The weekly Alaska citizen., December 31, 1917, Image 1

About The weekly Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1917-1920

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THE WEEKLY ALASKA CITIZEN
VOI. VIII.FAIRBANKS, ALASKA. .'iONP.U MORNING, Pec. II, 1917NO. 45
BRITISH DRIVE TURKS BACK
OVER TWO MILES NORTHWEST
JERUSALEM OVER BIG FRONT
(Associated Press)
ASSOCIATED PRESS SUMMARY, Dec. 29.—The
Turkish armies in Palestine to the north and northwest oi
Jerusalem today attempted to start an oltensive movement
having for its object the recovery oi Jerusalem and the ex
pulsion of the British, forces from the Holy Band, hour des
perate attacks were made on the British forces, all ol which
were repulsed with heavy losses.
The attempted offensive was broken up by the British,
and by fierce counter thrusts the Turkish troops were forced
back two and one-half miles over a front thirteen miles
wide. 'The British took hundreds of prisoners, among whom
were main German soldiers. It i- believed trotn this that
tile Berman government has dispatched troops to aid the
Turks in their effort to regain Palestine.
ATTACKS IX WEST
l.OXDOX, Dec. 29. General Haig reports intense ar
tillery lire around Ypres and in the St. Ouentin sector. Xo
infantr\ activities are reported on the British front.
Paris reports fresh German attacks in I.orraine which
v. ere broken up and the enemy forced back into their trench
es. 'The artillerv duel continues in the Verdun sector.
GERMANS TAKE CEOT1IKS
WASHINGTON, D. C\, Dec. 29.—The Belgian lega
tion has been informed that the Germans are rushing troops
through Belgium into the Handers sector. 'These troops;
are declared to be stripping the country bare through which
i ev are passing. The people are being deprived of all
clothing, slices and food* Their suffering is said to be more
intense than at any time since the German invasion._
CAPTURED SUB’S
CREW WELCOMES
ITS CAPTIVITY
( Aft.HOCia.-w'd 1 *r»*ss)
WASIIINCTUN, \). l\, I>«*e. 29.
Details of tiie engagement which
took place between two American tie
:
strojers and a huge German subma .
line November Ti were made pub ■
lie today by tiie navy department, j
The Germans who were captured in
tills engagement welcomed being !
made prisoners by tiie Americans
and cheered heartily when they were
landed to be taken to prison camps.
When the submarim was discov
end by tiie American destroyers.
Nicholson and Fanning, it was pre- j
paring to make an attack upon a
fleet of merchant vessels which file
warships were convoying. The two
ships immediately attacked the F
boat, and one shell struck tiie con
ning lower A depth bomb was also
launched successfully by the destroy
ers, and tiie submarine immediately
came to the surface, and the crew,
wearing lifebelts, jumped overboard
and swam to tiie destroyers.
Two American sailors are com
mended for heroic action in connec
tion witli rescuing the swimming
Germans. One of the enemy was so
badly exhausted that he was evi
dently in distress, when two sailors
from the American warships jumped
overboard and supported the exhaust
ed German until a small boat came
to their assistance, in spite of the
attention which was given this Iiun,
lie died shortly after being taken on
board the destroyer.
Four officers and thirty-five men
were taken aboard the destroyers.
All of them were apparently very
much contented and relieved to be
freed from the submarine. After be
ing dried out, they began to sing,
and when put ashore they cheered
lustily.
FOUR SUBS CAPTURED
BOSTON. Dec. 29. American sail
ors aboard merchant craft arriving
at an American port bring informa
tion that twelve American destroy
era recently captured four German
submarines without a struggle. The
story of the capture is confirmed
by a former Boston newspaperman.
According to the newspaper writ
er, the American warships discov
ered the U-boat3 lying on the sur
face with their conning towers open,
recharging batteries. The destroy
ers swept down on them and took
them without firing a shot. They
were carried into a French port.
