The Great The Great
ALASKAN ALASKAN
| DAILY I _13-A11A_
ADVERTISEMENTS HU1NC RESULTS _PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY_ LARGEST ALASKAN CIRCULATION
v SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1917. Ten Cents ,he C°P>'
\ol. 10, No. .w* ____...
- ENTENfl
NORTHERN BANK AND :
TRUST CLOSED, BON ON
STATE BANKS FOLLOW
bulletin
SEATTLE, Tuesday. — Following the failure of the
Northern Bank and Trust company tins morning, a big
run was started on the People's Savings Bank, which is
regarded as one of the strongest institutions in the North
west.
Throughout the day there have been smali runs on oth
vr state banks.
National banks have been undisturbed by the crash,
but on the contrary have opened many new accounts,
while the 1‘ostotticc Savings oank has had the biggest day
v»i its history in deposits. So great was the crush at the
postottice of people who had taken their funds from other
hanks that it was necessary Lo open two more window*
to receive deposits.
SEATTLE, Tuesday. — Following a run of several
days on Northern Bank and Trust company, \\. L. Col
1 er closed its doors this morning by orders of the state
bank examiner. The company has deposits of over $1,
.'>00,000. *. X
Many Alaskans were caught in the failure through
their aquaintance with Collier, a former sourdough.
The run which crushed the trust company and bank
followed the failure of the Broadway State bank, with
which it had been allied.
Loans which resulted in the crash are said to have
been made to the lsiaquah Superior Coal mining company,
a wild cat concern promoted by \ on Alvensaben, a Gcr-j
man, whose extensive interests in Britisn Columbia coal
holdings were confiscated by the Dominion ot aCnada at,
t!ie beginning of the war. These loans amounted to sever
al hundred thousand dollars.
Collier had a rather remarkable career, as he was*
merely a clerk when lie went to Alaska and when he re
turned he blossomed out into a lull Hedged banker.
The last bank statement issued showed the Northern j
Bank and Trust to have deposits of $1,679,619.24, with:
cash and exchange on hand amounting to only $268,704.72. j
• From local sources it lias been learned that the bank
had a disagreement with other financial institutions in
Seattle recently which resulted in a new clearing house
being organized from which it was excluded.
So far as known no Seward business establishment
had any financial connection with this bank, but it is pos
sible that some Alaskans here were depositors as one local
man had a deposit in the Broadway bank which closed List
week. _
SEATTLE OFFICIALS SEEK
SEPARATE TRIALS; FAIL
SEATTLE, Tuesday—Mayor Gill and Chief Becking
ham are endeavoring to secure separae trial but the feder
al court has virtually held that Sheriff Hodge and all oth
ers named under the indictment mu. t be tried for the
whiskey ling conspiracy at the saint time.
Hodge’s attorneys are '.erur-rng *■-> this.
Gill has retained Frederick Bailsman and Win. Tuck
er to defend him.
The court announced that trial would be had not later
than February 26th.
$51,000,000 FOR COAST DEFENSE
WASHINGTON, Tuesday. —The appropriations bill
inculding Sol,OOO,000 for national coast defence, passed
the house today. (No reference is made to Alaska in the
dispatch.)__j
LAWSON’S CHARGES ARE ALL DENIED!
NEW YORK, Tuseday. — Plinkv Fisk, Archibald S.
White and other financiers have appeared today before
the congressional inquisitors and denied the sensattional
charges made by Lawson.
MILLIONS OF
PTARMIGAN
TO WESTWARD
The missing ptarmigan have been
found!
Scientific sharps and experts of bin!
lore now have an opportunity to set
forth their knowledge in regard to
whether or not the above is a state
ment or a misstatement of fact.
Here is the basis of argument:
From nearly every part of the ter
ritory reports were received this year
that the ptarmigan had vanished. A
few scattering binls were seen but the
vast flocks were not to be found.
Some said that cold weaher killed
them, others that they had migrated!
Messages have been received at
Valdez within the week from Dr.
French on Bristol bay that millions
and millions of ptarmigan have gath
ered on tin' Alaska peninsula. Dr. j
French w rote after crossing the pen-j
insula enroute home from a term of
court at Valdez. He said that never
in the history of that section had the
birds been so thick.
The natives are taking advantage
of the invasion and are living high.
The contention is that these birds
migrated from other parts, but others
claim that the ptarmigan does not mi
grate and that the reason he is so
plentiful out there is that conditions
were favorable at hatching time,
while the reason for scarcety else
where is answered by the cold weahter
of last summer.
The debate will be “The Ptarmigan
.»n the Alaska Peninsula Migrated
there,” or “The Ptarmigan there are
\’e"!y Hatched Sons and Daughters
of the local tribe.”
Begin.
