COOK INLET PIONEER
AND KNIK NEWS
VOL. 1
Anchorage, Alaska, Saturday, September 4, 1915
NO. 1*
Census Taken
Under Auspices
Town Manager
A census of the new town,tak
en Tuesday under auspices of the
townsite manager, gave the fol
lowing returns:
Men—593.
Women— 208..
Children—193.
‘We figure that our enumer
ators got the names of only about
40 per. cent of the male inhabit
ants of the new town,” said the
townsite manager to the Pioneer,
‘‘because most of the men are
away from their homes in the
day Jti/ne, when the census was
taken. Our enumeration of the
women and children is more
nearly correct,” said he. “We
have obtained the names of per
haps 80 per cent of the women
and children. Our figures show
101 children of school age in
town.”
Mr. Moore says the past week
has been one of the best, in the
way of issuing building permits,
since his office opened for busi
ness. From six to 12 applications
for building permits have been
issued each day this week. There
are now, said the townsite man
ager, but few applications for
tent habitations. Those now re
ceived are chiefly for structures
to be built of lumber.
4 »
Commercial
Rates Made
Commercial. rates established
by the Alaskan Engineering Com
mission for the use of the tele
phone line connecting Anc^ior|ge
with Seward aite’as follows:
One dollar and fifty cents J>er
minute, and fifty cents for each
additional minute, from Anchor
age to Seward.
Fifty cents per minute, in con
nection with cable message sent
or received at Seward.
It is announced that the tele
phone service will remain under
the jurisdiction of the Commis
sion, and not be placed under the
auspices of the U, S. signal ser
\ ^ vice. _
Farragut On
Alaska Run
The S. S. Watson was tempo
rarily put out of commission by
a mishap at a Seattle dock and is
Jjin the drydock 'undergoing re
pairs. The S. S. Admiral Farra
gut, of the" same line, is coming
in place of the Watson, so that
the schedule will be uninterrupt
ed. The Farragut will remain on
the run as theuncreased business
demands additional transporta
tion facilities. The Watson will
be repaired in a, few days now.
M. L. Miliken will build a large
skating rink, 46x120 feet, on lot
7, block 28.
Tobacco, candy, fruit, nuts and
soft drinks, at Hertel’s on 4th
avenue, between C and D sts. x
Get a furniture man to make
your furniture, finished complete
Shop H st.*1 between Third and
Fourth aves.
Just received at Pilger’s—a
big shipment of shirts. x
The grand !prize and three gold
medals were* awarded to the
Remington Typewriter by' the
Panama Pacific Exposition.
Fine Growth I.
Shows Faith
in Anchorage
A count of business structures
completed or under construction
in the new townsite of Anchorage
this week—the sixth week after
erection of the first one—shows
a total of 146, of which 103
are substantial wooden ones and
42 are part canvas and part wood
to be replaced in the near future
by permanent buildings.
If any other town in the U. S.
has equaled or passed this record
the fact isn’t noted in any history
available here. These structures
are distributed about an area
seven blocks long and between
Third and Sixth, do not include
about 25 warehouses, stables,
shops, etc. between Third ave.
and Ship creek, and are as fol
lows:
Fourth ave.—Frame or log, 64
—nine are two stories high; tents
or canvas covered frames, 28;
total, 92.
Fifth ave.—Frame or log, 22 -
two are two-stories high; tent or
tent-covered frames, 6; total, 28
Other avenues and intersecting
streets—Frame or log, 17; tents
or canvas-covered frames, 8;
total, 25. ^
Grand totals—Frame or log,
103; two-story, H; tents or can
vas- covered frames, 42.
Hospital for
New Town
A public hospital will be erect-!
ed in Anchon ge, for the accomo
dation of those requiring the need
of such an institution. Dr. D.L.
Carmichael and Dr. K. 0. Kyvig
are taking the initiative in the
matter, realizing the necessity for
a hospital of this character.
The plans, which call for the
construction of a building 30x40
feet, substantially made. It will
have accommodations for six pa
tients at one time, an operating
room and office quarters.
Work on the building it is
planned, will begin at an early
date. It will be erected on lot 11,
block 44, new townsite.
Church to Be Established
James H. Condit, D. D., gen
eral missionery for Alaska for
the Presbyterian board of home
missions, and Rev. James Mc
Bride of Cordova, reached here
on the Evans. They came for the
purpose of establishing a church
here. Rev. McBride will be in
charge and expects to have ar
rangements perfected to begin
holding regular services about the
middle of October. They went to
Knik to hold services Sunday.
Jas. Turner, the enterprising
head of the Anchorage Fish Mar
ket, will depart on the steamer
Alameda, on a brjef business trip
to Seattle. He goes to make ar
rangements to install a tine, up
to-date market here, preparatory
to occupying the new premises
nearing completion.
Deputy Marshal Dowling came
and departed on the Mariposa.
He took out the two insane pa
tients and a prisoner for the Val
dez jail.
Thirsty people always call at
Hertel’s, 4th avenue between C
and D sts. x
A few second hand typewriters
for sale cheap. See E. C. Niles,
White House.
