Baltic Hailg Praapartur
_ VALDEZ, ALASKA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1815 NUMBER 888
volume xra. _ _ _
PRESIDENT WILSON’S NOTE
TO AOSTRIA IS EMPHATIC
DEMANDS IMMEDIATE DENOUNCEMENT OF THE COMMANDER OF
AUSTRIAN SUBMARINE FOR SINKING ITALIAN LINER ANCONA
WHEN SEVERAL AMERICANS PERISHED—SINKING OF SHIP IS
DENOUNCED AS BARBAROUS AND WANTON SAVAGERY AND
LOSS OF AMERICANS REFERRED TO AS SLAUGHTER—NOTE IS
STRONGEST SENT TO EUROPEAN NATIONS.
WASHIL\~nlN, D. C., Dec. 13.—
President Wilson’s note to the Aus
trian government as prepared by
Secretary Lansing, regarding the
sinking of the Italian liner Ancona
by an Austrian submarine in the
Mediterranean sea and causing the
loss of several Americans, has been
given to the press as the note was
presented to the Vienna officials Sat
urday.
T|p note is regarded as the most
eiiipnzK.ia. sent by the American gov
ernment to any European nation
since the present war began, and is
regarded in diplomatic circles as
amounting to an ultimatum.
President Wilson demands that the
Austrian government make prompt
denouncement of the action of the
commander of the submarine in sink
ing the liner without giving the pas
sengers sufficient time in which to
WMSCMISEO
POSTAL DEFICIT
ifiecrefcary's Burleson's Annual Report
Shows That Deficit for Year Is
Eleven Million Dollars.
EDINBURGH. Dec. 13.—The Earl
of Roseberry, speaking before an au
dience numbering thousands last Sat
urday, ridiculed Henry Ford’s plan
to bring peace to the nations of Eu
rope by organizing a strike among
the soldiers.
Roseberry, who has been instru
mental in persuading thousands of
young men to enlist referred to Ford
as 3, -manufacturer of perambulators
who was coming to Europe to call
the soldiers from the trenches and
bid tbe waves be still.
He believes the mission of the
Ford delegates will fail as the war
ring nations of Europe are not ready
to make peace on terms which would
be acceptable to the enemy nations.
He hoped the Ford delgates would
enjoy their free trip to Europe and
that they would have a pleasant voy
age to their homes after the confer
ence.
TURKISH AX KB BUSY
WITH TRKKH OF SYRIA
Alexandria, Egypt.—The trees of
Syria are falling fast before Turkish
axes and their loss will be heavily felt
when the war is over. Owing to lack
of fuel, the flue pine forest on the
outskirts of Beirut, a popular resort
for the people of the city, is fast dis
appearing. But a severer economic
loss will entail on the immense and
rich olive plantations lying on the
stretch of plain between the sea and
Lebanon. It takes years before olive
trees begin to bear, and the prosper
ity of thousands has depended on the
crops of these orchards.
BUZZARD IK RAGING
IN EASTERN STATES.
RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 13.—The
blizzard which has been sweeping
over the middle states is becoming
general and is raging in Virginia.
Three inches of snow fell yesterday,
the first of the season.
The Miner, in its story of the Rose
mining claim, on Mineral creek,
printed in Sunday's issue, was in er
ror in stating that Dr. Cockerille and
H. L. Jaynes owned the property.
The news item should have reed Dr.
Winans and Mr. Jaynes. They are to
be congratulated on their good for
tune In owning such a promising
property.
reach places of safety as provided by.
international law governing subma
rine warfare.
The sinking of the liner is denounc
ed as illegal and indefensible and in
violation of the rules of modem war
fare, as it caused civilians and citi
zens of neutral nations to be destroy
ed, in a barbarous and wanton man
ner.
The note refers to the loss of the
Americans who perished in the An
cona as having been “slaughtered in
direct violation of the agreement
reached between the United States
and Germany governing submarine
warfare against passenger ships."
Mrs. Lewis delivered an able ad
dress at the Liberty Theatre last
Saturday night which did not receive
the patronage to which it was en
titled.
MIDI1LK WKST IN
GRIP OK RI.I///i.\RI>
I _
j CHICAGO. Dec. 13.—The middle
i west states are in the grip of the It si
| blizzard of the season and traltic is
demoralized in all directions A bliz
zard followed a heavy fall of sleet
which interrupted telephone and tele
graph communication and few lines
In the west are working. Many west
ern towns are completely isolated.
