I
fl LAND 0 m 11 gold! COAL
COPPER
OF THE LAST FISH
FRONTIER
the ALASKA EVENING POST .
Volume XI. Number 141. ~ SEWARD, ALASKA, THURSDAY, MAY 3,1917_Ten Cento the Copy
75 NORW GIAN SHIPS
“SUBBED” IN APRIL
(B? Unitad Statea Cable)
CHRISTIANIA, Thursday, May 3. — Seventy-five
Norwegian vessels were sunk by German submarines dur
ing April and 100 sailors lost their lives.
If the same monthly loss is maintained Norway’s mer
chant navy will lie entirely destroyed in a year and a half.
The foreign office announced today the sinking of the
Norwegian steamships Hectoria and Gangland.
$150,000 FOR ALASKAN RIVERS
AND HARBORS IN THE BILL NOW
BEING CONSIDERED BY HOUSE
(Bt United Statta Cable)
WASHINGTON. Thursday, May 3.—The tentative
waterways bill of the house rivers and harbors committee
includes, in addition to the items already published regard
ing Alaska, the completion of the impovement of the har
bor at Nome, for which $150,000 is called for, and also the
improvement upon the mouth of the Yukon at an expense
of $45,000. . _
FOREIGN MINISTER RESIGNS HIS POST
(By United State* Cable)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Thursday, May 3.—Dr. Lauro
Muller tendered his resignation as minister of foreign af
fairs today. _
GERMANY SALUTES ARGENTINE FLAG
*By United State# Cable)
BUENOS AIRES, Thursday, May 3.—Germany has
given Argentina full satisfaction for the sinking of ves
sels and has saluted the Argentine flag.
RIOTS ON REBEWON ANNIVERSARY
LONDON, Thursday, May 3.—There were many riots
in Dublin Monday, it being the anniversary of the rebel
lion and of the hoisting of the Sein Fein flag.
U. S. SENDS AMBULANCES TO FRANCE
WASHINGTON, Thursday, May 3.—The United
States is to send 3,000 ambulances and 7,700 physicians
and drivers to France, the council of national defense an
nounced today.
The first unit, consisting of 22 ambulances and medi
cal men, will leave in about three weeks.
U. S. CABLE INTERRUPTED NEAR SITKA
The United States cable between Valdez and Sitka
was interrupted this afternoon and up to press time was
still out of working order. As long as this condition pre
vails all press and private communications will have to go
to Cordova via wireless and then be cabled from there.
All cable news appearing in the paper today was received
this morning. _
ADMIRAL FARRAGUT
HERE FROM SOUTH
_ i
The Admiral Farragut arrived thisj
afternoon from the south with the fol
lowing passengers for this port: C.
F. Agen, A. M. Hewitt, G. G. Boe, E.
L. Davis, L. P. Starr, Mrs. Starr, E.|
O. Sawyer, Jr.. William Cannovan, G.
A. Tborsen and 12 steerage.
WORK BEGINS ON
NEW DEPOT SITE
The work of clearing the ground
for the depot started yesterday and
the place has taken on a different ap
pearance already. All the brush has
been removed and after the elimina
tion of a few stumps the excavating
will commence. H. B. Stites is in
charge of the work.
DEVELOPMENT WORK
! TO BE COMMENCED
| BY R.R. COMMISSION
Development work in the Matanuska coal fields is be
i
ins speeded up as the results of efforts by chambers ol
: commerce and interested firms on the Pacific coast in
: answer to a personal appeal for cooperation by the Sew
I ard Chamber of Commerce.
. George Watkins Evans, U. S. district mining engi
I neer, with headquarters at Seattle, passed through on the
Admiral Farragut en route to the fields to take prelimi
nay steps to opening the units in the Chickaloon region.
Evans had not intended to come north until during
July, but was advised by wire last week by Van H. Man
ning, director of the bureau of mines, to start at once.
On this trip Evans will act as consulting engineer to
the Alaskan Engineering Commission in regard to open
ing certain units for the purpose of supplying fuel to the
U. S. railroad and possibly for a far more important ser
vice. He will also act as consulting engineer for any of
the lessees holding units who desire government aid in
determining the best way to open their ground.
Evans, who is a coal mining engineer of wide exper
ience, is the best informed man in the country on the coal
deposits of Alaska, having supervised the mining and
tests in the Matanuska field for the navy department in
1913, the tests in the Nenana fields and investigations for
private interests in the Bering fields several years back.
Most of the information on which the government leas
ing reports and regulations are based was supplied by
Evans and it was in recognition of this sendee that the
position of district engineer for the northwestern states
and Alaska was tendered him by Director Manning, the
appointment having been made in December.
In discussing the naval coal tests at Matanuska Evans
gives the credit to his crew of competent coal miners from
the state of Washington for the splendid mining results
obtained, but declares Jack Dalton deserves the greatest
credit for surmounting many obstacles in getting the coal
transported to tidewater, thus enabling a successful com
pletion of the test.
