THE ANCHORAGE WEEKLY TIMES
ANCHORAGE PUBLISHING CO., PUBLISHERS.
CHAS. E. HERRON.
President
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ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, THURSDAY,- AUGUST 1, 1918.
POSSIBILITIES ARE POTENTIAL.
When one stops to consider the matter, the appointment of a
federal fuel administrator for Alaska, is one of the most important
things that is before this community for consideration at this time. It
is important for the reason that a fuel administrator, working in har
mony with the Alaskan Engineering Commission and the United States
navy department, which plans to expend a million dollars in the Mata
nuska fields, could vastly aid in speeding up development work and get
ting these eoal mines on a producing basis at the earliest possible date.
That is the thing desired here. We want a big force of coal miners, at
good wages, employed in the Matanuska fields, and we want to ship
this product to waiting markets within the shortest possible space of
time. Such a condition would greatly stimulate all business concerns
and enterprises in this community.
The appointment of a federal fuel commissioner for Alaska will
be of little use in this connection, unless that official has his head
quarters in Anchorage, so as to keep in constant touch with develop
ments. It will be up to him, if he make the best use of his powers, to
take the initiative in urging upon the government the speedy opening
of these coal mines, the building of such spurs or branches as may be
necessary by the railway authorities here, and to get the best possible
results in the shortest space of time. How can a man down in Juneau
know personally of what is going on up here in these fuel fields? The
idea is absurb, in the situation that confronts us now. The fuel admin-j
istrator must be in constant touch with the source of production; he I
i
must speed up production—that’s the thing that is needed now.
The Baxter coal mine, so we are informed, has three thousand tons
of fine coal on the dumps, awaiting shipment. But there is no transpor
tation facilities to get it to the main railway line. A spur should be
built at once. This mine, a private owned industry, has an available
market for all it can produce, but it can't get its product to the market
now. A fuel administrator would see to it that it was gotten to the
market. That woulji be his business; that’s what similar officials are
doing in the eastern*eoal mines, and that’s what could be done here, if
we had an official especially charged with this duty.
We are not coriCerned about the price that will be charged for the
Matanuska coal, nor need any of the other Alaska towns be concerned
about it. for it will be so much cheaper than what they are now paying,
that they will be glad to get it.
It has been suggested that Robert Courtnay, secretary of the |
Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, would make an efficient fuel admin
istrator, because he is an ohltimer in Alaska, is familiar with the coal
situation here and in other communities, and is a man of good ability.
If appointed, Mr. Courtnay would push things right along, and that’s,
the kind of a man we want in this position. We want no mere figure-:
head; we want an energetic, capable, progressive man at the head of I
fuel production and distribution in these parts.
DON ’T FORGET T1IE COOKS.
When the Alaskan Engineering Commission revises upward the
present wage scale, we should like to see it give a liberal hoist to the
wages now received by the camp cooks. We are told these cooks now
earn a hundred dollars a month. This is not enough money for this
class of work. The wage should be at least a hundred and fifty dollars
a month. There are clerks working eight hours a day earning more
than the cooks, whose jobs compel them to labor ten and twelve hours
a day. As we understand it, the cook's helper gets so much per hour,
so that it* he works ten or twelve hours the day, he gets paid for it. It
is a fact that in certain camps along the line, the helper gets more
than the chief. This don’t look just right to us. We don’t want the
helper's wage reduced, but we should like to see the cook's wages in
creased. And we arc not intimating that the clerks get any too much,
either. In these times, every one of them ought to be getting $150 per
month.
The wires tell us that Director of Railways McAdoo proposes to
pay railway shopmen 68 cents the hour. This is a nation-wide order.
We don't know what Mac. calls shopmen, but we presume he refers to
those employed in the machine and car repair shops. It occurs to us
that if railway men in these skilled lines on the outside get 68 cents the
hour, it would be none too much to give them at least 10 or 15 per
cent above that in Alaska.
LOCAL OFFICE IN COMPETENT HANDS.
The official information comes that the government will soon take
over, for operation during the period of the war, the telegraph, tele
phone, cable and radio systems of the country. We have had occasion
to observe the working of the telegraph service under government con
trol, because the local offices, since the beginning, have been govern
ment-owned and operated systems. The Times does more business with
the local telegraph office than any other concern engaged in private
business matters. That, of course, is only natural, because our busi
ness requires us to procure a daily press service. We mention this fact
to show that we know what we are talking about. We have found this
local telegraph office to be a most efficiently conducted one. The office
seems to take pride in giving the best service possible. The operators
are competent, the office force courteous and it is a real pleasure to do
business with the boys in that office. We can say the same thing about
our local radio office.
