THE KUSKO TIMES
VOL. 1 No. XI.
TAKOTNA, ALASKA, SATURDAT.DECEMBER 15, 1934.
PRICK, a OKMTO
MANY DIE
III LANSING
HOTEL FIRE
LANSING, Mich. Dec. 11.—In one.
of. the most disastrous fires in the
history of the state, the largest
hfttel in the capital city burned re
smiting in 13 known dead and 81
missing. 6f the 190 guests who1
registered at the hotel only 1Q9 are
accounted for. .
The fire . of unknown origin,
spread through, the wood and brick
structure so rapidly that firemen,
were forced to devote most of their
emegies to the saving of lives. Some
jumped onto the street below and
were injured while others; some of.
whom were drowned, leaped into the
icy waters of.. Grand River which
flows along one side of the building
Zero temperatures , added to the
chaos. Otoe of .the. walls collapsed
bfcrying an unknown number of vici
thus.
The following day six more bodies
were recovered bringing the total of
known dead to 23. It is estimated
that from 50 to 10Q are still in the
ruins.
Many of .the dead and injured were
members of the ? state legislature'
which was in sessions Wild parties
were reported to have taken place
in' the hotel on the nite of the fire.
Several cases1 of.heroism occurred,
the most notable being tie case <5f
an unidentified! bellhop who, after
rescuing many persons was last seen
running up. a flight of stairs for
additional rescue* when the wall
callapsedd
CHINESE MAGISTRATES ORDER
ED TO LIVE OR DIE AT POSTS.
SHANGHAI, China.—An order
has been issued by General Chiang
Kai-shek, president of the Military
Affairs Commission, instructing the
provincial authorities to-notify ma
gistrates that they are expected to
“five or perish” at thftir posts. The.:
order is based upon the fact that
in. the bandit-infested areas of. China,
the magistrates of threatened cities
are usually the; first to flee.
In the cevent of attack, the order
directs , the magistrates- to -assume
command ; of. the local militia and
hold out until reinforcements arrive.
Should the. bandits ..prove too strong
for the magistrate, however, he is
not to retreat, but remain at his
post, evem if such. a course means
death.
' ARMY FLYERS FORCED TO BAIL
OUT OF BURNING PLANE.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 14.—Two
army fliers, Lt. F. L. Anderson and
Duncan R. McAdean, narrowly es
caped death today when the plane
they were flying caught on fire. The
men were forced to jump with para
chutes into the bay. Coast Guard
boats picked the men up. They were
unable to determine the cause of the
file.
AUSTRALIA PROVIDES FOR
WIVES OF LOST FLYERS.
BRISBANE, Australia,, Dee.14.—
The Australian government voted to
day an appropriation of. $25,000 for
Mrs. Ulm. and the two other widows
of the unfortunate flyers who lost
their lives in an attempted flight
from the United States to Australia.
It was also learned that the Austra
lian government was sponsoring the
ill fated flight.
PILOT WINCHELL FORCED DQWN
NEAR RAINY PASS.
Pilot Oscar Winchell with pass
engers Mrs. J. McClung, Waino Pun
tilla and Dave Strandberg reached
Anchorage, Wednesday afternoon
after being marooned for ten days
about 20 miles from Swetna on the
McGrath to Anchorage old winter
trail.
Pilot Winchell left Takotna with
his passengers Sunday Dec, 2nd. He
was forced to land on account of the
fog on a bar, and due to the snow
and slush was unable to take off
into the air on the following day.
Pilot John Moore, a McGee pilot,
circled the plane about a week later
and dropped food but it was not un
til Wednesday that Pilot Roy Dick
son was able to land with a plane
equipped with skiis to which Pilot
Winchell transferred his passengers
and proceeded to Anchorage.
DENATURED
TWENTY-FOUR
PORTLAND, Ore. Dec.12:—With
the total of dead at 24 authorities
continue their investigations to de
termine the source of the denatured
alcohol responsible for the deaths.