All p&ssenger trains scheduled to
leave Chicago last night for the west
were cancelled.
Referred to as a Manufacturer of Pe
rambulators who Would Imi
tate Work of Wonders.
WASHINGTON. D. C„ Dec. 13.—
Secretary Burleson of the Postal De
partment, in his annual report says
that the European war during the
past year has caused the postal reve
nues of the country to fall off more
than twenty-one million dollars as
compared with 1914. By strict econ
omy in all branches of the service the
annual deficit for the year has been
reduced to $11,000,000. During
1914 the revenues of the department
were $287,934,565 and the expendi
tures $283,543,769.
Secretary Burleson has announced
that he will ask congress to appropri
ate $300,000 to enable his depart
ment to take over the government ca
ble and land lines in Alaska, Hawa
iian islands and Porto Rico. He be
lieves that the government should
purchase all privately owned and op
erated telegraph and telephone lines
in the possessions and operate them
in connection with the posts', serv
ioe. He will also ask permission to
retain the services of the Signal
Corps after the cable and telegraph
lines have been transferred from the
War department to the Postal depart
ment.
ADMIRAL KARRAGUT IS
DUE EARLY TOMORROW
Advices received from Cordova at
noon today state that the Admiral
Parragut was at Katalla this after
noon and would arrive at Cordova at
10 o’clock tonight. She will be in
Valdez tomorrow morning.
The Kunmaker.
The Liberty Theatre presents for
tonight Charlie Chaplin, the funmak
er.
Bargains at the Emporium; open
from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. *
i
AMERICAN VESSEL
DETAINED IN B. C.
Steamer Fenwick with Cargo of Cop
per from South America for Ta
coma Is Under Spspicion.
VANCOUVER, B. C.. Dec. 13—The
American steamer Fenwick was de
tained here for more than twenty
four hours while she was being in
vestigated by the British authorities,
who believed she was planning to de
liver a cargo of copper to the Teu
tons. The steamer carried a cargo
of copper from the Braden mine in
South America and was en route to
the Tacoma smelter.
The American consul notified the
authorities at Washington of the de
tention of the vessel and that the
British authorities had taken precau
tions to prevent her leaving port.
Secretary Lansing demanded an ex
planation from the Dominion govern
ment and the vessel was allowed to
clear for her destination.
ft is understood the the British of
ficials are convinced that copper has
been reaching Germany from outside
sources and it was believed that the
Fenwick would try to deliver her car
go to some port where it would ulti
mately reach the Teutonic munition
manufacturers.
ALL DELEGATES
10 BE ELEBTED
State Organizations instructed to
Hold Prlmarie sin States Where
No Primary law Exists.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Dec. 13 —
Chairman William F. McCombs, of
the Democratic National committee,
has issued fbrmal calls to the state
committees to the National Demo
cratic Convention to be held in St.
Louis on June 13, 1916.
All the delegates to the National
convention will be elected by direct
vote of the members of the party as
Chairman McCombs has instructed
the chairmen of the state organiza
tions to arrange primaries for the
election of delegates in states where
no primary laws are in force.
This is the first time in history in
which delegations to the National
convention will be composed entirely
of delegates elected by the members
of the party, and is believed to indi
cate that the old line Democrats are
willing to concede demands of the
progressives in the party.
PLAN! DESTROYED
Number of Dead Unknown and Near
ly One Thousand Workmen were
Injured by the Explosion.
HAVKE, France, Dec. 13.—The
Belgian government's munition fac
tory was destroyed by an explosion
which occurred while the factory
was crowded with workmen. The
force of the explosion was so terrific
that other buildings a considerable
distance from the factory collapsed
front {the concussion.
Th4 building in which the explo
sion took place was scattered over a
wide area and some of the remains
of the workmen have been picked up
nearly a mile distant from the fac
tory. The number of workmen kill
ed has not been determined but one
thousand persons employed in other
parts of the. plant were injured.
\yANTED—A woman for general
hothjework for all or part of the day.
Apply to Box 85. tf
UNDER 816 8RID6E
Destruction of Bridge Would Have
Interfered with Powder Ship
ments to the Coast.
OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 13.—A
quantity of dynamite to which fuses
were attached and made ready to fire,
was discovered under the big bridge
of the Southern Pacific railway near
this city. The discovery was made by
a watchman employed to guard the
bridge against destruction as the out
put of the Hercules Powder works,
near this city, as well as the products
of the Standard Oil company in the
Bakersfield district are transferred
to the Coast over the bridge.
The police are investigating the af
fair and believe that the explosives
were placed under the bridge by
some person actuated by the hope of
securing a reward for the discovery
of the alleged plot to cause its de
struction.
It is also believed that the plot may
have been the work of Industrial
Workers who have been driven from
the oil fields owing to agitation. The
discovery of the explosives was made
several days ago but although a st'ict
watch has been maintained no at
tempt has been made to fire the fuse.
HARMONY LACKING
ON PEACE SHIP
Jiadss) and Others Refuse to Bign
Resolution Condemning Wil- f
son's Preparedness Policy.
NEW YORK, Dec. 13.—Wireless
messages received from Henry Ford’s
peace ship indicate that all is not
harmony among the delegates to the
peace conference and intimate that a
division of opinion prevails among
the delegates.
It is reported that Ford had pre
pared a resolution condemning Pres
ident Wilson’s proposal to increase
the army and navy to full strength,
and all had signed but Judge
Ben Lindsay, John Wanamaker and
a dozen other, who refused to sign
the resolution and had announced
that they will fight it if Introduced
into the conference.
Henry Ford, it as stated, has sent
wireless messages to all the rulers of
the European countries appealing for
peace, and asking that delegates be
sent to the Hague conference.
PACIFIC COAST TO
IMPROVE VESSELS
Will Convert Mners Into Fuel Oil
Burners and Refurnish Them at
Cost of $100,000.00.
SEATTLE, Dec. 13.—It is an
nounced by the officials of the Pacific
Coast Steamship company that the
vessels of its fleet will be converted
into oil burners during the slack sea
son for business, and that a consid
eral reduction of operating expenses
will result as the price of fuel oil is
being reduced while coal is advanc
ing.
The steamers Senator, Spokane,
and City of Seattle will be taken off
their runs this month and drydocked.
The vessels will also be remodeled
and refurnished at an estimated cost
cost of $100,000 In addition to the
cost of converting them into oil burn
ers. The work will be divided be
tween Seattle and San Francisco con
tractors.
Subscribe for the Proepeotor.
IRISH DIVISION SAVED AN
ENTIRE BRITISH REGIMENT
[IRITISH FORCES DEFEATED BY BULGARIANS IN DESPERATE BAT
TLE FOUGHT IN SOUTHERN BULGARIA — IRISH DIVISION IS
HURLED AGAINST BULGARIAN TROOPS IN ENCIRCLING MOVE
MENT AND ENABLE BRITISH TO ESCAPE TRAP—MILLION TEU
TONS ASSEMBLED TO DRIVE ALLIES FROM BALKAN STATES—
BRITISH WILL ESCAPE CONSCRIPTION.
LONDON, Dec. 13.—It is admitted
in official dispatches from Saloniki
that the British forces in Southern
Bulgaria have been defeated in a des
perate battle with the Bulgarians.
The battle was the most sanguinary
since the beginning of the Balkan
campaign and resulted in the loss of
fifteen hundred men to the British.
Credit is given an Irish division for
saving the entire regiment as they
furiously attacked the Bulgars and
succeeded in checking the encircling
movement which would have cut off
the retreat of the British troops to
the southward.
Million Teutons in Balkans.
PARIS, Dec. 13.—Advices from
Athens state that a force of one mil
lion Teutonic. Turkish and Bulgarian
troops have been assembled against
WANT DAMAGES FOR
DOSS OF AUTOMOBILE
SEATTLE, Dec. 13.—The sons of
Mrs. W. H. Whittlesey, a former
Alaska woman, who was killed sev
eral years ago when her auto ran
over a precipice where contractors
were grading in the city, have filed
another damage suit against the city.
The present suit is for $2,500 dam
ages for the loss of the automobile
which was smashed when their moth
er was killed. This is the fourth suit
in the case, the others having been
decided in favor of the city.
