SEWARD:—The Gateway to the Land ol Opportunity—The hunters’ Paradise—The homesteaders’ Land of Promise
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~ IT “ I The Gateway
The Gateway . A1_
to th'' t0 th6
_ . Kenai, Knik, Broad Pass
Great Coal Fields of ’
.. , , Gold Fields
Matanuska |_ _J
ADVERTISEMENTS BRING RESULTS_PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY _LARGEST ALASKAN CIRCULATION
Vol. 9. No. U«S - ~SEWARP, THE GATEWAY TO ALASKA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1915.___T.n Pits the Copy
SECY. LANE APPOINTS COUNSEL TO LOOK INTO IT
EXAMINING TITLE TO THE
ALASKA NORTHERN R. R.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 16.—George
Rublee has been appointed counsel to
the Alaska government railroad com
mission and is now engaged in exam
ining the title of the ow ners of the Al
aska Northern railroad. His appoint
ment to the position now’ is for the
purpose of clearing up all matters con
nected with the preparations for the
commencement of the construction
work and the deals which the govern
ment has in contemplation to clear the
w'ay. His investigation of the affairs
of the Alaska Northern will probably
take some time as these affairs are
said to be somewhat complicated ow
SAYS J u h JOHNSON
WILL BE BROUGHT BACK.
Colored Champion Will be Indicted for
Conspiracy and Will be
Extradited.
CHICAGO, Feb. 16.—The district
attorney announced today that Jack
Johnson, the colored champion pugil- _
i t, will be indicted for conspiracy by
the coming grand jury and will be ex
tradited. Extradition is possible on
such a charge and it it more than like
ly that Johnson will once more have
to stand trial in this country’. On be
ing brought back he will be compelled
to serve his sentence for white slav
ery without any further trial on the
latter charge.
BILLIARD RESULTS YESTERDAY.
Torrey beat Hausch 140 to TO;
Koontz beat Whittlesey 100 to 118;
Evans beat Nutter 100 to 174; Torrey
beat Nutter 140 to 154; Burley, Tor
rey Koontz, Johnston and Smith are
still leaders in the tournament.
ing to the various changes which thes
stocks ami bonds have undergone in
ownership. As stated before, the sec
retary of the interior has had prolong-1
ed conferences with the representative
t
of the road and the examination of the
title by Rubiee following these con
ferences is taken to mean that the ad
ministration has about decided to take •
over the road on the Kenai peninsula. I
This deduction must, however, be |
made without any positive grounds to
work on as the secretary has made no
statement of a definite nature. The
very appointment of a counsel to the
commission is regarded by Alaskans
as significant coming at this time.
COUNCIL BALKS AT THE
WATCHMAN ORDINANCE.
The ordinance providing for a night
watchman for the city came up for its
third reading at the meeting of the
city council last night but nothing was
done. The ordinance was put to a vote
twice and both times the vote resulted
in a draw. Reason for opposition to
the ordinance now is that the present
council will go out of office after two
or three more meetings and some of
the members wish to leave the matter
to the new council.
COURT SITTING.
The district court convened at Val
dez yesterday. Amongst the criminal
trials to come up this session are the
ones against George Hazzard and
Indian Jim, the last named be‘-ng held
for the murder of Tom Stepan, anoth
er native. Amongst the equity cases
are those against the Skeen-Lechner
mining company. Otto R. Hansen vs.
The Alaskan Northern railroad is also
listed for this term.
LONDON ADMITS ALLIED LOSSES
LONDON, Feb. 16.—The official news issued today
by the government press bureau seems to be unfavorable
to the allied armies in the western field of war. It states
that the Germans have again renewed the offensive at
various parts of the line in France and it is candidly ad
mitted that the enemy has scored some successes. It is
conceded that the British attacks on the German lines at
La Bassee have been checked but the official bulletin
states that the British hold their positions although they
have failed to move the enemy in spite of determined at
tacks. It is feared that these attacks on strongly en
trenched positions will result in severe British losses but
it is announced that the assaults will be continued until the
Germans are forced to evacuate their places at that point.
