Iditarod Pioneer
m dollar PER month IDITAROD. ALASKA. SATURDAY MORNING. JANUARY I. 1916 25 cents per copy
AUSTRIAN NOTE RECEIVED
WHICH MAT MEAN WAR
I
WASHINGTON. Dec. 31.—The official Austrian
note on the Ancona matter has arrived, but has not
yet been translated from the code. The rumor is
current that Austria proposes to punish the com
mander of the submarine responsible for the sinking
of the liner.
Rupture Looked For
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29—Preparations are being
made by the state department in the expectation
that diplomatic relations with Austria will be broken
off. The Austrian reply to the second note of the
United States government on the Ancona matter pos
sbly will be given to the American ambassador in
Vienna during the day. It is understood to be un
s; tisfactory.
Situation Is Serious
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.—Unofficial information
lias been received that Austria will not meet the de
mands of President Wilson in the forthcoming note
to the United States government. Diplomatic circles
are being prepared for the severance of relations be
tween the two governments.
Ambassador Penfield, at Vienna, has not yet fore
casted the reply.
Vienna Will Make Sacrifice
BERLIN, Dec. 27.—Advices from Vienna state
that the Austro-Hungarian government is anxious to :
retain the friendship of the United States, and will
make considerable sacrifices in the Ancona matter.
London Rumors
LONDON, Dec. 30.—Advices received here state
that the Vienna government is stubborn regarding
the American reply. The claim is made that the
first note was dictated in Berlin, but that the present
reply came from Austria.
Americans in Vienna in Bad Fix
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.—Ambassador Penfield
reports to the state deartment that Americans in
Vienna without birth certificates or naturalization
papers are being detained through the refusal of the
German consuls to vise their passports.
Ancona Passenger Makes Statement
NEW YORK, Dec. 30.—Dr. Greil, an American
assenger on the destroyed Ancona, makes the state
ment that the liner was torpedoed without warning.
He avoids telling how the crew behaved, as he says
he does not want to do anything that would tend to
create trouble between America and Austria.
a.
ACTIVITIES OF SUBMARINE CRAFT UNABATED
Another Italian Liner Destroyed
MILAN, Dec. 27.—The Italian liner Port Said has
been sunk by an Austrian submarine. Six passen
gers and one member of the crew were drowned.
-
The others were saved.
Heavy Loss of Life When French Vessel Sinks
PARIS, Dec. 28.—The French steamship Ville de
Laciote has been torpedoed and sunk by a submarine
in the Mediterranean without warning. Seventy
nine of the passengers and crew lost their lives.
Submarines Disposed Of
PARIS, Dec. 28.—Nine Teutonic submarines have
either been sunk or captured in the Mediterranean.
German Report of British Outrage
BERLIN, Dec. 28.—The seizure by the British
government of American mail from two steamships
en route to Holland is reported.
-A
PROGRESS OF CAMPAIGN IN THE BALKANS
Saloniki Is Strongly Defended
ATHENS, Dec. 28.—General Castelnau, the
French chief of staff, says that the Germans cannot
storm Saloniki, as heavy batteries of artillery have
been placed there, backed by a splendid staff of
men.
Access to Greece Denied to Teutonic Allies
LONDON, Dec. 27.—King Constantine has noti
fied the kaiser that it is impossible to allow the Bul
garians and Turks to cross the Greek frontier.
Russian Operations Against Bulgaria
PETROGRAD, Dec. 28.—Russian submarines
have bombarded several Bulgarian ports. An enemy
submarine attacked the Russian destroyer Gredkil,
but was driven off.
EXILED MONARCH ACCEPTS ITALY’S OFFER
BRINDISI, Dec. 27.—King Peter of Serbia has
arrived here aboard an Italian cruiser. He has ac
cepted the offer of King Victor Emmanuel of the use
jjAhe palace at Caseria, near Naples.
MOVEMENTS OF VICTORIOUS TEUTON LEADER
LONDON, Dec. 30.—Advices received here state
that Marshal Von Mackensen has visited Sofia for a
^conference with the German and Austrian ministers,
^nd has returned to field headquarters.
NATIVE BOY DIES UNDER
DISTRESSING CONDITIONS
_
Philip O’Brien, a native boy, aged 18, died
about 7 o’clock last Saturday evening of
tuberculosis. The funeral was held on
Wednesday last, and was attended by a few
natives, and was under the direction of Joe
Smith.
