The Nenana News
Application made October 30, 1916, at
the Postoffice at Nenana, Alaska, for
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. Southworth.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Per month; by carrier.$ 1.00
Six months, in advance ... 5.IX)
One year, in advance ...... 10.00
Single copies.Two bits
Nenana, Alaska, Feb, 17, 1917.
Telegraphic dispatches received
from the national capital this week
contain the cheering promise that
there will be no delay in disposing
of the various appropriation bills
which are now pending before con
gress, and which include the funds
necessary to carry on the work of
building the government railroad
in Alaska. The willingness of
congress to vote the necessary
money has not been questioned at
any time, for the men who voted
on last year's appropriation are
still in office and undoubtedly as
favorably disposed toward the en
terprise as they were twelve months
ago. But there was much less
certainty that the funds would be
made available during the present
session of congress, in which event
the resumption of work in this di
vision would have been seriously
delayed. Questions of huge im
portance to the nation at‘ large
have arisen at a time usually de
voted to the consideration of ap
propriation measures, and it was
feared by Alaskans that congress
would be too much engrossed with
new business to complete the reg
ular program this month.
Somebody has to lose. At any
rate that is the conclusion which
has been reached by the people of |
Iditarod as the result of the failure
of the postoffice department to
provide adequate mail service this
winter; and they are very much
convinced that they are “it.”
A few October magazines have
found their way into Iditarod homes1
since the close of navigation and
several Outside newspapers of an
equally ancient date appear to have
eluded the censor at Anchorage,
but otherwise deliveries have been
limited to first-class matter. The;
service is supposed to be weekly, i
with a 475-pound weight limit, j
but it is seldom that the carriers!
arrive on time, owing to storms
encountered, and there is always a
great reduction in weight before
Iditarod camp is reached, several
districts enroute being served under
the same contract.
- “It should not be necessary,"
declares the Iditarod Pioneer, in
commenting on the situation, “toi
f
appeal to those in authority for re
lief from this intolerable condition
- - - But it appears that no
improvements in mail service in
Alaska can be secured without
strenuous effort on the part of the
citizens interested. This is well
illustrated in the case of Fairbanks,
where continual agitation ljas re
sulted in awarding emergency con
tracts which insure the delivery of
all the mail all the time.”
The Iditarod paper is right. It
requires agitation—lots of it—to
secure reforms in the North, chief
ly because of our distance from
the seat of authority at Washington
and the fact that conditions in this
country are not generally under
; stood at the national capital. The
! people of Fairbanks discovered
! that long ago, and as the Pioneer
* points out, favorable mail condi
tion existing in the Fairbanks dis
trict today are the result of long
and serious campaigning directed
by an efficient corps of workers
for the public good.
Present indications justify the
belief that many buildings v/ill be
in course of construction in Nena
na a few weeks hence. As has
already been stated in these col
umns, the Alaskan Engineering
commission has outlined a build
ing program of large proportions,
and work will be started the min
ute funds and weather conditions
permit. And there will be much
activity among private property
owners as well, several having had
plans drawn for buildings which
will be erected before the snow
has left the ground.
Work is now in progress on the
first residence building to be start
ed this year, and the Commission
has just completed a large tool
house. In addition, ground is
being cleared for at least two oth
er buildings and a score or more
of prospective builders are waiting
merely for congress to give the sig
nal to go ahead. It will be a busy
spring, and a busier summer.
Two weeks have passed since
Ambassador Gerard was recalled
from Berlin, and while there is
every reason to believe that the
situation is still grave, telegraphic
reports indicate that there is no
immediate danger of becoming in
volved in war. Let us hope that
we will escape it altogether. War,
at best, is a terrible thing. It *
would bring suffering and privation
to a peace-loving people who are
now enjoying happiness and pros
perity. It would cripple the en
tire country, destroying commerce
and industry and causing the loss
of lives which are needed in peace-j
ful times. War might not inter
fere seriously with railroad build- j
ing in Alaska but it is more than
likely that it would be impossible j
to continue construction work on a
large scale. It would be difficult
to secure materials and supplies
in required quantities, and it is j
possible that the vessels which we!
depend on for shipments from!
the States would be required by >
the government, in which event
construction work would come to
a sudden half, leaving Northeners
little opportunity, even, to import
provisions necessary to sustain
them through the period of up
heaval.
