COE ALLEN, WHO ENLISTED
LAST APRIL, SAYS PEASANTS
LIVE WITH ANIMALS.
VILLAGERS WALK TO FARMS.
Old Folks and Oiilden Are All That
Are Left at Home but None Seems
to Want Food—All Drink Wine in
Moderation.
Interesting details of conditions in
the French war zone as seen from the
viewpoint of an Alaskan are contain
ed in a letter from Coe Allen, who be
fore his enlistment last April in a
United States expeditionary force liv
ed at Douglas, to James Garner,
watchman at the Treadwell wharf in
Douglas.
“We are nicely located here at pres
ent and I have had an opportunity to
visit some small villages near here
and see how the country people live,”
says the letter as printed in the Doug
las Island News. “They seem very
pleasant, and I was surprised to find
them so husky. The country people in
this part of France do not live on
their own land as in the states, but
live in small unkempt villages and
walk or ride to and from their fields,
u They live under the same roof with
their stock—all enter by the same big
door near the center of the buildine,
but. of course, stay in different com
partments.
Wooden Shoes Over Felt Ones.
"The villagers wear wooden shoes
over felt ones, and leave the wooden
-hoes at the doorstep when they en
ter the house. The children are very
smart and assist us in our efforts to
learn something of the French lan
guage. There are very few young
folks in the villages and the old peo
ple and children carry on nearly all of
the ordinary work.
“The railroad stations here were
desterd except for a few workmen. In
England we saw many more people
who do not seem nearly so busy.
“In spite of the fact that France has
been at war more than three years, 1
have yet to see a person in actual
want, so good seems to be the system
of distribution here. Of course, many
people here live on a pittance which
would be considered entirely in ade
quate in the states.
^ > Everybody Drinks Wine.
“Nearly every one here drinks wine
instead of water, and though we have
traveled several hundred miles here, I
have yet to see a drunken Frenchman.
Foreigners, however, are not so mod
erate.
“We have had very little sunshine
here, but I am told the weather in
spring and summer is of the best.
Prices here are high on many things
but on others eery cheap, i. e. a shave
can be had for 6 cents, haircut, 12
cents, shampoo, 12 cents; board is
some cheaper than in the states and
Jiving must be very cheap in peace
times.”
WAR SECRETARY TO
REPLY TO CHARGES
PRESIDENT SECLUDES HIMSELF
IN HIS STUDY AND CANCELS j
ALL ENGAGEMENTS.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 25.—
Secretary of War Newton I). Baker
. today asked Senator George E. Cham
berlain, democrat, of Oregon, chair
man of the senate committee on mili
tary affairs, who has vigorously criti
cised America’s conduct of the war,
to arrange a meeting with senators'
and representatives, who are interest
ed in the war program at which meet
ing the secretary will make a state
ment in reply to the charge of ineffi
ciency that has been preferred by
Senator Chamberlain and others
against the war department.
The president this afternoon can
celled all his engagements, including a
cabinet meeting and remained work-1
ing in his study at the White House.
AFFAIRS HERE
j. l. McPherson writes inter
esting ARTICLE FOR RAIL
WAY AND MARINE NEWS.
ILLUSTRATIONS ARE NUMEROUS
Author Is Manager of Alaska Bureau
of Chamber of Commerce and Com
mercial Club and Visited Anchorage
Last Summer.
Review of the construction work on
the government’s Alaska railroad and
a brief summary of conditions in An
chorage and in the surrounding dis
trict are contained in an article in the
January number of the Railway and
Marine News, of Seattle, written by
J. L. McPherson, manager of the
Alaska bureau of the Seattle Chamber
of Commerce and Commercial club.
Mr. McPherson visited Anchorage late
last summer. He remained in this
city several days and then visited
those parts of the neighboring district
reached by the railroad. His article
in the Railway and Marine News is
profusely illustrated with Anchorage
views, scenes along the railroad, and
pictures of mining activity. It reads
as follows:
Extent of Work.
“The extent of the work accomplish
ed in the construction of the govern
ment railroad in Alaska can be judged
only by going over the line, as the
road is being constructed in seven di
rections from four main construction
centers—Seward, Anchorage, Nenana
and Fairbanks.
