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FIFTH YEAR_ , DECEMBER 1, 1914. J, , . , NUMBER 7
CORDOVA ROUTE FAVORED
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.—William C. Edes of the Alaska
Engineering Commission, upon arrival here from his tour of
investigation through that territory, made this statement that
will be read with interest by the people of Cordova and the
Copper River valley:
“The purchase or lease of the Copper River & North
western Railway by the government and its extension, in
addition to the building of other lines, would be a good policy
for the government.”
Mr. Edes also said that construction of the contemplated
government railroads in Alaska would be far easier than the
commission first supposed and that the cost will be but little
if any more than such work in western states. Mr. Edes stated
that-completion of the roads would give the poor man a chance
in Alaska—a chance for farmers to acquire homesteads on
good land with good markets easy of access, and a chance for
miners and prospectors to acquire and develop properties in
districts where the presence of mineral is already known, but,
with the quartz and the placer of grade so low as to prevent
profitable operation under present conditions of high freight
rates and long hauls by the present primitive means of
transportation.
Falcon Joslin has conferred with Secretary Lane as to
whether the government desired to use some of the right of
way of the Tanana Valley Railway, and if so on what terms.
No definite conclusion was reached, it is said. From Nenana
to Fairbanks, two routes are being considered by the Engineer
ing Commission. It is probable that a $5,000,000 appropriation
will be asked Congress for the prosecution of construction
work next year.
LONDON, Dec. 1.—The German army in Poland, which
the Russians surrounded near Lodz, narrowly missed annihila
tion. The Germans fought with such fury, after realizing they
had been surrounded, that the cordon surrounding them was
broken just as reinforcements for them arrived. The battle is
still in progress.
LONDON, Dec. 1.—Heavy fighting was resumed today on
the Yser canal. The roar of cannon can be heard miles away
and many houses in the town of St. Luis are so severely shaken
as to dislodge crockery from pantry shelves. Inhabitants of
all villages within a day’s march of the canal have been noti
fied to vacate at once.
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 1.—A general German retreat has
set in from Dixmude, which, according to advices from Berlin, ‘
was recaptured by the invaders yesterday. No explanation of
this sudden relinquishment of a prize for which the Germans
sacrificed many thousands of lives has been given.
LONDON, Ded. 1.—It is officially announced that King
George has gone to France to visit the headquarters of the
British expeditionary force.
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 1.—The German governor of the
Belgian province of Brabant convoked a meeting of Brussels
bankers today and demanded payment of $7,000,000 monthly
for maintenance of the German army and $75,000,000 as
penalty for violation of neutrality by Belgium.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 27.—The great battle which has
waged for a week past along the border between Galicia and
Hungary has resulted in the routing of the Austrians, accord
ing to official re])orts received here. Russian troops are
pouring through the passes of the Carpathian mountains at
Bukla, Galicia, the capture of these passes being tantamount
to full command of the plains of Hungary to Budapest, the
capital, which is 200 miles distant. This is one of the most
severe reverses the Austrians have met with during the war
and is interpreted here to mean practically unobstructed
passage of the Russians to their main objective points,
Budapest and Vienna.
LONDON, Nov. 27.—A dispatch to the Post says the
Gei-man army corps which broke through the Russian center
at Breziny, has been subdued by the Russians in a battle
lasting three days, and that it is only a matter of a little time
when the Gennans must surrender or be annihilated.
LONDON, Nov. 27.—The battleship Bulwark has been
destroyed off Sheerness, 35 miles down the Thames river from
this city, presumably by an explosion in the magazine. All
save four of the crew numbering 800 perished.
LONDON, Nov. 27.—Lord Kitchener, commander-in-chief
of the British army, discussing the war, admitted the British
losses had been great, but were slight compared with those of
the enemy. He said an average of 30,000 were enlisting every
week and predicted that the time would soon come when many :
more would be needed. Those who are watching the war game
* closely believe his prediction contemplates a probable attempt '
on the part of the Gennans to raid England with air craft, *
navy and army. 1
MILAN, Nov. 30.—The siege of Krakow, in the province \
of Galicia, has begun, according to a correspondent of the ^
newspaper Della Sera, with the Russians bombarding the forts
with heavy siege guns. One of the suburbs of the city is in
flames. * j
LONDON, Nov. 30.—Germany acknowledges that the \
Russian northern army has penetrated into East Prussia to a j
distance of 15 miles southwest of Gumbinman, which is about \
^ 20 miles west of the German border. ,
PARIS, Nov. 30.—Monday finds the enemy on the defen
sive throughout Belgium, while in the province of Argonne
several German attacks on the town of Gagatelle have been i
repulsed by the French troops. j
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EUROP N W
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SEATTLE], Dec. 1.—Discovery that a German flashlight
signal station has been in operation on one of the hills back of
North Vancouver, followed by advices that British warships
recntly picked up messages sent out by a radio plant believed
to be hidden in the wildernss of the Olympic peninsula, has
aroused the Esquimalt naval officers and British Columbia
authorities to extraordinary efforts to safeguard their ports
from a possible attack by the German vessels known to be in
northern Pacific waters.