Another German submarine was ac
counted for a short time later. This
craft came sailing into a French
port flying a white flag and sur
rendered. The commander was the
only uninjured man on the vessel
and was unable to operate it below
the surface. Every man in the crew
was either killed or wounded in an
engagement with American destroy
ers. Finding himself unable to navi
gate the craft with any degree of
accuracy, the commander decided to
purrender.
k amine Stalks Over
Finland; Many Suffer
SHIPS NEEDED TO TRANSPORT
POOD FOR FINNISH RELIEF
FROM UNITED STATES.
i Associated 1‘icssi
WASHINGTON, H. t., Dec. lib.
Finland oflicials fear that a
grave famine will soon spread
through Finland unless ships are
secured in which to transport tlie
food recently secured from Am
ericn. The situation is pictured
as desperate, with hundreds of
peoph already on the verge of
actual starvation.
It is now believed that two
ships will be obtained. The Unit
ed States, upon reliable evidence
that many people will die unless
aid is given by America, recent
ly gave Finland permission to
export limited quantities of food
by way of Sweden. The food
lias been purchased and is await
ing transports to take it to a
Swedish port.
ARMY BALLOON
CROSSES LINE
(Associated Pnss>
LAJiEDO, Texas, Dec. 29. The
missing American army balloon was
located today at Hidalgo, Mexico. It
carried a signal corps captain and
eight student aviators.
The balloon ascended from San
Antonio Thursday night at midnight,
and owing to an extremely high
wind, was driven from its course
and was unable to land In American
[territory. The captain finally brought
it safely to land at Hidalgo, without
j injuries to either crew or machine.
Auto trucks have been dispatched
after the balloon and crew and will
bring them to this place.
Mexican troops stationed at Hi
idalgo were taken by surprise when
the balloon was brought down there,
and shortly after it come to earth
| fired three bullets through it. When
I they found that it was not hostile,
the firing ceased and the Americans
were shown every courtesy. No
serious damage was done the bal
loon bv the rifle fire.
BRITISH BOATS
ARE DESTROYED
(Associated Press')
LONDON, Dec. 29.—Another naval
loss was made public today by the
admiralty. Official announcements
state that three British destroyers
were sunk by either mines or tor
pedoes from submarines off the coast
jof Holland on December 22. The
British lost thirteen officers and 180
I men on the destroyers.
No details of the Incident were
published. It is unknown whether the
warships engaged a squddron of Ger
man submarines or ran into a bunch
lot floating submerged mines.
MILLIONS SUFFER FROM
INTENSE COLD IN EAST
gy — w
(Associated Press)
\\ ASlil NGTON, 1). C., Dec. 2'f I uheralded and unlooked lor, a great, thick
blanket oi intensely cold air settled last night and this morning over a great portion ot
the country. It is now lying sluggishly over the country from the upper Mississippi river
across the country to the Atlantic coast.
The entire eastern half of the country has been plunged into the coldest snap ot
the vear, and the weather bureau officials are lorecasting no immediate relict. \\ ails ot
anguish are heard from many places where a shortage of fuel prevails. Much suffering:
is already reported and much more is looked lor as a result ol the unexpected severity oi
the weather.
The fuel administration is busily engaged in preparing to meet the unusual demands
w hich are certain to be made on it. All coal operators have been notified ol a probable j
extra drain upon them, and the railroads will be requested to give priority to shipments ol ,
fuel destined for places suffering from a coal lamine.
BOSTON SITTERS
BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 29.-—The coldest wave lelt in this city in recent years is now
apparently settled all over the New England states. Tor the first time this year the poor;
in the Boston tenement district are suffering on account oi the lack ol fuel.
Long lines of women and children are besieging the offices of the state fuel admin
istrator begging for relief which is not in sight. City and state authorities have been j
appealed to for assistance. There is very lit tie surplus 1 uel on hand, and the suliering will j
be intensified if the snap does not break soon. The temperature tonight is five degrees be
low zero.
