LEHER POSTED
HFTERJEATH
CAPT. S. D. TERRY, WHO WAS
KILLED IN FRANCE, INTEND
ED TO RETURN TO ALASKA.
DESCRIBED WAR CONDITIONS
Quick Peace, It Is Said, Will Depend
Upon Being Able to Solve Submar
ine Problem and Dissensions Among
Germans.
Capt. Sidney D. Terry, formerly of
• Juneau, who was recently killed while
fighting with the Canadian troops in
France, had intended returning to
Alaska, according to a letter he had
written to L. J. Reedy, employment
agent for the Alaska Gastineau Min
• ing company, Alaska, but which had
not been posted.
The letter, after referring to per
sonal matters and friends at Juneau,
said:
“I should very much like to be on
the spot, but we cannot ask for a time
check on this job, so I have to sit tight
and pretend to like it.
Continuing his reference to Juneau
people, Capt. Terry, referring to Lee
Atkinson, formerly with the Alaska
Gastineau Mining company, but who
joined the Canadian troops some time
ago ,said:
“I have heard several times from
him, and since he wrote me last I
hav e been looking forward to the
pleasure of seeing him on this side
shortly. If he comes anywhere near,
I am going to beg, borrow or steal
a leave to see him.”
.inxiuus ior vacation.
A considerable portion of the let
ter was devoted to comment on the
war situation and the life of a soldier
In part, he said:
“I have been here seven months, and
my orderly leave is more than over
due, but I cannot get it. Ten days in
London would look good to me now.
About the height of my present ambi
tion is to get into a decent hotel with
a comfortable room and bath. But
there are many thousands in the same
fix, to whom leave is due and refused,
so I mustn’t kick too much, and some
of these days it will bob up .
Great Big Game.
* “This is a great, big, interesting
game, L. J., and I wouldn’t have miss
ed it for real money, but will be d
glad when it is all over. As you know
we are trying to avert a national ca
lamity, and only by united effort can
we hope to come out on top. It is up
to all Britishers that can to get busy.
We haven’t won yet ,and we have a
long, rough way to go. I am not one
of those so optimistic as to think the
show will be over in three to six
months. It may go on for years yet.
“Britain is now talking about rais
ing lots of spuds and foodstuffs and
in a general co-operation in many i
ways toward helping the food situa
tion along. She ought to have started
that in August, 1914. ‘Fritzy’ did so,
and we took it as a sign of weakness
when we should have taken it as a
sign that he was looking toward
those things that will count for su
premacy in the war. But England is
awakening and this year should be a
decided eye-opener. We are not go
ing to be **in Berlin soon and ‘Fritzy’
is not quite exhausted. This is the
greatest game of chance ever invent
ed with but few or no prizes. It is
brain against brain, working and wor
rying over devices for human killing.
Our machines are certainly getting
very terrible, and there is no telling
where it may stop, or who has the
trump card to play.
With the Pioneers.
“Personally, I am with a bunch of
‘Pioneers,’ and engaged in all sorts
and kinds of work, one day digging a
trench, next on a railroad job (light,
forwarding railroads form a very im
portant factor in the game) then I am
building or repairing roads in the for
ward area, then some nights stretch
ing wire in front, but seldom a rest,
^nd always working at high tension—
it gets very wearing at times. But it
is a wonderfully interesting thing to
watch, and times are seldom dull.
However, the hope of a quick peace
depends more upon meeting the Ger
man U-boat campaign and dissensions
among German people than upon our
big advances on land.”
Van Der Verd Invalided.
“You may remember Van Der Verd,
who worked as motorman at the Perse
verance mine; well, he left for Eng
land some time ago for an operation,
and has not rejoined us yet. He’s
lucky. England is the Mecca for us
over here, but I am so tough that I
cannot get sick, and while I get many
near, scary ones, it seems that they
will have to make a hit that will kill
before I can get out of the game.
Germany Wants Peace.
“But, do you know, L. J., ‘Fritzy’
want sthe show over just as much as
we do, and he proved it to me one day
by actually showing respect for hum
an life. Someday I hope to be abel to
tell you about it. It altered my idea
of the ‘Fritz’ personally, and I was
able to get back.
“I hope this letter may reach you.
There are censors and cenosres. I cen
sor hundreds of letters, but there is
no telling what may happen to a letter
before it gets to Alaska.
“I am very tired tonight.”
POPULAR YOUNG
COUPLE ENGAGED
WEDDING OF HELEN EDITH
WATSON AND B. H. HOWARD
SET FOR HALLOWE’EN.
Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Watson have
announced the engagement of their
daughter, Helen Edith Watson, to Mr.
Brice Hamilton Howard.
Both the young people are well
known residents of Anchorage, al
though comparatively recent arrivals.
