-- VALDEZ, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 1915. NO. 13.
VOL. 13. _ _ . ___...
GERMAN POLAND ARMY IN DANGER
s ____ _ ___ _ _____
RUSSIANS HAVE MILLION MEN 40 MILES FROM THORN
ALLIES BRING ON GENERAL ENGAGEMENT IN FRANCE
HOPE TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON FRENCH AT SOISSONS
BRITISH TO AID
tin sis
British Prize Court To Allow
American Ships To Go Free
Under Bonds. .
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16—The Brit
ish ambassy here issued a statement
today that all American boats captur
ed by the admiralty and taken to
British ports may be released by the
filing of a bond to the value of the
ship and cargo. If after the investi
gation the ship owners are held not
to have violated the rules of inter
national law then the bond will be
released and the owners paid for
the loss of time and expense to which
they have been subjected, while,
should the investigation by the prize
court prove that the owners have vio
lated the rules governing the opera
tion of ships during times of war then
the bond will be confiscated.
The British ambassador is certain
that the admiralty will detain no
American vessel unless it is believed
that the law is being violated.
AMERICANS AID
QUAKE VICTIMS
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.—The
American Red Cross Society has sent
to Italy |20,000 collected in America
for the aid of the victims of the
stricken district of Italy. The money
was telegraphed to the Italian Red
Cross Society for immediate use.
More funds will be raised at once as
the need is urgent.
Grand Duke Nicholas Gathers New Army Million Strong Near German Frontier
and Threaters Mlawa As Well As Rear of Hindenberg’s Army—Germans
Removing Wounded From Near Warsaw and Are Ready for Big Fight To
Take Poland’s Capital—German Troops Sent To Hold Passes In Hungary.
LONDON,( Jan. 16.—Grand Duke
Nicholas has started a new offensive
movement against the Germans m
Poland. An army of fully 1,000,000
men has been gathered on the right
bank of the Vistula river forty miles
east of the German fortress at Thorn.
This army was gathered without the
German spies and aviators becoming
aware of its force. The corps of Uh
lans sent yesterday from Thorn to
feel out the force of the Russians tfas
severely defeated before they knew
that the Russians had concentrated
near the frontier. On the Vistula the
Russians are using armored motor
boats which carry the big siege guns
captured from the Germans and Aus
trians and these will be used to break
down the forts held by the Germans
along the river.
Threaten German Rear.
This new force threatens the Ger
man position at Mlawa and also the
German central army near Warsaw
along the Bzura, Rawka, Pilica and
Nlda rivers. The Germans have for
some time been using the Vistula riv
er for the transportation of supplies
to the central Poland army, but by
the capture of a number of transport
boats loaded with ammunition and
the taking of the positions held along
the river the Germans can no long
er use the easy river transportation
but must resort to transporting the
supplies from the frontier by rail and
wagon train.
Heavy Fighting At La Bassee.
PARIS, Jan. 16.—At La Bassee,
north of Arras, the French have con
tinued to deliver many d{iy and night
attacks upon the German positions.
It is reported here that the attacks
have resulted In considerable gain
for the Allies, who have pushed back
the German line, taking the first line
of trenches.
Activity All Along the Line.
Reports reach here from all points
along the western fighting line indi
cating that the fighting is general all
along the line and it is possible that
the long expected general forward
movement is now being started. The
break in the line at Soissons has been
closed up and while considerable
ground has been lost and the Ger
mans are a few miles nearer Paris,
it is certain that they cannot break
through the line. The reserve troops
held here for further training num
ber fully 500,000 men, who could be
sent forward to Soissons in auto
mobiles in four hours if needed.
Germans Report Victory.
BERLIN, Jan. 16—The French at
tacks upon the German positions at
La Bassee have been repulsed with
great slaughter. The French had
hoped to relieve the pressure on the
line near Paris, which is in great
danger of breaking and made at
tacks upon the strongly fortified
trenches and were cut to pieces. Fol
lowing the failure at La Bassee the
French opened a general attack all
along the line and this attack is still
ibeing pushed in spite of the loss to
the enemy. At various points the
Germans have driven the attacking
force back. The Bavarian troops at
Berry-au-bas have advanced, closing
■in upon Reims.
Russians Advance In Galicia.
PETROGRAD, Jan. 16.—In Galicia,
the main theatre of this war, the Rus
sians are still steadily sweeping the
Austro-German forces from their posi
tions.
