alasTani jetoKtrft
DAILY _ I 1 -
■--- piiDi iQiipn nAii v EXCEPT SUNDAY LARGEST ALASKAN CIRCULATION
ADVERTISEMENTS BRING RESULTS _PUBLISHED DAILY lxlepi Sunday ____
■•7— v olft SEWARD, ALASKA, THURSDAY, DEC. 28, 1916. Ten Cents the Copy
VoL lvj No. .>10 —- —. ■ - —-■
GERMANY MUST SHOW HER HAND
BEFORE ALLIES TALK OF PEACE
RUSSIA ANSWERS GERMANY
LONDON, Doc. 28.—Retrograd reports that the Rus
sian answer to the German peace proposal has been tele
graphed to France. It was sent iust Monday and this
lact has caused some uneasiness in British pri\ate ciicles
because ol* the feeling that Russia might have shown a
haste that would lead Germany to believe her too anxious
for a conference. Such a conference is still legaided
here as far distant, however, unless Germany shows her
hand. It is understood that the reply of the combined
Entente nations refers to the objects of the Entente in
prosecuting the war but states no terms on which peace
could be secured.
NO TERMS IN GERMAN NOTE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.—The German note propos
ing a discussion of the possibility ot bringing about peace
was received today but is found to contain no items on
which peace would be granted or accepted.
MAY TELL WILSON TERMS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.—It is reported today that
Germany is offering to President W lison a statement oi
tentative terms oi peace confidentially lor the purpose oi
preventing the allied nations from slipping out oi a con
l ere nee. Ambassador iiernstorlt is optimistic and ioic
stes the holding of a conference between the belligerents.
CORONATION AT BUDAPEST
LONDON, Dec. 28.—Vienna reports that Emperor
Charles and his wile will go to Budapest for the corona
tion ceremonies as king and queen of Hungaiy. lhis is
a new departure anu is intended to show ttie Hungarians
that they are equal partners in the empire.
RUSSIANS SAY BATTLE CONTINUES _
PETROGRAD, Dec. 28.—Fierce Teuton attacks were
delivered throughout the whole day yesterday on the
Roumanian front along the whole line and it is admitted
that the Russians were pressed back slightly on the Rim
nik, or Rymnikue, river. The Teuton artillery also de
molished the Russian and Roumanian first lines on the
Kymnik road and forced us to retire after we had repuls
ed a series of attacks. I he battle still continues.
TEUTONS STILL VICTORIOUS
BERLIN, Dec. 28.—The Teutons and their allies have
again been victors in a live day battle in eastern \\ al
lachia. We have pierced the Russian positions consisting
of several lines of barbed wire entanglements and captui
ed eight thousand prisoners, l'he Russians were decisive
lv defeated on a front of seventeen kilometers southwest
of Rimnik and several fortified villages were taken. Ihe
enemy is now retreating further north. Ihe attacks on
the Matchin bridge head are progressing.
DOWNED 25 GERMAN PLANES
PARIS, Dec. 28.—Sub-Lieutenant Guynemer downed
his twenty-fifth German aeroplane yesterday and so be
came the premier aviator of the French army. He has
been operating on the western front since the beginning
of the war. He is now second in aerial achievement to
aCptain Boelke, the German, who was credited with
downing forty planes before meeting his death.
COMPLETE ROUMANIAN VICTORY
BERLIN, Dec. 28.—The invading Teutons have com
pleted the defeat of the Russians and Roumanians, the
war office announces today. Three thousand more Rus
sians were captured yesterday and it may be said that the
conclusion of the battle on Wednesday brought the fuiles
victory achieved in the Roumanian theatre by Falken
hayn’s Ninth army. The position of the Teutons now
makes our lines about as short as they could possibly be
in the east and further conquests in Roumania would have
little advantage in that respect.
I WOODROW WILSON IS
60 YEARS OLD TODAY
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.6— Presi
dent Woodrow Wilson is celebrating
his sixtieth birthday today, having
been born in Virginia on December
28, 1856. He intended to pass the
day playing golf but rain prevented.
