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- FIFTH YEAR CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1914. 7 NUMBER 5
. j i,v!. , '* • 11 • -—■ -------——
The Alaska coal bill as passed by
Congress and signed by President
Wilson, a copy of which was received
yesterday is as follows:
Be it enac^td b ythe Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Con
gress assembled, That the Secre
tary of the Interior be, and hereby
is .authorized and directed to survey
the lands of the United States in the
Territory of Alaska known to be
valuable for their deposits of coal,
preference, to be given first in favor
of surveying lands within those
areas commonly known as the Bering
River, Matanuska, and Nenana coal
fields, and thereafter to such areas
or coal fields as lie tributary to es
tablished settlements or existing or
proposed rail or water transportation
lines: Provided, That such surveys
shall be executed in accordance with
existing laws and rules and regula
tions governing the survey of pub
lic lands. There is hereby appropri
ated, out of any money in the treas
ury not otherwise appropriated, the
sum of $100,000 for the purpose of
making the surveys liere'n provided
for, to continue available until ex
pended: Provided, That any surveys
heretofore made under the authority
or by the approval of the Department
of the Interior may be adopted and
used for the purposes of this act.
Sec. 2. That the President of the
United States shall designate and
reserve from use, location, sale,
V lease, or disposition not exceeding
5,120 acres of coal-bearing land in
the Bering River field and not ex
ceeding 7,680 acres of coal-bearing
land in the Matanuska field, and nit
to exceed one-haif of the other coal
lands in Alaska: Provided, That the
coal deposits in such reserved areas
may be mined under the direction of
the President when, in his opinion,
the mining of such coal in such re
served areas, under the direction of
the President becomes necessary, by
Teason of an insufficient supply of
coal at a reasonable price for the
requirements of government works,
construction and operation of gov
ernment railroads, for the navy, for
national protection, or for relief from
monopoly or oppressive conditons.
Sec. 3. That the unreserved coai
lands and coal deposits shall be
divided by the Secretary of the In
terior into leasing blocks or tracts
of 40 acres each, or multiples there
of, and in such form as in the opin
ion of the secretary will permit the
most economical mining of the coal
in such blocks, but in no case ex
ceeding 2,560 acres in any one leas
ing block or tract; and thereafter,
the Secretary shall offer such blocks
or tracts and the coal, lignite and
associated minerals therein for leas
ing, and may award leases thereof
through advertisement, competitive
bidding, or such other methods as
he may by general regulations adopt,
to any person above the age of 2 L
years who is a citizen of the united
States, or to any association of such
persons, or to any corporation or
municipality organized under the
laws of the. United States or of any
state or territory thereof: Provided,
That a majority of the stock of such
corporation shall al, all times be
owned and held by\citizens of the
# United States: And provided further,
That no railroad or cimmon carrier
shall be permitted to take or acquire
through lease or permit under this
act any coal or coa' lands in excess
of such area or quantity as may be
reuqlred and used sclely for its own
use, and such limitat,on of use shall
be expressed in all leases or permits
lsued to railroads oi common car
riers hereunder: Ana provided fur
ther, That any perso^, association,
or corporation qualifie^ to become a
lessee under this act and owning
any pending claim und'r the public
\ lagd laws to any coal la\ds in Alaska
ma> within one year bom the pas
sage 'u'^.TTiis act, enter into an ar
rangemen with the Secetary of the
Interior by1 ^hich such claim shall
be fully relinq <$hed toithe United
Staten; and if in the judgment of
* the Secretary of the >terbr, the dr
, I .
cumstances connected with such
claim justify so doing, the moneys
paid by the claimant or claimants to
the United States on account of such
claim shall, by direction oi the Sec
retary of the Interior, De returned
and paid over to such person, asso
ciation, or corporation as a consid
eration for such r^linauishment.
All claims of existing rights to any
of such lands in which final proof has
been submitted and which are now
pending before the Commissioner of
the General Land Office or the Secre
tary of the Interior for decision shall
be adjudicated within one year from
the passage of this act.
