davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
FIGHT WITH AN OWL

John George, a woodchopper from up the Klondike, who has been visit ing the city the last few days, recent ly had desperate encounter with an owl and barely escaped with his life. George espied fine large owl s nest in the top of tall poplar tree ,and started to climb the tree, with the intention of getting the young owls. The mother owl flew off 100 yards and waited until George was about 30 fee up the tree. Being denuded of branches, the tree was difficult to scale, and George had all he could do to keep his brogans wrapped about the trunk. While he was intent on hugging the tree he heard an awful swish ill the air and glanced up to sec the infuriated mother owl de- scending On him. The bird struck George in the shoulder with such terrific blow his coat was ripped and he was almost knocked from the tree.
 Several times the bird returned to the attack and struck him i'll the back and rent his clothing. His skypicce was sent with the winds and when John hit the earth, after sliding, rip ping and tearing down the tree at lightning speed, he felt as though he had been in contest with buzzsaw during business hours. Staggering to his feet, he beat a nasty retreat, wildly gesticulating and keeping his hands in fighting attitude over his read for fear the old bird would re- new the attack.
 The big battle took place opposite tho Hay Ranch. Later the little owls were secured when the tree was cut down and fine photograph was talk. en of them.--Dawson News.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
THE SITUATION

What is likely to be the fiercest and perhaps the decisive period of the war, is being introduced by the stiff bargaining of the Balkan States but they are rapidly nearing a decis ion which must draw off from west i ern Russia large Teuton forces, either to defend the Dardanelles or to meet new attack from the Balkan benin sula.
 This will relieve the pressure or Russia, and put an end to the fanci ful talk of con to Petrograd!o Fan ciful because the Grand Duke Nick olas could never expect such stroke of luck as that attempt would be. Tho map settles that. Teuton forces ad vancing on Petrograd would come l5o miles from the capital, to Lake Peipus, nearly 100 miles long, at right angles across the line of theii advance They would be compelled to do one of two things: Divide and send force around the north end ot
 the lake, exposing it to separate at
 tack, or keep to the south of Lake Peipus and expose their left flank tc
 an attack from Yurieff (Dorpat)-ar
 exact duplicate of the attack from
 Paris which decided the victory of the
 Marne. Further, General Marwitz, of
 the Tenth German Army Corps, has
 revealed the secret: fA1l available
 strength has been concentrated on the
 long line, and the immense losses suf
 fered will not allow embarking on an.
 other daring enterprise. Neither Ger.
 many nor Austria has another 5Oo,OOO
 men to sacrifice for theatrical pur.
 poses.o .@s TWw
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
ANCHORAGE DISTRIBUTING
 STATION FOR MAIL

Ancnorage is to be the chief distri- outing point for all mail matter des- tained for the surrounding country and for the Iditarod region. This is the statement of Postoffice Inspector Neil, who reached here this week, re- mained couple of days and depart ed for Susitna on official business.
 The winter mail service accorded Anchorage will in no wise be lessened over the summer service. The full quoto of mail matter will continue the year round, regardless of whether or not it has to be transported by dog team from Seward for a few months during the winter time The Iditarod, Knik and Susitna mail will come to this point for distribution. The Hope, Sunrise mail will come here for distribution during what is termed the open season, and if navi- gation is found feasible during the winter time, it will likewise come Pioneer.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
ADRIFT AT SEA NEARLY
 THREE WEEKS