If the other officers that come under government control by the
law recently passed by congress are as well conducted as the local tele
graph and radio offices, there will certainly be no cause to lodge a just
complaint. They are all that can be desired.
WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING.
It is not a pleasant task to be called upon, in the-line of duty a
we sec It, to adversely criticize the official actions of a person who hold
such an exalted and responsible position as a district judge in Alaska
We would much prefer to speak in complimentary terms of our distric
judges. We should like to see the judiciary of Alaska of a high stand
ard, abovo the petty politics -of the territory, free from all bias aiu
prejudice, giving out equal justice to all, without respect to politica
affiliation. But is is perhaps too much to expect such desirable results
under the method of appointment in vogue. To get a judgeship ap
pointment it seems that all a person has to do is to lead a forlorn hopi
and run for delegate to congress on the democratic ticket, and thei
presents his claims as a leader of the party in the territory and gain ;
judgeship. This was the lucky experience of both Jennings, of the Firs
division and Bunnell, of the Fourth division. They certainly had n<
other claims for recognition.
There are four judicial divisions in Alaska, and consequently ther
are four district judges. Judge Brown presides in this, the Thiiv
division, and Judge Holzheimer occupies the bench in the Second divi
sion. Of these four district judges, there is but one that we can evinc
any enthusiasm over at all, and that is Judge Brown of our own grea
division. Here is a judge who has the confidence of the people of hi
district; who keeps his office out of politics; who gives out, aecordinj
to his light—and that’s all any man can do-—even justice to all win
come before him.
But it is wrell within the province of a newspaper to adversely criti
eize public officials, and judges—even federal judges—or nothing mor
nor less than public officials. They are not immune from censure, i
their acts, justify rebuke and condemnation. They must be judged b;
their acts, just the same as any other human beings. They are no
exalted above others unless their acts and pronounced sense of justic
and probity gain for them exaltation above others. If they prefer t
remain politicians, after ascending the bench, they lay themselves liabl
to attack as such. It’s squarely up to them. They make their beds am
they must lie in them. They cannot expect to hide behind their officia
robes and thereby escape all blame and censure, if their judicial act
do not comport with the dignity and high sense of honor and integrit;
which we are wont to attribute to our judicial officers. Here is on
office that must be, like Caesar’s wife, above suspicion.
The Juneau Dispatch, one of the fearless newspapers of Alaska
took occasion to severely criticise Judge Jennings, of the First divisioi
for his part—and he played a big part—in thwarting the will of th
electorate of the territory by imposing Sulzer as delegate upon then
for nearly two years, compelling the legally elected delegate—Janie
Wickersham—to sit idly by until a committee of the congress awards
him his rights. Whereupon, the ring newspaper down there—the Ju
neau Empire—raised its voice in holy horror because of the advers
criticism on one who occupies such an exalted position, and makes th
following comment:
“In view that with the aid of "Bob’ Jennings. Mr. Sul/.cr stole
Delegate election in Alaska.”—says the Dispatch.
“ ‘Bob’ Jennings is the judge of the United States district court
one of the highest officials of Alaska, charged with the duty of constru
ing the laws that effect the personal and property rights of our eiti
zens, of safeguarding the lights of the public and the nation when the;
are presented to him in regular course. If such an official should los
the confidence and respect of the people, and his decisions brought int
ridicue and contempt, it would make the administering of the law am
the enforcement of the law a very difficult thing.
“A newspaper or individual, who in this public manner charge
such a court with using its powers, the powers of the United State
judiciary, to aid a litigant in stealing, and who does not present th
facts upon which it bases its charge to the authorities that have impeach
ing powers, is contemptible, and as dangerous as the I. W. W. ”
THE PASSING OF GEORGE MURPHY.
The demise in Seattle Sunday of George Murphy removes anothe
Alaska pioneer from the neetor of life to the nadir of death. Murph;
was a notable figure in the early history of the great bonanza gold earn]
at Nome, where as a partner of Tex Rickard, an equally prominen
character in northern life as it flourished in the times gone by, he kep
a saloon and gambling house. And it was some gambling house, too. t
employ the vernacular. Anyone sportively inclined could go a
'■'strong” as he wished and as long as he liked. The ceiling was th
limit. It was not an uncommon thing to see wagers of a thousand dol
lars on the turn of a card at the faro game, which had the big phr
and which was the favorite game of the gamblers.