Miss Watson is a sister of T. B. Wat
son, agent for the Pacific Steamship
company at this port, and for the
past several months has been em
ployed in the local post office. She
is a young lady of exceptional charm
who has made a host of friends since
her arrival in this city.
Mr. Howard occupies a responsible
position with the Bank of Anchorage,
having come from Seward this spring
to accept this employment. He has
been in the north several years and
numbers his friends by the acquaint
ances he has made.
The date of the wedding has been
set for Hallow’een night and will be
limited to the immediate friends of
the two young people.
POWER BOAT DIXIE
WRECKED IN INLET
HALF OF CRAFT IS BEACHED AT
DOG FISH BAY, ACCORDING
TO W. B. WOODWORTH.
Overtaken by a storm in Cook Inlet,
the power boat Dixie was wrecked
early this week and half of the craft
was thrown by the waves on the shore
of Dog Fish Bay last Wednesday, ac
cording to W. B. Woodworth, the mo
tion picture operator, who has just re
turned here from Seldovia. Mr. Wood
worth did not learn the fate of the
crew of the unfortunate boat.
The steamer Tyonic left Seldovia
for Anchorage late yesterday, accord
ing to the photographer, towing two
barges of Bluff Point coal.
About twenty outfits, declares Mi*.
Woodworth, are in the fishery busi
ness in the region around Seldovia.
The herring are just beginning to run
in large quantities.
The photographer says he obtained
some fine motion pictures of wild ani
mals on his trip. He took views of
moose, and has a film showing a moth
er brown bear at the foot of a tree
with her little cub in the lower
branches.
America to Participate.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 20.—
Although official announcement is
withheld, it is practically certain the
United States will be represented at
the coming conference of nations
fighting aaginst Germany, which prob
ably will be held in Paris. Secretary
of State Robert Lansing announced
America was considering participating
in the conference.
BEARS APPEAR
IN HERDS BN
RAILWAY ROUTE
WORKERS NEAR MONTANA
CREEK REPORT UNUSUAL NUM
BER OF ANIMALS THIS FALL.
ONE CHASES MAN AND WIFE
Ptarmigran and Rabits, Which Here
tofore Have Been Very Common,
Are Not to Be Seen at All at Pres
ent Time.
Brown bears are more numerous now
on the route of the government rail
road near Montana creek than at an
other time in the experience of con
struction crews. Reports from the end
of steel, which is near Montana creek,
are to the effect that a herd of seven
large brown bears was seen recently
by workers.
When the grade was put through,
bears were frequently observed, but not
in such numbers as at present.
The animals are so bold that they
come to eat from the swill barrels at
the mess tents.
Man and Wife Fight Bear.
A few nights ago, a man and his
wife, who have taken a homestead
near Montana creek, heard a bear
rummaging outside their cabin, and the
man got up and from the doorway,
shot at the scarcely discernible moving
object. In the morning blood on the
I ground evidenced he had hit the ani
mal, He, armed with a rifle, and his
wife, carrying a revolver, took up the
trail. It led, after an hour or so, into
' a patch of thick brush, where they
* turned around to retrace their steps
| home. They had gone but a short dis
tar.ce, when, hearing a noise they look
I ed backward, to see a brown bear chas
; ing them.
in■ ui i v u x 11t.11 •
They unlimbered their artillery—the
! man his rifle and the women her revol
j ver—and opened fire on the animal,
i They pumped him almost full of lead
I before he fell dead six feet in front of
| them. Bullet holes in his hide showed
' he had been hit fourteen times, and
I coadjulated blood in one of the wounds
j proved the animal was the same that
j the farmer had shot the previous
! night.
As unusual as the frequent occur
rence of bear is the great scarcity of
ptarmigan and rabbits. Practically
none of these is to be found in the
Montana creek region this fall; yet
both heretofore were very common
there.
EMPLOYES OF ALASKAN ENGI
NEERING COMMISSION ARE
CREDITED WITH $100,000.
More than $140,000 has been sub
scribed for Liberty bonds by em
ployes of the Alaskan Engineering
commission and by residents of An
chorage. Of this sum, $100,000 is
credited to commission employes, and
in this figure are not included the sub
scriptions from the Talkeetna divi
sion of the government railway. The
subscriptions there, when reported,
will add materially to the total.
The $40,000 credited to residents of
the city is reported by the Bank of
Anchorage and the Bank of Alaska.
Captain Charles W. Jones and B.
H. Barndollar, members of the sub
scription committee of the commis
sion employes, returned Saturday
night from a trip of three days along
the line of the government railway.
Subscriptions in the sum of $12,000
were obtained.
In the dining room at the commis
sion headquarters here, the names of
subscribers to the bond issue are
posted, and the list shows that about
98 per cent of the office force is rep
resented in the second issue of na
tional securities.
