MANILA FAME DEAD
AMSTERDAM, March 11.—Admir
al Ton Diederlcb, In command of the
German nary in the Philippines, at
the time of the memorable clash with
Admiral Dewey, died today at the
Baden Batha He haB been in 111
health for a number of years.