The Germans have also inflicted another blow on the
French at St. Mihiel and this success of the enemy is be
lieved to be rather important although the details have not
been published. The efforts of the French at that point
have been directed towards preventing the enemy from
completing the circle around the fortress of Verdun which
is now feared to be in danger of total investment. Another
important engagement has been fought at Ypres as a re
sult of the German offensive. The enemy captured half a
mile of trenches at that place and the allies cannot boast
of any compensating advantage. On the whole the news
from either front today is not pleasant but so many
changes have come in the fortunes of the contending arm
ies that another day is expected to bring better tidings.
From the violence of the attack at Ypres it is thought that
the Germans are beginning their great effort to break
through from that point towards the northern ports of
France and the present week will most likely witness one
of the most terrific conflicts of the war. The enemy has
. been bringing up strong reinforcements to that quarter
and the allies have been preparing in a similar manner so
that the forces opposed to each other around Ypres are
nothing less than mighty armies.
1
BELIEVES NOME MAIL
SHOULD COME THIS WAY.
James McLaughlin Arrives Direct
Front Seward Peninsula
Metropolis.
By Seward and the people along the
line getting together the mail trail be
tween Nome and the outside could be
made to run thorough this city, ac
cording to James Me Laughlin who ar
rived overland yesterday from the
Seward Peninsula metropolis. He con
siders the trail fine except in a couple
of places and one of the places is be
tween Knik and this city. Mr.* Mc
Laughlin left Nome on January 16 in
company with W. W. Getchell who is
on his way to Juneau to attend the
legislature to which he has been elect
ed. Mr. Getchell left Mr. McLaughlin
at Kaltag and went out by way of
Fairbanks. Mr. McLaughlin says
Nome is just about the same as ever
and he believes it to be the best Sum
mer camp in Alaska yet by a long
shot. Mr. McLaughlin is a prominent
mining man of the Second division
and is now on his way to arrange some
business matters.
SEWARD MAN IS GOING
TO IMITATE THE FROG.
Wants to be Closed in Ice to See if He
Can Come out again.
Jack Rousseau Is a former Seward
man who offers hifself on the altar of
science by declaring that he will per
mit himself to be enclosed in ice to see
if he can come out alive again like a
frog, according to the Seattle Post
Intelligencer of last Sunday week. Mr.
Rousseau, who made the offer to a re
porter of that paper, was at a Seat
tle hotel on the way to Ketchikan
where he intends to go naked into the
wilderness to find how long a man can
live in cold weather without protec
tion. “If a frog can be frozen into a
lump of ice” said Mr. Rousseau “and
come out alive, what’s the matter
with a man doing it” The P. I.
says a lot mere about Mr. Rousseau
but enough is .is good as a feast
PRESIDENT ANSWERS
ALASKA INVITATION.
Does not yet Know Whether it Will
be Possible for him to
Visit Us.
Seward, Juneau, Cordova, Skagway
and other towns on the coast have in
vited President Wilson to visit Alaska
on his trip westward this spring and
Governor Strong has added an invit
ion on his own account The follow
ing letter has been received by the
governor from the president in
answer:
The White House,
, Washington.
FEBRUARY 1, 1915.
My dear Governor Strong:
Your telegram of January twenty
eight, inviting me in the name of the
people of Alaska to visit Alaska when
I come to the Pacific Coast has given
me a great deal of pleasure. You
may be sure that if it were possible
for me to arrange such a trip I would
do so, for I have an eager desire to
see Alaska. I do not know at this
writing whether it will be possible or
not, but I am none the less deeply ap
preciative of your courtesy.
Sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON.
OTTAWA WAS !
ONLY HOAXED
SUPPOSED AIRSHIPS WERE
NOTHING BUT TOY BALLOONS
FROM NEW YORK.
OTTAWA, Feb. 16.—*The people of
this city have discovered that when
they put out their lights the other
night and sank the whole city in
darkness they were the victims of
either a hoax or unconscious children.
