Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-02-17
RUSSIANS TAKE
TURKEYS CHIEF
ARMENIAN CITY
Erzerum Falls Before Attack Of
Muscovites; Of Great strat.
egic Value.
HEAVY FIGHTING IN WEST
STOPPED BY sN0WsToRM
Belgium Is Assured by Entente
Ministers It Will Have Part
in Peace Parleys.

PetrOgrad, Feb. 16.-Oficial an.
nouneement is made that the Russians
have captured Erzerum. Grand Duke
Nicholas has telegraphed the emperor
as follows:
God has granted the brave troops
Of the army of the Caucasus such
great help that Erzerum has been tax.
en-, after five days unprecedented as
sault. | am inexpressably happy to-
announce this victory to Your Imperi.
al Majesty"
Erzerum is Turkeys chief city in
Armenia.
Unofficial reports early in the pres.
ent month said the German field mar.
shal, Won der Goltz, with $4,000 men,
was besieged in the city with pro.
visions for only fortnight.
OF Strategic Value.
The capture of Erzerum Is cOnsid.
cred of great strategic importance.
From it radiates roads leading in all
directions. Over those to the south.
east and south, it will be possible FOR
the Russians now to fight their way
toward their compatriots, operating
against the Persians and Turks in
northwest and west Persia, or pro-
ceed south toward Bagdad to the re.
lief of the British, bottled up at Kut-
El.Amara, on the Tigris, southeast of
Bagdad.
Heavy Fighting Stops.
With the advent of stormy wealth
er on the western battle line, the
heavy fighting of the past few days
seemingly has simmered down again
to, artillery hombarilments and min:
ing operations. s.t, i -.J sya-
On the Russian fronts, a driving
snow storm along the entire line has
almost stopped operations. The usual
bombardment, interspersed with In
fantry attacks, continue on the Aus.
tro-ltalian line.
In Albania the Austrians and Bull.
garians are said to have formed q
juncture, and are battling for the cap.
ture of the important seaport of Du-
razzo, which is being defended by
Albanians, Serbians and MOntene.
grins.
Must Restore Belgium.
The minister of the Entente pow.
ers has informed the Belgium gov.
ernment that hostilities against the
Teutons and their allies will not be
stopped without Belgium having re.
established it's political and econom-
ical independence. They added that
the Belgium government would also
be called upon to take part in the
peace negotiations.
More German Raiders.
Eleven German steamers laid up in
the Canary Islands ports, nave been
secretly armed for commerce raiding,
and are prepared to make dash for
the open sea, according to state.
ment made in Mobile, Ala, today by
Captain #. E. Magune of the American
schooner, Edgar J. Murdoch, who
says he delivered 2,100 tons Of coal to
German agents in Teneriffe and saw
it loaded into the bunkers of the in
termed German vessels. Murdock is
in port here.
Captain Magune refused to give the
name of the agents who chartered the
schooner to transport the cargo Of
coal from Norfolk. The coal was con-
signed to a Spaniard employed by q
German coal company in Santa Criffe.
It was transferred to lighters, and i'm.
mediately taken alongside the Ger
man ships and loaded into bunkers.
The Murdoch left Norfolk October
29 with 2,1O0 tons of coal on which
the freight was prepaid.
Air Attack On Camp.
Thirteen French aeroplanes carried
out raid on the town and camps Of
Strumitsa, Bulgaria, yesterday, &C.
cording to Reuters dispatch from
Saloniki today. The machines drop.
ped 15s bombs, causing several fires.
it is added.
The dispatch states that the ma.
chimes, although subjected to . severe
bombardment, returned to their base
untouched.
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