THEWEEK’S HAPPENINGS ALONE THE FIRING LINE IN EUROPE'S GREAT STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY
NEW YORK, Sept. 20—Arrangements are fast being com
pleted for the floating of the huge loan to England and France
that the foreign financial commissioners are trying to raise in
this country. As contemplated now, the largest underwriting
syndicate ever known will be formed for the purpose of financ
ing the matter, and the amount of the loan has been practically
set at $700,000,000. The syndicate will be composed of nation
al, state banks and trust companies in almost every state of the
Union, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The pro
German financiers have agreed to participate in the loan pro
vided that the commissioners will agree not to purchase any
munitions of war with money. England and France will issue
bonds for the money subscribed, earing interest at five per cent,
and which will constitute a first mortgage on the two countries,
including all British and French colonies. All the other obliga
tions of the two nations will be secondary to these bonds. The
whole issue of the bonds will be in amounts as American cur
rency, and will be payable in American dollars, both as to prin
cipal and interest.
NEW YORK, Sept. 20—The syndicate which is handling
the placing of the big loan to England and France, will en
deavor to distribute the loan among as many banking institu
tions as possible. It is esiraated that lmndreds and perhaps
thousands of banks and trust companies will subscribe towards
the loan, thus distributing the risk over a great area, and affect
ing the financial condition of no particular district in greater
proportion than its ability to lend the money. The large cities
of the east, with New Y~ork and Boston, heading the list, will be
the heaviest contributors.
LONDON, Sept. 20—A correspondent of the London Times,
with the Russian army of the north, who was an eye witness of
the fighting near Dvinsk, lias written his paper stating that tlie
invading forces in that vicinity have been from two to three
times greater than the Russian defenders in numbers. The
has so worked as to give the Germans a great advantage their
has so worked as to give the Germans a great advantage their
guns being of such greater range, that the Russians were unuer
fire from the artilllery, from points so distant that the Russian
guns could not return the fire. However, the Germans paid
heavily for their victories in this region, as their mass attacks
on the bridgheads and other Russian positions, although succes
sful, were entl laded with machine gun fire, to such an extent
that the Germans were mowed down by the thousands. The
morale of the Russian troops is unimpaired, and they fight with
the greatest bravery in the face of overwhelming numbers.
The Germans losses have been at least twice as much as the
Russians in the point of killed and wounded. Dvinsk was
evacuated by the Russians in an orderly manner, while the
correspondent says that the character of the Russian defense
improves steadilv.
Geo. W. Bias, president of the V aldez Creek Placer Mines,
accompanied by B. R. Houghton, R. B. Griffin, F. E. Cuttler and
S. E Cuttler, of Boston, who are also financially interested' in
this propertv, arrived from the interior on Saturday’s train
and will leave for Boston on the steamer Northwestern. They
have one of the biggest hydraulic propositions in Alaska, and
own between 5,000 and 6,000 acres of placer ground, together
with all water rights, as well as control practically the balance
of the claims in that section of the country.
Notwithstanding the shortage of water this season a good
clean-up was made. In the overburden the gold was coarse
and the quantity much greater than expected. Over 100 feet
on bedrock was worked and the balance of the ground' fully
opened up and is now ready to be operated on a large scale. A
new No. 3 Keystone drill and a 58 horse power air compressor
were installed, over 180 tons of supplies and material being
freighted to the workings this season.
In order to better facilitate the handling of the work on a
large scale additional ground was purchased and next year
two pits will be run. By the operation of four No. 4 Giants
there will be a continuous flow of water and a repetition of this
season’s exceptional dry spell will not retard mining opera
tions in the future. Two of the Giants will avereage a 250 foot
head of water and the other two a 350 foot head.
Next year the operations will be almost entirely in virgin
ground, and a big clean-up should result. On bedrock the gold
averages $21 a cubic yard. Mr. Sias lias been working on this
property for many years and has finally succeded' in opening up
all of the ground. During this time about $360,000 has been
taken out in gold, although considerable money has been ex
pended for development purposes. It now looks as though the
investors would reap a rich reward. Forbes Richard, the min
ing expert, estimates that it will require twenty years to work
out this ground.
