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v . SEWARD, THE GATEWAY TO ALASKA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8,, 1914. _
\ol. 8, No. 3(L> _^——————————————
GREAT SIEGE GUNS OF GERMANS WORK HAVOC
WARRING HOSTS IN FRANCE STAND IMMOVABLE
RIGGS BELIEVES WAR OUGHT
TO HASTEN COAL OPENING
'j’|| v r thi n- i* a pov-il.ililv of tli<* llritish Columbia
coal »ii|t|ilv rut oil from I In* l nitod Stale.**
for reason* due to the war;
That thi* fact would be an iiuhiceincnt to the gov
ernment to hasten the opening of the eoal fields and
to lmild a railroad thereto so that tin* Pacific coast
iniolit l»e assured a eoal supply;
And, that Seward i* not only a perfectly feasible
^ite for the railroad terminal in every way, but
that tin* ri»'ht-of-wav of tin* Alaska Northern railroad
i„ a perfectly feasible right-of-way for the government
railroad.
.......... >.m am mrm m iMmiiiiiinimimimimimimimi
These are the opinions expressed
ast night by Commissioner Thomas
[iiggs of the government railroad
commission, who with Lieutenant
Mears, his colleague in the commis*
don, arrived in Seward yesterday al-,
;ernoon. Mr. Kiggs is on his way out-1
iide and Mr. Mears will return to j
Ship creek. On the Mariposa this ev
ening will come the chairman of the
commission, Mr. Edes. He anil Mr.
Kiggs will proceed together outside
dm the Mariposa. Mr. Edes will pro
ceed to Washington as soon as pos
sible but Mr. Kiggs will remain in
Seattle and there he will complete the j
estimates of the work done by the ’
om mission for presentation to Presi- *
lent Wilson probably before the hirst
Dt* the new year. The surveys will be
fully completed by the hirst of next
month when Mr. Mears will close up
camp at Ship creek after the return
of the field forces.
Mr. Kiggs gave out last evening all
that it is possible for him to say.
Three lines have been surveyed
across the Tanana valley from the
point where the trunk line will come
;>ut on the Tanana Flats Messres.
Mears and Kiggs have gone over the
Alaska Northern railroad from one
pnd to the other carefully and the op
inion expressed above is the one gain
ed. Eighteen townsites have been re
served by the president but these can
Dnly be regarded as possible townsites
as the whole matter will, of course,
be decided by the president. Among
the townsites reserved are the one
at Seward, Mile Sixty three, Hear
creek. Ship creek, Matanuska Junc
tion and places in the distant interior
CROWD HEARS
WICKERSHAM
DELEGATE SHOWED GOOD FORM
LAST NIGHT IN
SPEECH
Delegate James Wickersham deli
vered a forcible speech last night to
a very large audience in the spacious
room of the railroad building which
is being used as a courthouse. Among
those present were several who are
not supporters of the delegate politi
cally. Judge Brown, a strong regular
democrat, was one and Charles E.
Herron, chairman of the republican
territorial committee was another.
There were also many others who
have taken prominent parts in the
u’ork of political parties opposed to
Mr. Wickersham but, and it speaks
well for the political life of Alaska,
all were evidently very much interest
ed in what the delegate had to say.
No matter how one leans politically
it was admitted that the arguments
of Mr. Wickersham were strong. It
and some others.
Mr. Mears speaks very highly ol
Seward and its surroundings. He calls
it a beautiful townsite and a fine har
bor ami in every way seems to be
favorably impressed while he is al
ways very careful to remind his
questioner that the members of the
Alaska Railroad commission have
finished their work when they have
so to speak, told the president the
facts. It is for him alone to draw the
conclusions and to decide. During the
winter Mr. Mears will examine intc
similar conditions along the Canadiar
railroads. That is. similar conditions
to those found here.
The government intends, Mr. Riggs
says, to builel not a railroad but rail
roads. There may even be two trunl<
lines for all he knows.
LIEI TENANT EDGERTON
COMES TO SEWARD
Hopes that a Large Appropriation
Will he Given for roads
Next Year
Lieutenant Edgerton of the Alaska
Road Commission arrived in Seward
the night before bust on a tour of in
spection of the various places. He
says that there is no reason to believe
that the government will not give a
large appropriation for work next
year. The war and the consequent
loss of revenue, he thinks, would not
justify neglect of roads when they
are so badly needed. The lieutenant
has been in Nome and other parts of
the territory this year on business
connected with the commission. He
was. by the way, with Lieutenant
Mears in the engineering work of the
railroad on the Panama canal.
MISS B. I)AYKIN IS
MARRIED IN VALDEZ
Member of Well Known Seward Fam
ily Becomes Bride of Fred
Cramer
Miss B. Day kin was married yester
day in Valdez to Mr. Fred Cramer and
the news was telegraphed here to her
mother and sister. The bride is the
daughter of Mrs. Daykin of this city
and the sister'of Mrs. Bernice Taylor.
The happy young couple are expected
to arrive in Seward soon on a visit to
the bride’s relatives.
