--- I B B l GOLD, COAL
LAND , COPPER
OF THE LAST B AND FISH
v, FRONTIER ' , U--1--LJ
and Alaska Evening F»ost________
v ... v , “ SEWARD, ALASKA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8,1917 Ten Cents the Copy
Volume XL Number 71 ___* . . ..■__
G LARD WILL STAY
UNTIL AMERICANS
DEPART IN SAFETY
BERLIN, Thursday, Feb. 8—(By wireless via Say
ville)—The German government will not permit Ameri
, can Ambassador Gerard, the officials ot the American
embassy, consuls or any American citizens to leave Gei
luany until it receives information that sate conduct has
been granted to Ambassador Bernstortt and his stall.
'inis statement was made by authority following
slightly garbled reports sent out from other sources.
Ambassador Gerard announced today that, even it he
was olfered safe conduct after Germany was assured that
Bernstorlf would be returned in safety, he would not
leave unless American correspondents and other Ameri
can citizens now held as hostages could leave also.
DENY CODE TO GERARD
LONDON, Thursday, Feb. 8.—The German govern
ment will require a guarantee that Bernstorff and men on
German snips in American ports will be permitted to
leave the United States, before allowing Ambassador Ger
ard and other Americans to depart from Germany.
This information comes via Copenhagen as the result
of a telegram sent by Gerard himself to the American
legation there.
The Copenhagen Politiken as quoted by the Reuter
News agency says that all Americans in Germany, includ
ing those arrested by the commerce raider in the South
Atlantic and brought to Germany off the Yarrodale, are
'heid as hostages.
An Exchange Telegraph dispatch from Copenhagen
states that Gerard informed the American embassy there
that he was no longer allowed by the German government
to send messages in the code of the American state depart
ment.
ALLIES 0. K. BERNSTORFF’S TRIP HOME
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Feb. 8. — France today
notified the American government that Ambassador
Bernstorff would be granted safe conduct home and simi
• iar action is expected by England.
Later today Great Britain granted safe conduct to
Ambassador Bernstorff, stipulating that he must touch at
Halifax to have his papers examined.
Sec. Lansing stated today that he expected Ambassa
t dor Gerard would soon be permitted to depart.
ORDERS RELEASE OF GERMANS
SEATTLE, Thursday, Feb. 8.—Sec. of Labor Wilson
ordered the release of the masters and crews of the Ger
man steamer Saxonia and ship Steinbek today, and tlv1
men returned to their vessels.
The secretary held that these men had not committed
an offense in damaging property on the ships fro which
they might be detained by this country as no protest had
been filed by the owners in Germany or German officials
on behalf of the owners.
BREACH IS WIDENING
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Feb. 8—The breach with
Germany is growing wider hourly, and confirmation of
the reports that Americans in Germany are being held as
hostages has practically removed all hope that hostilities
can be avoided.
All that is necessary to touch off the war will be the
first overt act.
Germany’s submarine campaign of ruthlessness is de
veloping with fury.
On the basis of reports received on the destruction of
. the California and other ships so far, however, it is stated
authoritatively, that none of these cases constitutes an
overt act which will lead to war.
SPAIN PROTESTS THAT SOB WAR
IS OUTSIDE INTERNATIONAL LAW
MADRID, Thursday, Feb. 8.—Spain in reply to the
German note establishing barred zones off the coast of
Europe made a firm and dignified protest today against it,
declaring that Germanys’ action to close completely cer
tain sea routes is outside the legal principles of interna
tional law. Spain adds that if Germany hopes to have
Spanish help to.avoid more loss of life it must be under
stood that Spain cannot accept the legality of these ex
ceptional methods of war.
ICE FIELDS IN
LOWER INLET
ARE HEAVY
Reports From Seldovia
Show Was No Chance
For Tug Koscoc
SELDOVIA. — (Special — At
tempts to navigate Cook inlet by the
tug L. Koscoc in January were doom
ed to failure before she left Seward,
because the lower ice fields in the in
let extend below Kenai and came
farther south at times. The clearing
of the ice from Turnagain and Knik
arms had no elfect on these fields ex
tending from abAve the Forelands
southward.
