Copper Ore Shipments From Cordova Alone Are Over $2,000,000 Each Month
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■IEIE 1 The Cordova Daily Times RIF
VOLUME ONE. NUMBER 187. CORDOVA, ALASKA, THURSDAY, JULY 15,1915. PRICE TEN CENTS.
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ENTIRE BUSINESS SECTION IS BURNED
FORT LISCUM SOLDIERS PATROL RUINS AND KEEP ORDER
UMBER READY
The Chamber of Commerce held a
special meeting last night to consider
what should be done to greet Governor
Strong when he arrives from the
westward on the Alameda. The matter
was finally decided by the appoint
ment of a committee, whose duty it
would be to make whatever arrange
ments would best suggest themselves
when it was learned how long a visit
the governor would make to this sec
tion. The governor has often ex
pressed a wish to travel over the
railroad to Kennecott and it may be
that lie is contemplating doing so this
time.
Accordingly the committee was in
structed to send a wire to the gov
ernor at Seward expressing the desire
of Cordova to show courtesies to him,
and requesting information as to his
ymun iui iuh vimh iumv. i ne wire was
sent this morning. Mrs. Strong is
accompanying the governor, and the
committee will arrange for a com
mittee of ladies to entertain Mrs.
Strong if their stay here will allow of
It. The committee selected consists
of Mayor II. A. Slater, chairman; Syn
Blum, Oeo. C. Hazelet, E. F. Medley,
A. J. Adams, I)r. W. W. Council, Dr.
W. H. Chase and James Smith. From
information received today it was
learned that the governor, who had
left the Victoria at Seward, had gone
to Anchorage on the Alar-.„-da, and was
expected to return on the same boat.
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8ALOONS OPPOSED TO
12 O’CLOCK CLOSING
On July 15 the saloons of Juneau
will close at 12 o'clock at night, to
comply with the ordinance which re
cently passed the city council. When
the ordinance was first proposed the
saloon men held a meeting and took
a vote on the question. Fifteen op
posed the 12 o’clock closing, four vot
ing for it.
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ADMIRAL EVANS
i COMES FROM
The Admiral Evans arrived from
Seattle this morning at. 11 o’clock, and
sailed for Valdez a few hours later.
The passenger? for Cordova were:
Representative T. B. Tansy, O.
O’Brien, H. R. Worthen and two steer
age. For Seward there were seven
first-class and 15 steerage, and for
Anchorage there were seven llrst-class
and 24 steerage.
The passengers from Cordova to
westward points were: For Valdez—
Mrs. B. W. Elliott, Walter Elliott and
Sam Blum; for Seward—E. Ramsay;
for Anchorage—John Palmer, Miss
DeQraff and R. H. Hyde.
(SPECIAL TO THE CORDOVA DAILY TIMES)
VALDEZ, Alaska, July 15.—The most impor
tant section of this town was totally destroyed by a 1
terrific fire which commenced at 4 o’clock this morn
ing.. Practically the entire business section of the
city has been destroyed. The loss is estimated at
three quarters of a million, but partially covered by
insurance.
Among the business houses which have been
completely burned up are those of S. Blum & Co.,
The First Bank of Valdez, Wm. Blackwell, Tony’s
Saloon, Empress Theater, Treat Building, Valdez
Dock Company Building, Panama Hotel, Valdez
Daily Prospector, The Alaska Road Commission
Building, The Post-Office, the telephone exchange,
the Crawford Mills, Copper River Lumber Co., the
Dieringcr barns, home of J. C. Martine, the office of
the Dock Co., the government warehouses and other
buildings in the section from McKinley Street down
to the waterfront. Both sides of Reservation Ave.,
the main street leading from the dock were wiped
out. The loss of the Road Commission building will
be a severe one as all the records of the commission
including the maps and notes covering 10 years’
work have been totally destroyed.
Dynamite was employed in vain to stop the
flames, which gained great headway, and which were
fed by the wooden buildings dryed out thoroughly
by the recent prolonged dry spell. The officers in
charge of Fort Liscum dispatched the garrison to
Valdez to aid in fighting the flames and the whole
population of the town worked heroically to save
what was possible. Fortunately no lives were lost.
The fire department announced at 9 this morning
that the fire was under control although great clouds 1
of smoke were still pouring from the ruins, and the !
fire was burning briskly in several places.. The fire i
was spectacular in the extreme, and at one time !
threatened to destroy the city. The width of McKin- 1
ley Street, and the fact that what wind there was, i
blew from the direction of the glacier and towards ]
the waterfront, was all that saved the remainder of i
the town from burning.