Big comfortable rockers at
Eckman’s, Fifth and K street.
. Send the Pioneer to your
friends,
SHrai
PIONEER TO INSTALL
TYPE-SETTING MACHINE
AND ISSUE DAILY PAPER
Arrangements have been per
fected by the Cook Inlet Pioneer
for the immediate installation of
a typesetting machine and much
other additibnal printing machin
ery, the plan being to make this
paper one of the foremost in all
Alaska, with an equipment un
excelled by any.
A member of the staff will de
part for Seward oh the next boat
to get in touch with the wires
and get hold of catalogues not
available here, and as soon as
possible the additional plant will
be installed.
It is the plan of the Pioneer to
begin the publication of a first
class daily newspaper as soon as
the typesetting machine is in
working order. This should be
on or about the first of October.
The daily publication will con
tain a telegraphic news service,
so that residents of Anchorage
will be able,daily, to secure news
of the war and other events of
interest. It is planned to make
an especial effort with respect to
telegraphic news.
The publishers of the Pioneer
have unbounded faith in the fu
ture of this town and in this part
of Alaska, and propose to back
that faith by a substantial ex
penditure. The additional ma
chinery to be installed will make
the Pioneer plant one of the most
complete in Alaska.
WORK ON GOVERNMENT
PROJECT MOVES ALONG
IN BUSINESS LIKE MANNER
Work on the big government
railway project continues to make
g09d, progress and everything is
moving along in business-like
shape. The Commission’s plan
Ur complete the road as far as
Matanuska junction by the first
of the year bids fair to be ac
complished. The impression ap
pears to prevail in some quarters
that the steel would reach the
Matanuska coalfields this year,
but Commissioner Mears informs
the Pioneer that the railway work
contemplated and planned for
this season was the completion of
the line from Anchorage to the
junction. From that point on to
the coalfields, a distance of some
35 miles, will be undertaken next
year.
The S. S. Wilmington is en
route from Ancon, Panama, with
a shipment of railway equipment
for the Alaska railway project.
The cargo consists of flat cars,
boilers, western dump cars, and
a general line of construction ma
terial and - rolling stock. The
Wilmington will unload part of
the equipment at Anchorage and
the remainder at Seward.
CHIEF FORESTER GRAVES
MAKES TOUR OF NORTHLAND
Hon. H. S. Graves, chief for
ester of the United States, with
headquarters at Washinfiton, D.
C., spent two days in Anchorage
this week. The chief forester is
making his initial trip to Alaska
and expresses himself to the Pi
oneer as much impressed with
the big country, and believes,
all things considered, that it has
the brightest prospects of any
section of the North American
continent.
Mr. Graves assured the Pioneer
that the forest service would do
all in its power to aid the settler!
and those having business with I
the service. His policy as to
water sites is liberal and tends to
development along these lines.
Mr. Graves is much interested
in the timber in Alaska not in;
the confines of forest reserves.
He believes that some action
should bo taken to protect the
timbered reprions from forest
fires, as he says a well timbered
country is one of the most im
portant needs of the settler. He
is now working out the details of
a plan whereby the forest service
will have authority to combat
fires not in reserves and hopes to
obtain favorable action by con
gress in aid of his scheme of pro
tection.
During the past year, Mr.
Graves said the forest service re
corded 7000 forest fires and prop
erty of the value of $100,000,000
was threatened. The actual loss
was confined to $400,000.
With Mr. Graves, who depart
ed on the Mariposa, is Assistant
Forester E. A. Sherman of Wash
ington, 1). C., and W.G. Weigle,
supervisor for Alaska, with head
quarters at Ketchikan.
School matters appear to be up
in the air, but it is believed a
solution of the problem will be
found at an early date. A tele-1
gram published in the Juneau
Empire, which appears below
looks encouraging, and an effort
is being made to substantiate the
report. Until this is done, the
school board will not know
“where it is at.’*
The press dispatch follows:
Washington, August 23.—The
Treasury Department today au
thorized the construction of a
government school house at An
chorage, Alaska, the cost to be
$2,000.
Ben Bernard, of the American
Dredge Building and Construc
tion Company, id at the Crescent,
coming from the Nome district.
Deputy Marshal Wardell has
moved his office to new town and
may be found at The Crescent.
Typewriter paper at the Pio
neer office.
August Boone and Miss Chris
tine Oslund were married in An
chorage Thursday night, the Rev,
James McBride of Cordova per
forming the ceremony. A few
friends of the contracting par
ties were present, and after the
wedding, a dainty supper was
served at Reilly’s Cafe. The
groom has been in Anchorage
since spring. The bride came
over from Cordova on the Mari
posa.
John Mathison, of the widely
known Mathison family of Hope,
Alaska, has a severe attack of
appendicitis and was operated on
by Dr. Reedy at the government
hospital this week. While the
case is a difficult one, the patient
is doing nicely and hopes for his
recovery are bright
The road commission has a
force of ten men employed in re
pairing the winter trail from
Kern creek toward Anchorage.
The proposed improvement is
badly needed, as the trail condi
tions over this route have been
exceedingly difficult.
