Valdez Daily Prospector
PUBLISHED BY THE
Prospector Publishing Co.
TERMS.
Daily Prospector.
By carrier, per month.11.00
By mall, per annum....10.00
The Weekly Miner.
By carrier, per month.f .40
By mall, per annum. 3.00
The Dally Prospector and Weekly Miner
by carrier to one address, per
month .11.25
The Dally Prospector and Weekly Min
er by mall .to one address only, per
year .212.50
Business Office and Editorial Rooms,
’Phone 152.
Advertising Rates on Application.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1914.
RAILROADS AND THE PANAMA
CANAL.
The railroads of the country, partic
ularly the trunk lines, are asking a
free hand in plans they have for
meeting the competition with the Pan
ama Canal. The question is before
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and contains features which promise
materially to affect the entire trans
portation interests of the nation.
This is the situation briefly out
lined: The United States govern
ment at the public expense has built
a $400,000,000 waterway. This water
way directly competes with all trans
continental freight business and all
transcontinental railroads, in which
there is an investment of fully $10,
000,000,000.
The Panama canal is a public-own
e<f and public-paid-for institution.
The roads are a privately owned and
publicly controlled institution.
Shall the former be used as a club
to cripple the latter, or shall the lat
ter be permitted to regulate its
through and local freight rates in a
way to perpetuate its own existence?
That is a question regarding which
the Interstate Commerce Commission
has began to hear testimony. What
the railroads seek to do is to lower
the freight rates on through traffic
from ocean to ocean so as to compete
with the ocean trade by way of the
canal. But to compensate for that
reduction on through freight, the
roads ask permission to increase rates
to intermediate points.
Shippers might say let the canal
have all the through traffic, since it
can carry it cheaper than the rail
roads, while the railroads confine
themselves to intermediate business.
But that raises the vital point of
whether it is wise public policy for
the nation to create any institution
which will undermine and possibly
ruin private enterprises.
Obviously the country wishes to
profit by the Panama canal, or it
would never have been built. Ob
viously also it must be to the last
ing benefit of this nation not to harm
permanently the railroads, which are
worth many times as much as the
canal.
The only way the commission can
perform a patriotic duty is so nicely
to balance the whole rate problem
that the railroads as well as the ca
nal shall thrive. The ruin of either
would be a national calamity.—Ex.
GENERAL FRENCH’S LOSSES.
The official report of British kill
ed, wounded, and missing in the
three weeks from Sept. 13 to Oct. 8,
including the battle of the Marne,
numbers 13,541. Lloyd’s chronology
of the war on Sept. 10 reported Brit
ish losses of 18,000 up to that date.
Until a month ago, then, the losses
of General French’s men totaled ov
er 31,000. The British loss at Wa
terloo was 22,000, the Federal loss
at Gettysburg 17,000. The French at
Solferino lost 15,000, at Moscow 23,
000, at Marengo 7,000, at Austerlitz
12.000, and at Bautzen 28,000. Gener
al French did "safer” fighting than
the Germans, husbanding his small
retreating army, estimated at not
much over 100,000 men. In the dally
battles on the route to Paris, and
even they could not have lost so
much as the Germans they assailed
in the victorious flank movement at
the Marne. Yet in only two great
decisive battles of the nineteenth cen
tury, Gravelotte and Lelpslc, where
the Germans lost 35,000 and 47,000,
respectively, were the casualties
greater to the victors than those suf
fered by the British in their continu
ous day-to-day fighting on French
soil. In but three— Leipsic, Moscow
and Sedan—did the casualties of the
vanquished amount to over 30,000.
But the British expeditionary force
formed by far the smallest of the
armies engaged in the first great bat
tle of this war. The movements along
the well-articulated roads were so
rapid that a campaign was concen
trated in one long battle, with more
than a million on a side. The deaths
in the whole Crimean war, in which
the armies of England, France, Tur
key, and Russia were engaged, totaled
95.000. It is only with the losses of
wars in the gross that the casualties
of the action culminating at the
Marne can be compared.—Ex.
MONUMENTS OF PEACE.
The boundary between Canada and
Alaska for most of Its course fol
lows the hundred and forty-first me
ridian. Since 1906 Canadian and
American surveying parties have
been following this imaginary line
over mountain and rocky gorge and
marking it by suitable monuments set
in concrete. These surveyors have
now completed their work through to
the Arctic ocean.