PATRIOTIC PROGRAM MARKS
CELEBRATION GIVEN UNDER
AUSPICES OF PIONEERS..
SCHOOL CHILDREN PRESENT
Principal Address Is Delivered By
Superintendent of School T. R. Mc
Anally and Response Given by John
W. Frame.
Exercises here, October 18, Alaska
Day, in commemoration of the fiftieth
anniversary of the raising at Sitka of
the first American flag in the territory
of Alaska were attended by a large
crowd of persons. The program in the
afternoon was given at the hall of the
pioneers’ association, which had
charge of the celebration, and the
dance in the evening was held in the
same building.
School Children Attend.
A pretty feature of the occasion was
the attendance of the school children,
who, in charge of their teachers,
marched from the school house to the
pioneers’ hall. The children, in the
course of the exercises, gave the flag
salute and led in the singing of Amer
ica. The address of the day was deliv
ered by T. R. McAnally, the school
superintendent, and the brief response
to his address was delivered by John
W. Frame, president of Igloo No. 15,
of this city.
Veterans Hoist Flag.
A union and a confederate veteran
hoisted the flag to the top of the pole
in front of the Pioneers’ hall, while a
salute was fired by a detachment of
soldiers from the military post.
The Anchorage band played several
pa triune neiectiuno.
Motion pictures of the exercises
were taken by H. G. Kaiser.
After the celebration, Professor Mc
Anally was the recipient of many con
gratulations because of his address. It
was as follows:
Prof. McAnally’s Address.
“I appreciate the opportunity, the
privilege, and the distinguished honor
of speaking in behalf of the Pioneers
of Alaska. Although a chechaco, I
consider myself a good Alaskan. I
believe in Alaska and Alaskans, and I
believe in Alaska for Alaskans. I
admire the pioneers of Alaska and I
admire the pioneers of every land.
This is a momentous day, a sacred
day to all true Alaskans, a day that
should be commemorated in every
corner of our great territory and by
every true and worthy citizen.
“Half a century ago our country
was engaged in civil strife, engaged
in the most momentous war the
world has ever seen—the north fight
ing against the south in a gigantic
contest, endeavoring to determine
whether this nation should be free
or slave. In the midst of that strug
gle a convention was held in Europe
composed of delegates from each of
the European powers. In that con
vention a question in the form of a
motion was being discussed and the
import of that motion was that the
Confederate States of America ‘are
and of a right ought to be a free and
independent government.’ The mo
tion was about to be put to a vote
and if carried it meant in America
the prevalence of the south over the
north; it meant the perpetuation of
slavery and the overthrow of democ
racy.
Only One Protest.
“Only one voice wras heard against
the motion and that was the voice
of the representative of Russia. So
strong was the protest of the Rus
sian delegate that he went so far as
to say in the convention that if you
pass this motion Russia will send
her army and her navy to America to
aid the north in its struggle for na
tional perpetuity and human liberty
as against secession and human slav
ery. No matter what Russia’s mo
tive was, she protested and protested
with tremendous force against the
recognition of the Southern confed
eracy. The motion was lost, the
union was preserved, slavery was de
stroyed, and democracy was perpet
uated; and today, thanks to the czar
of all the Russias, we have a united
country, bounded by the seas, walled
by the wide air, domed by heaven’s
blue and lighted with the eternal
stars.
“A few years later William H.
Seward, who had piloted the ship of
state through those four long years
of civil strife bought the territory of
Alaska from Russia, paying her the
munificent sum of $7,200,000 for this
country.
Suposed to Be Worthless.
“It was generally supposed that
Alaska was absolutely worthless and
that Seward was simply paying the
czar $7,200,000 in appreciation of his
good will during the civil war. And
so it was called ‘Seward’s Folly.’ But
Seward was a far-seeing man and he
well knew that it was not folly. Years
later as Seward was dying, a friend
asked him what he regarded as the
greatest accomplishment of his long
and useful career. And what did
Seward say? Not his part in saving
the union; not his part in carrying the
great Civil war to a successful con
clusion; not his part in the forma
tion of the great republican party,
the greatest political organization
this country or any other country
has ever known since time began; not
his part in the destruction of human
slavery—none of these things. Mr.
Seward’s reply as he lay on his death
bed to the question as to what was
the greatest thing he ever did, was
‘The purchase of Alaska.’ And so
today as we commemorate the con
summation of this transaction and the
raising of the American flag over
American soil we realize that it was
not Seward’s folly but Seward’s wis
dom that gave us this great empire
of the northwest.
should Mot Be Content.