Weak and exhausted and almost water the crew of the twelve ton schooner Favorite of Cordova beached their boat between Point Bentwick and Hinchinbrook, after drifting at
 sea in storm for nearly three weeks
 On July 28 Capt. Bing Halleck, K.
 Lawrence, D. E. Fuller, Fred Hast ings and man known as Chris left Douglas on a trip to Warm Springs Bay, which is not far from Sitka. They lost their course and since that time the schooner has been at the
 mercy of the sea. For twelve days a severe storm ragged and at times the little craft was completely submerged by the high waves. Twice during this terrible experience did they drop their anchors at where they believed was
 point off Yakataga beach, but both anchors were lost and it was a impos sihle to get ashore. For nine days the
 men were without drop of fresh water and their rations consisted principally of onions and tomatoes. Last Monday landing was made between Point Bentwick and the Hin chinbrook lighthouse where the schoon- CT was beached. The men were suf fering from thirst and hunger and it was several days before any of them
 were in condition to seek assistance.
 Finally Lawrance and Fuller started
 out and walked to Strawberry Point where they found an old canoe and
 started in it for the wireless station
 at Whiteshcad, arriving there at O.
 clock last night Here Manager Gil
 lis cared for and fed them, later
 sending them to Cordova in the navy
 launch, where they today got in tele-
 graphic communication with relatives
 and friends at Douglas. advising them
 of. their experience and condition.-
 Cordova Times.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
FROM FRIDAYS DAILY

Wrangell, Sept 3,-Two fishermen
 We're drowned here yesterday, one,
 Harry Coonan, is native of Belgium,
 And a member of the crew of
 Chester Worthington which anchored
 parly yesterday morning near Anita
 Buy. Four of the crew started a.
 shore in small boat, and as bad
 Iea was running at the time Coonan
 became frightened and stood up in the
 boat. Just as he did so a wave hit the boat. turning it over and throwing |. .nts into tLe water Two ot the men managed to swim ashore, hnd one held on to the Overturned boat, while Coonan who was already badly frightened lost his head entirely |and went down before aid could reach him.
 Herman Esterlund came in last might about seven and reported find |tng the body of man in small pool juust below the falls at Fall creek. On investigation it proved to be the body of E. Jossild, Fin fisherman, The last seen of Jossild was at noon yesterday when he anchored near Dead Man Island. It is believed that he went ashore after water and as he stopped down to fill his bucket he had an attack of heart failure, falling into the pool, which is about three feet deep. The deceased has two brothers here, and was twenty-seven years of age. The Coroners jury re- ported that the men met death by ac' cidental drowning.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
JUNEAU GOLD BELT

One of the greatest assets of Alaska and sources of trade for Seattle will ultimately be the development of the great bodies of low grade ore in and about the Juneau district. In addition to the properties of the Treadwell mine and the near by mines of the Jackling interests, capitalists are now developing a new body of ore under the name of the Alaska Gold Belt. The ore in the Juneau district is prac. tically inehaustible and the a. mount of gold annually produced is relient only upon the supply of ma- chinery to reduce it,
 In the mine now being devclope,t gold runs about $2.75 per ton of orc. produced at a cost of 55 cente a ton. The combined product of the four great plants of the district within tho next two years promises to produce profits of $75,000,O0O annually, as indicated by present plans for ex- pansion Tho pay rolls will probably reach $1,00oo00 month.
 The development of all of these ore bodies is in the hands of inter. ests possessed of ample capital, with. out which these great riches could not be retreived. The plants now es- tablished assure the stability of the Juneau district With the added i'm. petus to place and quartz mining, Alaska should ultimately get into tho class of the South African Rand ps a gold rodueed.-SeattleP
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Berlin, Sept 3-Sofia dispatches announce that British transport. laden with soldiers as endorsements for the British expeditionary forces TOW on the Gallipoli Peninsula has been sunk. It is understood that T. SiO lives were lost by the sinking. Of these 320 were offices. 1,25O men of the rank and file of the ,rmy, and about three hundred were crew. The dls,.atch states that the vessel either st; dck mine az w's torpcJoc.' ], probably the former, and sank within ten minutes, turning over as she went down. those on board drowned like rats in trap. The report is confirm ed by both Athens and Constanti- nople. The actual date of the sink. ing is not given, but is understood to have been within the past week ol te. days. This is the second big transport to go down in this region It is understood that the troops were Colonials, either from Australia ol Canada.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
MEANING OF INDIAN NAMES IN
 ALASKA

