Alaska’s Leading Weekly
ALL THE LOCAL, MINING
AND TELEGRAPHIC NEWS
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VOL. 1. NO. 51*
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNK 94, 1910.
PRICE TEN CENTS
I
V
WINTER RYE IS
IT,
Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Krueger are
registered at the White House from
the Matanuska valley farming dis
trict and are in Anchorage to meet
Mr. Krueger’s sister, who arrived on
the Mariposa for the summer. Mr.
Krueger is a pioneer farmer in the
Matanuska district and has shown
good results on his 320 acre home
stead. both Mr. and Mrs. Krueger
are ultra enthusiastic over the farm
ing opportunities in the valley and
think the future for this industry is
unlimited. »
In addition to farming his own
crop of oats, barley, potatoes and
garden truck, Mr. Krueger is experi
menting for the government and has
in 10 varieties of small grain that
he planted May 31 and will later put
in four varieties of winter rye. His
farm is about six miles from Mata
nuska Junction and the farmers of
the community are anxiously await
ing the results of the experiment.
Mr. Krueger says the Matanuska
farmers are well pleased ^Wfch the
action taken by the Anwjorage
Chamber of Commerce in rewd to
co-operation and that many of^hem
will be in to help celebrate
Fourth of July at Anchorage,
STAR DIAMOND At
LINING UP
>RS
FOR GAMI
Roger Summy, manager of the
Lumberman’s baseball team, has is
sued a challenge to The Daily Times
team and Manager Gree.r is organiz
ing his team from The Times’ em
ployes to accept. The game will
probably be played next Wednesday
evening at Recreation park, but we
want it understood that no admis
s on will be charged.
WILL SPUN I > YEAR OX
PROSPECTING TRIP
J. R. Nicholson and E. N. Van
Derlip, of Glibe, Arizona, were
among the steamship Evans passen
gers and will leave on the Hazel B.
No. 2 for Indian river and the Broad
Pass country. Messrs. Nicholson
and Van Derlip are representing an
Arizona company and have outfitted
for a year's prospecting trip in the
Broad Pass country and vicinity.
Both of these gentlemen are expe
rienced miners both in quartz and
placer and will give the country a
thorough test. They say that Ari
zona is enjoying exceptionally good
times and without question is the
dryest state in the union. Similar
to all other newcomers they are very
much impressed with Anchorage and
the city’s d. va'opment.
ELECTRIC LIGHTS
EARLY SEPTEMBER
District Engineer Warren author
izes the publication of the fact that
the commission has recently pur
chased a new turbine generator
from the General Electric company
and volunteered the information
that they were extremely fortunate
in being able to get a generator or
any electric supplies at this time, os
account of the shortage in all elec
trical supplies caused by the high
price of copper and urgent demand
from the foreign countries.
The new generator is a 300 volt,
three phase, 00 cycle turbine gener
ator with alternating current and is
direct #connected. It is scheduled to
reach Anchorage by the first of Sep
tember and Mr. Warren says they
hope to have everything in readiness
for immediate installation. Mr.
Warren further says that the Alas
kan Engineering commission is pos
sibly as anxious as the people of An
chorage for the added facilities and
accommodations and that it is only
on account of lack of material that
the work has been delayed.
LEWIS RIVER GROUND IS
SHOWING UP GOOD
Tom Young who is representing
the Bernard interests in their Lewis*
river lease, was in Anchorage yes*
terday on business and left this
morning for the workings. He ex
pects Ben Bernard, president of the
American Dredge and Construction
company, of Seattle, on the steamer
Mariposa and they will probably do
additional developing upon his ar
rival. Mr. Young is operating a gas
oline drill on the lower end of the
canyon and the property is showing
up well. He gays Andy Chittick who
Is shoveling in on Discovery is tak
ing out an ounce a day and Tom Sut
ter and partners have a good show
ing above Discovery where they
turned the river. '
SAYS ANCHORAGE BACKWARD
IN EXPLOITING RESOURCES
Walter T. . Payne, of Edmonton,
made‘the round trip on the Admiral
Evans and spent the time between
trips visiting with his old friend
Geo. M. Campbell. Mr. Payne is a
large improved property owner in
Edmonton and was very much !m«
pressed with Anchorage, so much so
In fact, that he will return to his
home town and make arrangements
to come back to Anchorage and go
into business. He said that this city
should go into the matter of more
extensive advertising and not be
afraid to spread it on as it would be
a difficult matter to overdue the de
scription of this wonderful country.
