Only Afternoon Newspaper In Alaska Member Of Associated Press
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The Cordova Daily Times J
VOLUME TWO. NUMBER 319. CORDOVA, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1915. PRICE TEN CEN
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8peclal to The Times By Associated Press.
LONDON, Doc. 22.—It is officially reported here that the
Russians have captured the Bulgarian Black Sen port of Varna.
And from Athens it was yesterday reported that the Russians
were bombarding the city with a cruiser and destroyers, while
sixteen transports, loaded with troops, were waiting outside
the harbor for an opportunity to land. The latest rumor is
that the landing has been successfully accomplished', and that
the Russians are fortifying the city, preparing to remain in
definitely, having enough troops on hand to defend their po
sitions until additional men can arrive from Odessa, when the
Russian offensive will commence, with Sofia as the objective.
PARIS, Dec. 22.—The war office issued an official com-,
muniqne this morning regarding the resumption of vigorous
operations in Alsace. Fighting has been resumed in the Vosges
mountains, the much fought-over Hartmann/. Weilerkopf
again being the scene of a severe battle. The French troops
were victorious and succeeded in enlarging the French posi-J
tions on the east slope of the mountain. Twelve hundred Her
nians, including twenty-one officers, were captured. The
prisoners came from six different regiments, and were mostly
Bavarians ami Saxons. The French losses were slight, their
artillery doing the bulk of the work in taking the Herman
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trenches, the gun fire being so well directed that when the
infantry charged they had little difficulty in sweeping all
opposition before them.
BEHLTN, Dec. 22.—The official statement issued by the
wa'• office today admits that the French have made advances
in the Vosges, and have taken some German trenches and pris
oner,. on Hartman-Weilerkopf. The statement says that the
French now have possession of the summit of the hill and a
small portion of the trenches on the other side. The first part
of the lost positions on the eminence has been recaptured by
the Teutons.
CHAMBER R E-ELECT8 SE
At a
Commerce, held laat evening, o
prable routine business was tra
od. after which the executive col
tee met and re-elected E. F. it
<ecretary of the Chamber for
nsuing six montha.
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Dance Xmas night. Good mi
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Nifty Job printing at the Time
EMPEROR SUFFERING FROM CELLUTIS.
BERLIN, Dec. 22.—Kaiser Wilhelm is ill, according to a
court bulletin, suffering with cellutis. This is a disease char
acterized by inflammation of the cellular, or loose, connective
tissue. The disease takes on the same spreading character as
erysipelas, and is very painful, but usually of short duration.
BERLIN, Dec. 22.—The Kaiser’s proposed trip to the
western front, which was planned to take place today, has been
postponed' because of a slight indisposition which compels
him to remain indoors for several days. Nothing serious is the
matter, and the court physicians profess no uneasiness over his
condition. The men at the front in France have been looking
forward with pleasure to a visit from the emperor, and much
disappointment will be expressed in consequence, the men hav
ing decorated the trenches and dugouts with evergreens to
create a Christmas atmosphere.
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ENGLAND TO INCREASE TROOPS TO 4,000,000.
LONDON, Dec. 22.—The House of Commons today re
sponded to the plea made by the premier yesterday when lie
asked for an additional million men for Kitchener’s army.
The measure passed the house unanimously, and the new
troops will be immediately summoned to the colors, being re
cruited from the men who enlisted under Lord’ Derby’s plan.
This million men will bring the number of British soldiers in
tip* field up to four million.
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CAPT. VON PAPEN RETURNING TO BERLIN.
NEW YORK, Dec. 22.—Captain Von Papen, the German
military attache, who was recalled because of his activity in
certain military and naval matters in the United States, sailed
from here today, bound for Rotterdam. Von Papen is bound
for Berlin, Great Britain having agreed’, at the request of tin*
United State's, to give him safe conduct through the allied
lines.
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FAMOUS GERMAN GENERAL PASSES AWAY.
BERLIN, Dec. 22.—General Von Ennnich, one of the lead
ing German generals, died a natural death in this city today.
Von Emmicli attained fame as the commander of tlu^roops
who first invaded Belgium, and was in charge of the oper
ations following the crossing of the Meuse river anfl me taking
of Liege.