Matanuska is pickup work hay ing no meaning in the Indian langu- age, and no one seems to know from whence it originated. The native name for the Matanuska river is Cha tona, meaning the swift running river. The syllable "na' in the native language means river and the rest of the word designates the special one as Chitina, which is the name for the Copper river, Chit meaning where the copper is found, and the rest of the word designates river.
 Tho native name for the Knik is the Skidina, or the Tent river. deriv- ing it's name from the fact that the natives maintained temporary camp at the mouth of this river.
 Panama means the river of travel, in other words it was summer road or trail for the natives with theil canoes, and in winter was their trail over the ice.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
GIANT AGROPLANE NOT
 POPULAR IN LONDON

don,-Although it has been an- that the British government has giant aeroplanes under construction, this type of aircraft does not commend the entire confidence of experts.
 The idea of the giant machine came from Russia where the Russian con- strnctor Sikorsky, had even before the war built four-engine car, with two engines, each driving a propel- Tor, to each side. The car carries six teen passengers. Sikorsky is also credited with having taken two dozen at once on short flight. A modi- fled type of 250 horsepower is now used for war purposes by the Rus sians.
 One serious drawback to the giant aeroplane pointed out by c. G. Grey a well known writer and expert on aeronautical subjects, is the difficulty in finding field large enough for starting and landing. A machine of such size needs a long start But even more important is the objection of putting too many eggs in one bas ket. A giant plane carries an enor- nous amount of explosive, which is ordinarily distributed among flock of small machines. On the Ostend raid, nearly forty machines took part with the loss of only three. More than score were sent by the French against Karlsruhe, of which but two were brought down.
 Where the giant plane promises to be most useful is in defensive opera tions. With several machine guns and larger gun of the pom.pom class, it can patrol it's own lines for hours at a stretch, repelling the enemy scout planes. Its separate engines add to it's value, as it's rudder is pow erful enough to direct it's course even when only one engine is working
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Berlin, Sept. 4-There is friction i'll the German cabinet over the fail urc of the submarine campaign. It was officially acknowledged last night that a six month campaign had resulted in the sinking of less than five per cent. of Great Britain s total tonnage afloat. As it was hopped to drive British commerce from the seas and force her to cry halt to escape starvation, it is plain that the plan has mis-carried. The State Depart ment representatives, whose duty it has been to straighten out the diff entities resulting from vonTirpitz derwater attacks on American. Dutch and Norwegian shipping, are very bitter in their attacks and some re- adjustment of conditions must be af- fected at once.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

A case of the utmost importance to the shipping industry of this region will be argued in tie District Court Monday, but the Court will render no decision on that day on account of the day being legal holiday. The question of whether or not suit in rem commenced against vessel in the Admiralty Court is affected by the claimant being declared bank rurt, will be argued The question arises in the case of tie launch Freyea that vessel having been libelled by George E. Lingerfelt, and arrested by the U. s. Marshal, before the claimant company, the Alaska Lum- Der X Box company, filed a petition in bankruptcy. The question is an i'm portant and far-reaching one, and tho decision will affect the credit of vessels generally. James M. Shoup will represent the libellant and John Rlstgard the Trustee of the bankruri estate.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

by E. K. Irving and man named Baker. Irving and Baker went from there over the goat trail via the Chiti- stone, Williams preferring to go by Skolia and the Nizina. Williams was mushing in a pair of hip boots and it was thought at first that he had been trying to ford the Freder- icks, which is swift and deep at that time of the year, but it has been learned that Williams knew it was impossible to cross the Fredericka glacier. As it happened Mcleod, who keeps road house on the Skolai Pass near the Nizina glacier, was at that time on trip to Chisana and there is no way of knowing whteher Williams really passed there or not, but it is presumed that he did and that in trying to cross the West fork of the Nizina, lost his life.
 Williams has been in the lower country for quite number of years and is well known in that region. He was one of the first stampeders of Nome and there made stake. In Chisana he was drifting on Johnson creek, finally giving it up to leave for more profitable fields.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Following is the report of the Grand Jury submitted to the Court this afternoon:
 United States District Court for the District of Alaska, Division Nol at Ketchikan Alaska, special Septem Der 1915 term.
 To the Honorable Robert w. Jen nings, Judge of the above entitled Court. We, the Grand Jury summon ed to attend this Special September 1915 term of the United States Dis trict Court for the District of Alas ka, Division No. l, beg to report fin ally as follow:
 We have been in session days and have acted on 5 bound over cases, have conducted two other in vestigations, and have found true bills and one presentment. We have examined 26 witnesses.
 Having completed all of the lawful duties by us required to be perform ed, we now ask the Court to be finally discharged.
 Dated this 3rd day ofSeptember 1915, at Kctchikan.
 R. l.. PETTY,
 Eornman
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
FROM sATUDRAY's DAILY.