This was one of the most distressing cases
that has been brought to the attention of
the authorities here. The boy acme here
last fall, and it was evident that he was in
the last stages of tuberculosis. He was en
tirely destitute, and was provided for by
kind-hearted residents for a time, and later
was taken care of at the federal jail. Com
missioner Geraghty later secured by tele
graph permission from Judge Bunnell to ex
pend $100 in caring for him, but the per
mission arrived too late to be of assistance.
The unsatisfactory provisions, or lack of
provisions, for the care of sick and indigent
persons was brought forcibly to public at
tention by this case, and should be the
means of prompting amendments to the
laws so that such cases can be taken care
of properly. It is understood that the law
makes no provision for funeral expenses,
and this matter will have to be brought
to the attention of the federal officials.
-♦—
NEW PRECINCT CREATED
ON LOWER KUSKOKWIM
J. L. Herron arrived in the city early in
the week from the lower Kuskokwim, and
left on the return trip on Thursday last.
While here Mr. Herron, who has recently
been appointed United States commissioner,
with headquarters at Reindeer City, in the
Canyon creek district, made arrangements
for qualifying for his position.
A new recording precinct nas oeen ere
ated which is included in the Third division,
For some time past there has been a con
troversy as to where the boundary line be
tween the Third and Fourth divisions ran,
the miners of the Canyon creek district
maintaining that that creek was in the Third
division, while others contended that it was
in the Fourth division. The result was that
there was some confusion with regard to
the recording of claims.
It is believed that the judge of the Third
division has put the matter at rest by de
ciding that the territory is in the Third di
vision, and the result is the creation of the
new recording precinct.
The new arrangement will be a great con
venience to the miners in the promising
Canyon creek district and adjacent terri
tory.
—4
SCHMIDT IS FOUND GUILTY
OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31.—Schmidt was
today found guilty of first degree murder
as an accomplice of the McNamaras in the
blowing up of the Times building, in which
twenty-one persons lost their lives.
The case went to the jury late yesterday
afternoon.
Defendant Denie; Guilt
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 28. In the Schmidt
trial today the defendant took the stand in
his own defense. He denied all the allega
tions of the prosecution. The closing argu
ments have been begun.
-4
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT
INDORSED BY TWO STATES
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Dec. 31.—Charles
W. Fairbanks, former vice president of the
United States, has been indorsed for the
presidential nomination at the national con
vention next year by the Republican central
committees of Kentucky and Indiana.
Mr. Fairbanks has recently taken a de
cided stand in favor of the national defense
program.
RACE WAR IN SOUTH
RESULTS IN DEATH OF SIX
BLAKELY, Ga., Dec. 31.— Six negroes
were killed and a number of whites were
wounded in a race war which resulted from
the killing of Henry Willipigue, a planter.
CELEBRATE MIDNIGHT MASS
WHILE BIG GUNH STUNDER
ARRAS, Dec. 27.—While hundreds of big
shells tore over the trenches, midnight mass
was celebrated by the French soldiers on
Christmas eve.
-A
CHINESE EDITOR MURDERED
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 27 —Wong Yuan
Yuan, editor of a Chinc;e newspaper, .vas
assassinated last night while attending a
Chinese banquet here. There is no clue to
the perpetrators of the crime.
SON OF MRS. EDDY IS DEAD
SIOUX CITY, Iowa, Dec. 28.—George
Glover, aged 72, a son of the late Irs. Mary
Baker Eddy, founder of the Christian Sci
ence church, died here yesterday.
CHANGE IN BRITISH CABINET
WINNIPEG, Dec. 30.—A cable di.-patch
received here states that Lewis Ha; court
has resigned from the British cabinet and
will be appointed vicerop of India.
BIRTHDAY OF THE PRESIDENT
HOT SPRINGS, Va., Dec. 28.—President
Wilson celebrated his 59th birthdav here to
day.
MINNESOTA’S GOVERNOR DEAD
BATON ROUGE, La., Dec. 31.—Governor
Hammond of Minnesota, who has been visit
ing here, died suddenly today.
EPIDEMIC ON POLISH BORDER
LONDON, Dec. 27.—Scarlet fever is re
ported to be epidemic along the borders of
Poland.
HOW ZEPPELINS
AFFECT LONDON
, (London Letter to United Press)
It is Wednesday night, September 8.
Above the din of the orchestra there sweeps
over the theater a cavernous bass “boom
ex.”
“Zeppelin,” whispered a pretty girl sit
ting next to a Scotch officer.