MILAN, June 23.—The Vienna
and Budapest report a panic reigns
at Lembe,rg and that the exodus of
the population from Bukowina and
Galicia is extending and people are
fleeing to the Austrlan-Hungarian
capitals. On account of the railway
traffic being reduced refugees are
prevented from pouring into Vienna
and Budapest. In one week over
100,001) refugees have left Lemberg.
LONDON, June 23—The Russians
are still advancing and are driving
the Austrians from the Czernowitz
country and are taking many prison
LONDON, June 23.—The British
steamer Ce.ntriana, en route from
Pacific coast ports to London, has
been sunk in the English channel.
9 LONDON. June 23.—The kaiser is
personally conducting the campaign
of the Germans at Verdun and heavy
reinforcements are constantly arriv
ing. It is expected that another at
tack will lie executed all along the
entire battlefront.
BERLIN, June 24.—The. repulse
of heavy attacks by Russians against
General Bothmer’s forces north of
Przewoloka was announced today by
the war office. It is reported that
the Russians were pushed further
back on both sides of the Turia
river.
P. H. McCue, assistant general
manager of the Northwestern Fish
eries, sailed south on the steamer
Mariposa and will inspect the com
pany’s plant at Cordova and Orca on
his way to Seattle.
The following statement was
given out this morning from the mu
nicipal building: Effective July 1,
1916, the appointment of J. U.
Watts, present townsite engineer, as
townsite manager, vice J. A. Moore,
who has resumed his duties as spe
cial agent for the general land office,
is announced for the information of
all concerned.
COURT HOUSE IS
ASSURED FOR HERE
United States Marshal F. R. Bren
neman says the department of jus
tice has recommended the erection
of a building half-way between the
present post office building and fed
eral jail, fronting on 4th avenue.
This building will be so arranged,
under the present plans to accom
modate the commissioner and clerk
in the front offices, with the court
room In the rear. This, however,
will probably be added to when
conditions justify. Mr. Brenneman
wrould not state definitely when the
work would start on this building,
but did say that the court house for
Anchorage was assured.
Federal block will soon De me
scene of active work as plans have
been formulated for the immediate
erection of a building to be occupied
by the telephone system on lot No.
2, facing 3rd avenue. This building
will be 36 by 46 and work on the ex
cavation will be started at once.
District Engineer Warren says
that work on the extension of the
post office will start Just as soon as
the lumber arrives and while it fail
ed to arrive on the Aroline there was
no question but that it would reach
Anchorage within the next ten days.
This extension will be added to the
west end of the present post office
building and will be 46 by 32 feet
and the plans and blue print have
been drawn covering same.
The people of Anchorage have the
Alaskan Engineering commission
to thank for the relief of the present
inadequate post office accommoda
tions and it is only through their ef
forts that this new improvement Is
possible. The commission will erect
the building and the post office de
partment will later reimburse them
when the appropriation becomes
available.
Lieut. Frederick Means returned
on the Mariposa from a.trip to Yai
de*. jy-uv t'r. ■ i
Chas. M. Robinson was in Anchor
age yesterday, coming over on the
Deep Sea cannery tender Hero and
returned last night. Mr. Robinson
has charge of the education and wel
fare of the Cook inlet Indian and
has made a wonderful record espe
cially in regards to building up their
health and materially stopping the
ravages of tuberculosis, which has
become quite prevalent among the
Alaska Indian.
