; Interior AlasKa Must Have Low Freight Rates
THE NENANA NEWS
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
VOLUME IV
NENAN.A ALASKA, TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1922
NUMBER 181
CONGRESS WILL PROBE WAR CONTRACTS
STORMS AND FLOODS MENACE LIVES IN STATES
• BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN MANY CITIES SHOW BIG GAINS
BUILDING ACTIVITY IN U. S.
TAKES ON BIG PROPORTIONS
NEW YORK. April 11—Building
expenditures in 109 cities during the
month of March, totaled more than
*194,000,000, the greatest amount
ever expended in that manner in
any one month in the history of
the country.
« The cities repotting the heaviest
expenditures are New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Cincinnatti,
Rochester, Louisville, Milwaukee,
Fort Worth, Houston, Oklahoma
City, Atlanta, Baltimore, Washing
ton, Denver, San Francisco, Seat
tle and Portland.
Say* Tide Is Turning
NEW YORK. April U—Business
depression is ended and gradual im
provement in eondi :or.s may now
be expected, according to Hugh S.
Baker, executive secretary of the
American Fulr and 1’aper Associa
tion. This optimistic view of con
ditions was expressed in an address
delivered by Bake at ‘he <pen:ng
session of the annual convention of
oaper mill representatives, which op
ened here yesterday.
GENOA CONFERENCE OPENS:
> DISARMAMENT ADVOCATED
GENOA, April II—The Economic
conference was formally opened in
this city yesterday afternoon by
Premier Facta, of Italy. The confer
ence is being held in the historic
palace of St. Georges.
The afternoon was taken up al
most entirely with organization de
tails and discussion of a tentative
program.
At the commencement of the pro
ceedings today, George Chitcherin,
r head of the Russian delegation, de
clared that it would be useless to
discuss plans for the reconstruction
of Europe without, at the same time
discussing the question of disarma
ment
The ameloration of present con
ditions, he pointed out, is impossible
while “imperial countries’’ continue
their vast expenditures for the main
% tenance of large armies.
At this afternoon’s meeting of the
principal conference committee, ap
pointed to consider Russian affairs,
Chitcherin protested against the
presence of Rumanian and Japanese
delegates because Rumania had op
posed Russia in Bessarabia, and
Japan had taken up arms in certain
parts of Siberia. His protests, how
ever. were overruled.
WIDOW OF OLDTIMER DENIES
PART IN WILL BREAKING
SEATTLE, April 11—Denying all
charges preferred against her, Mrs.
Margaret Chappell, widow of Billy
Chappell, former wealthy Klondiker,
has petitioned the probate court,
asking that the petition of two
brothers of her late husband, who
seek to disinherit her from the es
tate, be stricken.
Mrs. Chappell is accused of at
tempting to aid a son, by a former
marriage, to break the Chappell
will.
SENATE CONFIRMS MEMBERS
WASHINGTON, D. C-, April 11— j
The senate has confirmed the nom
inations of J. H. Elliott, G. J. Hang
er and A. D. Wharton, for reap
pointment as members of the Rail
way Labor Board. The senate also
has approved the nomination of
Smoot, Burton and McCumber as!
members of the Allied Debt Re
funding commission.
ARBUCKLE TRIAL NEARS END
SAN FRANCISCO, April 11—The
introduction of testimony in the Ar
buckle case has been concluded and
the closing arguments are expected
to occupy the remainder of today’s
session. It is expected that the case
will go to the jury tomorrow after-,
noon.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HEAD
MUST GET BUSY ASSERTS SOLON
I
i
OKLAHOMA CORONER 5 JURY
EXONERATES FORMER JUDGE
! OKLAHOMA CITY, April 11
Holding that Jean P. Pay, promi
nent attorney and oil man, was
justified in killing Lieut.-Col. Paul
Ward Beck, at the Day home early
I last Tuesday, the coront-r’s jury re
! turned a verdict yesterday recom
' mending that no charge he preferred
against Day.
Commenting on the case, County
Attorney Hughes expressed the be
lief that Day fired in defense of his
home and not in defense of his life,
j He said that the X-Ray photograph
i of Beck’s head, showed ’hat he was
not looking at Day when the fatal
shot was fired. Day had previously
stated that Beck lifted his hand as
if about to strike him.