The line had to be run directly
north on the meridian and could not
turn out for natural barriers of any
kind. Even Mount St. Elias was
climbed—-16,500 feet—two weeks be
ing taken for the task.
The line was divided into sections,
there were stations about fifteen
miles apart, and every three miles
monuments were placed. The larger
of these markers were aluminum
bronze five feet high, set in concrete
bases.
At last the surveying parties stood
on the Arctic shore and the flags of
Great Britain and of the United
States were unfurled side by side.
While other nations are engaged in
destruction, leaving such monuments
of war as standing chimneys in des
olated fields and cities, these monu
ments of peace on the Alaskan bord
er are placed by two nations in
friendly co-operation. It is a happy
omen for the long continuance of the
hundred years of Anglo-Saxon peace.
—Minneapo’is Journal.
Goins out of business. The entire
stock of jewelry at 50c on the dol
lar at Plant & Co.
WELL PROTECTED
Flats Around It Can Be Inundated—
Chain of Forts To Eastward—
Has Fine Harbor.
Dunkirk, owing to its line harbor
and its position near the English
Channel, which made it an excellent
haven for marauders, was a fortified
town as early as the tenth century,
when it was in the possession of Bald
win III, Count of Flanders. All
through the Middle Ages and the ear
ly part of the modern era it was
fought for by the French and Span
iards. In 1658 it was ceded to Eng
land by the French, but a few years
later Charles II. sold it back to Louis
XIV., who made it a great fortified
naval base from which Jean Bart and
other admirals sallied out and did
great damage to English shipping. In
1713 the fortifications were ordered
demolished, but later in the eigh
teenth century others were built.
The town's defenses have been mod
ernized in recent years. It now
forms with Bergues, Bourbourg, and
Gravelines a group of fortresses, ly
ing in low' ground among the sand
dunes and protected by canals, ditch
es, and wide stretches of flats, which
can be inundated in case of need.
Some miles to the eastward is an
advanced chain of forts, designed to
protect the deployment of an army
concentrated within the fortified
camp against an enemy coming from
the Belgian frontier.
Dunkirk Is the fourth seaport or
Prance, although its population in
1906 was less than 36,000. The har
bor is difficult of access, but opens
into a large roadstead. The port is
connected by a series of canals with
the coal districts of the Department
of Nord and Pas-de-Calals and with
the Industrial districts of Belgium.
Roger Bros. 1847 silverware and
sterling silverware at 50c on the dol
lar at Plant & Co.
As Good as His Word.
Hs—I always make It a point to
psoflt by the mistakes of others.
She—I got weary of George Brlxton
because he never seemed to know
when to go home.
He then bade her good night—Cleve
land Leader.
Optimist and Pessimist
“What is the difference between an
optimist and a pessimist?"
“A pessimist is always thinking of
his liabilities, while an optimist thinks
only of his assets.”—Judge.
Natural Result.
"The magistrate in a Brooklyn court
was injured yesterday when the ceil
ing fell.”
“Yes. X heard he was all covered
with court plaster.”—Buffalo Express.
Loss of 8leep.
Medical authorities state that it takes
fifteen days for the average human
body to recover fully from the loss of
two consecutive nights' sleep.
Subscribe tor tna Prospector
“The Crusaders” Sunday Night.
There will be presented at the Or
pheum tomorrow evening a great
classical picture produced at an ex
pense of over $100,000 in which hun
dreds of performers take part. "The
Crusaders,” by the world’s Best Film
Corporation, in five parts. The story
deals with the Christian Crusaders,
led by Godfrey of Bullion and Peter
the Hermit. It is a collosal produc
tion and is now being presented on
the outside to crowded houses. As an
added attraction and to give the pub
lic some idea of how moving pictures
are made Dick Thorne will show the
negative he took last spring of the
ice going out at Fairbanks. This is
a realistic and thrilling demonstra
tion of the power of great sheets of
ice, some of these acres in extent,
smashing the piers of the bridge as
if they were matches and is a won
derful spectacle. There will be two
shows Sunday night, one at 8, the
second at 9:30. Admission 50c. To
night “Tess of the D’Urbervilles”
will be presented for the last time in
Valdez. This will be the last oppor
tunity to see this beautiful picture
play.
