SEWARD:—The Gateway to the Land of Opportunity—The hunters’ Paradise—The homesteaders’ Land of Promise
*° ^ ^ ^ena'’ Knifc, Broad Pass
-—- ~ nimi icnm niu V FYfFPT SUNDAY LARGEST ALASKAN CIRCULATION
ADVERTISEMENTS BRING RESULTS___ PUBUSHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY -------
VoL % N*. 141. SEWARD, THE GATEWAY TO ALASKA, MONDAY, MARCH 29, 19l:». ___l<M * ' _!/
FRENCH CLAIM
BIG VICTORY
REPORT FIFTY THOUSAND GER
MANS LOST IN
CHAMPAGNE.
PARIS, March 29.—Eleven thou
sand dead Germans were taken from
the trenches in Champagne which
were captured after twenty days
fighting. The total losses of the
enemy in this batte arc estimated at
fifty thousand while the gains made
by our troops are very considerable.
The struggle was bitter and sanguin
ary. Great forces were engaged on
both sides and the task of dislodging
the Germans from their carefully pre
pared earth works was very severe.
The enemy is now bringing up rein
forcements with the evident intention
of trying to retake the positions and
further bloody fighting may be looked j
for. Spring weather is now coming
quickly and some change in the wint
er’s deadlock is hoped for. The stub- >
bom resistance of the Russians is still
holding tremendous forces of the.
enemy in the east and the allies in the
west are expected to make their grand
effort soon.
NORTHWESTERN COMING.
The Northwestern sailed from Ju
neau at 2:30 p. m. yesterday.
❖ REPORT SILENCING ♦
❖ GERMAN BATTERIES. ♦
❖ - ♦
PETROGRAD, March 28.—The j
German offensive in northern Poland
has failed and the guns of Ossowetz,
are silencing the German batteries
that have been brought up for the
siege of the fortress. The attack by
the enemy was stubborn but the Rus-j
sian defenses are strong and the at
tackers suffered tremendous losses and
have now evidently given up hope of
pushing their attack in that quarter.
THREE ELECTROCUTED
BY A WIRE FENCE.
Cable Fell on Fence which Man Touch
ed and His Wife and Another
Tried to Save Him.
LOS ANGELES, March 29.—
Cornelius Valkhoff, hi3 wife and an
other man were electrocuted near this
city today by a wire fence on which
a live cable wire had fallen. Valkhoff
came in contact with the fence while
the cable lay on it and charged it.
When his wife, saw the predicament
of the man she rushed to his aid and
also was killed. Harris Skinner, the
other man. also made an attempt to
save Valkoff and the dead bodies of
all three were huddled together.
SNOW INTRODUCES
PROHIBITION BILL.
Alaska Legislature Monkeying With
Things Over Which It Has
No Jurisdiction.
JUNEAU, March 28.—Represent- j
ative C. K. Snow haj introduced a bill
that the liquor question be submitted
to a vote of the people pending the
regular election. The bill was refer-.
red to the committee after having i
been read the first time. Represent- \
atives Daly, Noon and Moran voted
to postpone the bill indefinitely. It
would provide for the prohibition of
the sale of liquor in communities
where the majority of the residents
would vote for it. Shoup did not con
cur in the opinions of the others men
tioned. He raised a point of order!
that was over-ruled by the speaker
and then moved to amend the motion
to read “that the report was received”
which carried.
From the wording of the above it j
looks af if Daly, Noon, Moran and
Shoup are the members of the com
mittee having charge of the matter
but such h not stated positively in j
the message.
BASEBALL OPENS MARCH 28.
The temperature yesterday, March
28, when the baseball game was play
ed was 56 above.
TERRE HAUTE TRIAL PROCEEDS.]
INDIANAPOLIS, March 29—The
trial cf the Terre Haute election
scandal case i3 still proceeding. Noth
ing transpired today that is different
in character from what was testified
to before but some of the witnesses
examined corroborated the testimony
of those who came before them. So
strong is the evidence of guilt that
no ono contemplates any other \erdict
than the one of “guilty."
BRITISH LINER
IS DESTROYED
CHASED WITH HO PASSENGERS
ABOARD AND
SUNK.
