DAILY EDITION
Gook Iknlet Finneer
DAILY EDITION
Anchorage, Alaska, Thursday, 'May 11, 1916
VOL. 1
NO. 163
EMPIRE AGREES TO PAY INDEMNITY
TO AMERICAN SUFFERERS AND THE
INCIDENT CONSIDERED AS CLOSED
WASHINGTON, May 11.—Germany acknowledges respon
sibility for the sinking of the steamship Sussex and promises
Jull reparation and punishment of the commander of the sub
marine that sank the vessel. This information is contained in
an official note sent by the German government to the Amer
ican government and received by the state department late
last night. The text of the note reveals that Germany, while
contending that the submarine commander “acted in the bona
fide belief that he was facing an enemy warship when he tor
pedoed the steamship Sussex, nevertheless says be formed his
' judgment too hurriedly and did not act in strict accordance
with his instructions, and the imperial government, therefore,
frankly admits that assurances given to the United States
were not adhered to in this instance.”
The note expresses sincere regret regarding the deplorable
incident and declares Germany’s readiness to pay an indem
nity to injured American citizens.
In conclusion, the note says: “The German.government dis
approves the conduct Kif the commander of the submarine, who
has been appropriately punished, and voices the hope that the
United States will consider the case settled.”
LONDON, May 11.—Captain F. E. Beadnell, commander ot‘
the British steamer Cymbric, sunk by a German submarine,
says concerning the disaster: “The Cymbric was torpedoed
without warning. The torpedo passed through the engine
room of the steamship. The explosion killed four members
of tiie crew and blew all the skylights off the vessel. The chief
^ steward was drowned while seeking to get aboard one of the
ship’s boats, when the steamer was sinking.”
•FOOD SHIPMENTS 10 BELLIGERENT
HNS FALLS OFF PERCEPTIBLY
WASHINGTON, May 11.—'The shipment of American meats
and other foodstuffs to the European belligerent nations has
decreased, for the past several months, at the rate of seven
million dollars per month. The greatest decrease is noted in
the shipment of meat products.
IjOCAIj IJASKB.MjMS'IS
SHOCIJ) GKT MOVE OX
It Is really up to Anchorage to get
busy on this baseball stuff; it is a
strange thing, but in other parts of
Jfthe country the people consider sum.
mer is the proper time to play th s
national game; the winter's snow is
bad on the players' eyes and tern
perature uncomfortable for the spe"
tators. Seward, Knik and other sur
rounding towns are organizing and
getting in shape, while Anchorage,
which possibly has more good ma
terial than the combined strength of
the other towns, has organized an
athletic association, but the material
is lying latent, only awaiting some
little enthusiasm to start them. As
mentioned yesterday, the grounds
are being put In shape and Mayor
Moore promises this work will go
along as fast as possible. In another
column of this paper is a communi
cation to L. P. Ilyrne in regard to
the suits for the players. The sport
ing house of A. G. Spaulding have
* notified their Alaska representative,
Glen Carrington, that they have
filled his order for suits for the Ro
barts "Shamrocks” and that same
will be on the Maripooaa, together
with the suits for the Commission.
Anchorage will at least have a
change of baseball suits.
It would be very easy to form a
four-cornered league, with Seward,
Knik, Commission and Anchorage,
and possibly Valdez and other
towns, with a satisfactory schedule.
The Pioneer hopes to be able to an
nounce a meeting of the Athletic
Association for the very near future,
at which time steps will bo taken for
immediate organization of the base
ball team.
Mr. Gustav Soiffert will leave ftr
Hope tonight on the launch Pioneer
to start active work on the big min
ing proposition he is interested in
Mr. Seifl'ert has been in Anchorage
for several weeks looking after a
large shipment of freight for the St.
Louis Mining and Trading Company,
of which he is part owner and gen
eral manager. This company hav »
valuable holdings on Resurrecth n
creek, which they are operating bv
the means of an extensive hydraulic
plant, and their camp is one of the
best equipped placer mining camps
in Alaska.
Brown & Hawkins are putting up
colored canvas awning ovei the win
dow's of their metropolitan storj.
ALL OF COAST ARTILLERY. 13,000
MEN, AND STATE MILITIAMEN,
ORDERED TO PROCEED TO BORDER
WASHINGTON, May 11.—Indications are Hint the entire
coast artillery, numbering thirteen thousand men, will be sent
to the Mexican border, detailed to duty as infantrymen and
placed on patrol duty. Other state militiamen will be called
on, according to an announement from semi-official sources to
day. The administration is determined to put an end to .Mex
ican raids of American towns.
