®he Jtlashan
No 343 SEVENTEENTH YEAR 8KA.GWAY, ALASKA, MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1915 PRICE 10 CRN1S
II GRAPHIC PEN PICTURE OF -
THE BATTLEFHT III FRANCE
As is but ratural everyone Is In- j
tereeted in the great struggle for •
supremacy now goiug on in Europe
and authentic news of any kind of
its progress or incidents connected
with it are eagerly watched for. |
When such news, however, cornea
from one with whom we are all
more or less acquainted, and who
was but recently in our midst,
the intensity of the Interest is great -
— ly increased.
James Brooks Close, who was at
the head of the White river and
established and conducted a store
there in connection with the Chi
sama stampede year before last, af
ter having gone in over the Kluane
trail with fifty tons of supplies, is j
at the front in France with the j
British army. Mr. Close made the
acquaintance of many northern peo
ple whom he met up the White riv
er, at Skagway, Whit ahorse and on i
the trail. His uncle, W. B. Close,
head of the big firm of Close Broth-!
^rs, financiers, who hand Is the W. j
P. & Y. R. company and its subsl- |
diary transportation lines, writing
from Chicago, under date of March
4 th to a friend in Skagway, enclos-,
es the following thiee letters from
his nephew. Owing to ,their length,
however, we will have to continue
their publication through two Is
sues—today and tomorrow:
At the Front, France,
January 13, 1915
-Whilst returning from a route
marc* on Monday, the 11th, and
being still four miles away from
billets, we ware met by the adju
tant and told that we were going
into the trenches that night for a
24-hour 6pelL Later it developed I
that only platoon ccmmanders woul
go and the rest of us subs whose
platoons had not yet arrived were
to stay behind to look after the
guards and billets. However, I
managed to get attached as super
numerary, at parade at 3:45 p.
in. in T. M. C. and 1 took car® to
take everything 1 thought I should
possibly want and was ready for a
longer stay than 24 hours, as it
seemed probable to me that once
we got there we should be kept
there three or four days. We had
r.ad a pretty stiff 10-nille route
march in the morning and only ex
pected a short march of about four
miles to the trenches. However, we
marched off at 4 p. m., no rations
having be*m issued, and marched
for two "hours with the regulation
10 minutes halt Of course the'
weather gave us a good send-off
with, sleet and hail, but luckily on
ly showers. I had a heavy load and
my feet soon began to feel the cob
bles and my back the load. By
6:15 p. m. it was Quite dark and
we halted In a village which was all
battered by shell, aud the men were
served out with an extra fifty
sounds. Our guns were firing be
hind us now and we could see the
shells bursting in front of us. Then
we advanced once more, this®time
uo talking or smoking being permit
ted, and, after numerous halts and
ehort advances, finally reached the
place we came to hold whilst the
former tenants took a rest. We
could only see a ruin of houses
and a church, and after much mor
uelay, during which rifles kept pop
ping around us, our platoon was
told to advance in file and we were
ushered into a trench. The road
we quitted had about a foot of
liquid mud on top cf it so w® were
pleasantly surprised to find the
trench had about the same amount,
and not more. We were told the
enemy were fifty yards in front of
us and not to fire without a target.
The trench was about 7 feet deep
with a foot parapet on either side
with the usual traverse and dugouts
and the dugouts were all on the
wrong side, as this was originally a ■
uerman trench. We expected each
uight for the three nights to have
a rush made on one portion fi our
line, and there 1 and 14 men were 1
stationed day and night. We have i
at least 100 dead men, Indians, Eng j
lish and Germans, lying rotting in
front of us and they have been ther
since Dec. 22d, when the trenches
Ln front of this trench were cap
tured, but had to be evacuated in a
tiurry. Its impossible to bury them,
ss burning magnesium wire is shot
sut into the space between the
trenches, lighting every little detail
up. We have an officers' mess In
the shattered village to our rear,
md if we gbt more sleep, would be
Ealrly comfortable. By the way,
Instead of keeping us 24 hours, they
kept us until the night of the
14th, 72 hours. I'm glad I had a
heavy pack as alriady am out of
rhocolate. Get about four hours
sleep ln 24. The day we came here
we had marched, including the route
march, 18 miles and had nothing to
>at or drink between 1 p. m. and
1:30 a. m., when men and officers
jot supper. However, after that we
have had meals with utmost regu
Sale Continued
One-Half Off
On Shoes
, Our shoe sale has been continued.
| We will sell shoes at one half
price until Saturday night- March
20th. A large and varied stock.
