SEWARD:—The ^Gateway to the Land of Opportunity—The Hunters’ Paradise—The Homesteaders’ Land of Promise
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---1 JL The Gateway
The Gateway ’'-% to the
to the |1?1 1 ill II 1 Kenai, Knik, Broad Pass
Great Coal Fields of %f Gold Fields
Matanuska ^ I1 V .J
---^ dttoi lourik nAii ▼ UTrKPT SUNDAY LARGEST ALASKAN CIRCULATION
ADVERTISEMENTS BRING RESULTS PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUN pat ________
\>. No. 1111 SEWARD, THE GATEWAY TO ALASKA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, UH5. ___l<n "" *
MONEY ASKED MAY BE USED TO BUY SEWARD R. R.
LANE NEGOTIATING ALL THE WEEK
WITH ALASKA NORTHERN MEN
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.—That actual construction
work on the Alaska railroad will be proceeding in June is
the statement of Secretary Lane of the Interior depart
ment. What is of the greatest interest to Alaskans here is
that the representative of the Alaska Northern railroad
has been in consultation with Lane all the week. Every
thing has been kept wth extraordinary secrecy but the
stenographic account of Lane’s remarks before the ap
propriation committee of the house was made public today
and it throws a far clearer light on the whole matter
The report shows that Lane told the committee that
he wanted to begin actual construction work in June on
whatever route would be selected. Chairman Fitzegerald
of the appropriations committee asked Mr. Lane if it was
his intention to have enough money to purchase a road
and also to proceed with the construction. To this the
secretary answered ‘‘yes” and went on to say that he
wanted only enough money to make a deposit if it was de
cided to purchase a railroad. Mr. Lane also stated that he
wanted to proceed immediately to get out the coal from
the Alaska fields. The remainder of the remarks of Mr.
Lane hardly throw any light on other phases of the ques
ton . The extraordinary secrecy that is being maintained
is being commented on generally. Even the officials of the
interior department have been ordered to giveout no in
formation. This very secrecy is accepted by the newspap
er men at the capitol as clearly showing that the whole
■ — . .. ..
RUSSIANS TURN TABLES
PETROGRAD, Feb. 6.—The Russians have succeeded
in turning the tables on the Germans in the battle for
Warsaw and are now taking a strenuous offensive instead
of remaining on the defensive as they have been for sever
al weeks. In a counter attack threatening the German
flank the Russians were quite successful and succeeded
in crossing the Bzura river in spite of opposition. The
Germans were driven out of several positions and the
savage assaults that have been delivered by Hindenburg
for some time have not only come to an end but he is now
on the defensive. On all the eastern front in the past two
days the Russians have been successful entirely except in
the southern part of the Carpathian mountains.
CZAR TO THE FRONT
PETROGRAD, Feb. 5.—The czar left for the front
this morning and will remain for some time. He was es
corted from the city by a regiment of dragoons and im
mediately after leaving the confines of the city his where
abouts were hidden. His location during his absence will
be kept entirely quiet as a precaution against attacks by
German airmen.
BRITAIN HAS 3,000.000 MEN
LONDON, Feb. 5.—In the army estimates made pub
lic today it is seen that Great Britain now has three mil
lion men ready for military service. All those men are
either now undergoing training in the different camps
throughout the country or having already been trained
and sent to the battle front on the continent. The army
of three million is believed to be all that will be required
but the full number will be kept up by constant recruiting.
SAY AUSTRIANS WON
LONDON, Feb. 6.—The dispatches from the front
today show that the Russians have been repulsed by the
Austrians at Stry Pass where the Russians were making
one of their main efforts to penetrate into Transylvania.
The Austrian success will probablyy have considerable ef
fect on the Roumanians as they had been expecting the
Russians to advance to their border in Bukowina and
Transylvania and so bringing about a joining of forces if
Roumania finally declared war. With the exception of
the check in the southern Carpathians the Russians have
been successful everywhere in the past few days.
matter has been decided upon, as, they conclude, there
would be no necessity for such secrecy if there were noth
ing important to be kept secret. The fact that the repre
sentative of the Alaska Northern has been in such close
! consultation with Lane for a whole week is apparently a
matter of the greatest possible significance to the Alas
kans. The fact taken in conjunction with Mr. Lane’s ex
pressed desire to be able to make a deposit if a railroad is
purchased is believed to be highly important.
