FOURTH YEAR. CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1914 NUMBER 29 *
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SPECITY EXCURSION WILL LEAVE SEATTLE
SEATTLE, May 4.—President H. F. Alexander,
of the Pacific-Alaska Navigation Company, expects
soon to bring a big excursion to Alaska, leaving here
on the steamer Admiral Sampson, sailing May 15. He
has invited 200 of the representative business and
newspaper men of Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland, to
> be his guests for the round trip on the Sampson. In
> the party will also be Governor Lister of Washington
> state, and Governor Strong of Alaska. President
> Alexander contemplates stops in the Southeastern
> Alaska towns, and Cordova, Valdez, Seward and
> Cook’s Inlet points, so that the guests may get an idea
> of the various industries on the coast.
>
VERA CRUZ, May 5.—The Constitutionalists at Tampico
have notified Admiral Mayo that if any of the American
warships attempted to enter the Panquo river the oil
reservoirs above the city would be emptied into the stream and
ignited. This they point out would mean the certain destruc
tion of the town.
VERA CRUZ, May 4.—The cruiser Montana sailed this
afternoon with the bodies of the dead American marines.
Honors were paid by the American vessels, the British, French
and Spanish vessels joining.
EL PASO, May 4.—General Carranza has firmly declined
the suggestion of the mediators that the Constitutionalists
cease hostilities pending settlement of the Mexican troubles.
VERA CRUZ, May 4.—Since the middle of last week
Robert J. Kerr, an attorney formerly of Chicago, but recently
of Mexico City, ha., been acting as civil governor. This
morning he handed over the reigns of authority to »General
Funston, who will be iu command of the city*
WASHINGTON, May 2.—Admiral Howard, commander
of the American vessels on the west coast reports to the
department here that Mexican federals had seized an
American brig, which was afterwards released and an
apology extended upon demand of the commander of the
cruiser Raleigh. The federals thought that war had been
declared on the Uuited States, and did not know to the
contrary until informed by American officers.
SAN DIEGO, May 2.—Two hundred and sixty refugees
from Mexico arrived, last evening at this port on the German
steamship Marie. They include all nationalities.
MEXICO CITV, May 2.—Minister of War Blanquet i
yesterday signed an order stopping the execution of Dr. i
Edward Ryan, who had been placed under arrest while in the
service of the United States looking after refugees. He had
been sentenced to death by General Maas, but Secretary Bryan
made such a vigorous protest that the intended execution will
not take place. This morning Huerta ordered that Ryan be
released and sent to Mexico City.
MEXICO CITV, May 2.—Senor Rojas, the foreign
minister, and Senor Ruiz, his assistant, have resigned because'
of a conflict with Huerta.
MEXICO CITV, May 2.—President Huerta this morning j
issued an order prohibiting commerce with the United States
and directing that the entrance of American vessels be
rejected. He also declared the custom house at Vera Cruz
closed to international traffic.
VERA CRUZ, May 1.—The Ward Line steamship Antilla,
flying the Cuban flag, was fired upon by both federals and
rebels near Tampico. The steersman of the vessel was killed.
WASHINGTON, May 1.—Admiral Tlios. B. Howard has
cabled from the west coast that “all available steamers are
crowded with refugees.” It is expected to afford more
facilities for their departure.
WASHINGTON, May 1.—The report that Dr. Edward
Ryan, who is in the service of the United States looking after
refugees, was to be executed today in Mexico City, has greatly
excited Secretary Bryan. He immediately made urgent
representations to the Spanish ambassador, who is Huerta’s
representative here, that Huerta had accepted the proposal
that there were to be no further hostilities pending efforts of
the envoys to secure a settlement. Secretary Bryan stated that
he took it for granted that there would be no further
hostilities at this time.
SENATOR WOULD RECOGNIZE
DR. COOK AS DISCOVERER
WASHINGTON, May 1.—Quite an excitement
was ei'eated in the Senate yesterday afternoon by a
resolution offered bv Senator Miles Poindexter, of
Washington state. He advocated the adoption of a
resolution recognizing Dr. Cook as the discoverer of
the North Pole, and granting him a medal for his
hazardous performance. In his speech he insisted that
all the evidence tends to prove that Cook and not
Peary reached the Pole. This raises an issue that
geographical societies have been disputing over but
which Congress is not anxious to reopen. At first it
was thought that the senator was in a jocular mood,
but he soon demonstrated that lie was serious.