“No,” you hear him whisper, “it’s a door
banging.” He’s lying, and knows it.
If you knew what was transpiring in the
street you'd be out there, instead of waiting
for the last act to end. Such a scene is
being enacted out there as the old town of
London, in all its rich thousand-year history,
never before beheld.
The curtain goes down. You file out of
the theater into a crowded street. Traffic
is at a standstill. A million cries make a
subdued roar. Seven million people of the
biggest city in the world stand gazing into
the sky from the darkened streets.
Among the autumn stars floats a long,
gaunt Zeppelin. It is dull yeilow -the color
of the harvest moon. The long fingers of
searchlights reaching up from the roofs of
the city are touching all sides of the death
messenger with their white tips. Great
booming sounds shake the city. They are
Zeppelin bombs, falling, killing, burning.
Lesser noises, of shooting, are nearer at hand
—the noise of aerial guns sending shrapnel
into the sky.
rnr Unils sake, don t do that, says one
man to another, who has just struck a match
to light a cigarette. Whispers, low voices,
run oil through the streets.
"There’s a red right in the sky there; our
house may be burning,” exclaims a woman,
clutching at a man’s coat.
“There are a million houses in London;
why ours particularly?" he responded.
A group of men talking French, gazing up
from the street. They are in waiters’ clothes
and have rushed out from the supper room
of one of the most luxurious hotels in the
world.
“The devils!” exclaims one, and then:
“We’ve got it it can't get away; there's
shrapnel all around it.”
“Oh, my neck,” says a pretty girl in even
ing wraps. “I can’t look up a minute more.”
But she does.
All about you are beautifully garbed
women and men in evening clothes. “Oh”
and “Ah,” long drawn out exclamations of
admiration, like the sounds made by Ameri
can crowds watching fireworks, greet the
brilliantly white flashes of shrapnel.
Suddenly you realize that the biggast city
in the world has become the night battle
field on which 7,000,001) harmless men,
women and children live. Here is war at
the very heart of civilization, threatening
all the millions of things that human hearts
and human minds have created in past cen
turies. Mourners tonight will leave the side
of their dead to look into the sky fear
fu’ly. Little children who have said “Now
I lay me,” and have gone to sleep, will be
awakened and rushed into cellars to save
them from death.
There are more cries. “Good God. it’s
staggering!” A shrapnel flash breaks appar
ently near the great airship.
But the Zeppelin moves on steadily.
wnai a roar oi joy wuuu go uj» mmi me
millions of this great city if they could sud
denly see the yellow object transformed into
the flash of one gigantic gas explosion. Lit
tle white-gloved hands clap their approval
at the Zeppelin’s near approach to death;
white teeth sparkle in smiles; men roar with
delight. These men and women, flowers of
twentieth century culture, have become ele
ment el. Dirty, bloody, battle-mad soldiers
feel thus in battle. Kil.ing has been put
into the hearts of the crowds. If the men
un there in the sky think they ore terrifying
London they are wrong. They are only mak
ing England white-hot mad.
The redness of a burning building fills the
sky. The dome of historic St. Paul's cathe
dral looms up against the redness. You pass
the old church in a side street. At the
gateway stands the old verger, half dressed.
It has been his duty for fifty years to guard
the church against thieves and fires as other
sextons have guarded it in centuries past.
But he’s got a bigger job on his hands than
any of them ever had before.
The verger’s white-haired wife stands be
side him. They are talking with three girL,
such as never come into the lives of church
sextons except on nights like this. They
are pointing out to the aged couple, with
cheaply-jeweled fingers, the slowly fading
yellow form of the Zeppelin.
We are all brothers and sisters in the
streets of London tonight, neither man nor
woman, neither good nor bad—just human
beings, outraged, mad, unwilling to die. It
is a miracle that the great gas bag in the
air has brought about.
On the plinth of “Chinese” Gordon’s mon
ument in Trafalgar square sit a soldier and
a girl. She is tracing invisible figures on
the stone pavement. His arm is about her;
her face is bent to his. Maybe they’ve seen
this Zeppelin tonight, but just now she’s
listening to the cld story that will be new
when the books tolling the story of to
night’s Zeppelin raid have crumbled into
dust.
They typify London and England—un
changed one iota by the Zeppelin raid which
only ended in the loss of twenty harmless
lives.
On the next day recruiting tripled.
-♦
CZAR LEAVES FOR THE FRONT
PETROGRAD, Dec. 27.—Czar Nicholas
left today for the front.
