VOLUME XIV. VALDEZ, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1016 NUMBER 46
BELIEVE SMITH ~
, BLEW UP BARGE
Authorities are Trying to Connect
San Francisco Suspect with Se
attle Dynamite Explosion.
TACOMA, Feb. 16.—The dynamite
which was discovered in this city last
December is now known to have beer
cached by Smith, the Teutonic con
spirator, who has been indicted with
several others in San Francisco by
the Federal grand Jury. The agents
tf the Department of Justice, ac
cording to dispatches from San Fran
cisco, are trying to connect him with
the destruction of the powder barge
in 8eattle harbor last May.
Smith was well known in Seattle
and Tacoma and had been under sur
veillance by the police of both cities
as he was known to have become ac
eualnto^ with the watchman on the
powder barge a few days before it
was destroyed.
The chief of police here has receiv
ed ». request foe all information con
cerning the movements of the indict
ed man while he was an object of
suspicion to the officers and in Se
attle. _
ENGLAND SNOUT
OF FARMERS
Omemment Will Start Campaign to
<Set Women of England to Care
for Season’s Crops.
LONDON, Feb. 16.—The war is
having a remarkable effect on eco
nomic conditions in all parts of Eu
rope but in no country has ihere
been greater changes than in En
gland. Prior to the beginning of l os
tilitlea women were rarely seer at
labor of any sort in the streets of the
cities or in the fields but tl.ev are
now to be found performing tasks
which befonp the war was considered
heavy worfcr for men.
The heavy drafts of laborers and
young mrfm by the government to se
cure the armies which are fighting
for the empire in many parts ot the
world lias caused a serious shortage
-of tutors of the soli and the gaifirj#-.
-nwnt wiH start a campaign to get the
women of England to take the places
of the men In the field.
Lord Lucas, president of .he
: Board of Agriculture, asserts that
Shere to a shortage of four hundred
thousand farm workers In England
and that unless the women take the
-plncee of their husbands and sons in
the work ot cultivating the fields that
the nation may become threati.ied
with starvation.
The leading women of England
hsn become Interested in the in' ve
hement of placing the wives and daugh
ters of soldiers where they can secure
•employment in the rural districts and
where they will be enabled to provide
tor themselves.
The Liberty theatre presents for
tonight the Mutual Weekly News,
Rowing current events; also The
fteadly Spark, In two reels and Two
Kisses, a Comedy. Visit the Liberty.
► 4
Y PRESIDENT ABANDONS 4
Y SECOND TOUR OF NATION 4
► - *
Y WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.— ♦
4 Secretary Tumulty has announc- 4
p that President Wilson has 4
h'aj^fniohed his second trip thru 4
4 Urn country in the interest of 4
4 Ms preparedness campaign. The 4
4 situation is critical In regard to 4
4 the announcement of the Oer- 4
4 man and Austrian governments 4
4 that they will treat armed mer- 4
4 chantmen as warships Is said 4
4 to have decided the preside’t to 4
4 remain in the capital where he 4
4 could keep in close touch with 4
4 the affairs of the State depart- 4
4 ment. 4
4 4
4*44*444444444444
AMERICA MAY BECOME ALLIGNED WITH
ALLIES IN SUBMARINE CONTROVERSY
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 16.—
The Joint note of the German and
Austrian governments to the state
department that hereafter thev will
*.«,at armed merchantmen as war
ships and attack them without warn
ing has presented one of the most se
•ious diplomatic problems, which the
state department has' encountered
since the beginning of the war and
is causing the officials much concern.
Secretary Lansing in a statement
issued last night said that unless the
Allies would accept the Teutonic de
cision in regard to treating armed
merchantmen as warships that the
United States under international law
governing submarine warfare must
side with the Allies in their conten
tion. The secretary of state’s an
nouncement is believed to mean that
America has practically alligned her
self with the Allies regarding subma
rine warfare against passenger sh'ps.
The Teutonic governments, thru
Baron Zwiedinek, charge of the Aus
trian embassy, entered a protest
against the Italian liner Guiseppe
Verde being permitted to leave New
York with guns mounted on her
SECRETARY LANSING ISSUES STATEMENT THAT UNLESS ALLIES
WILL ACCEPT TEUTONIC DECISION TO TREAT ARMED • MER
CHANTMEN AS WARSHIPS THAT AMERICA MUST SIDE WITH
THEM UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW—BELIEVED THAT DIPLO
MATIC PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED BY DENYING PASSPORTS
TO AMERICANS TO TRAVEL ON ARMED MERCHANTMEN
• _ __
decks. No protest was made when
the vessel entered the American port
but when she was allowed to leave
carrying armament'it was considered
a matter for diplomatic controversy.