FLORENCE HALL PASSES
NEW YORK. April 11—Mrs. Flo
rence Howe Hall, eldest surviving
daughter of Julia Ward Howe, died
at Highbridge, New- Jersey, yester
; day.
BRYAN WANTS TO BE URGED
MIAMI. Fla., April 11—William
Jennings Bryan has issued a state
I ment in which he says he will not
; be a candidate for senator from
j Florida.
FIREWORKS KILLS SOLDIERS
SAN ANTONIO, April 11—Two
soldiers were killed and nine injured
seriously last night as the result of
the explosion of pyrotechnics in a
pit during an exhibition at Camp
Bull, nearby.
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R PERSONAL *
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Mrs. A. B. Phillips underwent an
operation at the Commission hospi
tal on Saturday night for acute ap
pendicitis. The operation was per
formed by Dr. T. O. Lake, who hap
pened fortunately to be in town
awaiting a train for the coast. Mrs.
Phillips was taken to the hospital
at Fairbanks on the Sunday train,
and will be under the care of Dr.:
de la Vergne until her final recovery
She was accompanied to the upper j
town by her husband and by Mrs. j
Thomas Colling.
Engineer in Charge Fred’k D.
Browne is scheduled to arrive from j
the coast shortly to make a line
change near Mile 380, where the en
croachments of the river threaten!
damage to the roadbeL He probably
will be accompanied by M. C. Ed
munds, of the drafting department.
Captain A. E. Lathrop, head of
the Empress circuit, left for Fair
banks on Sunday for a stay of sev
eral days.
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Anderson
were outgoing passengers on Sun
day’s train for the south. They are:
enroute to the States, where Mrs.i
Anderson will be placed under the:
care of a specialist for a~ injury re- j
ceived two months go.
The percolator raffled for the 1
benefit of the Bell family, will be
awarded tonight at the Orpheum j
theater.
Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Nielsen have
moved from their former home o
A street to their' cabin on upper
First street, formerly occupied b"
the Wrenstedts.
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 11
Representative Woodruff, Republican
of Michigan, declared in an address
delivered on the floor of the house
today, that if Attorney General
Daugherty did not “fully look to the
interests of the Government” in the
pending claim suit against the Lin
coln Motor Company, he would “con
sider him guilty of malfeasance and
move for his impeachment.”
The representative made an ex
tensive speech, charging that the de
partment of justice had failed to
proceed in the civil and criminal
courts against a number of other
contractors, on testimony brought
out before the congressional investi
gating committee.
Woodruff has introduced a reso-j
lution providing for the appointmentj
of a committee to investigate all i
of the war contracts made by the j
war and navy departments, and '
i “civil and criminal prosecutions or
lack of prosecution” for claims of
the Government
them.
growing out of
Gave Property Away
Representative Johnson, Republi
t can, of South Dakota, has charged
the war department with selling'
property “at rediculously and crim
inally low prices to certain custom
ers and concealing from Congress
and deliberately misrepresenting the
l facts.”
FALL SAYS UNCLE SAM MUST
DRILL TO SAVE FEDERAL OIL
WASHINGTON, D. C-, April 11
Secretary of the Interior Fall ha
announced a policy of “drilling ne
eessary protective wells” in the Cal
ifornia naval petroleum reserve tc
“save for the Government the oi
which still remains in the ground.*
The rapidity with which new pro
ducing wells are being brought ir
throughout the California lieids is
thought to have occasioned the feat
that the Government’s oil lands
will be drained dry by aearby ' ells.
DE LAVERA STILL ON JOB
DUBLIN, April 11—The Irish Re
publican publicity department has is
sued a statement denying reports to
the effect that De Valera has been
deposed as leader. The report had
it that De Valera was ousted at a
secret meeting of party leaders.
ISLANDERS ARE INDICTED
SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, April 11
—Governor Reilly, Auditor Kessing
er and the governor’s secretary are
charged by the grand jury with the
misuse of public funds, alleged to
have been applied to private use.
MILK CASES INCREASE
PORTLAND, April 11—Four new
cases of septic sore throat have de
veloped here within the last couple
days,, making a total of 171, with
eleven deaths.
STOLEN JEWELS RECOVERED
SAN DIEGO, April 11—Jewels
valued at $45,000. which were stolen
from Galli Carci last week, were
picked up on the road on Saturdqs
and restored to the singer.