LONDON, Sept. 20—Since the fall of Vilna the situation
of the Russian northern army has become more menacing, and
the Teutons have commenced a developing movement on an
immense scale which is more complete than any similar move
ment attempted at Warsaw or the other cities in Poland which
the Russians were forced to evacuate. The Teutons are spread
ing their net around the entire force of General Russky, com
prising a quarter to half million soldiers. The conditions under
which the Russians are now endeavoring to extricate them
selves are almost parallel to the last days in Warsaw, when the
fate of the defending army hung in the balance for days, while
the Russians fought desperately for time to send their troops
backwards. The military observers here have accepted the
report sent out from Berlin that Vilna has been captured al
though nothing from Petrograd has been heard on the matter.
Hindenberg’s troops have flung a loop around the Russians over
a two mile front, and it now seems practically impossible for
that section of the army to escape. The Teutons are threaten
ing the single railroad line, and' the wagon roads in this vicinity
are poor and very few. The Russians must retreat to the
southward' as the road to the north has been cut off, Hinden
berg’s cavalry under Von Buleow having penetrated deeply
into the enemy’s country creating a salient that would be open
to annihilation if a sudden attack could be made by the Slavs,
but such seems impossible as the Russians seem to be unable to
bring up the reserves and re-enforce the front at the proper
time and place. The army of the Czar has the opportunity to
deal an effective blow at this point but they are not in a posi
tion to make the most of the opportunity. Next to Warsaw,
Vilna is the most important town in western Russia, being a
railroad junction city of great military importance.
BERLIN, Sept. 20—The government issued' an official
statement today announcing the progress of the Teuton envelop
ing movement in the Vilna region, and stating that the German
soldiers had driven back an attack made by the Russians in an
effort to escape from the web that is being wove around them.
The bulletin says that the attack of the nemv was not powerful,
an dtliat little resistance was offered to a counter charge.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21—The Executive Council of the
this city, prepared a statement today asking the administration
to recognize the Carranza government in Mexico. The state
ment says that Carraza has succeeded in defeating the forces of
Villa in battle after battle so that the only opposition left is that
conducted as a guerilla warfare, and asserts that the recogni
tion of Carranza will go a long way in bringing about perman-!
out peace in Mexico, and will aid materially in relieving the
abnormal conditions now affecting the people as to the shortage
of necessities of life.
ODESSA, Sept. 21—Two Russian torpedo boat destroyers
surprised a German submarine cruising in the Black Sea today,
and with two well directed shells sunk the craft. The crew
of the boat were captured' and taken to this city.
BERLIN, Sept. 21—The Teuton campaign against Serbia
has commenced and today witnessed considerable heavy can
noading along the Save and the Danube. The Serbian posi
tions on the south bank of the river are all being bombarded
by the Austrian batteries from the other shore, and the Serb
ians are replying spiritedly to the fire. The battle is develop
ing along a hundred mile front between the mouths of the
Drina and Morava rivers, it being the intention of the Austro
Germans to push straight through Serbia to the Bulgarian fron
tier. The heavy artillery firing is intended as a cover for the
throwing of a big force of infantry across the river, and' the
the seizure of the bridge head. When this is done the Teuton
steam roller will be started on its way carrying supplies to their
Turkish allies. It is likely that the German commanders will
choose the valley of the Morava for its route to Bulgaria. Bel
grade is being heavily shelled by the Austrian batteries at Sem
lin. and the city of Semendria near the mouth of the Morava on
the Serbian side is the conjection of a strong froce of invaders
attempting to cross the river.
LONDON, Sept. 21—The Russian forces in Vilna have in
all probability escaped from the encircling movement of Hin
denberg’s cavalry, although definite information is not being
received. However, it is felt here that if the movement had
been successful that Berlin would have announced the victory,
as such a culmination would have been one of the big events of
the war. Hindenberg had thrown a screen of German horse
men along both flanks of the retreating Russians and he also
stood astride of the main lines of communication of the armies
of the Czar. For a time it looked as it was impossible for the
Russians to break through, but the horsemen probably were not
in sufficient force to impede the Russians, most of whom were
veterans of a similar retreat from Warsaw, and were skilled in
the nature of the work they -were doing. The skill of the Rus
sian commanders in extricating themselves from a dangerous
situation is meeting with the highest praise from military ex
perts who say that the morale of the Russian troops must be of
the highest stand the strain of such defeats and retiring move
ments constantlly, when Hindenberg threw his horsemen in
strong raids at the flanks of the Russians. The German center
under Von Mackensen and' Prince Leopold of Bavaria com
menced a simultaneous movement apparently with the intention
of making a grand attack against the Muscovites. The Rus
sian defense in the center was unexpectedly obstinate and the
movement did not result in the expected advance Mackensen
being unable to weld his scattered forces into a mobile whole
after a terrible march through the marshes, harassed by the
rear guard of the Russians, who threw every impediment into
j the way of the advancing Teutons. Considerable speculation
is afloat in this city concerning the domestic situation in Russia.
