yOL 1Q VALDEZ, ALASKA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1914. NO. 298.
DEATH STRUGGLE CONTINUES
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TREMENDOUS BATTLE RAGING IN NORTHERN FRANCE
LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES ARE SAID TO BE ENORMOUS
RUSSIA PLANS PUTTING 5,000,000 MEN IN GERMANY
mSir
ASSESSMENT BILL
Claim That Resident Owners Have
Already Done Work and That Out
siders Only Would Profit.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.—Com
missioner of the General Land Office
Tallman announced here today that
he would not recommend to congress
the passage of the Johnson bill to
exempt the owners of claims in Alas
ka from doing their annual assess
ment work for this year because of
the financial unrest caused by the
European war, unless he received
from Alaska messages favoring the
bill and indicating a need for it.
The commissioner has already re
ceived messages from Governor
Strong and a number of commercial
clubs in the north protesting against
the bill, claiming that the Alaskans
who are working to develop claims
have already done not only the as
sessment work but in most cases
considerable more than is required
by law to hold the property, while
the non-resident owners, men who
are speculating in the Alaska claims
and hold them for sale, never doing
more than the required amount of
worn and that only when forced to
do so, are the men who are urging
the passage of the bill.
Alaskans here believe the bill will
not be passed because of the opposi
tion of Governor Strong and other
Alaskans.
CROSSLEI IS OUT
ROTH GETS JOR
District Attorney of Fourth Division
Made Fine Record—N. C Co.
Fought Him.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.—Late
yesterday afternoon President Wil
son sent to the Senate the name' of
Rheinhart F. Roth, of Fairbanks, to
be district attorney of the Fourth di
vision of Alaska. Roth is to suc
ceed James J. Crossley, who has held
the position for the past seven years.
Mr. Crossley resigned to go to Port
land to practice law.
James J. Crossley, who retires as
district attorney in the Fourth judi
' cial division, was originally appoint
ed to the position for the Third and
was sent to Fairbanks when the di
vision was divided. He has been
fought by the corporations ever since
he forced the Northern Commercial
company to pay license money for
maintaining saloons. - He has also
endeavored to force the Northern
Navigation company to pay its share
of taxes under the federal law and
for this reason the powerful corpor
ate interests of Alaska have been
fighting for years to have him re
moved and have brought charge af
ter charge against him, but without
being able at any time to substanti
ate them and consequently they fell
of their own weight and Crossley con
tinued a thorn in their sides until he
finally resigned.
Weather Report.
Valdez, Sept. 18, 1914.
Barometric pressure .29,725
Temperature at 7. p. m.49
Maximum temperature .51
Minimum temperature .44
Mean temperature .471-2
Clear, light air, wind northeast 12
miles.
French General Killed—Allies Have 1,500,000 Men Battling In Northern France
While Germans Have 1,100,000—Both Sides Receiving Re-enforeements—
Germans Reported To Have Retired From Nancy—Berlin Reports That
Sorties From Verdun Were Repulsed and Men Driven Into Forts Again—
General Joffre Plans To Break Through German Center and Force Retire
ment Through Belgium*
LONDON, Sept. 19.—Experts figure
that the losses in killed and wound
ed during the fighting of the past two
weeks, including the battles in Gali
cia, will total fully 350,000 men and
that the German-French losses total
3,200 dead every twenty-four hours
while the fighting lasts.
Crown Prince Wires for Woolen
Underwear.
BERLIN, Sept. 19.—The war de
partment here has received an order
from the German crown prince or
dering the immediate shipment of
woolen underwear for the men at the
front because of the Intense and bit
ter cold rains which are constantly
falling, making the suffering of the
soldiers doubly severe and preventing
them from securing any rest.
Allies Outnumber Germans.
