REAL TRENCHES
INSPECTED BY
REPORTER
NORTHERN FRANCE, July 1.—
With no little display of pride In the
accomplishment of his ‘‘boys” the
i colonel of a Bavarian regiment re
cently made the rounds of some five
kilometers of trenches In this region
with the Associated Press correspond
ent. He was Intent on showing two
things—first, that life at the front Is
not without Its compensations, and
second, that Germany's opponents may
expect to havo a difficult time In driv
ing them out of their comfortable
quarters.
It 1b certain that the trenches
which he exhibited have not their
equal on any of the many fighting
fronts. Every conceivable "comfort
of home” that Is available for a trench
has been supplied—from shaving
mirrors to four post beds. These
trenches may In winter time have
been the mires of mud and water that
have been described, but It seems hard
to believe when one sees the even,
sloping brick pavements, with drains
at regular Intervals, and the numerous
sanitary arrangements that have been
Installed.
Almost a mile back of the real firing
line the way dipped Into a “lauf
graben” or connecting trench—a nar
row, winding silt In the ground almost
seven feet deep and perhaps three feet
wide. The soil In that part of France
Is of clay, In which the deep excava
tions had been made with difficulty
but whch never caves In. The walls
were as smooth as planed pine board.
At Intervals along the route little
steps had been chiseled In the clay,
enabling one to climb up and get n
view of the whole landscape, Includ
ing the French trenches hundreds of
yards away. Little lines of brown
coioreu mrc were tne only indications
that the whole gigantic field was
rutted and cut by trenches that later
appeared to be Interminable.
After a walk of 15 or 20 minutes the
real trenches, those at the very front,
were reached, and one began to see at
one and the same time real warfare
and the comforts of home combined.
Just to make the contrast striking, the
crackling noise of rifle fire was broken
by the strains of a harmonica.
The fighting trenches differ from
the nocnecting runway only In that
they are wider, and are reinforced In
front with bags of sand or plates of
steel through openings In which the
soldiers can use their telescopes with
out being seen.
Built Into the clay walls were little
wooden compartments filled with bul
lets, and alongside of the bullets were
little, ingeniously-fashioned flower
pots filled with spring blossoms. These
flowers, together with any quantity of
other decorations, were a feature of
almost every yard of the trenches.
To the rear of the trenches, far
underground, and sometimes under
the front walls, are the so-called
“Unterstande" or shelters, where the
■ soldiers live when not on duty. The
approach to those In the rear Is
usually by a connecting trench vary
ing from 10 to 30 yards in length, ami
almost Invariably decorated with
flowers.
The Interiors are, under the cir
cumstances, surprisingly comfortable.
Those of the non-commissioned offi
cers and division leaders are fitted up
for tho most part with big four post
beds. Many have clocks and carpets
on the floors, and nearly all have a
crucifix or little altar at which the
"terrible Bavarians” conduct their
devotions.
Ingeniously arranged bells have
been Installed In each of these shel
ters so that the officer can be sum
moned instantly In case of attack,
without the necessity of going clear
down into his little house. Similar
"bells”—often nothing but a piece of
Iron with a nail for a clapper, are
placed everywhere In the trenches for
warning or summoning the soldiers
not on duty.
•
The shelters In most cases have
been given fantastic and familiar
names—Villa Muenchener Kindi, Villa
■ Astoria and the like. Every trench in
, addition has the name of a street,
| usually that of some general or popu
j. lar coipmander. The runways lead
[ ing to the officers’ shelters in many
i instances are called aJtor the men
| themselves.
j At Intervals along the front line of
i trenches are steel-sheltered openings
t where machine guns can be set up.
! The guns are hept, however In wooden
[ c*Bes built into the clay, so as to pro
1 tect the mfrom dampness, and are
j °nly brought out when the enemy is
I attacking.
The German trenches run roughly
In a parallel direction to thoBe of the
French, but at points the <11818006 be
A
tween the two is 200 or 300 yards,
while at others It Is about 40 to 50
yards. At the point where the two
come closest together there has been
constructed a sapping trench. Just
large enough for a man to crawl
through on hands nnd knees, that runs
directly toward the French lines.
With one's ear against the clay at
the extreme end of this trench one can
hear the French moving about and
talking. The trench serves the pur
poses of guarding against any attempt
by the French to dig toward the Ger
mans nnd explode a mine. The
least effort to dig a counter trench
would be detected Instantly.
