CONDITIONS AS THEY EXIST ANCHORAGE
Special to the Daily Times.
ANCHORAGE, Feb. 22. — The most
remarkable labor "disturbance" in the
history of the United States, in sev
eral respects, involving' more than 1.
employees and former employees
n the government railway project
here, and causing suspension of con
struction work, has entered its sec
ond week without any sign of violence
or disorder on the part of the men,
and with both the railway commission
and the men good naturedly awaiting
action of the higher authorities at
Washington, to whom appeals have
been made. Delay in settlement has
been caused by the broken cable and
delayed steamer mail service.
Some features of the walkout not
sent outside through regular news
channels may he of interest to readers
of the Times. Without organization
or recognized head, involving origin
ally not more than tin members of the
steel gang, it was responsible for or
ganization of the All-Alaska Federal
Union, which, within a week had more
than 1,200 members enrolled. This
membership not only included almost
every skilled and unskilled wage earn
er in and near Anchorage, but also
many prominent and influential busi
ness men and officers of the Chamber
of Commerce. Also it had obtained
the hearty endorsement and promise
of co-operation on the part of the
chamber. The last to join the Insur
rection were teamsters engaged in
hauling supplies from the end of track
at Peters creek to to Moose creek the
expected center of next summer’s
greatest activities in construction.
These numbered twenty-eight. Four
days later the commission advertised
for teamsters, offering $75 a month
and board, an advance of $15 over the
former wages. Only eight' responded,
according to reports received at union
headquarters last night. The engi
neer in charge at Moose creek was,
quoted as saying that some of these
were so ignorant of their duties that
they were unable to “undress” their
teams, and that the engineer himself
had to take off the harnesses at the
end of the first day of the new ser
vice.
I,el the reader, nfter he has pe-j
rimed this uncolored statement of facts
obtained first band by the unbiassed
writer — some of these facts have
been placed in the form of affidavits
and others are fully substantiated by
reliable witnesses — imagine himself
in the place of one of the steel gang,
for instance, and answer these ques
tions. Were the steel gang justified
in quitting in a body? Has the com
mission “played fair" so far as con
cerns wages of all classes of em
ployees, and as to conditions surround
ing the steel gang and some of the
Dthers? It should be remembered that
the steel gang walked out after dc
sertions in pairs and half dozens had
occurred daily for a period of several
weeks, Ihe places being filled by new
and verdant arrivals. Also remember
what is related herein occurred on
public work, to be paid for by the peo
ple of “the richest government under
the sun." work under supervision of
their own "hired men," presumed to
be holding down their jobs because of
efficiency.
While the question of wages is now
involved, that was originally a minor
i one with the steel gang. It Is notor
ious that the wages established b)
the Alaskan railway commission arc
tlie lowest paid skilled labor In Alas
ka, and at most points on the Pacific
coast. It is to the credit of the com
mission, however, that it has paic
common laborers on the railroad high
er wages than ever paid any similai
work in the territory, except at Nome
and Fairbanks; but the system ol
compensation established for statior
work more than offsets this "credit.'
Contractors on government work arc
not permitted to pay more than the
wages fixed bv the commission. The
A. K. (’. scale at Anchorage follows:
Common labor, 37 1-2 cents an hour:
carpenters, black anti! tis and other me
chanics, 50 cents per hour: helpers, 14
cents per hour. Many of these men
have been hired by the month at $6(1
to $00, not including board. Wages
paid here by private employers are:
Fifty cents for common labor, and not
less than 75 cents for skilled. The
schedule now asked by the Insurgents
is: Minimum of 50 cents for common
labor, price and a half for over time.
and double pay for Sundays and holi
days; minimum of• 75 cents for car l
penters, cooks and bakers, graduated [
from $!*0 to $125 a month, depending
on size of the crew, and including!
board; teamsters, $90 to $120 a month j
and board, depending on the size of!
team. Wages for longshoremen and i
others are to be approved by the or-|
ganization whenever the men can j
agree on what they want.