Now is the time to outfit the
whole family with shoes for the
summer. You get one dollar's
worth of shoes for fifty cents.
Come while we have your size.
H. J. LYNCH
Up-to-date Haberdasher
and Ladies' Furnisher
Broadway between Third and Fourth Phone 41
AN EFFECTIVE
BOMBARDMENT!
Paris, March l."i—British airmen
are reported to have very effective
ly bombarded Westend, Germany,
yesterday.
p.c.sIco.
BUTSJEW BOAT
Officials of the Pacific Coast
Steamship Co. announce that they
have purchased the steamer Paraiso
from Swayne & Holt, of San Fran
cisco, and will operate her in the
Southeastern Alaska trade. The
vessel will replace the steamer Del
hi, which was lost off Straits is
land, Sumner straits. The pur
chase price was not made public.
The Paraiso is both a freight and
paesenger carrier, and an oil burn
er; built at Long Beach, Cal., in
1912, 216.5 feet long, 48.2 feet
beam and 14.1 feet In depth. The
Paraiso has a cargo capacity of 2.
)00 tons and accommodations for
:wenty-seven first-class and four
teen steerage passengers. The ac
commodations for steerage passen
?ers, however, can be enlarged to
i capacity that will enable her to
carry cannery crews to and from
ports in Southeastern Alaska.
The Paraiso was announced to
leave Seattle on tne 8th of March
ivith 60,000 feet of lumber and
1000 railroad ties consigned to the
IV. P. & Y. R. company at Skagway.
If it left on the date mentioned the
vessel should be l-ere very shortly, j
arity. At time of writing am un
ler fire from a machine gun. Cas
ialties to night of 13th, 1 man shot
through right arm, and one man's
iaft ear lobe shot off. All yes tor
lay (Thursday) and last night it
was clear, fine weather, but today
It has set in for a steady drizzle,
which makes things very uncomfort
able. I think I shall have to get
i proper waterproof with a lining.
K great coat gets so sodden and
heavy. After dawn the- artillery
starts in from bctli sides and it
is great while it lasts. However,
only "short" shell come into our
lines because as the lines are only j
50 yards apart they can't either of
them be fired at without fear of
bitting the wrong one. Remember,
the lines are not straight aud right
liere we are out cn a promontory,
so to speak, and getting a frontal
md two crossfires. If it wasn't for
the large number of dead around,
jne would call it a harmless game,
but they are a very real reminder,
especially when our trench is down j
wind. One can sleep fairly well
when the chance comes except for
wet feet turning cold and aching.
When I get that large waterproof
sheet made of south wester stuff
with a slit in the middle to use as
a poncho (6 ft. x 7 ft.), and have
my waterproof and lining, I ought
to be fit for any weather.
(Concluded tomorrow)
BATTLESHIPS
111 VERA CRUZ
Vera Cruz, March 15—The United
States battleships Georgia and Del
aware and the armored cruiser
Washington arrived here today.
mmm
RIG DEFICIT
Washington, D. C., March 15—
Chairman Fitzgerald, of the house
appropriation committee, says that
the appropriations by the congress
iust ended totals nearly"^ $1,250,
900,000, and that the country faces
a deficit of $113,000,000.
ElEMLD
YESTEfTDfllf
Tarrytown, March 15—The fun
tral services over the remains of
the late Mrs. John D. Rockefeller
ivere held here yesterday.
'MEMOES'
SKA6MLLET!
"About eight miles north of the
: ity of San Bernardino, California,
is a landmark on the side of the
mountains which may be seen for
many miles, and Is known to every
ane who has ever visited that sec
lion of the state as "The Ace of
Spades." It is a rock slide of
many hundreds of acres in extent an
^s clear iu its outlines as the
printed representation of the same
ilesign in a deck of playing cards.
