V0L 13 VALDEZ, ALASKA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1915. NO. 30.
HINDENBURG BATTLING TG
CAPTURE CITY BE WARSAW
RUSSIAN DISPATCHES STATE THAT FOURTEEN GERMAN REGI
MENTS ANb HUNDREDS OF GUNS WERE THROWN AGAINST
THE RUSSIAN CENTER IN EFFORT TO BREAK DEADLOCK IN
ADVANCE AGAINST WARSAW—RUSSIANS HELD THEIR POSI
TIONS WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS AND REINFORCEMENTS ARE
BEING SENT TO RECOVER GROUND LOST IN ENGAGEMENT—
AUSTRIANS DEFEATED IN GALICIA EVACUATE TARNOW.
PETROGRAD, Feb. 5—The battle
which began yesterday near Warsaw
was the severest of the present war.
Gen. Hindenburg hurled ninety thou
sand men and hundreds of batteries
against the Russian center in an ef
fort to break through and capture
Warsaw. The Russian trenches were
subjected to a tremendous shelling
for hours before the Germans ad
vanced only to be repulsed with
heavy losses.
Russian Trenches Demolished.
At many points along the battle
line the Russian trenches were ob
literated by the concentrated German
shell fire but the Russian troops re
tired to other trenches in the rear,
■where they again took up the fight
against the German advance. The
heaviest fighting of the battle took
place at Brijimow, where the Ger-j
mans had succeeded in making a
slight advance during the engagement
on Wednesday.
Russian War Office Pleased.
The war office has issued a bulle
tin concerning the battle now raging
near Warsaw and expresses confi
dence that the invading army of
Germans will be checked in their ef
forts to capture Warsaw. Reports
from the district indicate that the
Russian troeps have been able, with
few exceptions, to hold their posi
tions despite the terrific onslaught
made by the fresh reinforcements re
ceived by Gen. Hindenburg. Rein
forcements are being sent to War
saw to strengthen the Russian troops
which are being most heavily pressed.
Austrians Defeated In Galicia.
PETROGRAD. Feb. 5.—The Austri
ans have been defeated in a decisive
battle in Galicia. The battle line ex
tended along the Nida river and re
sulted in the Austrians being forced
to retreat.
Austrians Evacuate Tarnow.
As a result of the Austrian defeat
yesterday the Austrian forces have
evacuated the city of Tarnow and
have retreated toward Cracow. The
Russian o cupation of Tarnow is a
decided advantage in the movement
of troops through Galicia and against
Cracow. Tarnow is a wealthy man
ufacturing city about fifty miles east
of Cracow and is a railroad center.
Battling At Dukla Pass.
A battle is now being waged for
possession of Dukla Pass but opera
tions are greatly hampered through
recent heavy snow storms which ren
der the rapid movement of troops
impossible.
WILL ilESME
VANHORN’S RECORD
German Officer Given Light Sentence
On Minor Charge Pending His
Extradition.
VANCEBORO, Me., Feb. 5.—Weren
'er Vanhorn, the German officer who
destroyed the central span of the in
ternational bridge crossing the St.
Croix river between Maine and New
Brunswick, was permitted to plead
guilty to a minor charge and was giv
en thirty days.
The accused was allowed to plead
guilty to a minor charge in order
that his case could be thoroughly in
vestigated by the authorities. The
British government has asked for his
extradition and this question will be
settled while the German is serving
his sentence.
Vanhorn’s counsel declare they are
prepared to carry the case to the
highest courts to prevent their client
being extradited to Canada, where his
life would be forfeited as a spy. They
deny that he is a member of any
German society in Amelca organiz
ed for the purpose of committing de
predations in Canada, but state that
he can show that he is an agent of
the German government and that the
plans for the destruction of the bridge
were drawn in Germany in retaliation
for Canada sending troops to France
to aid England.
The destruction of the bridge has
caused intense excitement throughout
eastern Canada' and will result in
greatly restricting the movements of
naturalized German residents here.
f Weather Report.
