The Terminus of Alaska’s Thirty-five Million Dollar Government Owned Railroad System
— ~I~l The Gateway
The Gateway . ..
to the
_ _v° . 1. , Kenai, Knik, Broad Pass
Great Coal Fields of ’ ’
„ . . Gold Fields
Matanuska |___J
— — nuni ,onm\ w\ t n v vyi'Ppt ttiiwriAV LARGES! ALASKAN CIRCLLAIION
ADVERTISEMENTS BUNG RESULTS _PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY _______
v„| t No 257 SEWARD, THE GATEWAY TO ALASKA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1915.____Ten Centi the Copy
G1MANS START CAMPAIGN TAKE VERDUN
RUSSIA PROBES HER
MONITION SHORTAGE
STOP MAIL TO BELGll'M
WASHINGTON, August 13.—The
mail service to uiul from Belgium
has been suspended with the excep
tion of letter postals which are not en
closed in envelopes and can be read
at a glance. When this fact became
known here it was immediately sur
mised that the reason can only be
that Germany is preparing for some
new move against the western allies
and that secrecy is necessary.
TRY TO TAKE \ ERDl N
PARIS, August 13.—The Crown
Prince has inaugurated a new cam-,
paign for the taking of the great
French fortress of Verdun which has
stood like a rock since the first in
vasion and held back the German tide.
The word tide aptly suggests the posi
tion of the fortress. When the vast
German line advanced into France,
Verdun was encountered near the
place where France. Germany and
Belgium come together. The Teutons
like the tide, passed by on either side
but the rock still stood in the center
ami so it has remained. The Ger
mans art4 now to the north, east and
west of the fortress and are trying to
close in from both sides at the south
near St. Mihiel but there the French
have struggled like Trojans to keep
open the Teutonic jaws which when
snapped would isolate the great fort
ifications. The Crown Prince has
evidently brought up great German
seige guns now and is delivering a
terrific cannonade. The fall of the
fortress would mean the weakening
of the French line and the letting
loose of a German avalanche in that
quarter but General Joflfre is determ
ined to hold back the flood at all cost.
The attack is now proceeding
furiously.
IT ILIANS TAKE MOUNTAIN
ROME, August 13.—At the point
of the bayonet the Italians have cap
tured Mount Seibusi from the
Austrians. The hill commands a vast
extent of territory and has been
fought for during several days of the
most intense fighting. Before the as
sault our artillery shelled the position
for nearly twenty-four hours and
weakened the defenses.
LONDON DENOUNCES BALKANS
LONDON, August 13.—The news
papers of this city are now indulging
in bitter denunciation of what they
call the petty quarrels of Bulgaria
and Servia that have kept the former
out of the war ami have prevented
the latter from making the conces
sions that would secure for the allies
MARIPOSA BRINGS MANY
AND MUCH FREIGHT.
The Mariposa arrived this morning
at 9:15. She brought 32 passengers
and 184 tons of freight for this place.
One hundred tons go west on the .
Santa Ana and the remaining 84 tons
are local. Those arriving on the
Mariposa are:
L. E. Carr, Arthur Mack, Miss
Elizabeth Boyle, Mrs. L. Nielson,
Mrs. E. P. Ziegler and child, H. W.
WikotT, Jean Hunter, S. Scott, Mrs. L.
Howell, Martha Bope, F, Frank and
* wife, T. R. Glass and wife, Mrs.
Smith, Mrs. E. R. Gray, A. Paxley,
Mrs. M. Burns, Benj. Denny, J. L.
Scofield, A. L. Anderson and wife,
Miss L. Partle, Mrs. G. Partle, Ed.
Pearson, Miss A. Blaids and 5 steer
age.
The round trippers are: E, G.
• Stacy, Miss E. Stacy, D. Stacy, C.
Stacy and wife, Miss M. Love, Miss
Aydelott, A. Mack, J. Byrne. Miss E.
h. Coputed, Mrs. W. L. Woodring,
Russel Walls, J. G. Edmonson, A. N.
Anderson, C. Mendal and wife, Miss
I. B. Prince, A. S. Caldwell, John
Morgan, and W. P. W'aggoner.
the aid of the fine Bulgarian army. A
commission has been appointed by
the govermnment to go into the sub
ject in the hope that some means of
reaching an agreement between the
two nations mentioned might be se
cured. There is still a strong hope
that the Balkan states might enter
the war.