PROGRESS OF THE BIG STRUGGLE IN EUROPE
MONDAY
New York: Orville Wright announced
today that in the event of war he will or- j
ginize an aerial army.
Washington: Ambassador Gerard and '•
party are sate in Switzerland, according j
to advices received by the state depart- j
ment this morning.
Washington: President Wilson has
sanctioned the arming ot the merchant
marine, and is considering ways and
means for providing guns and experienc
ed gun crews.
London: The British steamer Nether
lee, Philadelphia to Dunkirk, was sub
manned yesterday evening. The Netli
erlee is the eighty-fifth vessel to lie sunk
since the first of February.
Pittsburg: The Union Switch & Sig
nal Co. machine shop in this citv, which
has until recently been engaged in the
manufacture of munitions for Europe,
was destroyed last night bv fire, the loss
amounting to $4,000,000,
London: Reports from the Flanders
front received this morning state that the
British forces are maintaining their pres
sure against the Germans west of Bau
paunie, and have strongly fortified newly
acquired ground near Serre despite heavy
bombardment and infantry attacks deliv
ered bv the Teuton forces.
Minneapolis: Thirteen persons are re
ported to have perished and twelve more
are missing as the result of a fire which
totally destroyed the Kenwood hotel in
this city last night. The city water mains
were frozen and crippled tile operation
of the fire department.
Cape Haitian: A German raider is re
ported to have been in Haitain waters in
the latter part of January. She left the
twelve members of the crew of a small
steamer at Monte Cliristi, and after com
municating with the German consul dis
appeared and has not been seen since.
Washington: Ambassador Fletcher
departed for the provisional Mexicancap
ital at Quertaro this morning to present
his credentials to Carranza. It is report
ed that Villa has ten thousand men at
Chihuahua ready to move into the terri
tory recently evacuated by the Pershing
column.
Vienna: It is reported that the Aus
trian government is negotiating with the
United States in an endeavor to prevent
a severancs of diplomatic relations be
tween the two countries. It is doubtful
whether she will succeed, as Germany
will not permit any retrenchment in the
submarine program, which caused the
break between that country aud the Uni
ted States.
Washington: State department officials
are of the opinion that the latest German
note, addressed to the United States thru
tne Swiss minister, is intended merely to
place the United Suites m the light of a
belligerent, and it is the concensus of of
ficial opinion that the two governments
can have no further dealings until Ger
rnany gives up her program of unrestrict
ed submarine warfare; and that any at
tempt at correspondence in the meantime
will serve only to becloud the real issue.
Washington: In an address before the
Amherst alumni at their annual banquet
in this city Saturday night, Secretary
Lansing said that although the United
States is undeniably on the verge of war
it is to be hoped that the country will lie
spared the calamity of being drawn into
the conflict, and that the nation can trust
President Wilson to act justly, honorably
and fearlessly, no matter what lies before
the nation, to keep the national honor
safe.
Washington: It was noted with inter^
est today by state department officials
that the toll ol boats sunk yesterday was
at the lowest level of any day since the
inauguration of the new unrestricted sub
marine warfare program.
London: It is officially reported here
this morning that China has severed dip
lomatic relations with Germany, and will
back- up the United States in every way.
TUESDAY
Paris: Ambassador Gerard will ails
today from Barcelona on a Spanish ves
sel. He will reach New York via Cuba.
Athens: It is reported here today tba
forest fires are sweeping over a large
section of the Pyrennes, causing a large
loss ol life.
London: S>r Bouar Law appeared be
fore the (louse of commons this morning
to tisk for additional financial credit. He
stated that the daily cost of the war to
Ktiglaud is now averaging $28,000,000.
