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I AND ' COLD, C0AL : DF TOE i A ST ! i 1 C0PPER • FRONTIER , - and 1 AN°™H 11 - THE ALASKA EVENING POST ___ V I vt : ,,, SEWARD, ALASKA, THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1917 Ten Cents the Copy Volume \1. Number 111_'_ Alaska Purchased by Seward Fifty Years Ago Tonight at a Card Table The real story of the purchase of Alaska, or rather,.the final move after a long series of confer ences, is contained in a fragment ot Frederick W. Seward’s story of his father’s purchase ot Alaska from Russia for the United States in 1867 as told in Re miniscences of a \\ artime Statesman and Diplomat. On the evening of Friday, March 29, Seward was playing whist in his parlor with some ot his tamilj, when the Russian minister was announced. •i have a dispatch. Mr. Seward, from my govern ment by cable. The emperor gives his consent to the cession. Tomorrow, if you like, 1 will come to the de partment and we can enter upon the treaty.” » j Seward with a smile of satisfaction, pushed away the whist table, saying: “Why wait until tomorrow, Mr. Stoeckl? Let us make the treaty tonight-” “But your department is closed. You have no | clerks, and my secretaries are scattered about the town.” i “Never mind that,” responded Seward. “If you can muster your legation together before midnight _—___—————■——■—■ V you will find me awaiting you at the department, which will be open and ready for business.” In less than two hours afterward light was streamfcig out of the windows of the state department, and apparently business was going on as at midday. By 4 o’clock Saturday morning the treaty was signed, sealed and ready for transmission by the president to the senate. There was need of this haste in order to have it acted upon before the end of the session, then near at hand. Hollweg Weakening in Face of the Cry for j Freedom is Report (By United States ('able) LONDON, Thursday, March 29. — Information re ceived direct from Germany by wireless today assures; those interested tha» G'jand Chancellor Bethmann Holl weg in his coming speech to the reichstag, will not only offer a large measure of electoral reform but also a pos sible modification of the submarine campaign in an eleventh hour attempt to stave off : war with the United States. Vital reasons for the proposed liberality in elections is seen in the action of the appeal from the workingmen of Russia to the people of Germany, asking them to rise against imperial laile for freedom and the end of the war. | RUSSIANS ENCOURAGE TEUTONS TO REVOLT PETROGRAD, Thursday, March 29—Mass meetings of working men, soldiers and deputies fiom the duma, is sued an appeal today to the workmen of Germany and Austria, to rise in revolt against imperial rule and estab lish freedom._I GQMPERS BEGINS PREPARATION TO MOBILIZE LABOR IN CASE OF WAR (By United State* Cable) WASHINGTON, Thursday, March 29.—Gompers and Secretary Wilson, of the department of labor, are in con ference today, perfecting plans for the mobilization of organized labor throughout the country in event of war. Plans are Icing perfected to throw the organized forces of skilled labor into work on munitions of war in event of conflict. WASHINGTON GUARD IN CAMP SATURDAY SEATTLE, Thursday, March 29. — All units of the Washington infantry of the national guard have been or dered to assemble at American lake Saturday. ! CHAMBERLAIN FOR UNIVERSAL TRAINING WASHINGTON, March 29.—Senator Chamberlain in a written address to congress has asked the president to indorse a system of universal military training. HI GILL THREATENS TO SUE TIMES • (By United MUtes Cable) SEATTLE, Thursday, March 29. — Mayor Gill an-1 nounced today that he will sue the Seattle Times for $50,-! 000 because the paper intimated in its issue of yesterday I that Furth paid him $5,000. Indications today are that the case will notf reach the jury until tomorrow. RUSH 1250 TONS OF POWOEH FOR R1 j SEATTLE, Thursday, March 29.—Bids were opened; today by the Alaskan Engineering Commission for 2,500, 000 pounds of black powder and dynamite for con struction purposes on the Anchorage division of the gov ernment railroad. This powder is to be shipped north j at an early date. FIRST SAILING OF SEASON FOR ANCHORAGE Barges and Tug Expected to Reach Head of Inlet Today The S. S. Alameda, Captain Clinger, left here with nearly 200 passengers and 500 tons of freight on the initial, trip of the year to Anchorage, but there is some doubt as to her being | able to discharge there, this being a month in advance of the usual opening of navigation on the inlet. Advices received early Uy*.