COOK INLET PIONEER
AND KNIK NEWS
VOL. 1
Anchorage, Alaska, Saturday, September 18, 1915
NO. 15
T
Government Hill
Beautiful Place
What is known as the “Gov
ernment Hill” addition to An
, chorale is rapidly becoming one
of the most beautiful residential
sections of the future city of
Alaska. In fact we doubt very
much if, even now, a more at
tractive residence district can be
found in the entire tenptory. To
date twelve houses are occupied,
and several more will be under
construction very shortly. A
private water system serves this
addition, and is also being ex
tended to the hospital and offices
of the Engineering Commission.
This addition is situated on the
bluff just north of the terminal
Kro,unds and overlooks the waters
of, Knik arm and Cook inlet and
the distant mountains along the
west shore of Cook inlet.
RAILROAD NOTES
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.1
, A contract for the log sleepers
for the sidewalk on Fourth ave
nue has been let to Berch & Co.
Contracts will be let today for
the grubbing and clearing from
the east boundary of the town
site to the pumping station.
The Commission is now adver
tising for bids on the new jail,
to be built on the federal reserve
blofck.
There being only a small por
tion of lumber on hand for the
building of .he new sidewalks on
Fourth and Fifth avenues, the
first unit will be built on Fourth
avenue from F to H street. It
will be but a short time, how
ever, until this work will be com
pleted, as the balance of the
lumber is thought to be on the
freighter Seward, now en route
to Anchorage.
Work in the railroad yards is
going along in a very satisfac
tory manner, and by the time
winter reaches us we will have
the appearance as well as the
name of the ocean coal terminal
of tfie government railroad in
Alaska.
The Alaskan Engineering Com
mission has a crew of men be
tween Anchorage and Bird creek
improving the winter trail and
making such changes as will en
able the winter service between
here and Seward to be kept up
to a standard that will prove sat
isfactory to all concerned.
Mr. George W. Brown, con
sulting engineer of the navy de
partment, with headquarters at
the naval coaling station located
at Tiburon, Calif., spent several
days in Anchorage this week on
official business. In speaking of
the future prospects of this sec
tion Mr. Brown stated that he
felt sure Anchorage would be
come one of the most important
ports of the Pacific coast. Mr.
Brown found that the harbor
conditions of this place averaged
up with many of the most im
portant harbors of Europe and
by employing unusual methods
and modern equipment that a
permanent coal terminal could
'♦ be constructed here and main
tained at a cost very much less
than is generally figured on. Mr.
Brown returned to San Francisco
on the Admiral Farragut.
John Mullen, an experienced
mining man, who spent the sum
mer and fall in the vicinity of
Anchorage, expects to leave on
the next boat, to accept a posi
tion as foreman in one of the
mines of the Amalgamated Cop
per Company at Butte.
A meeting of the Masonic club
will*be held atC. W. Bolte’s hard
ware stsre on Monday evening at
* 8 o’clock. All Masons in good
standing requested to attend.
W. Ervin, Sec.
Win. Sherman, of Knik, trans
^ acted business in the terminal
city Wednesday. Mr. Sherman
is arranging to remove to An
chorages to reside. He will be
* heartily welcomed to our city, for
it is men of his type that aid
materially in building up a com
munity.
I
fI, iii'ii,'__
BREVITIES
Charles E. Brown, of Brown &
Hawkins, returned on the Far
ragut. Mr. Brown reports pros
pects in Seward very good.
The big river liner B. & B.
sailed for McDougall and way
ports the early part of the week.
She had her usual large cargo of
freight aboard and several pas
sengers.
Maurice Leahey, a prominent
attorney of Seattle, arrived in
Anchorage on the Alameda.
Mrs. Brown, wife of Deputy
Marshal Brown of Knik, spent
several days visiting friends on
Government Hill, the first of the
week.
FOlt SALE French plate mir
rors, 23x40 inches. Inquire at
the Ashton grocery. Fourth ave
nue, between H and I streets.
The painters have finished the
work of painting the postoffice
building, and it now presents a
very pleasing appearance.
Way Bowker and his brother
Charles, who spent the past sea
son in the Broad Pass country,
where they have some very
promising mining property, spent
a few days in Anchorage the first
of the week.