RUSSIA PROBES MUNITIONS
PKTROGRAD, August 13.—The
government has commenced a probe
into the causes for the shortage of
ammunition which has brought at
least temporary disaster on our
armies. It has been surmised that
German agencies were the cause but
an uneasy feeling exists in some
quarters that corruption of Russian
officials might be at the bottom of the
whole matter. The sentiment is so
strong now on this question that the
death of a traitor awaits any Rus
sian subject found guilty.
GERMAN FLEET HAS LIBAU
PKTROGRAD, August 13.—The
German Baltic fleet has now occupied
Libau and is using it as a base for
operations against the Russian fleet
and the Russian coast further east.
Severe condemnation of the Russian
naval authorities is being voiced for
their failure to have provided an ade
quate force of submarines which
might have made the Baltic danger
ous for the Teutonic ships. The
opinion is gaining ground that Ger
many really now is preparing for a
vast movement against this capital
but military minds are inclined to the
belief that such an undertaking would
prove itself to be the rock on which
Germany would split.
JEWS APPEAL TO U. S.
BERLIN, August 13.—The Jewish
people of the German empire have
prepared an appeal to the United
States government to prevent the
shipment of munitions of war from
that nation to the allied belligerents.
I'he appeal is made on the ground of
i fellow democratic feeling and those
>f humanity which, the appeal says,
is menaced by the principle that when
nations go to war all other nations
may take part in the slaughter in
iUrectly.
MORE BRITISH GOLD COMES
NEW YORK. August 13.—Other
shipments of British gold are now
on the way from Africa and Australia.
The last shipment came from London
via Canada and amounted to a hun
dred millions.
COMMISSIONER RIGGS
GOES ON MARIPOSA.
Commissioner Thomas Riggs, of
the Government Engineering Commis
sion, did not go on the Evans as
some personal effects of his which
were to have come from Anchorage
were delayed. He will leave on the
Mariposa and expects to make up
time by cutting across on the stage
from Valdez.
SPECIAL FEATURE
TONIGHT AT CASINO.
The best vaudeville act that ever
came to Seward, arrived this morning
on the Mariposa. Oscar Wilkings,
styles himself as the Knoxville
Minstrels, the one man band and he
is all that the name implies. He will
appear at the Casino Theatre tonight
in both shows.
Owing to the expense in getting
this act the prices will be raised to
fifty cents.
CAPTAIN ROBERTS DEAD.
SEATTLE, August 13.—Captain
George Roberts, organizer of the
Alaska Steamship company, died here
yesterday.
MORE TROUBLE
FORTHE CITY
CITIZENS NOT SATISFIED WITH
CUT THREATEN TO
INVOKE LAW.
That Seward is now’ faced with the
serious danger of going without
money enough to run itself this year
is a statement that can be made on
the authority of some taxpayers who
declared this afternoon that they now’
contemplate protesting the assess
ment and bringing the matter before
the courts. These statements were
made after it became known that a
twenty-five per cent reduction had
been made in the assessment of real
estate. This reduction has evidently
not satisfied some of the largest prop
erty holders and a movement is now
actually afoot amongst them to dis
cover whether a sufficient number can
be found to protest and appeal to the
courts.
This action would be most serious
and. even if necessary, would be re
grettable as it means nothing less
than that the city taxes could not be
collected until the courts had decided
the question at issue and the city
would be left without funds for its
most ordinary purposes. The dis
satisfied taxpayers would be required
first to protest to the equalization
board and afterwards to lodge an ap
peal in the court against the valua
tion. Even from this decision of the
court an appeal could be taken and
the time consumed might hold up th**
payment of taxes for the whole year.
It is said that the taxpayers would
be sure to win as, they say, they can
clearly show that the city council
squandered the money of the muni
cipal treasury wantonly. The city
council would be compelled to prove
that it provided the city with a com
petent government and this, the dis
satisfied taxpayers declare, the coun
cil cannot do. The whole thing is
very regrettable and if the question
really comes before the courts and
the city cannot provide the necessary
funds there will be nothing but
sympathy for most of the members
of the municipal governing body.
However, as the whole thing may
soon be in litigation and in the hands
of the people and the court there is
nothing for a newspaper to do but
merely chronicle the facts and leave
the matter to the principals. The
Gateway feels that it has done only
its duty in drawing attention to the
manner in which the city affairs were
conducted and in helping to crystal
lize public opinion. It gave early
warning but now it withdraws from
the controversy and leaves it in the
hands of the people themselves.