Government Engineers looking for a route from Seward to the
Interior of Alaska. C. R. Breck in center of group.
was stated afterwards that he had
not told the whole story but one can
hard’y expect a German regiment to
go over and heip the allies to beat its
own side.
He amused the audience by reading
some letters from men who are
opposed to him now. Some of the let
ters were from Mr. Bunnell and the
crowd smiled very audibly when Mr.
Wickersham showed by the written
word that Bunnell had formerly been
a republican and that he had actually
once stated in a letter to the delegate
himself that he, Wickersham, is the
“right man in the right place.”
He also told how the editor of the
Juneau Empire is now attacking him
because of the sort of Legislature bill
secured but he read several letters
from the same editor in former times
which said that the bill was all that
could be desired.
On the whole the speech was char
acteristic of Mr. Wickersham and for
that reason it was highly entertaining.
One very remarkable fact is that
Judge Wickersham was introduced by
the -chairman of the democratic club
Dr. Daggett
Dr. Babcock has returned from a
hunting trip during which he bagge<l
three sheep, two moose and three
bears.
H. B. INGRAM WILL
SPEAK THIS EVENING.
Candidate for the Territorial Leg
islature to Give His
Views.
H. B. Ingram, a member of the ter
ritorial legislature and a candidate
for re-election, will speak this evening
at 8 o’ clock in the Casino. He Is a
fluent speaker and always has some
thing to say that is interesting.
TO MEET MRS. WICKERSHAM
Mrs. Frank Lafayette Ballaine will
receive this afternoon between the
hours of three and five in honor of
Mrs. Wickersham, the wife of the
Honorable James Wickersham, dele
gate to congress.
PASSENGERS ON ALAMEDA
SEATTLE, Oct. 8.—The following
passengers are on the Alameda for '
Seward; Jeanette Parington, Mrs.
Dchne, Fred Price and Mrs. Price H.
Hoyer, Mrs. Hubbard, Mrs. Stephens,
Robert Coles.
For Knik Anchorage; G. Lane, F.
van Plauta, C. Sundmacher and Cap
tain Porter.
For Unalaska; Paul Partch, Mrs.
Doughty and Nellie Griswold.
FOUGHT TO A STANDSTILL
HOSTILE FORCES MAKE PAUSE
ALL EYES ON ANTWERP
LONDON, Oct. 8.—All eyes in Europe and probably
all over the world are turned on the city of Antwerp this
morning as five German army corps rage forward in the
effort to smash its resistance. Hosts of refugees are flee
ing from the city towards England and Holland as the
great German guns send in their messages of death and
German Zeppelin airships drop murderous bombs from
aloft. The attack by the Zeppelins is the most awful in the
story of warfare. Never since the war began have the
great vessels inflicted such terrible damage and defense
less citizens are among the victims oftener than the
troops. They are sailing around above the great city and
from time to time down comes a bomb as if the very hea
vens were fighting against the Belgian defenders. The
garrison is fighting with the courage and saciifice that
nave made the name of Belgians renouned for ever more.
Ke-inforcements have been got into the city as well as
more guns and the struggle rages on without cessation.
The Germans have succeeded in crossing the river Nethe
but the trenches along the river Scheldt are still holding
out and the Belgians behind them are meeting every as
sault heroically. However, the German offensive is ap
proaching the inner ring of forts the outer ring having
been demolished practically. While the struggle of the
garrison is maintained with all the great Belgian spirit
the feeling is only too prevalent here that Antwerp must
soon fall before the irresistable onslaught of the besiegers.
GERMANS MAY USE ANTWERP
It is thought probably here that if the Germans are
.forced to retire from the line of battle on the Aisne they
intend to establish a second line of defense through Ant
werp Brussels, Namur and Metz and it is freely conceeded
that if they do take up such a position with all those great
fortresses to aid them the task of dislodging them would
probably be the most tremendous that ever confronted
armies.
MAIN ARMIES WATCHING
In northeastern France the main positions of the
contending armies now reach within ten miles of the Bel
gian frontier while masses of cavalry are carrying the
struggle over and beyond the border. Along the greater
part of the front in France the combatants are now watch
ing and not fighting. The condition is of the most extra
ordinary kind. After the most bloody and fierce battling
each side seems to have decided that the task of moving
the other is impossible and they are now evidently wait
ing for the time when a chance presents itself to let loose
one more avalanche in the endeavor to pierce the opposite
lines.
ANTWERP SPEAKS
ANTWERP, Oct. 8.—The Germans advancing on the
east have crossed the Nethe and are evidently putting
forth desperate efforts to subdue the city in the quickest
possible time. The offensive movement made by the Bel
gians is reported to have cost the Germans twenty thou
sand men. The Germans in the south in the region of Con
tich Boom and Willebroeck seem to have caused a pause
and the attack is at a standstill. The city was subjected
to a furious bombardment throughout last night and some
shells from the great 16 inch siege guns of the enemy fell
near the cathedral. Owing to the extensive field of opera
tions the whole force of the enemy has not yet got in touch
with the city proper.