^yyfrem government officials at Anchorage stated that the tug Annie W., with barges on which to discharge freight had not yet arrived. Captain Petersen, of the tug L. j Roscoe left on the Admiral Watson with instructions to get the tug and barges through to head of the inlet Conflicting reports have been re ceived as to ice conditions in the low er inlet. A north wind following the recent high tide which floated the ice off the flats cleared Knik Arm, for cing the floes into Turnagain Arm and down to Forelands. It is the intention of Captain Clinger to go through to Anchorage if possible and discharge his passen gers there at any event. In case some mishap has delayed the barges the freight will be discharged either at Seldovia or Port Graham or in case conditions make this impractical it will be brought back here. Both railroad officials and steam boat mea are exceedingly anxious that the cargo be landed at Anchorage, as it is needed to enable early activities^ If the ice is sufficiently broken up to enable discharging of cargoes from freighters now on the way, work on Turnagain Arm section will be con siderably advanced. The steamer brought the following passengers for Seward: W. L. Haker,; N. P. Hansen, Mrs. Harriet Stevens,; Mrs. 1. M. Anderson and baby, T. M. I West and forty-fi 'e steerage. ADMIRAL WATSON SAILS WESTWARD i The Admiral Watson arrived from I Seattle this morning at an early hour, after making several extra stops for passengers and freight. The follow ing were the first-cabin passengers for this port: Gaston Hardy, Paul Lyons, F. N. Lyons, Sidney Gaylord, J. H. Barthoff, C. A. Johnson, Mrs. C. E. Smith, Tom Murphy, J. S. Prichard, W. R. Walker, W. J. O'Brien, M. B. Summers, John Edwards, Jacob Doshon, C. W. Morris, C. E. Lind quist, Miss Theda Reed, and twenty four third-cabin passengers. The Watson sailed west to discharge freight at Port Graham and Seldovia, SEWARD DAY TO DE CELEBRATED ! FOR FIRST TIME Anniversary of Purchase From Russia Will be Observed - Seward will join in the initial celebration of Seward Day to morrow. Both banks will clone and there will be no issue of the Seward Gateway. <♦-:-■- ■ - (Bf United State* Cable) JUNEAU, Thursday, March 20.— “Seward Day,” marking the anniver sary of the purchase of Alaska from Russia, will be observed tomorrow for the first time, it having today been declared a legal holiday by the legis lature. Governor Strong will sign the bill at the Grand Igloo dance of the Pioneers tonight. The legislature also established Lincoln’s birthday, February 12, as a legal holiday in the territory. FRANK COTTER CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL Frank Cotter is a candidate for the council, his petition being filed this afternoon. The petition was circulated by Cotter’s friends yesterday, he be ing at Anchorage. lie was called by phone this morning and agreed to its being filed. BOATS AMD TRAINS The Admiral Watson arrived at 2 o’clock this morning and left at 5 o’clock for Seldovia, and is due here at noon tomorrow. The Alameda sailed for Anchorage at 11:30 this morning. The Alaska will sail from Seattle I tomorrow for Seward a?id way ports. Train will leave Monday morning at 9 o’clock for Mile 40. TRAILS Trails fair, with a temperature of -10 at Mile 71; -8 at 52, and -12 at Mile 34. THE WEATHER V Yesterday. Maximum . 35 Minimum . 10 Current .. 35 * W’ind ... North Weather . Clear ♦ m W EATHER TOMORROW’ Increasing winds and warmer.. I German Cruiser Now in I Southern Waters After Its Raid in Indian Ocean (Hjr United State* ( able) VANCOUVER, B. C., Thursday, March 29.—Show ! :ng unexpected strength of guns and power of offense, a ! German commerce raider operating in the South Pacific, ! sunk a Japanese causer, according to advices received ' here today from Tokyo, by cable to the Canadian News. The name or class of the cruiser was not allowed to pass the censor, but the engagement is understood to have ; occurred somewhere near the steamer lanes between here and Australia. _ a> RAIDERS SEEN IN INDIAN OCEAN »B* United State* Cable) TOKYO, Thursday, March 29.—Japanese and British warships are tracing the course of a converted German cruiser sighted in the Indian ocean two weeks ago. Prior to the last time she was reported the raider had sunk one Japanese freight steamer. At the same time an armed merchantman operating in company with the raider destroyed two British steam ers off Colombo, Ceylon. FRENCH CHECKED IN CHAMPAGN i SECTOR (Bj United Siatea Cable) BERLIN, Thursday, March 29.—French troops fad ed in a furious effort to regain positions recently taken from them in the Champagne district, according to army headquarters reports received today. .— ALLIED VICTORY IN PALESTINE (By United Slates Cable) LONDON, Thursday, March 27.—The British army in Palestine has defeated a Turkish force of 20,000 men, capturing 900, including the entire divisional staff of the third Turkish division. McDonald out i FOR MAYOR; HENRY fPOR THE COUNCIL 0 Sam McDonald, proprietor of the Seward Drug store, and William Henry, realty dealer, announced their candidacy yesterday afternoon, the former for mayor and the latter for council. The entry of McDonald and Henry into the race, according to Me-; Donald, came about from a mutual agreement following overtures by their supporters. “Henry agreed to be a canidate if I would come out for mayor and so our friends are circulat-, ting the petitions,” said McDonald in an interview. Speaking for himself, Henry’ stated that' he was a candidate. Petitions placing Henry’ and McDonald in nomination were filed this morning. LEON URBACH ENTERS RACE FOR MAYOR OF CITY Leon Urbach, proprietor of the store bearing his name, announced his candidacy for mayor yesterday after noon. He stated that while he knew it to be the duty of every man in the community to do his part, he would rather that some other of those who hold the same belief as himself be a candidate, but after repeated request* and the final refusal of others he w’as asked to make the race, he agreed to do his part. Urbach's petition wras circulated yesterday afternoon and will be filed today. Sam Jensen arrived on the train last night from Lynx creek.