TO SURVEY MORE OF THE
ANCHORAGE TOWNSITF
Engineer Warner and party are on
the way to Anchorage to survey more
ground as an addition to the Anchor
age townsite as not sufficient space
has been allowed by the original sur
vey, they say. Mr. Warner has con
cluded the surveying of Seward’s
Terminal tract. The new sale of lots
at Anchorage will take place next
Monday, the 16th. inst.
■VANS ARRIVES.
The Admiral Evans arrived from
the west at 3 o’clock yesterday after
noon. She brought the following
passengers from the westward:
B. F. Watson, F. Vaughn, Victor
Effendahl, A. G. de Sherbinin, P. J.
Quilty and 2 steerage
The round trippers aboard tho
Evans were: W. W. Grayson, F. W.
Charmles, Mrs J. W. and Miss Edith
Maxwell, Miss D. Plowman, Sadie S.
Mayeey, Anna E. Sangisson, Mr and
Mrs. L. A. Howland.
J. J. Grady went over to Anchor
age on the Mariposa and will be gone
for a short time.
* •> •> <* <•
❖ RIGGS WRITES FOR *
!♦ ALL-ALASKA REVIEW. ❖
V ■ ■ 1 ■— *•*
•> In the next issue of the All- *>
❖ Alaska Review will appear an ❖
❖ article from the pen of Thomas ❖
❖ Riggs, Jr., member of the Alas- *
❖ ka Engineering Commission; ❖
♦> Mr. Riggs asked as a favor that ❖
❖ “playing up” of the fact be
•> avoid and his wish is law, but <*
<* anyone who does not read the <•
❖ article will lose a treat. That’s ❖
❖ all. x
❖ However, a statement made in •>
❖ the introduction to the article is ♦
<• so well thought out and express- <•
❖ ed that its quotation cannot be ♦
❖ avoided; *
❖ He says: ♦
❖ “The idea of an All-Alaska *
❖ Review is well conceived. Ow- •>
❖ ing to expensive telegraph tolls •>
❖ and slow-moving mails our Al- *•*
❖ aska papers of necessity are es- *
❖ sentially local in their tone, and *
❖ when a paper becomes local in •>
•> tone, as a rule, it becomes •>
❖ rabidly so. Local papers see •>
❖ little good in aiding in the devel- <•
❖ opment of a rival town and lose •>
❖ sight of the fact that any Alas- <•
❖ kan devolpment will ultimately •>
•> affect their own district. So •>
❖ when I picked up a copy of The <*
❖ All-Alaska Review in Fairbanks ❖
❖ and read excerpts from papers *
❖ from all over the North and per- *•“
❖ sonal items regarding friends of *
❖ mine in all of the four divisions •>
❖ I immediately was impressed •>
❖ with the possibilities for good *
❖ underlying such an enterprise.” *£*
❖ That phrase “rabidly local” *
❖ actually shows a touch of genius. ❖
*> •> •> ♦> ❖ *> ❖ ♦> •> •> *•* ♦
REMINGTON STRIKE HAS
AGAIN BROKEN OUT.
Machinists walk out in spite of At- 1
tempts Made to Settle
the Dispute.
BRIDGEPORT, August 13.—Just
as the country had come to the con- !
elusion that the great strike in the
Remington factories had been obviat- ,
ed the machinists have again declared (
a strike and the labor situation is
worse than ever. The former strike 1
was due to the tremendous increase -
of work owing to the great orders
received by the company from the al
lied powers for munitions of war. At
that time the heads of the company
1
declared that the disturbance was due
to German intrigue and the same
charges are now being levelled.
COUNCIL TO CUT OKU
QUARTER FROM REALTY. ‘
_ 1
Finally Conies to Conclusion that ^
Assessments were Ridic
ulously High.
__ (
The city council, sitting as a board 1
of equalization, has deceided to cut '*
twenty-five per cent from the valua- i
tion of city real estate. That body i
has at long last discovered that the .
assessment was not only ridiculously i
high but that the inflation was al- i
together unecessary. By the stated
reduction of the realty valuation it is
now learned that the city will even
then have enough to run the municip
al affairs in a reasonable manner by i
exercising more care than in the past, j
which is some consolation brought by
the publicity given the financial con
dition of the city.
PANAMA BOAT HAD NOT
REACHED ANCHORAGE.
■ 1
When the Evans, left Anchorage
Wednesday morning at 6 o’clock the
steamer bringing the equipment from
the Panama Canal had not yet ar
rived there although she had been due
two days. She had been expected on
the 9th but has probably made the
trip by this time. The probable date
of her arrival here can only be guess
ed at
NO FISH HAS
BEENWASTED
INFORMATION GIVEN TO THIS
PAPER SHOWN TO HAVE
BEEN GROUNDLESS.