€ Valdez, Feb. 4, 1915.
Barometric pressure .29,704
Temperature at 7 p. m. 20
Maximum temperature . 32
iMnimum temperature . 12
Mean temperature . 22
Precipitation .02
Clear air wind northeast 6 miles.
Snowed from 12:30 p. m. to 2:30 p.
m.
TO PROBE REPORTED
elec™ FRAUDS
WASHINGTON, Feb..5.—The Sen
ate Elections committee has decided
to probe the recent senatorial elec
tions in Pennsylvania and Illinois,
where fraud is reported to have been
practiced. It has been reported that
every manner of political tricks were
resorted to and that money was free
ly used in the purchase of votes in
both states.
IMMIGRATION BILL
IS DEAD LETTED
_________ *
House Fails To Pass Measure Over
Veto of President Wilson—
Many Protests Entered.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.—Advocates
of the Smlth-Burnett immigration bill
which was vetoed by President Wil
son because it contained a literacy
clause have failed in their efforts to
have the measure passed over the
veto by the House.
Tremendous pressure has been
brought upon representatives of many
of the eastern states to prevent the
measure becoming a law. Mass meet
ings have been held in nearly every
city where large foreign populations
reside and the members of congress
have been swamped by letters and
wires protesting against the passage
of the measure.
- Opponents of the bill contended
that the literacy test would serve no
good purpose, but would result in the
disbarment especially of immigrants
from certain countries and from Rus
sia, where Jews contend that gov
ernment restrictions hamper their ef
forts to gain an education.
_•
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5—The vote
in the House to pass the immigra
tion bill over the veto of President
Wilson failed by the close margin
of five votes.
GOVERNMENT AFTER
CHICAGO BAKERS
CHICAGO, Feb. 5.—A United States
district attorney has arrived here
from Washington to investigate the
reason for the recent raise in the
price of bread from five to six cents
per loaf. The bakers claim that ow
ing to the advance In the price of
flour they were compelled to raise
the price or make the loaves small
er. Several dealers who still sold
loaves at the former price, but weigh
ing a few ounces less, have been ar
rested for giving short weight to their
customers.
HAD PASSPORT OF
MAN IN. AMERICA
LONDON, Feb. 5.—The British au
thorities have announced that the
man arrested in Scotland with a
passport in his possession showing
he was Adolph Dletzel, of New York,
a naturalized American, will be held
for further investigation. British ag
ents in America have learned that
Dietzel is now in New York where
he conducts a butcher shop. The
American embassy has been request
ed to assist the prisoner in clearing
his identity.
_
BRITISH PEOPLE WANT GOVERNMENT
TO CONTROL PRICE OF FOODSTUFFS
PETITION GOVERNMENT TO SEIZE ALL SUPPLIES OF GRAIN AND
COAL AS DEALERS HAVE BEEN DEMANDING EXORBITANT
PRICES—COAL WOULD BE INCLUDED.
LONDON, Feb. 5.—Hundreds of pe
titions have been received from all
parts of the British Isles requesting
the government to take control of all
foodstuffs and coal, as well as the
shipping service in order to prevent
the prices being increased by deal
ers.
The British public are unable to
understand the enormous increase in
the prices demanded by dealers of
foodstuffs as the supplies are appar
ently more plentiful than ever be
fore. While the shippers have been
subjected to a raise by the insur
ance companies they have taken ad
vantage of the situation to raise the
rates several times over those pre
vailing before the war broke out.
The government has repeatedly
warned the dealers throughout Eng
land that all stocks of food would
be commandered should prices be in
creased where conditions did not war
rant such action. It is now believ
ed that the entire stock of grain,
coal and all foodstuffs will be tak
en over by the government.
CHEMICAL COMPANY PAID EMPLOYES
ONLY 11.60 PER DAY FULL HE
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE LEARN OF CAUSES WHICH
LED TO STRIKE WHICH RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF STRIK
ERS BEING SHOT BY MILITIA AT ROOSEVELT.