“From Seward north, the old bed of
the Alaska Northern railway, now
part of the government system, is be
ing rebuilt, many unnecessary curves
eliminated, trestles filled and roadbed
raised an average of about three feet
to provide for drainage, and placed in
such condition as to carry traffic. The
Alaska Northern terminated at Mile
71 at Kern Creek, on Turnagain Arm.
Construction is now being extended
westerly from the terminus of this
line along the. shores of Turnagain
Arm. At the end of the season track
had reached Mile 76 at Glacier creek.
“From Anchorage, at Mile 115,
track has been laid south to Mile 91,
at Turnagain Arm. The gap of fif
teen miles between Miles 76 and 91
will be completed this winter. The
work along the shore of Turnagain
Arm is probably the heaviest work
that will be encountered on the entire
line, many miles exceeding 100,000 cu
bic yards of rock excavation and two
continuous miles exceeding 150,000
cubic yards of rock excavation per
mile. The uncompleted gap of fif
teen miles is estimated to be 85 per
cent complete and should be finished
ready for track laying early in the
summer of 1918, which will permit of
train service between SeVard and An
chorage and the Matanuska coal field.
Completed Grade.
“From Anchorage north, the grade
is practically completed to Mile 231,
six miles north of the Talkeetna river
and a distance of 116 miles from An
chorage. At the end of the season
track was laid to Montana creek, at
Mile 210. The present end of grading
work north of Anchorage was at
Dead Horse, Mile 247. In this total
distance of 132 miles north of An
chorage there are only about four
miles on which no work has been done.
The Matanuska branch, 38 miles in
length, has been completed to its ter
minus at Chickaloon, the center of the
bituminous coal deposits that, by na
val test, has been found to be equal to
the Pocohontas coal for naval purpo
ses. The Alaskan Engineering com
mission is developing the bed of coal
from which the coal used for the naval
test was taken. A block of this coal,
containing about seven cubic feet, was
recently shipped to the Alaska bureau
and is now on exhibit in the rooms of
the bureau. From the Matanuska
branch line, a three-mile spur has
been laid to the Eska creek coal mine,
which, the Alaskan Engineering com
mission is operating to secure fuel for
railroad purposes.
“From Nenana, at Mile 414, where
the government railroad crosses the
Tanana river, rails have been lai«
south for a distance of ten miles, and
grading completed for a further dis
tance of twenty-one miles toward the
Nenana coal field, into which it is
planned to have track laid by the end
of 1918. From Happy station, on the
Tanana Valley railroad, now a part of
Ihe government system, five miles of
road have been finished south in or
(ter to furnish transportation for a
wood supply for Fairbanks. There
have also been constructed about eight
miles of sidings and five miles of
spurs.
I “The line has been well and ?are
; fully located, with easy curves and
light grades, and is being so construct
ed us to carry a heavy tonnage at low
cost of maintenance. The roadbed,
I when finished, will compare most fa
i vcrably with any of the pioneer
! transcontinental railroads.
Construction of Dredge.
“The commission completed the con
; struetion of the dredge at Anchorage
I early in September, which was started
I on the dredging of a small basin to
provide for the mosquito fleet. It has
been planned to begin dredging early
! next season in front of the permanent
wharf site, to which a spur is now be
i ing laid. This site is situated about
a half of a mile north of the present
dock. Measurements of tidal velocity
'at the permanent wharf site indicate
a maximum velqcity of 2.2 miles per
; hour. This velocity will permit of
vessels docking at any stage of the
tide. The face of the wharf will be
i laid parallel with the tidal current so
as to eliminate any chance of silting.
| The low tidal current at the face of
the dock is probably due to a point of
land which makes out into Knik Arm,
about a mile above the dock site and
throws the main tidal current into the
center of the arm, where the maxi
mum velocity is probably five miles
per hour. With a maximum tidal ve
locity of only 2.2 miles per hour at the
face of this dock, difficulty should not
be experienced in maintaining the
structure. Rock-filled approaches will
be built from each end of the face of
the structure diagonally to the shore
line, which will have the effect of di
verting any ice flow.
Terminal Buildings.
‘ Substantial and atraetive terminal
and station buildings have been built
at Seward, Anchorage, Matanuska and
Nenana. At Anchorage, there have
been erected a roundhouse with twelve
stalls, machine shops, power houses
and commissary buildings that will
, care for the greater maintenance and
repair needs of the entire line.
