XIV VALDEZ, ALASKA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1016 * NUMBER 4R
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SPEND MILLIONS
\, ENLARGING PLANT
Bethlehem Steel Company will Kqulp
Plant for the Manufacture of
Armor Plate for Navy.
BALTIMORE, Feb. 25.—Presi
dent Grace, of the Bethlehem Steel
company, has announced that his
company will spend fifteen million
dollars in enlarging the plant recent
ly acquired from the Maryland Steel
company at Sparrow Creek. The
facture of armor plate in anticipation
plant will be equipped for the manu
al 1 he administration’s proposed five
year naval building program.
When he appeared before the Sen
ate committee on naval affairs re
cently Mr. Grace offered to reduce
the price of armor plate if the gov
arnment-did not engage in the indus
try. He also denied that his com
pany «had made any attempt to in
ert1.yte the price of munitions sup
plied ' European governments since
The war began.
President Grace asserts that statis
tics prove that England. Germany,
France and Austria, and even Japan,
pay more for their armor plate than
the United States government. His
company has offered to supply armor
plate for $367 per ton, for which the
government is now paying $425.
The announcement that the highly
specialized machinery for the manu
facture of armor plate is to be in
stalled in the new plant is believed
to indicate that an understanding
has been reached between the big in
terests and the administration lead
ers that the government will not en
gage in the industry.
LINER WHS READY
DEFEND HERSELF
Fifth Italian Armed Merchantman
Arrives in New York—Passen
4
jrers Report. Teutons Firm.
NEW YORK. Feb. 25—Another
ItaliaitfHner arrived in New York
itarbojp 'yesterday afternoon with
gunafmounted on her decks and ready
totffefend herself If attacked by sub
imfjrines of the enemy nations. The
passengers say that while the vessel
was in the Mediterranean sea a sharp
watch was maintained for subma
rines and that the gunners remained
on duty until the liner had passed
Gibraltar. t
Americans arriving from Europe
'' believe that the German and Aus
trian governments will adhere to
their policy of treating armed mer
chantmen as warships and sinking
them without warning unless the
British government can be Induced
to raise the blockade which her navy
has maintained against commerce to
Germany siuce the beginning of hos
tilities.
The German citizens and press, ac
cording to an American physician
who returned on the liner yesterday,
believe* that Germany cannot afford
, to make further sacrifices even at the
. riJt of causing a break of friendly
relations with the United States, as
the empire is fighting for its exis-.
fence.
WORK OF VALDEZ ARTIST
WILL ADVERTISE ALASKA
SEATTLE, Feb. 25.—The Alaska
bureau of the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce is showing some splendid
panoramic photo views of Alaskan
tarns which were taken by Artist
iMpelor of aVldez. The views are
EP finest ever seen here and will be
used to advertise Alaska in the
Eastern States. The pictures were
taken during the summer months
and will be used to educate the
Easterners that Alaska is not the
land of snow and ice of their imagi
nation.
BORN:—To Mr. and Mrs. Albert
L. Florence, a daughter, on Thurs
day, February 24, 1916. Dr. Wlnans
was In attendance.
TERRIFIC BATTLE RAGING ON WESTERN FRONT
GERMANS ARE TRYING TO TAKE VERDUN
PARIS, Feb. 25.—One of the.most
sanguinary battles of the war on the
western front Is raging near Verdun,
where the Germans have massed sev
en aimy corps with the evident inten
tion of capturing the French forti
fied city and breaking the deadlock
which has existed during the past 18
months. The battle line extends for
25 miles in a semi-circle with the
Germans forming the outer circle.
The German offensive began two days
ago and artillery duels have been
kept up and still continue without
cessation.
French Posing Ground.
PARIS, Feb. 25.—The French war
office has admitted that two miles of
the first line of French trenches are
now occupied by the German troops.
The trenches were subjected to a ter
rific artillery bombardment which
BATTLE LINE EXTENDS FOR TWENTY-FIVE MILES AND GERMANS
HAVE MASSED SEVEN ARMY CORPS TO BREAK DEADLOCK
WHICH HAS EXISTED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR—TWO MILES
OF FRENCH TRENCHES OCCUPIER BY GERMAN TROOPS—THE
FRENCH WOR OFFICE ADMITS THAT* NUMBER OF FRENCH
TOWNS WERE CAPTURED—GERMAN KAISER AT FRONT.
changed the wtSe face of the country
in front of the German positions and
almost obliterated the French lines
and field fortifications.