On the 2Gth of this month the
launch Rosebud made a trip up the
inlet to Xinilchik with Mr. L. Busch
mnnn of the Deep Sea Salmon Co.
ami Mr. John Tennyson of the North
Western Fisheries Co., landed them
and waited one tide. Xinilchik •peo
ple said it was one of the coldest days
they had this winter. Everyone was
well and hoping the weather would
turn warmer. It was the lower limit
of the ice field. •
On the 27th and 28th the same
launch, bound to and from Bear
Cove, encountered ice that had drifted
ofi* the flats, and this field extended
from Homer to the ^ ukon islands,
bui easy to go through and would not
delay a large vessel.
BUSY DAY
ON SEWARD'S
WATER FRONT
This was a busy day on the water
front with the Admiral Evans and
Cordova discharging cargo at the
same time and the schooner Harold
Blekum waiting for an opportunity
to put 200 tons of merchandise and
general freight ashore, and the barge
Lawrence waiting for a chance to load
explosives and freight for Anchorage.
The tugs Koscoe and Annie W. were
also at the dock.
The Admiral Evans had coal for the
U. S. railroad as did the Cordova.
The latter steamer also had coal for
the Alaska Transfer, gasoline for
other local firms, and powder for the
railroad.
EVANS SAILS SOUTH,
1500 BARRELS OF
HERRING SHIPPED
——
Fifteen hundred barrels of salt her
ring were taken aboard the Admiral
Evans for Seattle at Seldovia, and re
ports were made by the fishermen
that they could have filled 5,000 bar
rels with ease.
There was no coal at Seldovia, se
! vere weather preventing the shipment
! from being sent across Katchemak
j bay.
The Admiral Evans sailed south
this afternoon with the following pas
sengers: Mr. and Mrs. DeLine,
Helen DeLine, Father Van der Pol,
Tom O'Harrow, for Valdez; G. M.
Scott, Emma Kammeron, J. Simmers
and wife, N. O. Nyberg, Mrs. Victor
Stewart, Mrs. E. A. Ward, for Seat
tle. J. E. Musch, G. A. Vinger for
Juneau, and Mrs. Wm. Stromer for
Latouche.
i ___
THE WEATHER .
Yesterday.
Maximum . 39
Minimum . 34
Current . 39
Weather . Cloudy
Wind . South
WEATHER TOMORROW
Unsettled with increasing wind.
BLEKUM SAFE
BUT PROGRESS
ISMISSIN6
Tow Sails Into Port Alone,
Power Boat Last Seen
Off Cape Ommaney
After a voyage full of wild advent
ure, the two masted schooner, Harold
Hlekum, reached port at an early hour
this morning, and dropped anchor oil
the mouth of Lowell creek.
Capt. VV. Kohlmister reports that
the power schooner Progress, which
undertook to tow the Harold Blekum
from Seattle to Seward after the lirst
attempt to get here failed, has not
been seen since Wednesday, January
31st, when the towing hauser parted
off Cape Ommaney.
The tow is safe in port but the tow
boat is missing, lost track of in a
howling northeaster.
Capt. Kohlmister has been the re*
ceipient today of many compliments
on his magnificient seamanship in
bringing the schooner into port alone.
Mrs. Kohlmister, who was with him
is also being complimented on hei
pluck. She is the daughter of Ur.
J. P. Sweeney of Seattle, and has ac
companied him on many voyages over
the world but none so hard as th<
one just finished.
The Harold Hleekum first sailed
from Seattle for Seward and Kodiak
in November and early in December
urrived olf Resurrection bay but was
unable to enter on account of a north
erly gale, later losing all sails otf
Port Dick and being forced to return
to Seattle.
On this trip with her new master,
she sailed in tow of the Progress.
Things went reasonably well until the
pair were off Cape Ommaney when a
northeaster let go its fury and both
vessels commenced to ice up rapidly.
“We do not know what became of
the Progress,” said Capt. Kohlmister.
“When the hauser broke we were
spun away to seaward and the last \v«
saw of our tug she was wallowing fn
a smother of foaming seas.
Things began to happen to us. Rig
seas swept the deck clear of every
thing moveable, running rigging
parted and the sails came down with
a run. Oh, but it was* some mess.
During the next 48 hours we were
driven 250 miles under bare poles.