Many other statements have been made that are in
teresting in relation to the railroad but so much has been
said and printed on the matter that is not fact that most
of the new stories must be received with caution. The
only absolutely positive testimony is that contained in the j
report of the secretary’s statement before the committee
But. besides hinting that he wanted the money to make
a deposit on the purchase price he said nothing except]
that he desired to begin the work at once to the coal fields.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.—Secretary
Lane stated officially today that he
wants the construction work on the
Alaska government railroad to start
in June and that his object is to get to
the coal fields as soon as possible.
Nothing further can be told about the
other matters relating to the road
The same doubt still exists as to the
intention with regard to the purchase
of existing roads. However, the state
ment that actual work will start in
June is taken by Alaskans here as the
chief thing worth knowing.
Richard S. Ryan has come forward
with an offer to build a railroad from
Controller Bay to coal fields and says
it can be done in forty miles. Wheth
er the people at Ryan’s back are real
ly willing to put up the money or not
cannot be told but it is stated that
their chief aim is to prevent the gov
ernment from purchasing the Copper
River and Northwestern.
GUNS HEARD AFAR OFF
BUT NOT CLOSE IN.
GENEVA, Feb. 5.—Scientists are
endeavoring to explain the peculiar
phenomena by which the artillery fire
of the armies near the Swiss border
can be plainly heard in the Bernese
Alps, while there are zones of dience
fully 25 miles wide.
The cannonading in Southern Al
sace can be heard with great distinct
ness near the frontier on the Swiss
side, then for some distance it can
not be heard at all, while on the Jung
frau and other peaks it is so pla;n
that it seems to come from some point
far inside the frontier.
Dr. Quereanin of Zurich, a noted
physicist, has given considerable
study to these zones of silence, but
has not yet found any good reason
for them.
A fire occurred last night in the flue
of the house occupied by Mrs. Cam
eron and the fire department was cal
led out. The damage was very slight.
I- T
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT
RAILROAD MATTER OUTSIDE.
Seattle Star Thinks Morgan is Try
ing to Beat Uncle
Sam.
Just to show how the sale of exist
ing railroads in Alaska is viewed out
side the following article from the
Seattle Star of Jan. 20 is enlighten
ing;
The Copper River & Northwestern
Railroad crosses the Copper river on
a $2,000,000 steel bridge a short dis
tance below the Childs glacier. A
short distance indeed! The north
prong of that ice river has just advan
ced 1,660 feet in a single year, and at
present is only 400 feet from the
bridge!
Another Season’s progress will
bring it to the Abutments of that
man-reared structure and crush it like
a fly under the thumb of a blacksmith
The railroad, if it wishes, can build
a new bridge 500 feet lower down.
That would cost another $2,000,000,
and when the ice flow crossed the
narrow intervening strip, away would
go another fortune.
Beyond that, topographical hind
rances stand in the way of any furth
er evasions of nature’s mandate “Thou
Shalt Not Enter Here.’’
Five miles up the river the railroad
encounters even a more serious ob
stacle. For five and a half miles it
runs across the face of the Allen
glacier—not in front of it, or along
side of it,but on top the naked ice.
And Allen Glacier has started a rapid
advance. The tracks are thrown fre
quently out of alignment, and in short
iime, if the flow continues, traffic will
be an impossibility, repairs or re
construction a travesty.
On the east side of the stream the
choice of alternative route is impos
sible by the towering eight-mile face
of Miles glacier. And it, too, is ad
vancing.
The world’s great geologists be
lieve in what is known as the Bruch
SEVERAL BATTLES IN WEST
PARIS, Feb. 6.—Several battles were fought at points
along the front in France and Flanders today and yester
day. The Germans attacked near Arras but made no head
way. There was also heavy fighting at Altkirch in Alsace
where the Germans were repulsed. East of Rheims the
French delivered several attacks and made some gains.