While Murphy made big money—almost everybody made mone;
in the days of ’91) at Nome—the saloon and gambling business was re
pugnant to him. He was a man of ambition and wished to do more thai
merely dole out drinks to a thirsty public or dabble with the little paste
boards for the sake of a few dollars. His natural inclinations were re
fined, rather than uncouth and aboriginal. He was a generous man
He gave freely to charity. No solicitor for a worthy cause was sen
away empty-handed. His generous donations'to the various churches
even while running his “gambling hell” revealed in his character ;
hope for better things—a desire for life's “other side.”—that wa
stilled for the-time being by the easy and extraordinary profits he wa
i arning. But to his credit, be it said, he sold his flournishing busincs
while it was in the heyday of successful earning capacity, and quit tha
life forever. He turned to legitimate pursuits, in which he achieve!
almost equal success.
The passing of George Murphy serves to remind us that “in tin
midst of life we are in death,” and that one by one the messenger o
death is calling our sturdy pioneers to join in the last great stamped*
en route to that “bourne from whence no traveler returns.” It like
wise brings vividly to mind those bygone days in old Nome; the day:
when the “Hurrah” block was the center of the town’s activity am
night life. Who among us who have seen the gay, frivilous, wild am
lawless life of the early days of this great, prosperous mining camp
can ever forget them! The gambling dens running wide open; th*
dance halls; the saloons; the restricted district with its motley denizens
Nightly, these various resorts were crowded to the doors, with a restless
careless, pleasure-seeking crowd. What a cosmopolitan aggregation i
was. You could see every specimen of the human family represented
It was a sight worth seeing, if it was not very edifying. Gold was th*
thing that brought these people—the good, the bad and the indifferent—
to this remote and frigid part of Uncle Sam’s domain. Some gainec
what they were after; most of them did not.
There will never be another Nome in Alaska. There may be othei
great gold discoveries; other great stampedes—but the life will be indif
ferent, and it will be much better for being different.
r
[VERY ROAD
SHOULD LEAD
TO ANCHORAGE
MANY PROSPECTORS IN HILL*
’ WAITING RAILROAD—TRAILS
IN BAD CONDITION.
i FRAME RETURNS FROM TRIP
i
. Business Men of Anchorage Sleeping
on Their Rights and Should Take
Immediate Action to Fix Trails foi
Travel From Interior.
“All roads should lead to Anchor
age. The failure to spend a few hun
dred dollars in legitimate road an<
trail work is costing the business mer
of Anchorage several thousand dol
lars each year and we are losing i
golden opportunity t© divert th<
greater part of interior travel fron
Fairbanks to Anchorage.” In making
the above statement John Frami
simply reiterates what has been sai<
many times before and immediate ac
tion should be taken by the chambe
of commerce and the business men o
Anchorage to put the northern trai
in shape for safe travel.
Mr. Frame returned Thursday fron
a five months’ prospecting trip inti
. the Broad Pass country and is fairl;
bubbling over in regard to the laten
I attitude of Anchorage on this import
j ant question. Mr. Frame spent mos
| of his time on the middle and eas
fork of the Chulitna river and for th<
I'M
^ past month has been ground sluicinj
on Antimony creek near-the Con Sul
3 I
11 livan road house.
i The Sullivan road house is on th
p ; direct line of travel from Nenana am
: the interior and is located at the junc
tion of the middle and east fork of th
j Chulitna river; about 30 miles fron
Indian river, where the proposed gov
- ernment railroad crosses the Susitn;
river. Indian river station is the plaus
: ible point to hit the railroad grad'
. | and from ‘there on into Talkeetna th'
j road is in good condition both for sum
t \ mer and winter travel. However, th<
j ; middle ten miles of the thirty mile
: from Sullivan’s road house to the rail
road line is all but impassable on ac
count ot Granite gulch ana nonoiuh
river. Honolulu gulch is quite dee]
and the approach to the river practi
cally impossible making it necessar;
for travelers to detour many wear;
miles out of their course to the hea<
of the gulch and a fordable place oi
the river.
Mr. Frame and several other reli
able men of that section, who are ii
position to know, claim that by th
legitimate expenditure of a few hun
dred dollars the gulch could be bridge*
and the river made fordable. There i
an abundance of timber in the immedi
ate vicinity and enough men in th
community to do the work in a prac
tical manner for the fall and winte
travel. Whether the travel comes vi;
the Sullivan road house or not it mus
cross Granite gulch and Honoluh
river.