DRAWING FOR HALLETT
SERVIC E AT MASHl ERADE
The drawing for the silver service
offered by the firm of Hallett & Scott
will take place at the Firemen’s Mas
querade ball. Those holding tickets
are requested to take them to the hall
with them.
C AVING IN C VI SED A
DROP IN GAST1NEAI
The cause of the fall in value of
Alaska-Gastineau stock, it is stated
by Juneau visitors here, was the cav
ing in. The rock that caved in was
run through the mill as the easiest
way of getting rid of it and the out
put, of course, f^ll per ton. The mine
in every other respect looks as good
as ever, they say.
\VH \T ANCHORAGE SAID
ABOCT SALE OF LIQCOR
The Anchrage daily even attacked'
the proposed sale of liquor by the |
government here and quotes the (late-j
way editorial. The Times has this
to say on its own account:
“It is officially announced that cer
tain intoxicating liquors seized by the
federal authorities at Point Campbell,;
on lvnik arm, are to be sold at pub
lic auction to the highest cash bidder,
at Seward, the sale to be conducted
under the auspices of the district at
torney and U. S. marshal’s offices.
The sale of this liquor places the
government in rather an anomalous
position, in this, that while in the
sacred limits of the townsite of An
chorage the sale of liquors is prohib
ited, we find the same government
prepared to itself engage in the sale
of intoxicating liquors in a neighbor
ing community. This brings us to the
question as to the right, as a matter
of strict and even justice, of the gov
ernment to set apart certain prescrib
ed areas in which intoxicating liquors
•annot be sold. It would appear that
if it were wrong to sell intoxicating
liquors in one community, it would be
aqually wrong to sell them in another.
But it often occurs that Uncle Sam’s
right hand does not know, or realize,
what*his left is doing. He is govern
ed, in large part, by regulations hand
ed out by some department clerk or
bureau official.”
ALBERTSTONE DIED
AT PIONEER HOME
SITKA, Dec. 18.—Rueben E. Al
berstone, who was prominently identi
fide with the early coast history of
Alaska, died at Pioneer Home on Sun
day as a result of heart trouble.
Rueben Albertstone came to Wran
gell in 1875. In 1878, two years be
fore Juneau was located, he came to
Sitka and for many years was promi
nent in politics of the territory hav
ing served in several political posi
tions.
In 18S6 he was delegated to go to
Washington to plead with the Cleve
land administration for self govern
| ment. He was born in Ixmdon, Eng
land, in 1842. Interment was made
here today. All business houses be
ing closed.—Ex.
CARRANZA GETS GAY AND II. S.
MAY RECOGNIZE VIELA REVOLUTIONISE
SIXTY MILLIONS
ON GOVT. LEAK
Tom Lawson Says Story of
Wilson Peace Note
W as Tipped Off.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.—Further
information was gained today about
the charge made by Tom Lawson that
a leak of news from the White House
enabled him to make millions on the
stock exchange. The latestis learned
from a wire sent by Lawson to Con
gressman Wood of Indiana in which it
is stated that sixty million dollars
was cleaned up on the exchange
through an official tip given out that
President Wilson was about to send
a note to the belligerents asking for
peace. Lawson also said in his wire
that next week’s tip is likely to in
undate the Street. The matter has
caused a big sensation and a close in
vestigation is sure to follow.
MAN FROM SEWARI)
TO TAN MFD SHARKS
For a long time deemed worthless,
the Alaskan mud shark, which is!
found in the mud flats of Northern
waters in great numbers, has been
found to have value. J. F. Lavarne,
of Seward, who is a guest at the
Stevens, has prepared a tanning pro
cess that makes available for indust
rial use the hide of the mud shark.
He has brought down samples of the
leather, which shoe and automobile
trimmings companies have asked for.
Yesterday Mr. Lavarne had a con
ference with Dr. H. L Moore, deputy
United States commissioner of fish
eries, and today he will conler witl
President Henry Suzzallo, of the
University of Washington, regarding
scientific experimentation with the
hide and its tanning process.