Kaiser Directing Hattie.
LONDON. Feb. 25.—Dispatches
from Paris state that Emperor Wil
liam of Germany has established his
headquarters in the rear of the Ger
man army facing Verdun and is re
ported as taking part in directing the
German troops in the campaign
against the fortified city. The dis
patches indicate that the French
troops have been forced hack as they
tell of frightful losses on both sides
as the Teutons captured one town
after another in their irresistible for
ward movement. Owing to the pres
ence of the Emperor at the front the
German troops are showing remark
abla disregard for loss of life and are
hurling detachment after detachment
against the French machine guns.
Battle Rages Incessantly.
PARIS, Feb. 25.—Morning dis
patches from the front near Verdun
say that during the night the Ger
mans kept up an incessant artillery
bombardment of the French trenches
and used bombs which exploded near
the earth, shedding a bright light
over the French positions to guide
the Gei'man gunners in directing
their fire.
• French Airships Attack Met/.
PARIS, Feb. 25.—During the bat
tle before Verdun yesterday French
aeroplanes engaged in a raid against
Metz and dropped bombs into the out
skirts of the city. The aviators were
trying to locate the headquarters of
Emperor William which are reported
as being with the army between Metz
and Verdun.
WILSON OPPOSED
10 COOL’S BILL
I
—
Measure Introduced in Senate to I’ro
hildt Americans from Traveling
tin Armed Vessels.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 25.—
Senator Gore’ of Oklappflia yosterday
introduced his resolution in the Sen
ate, to prohibit American citizens from
traveling on armed merchantmen of
the belligerent nations of Europe.
The resolution was introduced amid
silence but there was a noticeable
tension among the members who re
alized its importance and the conse
quences to which it may lead.
President Wilson and a majority
of the cabinet members are rer ,rted
as being in opposition to Senator
Gore's resolution but it is believed
that agitation for the measure to
provide' safety for American lives is
too strong for the president and his
following to control.
Senator Gore’s resolution was the
subject of editorial attention from
nearly all the morning newspapers of
the eastern cities and is generally re
garded as a necessary precaution to
protect American lives and to pre
vent the United States being drawn
into the European struggle.
TOUGH TRUCE
HURT! OHS
Portland Authorities are Hopeful
that Further Trouble May Be
Prevented and Hud War.
PORTLAND, Feb. 26.—The pros
ecuting attorney of Portland has se
cured the promise of the leaders of
the Chinese tongs that hostilities will
be suspended for thirty days during
which time an effort will be made to
reach an amicable settlement. of the
trouble which led to the war. The
agreement has been signed by more
than a score of prominent Chinese
merchants of this city. '
The police are hopeful that the
leaders will be able to control the ac
tivities of the gunmen who have
caused seven Chinamen to be seri
ously Injured during the past few
days.
A number of Chinamen who are
believed to have been concerned in
the shooting of the Bow-Leung men
have been arrested and will be held
for investigation.
i ,_— ._
Don’t Mian It.
Be sure and see that Broadway
Masterpiece tonight at the Liberty
Theatre “The Lost House" adapted
from the book of the same title by
Richard Harding Davis. •
i
i
ANOTHER BRITISH LINER
IS GERMAN WAR PRIZE
STEAMER WESTBURN IS SAILED INTO SANTA CRUZ, SPANISH
CANARY ISLANDS, UNDER GERMAN FLAG, AND IN COMMAND OF
GERMAN PRIZE CREW—CARRIED TWO HUNDRED PASSEN
GERS TAKEN FROM OTHER STEAMERS WHICH HAD BEEN
SEIZED AND DESTROYED—WESTBURN ATTEMPTED TO RUN
BUT WAS STOPPED BY SHOTS FROM THE RAIDJRuS GUNS.