TAKING DUE PRECAUTIONS.
EL PASO, May 11.—The American military authi rities
have taken due precautions to guard against a general Mex
ican uprising along the border. According to information
from reliable sources received by the military authorities, this
planned uprising of Mexicans was scheduled to occur today,
but in view of the preparations of the American military au
thorities, it may not take place as planned.
AMMUNITION SEIZED BY AUTHORITIES.
LAREDO, May 11.—A million rounds of ammunition, which
Mexicans attempted to smuggle across the border into Mexico
last night,'was confiscated by the American troops at this
point. It is believed that the ammunition was intended for use
by the Mexican bandits.
LAWTON TROOPS OFF TO BORDER.
SEATTLE, May 11.—The United States troops at Fort
| Lawton,. acting on instructions from the war department,
began entraining late yesterday afternoon, enroute to the Mex
ican border, where they will be placed on patrol duty.
IRK BEGINS ON EMPRESS THEATRE
Work commenced this morning cn
the new Empress Theatre building,
on Fourth street, in block No. 40, to
be erected by Captain A. K. Lalhrop.
The plans call for a reinforced con
crete building, with a 39 1-2-foot
frontage on Fourth street and 130
feet deep. It will be a modern build
ing in every particular and well
worthy of a city of many times the
population of Anchorage, and in this
Capt. Lathrop shows his faith, t'apt.
Lathrop is the owner of a string of
theatres, others being located in
Cordova, Valdez and Seward, but
this will surpass any of his other
buildings and, moreover, will be the
finest building of its kind in Alaska.
The theatre proper will have a
seating capacity for 6r> 1 people, and
the stage is so arranged with scenery
that other plays in addition to mov
ing pictures can be shown. How
ever, it is primarily built for a mov
ing picturo theatre. The Bank of
Anchorage will occupy a spac^ 25x18
feet left of the entrance in the
northwest corner of the building and
will be equipped in a modern, at
tractive manner.
The building will be under the
competent supervision of Mr. George
B. Purvis, an architect and builder
of national reputation, who has been
in this line of business for many
years and as superintendent of
building been connected with some
of the largest theatres in the coun
try, among the most recent being
the famous Nixon of Pittsburg and
tho Broadway of Denver. Mr. Pur
vis states that they have sufficient
lumber and material on the grounds
to commence work and unless addi
tional orders are delayed the build
ing will be finished and ready for
occupancy within forty days.
This thoatre when completed will
be a work of art and a distinct credit
to Anchorage. The front exterior
will be finished in white Medusa ce
ment, with ornamental plaster trim
mings: the bank will have plate
glass front and circular glass
windows on mezzanine floor; the
lobby of the" theatre will be finished
with ivory, white and gold, with or
namental plaster cornices; the foyer
will be large and commodious and
capable of handling the capacity an
dienue of 61 without tho usual
crowding and jostling Tho theatre
is as nearly fireproof as money and
brains can make it, but especial at
tention has been paid to . 10 wide
aisles on each side of the stage leat!
iny to the rear, which are absolutely
fireproof, being substantially built
ol' re-inforced concrete throughout
to assure perfect safety, and in case
of emergency the entire house can
be emptied within ninety seconds, as
these aisles run from the front to
rear of building, with front and rear
ex'ts; the doors of the building have
no inside locks or bars and all doors
open outward. The stage will be
modorn in every particular, fitted
with the latest appliances. The au
ditorium seats are placed with a
two-and-one-half-inch fall, which
will give the patrons an unobstruct
ed view of tho stage from any part
of the house. The lighting of the
theatre will be novel and an innova
tion to Anchorage, and is known as
the indirect lighting system. The
comfort of the ladles has been well
taken care of, with a dressing nnd
lounging room appropriately fitted
with carpets, mirrors, dressing table,
lights, and in fact nothing has been
left undone for their comfort and
convenience The acoustic proper
ties of the house aro worthy of spe
cial mention,eonsistingof a beautiful,
concave sounding board, artistic in
effect, built over the prosconiti..i
arch. In the center of the main ceil
ing there will bo a large ventilating
dome, which with other, improved
methods will change the air in the
theatre every sixty seconds. The
fixtures for the theatre have been
especially designed for this bulbi n'
and the furnishings throughout will
be of tho best; the aisles and pas
sageways will be carpeted with
heavy Wilton carpets and the drap
eries will be of velvet, while the
decorating scheme throughout will
be done in ivory, green and gold.
Really the half has not been told,
nnd the people of Anchorage anx?
lously await the opening night and
the initial program.