Dr. German, of Valdez, the
well-known dentist, has decided
to give Anchorage a trial, and
has established himself in the
Carrol building, on Fourth ave
nue.
The new administration build
ing being erected on the munic
ipal reserve is rapidly nearing
completion, and when finished
will present a handsome appear
ance.
Mrs. Fay Farrington and
daughter, who are now living on
their ranch in the Matanuska
valley, are spending a few days
in Knik.
j-iit: .traveler, oapiam trainer,
master, met with a slight acci
dent Monday, which compelled
putting her on the ways for a day
or two. The launches Chase and
Swan took the place of the Trav
eler while the latter was under
going repairs.
A. Wilson, former proprietor
of the grocery store, lodging
house and baths in old town, has
disposed of his holdings to P. 0.
Sundberg, and left on a recent
boat for the outside, where he
will remain for the winter.
FOR SALE One Brussels car
pet, 12x14; two Morris chairs,
one center table (small), one
rocking chair. Inquire J. L. Mc
Namee, Riverside, Fourth ave
nue and G street.
John Rasmussen, a Matanuska
rancher, who has been employed
the past two or three months at
the Fleming & Turner sawmill
on Turnagain arm,passed through
Anchorage on Monday en route
to his farm.
Charles Wulff, for the past
three years editor of the Valdez
Prospector, has sold his interest
in that publication and will leave
with his fami.y for New York,
to remain permanently.
A part of the lumber for the
sidewalks arrived this week.
Bids for the construction of the
walks will be opened this even
ing. With the completion of the
sidewalks and the graded streets
Anchorage will have all the ear
marks of one of the larger cities
in “the States.”
Dick Dawson, the well-known
mining man from Crow creek,
left Anchorage on the Farragut
for Seattle, where he will remain
for the winter. Mr. Dawson
stated to a Pioneer man that the
past season has not been one of
immediate profit to his company,
as most of the work done during
the season has been “dead”
work, but he explains that next
season he will be, or should be,
in the money.
The first church edifice in An
chorage will be that of the Cath
olics, at Sixth axenue and H
street, work upon the foundation
of which was commenced Wed
nesday. It will be a frame
structure, with outside veneer
ing of ornamental cedar blocks,
and its ground dimensions are
24x48 feet. The carpenter work
is under the supervision of C. M.
Murray and the veneering under
James Powell.
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Flood at
Knik Flats
|
A few miles up the Knik river
there is a beautiful lake, said to
be 14 miles Ions and about 11
miles wide. For years it has
been a favorite hunting ground
for the Indians of this reprion.
Every year the Indians would
brinpr their families to the mouth
of tlu> Knik river, arranpre their!
camps, and the men would pro ■
far up into the mountains to hunt
and fish.
About twenty years ago, it is
related, the huge glacier, which
serves as a wall for the large
lake above, gave way, and huge
volumes of water came tearing
down the mountainside, swelling
waters of the Knik river until
the whole country tributary to
the mouth of the river was sub
merged, drowning nearly all of
the Indians camped in the flat
below. Since that time the In
dians have kept an eye on the
glacier, expecting that at any
time another break would occur.
But until this year, as far as it
can be learned, the glacier has
held the waters of the lake and
no floods of any consequence
have occurred.
About two weeks ago an In
dian came down from the lake
and immediately warned those
living in the neighborhood of old
Knik to leave the flat, as the gla
cier was expected to break at
any moment and cause much
damage. The people living in
that vicinity, having heard be
fore an account of the danger,
stood not on the order of going,
but “got.” And none too soon,
fof on Sunday morning, it is re
ported, the side of the glacier
gave way and oceans of water
came sweeping down into the
valley below.
The flood was not nearly so
great as reported to have been
before, but severe enough, how
ever, to wash away a number of
piles, said to have been ready to
put in the railroad bridge, and
had the people not taken the ad
vice of the Indian many lives
would probably have been lost.
As it is, no particular damage
was done.
Several men who have been up
to this lake state that further
trouble from this source can be
averted by simply shooting out a
portion of this glacier, which
probably will be done before
there is danger of another break.
