THE NENANA NEWS
Application ma de October 30, 1916, at the Postoffice at Nenana, Alaska, lor
entry as second-class mail matter under the act ol March 2, 1879, by The N'e- ’
nana Printing Company.
Published Weekly by The Nenana Printing Company
Day of Publication- Saturday Edited by R. G. Southworth.
SUBSCRIPTION* RATES:
Per month; by carrier.$ 1.00 Single copies . . . . ,
Six months, in advance ... 5.00 One year, in advance
Nenana, Alaska, March 31, 1917
Two bits ,
. 10.00;
The human cost of the war, we are told
by the Eagle magazine, has been incal
culable. The loss in fighting material
alone, the weakening of the man-power
of the two sides in the conflict, is enough
to make the warring nations tremble for
the future—and that loss takes no account
of the thousands of non-combatants who
have perished, and will vet perish, of
privation and disease. In a recent article,
Frank H Simonds, who has made a sta
tistical studv of the casualties, presents
the following as a fairly accurate sum
mary of the losses of the respective na
tions:
France 2,500,000
Russia 5,750,000
Great Britain 1,400,000
Italy 350,000
Belgium, Servia
and Rumania 300,000
Total for Allies . 10,300,000
Germany 4,000,000
Austro-Hungary 4,000,000
Bulgaria and Turkey 200,000
Total for Central Powers S, 200,000
Grand Total 18,500,000
The number of killed, wounded, cap
tured or permanently disabled is equal to
half the population of Italy! These eight
een and one-half millions of men wer all
of military age. The proportion of those
capable of bearing arms to the entire pop- j
ulation of a country is estimated at from j
ten to twelve per cent. In the United '
States there are, according to this esti
mate, probably not more than 12,000,000
males of military age. The loss in man- j
power already experienced by the bellig
erents, therefore, is already equal to one
and one-half times the man-power of this
country!
A careful study of the condition of the
wounded reveals the fact that the perma
nent loss is substantially one-half, so it
is well within the bounds of reason to
say, then, that the Allies have permanent
ly lost 5,150,000 men and the Central
Powers 4,100,00$! It is an awful price to
pay—for What?
When it comes to climate there are
many states in our Union which must
take their hats off to Interior Alaska. I
Where, for instance, is there a section ot
the country so storm-free as our North
land? Press dispatches during the week
mention a few, at least, which are not,
notably Indiana and Alabama, which
have been swept recently by devastating
cyclones and tornadoes.
Reports from Berlin indicate that it is
the intention of the Imperial German '■
government to ignore the warlike prep
arations which are being made by the
United States, even to the extent of re
fusing to take cognizance ot an open dec
laration of war, should there be one.
But that should not surprise us, however
much it may hurt our pride. If we can- I
not receive recognition or consideration
as a neutral, why should we expect dif- :
ferent treatment as a belligerent?
It is interesting to note that, while the
German people, as a whole, are being
pauperized by the great struggle in which
thev have been involved by their ruler,
the Kaiser continues to pocket the large
dividends which are being earned by his
American stocks. To the extent of his
share holding, he is a partner in the con
cerns which are engaged in the manufac
ture of munitions for use against his ow n
subjects.
Nenauaites are to be given an oppor- i
tumty to assist in the founding of a pub
lic library, and inasmuch as the need of
such an institution already is keenly felt
here, little difficulty doubtless will be
experienced in securing the support nec
essary to insure the success of the under
taking. No community nowadays is
complete without a library, and no town
ts too young to start one. This is par
ticularly true of Alaskan towns, where
reading is as much a part ot the life of
the people as mining or railroad building,
and the people of Nenana undoubtedlv
will join heartily in the movement which
means both benefit and pleasure to them.
RAILROAD NEWS
There are 177 electric meters in service
in Anchorage.
There are three hotels and ten lodging
houses at Anchorage.
The transport Crook will be in service
ler the Commission again this summer.