The sharks for years have been
caught in fish traps and on halibut
| lines, but have been considered with
out value and have always been
thrown away after being killed. Mr.
Lavarne caught hundreds of them in
his fish traps, but until S. P. Stognet,
a fisherman who was working for him
and who had been a tanner in Ger
! many, began experimenting with the
hide of the shark, it did not occur to
; him that there might be value to the
j hide.
“Wo have brought out 307 hides of
j the mud shark, which we are going to
! tan in Seattle and then market the
I leather,” said Mr. Lavarne. “The
leather should be worth $1 a pound,
| with about $8 an average value for
| a skin. We also look forward to uti
lizing the oil of the shark for indust
rial uses and the meat for fertilzer.
Next year it is the intention of Mr.
> Lavarne and his associates in the en
terprise to go into the shark-catching
business on a bigger scale, aftei mak
ing contracts with dealers in the
states for the sale of the hides. A
tannery will be established in Seat
j tie to take care of the preparation of
, the leather. The leather of the mud
shark is soft and smooth, is imperv
1 ious to water and looks somewhat like
1 hog skin.—Seattle P.-I.
WATSON DUE AT SEVEN
TOMORROW MORNING
The Admiral Watson is due to ar
rive in Seward tomorrow morning at
7 o’clock, weather permitting.
BANK RESOURCES HAVE
INCREASED FOUR BILLION
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28. — The
statement of Comptroller Williams of
the treasury shows that the resources
of the national banks of the United
States have increased by four billions
in the last two years. The aggregate
resources of the banks are now fifteen
and a half billions. The greatest per
centage of increase in the west was
fifty per cent. (Note:—This message
also seems to say that the aggregate
resources of the American national
banks “exceed the total of the com
i
bined greatest foreign banks” but this
looks doubtful.)
TWELVE WERE KILLED
LITTLE, ROCK, Dec. 28.—The
number of deaths from the storms
remain twelve. Fifty were injured.
NINETEEN TRAINS STALLED
LARAMIE, Dec. 28.—Nineteen
trains are snowbound between this
place and Rawlins.
ALASKA LIGHTHOUSE
TENDER IS LAUNCHED
LONG BEACH, Calif., Dec. 28.—
The >teel lighthouse tender Cedar
for the Alaska service was launched
yesterday. She cost a quarter of a
million dollars.
FIFTY SURVIVORS OF !
SANKAKU ARE LANDED
TOKIO, Dec. 28.—Fifty survivors
of the Sankaku Maru have been land
ed safely but the fate of the others
remains unknown.
ASQUITH DENTES HIS
DAUGHTER'S ENGAGEMENT
_
LONDON, Dec. 28.—Herbert As
1 quith, former prime minister of Great
Britain, denies the engagement of his j
! daughter to Hugh Gibson, first secre
tarv of the American embassy.
list of prizes for
MASQURADE BALL
_
Best dressed—lady, silk Kimona;
gent, pair fur gloves. 2nd—lady,
lace collar; gent, bath robe.
Best sustained—lady, cut glass ■
dish; gent, case beer. 2nd—lady, set
of tea spoons; gent, large stein.
Most comical—lady, 1 qt. cham- j
pagne; gent, 3 bottles whiskey. 2nd;
—lady, 1 pr. silk hose; gent sweater, j
Most original—lady, $5; gent $5.
2nd—lady, hand painted plate; gem
box cigars.
Female impersonator—1st pipe;
2nd, goose. Male impersonator—1st
$5; 2nd turkey.
Best take off on fire department, 1 ,
dozen bottles beer and a cake will be
given as prizes.
Children’s prizes—1 flash light, 3
boxes candy, as extra prizes, a picture
and an electric curling iron. The door
prizes are a goose, turkey, ham, small
stein, box cigars, round trips at the
barber shops, a suit cleaned and
pressed. As a special prize a box of
j 500 cigarettes and six bottles of An
| gelica wine. Party and evening
gowns barred from winning prizes as
best dressed.