In Bukowina, where the Austrians
never had more than about 100,000
troops, now greatly reduced by drafts
to the west, the Russian pressure is
causing headlong flight, and the en
tire country seems likely to fall in
to Russian hands without a serious
conflict.
As part of this region was once a
Rumanian princedom, the latest op
erations here, it is thought, will fin
ally cause Rumania to make up her
wavering mind about participation in
the war.
Hindenburg Launches New Attack.
PETROGRAD, Jan. 16—Gen. Hin
denburg is about to launch a new
"attack upon Warsaw from the south
west and west of the city. The Ger
man wounded have been removed
from the hospitals in the field and
have been sent to Germany, even the
seriously wounded have been sent
back to the frontier as the hospitals
must be cleared for the batch of new
men that will pour into them when
■the general assaults are renewed.
Just what the plan of the enemy is
cannot at this time be known but
active preparations are being made
to meet it.
Germans Sent To Carpathians.
Prussian and Bavarian troops have
been sent to Hungary to aid the Aus
trians in holding the Carpathian pass
es. The Germans hope to prevent the
invasion of Hungary, as the Huus
are certain to revolt against Emperor
Joseph unless they are protected. The
Hungarian army has refused to stand
for the transfer of any more men
from Hungary to Germany, where
some 300,000 of the Austrian army
are now aiding in protecting Ger
many while Galicia is laid waste and
Hungary threatened.
Can’t Equip Last Reserves.
BERNE, Switzerland, Jan. 16.—in
the case of the calling of Austria’s
last reserves medical examinations
appear to have been dispensed with
and every man iB considered fit for
service, although he may be suffer
ing from heart or kidney disease or
even have weak lungs.
Australasia More Soldiers.
HONOLULU, Jan. 16.—The Ocean
ic liner Venture arrived here from
Sidney today with reports that nine
troop ships, carrying Australasia’s
second expeditionary force of 25,000
men had sailed for England between
D|ec. 14 and 22 and that a third
force of 20,000 men was being recruit
ed. It was said that captured Ger
man steamers were being used as
transports for cavalry horses.
Ghent Taxes Bachelors.
ROTTERDAM, Jan. 16.—To get
money enough to satisfy the Germans
Ghent has compelled its unmarried
men to pay impositions ranging from
5 francs in the cases of bachelors of
27 years of age, to 20 francs in the
cases of those of 50 years. Even
celibates in monasteries have not
been exempted from this tax. The
local hero appears to be a Socialist
alderman, Edouard Anseele, who,
though not afraid to speak his mind
to the Germans when they make pre
posterously unreasonable requisitions,
has, nevertheless, shown himself a
born diplomat and has helped make
things more bearable than they would
otherwise have been. The Germans
make leading citizens act as hostages,
di'teen being chosen each day.
German Spies Frighten Paris.
PARIS, Jan. 16.—The extraordinary
spread of panicky rumors, or more
retent wild reports of gigantic Ger
man successes, with the object of ex
citing the people, has often caused the
assertions in the press, notably by M.
Clemenceau, and even official hints
that despite rigorous removal of Aus
trians and Germans to concentration
camps, Paris is still thronged with
(Continued on page 2.)
GREGORY TO LAND
Attorney General of United States Is
sues Warning To Manipulators
of Food Prices.
WASSHINGTON, Jan. 16—Attorney
General Gregory today issued a warn
ing to the corporations engaged in
the sale of foodstuffs that he would
use all the power of the government
to bring them to justice if any com
bination is made to raise the price
of wheat or any other food supply.
The attorney general insists that
even with the large amount of ex
ports that the price of wheat should
not be any higher this year than last
as the crop was much larger in 1911
than in 1913 and that at the present
prices farmers and brokers are reap
ing enough proht without endeavor
ing to place an additional burden up
on the people.
Secret service agents are at work
in the big cities hunting for price
raisers.
JAPS SEND AID
10 THE BELGIANS
SEATTLE, Jan. 16.—Eighteen Jap
anese Red Cross nurses and three
surgeons arrived here today ,en route
to Belgium to join the International
Red Cross workers in the cockpit of
Europe. The detail will report to
the allied governments for assign
ment and expect to remain through
put the war. The funds for the ex
'pedition were raised in Japan.