Sec. 4. That a person, association
or corporation hold-.ng a lease of
coal lands under this act may. with
the approval of the. Secretary of the
Interior and through the same pro
cedure and upon the same terms and
conditions as in the case of an
original lease under this Act, secure
a further or new' lease, covering addi
tional lands contiguous to those em
braced in the original lease, but in
no event shall the total area em
braced in such original and new
leases exce.ed in the aggregate 2,560
acres.
That upon satisfactory showing by
any lessee to the Secretary of the
Interior that all of the -workable de
posits of coal within a tract covered
by his or its lease will be. exhausted,
worked out, or removed within three
years thereafter, the Secretary of the'
Interior may, w'ithin his discretion,
lease to such lessee an additional
tract of land or coal deposits, which
including the coal area remaining in
the original lease, shall not exceed
2,560 acres, through the same pro
cedure and under the same, competi
tive conditions as in case of an
original lease.
Sec. 5. That, subject to the ap
proval of the Secretary of the In
terior, lessees holding under leases
small blocks or areas may consoli
date their aid leases or holdings so
as to include In a single holding not
to exceed 2,560 acres of contiguous
lands.
Sec. 6. That eacn lease shall be.
for such leasing block or tract of
land as may be offered or applied
for, not exceeding in area 2,560
acres of land, to be described by the
subdivisions of the survey, and no
person, association, or corporation
except as hereinafter provided shall
be permitted to take or hoio any
interest as a stockholder or other
wise in more than one. such lease
under this act, and any interest held
in violation of this proviso shall be
forfeited to the United States by
appropriate proceedings instituted by
top Attorney General for that pur
pose in any court of competent juris
diction, except that any such owner
ship and interest hereby forbidden
which may be acquired by descent,
will, judgment, or de.cree may be
held for two years, and not longer,
after its acquisition.
Sec. 7. That any person who shall
purchase acquire or hold any interest
in two or more such leases, except
as herein provided, or who shall’
knowingly purchase, acquire, or hold
any stock in a corporation having an
interest in two or more such leases,
or who shall knowingly sell or
transfer to one disqualified to pur
chase, or except as in this act spe
cifically provided, disqualified to ac
quire, any such interest, shall be
deemed guilty of a felony, apd upon
conviction shall be punished by im
prisonment for not more than three
years and by a fine not exceeding
$1 ,000: Provided, That any such
ownership and interest hereby for
bidden which may be acquired by
descent, will,' judgment, or decree
may be. held two years after its
acquisition and not longer, and in
case of minority or other disability
such time as the court may decree.
Sec. 8. That any director, trustee,
officer, or agent of any corporation
holding any interest in such a lease
who shall, on behalf of such corpor
ation, act in the. purchase of any in
(Continued on Page 3)
BUCHAREST, Nov. 14.—In attempting to suppress a
revolt among troops in the Constantinople and Adrianople
garrisons, five German officers were killed by an exploding
bomb. A letter found near the point where the bomb exploded
stated that it was intended for the men who sold Turkey to
Germany. A general spirit of uneasiness and revolt is said
to prevail among the Turkish soldiers who are unwilling
participants in the war.
NEW YORK, Nov. 14.—Mail advices state that the British
dreadnaught Audacious, the third largest vessel in the navy,
hit a torpedo or mine October 27 and sank off the north coast
of Ireland. All save three were saved by the steamship
Olympic.
THE HAGUE, Nov. 14.—A despatch from Berlin ^states
that the Emperor has established headquarters at Coblent/,
and invited his five daughters-in-law to visit him and witness
war operations. Several Zeppelins are continually kept
circling over his headquarters, in order to prevent a possible
attack on the camp by aeroplanes of the allies.
LONDON, Nov. 14.—The First Prussian guard was hurled
back after breaking through the British line at Longmark,
near Ypres, three times in desperate assaults. British officers
pay tribute to the bravery of the Prussians. Seven hundred
German dead were found on the ground behind the British
front in one trench alone.
PARIS, Nov. 14.—Aeroplanes are becoming a prominent
factor in the operations of both Germans and allies. Eight oS,
them—four for Germany, two for the British and two for the
French—participated in the great battle still in progress, and
fought over Yper today. Artillery of the allies brought down
those belonging to the Germans, killing eight of their officers.