GERMANY HOLDS TOBACCO
BERLIN, Feb. 6.—The exportation of tobacco from
German territory has been prohibited by an order of the
government promulgated today. In other lines there are,
about to take place similar steps as a precaution.
! CARNEGIE TESTIFIES
BEFORE COMMISSION.
Says Labor and Capital Will all be
Regarded as the Same
Some Day.
NEW YORK, Feb. 6.—Carnegie and .
Rockefeller were the witnesses before
tho Industrial Relations commission
yesterday. They were chiefly quest
ioned with relation to the “founda
tions” for the aiding the poor and each
warmly declared that the Foundations
were good institutions. Carnegie sta
ted that up to the end of last year he
had donated for charity three hunderd j
and fifty millions of dollars. Another
noteworthy remark made by him was
that in his opinion the time will come
when capital and labor will be all the
same. Rockefeller declared that he
had not interested himself in the
strike in Colorado because at that
time he had retired from business.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS
REMAIN ABOUT SAME.
The report of the collector of Cus
toms for the port of Juneau which
has just arrived shows that the im
ports for the last year for the who’e
torritory amounted to $26,849,944.
The exports for the year amounted to
$44,614,696.
The imports for each of the past
three years were either twenty six
millions or twenty five millions. The
exports for the three years were also
in the forty millions.
REAL ESTATE EXCHANGE
OF SEWARD FOUNDED.
At Meeting Last Night all Real Es
tate Firms Decided to
Organize.
The Real Estate Exchange of Sew
ard is the name of the organization
established at a meeting of the real
estate men of the city last night. The
object of the organization is to regu
late the realty business and to have
uniform charges etc.
According to rules laid down the
vendor of real estate will be required
to pay commission, deed, abstract and
war tax, while the purchaser will pay
for the recording. Purchaser and
vendor will divide the cost of escro
agreements. A regular commission
fee has also been fixed on. G. B.
Poindexter is president and B. R.
Labaree is secretary of the new or
ganization. The meeting was held
in the Whitehead company's office.
PARIS, Feb. 6.—The touring Club
of France has issued notice that its
certification shall be withdrawn from
every hotel that does not agree in
writing never again to employ Ger
man or Austrian help.
ner theory of glacial retreat and ad
vance. Without going into the techni
cal angles of this hypothesis, be it
said it holds that sun spots and other
factors that influence climate oscil
late in 35 years swings of a rainfall
and temperature pendulum.
Nearly 40 years ago the glaciers in
all parts of the world began to melt
faster than they built up, and then to
retreat. This was due to a lessening
of the rainfall and snowfall at their
sources.
For 35 years the retreat continued.
A few years ago the pendulum swung,,
majestically, unmistakably, and now
the ice rivers are growing longer,
thicker, more terrible.
In just a few years the Child’s anu
the Mile’s no doubt will be debouching
their swollen torrents of rock and ice
into one grinding mill over the very;
right of way where the Morgans laid ^
their rails.
No wonder J. Pierpont the younger
wants to sell,—to esay going old
Uncle Sam.
MAKE SOLDIERS
OFJDLE MEN
BILL INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS
TO TRAIN THE UN
EMPLOYED.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.—Repre
sentative Loft of New York introduc
ed in congress today a bill providing
for the taking of a census of the un
employed and authorizing the presi
dent to utilize them on public works
where part of the work would be a
daily drill in military matters. The
intention of the sponsor if the bill is
to create an armed reserve while at
the same time aiding the men them
selves. The bill is one of the most
striking evidence of the increasing be
lief in the east that this country must
be better prepared for war.
VILLA MAY AGAIN TRY
TO CAPTURE CAPITAL.
Self Appointed President Said to be
Preparing to Gather
Big Army.
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 6.—The an
nouncement by Villa that he is presi
dent of Mexico is regarded as making
certain another attempt to capture
this city. He is reported to bo taking
the preliminary steps for the gather
ing of a big army and the continua
tion of war is, of course, sure. The
affairs of this city are orderly at pres
ent.
ALAMEDA AT CORDOVA.
The Alameda is due to arrive at
Cordova this evening at six o’clock
according to word received by Agent
Guptil.
