CATTLB ON TBAIL
Crowded to the edge of the steep
embankment by the other animals,
seven steers plunged down Keystone
canyon several hundred feet and were
instantly killed, early this week. New*
of" the accident was brought to town,
last night by Nels Jepson, of the Bea
ver Dam roadhouse.
The cattle were brought up on the
boat last week by Mr. Kuntz, who in
tends to dispose of them in the inter
ior mining camps. Owing to the wash
outs which have occurred in Keystone
canyon, travelers have been compell
ed to take the old trail up on the hill.
The animals, when driven over this
trail, became frightened, and began
crowding one another, which resulted
in the death of the seven.
Tb® owner did not wait to save any
of the meat, but continued on his jour
ney. The road commission crew, work
ing in the vicinity, bled one of the
steers and appropriated the meat. The
others are still there.
The upper trail has. been a difficult
one for animals to traverse. The road
commission recently lost a horse there,
while another was injured.
Mt. Jepson left his Wagon at the
other end of the trail. He intended
to, leave this afternoon on his return
trip and will attempt to relay his
freight of about a ton through the can
pon.—Valdez Prospector.
THE BIO COBDOVA PIEE
Cordova was visited by its first ser
ious fire at 1:30 o'clock this morning,
when one of the Alaska Steamship Co.
warehouses at the dock, together with
most of its contents, was destroyed the
loss amounting to nearly $20,000.
The origin of the fire is unknowu
but it is supposed to have started from
a match or cigatette being thrown care
lessly on the floor, where a large qua a
tity of hay was stored. The Orr Stage
company had twenty-six head of hor
ses stabled there, awaiting shipment
to Chitina. The men in charge of the
stock asked Jimmy Walsh, night watch
man at the dock, to look after the hor
ses while they went up to get some
thing to eat. Shortly afterward Walsh
visited the warehouse and found the
interior ablaze. He immediately di
rected his attention to freeing tie
horses and through his efforts fourteen
of them were saved, but not without a
heroic tight against the flames and
heat.
An alarm was then turned in and
the local fire department responded
promptly and did excellent work. On
account of the fire raging in the cor
ner of the warehouse where the hose
and tools were stored and the further
fact that the water supply was out
of commission on account of the
drought, some trouble was experienced
in getting a stream on the flames. This
once accomplished there was no doubt
about the department being able to
keep the fire under control. Jack Dal
ton ’s water supply was used and al
though the city hose didn't fit his
plugs, Chief Dooley had soon made a
connection and a stream was playing
on the burning building. Great care
had to be exercised in the use of the
water on account of dynamite and gas
oline being in the warehouse as an
explosion was likely to occur at any
time.
' Practically everybody in town was
attracted to the scene by the ringing
of the fire bell and the cannery boat
at Orca was sent for and as soon as it
could get up steam was on its way
here. It soon had three streams of
water playing on the building and
rendered valuable service, as did Jack
Dalton and all of the volunteers, while
the department never waivered in its
duty, regardless of the great danger.
The officials of the steamship com
pany feel very grateful to all who
assisted at the fire and appreciate that
the good work rendered saved the oth
er warehouse and dock from destruc
tion.
On account of the danger of an ex
plosion from the gasoline and dyna
mite an opening was chopped in the
floor of the warehouse and these ex
plosives dumped into the bay. This
course was also necessary with a large
quantity of coal, and although eighty
tons were lost there were still 750 tons
thus saved. The freight from the city <
warehouse, which amounted to about
100 tons, was carried out and part of
it loaded on barges and th* balance
conveyed to the approach to the wharf.
Strange as it may seem not a single
ease was broken or found missing,
When the freight was checked up to
day, which speaks volumes for the eool
headed manner In which the fire was
handled.
There was no permanent damage to
the wharf, beyond the complete de
struction of one; warehouse, and dam
age to the decking, stringers and caps.
—Cordova Alaskan.
Besides the forest reserves,'and the
medicinal spring reserves in Alaska,
the government has a cable reserve at
Valdez. The cable is so easily inter
fered with, that every possible step
is taken to protect it, says a Valdez
special. Last year a leakage occyred
in the wire, and the cableship Burn
side worked an hour to find it. It was
finally discovered iu the rear,, of . the.
postoffice, where a Japanese prieofier,
digging a trench had accidently struck
a pick into it. It cost the government
$10,000 to locate the trouble. J^ow a
man with a pick in the prescribed litn
its, is, a trespasser on public land.
A signal service operator on the out
skirts of one of the creeks at Fairbanks
says- that the geese and ducks fiy over
his head in such hordes as to obscure
the sun. Probably Keys and Powers
will apply for transfers.
The Arctic Brotherhood beat the
courts into the Iditarod, and the ses
sion which Judge Overfield held there
this summer was. in the Arctic Brother
hood hall. A $3,500 court house and
jail is now being built.
The Hot Springs Echo, published in
the Tanana, is printed with a rubber
stamp and goes for two-bits a throw,
but it is worth the money. The paper
is full of thrillers, and an editorial in
its last issue indicates that some of the
residents of that place are -“hot under
the collar,'’ and it advises that instead
of threatening the editor with vio
lence, they should seek redress in the
courts. »
BRIEF INTERVIEWS
Postmaster Spickett: A letter given
to the purser of a steamer on which
there is no mail clerk, will not be car
ried through to its destination, but will
be deposited at the postoffice at the
next landing. This is required by the
postal regulations.
Clerk of the District Court Pettit:
There is a third class who ehould at
least be very careful, anyhow, when
they play with edged tools. However,
my finger is getting along nicely, and
the hen house will serve the purpose.
Weather Observer Sharrick: Our
atmosphere, on one of our warm sun
shiny days, is ninety per cent water.
Capt. Ludwig Nylund: It's the
southeast wind which brings the fish
ing weather. On a day like this the
water is too clear. Rough weather is
good for fishing. ,
Judge Folsom: The burning of the
hotel in Juneau was the natural result
of running a hotel that way.
John McPherson: The “sea gulls’’
with dark wings are not sea gulls at
all, but sea pigeons. Sea pigeon eggs
are fine eating.
THE McKANNA GEDDES STORE
Two well known and popular young
men, William Geddes and James Mc
Kanna, will open up a general merchan
dise store in the Isa Goldstein building
in Juneau. James McKanna’s inter
est will be looked after by Phil Mp
Kanna and James McKanna will con
tinue to reside in Douglas.
NOT KILLARNEY CASTLE
The building on the O ’Connor es
tate, on the hill at the end of D street
in Douglas, is not the beginning of
Killarney Castle, which Mayor O’Con
nor intends to erect there some day,
but is simply a stable for a horse.
The mayor intends to change to an
equine delivery this winter, and the
stable is for the horse which will darw
the wagon. The structure is plainly
visible from J^ront street, and has
aroused a good deal of curiosity dur
ing the week.
: Goods that show Quality!
1A stock that offers Variety!
I: Prices that spell Economy!
The Best Is
Always the
Cheapest
ww-n-w-wwt-Htti1* 14 mw ♦ I ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
It was this store
that first intro
duced Best Quality
Fresh
Vegetables
& Fruits
in Douglas—We
still set the pace.
B. R.
LEIVERS