FIFTH YEAR
OH] TINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1915.
NUMBER 37.
__A_
War News Summary
Eleven Months
Fighting
One year ago Monday the Austrian
Archduke, Francis Ferdinand, and his
wife were shot and killed in the little
Bosnian town of Serajevo by Garvio
f Prinzip. It was the act of Prinzip, a
poor student, which ultimately re
sulted in ten nations going to war.
These nations are, on one hand, Great
Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Japan,
Belgium, Italy and Montenegro, and,
on the other, Germany, Austria and
Turkey. The war to date, according
to conservative estimates .compiled
from the best available reports, has
caused a loss to the various belliger
ents of more than six million men,
dead, wounded and prisoners, and
more than five hundred ships. Of
these about 120 were war vessels.
The outstanding results on land are
these:
The greater portion of Belgium is
under the control of Germany.
Germany has been driven from the
„Far East.
A part of the Dardanelles is in the
^ possession of the Allied troops.
Portions of France and Russia are
in the possession of German troops.
A strip of Alsace has been taken
from Germany.
On the continent of Africa parts of
territorial possessions have been lost
by both sides.
Various island possessions of Ger
many have been taken by the forces
of the Allies.
Italian troops are in possession of
a strip of Austrian territory.
The outstanding results at sea are
these:
German and Austrian mercantile
^ shipping has been driven from all the
open seas.
German and Austrian war vessels
having a total displacement of approx
imately 257,000 tons have been
destroyed.
War vessels of the Allied nations
having a total displacement of approx
mately 192,000 tons have been sent to
the bottom.
The greater portions of the German
and Allied fleets in the North Sea re
main intact.
Except for communication through
Holland and the Scandinavian nations,
Germany is cut oft from the rest of the
world.
Efforts on the part of the Oermans
to place the British Isles in a slmiliar
predicament has resulted in the sink
ing by submarines of hundreds of ves
sels flying the flags of the allied and
neutral nations.
The sinking in this manner of the
Cunard liner Lusitania with the loss
of more than 100 American lives pre
cipitated a request upon the part of
United States that such practices in
sofar as they might menace Ameri
cans, be stopped.
Prinzip’s crime was committed on
June 28. An investigation disclosed
what was alleged to be proof that the
assassin was the tool of a group of
Serbians. On July 23, after consider
able correspondence and negotiations
Hfcn ultimatum was sent to Serbia by
the Austro-Hungarian government,
which Serbia declined to meet A
week later a general mobilization of
Russian troops along the German bor
der #was ordered and the following
day Germany declared war on Russia.
The news of that event was followed
in a few hours by the announcement
that a general mobilization had been
ordered by the French cabinet.
On August 2, German troops entered
Luxembourg and Germany demanded
free passage through Belgium to the
French frontier. This was refused
t|^nd two days later Great Britain dis
patched an ultimatum demanding that
the n^itrality of Belgium be main
tained. The ultimatum rejected, Ger
man forces attacked Liege. On the
same day President Wilson issued a
proclamation of neutrality,
The following day saw the declara
tion by Great Britain of a state of war
with Germany, and two days later the
Germans entered Liege as the French
invaded southern Alsaca.
These events quickly followed by an
affirmation on the part of Italy for her
neutrality, by an Austrian invasion of
Serbia and by the sending by Japan
of an ultimatum to Germany. This
had to do with the German possession
of Kiao-Chow of which Tsingtau was
the port.
By August 17 the first British expe
ditionary force had completed its
landing in France and on that day
there began also a fierce battle on the
Jader between the Austrian and Ser
bian troops. Victory was with the
Serbian arms after five days of fight
ing and the Austrians were routed.
In the meanwhile the battle of Lor
raine had opened and the German
troops had entered Brussels, the Bel
gian capital.
A few dayB later, August 23, the
victorious Germans entered Namur
and began an attack on Mons, de
fended principally by the first British
expeditionary force. The next day
the British troops began a retreat
from their position and from then on
until September the German troops
drove through France under the lead
ership of General Von Kluck. Zeppe
lins bombarded Antwerp; the French
were forced to evacuate Mulhausen;
the Germans took and swept over
Aongwy and reached Senlis, 30 miles
from Paris, where the columns swung
to the eastward. The French gov
ernment fled to Bordeaux.
In the meanwhile German and Aus
trian troops had met the Russians. A
victory at Krasnik was announced by
the Austrian government on August
23 while on August 29 the German
army under General von Hindenburg
defeated another Russian force in a
battle at Tanneburg, which lasted
three days. Louvain was burned by
the Germans on the same day that the
Japanese blockade of Tsingtau was
begun. The blockade was maintained
more than two months before Tsing
tau surrendered.