NEW YORK, Feb. 5—The Indus
trial Relations Commission is inves
tigating the causes which led to the
strike in the American Agricultural
Chemical company, at Roosevelt, re
sulting in troops being called to pro
tect the company’s property and the
shooting of a number of strikers.
More than a score of former em
ployees of the company gave evi
dence before the commission. The
men, many of whom were heads of
families, gave their testimony with
great reluctance evidently fearing
that their action would be construed
by the company as hostile to it.
A number of the wives of employ
ees who had gone on strike freely
offered their testimony seeming not
to care for consequences. Many tola
of their struggles to keep their fami
lies living on the wages paid by the
company. Many of the men had been
employed on short time and had been
paid only sixteen cents per hour.
Those working full time were paid
$1.60 per day.
A number of the strikers giving evi
dence were very bitter against the
government for sending soldiers to
enable the company to resume op
erations by the employment of strike
breakers. It was with difficulty that
the members of the commission kept
those giving evidence to the subject,
as they would constantly refer to
their oppression at the hands of the
capitalists. s 1
PRUSSiAN-AUSTRIAN
LOSSES], 1/MOO
LONDON, Feb. 5.—The Exchange
Telegraph’s Vienna correspondent, In
a dispatch sent via Copenhagen, says
that 110 Austrian casualty lists,
which do not include the losses of
the last two months, gives the fol
lowing totals:
Officers killed, 2,263; wounded, 8,
980; captured, 628.
Men killed, 40,827; wounded 231,
160; captured, 9,502.
The last five Prussian casualty
lists, according to the correspondent,
give the names of 36,764 officers and
men killed, wounded or missing, mak
ing the total Prussian losses as dis
closed In 136 lists, 877,107.
Matinee Saturday at the Orpheum.
W. A. Rystrom is In town from
Landlock bay.
Prank Nelson returned yesterday
from a trip to Ellamar.
MONTREAL, Feb. 5.—Following
the action of the American railroads
which were allowed an increase of
their freight rates by J.he Interstate
Commerce Commission, the Canadian
roads have asked for an increase.
The rates will be increased to cor
respond with the American roads it
the Dominion Railway Commission
gives its consent.
Under the new schedule proposed
by the railroads the rates for grain
from Montreal to New York will be
Increased one cent per 100 pounds.
The present rate is 17 cents.
Bill Smith will leave in a few days
for Portage bay, where he will start
work on his mining property.
The oolakan, smelt or candle fish,
whatever you wish to call them, are
beginning to run and a number of
good catches have been reported.
GERMANY WILL ATTEMPT
TO STARVE OUT ENGLAND
HAS NOTIFIED NEUTRAL NATIONS THAT WATERS SURROUNDING
BRITISH ISLES AND ENGLISH CHANNEL WILL BE INCLUDED
IN WAR ZONE AFTER FEBRUARY 18—NOTICE CREATES IN
TENSE EXCITEMENT IN ENGLAND—NEW YORK CONTINUES
TO ANNOUNCE SAILINGS AFTER TIME SET—FRENCH DELIVER
UNSUCCESSFUL ATTACKS TO DIVERT GERMAN FORCES FROM
YSER—SUPPLY TRAINS SHELLED.
LONDON, Feb. 5.—The British
public has been aroused to an intense
pitch of excitement over the announ
cement that the waters surrounding
the British Isles will be considered
a war zone by the German admiralty.
Demands are being made upon the
government to retaliate as it is fast
becoming evident that Germany is
/inaugurating a war of extermination.
Sailing Dates Announced.
NEW YORK, Feb. 5.—Despite the
warning of the German admiralty
that the waters around the British
Isles would Re considered a war zone
after February 18 shipping compan
ies in this city have announced that
sailings will continue after the date
set by the Germans.
French Attacks Unsuccessful.
PARIS, Feb. B.—French troops yes
terday delivered many attacks upon
the German trenches in the neigh
borhood of Lille and Arras in an at
tempt to divert German forces which
are hard pressing the Allies at Yser.