LONDON, Sept. 19.—A careful es
timate of the number of men engag
ed in the battles in France between
the allies and the Germans show
that the Franco-British troops out
number the Germans by 400,000 men,
as the Germans have only 1,100,000
soldiers on the firing line, while the
allies have 1,500,000. The Germans,
however, are receiving large rein
forcements through Luxemburg and
will soon have as many men as the
allies.
Germans Holding Lines.
PARIS. Sept. 19.—The war office
late last night admitted that the
Germans were upon the German en
trenchments. The fighting yesterday
was all at close range.
Germans Conceal Entrenchments.
The Germans have succeeded in
concealing the entrenchments, show
ing marvelous ingenuity, and the al
lies lost heavily when they charged
upon the concealed entrenchments,
which' were covered with earth and
brush, making them almost Invisible.
Guns Also Concealed.
The Germans also conceal their
field guns by erecting a covering of
brush over the holes in which the
guns are located and the aviators of
the allies tried in vain to spot the
guns. '
To Shell Entrenchments.
The general staff of the allies have
Issued orders to the corps command
ers to subject the German entrench
ments to a terrific bombardment be
fore any further assaults are made
because of the terrible losses of yes
terday, which are admitted to have
been' greater than the ene*>y suffer
ed.
French General Is Killed
PARIS, Sept. 19.—General Boelle,
commanding the 4th army corps, was
killed yesterday when a piece of a
German shrapnel reached the posi
tion from which he was watching the
German manoeuvers. He was con
sidered one of the best corps com
manders in the army and his loss
will be keenly felt by the army.
French Again In Alsace.
The French have reoccupled Alt
kirch, in southern Alsace, which they
captured a month ago, but were forc
ed to evacuate because of the tre
mendous forces of German-Austrian
troops massed on the Rhine.
Austrians Deny Defeat.
VIENNA, Sept. 19.—The war office
here has officially denied the reports
circulated to the effect that the Aus
trian army has been defeated by the
Russians. It is asserted that the Aus
trians are bolding the Russians back
and have inflicted terrible loses up
on them.
Mobs Storm War Office.
A mob of citizens stormed the war
office last night When the military
authorities attempted to draft more
men into the army. The troops were
■ called to quell the riot and forced the
mob to flee, threatening to shoot.
Several shots fired over the heads of
the crowd forced them to leave. But
the people are getting unruly and de
mand that the war be stopped.
Germans Will Keep Territory.
NEW YORK, Sept. 19.—Count von
Bernstorff, German ambassador to the
United States, announced last night
that Germany would not consider any
terms of peace which required that
Germany should lose any of the terri
tory now owned by her.
Japanese Drop Bombs On Kiao-Chau.
TOKIO, Sept. 19.—The Japanese
aviators yesterday flew over the Ger
man forts at Kla-Chau and dropped
bombs upon the forts. The effect of
the explosives could not be ascertain
ed, but it is believed that several guns
were hit and a number of soldiers
killed.
Germans Claim Center Advances.
THE HAGUE, Sept. 19—The report
has reached here from Berlin that
the German center had finally been
able to advance against the allies and
has succeeded in driving them back.
French Effort To Penetrate Lines
Failed.
They also assert that the French
effort to penetrate the right flank of
the army has failed with heavy loss
es to the French troops.
French Sallies From Verdun Repul
sed.
The French sallies from the forti
fied town of Verdun were repulsed
with terrible loss by the army under
.the crown prince is the statement is
sued by the war office tonight and
CRITICISM ANGERS
PRESIDENT WILSON
Demands of British Government If
Carden Was Authorized To Speak
for the Foreign Office.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19—Presi
dent Wlilson yesterday directed the
Secretary of State to inquire of the
British government whether or not
the criticism of the acts of the Amer
ican government in- Mexico, made by
Sir Lionel Carden, were authorized
by the British government, and furth
er if they represented the views held
by King George’s government.
Sir Lionel Carden stated in an in
terview that it was a disgrace to the
American government to withdraw
from Vera Cruz and leave to the
tender mercies of the rebels the many
Mexicans who had fled to Vera
Cruz for protection under the Ameri
can flag.
