VOLUME XIV. VAIjDEZ, A< AftKA, MONDAY, DECEMBER, 11, 1010 NTMBKR 5205
GOVERNMENT TO
PROBE PRICES
GRAND Jl’RY TO INVESTIGATE
Gregory Orders Immediate Investiga
tion In New York and Detroit and
Is Preparing for Similar Actiati iu
Other Cities.
WASHINGTON, D. C\, Dec. 11.—
The government officials have com
pleted their program for the fight
against the high price of foodstufTs,
and are ready to submit the same to
Attorney-General Gregory. The pro
gram provides for a simultaneous
grand Jury investigation into the con
ditions leading to the recent sharp
advance in the price of all foodstuffs
throughout the entire country. Presi
dent Wilson and the cabinet have
been discussing the question at great
length, and nave decided upon imme
Tiate action.
Gregory Orders Probe.
WASHINGTON. D#C., Dec. 11.—
Attorney General Gregory has order
ed a federal grand jury investigation
into the rapid rise in the prices of
foodstuffs, in accordance with tin
plan outlined by the President an*1
cabinet. The probe will start at on-n
in New York and Detroit, and prepa
rations are under way for a similar
investigation in Kansas City, St.
Louis and Minneapolis.
VALDEZ POSTOFFICE TO
BE POSTAL SAVING BANK
Beginning January 1, the Valdez
postoflice will be authorized to ac
cept deposits as a Postal Savings
Bank. Under the rules governing
deposits in these banks, any person
ten years old or over may open a
postal savings account by depositing
one or more dollars up to $1,000 ex
ilusivo of accumulated interest. No
one person may have two accou~'s
in the same office or at different of
fices. The account of a married wo
man is free from interference or con
trol by her husband.
A person desiring to open an ac
count should apply at the post office
where full instructions will be given.
If for any good reason an intending
depositor cannot apply at the post
office a representative may be sent
who will be instructed how to pro
ceed. A person residing at a pos:
cffice not authorized to receive pos
tal savings deposits may open an ac
count at an office so authorized by
mail through the local postmastei.
After an account has been opened
deposits may be made in person or
by representative or by money order
or by registered mail.
Postal savings deposits are ac
knowledged by postal saving certifi
cates, which are made out in the
name of the depositor. These certi
ficates are not negotiable or trans
ferable, and if lost or stolen new
certificates may be issued. A deposi
tor may at any time draw all or part
of his deposit upon demand. With
drawals may be made in person, thru
a representative or by malL Postal
savings certificates bear simple in
terest at the rate of 2 per cent a
year, interest beginning on the first
day of the month following the date
on which the deposits are made.
A heavy gale is reported blowing
off Cape Spencer today.
District Attorney Spence returned
yesterday on the Admiral Watson,
from an official visit to Seward and
westward poinFs.
LOST—A bunch of keys on a key
ring. Finder please return to cable
office. t kl3
A Correction.
Through a misapprehension of the
proceedings the Prospector on Satur
day announced the election of certain
officers of the Women’s Auxiliary of
the Order of Alaska Pioneers, when
in fact the parties named were only!
nominated for these positions, and1
the election will take place at a later ■
date.
, m -
Miss Callaghan Arrives.
A fine baby daughter arrived yes
terday at the home of Mr. and Mre.
William Callaghan. Dr. Wlnans re
ports mother and babe as doing,
nicely. I
CONFESSES MURDER, HE
IMPLICATES MAN AND WOMAN
SPOKANE, Dec. 11.—JaraesWes
ton, 71. alias Janies Tullen, a cook
and former sailor, in a reported con
fession yesterday that he murdered
Mrs. Margaret Braun, landlady of
the Tourist hotel, implicated R. A.
Hood and Lillian Tozier.
The Tozier woman, he said, actbd
as guard outride the hotel while Wes
ton and Hood went to Mrs. Braun’s
room to rob her. Mrs. Braun resist
ed and the men choked her to death
and then robbed her of $5 and two
earrings.