The supposed airship fleet that was on
the way to bombard the city has turn
ed out to be nothing more than a lot
of toy balloons let loose at Morris
town, New Y’ork. When the balloons
made their Appearance over the bor
der the Canadian authorities at the
border immediately telegraphed to the
officials in this capital and the people
at once came to the conclusion teat
the Germans were on the way from
the United States. The whole thing
was probably done as hoax and that
they were successful is admitted. The
people of Ottawa are now enjoying
the joke at their own expense. I he
scare, however, shows how the Cana
dian people regard the possinilities
from German-American activities.
HURL BOMBS IN MIDST
OF MASKED DANCERS.
Two Bulgarian Aristocrats Blown up
by Anarchists in Capital
City.
SOFIA, Bulgaria, Feb. 16.—A bomb
was hurled into the midst of the dan
cers at a masked ball given by the
aristocrats of this city last night and
two members of the most prominent
families were killed. The act is sup
posed to be that of an anarchist but
no clue to his identity has yet been
discovered.
WANT SIX MILLIONS
MONTHLY FOR BELGIANS.
NEW YORK, Feb. 16.—The direct
ors of the Rockefeller Foundation
have estimated that six million dollars
a month are needed for the proper re
lief of the distress of the Belgians.
WANTS MAJORITY TO HAVE
CONSTITUTIONAL POWER.
Bryan of Washington Introduces
Resolution to Simplify Amend
ments to Constitution.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.—Repre
sentative Bryan of the state of Wash
ington introduced in the house yester
day a resolution making it proper for
a majority of congress henceforth to
introduce amendments to the constitu
tion so long as two thirds of the states
ratify the amendments.
MARIPOSA BRINGS
QUITE A BUNCH.
The Mariposa arrived last night
with something more than thirty pas
sengers for Seward. Sixteen came
from Seattle and the remainder were
picked up at different way points. The
following came from Seattle:
Mrs. C. S. Spaulding, Wm. Springer
Mrs. J. Gibson; Mrs. F. Martin; Aug.
Johnson; J. E. Hensler; Miss V. Mor
rison and nine steerage.
NEW ELECTRIC ORDINANCE.
The new electric power franchise
ordinance was presented to the city j
council last night by G. B. Poindexter
and was read a first time. Robert
Ashland who is associated with Mr.
Poindexter in the matter came back
last night on the Mariposa.
SCANDAL OVER
SHIPPING BILL
McADOO CHARGED WITH BEING
FINANCIALLY INTERESTED
IN MEASURE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.—The fight
on the shipping bill started in the
house today and promises to be a hot
one. The debate has, however, been
limited to six hours. Tho senate to
day began an investigation of tho
charges that Secretary of the Treas
ury McAdoo, son in law of the presi
dent, and other proponents of the
measure are financially intereste 1 in
its passage. The foundation for this
charge is very slim it is admitted but
the investigation is deemed expedient
to clear McAdoo and the others if for
nothing else. The democratic party »n
caucus pledged itself last night to sup
port the compromise measure. 'I his
compromise, as stated before, is that
government ships be placed under a
commission until after the war.
Curtis C. Feltner arrived last night
from Juneau. Ho will proceed to
Knik “to harden himself in" as he
says.
GREAT COMPANY FIRED
FROM GOVT. PROPERTY.
Fifteen Million Dollar Corporation
Must Give up the Sites Oc
cupied by it.
SALT LAKE, Feb. 16.—The federal
judge of this district has ordered the
Utah Light and Power Company to
abandon all the sites and holdings oc
cupied by it. The court decided that
the company is on government land
and secured the sites illegally. The
case has been pending for three years
and the company tried every means
in its power to combat successfully
the effort to have its sites taken. Tfc *
capital of the corporation is fifteen
millions and on the sites are line
buildings whose removal means a
frightful loss.
QUAKES AND FLOODS
INCREASE IN ITALY.
More People Killed by the Extraord
inary Earth Disturbances in
That Land.
