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- " VALDEZ, ALASKA, MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1915. NO. 8.
VOL. 13. _ _-—— I,, - . ———
GERMANS ADVANCE IN ARGONNE
CRUSH FRENCH LINE AT PORTHES IN WESTERN FR ANCE
PARIS REPORTS EVACUATION OF ARRAS BY GERMANS
DUNKIRK WRECKED BY BOMBS FROM AIRSHIP FLEET
BELGIANS RIOTING
TO GET FOOD
Many Have Been Killed By Germans
_Food Is Scarce and the Death
List Is Growinfl.
AMSTERDAM, Holland, Jan. 11.—
Because of the scarcity of food in
many parts of Belgium and the in
ability of the people to secure sup
plies serious bread riots have taken
place at interior points with a los3
of life to the Germans and the Bel
gians. The American relief has been
hampered in its efforts to reach in
terior points because of the lack of
transportation. The conflicts be
tween Belgians and Germans have re
sulted in the loss of many lives, a
large number of which were women
and children.
MISSOURI TRUST
CALLED IN COURT
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Jan. 11.—
The United States district attorney
filed suit here today to dissolve the
alleged bread trust, which has been
Pising the price of bread. The com
aint alleges that the itrust is a
conspiracy in restraint of trade.
Walter Sharrat is in town from El
lamar.
.
Dardanelles Forts Have Been Reduced and Passage of Canal and Bombardment
of Constantinople Is Expected In a Few Days—Weather Conditions Check
Fighting In East—German Prisoners In Siberia Are Ill-treated—Russians
Refuse To Allow Relief Work By Americans.
TO INVESTIGATE
PRICE OF FLOUR
Chicago Bakers Get Promise From
District Attorney To Probe
Wheat Trust.
CHICAGO, Jan. 11.—The bakers of
this city have asked the district at
torney to start a probe into the price
of flour and wheat which is now
so high that the bakers must raise
the price of bread. The district at
torney has promised to begin an in
vestigation at once.
It is hoped that the probe will re
sult in the placing of an embargo
on wheat exports at least until the
next crop is ready for harvest, in
which event the price of wheat and
flour will be much lower.
BAKERS CRT THE
SIZE BF LOAF
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 11.—The bak
ers of this city have decided to cut
the size of the loaf of bread by three
ounces because of the raise in the
price of flour.
By turning the shade on a new elec
tric light fixture four degrees of il
lumination can be obtained or it can
| be extinguished.
BERLIN, Jan. 11.—The French at
tack upon the German positions at
La Bassee failed and the attacking
force was badly cut up by the ma
chine gun fire from the German
trenches. The French losses are es
timated at fully 5,000 killed and
wounded and several thousand taken
prisoners.
Capture Allies Trenches.
East or Porthes the French attacks
upon the German lines were repulsed
with loss and the Germans captured
miles of trenches by the counter at
tacks which followed the failure of
the assaults by the Allies. The Ger
mans now hold the first line of the
Allies trenches east of Porthes.
Progress In Argonne.
In the Argonne district the Ger
man commander reports considerable
progress. The French have failed in
the general assaults upon the posi
tions which the Germans took last
Friday and which they are still hold
ing although subjected to a terrific
artillery attack and to many Infan
try assaults both by day and night.
Storm Stops Airship Raid
LONDON, Jan. 11.—The first effort
■of the Germans to use a fleet of air
ships in a raid upon England was
defeated by the severe storm which
prevented the big Zepeplin with a
convoy of fifteen aeroplanes from
crossing the Channel. The Zeppelin
and the aeroplanes then emptied the
supply of bombs and explosives upon
the city of Dunkirk which resulted in
BRITISH REPLY SATISFACTORY
ENGLAND WANTS NO TROUBLE
ASKS UNITED 8TATE8 TO GUARANTEE CARGO MANIFESTS CLAIM
ING CONTRABAND 18 LISTED AS NON-CONTRABAND—WILL
PAY DAMAGE TO AMERICAN SHIPS FOR TIME LOST.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.—The Brit
ish government has made a reply to
the note sent by President Wilsofa
protesting against the seizures of the:
American merchant vessels engaged
in trade between neutral countries.