WOMAN MAKES TORCH
OF SELF WITH GASOLINE
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11.—Mrs.
Mart Schunter, 51, killed herself to
day by pouring gasoline over her
clothing and setting it afire. Her hus
band and grown sons said she had
been deranged for some time. The
tragedy occurred when the ;,on wh^
was on watch fell asleep.
DEMAND VIGOROUS
PROSECUTION WAR
FRENCH DEMANDING ACTION
Stephen Picon, Writer for Le Petit
Journal, Says Present Situation
Cannot Last—English Shake-up
Adds Impetus.
PARIS, Dec. 11.—The popular c'e
mand for a reconstruction of the war
management has received an added
impetus from England's snake-up.
Stephen PlC'dn, writing fcr Le Petit
Journal, says it is obvious that Cu
present situation cannot last, and that
immediate steps either toward peace
or a more vigorous prosecution of the
nar must ensue.
“CIVILIZATION” TONIGHT
AT THE EMPRESS
__ I
“Civilization.” the grandest, most j
stupendous picture ever presented ill j
any country, will be shown at the Em- i
press theatre tonight. This colossal j
aggregation of photographic beauty,!
lias been secured at great expense by I
the Express management, and will j
be shown tonight only. It is we’,11
worth two dollars, as it takes over |
three hours to show these super-)
scenes, but the management has de
cided to charge $1 for adults and 50
cents for all children, except babes
in arms. This is the only chance vnu
will have of seeing this costly pro
duction, as it is far to expensive for
the ordinary theatre to handle.
The greatest battle drama that was
ever enacted upon an American stage.
“Civilization doesn’t suggest; it does.
It boldly and thrillingly depicts the
horrors of modern warfare, and has
a beautiful love story interwoven
with the plot. Original, stunning,
poetic, huge; the grandest aggrega
tion of optical wonders ever shown
to the human race. Show starts at
8:10 sharp, and for three hours you
are breathless with awe and amaze
ment.
•
The steamship Spokane leaves Se
attle for Valdez, December 20, taking
the place of the Admiral Evans.
► /
A BIGGER VALDEZ.
Aim of Chamber of Commerce
A most interesting meeting of
the Chamber of Commerce will be
held in the City Hall, Wednes
day evening, December 13, at 8
o’clock. A number of matters of
great importance and of immedi
ate interest to tye members will
be passed upon, including Alex
ander Fish Bill, winter mail ser
vice, and unique and original
methods for advertising the town
that will positively secure results.
Rev. Zlnn, a talented speaker,
and at one time connected with
the Seattle Chamber of Commerce
will be one of the speakers of the
evening. Your opinion and at
tendance is desired, for to secure
results we must not intend or
prtend—but DO!
► 1
CALL CONFERENCE
OF PROGRESSIVES
TO MKET IN NKW YORK ISTH
Acting ('ll airman Hale Says Progres
sives Are Unsympathetic W'itii
Former leaders—l’rges Fiber al
to Organize.
WASHINGTON. D. C.. Dec. 11.—
Matthew Hale, the acting chairman
of the Progressive party, has called
for a conference of the Progressives
in New York on December 15. Hale
declares the Progressives In New
York are unsympathetic with the for
mer leaders, and will ask for repre
sentation on the Republican National
Committee. He states that the Lib
erals of all parties must organize re
gardless of past affiliations and stand
ready to help the liberalism of Wil
son, James and Johnson.
TEUTONS Mill f
AT ALL POINTS
RUMANIAN'S ARK RKTRKATING
Teutons Capture Seventy Thousand
Men and Hundreds of Cannon and
Machine Guns—Russian Attacks
Kail—Serbs Repulse Attacks.
BERLIN, Dec. 11.—An official bul
letin issued by the war office today,
states that the Rumanians are re
treating from Predael, couth of Kron
stadt. The Teutons hate cut off the
line of retreat through the Alt and
Schanz passes, and have captured a
majority of the Rumanians operat
ing in that section.