When the writer was with Evans at Matanuska in
1913 he stated that it was his contention that the field
should be thoroughly tested in order to determine the ex
act extent and lay of the coal seams. Present reports are
from measurements and estimates based on the many out
croppings in the field. While these may have been suffi
cient for preliminary work, he said it would be necessary
that extensive prospecting be done.
“The policy of the bureau, as set forth by the direc
tor, is to give all aid possible to lessees,” said Evans. Those
desiring advice should at once address Mr. Manning from
whom I receive instructions. I will be in the field for a
month and possibly longer.”
Need for immediate action to avoid loss of time be
tween the completion of the railroad from Seward to the
coal fields and the opening of actual mining was pointed
out to interested commercial bodies and others through
efforts of the local chamber. Immediate cooperation was
forthcoming and strong representations were made at
Washington through many channels for fear this import
ant matter would be overlooked in the rush of preparation
for war. The need of Matanuska coal as a fuel supply for
the navy was shown and most satisfactory results are
promised.
LEGISLATURE WILL PROBABLY VOTE
TWO-THIRDS OF SCHOOL EXPENSE
Word has been received that the
legislature at Juneau will probably
decide to have the territory bear two
thirds of the district school expenses.
The senate bill, which has already
been passed, allows for 75 per cent,
while the one passed by the house is
in favor of only 40 per cent.
It is absolutely necessary that a
bill of this nature be passed to pro
vide funds for our schools, and the
only hitch in the whole procedure is
to determine what proportion of the
expenses will be paid by the territory.
Tw'o-thirds is looked for as a com
promise amount.
i
THOMAS WOULD HANG
ALL FOOD SPECULATORS
• . % ■■■ ■■■■— i
Washington, Thursday, Mav 3 - The President told
the delegation of Governors yesterday that he was glad
that we were associated in the task of making good at
what the* nation promised; to go to the defense of the
rights of the people everywhere, and to live as we have a
right to live under the principles of the nation.
Senator Thomas in a speech before the Senate advoca
the hanging of food speculators.
Fish Commissioner Smith told the senate committee
that in the fisheries of Alaska they can find millions of
pounds of food for war emergency
___A
INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY AND
PROSPERITY IS ASSURED AFTER
CLOSE OTWAR IS REPORT
WASHINGTON, Thursday, May 3.—The United
States is entering a period of unprecedented prosperity,
and the government leaders, who are guiding the desti
nies of the nation in the present war crisis, are convinced
that if the people will keep cool for a few weeks until the
first shock of the entrance into war is over and continue
their business as usual, they will witness an amazing in
dustrial activity which will bring prosperity to all classes.
-A
“I HAVE COME OVER TO DO MY
SHARE,” SAYS HOOVER IN N. Y.
NEW YORK, Thursday, May 3.—Delegate Hoover
arrived today and stated that the submarine activity of
Germany is precipitating a condition of starvation in Bel
gium and Northern France.
He also reports that of late, because of the food short
age, the mortality in the Belgium industrial districts has
been multiplied by three.
Hoover said he would go immediately to Washing
ton to take charge of the government’s food control pro
gram.
“Like every good American,” said Hoover, “I have
come over to do my share. My new duty is too big a prop
osition to discuss at this time.”
‘BACK TO THE
SOIL’ IS URGED
BY SEC. LANE
Secretary of the Interior Lane is
sending the following notice to peo
ple who have land under the various
reclamation projects throughout the
Western United States:
“Project people, do you realize that
there are 700,000 acres of land on our
projects for which reservoirs are built,
ditches dug, and water ready, which
have not yet been tilled? Do you
realize that this area if put into crop
would add $15,000,000 worth of food
i
in a single year?
“Loyalty and patriotism, as well as
economic necessity, demand that you
get busy and put this land into food
j crops this year and next. The United
States cannot peifoim her just func
tion in the world o sis in which we
are now’ precipitated unless our farm
ers do their full duty.
“These 700,000 acres should be sup
porting 20,000 families this year, as
well as supplying food for an army
division at the front. Here is a great
opportunity for our citizens to render
assistance. These l&nd'i are not pub
l
lie lands. They belong to private own
ers, and if they do not utilize their
property, the time may not be far off
when our national needs will require
confiscation and government cultiva
tion. No one is entitled to that which
he does not use."
-♦
BOATS AND TRAINS
v. ..... -—
The Admiral Farragut arrived at
1:30 o’clock this afternoon.
The Northwestern will sail for Se
attle and way ports tomorrow.
The Mariposa is due tomorrow aft
ernoon at 1 o'clock.
The train left for Mile 34 at 9
o’clock this morning.
-*
Trails
Trails fair. Temperature 30 at
Mile 52, 44 at Kern Creek. Weather
clear, wind south.
| -*