THE NENANA NEWS
Application ma ile October 30, 1916, at the Postoffice at Nenana, Alaska, tor
entry as second-class mail matter under the act of March 2, 1879, by The Ne
nana Printing Company.
Published Weekly by The Nenana Printing Company
Day ok Publication Saturday Edited by R. G. Southworth.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Per month; by carrier.$ 1.00 Single copies.Two bits
Six months, in advance .... 5.00 One year, in advance. 10.00
Nenana, Alaska, April 21,1917
It has been a source of more or
less conjecture among the people
of the United States ever since the
beginning of the great struggle in
Europe as to why the Imperial
German government allowed the
great amounts of gold bullion to
be shipped from the Entente Allies
to the United States without any
apparent effort to sink the ships
which carried it. But the events
of the past few weeks have cleared
away the mists of doubt and re
vealed the true reasoning of the
Prussians. The Zimmerman note
was the first inkling of the truth.
The proposals to Japan added one
more link to the chain of evidence.
And now Ambassador Gerard's
speech, delivered in Boston a few
nites ago, has revealed the full in
tent of the German military staff.
It is plainly to be seen now
that the Prussians wanted those
billions in bullion in the safe de
posit vaults of the large cities on
the Atlantic seaboard rather than
somewhere on the bottom of the
Atlantic ocean, for the very good
reason, according to the Prussian
deduction, that “when they had
succeeded in starving England with
the submarine campaign, and were
able to turn their fleet loose upon
the Atlantic, they would use it as
a means of bluffing the United
States into paying them a sufficient
bounty to wipe out their war debt,
by the simple expediency of threat
ening to invade this country.” Had
their program worked out they
would have had no trouble in in
ducing Japan to join them in such
an undertaking. To make assur
ance doubly sure they slapped
Uncle Sam in the face a number
of times, and trod on his corns a
time or two to be certain he was
sleeping peacefully, and then pro
ceeded to put into execution their
program of world subjugation. But
—the bubble broke, a cog slipped,
there was a screw loose; whatever
it was, it had not been anticipated
in their vast and intricate scheme
of things, and now Uncle Sam is
most thoroly wide awake. Japan
would have greatly enjoyed being in
at the killing, but is a trifle afraid
that she might be left to hold the
bag. Mexico is more than willing
to take a chance, but is not a
strong enough factor for Germany
to rely on.
I
It was a beautiful dream, how
ever, and one which would have
been almost too good to be true,
if it had come true. Billions of
gold at the very doors of the At
lantic, theirs for the taking. And
the resources of the richest country
in the world to draw upon to make
themselves the most powerful.
Small wonder that they took the
chance.
It is safe to predict that the
present “retreat to victory" of the
Teutons on the Western front in
France is the beginning of the end,
not only of the great world struggle,
but of Prussian militarism as well.
The Prussian system has existed
for so long a time that the German
soldier has forgotten how to do
anything without being shown; and
as he has been taught nothing but
trench warfare he cannot adapt
himself to the rush maneuvers of
the British nor the “eighty-feet-a
minute" advances of the French.
He has just begun to figure out
that he is a whole lot safer back of
the Allied lines repairing roads
than he is digging Teuton trenches
—it's not as hard work, anyway—
and as a prisoner he is fairly sure
of two square meals a day and a
dry place to sleep at nite. And
it doesn't take him long to throw
down his gun and cry “Merci"
when he gets a chance, and his
commanding officer isn’t looking.
He is no coward, give him credit
for that. But he’s had all the
fighting he wants and is ready to
quit and go home. Besides, he
has not found out yet what the fight,
is all about and has come to the
conclusion that he isn’t particular
whether or not he ever does find
out.