The Gateway candidly admits hav
ing made a grave mistake in publish
ing an interview in which it was stat
ed that the cannery ow'ners to the
westward w'asted fish this year or any
other. The statement w as made by a
deputy game warden, and the paper
hastens to say that after a careful
survey of the conditions and after
having secured information from
other quarters it has been found that
the gentleman who gave the interview
must have been deceived. The first
intimation received of the groundless
ness of the charge came in a letter
to the Gateway from E. F. Randolph,
secretary and treasurer of the Sel
dovia Salmon company. Mr.
Randolph points out that all the fish
caught this year to the westward
would not be sufficient to cover water
through which a “boat w’ould take two
ilays to sail." He also says that Mr.
Ball, the fish commissioner, has spent
x great deal of time in Cook Inlet
energetically and conscientously in
vestigating every cannery and fish
trap and exercised the authority of
tiis office to correct everything that
was not right and proper. Having
received this letter the Gateway came
to the conclusion that it had heard
^nly one side of the story and, while
i paper is perfectly w’ithin its rights
n quoting the opinions of others,
limply as the opinions of others, it
reels that in this case it has given
publicity to statements that were not
it all well founded. The government
ifficials have seen the statement and
lave sent to the western canneries
he clipping from this paper with the
equest for a statement from the can
icry people. It has, therefore, as
sumed a somewhat serious eignifi
ance.
The truth about the canneries to
he westward is that they actually
lid not have enough fish for their
iceds this year so that the idea of
;heir wasting fish is an absurdity.
\s a matter of fact they had only
dxty per cent of their packs and all
ish would have been welcome.
One of the latest informants of the
,rue conditions is A. G. de Sherbinin,
vho returned from Seldovia yester
lay. Mr. de Sherbinin declares that
ifter a visit to the canneries there he
I
s perfectly convinced that the story
mblished in this paper about w'astc
>f fish is entirely disproved by the
‘acts. Every fish that could have
>een caught by the cannerymen to the
westward was gladly taken and that
vaste of fish would have been waste
>f money to the canneries themselves
his season. The information from
ill other sources shows this to be the ,
•eal truth and for the sake of clean .
lewspaper work alone, the Gateway
umps at the chance to give the cor
•ection greater space than the origin- j
il statement obtained.
EVANS SAILS SOUTH.
The Admiral Evans sailed south
yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock tak- 1
ng with her the following pas
sengers:
For Seattle; Miss Ruth Dean, Mr.
md Mrs. M. A. Howe, James Mur
lock, C. H. Williams and three steer
ige. For Valdez; Peter Steil and
Miss Maud Vaughn. For Cordova;
r. N. Mack and F. H. Newsome.
WATSON LEAVES CORDOVA.
The Watson leaves Cordova at 1:30
p. m. today.
SANTA ANA SAILS TOMORROW.
The Santa Ana will leave for the
west tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock.
MAY MOBILIZE THE
ENTIRE L. S. ARMY
WASHINGTON, August 13.—That
the whole United States army may be
mobilized on the Mexican border im
mediately is now admitted in official
circles. It is statqd, though, that
armed intervention will not follow for
a certainty and that it will only be
resorted to if the Mexicans persist in
ill-treatment of foreign residents. No
official statement has been made as
to the opinions held by the cabinet
with respect to the raids across the
border.
•> •> •> ❖ •> v •> ❖ •> •> ❖
THAT CABLE AGAIN *
IS ON VACATION. *
- ❖
The cable is still out of commission.
By sending around by the Canadian
line the Gateway has been able to se
cure some dispatches before going to
press, but not anything like its regu
lar amount. Do cables owned by
private companies act in that
manner ?
VOLCANOES THREATEN
THE CITY OF MESSINA.
NAPLES, August 13.—The vol
canoes are now threatening Messina
onil the people of that city are pre
paring to leave for the open country
The three mountains are still belch
ing forth lava a».d immense volumes
of smoke so that the whole country
side is affected.
%• ❖ ❖ •> •> ❖ •>
BANK OF SEWARD GETS *
BIG GOLD SHIPMENT. ❖
- ❖
Three shipments of gold were re
ceived on the Evans by the Bank of
Seward. Three hundred ,and sixty
;even ounces were received from the
Alaska Free Gold Mining Company.