Asks for
Large Amount
It has been stated on good au
thority that the United Press As
sociation has given out an inter
view with Franklin K. Lane, sec
retary of the interior, to the ef
fect that the secretary wili ask
congress to appropriate eight or
ten million dollars from the $35,
000,(XX) appropriation, for use in
railroad construction in Alaska
next year. This will be gratify
ing news to all who are interest
ed in Alaska. The work done
thus far by the Alaskan Engi
neering Commission may be said
to be only preliminary to that
which will be done next season.
With an appropriation of the
amount named above a wonder
ful shoving will be made before
another twelve months shall roll
around. There is no question
but that Secretary Lane will use
every effort to secure this large
amount, and but little doubt that
congress will accede to his re
quest.
Telegraph
Connections
Mr. L. R. Moses, of the U. S.
signal corps, who has been sta
tioned at Valdez for some time,
has been assigned to the Anchor
age office. At present all com
munication with Seward is by
telephone, as the telegraph line
is not completed to Anchorage as
yet, and Mr. Moses states that it
will be two or three weeks be
fore the telegraph line will be in
working order. In the meantime
all commercial messages intended
for points beyond Seward are
first telephoned to that place and
transmitted to the cable office
there. The telegraph and tele
phone office will be in the new
administration building now un
der course of construction, and
until this building is completed
the office is situated in the tent
structure now used by the town
site manager. The office hours
will be as follows: 8:30 a. m. to
6 p. m. Sundays and legal holi
days, 9 to 10 a. m. and 5 to 6
p. m.
Several commercial men made
Anchorage this week, and all re
port a good business. When the
commercial man begins to hit a
town regularly it’s a pretty good
sign that said town is on the map
in no small way and en toute to
become one of the real business
centers of the country.
Stetson Hats $3.50 and $4 at
PILGER’S. Balance of this
i month only.
l
j
Capt. Lathrop, the well-known
transfer man, has leased the
Blackwell property in Valdez,and
will erect thereon a beautiful
picture show house. As has been
stated before, the Captain will
have a string of “movie” houses
reaching from Ketchikan to
Nome, and will control the cir
cuit. Without doubt the Anchor
age show house will be built this
fall, upon Capt. Lathrop’s re
turn.
V l
Notice to Parents
Parents of children of school
age are requested, by the school
board, to report to Mr. J. A.
Moore, townsite manager, the
grade to which their children be
long, so that arrangements can
be made for ordering books and
supplies for the school. This
matter should be attended to at
once, as the order must go out on
the next boat.
ENTERTAINS FRIENDS
Ray C. Larson, the genial
“glass” man, gave a supper to a
number of his gentlemen friends
at the ’Frisco Cafe, on Thursday
night, and it is reported that a
most enjoyable time was the re
sult. Duck “al mud” was served
with all the embellishments that
go to make up a supper of high
degree. Water was. served with
the different courses. Those en
joying the hospitality of their
host, Mr. Larson, were Messrs.
Frank Watson. “Billie” Mait
land, Charles Black and C. M.
Eckmann.
There Are None Better
Perhaps in no place in Alaska,
with the possible exception of
Fairbanks, which has had many
years the start of us, do the peo
ple of the territory come into
such close contact with the new
est and biggest thing in this
land of ours, the Alaska farmer,
as they do here at Anchorage.
Every time a boat comes down
from old Knik, or the Matanuska
Landing vicinity, it comes loaded
with agricultural products, and
the people of Anchorage these
days are living almost exclusive
ly, from a vegetable standpoint,
on the products of the surround
ing country
And mighty good vegetables
they are, too. The Yakima val
ley, or any other old valley for
that matter, “back hum” or else
where, has nothing on us for
spuds, turnips, carrots, beets,
cabbage, cauliflower, celery and
all other things that go to make
up garden ‘ ‘sass. ’ ’
And the people of Anchorage
will not have to go to Knik or to
the Junction to get good farming
and garden land; we’ve got it all
and immediately around us, both
on the Anchorage side and across
the Arm. On account of the for
est reserve and the fact that
there was no supply point for
merly close to Anchorage, home
steaders were discouraged from
settling close to this point; but
that will soon be remedied, as it
in fact already is, as some of the
very best stuff comes from Mr.
Whitney’s place, close to town.