It was felt that a crisis was imminent when the Premier pro
longed the Duma, and the calling of a meeting of the municipal
councils in Moscow was figured to bring the matter to a head.
Petrograd is absolutely silent on the internal affairs of the em
pire, and the censorship is iron clad, so that nothing can be
learned, and not even rumors of the real situation are being
received.
PABIS, Sept. 21—The Russian Finance Minister has com
municated to this government saying that Russia, in common
with her allies, is putting into the common task of subduing the
enemy, all her resources both of men and of money. The pre-;
paredness of Russia for the war as to cannon and supplies was!
far inferior to Germany at the beginning, but Russia has
already overcome a part of this advantage, and the margin in
favor of the enemy will continue to steadily decrease as the
nation is putting into effect extensive measures to increase the
production of war munitions and is buying largely from foreign
countries.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21—The Bulgarian representative
to this country officially announced, this afternoon that his
government had ordered a general mobilization of all the mili
tary force of the country effective today. The Bulgarian re
erves were called back some time ago, and large numbers of
them have returned from Italy and other European countries, j
The announcement iB looked upon as significant here as mean
ing that Bulgaria is ready to enter into war, probably on the
side of the central powers to repay her old enemy Serbia for the
defeats and loss of territory suffered at the last Balkan war.
SOFIA, Sept. 22—Bulgaria is apparently on the brink of;
war, and the people throughout the country generally believe
that hostilities are imminent. The government is taking extra
ordinary measures which can be interpreted' no other way thani
that within a few days war will be declared. Reserves have!
been returning from foreign ports and hurrying to their regi
ments, and every available fighting man has been called to the I
colors. The Army general staff has taken over ail the railroads j
within the nation, and all ordinary traffic has been suspended,
no business freight being carried, and all sale of passenger!
tickets have seized. Huge supplies of men and munitions are!
being transported to the Serbian frontier, and the indications
are that Serbia will be the object of attack.
SOFIA, Sept. 22—Bulgaria is abut to enter the European
conflict for the main purpose of acquiring Macedonia, which
was promised to it by the London treaty following the first Bal
kan war, but which was taken away by Serbia and Greece at
the disastrous conclusion to the second Balkan war brought
about when Bulgaria suddenly attacked her former allies
Greece and Serbia. The loss of Macdonia has always rankled
in the minds of he Bulgarian statesmen, and they have been in
trigueing ever since in an effort to regain it. They feel now
that with the commencement of the Teuton attack on Serbia,
and with the aid of the Turks, that they will be able to attack
Serbia in the rear and overcome her. Bulgaria is determined
to have Macedonia no matter what the cost. Serbia and Greece
must beforced to give up the portions they now hold. The
cavalry regiments of the arruv have already left this city but
their destination has not been disclosed.
ATHENS, Sept. 22—The knowledge that Bulgaria had
ordered a general mobilization of all her forces has caused the
government to hurriedly call into conference the leaders of the
army, and it is felt that if Bulgaria should declare war against.
Serbia, that Greece will enter the contlict on the side of her ally
Serbia. King Constantine spent yesterday conferring with
Premier Venizelos and the general staff of the army. Im
mediately afterwards the cabinet was called into session, and
the military forces of the empire are actively engaged in opera
tions that can mean nothing but preparedness for a conflict.
Greece and Serbia have a defensive alliance entereed into after
the first Balkan war and during the progress of the second
which compels either to come to the support of the other in the
event that the Balkan nations should attack.
LATE TELEGHAPHIG HEWS NOTES
A Record of the Principal Happenings of the World
SAN DIEGO. Sept. 20—Bishop Con
aty, the Catholic head of this diocese
died here today after a lingering ill
ness. Bishop Conaty was one of the
best known prelates on the Pacific
coast and had built up his diocese
from small beginning to its present
state of one of the wealthiest in the
whole United States.
TRNIDAD, Sept. 20—John D. Rock
efeller. Jr. arrived here today nuac
companied. and without any advance
notice of his coming. He travelled in
an ordinary sleeper from New York,
and will inspect the works of the Col
orado Fuel and Iron Co., whose em
ployees started the famous strike that
has kept Colorado in a turmoil, and
has become a national issue. The
youthful millionaire went in an auto
mobile to the plant, visiting Ludlow
and looking over the scene of the bat
tle between the militia and the strik
ers which occurred in the tent city
there.