ST OR MAR WORK
W ASHINGTON. D. C., Dec. 29.— National Fuel Administrator Garfield was ad
vised tonight by James Sorrow, the New England fuel administrator, that the luel short
age in that section is threatening to stop all w ork on government war contracts. This j
step will be necessary in order to conserve the scanty supplies of fuel to prevent suller-i
ing from being widespread. Hundreds of millions ol dollars’ worth oi contracts are in-j
volved, and immediate relief is asked for.
COLDEST EVER RECORDED
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.—For the second time in a few days, New 'i ork is again
facing a serious coal famine. The weather is the coldest ever recorded in New York j
for the month of December, the thermometer standing at six degrees below zero.
The poorer classes throughout the city are suffering greatly from the cold. The
civic relief organizations are extending all the assistance within their power, but they are
unable to care for all the needy. Appeals .o*Thv national fuel administration have been
wired. The local weather forecast contains no hope for immediate milder weather con
ditions. Unless large shipments of fuel are received within a few hours serious suffer
ing will prevail in many quarters. __
RAILROADS NOT
MEET REQUESTS
FOR INCREASES
1 Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, 1). Dec. IT). -
Tin eastern railways today refused
to meet the demands of the four big
railroad brotherhoods for an advance
in wages amounting to approximate
ly forty per cent. These demands
were made several weeks ago, and
were in a great measure responsible
for the fall down of the roads in
meeting t lie transportation crisis.
The roads by tlieir action today
turned the responsibility for these
demands to the government, and it
now rests with Director McAdoo
whether or not tlie advances are al
lowed. The officials of t lie brother
hoods announced tonight that they
will not press their demands for
immediate answer, but will grant the
government thirty days’ time in which
to make a decision. It is generally
believed that the question will be
amicably settled before the end of
that time.
Practically all of the railway ex
ecutives today admitted that gov
eminent operation is a long step
toward government ownership. They
! declare that both the public and the
stockholders of the roads demand
tiiis step.
RUMANIAN KING
HAS COLD FEET
(Associated Press)
PETROGRAI), Dec. 29. It Is per
sistently reported here that King
I Ferdinand of Rumania lias abdicat
ed in favor of his son, Crown Prince
Charles, who is to take the throne
j immediately. What effect this will
S have on the future policy of Ru
■ mania is somewhat uncertain.
It was recently reported here that
| Rumanian revolutionists were plot
ting against King Ferdinand, and it
is believed that he abdicated on this
account. A number of Bolsheviki
agents and Germans are stated to
be working among the Rumanian
1 soldiers in an effort to overthrow
‘the present regime, which Is unfavor
jable to the Hohenzollerns.
News was received In Fairbanks
j yesterday that Peter Vachon had
| left Copper Center with a horse and
double euder for this city.
TRAITOR HELD
WITHOUT BAIL
( AssociaK-tI 1'! • .'S i
NKW YORK, Due. i"j. Paul 1I« n- 1
nine, a naturalized German, was to
day arrested by federal secret ser
vice agents and is being held in the
federal prison, being denied bail. He
is charged with high treason. This
is believed to be tie- first case of j
treason to be discovered in the Unit- !
ed States since the war began.
Henning was formerly employed us
a foreman in a large Brooklyn fae- |
tory making torpedoes. The officials
say that he mutilated the gyroscopes
by means of which the course of
the torpedo is controlled. The dam
age done to the gyroscopes render
ed them useless, as it was impossi
ble to direct their course.
The officials making the arrest de
clare that there is no question as
to the guilt of Henning. The muti
lated torpedoes were traced to the j
Brooklyn factory and back to Hen
ning. He will probable be tried in
a short time. If found guilty, he
is liable to death sentence.
(Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, IX (\, Dec. 29.
The total amount of credits given
the allied nations by the American
government passed the four billion
dollar mark today, when Secretary
McAdoo made additional loans of
$348,500,000. These loans are divid
ed as follows: England. $185,000,000;
France, $155,000,00; Belgium, $7,500,
000, and Serbian, $1,000,000.
These countries will use the cred
its thus authorized to make payments
for January purchases In the Unit
ed States. The total issued to date
to all nations is $4,236,400,000. Prac
tically all of this sum has been used
to pay for American purchases. There
is still remaining on hand to be
loaned to the allies, by the authority
of congress, practically $3,000,000,000.