#1 -
WASHINGTON, May 1.—Late this afternoon Secretary
Lane announced that the President had made his first appoint
ments of members of the Alaska Engineering Commission.
They are William C. Edes and Lieut. Frederick Mears, and will
have charge of the location and construction of some of the
railroads in Alaska.
These engineers are instructed to proceed to Alaska
immediately and to begin the work of locating routes. They
will first start at the southwest coast of Alaska and go through
to the Susitna Valley and on to the Tanana river.
In making announcement of these first appointments
Secretary Lane said: “Mr. Edes is at present the chief engineer
of the Northwestern Pacific railroad in California, and for the
last 25 years has been chief locating engineer for the Santa Fe
and Southern Pacific lines, for which roads he located and
built some of the most difficult mountain railroads in Cali,
fornia, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico. Lieut.
Mears is the chief engineer of the Panama Railroad, and was
suggested for this work by Col. George W. Goethals. Before
entering the army Lieut. Mears was engineer on the Great)
Northern railway, under John L- Stevens.”
It is known that for several weeks Secretary Lane has been
in conference with representatives of the Alaska Syndicate,
and that many letters have also passed, with reference to the
government taking over the Copper River & Northwestern
Railroad, and building a branch line from Chitina to Fairbanks
and from Mile 38 into the Bering River coal fields. It is
understood that the present railroad owners submitted several
propositions which would pracitcally give the government the
option of leasing with privilege of buying, traffic arrangements,
purchase outright on an agreed conservative figure, purchase
by- condemnation, etc. Or if the government builds connecting
roads with the C. R. & N. W. it is said the present owners
would be willing to lease the new lines. It is difficult, however,
to learn the decision of the President and Secretary Lane in
the matter.
WASHINGTON, May 4.—Late this afternoon President
Wilson named Thomas Riggs, Jr., as a member of the Alaska
Engineering Commission. It is expected that he will soon
leave for Alaska. He is a particular friend of Secretary Lane.
WASHINGTON, May 4.—Lieut. Mears and Williams G.
Edes, members of the Alaska Engineering Commission, have
bad frequent conferences since their appointment on Friday.
In mapping out the transportation needs of the board they have
finally decided that Seward and not Valdez should be the first
base of operations, and as a consequence they will establish
their headquarters at Seward. In speaking on this subject Mr.
Edes said: “We have to go somewhere where we can get board
and lodging and other accommodations, and Seward seems to
meet this need better than any other place.”
In referring to the plans of the commission, Lieutenant
Mears said, “Our first work will be from Fairbanks. We plan
to put our first large locating party in the field from there. We
will work along the Tanana and through the Nenana coal
fields down to the Susitna river country. We propose to get
that party in the field at the earliest possible moment. But Mr.
Edes and 1 will go to Seward to establish headquarters there.
I expect to start for Seattle sometime the present week.”
Jack Dalton, of Cordova, is now in the city and has been
in consultation with the commission. He will probably be
appointed master of transportation in the construction of the
railway. Ilis work in getting out the coal from the Matanuska
field has so commended itself to the administration that they
consider Mr. Dalton, with his long residence and experience in
Alaska, as a man who would prove of great value in the moving
of material for construction.
WASHINGTON, May 5.—Governor J. F. A. Strong, of
Alaska called upon the members of the Alaska Engineering
Commission this morning and urged that qualified Alaskans
be given preference in selecting survey parties for the laying
out of the Alaska railroads. He states that-there are many
applicants from all parts .of the country, including Alaska,
and that they continue to come by telegraph. In afterwards
discussing his conference with a member of the press the
governor said:
“Both Mr. Edes and Lieut. Mears indicated to me that
they intended to put a large force of men in the field at once,
so that railway curveys can be practically completed during
the open season which is about to begin.”
SEATTLE, May 2.—A dispatch from Washington states
that the selection of the men announced and the instructions
given them means that the President and Secretary Lane look
with favor upon Portage Bay as a terminal point, and that if
physical conditions are favorable construction will commence
at the head of the bay, more particularly known as Passage
Canal, in the Port Wells section of Prince William Sound.