The German trenches run up to a
high plateau, which haB been made
into a steel, bomb and bullet-proof ob
servation point, and he Is facetiously
called the Eiffel Tower. This height,
from which observations must be
made With caution If one values his
skin, commands the entire field be
tween the two trenches, as well as the
road. Machine guns can be mounted
instantly so as to deliver a flank fire
in case of sudden attack.
In a little clump of trees on the
French side, is an old chateau now
used by them as a stafT headquarters.
A similar chateau behind the German
lines Is used by them for the same
purposes. Though the nrtlllery forces
on both sides know the exact locations
of the buildings, neither is destroyed
by a sort of mutual consent, because
there would be no military or strate
gical purpose accomplished.
Half a mile away stands a huge
brick chimney that once was a part
of a manufacturing plant. It has been
bored through by German shells half
a dozen times, but still stands, and Is
used by the French for an artillery
observation point. On the day of The
Associated Press correspondent’s Jour
ney through the trenches there floated
from the tower a German flag—stolen
during the night by the French and
raised as a sort of mocking challenge
to the Germans. The latter promised
that they would soon get It back.
Included in the "comforts of home”
that are a part of the trenches is a
bathing establiBhement a little to the
rear of the front with real bathtubs
that are filled with heated spring
water. TIjp men, who customarily
serve some days in front and then go
off duty for a like time, thus get a
chance to bathe at least once in the
week—oftener if the spirit moves
while they are resting.
The arrangements for comfort and
safety that are in the front line
trenches are practically duplicated in
parallel and corresponding second and
third line ditches into which the men
can fall back if it is necessary.
If the opponents can succeed in get
ting past the wire entanglements and
Into the front trench, all that the
Bavarians have to do is to fall back
Into the second, exploding and chok
ing up the connecting runways as they
go. Innumerable deadfalls at the
bottom of which are entanglements of
barbed wire further block the progress
of the French.
Every shelter, both in and out of
the trenches, is equipped with a
double exit, so that In case one is
caved in by artillery Are the occupant
of the little house will not be trapped
and lost. Similarly, every trench has
numerous exits so that the cutting off
of one will not be fatal to any large
number of soldiers.
-:o:
Notice of Meeting
The annual meeting of the stock
holders of the Hainler-Grand Company,
will be held at the office of the cor
poration in Cordova, Alaska, at 4 p. m.,
July 1, 1915.
GEORGE DOOLEY. Secretary.
-:o:
JuBt received a new shipment of
STYLEPLUS Clothes at S. BLUM &
Co.
'IRELAND BALKS
CABINET
DUBLIN, July I—The polltlenl truce
established In Ireland during the war
Is seriously endangered because of the
preferment given the Ulster leaders
in the new coalition cabinet. Resolu
tions condemning the appointment of
Carson, Bonar Law and P. K. Smith
are being passed In all provinces
except In the northern and protestant
end of the Island. Not only societies
and political organizations, but city
and local councils join in the protest.
The Kildare County Council unanim
ously adopted the following:
"We regard with grave apprehen
sion the recent changes in the gov
ernment of the country. Involving as
they do the Inclusion In place of high
power and authority of the most viru
lent enemy of our people, and a de
clared lawbreaker. We consider this
step as a direct insult to the great
majority of Irishmen, and must ex
press our surprise that the leading
statesmen In England should sanction
such a course at a time when thou
sands of Irish nationalists are sacrific
ing their lives to maintain the integ
rity of the British Empire.”
The firanard District Council made
a similar protest.
The opinion of the Irish Parliamen
tary Party that the political organiza
tion In the country should be got ready
for any emergency is becoming
popular.
Restoration to Entry of Lands in
National Forest
Lists 6-1496,-1512,-1513,-1541.
Notice Ik hereby given that the
lands described below, embracing
469.88 acres, within the Chugach Na
tional Forest, Alaska, will be subject
to settlement and entry under the pro
visions of the homestead laws of the
United States and the act of June 11,
1906 (34 Stat., 233), at the United
States land office at Juneau, Alaska,
on August 16, 1915. Any settler wno
was actually and In good faith claim
ing any of said lands for agricultural
purposes prior to January 1, 1906, and
has not abandoned game, has a pref
erence right to make a homestead
entry for the lands actually occupied.
Said lands were listed upon the appli
cations of the persons mentioned
below, who have a preference right
subject to the prior right of any such
settler, provided such settler or appli
cant is qualified to make homestead
entry and the preference right is
exercised prior to August 16, 1915, on
which date the lands will be subject
to settlement and entry by any quali
fied person. The lands embrace a
tract of 160 acres, described by metes
and bounds as follows: Beginning at
Corner No. 1, situated on the bench
Immediately north of the town of
Nlnilchlc, east shore of Cook Inlet, a
post marked H-l whence U. S. L. M.