LONDON, March 29.—The most
serious occurrence connected with the
blockade of the British coast by the
Germans took place today when the
liner Falaba was torpedoed and sunk
olf the coast of Wales while she had
hundreds of people aboard on the way
to Africa. Eight people are known
to ha\e been drowned by the capsiz
ing of a life boat to which they had
taken while about one hundred are
missing. The v'essel started out for
Africa witn one hundred and forty
passengers and a crew of one hundred
and twenty. Soon after getting into
the Irish sea she was sighted by
either one or more German submarine
and was chased. It cannot be explain
ed how it \sas that she could not get
away from the submarines bu" the
fact remains that the enemy managed
to send a torpedo home and sink her.
Previously to the sinking of thp vessel
the crew and passengers took to the
life boats. One of the boats was seen
to overturn but the cause of the ab
sence of the others is not known. It
is feared that they have all lost their
lives.
❖ FLAGS AT HALF MAST ♦
❖ FOR ELWOOD BRUNER. *
❖ - •>
JUNEAU, March 27-28.—Eloquent
tributes were paid to the late Senator
Elwood Bruner today, the day hav
ing been set aside $s his Memorial
day. The flags were at half mast over
the legislature and over other govern
ment buildings and in many other
ways the late senator’s popularity
was testified to.
MAIL GOES OUT.
The Iditarod mail was taken out
this morning by Elgin Vaughn, Colon
el Revell having decided to take a lay
off for a while. This morning’s trip
was the twenty-second. The total
number for the season’s contract is
twenty-six. The mail from this time
forward goes by the way of Sunrise
and Hope.
Harry Hoben recently purchased a
large amount of old lumber.
RUSSIANS NOW
AT BOSPHORUS
BOMBARDING FORTS AND AIR
SHIPS ATTACK CON
STANTINOPLE.
PETROGRAD, March 29.—The
Russian fleet is now bombarding the
Turkish forts on the Bosphorus while
Russian aviators arc dropping bombs
on the city of Constantinople itself.
The attack is meant to reinforce the
attack by the allied fleet on the Dar
danelles forts. As the bombardment
has only just begun the effects are
hardly yet noticeable but the fall of
the forts is expected although the
Russian naval guns are not as power
ful as the guns of the fleet operating
west of Constantinople. It is hoped
that the allied fleet and the Russian
fleet and land forces will be able to
meet at the Turkish capital by taking
the Turkish army on both sides after
the reduction of the defenses along
the two channels.
bank robbers circled
AND TWO ARE CAUGHT.
OKLAHOMA CITY, March 28.—
The robbers who held up the bank
were surrounded this afternoon and
are now sure of being captured or
shot Two of the robbers have al
ready been taken by the posse.
KNIK,'March 20.—San Francisco
parties, represented by Granville
Moore, have taken over, under option
to purchase, the Idaho, Never Sweet
and Climax groups in the Willow
creek camp and will start development
work this season. The owners of the
groups are Judge David and Messrs
Stewart, Lidell and McClarty.
New shipment of Fancy select
Potatoes, $2.50 per hundred. Brown
i & Hawkins. “Quality First”
LOST.—Double tooth Elks charm.
Return to Gateway. Reward.
❖ u. S. SHIP GOES TO ♦
❖ WATCH THE EITEL. ❖
❖ - ♦
WASHINGTON, March 28.—The
battleship Alabama has been ordered
to proceed to Newport News on neu
trality duty. This duty is unquest
ionably connected with the Prince
Eitel Fredcrich, the German auxiliary
cruiser which is now at that port. It
is believed that* the Eitel will be order
ed to put to sea or to intern and very
likely no further time will be permit
ted for repairs. The Alabama prob
ably will take every precaution to
prevent the German vessel from go
ing out secretly and without taking
out clearance papers.
BRITISH STEAMER SUNK.
LONDON, March 29.—The British
steamer Aquila was submarined and
sunk in the English channel yester
day. The crew was saved as they got
time to take to the small boats. This
is the only vessel reported sunk by
German submarines for a couple of
days.
STILL TRYING TO RAISE
THE U. S. SUBMARINE.
Divers Trying to Get Chains Around
the Hull of the
F-4.