In the Indian village of Moquan
kie, where he is located, formerly
called Tyonek, 40 mileg west of An
chorage, there has been only two
cases of death in iwo years, one ad
ult from tuberculosis, and one in
fant, of a population of over 150.
The government is supporting a
school at Moquankie, providing room
for 45 pupils. Mrs. Robinson as
sists in the teaching, also, in the
medical relief and otherwise looks
after the wants of their charge.
Mr. Robinson has been with the
bureau of Indian affairs for 20 years,
doing service at Umatilla reserva
tion in Oregon and was formerly in
charge of affairs for the Shoshone
and Bannock tribes stationed at Poc
atello, Idaho. He has about 1,200
Indians under his supervision in the
inlet and among other duties has
charge of the post office, but com
plains of the very poor mail servive,
which amounts to one mail a month
for eight months, and no mail the
balance of the year.
Mr. Robinson’s direct duties are
to look after all Indians, furnish
them protection, provide food when
necessary, and protect their tishing
The Indian fishing rights are
known as the ancient rights dating
back to a period before the Russian
occupation of Alaska. These rights
are recognized by an act of congress
and under the care of the secretary
of the interior. The “Ancient Rights”
also mciuue I'anue taiiuiugs, vmagco
and village sites, together with hunt
ing privileges. The Indians are
peaceful and industrious, tan a large
amount of moose hide each year,
make snow shoes and moccasins in
addition to their season’s fishing
which is the largest source of in
come. The Indians at Moquankie
catch from 10,000 to 15,000 King
salmon and 50,000 red salmon each
season, selling to various canneries.
This year the cannery at Kasilof
takes most of the catch.
Mr. Robinson was very much in
terested in Anchorage and said if It
were possible he would bring some
of the Indians over for the big
Fourth of July celebration, and
would certainly make this city an
other visit at the first opportunity.
SHUSH A X N A MINING CAMP
COMING TO THE FRONT
Things in the Shushanna are look
ing better all the time, and indica
tions are that the camp will continue
to improve, accord.ng to a letter re
ceived from Grant Reid, a miner now
in that camp.
Reid says that good pay has been
struck on both Gold Run and Big
Eldorado, and both creeks are ex
pected to make a good showing. The
dump taken out by E. R. Behling, at
the jusction of Poorman’s gulch and
Gold Run, contains much good dirt,
and it is expected that it will wash
up at least $6,500.
Reid does not refer to the strike
on Foley creek, which is about 20
miles from .the old Shushanna dig
gings, but work cannot be prosecut
ed until machinery is placed on the
ground, and it is probable that noth
ing new has been learned about the
discovery.—Cordova Times.
VICTOR HARRIS, COMPOSER,
HAS MARRIED HIS PUPIL
NEW YORK, June 24.—Miss
Catherine Lawrence Richardson, and
Mr. Victor Harris, somewhat well
known composer and instructor in
music, were married today at the
church of the Messiah.
The engagement was no surprise
to many of the associates of Miss
Richardson and Mr. Harris in vari
ous musical organizations.
Their romance began when Miss
Richardson, who lias given much
time to the cultivation of her voice,
met frequently afterward, when she
became a member of the St. Cecilia
club, an organization of amateur vo
calists of which Mr. Harris has been
the conductor for several years.
CAPT. HAMLET PASSES
AWAY IN OAKLAND
OAKLAND, Cal., June 23.—Cap
tain O C. Hamlet, a retired member
of the coast guard, and father of
Capt. H. G. Hamlet, formerly of the
revenue cutter service, died at his
home here today.
MINNESOTA MAY RESORT TO
MILITIA CONSCRIPTION
ST. PAUL, Minn., June 24.—Con
scription may be forced upon Minne
sota men capable of bearing arms, t«
recruit the Minnesota national guard
to full war strength.
The Minnesota military code pro
vides for enrollment of eligible arm*
bearers, with the taking of each cen,
BUS,
High military authorities todaj
said they considered this clause suf
ficient ground for forcing Minnesota
men to enlistment. The matter may
be brought before the state supreme
court for a test.