I Russian Attacks Unsuccessful
i BERLIN. Dec. 11.—The Russians
! instituted a series of attacks on
jtlie Teuton positions in the Ludowa
j sector, in the Trous valley, but wer'
! repulsed with heavy losses.
—
Serbians Repulsed
BERLIN. Dec. 11.—Heavy attacks
1 y the Serbians were repu'sel by the
Bulgarians at Tronova and C’erna.
Heavy Fighting
PARIS, Dec. 11.—Heavy fightm-*
is in progress on the Macedonian
front, where the Serbians have re
pulsed a terrific Teutonic attack and
made three successful counter at
tacks.
Many Prisoners Taken
BERLIN, Dec. 11.—The Ruman
ians are in full retreat before the
advancing right wing of the Teuton
army along the Danube. Since Dec
ember 1, the Teutons have captured
70,000 Rumanians, together with one
hundred and ninety cannon and one
hundred and twenty machine, guns.
CHARGES JOE WITH
LIFTING A POKH
< "
Joe Schulte, better known --as
"Smoky Joe” was taken Into custody
yesterday on the charge of ^heft, but
was released on his own recognizance
to appear at the hearing before-Com
missioner Love at 3 o’clock this aft
ernoon. The arrest was made on the
complaint of one Joe Johnson, who
alleges that he left a poke containing
a sum of money in a cabin at the
Three-in-One mine occupied by Joe,
and that when he went to. get the
poke it was gone.
WOMEN THROW
OUT THE OFFICERS
LINCOLN, Neb., Dec. 11.-—At
tempts by Secretary Whitten of the
Commercial to prevent Anna M.
Lowery from speaking in the city
auditorium ended in a riot today
which a constable and two other of
ficers were roughly handled by the
women and thrown out.
Thirty-flvo hundred womer. crowd
ed the ball when an attempt wcs
made to arrest the speaker on a war
rant and ^prevented the officers from
entering.
VILLA DEFEATS
CARRANZA FORCE
FIGHTING STILL IN PROGRESS
Rebel General Traps Governmental
Force and Cuts Part of It to Pieces
1
—Carranza Troops Reinforced and
Are Fiercely Attacking.
EL PASO, Dec. 11.—Advices re
ceived here today state that heavy
fighting has occurred between the
Villistas and the Carranza forces to
the south of Chihuahua City, n
which the Villistas trapped the ad
vancing troops a few miles south of
the city, and cut through the Carran
za lines, annihilating a portion >f
their forces. The fighting is still in
progress, the Carranzaistas having
been heavily reinforced and are now
attacking tj»e Villistas with greet
vigor.
PROTEST HANDED
TO CHANCELLOR
AGAINST DEPORTING BELGIANS
Secretary of l'. S. Embassy Delivers
l'. S. Protest—Berlin Newspapers
Say Oversteps Bound of Diplomacy
as They Are Following Law.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Dec. 11.—
The State Department today an
nounced that Secretary Joseph Clark
Grew, secretary of the American em
bassy in Berlin, had delivered a for
mal humanitarian protest from tiu
government to the German govern
ment against the deportation of Bel
gians to Germany. The protest was
delivered by the secretary to the
Chancellor in person.
—
Oversteps Diplomacy.
BERLIN, Dec. 11.—The Berlin!
newspapers declare that the note of j
protest from the United States to the
German government regarding the
deportation of Belgians from their
own country to Germany, oversteps
the bounds of diplomacy. German
officials claim that international law
prescribes that prisoners of war may
be worked in any manner their cap
tors see fit, and may be forced to do
anything but fight for th^r captors.
COMMUNICATION WITH
SEATTLE INTERRUPTED
Valdez is completely cut off from
communication with the States ex
ception by way of the Canadian
line. This morning the wireless sta
tion at Sitka was put out of commis
sion through the burning out of a
generator, and the break in the cablo
has not been repaired. The Burnside
picked up the.cable Friday evening
and for a time was in communication
with the> Valdez office, but owing to
axheMry‘storm was compelled to buoy
the cable until more favorable weath
er conditions prevailed. She has
been hove to off Yakutat waiting for
the storm to subside, and this morn
ing left to pick up the cable again. It
is expected she will be in communi
cation with the local office sometime
this evening and that the break will
be repaired within a few hours.