HONOLULU, March 29.—Divers
are now trying to get chains around
the hull of the United States submar
ine F-4 which sank in this "harbor a
few days ago. The vessel has been
definitely located and there was a
hope that she would have been raised
last Saturday but every effort failed.
AUSTRIA TAKES CHARGE
OF THE BREAD SUPPLY.
VIENNA, March 29.—The govern
ment has taken charge of the bread
supply and will issue tickets to the
public so that no extravagance may be
practised. The step is taken, It is
supposed, to guard against the remote
possibility that Hungary might be
over-run by the Russians and Hung
ary' is the district which supplies
the chief stock of grains to the em
pire. The officials say, however, that
the taking over of the supply is a
mere precaution that will probably
prove to have been unnecessary’.
LEOPOLD TO THE END
THOUGHT OF BELGIUM.
Insisted on Death Bed that the Forts
Should be Stronger.
LONDON, March 27.—The late
King Leopold’s personal influence had
a great deal to do with the state of
prepaiedness which enabled Belgium
to enter the war, according to an
article written by some of the Bel
gian officials connected with the re
lief work here. It leads:
“King Leopold, uncle of the present
King Albert, was an enthusiastic ad
vocate of military’ defense works, and
his personal ideas were largely devel
oped in the fortresses of Antwerp,
Huy, and Namur. But he met with
much opposition in his efforts to spend
large sums for war purposes, and he
feared that with his death many of
his projects would be rejected.
“When the King was on his death
bed, a most important military bill,
which he had labored for years to
bring before the Parliament, came up
in the lower house for discussion and
was passed. Its fate in the Senate
was ir. doubt, however.
“The King summoned his physician,
and asked abruptly, ‘How long have
I to iive/
“Tne physician, upset by such a
question, stammered a few words of
protest.
“ ‘I am not asking for fine words/
interrupted the King. ‘I am speaking
new not as your patient, but as your
King. It is a matter of state. How
many hours have I left.’
“ ‘Sire, the end may come early to
morrow, although there still is hope.'
“ ‘Send the Premier to me/
“The Premier came, and the King
said to him:
“‘Sir, I am 'delighted that the
Chamber has passed the military’ law,
for as ycu know, I am convinced that
on that law depends the maintenance
of the independence of our country.
I now ask you to take the bill to the
Senate today, and to tell the Senators
that it is my wish to see it made into j
law before I die. It must be done
quickly/
“On the same day the bill was
adopted unanimously and without dis
cussion by the Senate. King Leopold
signed it at eight o’clock and cm the
following morning breathed his last.
Robert L. Hatcher, one of the origi
nal discoverer of gold quartz in the
Willow creek camp, now in the states
writes that he has interested capita5
for the purpose of developing the Gem
group, located by him. He will arrive
soon, to start things moving.—Knik
News.
BATTLES RAGE
THROUGH WORLD
FROM PERSIA TO POLAND MEN
SLAUGHTER THEIR
BROTHERS.
__________
SPRING BUTCHERY BEGUN
1 ~
BLOOD FLOWS IN MANY LANDS
IN SCORES OF
STRUGGLES.
LONDON, March 29.—The official
news this morning contains informa
tion of such a nature that it is evi-;
dent bloody battles are now raging
along thousands of miles of front and
that the spring activities h.«vc coni- ;
menced. In this morning’s otlicial ac- j
counts are announcements of battles 1
in France, Poland, the Carpathians,
the Black sea, the Caucasias and in
various other places where the en
gagements are minor ones. The
French claim to have captured nine
hundred yards of trenches on the
heights of the Meuse and while thisI
success is considerable considering
the nature of the war it shows how
little can really be gained even at
frightful loss of life. The Russians
claim to have completely destroyed
three Austrian battalions in the
Carpathians but no advantage has ap-;
parently been gained by either side in
Poland. Petrograd, however, claims
also that the Turks have been defeat
ed in the fighting in the Black sea
and in Caucasia. That the Turks have
succeeded in invading Russian terri
tory in the latter region is now con
ceded in spite of belief that the Turks
had been reported decisively defeated )
some months ago. The morning’s bul
letin is silent on the operations in the
Dardanelles but some news may be
received before evening. The British
people are looking forward eagerly,
now to the time when the real tpring
operations will begin in noitherr.,
France and Belgium. The military
authorities maintain even a greater
silence than before with relation to
the preparations for the great offen
sive movement but the weather h
now perfect and a great alteration
may occur at any time in the relative
positions of the contending forces.