A children’s entertainment will be
j given to the children of Seward at
2:30 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. Re
fershments will be served and a two
CRISIS IS AT HAND
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.—Information has been re
ceived that Carranza has refused to accept the protocol
and the next step may precipitate a crisis. Chairman
Lane and his colleagues of the commission are holding a
conference and people close to the commission assert that
Villa will soon be recognized by the American govern
ment as a revolutionist and not as a bandit and outlaw.
Cabrera, the chairman of the Mexican commissioners, has
arrived here bearing the Carranza reply but the text has
not been given out and will probably not be given out un
til this evening or tomorrow. It is reported, though, that
while Carranza in this note has not accepted the United
States proposals he has so carefully worded the reply that
it will prevent a cessation of the negotiations and give him
another chance to find a way out. It is conceded on all
hands that matters seem worse now than ever.
AMERICANS BUILD TRENCHES
EL PASO, Dec. 28.—American troops posted south of
the Rio Grande and Mexicans exchanged shots today and
the Americans are hastily constructing entrenchments as
the Mexicans are reported to be preparing to cross the
river. The machines of the Third Kentucky guardsmen
halted the Mexicans or a serious result might have to be
recorded.
VILLA HAS STRONG FORCES
EL PASO, Dec. 28.—It is now virtually certain that
Villa is preparing to attack Juearez anil Chihuahua (itv
simultaneously in the effort to establish traffic communi
cation between Torreon and the border. Mexican re
fugees state that he is now heading live thousand men and
is moving northward. At the same time live hundred
Villistas are skirmishing with the ( arranzistas around
Calderon about sixty miles southeast of Juarez.
COLD IN MEXICO
EL PASO, Dec. 28.—The American troops are now
suffering severely from the cold while the Mexicans ate
using the timbers of the international bridge foi~ Ltd._
SHIPS SAIL SECRETLY
BOSTON, Dec. 28.—The news of the sailings of Brit
ish ships is now suppressed and all advertising of sailing
dates has been withdrawn as a precaution against at
tacks by German raiders or submarines whose presence
in the Atlantic is again suspected.
INTENSE ARTILLERY ON SOMME
PARIS, Dec. 28.—Marked artillery activity is again
reported south of the Somme, and north of the Somme
near Lesars the German positions were iSavily shelled
on Tuesday and Wednesday. South of Arras our artillery
bombarded with good results.__
JOHN NOON GETS OFF
SOME PHILOSOPHY
The foliowing is an interview in
the Seattle P.-I. with John Noon:
“Instead of going to Alaska to
make a grubstake and then coining
outside to sepnd it, the model n
pioneer is one who goes into the
North and takes up his home there,
nrepared to spend the rest ot his days
amidst plenty." This is the modern
description of an Alaskan adventurei,
according to John Noon, of Seward,
who is a guest at the Seward with
Mrs. Noon.
“The old day of going to Alaska tc
get rich and then coming outside tc
| spend it is gone," said Mr. Noon
! “We’ve got as good farm land a.*
| many places in the state of W ashing
ton, and, little by little, we are con
' vincing the chechakoes who comi
there of this fact."
, Mr. Noon, who was a member o
I, ^
| the second territorial legislature ot
j Alaska, declared that the town of
j Seward is showing more evidence of
' prosperity than it has for some time,
i Considerable building is going on and
the railroad commission is undertak
ing a lot of new work in the matter
of terminals. A new depot, which
! will be a pretentious structure befit
1 ting the terminus of the government
I railroad, will be built in the spring.
! Mr. and Mrs. Noon will be in Se
I attle for a few months, while Mr.
Noon concludes matters of business
that called him outside/'
LOTS CHEAPER
Andrew Christensen, manager of
the land and industrial department of
i the A. E. C. conducted a lot sale of
Anchorage property tftis afternoon.
• This sale consists of the remnants
5 and drew a big crowd but the lots did
not bring the high price of former
f sales.—Anchorage Times.