The reply is very satisfactory. The
British government concedes the jus
tice of the American position in the
ory, but points out the difficulties of
carrying out the suggestions of the
administration because of the fraud
ulent practices of American shippers
who are charged with having used
false manifests, carrying contraband
of^war listed as non-contraband. The
note refers to many shipments that
have been taken by the admiralty
from American boats and which are
still held in English ports for inspec
tion of American consular agents.
The British government promises
immediate redress when the admiral
ty detains an American ship and
finds that no contraband is on the
boat. The British are also willing to
allow American ships to go without
delay provided the United States will
inspect the cargoes and guarantee
that the ships have no contraband of
war aboard.
“WJien the admiralty ■ exceeds its
authority under international law the
British empire will willingly reim
burse the owners of the ships detain
ed," says ■ the note.
The answer is preliminary and
leaves the way open for more nego
tiations between the two govern
ments. It is believed by diplomats
that a settlement satisfactory to both
nations will be reached.
The willingness of the British to
accede to President Wilson’s demands
is taken as a good sign and It is
almost certain that the government
will take steps at once to prevent
the listing of contraband and non
contraband on ship manifests. It is
possible that from the evidence fur
nished the State Department by the
British that a number of indictments
will be made for false manifesting
by American shippers.
considerable loss of life and property.
•The Allies fleet of aeroplanes were
unable to inflict any great damage
to the enemy because of the super
ior numbers.
Many Residents Leave London.
The certainty that the Germans will
attempt to reach this city with Zep
pelins has caused thousands of peo
ple to leave for the country, where
they expect to escape any danger of
an air raid because the kaiser's avi
ators are certain to concentrate their
attention upon London and the coast
naval base.
Germans Evacuate Lille.
PARIS, Jan. 11.—The Germans
have evacuated Lille. They have with
drawn to a new line 10 miles east
of the city and near the border of
Belgium. The evacuation is of great
'importance to the Allies, as it is the
first real break in the northwestern
line and may be the entering wedge
;for the general engagement that
must soon be fought along the west
ern battle line.
Dardanelles Forts Demolished.
ROME, Jan. 11.—The allied fleets
have practically demolished the Turk
ish forts at the entrance of the Dar
danelles. The forts are in ruins and
hardly a gun is left to reply to the
Anglo-French fleet. It is expected
here that the ships will force a pass
age in a few days and will then at
tack Constantinople. The alarm in
the capital of the Turks is spreading
and thousands are fleeing into Asia
Minor.
Eastern Campaign Slackens.
BERLIN, Jan. 11.—The fighting in
the east has slackened. The terrible
weather conditions have made fight
ing impossible. Both sides are rest
ing and the Germans are strengthen
ing the line and will hold it against
all attacks by the Russians. The aim
of the German staff is to keep the
fighting away from Germany. In spite
of the superior numbers the Russians
have been forced back and the Ger
man line is now 30 miles from War
saw. In East Prussia the German
lines hold and the czar’s troops can
not invade the province.
$40,000 for Hindenburg.
BERLIN, Jan. 11.—The municipal
ity of Berlin today voted to Field
Marshal Hindenburg a grant of ?4<>,
000 for valuable services rendered
the empire in defeating the Russian
invaders last August when he inflict
ed a terrific defeat on the Russians
in the lake district of East Prussia,
and also for his wonderful ability in
checking the Russians, who would
have invaded Germany via Silesia but
were checked and finally driven back
to the gates of Warsaw in spite of
the fact that the Russians have three
to one men on the battle line, as he
has.
LIMA, Peru, Jan. 11.—A strong Ja
panese fleet is off the Peruvian coast.
The cruiser Asama arrived at Calao
today, and the Idzumo sailed. Another
cruiser is expected to arrive there lo
morrow.
Eitel As Hungary’s King.
PETROGRAD, Jan. 11—The candi
dature of Prince Eitel Friedrich for
the throne of Hungary is certainly
being energetically pushed by Ger
MIOO FAVORS
GOVERNMEHTSniPS
Says It Is the Only Solution To the
Building of a Large American
•<. Merchant Marine.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11—Secretary
McAdoo, head of the Treasury De
partment, states that the only solu
tion to the problem of building an
American merchant marine is in the
purchase by the government of ships
to be operated by the Treasury De
partment.