No. 1, bears 3. 49 deg., 45 min. Wf
17.88 chs.; extending thence N. 14 de/.!
E., 15.15 chs.; thence meandering enst I
shore of Cook Inlet 60 feet back from
line of ordinary high tide, N. 41 deg.
E„ 7.53 chs.; thence N. 28 deg. E.,
17.27 chs., to Corner No. 3; thence e!
35.17 chs.; thence a. 35.75 chs.;
thence W. 61.82 chs., to the place of
beginning, listed upon application of
Alex Homan, Homer, Alaska; List
6-1496.
A tract of 153.60 acres, described by
metes and bounds as follows: Begin
ning at Corner No. 1 a spruce post set
In ground 60 feet distant from mean
tide line on east bank of Laida Creek,
east shore of Cook Inlet approxi
mately mile northerly from Apex
of Anchor Point, marked H-l, whence
Forest Service Monument No. 10 at
Granross Creek east bank Laida
Creek, bears N. 20 deg. E., 44 chs.;
extending thence along the east bank
of Laida Creek N. 61 deg. E„ 7 chs.;
thence N. 21 deg. E., 14 chs.; thence
N. 28 deg. E., 4.44 chs., to Corner No.
2; thence E. 66.81 chs.; thence S.
21.46 chs..; thence W. 79.27 chs., to
the place of beginning, listed upon
application of Jacob Petaja, llomer,
Alaska; List 6-1512.
A tract of 86.78 acres, described
by metes and bounds as follows. Be
ginning at Comer No. 1, Forest Ser
vice Monument (hereinafter de
scribed) bears N. 24 deg. VV., 90 links;
extending thence along the east shore
of Forberg Bay 60 feet back from line
of ordinary high tide S. 54 deg. VV.,
2.90 chs.; S. 43 deg. VV.. 6.16 chs.; S.
34 deg. VV., 5.80 chs.; S. 22 deg. VV.,
3.33 chs.; S. 50 deg. VV., 6.88 chs.; S.
46 deg. VV., 6.33 chs., and Sj. 40 deg.
VV., 9.60 chs.; to Corner No. 2; thence
S. 24 deg. E. 18.30 chs.; thence N. 58
deg. E., 36.68 chs.; thence N. 24 deg.
VV., 29.55 chs., to the place of begin
ning. Forest Service Monument con
sists of a post set in mound of stones
on top of bluff 10 feet above high
tide line on east shore of Forberg Bay,
marked F. S. M. H. whence Passage
Point bears N. 7 deg. E„ and Observa
tion Point bears N. 48 deg. E. Listed
upon application of Peter Forberg,
Cordova. Alaska; List 6-1613.
A tract of 69.50 ncres, described by
metes and bounds ns follows: Begin
ning at Corner No. 1 situated on the
south shore of Boswell Bay a post
marked 11-1; extending thence N.
i 63 deg. 45 min. K., 10.59 chs., to Cor
ner No. 2, Identical with Forest Ser
vice Monument, whence Northernmost
point of Boswell Hock, a conspicuous
lone rock 80 feet high on mud flat
near south shore of Boswell Bay,
bears N. 87 deg. 30 min. VV., 36.43
chs.; thence N. 45 deg. E„ 9:41 chs.;
thence E. 24 chs.; thence S. 26 deg.
30 min. E„ 20 chs.; thence S. 76 deg.
30 min. VV'., 1.69 chs.; thence VV'. 49.12
chs.; thence N. 7.15 chs., to the place
of beginning listed upon application of
William Boswell, Cordova, Alaska;
List 6-1641.
C. M BRUCE,
Assistant Commissioner of the
General Land Office.
Dated April 17. 1915.
First Publication June 16. 1916.
Last Publication July 7, 1915.
SEARCHLIGHT AND SIGNAL
Italian Apparatus For Com
mjncoating With Asroplansa.
Photo by American Press Association.
FIRST BANK OF CORDOVA
CAPITAL STOCK *25,000 A
I V#
4% on Time Deposits
We Sell Travellers’ Checks
Gold Dust Bought at Highest Market Prices
DESPOSITORY FOR TERRITORIAL FUNDS.
We Want Your
Business
At our store you get the
BEST DRUG MERCHANDISE
at the best possible prices
plus service which is sure
to satisfy.