“It has been said that happy is the
man who is content with his lot in
life. I have no patience with this doc
trine. Had we lived up to this aphor
ism we would be today cannibals danc
ing around some fetich in a trpoical
jungle. Rather I should say ‘Blessed
is the man who is not content with his
lot in life.’ Blessed is the man who
! is not content to stand idly by and
wait for something to turn up who
blazes the way into some new endeav
or and proceeds to turn something up.
Blessed is the pioneer in this and ev
ery clime.
“Those early pioneers who left be
nighted Europe and came to the At
lantic coast builded well. And Thom
as Hooker little dreamed that when he
led his little band of Pilgrims across to
the valley of the Connecticut river in
their ox teams that he was setting in
motion a series of migrations that
would not stop till they belted the
globe. It is a peculiar fact that the
community built up from each advanc
ing frontier is superior to its predeces
sor.
Pioneers of Ohio Valley.
“Those grand heroes led by Daniel
Boone and David Crockett and others
who pushed out across the Appalacian
mountains and settled the valley of
the Ohio gave birth to a nation with
in a nation which surpassed the At
lantic seaboard as noon surpasses
dawn. Then again when the great
northwest was given to use through
the Louisiana purchase we builded a
new commonwealth which is today the
bone and sinew of our great republic.
Once more the immortal pathfinder,
John C. Fremont, blazed the way
across the Rockies to the Golden Gate
I and gave to us the land of sunshine
and flowers where hallowed joys per
ennial flow through calm sequested
bowers—beautiful California. And fin
ally Alaska, dear Alaska, youngest
and dearest of the family! Truly,
“Westward the star of empire takes
her way,
The first four acts already past,
A fifth will close the drama of the
day,
Time’s noblest offspring is the last.’
Restless Dautless Pioners.
“That restless, dissatisfied, daunt
less class of men known as the pio
neers, men who are not content to live
in the same place and in the same way
that their fathers and grandfathers
and great-grandfathers have lived, but
who are ever seeking better and high
er and nobler things, broader oppor
tunities for themselves and their pos
[terity—these men have carried the
WILL STOP AT
STEEL WORK ON MAIN LINE OF
RAILWAY IS EXPECTED TO
END THURSDAY.
CREW WILL TRANSFER TO ARM.
Operations Will be Conducted South
of Potter As Long As Weather Per
mits—Spur Road Goes to Chicka
loon Mines.
Track-laying on the route of the
main line oi the government railroad
will stop this week at Montana
creek, about 100 miles north of An
chorage, and then the crew will be
transferred to Turnagain Arm, and
steel will be put on the route south
of Potter as long as the weather per
mits the prosecution of such work.
The main line track-laying crew,
under Foreman Thomas Shea, is now
at Mile 203, and is expected to reach
Montana creek next Thursday".
Laying Track to Mine.
Another track-laying crew is en
gaged in putting down steel from
Chickaloon to the Chickaloon coal
mines, a distance of about a mile and
a half. This should be finished next
week. Two bridges on this spur
have been built, and are now ready
for traffic. With the completion of
this piece of railroad, facilities will
be afforded for the transportation of
the machinery and supplies necessary
for the development of the coal fields.
Will Work This Winter.
The Eska and Chickaloon coal
mines, which are operated by the
Alaskan Engineering commission,
will continue to be worked this win
ter. The Eska has about 100 men
employed, and the Chickaloon about
twenty. The force at the Chickaloon
mine will be materially increased
soon. The operation of the two mines
is under the direction of Sumner S.
Smith, resident engineer, who makes
his headquarters at the Eska mine.
RAILROADS WANT
TO RAISE RATES
EASTERN TRANSPORTATION
LINES PROPOSE INCREASES
IN MANY COMMODITIES.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 20.—
Eastern railroads are asking the in
terstate commerce commission for
temporary financial relief through cer
tain freight increases. They gave mo
tive today of formal applications for
general increases of an extended na
ture which they will soon ask the com
mittee to grant. The temporary relief
will be requested on a large list of
commodities, the chief items of which
are cement, brick, stone, sand and cop
per.
American flag from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, and finally to this great
empire of the northwest, Alaska,
where today from every valley and
every hill top the Stars and Stripes
wave in the breeze not a stain on its
fold not a cloud on its glory.
“ ‘Oh, say can you see by the dawn's
early light
What so proudly we hailed at the
twdlight’s sad gleaming,
'Tis the Star Spangled banner and
long may it waver o’er the land of
the free and the home of the
brave.’
“I would say to Alaska as was said
to the nation of old:
“ ‘Thou too sail on Oh Ship of State,
Sail on Oh Union strong and great
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
In spite of rock and tempest’s roar,
In spite of false lights on the shore,
Sail on nor fear to breast the sea!
Our hearts, our hopes are all with
thee,
Our hearts ,our hopes, our prayers,
our tears,
Our faith triumphant o’er our fears,
Are all with thee, are all with thee.’ ”