JuneHu: Edward Krause, who was in
| prison here awaiting execution next
month, and who escaped from prison last
Thursday, was shot and killed yesterday
by Alfred Franseu, a homesteader at Dotv
cove, on Admiralty island, sixteen miles
south of this city. “Krause was evidently
out of grub, as he asked Fransen for
food. The latter, who had been warned
to look out for him, covered him with a
gun and demanded his identity. Krause
acknowledged his identity and started to
| run away, whereupon Fransen ordered
him to stop, and failing to do so, shot
him, once thru the body near the heart,
and once thru the head. He was not
armed.
Wm. M. Smith
ATTORNEY AT LAW
NOTARY PUBLIC
OFFICES IN NEW YORK BLOCK
DAILY PROGRESS OF THE WORLD WAR
MONDAY
Cambridge: Five hundred and seven
ty-four students and alumni of Har
vard university have enlisted in the reg-1
ular artuy.
Portland, Ore.: Wheat is selling here
at $2.08 a bushel, and flour at $10.20 a
barrel, the highest prices ever quoted on
the Pacific coast.
Los Angeles: Two hundred pounds of
dynamite was discovered this morning j
cached in the acqueduct which furnishes
the water supply for this city.
Pelrograd: Alexieff has been appointed
commander-in-chief of the Russian army. |
Genernl Kuropntkin and General Buroff I
have been placed under arrest.
London: The Turkish war office an
nounced this morning that the American
gunhoat Scorpion, statibned at Constan
tinople, lias been interned by the Turks
Washington: The senate finance com-!
mittee approved the seven billion dollar j
bond bill this morning and its passage !
by the senate is assured by tomorrow at
the very latest.
Loudon: Reports from Switzerland i
state that serious food riots are occurring j
in Germauv, the cities of Mannheim and
Leipzig experiencing especially violent
demonstrations, the mobs wrecking sev
eral shops. •
Montreal: Quentin Roosevelt, son of
Col. Roosevelt, has joined the Canadian
aviation corps in order to obtain instruc
tions which will fit him for service with
the American army at the front in Europe.
San Francisco: A Japanese newspaper
here has received a dispatch from Tokio
stating that “the Pacific coast of the
United States need have nofearof enemy
divers, as it is being patrolled by the
Japanese navy.”
Washington: A powerful navy wire
less station is to be erected at Woody
Island to connect Alaska with the States
thru the Pacific coast states stations, to
insure uninterrupted communication at
all times, should the cable go out of com
mission at any time thru accident or de
sign.
El Paso; Mexican soldiers and labor
ers are busiiy engaged in digging in
trenchments along the Rio Grande op
posite this city. Officers in charge dis
claim arty hostile intent, but American
forces have trained their guns on Juarez
and taken other means of withstanding
any offensive movement.
British Headquarters in France: The
British forces have turned the pivotal
point of the Hindenburglinein Northern
France, and are advancing along a fifty
mile front. The retreating German forc
es are evidently endeavoring to construct
fortifications in which to make an effect
ive stand, but the speed of the British
advance makes this impossible, and they
are leaving vast stores of supplies behind
them.
Paris: The Belgian forces have invaded
the second line of German intrencliments
in front of Dixmude, in Western Bel
gium. They met with little resistance,
the German line falling back as they ad
vanced. During last nite the French
forces in Dower Alsace penetrated the
German second line at a number of dif
ferent points, using the curtain of fire,
and found only dead men in the trenches.
TUESDAY
New York: Charles Hastings and
Rutledge Rutherford, American corres
pondents located in Hollaud, were this
morning indicted by the federal jury as
spies, charged with transmitting military
information to Germany.
London: The admiralty announced
this morning that the attack on Freiburg
yesterday by British and French planes
was planned and executed as a reprisal
for the recent sinking of two hospital
ships by German U-boats.
Berlin: An official announcement by
the military staff this morning states that
the military hospital at Freiburg was
bombarded by French and British fliers
yesterday, and that eleven persons were
killed and twenty-nine injured.
Seattle: The Port commission it per
fecting plans to use their storage and
warehouse facilities to distribute food
products of every kind directly from the
producer to the consumer in an attempt
to reduce the high cost of living.