Secretary Lansing allowed the liner
to clear after the state department
had received assurances from the
Italian government that the guns
would not be used except in defense
of the lives of the passengers and
crew.
The Teutonic governments have
taken the position that guns on a
merchant ship could not properly be
used for defensive purposes. This
contention, according to officials of
the State department, is based upon
the fact that no Teutonic warships
other than submarines are at sea.
The Teutonic contention also holds
that all enemy shipB are required to
stop when hailed by a submarine, and
that when a submarine comes within
hailing distance of an armed mer
chantman that she is danger of de
struction. It is contended that sev
eral German and Austrian subma
rines have been sunk by the gunfire
of merchant ships and that the com
manders of submarines have no other
course than to attack them without
warning as in the case with warships.
The position of the United States,
as outlined by the state department
officials during the Lusitania contro
versy, provides that a merchant ship
after being warned may defend her
self by returning tbe fire and fleeing.
At tbe instant that a merchant ves
sel fires a shot, however, she becomes
a warship and maintains that charac
ter until she comes to a stop and
ceases, firing. Once the merchant ves
el capitulates the submarine must
cease firing and observe the rules of
international law allowing the pas
sengers and crew sufficient time to
reach a place of safety before the
vessel Is destroyed.
It is believed in official circles that
President Wilson and Secretary Lan
sing will rely on the Informal agree
ment between the British and French
governments, made during the ear
lier months of the war, that mer
chant vessels should leave United
States ports without armament. Sec
retary Lansing, it is reported, favor
ed the denial of passports to Ameri
cans Intending to take passage foi
Europe on any armed merchantman,
and has admitted that the govern
ments whose flag the submarine hies
while sinking an armed vessel cannot
be held responsible for the loss of
lives if the captain of the liner elects
to tight when attacked.
NORTHWESTERN IS
AT SEATTLE DOCK
SEATTLE, Feb. 16.—The steam
ship Northwestern of the Alaska
Steamship company’s fleet arrived
yesterday afternooh from the north
with a number of prominent Alaskans
as passengers. The steamer also
brought several large shipments of
copper concentrates from Alaskan
mines.
TWENTY lilRS
PERISH IH EIRE
Scores Find Their Way to Surface
Through Old Air Shaft Which
Wa& Known to Miners.
BUTTE, Feb. 16.—Twenty miners
lost their lives in a fire which raged
for a few hours yesterday afternoon
in a copper mine near this city and
for a time it was feared that scores
of lives would be lost. The origin of
the fire, is a mystery as; clouds of
smoke rolling from the shaft was the
first intimation that the men on the
surface had that the timbers in the
mine were on fire.
Intense excitement prevailed at the
mine during the fire as the wivei and
families of the miners gathered at the
mouth of the shaft and implored the
rescue workers to save their husbands
and fathers.
The miners who escaped from suf
focation made their Way through an
airshaft which had not been used for.
years and was known' to only a few
of the oldest miners in the crew.
OUR NEIGHBOR 18
ENJOYING PROSPERITY |
Cordova was never more prosper
ous than now, since the railroad con
struction days. The number of men
on the payroll is large, and qu'te a
few families have recently located
here, and the outlook for the fi ture
is most promising. A force of about
150 will be given employment in the
reconstruction of the ice-break »r at
Mile 49, before the end of the month.
Two new salmon canneries are in
course of construction, a new clam
plant is now in operation, and an
other will soon be ready to put up a
pack. These industries will mater
ially help the business of the town
and as a consequence our peoplfc are
happy and contented.
ADMIRAL farragut
DUE HERE TOMORROW
The steamer Admiral Farragut re
ported by wireless to Whitshed O at
she would reach Cordova at 9 o* ‘lock
this evening as she would call at Ka
talla. The steamer is expected to
reach Valdez early tomorrow morn
ing and is bringing ten days mail
from Seattle.
THREE INDICTED
FOR CONSPIRACY
Former Government Detective and
Two Others Conspired to Blow
Up Three Steamers.
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 16.—C.
Crowley, the detective who was for
merly in the employ of the depart
ment of justice to investigate the mu
nition conspiracies, with I. Smith
and Mrs. Margaret Connell have been
indicted by the federal grand jury
here on the charge of having at
tempted to cause the destruction of
three steamers.