The police of Vancouver are said not only to have located
the spot from which the station flashed its signals, but also
to have obtained definite clews to the identity of the men in
charge. The' one supposed to have been in command of the
outfit has been traced toward the American boundary. All the
men disappeared while the police* were searching for the loca
tion of the station.
While the search for the men is being carried on without
halt, it is realized that the leader, now undoubtedly safe on
American soil, is in possession of valuable data as to the
defenses and military equipment of the British Columbia ports.
Vancouver is protected by a number of emplacements secreted
in the hills about the city.
BERLIN, Nov. 30.—The war office has announced the
recapture of Dixmude, which has been the scene of frequent
fierce encounters during a period of several weeks. Around
a comparative small area here are compressed great bodies of
men engaged in a struggle so dealy that, heedless of artillery
fire, the opposing forces have pushed forward and have been
pushed back alternatelv in actual physical contact.
LONDON, Nov. 30.—The Daily Mail’s correspondent at|
Copenhagen says Germany has' demanded that the Swedish j
government suppress unfriendly utterances against Germany
in Swedish papers, and has threatened reprisals if the Swedish
government does not comply with the demands.
EIEME’STEAI), L. I., Nov. 30.—Ine killing of four men
in a mysterious automobile accident and the mortal injuring
of another, have so aroused the suspicions of the national
government concerning the activity of alleged German secret
agents that a squad of fourteen armed men was sent to guard
the wireless telegraph station at Sayville, L. I.
Secret service operatives Here assigned to uncover in
Hoboken what is believed to be a conspiracy to thwart Presi
dent Wilson’s order of strict neutrality and particularly the
government’s orders that the German wireless stations at
Tuckerton, N. J., and at Sayville, each of which is capable of
communicating directly with Germany, shall not be used in
violation of this country’s neutrality in the European war.
No government official would speak for publication con
cerning the steps taken, but it was understood that preliminary
investigations had established the belief that the five men in
the wrecked automobile were on their way to the Sayville
wireless station and that they intended to commit an act that
would have violated the neutrality of this country by supply
ing information to Germany.
The one man who escaped with his life in the Hempstead
wreck was hurried away from the hospital the morning after
he was hurt and with 30 stitches in his head. He is in his home
m Hoboken and no one has been permitted to question him.
Alaska resents being the nursling of Seattle.
We are willipg to give Seattle all the credit due her for
assisting and aiding Alaska enterprises and legislation. Even
so Alaska is in no sense the debtor of Seattle, as the trade of
the Northland has been a bountiful gift in return.
But when Seattle or her people or any part of her people
speak authoritively as the mouthpiece of Alaska, without first
aonsulting the people, we of the Northland should not fail to
register a vigorous kick.
In the same manner we should resent with all our strength
the attempt of “outside Alaskans” to usurp the functions of
the Alaska Arctic Brotherhood by holding what they term the
‘grand camp” in that city. If the Alaskans in Seattle or in
Portland or in Tacoma, or in any other city, want to form a
society and band themselves together, that is their own busi
ness. But when they become identified with outside industries
;hey are apt to lose their viewpoint of actual conditions and
;he current needs of the best remedies therefor. Moreover, the
Arctic Brotherhood distinctly breathes the spirit of the North
and. It is the fresh, young, vigorous creature of northern
mvironments.' It cannot exist outside of Alasaa. To try and
japitalize it for political, commercial, or any other reason by
Iragging it in the dust of outside cities, by those whose homes
ire no longer in Alaska, is to destroy it utterly. All grand
■amp meetings should be held in Alaska. Outside members, if
hey so desire, can then attend.—Juneau Dispatch.
The war revenue tax having gone into effect today, there
s little chance for reduction in the cost of living this month or
he next, or so long as the European war continues to interf
ere with our national imports. If you notice an increase in
lie size of grocery and meat bills, be patriotic, smile and
•ontribute your mite cheerfully.