It is to this statement that the ad
ministration objects and has directed
an inquiry to the British government
asking whether Sir Lionel Carden,
who is the ambassador to Mexico,
spoke for the foreign office of the
British empire.
A denial is expected here within
a few hours.
- I
TRAIN DITCHED
EIGHT KILLED
LIVINGSTON, Ala., Sept. 19.—The
Great Southern train was ditcned here
yesterday and eight passengers were
killed and a number Injured. Rail
road detectives and the sheriff have
started with a pack of bloodhounds
tracing the men who are believed to
nave tampered with tne switch, which
had been opened and which caused
l the derailment of the train with the
consequent loss of life.
Louis Levensaler, the mining ex
pert, arrived on the Mariposa this
morning and will spend a few weeks
investigating a number of properties
in this section.
PRESIDENT HOPES
FOR SPEEDY PEACE
Believes That Action of Germany
Will Lead To Quick Settlement
of Trouble.
; i
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.—Presi
dent Wilson is extremely hopeful
of peace following Germany’s in
formal request that the United States
feel out the allies attitude and ascer
tain the best terms which the allies
will give to the Germans In the event
of peace being restored now.
The State department has already
started about the work of peace and
has communicated to the ambassa
dors of Great Britain, France and
Russia the Informal request of Ger
many communicated through the am
bassador at Berlin.
Many military men and diplomats
here, however, do not share the hope
of the president because, as they
point out, the only sufferers of the
war to date have been the Belgian
and French people as far as the de
vastation brought by war operations
are concerned and the German na
tion has not felt the hand of war ex
cept through the loss of many sol
diers, therefore peace granted now
would be a victory ror u-ermany,
which nation would be in a position
to resume operations at any moment
that the allies could be separated
through some misunderstanding.
They express the opinion that the
iterms of peace which the allies will
demand will be the return of Alsace
Lorraine to France, the payment of
a large indemnity to Belgium and one
equally large to France. The agree
ment to restrict the German naval op
erations and the curtailment of the
construction of German warships,
while the Russians would demand a
free hand in the Balkans and the
Austrians would be forced to cede
all of Bosnia and Herzegovina to
Servia and all of Galicia to Russia
with the possible addition of the
erection of a buffer state made out
of Russian, Austrian and German
Poland, which would be under Rus
sian control. Japan would get Klao
Chau.
These conditions, it is pointed out,
the kaiser cannot grant because the
government would be overthrown by
the people if the war is ended under
conditions outlined above.
\the men were driven back into the
forts.
Russians Attack Przemysl.
ROME, Sept. 19.—The Russians
yesterday attacked five of the forts
defending Przemysl. The result of
the attacks have not been heard but
the Russians are known to have a
tremendous force and are almost cer
tain to take the forts by weight of
numbers.
No Advantage oT Either Side.
ANTWERP, Sept. 19.—After five
days fighting about this city neither
side has gained any advantage. The
Belgian troops succeeded in driving
the Germans for many miles until
strong reinforcements arrived and
were then forced to retire towards
this city but have not re-entered the
forts.
Forced Germans Weaken French
Army.
The attack of the Belgian garrison
forced the Germans to send fully
200,000 troops to this city to guard
the line of communications, while the
Belgian-Russian army is also ham
mering away at the Germans, forcing
them to keep a large force of men
here which are sorely needed in
France.
British Block von Kluck.
LONDON, Sept. 19.—The right
wing of the German army command
ed by General von Kluck, endeav
ored last night to break through the
British lines in order to reach the
German center, but were blocked by
the British troops which had secured
a position between the German right
and its center. The German assault
was terrific, but the British troops
front well concealed trenches were
soon able to drive the Germans back
with tremendous losses.
Russians Continue Attack.
