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- - SEWARD. ALASKA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER, 6, 1917 TEN CENTS PER COPY
Volume XI, Number 193.
GOV RNMENT MAY
TAKE CHARGE OF
RAILROADS IN U. S.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.—The government operation
of railroads of the United States for the duration of the
war will be recommended by the Interstate Commeice
Commission. This recommendation will follow provided
Congress does not permit the unification of the transpor
tation systems as advanced bv the railroad presidents and
managers.
WASHINGTON. Hoc. 6.—President Wilson, in a
signed statement issued this afternoon at the White
House, said that he would pr^ably make a special address
to a joint session of Congress regarding the government s
operation of the railroads of the nation. The President
is understood to firs* ^°vor the unification plan but also
approves of the government tab1*10 full chaige of the iail
roads for the period of the war.
HOUSE HEADY
TO HAVE WAR
WITH AUSTRIA
WASHINGTON, Ore. 6. — The
House Foreign Affairs Committee un
animously reported the resolution lor
the declaration of war against Aus
tria-Hungary at this mornings S06“j
sion. The House leaders have agreed
to puss the resolution bet ore tomor
row night.
The declaration of war with Aus
tri-Hungary will add seven hundred
thousand men to the alien enemies
now within the United States. These
figures are given by the Ih?partment
of Justice and corroborated by the
Secret Service branch of the govern
ment.
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AI.VMKDA LEAVES JUNEAU
Steamer Alameda sailed from Ju
neau for Seward at 10 o’clock this
morning, according to cable advices
received here. Maintaining her regu
lar running time the Alameda should
reach Cordova tomorrow night late
and be here sometime Sunday fore
noon.
FIRE BOYS TO
BE CALLED TO
MEETJY CHIEF
Fire Chief Joe Strejc announced to
day that he will call a meeting of the
fire boys for sometime next week. He
is now consulting with many of the
boys regarding organization on cer
tain lines bound to insure efficiency.
“I want to express my thanks to
the members of the city council for
electing me to the position of Fire
Chief,” said Mr. Strejc today, “and I
will be on the job to the best of my
ability. I believe that I have all the
fire boys behind me and we will have
a department that will be a pride to
the city.”
U. S. AVIANORS
DIRECT ATTACK
UPON GERMANS
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
IN FRANCE, Dec. 6. — American
aviators are now working with the
British artillery on the Cambrai of
fensive which was resumed here dur
ing the past twenty-four hours. The
work of the Americans is highly sat
isfactory and they are now directing
the fire against the German positions.
LONDON, Dec. 6. — The British
are understood to have started the
second offensive against the Germans.
Heavy artillery is being sent to the
front and according to unofficial re
ports the British have regained cer
tain positions lost when the German
reserves entered the fray five days
ago.
RUSS DEMANDS
FOR ARMISTICE
UNSATISFACTORY
I _
PETROGRAD, Dec. 6. — Represen
tatives of the Teutons met the Rus
sian emissaries at Brest-Litovsky.
The Teutons were empowered by the
Kaiser to negotiate an armistice on
the eastern front only. The Russians
insisted upon an armistice on all
fronts and wanted the Teutons to
promise not to send troops to the
casern or other fronts.
The Russians also asked that the
Germans surrender the Islands on
Moon Sound, recently captured by the
B^tic Sea fleet.
In reply the Teutons said that the
Russian conditions were unacceptable
as such demands could only be ad
dressed to a conquered country. The
Teutons gave the Russians a sealed
proposal for an armistice on the east
ern front only, which the Russians
are now considering.
TWO AIR RAIDERS
OVER LONDON ARE
SWEPT TO EARTH
BILLIONS MUST
BE RAISED FOR !
NATION’S NEEDS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. — Secre
tary of Treasury William A. McAdoo
in his annual report submitted to
Congress today said that live billions,
one hundred and twenty-eight mil
lion, two hundred and three thousand
seven hundred and ninety three dol
lars must be provided in addition to
the taxes, to make the receipts for
the next fiscal year equal to the dis
bursements.
Secretary McAdoo says that the
United States has borne the war’s fi
nancial burdens well so far on ac
count of the business conditions in
this nation and the federal reserve
systems.
-.>
CARD PARTY NEXT WEEK
Tickets are on sale now for the
card party and luncheon to be given
by the ladies of the Catholic church
at the residence of the priest on next
Wednesday. There will be a prize
for lady and gentleman and a cut
prize which will be a turkey.
... —— —— -
M’KAY SERIOUSLY ILL
William M’Kay, who was aboard
the Mariposa with his family when
that steamer was wrecked, is serious
ly ill in Seattle according to mail ad
vices received in Seward. Mr. M’Kay
was stricken with heart trouble and
when the steamer he finally took pas
sage on reached Seattle, he was car
ried ashore and to a hospital on a
stretcher .
