7; t ■ * v'
The Nenana News
Application made October 30, 1916, at
the Postoffice at Nenana, Alaska, lor
entry as second-class mail matter under
the act of March 2, 1879, by The Ne
nana Printing Company.
ISSUED SATURDAY AFTERNOONS
The Nenana Printing Company,
Nenana, Alaska.
Edited by R. G. Socthwckth.
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Nenana, Alaska, Dec, 30, 1916.
Along the line of the govern
ment railroad, between Nenana
and Broad Pass, there are thous
ands of acres of fertile soil await
ing the coming of the homesteader
to be transformed into producing
fields. The opportunity is there,
awaiting those who seek independ
ence. The construction of the
railroad iusures an immediate de
mand for practically all that can
be raised, and a cheap and rapid
means of transportation after the
road is completed.
Mr. Riggs and the other members
of the Alaskan Engineering com
mission are giving every encour
agement to homesteaders. Home
products are purchased in prefer
ence to shipments from the Out
side and this policy will be pursued
so long as the homesteader deals
fairly with the commission.
With the object of bringing about
closer cooperation between farmer
and merchant the Land and Indus
trial department under the direc
tion of Mr. Christensen, recently
gathered considerable information
relative to the production of crops
during the past season and the
commercial demand for agricultur
al products along the line of the
government railroad. Letters were
sent to 426 homesteaders and to
107 merchants, mine operators
and other consumers and the an
* swers received show that the de
mand for agricultural probucts is
much in excess of the production
of the 540 acres reported under
cultivation. Not all of the home
steaders replied, but a sufficient
number of answers were received
to warrant the statement that there
is room in the territory for many
more settlers, particularly along
the line of the railroad, where in
crease in popnlation naturally will
be most rapid.
Railroad building in the Third
division, and the opening of large
ore bodies in the First division,
have changed the standings of the
several divisions in Alaska during
the past two years. The First di
vision. which was second in size
!wo years ago. now ranks first in
roting strength: and the Third di
vision. which ranked third, has
jumped to second place. The
Fourth division cast the largest
vote two years ago. but now ranks
third as the result of the more rap
id growth of the two coast divisions.
The important feature of the late
election is the fact that all the di
visions. with the possible excep
tion of the Second, have increased
substantially in population. The
voting strength of the territory, it
is claimed by a coast exchange,
has increased approximately forty
per cent during the past two years.
This is a remarkable showing,
in view of the fact that the devel
opment of Alaska has scarcely
commenced. But it is only a
starter. The completion of the
government railroad will be follow
ed by the influx of thousands of
people to the Interior—working
men. homeseekers and capitalists
seeking investments: and under
the improved conditions which will
then exist there will be opportun
ities here for all of them to make
good. The Interior will enjoy a
rapid, permanent growth which
will soon put the Fourth division
back at the head of the list.
After more than two years of
fighting, one of the Hearst papers
has discovered that certain happen
ings of the great war have been
concealed from the British pebple
by their government. Perhaps by
the time peace has been declared
it will be discovered that others oi
the belligerent nations have prac
ticed similar deceptions. One has
only to glimpse the European press
to become suspicious.
Even though President Wilson
should be unable at this time to
induce the belligerent nations oi
Europe to name the terms upon
which they would agree to suspend
hostilities, the action of our exec
utive is a master stroke of diplom
acy. The fact that Switzerland.
Sweden and other neutral countries
have followed his lead shows that
the President ranks high in world
affairs.
It is to be hoped that something
will come of this peace talk while
weather conditions are such as to
prevent extensive operations on
the various battlefronts. If nego
tiations are deferred until another
summer arrives the belligerents
will be too busy to think of any
thing but war.
Were it left to a popular vote,
the school children of Scranton,
who declared a strike because oi
the refusal of the school board to
grant them a Christmas vacation,
undoubtedly would receive the in
dorsement of the entire country.
Happy New Year.
The Alaska halibut schooner Joe Baker
recently disposed of its halibut catch at
Prince Rupert at the record price of 14.5
cents per pound.
*
PROGRESS OF THE BIG STRUGGLE IN EUROPE
MONDAY
Washington: The liner Arabian, rec- i
ently torpedoed and sunk in the Medi-;
tenanean, and reported to have been in
the British transport service, has never
beer, in anv branch of service of any of
*
the Allies, according to information re
ceived by the state department from the
British war department.
Paris: A report from Nar.tes states
that a German submarine has been sunk
in the Bay of Biscay. Amsterdam dis
patches confirm the report.
Berlin: Wilson’s note on peace has,
received a most enthusiastic welcome in
official and newspaper circles. Paris ap
pears to be cautious about announcing
its receptiou there.
Washington: The Asnerican-Hawaiian j
' liner Kansan has been badly damaged by ,
a mine, according to information receiv
ed at the state department irem consul
general Skinner at London.
Berlin: A new battle is developing iti
the Rumanian theater, the Teutonic forc
es now being engaged in opening a new
road to the Danube. In Northern Ru- *
mania the Russians are slowly giving;
way to the advancing Teutonic armies.
London The Overseas agency announ- 1
ces important gains by the British forces I
in Syria, where they are conducting a
successful offensive campaign against the j
i Turks.
