i
*
Uncle Sam Needs YOUR Help To Beat The Kaiser
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE NENANA DAILY NEWS
/
VOLUME ONE
NENANA, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1918.
NUMBER 40
HUNS PREPARE FOR SUPREME ATTACK
YANKEE AVIA TOR GETS ANOTHER ENEMY PLANE
NEW AMERICAN ARMY ARRIVES ON WESTERN FRONT
4
OBSERVERS ASSERT
CRISIS IS NEARING
*
y
i
WITH THE BRTISH ARMY, May
17—Increasing artillery activity;
along the Western front encourages
the belief that the Germans are pav
ing the way for another great ef
fort to smash the Allied lines which
bar German progress toward the
channel. The weather is magnifi
cent for fighting, and the Allies are
expecting the enemy to strike at any
moment. They are waiting for von
Hindenburg to show his hand.
Military observers believe that the
next German push will be of great
magnitude and fierceness. They as
sert that the next battle may be
crucial, for the Germans undoubt
edly will make a supreme effort to
smash through the Allied lines in au
attempt to reach the channel.
The experts add that if the Ger
mans cannot break through in theil
next offensive, their failure will
mark the beginning of the end for
the Teutons. It is felt that, with
the American forces growing stead
ily, the Allies will soon be in a posi
tion to start a counter offensive
on a huge scale, which is bound
to have a telling effect upon the
weakened forces of the kaiser.
NEW AMERICAN ARMY
W'ith the American Army, May
17.—A new American army has ar
rived within the zone occupied by
the French and British, in Northern
France, and they will complete their
training in the area now held by
' the Allied troops which are now
blocking the German path toward
the channel.
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 17.—
The troops referred to in the dis
patch from the Western front are
the forces which are being brigaded
and trained with the British, prob
ably on the Flanders front. They
• KERENSKY COMING
’ 10 AMERICA SOON
* _
Man Who Almost Saved Russia Is
Now Reported Enroute to the
United States.
NEW YORK, May 17—The New
York Call, the Socialist daily of this
city, is authority for the statement
that General Kerensky, former dic
tator of the Russian republic who
was ousted from power by the Bol
sheviki forces, is now enroute to
the United tSates and should arrive
here during the coming week.
If the coming of the exile is
known officially by the government,
the fact has not been made public,
the only information obtainable be
ing that published by the Call today.
The home of Jack Bellerby, at
Fairbanks, was threatened by fire
this morning, but the blaze was ex
tinguished before any damage had
been done. It was a chimney fire,
which was put out before ihe depart
ment arrived on the scene.
Deputy Marshal H. R. Tull, for
mer resident of Nenana, is enroute
to Nenana on the Karstens launch,
on official business.
were not detached from General
Pershing’s present forces in Europe,
but are part of a new movement of
troops from the United States, fore
casted by Premier David Lloyd
George some time ago. The reports
received by the war department
=tate that the relations between the
British and American officers and
soldiers are extremely cordial.
GUNS ARE ACTIVE
LONDON, May 17.—Advices re
reived from the Western front this
afternoon state that German ar
tillery fire is increasingly active
along the western side of the Fland
ers salient, between Locon ard
Hinges, and between Nieppe forest
and Meteren, on the northern side
af the salient.
Paris reports state that the Ger
mans are also bombarding the Allied
ine sheavily southeast of Amiens,
,he bombardment be'ing * articularlv
severe in the Hailles region. The
Allied guns are replying \ igorously.
AUSTRIANS REPULSE ATTACK
VIENNA, May 17.—The Austrian
war office announces the repulse
of a reconnoitering thrust, which
was attempted yesterday by the Ita
lians between the Piave and Brenta
rivers. Hand to hand fighting is
reported from the mountain districts.
MORE GERMAN BUNK
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 17.—
Dispatches received in this city
from Moscow addressed to the state
department, state that Germany has
assured the soviet government that
the German army will make no far
ther advance into Russian territory,
providing the Russians will discon
tinue their hostile preparations.
OWNERS OF BONDS
GET PROFITS HERE
Interest on Subscriptions to Second
Liberty Loan Will Be Paid
By Hall.
Special Disbursing Agent C. H.
Hall, of the Alaskan Engineering
commission, announces that holders
of Second Liberty Loan bonds may
collect their interest at his office,
the earnings on the second issue
having become available on May 15.
The payment of interest here was
made possible through a special ar
rangement with the government, it
having been realized that many
owners of bonds in Nenana would
be unable to make the trip to Fair
banks, the nearest banking town, to
collect their interest.
This arrangement means the dis
tribution of approximately $900
among the bondholders of Nenana
and vicinity.