Two days after the French govern
ment moved to Bordeaux, the battle of
the Marne was begun, a few hours
before Russian troops succeeded in
occupying Lemberg, the capital of
Galicia.
Before the French and British
troops, the Germans in France were
forced to retreat as far as the Aisne.
Events of the next few days included
the bombardment of Rheims by the
Germans, and the sinking by a Ger
man submarine of the British cruisers
Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue. On the
same day the Russian troops attacked
Przemysl and took Jaroslav.
British troops from India were
landed from transports at Marseilles
on September 26 and were immedi
ately dispatched to the northward.
Before their arrival at their destina
tion the Germans had inaugurated a
siege of Antwerp, which resulted in
the Belgian government moving from
that city to Ostend. Two days later
the bombardment of Antwerp began.
The Belgian government remained at
Ostend for about a week and then re
moved to Havre, France. Forty-eight
Jrours later the Germans captured
Ostend. Meanwhile the allied troops
occupied Ypres, and a desperate
battle had begun on the Vistula river,
•erman assaults upon the allied lines
between Ypres and Nieuport con
tinued for a week and then weakened.
The Germans operating in Russia
meantime had been defeated after a
ten days battle before Warsaw.
In Africa revolt and mutiny broke
out. These disorders were headed by
the Boer leader, General de Wet, Gen
eral Beyers, Colonel Maritz and
others. Colonel Maritz was driven
from Cape Colony, General Beyers
was killed at Vaal river, and General
de Wet was captured after he had
been in the held for more than a
month. Native troops in the African
provinces belonging to Germany,
Great Britain and France were lined
up on the borders of the respective
provinces. Fighting was general. Dur
ing the latter part of October the
British dreadnought Audacious was
sunk off the Irish coast, the Russians
successfully attacked Lodz and
Radom, driving out the invading Ger
mans. Turkey joined the war at that
juncture by naval operations in the
Black Sea. Odessa was attacked.
November opened with a German
naval victory over a British squadron
off the coast of Chile and the Turkish
warships bombarded Sebastopol. Two
days later German warships ventured
from their anchorage behind the naval
base at Heligoland and bombarded the
British coast In the vicinity of Yar
mouth. On November 6, Great Britain
and France declared war on Turkey
and the forts guarding the entrance
to the Dardanelles were bombarded
by a fleet of allied English and French
warships. On the north the Russians
reoccupled Jaroslav after several days
of ferocious fighting.
German cruisers yhich had been
stationed in foreign waters at the
opening of the war had by that time
given a good account of themselves.
The Emden operating in the Indian
Ocean and adjacent waters overtook
and sunk more than a score of mer
1 cantile ships belonging to the nations
allied against Germany before she was
1 finally run down and destroyed off
1 Cocos Island. In the Atlantic the
' Karlsruhe and a number of auxiliary
cruisers, performed similar duties.
They too sent to the bottom more
than a score of ships.
On land the armies of the belliger
ents settled down to hold their posi
tions for the winter months. Activi
ties frjom November 11, when the
German forces captured Dixmude, re
sulted in Russian defeats at Vlots
lavek, Lopno and Kutno. The battle
in Flanders progressed at intervals,
vigorous actions taking place and
thousands of men on both sides being
killed or wounded. Intrenched for the
winter, the armies contented them
selves principally with holding the
positions they had gained. In the
Serbian-Austrian campaign there was
considerable activity during the early
winter months. The Austrians occu
pied Belgrade, the Serbian capital on
December 2, and retained it until De
cember 15, when, after the Serbians
had captured large forces of Aus
trians, they were driven back into
their own territory.
In East Prussia during the winter
there was severe fighting, resulting in
the loss of many men, dead, wounded
and captured. The German armies
operating in East Prussia held off and
dispatched a Russian army of vast
proportions, finally driving it hack
well Into its own territory.
On the sea, a British squadron sig
nally defeated the German squadron
which was victorious off Chile. This
engagement took place off the Falk
land Islandg. German cruisers bom
barded Hartlepool and Scarborough,
and the German armored cruiser
Bluecher was sunk in the North Sea
by a section of the British fleet oper
ating there. German submarines be
came especially active during the win
ter months, sinking many warships
and merchantmen.
March opened with an announce
ment of British reprisal measures
against the Germans for the submar
ine warfare and the development of
battle in France.