TEMPERATURE
Headings at McIntosh <fe Ku
bon’s Drug Store
7 A. M.—43 below zero.
7 H. M —40 below zero.
( A SSOC la t *.*< I I '! t SS )
LONDON. Dec. 29. Intense aerial j
activity is reported by General Haig
in his ollicial statement tonight. The
war otlice is advised that thirteen
Gerinan airplanes were brought down
by British flyers, while only thret 1
British machines failed to return to
their bases.
The air battles began earls this
morning and continued throughout
the day. They were especially num
erous near Lille, where the British
machines were engaged in bombing
German lines and depots. Hundreds
of bombs were dropped on three aero
dromes by tli*’ Knglish aviators, and
iwo of them were completely de
stroyed, while the third one was
badly damaged.
Swarms of German planes rose
from Hie ground lo drive off the |
bombing machines. These in turn j
were reinforced by speedy battle j
craft from the British lines, and the
German flyers were routed with the
loss of thirteen planes.
RAFFLED DOLL
MAY MOVE TO
OTHER TOWNS
When Bob Gunn gave the doll,
Ruth Panama, which he won at the
Christmas dance, back to the Camp
Fire Girls to be sold or raffled to
raise more money for the French
orphan fund, the girls were in a
quandary as to just how to dispose
of it to obtain the best results.
They will decide at their next
meeting what will be done with the
doll, but the following means of rais
ing money on it has been suggested
and may be adopted. The latest
idea is to send the doll on to every
other Camp Fire Girls organization
in Alaska, and there are several
others, and have each of these dis
pose of the doll in some way to
raise money for the fund. In this
manner the doll would probably al
ways come back to the Camp Fire
Girls, whatever camp It might be,
and they in turn send it on to the
next camp. In this wa? a consider
able sum could be raised.
FRENCH START TEMPERANCE
MOVE TO PROHIBIT SALE OF
INTOXICANTS TO AMERICANS
(Associated Press 1
WITH Till'. AMKKICAN ARMY IN FRANCK, Dec.
—From all indications, Sammy will soon be taking a big
ride on the water wagon. General Pershing has announced
that the French government is now considering the prohibi
tion ol the sale ot intoxicants to American soldiers in France
At present American soldiers are the onl\ men in uni
torm who can purchase intoxicants. Both the British and
hrench soldiers are barred from drinking strong liquor-.
The proposed move ot the hrench government has the ap
prnval of General Pershing and other commander
The proposed action is not being caused by am im
proper use of liquors by the Americans, it is declared, b
rather a move for greater efficiency. The prohibition will
not be absolute, however.
Fight wines and beer will be excluded in the order, a
in the case of the British and French armies. There is 1 ot
enough alcoholic strength in these to be detrimental to tie
users. It has been determined by tests that the French v a
ter is not pure, and for the most part unfit for drinking
purposes. The French issue a wine ration to their soldier
and the same plan may be adopted by the American- T!
French wines and beers are very light.
Dupont Powder Plant
Shaken by Explosion
TWO KILLED AND SEVERAL IN
JURED WHEN LARGE POWDER
MILL HAS AN EXPLOSION
i Associated I'i - ss)
SALT I.AKK CITY, Utah, Dec.
Jil Two workmen were killed
ami -•■vend others injured when
the Dupont Powder plant, locat
ed about eighteen miles from
here, suffered from a serious ex
plosion tonight. Some of the in
jured are so badly wounded that
it is no! expected that they will
recover.
The officials of the company
are puzzled over the explosion.
There was apparently no chance
for an accidental explosion, and
the property is closely guarded,
that il is practically impossi
ble for outsiders to get near
enough to make trouble. A thor
ough investigation is being made
to ascertain the exact cause.
TWENTY MILLION
MEMBERS ENROLL
WASHINGTON, I). I'., Dec. 29.
The lied Gross officials at national
headquarters announced tonight that
20,000,000 members are now enrolled
in the American lied Gross society.