The real first cause of the walkout
and phenomenal growth of the organi
zation was the intolerable, insanitary,
inhuman and almost unbelievable con-j
ditions under which the steel gang1
were compelled to work. Their com
( blued living and sleeping quarters j
were flat cars, on which were flimsily
| constructed shacks, without adequate
| means of ventilation other than cracks
I in the floor and walls. These cars,
! 8 by 22 feet in size, contained 24 rough
bunks in three tiers. There was no|
room for seats and the hunks were the
general resting places for the men
at all hours when not at work. Tem
perature ranged from zero to 20 be
low. and the cars were heated by a ;
stove, placed in the center, so that
the occupants or the middle tiers of
hunks were overheated, and those at
the ends were unable to keep warm.
Dry footwear being absolutely neces
sary to keep from freezing those
members when the men were working,
the dry out occurred at night, and 48
pairs of perspiration soaked socks
snd half that number of insoles added
their poisonous odors to the already
choice assortment in the unventilated
sleeping quarters. The cars were
crowded to double the capacity per
mitted within the jurisdiction of cit
ies and communities which do not
•are to make or save money at the
expense of human life or health. Mat
tresses and bedding froze to the walls,
where airholes formed masses of Ice,
1 rid icicles accumulated on tne lower
waitresses.
"I have been in some of the most
notorious logging and construction
•amps of the middle west and never
uiw anything to compare with it,"
mid one of my informants.
Conditions at the hoarding cars
Continued on Cage Three.
Special by Associated Press.
BERLIN. Feb. 29. — Carl Von Wie
pend, the Associated Press represen
tative til Berlin, was officially in
formed by the Berlin foreign office
today that the new rule enunciated by
the German admiralty to the effect
a-" t armed merchantnient would he
sunk by Teuton submarines without
warning, would positively be put into
effect at midnight Tuesday.
BERLIN. Fell. 29 — The newspa
pers and public seemed primed for the
coming new submarine campaign of
the German admiralty. There is a gen
eral expectancy that the opening of
the campaign will be spectacular, as
it is felt that the admiralty has pre
pared a large number of new submer
sibles, and the public generally is
confident that the little under water
craft will have no difficulty in reach
ing the open sea highways traversed
by the big ocean liners.
NEW YORK, Feb. 29. — Much in
terest is being felt in the safety of
the French liner Lafayette, as it is
feared that she will be the first vessel
leaving the United States with Am
erican citizens on board, that would
•be subject to unwarned attack by
Teuton submarines, in accordance
with the new instructions issued to
the submersible commanders by the
German admiralty. The Layfavette
sailed from this city Saturday and
will arrive at Bordeaux after the date
set for the commencing of the new
campaign.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 29. Despite
the persistent requests for informa
tion the state department remains ab
solutely uncommunicative concerning
their apprehensions as to the effect
on this government’s relations with
the central powers of the new sub
marine policy of Geramny. While no
thing official can be learned, it Is
unauthoritatively stated that Secre
tary Lansing and his co-workers in
the department feel that the possi
bility of a break in our diplomatic re
lations with Germany in the near fu
ture is more or less remote.
LONDON. Feb. 29. — The Italian
government has requisitioned 24 of the
37 German steamers which have been
interned in Italian ports. This move
is generally accepted as being a conn j
ter move against the new submarine
campaign to be inaugurated by the
Germans alter midnight today, as the
Germans will he sinking their own
ships if they persist In torpedoing'
enemy merchant vessels without
warning.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 2ft, — The
state department assured ttie British
ambassador today that the United)
States was not desirous in any way j
of embarrassing Great Britain in her
conduct of the war. through the re-j
quest that, merchant liners he not
armed. The recent edict of this gov
ernment that armed merchantmen
would lie given only the same privi-1
leges in American ports which war-)
ships have under international law |
in neutral ports is not intended to hurt j
Great Britain in any way, or violate!
the heretofore accepted standards
governing warfare. The ambassador
was told that our government was
striving to its utmost to preserve
strict neutrality, and that this gov-|
eminent was not influenced in the]
least by a desire to aid the Germans;
in their submarine warfare.