In the abundance of distinguished honors being conferred
n Europe at present, the question arises whether Italy -s
joing to bestow the double cross on Germany and Austria. -
TACOMA, Nov. 28.—Unidentified German cruisers, are
off the Aleutian islands lurking along the trade route between
Puget Sound and the Orient, according to a report made by the
Japanese liner Tacoma Marne, arriving from Yokohama today.
The Tacoma Maru received information through a wireless
message from the Chicago Maru, a sister ship, while steaming
between the 180th and 179th meridians. The Chicago Maru
was bound to the Orient and was a little west of the 180th
meridian. Her officers said they had altered her course to
lessen the danger of capture.
AMSTERDAM, Nov. 28.—Seventy-six thousand Turkish
troops are marching against the Suez canal, according t<*
authentic reports received here.
PARIS, Nov. 28.—The Matin says that just before th.
beginning of the battle of Lodz, Emperor William wired Gen.
Von Kindenberg: “Distinguish yourself as the eyes of the
worlo are upon you.”
HAVRE, France, Nov. 28.—As high as 200 English
transports with troops may be seen at one time lying outside
the harbor here. The troops land quickly and disappear, being
transferred to trains and taken to the eastward.
MONTCLAIR, N. J., Nov. 28.—Win. H. Taft in a Thanks
giving Day address here, declared Germany’s landing of
troops in Canada would not be in violation of the Monroe
Doctrine, but that an attempt to set up a new form of govern
ment for Canada would.
CHICAGO, Nov. 28. — It is announced here that
Bohemians in America at the proper time will present to the
world powers a proposal to restore to Bohemia its
independence.
LONDON, Nov. 28.—A Petrograd correspondent of the
Post says that when full details of the Russian victory in
Poland are available they will furnish a story which will
astonish the world. In the meantime the censors of all parties
to the world’s greatest contest are not relaxing any of their
vigilence and are not permitting details to be made public.
VIENNA, Nov. 28.—It is officially announced that
Austrian troops have evacuated Czernowitz, capital of the
Austrian province of Bukowina, threatened by the left wing of
the Russians. This city contains a population of 57,500 and is
about 60 miles from the Carpathian mountains and near the
Roumanian border.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 28.—It is reported here that the
German battleship William Der Grosse has been sunk by
striking a mine in the Baltic.
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 25.—Emil Medin, aged 14 years, son
of Milo Medin, born at Oakland, California; Louis Vocotieh
and John Ragenovich, Americans who were residents of San
Francisco, have been executed by Austrian authorities on the
public square at Cattaro, in Dalmatia, according to a letter
received here from one of the local priests.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.—Secretary Bryan is investi
gating charges that Turkey has been tampering with code
messages addressed to Ambassador Morganthau at Constanti
nople. These messages referred to the Tennessee incident and
other diplomatic matters and their contents were known to
Turkish officials, it is claimd, before anything had been^iven
out by the representative of. the United States.
NEW YORK, Nov. 25.—The steamer Finland left today
with the second Jjnd third hospital units and large quantities
of medical and surgical supplies which will be sent to Servia,
via Greece.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 25.—A war bulletin announces that
the battle at Lodz and on the front at Kracow is developing
successfully for the Russians.
A private letter from Vienna to P. C. (Jtark, an employe
of theXhpper River & Northwestern Railway, will he of special
interest if compared with some of the censored reports. The
writer, Dr. Simon Dominus, says: “The united Austrian and
German armies were then pressing the Russians and Servians
in their own respective countries and a decisive battle was
expected at that date in Russian Poland. In the early engage
ments of the Russian army about the San and Vistula rivers
cost an unheard of sacrifice.
“Part of the enemy, about 400,000, advanced into Hun
gary from the northeast through several passes of the
Carpathian mountains, also from Servia, threatening seriously
the base of the main Austro-Hungarian army, operating in
Russia. Part of these troops were withdrawn from San river
and launched against the Russians who were far advanced into
Hungary, contending with the Hungarian Laudivchr, which
in turn was pressed by the Servians from the south. In a
continuous fight of 12 days the Russian army was completely
annihilated. Only a few of the remainder were able to reach
the passes
“Even municipalities were capturing scattered parts of
the fugitives by the hundreds. The writer estimates Russian
losses at that date from the beginning of war, close to a
million—one third killed, one third wounded and one third
captured.
“There is a complete confidence in the outcome of war in
this country; the army is in the right spirit and in no want of
any kind.
“Slavonian, Bosnian, Bohemian and Slovak regiments at
the beginning were cause of serious anxieties on account of
their Russian sympathizers, but at present they are forcing
English and French in Belgium, behaving very creditably and
are carefully and continuously kept at full strength
numerically.”
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Italy mav prohibit the export of all wheat until prices
have resumed normal figures.
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