Activity in recruiting is due to
the disbanding: of four national
guard companies and threatened dis
banding of several others, due, it is
said, to inefficiency and the fact that
the guard is below peace strength.
FAIRBANKSANH PURCHASE THE
FAMOUS SC ;rER KING MINE
One of the most important mining
deals made In the Yukon for years
has just been closed whereby Man
ley, Ives, Price & McGinn, well
known Fairbanks mining 'operators,
have purchased the Silver King min
ing properties in the Mayo district,
in the Upper Stewart river valley,
from Thomas Aitken. The purchase
was arranged recently after Messrs.
Manley and Ives went to Mayo,
where they visited the properties.
Mr. Manley states that the com
pany hopes to get a good road built
from the landing to the mine so that
shipments can continue summer as
well as winter, and that the plan is
to put on heavy motor trucks and
tractors to draw the ore to tte
Stewart river at Mayo landing as
fast as mined. He hopes to have 15
to 20 tons shipped daily.
Mr. Ives will be on the ground in
charge Mr. Manley will go to Idit
arod to operate extensive placers
this summer.
Aitken took out 1,700 tons of ore
last winter, which is understood to
be worth $150 to $200 a ton. Late
advices state silver has jumped to
75 cents an ounce, and this will
make a great increase in profits to
the owners of the Silver King.
SPECIAL MUSIC ENGAGED
FOURTH OF JULY DANCE
An orchestra of 14 pieces selected
from the Anchorage band is practic
ing special music to be played for
the dance Fourth of July night, giv
en under the auspices of the Anchor
age fire department. Special atten
tion is also being paid to the refresh,
ments which will be included in the
admittance price of ope dollar. The
dance will be held in Robarts’ hall
the night of the Fourth and will
commence at 8:30 o’tlock
AIM SAILED
SEATTLE, June 24.—The Bteamer
Alaska sailed from here at 10 o’clock
yesterday morning, with 16-passen
gers for Anchorage and 900 tons of
freight, 20 hArses and two bulls for
the Alaskan Engineering commis
sion.
The Admiral Watson leaves for
southwestern Alaska on Monday, her
sailing date being postponed one day.
SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY
ANCHORAGE WOMAN’S CLUB
A special meeting of the Anchor
age woman’s club will be held at the
Elks’ Hall Monday, June 26, at 2:30
p. m. to consider the purchase of a
lot in the Anchorage townslte and
other matters of importance. The
attendance of all members urgently
requested.
LATEST RAILROAD CAMP
Superintendent Jbb. E. O'Reilly
came in from the scenes of railroad
activity on yesterday’s train on bus
iness and will remain over Sunday
to take in the ball game between the
City tea^n' and the Shamrocks at
Recreation park.
Mr. O’Reilly says they are putting
on more men all the time and ‘work
in fact is going on almost too
smoothly to unit a man of his activ
been established at King river about
60 miles from Anchorage and only
12 miles from Chicaloon. Accord
ing to the geographical report King
river is in thet heart of the coal re
gion. Mr/ O’R&lly says the boys
are all looking forward to the big
celebration in Ahchorage on the
Fourth of July and that a large num
ber of them will attend.
Mrs. T. M. Hunt was an arrival
from Cordova on the steamer Mari
josa to Join her husband, who is the
chief forester for this division.
IS AT KINO RIVER
The last camp has
NEWS HAPPENINGS
AIM TOWNS
Max Simel, the pioneer trader,
well known along the Yukon, wift
take a large supply of goods to the
mouth of the Dltna as soon as pos
sible after the river is open.
P. H. McCue, general superin
tendent of the Northweetern Fisher
ies Company, Is making arrange
ments to rebuild the cannery de
stroyed by fire at Kenai.
E. S. Wilsos and party, who
worked the Slipcovlch antimony
property near Nome during the lat
ter part of 1915, will again resume
operations on a large scale this sum
mer.