The Anchorage route is by far th
most practicable for travelers comin*
from Nenana, Ruby, Iditarod and th«
interior, as it is much shorter and bet
ter supplied with road houses.
The distance from Nenana to Tal
keetna on the government railroad i:
only 120 miles, while the distance vi<
Fairbanks to Chitina is about 36<
miles. Numerous applications hav<
been sent out by the people in the in
terior and even Nenana, asking tha
this particular stretch of the trail b;
fixed for travel as they admit the An
chorage route is the nearest to tide
water and the more feasible.
[ This road question is a vital one t<
[ both Anchorage and Seward and defi
nite action should be taken with th*
> idea of immediately putting this p'
of road in shape for safe and san*
, i travel.
Mr. Frame said that there wen
. ] many prospectors in the Broad Pasi
i country and the interior hills who hav<
- valuable property which they ar*
l holding onto, waiting the arrival o
the railroad ^hat will solve the im
• | portant question of transportation
. i Semi-bituminous coal has been foun<
1 in large quantities and the hills ar*
4.
FOSTER PROPERTY—TALKEET
N,A RANGE IS PROMISING.
M. W. SINCLAIR IN ANCHORAGE
I Porphory and Ryolite Dykes Uncov
ered Showing Base and High Grade
Ore—Outside Capital Interested and
Send Representative.
The gold quartz strike made last
■ year in the Talkeetna range north of
I Anchorage is very likely to open up a
i new field for extensive operation ac
■ cording to M. W. Sinclair who recently
i arrived in Anchorage from the head
■ quarters camp that has been estab
1 lished on Harris creek. Mr. Sinclair
' is stopping at the Crescent hotel wait
■ ing the arrival of a representative of
I a large syndicate who is expected on
■ one of the next steamers. The strike
' was made by Max Foster who located *
four claims on Harris creek, known as
I the “Talkeetna King” group and two
claims on another small creek in the
l neighborhood and known as the Sin
> clair-Foster group.
r The Harris creek property is a large
t porphory dyke and the ore is low
- grade but free milling; the other prop
t erity is a ryolite dyke and high grade,
t' with the ore averaging about $40 per
ijton according to reliable assays. In
l addition to the two groups owned by
- Sinclair and Foster, other well known
prospectors and miners have located
; claims in the immediate vicinity.
\ Mr. Sinclair says that they have
. been working on the property since i
i last February removing the overburd
i en and doing other necessary develop
. ment work. The work accomplished
t has resulted favorably and is suffi
. cient guarantee for further expendi
? i ture of money.
> Through eastern connections and
. the splendid showing already made on
; the property Mr. Sinclair was able to
? interest outside capital which upon
. thorough examination will probably
. I result in the outside syndicate taking
i over both the Talkeetna King and Sin
!
i clair-Foster groups on a bond and
-; lease.
r | Mr. Sinclair is an old-time operator
7! in Alaska and has been interested in
1 several very valuable properties and
i his judgment in mining matters is ab
| solutely reliable. From the fact that
Mr. Sinclair is not easily enthused
j over prospects or strikes gives addi- |
> tional credence to the commercial pos
. sibilities of tfie Talkeetna field. In
j company with the eastern representa
. tive Mr. Sinclair expects to return to
. the propeity some time next week.
NON-MINERAL LAND
• ENTRIES IN ALASKA
i Senate Bill No. 950, providing for
the non-mineral entries of land with
; drawn, classified, or reported as con
f taining coal, phosphate, nitrate, pot
; ash, oil, gas, or asphaltic minerals in
- Alaska, has passed the senate, and is
now before the house for action. The J
■ bill, in substance, is the same as the
? Act of July 17, 1914 (38 Stat. 509),
i entitled, “An act to provide for agri
> cultural entry of land withdrawn,
> classified, or reported as containing
■ phosphate, nitrate, potash, oil, gas, or
: asphaltic minerals,” which it is aimed
; to extend to Alaska.
j If A. R. Tillery, of Great Falls,
I Mont., will report to Uncle Sam we
! can use him at the front.
■ | full of valuable metals simply wait
1 ing capital for development and oper
1 ation.
j
“ Mr. Frame aptly states that with
the abundance of precious metal back
of it and the great fishing industry in
front of it that Anchorage is destined *1
to become the metropolis of Alaska,
especially if the business men and cit
l izens will show the proper aggressive
- spirit and work in harmony on such
. matters as “Good Roads” and other
I movements vital to their own and the
i community’s interest and welfare.