Freighter Edith
Sinks in Ocean
Off St. Elias
The freighter Edith sank in ■
mid-ocean 48 miles off Cape St.
Elias Tuesday. The crew escaped I
in life boats and were rescued by j
the Mariposa, which answered
the wireless call for assistance.
The Edith was enroute from Cor
dova to Seattle, laden with cop
per ore. When off the cape, the
cargo shifted during a storm,
causing the vessel to list badly.
A wireless call was sent out,
which the steamer Mariposa,
about to enter Cordova harbor, |
enroute to Anchorage, heard and
immediately set out to the relief
of the helpless freighter. When
the Mariposa reached the scene,
the crew had taken to the life
boats. The Mariposa sought to
tow the freighter to Cordova, but
bad to abandon the effort as the
Edith began to sink.
The Edith was owned and op
erated by the {Alaska Steamship
Company. It was a freighter of
aproximately 2800 tons net cap
acity and was considered one of
the best freight lx>ats on the
Alaska run.
Broad Pass
Encouraging
E. I. Theriault, a mining man
from the Couer d'Alene country,
Idaho, who has been spending
the last few months in Central
Alaska, is here on his return
from the Broad Pass country.
“Given trans[>ortation, ’ ’ said
Mr. Theriault, “I believe that
the Broad Pass section will de
velop into one of the largest min
ing camps in Alaska. Coal of
better than average quality can
be mined within three miles of
the gold quartz claims and plen
ty of good water can be had in
any part of the district.”
J. A. Denney is another Broad
Pass mining man who returned
this week and informs the Pio
neer that he is well pleased with
the country, is satisfied with
what he found this season, and
j will return again next year.
Plyant Adjudged Insane
Edgar W. Plyant was adjudged
insane in a trial before Commis
sioner David Wednesday after
noon, the examining physicians
being Drs. Kyvigjand Stoughton.,
The victim created a mild sensa
tion Tuesday afternoon by ap
pearing on the streets dressed
a la September morn. He resisted
arrest, and being a powerful
young fellow, it was some job for
the marshal and his aids to land
him in the local jail.
. Larsen & Wendlerare complet
ing the erection of a well built,
commodious business structure
on Fourth avenue west. It will
have a large basement for the
storage of goods and la- two
stories.
Doc Caswell came over from
Valdez on the Mariposa.
Those dandy chocolates always
taste like more, when you buy
them at Hertel’s, opposite the D.
and D restaurant on 4th avenue
between C and D streets. x
Rugs and linoleum atEekmanV
Fifth and K street.
No extra charge for instruc
tion on the Remington type
writer. See E. C. Niles, White
House.
Since the arrival of the last
boat; Newt. Pilger’s is “shirt
enly” the shirt headquarters for
Cook Inlet. x
Hardware Man
Is Big Booster
for Anchorage
E. B. Burwell, sales manager
of the Seattle Hardware Co., who
recently visited Anchorage, said
to the .Juneau Empire|concerning
this town:
“1 ljelieve -the government
plans to make Anchorage a great
coaling station and that the com
ing year will witness a large em
ployment of men at .that most in
teresting town,” he said. ‘‘The
tow n of Anchorage is just rising
on the new townsite and every
one is rushing to get things in
good order before winter. The
merchants are doing a good busi
ness, the men employed on the
railroad project seem to be satis
fied with their condition, and a
general air of prosperity hangs
over that community.”
Streets to
Be Improved
The contract for placing gravel
on Fourth ave. from B to K
streets, and on Fifth ave. from
B to,”, was awarded to W-. L.
Baleh and Hay McDonald. The
successful bidders are responsible
local citizens and is safe, to assert
that the work will be well per
formed.' The bid calls for plac
ing gravel for a width of 16 feet,
in the center of the streets, for the
accommodation of traffic.
The contract for gravelling from
F to K streets on Fifth ave./has
not yet been awarded.
Good Words
for Anchorage
That-there isan overpcp^ction
of liars and knockers in certain
towns of Alaska that are envious
of and “view with alarm" the
rapid and substantial growth of
Anchorage, is the conclusion of
E. 0. Niles, of Seattle'. 'He is
manager of the Remington Type
writer establishment there, is on
a business tour of Alaska coast
points, arrived on the Evans' and
is agreeably surprised to find
such a husky, lively and vigorous
“youngster” as the new town at
the end of the sixth w'eek of its
existence. (Mr. Niles stated that
Anchorage is not only very much
misrepresented in neighboring
towns, but also in Seattle by re
turning “pilgrims” who spent an
hour or two making observations.
Card to the Public
We wish to inform the public
that we have added to our shoe
department: that we make shoes
to order and do general repairing.
We are in jtosition to give per
fect satisfaction in every respect,
in the shoe line. ' c
Geokue Carrol & Co.
Men’s Outfitters, Carrol Bldg.
FOR SALE Ton of food sup
plies a good assortment of first
class articles for kale 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.
Dressers at Eckman’s. Fifth
and K street
For furniture and store fixtures
see Wilkes. Shop on H street
between Third and Fourth avee.
Better get a new model Rem
ington typewriter. See S. C.
Niles, White House.