W. G. Stevens, who has a farm
about four miles above Matanuska
Junction, on the government rail
road, is experimenting with the rais
lsg of watermelons and canteloupes.
“Abbie” Abendroth, well known in
Nome, Iditarod and other camps, re
' cently committed suicide in the
states, according to word received in
Seward.
At the celebration in honor of the
birthday o| the king, held recently
at Whitehorse, Juneau won the base
ball honors, with Skagway is on sec
ond money.
The Nome Chamber of Commerce
is making preparations for the en
tertainment of a large number of
tourists who are expected to visit
that place during the summer.
Ruby has launched upon a clean
up crusade.
The Cordova Daily Times will
issue a prosperity Edition sometime
between August 1st and 15th.
E. J. Liddicoat, a pioneer resident
of Skagway, died recently from con
vulsions, after a brief illness.
H. D. Clark, homesteader at Skag
way, will receive full title to his
homestead claim of 44 acres.
Residents of the Casey-Shattuck
addition to Juneau hare formed a
tennis club and constructed a court.
A Miss Wallace, of Walla Walla,
Wash., has been chosen principal of
the public school at Seward.
The Seward common council- 1s
costemplating the addition of two
rooms to its present public school
building.
The Alaska Packers Association
has been granted a patent to ten
acres of land at Laddie station, near
Tyonic, for a canning factory site.
Henry Steinfeld, a Cordova fisher
man, has been arrested for violation
of the fisheries law for netting in
Mountain slough on Sunday.
By a vote of 183 for wet to 61 for
dry, the people of Petersburg sig
nified their willingness to grant li
censes in the town, at the recent elec
tion.
■ A small stampede ia. reported to
have occurred to some creeks on the
south side of the Koyukuk, where
prospects are said To have been
found.
Sam T. Kincaid, bailiff of the dis
trict court at Fairbanks, and Hank
O’Neill, of Ruby, will open up a rich
silver-lead mine in the Kiyu moun
tains, about 60 miles from Ruby. The
ore. is said to be extremely rich.
James E. Estes has been appointed
deputy marshal at Yakutat by Mar
shal Harry A. Bishop. The appoint
ment is to take effect on July 1st, at
which time Albert E. Luck will take
over his new duties with the Libby,
McNeill & Libby Company.
Prince Arthur, declared to be the
largest dog in the world, is now in
Juneau. He is 3 feet, *1 inch in
height and weighs 210 pounds. He
is the property of John S. Barnes.
John Shanks and Gus Wonzel had
a narrow escape from death in the
Tanana river recently, when the boat
in which they were rowing as sucked
under the steamer Shushanna. The
boat and occupants traveled under
ine waier lor ine compreio wugv“
of the steamer.
R. H. Sargeant, of the U. S. Geo
logical survey, will spend the sum
mer investigating the mineral re
sources of the Marshall City district
of the Lower Yukon.
Harry Balderston, the popular as
sistant cashier of the Bank of Sew
ard, has been elected to the position
of cashier by the directors of the
Institution.
H. M. Lawrence, millwright at the
Wortben mill, fell from the dock to
a boom of logs below, striking on the
side of his head.. His condition is
considered serious.
The Northern Club, of Cordova,
has reorganised and has taken quar
ters in the Burkhart building.
Twenty-three new members were re
cently admitted to the clu$>.
Jacob Phile, proprietor of the
Alaska Harness and Shoeshop, has
entered the Seward general hospital
with a bad case of blood poisoning,
caused by an Infection in his hand.
J.^ Halvor Johnson was recent!^
admitted to the bar at Fairbanks. He
is fhe first person ever admitted in
that division under the. lair permit
ting the taking of examinations.
Tne c*ty conncn at uougias «»»
panel un ordinance providing (or
the punishment by fine or imprison
ment, or both, of any person taking
Intoxicants to the restricted district.
Miss Kent, one of the teachers of
the Ketchikan public school, was pre
sented with a handsome old ivory
brooch, set with nuggets, by friends
and pupils, at the close of the school
term.