Wood! Wood! Wood!
Sawed alder wood, $3.75 per rick;
two ricks, $7.50; 14 or 16-inch lengths,
delivered at your hack door. See
Jesse Crawford. Phone 117. tf
Moose Dance.
The regular Saturday night dance
given by the Moose will be given at
Moose ball. Fine music and excel
lent lunch served at midnight.
Suksciibe for the Prospector.
Taxes Due.
Taxes for the Town of Valdez for
the year 1914 are now due and pay
able at my office, in the Valdez Elec
tric Company office, in the Copper
block. Taxes will be delinquent on
Monday, December 7, 1914, tit 6 o’clock
p. m. and unless paid prior thereto,
a penalty of 10 per cent, will be add
ed to the amount and interest at the
rate of 12 per cent, per annum.
No interest will be allowed on town
warrants in payment of taxes after
November 1, 1914.
Office hours: 10 a. m. to 12 m.
and 2 p. m. to 4 p. m., except Sun
Latest War News!
Santa Claus Breaks Through the German Ranks
With Toys tor S. Blum & Co.
It is generally understood that the United States has
been importing most of its Toys and a great many Holi
day Novelties from Germany, and that owing to the war
all importations have ceased. Limited supplies, how
ever reached this country prior to the declaration of
war, ond owing to the presence of our MR. KRAMER IN
EASTERN MARKETS at the RIGHT TIME we have
been able to secure a large and well assorted stock of
Toys and Christmas Novelties
We are now busily engaged in opening and displaying
these goods, and in a few days we will be ready to have
our many patrons call and inspect them. You will not
be compelled to send out for anything, either on account
of assortment or price. OUR PRICES WH,U BE AS
BOW AS THOSE IN THE STATES.
Respectfully,
days. Dated this 4th day of Novem
ber, 1914.
E. G. AMES,
Town Treasurer.
\
Photo hr American Prcsa Association.
Kaiser After War Conference
This striking photograph of the war lord of Europe was taken In Berlin
Just after the kaiser had concluded a talk on war plans with the members of
bis war board. The photographer caught the kaiser aa he was about to enter
his automobile.
Photo by American Preae Association.
French Artillery In Action
The artillery of Franco Is one of the moot efficient branches In the nation**
army. The gunners are well drilled, and the guns are of the latest type. Field
jfaettfe baa always been Insisted on by officials, and the reeult has been the
bUb standard of offidoncy that boa boon eatabMahod, In the picture la show*
Copper River Lumber Co., Inc.
ALL KINDS OP
Native and I ¥ T1V/|DI7D and Building
Puget Sound L VJ IVUDHiJlV. Material
CONSTANTLY ON HAND
Prices Right W. M. FINICAL, Mgr. Phone 18
Patronize a Home Industry
ALASKA
STEAMSHIP CO.
S. S. Mariposa and S. S. Alameda sail from Seattle
the 1st, 8th, 16th and 24th
EVERY MONTH
From Valdez south-7th, 15th, 23rd and 30th for Cordova,
Juneau, Ketchikan and Seattle.
Regular freight service for Ketchikan. Juneau, Sheep creek Treadwell. Douglas*
Cordova. Kllamar. Valdez and Katouche. Kxplosives, S S Seward. S S Seward. 5th*
S S Latouche. 15th: S S Cordova. 25th of each month—Right reserved to change this
schedule without notice.
F B. Tracy, Gen'l Agt- Valdez Dock Co., Local Agfc.
1
Pacific Alaska
Navigation Company
Alaska Pacific S. S. Co. Alaska Coast Co.
PUGET SOUND-ALASKA ROUTE
Steamers sail from Seattle
Nov. 15th, Dec. 5th and 25th
via the Inside Passage for Ketchikan, Juneau, Yakutat, Ka
talla, Cordova, Valdes, Seward, Cook Inlet points and Kodiak.
PUGET SOUND—CALIFORNIA ROUTE
Seattle-San Francisco, connecting with steamers Yale and
Harvard for southern California ports.
Right referred to obnnRe deles end steamers wttboot notice
VALDEZ DOCK CO.
Local Agent
|Bomn> in bond I
FULL
QUART
■ - BOTTLED IN BOND- ...
Has Had no Peers for Fifty Years
__SOLD BY At* nwAi mre j