British troops in France again be
came active, makit v a notable ad
vance at Neuve Chapelle. By the end
of March the Russian troops had
penetrated Dukla Pass and entered
Hungary. April saw the beginning of i
violent assaults upon the German
lines by the French east of Verdun
and the Meuse. The French stormed
the German position at Les Eparges
and about the same time it was offi
cially announced that the total of
British casualties to that date were
139,347. By the middle of April the
Russians had penetrated Hungary to
a point 20 miles over the border, and
the Germans had begun a successful
assault upon the allied lines near
Ypres. For several weeks the armies
struggled back and forth losing
thousands of men, gaining ground one
day and being forced to evacuate their
positions the next. In Galicia during
the first three days of May the Ger
man-Austrian forces broke through
the Russian lines and forced a retreat.
Fifty thousand prisoners, it was re
cited were taken.
Around Ypres the British forces lost
ground and were finally forced to
evacuate an especially strong position
they had gained at an elevation desig
nated as Hill No. 60. Almost simul
taneously the Russians began a re
treat from the Carpathian passes and
while this was In progress the Cunard
liner Lusitania, bound from New York
to Liverpool was sent to the bottom
by a torpedo fired by a German sub
marine. Approximately 1,200 lives
were lost in the disaster.
The loss of Americans in the Lusi
tania and other vessels which were
victims of Germany’s submarine war
fare resulted in President Wilson pro
testing against a continuance of such
tactics.
On May 23, Italy declared war on
Austria-Hungary after having de
nounced early in the month the Triple
Alliance Treaty. The declaration of
war was quickly followed by raids
upon the Italian coast cities by Aus
trian aeroplanes. The Italian army
struck across the border into Austria
with Trieste and Trent as objectives.
During all this time the allied war
ships in the Dardanelles had been
keeping up practically a continuous
bombardment of the short forts. Num
erous warships of different types were
sunk. Transports were hurried to the
scene and troops were landed. On
June 3, the Austro-German forces re
occupied Przemysl.
During June the Serbians Inaugur
ated a campaign to secure a seaport
on the Adriatic. Troops were sent
across the border into Albania, with
the seaport of Durazzo as an objec
tive. Montenegro also dispatched
troops into Albania, an independent
nation recognized by the chief pow
ers at the close of the Balkan War.
Dirigible airships and aeroplanes
made numerous raids during the win
ter and spring. London and Warsaw
were the objective of a number of
trips made by Zeppelin airships, while
Paris was visited by hostile aero
planes. French and British aircraft
attacked various points in Germany,
dropping explosive and fire bombs.
-:o:
Notice has been received by the
Juneau land office of the decision of
the commissioner in regard to the
case of the United States vs. Wendell
McLaughlin, assignee of E. J. Rath
bone. McLaughlin had filed a coal
claim in the Bering River district and
the government sustains the charge
of fraud in that McLaughlin failed to
open a coal mine, as required by law.
-:o:
Just received a new shipment of
STYLEPLUS Clothes at S. BLUM &
Co.
Mr. George C. Hazelet returned yes
terday from a week’s visit to Anchor
age observing the conditions there,
and moving around the country some
what. A representative of the Times
interviewed Mr. Hazelet this morning
to secure his impressions of the new
town and Mr. Hazelet talked freely
about the railroad work there, and the
possibilities of the country. He said:
"I went to Anchorage to investigate
conditions in the town for my own
satisfaction and to size up the busi
ness at first hand.
“I found the largest tent town I ever
saw—from 2,000 to 2,500 people are
fed, housed and their wants, in a way,
taken care of in tents, all located on
the government railway terminal
ground.
“There are from 25 to 30 restaurants
and as many lodging houses, ranging
from 8x10 to 16x24 feet There are
from 12 to 15 places were groceries
are sold, running from peanut stands
with sugar, coffee and the staples, up
to fair stocks of groceries, Including
fresh vegetables and fruits, and more
are coming in with each boat There
are two or three pjaces where men’s
furnishings goods are sold in conjunc
tion with hardware, etc., and as many
dry goods and ladles’ furnishings
places. The town has 15 or 20 barber
shops, and one bath tent six laundries,
two watch and clock repair shops,
three tin shops*, Ats transfer outfits,
two drug stores, one sawmill, one ptc
ture show, one newspaper, several
lawyers, no saloons, but plenty of
booze, ten cigar stores, with several
real estate and brokerage firms.
Numerous other small businesses are
represented.
