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“ ~ “ SEWARD, THE GATEWAY TO ALASKA, TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1918. _______.
GREAT N. Y. FINANCIERS ORGANIZE SEWARD BANK
RAILROAD WORK
BEGINS THIS SPRING
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—That the actual construc
tion work on the government railroad in Alaska will begin
in the coming spring was announced this morning by Sec
retary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane after a joint con
ference between himself. President Wilson and the mem
bers of the Alaska Railroad commission.
He also announced that routes and terminal are still
undecided upon.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—With the announcement
by Secretary Lane that the coming spring will witness
the actual beginning of construction work on the govern
ment railroad in Alaska came also the announcement by
him that the purchase of the Copper River and North
western railroad was desired but that no agreement had
been arrived at on this phase of the subject. The confer
ence between the president, the secretary of the interior
and the members of the Alaska Engineering commission
was held quietly and no information has been given out
other than the announcement by the Secretary, but this
announcement in itself is taken to mean that at the con
ference all went well and so well that the President and
Mr. Lane came to the conclusion that the announcement
of the actual beginning of the work this spring would be
timely.
When the secretary stated that the routes and ter
minals had not yet been decided upon it is taken to mean
that the administration is not yet prepared to give out its
final statement on this particular matter, but the feeling
is general now that a tentative decision has really been
come to and that nothing remains but for the President
to ascertain that nothing exists to prevent him from act
ing up to that decision.
It is also assumed in some quarters that the report of
the commsision is actually ready and that it has been al
ready presented to the President, but this can be called
nothing more than assumption as nothing has been given
out yet to bear it out.
GERMANS CLAIMING
ADVANCE ON WARSAW
Russians Declare Teutons Have Been
Repulsed in Poland Willi
Great Losses.
t
GERMANY CLAIMS PROGRESS
LONDON, Jan. 12.—At noon today it was announced
that Germany claims that her armies are making progress
towards Warsaw but that this progress is slow on account
of the condition of the ground over which the troops are
forced to march and haul the guns. Advices from other
places say that the present activities of the Germans to
the westward of Warsaw are only meant to cover their
retreat to the Silesian frontier but there is really nothing
advanced that would prove this assertion except that the
failure of the Germans to advance would almost certainly
mean that a retreat would be the only safe tactics before
spring weather catches them in the boggy country in
which they are now located. Nothing has been published
so far today of a definite nature regarding the movement
of the Germans from the north around Mlawa. It is point
ed out that the Germans in west Poland will not retire to
Silesia or anywhere else before the German forces in
North Poland fall back to East Prussia. The most likely
explanation of the present methods in Poland is that Ger
many is waiting for the really severe winter weather this
month and next when the rivers and swamps will be fro
zen over sufficiently to enable them to cross without forc
ing a crossing over open water as they would now be com
pelled to do. Russia has been compelled to dispatch large
forces to her Black Sea coast to meet any possible attempt
at invasion from that quarter by the Turks.
OR AT FINANCIERS OROANI :
GR :AT BANK FOR S WARD
Men Who Wanted To Purchase The Alaska
Northern Choose Seward As Terminal
Of The Government R. R.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—The Harriman National*
Bank of Seward, with a capital of two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, has applied for a charter. The oi gam
zers are J. H. Sears of the Harriman Bank of New Yoik,
J. W. Harriman, C. Vanderbilt, W. A. Harriman and J. A.
‘Noble. . XT i r.
Sears, the first name in the list, is a New ^ oik finan
cier who visited Seward last Summer and examined the
Alaska Northern railroad. It is stated now that lie was
sent to Seward recently by a group of New York finan-j
ciers to inspect the Alaska Northern railroad with a vieWj
to purchase. On this account it is thought here that he.
has come to the conclusion that Seward will be the pnnci-j
pal part of the territory when the government begins the
work of building the railroad and opening up the tern-1
tory. The names of the men associated with him are also
taken as a sort of guarantee in that respect. Coming as;
it did immediately after the announcement that railroad'
work will begin this spring in the territory the organiza
tion of the bank is regarded by Alaskans in the capital as
significant.__.
GERMANS COMMAND ALL ARMIES
| LONDON, Jan. 12.—1The German generals will now;
take control of all the campaigns against the allied j
I powers, including the campaigns in Turkey and Austria j
and the entire operations will be carried out as if they;
were the operations of one army. Austria and Turkey |
are said to have been more than favorable.to this idea.as
it will insure a co-operation between the different armies
that would be impossible if each country had to ask the
other for assistance in any particular portion of the bat
tle arena. German officers are now supposed to be whip
ping the Turkish reserve forces into shape foi the begin
ning of the campaign which will probably be . directed
against Egypt and the Black Sea coast of Russia as well
as the campaign in Trans-Caucasia.
ROUMANIA ONCE MORE
LONDON, Jan. 12.—Roumania will begin the mobili
zation of its army late this month according to advices of (
a semi-official and authoritative nature. That country'
has made no statement of its intentions but it is assumed j
that she will immediately embark in war as a member of j
the allied nations. A direct statement to that effect is ap-,
parently avoided as it might result in an attempt by Ger
many oV Austria to invade Roumanian territory before
the army is ready to defend it.
JAPS SEEK GERMANS
LIMA, Peru, Jan. 12.—Japanese cruisers continue their
activities along the Peruvian coasts seeking the German
i converted cruiser Prince Eitel Frederich which seems to
| bear a charmed life. She seems to have disappeared as
completely as if the sea had swallowed her. To be able.to
I avoid capture it is clear that she is being kept fully in
formed of the whereabouts of the cruisers in search of
| her.