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BATTLESHIPS l
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 29. — The (e
naval committee has authorized a (li
favorable report on the bill to equip )|(
the Puget Sound navy yard at Bremer-;
ton, in order for the building of but- j
tleships. |
— . i
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29. — Secre ;
tary of the Navy Daniels appeared be- [
■nre a Senate committee yesterday,
und advocated the enlargement of the j
Bremerton navy yard. He told the j
members that the Puget Sound yard, g'
was one of the best In the country al
from a defence standpoint, and that K
the conditions there were almost ideal n
for a navy yard, being far superior to
the larger plants in the east. He alstj,
said that he wished to so increase the
equipment as to make It possible to B
construct battleships there. lc
- St
WASHINGTON. Feb. 29. — The h
Senate commtttee on naval affairs to- lr
day expressed a favorable opinion pi
upon a bill which provides for the al
%
uiprnent of the Puget Sound navy
rd at Bremerton, so that the largest
eadnoughts can be constructed
ere. Decisive action on the matter
js not taken by the committee he
use there was not a quorum pres
t when the thing was discussed, but
e friends of the measure and the
val officials behind the movement
el confident that the absent mem
rs feel like the rest of the commit
e on the matter, and it is freely pre
cted that a favorable committee re
irt assures passage.
IG ORDERS FOR STEEL ARE
PLACED IN STATES
NEW YORK. Eeb. 29, — Orders ag
egating 4.000,000 tons, and valued
$240,000,000, have been placed by
aropean countries in the local steel
arket since January 1.
x'' -:o:
LONGSHOREMAN INJUR
Yesterday afternoon while Eli
jrklch was employed on the dock in
adlng ore on the Northwestern a
,ck of the glance fell on him, and
> was bruised about the body. The
jured man was taken to the com
in.v hospital, where Dr. Council Is
tending bit.
miRKS HAVE N0;
HOPE CHECKING
PETROGRAD, Feb. 29. The Turk
ish forces garrisoning the Black sea
city of Trebizond are hastily evacuat
ing the town, as the approaching Rus
sians under Grand Duke Nicholas are
rapidly nearing the outer fortifica
tions in such numbers that the Turk
ish commander has declined to offer
->ny resistance. The Russians are for
tifying Hrzerum. while the main army
is pressing the Turkish rear guard un
remittingly. The neighboring town of
i iilikza, on the Black sea, is also be
ing evacuated by the Turks.
--:o:
Ttie steamer Northwestern arrived
in port yesterday afternoon and after
loading a quantity of ore, sailed for
Seattle last night, with but few pas
sengers from here. v
^ --:o:
Geo. Parks, of the United States
land office, arrived from the westward
yesterday and will spend several days
here.
i'AKIS. Feb. i’!i. The official com
iiunhjiie issued by tiie war depart
ment this afternoon stated that the
Herman bombardment of the French
positions north of Verdun was being
continued with undiminished intensity.
East of the Meuse river a resumption
if violent attacks was reported, tiie
heaviest being directed against the
French positions near the village of
Ootiamont. which is still in possession
of the allied troops, At times tiie
fighting here developed into hand to
hand conflicts, tiie Germans being re
pulsed after a terrific close In battle,
where hand grenades and bayonet
fighting played an important part. The
Hermans captured the village of Man
hnelles early in the day, but the
French rallied and by a strong coun
ter attack brought their front line to
[he ousklrts of the village. The Ger
mans here are now under a heavy
French artillery fire, which is sweep
ng Manhuelles front end to end. The
French are strongly entrenched on the
western boundary of the village.