VIENNA, Sept. 19.—The Russians
continue to attack the Austrian line,
which extends from Jarosia to Prze
mysl. The Austrian troops are hold
ing their own ground and have pre
vented the Russians from cutting the
railroad to Cracow, which is still op
en and will be used by the Austrians
to retreat if the overwhelming num
bers of Russians make it advisable to
do so.
Germans Abandon Attack On Nancy
BORDEAUX, Sept. 19.—It is re
ported here that after eighteen days
of fruitless efforts to take Nancy the
German troops have withdrawn from
that section. The German emperor
personally directed the fighting at
Nancy for some time trying to cap
ture the fortified camp which blocks
the way of his army to attack the
rear of the French forts.
German Warships Fire On Each
Other.
LONDON, Sept. 19.—Twcf fleets of
German warship^, mistaking each oth
er for English vessels, fired upon and
severely damaged a number of their
own snips is the report received here
yesterday from the North Sea. The
battle between the German vessels
occurred near Heligoland.
Allies Fall Dislodge Germans.
PARIS, Sept. 19.—In spite of the
strenuous efforts of the allies to force
the Germans to evacuate the post
tlons they have held the past five
days stretching from the River Oise
to the Meuse north of the Alsne river
they have failed to force the Germans
out and it is reported here that Gen
eral Joffre, commanding the French
and allies troops, has concentrated
his forces at the German center and
is preparing to drive back that part
of the kaiser’s army which would
force the enemy to withdraw from
(Oeattased on page 2.)
WARSHIP SINKS
AMERICAN SHIP
Sixty Passenger* and Members of the
Crew Are Reported Lost From
Francis H Leggett.
SEATTLE, Sept. 19.—A wireless
report was received here today front
an unknown warship which reports
sinking the American passenger ship
Francis H. Leggett, with the loss of
sixty members of the crew and pas
sengers.
No details are given of the sink
ing or whether it was an accident,
or if the Francis H. Leggett was
sunk by shells from the warship.
It is known that a German cruiser
is off the Oregon coast, also that
a number of Japanese and English
warships are now stationed on the
Pacific.
■PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 19.—The
wireless report has been received
here from an unknown warship be
lieved to be the Japanese cruiser
Idzumn repor's that the Francis H.
Leggett, an American steamer, had
been sunk off the Oregon coast and
that forty passengers and twenty
members of the crew were drowned.
The Francis H. eggett is a schoon
er-rigged steel vessel, built in 1903
and of 1,606 tons gross capacity. She
was owned by the Hicks-llauptman
Transportation Co. and was on the
Portland-Frisco run, carrying lum
ber and passengers. Her crew con
sisted of twenty-six men.
DEMOCRATS NAME
FULL TICKET
Fourth Division Enters Field—Name
Senator and Representatives—
Bunnell Receives Welcome.
FAIRBANKS, Sept. 19—The regu
lar Democrats of this division held
a convention yesterday and placed a
full ticket in the field for the Alaska
legislature. Tom McGowan was nom
inated for senator with E. W. Grif
fin, of Fairbanks, Vance R. McDon
ald, of Ruby. James Hastings, of Koy
ukuk, and W. T. Burns, of Fox, as the
four representatives.
C. E. Bunnell, the regular Demo
cratic candidate for election to con
gress, addressed the convention and
received a hearty reception, the tall
being packed with delegates and citi
zens of this city.
Last night a dance and reception
was tendered to the Democratic nom
inee and the hall was packed to its
capacity.
Mr. Bunnell is certain of a large
vote in this division as the Demo
crats have buried all differences and
are working in harmony to elect a
delegate in perfect accord with the
administration, who can secure for
the north a larger measure of con
structive legislation for the people,
who are endeavoring to open the re
sources of the northland.
LOCAL BREVITIES.
The regular Saturday night dance
of the Moose will be held tonight at
Moose hall. Fine lunch at midnight.
Excellent music.
Mrs. Blodgett and daughter have
taken the Nelson house on McKinley
street, formerly occupied by Mr. and
Mrs. Leach.
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