ROME, Feb. 16.—More earthquakes
have occurred in different parts of
Italy within the past few days and
several people have been killed. The
quakes have increased the floodings
in some extraordinary manner and
great areas of land are now under
water. Scientists who are studying
the matter declare that the floods are
clearly affected by the ground shak
ings. The Tiber is still rising and
threatening this city in such a manner
that hundreds of people are leaving
their residences and taking their
household goods to place of safety.
WENT ON MARIPOSA.
The following went last night on
the Mariposa:
C. K. Snow; Mrs. Gilpatrick; M’ss
Leona Bradshaw; C. W. De Hoff, Mrs.
Hazel M. Whitehead; C. T. Atchison,
T. R. Meredith; S. 0. Morford; J.
Lindley Green; B. F. Watson; Wm.
H. Smith; Dr. H. 0. Schaiaben; Mrs.
McMullen and family.
COMING ON THE EVANS.
SEATTLE, Feb. 16.—The Evans
left yesterday . Aboard were one
passenger! named Evans for Valdez
and John Gale and two steerage for
Seward.
GERMANY CLAIMS
MORE VICTORIES
Says Second Battle in Last
Prussia Got 40,000
Prisoners
WILL MINE WATERS IF
BRITAIN STOPS FOODSTUFFS
FEAR BRITISH TRICK
BERLIN, Feb. 1G.—The officials of the German gov
ernment have given out a sort of semi-official expression
of the belief that the British will sink a few neutral ships
in the waters included in the danger zone by Germany and
then try to lay the blame on this country. It is admitted
that there is no ground for this belief other than a suspic
ion that the British would have so much to gain by such a
procedure it would be most tempting as neutral nations
like the United States of America might be drawn into the
conflict. It is officially announced that unless Great Brit
ain rescinds its order against the shipping of foodstull's
to Germany the German fleet will sow mines all over the
waters declared by Germany to be within the danger
zone. The day of sowing these mines is given as the eigh
teenth of the present month unless Britain agrees in the
meantime to let the cargoes of foodstuffs through. I' rom
that time forward neutral nations are warned that their
shipping will be in serious danger should their ships at
tempt to enter that zone. At that time will begin the real
attempt to retaliate against the British by cutting oil sup
plies from the people of that country as much as possible.
«• - --—
BERLIN CLAIMS MORE SUCCESS
BERLIN, Feb. 16.—Field Marshal Hindenburg has
scored another important victory over the Russians in
the East Prussia province. This latest triumph has been
achieved by him in the Mazurian lakes district which the
Russians had attempted to occupy while their other army
was marching westward to the north of the lakes, The
battle won a few days ago was against the northern Rus
sian force and this one is against the Russians to the
south. In the battle reported won today the Germans
captured more than forty thousand prisioners making a
total of nearly eighty thousand Russians taken in the two
battles. From the reports from the front it is made to ap
pear that the Russians are failing completely in their
East Prussia campaign.
CLAIM BUKOWINA IS CLEAR
VIENNA, Feb. 16.—Coming simultaneously with the
news of the victories of the Gremans in East Prussia is
the news that the Austrians have completely driven the
Russians from the province of Bukowina. After the de
feat of last week the Russians began to retire to the east
ward. They were followed closely by the Austrians under
Dankl and engaged determinedly every time they attempt
ed to make a stand. Yesterday the Austrians drove them
back further and captured the important city of Nadwor
na so taking the last foothold of the enemy in the province.
Bukowina was officially declared to be free of the enemy
this morning and the Austrians are still advancing to
wards the Dneister river where the Russians are expected
to make their next stand unless they are overtaken and
overwhelmed sooner. The news from the mid-Carpathian
battlefields is also favorable to the Austro-German armies
so that from the extreme north to the extreme south of
the line nothing has been related for several days but suc
cess after success of the allied Teuton forces. Fighting
directly west of Warsaw has lulled temporarily but with
the defeats of the Russians on their right and left the at
tack on the Polish capital will probably be renewed with
greater vigor than ever.