Dick Ketchler, who nas been work
ing at the Oars logging camp on the
Totatlanika river, was brought to
town yesterday for medical treat
ment for a severe attack of rheu
matism. He is stopping at the Cog
hill house and is resting much easier
today.
YANKEE AIRMEN
SHOW SPEED IN
Former Auto Racer Tackles Three
Boche Machines and Sends
One to Death
With the Americans in France,
May 17.—The American aviators,
are operating with the Yankee land
forces northwest of Toul. downed
another German war plane this
morning. Details of the encounter
have not been disclosed yet, but it
appears that Lieut. Edward Richen
bacher, who responded to an aerial
alarm, met three enemy machines.
The Yankee immediately attacked
the Germans, notwithstanding the
fact that he was outnumbered, and
succeeded in putting one of the
planes out of commission. The crip
pled machine fell inside the German
lines.
Captain David Peterson, of Penn
sylvania, downed two German mono
planes on Wednesday and Captain
Kenneth Marr, of California, de
stroyed a biplane.
Marr is a pioneer Alaska pros
pector of the Nome district. He
went Outside a year ago with Scotty
Allen. Richenbacher formerly was
an automobile racer. He was dec
orated with the French war cross on
Wednesday for assisting in downing
a German plane a fortnight ago.
creelIayThe
IS SORRY ABOUI
RECENT ACTION
Civilian Chairman of Committee on
Public Information Apologize*
to Solon*.
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 17.—
George Creel, civilian chairman of
the committee on public information,
has addressed a letter to Congress
man Edward W. Pou, chairman of
the house rules committee, in which
he declares that he had no intention
of reflecting on congress, in his
much-discussed recent New York
speech, in which he was quoted as
saying that "inasmuch as he did not
enjoy slumming, he would not ex
plore the hearts' of congressmen.”
Creel admits that the words he
used were indiscreet and he regrets
the incident deeply. The letter con
tains a full apology to congress.
The speech of Creel created a
sensation in official circles and the
chairman of the committee on public
information has been severely crit
icised for the remarks credited to
him.
George R. Goshaw, well known
deputy marshal in the Third division
recently enlisted for service in the
United States army.
Bishop P. T. Rowe recently ar
rived at Juneau from the States,
and announces that he will start for
the Interior soon after the opening
of navigation.
PRESIDENT WILL
OPEN RED CROSS
DRIVE TOMORROW
Great Leader of American People
Will Make Urgent Appeal for
Red Cross Aid.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ May 17.—
President Wilson will open the Red
Cross drive at New York tomorrow
night. His message to the people
of the United States on that occa
sion will be a warning to America
to prepare for further great sacri
fices to meet the demands of the
gigantic effort which is now assum
ing definite shape at home and
abroad.
The president will point out the
seriousness of the situation on all
fronts, the ruthless campaign which
Germany is waging against the
peoples of conquered nations, in
Russia and the Balkans, and he will
urge that ample funds be provided
the Red Cross with which to carry
on the noble work of that great or
ganization.
HER CASE
URGES SUPPORT
FOR HE WORK
—
Effort Is Being Made to Open Up
Coal Vein South of Nenana
Near Railroad.
News of regularly organized ef
forts being made with a view to the
development of the coal resources
in and near the Nenana coal f:!eds,
is contained in a report made to the
Alaskan Engineering commission by
Resident Engineeer Kennem Case,
in charge of Residency 4 (43 mile),
who also recommends that the Com
mission extend a helping hand to
! wards such a worthy cuuse. Mr I
j Case’s report, in part, reads as
follows:
“During the latter part jf the
month (April) an investigation was
started by Andrew Anderson, of a
coal vein outcropping at Mile 367.5
and 300 feet east of the right of
way, to determine whether coal of
a commercial value could be ob
tained- Not enough work has, as
yet, been done to warrant a report,
of any king, of this vein. It should
be the aim of the Commission to
encourage, in every way possible,
worthy parties prospecting coal beds
in this particular region.”
The exact location of the out
cropping referred to by Mr. Case
is a little over a mile beyond the
river from the big bridge at Nenana
Crossing, and if the expectations of
those interested in the investigation
are realized, it would mean that
much of this fuel will be made
available for use by the Commission
and the townspeople long before
steel reaches the Lignite fields.
Petersburg is now entirely out of
debt and is rather inclined to crow
about it. Besides the town has
two hundred dollars in actual cash
on hand and several thousand in
assets which may be called cash.
WORK CONTINUES
ALONG THE LINE
The recent floods have been a
serious handicap to the office force
of the Alaskan Engineering commis
sion and as a consequence practically
no business was transacted during
the past three days, but, the con
ditions experienced here, have, in
no way interfered with the work of
construction along the line, and the
distant camps of the Commission
have had busy times right along.