VALDEZ HEARS
1917 ROAD FUND
MAY BE TRIMMED
———
VALDEZ.—(Special)—In a letter
received by Major P. W. Davison ol
the Alaskan Road Commission, on the
last boat, Colonel Richardson, now in
Washington, stated that he had ap
peared before the House Military
Committee in behalf of the appropria
tion for Alaskan roads. Colonel
Richardson says that while it is yet
too early to make any predictions
with any decree of accuracy, the in
dications are, nevertheless, that the
appropriation of $500,000 asked for
will likely be cut somewhat before
the appropriation bill is passed.
AMERICAN LEGION
SOLDIERS MARRY
CANADIAN GIRLS
TORONTO.—(Special) — Canadian
girls seem to like the hoys of the
famous “American Legion” whose of
ficial titue is the 213th Ovoreseas Bat
talion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
I
recruited here undter Lieut.-Col. R. .L
McCormick and which has already
sailed for England.
Consent of the commander is nec
essary because of the liberal separa
tion allowance which is given by the
government for a soldier’s wife, and
the necessity for a record being kept.
As soon as a soldier marries, his
ife is given $20 a month by the
government as a “separation allow
ance”—this in addition to his pay of
$1.10 per day for privates, which is
the most money paid by any army in
the world.
Since the 213th Battalion was o*~
ganized there have been more than
100 weddings celebrated in it, eighty
five of these being with Canadian
girls and about twenty with American
girls.
JAIL FOR ALL
“SUSPENDED”
U. S. PRISONERS
Determination of the department of
justice to send all men to jail for the
terms originally meted out, where
sentence was suspended by Federal
courts since ii)07, is shown In itic
following article just received:
CHICAGO, Jan. 19. — All persons
who have been convicted in United
States courts since 1907 and released
on suspended sentences during gooit
behavior must prepare to serve their
sentences regardless of how exempl
ary their conduct may have been since
they were found guilty of the infrac
tion with which they were charged.
This means that hundreds, probably
thousands, of persons must go u.
prison. Others who received only
lines will escape the grey walls, but
they will be compelled to pay the
('government the maounts assessed
against them, nevertheless.
Convicted persons face this pros
pect as a result of a recent decision of
the United States supreme court,
which was that no federal judge has
the power to suspend sentences. In
accordance with the ruling Attorne>
General Gregory and the department
of Justice at Washington have sent
out orders to every district attorney
the country to meet the conditions im
posed by the supreme court's verdict.
How the situation affects the Fed
eral courts of the country may be
gained from the conditions created in
Chicago. Here District Attorney
Clyne has ordered his staff to look ui
court records since 1907 and cite
every defendant whose sentence was
suspended.
According to the local ofhcial it ml
be several days before it is definitely
ascertained how many such casef
there were and also whether the per
sons involved are alive or can be ap
prehended. It was stated that in
some instances the Federal judge.
suspended the sentences when the de
fendants were ill and not expected to
live.
“We are compiling a list of persons
affected by the instructions who wil'
be obliged to face the court and take
the punishment which has been sus
pended as rapidly as we can.” Mr.
Clyne told a reporter.
The instructions were sent out fol
lowing a test case in the supreme
court which was taken there on ap
peal of Federal authorities from an
order of f ederal Judge Killets oi
Toledo.
In his order Judge Killets sus
pended sentence of a defendant for a
period of years provided during that
time the convited mun lived a goon
life. The department of justice in
this partciluar case decided to deter
mine whether Federal judges have
such power and the decision of the
highest tribunal in this country was
sought and obtained.
Following the decision by’ the su
preme court the Department of
Justice decided to go back as far as
1907 and cause every one whose sen
tence was suspended since that time
to suffer the penalty originally meted
out.
Three special detectives from Se
attle, connected with the federal in
vestigation of the illegal liquor traf
lic in that city, arrived in Juneau re
cently to probe certain conditions
there relating to bootlegging in Se
attle.
0s
At the Christmas Day celebration
held by natives of Douglas, Mayor
| O’Connor of that city, in an address,
advised the native girls to marry
among their own people, stating that
they would be far happier and more
contented with life if they did, as
their union with white men would
only result in unhappiness.
BASKET BALL
TEAMS CLASH
TOMORROW EVE
I
The members of the boys athletic
I club will stage their first game of
basket ball tomorrow evening in the
1 A. 1>. hall at 8 o’clock, This is ex
' ported to bo a fast and exciting game
as the boys have been practising for
several weeks. Kveryone is asked to
turn out and see the game and root
i for their favorities. The line-up will
be as foliows:
Sullivan r. f, I). Frazier 1. f., Rov
C., McPhail r. g., Rothfus I. g. M.
i Frazier r. f., Rich 1. f., Peitch c.,
Sauers r. g., Jensen 1. g.
| -
DICK DAWSON TOOK
WORD OF MINORITY
AND IS BETTER
Dick Dawson, of Crowe creek, who
was reported at the point of death at
I Seattle some time back, is well on the
road to recovery according to word re
1 reived on the last boat by one of his
closest friends.
