THE ANCHORAGE WEEKLY TIMES
ANCHORAGE PUBLISHING CO., PUBLISHERS.
CHAS. E. HERRON.
President
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TANK CONTROVERSY.
Ever since the appearance of the British tanks m battle
a year and a half ago there has been a controversy about the
credit for their invention. Col. E. 1). Swinton, of the royal
engineers, who has been styled the “father of the tanks,” in
a brochure descriptive of the steel Behemoth modestly declines
to take the credit to himself, and gives the information that
various men had a hand in its const ruction at different stages
in its development. Idle protective armor for a mobile battery
already had been used by every country in building armored
automobiles; the caterpillar principle of propulsion was adopt
ed from the Holt tractor, an American invention. However, a
large measure of the credit for a machine which can cross
tienches and shell craters, tear up barbed-wire entanglements
and destroy machine gun emplacements is due to (’<>1. Swinton,
who early saw the necessity for the tanks and had tin* imagi
nation necessary to visualize tin* finished product.
The question of tanks lias an interest which has survived
the novelty of their first appearance because they will be part
of the equipment of the American army. It is certain that
tanks will In* used in great numbers when the big offensive
begins, and it is quite possible that American inventive genius
will have as big a surprise for the linns as was the sudden
appearance of the crawling monsters in the dust and smoko
of battle September Id. Ibid.
It lnm bo**n believed quite generally that the name “tank'"
was bestowed by British soldiers because tin* bulky machine
bore a resemblance to a water or oil reservoir, but i ol. Swinton
gives the information that it was chosen deliberately to conceal
its real nature while in the course of construct ion. So import
ant was the (•!' mcmt of surprise that tin* British war office
went to unusual length' to guard the secret of the tanks until
they appeared on the battle lieid. Xof only did the tanks as
tonish and terrify the Berman infantry, hut they caused amaze
ment among tin* British troops. Having no word to describe
tile new monster, the Bermans called it ‘ * panzerkra ft wagon ”
and “schutzengrabenvernielitimgsaulomobil.” The latter name
must have its drawbacks oven in the Berman tongue, because
the Boche is now content to refer to the traveling fort as a
“tank.” The word also has enriched the languages in France,
Italy, Russia and Turkey.
As the big brother of the infantry, the lumbering land ship
will continue to play its part. Daubed with leprous hues by
the camouflage, it heaves and pitches through wire, over trench
es and shell ('raters, and claims as its prey the pill boxes where
in German machine guns are waiting for the waves of infan
try. The Bermans have taken unusual precautions to protect
their lines against the tanks, but. as was shown at Cambrai.
there is no adequate defense. < ol. Swinton's advice* to the
American army is to “bring your tanks.”
THE MASTER SURGEON.
The publication in Kn,aland of a volume describing the life
and works of Dr. .Joseph Lister, father of antiseptic surgery,
has been instrumental in stalling a movement to erect a mon
ument to his memory. The enterprise lias more than a passing
interest throughout the world for tin* reason that Dr. Lister’s
teachings an* more important to mankind than ever before
or perhaps ever will be again.
Before Dr. Lister’s time surgery was a haphazard profes
sion. The importance of scrupulous cleanliness was not recog
nized, and if tin* patient survived the immediate danger of the
knife, the chances that he would survive the infection of the
wound were not in his favor. Lntil Pasteur evolved the theory
that infection was caused by micro-organisms in the air, and
perhaps on the surgical instruments, Dr. Lister did not know
what hs antiseptics actually did. The Pasteur theory found an
eager student in Dr. luster, and as a result of his investigations
modern surgery was founded.
Dr. Lister first employed a solution of carbolic acid to
cleanse wounds, but early discovered that the corrosive action
of the antiseptic so damaged the tissues that healing was retard
* ed. Then lie evolved the plan of using antiseptics on instru
ments and everything else used in the operation, but applied
none to tin* wound. That was the begining of antiseptic surg
ery, which has been improved to a marvelous degree since Dr.
