FIRE AND ROBBERY
Attempt To Rob Bank of
Valdez and Burning
Of Property
This morning about 3:30 the in
habitants of the town were aroused
by the fire whistle in time to wit
ness the destruction of $50,000
worth of property, and after the
fire was under control it was dis
covered that an attempt had been
made to loot the safe of the Bank
of Valdez.
The fire started in the mercan
tile department of the Valdes Bank
Ar Mercantile Co., and before it was
seen the whole interior of the
building was in flames. The blazs
spread rapidly, and in spite of the
hard work of the department it |
was evident from the first that;
there was no chance of saving the
bank, store or hotel building, and
for a time it appeared that the
whole town from Keystone to the
bay would be wiped out. Fortu
, nately there was no wind and there
was about an inch of snow on tve
roofs so that though there was a
shower of burning cinders felling
all over town no fires were started
by them.
In half an hour the main build
ings were practically destroyed and
the department devoted their ef
forts to preventing the fire from
spreading toward McKinley street,
in this they were successful, and
by siz o’clock all the fire with the
reception of the embers of the ru
ined building, was out.
About this time it was discov
ered that there was a hole in the
hack of the vault which inclosed
the safe of the Bank of Valdez.
For some time after the discovery
the heat was so intense us to pre
vent an investigation as to
Whether or not the safe had been
opened, and the excitement was
^reat until Bobert Ferguson en
tered the vault through the hole,
and found the safe unopened.
The robbers gained access to the
vault from a coal shed in the rear,
took out bricks enough to allow
them to enter, and then knocked
off the knob of the safe preparatory
to blowing the door. For some
reason the charge was not fired and
they left without securing any
booty.
Tiie losses as given by the differ
ent concerns involved in the fire,
ate as follows: V. B. & M. Co.,
$25,000, Poot & Davis $20,000, V.
L. & T. Co. $3,000. There was no
insurance on the hotel and only a
portion of the store property was
covered. All of the bank hooks
here saved. Some of the hotel
fixtures were taken out and all of
the furniture in the annex was
saved.
The general impression is that
the fire was of ineendiary origin.
Night watch Austin passed the
store at three o’clock this morning
and there was no sign of fire. Fif
teen or twenty minutes later the
whole inside of the building was
ablaze.
There is absolutely no clue to
the identity of the robbers, but the
local and federal authorities are
leaving nothing undone which may
lead to the capture of the guilty
parties.
Sam Rogers, a former employee
of the St. Elias hotel, was the only
person to meet with a serious acci
dent. While engaged in removing
furnishings from the hotel he was
caught by the flames and severely
burned about the head and face.
He was removed to the Valdez
hospital.
Two Insane Men.
George Perry had a hearing yes
terday before a jury in Commis
sioner Lyon’s court and was ad
judge insane. He is the man who
was taken from the Pennsylvania
on 1 er last trip.
Louie Gardeil, a resident oi Sew
ard, was arrested when the Sara
toga came into port and will have
a hearing regarding his sanity
Monday. Gardeil immagined that
some one was trying to kill him on
the bout, and he used up a box of
[cartridges shooting holes in his
stateroom door. The crew wa.*
unable to get him out of the room,
aud it was only after the hose had
been played upon him for some
time that he was subdued.
New Hotel.
Messers Cobb, Debord and Wil
son have refurnished and thorough
ly renovated the rooms in the old
Nizina building, and are starting
in the hotel business under the
name of the Seattle hotel. Fifteen
nice* large* airy rooms are readv
for occupancy, all of which have
been put in good shape and are the
warmest and most comfortable in
town. The saloon will continue in
operation, but the name has been
changed to the Seattle bar.
Material for the construction of
the annex, which will contain 25
mofe rooms, has been wired for
and work will be rushed on the
new building as rapidly as possi
ble.
Marshal Lathrop states that the
reason the bank robber* were una
ble to succeed in their endeavor to
open the bank safe was probably
on account of the hardness of the
outer casing. They started to
drill it, but only got a hole l-32nd
of an ir.ch and undoubtly quit
on account of the slow progress
they were making instead of be
cause they were scared away. It
is the general impression that they
fired the store expecting that the
heat would wreck the vault and
destroy all evidence of the robbery.
Telegraphic items.
Fairbanks, Dec. 17—A fire which
started here this morning at 8:30.
destroyed the Model Cafe, loss
| $2000, Outlet Clothing Store, Iops
| $5000, Owl Drug store, loss $2500
and the Bloom Hardware store,
loss $1000. The fire started in the
Model restaurant from a coal oil
stove used as a coffee heater.
Washington, Dec. 17—The Gug
genheim and Morgan syndicate,
! which recently took over the
Uoftene holdings, has organised a
powerful lobby and will attempt to
have Congress revoke all railroad
concessions which have so far been
granted in Alaska where the con
ditions have not been carried out.
The syndicate is willing to con
struct entire Alaskan railroad
system, provided Congress will
withhold any assistance from any
other companies.