And right here is where h’ttle
old Anchorage has got it over the
other <*oast towns, for if we did
not have a fish, a mine, placer,
lode or base, coal, or any other
resource and, mind you, we’ve
got all of them alone and un
aided, the agricultural resources
of this country would at no dis
tant day justify a larger town
than now exists in the Territory.
Christine Nilsson Is Dead
San Francisco, Sept. li. —
Christine Nilsson, the opera
singer, died yesterday in Lon
don.
The Dora Returns
The steamer Dora, oldest sour
dough of the Alaska fleet, is again
on the run to the westward, hav
ing been scheduled to start from
Seward for Unalaska on the 15th
in place of the Santa Ana. The
latter vessel replaced the Dora
last February, as a larger vessel
was needed to care for the in
creased summer traffic. The Dora
has been tied up at Seattle since
her temporary retirement.
Go Out For the Winter
C. V. Cox and family left on
the Farragut for Little Rock,
Ark., where Mr. Cox will engage
in the mercantile business. The
many friends of Mr. and Mrs.
Cox and the babies will miss
them to no usual extent, but
hope the change will greatly im
prove the health of Mrs. Cox and
bring them success in fullest
measure.
t
T
S. S. Farragut
Arrives In Port
The steamer Admiral Farragut,
of the Alaska-Pacific Navigation
Company, arrived in port about
noon on Tuesday last with 800
tons of freight for Anchorage.
T1 e Farragut was on the Seattle
San Francisco run until the acci
dent occurred to the Watson,
three weeks ago, when she was
sent up on the schedule of the
injured ship. The business of
the company has increased so
rapidly, however, that it has
been determined to keep the
Farragut on the Seattle-Anchor
age run indefinitely. The Wat
son will be repaired in time, it is
understood, to take up her sched
ule, and with that boat in com
mission the fleet of the Admiral
Line will be second to none sail
ing to Alaska.
Brighten Up Your Skates
The people of Anchorage are
promised a treat the coming win
ter in the way of an open skating
rink. Dick Hussey, a well-known
citizen, states that arrangements
are being made with Jthe town
site manager to secure a space
250x150 feet for the purpose of
the rink, and as soon as the sea
son is far enough advanced the
work of preparing the rink will
be commedced. It is more than
likely that the rink will be built
on the municipal block adjoining
the administration building, but
this has not yet been fully decid
ed upon.
Is Optimistic
Neil Sexton, business manager
of the Alaska Evening Post, the
new daily published at Seward,
was an Anchorage visitor the
early part of the week. Mr.
Sexton reports conditions im
proving rapidly at Seward, and
the prospects for an exception
ally good winter’s business are
very fine.
Limits the Liability
Seattle, Sept. 11. Judge Jere
miah Neterer of the federal court
today limited the liability of the
owners of the steamer Paraiso to
$180,000, and the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company immediately
filed a security bond for that
amount, and the libel attachment
brought by the Pacific Alaska
Steamship Company was vacated
and the boat sailed for Alaska
with a big cargo of freight.
The Paraiso rammed and sunk
the Admiral Watson early on the
morning of August 30, sending
the big Alaska liner to the bot
tom with a hole in her «ide. One
longshoreman was killed.
The boat has since been raised
by the Seattle Construction Com
pany, and will be on the Alaska
run as soon as the necessary re
pairs can be made.
FOR SALE Ton of food sup
plies—a good assortment of first
class articles for sale in the
Ochetna district. Also, 1000 feet
of hydraulic hose. Outfit is lo
cated in a good trapping and
prospecting country. Will be
sold reasonable. Call at this
office.
Through a mistake of the man
ufacturer Mr. Pilger received 80
dozen suits of Patrick Lacka
wana Mills underwear instead of
8 dozen. In order to sell this
large overstock quickly he is
offering this regular $4.50 a suit
seller for $3 per suit.
Four pounds 99 fresh roasted
coffee one dollar at NEWT PIL
GER’S.
Better get a new model Rem
ington typewriter. See E. C.
Niles, White House.
The Waffle Girls use Hills'
Coffee.
For Rent.—Four-room house,'
lot 11, block 45, befween B and
C on 5th ave. Inquire on premises
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