Lister made his first experiments.
The medical profession could not foresee the terrible infec
tions that came from the dirt and filth of the trenches in the
present war. In order to combat the genus in gunshot and
shrapnel wounds surgeons’returned to the use of antiseptics, but
with poor results. It was certain that somewhere in the world
existed the elements necessary to compound an antiseptic which
would destroy germs without damaging the tissues. Dr. Car
rel devised such a mixture, and later, acting with Dr. Dakin,
prepared a solution which has the marvelous property of at
tacking the germs without destroying the host.
POLICE TURN FARMERS.
Officers in San Francisco Will Culti
vate Vacant Ground.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Feb. 27.—
This city has turned farmer and its
boss overseer is Chief of Police D. A.
White. It is a “help carry on the war”
movement. Vegetables and Belgian
hares will be the specialties on which
the city will specialize. Large plots of
vacant land adjoining two of the po
lice stations have been laid out and
the work already is in progress.
Policemen, city officials and neigh
borhood citizens are the volunteer
cultivators. The same plan was car
ried on in a similar but smaller scale
last year and was found to be most
profitable. Among other things, the
city prison was kept supplied with po
tatoes for five months. A big crop of
beans already is in sight.
EXCLUSION OF ALASKA FROM
COASTWISE LAW PREVENTS
ANY COMPETITION.
RATES KEEP SHOOTING UP.
C. Stern, of Wasilla, Calls Attention
to High Marine Charges, Which He
Describes as Outiage and Obstacle
to Development.
Why Alaska should have been ex
cluded from the provisions of the con
gressional law permitting vessels of
foreign register to engage in the
American coastwise trade during the
war is a question that worries the
majority of the residents of the north
land; and C. Stern, of Wasilla, has
tried in vain to ascertain from Dele
gate in Congress Charles A. Sulze1
why he permitted, without making
strenuous objection, such discrimina
tion against this territory.
Soon after America’s participation
in the war, congress passed an act al
lowing vessels of foreign register to
engage in coastwise trade in all wat
ers of the United States, except those
of Alaska, for the period of the wai
and 120 days thereafter.
The exclusion of Alaska proved ad
vantageous to American shipping in
terests operating in northern waters,
as it kept their zone free of any com
petition on the part of Canadian in
terst. Since American interests haw
been made secure in their monopoly
of Alaska trade, they have advancin',
rates, and are about to advance them
again.
In connection with their intention t.
increase rates again, Delegate Sub: >
recently appeared before both tin
United States interstate commerce
commission and the United States
shipping board to protest against any
further advances. Neither of the fed
eral bodies has taken any action, as to
either approving or disapproving the
suggested increases.
The letter, which Mr. Stern some
time ago wrote to Delegate Sulzer
and which the delegate failed to an
swer, reads as follows:
“I have so far failed to lind any ex
planation why Alaska was discrim
inated against in house bill 6175, to
permit vessels of foreign register to
engage in coastwise trade during the
present war and 120 days thereafter.
If you care for the welfare of the
waters of this grand territory kindly
give a public explanation why you re
frained from taking any action in re
gard to the most important bill con
cerning the progress of Alaska. The
present shipping rates are an outrage,
and one of the greatest obstacles to
the development of Alaska’s resources.
Can you not clear yourself of the pos
sible suspicion of being an ally of the
shipping trust? Otherwise do not tell
us that you have the interst of Alas
ka at heart and that you expect us to
stand by you at the next election.”
WOOD CARDS ARE
ISSUED IN SWEDEN
NEUTRAL COUNTRY IS RIVAL OF
GERMANY IN RESTRICTIVE
USE OF FOODS.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb. 26.—
Sweden is rapidly coming to rival
Germany as a land of restrictive
“card of various sorts. It has long
had the bread-card, sugar-card, milk
card, and butter-card. Coffee-cards
will soon be issued. Wood-cards, en
titling each person to one cubic meter
—somewhat less than a quarter cord—
of wood, have also been issued. There
has also been issued an “oatmeal-and
rice-card,” but there has been neither
oatmeal nor rice in the market for
many weeks.
