Cook Inlet Pioneer
and Knik News
Published by
Cook Inlet Publishing Co.
Anchorage. Alaska
SATURDAY, JULY 3. 1915
The New Townsite Matter
The regulations governing the
sale of lots in the new townsite
have been issued and circulated
freely throughout the town.
They also received wide pubicity
by publication in the columns of
this newspaper. Hence, those
interested in the matter have had
ample opportunity to study them.
Had the people of this com
munity been given their choice
in the disposal of the lots, there
can be no question but that they
would have favored the drawing
plan. This plan would have given
the poorer people an equal op
portunity with those having
money. It would be purely a
matter of chance. But the Sec
retary of the Interior, with the
approval of the President, having
jurisdiction, has elected to invoke
the auction plan. The reason as
signed by land department offi
cials now here is that the govern
ment has found, through experi
ence. that the drawing system is
not satisfactory; that it tends to
ward speculation, as opposed to
investment for legitimate use.
The Pioneer, from the outset,
has favored the drawing plan be
cause it felt that it really would
give the poor man an opportunity
to get hold of a piece of property
at a minimum cost. That is, he
would stand an equal chance with
his more fortunate fellow man.
We are not so much concerned as
to the welfare of the rich fellows
ecause they have the coin with
which to buy, if they failed to
.raw a desirable location.
But the die has been cast, and
we must face the situation as it
is, not as we would wish it. WTe
are not so skeptical as most of
the residents here about the auc
tion plan. Indeed, we feel that
next to the drawing scheme, it is
the best that could be followed,
•specially as the regulations give
authority to the superiniendent
of sale to reject any bid he may
losire to. If he rinds, therefore,
. that any set of men, with ade
quate means at their disposal,are
seeking to gain control of the
best business locations, for pure
ly speculative purposes, all he
has to do is to decline to
accept their bids. That would
end any “grab” scheme that may
Ire afloat. We do not know that
there is such a scheme in con
templation.
The announcement is made
that Mr. Andrew Christensen,
chief of field division, of the land
department, has been named su
perintendent of sale. Mr. Chris
tensen has been here long enough
to become acquainted with con
ditions. He knows that there
are many people here engaged in
business in a small way who
wish to secure locations in the
new townsite to continue their
various businesses. The respon
sibility will largely rest with him
in the disposal of the lots. Know
ing Mr. Christensen, and having
implicit faith in his integrity and
good intentions, we have no fear
but what all who wish may se
cure locations in the new town
site.
We do not understand the fact
to be that our great government
wishes to make any considerable
sum of money out of this, or other
townsites that may hereafter be
platted and thrown upon the
market. 3n the contrary, we
believe that the government de
sires only the legitimate devel
opment of the country and the
upbuilding, at suitable places, of
centers of population for the ac
commodation of those engaged in
suburban or outlying districts.
If this view is correct, then we
have nothing to fear with respect
to the townsite matter.
The Literary Digest, a publi
cation of national repute, in a re
cent article on the subject, tells
of the difficulties attending rail
way building in Alaska. For the
information of the Digest and
others equally ignorant concern
ing the matter, we will state that
the entire line from Anchorage
to the Yukon river will present
no difficulties at all in railway
building. It is practically a water
grade all along the way. The
trouble with these usually well
informed publications is, that
they cite the two really difficuit
railway jobs in Alaska—the
White Pass and Yukon line and
the Copper River and North
western line—and assume that
all routes are similar. They do
Alaska a grave injustice by mak
ing superficial inquiries and then
giving the mis-information a wide
publicity.
When you wish to rest, go to
the Pioneer hotel, Knik. Frank
Cannon, proprietor. x
...ali? ftemtant...
Choice Confections
Cigars and Tobaccos
Soft Drinks
Ice Cream
Etc., Etc.. Etc.
r^/^Fire Works for the 4th„Jg*
KNIK, - - ALASKA
ANCHORAGE PRODUCE CO.
GREEN FRUITS
GREEN GROCERIES
POULTRY BUTTER EGGS
Near Pioneer Office.
The Harriman National Bank of Alaska
HENRY B. WESSELMAN, Vice President SIDNEY B. CONGDON, Assistant Cashier
MERRILL A. MARLIN, Assayer
Former Assayer U. S. Mint, San Francisco
Gold Dust and Bullion Bought and Assayed
CORRESPONDENT
Harriman National Bank
NEW YORK
AT SEWARD
OFFICERS:
New York
Seward
JOSEPH W. HARRIMAN, President GASION HARDY,
JOHN A. NOBLE, Vice President ERICH LUCAS,
Vice President
Cashier
I
150,000 Ft. of LUMBER
Washington Fir—A good assortment of No. 1
Quality—Rough and Dressed—Arrived on the
....Steamer Admiral Watson....
FOR THE
Anchorag
...Lumber Yard...
DOORS and
WINDOWS.
CEMENT.
BUILDING
MATERIAL.
Let Us Figure on Your Building Material
H. J. Emard, Manager