Capt. Lathrop needs no introduc
tion to Alaskans, having been asso
ciated with the business interests of
this particular section since I89f>
TOLSTOI MINING DISTRICT. LATEST
OISCOVERV OF IMPORTANCE. IS
MECCA THAT ATTRACTS MINERS
RUB'S , Alaska, May IT.-—Kick pay lias been located on Boob
creek, and good prospects have been found on Mastodon, Wi!
son, Madison, Meir, Esperanto and Iron creeks, tributaries of
I'olstoi river, in the Tolstoi district. A big stampede from
various settlements in the region of the strike started in April
and continues now. The whole country has been staked. All
reports are favorable and there are no kn ckers. A big rush
is expected this spring, when navigation opens on the rivers,
from all parts ot the interior. A town has been laid out and is
called “Cooper,” to honor one of the original discoverers. The
i’olstoi district is about twenty-five miles from Ophir, in the
Innoko district.
STEAMER ROANOKE. FAMOUS GOLD
SHIP, FOUNDERS OFF SAN FRANCISCO
SAX LUIS OBISPO, Cal., May 11.—The steamer Roanoke,
which sailed from San Francisco May 8, enroute to Valparaiso,
( Idle, foundered at sea a hundred miles south of the point of
departure, according to a story told by three surviving passen
gers, who drifted ashore in a life boat near hen' yesterday. In
the life boat were the remains of five other-, who perished after
leaving the sinking vessel. The survivors are in a partially
delirious condition, due to privation and hunger, and are in
tio condition to give details of the tragedy, other than that four
life boats, including their own, left the ship. They are unable
to give their names. The strainer Roanoke was formerly in
the Alaska trade, jibing- on the route from Sun Francisco and
Seattle to Nome, in the early stampede to the gold camp. The
vessel was owned and operated by the North Pacific Steamship
Company of San Francisco.
The Roanoke won fame as the “gold ship” that brought the
first hunch of rich Klondikers from St. Michael to Seattle.
There was a ton of virgin g hi aboard the ship, belonging to
the wealthy mining men of tin- great mining camp at Ibowson.
BRITISH AND GERMAN TORPEDO
BOATS FIGHT OFF BELGIAN COAST
LONDON, May 11.—Berlin announces that a British de
stroyer was badly damaged in an engagement between British
and Berman torpedo crafts that occurred off the coast of Bel
gium Monday afternoon. The British admiralty claims to
have no knowledge of the encounter.
being owner and captain of the
steamer I’erry for several years an!
since then has been in the transfer
business in Cordova and Anehoramt
lie has shown his faith in too future
of Anchorage by his invest(ii-mts,
and is backing his Jails, tie:’.: Ij* the
erection of this substauti il building
at the cost of $20,000. which .vdi i
a fitting monument to his pro
gressive name.
The big dance scheduled for Sat
urday night at Robarts' hall prom
ises to be out of the ord'nary and
will undoubtedly be wcli attended
As mentioned in yesterday’s paper
this affair will be under the direct
management of the soda' couim’/te
of the Parent Teachers’ Association,
who have arranged an esp 3’.i;il!.v at
tractive program, which will precede
the dance and social part of the
evening. The entire proceeds ri<
rived from the dance will go to ti.e
children’s playground fund,, and the
School children will have the tickets
for sale on the streets, commencing
this afternoon.
The steamship Northwestern ,ol
the Alaska Steamship Cmipiny’s
line, that loft Seattle on the 6th, will
not come any further thit Seward
on Ihls trip.
Not believing in procrastination,
the Dank of Alaska have math a
temporary lease with Judge Leopold
David for twenty-five fe.it .. :i 1'mirth
street opposite Ilrown & Hawkins'
store. Excavation work was com
menced this morning, and as soon as
possible they will put up their port
able steel bank building, and the olli.
cials state that they hope to be able
to receive the first denosit and make
the first loan next Wednesday morn
ing. a*.
Larry Byrne, member of the
board of trustees of the Anchors re
Athletic Association, is in ru nipt of
a personal letter from John \Vel
horn, president of the Who-tu Hard
ware Company, of Seattle, uc1 nowl
edglng receipt of the order o ■
twelve baseball '■nits for >. ■ Anchor
age team and alvisinr that same
wdll be on the Maripo°a.
The yards of the lumber firm of
McNally & Maitland are being put
in shape to handle the large ship
ment of lumber brought in by the
tug Walowa.
The Elks Club will hold a social
and business session at their clun
room tonight. Visiting members es
pecially Invited.