Stephen Birch, who Is to marry
Miss Mary Rand, of St. Poul, June
24, has announced that he will ar
rive in Seattle June 27, and sail for
Cordova on the steamship Mariposa
July 5.
Mrs. Dan Sutherland, wife of the
well-known Alaska senator and min
ing man, 1b on the way from the
states to join her husband, who is
operating on Poorman creek, near
Ruby.
Two big busy brown bears were
seen by the side of the track at
Mile Eight by the train crew on the
Alaska Northern. It is needless to
say they did not get off and shoo
them off the right-of-way.
The Douglas city council has
granted a franchise to the Tread
well company for the erection and
maintenance of electric light, power
and telephone lines across the city
of Douglas for a period of 60 years.
Men who have visited the work
ings of Ringdahl & Co. on Cleaty
creek, in the Fairbanks district, are
authority for the statement that the
richest pay ever known to exist on
Old Cleary, even in her palmiest
days, is now being mined there. In
fact, it is stated that it is no trouble
at all to get pans running from $5
to $25 anywhere in the drift. It is
therefore expected that the operat
ors will take out something like
$100,000 during the mining season.
Twenty fair Scotch lassies ranging
in age from 18 to 30 years and every
one of them an expert fish splitter,
left Seattle recently for southeastern
Alaska, to join the forces of the
Alaska Herring and Sardine Com
pany’s plant at Port Walter. The
young women will be employed in
the sardine department of the plant.
The Nome Nugget states that the
native village of Norvig has taken
on the appearance of a city, streets
well laid out and cabins placed on
nearly all the lots. Fifty-four cabins
completed. . One iuuldin* and more
to be built. Sixty-eigbt lots nave
been located up to date.
The Charles H. Lilly Company, of
Seattle, capitalized for 1300,000 and
empowered to engage in a general
seed and feed business, have filed ar
ticles with Secretary C. E. Davidson.
Harold H. Post is designated as the
Alaskan agent for purposes of sum
mons in case of suit.
Reports from LaTouche island are
to the effect that Archie Handcock
who is opening up the Horseshoe
Bay mines for the Reynolds-Alaska
Development Company, has struck a
rich body of copper ore, and will
have a large crew of men at work
within a short time.
The Nome Chamber of Commerce
has protested through the Alaska
Bureau of the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce against an increase in
freight rates. Instead of a raise, a
reduction is demanded, particularly
on coal and salt, northbound, and
ore, fish and reindeer, southbound.
A coroner’s jury inquiring into
the death of Alfred Boots, a wireless
operator who died suddenly at Ket
chikan, returned a verdict that death
was occasioned by unknown causes.
The stomach of the deceased will be
sent to Seattle for examination to
ascertain if he had taken poison.
Skagway citizens will have to deny
themselves the delights of the seduc
tive cocktail and other alcoholic bev
erages the coming year, as a small
majority of the residents of the
town voted on the dry side at the
recent election. It is safe to say
Skagway will not be popular with
the tourists this summer.
Report has it that the pay recent
ly discovered by Al. Jorgensen, in
the uexter section near Nome, ig or
considerably greater value than the
first indications would suggest. Pans
running as high as four and five dol
lars are said to have been found,
and indications point to the pay body
being extensive.
John Kelley, a resident of Ketchi
kan, placed four boxes of powder
which he thought too old to be very
effective, under a stump hd desired
to blow out. When the explosion
came up came the stump,, -several
sections of sidewalk, and scared the
people in the vicinity almost to
death. Mr. Kelley says he was fooled
by the quality'of the powder.
■ '"‘""'r tt-~~
REPORTED PLACER STRIKE
ON GRUBSTAKE CREEK
While it has not been confirmed
there is a report On the street that
Frank Irwtln and W. S. Horning have
reoently made a rich strike on the
head of Grubstake creek in the Wil
low creek district. There has been
a hydraulic outfit at the mouth of
Grubstake tor several years that has
taken out pay every season and the
renort w*v <*•
BALLAMES SUE
ALASKA NORTHERN
Today in the district court two ac
tions were filed by John E. Ballaine
and Frank L. Ballaine against the
Alaska Northern Railway Company,
as defendant, seeking to recover
damages from that corporation in
the total sum of $450,000.