“About 150 tons of coal are being
delivered daily to Anchorage, 100 tons
from the government mine on Eska
creek and 50 tons from the Dougherty
O’Reilly mine on Moose creek, and the
government mine at Chickaloon.
I “Seward, the southern terminus of
■ the government railroad, has, during
the past year, added many substantial
improvements in the way of business
and apartment blocks, residences and
a large cold storage and fishing plant,
constructed by the San Juan Fishing
& Packing company. The heavy and
exceptional storm early in September
did considerable damage to the light
plant, which was out of commission
for about two months. Aside from
j this damage, the only loss was in the
wrecking of four residences and a
Best of Good Fortune.
“It was, however, only by the best
of good fortune that this glacial
j stream was kept from tearing through
| the business section of the town. This i
I stream, until properly confined be
; tween well-protected banks, will al
I ways be a menace and all help should
: be given to Seward in its effort to se
i cure from congress a sufficient appro
priat’on to control this stream effect
| ively.
“Anchorage, during its second year,
has taken on many signs of improve
ment and permanency, and is now a
modern town with lights, water, sew
erage, surfaced streets, a large, mod
ern school house, hospital, many at
tractive store and apartment build
ings and residences and eighteen
blocks of cement walks twelve feet
wide. Sourdough Alaskans from all
sections of the northland have settled
in Anchorage. Recently a branch of
the Alaska Order of Pioneers wTas es
j tablished with over 350 charter mem
I bers. Early in September Anchorage
started a three-day Alaska Industrial
fair that would have been a credit to
much larger communities in the
states. The great success attained as
sures of this fair being an annual
event.
300 Homesteads Located.
“Over 300 homesteads have been
located along the line of the railroad
in the Matanuska and Susitna valleys.
During the last year these pioneer
farmers have raised a supply of pota
toes, turnips and other root crops suf
ficient to supply the needs of the town
of Anchorage and the large force en
gaged in railroad construction for the
next year. The value of this year’s
crop is estimated at $200,000.
“The Willow creek gold mines dis
trict has enjoyed a prosperous year,
despite the scarcity of labor and the
high cost of supplies. Many new
properties are under development with
good promise of larger operations
next year.
Many Prospectors Operating.
“Many prospectors have been oper
ating in the Cache creek, Kashwitna,
Talkeetna and Broad pass regions
with excellent results. A recent dis
covery of bornite copper and gold
ore in the Kashwitna-Talkeetna wat
ershed has greatly stimulated pros
pecting in this section, as the ore is
among the richest that has been dis
covered in the Susitna region. Pros
pecting for platinum in the Ivahlitna
and Cache creek region resulted in
finding this precious metal widely dis
tributed throughout this section.
“North of Anchorage small com
munities are building at Matanuska,
located at the junction of the main line
and the Matanuska branch; at Wasil*
la, the supply point for the Willow
creek quartz district, and at Talkeet
na, which will probably be the prin
cipal distributing center for the upper
Susitna valley and tributary streams.”
ARE LOYAL TC
SEVERAL IN VICINITY OF JU
NEAU ENLIST IN SOME
BRANCH OF WAR SERVICE.
NEWTON KASKA ONE OF THEM.
Graduate of Chemawa, Oregon, and
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Is Now Ser
geant and Teaches Tactics to Other
Natives.
The Alaska Indian is patriotic and
during the last few months, many
have been seeking information as to
their duty to the government in the
war, says the Juneau Dispatch. Sev
eral natives from the vicinity of Ju
neau are already in some branch of
Uncle Sam’s service, and among these
is Newton Kaska, a native of Juneau.!
Kaska is a graduate of Chemawa,
Oregon, and of Carlisle in Pennsyl
vania, having spent fourteen years in
college. He is now a sergeant and
drill master in one of the government
training schools in the south and is
teaching army tactics to other Indians.
Newton Kaska is a brother of |
James Kaska, who has a contract at
Tenakee for getting out piling for fish
ti'aps, employing twenty-eight men j
and three teams.
Kaska’s wife is a sister of the fa
mous chief Big Boss, at Lake Le
Barge, of whom Robert Service has
written.
