The Alaska citizen., 1916-08-28
GENERAL NEWS
 bY TELEGRAPH
UP TO COMMISSION.

If they consent to the adjustment of rates to meet the increase in operating cost. the S-hOur day will be established
 THOUSANDS HOMELESS.
 DALLAS, Aug. 2l-Thousands of families are homeless in the south ern gulf region as result of last Fridays storm Preparations are be ing made throughout the state to rush supplies and tender funds for their relief
 SEVEN KILLED JACKSON. Miss, Aug 21-Seven were killed and two seriously in jured when the boilers in the liar land X Morris wood working plant exploded The shock shattered build ings a mile away.
 LAPS PURCHASING. WASHINGTON, D. C.. Aug. 21- Reports have been received here that the Japanese government, through Spanish agents, have pur- chased land concession of 60OO0 acres on the Atlantic seaboard at 1 Panama. At the state department, | Secretary Lansing admitted that the matter has been under investiga- l tion for some time by secret ser l vice agents Further than that he would have nothing to say regard ! ing the report.
 WAS DESPONDENT
 CHICAGO, Aug, 21.-Mrs. Morse f Davis, woman in destitute circum- stances. who was formerly promi- nent and wealthy tried to jump | from the top floor of St. Mary's mis- | sion home this morning, saying that | she preferred to join her husband in death rather than to live a life of Restitution and dependent upon 1 the charity of others.
 DEER HUNTER DIES. l PORTLAND, August 21.-Walter i Smith the 14-year-old boy who was i accidentally shot by his brother. i Clarence, near St Helens, died at ] the hospital here this morning. This 1 is the first victim in deer hunting i in this district this year
 i FINANClER DIES. LONG BRANCH. Aug. 21-James ] Seligman, of New York, one of the l leading bankers of that city and one of the prominent financiers in the world. died at his summer home here 1 today. He has been ill for several weeks and for some days it had i ben known that he could not re- 1 cover.
 MURPHY LEFT FORTUNE
 CHICAGO, Aug. 21-Dr. John B i Murphy's will was filed in probate court today, showing that he had left of 0nrnyir1O o f al " one and One-quarters millions of dol i lars to his widow and only daughter.
 DOCK HANDS WORKING.
 SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 21-The striking longshoremen of this city i returned to work this morning, claiming that the employers had rec ognized their deVand for a closed shop. Today there is unusual ac- l tiyitv ah0ut all the docks cleaning up the accumulation of freight.
 THE RAILROAD SITUATION
 WASHINGTON, D. C., Aug. 21.- | It is generally believed in this city that the solution of the strike prob | lem rests absolutely and completely i with the interstate commerce com mission and the attitude that that l body will assume regarding any in i ere ,r n rat s. W'ich the railroad presidents state will have to come with the increase in wages of the men and the shortening Of the hours of labor.
 One of the presidents of the rail roads who is now in Washington, stated that the additional cost would be so great that the railroads could not give the men the increase in wages demanded and live unless the rates were increased. To change the schedules of the railroads to make the run of the trainmen but eight hours would require at least three months time It might even necessitate the removal of the shops and roundhouses, and would certain, ly require an upheaval in the syS- tenn that the railroads now use. l With the traffic of the railroads congested, owing to the shortage of ships at the ports and the necessi- ty of holding up the freight cars, to alter the freight and passenger schedules to meet the demand of the men would cost millions of dol lars. The interstate commerce com mission now has the rates down so low that the railroads cannot af- ford to meet the demands of the men and live.
 The employees state that unless the matter is settled either this morning, or unless immediately fol lowing the conference between Presi- i dent Wilson and the railroad em- 1 ployers, the President assures them that some progress in the solution of the problem has been made the strike will be declared and the traffic of the United States paralyzed
 HAS CAUSE FOR WEEPING.
 SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 22.-Mrs. Lida B. Simpson, widow of Profes- sor Simpson, of Stanford University, was arrested in Oakland on a charge of larceny from the person of Fred Either, a former employee of James H. Edelen, a prominent broker of this city The woman has been weeping ever since she was arrested.
 CATHOLICS ARE LOYAL.
 NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-Undivided loyalty to God and the nation was the keynote of the meetings held in this city as part of the annual Catholic Week" In the celebration of this week 25,0O0 Catholics are taking part
 BIG COMPANIES CENSURED.
 JERSEY CITY, Aug. PA coro- ner's jury Investigating the cause of the recent explosion at Black Tom Island, brought in verdict ! censuring the Lehigh Valley rail- road and the National Storage com pany