Any effort to secure information as to
the number of British troops at the [
front is doomed to failure. Even the
newspapers are kept totally dark in
all such matters.
SAYS ITALY IS
NOT SURE YET
___
LONDON DECLARES NOW SHE
WILL FIGHT ONLY IF SURE
OF WINNING.
LONDON, March 28.—It is believed
now that Italy is awaiting the out
come of the fighting in the Carpath
ians before making the decision on
declaring war. If the Austrians are
defeated and the Russians advance it
is thought that Italy will immediately
invade southern Austria as her
chances of victory would be doubly
sure. Should the Austrians win in
the Carpathians and the Germans
win in northern Poland Italy might
consider it advisable to. pause. At
least that is the latest drift of news
coming from Rome today* and it
makes the people here believe that
the wish that Italy had decided on war
was father to the thought, just as it
evidently was in the case of Rou
mania. It is still believed that Italy
wants war if Austria is first so badly
weakened that victory would be sure
In the meantime Austria is severely
andicappcd by being compelled to hold
large forces of men on * the Italian
frontier.
I
NO NEW CANDIDATES.
Mayor Boe has not yet announced!
positively whether he will be a candi- ]
date for the city council or not but J
it is generally believed that he will, i
At ths present time not enough candi
dates have come forward to make up
the council if they w'ere all elected, i
Several other names have been men
tioned but all seem to be waiting for
the last moment. Only a week is,
left but Messrs Dagget, Ray, Sawyer,
Craw'ford and Chamberlain are the
only candidates who have announced
themselves.
WANTED.
Smart boy at the Gateway office.
❖ GENERAL VON KLtJCK *
❖ SLIGHTLY WOUNDED. *
❖ - ♦
BERLIN, March 29.— It was an
nounced here yesterday that General
. von Kluck has been slightly wounded
in the recei.t fighting at Soissons.
His wound is only severe enough to
render necessary his retirement for
a few days while the doctors are
treating him. But he is still in actual
command and is directing through his
staff the movements of the army.
The w'ound is made the occasion by
some of the papers to lavish praise
on the famous general. They declare
that he only retired from Paris when
he discovered that the capture of the
French capital would have served no
purpose because of the positions of
the French armies.
GERMANY LOWERS THE PRICE
OF FLOUR ON APRIL 1.
Danger of Shortage Said to Have
Now Entirely Disap
peared.
BERLIN, March 29.—The govern
ment announces that the price of flour
will be lowered on April 1 as dang
er of a shortage has now completely j
disappeared. Estimates made by ex
perts, it is said, have shown that the
supply will easily last until the reap-!
ing of the next harvest.
NOTIFIED TO QUIT BEACH.
Judge S. 0. Morford, for the Alaska j
Northern railroad company, has issued
a formal notice to all people living on
the beach east and south of the rail- j
road track to vacate their positions, j
He says the railroad owns all the
beach down to the water south of j
Railroad avenue and east along the
tracks.
MARSHALL AT SAN DIEGO.
SAN DIEGO, March 29.—Vice
President Marshal and his party ar
rived here today to take .part in the
festivities at the formal opening of
the exposition.
-----
TURKEY DENIES STORY
OF THE MASSACRES.
Answer of Turkish Government to
IT. S. is That the Stories Have
Been Invented.
WASHINGTON, March 29.—The
answer of the Turkish government to
the request of this government to
guard the refugees at Tifflis and else
where in those regions from attacks
by the uprising Mohammedans arrived
today. In this answer Turkey de-1
dares that there have been no such
massacres and that the story has been
invented by the enemies of Turkey.
It further declares that there has
been no uprising at all at Urumiah in
Persia where the reports stated that
thousands of Christians had been
slaughtered.
•> <► <» ♦ <»♦*♦♦*♦ *
❖ SEWARD CELEBRATES ❖
❖ THE GOOD R. R. NEWS..*
.> - ❖
A dance was held in the railroad
building last Saturday to celebrate
the news that the government had
chosen Seward as the terminal of the
government railroad. Owing to the
fact that the dance was not advertised
the attendance was not as large as it
would otherwise have been but as it
was a most pleasant time was enjoyed.