—
ARMIES HOLD POSITIONS *
LONDON, Jan. 12.—The announcement made by the
i war office this morning contains the statement that the
great armies on both sides and in the eastern and west
! em war theaters are aligned in about the same manner
as they were on the first of January It is declared to be
apparent that both sides show a disposition to await the
coming of spring when with fresh forces in the field and
with new equipment and good climatic conditions events
are sure to move rapidly.
CARRANZAH AS
QUIT MONTEREY
HIS TROOPS EVACUATE AND j
DEPART FOR THE CITY OF
MATAMORAS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—The
army of Carranza has evacuated
Monterey, apparently having given up
hope of holding that place against the
victorious troops of Villa. The Car
ranza army feel back from Monterey
to Matamoras and it is announced that
it will make the next stand at that
place. The Villa forces are advancing
steadily after the retreating enemy
and are absolutely confident that the
moment has arrived for the utter
crushing of their opponents. A big
battle may, however, be looked for
when the two armies clash again.
HOUSE DEBATES
FEMALEVOTING
ACCEPTS SPECIAL RULE BY
LARGE MAJORITY TO DEBATE
SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—The
house today adopted by a vote of two
hundred and nine to thirty one a spe
cial rule for considering an amend
ment to the. constitution providing
for woman suffrage.
The rule once adopted a de
bate began which will last six hours.
The debate opened with strong speech
es by the leaders of the factions pro
and contra and it is still going on.
The floor and galleries were thronged
and the greatest possible interest was
manifested in the proceedings.
WELL KNOWN PEOPLE ARE
COMING ON WATSON.
SEATTLE, Jan. 12.—The Following
passengers for Seward left on the
Watson last night: G. Whitehead and
Mrs. Whitehead, Dr. Schalaben, B.
Watson of the Admiral Line B. M.
Stone, Carl Stangnech, Sadie Brunn,
G. Clark, J. Giesbisch, Edward Laite.
There were also three steerage pas
sengers. The Watson left on sche
duled time.
Miss Josie Walton arrived on the
Alameda from the outside.
Job printing of every description at
The Gateway.
LITERACY BILL
TO BE VETOED
PRESIDENT DECIDES FINALLY
TO ITT OCT TEST FOR IM
MIGRANTS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—Presi-!
dent Wilson intimated this morning!
that he will veto the immigration bill
recently passed by congress because,
it contains the clause providing for a
literacy test for immigrants. Like all
well educated men Wilson seems to
believe that a person can be a good ■
citizen and can raise good citizens;
without possessing a little smattering
of literacy, so called. It is pointed;
out by some of the foes of the literacy I
Jest that many of the most dangerous j
people in the country are those who
know a little but do not know enough
to see into the sophistries of
demagogues.
Sl'FFRAGE BILL
HAS NO CHANCE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—The
great fight on the woman suffrage
amendment is still proceeding this af
ternoon and a vote is expected to
come at any time. Leader Mann of
the republicans is in favor of the
amendment and spoke at great length
today. His speech was a powerful
advocacy of the right of women to
have votes. He declared that civiliza
tion demands the granting of the
franchise to those who have the
WILSON TALKS
OF CANDIDACY
DECLINES TO SPEAK ABOUT
HIMSELF IN RELATION TO
RE-ELECTION
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.—1The
president declared today that he was
! not thinking of announcing his candi
dacy for re-election when he said at
! Indianapolis that the people of the
| United States might have a chance to
1 judge his acts. He says that what he
I meant was that the future generations
would pass upon his acts. The presi
dent refused to discuss the question
of his re-nomination as he said he
felt a reluctance in speaking about
himself. Several of the papers since
the speech at Indianapolis have seen
in the words attributed to him there
a distinct suggestion of his intention
to be a candidate for re-election.
knowledge and the power to use it.
Leader Underwood of the democratic
pally answered Mann in a strong
speech against the amendment and
expressed the opinion that it is the
| right of the states separately to con
trol the franchise. In this he agrees
entirely with the oft expressed opinion
of President Wilson. It is generally
believed that the amendment will re
ceive a majority of the votes in the
house but that the two thirds maj
ority necessary to amend the consti
tution will not be secured by the ad
vocates of the amendment.
WHOLE BALKANS ARE
AGAIN EHREALENING
Albanians March Against Italians While
Italy Makes Demand
on Turkey.
BALKANS MAY FLARE AGAIN
LONDON, Jan. 12—The most disquieting news
comes this afternoon from the Balkans where the rest
lessness of the different people in that region is becoming
more and more apparent. The Albanian insurgents art
bringing up guns against Dui'azzo which the Italians oc
cupy and it is beyond the question of a .doubt that Italy
has a little war on her hands at this moment. F rom the
time that the Italians occupied Albanian territory the Al
banians have secured large guns in some way unknown
and will probably shell Durazzo unless Italy can send a
sufficient force at once to repel them in the open.
SERVIA MAKES DEMANDS
ROME, Jan. 12.—Servia has declared that she must
receive as her own Bosnia, Herzegovina and Dalmatia if
the allies win in the great war.
She claims that but for the fight she has put up the
Russians could never have hoped to hold their own against
i the combined forces of Germany and Austria . 1 he Ser
vian government says that nothing less than the acquisi
tion of the Austrian provinces named could compensate
her for the losses she has undergone in blood and trea
sure. Italy has sent troops to the Italian islands in the
Agean Sea which she has fortified. This country ap
parently is still desirous of maintaining its neutrality but
it is also earful to protect its interests and it is well known
Chat Turkey still covets the Islands taken from her as a
result of the Turkish-Italian war. The strengthening of
the Agean islands is still proceeding.