During the month of January thirty i
accidents occurred on the Anchorage di
vision.
An electric thawing apparatus was used
successfully at Anchorage for thawing
out frozen water mains during a recent
cold snap.
There are thirty-five Commission cot
tages at Anchorage for the use of employ
es of the Commission. All but one are
occupied.
The Alaska Northern railroad is oper
ated during the winter as far as Mile 40,
and during the summer trains run to the
end of the line, at Kern creek.
During the period May 26 to December
31. there were 492 patients under treat
ment in the Commission hospital at Xe- j
c^na. Of these 41 were non-employes, 1
Under tbe Alaska Railroad act the
Commission gets the Pauama equipment
Iree of cost, but must pay the expense of
any repairs as well as the cost of trans
portation to the North.
The Eska Coal company, operating on
Eska creek, near Anchorage, is mining
50 tons of coal a day, and the output will
be increased as fast as possible. Milo
Kelly is superintendent.
F. J. Randolph of California has been
appointed to the position of clerk in the
Seattle disbursing office, to succeed E.
R. Tarwater, promoted to special dis
bursing agent at Seward.
For the first time since tbe shut-down !
of work on the old Alaska Northern rail
road, the big rotary snow plow was put
in operation early in January to /clear
drifts between Mile 9 and Seward.
Engineers have located a spur line
from the Matanuska branch to the Eska
creek coal mines, a distance of 2 1-2
miles. The Eska creek Coal company
has a contract to supply the Commission
with 3000 tons of coal.
The total disbursements of the Anchor
ege office for the period February 1 to 7
were $85,600.82. The payment of salaries
and wages amounted to $74,556.62; for
local purchases. $2847.71; to contractors.
$7388.61; other expenditures, $777.89;
dock claims, $J9.99.
PROGRESS OF THE BIG STRUGGLE IN EUROPE
\
MONDAY
Berlin: The German rear guard was
thrown back by the French last cite in
an engagement between the Oise and
Aisne rivers.
Seattle: The second regiment of the
Washington state militia was called out
for service this morning.
San Francisco: It is reported that Car
ranza is purchasing military supplies in
Japan.
San Francisco: The state militias of
California, Oregon, Idaho and Montana
received orders this morning to mobilize
immediately.
Washington: The American liner St. j
Louis, the first aimed merchantman to
cross the Atlantic, is reported this morn
ing to have successfully reached port in
England.
|
Washington: The militia of twenty
five states has been ordered mobilized for !
active service, and they will be distrib-1
uted where needed for the protection of
the United States seaboard.
Washington: Major-General Leonard
Wood has been transferred from the East
ern department to take charge of the
Southeastern department, with headquar
ters at Charleston, S. C.
Omaha: The entire equipment and re- '
sources of the Union Pacific railway sys
tem has been placed at the disposal of;
the government for the transportation of j
troops and supplies.
Princeton: President Ilibben of Prince-^
ton university announced this morning ■
that in the event of war military training \
at the university would take precedence
over all other branches of academical
work.
Copenhagen: Dispatches from all sec
tions of Russia state that socialists are
inciting revolution among the masses of!
the people and mutiny in the army and
navy. Grand Duke Nicholas has been
dismissed from the supreme command of
the Russian army because of Ins being a
member of the czar’s family.
Philadelphia: Six memliers of the
crew of the interned German liner Prinz
Eitel Frederich were shot last nite by
marines who were guarding the vessel,
when the members of the entire crew at
tempted to escape. All German sailors
in this port have been transferred to re
tention camps in the South.
Pans: The speed of the German re
treat on the Western front is lessening,
but the German forces as yet have been
unable to stop the French advance. A
violent counter attack by the Teutons
last nite between the Oise and Aisne riv
ers was repulsed, the Germans sustaining
unnecessarily heavy losses in killed and
wounded.