Several other sorts of private cele
brations took place. Up to press time
nothing new was received about the
railroad but, after all, what is there
that remains to be told ?
During yesterday, Sunday, an air of
celebration was over everything and
the opening of the baseball season
added to the holiday aspect of the
great occasion.
IDITAROD.—Deputy United States
Marshal Harry Sheppard arrived in
the city Tuesday from Ofchir, where
he has been stationed for past year.
He will immediately take charge of
the office at Flat City made vacant by
the recent removal of Deputy Conlin.
Mr. Shepard states that the trail is
now in splendid condition and travel
ing by* dog team is a pleasure.
Pioneer.
SYNDICATE SOLD ITS
17 LOTS AGAIN.
The syndicate that bought the 17
lots in block Seven last week has re
sold them according to information
received by Frank Youngs. The price
paid by the syndicate was a little
more than ten thousand dollars and it
is assumed that they sold because the
nalc uas profitable. Gus Sciffert
bought lots 19 and 20 in block 30 last
Saturday. V. E. Cavey has bought
lot 19 in block 38.
See us before sending outside far
your iob printing.
EITEL HEADY
FOR THE DASH
ALABAMA WILL PROTECT HER
WITHIN THE THREE
MILE LIMIT.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-That
one of the most dramatic events in
the records of ocean warfare will
soon be brought off in the waters near
Newport News is now generally ex
pected. The latest news is that the
Prince Eitel Erederich if preparing
for the dash out of the harbor and
through the lines of the waiting hos
tile warships. It was learned here
today that the Alabama has been dis- I
patched specially for the purpose of
making sure that the allied ships do
not attack the Eitel within the three
mile limit. It has been stated by
Germany that the Dresden was at
tacked and sunk in neutral waters.
The captain of the Dresden declares
that he was at anchor in a bay when
the hostile ships opened fire on him.
To prevent any question of a like kind
the Alabama will stand off Newport
News and see that the Eitel gets a
fair chance. It is clear that her
chances of getting away are very slim
as hostile cruisers are said to be
drawn around in a semi-circle watch
ing for her. Her only hope is in her
speed and the ability of her command
er to hoodwink the enemy.
❖ ITALY CALLS OUT *
❖ HER ALPINE RESERVES. *
❖ - ❖
ROME, March 29.—'The Alpine
troops, officers of artillery and en
gineers reserves have been called out
for sixty days service beginning April
13. The fixing of that period means
nothing as they can be called perman
ently to th? colors on the declaration
of war and the calling out of them at
present probably mean3 nothing more
than that they will undergo training
to be prepared for the particular sort
of fighting that will take place in the
mountains should we become embroil
ed with Austria.
---
MATANUSKA FARMERS
FORM ASSOCIATION.
The Knik News contains the infor- j
mation that the farmers of the Mat
anuska valley have formed an or
ganization to be known as the Mat
anuska Farmer’s Association. E. F.
Krueger was elected president and I
Charles Martin was elected secretary
treasure. Thirty three farmers sign
ed the membership roll.
VILLA LOSING
IN BIGJATTLE!
HEAVY GUNS IN USE ENDANG
ER TOWN IN
TEXAS.
. ——
BROWNSVILLE, Texas, March 29.
—A big battle is now proceeding be
tween the forces of Villa and Car
ranza at Matamoras and it is becom
ing evident that Villa is losing. Great
guns are being used by both sides and
the struggle is far more serious than
the usual Mexican battles are suppos- j
ed to be. This city is threatened by
the fire from those guns and repre
sentations have been sent to Washing
ton showing what serious results
might take place if the gunfire hit this
place. The citizens are really alarm- j
ed. Several thousands of men are en- j
gaged on both sides in the battle. It j
was stated this morning that the Villa
forces have already begun to retreat
and have lost heavily and these re
ports are at least partially borne out
by the information coming since.
KNIK NOTES.
Fire destroyed the home of W. H.
Mitchell a mile from Knik on Tues
day, March 20. The people of the
district at once went willingly to work
to rebuild the place for the home
steader.