The attacks resulted in a few minor
successes as the Germans are strong
ly entrenched.
German Trains Shelled.
PARIS, Feb. B.—It is reported from
the front that two German supply
trains which were carrying ammuni
tion and reinforcements to the Yser
district were wrecked by shells by the
French.
Germany Extedns War Zone.
BERLIN, Feb. 5.—The German ad
miralty has notified all neutral na
tions that the waters around Great
Britain and Ireland, as well as the
English channel will be considered
included in the war zone after Feb
ruary 18. Neutral nations have been
warned to notify shippers as every
ship belonging to nations at war wlcn
Germany will be destroyed irrespect
ive of her class.
A Precautionary Measure.
The notification sent to neutral na
tions is a precautionary measure not
to have ships in the waters mention
ed as during a raid by the German
submarines and other sea craft it is
impossible to distinguish the ships of
the different nations and all will have
to suffer alike if found in the war
zone.
Wrangell boasts of a citizen who
has passed the century mark. John
Finlayson is the patriarch, and he
claims to be 102 years old.
ADMIRAL WATSON
IS DDK NORTH
SEATTLE, Feb. 5—The Admiral
Watson, of the Admiral Line, sailed
for Valdez and other Alaskan ports
at 10 o’clock this morning. The pas
sengers for Valdez were: Thos.
Quinn, Capt. Glen Edgerton and wife,
and Senator B. F. Millard. The Wat
son will call at Hobo bay as she car
ries a large quantity of mining ma
chinery for the Granite mine.
WESTERN FARMERS
GET GOOD PRICES
One Washington Farmer Sells Thirty
Thousand Bushels of Wheat
for $1.45.
WALLA, WALLA, Feb. 5.—Farm
ers In this section who kept their
wheat believing that the European
war would result in their receiving
good prices have been justified in
their belief. Ben Grote, wfio oper
ates an extensive farm near this city,
yesterday disposed of his last year’s
crop of 30,000 bushels of wheat at
$1.45 per bushel.
Estimates secured by the govern
ment from farmers and officials
throughout the state show that the
area seeded to wheat is more than
one million acres greater than ever
before. Many farmers have turned
their attention to the exclusive pro
duction of wheat and oats, believing
that the present high prices are cer
tain to be maintained at least for
one or two years. The government
has warned the tillers of the soil that
this is a dangerous procedure as the
failure of any particular crd|> would
bring disastrous consequences. Di
versified farming is encouraged where
possible.
Swell pictures and music at the
Orpheum tonight.
CAUCUS NAMES
CLANK SPEAKER
• 1
Democratic Caucus Perfects Organ
ization In Anticipation of Spe
cial Session
WASHINGTON Feb. 5.—The Dem
ocratic caucus yesterday to organize
the House in the new congress in an
ticipation of a special session being
called soon after March 4 when the
present session ceases to exist, re
sulted in the endorsement of Champ
Clark and his re-election as Speak
er of the House. Representative
Claude Kitchin, of North Carolina,
was named floor leader.
The caucus was attended by a
number of the new Democratic mem
bers who will take their seats when
the new congress convenes. The va
cancies on many important commit
tees were filled. The Ways and Means
committee, which suffered the loss of
six members at the last election, was
not filled at yesterday’s caucus but
the members will be named at an
other caucus soon to be held.
The conviction that President Wil
son will find it necessary to call a
special session immediately after the
present congress has expired is grow
ing. There is less than a month’s
time and an enormous number of im
portant measures, especially the ap
propriation measures, remain unset
tled.
Test Crawford's Electric Pump.
Members of the Valdez'Hre depart
ment this afternoon laid a line of
hose up Wall street and connected
with Chas. Crawford's electric pump
to {ascertain the force which could be
obtained as an auxuillary to the
town’s fire-fighting apparatus. The
pump threw a strong stream and
has the added advantage of being
ready for instant use in case of fire,
whereas about five minutes are re
quired to secure a full head of steam
at the fire hall.
The Prospector office for job work.