NEW GIRL IN TOWN
A baby daughter was born Sun
day night to Mr. and ‘Mrs. Sam
Harper, at the home of the family
in Nenana.
Rhody Connors has purchased the
Nielsen cabin, on upper A street,
and iB busy today getting moved
into the new quarters.
Pat Crowley returned to town on
Sunday from a stay of several
months at Circle Hot Springs and
reports having had an enjoyable and
beneficial outing.
Late arrivals from the Outside
report the death recently of Bill
Tierney, an oldtimer of the Fair
banks and Nome districts. It ap
"a'« het he had just alighted from
an airplane in Southern California,
and backed into the swiftly revolv
nro~e!!er.
• SEATTLE SOCIETY GIRL ENDS
LIFE AT CHURCH SERVICE
SEATTLE, April 11—Miss Bertha
Brackett, choir singer, and one of j
| the most popular members of tile
: Delta Gamma sorority of the Uni j
versity of Washington, graduating in
; 1916, shot herself during: church i
' service on Sunday evening. The pas-;
; tor had just completed reading the :
j text when the congregation was j
j startled by the report of a gun in '
the choir loft. The young lady fell
j to the floor and was rushed to a
i hospital, where she died early yes
I terday morning.
After the dying girl had been car
ried from the church, the pastor
quieted his audience and proceeded
with his sermon.
SPOKANE, April 11—Superior
Judge Webster has called a special
grand jury to investigate charges
of immorality among high school
students, concerning which much has
appeared in the local press lately. !
LONDON, April 11—The four
mile relace race, which was staged
at Queens Club on Saturday, was
won by Cambridge, with Pennsyl
vania second and Oxford third.
BILL HUNTER PASSES
According to advices received in
Nenana yesterday, Bill Hunter, well
known oldtimer of Interior Alaska,
died suddenly on Sunday at Miller
House, in the Circle district, fol
I lowing a stroke of paralysis. The
: deceased was a member of the Yu-!
| kon Order of Pioneers, affiliated,
i with the Seattle igloo.
—
ICE GUESSERS ON ALERT;
TICKET DEMAND INCREASES
I !
The variable weather conditions of
: the past week have demonstrated
that the big annual Nenana ice pool
is more than ever in the nature of
a guessing contest, and most oldtim
ers who have made a business of
studying breakup conditions, are up
in the air, as it were, although not
any of them will admit it. Tickets j
which were marked and deposited a j
week ago, are being “coppered” to-;
day, and wise ones who have not
really guessed on the pool, have at
least changed their minds half a j
dozen times. All of which gives big
interest to the annual contest, which
promises this year to be the biggest :
ever.
Reports from Fairbanks and An
chorage state that tickets are go-,
ing good in both places, and it is :
considered probable that additional ■
tickets will have to be sent to those j i
towns to fill the steadily increasing i
demand for them.
The pool will close on April 20 1
this year, five days lqter than usual, |!
which should give everyone a chance, <
to try out his judgment. j i
COMMANDER URGES JOBLESS
TO RETURN TO HOME TOWNS
INDIANAPOLIS, April 11—Na
tional Commander MacNider, of the
American Legion, has broadcasted
an appeal to jobless veterans, urging
them to return to their home towns
to seek employment, instead of con
gregating in the large cities.
While he admitted that the un
employment situation throughout the
country is becoming worse, he says
the efforts of the legion to aid vet
erans to secure work are gaining
in effectiveness.
He points to the urgent need, how
ever, of floaters returning to their
homes, where they can be better
provided for than in the big cities
and overcrowded industrial centers.
BURCH TRIAL RESUMED
LOS ANGELES, April 11—A new
start was made yesterday with the
second trial of Arthur C. Burch,
who is accused of the murder of J.
Belton Kennedy. The hearing was
abruptly halted last week by charges
of jury tampering. A new panel is
now being examined.
SEMENOFF IS NOT WANTED
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 11—
Declaring that he had received
charges that American men, women
and children had been butchered in
Siberia by General SemenorT, Chair
man Borah, of the senate labor
committee, announced today that he
would try to have Semenoff, who
is now in New York, deported.