When the news reached Cordova this morning, .
FRENCH CLAIM SUCCESS
OVER TEUTONS inONNE
RUSSIA UEAPT IN EAST
LONDON, July 15.—The French war office has
issued an official communique belittling the reports
from Berlin claiming important successes for the
German arms in the Argonne Forest. The French
assert that the contrary is true and that it is their
troops who are winning ground. From the news
received here from Petrograd and Berlin, and
various places along the eastern battle front, the
British military observers are of the opinion that all
signs are pointing to a new attack upon Warsaw.
This new sortie will be directed from the frontier
of East Prussia, and will perhaps drive down upon
Warsaw from the north. A simultaneous movement
will be commenced from the south of Warsaw, but
it is felt that the real attack will be from the north.
Tt is agreed that the Russians have enough soldiers
along this front to put up a stubborn resistance, and
that the chances of success for the Teutons are
slim. Despite the fact that the attack will be from.
East Prussia, it is more than likely that in order to
strengthen their forces there the Germans have been
compelled to weaken their line in southern Poland,
and therefore, the Russians will inaugurate a counter
offensive at this point. This counter offensive will
probably be made along the River Bug, where the!
Austrians recently suffered reverses.
Mayor Slater immediately dispatched a telegram
uldressed to the Mayor of Valdez offering to send
)ver any assistance that was necessary on the Evans,
which is due today.
VALDEZ, July 15.—The big fire which swept
hrough the town early this morning started in the
Frye Bruhn building which has been undergoing
•epairs. A dry strong wind was blowing at the time
ind the flames spread rapidly despite the desperate
ifforts of the fire fighters to get control. Only two
streams of water were available and they proved to
ae entirely inadequate to cope with the situation.
There has been no rain in Valdez for two
weeks, and the sun has been shining fully twenty
lours a day drying up everything in the town. When
t was seen that the two streams of water would not
ffieck the flames, dynamite was used in an effort to
prevent them spreading, but by that time the fire had
reached such proportions that nothing could stop
t, and it just went clear through to the waterfront.
The printing establishment of the Prospector
Publishing Co., was entirely destroyed, although
mough type was saved to enable the editors to issue
ffieir paper today, printed on wrapping paper, and
'un off on a job press. Mrs. Blackwell, her sister
ind niece, who lived over the Southern, just man
iged to avoid losing their lives by escaping from the
luilding in their night dresses, but were immediately
;aken care of by friends. Nothing was saved in the
Blackwell home, the building and everything in it
aeing totally destroyed.
Captain and Mrs. Glen Edgerton of the Road
Commission suffered the same as the Blackwells, and
30th are garmented today in the kindly offerings of
heir friends. All of the personal belongings of the
Sdgertons were lost. The same thing happened to
ill the guests in the Panama Hotel. The owner,
^ogan Archibald, was a heavy loser as a result of
he fire. Joe Plant, the jeweler, who had just
•eturned from the outside on the Alameda with a
arge stock of jewelry lost $2,000, and did not succeed
n saving any of his stock. Alice Coles broke her
eg in assisting to remove mail from the postoffice. I
Ml the mail was successfully removed to a place of i
AUSTRIA KICKS TO II. S.
OVER WAR SHIPMENTS
WASHINGTON, D. U, July 15.—Diplomatic
representations have been received by the State
Department from Austria-Hungary strongly protest
ing against the heavy shipments of munitions of war
from this country to the allies. The protest states
that the shipments have become so great as to seri
ously endanger the neutrality of the United States.
The matter has been under consideration by the
State Department since July 1. and it has about boon
decided that a reply is not necessary. Austria con
tends that the export of war material as a proceed
ing of the present war is not consonant with a proper
definition of neutrality.
The Austrian note adds as a suggestion to the
United States that it would be quite sufficient to
advise the enemies of Austria and Germany that
the United States would prohibit the shipment of
foodstuffs and war materials to them unless they
stopped interfering with the trade of tin* United
States and neutral countries.
BERLIN, July 15.—The German official state
ment issued this morning states that Przasnysz, a
town in Russian Poland, 50 miles north of Warsaw,
lias bet'll captured. The Germans also captured the
village of Konsva, south of Kolno, and stormed the
heights of Olszauka, northeast of Suwalki. The,
Germans are preparing to resume the offensive!
against Warsaw on a large scale.
safety before the building burned. The troops from
Fort Liscum are still here, and will remain until
order has been fully restored, patrolling the burned
district, and protecting whatever property may be
saved from the fire.