Sailing Delayed.
The sailing of the steamer Spokane
from Seattle for Valdez, scheduled to
take place December 10, has been
postponed until December 20, ac
cording to adtices received at the lo
cal steamship office today.
Admiral Watson South.
The steamer Admiral Watson ar
rived in port from the westward
about 10: SO yesterday morning and
sailed for the south about 2 p. ni.
Her passengers from Valdes were F.
A. Twitchell and Miss Anna Johnson.
Nels Jepson left for his home at
Beaver Dam yesterday, but returned
to town later in the day on account
of the heavy snow.
LAUNCH HITS IXKi. TIPS
AND THREK ARK DROWNED
CASTLE ROCK, Wash., Dec. 11.—
When their launch struck a submerg
ed log and capsized in Silver lake
yesterday Mrs. Bert Helgerson, Mis.
Helgerson’s 17-months-old daughter
and Riley Helgerson, brother-in-law
of the dead woman, were drowned.
Mrs. Annie Helgerson, mother of
Riley and Bert Helgerson. and the
only other occupant of the boat, sav
ed herself by clinging to the over
turned craft until rescued. The bodiei
were recovered and will be sent to
Oregon City.
Only liberals ark
OPPOSING LIlOYD GEORGE
—
LONDON, Dec. 11.—Only the Lib
trals are apparently opposing thc
George Ministry, although Lord
Northcliffe is s trongly opposing the
retention of Balfour and Cecil in the
cabinet. It is expected that the mem
bers of the new cabinet will be an
nounced tomorrow.
P. 0. DEPARTMENT
SHOWS A SURPLUS
PROKITH EXCEED FIVE MILLION
Burleson Recommends an Appropria
tion of $300,000 to Take Over All
Telephone and Telegraph I'tilitle.
In Alaska.
I
_ I
WASHINGTON. D. C„ Dec. 11.— |
Tlie annual report of Postmastc.
General Burleson shows that the De
partment has earned a surplus of
>5,250,000 during the past three
and one- half years. The report con
tains many recommendations among
them being a request for $300,000 t >
acquire the telephone and telegraph
utilities in Alaska, Porto itico and
Hawaii.
T
SIMONS LOSES HIS KEI>
THROUGH MYSTERIOUS EIRE
A (ire of mysterious origin late
Saturday night destroyed the bed of
J. P. Simons, and threatened the
Mead building, opposite the Prospec- •
tor office, on the wharf. Through the,!
odor of burning blankets the other!
occupants of the building discovered j
the blaze in time to extinguish the |
flames, which had gained consider-1
able headway, and prevented them
from communicating to the surroun 1
ing woodwork. Mr. Simons is minus
an expensive eiderdown sleeping bag,
a fur parka and several blankets, but
the building escaped injury. How
the fire started is a mystery. Mr.
Simons left the room about 10:30
Saturday morning and had not been
back during the day. About 10:30
Saturday night, when the fire was
discovered, the flames were burning
briskly. Mr. Simons states that he
had not been smoking in the room at
tny time; that when he left Satur
day morning there was no sign of
Are, nor was there any chance of a
spark from the flue running through
the room from falling upon the bed.
Jhe electric light is still hanging
near the head of the bed intact, show
ing that was not the cause of the
fire, and there was no stove in the
room. Nothing had been disturbed
to indicate the presence of any other
party, and no plausible theory has
yet been advanced as to the cause of
the fire.