Dick’s letter speaks for itself, but
it is evident that lie had a close call:
“We received your very, very wel
come cablegram and it almost made
i me sit up in bed l was so pleased
I to get same.
Four doctors told me I would no*
get well, two told me I would, and 1
jam staying by the two that said l
would get well.
“Have improved wonderfully in
past ton days.
Very truly your*,
DICK DAWSON.
THREE AND HALF
MILLION AUTOS
USED IN U. S.
NEW YORK, Jan. 21).—Every seven
th family in the United States owns an
automobile, according to figures given
out by the National Automobile
Jhamber of Commerce.
Its census, based on a count ol
automobiles last June and the esti
mated production since that date,
shows 2,500,000 cars in the country
today.
The production of automobiles in
.he United States for the first six
months o' 1016 was 799,000 according i
to the figures.
_ _ — -
HEATING OF U. S.
R. R. BUILDING IS
PROBLEM IN TIES
Nick Lossness keeps the head
quarters building of the Alaskan En
gineering commission nice and warm
by burning under the boilers 22 old
ties from the Alaska Northern every
24 hours.
If some mathematical shark can
figure out how many ties are to be
removed from the old line and replac
ed with new ones it will be easy to
figure out how long Uncle Sam can
keep his headquarters crew warm
without buying fire wood.
The real question is, however, will
the ties hold out till the road is con
nected through to Matanuska.
j COLD WAVE HITS
PENINSULA AGAIN
Another cold wave visited the
peninsula yesterday and 36 below was
reported from Mile 34. Early in the
afternoon the mercury here stood 24
above, but it dropped rapidly during
the night and registered zero early
this morning.
C. R. Clarke, a roadhouse keeper
and rancher at Yukon crossing, is on
his way to the outside for the fi**st
/
time in twenty years.
SEC. DANIELS URGED TO
SEND SQUADRON NORTH
DURING BIG CELEBRATION
SEATTLE, Tuesday.—Plans art being made to have
the navy department assign a squadron from the Pacific
fleet to be present in Alaskan waters during the Alaska
semicentenial celebration to be held during the coming
Summer.
Messages urging Sec. Daniels of the navy depart
ment to authorize this criuse, have been sent to Washing
ton by the principal coast towns in the territory, where
celebrations will be held.
It is pointed out that in addition to the junketing com
mittee from Congress, Alaska will be visited this summer
by the most distinctive party of Americans ever organiz
ed, the numbers in which will only be limited by the avail
able transportation.
Seinicentenial plans include celebrations commencing
at Ketchikan and continuing in regular order up the coast
so that those who visit the territory may lie present dur
ing the celebration in each town.
Special efforts to make the project one of great value
to the territory are being made by the .Alaska bureau ol
the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and co-operation by
every commercial body in the territory is expected.
BRITISH DRIVE ON TURKS
BREAKS KUTEIAMARA LINE
LONDON, Tuesday—British forces in .Mesopotamia
have captured the iirst and second line lurkish trenches
southwest of Kutelemara on the right bank ol the i igris
along a front of 4,300 yards and the third and fourth line
trenches along a front of 000 yards.
The wedge was driven into the enemey by a surprise
attack and the bombers are busy extending the lines.
SQUADRON COMBS NORTH ATLANTIC
NEW YORK, Tuesday.—Messages received here to
day indicate that a big squadron of allied cruisers formed
into far flung net is combing the Atlantic today for two
German commerce destroyers which abandoned the south
Atlantic for the steamship lanes in the north.
ITALIANS WIN SPIRITED FIGHT
ROME, Tuesday.—The Austrian torpedo boat des
troyer Huzar and a torpedo boat were put out of action
in the Adyriatic yesterday by two Italian destroyers in a
spirited duel at close range. _
LITERACY TEST IS FROWNED ON
WASHINGTON, Tuesday.—President Wilson vetoed
the immigrant bill today because of its literacy test pro
vision. This is the third immigration bill to suffer vetoes
for as imilar cause.
BIG ’QUAKE IS RECORDED IN OHIO
CLEVELAND, Tuesday. — The seismograph at St.
Ignatuis last night recorder the most severe earthquake*
shock in two years. The instrument indicated that the
source of disturbance was anout 7,000 miles distanst.
FATHER IS HELD AS SLAYER OF FOUR
SEATTLE, Tuesday.—After a lengthy examination
of S. A. Hewitt, four of whose children were found with
their heads crushed, District Attorney Lundin stated this
morning that he would prefer a charge of murder against
the man.
Hewitt protested his innocence but Mrs. Hewitt who
was absent from home at the time of the killing says that
she is sure that he is guilty. The motive for the crime is
believed to be Hewitt’s desire to collect the insurance on
their lives.
The inquest has been postponed several days.