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HOLD AUSTRIA RESPONSIBLE SINKING OF ANCONA.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—Tin* new note from the United
States to Austria on the torpedoing of the Ancona makes it
plain to the Vienna foreign office that this country will find
no other course open to it hut to hold the Austrian government
responsible for the sinking of the ship, and the consequent loss
of nine American lives. The acts of tin* naval commander will;
be held to be authorized by Austria, where there has been no
disavowal forthcoming. Tin* demands made in the first note
are renewed, and their compliance insisted upon.
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TURKS HARRASS ENGLISH ON TIGRIS RIVER.
LONDON, Dec. 22.—The war office announced officially
today that the total British casualties in Mesopotamia sine"
the retreat before Bagdad to Kutelamara on the Tigris river,
were eleven hundred. This included two hun
dred killed. The Turks have harrassed' tin* British incessantly
since the retreat, but the English have stubbornly refused to
yield any more ground. Reinforcements are being hurried
from India to the head of the Persian Gulf, there to be trans
ported up the Tigris in barges to the relief of the expeditionary
troops under General Townshend.
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ANOTHER SUSPECT ARRESTED IN NEW YORK.
NEW YORK, Dec. 22.—Edmund Justice, a night watch
man of the Atlas Steamship Company, was arrested by tin*
federal officials today, charged with being a member of the
conspiracy created by Paul Koenig to blow up merchant ves
sels carrying supplies to the allies, and to destroy the Welland
Canal, and bridges in Canada. The Atlas company is a sub
sidiary of the Hamburg American Steamship Company.
MEMBER OF FORD PEACE PARTY DIES ON TRIP.
CHRISTIANIA, Norway, Dec. 22.—Lloyd Bingham, a
member of the Ford peace party, and the husband of Amelia
Bingham, Wie well known American actress, died here today
fro man acute attack of pneumonia. The death has thrown a
shadow of gloom over the other members of tin* expedition,
and the preliminary work of tin* peace apostles has been tem
porarily postponed.
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ALLIED AEROPLANE DOES MUCH DAMAGE.
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 22.—An allied aeroplane raid drop
ped many bombs on the town of Munster in Westphalia last
night, and did great damage to the town. A powder factory
here was totally destroyed, and several ammunition depots
blown up.
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DEATH COLONEL
ALAMEDA, Cal., 22. — Colonel
Alexander Swanitz, former chief engi
neer of the Alaska Central railway
at Seward, died in this city last night.
Colonel Swanitz was well known
throughout southwestern Alaska. He
went to Seward in 1902 as builder of
the Alaska Central railroad, and af
ter spending about $250,000 in con
struction, the road was turned over
to Shedd Brothers. Two years later
he became engineer and general man
ager of the Valdez-Yukon railway at
Valdez and at Swanitzville. which
was named in honor of him. he built
a dock and office buildings, as wefl
as constructed a mile of grade in 1905.
When the Alaska Home railway was
promoted in 1907 Colonel Swanitz be
came its consulting engineer, and has
been more or less identified wtth rail
road building to the westward ever
since.
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COMING NEXT
SEATTLE, Dec. 22. — The steamer
Northwestern sailed from here for
Alaska last night, with the following
passengers for Cordova. A. R. West
and wife, Miss Mildred West, J. Eld
ridge and wife, Marcon Eldridge, A.
W. Poster, wife and baby, H. A.
Sprague and wife, Mrs. R. Schultz, J.
Wallingford and wife, Marcon Wal
lingford, Prank Snow, Elma Snow.
Victoria Hendrickson, Max Bochmer,
Mike Lewis, W. Towse, Dan Vander
ford. Max Keedy, A. O'Neil, Miss E.
Harmer, Miss Hartner.
SPECM services at
SI. GEORGE’S MISSION
There will be a Christmas Day
morning service at St. George's
Episcopal Mission. Red Dragon House,
at 11 o’clock. A cordial invitation is
extended to everyone to partake in
a service for the day in the calendar,
more than any other, which bears
witness to the spirit and joy at the
foundation of Christianity. Surely
this is Christmas.
A special musical program has
been arranged by those in charge, and
all attending are assured of a hearty
and profitable hour of prayer and
praise.
The progra mwill appear in due
time.
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W. B. Hancock, superintendent of
the Mother Lode copper mine, came
down from McCarthy to spend the
holidays with his family.
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Geo. C. Hazelot will leave on to
morrow morning's train for Kenne
cott, where he will spend Christmas
with htB son. Craig.