The Knik Commercial club has in
vited President Wilson and Secretary
Lane to that towfn if they come to Al-:
aska. They are also experimenting
with fine success on the removal of
ice from the harbor.
It has been proposed to hold a Fair
at Knik in the fall.
Tom Aiken, one of the foremost of
the mining men of Alaska, is negoti
ating for w'hat is know’n as the ^aP
gold quartz property in the Willow
creek camp. Should the deal go
through, development work will start
this season.
JAPAN MAKES
MORE DEMANDS
REPORTED NOW THAT SHE
WANTS PART OF CHINA S
CUSTOMS.
PEKIN, March 29.—It. is reported
this morning on the most reliable
authority that Japan is now' demand
ing a share of the Chinese customs
revenue and also a participation in the*
salt monopoly of the Chinese govern
ment. It has come to be believed
that the Japanese government had
come to an understanding with this
government w'hich entailed the drop
ping of some of the demands but the
new demands will probably revive the
whole controversy and nullify all the
attempts to bring abou*; a peaceful
conclusion of the trouble.
The people of China are incensed
beyond measure and the surrender of
any important rights by the present
government may bring about revolu
tion ir this country. Japan apparent
ly ignores the protests sent by the
United States and gives no thought
to the fact that some of the other
great powers would be entirely op
posed to her demands if they were not
otherwise engaged. There is no hope
entertained that Japan, in spite of her
own statemtns, intends to quit Kiau
Chau and the Pacific is’.ands taken by
her during the present war.
.;. .;. .> <• <*• <> •> *>♦ + <* <*
❖ PADEREWSKI STARTS *
* TO AID OLD POLAND. *
> - *
LONDON, March 29.—Paderewski,
the world famous Polish pianist, has
started a fund to aid the people of
Poland who are now suffering fright
fully from the effects of the war. He
says that the suffering and losses of
the people of Belgium are as nothing
compared to those of the Poles w hose
country has been made the cockpit
of the mighty legions of Russia, Ger
many and Austria for more than hall
a year.
jack duholm found dead
UP THE MOOSE PASS.
Frank Roycroft telephoned today
that Joe Lynholm has found the dead
body of Jack Duholm in a cabin ten
miles up the Moose Pass. I ho body
was in such a position that it indicat
ed suicide and United States States
Commissioner Conroy and Deputy
Marshal Evans will leave for the place
this evening to hold an inquest as
they believe the circumstances call
for such an enquiry’ into the cause of
death. Duholm was w’ell-known here.
Jack Ronan bonded some property
from him some time further
particulars of the occurrence will
probably not be known until the in
quest is concluded.
NOME.—Four very young Eskimo
boys were arrested for passing forged
checkc or orders for money on Louis
Stadie. The brewery has been in the
habit of buying bottles and giving
orders on Louis Stadie for the amount
purchased. A native boy got one of
these orders and carefully duplicating
with a carbon copy the orginai, sent
still more youthful members of his
gang to cash these, which were for
raised amounts. Puzzled over the
frequency of these orders, three times
in one morning the same boy apply
ing for cash, Stadie investigated and
found that the brewery had bought no
bottles. When he returned he found
the boy waiting with another order,
and the game was up. The boy was
turned over to the authorities a id the
district attorney discovered on inves
tigate the whole “conspiracy” of
these aborignal high financiers.
fy * * + fy ♦
❖ HOME TEAM BEATS *
❖ THE FEDERAL NINE. ❖
❖ - ♦
With ideal weather which brought
out a large crowd the Seward Ball
team were victorious in the first game
of the season, winning from the new
ly organized .Federal team by the
score of 8 to 4. Both teams showed
up well considering the lack of
; practice and team work art! gi^e
promise of some interesting exhibit
ions in the future. Otto Poehlman,
Heine Haasch and the battery of the
i Seward team played their positions
well while the Federal,* uncorked a
real ball player in Joe Campbell a
j former star of Columbia University,
I Portland, Oregon, who played a nice
game at first and incidentally secured
! the first home run of the season.
The batting of Burley of the Feds
| was also a feature. With a little
patching up, watch out for the new
team.
FOR SALE,
Typewriter, practically new,