EL PASO, Sept. 20—Travellers ar
riving here today from Mexico say
that it is true that Vilna has evacuated
Torreon, and that the city is now in
the control of Carranza troops. The
evacuation took place yesterday and
Villa has now retreated to Chihuahua
taking with him most of his army.
EL PASO, Sept. 20—Advices have
been received here stating that Gen
eral Villa has left Chihauhau and is
bound for Jurez, accompanied by his
bodyguard of soldiers. The whole of
Villa's army is apparently quitting
their positions in Chihauhau and is be
ing transferred to the State of Sonora.
BROWNSVILLE, Sept. 21—From
figures so far available it has been
computed here that since the begin
ning of the Mexican bandit outbreaks
along the border, 158 Mexicans have
been killed by Americans, mostly U.
S. regulars or Texan Rangers. Of
this number about 100 were killed ir
regularly, 50 were killed in open battle,
and the remainder were killed after
being taken prisoners.
SEATTLE, Sep. 21—Nicholas Heady
a millionarie lumber man died here
today.
BOSTON, Sept. 22—The Massachu
setts primaries were held yesterday,
much interest being expressed in the
result, both the democratic and repub
lican parties having warm fights for
the nomination. The democrats re
nominated the present incumbent,
Governor David I. Walsh, who has al
ready served two terms, and is popular
throughtout the state. A three cor
nered fight for the republican nomina
tion resulted in the victory of fomer
Congressman Samuel McCall. He
was opposed by Lieutenant Governor
Cushing and former Governor Eugene
Foss, the latter running on a prohi
bition platform, and furnishing most
of the sensational moments of the
campaign, as charges he had made
against certain labor leaders ended
with Foss’s prosecution for criminal
libel. The religious issue was inject
ed the Republican campaign, Cushing
being charged with having A. P. A.
tendencies. The Progressives, who
figured prominently in Massachussetts
politics of late nominated Nathon B.
Clark unopposed.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22—General
Villa is moving all his available forces
in northern Mexico into the State of
Sonora, with the evident purpose of
attacking the Carranza troops star
tioned there under command of Gen
eral Calles. At least a dozen Villa
troop trains have passed through
Juarez bound for Sonora.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22—President
Wilson and his former secretary of
state conferred at the White House
today for an hour. When Br^an left
he refused to divulge what conversa
tion he had with the president, and
the president's secretary was equally
uncommunicative about the matter.
It was announced yesterday that the
two distinguished statesmen would
discuss was means of bringing about
peace in Europe, but the information
was not authenticated. Bryan will
leave tonight on a speaking tour in
the interest of peace through the
southern states.
NEW YORK. Sept. 22—Seven per
sons were killed and fifty seriously,
injured in a dynamite explosion which |
occurred while excavacating the new
Seventh Avenue subway this morn- j
ing. The explosion caused a cave in
of the street overhead with the result I
that a crowded surface car that was
passing was thrown into the excava
tion. Many pedestrians who were
passing overhead at the time were also
engulfed, and the resulting mass
of men. women, street car and dirt was
created a scene of the utmost con
fusion. The catastrophe took place
shortly before eight this morning, and
most of the dead and injured were wo
men and girls on their way to work,
The trolley car was crowded at the;
time there being 78 passengers on
board. The police reserves were call-1
ed out and the work of rescue started
at once.
NEW YORK, Sept. 22—Latest fig
ures available concerning the casula
ties resulting from the dynamite ex-:
plsosion in the new subway this morn
ing places the list of dead at six, while
the injured total over one hundred.
Most of the dead are laborers employ
ed in the excavating, and who were in
the subway when the accident oc-,
curred.
NEW YORK, Sept. 22—Anthony
Comstock the noted vice crusader died
in this city today at the age of 71. i
Comstock had an interesting career.
Born in Connecticut he served in the
Civil War and in March 1873 became
secretary general agent of the New
York society for the suppression of
vice, and devoted the remainder of
his life to its objects. It is said that
largely through his special efforts
2500 criminals have been brought to
justice and over 80 tons of indecent
literature and pictures have been
seized and destroyed.
SETATLE, Sept. 24—The steamer
Delhi, which was wrecked in the
waters of southern Alaska has been
picked up by halibut fishermen and
towed into Prince Rupert. It was
drvdocked there and examined with
the hope that it might be repaired
and put into commission again but
was found to be worthless except for
old junk and scrap iron.