“There are 600 to 700 men out of
work. The railway officials tell me
they employ 1,000 men in all capaci
ties. The work is strung along 20
miles from Anchorage, towards the
Matanuska River, let out in station
work. The right of way is cleared
beyond that for some distance. Com
mon labor is 37% an hour, eight
hours work, with a shut down on Sun
day. Carpenters receive from 40 to
60 cents per hour.
“It is said to be the intention of the
government to dredge out a dock site
and put in a concrete dock, with lock.
This is necessary because of the ex
treme tide of 42.6 feet, the second
highest in the world, and the ice con
ditions that prevail during the winter.
"Agents of the government are ad
vertising that Anchorage is to be the
ocean terminus, that coal bunkers will
be erected, and a naval base estab
lished. It Is evident it Is their Inten
tion to make it an open port the year
around if possible. However, this is
not believed to be possible by men
that are familiar with conditions. I
talked with a number of men, bo me of
whom have lived in Cooks Inlet for
the past 26 years, and all of whom
have operated boats . In that section
and they are unanimous In the opinion
that It cannot be done. They explain
that immense ice gorges pile up clear
across the Inlet In any ordinary win
ter, and move back and forth with the
tide, sometimes for a distance of 60
miles. The Inlet as a whole does not
freeze over, hence it is not a question
for an ice breaker, but the ice and
snow freeze in masses 10 to 15 feet
thick, and move back and forth from
5 to 11 miles per hour, owing to the
stage of the tide.
"My observations were that boats
are required to wait for the tide to go
in any direction from Anchorage. In
fact, the book says that sea-going ves
sels should not attempt to go in over
the bar between Fire Island and Mc
Kenzie Point, at less than half tide.
To go to Knik Arm from Anchorage
one must wait until the tide is flood
ing, and to get out of the Arm must
wait until it ebbs. The same applies
to Turnagain Arm. Leaving Anchor
age from Turnagain Arm, one muiit go
out on the ebb tide, and lie back of
Fire Island until the tide turns, and
go up the Arm with the flood, and
reverse the thing to get back.
"It is said that 300 homesteads
have been taken up, from Anchorage
up the Matanuska, and in and around
Knik. An examination of the ground
gt Anchorage, Knik, Hope and Sun
rise, showed a deposit of a light
ftlluvial soil from six inches to one
foot in depth, .underlaid with gravel,
'the soil appears very productive for
Vegetables, but in dry weather it is so
light it blows away very rapidly, sim
ilar to the soil in all sections of
Alaska, so far as my observations
have extended.
“Dissatisfaction on all sides is rife
at Anchorage. This, ohewever, is
common to all big new enterprises.
There seem to be several bones of
contention between the people and
the government officials, such a low
wages, short hours, employment of
foreigners, discrimination against
Americans, etc. The principal objec
tion offered, however, seems to be
against the method of handling the
townsite. The fact that any one indi
vidual may purchase all of the lots, or
as many as he likes, and that these
may be transferred to other parties,
opens a good way for speculation and
pooling, and prevents the man of
small means from getting a foothold
in the town. Nothing is discussed so
much these days in Anchorage, as the
townsite problem. I quote what you
hear on the street anywhere:
‘“Here is a mass of 2,000 people
Bquatted on the government terminals,
from which they must soon move,
many of them with juBt enough money
to build a small building and start
their business, forced to bid against
some fellow from the states who has
plenty of money and desires to specu
late. This is un-American, and
llrectly opposed to the avowed policy
of the administration. Why is it
lone?*
"1 was told that a petition signed
by 2,000 had been sent to President
Wilson on June 27th, protesting
against the disposition of the lots to
the highest bidder, without restriction
as to number or building clauses.
"The conclusion I arrived at after
a week’s examination of the town situ
ation, was that during the construc
tion period of the railway, Anchorage
will do a fairly good business In a
small way; that after the road is
completed, Anchorage will be the
ocean terminus for governmental
operations, seven or eight months of
each year, and that the balance of the
year there will be but little business.
I arrived at this conclusion because
from the best information I could ob
tain, it will not be possible to main
tain an all the year around ocean ser
vice. I obtained the information from
men that have spent 15 to 25 years in
Cook’s Inlet, and whose interests are
there.
“The amount of tonnage to be
shipped from the port must neces
sarily depend on future development,
for at the present time there is abso
lutely none in sight save a possible
125,000 tons of coal annually for naval
use on the Pacific, and this amount is
gradually being reduced each year by
the replacement of coal by oil as a
fuel. To my mind this condition will
create a serious problem for the oper
ating engineer of the government rail
way, and that problem will be how to
make the railway pay even operating
expenses when it is completed.