PARIS, Feb. 2b. — The Germans
made a strong attack on the French
positions in Lorraine, driving the sol
diers from the first line trenches, but
they were soon forced to abandon
their gains by a strong counter at
tack, After the fighting, which lasted
several hours, the respective positions
of the contending forces was un
changed.
PURLIN, Feb. 2b. — The righting
around Fort Douamont. one of the
principal fortifications defending Ver
dun, continues of unexampled fero
city. The Germans have held posses
sion of the fort despite the desperate
attacks of the French troops, whose
counter assaults have been repeatedly
repulsed. The Germans stormed a
strongly fortified position northwest
of the town of Douamont, taking the
French soldiers stationed there as
prisoners and forcing a further re
treat of the enemy. So far ie the
ilri'. e towards Verdun ttie Teutons
have captured a total of sixteen thou
sand unwounded French prisoners.
Seventy-eight cannon have also been
taken, as well as 8<; machine guns.
DERUN. Feb. 28. — The war office
issued an official bulletin this morn
ing. announcing activity of the Ger
mans in the drive towards Verdun,
particularly on the plains of the Woe
vre. In this district tbe Germans fol
lowed up a heavy artillery bombard
ment by a strong infantry attack,
passing beyond Dieppe, Abaucourt amt
nianzee. The Teutons also captured
the towns of Manheulles and Chimp
ton. The Germans are pressing their
advantage, and are giving the French
no opportunity to recover from the
fierce attacks which have been deliv
ered.
NOTED NOVELIST
DEPARTS THIS
LIFE
LONDON, Fel>. 29. — Henry Janies,
the famous novelist and psychologist,
lied in this city today. James was
born an American but died a British
subject, having taken the oath of al
legiance to the Crown in July, 1915,
explaining that he had lived and
worked in England for forty years,
;ind had developed such an attach !
went for the country and sympathy
with its people that he desired to'
hrow his moral weight and personal!
illegiance into the British cause in the! i
European war.
James' work was better liked In j
England than in America. One char-!
qcteristlc of bis novels was that he
jften closed abruptly, leaving the
reader in doubt concerning the subse
quent fate of the actors in the Btory.
He developed intellectual mazes nnd
verbal labyrinths which were too deep
for the ordinary reader, but neverthe
less he had, particularly among the
English people, a host of readers. Mr. '
lames wrote a number of books in i
French, which received high praise I
frthn the French critics because of the
excellence of their literary style. In I
:he Newr Year's honors awarded by,
King George in January, 1916. Mr.
Fames was one of two born Ameri
cans to be honored. lie received the
)rder of Merit from the king.
ENGLISH' LOSSES
I
*
i
LONDON, Feb. 29. — The govern
uent announced officially today that
he British casualties in all the war
cones for the month of February were
39 officers and nearly eighteen tliou
and men. This includes killed, woun
led and missing.
-.o:
PARIS, Feb. 29, — The French gov
ernment announced today that the
nixiliary French cruiser Provence had
>een sunk In the Mediterranean sea.
rhe details were withheld, so that It
s not known whether the ship was
orpedoed or what happened. Nearby
essels saved 170 of the crew.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 29. — The
administration leaders in Congress are
ready to bring the question of warn
ing Americans off of armed merchant
(hips of the European belligerents to
*n immediate vote. They are confi
lent of defeating the measure, and
feet that unless the question is set
lied, President Wilson will be ham
mered in his submarine negotiations
with the central powers.
ITALIAN LINERS ARE GIVEN
CLEARANCE PAPERS
WASHINGTON. Feb. 29. — The
Italian liners Guiseppe Verdi and San
jugtielmo were both given their
dearance papers by the authorities
his morning, when their commanders
issured the government officials that
die mounted guns which they carried
were intended for defensive purposes
snly.
—.-•<>:-•— -
James Brennan came over from
Valdez yesterday to greet his old Cor*
iova friends.