Vancouver, B. C.: George Lindsay
Hayden, the 19-year-old bank messenger
who absconded several davs ago with
$19,000 belonging to a Seattle bank, was
apprehended in this city this morning,
shortly after enlisting tor service in the
European war with a Canadian company.
Eighteen thousand dollars of the stolen 1
money was recovered.
Washington: A complete list of all
known spies in the United States, and all
interned Germans, amounting to approx
imately a half million persons, is in the
hands of the secret service department.
The moment war is declared all these
persons will be placed on a large irriga
tion project in one of the Western states,
where they will be under military guard
and supervision, and will be required to
work on the development of the project
at the wages of an enlisted soldier.
Washington: According to powers in
vested in him by congress, to be used in
case of emergency, the president this
morning issued orders that the strength
of the navy be increased to 87,000 men.
A net increase of 6,500 men is already
recorded, but many more men are needed
to bring the crews of boats already in
commission to their full strength, as well
as to provide crews for the various craft I
under constructiop.
TUESDAY
Petrograd: General Alexis Evert has
beeu placed iu charge of the Russian
army on the Central front, to succeed
General Letchitzky.
Washington: It is reported here this
morning that in the event of the United
States declaring war on Germany, the
latter will take the position that she is
not aware of the fact.
Washington: It is rumored that the
United States will confiscate ten million
dollars' worth of government bonds be
longing to Kaiser Wilhelm and members
of his family, in the event of war.
Atlanta: hour hundred and eleven
German sailors from the Kron PrinzWil
helm and Kitel Frederick arrived in Fort
McPherson this afternoon under guard of
marines. They were placed in a special
stockade.
Brownsville: Two of the German sail
ors who escaped from the interned liners
in Philadelphia several day s ago, are re
ported to have crossed the Rio Grande I
near here during the nitc and to lie safe
now in Mexico.
Seattle: At the request of the navy
department the National Shipbuilding J
company this morning submitted esti
mates on a new model of wooden sub
marine, the first ten of one hundred to
be completed in two months.
New York: The French steamer Lar
ance, which reached port this morning,
reports having been attacked by a Ger
man submarine one hour out of Bordeaux
and after a five hours’ chase succeeded in
out-maneuvering the diver and escaped.
Watertown, Mass.: Two nnidentified
men dug their way under the wall, which
surrounds the government arsenal here,
during the nite. presumably in auattempt
to blow up the arsenal. They were dis
covered by a sentry, who fired at them,
but missed owing to the darkness, and
the pair escaped.
Washington: It is announced in mil,
itary circles that indications point very
strongly to the adoption of nniversal mil
itary training bv congress when it con*
venes April second. Should such a meas
ure fail to pass the president will issue a
call for 250,000 regulars. 250.000 militia,
and 500,000 volunteers, the war strength
of the army which he ts authorized to
establish.
Washington: Authoritative informa
tion is in the hands of state department
officials to the effect that ammunition
factories are in operation in different sec
tions of Mexico which are supplying
munitions to German submarines, and
that several submarine bases Are located
along both coasts of Mexico, where the
U-boats lay up for repairs, and where
new divers are being assembled lrom
parts shipped into Mexico.
Paris: The Allied forces continue to
advance along both the Oise and Aisne
rivers, and are in touch with the German
rear guard along the entire front in the
newly acquired territory. The advanc
ing forces are keeping their lines of com
munication with their bases well main
tained, and it is expected that the Ger
man line to the south of Cambrai and ex
tending to Verdun will soon begin to fall
back, because of being exposed to the
cross-fire lrom the North and South,
which would soon render their position ^
untenable.
Washington: The House foreign re
lations committee is preparing a resolu
tion which it will introduce as soon as
the president concludes his address to
the new congress, in which it will be de
clared that the time has come when the
United States must vindicate its honor
and assert its rights, and that by her acts
Germany has caused a state of war to
exist between the United Statesand Ger
many. It will be asked that congress
-6)
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