The present bill advocated by the
administration for the expenditure of
{50,000,000 for t*he purchase of ships
to start the government fleet of mer
chant carriers will be pushed through
the Senate in a few days. The poll
taken by friends of the bill indicate
that the administration has a good
majority in the upper house in spite
of the opposition of a few Democrats
and all the Republicans.
In the House the large Democratic
majority provides clear sailing tor
the ship purchasing bill.
LA FOLLETT WILL
Says That Roads Should Stop Waste
and Then Would Not Need To
Tax Shippers.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.—Senator
La Follette introduced a resolution in
the Senate today to prohibit the rail
roads from adopting the new schedule
of rates allowed by the Interstate
^Commerce Commission and which are
6 per cent, higher than the former
rates.
It Is charged that the commission
(advanced the rates in spite of the
fact, that the management of the
roads have failed to stop the un
necessary loss by waste, which, if
^topped, would allow for a big prodt
to the carriers and at the same time
do away with the need for the ad
vance of rates to the shippers.
To keep the base lines of ball
grounds dry when it rains a Pennsyl
vanian has patented a canvas cover,
easily rolled for removal.
many. It has been put about in Hun
gary that Eitel is merely the modern
form of Attila. This, naturally, ac
cording to German reasoning, marks
out the holder of the name as the
hereditary claimant to the independ
ent throne, which will be one of the
results of this war for Hungary.
Put On Contraband List.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.—Sir Cecil
Spring-Rice, the British ambassador
to the United States, delivered to the
State Department today an official
memorandum of notification from the
British government saying that that
government had decided to add rosin
os products, camphor, and turpentine
.to the British list of products being
treated as absolute contraband.
These products are not considered
contraband in the list of absolute
contraband contained in internation
al conventions. The purpose of the
British government is to prevent
them reaching Germany and Austria
for use in the manufacture of ex
plosives. Details as to when the de
cision goes into effect were not dis
closed to the State Department, but
the understanding is that it will be
effective immediately by an order in
council.
Japan To Seize Islands?
BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 11.—In some
circles here it is believed that Japan
is looking for an opportunity to take
certain islands off the west coast, and
that Japan has the backing of Great
PRESIDENT CONFERS WITH
ALASKA RAILROAD OOARD
DANIELS IS ANXIOUS THAT MATANUSKA COAL BE AVAILABLE FOR
THE NAVY—AGENTS OF THE CORDOVA AND SEWARD ROADS
ARE AT WASHINGTON TO SELL “ELEPHANTS.”
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11—President
Wilson, Secretary of Interior Frank
lin K. Lane, and the members of the
Alaska Engineering Commission, held
a conference today and this is taken
here to indicate that the report of
the railroad investigators will be
Ynade public within a few days.
It is believed that the president
will submit to congress a special mes
sage asking for the appropriation of
$5,000,000 to carry on the construc
tion work as planned by the engi
neers.
The conference today was devoted
almost exclusively to a consideration
of the different routes for the gov
ernment road from the coast to the
Interior and with the object of reach
ing the coal fields in the Matanuska
district. Secretary Daniels is report
ed to be urging the prompt action
on the part of congress and the build
ing of a road as far as the coal fields
so that the coal can be used by the
navy.
Representatives of the Copper Rlv
er-and Northwestern Railroad are
here as are also agents of tie Alas
ka Northern road and they are work
ing with the. object of a sale of their
roads to the government to be In
corporated in the government sys
tem.
Alaskans who are in touch with
the situation are of the opinion that
the Matanuska coal report will result
in the construction of the short line
from Ship Creek to the Matanuska,
a distance of between 50 and SO
miles.
“Edwin Eckern, cashier of the Val
dez Bank & Trust Company, who has
been in the states for a month on
business connected' with the bank, is
a returning passenger on the steamer
Mariposa, which left Seattle on Fri
day.
A hydraulic brake for automobiles
that has been Invented In England
operates on all four wheels of a car
at the same time.