Washington, Dec. 17—Messages
are being received by Delegate
Waskey in great number regard
ing his stand on the territorial
government question. Most of
I them urge him to keep up the
agitation. Cnle is working hard
doing missionary work amongst
| the members of the House.
Washington, Dec. 17—The war
I department has abandoned the
Dutch Harbor coaling station and
will establish one at Kiska island.
Considerable work has already
*
i been done on the latter place.
Washington, Dec. 17—Delegate
Waskey has agreed to support the
Valdez-Yukon railroad subsidy
| bill it it is drawn up so as to agree
! with his ideas of the needs along
, that line.
Philidelphia, Dec. 14—The fro
zen North promises to become the
treasure house of the world, ac
cording to Capt. Frisbie of the bark
Calcium, which has just arrived
here from the west coast of Green
land. Within the Arctic Circle
are found precious ay well as the
baser mineral*. Besides cryolite,
he says copper of a superior quali
ty lias been found.
When the Calcium led M. Ham
burg. a Copenhagen mineralogist,
who had been making researches
in Greenland, had discovered a
vast deposit of ore at Alanjatsnak
which it is believed will prove the
richest and best in the world.
Stockholm capitalists have -cut
miners to work during the long
winter months, it: order that the
ore may he ready for shipment in
t lie spring.
Seattle, Dec. 17—The Portland
sailed Saturday night for Valdez
with the maii which has accumu
lated here since the 1st of Decem
ber. She lias a large list of pas
sengers, most of whom are bound
for the interior.
Minneapolis, Dec. 18-—The inter
state commerce commission meets
today to consider the cause of the
coal shortage in Dakota. 1 hey
lind that the railroads have been
moving coal trains only a mile or
so a day. The Hill lines make a
promise to relieve the situation in
the Northwest today. Jim llill
sent a message to the commission
saying that the trouble was caused
bv the methods of the commission
dealers who only ordered from day
to day early in the season.
Washington, Dec. 18—The
Washington delegation* have had
| a conference Hoarding the dcsireu
appropriation for the Seattle Ex
position. They have come to th
conclusion that nothing can he
done here until the state of Wasi -
ington makes an appropriatim .
Senator Eiies has wired to th»*
Seattle officials of the fair tli.v
Congress is getting tired of
| contributing money to state
expositions.
Minneapolis. Dec. IS—The shor -
age of fuel in Dakota is havine
serious results, many oi the people
of that state developing cases of
pneumonia on account of the ex
posure to cold.
Kansas City, Dec. IS—In a
wrestling match here last nigl •
Frank Gotch threw Fred Buell two
straight falls, winning hack th*
championship which he lost a
month ago.
Washington, Dec. 18—All oi the
delegations from the Pacific coat
will hold a meeting today to con
sider what action shall hi takci
regarding Japanese legislation. N*»
definite plan has been selected.
Vancouver, Dec. 18 The south
eastern Alaska steamer Them —
was wrecked on a reef in tjmr i
Charlotte sound Friday. I he on
cers and crew were on the boat, :*!
night with the waves swiejiiig
over her. They were rescued b
the steamer Sun Juan Saturday
the Iht mis was sliding into th
sea. The cargo will he a total los
The crew have been brought her*
Seattle, Dec. 18—A ti'jdit ha«
been started here to have th»
marine inspectors discharged from
oflice. The lirsi step was t:ik«-i
yesterday w’nen the Cominerciu
I •
l Club passed resolutions Btatinu
that if the inspectors had per
formed their duties th*- Pix dis
aster won hi not have happened.
The principal charge against the
inspectors is that tie v allowed tie
captains »>i the -mad bout- t»>
collect far*— instead o tvmain:.
at the wheel ai! the . ini-.
Seattle, Pec. 18—The iri.it:>
inspectors have revoked '!-■ li—- --
of l'apt. LiTriiOiid, who v.u- < n—
manding the Pis. c the !:mt i ! th
ree! nt disaster. Pap'. Mii-nn, «>
the Jennie was held bl**i ci*--s
Owner* of the Pis will ask iot :i
federal investigation.
Washington, Dec. Is—Delegate
Waskiv has introduced a Pil! n
the House which exempts t. • Tan
ana Mines railroad from taxation
during const notion and for ti' *
years thereafter. Under the pre
ent law the road must pay a f»*d»*r e
license of $100 for each mite *>t
road operated. President Jodyn.
of this road, is now negotiating tm
the extent ion of the road into t }.«•
Tenderfoot district.
Koine. Dec. IS—Thousands <>•
demonstrator® gathered at the
French enihaspy last night to
cheer tie* action of France against
the church. The total garrison «>!
Home was employed to disperse
the mob. The Vatican bridge# and
the apostolic palace have been
barricaded and troops are in all
the streets, carrying fixed bayo
net*. The demonstrate;** formed .1
mock procession and proceeded
along the streets crying ‘‘Long
live France,” but finally dis
pensed.
_ - - - - - - ;
You will find * complete lint
itovea and Rangra at Levy*