Mexico City: Ambassador Fletcher
has notified the state department at
Washington that Gen. Carranza's speech
before the Mexican congress recently
declared Mexico’s position with regards
to the German situation as being strictly
neutral.
Washington: A wireless dispatch re
ceived by the war department this morn
ing states that an attempt was made by a
German U-boat to torpedo the U. S. tor
pedo-boat destroyer Smith at a point 100
miles south of New York. The torjiedo
missed the boat by less than 35 yards,
its wake being plainly visible from the
deck. Officials assert that this is the
first evidence that the threatened sub
blockade of the Atlantic coast by the
Germans has gone into effect.
London: Swinging his center of pres
sure to the south and away from liefore
Lens under cover of darkness, Field
Marshal Haig this morning executed a
flunking movement on the German line
between Soissons and Rheims. German
forces to the number of over. 500,000 had
been concentrating along this front in
anticipation of n new French attack, but
the liriiish Sinking movement came aa
a complete surprise, anil prevented the
Teutons trom bringing up their entire
reserve. The French force launched its ^
attack against the same Iront and netted
a three mile gain along a front of over
40 miles. Reports lrom the French war
office this morning state that more than
10(\000 German prisoners were taken by
the French forces during thisaction.
WEDNESDAY
Washington: Judge Jennings of Juneau
was this tnoruing appointed by President
Wilson as federal district judge of Alaska.
I Washington: The senate committee
| on military affairs this morning recom
! mended the passage of the selective army
1 bill as asked by the general staff.
Washington: The senate this morning
unanimously passed the Culberson bill,
which makes it legal for the Allies to re
cruit their subjects in the United States.
i New York: To prevent any possibility
] of this city being shelled by submarines 4
all channels have been heavily screened
with steel nets and heavy patrols are be
ing maintained in the waters off Sandy
Hook.
Minneapolis: Canada has placed wheat
and flour on the free list, and thousands
ALASKAN ENGINEERING COMMISSION
WAGE SCHEDULE NUMBER SIX
The wage schedule as shown will become effective on April 9th, 1917.
Office, Engineering and Store schedules will be readjusted os soon as
official advices are receivel, but will be,effective from April 9th.
All hourly men will be paid time and one-half for overtime.
All wage schedules subject to the approval of the Chairman.
THOMAS RIGGS, JR.
Member of Commission.
Nenana, Alaska,
Issued April 5, 1917.
Ecective April 9, 1917.
HOURLY RATES.
Blacksmiths 1st Class—shop .80
Ordinary " 75
Brakemen .58—1-8
Carpenters House .80
Ship .;..80
Caulkers 80
Drillers Hand .65
Dumpmen 55
Engineers Piledriver .80
Steam Derrick .80
Locomotive Crane .80
Helpers Carpenter ...62—1-2
Bridge .62—1-2
Machinist .62—1-2
Blacksmith .62—1-2
Plumbers ..62—1-2
Wiremen .62—1-2
Linemen .62—1-2
Firemen Steam Derrick ...65
Steam Shovel ......65
Piledriver .65
Foremen Trucker .:.85
Plumber .87—1-2
Painter .87—1-2
Carpenter .87—1-2
Lineman ...87—1-2
Laborers Laying steel, surfacing, blasting, grading .55
Material and Supply Yards ....55
Camps .55
Sawmill .55
Excavating ..55
Stationmen .55 to 65—7-8
Linemen Electrical—1st class.80
Loader Slip Scraper and Fresno...58—1-8
Wheel Scrapers .60
Machinist ’ 1st Class .80
Muckers • . ...55
Painters 80
Piledrivermen 65
Pipe Fitters 80
Pittman v i ■ ...*......./..68—1-8
Plow Holder , ..'.....58—1-8
Plumber 80
Powdermen .!...70
Powder Thawer 55
Steamfitter .80
5piker Experienced ....58—1-8
Strappers Experienced .:..,.58—1-8
Truckers , ..._.,70
Wiremen . Electrical—1st class .-.80
[Continued on Page Four]
T
I