BALANCE NOW,
BUT DEFICIT SOON
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 11.—
Reports from Secretary to the Treas
ury McAdoo filed today show that
at the end of the present fiscal year
there will be a surplus in the treas
ury of $115,000,000, but that at tb2
end of the Decal year 1918 there will
be a deficit of $185,000,000. This
deficit will be due to the immense ex
penditures planned for naval pu
poses.
as PER CENT OF TURKEYS
BACK TO COLD STORAGE
_
COLUMBUS, O., Dec. 11.—Twen
ty-five per cent of the normal turkey
supply will be returned to cold stor
age here this year, market men said,
because the consumers are not buy
ing at tbe price of 96 cents a pound.
GERMANS PUT
SHREWD TRICK
SEND OUT COMMERCE RAIDER
Take Advantage of Similarity of Ap
pearance and Name to Dutch Ves
sel to Send Out German Steantef to
Urey on British.
HALIFAX, N\ S., Dec 11.—The
British naval authorities here have
issued a warning to all vessels be
longing to the nations composing th-s
Entente Aillies to beware of a strang.
vessel, believed to be a German com
merce raider. The vessel was inter
cepted by British naval vessels off the
northwest coast of Scotland on Oec
ember 6. but was not detained as she
was believed to be the Dutch steam
er Gamma. Later it was learned til •
Gamma was at Kirkwall, and it :s
now believed that the intercepted ves
sel was a German mine dropper.
Gamma German Vessel.
NEW YORK. Dec. 11.—Regarding
the steamer Gamma, intercepted olT
the coast of Scotland, and released as
a Dutch steamer, it is learned from
the marine records here that there is
a German steamship bearing the name
Gamma, which is very similar in ap
pearance and size to the Dutch ves
sel of that name, and it is believed
here that the Germans have taken
{advantage of the similarity in names
■and appearance to send out the
Gamma to prey on British commerce.
I SPENCE SORRY MI ST SELL
BOOZE AS LAW PROVIDES
l
| Judge Spence. lT. S. district attor
i ney, arrived recently front Valdez to
intake final arrangements for the sale
jof liquor here which had been comis
icated near Anchorage.
In discussing the various protests
against the sale of this liquor Judge
Spence said it was unfortunate, but
the law under which it was seized
and the owners jailed provides spe
cifically that the liquor shall be sold
to the highest bidder.
“I would gladly have seen it dump
ed overboard from the scow," said
Judge Spence. “It is too bad that.
;the weather on the way round was
i not so severe that the crew would
have been forced to throw it over
! board to '-lighten ship,' but it is here
land must be sold. Fortunately some
of the bottles smashed.
“I have no sympathy with the plea
of the local liquor dealers that it not
be sold at retail, however,” the Dis
trict Attorney continued. “These
dealers have been selling liquor
wholesale here by subterfuge, with
out paying a wholesale license, ail
there is no reason why the govern
ment should not sell this retail.”
Seward Post.
BLUM & COMPANY BUY
KINO'S GROCERY STOCK
S. Blum & Company have added
the stock of another large concern t«
their already mammoth business, haz
ing purchesed the stock of groceries
and good will from H. P. King, who
with his son, Porter, has conducted
King’s Grocery on McKinley street.
Mr. King has been in poor health for
teveral months past, and will leave in
a short time for the Mayo Bros. San
itarium at Rochester, Minn., where
he will undergo treatment. Porter
King will remain here for the winter.
The stock, which is one of the best
in town, will be moved to the Blum
rtore at once, and the well-known
King’s grocery will bo a thing of th *
past.
King is probably one of the
test known men in the territory, hav
ing conducted a business at Nome
t.nd other points in the far North, fo •
inany years, during the height of the
rush to the gold camps. He was also
councilman of Nome tor a number
of terms, and held other positions o '
trust. Mr. King served as council
man in Valdez, during the term rf
the last council. He has a wide cir
cle of friends here, who regret to u
him leave the city, and who wish him
a speedy recovery.
This is the second large busin's *
purchased by S. Blum & Company
daring the past month, this Arm hav
ing absorbed the bakery and delica
tessen of-JgAdolph Schmidt, early last
month, and tracing it on the shelves
of this growing concern.