Washington: The bill authorizing
homestead entries on public lands in Al
aska containing coal, oil or gas passed
the senate yesterday.
Ilatica, N. M.: The bodies of Andrew
Peterson, Hugh Accord and Burton Jen
son, three Mormon cowboys, were found
three miles west of the Corner ranch this
morning, and are supposed to have been
killed bv a party of Mexican bandits who
raided that ranch yesterday.
Springfield, 111.: The Illinois state
prohibition measure passeil the upper
branch of the legislature yesterday bv a
vote of 31 to IS, and goes to the lower
house tomorrow.
Berne: A report received here today
stales that ten thousand officials of Ger
man trade unions and socialist organiza
tions, heretofore exempted from military
service, have been called to the colors by
the Imperial government.
LI Paso: Reports received here this
morning state that Villista forces captur
ed the town of Palomas yesterday. Pa
lomas is only four miles from Columbus
and within easy range of the guns of the
Pershing forces stationed there, but no
move was made to engage the Villista
orce.
Honolulu; The German cruiserGeier,
interned here, was fired by her crew last
night, after government officials had dis
covered a large quantity of machine guns
and ammunition stowed away aboard her.
The ship was damaged to the extent of a
half million dollars.
London: The American Belgian Re
lief committee has notified the German
government that it will withdraw from
active relief work in Belgium and N'ortl -
ern Branco. This is in compliance with
a request from the Imperial government
that all American citizens inside the
German lints be removed.
Seattle: Manager Haines of the Pacif
ic Steamship company, in an interview
this morning, predicted a fifty per cent
increase in trade with Alaska during the
coming season, as compared with previ
ous high seasons. He bases his asser
tions on t e increased activity and pro
duction of the mines and fisheries, and
the work on the government railroad.
Washington: Secretary Lansing this
morning issued an appeal to the citizens
of Cuba to refrain from any violent dem
onstrations which may result in internal
revolution, as a result of the dissatisfac
tion which is being manifested through
out the republic regarding the results of
the recent presidential election.
Washington: Congressman Lindbergh
of Minnesota this morning asked that
Governor Harding, Paul Warburg and
other members of the federal reserve
board he impeached and brought to trial
on the charge of maladministration of the
affairs of the board. He declares that
the people of the United States have
been robbed of several billions of dollars
through the operations of the men who
have charge of the affairs of the reserve
board.
Seward; The Land-ami Industra! de
partment of the Alaskan lingineering
commission lias leased three hundred feet
of waterfront, with land adjoining, to the
\ San Juan Fish company tor a period of
| twenty years. The site will be used for
• a dock, cannery and cold storage plant.
: The lease stipulates that $100,(XK) must
be spent in improvements on the proper
ty during 1917, and plans are being per
fected to begin work immediately. The
San Juan company claims to have discov
ered an immense halibut bank off Kenai
peninsula, and officials of the company
state that thev will also handle the catch
of independent fishers.
WEDNESDAY
Paris: Official figures made public to
day show that 112 foreign vessels entered
French ports on Monday.
New York: The French liner Kspagne
sailed for Bordeaux today. She has 67
American passengers aboard.
Washington; The release of the Yar
rowdale prisoners, who are still being
held in Germany, is tiie immediate sub
ject confronting state officials today.
New York: The Cunard liner Carma
nia, with a cargo of munitions, entered
Liverpool harbor this morning after suc
cessfully running tlie U-boat blockade.
New York: The torpedo boat destroy
THE BIG PLACE ON “A” STREET
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
CIGARS and POOL
NENANA TRADING COMPANY
U. R. NEEDING & OTTO BIGH
A SPRING SUPPLY OP
LETTERHEADS. ENVELOPES, BILLHEADS, STATEMENTS
TRAIL CARDS, BINGLES. BUSINESS CARDS
TRY THE NEWSlOPPJCE
NENANA