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GOVERNOR SEEKS OPINION
RE-DISBURSEMENTS FUNDS
The territorial legislature passed a
law authorizing the creation of school
districts outside of incorporated towns
with 12 or more children of school age.
There is about $15,000 apportioned
from the road fund into the school
fund which could be used for that pur
pose. So far, however, no applications
under the territorial law for new
school districts have been made bv
residents.
In order to be sure of his ground
when the time arrived, Governor
Strong has asked the department of
justice at Washington for an opinion.
The territorial law might conflict in
authority with the federal law creating
school districts outside of incorporat
ed towns.
For the same reason, the governor
has hesitated in making an appoint
ment of a school superintendent for
the territory, desiring first to secure
an opinion from the department of
justice concerning the points in doubt.
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Improvements at the Windsor.
Practically the entire second and
third floors of the Windsor hotel have
been repapered and thoroughly reno
vated and the work of beutifylng the
lobby and other parts of the ground
floor are now under way.
EDES WILL GO
Work on the Alaska Northern rail
road will be continued all winter by
the government enginerring commis
sion and the force of men will be
gradually increased from this time
forward. Mr. Edes will probably go
to Washington In November but his
departure will not mean the closing
down of the work. There is still left
some of the money appropriated in
spite of the enormous amount of
equipment secured and the extensive
nature of the operations. The amount
of winter work to be done on the
Alaska Northern, according to Mr.
Edes himself, will depend on the sort
of weather conditions prevailing dur
ing the coming season.
The question was put direct to the
chairman of the commission this
morning as to whether the commis
sion would recommend the making of
a large appropriation at the com
mencement of the session of congress
which will meet in December and he
stated that certainly they would try
to secure all the money they could.
An attempt to learn how much
money still remains at the disposal of
the commission was unsuccessful but
it is apparently sufficient to enable
the work to be carried on near Seward
as long as the weather permits and
this is the chief consideration at pres
ent. New men will be kept going on
as occasion arises.—Seward Gateway.
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HAUL COAL TO FAIRBANKS
IN 2 YEARS, SAYS RIGGS
Thomas Riggs, member of the En
gineering commission announces that
within two years the government rail
road will be hauling coal to Fairbanks.
This statement has created a feeling
of the greatest optimism as it is
known the coming of coal will result
in large work in the mining line. Mr.
Riggs is on his way to the states for
an absence of three weeks but will re
turn with his family and make his
home at Fairbanks.
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GOVERNOR TO ATTEND FAIR
ON ALASKA DAY, OCT. 18
Governor and Mrs. J. F. A. Strong
will visit the Panama-Pacific Expo
sition at San Francisco next month
and will be at the Fair on October 18,
which is “Alaska Day." Th eGov
ernor has been invited by the exposi
tion management, to speak, and appro
priate ceremonies will be held.
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New Hospital for Seward.
If all the plans work out satis
factorily Seward will soon have a
large hospital conducted by the latest
methods and capable of accommodat
ing a large number of patients if
necessary. Father Van der Pol, & J.
is now said to be working on the mat
ter.—Seward Gateway.
SEES GREAT POSSIBILITIES
CORDOVA’S ORE SHIPMENTS
R. E. Murphy, of the DuPont Pow
der Company, who has returned from
an extended business trip to the west
ward and reports that business con
ditions throughout the country cov
ered in his journey appear to be ex
cellent. "The copper boom has done
a great deal for the country out there
and the monthly shipments from Cor
dova have been running as high as
$2,000,000 for the last three months,”
said Mr. Murphy today, “and I be
lieve that if the demand keeps up a
great many of the towns out there
which have been slightly depressed
will surely get on on their feet again."
—Juneau Empire.
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SMITHSONIAN EXPEDITION
RETURNS TO NOME
Four members of the Smithsonian
institution expedition have returned
to Nome on the power schooner Eagle
after a year in the Arctic along the
Siberian coast.
They have been gathering speci
mens of fossils, mammals, birds, floral,
etc., and have a large and exceedingly
valuable collection.
All of the members of the party are
well.
They are under the direction of
Johann Koren who remained In the
Arctic last winter. His feet were
frozen and he lost three Ungers from
one hand and one finger from the
other owing to frost bite.
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NEW HOTEL BUILDING TO
BE ERECTED AT ANCHORAGE
J. E. Roberts, wife and daughter,
formerly of Fairbanks were passen
gers on the Admiral Evans for An
chorage, where Mr. Roberts will open
a hotel, pool and billiard parlors and
a bowling alley. All material for the
buildings and his outfit was abaord
the Evans. <
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