LONDON, Pel). 25.—Another Brit
ish liner, the Westhuru. has been
seized by a German commerce raid
er which is believed to be the Moewe
and taken to Santa Cruz, In the Span
ish Canary Islands, off the coast of
Morocco. The vessel, according to
wireless a'dvices, arrived at the Span
ish port flying the German flag and
in command of a German prize crew
of eight men. She carried two hun
dred passengers which had been tak
en front other vessels which the raid
er had intercepted and sunk after
taking off the passengers and crews.
The wireless dispatches state that
the Moewe captured the Westburb by
the same tactics as was employed in
deceiving the commander of the Ap
pam The raider was believed to be
a British vessel until she suddenly
hoisted the German flag and ordered
the iiuer to stop. The Westburn at
tempted to ruu but shots fired across
her bow convinced the captain that
he was needlessly risking the safety
of his passengers and crew.
The Westburn is reported to have
been captured near the Canary Isl
ands and the British admiralty be
lieve that the German commerce raid
ers have established a base there and
will ask the Spanish government to
investigate
Many of the passengers were tak
en from the ships which were de
stroyed by the raider believe that
she was not the Moewe, but the Pon
ga, which was recently sighted by a
British cruiser off the Madeira Isl
ands. The vessel outdistanced the
Cruiser when an attempt was made to
overhaul her although she had been
tlyjpg the British flag.
-U-.-.
NO JAP TROOPS
TO AID RUSSIANS
Japan Will Render Assistance to Al
lies by Keeping Russia Sup
plied with Munitions.
■ TOKIO, Feb. 25.—Lieut. General
Oka, former minister of war, has is
sued a statement in which denial is
made that the Japanese government
is intending to send troops.to Russia
to engage in the war against the Aus
trians.
The former minister states that
Japan cannot afford to send'troops to
aid the Allies but that she can and
will continue to give greater assis
tance by supplying her with muni
tions of war.
In the Japanese parliament yester
day the minister admitted that a Jap
anese fleet bad been sent to the Med
iterranean sea to aid the Allies in
guarding the Suez canal.
PLACED CHTY EMPLOYES
ON THE WATER WAGON
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 26.—May
or Blankenburg, of this city, has Is
sued an order which forbids any of
the twelve thousand employes of the
city entering saloons or drinking dur
ing working hours, and has caused
several who disregarded his orders to
be dismissed from service
ATTEMPTED WRECK
«
Gang of Austrians Battle with Great
Northern Train Crew in Ta
coma Railroad Yards.
TACOMA Feb. 25.—A desperate
battle was waged in the Great Nor
thern railroad yards here yesterday
afternoon between a gang of Aus
trians and members of a freight
train crew. The Austrians had at
tempted to destroy a train which%aa
loaded with munitiaga '®t war des
tined for the Russian army. The
Austrians were beaten off after a
hard fight which lasted nearly a half
hour.
Detachments of police were sent
to the scene in answer to a emer
gency call but the Austrians had1
made their getaway before the rein
forcements reached the train crew.
SENATOR CUMMINS IS
OUT FOR NOMINATION.
. DE8 MOINES, Feb. 26.—Senator
Cummins of Iowa, yesterday filed his
affidavit of candidacy for the presi
dency and will seek the nomination
of the Republican party at the Chi-:
cago convention on Jnne 7. It has
been known for the past several
months that he will be in the race at
the Republican National Convention.
TEUTONIC VESSELS
SEIZED AT LISBON
j
Portuguese Naval Commander Forci
bly Takes Possession of ltd Ships
and Hoists His Colors.
LISBON. Feb. 25.—Captain Kego,
commander of the. aimil. division
here, yesterday took forcible. posses
sion of thirty-six German and Aus
trian vessels which were lying in the
Tagus river, and after placing Portu
guese officers in charge of the vessels
hoisted the Portuguese colors on
them. The vessels were then saluted
with a twenty gun salute from the
Portuguese fleet.
The officer was apparently acting
on his own initiative in seizing the
vessels and it is believed that the
Portuguese officals had gained infor
mation that the Teutonic steamers
were preparing to dash for the sea
to become *raiders of commerce
against the ships of nations with
which Portugal is allied in the war.