I\vo hundred and fifty ounces were
received from the Independence Gobi
Mines company, and four hundred
ounces of dust were received from the
Susitna district, making a total of
nore than a thousand ounces.
ROBERTS WAS AN OLD
TIMER IN ALASKA.
Captain George Roberts, whose
leath took place yesterday in Seattle
,vas the captain of the steamer
Rosalie which used to run to Skag
.vay in the old days. He was also
•aptain of the Clallam which sank
vith a loss of eighty people between
Victoria and Seattle years ago. His
,vife died last year and the captain
lad been suffering for some time from
liabetes.
MARIPOSA TAKES FEW.
The Mariposa sails for Cook Inlet
ibout 4 o’clock this afternoon. She
;ook the following passengers for
Anchorage: A. J. Bradford, J. Frank
Warner, Harry M. Hamell, L. E.
Smoot, Tony Kobayaskhi, J. J. Grady
md William C. Edes.
WATSON DUE 6 TOMORROW.
The Watson is due here at 6 p. m.
;omorrow according to word received
>y agent Wayne Blue.
MR. EDES TO ANCHORAGE.
Chairman Wm. C. Edes, of the En
gineering Commission, left for An
:horage on the Mariposa.
DANCE.
A. B. hall, Saturday, August 14.
Music by Miss McLeod. Admission
25c each. 8-13—2t.
Mrs. E. R. Gray arrived today on
the Mariposa, and is staying at the
Seward for the time. She will move
into her house on Third avenue about
the first of the month.
BLAME HUERTA
BROWNSVILLE, August IT—
General Nafarette of the Carranza
army has issued a statement to the
effect that the supporters of Huerta
are responsible for the Mexican raids
across the border and that Carranza
himself, far from being responsible,
is actually being made the victim <>f
the machinations of his enemies. No
further raids were reported this
morning but it is expected that in
formation of more skirmishes will ar
rive here today or tomorrow.
I * * * * * * * * + *
❖ VALDEZ PEOPLE ARE *
❖ BUILDING UP FAST. *
•> -- •>
Several new buildings are now be
ing erected on the sites of the ones
destroyed by the fire and a few are
already completed or about to be
completed, according to E. C. Niles,
of the Remington Typewriter com
pany who came on the Mariposa.
The First Bank has erected a tempor
ary building on the site of the old
building. The Frye Bruhn building
will be completed by the first of the
month. The Daily Prospector started
building on Wednesday. Judge
Reed will start in two or three days.
Mr. Niles says that the lloods on
the Copper River railroad have been
the cause of diverting much travel
from the interior to the Valdez route
for the time being and quite a large
crowd went out on the Northwestern
from that town. The Kennecott mine
has closed temporarily owing to the
inability to obtain sufficient supplies.
Mr. Niles will be in Seward eight or
ten days. He declares that Valdez
has a bright prospect ahead.
SMOOT ALSO MYSTERY
TO CORDOVA PEOPLE.
That L. E. Smoot who visited Sew
ard recently also caused some myst
ery in Cordova is made evident by the
following from the Cordova Times:
“Lewis K. Smoot, who is said to be
a personal representative of the Sec
retary of Interior, Hon. Franklin K.
Lane, was a Cordova visitor yester
day. He is a passenger on the steam
er Northwestern and made the trip
over the Copper River & Northwest
ern railway to Miles and Childs glac
iers. The trip was a revelation to Mr.
Smoot and he was very enthusiastic
in his praise of the wonderful sights
he saw and also the thoroughly equip
ped road over which he traveled. He
had evidently not expected to find
such a railroad in Alaska, judging
from his expressions.
From those who talked with Mr.
Smoot it was learned that he was on
a tour of inspection of Alaska harbor
conditions for railroad terminals, with
a view to their adaptability in hand
ling the local coal when it is opened
up and ready for market. He is on
his way to Portage Bay and Anchor
age, but he expects to return to Cor
dova in about three weeks and study
conditions here. This is Mr. Smoot’s
first visit to Alaska, and it is under
stood that he is a railroad contractor
in the states.”
DO YO KNOW WYCKOFF?
Information is wanted concerning
Robert G. Wyckoff aged 45 to 50
years, from Plainfield, N. J. Came to
Alaska in 1897 and brought his wife
and family of boys and girls in 1902
or 1903. Kindly furnish information
to Miss Lulu M. Pinger, Treadwell,
Alaska.
SUES ELLAMAR COMPANY.
Ike Westburg, a miner, has filed
suit against the Ellamar Mining com
pany for injuries said to have been
received at the mine. The plaintiff
claims $15,000.