DO NOT REMOVE HATS.
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 23.—Some of
Christianstad’s leading citizens this
year do not bare their heads to win
ter’s biting blasts, regardless of rules
of courtesy.
GILSON GARDNER SAYS NORTH
LAND IS PLACE TO COLON
IZE SOLDIERS AFTER WAR.
VAST TRACTS OF GOOD LAND.
Rich Country Will Be Made Acessible
by Government Railroad and Coal
Fields Will Open New Industrial
Empire.
Alaska as the last frontier and as
the place for the colonization of Am
erican soldiers after the war is ex
ploited by the well known writer, Gil
son Gardner, in Washington, D. C. In
an article that is receiving wide pub
licity in newspapers in the states, Mr.
Gardner says:
“The last American frontier, that
land where man goes seeking his for
tune, is to be found now in Alaska in
the vast new areas which will soon
be tapped by the government railroad
l now under construction.
“The returning soldier looking for
I a job, or seeking his fortune, will set
! his face toward this new country,
i
i which includes 05,000,000 acres ol po
tential agricultural land now covered
| by a meager growth of timber.
Important Factor.
“This land, says Secretary of Laboi
William 15. Wilson, must be considered
; ;s an important factor in employment
I for the returning soldier. Wilson ha.
I assigned experts to survey condition
and propose plans.
I “Ilenton Mackaye of the department
of the forest service sets forth the op
; portunities in Alaska.
“‘In view of the combination ol
mineral, forests and agricultural re
!
j sources,’ says his report. ‘Alaska
should present one of the most prom
ising areas now left on the globe foi
those seeking a new start in life. The
government railroad is the first big
step in this development. But if this
new country is to be an opportunity
for the soldier and the worker, and
not for the speculator, a colonization
policy must be the next step in its
development.’
“Mackaye calls attention to the
method employed after the Civil War
to facilitate settlement on public lands
* when each honorably discharged sold
ier was given a land scrip which en
titled him to choose 150 acres of any
public lands not occupied. Instead of
inducing settlement and colonization,
j the scrip was purchased at discounts,
and was used by big corporations to
! obtain possession of public resources.
This method, or anything similar to it,
i which would play into the hands of
! speculation, says the secretary of la
i bor, must be avoided.
“The secretary of labor favors a
colonization policy. Plans to reclaim
cut-over forest lands, swamp lands,
and other public areas, have been
worked out in considerable detail. One
plan is for a colony to work 100,000
acres of productive forest land. By
properly timbering this land, fifty
years would be required to take off the
mature timber, by the end of which
time new timber would take its place.
Estimate of Yield.
“The yield from such a farm would
1 provide continuous employment for
! more than 150 men, who, with their
families, would make the population
800. Half would be employed in a
sawmill and half in the chopping op
erations.
“The Matanuska coal fields and the
rich valleys which lie on all sides of
them will open a new industrial em
pire to the workers.
“The department of labor mentions
the Crosser colonization bill as a bill
which embodied the principles which
must characterize legislation which is
to care for the back-to-the-lander.
This legislation recognizes the settler
is too weak in an economic sense to go
on the land alone and unaided, and
work out his own salvation. The land
must be prepared for him and the gov
ernment must help him and his fellow
colonists to get necessary buildings,
fools and stock with which to begin
life in a new country.”
LANG RANGES IXL HEATERS
NEWTON
RIFLES
Ammunition
HORSE BLANKETS AND HARNESS
DOG COLLARS, TOWLINES AND WHIPS
HARDWOOD PLANKS FOR SLEDS.
HOCKEY SKATES, ASH AND PINE SKIIS.
SIMONDS SAWS AND BROAD AXES.
BOB SLEDS YUKON SLEDS
Dohrmann, Herning & Co.