As no fatalities on the part of the allies airmen were reported,
it is presumed none of them were injured.
PARIS, Nov. 14:—The war office here announced this
afternoon that the German attack on the bridge at Nieuport
was repulsed and that other offensive movements of the
invaders were unsuccessful.
PRINCE RUPERT, B. C., Nov. 12.—According to word
brought by steamer passengers arriving from the south, a
point on the inside passage between Prince Rupert and Van
couver is being fortified. Tli£ place selected by the military
and naval authorities is a secret but is said to have great
strategical importance.
As matters stand at present, a cruiser of the enemy could
not reach Vancouver, Victoria or Nanaimo by way of the Straits
of Juan de Fuca. Up to a short time ago, a hostile warship
could have made a raid on these cities by coming around the
northern end of Vancouver Island, and it is to prevent this
that these guns are now being mounted. The passengers saw
two heavy guns being placed in a position so as to command
the channel. It looked as if the work had cniy been in progress
for a few days. Vessels thought to be mine layers were also
seen in that vicinity.
VANCOUVER, B. C., Nov. 12.—Government vessels have
been stationed at the north end of Vancouver Island to guide
Alaska steamers around danger points caused by the mounting
of guns and the mining of those waters.
SEATTLE, Nov. 12.—The steamships Alameda and
Northwestern of tlie Alaska Steamship Company have been
routed outside from Cape Flattery to Dixon’s Entrance,
because of the closing of Broughton Straits to navigation for
the purposes of defense of British Columbia coast cities. The
change will not make any difference in running time.
PARIS, Nov. 11.—The tide of war which favored the allies
for several days in Belgium has turned and the Germans seem
to be regaining some of the territory they lost. Dixmude was
occupied by the Kaiser’s forces this morning as a result of
their attack yesterday.. The battle has been renewed with
great severity over the entire area from Arras to the North Sea
between Nieuport and the Lys.
LONDON, Nov. 11.—Capt. Karl Von Muller, master of
the German cruiser Emden, which was set on fire by shells
from the Australian cruiser Sydney and was burned after
running ashort in the Bay of Bengal yesterday, was rescued
uninjured. All the survivors were accorded full honors of war.
Two hundred German were killed and 30 wounded by the
destruction of the Emden.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 16—The federal reserve banking
system went into operation throughout the nation this morn
ing. Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo asserted that the new
system will put an end to panics and relieve the country from
the extreme anxiety which it has suffered for a generation
because of money famines. By this act $400,000,000 of reserve
money will be released through the 12 reserve banks, largely
increasing credit facilities of the nation. As good commercial
paper is made a basis of credit under the new system, an
immediate beneficial effect is expected to be felt in all lines of
industry.
Paul M. Warburg, a member of the reserve board said
that November, 16 might appropriately be considered the July
Fourth in the economic life of the United States, marking the
foundation of the nation’s financial emancipation. ^
The board of control consists of Paul M. Warburg, New
York; Frederick A. Delano, Chicago; Charles S. Hamlin,
Boston; W. P. G. Harding, Birmingham; A. G. Miller, San
Francisco: Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo and John
Skelton Williams, controller of the currency.
The steam freighter Dirigo foundered Monday afternoon
about 90 miles west of Cape Spencer and the entrance of Cross
Sound, according to a brief wireless message received at the
office of the Alaska Steamship Company about 5 o’clock
yesterday afternoon. Capt. John Johnson and his crew of 14
were saved by the Freighter Cordova, which left this city
Saturday morning with ihe Dirigo in tow, bound direct for
Seattle where the latter was to be transformed into an oil
burner and generally overhauled in preparation for next
season’s rush of business.
The exact location of the scene was given in the message
as latitude 58 degrees north, longitude 139 degrees 35 minutes
west. The report was first circulated on the streets here that
the Mariposa picked up the crew of the ill-fated vessel, but as
the Mariposa did not leave here until Monday morning it was
a physical impossibility for her to cover the distance of almost
300 miles in the time given. A gale was blowing and the
accompanying heavy sea is supposed to have battered in some
of the ports or hatches of the Dirigo, first rendering it impos
sible for the towing vessel to handle her as the former was
loaded with 500 tons of copper ore from the Kennicott mines.