“Then the wind shifted to the
south, increased to a gale and we
made Seal rocks in two days. As we
neared th* shore with the southeaster
howling astern we put on all the sail
she could stand to keep headway or.
her in case a lot of tacking about
was necessary to keep off the lea
shore. The snow was so thick we
couldn't see Cape Resurrection and
after beating around for three days
we had a chance to duck in last night
“We actually didn't have a rope
left to make fast to the dock when
we arrived and our running rigging
is so full of knots and splices that we
had to cut some of it to get the sails
down."
The captain’s wife is proud of her
skipper husband and his success in
getting to port in spite of losing her
tow boat. She said that in cruises to
China, Liverpool and many other
ports she never experienced anything
to equal this winter storm in the Gulf
of Alaska.
The Harold Blekum will be refitted
here after discharging, before pro
ceeding with the rest of her cargo,
which is consigned to Kodiak. •
BOATS AND TRAINS
The Admiral Evans sailed south at
noon today.
The freighter Cordova arrived at 5
o’clock this morning.
The Northwestern sailed north
from Juneau at 10 o’clock this morn
ing.
The Admiral Watson sailed from
Juneau for Seward and way ports ai
1 o’clock this morning.
The Harold Blekum arrived at an
early hour this morning.
SIX-INCH SIEGE GUNS
SHIPPED EAST; ORDER
500 AIRPLANE MOTORS
WEST POINT, Thursday, Feb. 8.—All available six
inch siege guns at West Pont were shipped to New York
today for use in strengthening the forts protecting the ap
proaches to the city.
REAL PREPAREDNESS AT LAST
NEW YORK, Thursday, Feb. 8.—Secondary batter
ies and equipment for held operations in connection with
the forts of New York are being strengthened and ad
ditional ammunition is being provided for the great guns
I at Sandy Hook.
PUTTING FLEET IN READINESS
SEATTLE, Thursday, Feb. 8. — Armoured cruisers
now at Puget Sound navy yard were ordered today to
take on stores and provisions for full commission for nine
months.
AIRPLANE ENGINES WANTED
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Feb. 8.—Bids were called
for by the war department for 500 airplane engines for
early delivery.
NAVY BASES FOR PACIFIC
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Feb. 8. —The establish
ment of a naval base in San Francisco bay and the devel
ipment of the Puget Sound navy yard as a base were re
commended today by the board ot navy oilicets which
has made a special study ol the situation on the 1 aciiie
coast.
WIRELESS REPORTS FORBIDDEN
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Feb. 8.—Sec. of the Navy
Daniels ordered that no more wireless reports of positions
at sea be given by American merchant \essels.
SUBS HAVE SUNK 59 SHIPS
NEW YORK, Thursday, Feb. 8. — Fifty-nine ships
have been sunk bv German submarines since the new
blockade order took effect Feb. 1st, according to a compi
lation from cable reports.
Fourteen vessels of a total tonnage of 29,998 were
sunk yesterday and last night.
EXPECT 20 S0L0NS TO VISIT ALASKA
SEATTLE, Thursday, Feb. 8. — E. C. Hughes, who
returned today from Washington where he has been in
Che interest of Alaskan affairs, stated that the prospects
were g*ood for a visit to Alaska next sunnnei by, a delega
tion of 20 or more members of Congress._
lEAiTPROBERS IN CLOSED SESSION
—
i
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Feb. 8. — An executive
session was held by the “ peace not leak” probe committee
today when Mrs. Visconti, the woman named by Thomas
W. Lawson as having told him about the leak, gave the
source of her information.
KING TELLS II. S. WHAT ENGLAND
WILL DO, IN PARLIAMENT SPEECH
-— »
LONDON, Thursday, Feb. 8.—England’s determina
tion to tight on until victory is won was reaffirmed by the
king in his speech at the opening of parliament today.
“There is no basis for peace at the present time,” de
clared his majesty. “The enemy has made certain over
rides with a view"to opening peace negotiations but their
tenor gave no possible basis for peace.
“In answer to the invitation of the American presi
i dent we have outlined in a general way our war aims,
j “Threats of further outrages of the international
: law of humanity by our enemies will only steel us in our
i determination to win. My people and the peoples of oui
; brave allies are all resolved upon securing restoration for
the past restitution for the wrongs inflicted and guar
antees for security of our future. These we regard as
' absolutely essential to the progress of civilization.