fi FI GOLD, COAL jl j
LAND COPPER
OF THE LAST fjaff
FRONTIER |I I 1-U
Volume XI Number 140. SEWARD, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1917_Ten Cents the Copy
PRISI NT ADVOCATES
SENDING TROOPS TO
FRANCE IMMEDIATELY
!
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 2. —President
Wilson, in overruling the American general army staff,
decided that a small military force will be sent to France
the moment the allies deem it wise. Ships now carrying
food supplies will l>e diverted for this purpose.
Following a cabinet meeting held today it became,
known that President Wilson favored the ending of air
array corps to France.
M. Viviani and Gen. Joffre were received on the floor
of the senate yesterday. \
Lord Percy announced yesterday that the United
* States had already placed considerable ship tonnage at the1
disposal of the allies, but refused to indicate what ships j
thev were or if they were German vessels previously j
seized by the government.
STANDARDIZATION OF SHIPS NOW
BUILDING VERY IMPORTANT ITEM
1 -—
• %
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 2.—The submar
ine menace overshadowed the question of sending Ameri
can soldiers to the front in France at the war conference
held yesterday.
.. •- British Expert Lord Eustace Percy informed the
American government that the situation was very serious,
' and that the standardization of the ships being built by
America, Canada, England and Japan was the biggest im
mediate detail for the conferees to dispose of.
Lord Percy said the Germans were sinking merchant
vessels faster than the allies could build them, and added
that the figures were most appalling.
The senate passed the conscription bill for the second
time yesterday afternoon.
TRANSPORT PALARAT SUBMARINED
_
LONDON, Wednesday, May 2.—The transport Pal
arat, carrying troops from Australia to England, was
sunk recently, all on board being saved. _____
SHORTAGE OF
STAPLES FELT IN!
LOCAL MARKET
r "
The present high cost of living is
caused by a scarcity of food supplies;
in proportion to the demand. A typi
cal example of how staple products
are being distributed so sparingly is
seen in the manner in which whole
salers fill orders for canned milk.
A cablegram was received in Sew
ard this morning by a salesman tor
one of the largest wholesale grocery
houses in the northwest in w'hich he
was criticised for selling too much
milk to his customers. The custom in
the past has been to sell in carload
iota, and a thousand or more cases at
one time to a single customer, but the
new rule is that he must not take an
order for more than ten cases at one
time, as an order for a larger amount
cannot be filled, and great inconven
ience to all parties concerned will be
eliminated by following instructions.
Practically all staple food products
are as scarce as milk and it is expect
ed that the government will probably
take a hand in the near future to af
ford an equitable distribution of this
product
FORM COMPANY
TO EXPERIMENT
IN SHARK SKINS
Max Poehlmann left this morning
for a trip down the bay and will look
over various sites for the purpose of
establishing: a shark fishing station.
A company of local men has been
formed to engrave in this business and
will probably devote the entire season
to experimenting:. Considerable in
terest is being: taken in all parts of
the United States at present in the
possibility of commercial uses for
shark skins, and it is probable that
this will become the main substitute
for the fast diminishing: leather sup
ply.
SPARK STARTS
SMALL BLAZE
ON BUILDING
The fire department was called out
this morning at 6:30 o’clock to ex
tinguish a blaze on the roof of the
Hazelwood building. A spark lodged
on the dry shingle roof and the slight
breeze that w*as blowring fanned it
into a blaze. The fire was put out
with chemical and the entire loss will
probably not exceed $16.
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 2. — Secretary
Lane said today that a study of inventions to combat the
submarine is being diligently pursued by the interior de
partment. and that the United States must build ships as
rapidly as possible.
“If wc do not fight the war on the other side,” said
Secretary Lane, “we shall have to fight it on this side ol
the Atlantic.”
Secretary Lane declared it as his belief that the war
would last several years and that every resource of the
country must be brought into place to bring it to a suc
cessful conclusion. He further asserted that something
more than the issuing of bonds is required, and no one
could foretell when the war would end. Lane said that
Hoover reported Germany had food enough for two years
and declared:
“Germany has put up the greatest fight of history
and even now has the advantage in waging defensive war
fare.”
The secretary of the interior urged the governors of all
states and territories to arouse the people to a realization
of what we are called upon to do.
Lane told the governors, conferring with the council
of national defense on the part the state governments will
take in the war, that the government had heard that 400,
000 tons of shipping had been sunk last week.