It is reported that conclusive testi
mony was submitted to the grand
jury by members of the International
Longshoremen’s Union that Smith,
who is believed to have been acting
is an agent for the conspirators, of
fered large sums of money if the
men would place bombs in the cargo
ft the vessels.
Crowley . has ..bean under heavy,
bonds since early last fall when he
vps arrested on Information direct
rom the Department of Justice in
Vashington. He denies any connec
lon with the Teutonic conspiracy,
vnd asserts that he had become ac
quainted with Smith and Mrs. Con
lell while securing evidence for the
Department of Justice against the
3rltlsh recruiting officers in Sah
Francisco.
4TEAMER ALAMEDA
IS IN CORDOVA
Advices from Cordova stated that
'he steamer Alameda of the Alaska
Steamship company’s fleet, arrived
'here at noon today. The steamer
’s reported to have a large quantity
of freight for interior points and
several hundred thousand ties for<
he Copper River railroad company."
The Alameda also brought, eighty
workmen to Cordova who will be em
ployed on the work of construction
on the ice-breaker at Mile 49 on the
’Jopper River road.
PKNOCHLE GROUP
IS SHOWING UP WELL
George Wilkinson, who is develop
ing the Penocle group of mines near
the Valdez glacier, came down to
Valdez last night and brings good
reports from the property. He says
the miners are drifing both ways on
the lead and that both faces are
covered with ore. Samples which
were assayed last night show that all
the ore now being taken out would
return good values if milled.
E. D. Reiter, manager of the Alas
ka Mines Corporation, went to Fl
1algo bay this morning on the launch
Shamrock.
POLICE UNEARTH
Have Discovered that Waiter who
Tried to Poison Governor Dunne
Was a Rabid Anarchist.
CHICAGO, Feb. 16.—Through the
arrest of John Allengerine, a friend
of Jean Crones, the waiter who at
tempted to poison the guests at the
University club banquet, the police
claim to have discovered evidence
that Crones was a member of i na
tion-wide Anarchistic conspiracy I ot
ters were found showing that ibv was
one of the inner circle of the- con
spirators.
The local plans of the conspirators
included the destruction of the Holy
Names cathedral, the blowing up of
the public buildings, the razii g of
the People’s Gas plant, and the de
struction of the Union League club.
Their plans also covered twelve cities
in which a reign of terror was to have
been created by bomb explosions and
destruction of property.
The police have reported thn* thru
letters seized when Allengerlne’s e*
fects were searched that a list wn*>
discovered which contained, the
hamee of forty prominent bankdrs’ln
this State "who had been marV.e^&i
death by the members of the sedbtvW
The printing plant which wad used,
by Crones and associates for printing.
Anarchistic literature with which the!
city has been flooded at times d ir>ng
the year has been located by the no
lice in a suburb near the city.
MONEY AVAIABLE for
LINE AT FAIRBANKS
WASHINGTON: Reports from Al
aska indicate that considerable per
turbation exists there regarding the
lag of the urgent deficiency appro
priation bill which has passed the
bouse and which today was reported
by the senate committee. It was
thought that the money was appro
priated by items and that none would
be available for work out of Fair
banks, This appropriation, as with
all appropriations for the Alaskan
railway, is a lump sum and may be
spent wherever the commission
thinks proper, and indications are
that it will think proper to spend It
that it will thing proper to spend It,
or at least some of it on the Fair
banks end.
Carpenters ate at work remodell
ing the-interior of the Owl Drug
store in order to provide qua>*ers
for Ed. Hunt’s candy shop which
after to morrow will be located in the
drug store. Mr. Hunt’s lease on hip
present quarters in the Arcade build
ing expires on February 19 bn* he
plans to be established in his new
business location tomorrow.
ISOM IS EXPLODES WHILE
MEN EXPERIMENTING
HALIFAX, Feb. 16.—A number of
soldiers were seriously injured, two
of whom will die, as a result of an
explosion which occurred in the Cu
nard building. The men were part
of a class in bomb manufacturing and
were experimenting when the explo
sion occurred. This la the second ex
plosion in the building (n thirty days.
EIGHT DEATHS IN
HEW YORK CITY
Sudden Drop in Temperature after
Storm is Causing Untold Misery
In Eastern States.