In tow of the tug Sea Lion the Delhi started for Rupert between nine and ten o'clock last night. Tho ex- pectations are that the trip will take somewhere between thirty and forty hours under ordinary weather condi lions. On arrival at Prince Rupert she will go into drydock and if pos. sible be put intocommission again Rumor haveit she will be put on the run to the westward in conjunction with the Alliance.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
FROM SATURDAYS DAILY

San Francisco, Sept. Five little girls perished i'll q fire which con sumed St. Francis Orphan Asylum in this city at midnight last night. The balance of the youngsters marched in safety out of the burning building. The fire had gained such headway be- fore being discovered that the fire department could do nothing when it arrived, but prevent the spread of the conflagration. All the occupants of the building, nurses and children, lost all their personal possessions.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Berlin, Sept. Alt was bulletined this morning that the German troops engaged in the attack on Riga and the shore line of the gulf of that name, have captured the bridge head of the main bridge leading into the city, and the capture of the town it. self is a matter of but few days. The flat country around Riga, much of it marshy, has been great hinder ance in the operations, as it has been impossible to nse the heavy guns customary in such operations.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

The Boston Globe quotes ex-Mayor Nathan Mathews, who has returned from his mission to England, as say ing: "Great Britain has curbed the submarine menace of the Germans. All classes of society are now with the government. England has just begun to fight. Russia s shortage of munitions has cost the Allies year or more of war.'' It is said Great Britain has spread not less than 1900 miles of steel nets in which to snare torpedoes and submarines; practic- ly every navigable channel in British waters has these snares. It is now doubted if 1 per cent of England s imports has been destroyed by sub marines With nets and fast motor boats, the English expect to master the undersea raiders completely. Eng land is also turning out submarinev probably as fast and perhaps faster than Germany. England's ammunition supply will not reach the maximum for months. 2,500,00o perhaps would be safe estimate of the English vol unteers. She will have to have twice that number before the end; 90 per cent. of the undergraduates in the great universities have volunteered. In the laboring classes volunteering runs from 25 to B per cent.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Washington, Sept. 4-Secretary of State Lansing in reply to Car ranza's charges that those participat- ing in the recent Pan-American con vention on the Mexican question were all actuated by personally selfish motives, stated that those who affixed their names to the appeal for peace did so as the representatives of their sevolal count ies w,fl its approval, and aot as T'dividuals.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
NEW BOOKS AT LIBRARY

Following is list of books recent ly added to the Ketchikan Public Library. They are all good ones and ones well worth the reading:
 The New MT. Howerson, Opie Reed; The Man of Iron, Richard Dchan, The Master of The Oaks, Abbot Stanley; Surrey of Eagles Nest, Ester Cooke; Tess of the Storm Country, G. M. White; The Far Country, Winston Churchill; The Homesteaders, K. and B. Boyles; The Long Shadow. H. M. Bower; The Boss of Wind River, A M. Chisholm; The Story of My Life, Helen Keller; National Law in the Spiritual World. Drummond; Five Re publics on Horseback.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

London, Sept. 4-Word from Bes- sarabia, between the Roumanian bor- der and the Dneister tells of the stubborn fight the Russian forces in that region are making against the Teutons The latter, mixed force of Germans and Austrians, are trying to thrust wedge into the province of Bessarabia in the direction of Odessa. The Roumanians have several army corps under arms just inside their bor- der, and their sympathies are evident ly with the Russians.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09
FROM sATuDRAv's DAILY.