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The dance at the Eagle Hall to
night starts at 10 o’olock,
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KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS ELECT
NEW OFFICERS
Cordova Lodge, No. 3, Knights ol
Pythias, last night elected the follow
ing officers for the ensuing term:
Chancellor Commander, C. .1. Good
all; vice chancellor, .las. Lyons; pre
late. Geo. Dooley; master at work, C.
P. Mickelsou; keeper of re, ords and
seals, \V_ J. McDonald; master of fin
ance, (’has. Game; master of exche
quer, V. G. Vance; master at arms,
Geo. Stewart; inside guard, James
Smith; outside guard, Art Barris;
trustees. Geo. Buchanan, Carl John
son and H. R. Lee.
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EL PASO, Dec. 22. — Rumors as to
the whereabouts of General Villa con
tinue to he numerous, but nothing
definite has been learned as to the
course taken by the Mexican leader
when he left Chihuahua. That he Is
traveling towards the American bor
der seems certain, as he received a
messenger from General Funston,
stating that he would be treated as
a political refugee, and his brother
has already transferred his household
goods from Jaurez to this city. Villa
is escorted by a body of about a thou
sand picked troops, the flower of his
command, representing the loyal ad
herents who have stood by him from
the first, and have been his mainstay
in the numerous battles fought in the
past few years. The Villa government
in the northern states is everywhere
being taken over by Carranza.
EL PASO, Dec. 22. —A conference
of former officers in Villa's army
was held in Juarez today to consider
what course of action they should
take. Advices from their chief were
read at the meeting, but nothing pub
lic was given out as to his where
abouts. After the conference it was
announced that Villa had agreed to
leave Mexico and enter the United
Stutes, but it was postively stated
that ho would not leave Mexico by
way of Juarez.
TRUCE IS BEING
CINCINNATI, Dec. 22. — The base
ball magnates are all here, and this
afternoon it Is expected that the peace
treaty, the principal parts of which
were agreed upon at the conference in
Chicago, will be signed. President
Gilmore of the Feds, as well ns Presi
dent Johnson of the American league,
arrived here early today on the same
train, and took the tame cab to a
hotel. The acted as boon compan
ions, and pleasantly saluted the news
papermen and assured the latter that
the war was at an end.
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Send the Alaska Times to your
| friends outside. Only $3 a year. _
PITTSBURG, Dec. 22. — The hig
gest failure in banking circles in the
United States which has occurred for
many years happened in this city to
day, when the Pittsburg Bank for
Savings was closed by order of the
Pennsylvania Stale Banking Depart
ment.
The bank was capitalized for six
hundred thousand dollars, and did an
immense business through the mails,
the leading magazines of the country
carrying its advertisements soliciting
deposits. The trade magazines wore
also largely patronized by the bank
in seeking depositors, while thousands
of school children in this city and the
surrounding country had accounts in
the bank. The total amount deposited
by the achood children since last Sep
tember in this section alone was
forty-one thousand dollars.
I The total deposits in the bank were
I nearly twelve million, and thirty
thousand of the depositors lived out
side of Pittsburg, having responded
in answer to the bank’s mail order
campaign. The reason given for the
failure of the bank is the heavy de
preciation in the value of its securi
ties.
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FOREIGN TRADE
WITH STATES A
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22. — The
United States foreign trade continues
to grow by leaps and bounds, and
certainly the year 1915, or the latter
half of it at least, will set a new
mark for this country's commerce
with the world at large. For Novem
ber alone the foreign trade of the
United States reached the unprece
dented total of a half billion dollars.
The Imports and exports for the past
year will run well over five billions,
while the gold imports alone for
this year will reach the astounding
sum of 411 billions.
ALASKA PLATETTE AT THE
EMPRESS THURSDAY
An Alaska playette, "The Famous
Peak Sisters,” will be given at the
Empress on Thursday, December 23,
at 8 p. m. There will be a good pre
liminary program, as follows:
1. t’layson’s Orchestra, A. B.
2. Character Duet — Miss Shepard,
Mrs. Chase.
3. Cordova Stringed Orchestra.
4. Vocal Solo — Mr. Chittenden.
5. Plano Solo—Miss Anderson.
(i. Cordova Stringed Orchestra.
7. “Peak Sisters,” eight in number—
Keziah. Sophia, Bethia, Betsy,
Nancy. Dorothea, Sarah Jane.
Marie and Samantha Allen, a fa
mous lecturer and traveller.
If you want a good laugh, come.
Admission 25 cents. No reserved i
seats.