In our store you will
find nearly all lines of
merchandise which any
modern, up-to-the-min
j ute drug store carries.
“We are in business for your health.”
I -1 "" ■ 1.1,11 .. ... 1 FJ '■■■gj
Northern D ug *Co.
THE CORNER DRUG STORE
SHELDON’S ADTOS
Five days from Chitina
to Fairbanks
Take the Automobile Line at Chitina for all
points on the Government Trail.
Fare to Fairbanks $75
m _ _
Cordova Power
Company
LIGHTS, WATER, PHONES
AND POWER
25 and 40 Watt Lamps.3§c.
60 Watt Lamps.60c.
100 Watt Lamps.75c
250 Watt Lamps.$2.00
200 Watt, Gas Filled Lamps.$3.00
Office: FIRST STREET.
AN OFFER FOR SIXTY DAYS ONLY.
575 Tewn Lots in Cordova.
Ranging in price from $50 up to $3000, and 600
Town lots in Chitinn from $50 to $1000. Any
or all of them on easy terms.
I Now is the time to buy.
For particulars—Call on or write to
GEO. C. HAZELET,
Cordova, Alaska. Trustee and Agent.
mm1 mom
r The Leading Hotel of Alaska
| m WINDSOR
I= HOTEL
ii CORDOVA, ALASKA
t »
i I
....
FOR GENERAL TEAMING, BAGGAGE
TRANSFERRED, AUTO SERVICE
COAL AND WOOD
1 ALASKA TRANSFER CO..
Cordova and Anchorage
UNEXCELLED WAREHOUSE FACILITIES
X; t
For Storing and Insuring Baggage, i<
Mdse, and Household Goods
| Office—EMPRESS BUILDING, CORDOVA—Phone 85 |
| Northern Meat Market f
WHOLESALE AMD RETAIL DEALERS IN
| Fresh Beef, Pork, Veal, Mutton 1
| and Provisions |
Particular Attention and Prompt Service Given to order* from
MINING CAMPS, ROADHOUSES AND
INTERIOR POINTS
| SMITH & GLASBRKNNER, Props. i
. ^
THE NORTHERN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY has
again to report a successful year, with marked gain*
in every direction.
The assets were increased One hundred and Thirty five
Thousand Dollars! the resrve for the protection of Policy
holders, One Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Dollars.
Accident and Sickness Claims of *28,478.00 were paid
and Death Claims of *33,463.00.
No death Claim has ever been disputed.
All claims are paid immeditely on receipt of proofs.
Total paid to policyholders in 1914 was *116,209 26.
The Company’s yearly Income was increased to *416
606.00. ’
After paying dividends of eight per cent, to stockholders
and dividends of *32,661.24 to policyholders—
Tlje net surplus of the Company was increased more
than seventeen per cent, over the preceedlng year
TRUE you need Life Insurance for the beaeflt of the
wife and children, hut you want Insurance for more
than that alone.
Suppose you should get sick, er by accident you had
your hand mangled or your limbs crushed, or any of the
thousand and one mishaps which are liable to take place
—where does an old fashioned Life Insurance policy aiail
T lie Insurance for you and for everbody is the kind
that fully insures by combining all of these features.
3 in 1 is the answer
Life, Accident and Health Insurance in one policy for
one premium. '
Write or phone now for full Information.
.Z Northern Life
Occupation! Home Office, Seattle
Fill in coupon and mail to
Ad"re";. A. E. RANSOM
Dlv. Supt. for Alaska
. A. J. Adams, Local Repretert
-—__ tatlve, Cordova, Alaska.
—" 1 BBS • —. ...
• l- —*
►44444♦♦♦444* '444444444> ^4.4»*4 • *4441 *1444444 444 4 4 44
INSURANCE
1 " < ►
FIRE, MARINE, LIFE and ACCIDENT ;;
■ • --— ---;
0 1 ►
Insure your property against fire in reli- ::
;; liable Insurance Companies’ ;;
•• We represent the NIAGARA LONDON --
;! ra(ENIS HARTFOKD. "
& KU1UUSS, and others; alUtron« Board C«m- "
> panies.
■* ••
• —-—— . >
.. We also represent the Maryland Casualty
♦ Company, and issue Fidelity and Surety Bonds. ;;
| NORTHiNESTERK REAiTY 4 TRUST COMPANY ::
4444444444444 44444444444444. 44^11. ! [
^♦♦♦♦♦44444444444444444444