Four arrests have been made, the
men, druggists, whose stores were
ordered closed, are held on $15,000
bail. Death-bed statements by many
of the victims named the arrested
druggists as the purveyors of the
poison alcohol.
Many who didnot die from drink
ing the poison booze suffered in
tense pain. Several victims are still
confined to local hospitals
RELIEF TAX PROGRAM BE
COMES NEW YORK LAW.
NEW YORK, N. Y., Dec. 8.—New
York’s $8,000,000 relief tax program
including sales, utility and inheri
tance taxes, became law yesterday
when Mayor LaGaurdia affixed his
signature to the measure after <r
brief public hearing.
The two per cent sales tax is ex
pected to yield $4,050,000 annually,
and is being used in sevral states
succesfully.
MARSHALL, 111., Dec. 8.—Elec
tricity users received bills from the
municipality-owned power and light
plant, but they ware all marked paid,
with a big “Merry Christmas” stamp
ed on the face of the bills. Offici
als of the plant said that income
from the plant permitted the un
j usual Xmas gift.
COL. TURNER PROPOSES NEW
AIR FEATS.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12,—Colonel
Roscoe Turner, who finished third in
the London to Melbourne air race,
projected two flights in the future,
-:ne would be to fly around the world
iit the equator and another to circle
the globe at the poles. He also
plans a non-stop flight from the
Mexican border to the Canadian bor
der and return sometime next week.
CoL Turner will use the same plane
he used in the air derby.
COLD WAVE SWEEPS ATLANTIC
COAST AND FLORIDA.
MIAMI, Fla. Dec. 12.—Recorling
one of the coldest days in years,
residents of, Florida, shivered as the
mercury dropped below the freezing
point. All but hardiest of crops
were destroyed. Jacksonville re
ported the first frost since 1906.
The cold wave swept along the
Atlantic, coast penetrating to the
mid-west. Chicago experienced the
coldest weather in 60 years. A foot
of snow fell in the Windy City. T
total of 30 deaths was attributed to
cold spelL
CALIFORNIA CONCERN GIVEN
CONTRACT FOR 110 PLANES.
WASHINGTON, D. C. Dec. 11.—
A contract for 110 new flying ma
chines for the United States Army
was awarded to a subscidiary corp
oration of the Douglas. Aircraft. The
planes costing $2,000,000 will be
built at Enflewood, California. Hav
ing a top speed of 300 miles per
hour they recently received the ap
proval of army officials.
PRES. ORDERS SHORTER WEEK
IN GARMENT INDUSTRY.
WASHINGTON, D. C. —Presidfent
Roosevelt’s order reducing the: work
week in the cotton garment indus
try from 40 to 36 hours, became
effective in 5,000 plants.
The recovery administration, had
hoped 10,000 more would be em
ployed. It was the first slash in
working hours by an.. Executive
order.
With the shorter week went; a 30
per cent wage increase to insure
the industry’s 165,000 workers the
same weekly wage.
JOBLESS miners: threaten
HUNGER STRIKE..
McAllister, Okia. Dec. is.
Yesterday 800 determined, hungry
miners marched to the local court
house and demanded a $5 grocery
order for each man and iiritnediate
employment. When their demands
were refused they proposed to camp
in front of the building refusing
food or water as a means of .protest.
The situation was cleared today
when local grocers promised to; pro
vide the $5 order and reliel agencies
promised jobs.
AMBASSADOR BULLIT RETURNS
FOR CONFERENCE WITH PRES.
NEW YORK, Dec, 13.—WiBiam C.
BulIitijUnited States ambassador to
Russia, arrived in New York today.
In an interview with Press Mr.
Builit refused! to discuss internation
al topics until he had reported to the
president. He spoke highly of the
two Alaskan mechanics who were
recently decorated at Moscow for
their services to Russian flyers dur
the rescue of stranded Russians on
an iceberg in the Bering Sea some
time ago. This is the second visit
to the States that Ambassador Builit
has made since his appointment to
the American Embassy at Moscow.