Captain Johnson and his men took to the small boats and were
picked up by the Cordova. The gale was a sou’wester and
reached this part of the coast at an early hour this morning.
Captain Johnson’s crew consisted of J. G. Bennett, chief
engineer; Ed. Rasmussen, mate; three firemen, two oilers, three
sailors, cook and steward, whose names are not obtainable at
the company’s office here.
The Dirigo was a wooden vessel of 305 gross tonnage and
was built at ffoquiam, Wash., in 1898.
AMSTERDAM, “Nov. 17.—Monday’s unsuccessful and oft
repeated attempt of the Germans to cross the Yser resulted in
the entire destruction of Dixmude, those buildings which first
escaped serious damage from shot and shell being burned.
Dixmude is a town of about 4,000 inhabitants occupying a
strategic position and has been the scene of several terrible
battles. Its permanent capture by the Germans would give
them an opening through which to renew their invasion of
France. Reports received from there do not state which army
caused the most damage.
NIAGARA FALLS, Canada, Nov. 17.—Joseph Snyder and
two sons, naturalized citizens of the United States, are under
arrest here on the charge of treason for attempting to take
Austrian reservists across the international boundary to the
American side.
COPENHAGEN, Nov. 17.—Germany is concentrating
great armies at Thorn, Breslau and Bremen, the geographical
locations of these cities indicating this concentration is
preliminary to greater activities against the Russians.
ROME, Nov. 17.—An official dispatch contains the brief
statement that Kracow is burning and the inhabitants fleeing.
This is a fortified city in Northwestern Galicia for which
Russia and Austria have been fighting fiercely.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11.—Those in Washington follow
ing closely reports of operations of the Alaska Engineering
Commission are pretty well satisfied in their own minds what
the results will he. They expect that on recommendation of
the commission, Secretary of the Interior Lane will decide to
build the main line up the Susitna Valley and tap the coal
fields by branch lines from the Copper River & Northwestern
Railroad, the branch to the Bering River fields starting from
Mile 38 as surveyed and the other extending from Chitina to
the Matanuska fields. These men base their conclusions
mainly.upon the important fact that the Copper River railway
is now hauling a large tonnage from the copper mines already
developed; that tonnage is necessary to successful operation of
railroads, and that the output of the coal fields can be more
economically handled over branches tributary to the Copper
River & Northwestern Railroad. The Susitna line, they say,
will open up to settlement a large area of fine agricultural and •
grazing land, besides furnishing transportation to several
placer and quartz mining camps; but these can supply only a
fraction of the tonnage insured by the other road.
Realization of expectations of the people of Cordova and
the Copper River valley regarding the erction of a smelter
and extensive coal bunkers, and the development of a
prosprous industrial city there, appear to be near. The Presi
dent, Commission and Secretary Lane have received from the
Cordova Chamber of Commerce a voluminous and carefully
prepared report which will aid them materially in arriving at
final conclusions, as it contains facts and statistics never made
public.
BREMERTON, Nov. 14.—Since the 800 tons of coal was
brought from Ship Creek early in the summer most of it has
been stored at the navy yard here. This coal was mined during
the season of 1913 from the Matanuska fields. During last
winter .Jack Dalton and his party conveyed the coal from the
mines to tide water in Cook’s Inlet. Some of it was later
shipped to Annapolis for chemical tests but nearly all of it has
been held here awaiting the return of the U. S. cruiser Mary
land, which has been in southern water. The cruiser arrived
a few days ago and since then several tests have been made of
the Matanuska coal, which shows excellent results. No official
report, however, will be made of the tests until after steaming
trials are made at sea. These tests will be made shortly on the
Maryland as she goes from here to Mare Island, It is expected
that the results will be highly satisfactory, as a fair sample of
clean coal was secured, which was the reverse with the coal
tests from the Bering River fields.