-♦
40000000000000000*
A HAPPY NEW YEAR ;
o o
O Throughout the pages of The Pio- O
O neer this morning the eye is attracted O
O by the New Year’s greetings of the O
O merchants of the city and district. <>
O The Pioneer joins with its advertisers O
O in wishing a happy and prosperous O
O New Year to the members of this com- O
O munity, and to express the hope that O
O the ensuing year may be one of hopes O
O fulfilled and ambitions gratified. O
O O
♦OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO^
GOLD FROM THIS DISTRICT
MAKES GOOD TIME TO COAST
Word was received during the week of
the arrival of Bob Griffis and party at
Seward with the shipment of gold which
left this city on November 22 last. There
was about 2,400 pounds in the shipment,
which represented the clean-ups of this dis
trict after the close of navigation. The dis
patch stated that the party was on the trail
twenty-four days and encountered fierce
storms.
A previous dispatch, received several days
ago, stated that the party was laid up on
the trail on account of the storms, and that
a “temperature of 58 degrees below zero,
with cold winds,” had been encountered.
The actual traveling time of twenty-four
days made by the party is considered good,
and is about the time made regularly by
the mail. Old-timers, however, scoff at the
idea of such low temperature being recorded
during the progress of windstorms, as it is
well known that the minimum temperatures
seldom are accompanied by wind.
The party consisted of Bub Griffis, Jim
Haley and E. A. Beattie, with three dog
teams.
---A
OLD PIONEERS GATHER
FOR NEW YEAR’S FESTIVAL
Ah The Pioneer goes to press (Friday
evening) the hosts are gathered for the
big New Year’s ball and festival given by
the Pioneers at A. B. hall. Despite the
stormy weather, the old-timers came in hy
the score, and the indications are that the
attendance will be large.
Elaborate preparations have been made
to make this the biggest event of the kind
ever held here. The program committee
promises a fine entertainment, and the re
freshments committee bid fair to outdo all
former efforts. Frank Keenan, the well
known chef, with a corps of able assistants,
has been busily engaged for several days
past preparing the viands for the supper,
and the success of this feature of the big
doings is assured.
The sale of tickets has been large, and
a numerous and jolly threng will dance the
old year out and the New Year in.
LIGHT FINE IS ASSESSED
Mead Maynard was brought before Com
missioner Geraghty on Monday last, charged
with an assamt on George Adams at Hat
City on Christmas eve. The complaint was
made by Deputy Marshal Thomas, who was
present when the assault was made.
Maynard pleaded guilty and asked the
clemency of the court on account of his not
being fully cognizant of his actions, due to
the convivialities of the Christmas season.
The commissioned" appeared impressed by
Maynard's impassioned appeal, and fined him
$1U and costs, amounting in all to $26.25.
-4
UNNEUTRAL POST CARDS
EXCLUDED FROM MAILS
WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.—Postmaster
General Burleson has issued an order ex
eluding from the United States mails post
cards and envelopes regarded as of an un
neutral character, cr as likely to inflame
certain classes of persons. The order inten
tions specifically envelopes and post cards
to which labels have been attached bearing
the words “Gott strafe England,” and pic
tures denunciatory of Germany’s sinking of
the Lusitania.
-«
ALASKA SALMON PACKERS
ATTEMPT TO EVADE TAX
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 31.—A suit in
which many thousands of dollars are in
volved was filed by the Alaska salmon pack
ers in the federal circuit court of appeals
here today.
The suit is a test case, and is brought to
test the constitutionality of the tax levied
upon the salmon packers by the last terri
torial legislature of Alaska.
-♦
NOTED THEATRICAL FIRM
IS WORSE THAN BROKE
SEATTLE, Nov. 19.—John W. Considine,
the Seattle sporting man and theater mag
nate, on examination in court as to his
ability to satisfy a judgment of $2,500 which
had been rendered against him, testified that
he was nearly a million dollars in the hole
as a result of his i{iany business ventures.
“I am worse than broke,” said Considine
when questioned as to his financial status.
“I am personally responsible for debts of
nine hundred thousand owed by the firm
of Sullivan & Considine, and besides l have
private debts totalling over thirty thousand
dollars.”
-«
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF
YOUNG SLEEP WALKER
VANCOUVER, Wash., Nov. 30.—Delbert
Lee, a somnambulist, walked through a win
dow while asleep and fell a distance of
twenty-five feet a few days ago. The boy.
who is only 10 years of age, had a rib
broken and a shoulder sprained, but did not
even awake with the fall. He stated later
that he dreamt that the house was on fire.