NEY YORK. Feb. 16.—The snow
and sleet storm which prevailed in
this section for two days has been
followed by a sudden drop in the tem
perature and two degrees below zero
were registered last night. The snd
den cold 'weather following the storm
prevented citizens from preparing for
It and hundreds of thousands of per
sons are suffering untold misery. The
p6]lce have reported eight persons
lifting been frozen to death on the
meets or having been found dead in
t&ftfr homes in the tenement districts
!»lack of food and fuel.
* %eoree .of the destitute workmen
fwko were given employment by the
city authorities in clearing the streets
of the deep drifts of snow and ice
have had' their hands and feet badly
froBt bitten while trying to earn a
few dollars to provide for their starv
ing families.
Advices from all points along t‘-e
Atlantic coast to Maine say that co'd
weather prevails and that the lowest
temperature for years has been reg
istered.
KNIK TO GET DOG RACE
UNLESS SEWARD ENTHUSES
The dog team race which la sched
uled to be ruu off on March 17 from
Anchorage to Seward and return, may
be declared off and the course chang
ed from Anchorage to Knik. The
people of Anchorage have subscribed
their share of the purse but as yet
the people of Seward have not be
come sufficiently enthused to rates
$760 as their share of the prtee mon
ey. Unless the people of Sewatd
come through the course wilt be
changed to two round trips to Knik
from Anchorage.
Wants Pay (Or Horse.
Cash Cole, of Juneau, has started
suit against the Alaska Meat Com
pany for damages to the amount of
$466 for the death of a horse and
other damages caused by the running
away of the defendant’s delivery
horse last July.
LEVEE BREAKS
MANY HOMELESS
Mississippi River Spreads Over Vaat
Area In Ixmislana and People
Marooned in Buildings.
NATCHEZ, Miss., Feb., 16.—Twen
.y thousand persons were made
lomeless when the levee for a dis
.ance of more than a mile on the
Louisiana side of the Mississippi riv
3r broke under the pressure of the
flood, letting the river flow over a
vast area.
Many prosperous towns are sub
merged to a depth of several feet and
.housands of persons are marooned
in the upper stories of the buildings.
The break in the levee occurred dur
ing the night and the Crushing wa
ter isolated hundreds of persons in
:he rural districts before they could
be warned.
Small boats are visiting the farm
ing districts to rescue the people who
are marooned on the roofs of their
homes and in danger of being swept
away by the flood. The state gov
ernment is doing all in its ppwer to
aid the sufferers who have ben ren
dered destitute and homeless.
SAYS BRANDOS
UNPRINCIPLED
President of Company Says Attorney
Used Knowledge Gained While
In Employ for Attach Later. ..
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.— Offering
testimony before the Senate sub-ju
diciary committee yesterday after
noon in the Brandeis probe, Sydney
Winslow, president of the United
Shoe Machinery company, declared
that Brandeis was unprincipled and
utterly unfit to become a justice of
the Supreme Court of the United
States.
Winslow told the committee of how
his company had engaged the seivioee
of Brandeis to defend them in a -ase
and that after working for them he
had used the knowledge gained ‘here
to attack the company as being il
legal.
Chas. Mellen, former president of
the New Haven Railroad company,
also offered testimony before the
committee, and in answer to men
tions by members of the committee
declared that Brandeis had no con
nection with the wrecking of the
New Haven. He did not know of
anything in his business career which
would unfit him for the position te
which he had been nominate** by the
President.
The testimony of Mellen is said te
have been a disappointment to the
opposition as it was believed that di
rect evidence of Brandeis' connection
with the wrecking of the company
would be established by the railroad
official.
AMERICAN FINANCIERS
ARE WATCHING BLOCKADE
NEW YORK, Feb. 16.—American
bankers are taking a keen intereM
in the news from England that the
Allies are preparing to make the
blockade of the German ports mora
effective. The opinion is expressed
in some quarters that a more com
plete suspension of traffic might con
siderably restrict American com
merce with Europe. Large quanti
ties of American goods, it is said,
are now ._*»' way into Ger
many despite the efforts of the Brit
ish navy to blockade the coast.
HEAVY SHIPMENTS OF
MUNITIONS TO EUROPE
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 16.—
Ammunition not including dynamltK
to the value of >121,743,947, wan
shipped to Europe from the United
States during the fifteen months end
ing October, 1916. The shipment*
of cartridges were valued at 326,17$,
184, gunpowder at 325,972,906, and
other explosives at 363,581, and fire
|arms at 313,413,626.
-id*