Skagway can boost of an almost
sinfilar land mark at the present
writing, with the difference, howev
er, that the outline is produced by
i slide of snow, instead of rocks.
In plain sight, a few miles direct
ly north of town, is the place we
speak of, but unlike the California
scene,,which is as parmanent as the
eternal mountain upon Which it is
ftngraved, the one at Skagway is ev
anescent and will soon be dissipat
ed through the melting of the sur
rounding snow.
The Yendhysssl Packing company,
T. W. Hansen and F. A. Hansen,
filed articles of incorporation with
Secretary Chas. K. Davidson at
Juneau Saturday. It is a concern
with headquarters at Seattle, and
has in contemplation the building
and operating of a cannery at Tyee.
The capital stock is $10,
000. Royal A. Guur ison was named
agent for Alaska.
SKAQWAV EGOS 1
S •
ff •
c •»
*
5 We are headquarters for fresh laid •
jj Skagway eggs and durieg the season •
| can supply them in large quantites. !
5 We sell thc*m today ax 45c per dozen Z
J# #i
5 with an absolute guarantee as to Z
quality. Z
• •
• •
• •
I P. H. GANTY, GROCER |
■« •
* *,
•• - •
MM HIKE MR
HOC IVIfH BUSH SHIPS
Loudon, March 15—The German |
submarine U-21) lins been raising the
mischief with British inei chantinen i
in the English Channel during the |
[kast four days. The U-2D is marh |
speedier than the other German sub
marines working in the Channel,
which accounts for the number of
vessels she has made way with. Dur
\ag Thursday, Friday and Saturday
the U-29 sunk seven British and
cne> French steomeis that have
heretofore been unreported.
The crews were all saved, thoso
who were not taken prisoners be
ing allowed to escape in the small
boats.
E
Athens, March 15—Former Greek
premier Vanizelos has issued an
appeal to the new government to
ibandon its present attitude of neiV
traiity in the European war.
E
The Grand Encampment of the
Arctic Brotherhood, if no hitch oc
urred in the announced program,
;onvened at 2:30 this afternoon in
Moose hall, Juneau. Delegates from
subordinate Camps from every sec
tion of the great ncrth are present.
Th« gathering promises to be
sue of more than ordinary im
portance, for it is expected that
the division in the order that be
jan more than two years ago, will
be healed up. For two years there
liave been two sets of Grand Camp
officers, both oT which are repres
ented at the present meeting..
The program fcr the entertain
ment of the guests consists of all
the rugged, healthy amusements
that are likely to appeal to men of
the Northern trails. Besides a plen
tiful supply of music, old timers will
live over again in stories the daring,
leckless, feverish days, when the
hardships of the trail stripped men's
souls bare.
Tonight Gov. J. F. A. Strong will
bold informal open house reception
to the members of the Brotherhood,
risiting members and all delegates.
DESTROYERS
London, March 15—Two British
torpedo boat destroyers, carrying
7.1 men cach, were sunk yesterday
by the land batteries defending tbq
Smyrna fort*.
It is also reported thaot two mine
sweepers and two British warships
were disabled at the Dardanelles
bombardment Sunday.
British air-men are now said to
be active in the \lcinity of Liele.
IE lis'
IIA TIGHT BOX
Xewport: News. March 15—There
are two British and two French war
ships awaiting outside the harbor
tor the German cruiser that is now
lying inside to make an attempt to
leave.
Petrograd, March 13—-It is re
ported that the German advance in
the. Mlawa region in Poland has
been delayed by Russian action
along the front and also that the
llanks of the German calumns mov
i Ing in the Orzeyo and Omulew val
leys have been checked.
i Who s Your Tail&t?
i
*
<|»
I r*OME in today and see those
| ^ handsome and exclusive Spring
♦ woolens just received from Ed
i: V. Price & Co.. largest tailors in
:' the world of made to-order-cloth.es
O % N
Get the Clothes Problem
Off Your Mind Today
by making early selection and
specifying a delivery date that
suits your own- 'convenience.
Cost, fit, and style guaranteed
to please you in every particular
O
Will Clayson
:: The Clothier
«»