The large force of men that had
been put to w’ork cutting away the
encumbering ice and laying bare the
track, w'ere temporarily taken off
this phase of the construction work
and were engaged in surfacing the
track from Camp 22 to the end of
steel and making the roadbed more
secure for hauling heavy loads. This
work having been finished satisfac
torily last night, the force will re
turn again to the work they were
originally engaged in, and, it is ex
pected that the entire length of
track will be cleared and ready for
traffic in a few days.
All reports received so far from
the country adjacent to Lost Slough
indicate that the menace of encroach
ments of the river toward the grade
in this section of the right of way
does not exist any more. There is
still some ice remaining in the old
bed of Lost Slough but no water of
any force or volume seems to be
running here- Almost all of the ice
in the Nenana river in the neigh
morhood of Camp 9 (20-mile) and
the several dams constructed, has
gone out, and it is belived, that the
main current of the river has been
turned into the old channel, away
from the right of way. The water
level in the sloughs nearest the
camps is also said to be much lower
than in former years.
On Residency 3 (35-mile) the
piledriver gang is making very satis
factory progress with the work of
driving piles to prevent bank erosion
and protect the grade from possible
washouts. The piledriver boiler is
being fired with coal from Billy
Lynn’s mine by way of an experi
ment, but no report has been re
ceived thus far as to the suitability
of this class of fuel for the purpose.
Contractor Charlie Johnson and
his men are reported to be making
headway with the work of grading
and it is expected that they will
bridge the gap in the grade they
have contracted to do, on time.
There are a few more small pieces of
road to be graded on this residency
and it is expected that contracts will
be let to finish this shortly or the
work may be finished by the Com
mission force.
On Residency 4, beginning at
Mile 372 and up to Nenana Cross
ing, the grade is practically finished,
and Mr. Kenneth Case, resident en
gineer in charge of this section of
the road, reports as follows: “A
survey of the completed grade at
this date, (April 30) shows two
glaciers—one extending from station
17900to 17919, covers the grade to
a depth of six inches for a distance
of 400 feet. Another coming from
the hillside opposite station 17881
overruns the ditch and 250 feet of
the grade in the vicinity. All ditches
and openings not glaciered are
drifted full and will need attention
in the event of a sudden thaw.
“The fills completed late last fall
with wet and frozen material, are
slowly settling to the required grade
level. From now till the first of
June, teams should not be allowed
on the finished grade.
“Excavating will be started next
month^ on that portion of the resi
dency north of mile 373.4.”
From late ad vices received, it
would appear that the piers driven
to support the trusses of the big
bridge that will carry the track
across the Xenana river at the Cross
ing, have withstood the severe strain
put on them when the ice moved
out. very satisfactorily. As stated
in these columns before, there art
nine bents of a double row of five
piles each with one pile at the up
stream end of each of the bents, a
space of 24 feet intervening be
tween each bent, driven in the main
I channel of the Xenana where the
| current is very swift. These nine
bents, which will carry the trusses,
were further reinforced with a
strong cribbing of hewn logs and
the space between the cribbing and
the piles was filled with heavy gravel
and rocks. The ice moved down
with the strong current in a solid
body and jammed at the bridge,
the water backing up until the level
of the top of the piers had been
reached and passed and, owing to
the terrific pressure exerted against
the piers, fears for the safety of
the whole structure were enter
tained. A survey of the damage
done, after the ice had gone out, dis
closed the fact that one of the pro
tecting sets of cribbing had been
stove in, one of the piers pushed
slightly out of alignment and a few
of the piles of one of the approach
es to the bridge had been carried
away.
In view of the immense pressure
brought to bear on it, the damage
to the bridge has been, comparatively,
very slight and will soon be made
good. The trusses for the bridge
are now being turned out at the
sawmill and will be sent out to the
Crossing and placed in position just
as soon as the steel reaches the river
'bank. In the meantime, the bridge
will be temporarily finished with
poles and rough lumber and a light
tramway service established to facili
tate the handling of construction
material and supplies destined for
the camps that will probably be
formed beyond the present site of
the residency and at Lignite.
WELL KNOWN COUPLE
UNITED IN WEDLOCK
Mrs. May Persons, owner of the
Persons hotel, and J. Hampton Miles,
well konwn local attorney, were
quietly married on Wednesday even
ing by Commissioner R. S. Mc
Donald. An effort was made to
keep the marriage a secret, but it
became known to a number of
friends of the contracting parties
and the secret soon leaked out.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Miles are old
timers in the North, and Mrs. Miles
was among the first to locate in Ne
nana. They have a wide circle of
friends who wish them happiness in
their matrimonial venture.
The Tanana river is reported to
have opened at Hot Springs at 7 :30
last night, the channel at that point
.having been blocked by an ice jam.