The ruins of the fire present a blackened blotch
upon Valdez extending from the Cliff House to the
Valdez Mercantile Company building, and from
McKinley Street clear down to the beach. Every
thing in between has been destroyed, and no one
is at present allowed within the burned district by
the soldiers without a permit. A score of launches
which were on the beach were victims of the flames,
as the tide was low at the time, and it was impossible
to remove them to a place of safety. Judge Bunnell
of the Second Division was a heavy sufferer from
the fire, as several buildings owned by him were in
the path of the flames. His loss is estimated at
$30,000.
Sam Blum, the merchant of Cordova and Valdez
received' a wire this morning apprising him of the
destruction of his store in Valdez, the biggest one in
the city by fire. Mr. Blum left on the Evans to look
over tin- damage done, and before going expressed
himself by stating that the fire was a terrible
calamity, but that as far as his business was con
cerned he was fully protected by insurance.
Mayor Slater received the following telegram
from Valdez in answer to his message offering our
sister city any aid desired from us, towit: “Mayor,
Cordova: Everything under conrtol. Thanks.
WOOD, Acting Mayor.”
Dr. W. II. Chase, of Cordova, who is now in I
Valdez, sent a message to the Times this afternoon
telling of the fire and stating that it was now out.
Among the buildings mentioned by Dr. Chase as
being destroyed, tin* only one not included in the
above list is that of Chas. Day. The doctor does
not state whether or not this means tin* Seattle
Hotel. The wharf would have been destroyed if
dynamite had not been used to prevent the spread of
the flames.
GERMANlf REGRETFUL OVER
TORPEDOING NEBRASKAN !
ILL IKE REPARATION!
Special to The Times By Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, 1). (’., July 15.—In a new note
received today Germany officially admits that the
attack upon the Nebraskan was a mistake. It also
admits that the American vessel was torpedoed by
a German submarine. The note expresses regret
for the mishap ami says also that Germany is ready
to make reparation. It declares that the attack was
not meant for the American flag, but was nothing
more than ah unfortunate accident, which Germany
stands ready to make amends for.
WASHINGTON, I). C., July 15.—As far ns this
government is concerned the German note received |
today in regard to the attack on the Nebraskan (
closes the incident, except for the payment of (
damages. The note asserts that the Nebraskan tlew (
no flag, and that the markings on the vessel were ,
invisible, so that it was impossible for the submarine
commander to identify the ship. Immediately upon
the hoisting of the American flag, the submarine l
stopped firing. *
}
SEATTLE. July 15.—All the bl
papers throughout the east are fet
luring Hie Associated Press dil
patches sent out from here, whic'*
give details about the beautiftt
weather that Maska Is enjoying till
summer, and about ihe long sunshin;
days. Tlie daily temperatures in thi
different cities throughout Alaska ari
opening the eyes of the people of thi
United States to what a wonderfti
country Alaska Is and is a powerfu
agent in disabusing the popular mint
of the Idea that the northern terri
tory is a land of snow, glaciers anc
icebergs.
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( ESTERS
SEATTLE, July 15. The steamer
Northwestern left here last night for
Alaska two days behind schedule. The
boad carried a full passenger list in
cluding a large number or tourists.
The Cordova passengers werei H. G.
Steel, P. Tammany and wife, Aaron
Steele. S. Reed, L. Laska, Mrs M.!
Laska, Isaac Smith, Falcon Joslirt and
wife and son. and two steerage. The
Admiral Watson of the P. A. N. line
arrived from the north today.
The Times immediately wireii to »
Valdez on receipt of the first telegram
announcing the fire, advising our cor
respondent to send us additional de
tails, as we are always anxious to give
our subscribers all the news all the 1
time.
UNITED STATES
DAVE BUMPED
WHEATCROP
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WASHINGTON. D. 0.. July 15. The
department of Agriculture today an- ’
loum-ed that its crop experts had de
ermined that the prospects for a
ullion dollar wheat crop were improv
ng. 1-ast week was the best week of
he season for the crop, although the
icavy rains would have the effect of
ielaving the harvest of the winter
rheat.
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John Palmer, of the Commercial
iotel at Chitina, left here today for
visit to Anchorage.