The railway company is a corpora
tion organized under the state laws
of Washington; Chairman Edes, of
the Railway Commission, is presi
dent, Lieut, Mears is vice president,
and Mr. Barndollar secretary, as
well as service agent in Alaska.
Under an agreement made with
Secretary Lane relative to the ac
quisition of the property of the Sew
ard railroad, the Canadian bond
holdholders were permitted to bring
suit in the name of the Alaska
Northern Railway Company, as
plaintiff, against John E. Ballaine,
Frank L. Ballaine and others, in the
Alaska courts.
This action, thus permitted, was
instituted shortly after the an
nouncement of the selection of Sew
ard as the terminus of the govern
ment railway, and was brought for
the purpose of establishing an al
leged claim of the railroad company
in and to the lands of the Seward
townsite, owned by the Ballaines.
The complaint in this original action
was telegraphed from San Francisco
to Valdez at an expense, it is stated,
of nearly $500. The Ballaines were
made defendants and were charged
with wholesale and sweeping allega
tions of fraud and deceit, and it was
sought to have the Ballaines charged
as trustees for the railroad company
and that their title in the Seward
townsite was held in trust for the
railroad and not the property of the
Ballaines.
A trial was had before Judge
Brown, resulting in a decision on the
merits in favor of the defendants
Ballaine and against the Alaska
Northern Railway Company. The
trial at Seward last November was
a hard fought battle, T. C. West, of
Sail Francisccf, appearing for the
railroad, and S. O. Morford and Sen
ator L. V. Ray, of Seward, appearing
for the Ballaines. The depositions
of people residing throughout the
United States and Canada were pro
cured, and read in evidence, and the
whole interesting and romantic his
tory of the organization and financ
ing of the old Alaska Central rail
way was presented to the court. The
decision of Judge Brown was in
favor of the Ballaines and their
ownership of the Seward townsite.
In addition to the action and inci
dental to it the railroad company
caused a cloud to be placed upon the
title to the Ballaine holdings by
filing a lis pendens, and no sale of
property owned by the Ballaines
could be made during all of last
summer and winter. This, too, at
a time when real estate values in
Seward had evidently largely in
creased in value.
John E. Ballaine claims that he
has suffered damages to the extent
of 1300,000, and so alleges in his
complaint. Prank L. Ballaine al
leges that he has sustained damages
In the sum of $150,000.
Senator L. V. Ray appears for th®
plaintiff in both actions filed here,
and states that service will be at
once made on Mr. Barndollar.
Another interesting feature of the
litigation now instituted is that it
may possibly enable the government
to withhold the payment of the sum
of $650,000 due to the Canadian
bondholders on July 5th, 1916, on
the ground that the Alaska Northern
railway property is not now free and
clear from entanglements and en
cumbrances. If the July payment
was to be made out of the $2,000,
000 emergency appropriation, it is
believed extensive railroad work in
Alaska would have to await the pass
age of the civil sundry bill, which
carries either $6,000,000 or $8,000,
900 appropriation ior me guveiu
ment railroad.
Just what effect these two law
juits will have on the proposed sale
af lots in the government tract at
Seward Is problematical. It is stated
that the Ballaines have made a sin
sere effort to adjust and compromise
their claims for damages and have
expressed themselves as willing to
accept a sum equal to the amount
actually disbursed by them In de
tending themselves from what they
:laim to have been a vexatious suit
brought maliciously and without
probable cause, and a suit which
would never have been instituted
igainst them by the/Alaska North
ern Railway Company had Cordova,
Portage Bay or some other coast
xiint been selected as the terminus
>f the governmental railway pro
lect.
Father Cremont was an outgoing
passenger on the steamer Mariposa