KINNEY, GILLIS AND CONNING
ARE TAKING OUT BIG
DUMP ON 5 ABOVE.
LAYMEN ACTIVE ON 4 BELOW, j
—
! Stream Which Was First Staked Fif
teen Years Ago and Which Has |
Been Stampeded Often, Looks as if
it Had Real Paystreak.
_
Big Eldorado is about the busiest
creek in the Fairbanks district these j
i days, according to the Fairbanks
| News-Miner.
J. C. Kinney, Dan Gillis and young
Canning, on 5 below, are adding to
their dump right along, and it is al- i
ready assuming proportions.
I
Roy Blanchard, Frank Martin and
Mark Nevins will also have some I
; dump to sluice up by time the water
runs.
The Sandstrom brothers are work
i ing a lay on 4 below, and Jimmy Cos
grove, Dick Rothenberg and Henry j
Geis are also getting out a dump on ;
the lower end of 4 below, while John
Young and Paul Dunlap are busily
piling up gravel and bedrock for
spring sluicing on 5 below.
Away up on 6 above, the elder Can
ning and Letendre are sinking a shaft.
J. C. Kinney is also prospecting on
Frank Martin’s cliam, 2 above, and
several other outfits are planning to
prospect on the big creek, in the near
future.
Big Eldorado, as creeks go, has had
an unusual career in a mining way. It
was one of the first creeks in the dis
trict to be staked and is one of the
closest to Fairbanks, and, in the pros
pector’s vernacular, it is both a “fine
looking” and a “spotted” creek. It has
been prospected, stampeded, time and
time again, worked in a small way and
yet, after almost fifteen years of such
conditions, it looks as if it has a real
paystreak after all.
WAR OPPONENTS I
MUST KISS FLAG
TWELVE CITIZENS OF NOKOM
ISH, ILL., ARE SUSPECTED OF
BEING DISLOYAL.
NOKOMISH, 111., Feb. 26.—Twelve |
citizens of this vicinity, suspected of;
disloyalty to the government, were'
forced to kiss the flag publicly by
their townsmen.
CHARGE OF $80 PER TON MADE
FOR CARRYING GOODS SIX
AND HALF MILES.
TRAILS ARE BARE OF SNOW.
About 200 Men Are in District at
Present Time and This Number. Ac
cording to Report, Is About AH
That Camp Is Able to Support.
That freighting conditions on Dime
creek, in the Seward peninsula coun
try, the scene of the placer strike of
last summer, reminds one very much
of the conditions which confronted
the early-day stampeders from Skag
way and Dyea to Dawson, is the re
port that comes from the new camp,
according to the Nome newspapers.
In fact, it is stated that a man pack
ing freight on his back can now make
almost as much money per day at
Dime creek as he could packing over
Chilkoot pass in the early days.
Six and Half Miles.
The freighting is being done from
Dime Landing, on the Koyukuk river,
to Dime creek, a distance of six and
one-half miles. For this short dis
tance a charge of $80 per ton for
freighting is being made. The reason
for the high charge is that the trails
are practically impassable on account
of a lack of snow.
This condition of affairs is having
a great deal to do with the holding
back of mining development work on
Dime, according to report. Another
reason for the holding back of mining
is the fact that sufficient wood cannot
be freighted to the claims on which
work is being done to keep the boil
ers fired up.
Better Conditions Hoped For.
It is hoped, however, that conditions
can be made better next summer by a
wagon road which the Alaska road
commission has promised to install for
the benefit of the Dime miners.
There will be a number of outfits
mining on Dime during the coming
mining season. There are, however,
no new strikes of material import
ance. There are about 200 men in the
district at the present time, which is , 4
all that the camp will support.
The Tice and Norberg sawmill on
Peace river is busily engaged in cut
ting lumber to meet the demands of
the miners of Dime creek and is work
ing at high pressure all the time.
Anchorage juaily Times, “The
Newspaper of Alaska.”