_________
FIERCE FIGHTING AT LILLE
OSTEND, Oct. 8.—Fierce fighting has now continued
around Lille for two days and is still proceeding. The Ger
mans made terrific attacks in which they suffered great
ly without being able to take the c'ty. The hardest fight
i ing is now preceding on the allied left and, indeed, it is
; the only fighting which is worth recording in France. The
' allies are still striving to envelope the r'ght of the Ger
' mans but the latter arc just as determined to drive back
! the allies from the direction of Antwerp. It is now practi
cally conceded that the allies can never hope to relieve
; Antwerp but there is a slight hope that the Antwerp gar- ■
1 rison might be able to fight its way through to make a,
I juncture w*th the allied left.
FALL OF ANTWERP FEARED
LONDON, Oct. 8.—(2:20 p. m.)—The fall of Antwerp
is gravely feared here this afternoon. 1 he great siege
guns of the Germans are working havoc all over now
having coming close enough to land their shells right in
the streets in the heart of the city. It the city falls the
Belgian army of defense will have two alternatives in case
they refuse to surrender to the Germans. 1 hey must eith
er make a desperate effort to fight their way through and
join the allied armies in France or they must retreat into
Holland and there be interned for the remainder of the
war. The latter course is regarded as too aw ful to believe
the Belgians will folow it. It is called the effeminate
jourse and anything else w ould be preferred here. The gar
rison has been holding out in spite of frightful losses in
the hope that the left wing of the allies would be able to
swing around and bring it succor but the progress of the
battle in France makes such relief doubtful to say the
[east of it.
FRONTAL ATTACK TOO COSTLY
BERLIN, Oct. 8.—The report that Field Marshal von
Moltke had been removed from his position as chief of
taff is denied authoritatively. It is seen here that the
frontal attacks in the fighting in France are too costly to
both sides and the French armies have discontinued theirs
entirely. The movements in future will probably be mostly
flanking ones. The great battle has now therefore re
solved itself into the strangest conflict ever seen. Neither
seems to see any likelihood of being able to dislodge the
bther and military science alone seems able to decide the
matter.
LONDON OPINION
LONDON, Oct. 8.—Military experts here declare that
the Germans made a tactical mistake in attacking the al
ied left before capturing Antwerp. In the first place the
siege of the city must require at least quarter of a million
men as the forts are strong and the Belgian garrison can
not be far short of one hundred thousand. It is believed
that the attack on Antwerp was forced on the Germans
by the advance of the allies to the north. The position of
the Belgian army in the city gave it a chance to assist
the allies when they came closer so the attack became nec
essitated. x
rHOUGHT JURY APPLAUDED
ATTACK ON ATTORNEY
Remarkable Occurrence in Court to
Day Ends Without Difficulty
When the court was ready this
morning to begin the trial of James
Dwyer for the murder of John W’ilson
at Knik the legal advisors of the de
fendant brought to the attention of
the court the alleged fact that the
jury in the case was present in a
body last at the meeting addressed by
Delegate Wickersham and that some
[>f the jurymen applauded the attack
made by the delegate on Senator L.
V. Ray, one of Dwyer s attorneys.
Court was continued until 1:30 o’clock
this afternoon while the matter was
under consideration. At the re-open
ing E. E. Ritchie, another attorney
for the defense stated that since the
morning’s proceedings it had been
learned that if any of the jury at all
seemed to endorse the attack on Mr.
Ray it was only one member of the
jury at most and it may not even be
one. He, therefore, had come to the
conclusion that there was no founda
tion for the charge and the defense
was ready to proceed. His honor then
declared that the matter was ended
so far as that trial was concerned.
MANY GOING OUT
Several people will leave on the
Mariposa and the Evans for the out
side and for other Alaskan points.
Nothing further was heard from the
Mariposa or the Evans up to 2 p. m.
today. Among those who are going
out are Delegate Wickersham and
Mrs. Wickersham, Major L. H. French
Charles, E. Herron, P. F. Cummings
and William Hesse.
WILL INVESTIGATE
ROCK II). RAILROAD
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8.—An inves
j tigation of the financial operations of
the Rock Island railroad by the In
terstate Commerce commission will
begin here on the Sixteenth.
MAN SHOT NEAR CORDOVA
IS SINKING FAST
Velisaris, the man shot near Cor
dova, is sinking fast and is expected
to die according to a telegram re
ceived by Marshal Brenneman. Should
he die the prisoner, Pappas, and the
witnesses will be brought to Seward
where the trial will take place. Ac
cording to the story of Velisaris he
was invited out target shooting by
i Pappas. When the former had em
ptied his gun, he says, Pappas shot
, him and after taking his money fled.
JUDGE JOHN LYONS HERE
Judge John Lyons, a candidate for
the territorial legislature, is a visitor
in the city.
Judge Lyons has been an attorney
in Valdez since 1901. He was U. S.
Commissioner for eight years. In
1909 he became a partner of Judge
Brown and continued until the latter's
appointment to the district court
bench. He is familiar with the condi
tions in the territory and would make
a splendid representative,
i _.
MR. ANI) MRS. PAUL ARRIVE
| Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Paul of Phil
adelphia have returned to the city
after a sojourn in the hills on a hunt
ing trip. Mr. Paul is one of the lead
, ing citzens of the big Pennsylvania
city^