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“Jesters"* dance Xmas night.
AUSTRIAN SUBMARINE IS CAPTURED.
MALTA, Dec. 22.—It is reported here that an Aust
submarine has boon captured in the Mediterranean by two
pedo boat destroyers. The nationality of the destroyers'
not been learned, but it is thought that they are Italian sf
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BRITISH MAKE CHANGES IN GENERALS.
LONDON, Dec. 22.—General Sir Archibald Murray,
has just been detached from the imperial general staff in
city, has been appointed to succeed Sir Charles Monroe,
British commander in the Dardanelles. Monroe has
transferred to the expeditionary force in France, when
succeeds Sir Douglas Haig, the latter returning to Hondo,
take the place made vacant by Murray’s assignment to f
duty.
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RUSSIANS CAPTURE PERSIAN TOWN OF KUM.
LONDON, Dec. 22.—Fighting is reported between
Russians and the Kurds in Persia, and the report has been
ceived that the Slavs have been victorious, thej having c
lured the town of Kum, in the interior.
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AUSTRIANS USING DUMMY MACHINE GUNS.
PETROGRAD, Dec. 22.—Dummy machine guns wl
make a noise like the real thing, and thereby scare off the
tacking enemy, are reported to be one of the latest innovatj
tried by the Austrians on the southern front.
It is a well known fact that infantry, once loosed o
charge upon trenches defended with rapid-fire guns, are „
to swerve instinctively from points where the Maxims si
to be thickest. However dense the roar of heavy artillery d
ing attacks, the short, sharp barking of these little gun.
still distinctly audible. In order to increase the psycholog
effect of machine gun fire, the Austrians therefore hit u
the plan of mounting in their trenches, alternately with l
Maxims, a large proportion of dummies. These produce'a i
tie identical in sound with that of the real gun, and are op
ated by rapidly turning a handle.
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CONSCRIPTION WILL AFFECT ENGLISH QUAKER
LONDON, Dec. 22.— For the English Quakers the pot
bilitv of conscription in Great Britain offers a very seri
problem. It has even been suggested’ that there is danger
a split in the ranks of the church. A committee from the c>
tral organization is now engaged in sounding every m
communicant of military age as to his intentions toward
society in the event of conscription.
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STEAMBOAT TRAVEL RESUMED ON DANUBE RIVI
BE RIJN, Dec. 22.—Tin* resumption of steamboat tra
on the Danube is an event of much economic importance
Germany and Austria-Hungary. That river is in peace tib
the great highway for freight traffic between Koumania a
Bulgaria on the one side and the central powers on the oth
find by far the greater part of the foreign trade of the t
little Danubian kingdoms has been with their big west;
neighbors. But river traffic has been etirely suspended’ sit
the war broke out—and this for two causes. Not only <
Serbia put mines into the river, but the Russians sank seve
>ld vessels in the narrow channel of the Iron Gate, ju#t belj
the Hungarian frontier. This wholly stopped the expert
?rain from Bulgaria to Germany and the Dual Monarchy^
ilso greatly restricted shipments from Koumania as w<
Some shipments by rail were made from Koumania, inde
but not only were the railroads quite inadequate for the traf
d'fered, but the Roumanian government pursued a poll *
which appeared’ to be dictated by the wish to check shipmen
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NEW LIQUOR RESTRICTIONS FOR LONDON.
LONDON, Dec. 22. Further measures for the control
the liquor trade are expected shortly in the military and i
lust rial centers of England and Scotland, but the most dras
irder of all is expected in Ixmdon.
The order affecting London now under consideration
practically the same as that applied to the munition commui
ties and' the dock section of Liverpool. Under its provisk
the number of hours the bars remain open would be limit
from noon to 2:30 p. m. and from 6:30 p. m. to 9:30 p. m., a
the sale of liquors for consumption off the premises made su
ject to severe restrictions.
THE REVUE POPULAR IN LONDON PLAY HOUSES
LONDON, Dec. 22.—The craze for the revue has exter.
■d from London’s variety theatres to conservative play hous
Five of the leading West End music halls took up the rex
>arly in the craze, leaving only three true to variety, and n
i well known home oT comedy, which has brought out me
successful light plays than any other in Loudon in rec<
years, has just announced a revue, making the fourth legi
mate theatre to go over to the revue as against the seven t(
producing plays and musical comedies. The revue hus sw<
fore i! in the suhuthan and proviueia