CHIEF OF POLICE AT
JUNEAU GETS TIRED.
JUNEAU.—‘T was tired of being
the target of abusive complaints, and
I did not care for the council’s inveti
gation. That’s why I resigned."
Chief of Police William M. McBride
made this statement to The Empire
this morning. His resignation as head
of the police department was deliver
ed to F. Wooland, chairman of the
police committee of the municipal
council, at 6 o'clock last eveing. The
council is expected to accept the
resignation which is effective Feb
ruary 1, and name a new chief at its
next meeting. There are 15 or 20
applicants for the position.—Empire.
LONDON, Feb. 6.—The action of
the Duchess of Marlborough in having
the roof of Sunderland House fortified
against aerial attacks has started a
fashion that has spread far from May
fair. Guests in a private hotel in
Kensington recently appealed to the
proprietor to keep the cellars of the
hotel permantly warmed, so they
would finds things comfortable in
event of a Zeppelin raid.
It is reported that thirty London
householders with extra cellar space
have sublet it at so much per raid.
This business has been stimulated by
the warning of the War Office that in
event of a German bombardment
people should get underground.
GERMANS AT WORK.
LONDON, Feb. 5.—The Portuguese
government according to London ad
vices has prohibited the admission to
the country of German war propo
ganda in the form of pamphlets, circu
lars, or books. Literature of this des
cription has been scattered broadcast
througout the country recently by
German agencies located in Barcelona
and other Spanish centers.
u;al mint* LArLuaiu.>
CAUSES TEN DEATHS.
One Hundred nnd Sixty Eight Minora
Caught in West Vir
ginia Town.
“FAYETTEVILL, W. Va., Feb. 6.-~
One hundred and sixty eight miners
were caught in a coal mine explosion
here today but all escaped with the
exception of ten men.
WARSHIPS TO BE BUILT
ON THE WEST COAST.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.—It was
stated today in connection with the
passing of the naval appropriations
that three destroyers will bo construc
ted in yards on the Pacific coast.
BILL SIGNED MAKING
ARKANSAS DRY.
LITTLE ROCK, Feb. 6.—Governor
Hays today signed the bill making
Arkansas a dry state.
DIPLOMATS MAY QUIT
MEXICO ALTOGETHER.
Dis-Satisfied with the Manner in which
Carranza is Running
Things.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.—There is
very good reason to believe that all
the foreign diplomats in Mexico are
now discussing the desirability of
quitting the republic altogether chief
ly because of the manner in which
Carranza is treating them. Carranza
is now apparently successful in the
effort to grab the reins of power and
the star of Villa seems to be ir the de
scendant although he has taken on
himself the title of president. It may
be that he will try to follow out his
old idea of dividing Mexico into two
seperate governments.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR
TWO BATTLE SHIPS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.—The nav
al appropriations bill has passed. It
provides for tw*o battleships at a cost
of seven millions and a half each. 7 ho
appropriations total thirty one million
dollars.
SOLID TRAINLOAD OF
AUTOS FOR BUICK CO.
SEATTLE, Feb. 6.—The first solid
special trainload of automobiles ship
to the Pacific Northwest arrived in
Seattle on Friday last, and were un
loaded by the Northwest Buick Comp
any, local distributors.
MILLION AND A HALF
ALREADY FROM CANAL.
PANAMA, Feb. 6.—The tolls col
lected in the Panama canal up to the
end of December amounted to a total
of a million and a half.
SLAYERS BELIEVED
HAD GOLD BURIED.
The body of Louis Schonbom, the
Shushanna trader, murdered a few
days ago, was found in a deserted cab
in near the beach, where he had evi
dently been dragged after being shot.
Keys were missing from his person, it
is suppossed the slayer believed that
Schonbom had a cache of gold around
his store. The slayer had not been
found at last reports. Mr. Schonbom
was a man about 62 years old, an old
“sourdough” and came here from
Dawson at the time of the rush into
the Shushanna.—Cordova Alaskan.
Beginning Monday February 8th
; the Troy laundry invities everyone to
bring their bundles and take advant
age of the reduced rates in gent’s
| wearing apparel. 6th ave., next Sew
ard hotel.