WARpEHTDRS
DEFAULT ON
PAYMENTS
WASHINGTON, D. C.,Dec. 11.—
When the war debt instalments fall
due this month, Uncle Sam can ex
pect payment frorp only one country,
Finland . This became clear today
by statements made in European cap
itals today. Of the 11 defaulting
nations not one will make even a
small token payment. Over $600,
000,000 is due from previous de
faults and the present instalments
afe over $155,00^,000. Finland’s
instalment is $228,538 this year and
she has the money ready to turn
over to the United States Treasury
Department when notified.
HUGE PROFITS
IN MUNITIONS
REVEALED
WASHINGTON, D. C. —Senate
investigations into munitions profits
during the war revealed that 47 per
sons made incomes of one or more
million dollars in 1917 than in the
previous year. A total of 181 per
sons enjoyed $1,000,000 or more in
comes during the war years. Profits
as high as 360 per cent were made
by dozens of corporations. The in
vestigations are under the direction
of Senator Nye and the outcome of
which is expected to result in new
legislation concerning war-time pri
ces and profits.
TWELVE LOSE LIVES IN THRILL
ING SEA RESCUE.
NEW YORK, Dec. 14.—In n
thrilling rescue during which one
man was drowned for each man sav
ed, the British steamer Astworth
saved the lives of 22 members of
the disabled ship, Jean Zeddo, in the
Atlantic' today. Of the 12 men lost
6 belonged to the crew of the res
cuing ship. A huge wave engulfed
the lifeboat and the occupants were
not seen again.
MILLION DOLLAR INCOMES ON
THE INCREASE.
NEW YORK, Dec.9.—Incomes are
increasing according to the files of
the tax buraeu. In 1934, 46 persons
: had incomes of $1,000,000 or more,
| whereas last year only 20 enjoyed
! that privilege. In prosperous years
I about 500 persons had incomes of
one million or more.
HITLER ESCAPES IN WRECK
WHICH KILLS FOURTEEN.
BREMEN, Ger. Dec. 14.—Adolph
Hitler received a severe shaking up
today when the train on which he
was a passenger crashed into a bus
killing 14 and injuring 7. Hitler
was returning from Bremen where
he had attended the launching of a
new steamer by the North German
Loyd Lines. The killed and injured
were all passengers on the bus.
WILEY POST FAILS TO BREAK
ALTITUDE RECORD.
BATTLEVILLE, Okla. Dec. fl.—
Wiley Post, foremost American av
I«m>r,'*'i(Ctemi)ted today to braek the
,'#baid's altitude record for airplahes.
He aSfehded to what he thouht was
55,000 ffcet but the altimeter, which
was sealed and read at Washington,
revealed that he had failed to beat
the 47,352 foot record made by Lt
Ranota. Donati oS&JLaly. Post., sti’’
flying tha Winnie May, stated he
would try again next week.
CRIPPLED JAP STEAMER TOW
ED TO ENGLAND.
NEW YORK, Dec. 9.—The Japan
ese steamer Victoria Maru which
was reported in distress was today
wrescued and towed in a crippled
condition to England by th British
steamer Amsterdam.
The Maru was bucking heavy seas
with her bridge torn off, her cap
tain and chief officer both dead and
eight members of her crew injured.
DELEGATION CONFERS ON HOW
TO COMBAT CRIME.
WASHINGTON, D.C. Dec. 14—
The 600 delegates to discuss crime
at Washington departed for their
homes today. Among the numerous
suggestions at the convention was
the organization of a national crime
body with an educational center ai.
Washington. The purpose of this
office would be to train peace offici
als on crime prevention.
It was estimated that last year
1,300,000 crimes were committed in
the United States of which three
fourths went unpunished.
WILL BE REPREIVED
LONDON, Eng.—Th Home sec
retary’s office informed Georg:
Lansbury, Labor leader, that Mr.
May Brownhill, 62, the mother con
demned to die for the "mercy slay
ing” of her imbeile son, will be "e
preivd. Lansbury had been on
the prime figures in the fight *o
clemency for the mother.