SEWARD BREAKS
COAL FAMINE
Freighter in From Westward witli
Three Hundred Tons of Coal—
I.atouche Is Due Tonight.
The freighter Seward, of the Alas
ka Steamship Company’s fleet, reach
ed Valdez last night bringing three
hundred tons of coal for the Valdez
Dock company and relieving the coal
famine which had existed here for
several days. The supply of coal on
the dock had been cleaned up nearly
a week ago but the Valdez Transfer
company arranged with the govern
ment to supply its customers from
the government stock which wUl be
replaced from the new shipment
The shortage of fuel in Valdez was
due to the fact that the freighter was
compelled to go to Seward to dis
charge her cargo of railroad mcterial
as the Valdez coal was in the bottom
of her hold.
The fi elghter Latouche was report
ed in Cordova yesterday discharging
coal and is expected in Valdez to
night or tomorrow. She carries one
hundred tons of coal and a shipment
of lumber for Valdez.
The Cordova Is due to leave Seattle
today with freight and explosives for
Southwestern Alaskan ports and will
go to Hobo Bay as she carries a big
shipment of dynamite for the Gran
ite mine.
WALTER QUINN HAS GONE
TO PIONEERS' HOME.
Walter Quinn, who has been in
Valdez and vicinity for several years
has been admitted to the Pioneers’
Home at Sitka and left on the North
western last night for Juneau. He
has been a sufferer from rheumatism
and was cared for by the Pioneers of
Alaska, of which order he was a
member. He is a native of England
but had lived nearly all of his life
In America, and first came to Alaska
in the summer of 1898.
Subscribe for .he Prosoector.
the Anglo-French forces which in
vaded Bulgaria. It is believed that
Germany will demand that King Con
stantine of Greece force the Allies to
withdraw from Saloniki and is ready
to aid him in enforcing neutrality.
Conscription Not Necessary.
LONDON, Dec. 13.—It was an
nounced in the British House of Com
mons today that conscription would
not be necessary to raise the new
army of three million men which will
be trained during the winter for the
spring campaign, as Lord Derby's
pleas for voluntary enlistments had
succeeded beyond all expectations.
Australia. New Zealand and Canada
are raising and training armies which
will be ready for the spring campaign
and have announced that the ranks oi
the colonials will be kept to stan
dard.
THINK BRQMWELL
WAS MURDERED
Hon of Dead Officer in Honolulu Hay
Father was Murdered By Japa
nese Spies on Island.
WASHINGTON. D. C„ Dec. 13.
The war department has ordered a
investigation and will probe th
death of Col. Bromwell. head of th
engineering Corps in the Hawaiia
islands, who was found dead Satu
day last, under conditions “which It
to the belief that he had committf
suicide while suffering from temp<
rary insanity caused by overwork ar
nervousness.
Col. Bromwell's son has cabled tl
department from Honolulu that he
convinced that his father did m
commit suicide but that he was mu
dered by a Japanes spy. He stat
that his father had expressed fea
that Japanese spies were active.in tl
islands, and was known to have taki
steps to uncover their operations.
It is believed that the investig
tion will result in the discovery th
plans for fortifications upon whi
Col. Bromwell had passed have be
stolen and that the officer was mi
dered to prevent the identity of t
thieves becoming known.
NEW FREIGHTERS UNABLE
TO COME TO PAOIF
—
The freighters Bennington and t)
Burlington, recently purchased by t*.
Alaska Steamship company to he'
die the business of Southweste;
Alaska, and which will be christen':
the Valdez and Juneau, are now p-,
ing between New York and Sou .
ampton. Captains Werner and r|
Mullent went east to bring these vi
sels to the Pacific coast, hut on
count of the slide in the Panama <^j
nal did not start on the trip. 3
there is a big demand for boats in if!
east they are doing service there ifg
til such time as they can get throng
he canal. ^
FRANK W ATSON JOINS
RANKS OF RKNEOKf
SPOKANE, Dec. 13.—B. F. wf
son, general passenger and freiJ
agent of the Pacific Alaska Navif
tion company in Alaska, was not
ried to Miss Margaret McConnell!
Seattle, here last Saturday. The a
pie will s|>end their honeymoon)'
California and will make their hr!
in Seattle.
‘ * *
The Joy maker Toelght.
Charlie Chaplin, the funmaker'
The Liberty Theatre tonight.