There is intense interest here in learning of the location of the
one or two terminal ports that will be established on Prince
William Sound. Hundreds of men, from the laborer to the
merchant and capitalist, are looking to the north with the idea
of swarming to the locality that seems to offer work for
laboringmen and advantages for investment or speculation.
HOUSE OF CONGRESS PASSES ALASKA BILL
WASHINGTON, May 4.—This afternoon the
House passed the Wickersham bill that aims to assist
the Territory of Alaska in collecting the revenues
provided by the legislature. The bill authorizes the
federal officials of Alaska to collect the license taxes
imposed by the legislature, which without authority
placed the burden of qollection on federal officials. A
subsequent opinion from the Attorney General declared
that federal officials had no authority to make collec
tions under the existing laws. Under the new bill the
collection will fall upon the U. S. Commissioners in the
various precincts, very largely as in the Territorial
bill.
\ ERA CRUZ, May 5.—A proclamation dated May 1, and
signed by the rebel leader Zapata, published in the Mexican
papers yesterday condemns to death Huerta and Minister
Blanquet. It further announces that the rebels will make an
attack on Mexico City today.
YY ASHINGTOX, May 5.—The envoys have wired General
( arranza that on account of his refusal to agree to an armistice
they withdraw their invitation for him to send representatives
to participate in the negotiations for a settlement of the
Mexican trouble.
YY ASHINGTOX, May .j.—Information has come to the
war department that the Mexican federals have , laced mines
under the railroad tracks between Vera Cruz and Mexico City.
This is in preparation for the destruction of the railroad in the
event the American forces attempt to march on the capital.
YY ASinXGTON, May 5.—Admiral Badger reports that
two more bluejackets, who were wounded in the taking of the
customs house at Y era Cruz, died this morning.
MEXICO CITY. May 5.—It has been learned that the
members of a commission sent by the Huerta government t»
induce Zapata and his followers to join the federals in case of
a foreign invasion, were seized while in the state of Morelos
and held as prisoners.
DENY ER, May 4.—The legislature of the state met in
special session today for the purpose of making an appropria
tion of funds to meet the deficit caused by the militia
operations in the strike zone.
TRINIDAD, May 4.—The coroner’s jury that has been
investigating the death of a number of people who lost their
lives in the fire at the Ludlow tent colony, returned a verdict
this morning. They declare that the fire was started by the
militia or mine guards, or both.
TRINIDAD, May 4.—Maj. Holbrook has ordered the
discontinuance of the importation of arms into the state of
Colorado for any purpose except for the use of the federal
troops.
DENY ER, May 2.—Late yesterday afternoon Governor
Ammons telegraphed to Secretary Garrison requesting addi
tional federal troops for northern Colorado.
YY7ASHINGTOX, May 2.—This morning the war depart
ment ordered the force of federal cavalrymen in Colorado to
be quadrupled. This is deemed necessary to secure control of
the situation created because of the conflict between the
striking miners and the strike breakers.
YY ASHINGTOX, May 2.—Maj. Holbrook, in charge of the
federal troops in the Colorado strike zone, reporting to Secre
tary Garrison, said that the opposing forces at YValsenburg
had agreed to surrender arms.
YY ASHINGTOX, May 2.—Representative Flood, of
Y irginia. who is a strong friend of Alaska, was very indignant
at the resolution offered by Representative Smith, to exchange
Southeastern Alaska to Canada for the agreement of Great
Britain to abrogate the Ilay-Pauncefote treaty. He says: “It
is absurd. Southeastern Alaska is the most valuable part of
the territory. It has enormously rich fisheries and other
natural resources that make it more valuable than any
consideration that Great Britain could give the United States
in return. Besides we are not going to part with any of our
Northern territory, but are going ahead to develop it to the
limit of its capacity.”
SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA
FOR ENGLAND’S FAVOR
WASHINGTON, May 1.—Another attempt is
being made to dispose of the Southeastern Alaska
panhandle. Representative Smith, of Maryland,
yesterday introduced in the House a resolution to give
Southeastern Alaska to Canada, in return for
England’s consent for the repeal of the Hav-Paunce
fote canal treaty. He declared that it would be in the
interest of peace to make the change. It is not likely,
however, that his motion will prevail as there is a
strong sentiment against disposing of this valuable
part of Alaska. Then among another element there is*
a feeling that the treaty is not in jeopardy, and the
contemplated exchange is unnecessary.