The destruction, said the secretary, was threatening
the existence of England and France, and is alarming tlu
United States. He said it was the imperative duty of
every man in America to help. Concluding his remarks,
Secretary Lane said:
“We are 3,000 miles away from the fighting lines and
we must get there somehow. The shipyards of this nation
surely can speed up construction of ships to mount this
emergency. And I am sure that the inventive genius of
the nation will yet find a means of successfully combating
the submarine menace.
“The hope of the French people is that the morale of
the German army-will continue to fall and their hope for
this nation is that the morale of the American people will
continue to rise.”
Secretary of War Baker, in addressing the governors,
said that man can’t tell how many increments of 500,000
will be needed, adding:
“The world must have peace, but there cannot be any
until we go out and get it, and the harder we fight the
sooner it will come.”
Secretary of the Navy Daniels appeals to the gover
nors to keep the boys who are under military age on the
farms. He concluded by saying:
“They can be of more aid to their country between
corn rows than they can in the navy.”
--
LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATES FUNDS
FOR SCHOOLS, ROADS AND TRAILS
| •
i JUNEAU, Wednesday, May 2.—The committee of the
house last night submitted an appropriation estimated at
$1,338,135 for the next two years period.
It includes $475,000 for the maintenance of schools,
; and $400,000 to be divided among the four divisions for the
maintenance of roads and trails. The estimate will go to
the senate today. , I
The senate is nearly cleared up on all bills and is now
awaiting the action of the house.
• ,4 *1 ‘ •
HOUSE PASSES HUGE
ARMY AND NAVY ILL;
FIRST CALL 7,000,000
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 2.—The registra
tion of 7,000,000 men for military service will he complet
ed in fifteen days after the war department’s machinery’
; has been set in motion. The state election systems will
do the work under the supervision of the federal govern
! ment, the voting precincts being the units for recording
men.
Registration certificates have been distributed by the
census bureau to the mayors of cities and towns, and the
most remote sections will be supplied before registration
day, which will be set by presidential proclamation.
— -—
$2,827,553,653 FOR THE ARMY AND NAVY
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 2.—The house of
representatives today passed the army and navy appro
priation bill amounting to $2,827,553,653, the biggest ap
propriation of its kind ever passed in the history of the
world. The bill was passed by a vote of 362 to 1, the only
negative vote being that of Meyer London, socialist, from
New York city.
RADIO SHIP SATURN WILL TAKE
ALASKA RECRUITS AT CORDOVA
NEW YORK, Wednesday, May 2.—It was announced
today that the United States radio ship Saturn would pro
ceed to Cordova, arriving there about May 10. She will
remain in Cordavo about five days in order to receive
j Alaska recruits.
AMERICAN SHIPJOCKIN&HAM SUNK
LONDON, Wednesday, May 2.—Thirteen members
of the crew of the American steamship Rockinham, tor
pedoed by a German submarine, were missing today when
a British patrol boat brought in 33 of the survivors and
the news of the tragedy.
The Rockingham was fomerly the Nebraska and left
Baltimore April 19. She was sunk in the Irish sea. The
vessel carried 49 persons, including a naval lieutenant and
twelve gunners. The vessel and cargo were valued at
$750,000.__
STEAMSHIP LINES
OBSERVE STRICT
REGULATIONS
Another war . precaution which
shows how carefully steamship com
panies are guarding their boats is em
phasized by the recent ruling which
went into effect regarding the con
duct of passengers and visitors aboard
ships.
While vessels are in port only em
ployes who are known to the ships’
officers are allowed aboard and all
visitors must have a permit signed by
the port captain, the agent or by an
official of the steamship company.
The rule also requires that all pas
sengers must present their tickets at
the gang plank before boarding a ves
sel, and after a passenger has passed
i
over the plank he will not be per
mitted to return to shore. And, furth
er, no passengers will be allowed to
board a ship until 30 minutes before
sailing time.
This new ruling is already being en
forced and applies to both steamship
lines which are operating in this part
of Alaska.
boats m mm
The Alaska arrived at 3 o’clock this
morning.
The Admiral Farragut is due at
noon tomorrow*.
The Admiral Watson is scheduled to
sail from Seattle for Seward and way
ports tomorrow.
The Northwestern will sail from
Seattle northbound Friday.
The train will leave tomorrow morn,
in*? for Mile 34 at 9 o'clock.
_X_
w
Trails
Trails bare from Seward to Mile 52,
hard and good from Mile 52 to Gird
wood. Temperature 49 at Mile 52, 40
at Girdwood; weather clear, wind
calm.
-A-.
THE WEATHER
Yesterday.
Maximum .71
Minimum .37
Current .61
Weather .Clear
Wind .South
WEATHER TOMORROW
Fair and warm.