•
STOP SALVAGE WOIIK
ON MARIPOSA OWING
TO SCOWS WRECK ED
SEATTLE, Dec. 6. — All atu x>ts
to salvage the wrecked steamer Mari
posa has been stopped until next
spring. The salvage barge of Wilson
Sylvester company, of Wrangell, has
been blown ashore and wrecked by a
storm. The company has been forced
I to cancel the ore salvage contract as
no moi e barges can be secured
SKAMRli
IS PROSOSED
AT BALL PARK
A skating rink at the ball grounds
is now being proposed by many of
the Seward sports. Very probably a
bunch will be organized to go out
some day this week or on Sunday and
flood the ball grounds for the pur
pose of making a skating pond with
in easy reach of the city and a place
that is protected from the wind. There
is a city hydrant near the ball park
! and connection can easily be made to
flood the grounds with water. Once
; completed it will be a simple matter
to keep the skating surface in good
condition. s
LONDON, Dec. 6. — The first Ger
man air raid over England for five
weeks occurred early this morning.
Twenty-five aeroplanes, each manned
by three men participated in the raid.
Six reached the inner defenses of
London and two were brought down
in flames and the crew captured.
Bombs dropped caused a number of
fires which were quickly put under
control and extinguished. The cas
ualties, according to the official an
nouncement was very light.
The planes came out of a clear sky
and with a moon shining over the
city, London was a perfect target for
the raiders. The British air fleet
maneuvered and beat the raiders oil
but aside from the two brought down
within the inner defenses, all others
escaped.
LONDON, Dec. G. — The Admiral
ty this afternoon announced that sev
en were killed and twenty-one injured
outside of London ns a result of the
Gorman air raid and three were kill
ed and ten injured in this city.
LIQUID GAS IS
BEING USED ON
THE ITALIANS
ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS, Dec.
G. — Furious enemy attacks on the
Asiago Plateau have been repulsed
with heavy losses on both sides. The
enemy attacked in waves of infantry
with liquid gas following intense ar
tillery engagements. Last night and
today a battle is raging with great
intensity on a ton mile front. So far)
the Italians have held all lines in the
north with the exception of north
eastern sector where the Teutons
have occupied some advanced linos.
There desperate masses of infantry
are fighting hand to hand.
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HUN PLOTTERS i
PLEAD GUILTY
IN U. S. COURT
f SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Dec. <i. —
Lieut. Wilhelm von Brinken, former
military attache to the German Con
sulate here; George Rodiek, former
German Consul to Honolulu and H.
A. Schroeder, who succeeded Rodiek,
today plead guilty to the charge of
fomenting a revolution against Brit
ish rule in India.
“The less said about this case,” re
plied Lieut, von Brinken, “the better
it will be for Germany.”
The remark made in open court
caused a great stir but no further in
formation was divulged as to the
why.
Trials of others arrested on the
same charge will proceed at once ac
cording to the government officials,
notwithstanding the guilty plea of
the three ringleaders.
SHIPS COLLIDE IN
HARBOR STARLING
SC NE OE HORROR
BULLETIN—Truro, Nova Scotia, Dec. 6.—At live
o’clock this afternoon advices were received from Halifax
that three hundred are dead in that city as the result of
the munition explosion and fire.
The fire was under control at four o’clock this after
noon. The vessels collided in the harbor at 8:30 o’clock
this morning-. Hundreds were injured. No report has
been received as to the damage and losses caused by fire.
ST. JOHNS, NEW BRUNSWICK, Dec. 6.—A large
part of the city of Halifax is in flames according to infor
mation received !rre at noon today. The fire followed
f t
an explosion in the harbor when two vessels collided in a
storm which is now sweeping alum the coast. One of the
vessels was loaded with munition's of war including the
highest kind of explosives.
According to the report received here, the munition
i *■
ship was an American beat bound for Europe.
j\tanv waterfront buildings are in flames and the fire
is sweeping towards the heart of the business section and
up and down the harbor. Scores of buildings wore wreck
od by the shock from the explosion.
It is believed that none of the members of the crew
aboard the two vessels escaped with their lives. Other
ships in the harbor, anchored in the stream, and those tied
up at the docks suffered from the strange accident.
Several men and women along the waterfront are re
ported to have been killed. The wires went down half an
nour after the explosion and at that time the Western
Jnion office was in flames and the operators were leav
ng their keys.
The latest report by wire received was that a censor
had taken charge of all communication regarding the dis
ister and it was expected that martial law would be de
clared as there are many regiments at Halilax waiting to
go aboard transports for overseas.
Doctors and nurses, with supplies have been rushed
from here by special train to lend aid if it is necessary.
PART OF CITY WRECKED
AMHERST, Dec. 6—The whole northern section of
the city of Halifax is reported to be a mass of wreckage.
Fires have broken out in a dozen parts of the city and the
flames are said to be beyond control of the fire depart
ment. Crews from ships in the harbor are being rushed
ashore to give what assistance is possible.
PEOPLE ARE REPORTED PANIC STRICKEN
BOSTON, MASS., Dec. 6.—A wireless report caught
by an United States operator this afternoon says that the
people of Halifax are panic stricken.
Windows for thirty miles away are reported to have
been wrecked as the result of the explosion in the harbor
this forenoon. No official statement has been made dur
ing the day regarding the positive indentification of the
munition ship which collided with another steamer and it
is believed that the first report that the steamer was an
American craft is correct.
PASSENGER STEAMERS TO CUT OUT ANCHORAGE NEXT
SUMMER -READ ABOUT IT IN NEXT SUNDAY’S PAPER