-♦
AFGHAN WAR STARTED
BERLIN, Nov. 24.—Afghanistan is pre
paring to war against the British posses
sions in India, according to telegrams re
ceived by the Overseas News Agency from
Constantinople. “Fighting on the Afghan
frontier,” the Turkish advices' add, “already
has begun at several places.”
-*
WIFE OF RAILROAD BUILDER
NEAR TO DEATH’S DOOR
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.—Mrs. Thomas
Riggs, wife of Thomas Riggs, Jr., of the
Alaska engineering commission, gave birth
to a son here yesterday. She was near to
death when a quart of blood from her hus
band’s veins was transfused into her sys
tem. and both are now slowly recovering.
CONSCRIPTION IN ENGLAND
WILL SOON BE IN EFFECT
LONDON, Dec. 30.—The British cabinet has de
cided in favor of compulsory military service. It is
not believed that any of the ministers will resign be
cause of the decision.
Broad hints of a revolution in England should con
scription be ordered are made in this morning’s
Daily News.
Unmarried Men to Be Forced to Enlist
LONDON, Dec. 29.—The government next week
will be given power to force unmarried men into the
army.
Cabinet Hangs by a String
LONDON, Dec. 28.—The Asquith cabinet is
hanging by a string upon the conscription issue.
Winston Churchill has suddenly returned from the
front.
Lloyd George announces that he is ready to resign
unless unmarried men are forced to enlist.
A.
CONGRESSMEN IMPLICATED IN CONSPIRACY
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.—Congressman Buchanan
of Illinois, former Congressman Fowler of Illinois,
and former Attorney General Monett of Ohio were
today indicted by the federal grand jury on a charge
of conspiracy to foment strikes in American war
munitions plants.
It is expected that all will appear in the cities
where they reside and enter pleas.
-
NOTED WELFARE WORKER IN TROUBLE
ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. X).—Thomas Osborn, the
millionaire warden of Sing Sing prison, has been in
dicted and confined in the Westchester county jail,
awaiting an investigation cf the conditions at Smg
Sing. He will be removed from office as soon as his
successor can be named.
Successor Appointed
ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 31.-—Thomas Mott Osborne,
warden of Sing Smg prison, is charged wath neglect
of duty and immoral conduct. His successor, in the
oerson of George W. Kirkhway, former dean of the
Columbia law school, has been appointed by the
governor.
-4,
DISSENSION AMONG FORD PEACE PARTY
STOCKHOLM, Dec. 27.—Governor Hanna of
North Dakota h?iS deserted the kord peace party, as
has also Mrs. Boussevaine. Dissension threatens to
disrupt the entire mission.
Denmark Not Very Cordial
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 28.—The Ford expedition
s expected to arrive here tomorrow. The govern
ment will prohibit them from holding meetings.
-♦
PLANS TO STOP SOUTHERN “REVOLUTIONS”
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—Secretary of State
Lansing has suggested that all nations which com
pose the Pan-American Union join in a convention
agreeing to the arbitration of all boundary disputes
and the prohibition cf sh pments of munitions of war
to revolutionists.
-♦
NOTABLES DEPART ON SAME STEAMSHIP
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.—Captain Boy-Ed, the dis
missed German naval attache; Colonel House, who
Is on a secret mission to European capitals from
President Wilson, and Brand Whitlock, the American
minister to Belgium, sailed yesterday for Europe on
the steamship Rotterdam.
AUSTRIAN FLEET MEETS WITH DISASTER
PARIS, Dec. 30.—The allied squadron has been
victorious in a battle with the Austrian fleet off Du
razzo. It is claimed to be officially stated that one
Austrian destroyer struck a mine and sank and an
other was sunk by gunfire. The remainder of the
squadron escaped.
-♦
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS OF THE CONFLICT
Many Lost When Cruiser Sinks
LONDON, Dec. 31.—The British cruiser Natal has
been sunk in port from an internal explosion. Heavy
loss of life is feared.
The Thunderer as War Director
LONDON, Dec. 31 —The Times advocates the
proposition that Kitchener be sent to the East, and
claims the war disasters are due to lack of unity,
Still Hammering Dardanelles
CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 29.—An enemy aero
plane has been brought down by artillery fire at the
Dardanelles.
Turkish Positions Bombarded
A British battleship, with two cruisers and eight
torpedo boats, has bombarded the Turkish positions,
inflicting little damage.