In the Caucaus, the Turks are losing ground and men. From the Balkans comes two significant voices-that of the corresuondent of the Berliner Tagablatt, who declares that the de- cision of Bulgaria is awaited by Ger many "with anxiety" and that of M. Boskovitch, the Servian states man, that 1.-the existing deadlock calls for concessions on both sides" and that Servia is willing to yield. The Teuton bombardment of Orsova is playing into the hands of the Entente powers. There remains Greece. A week may decide for her one of three fates: Rigid neutrality, with the final loss of Asia Minor; change of heart in King Constantine, and cooperation with the revived Balkan League; or, if the nation and the sovereign can not agree, change of dynasty in Greece. Italy, throwing 15o,oOo men agalnst the DdruaheHes, IS IdPiuly making Greek aid less valuable.
 Italy may send 5OO,o0O men tc France, to stiffen Joffre's line, which continues the war of wastage from Alsace to Flanders And the stock of British munitions increases rapidly But everything points to Gallipoli af the scene of the next decisive fight.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Seattle, Sept. 4--The steamer lief ferson got away for the north short ly before midnight. She has but one passenger for Ketchikan, l.. F. liar rington. The sailing of the Humboldt scheduled for tonight, has been post poned until Sunday evening. Mrs W. c. Beattie will be a passenger tc KetchilSan where she will meet hel husband who is stationed at Juneau IS superintendent of education fo, Southeastern Alaska The Alki will sail Monday.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Word was received from Wrangell this morning that the Heckman feat ing trap which had been operated at
 Ratz Harbor by the Alaska Packers Association cannery at Wrangell, had gone adrift. Tugs have been search ing for it ever since last Wednesday when it broke it moorin cables, but thus far without avail. Anyone sightt- ing it should notify either the Gus toms House, the Lighthouse Service or the Alaska Packers representatives.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Montreal, Sept. 4-This city IS packed with people today from all
 over the Dominion of Canada, here to great Premied P ,rden dast night on his return from Great Britain, whithcr he had gone to confer with the Brit ish government on war matters. The waiting thousands wildly cheered for England and the British Empire as the steamer with the Premier on board came up to the dock. There is too much at stake for Canada or Can adians to make Borden s return a joy ful occasion, but they showed that they are behind him and his govern mont to a man in their war policy.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

London, Sept. 4-The Government in the greater number of the morning papers of the country this morning made the announcement that there is absolutely no basis for the rumoys of peace talk which have been in cir culation for several days. The rumors had it that Great Britain was in re- ceipt of tentative offers of peace, but this is flatly denied by the Gov. ernment.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Boston, Sept 4-Forty million dol lars in British gold and American se- curities formerly held by residents of Great Britain, arrived in this port this morning consigned to American banks to bolster uyp the credit of the Allies in this country. The money was sent across the Atlantic in one of England s fastest cruisers convoy ey by torpedo boats for the greater part of the trip across.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Striking miners have concluded that $4 for eight-hours' work is better than idleness and have gone back to work. The strike which was a mat
 ter of a week, for time assumed ser 'ious proportions and threatened to curtail the output of the camp w,,iclr IS generally expected to be larger tbis= year than last. The operators fssued an ultimatum that they would pay-- only $4 for eight-hours' work and no.. more and would close down the p1ac. CT camp for the entire season if neces.. sary. Every claim that was in oper= etlon before the strike is now working again to capacity; many of the oper- ators having put on extra crews to make up for the lost time, so that no effect is likely to be shown in produce ton of the camp.-Faifbanks Times.
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Washington, Sept. 3-The Presi- dent in an interview published this morning made the statement that he sees no liklihood of success attending any immediate move to reconcile the belligerents of Europe. He says that fully one-half of the people ot Europe and Asia are now engaged in the struggle, and until one side ol the other can be considered as hay ing gained the ascendency, neither faction will be willing to listen to peace talk
The Ketchikan miner., 1915-09-09

Brownsville, Texts, Sept. 3-Two
 American farmers. living near here, were last night kidnapped by Mexican
 bandits. Their bodies were found to- day in a dried lake. riddled with bull lets. The bandits are now being pur- sued by both the cavalry and infan-
 try, and it is expected that they will be captured either tonight or tomor- (row, unless they have already gotten
 across the line,