Captain Rego refused to parley
iwith the German and Austrian com
manders of the vessels and accom
plished the seizure of the entire fleet
of merchantmen before any of the
crew were aware that their ships had
been seized,
m ini id
RECEIVED WARNING
•
Wireless Messi^je Received on At
lantic Warned Officers to Watch
Out for Commerce Raiders.
NfciW YOBK. Feb. 25 —The offi
cers of the Italian liner which ar
rived in New York yesterday from
Mediterranean ports state that they
received wireless messages from Hali
fax while in mid-Atlantic to watch
for German commerce raiders which
wero believed to be awaiting liners
en route to New York.
The passengers on the steamer re
port that the liner was convoyed by
a British cruiser through the Medi
terranean Sea and out into the At
lantic and that her wireless kept in
constant communication with Allies’
warships during the entire trip.
The Italian officers are mystified
by the warning from Halifax and be
lieved that some vessel had'been
seized by a raider near the American
coaBt. The commander of the Italian
liner was required to make a sworn
statement that the liner had been
armed tor self defense and that the
guns would not be used for that pur
pose.
■ - ■ -
Pasteurized Whipping Cream and
pure Buttermilk at Love-Whitley’s.
PROHIBIT TRAVEL
OH MERGHANTMEI
Germany'* Policy of Sinking Mer
chantmen Debated in the Sen
ate by Gore and lodge.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Feb. 24.—
The announced policy of the German
and Austrian governments to treat
armed merchantmen of the enemy
nations as warships and sink them
without warning was again debated
in the Senate yesterday afternoon.
The debate was participated when
Senator Gore, of Oklahoma of Okla
homa announced that he.would intro- ,
duce a resolution to prdhibit Ameri
can citizens from travelling on arm
ed merchantmen of the belligerent
nations. He believed the State de
partment should have, denied the
right to armed merchantmen to euter
and clear from American ports when
their armaments would make them
special objects of attack by the sub
marines.
Senator Lodge .of Massachusetts:
bitterly denounced the Teutonic pol
icy of sinking merchantmen with
out first providing for the safety ot
the passengers and crews as provid
ed by international rules governing
submarine warfare. He believed that
action on the part of the American
government to deny citizens passports
to travel on foreign owned vessels
would be in violation of existing
treaties. American ports are open to
the commerce ships of all nations, he
asserted, and to prevent them from
carrying passengers would be in vio
lation of neutrality, which would re
sult in involving America in another
controversy with the European na
tions whose navies rule the seas.
■ "' i ■■■■
GERMAN VESSEL
TRIED TD ESCAPE
,****■
Was l.ost hi Snow Storm While Try -
ing to Elude Vigilance of the
Portuguese Officials.
LONDON, Peb. 25.—The German
steamship Hochufeid, which interned
in Madeira, a Portuguese possession
off the northwest, coast of Africa, wan
sunk in a gale when shO attempted
to leave the islands in a blinding
snow storm.
The steamer was off' the African
coast In July. 1914. when she re
ceived a wireless message warning
her that hostilities had broken oat
and that British cruisers had estab
lished a blockade of the German
coast. The commander was advised
to seek a neutral port in order to
save his vessel from being taken as
a prize of war. *
The officials of the Portuguese gov
eminent on thejsland permitted the
officers and crew of the Hochufeid to
remain on the steamer after she had
interned, placing the officers on pa
role that they would not attempt to
escape to the open sea without a per
mit. . '.‘Si:- :
Dispatches from Lisbon state that
the action of the officers of the Hoch
ufeid in breaking their parole hah
caused the Portuguese government
to seize all interned German vessels
and that they have been taken ilk.
charge by the navy officers.
YOUNG PEOPLE’S SOCIETY
HOLDS MEETING TONIGHT
Each member of the Young Peo
ple's Literary Society is requested to
bring with them this evening a short
selection by some American writer,
either poetry or prose. This Is tbo
regular literary meeting of the so
ciety and will be held at the Bveir
mans Clubhouse at 8 o’clock sharp.
All are asked to please turn out to
this meeting.
-
You can buy cheaper first cost en -
gines than we handle. If you are la
the market, for that class, don’t bath
er us, but buy yogr' engine; we will
see yon often enough afterwards. Val
dez Iron Works. fr-ti