LOSS OF LIFE BY EARTHQUAKE
IN ITALY IS APPALLING
THOUSANDS BURNED IN RUINS AND MANY SUFFOCCATED—RE
PORTS CONTINUE FROM SMALL VILLAGES SHOWING DAM
AGE TO BE WIDESPREAD-KING WORKING IN RUINS.
ROME, Jan. 16.—Fully one thou
sand people are still entombed in the
ruins of the district which was demol
ished by the severe 'earthquake of
Wednesday. The horror of the catas
trophe is only now being realized.
Thousands of bodies have been taken
from the ruined homes, from beneath
tons and tons of brick and stone. Sev
eral thousand have been rescued from
beneath the piles of rock and timbe :s,
some insane, others severely injured
aid many of them almost dead from
lack of water and food. The terrible
dust which followed the collapse of
the buildings nearly choked those
caught in the ruins and then the lack
of water made the suffering intense.
In many instances the buildings
caught fire and burned, while the men,
women and children Imprisoned in
the ruins begged for aid to* escape
the flames. 1
Thousands of troops under the per
sonal direction of King Victor are
working day and night in the ruins
to rescue any who may still be alive
in the wrecked buildings. From all
parts of the country thousands and
thousands of men have come to hunt
for relatives who are known to be
in the stricken district. Several
thousand children have been gather
ed by the troops for whom no parents
can be found, while parents have lost
-en and are frantically searching
the ruins for the bodies of the dear
ones.
The scenes in Avezzano are inde
scribable and the once prosperous
city is now a mass of ruins.
King Victor has refused all offers
of aid by the different governments
and states that Italy will care for its
own people. Offers of aid by private
(Continued on page 2.)
ARMY AVIATOR
BREAKS RECORD
•Lieut. Byron Jones Remains In Air
for Nine Hours—Smashes All
Previous Records.
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SAN DIEGO, Cal., JaJn. 16.—Lieut.
Byron Jones, of the army aviation
corps here, today broke all previous
records for length of time in the air.
The lieutenant remained aloft for
nine hours sailing about from point
to point.
He was stiff from remaining in one
position for so many hours and had
to be carried to the barracks when
he landed. The crowds which watch
ed his feat gave the lieutenant a
rousing reception.
FRANCE BUYING
U. 5. PROJECTILES
Places Order In Philadelphia for
$800,000 Worth of American
made German Killers.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 16.—Agents
of the French government have plac
ed orders here for gun projectiles for
the use of the French field batteries.
The order must be filled In 60 days
and the factories have started work
immediately upon the order, which
totals $800,000.
The projectiles are manufactured
after plans furnished by the French
government and several French ord
nance officers will remain at the fac
tory to watch the manufacture of the
'goods.
BRYAN WARNS CARRANZA
MUST RESPECT FOREIGNERS
CARRANZA HAD THREATENED TO CONFISCATE BRITISH OWNED OIL
WELLS AT TAMPICO AND BRYAN THREATENED THAT U. S.
WOULD INTERVENE IF ATTEMPTED—PATIENCE GONE
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.—Secretaiy
W. J. Bryan of the State Department,
today notified Provisional President
Carranza that serious consequences
will follow any attempt on the part
of the provisional government of Mex
ico to confiscate the foreign’ owned
oil wells at Tampico as he had threat
ened to do.
The warning has been sent at the
request of Great Britain, whose sub
jects own most of the wells and re
fineries although a few of them are
American owned and operated.
The note sent to Carranza left no
doubt in the minds of the Mexicans
that the department intends to
stand firm upon the position no mat
ter how much fighting was done in
Mexico by the different factions. If
foreign owned property is destroyed
the people of Mexico will pay for that
loss and pay dearly. The note also
contained a threat of intervention
which is believed here to be certain
if Carranza attempts to confiscate the
oil wells and refineries at Tampico.
Railroad Engineer Arrives.
Henry Deyo, Jr., was born this
morning to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Deyo,
of this city. The little engineer—for
it is certain that he will follow in
the footsteps of his' dad—is doing
nicely.
Brighton Leave* Monday Morning.
The launch Brighton will leave for
Port Wells on Monday morning with
mail and passengers.
Assistant District Attorney Guy
Brubaker left this morning on the
steamer Mariposa for Cordova to at
tend the hearing of George Hazzard.
who is charged with obtaining money
under false pretenses.