TUESDAY
Washington: It is rumored in this
city that men high in official circles in- I
5 dulged freely in stock exchange garnb- |
ling during the recent upheaval on Wall1
street which resulted from the peace talk. ;
It is claimed that a number of men had
inside information that enabled them to
make fortune*. An investigation has1
been started.
Paris: Heavy artillery fighting is in
progress in the Verdun sector, where the
Germans are making desperate attempts
to recover the ground lost to the French
during the past week.
London: It is estimated that the total
loss to British shipping since the com
mencement of the war is about 12 per
cent of all the steamers owned in Great
Britain at the beginning of hostilities.
Figures just published show that 4i5
steamers, each of 1600 tons or more, have j
been sunk or captured.
New York: In a cable just received
from London. Lloyds offers odds of thir
teen to six that neither peace nor an arm
istice will be declared within six months.
Rome: In a naval engagement which
took place in the Ortranto channel on i
Sunday two French destrovers are report
ed to have been damaged by shell fire.
j Berlin: The German government has
replied to the Wilson peace note, butthe
message is regarded as unfriendly, since j
the kaiser fails to give any terms of set-1
tiement. The reply merely says that ini
mediate exchange of views seems most
appropriate.
Paris: The French press generally sug
gests sitting tight on the Wilson peace
note.
Berlin: The Kaiser has invited the |
Allies to a discussion of the proposed
peace terms.
London: 4 It is reported herethatSwcd
en has prepared a note to the Belliger
ents similar to the Wilson peace note. It
is predicted that the Allies will treat it in
the same manner that the American note
was received.
Washington: Notwithstanding the fact
that the Allies seem determined to fight
Germany to a finish, it is believed in
local official circles that the way has been
opened for a fall discussion of terms of
peace.
Paris: General Joffre has been made
Marshal of France, a special law having
been required to give him the place.
s London: The operations of the Brit
ish forces are assuming larger propor
Itions. The Tnrks are reported to have
been defeated in a series of engagements
which have taken place during the past
week.
Berlin: The Russians are reported to i
h3ve held the town of Buzen against sev-1
sral severe assaults. The Bulgarians
claim successes near Monastir.
London: The evasion of terms in the
reply of the German government to the
American peace note is believed to have
placed a big obstacle in the way of an
early settlement of the war.
Washington: It is reported that it is '
the inteulion of ti e administration to
make another attempt soon to induce the
Kaiser to define the termsupou which he
will consider peace.
Paris: Heavy gun fighting continues
in the Verdun secs or. Official dispatches
from that quarter state that the present
artillery engagement is the most severe !
in severai months.
Berlin: The Russian positions in Bess
arabia are being bombarded by the Teu
tonic forces from the Rumanian side of
the Danube. The heavy guns are doing i
terrible execution.
London: Dispatches state that repre
sentatives of the kaiser have arrived at;
The Hague to make preliminary arrang- ■
ments for. a peace conference, if one can i
be brought about.
WEDNESDAY
Berlin: The Teutonic forces under the
command of von Mackensen continue to j
advance along the lower Danube, and the !
capture of vast quantities of grain and j
oil is reported. On the other side of the
river the Bulgars are rapidly hammering
the Russians out of range. It is believed
here that no great difficulty will lie ex
perienced in driving the remaining Rus
sians out of that pait of Rumania.
Berlin: The capture of the Russian
forces at Brila and Galatz is imminent.
The positions are being bombarded heav
ily by the Teutonic allies
London: The British are shelling the
German positions north ol Somme, and
considerable damage is reported to have
resulted. The Germans have made sev
eral assaults on the British lines near
Lesara.
Berlin: The war office announces that
Wednesday brought full victory to the
von Falkenhayn forces which are operat
ing against the Russians in Northern
Rumania. The reports state that in the I
NENANA g
STEAM {
LAUNDRY 1
ED PARKS
filial encounter 3<XX) Slavs were captured
t >gether with 31 machine guns. The en
emy lines were penetrated for a distance
ot ten miles along the front.
London: Allied aeroplanes are report- *
ed to have bombarded the Turkish posi
tions near Galata, on the Gallipoli penin
sula. The British are also attacking the
Bagdad railway bridge at Chicaldar.
London: It is possible that the British
government will purchase the liquor in
terests of England, involving an expend
iture of more than a billion dollars. Pre
mier George favors the move. P
THURSDAY
Berlin: Isolated sections of the Flan
ders front have been subjected to terrific
bombardment during the pas* two days
in an effort to straighten out the British
lines.
London: The British foreign office an
nounces that Plngland and France have
agreed on a reply to the German peace
proposal. The note prolably will be for
warded to the kaiser during the present
week, and immediately following a reply
will be sent to President Wilson. T
Petrograd: It is admitted at head
quarters that the Russian forces are re
treating in Rumania.
Stockholm: Bread and flour tickets
will be issued in this country beginning
the first of the year.
Paris: It is officially reported that the
French troops have repulsed the Teutons
at Lechenoy. on the Somme front.
London: The reply of the Allies to
the note of President Wilson will be
handed to Ambassador Page not later
than Friday night.
Continued on Page 3
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