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It
*t MORE OR LESS NEWS
It
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Jack Lucy, who has been on jury
duty in Fairbanks, passed through
Nenana on Sunday, enroute to the
Canyon district.
Tom Mathews, a member of the
local Signal Corps detachment dur
ing the last several years, left for
Fort Gibbon on Sunday to secure
his release from the service, suc
ceeding in which he will return to
Nenana to take up civilian work.
In addition to being a popular and
obliging member of the local detach
ment, “Matty” was one of the main
stays of the Nenana baseball organ
ization.
F. A. Hansen, engineer of main
penance and construction, left for
he coast early Sunday morning on
lis Ford speeder. He was accompan- (
ed by Bridge Engineer Chapin.
It is expected that Col. H. P. j
barren will arrive from the coast
within the next few days, to remain
lere for some time.
Dr. T. O. Lake, who recently re
igned his position as chief surgeon
>f the Alaskan Engineering Com
nission in the Northern division, left
:or the Outside on Sunday and will
ocate permanently in the East, i
skill as a surgeon and in the treat
nent of case requiring medical aid,
combined with an affable manner
ind high regard for the obligations
>f his profession, have endeared Dr.:
^ake to the entire community along
he northern end of the Alaska
tailroad, and his going is a metter
if sincere regret to his many friends
md admirers.
ILLINOIS RIVER LEVEE OUT.
BEA.PDSTOWN SUBMERGED
BEARDSTOWX. Ills., April 11 —
i Blown to a fury by high winds, the
Illinois river forced its way through
the Bcardslown levee this morning,
shortly before noon, and within a
remarkably short time the city was
submerged, twenty-five blocks being
covered by four feet of water.
More Damage Threatens
CHICAGO, April 11—The spring
freshets which have flooded the low
lands, are now threatening more
serious damage in many Middle
Western states. Torrential rains have
' sent rivers out of their banks in
Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Miss
ouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkan
< sas. Snow is general throughout the
| northern and middle Rocky mount
ain states and the storms have play
; ed havoc with the telegraph lines.
Associated Pres» wires were down
west of Omaha until early this
morning. The storm is moving east*
; ward slowly.
Storm Hit* Arkansas
HELENA, Ark., April 11—A tele
| phone message from Meiwood states
I that the Methodist church and thirty
; houses were wrecked there last night
i by a storm. Seventy houses are re
ported to have been demolished near
Lundeen.
* White River Levee Breaks
MEMPHIS, April 11—The White
river levee at Caconia Circle, near
Helena, Arkansas, gave way at an
early hour this morning, endanger
ing 30 square miles of farm lands.
_
musuuri
town o unerg
SPRINGFIELD. Me. April 11
A tornado struck Ash Grove, 20
miles north of this city last night
and demolished several buildings. I*
is also reported to have ki.led one
person.
The tornado also struck Miller, in
Mawrence county, injuring several
and causing heavy property damage
USE OF NAVAL RADIO UNITS
CLOSED BY ORDER OF DENBY
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 11
Secretary of the Navy Denby ha*
announced the issuance of an or
der closing all naval radio stations
to the public, for use in broadcast
ing speeches and lectures and other
forms of non-official communication
An exception is to be made, how
ever in the case of musical pro
grams for distribution by mean? of
the radio telephone.
ENGRAVING BUREAU CLOSED
PENDING AN INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON, D. C., April-11
The bank note, bond and postage
stamp division of the bureau of er:
graving has been closed for an in
definite period for the purpose of
making a thorough inventory of the
plant from which 29 officials recent
ly were removed.
AMERICAN FORCES REDUCED
COBLENZ, April 11—Six more
units of the American forces sailed
for the United States on Saturday,
reducing the strength of the Rhine
army to 2,600.
VANCOUVER YOUTH TO HANG
VANCOUVER, B. C., April 11 —
Allen Robinson, aged 19, who wa?
convicted here of the murder of
W. F. Salsbury, Jr., prominent busi
ness man, who was killed a year
ago, has been sentenced to be hang
ed on June 23.
HUGHES DENIES CHARGES
WASHINGTON, D. C., April II
Secretary of State Hughes, in a let
ter to Representative Fess, of Ohio,
denies the recent widespread charges
of censorship resulting in the de
letion of the name of Christ from
the opening of the late Arms con
ference.