The Christmas Drive for new mem
bers was most successful, and the
managers of the campaign are being
wired congratulations on their suc
cessful efforts.
The expectations of the officials
.ere more than realized, and as a
result of the highly successful cam
paign, many new branch organiza
tions will be formed.
THE KEYS ARE
GOING OUTSIDE
Mr. and Mrs. K. M. Keys, of Fox,
Alaska, will leave on the stage in
the morning for the Outside. They
are going to Montesano, Wash., where
their eldest son with his family has
been living almost ever since leav
lag the North.
It is twenty-two years since Mr.
Keys has seen the Outside, and
eighteen since Mrs. Keys last came
north.
The Keys were among the first to
teach Dawson during the Klondike
rush, coming to Fairbanks in the
spring of 1904 on the first rush
here. Ever since Mr. Keys has been
mining on different creeks in this
vicinity, in which work he was al
ways assisted by his three stalwart,
handsome boys. E. M. Jr., as stated,
left Fairbanks with bis family, and
the two younger boys went out a
short time ago to enlist as quickly
as possible in some branch of the
service of Uncle Sam
The Keys family stand second to
none in the love and esteem of the
hundreds who have had the pleasure
of their friendship and acquaintance
during their long residence in the
North
Mr. Keys expects to return in the
early spring, Mrs. Keys probably not
returning until later In the summer.
Have you Coupon No. 80? If so,
call and receive tltlo to lot at Port
Angeles, Wash.
WASHINGTON. I». I 29. ■
I rile American governim nt v.a.. to
I day notified that the civil.*n food
ration of all 1.mop an nation.- will
have to be reduc d itiiin diately. This
step has been mad*.1 nee > ary by
tlie alarming shortage in alj supplies.
In France 'he wheat . hortage is
the cause of some uneasiness. The
proportion of wheat used in French
j bread will bt cut radically and »*f
i forts will b' made to . apply the
!-diortagv with "tie r commodif i**s.
Denmark’s f«->d apply . • \tr> ine
y dmrt Th'-re Is very little prop
pert that that eountr> will 1>< able
; to import an. food-tuff. from across
1 e Atlantic on account of tin \m
l . jean embargo.
Figures furnished by the Swiss
j gov.. ninent reveal that tin* supplies
ol' Su ii/.• rlaiul are very m ar tin*
danger point Switzerland, howrv.-r,
has made satisfactory arrangements
’with tin* lTnlt«*d Stated to purchase
i certain food -taph s With this as
sistance. It is believed that there
! will be some improvement in In r
; situation.
It is extremely probable that the
American food administration will
shortly Issue instructions ft- neater
saving in wheat and other art id*
so greatly needed in Europe The
needs of France will be filled if it
is possible to do so.
EAST ARRESTED
NKW YORK. Dec. 29. Joseph Tau
sen, one ol tiie most acftive oi (lei'
many’s agents in tli* east, \v; - at
rested tonight Ui Pennsylvania The
arrest was made by secret servlet'
operatives after a long hunt.
Tausen is said to have lv n re
sponsible for a large numb* r *<f wa
terfront fires m various Atlantic
coast ports. He is said to have con
fessed to having caused at least on*
fire. He will be prose t ilted for con
spiracy against the government.
HOT SPRINGS
MAN S DEAD
Word was received in Fa.rbunks
yesterday that 11 K.tubiook had died
at Hot Springs. No detail-, ot tin
death could be learned beyond tin
fact that the man was found dead
in his cabin. Estabrook was a wood
cutter by profession and lit d just
taken out a wood permit to cut for
the winter. Nothing is known as to
his family or personal history.
MARKUS GETS A LIFE
RED CROSS MEMBERSHIP
It was discovered yesterday that
ticket No. 399 from the tickets taken
in at the Civic Club entertainment,
and one of the two which were drawn
for life memberships in the National
Ited (’toss, was owned by George
Markus, and he will therefore be
awarded the life membership. The
other door ticket that was drawn
was possessed by Jesse Rust