SIXTEEN KILLED AT
TORPEDO STATION
FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURS AT j
NAVAL RESERVATION AT
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 26.—
Sixteen men were killed and several
injured today by an explosion at the
United States navy torpedo station at
Newport, R. I., acording to word re
ceived by the navy department.
The dispatch from the commandant
ox the station said no suspicious cir
cumstances were connected with the
epxlosion but he gave po detail con
cerning it.
ANILS STOLEN
PROM TRAPS
NEAR SWAT
EVIDENCES OF THEFT ARE NU
MEROUS, PARTICULARLY
AROUND DEWEY MOUNTAIN
THIEF WEARS RUBBER BOOTS.
Numerous Instances Have Been Noted
of Snares Having Been Cut With a
Knife, Which Established Presence
of Marauders.
Reports that some one is stealing
fur animals caught in traps near
Skagway, especially along the bluff
on Dewey mountain, are numerous,
says the Skagway Alaskan.
“Jim” Adams reports the stealing
of a fox and lynx caught in his traps
and “Mexican” John reports that
someone has stolen a lynx, which evi
dence shows had been caught in a trap
belonging to him. In both cases the
sneak thief was knowm to have worn
rubber boots, the imprint of which
was left clearly in the mud.
John Mathews also says that ani
mals have been stolen from traps and
snares which he has set out.
Unmistakable evidence that steal
ings from snares and traps has taken
place is proved by the fact that
snares have been cut by a knife.
F. S. LANG, OF SEATTLE .ISSUES
STATEMENT FOR CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE.
NORTH HAS HELPED IN WAR.
Charles E. Herron, John W. Troy and
J. J. Finnegan Are Among Those j
That Are in Washington City to j
Get Legislation.
SEATTLE, Jan. 25.—Alaska’s leg
islative needs were outlined today in
a statement issued by F. S. Lang, the
stove manufacturer, formerly of Daw
son and Nome, who is now chairman
of the Alaska bureau of the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce and Commer
cial club. He declared that congres
sional legislation was necessary to
develop the oil, coal and fishery re
sources of Alaska; that modifications
were essential in the Alaska home
stead law, and that adequate appro
priations were demanded for the im
provement of Dry strait, of Nome j
harbor, for the extension of coast
surveys and for the betterment of the
mail service.
Mr. Lang’s statement points out
that Alaska has already contributed
to the nation war products in the (
amount of $96,000,000.
Mr. Lang declared that among the
prominent northerners who were in j
Washington city to assist in bringing
about needed legislation for Alaska
were Charles E. Herron, publisher of
the Times, of Anchorage; John W.
Troy, editor of the Empire, of Juneau. ,
and J. J. Finnegan, of Seward.
1
FEDERAL OFFICIAL
DIES OF APOPLEXY
FRANK J. GOULD DROPS DEAD
IN FRONT OF OFFICES IN
SAN FRANCISCO. 1
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Jan. 26.—
Frank J. Gould, surveyor general in -
the department of the interior drop- 1
ped dead of apoplexy in the corridor 1
in front of his offices here today. I
NO CHANCE. i
•‘While life's a grand sweet song,” 1
said Ned,
“To some, I’ll bet its’ not, by jing, 1
To the poor fellow who has wed 1
A girl who things that she can i
sing.’ ’
NORTHERN CLIMATE HAS MANY
DRAWBACKS BUT COLD IS
NOT ONE OF THEM.
SOURDOUGHS NEVER KICK.
Interesting Experiences Are Often
Encountered on Account of Vagar
ies of Climate and Some of Them
Are Quite Unusual.
While Alaska’s climate has many
discomforts and drawbacks the cold is
not one of them. A frequent ques
tion in letters from the states is “How
cold is it?” The answer to this query*
depends upon the state of mind one
is in and how long one has been in
the country. A temperature which
would cause a newcomer to shout for
the ambulance will make a sourdough
frisk around like a member of Coney
island’s Snowbird club. Inexperienced
young brides who take a chance on a
great deal more than the climate by
coming to the territory for a husband,
find it inconvenient at times, but the
genuine old-timer handles the cold as
recklessly as some persons do the
truth.
While one can hardly call it cold
here some interesting experiences are
encountered, which at times seem al
most to be impossible. But a strict
regard for truth and the proprieties
:ause the Alaskan to refrain from
telling them to an outsider for fear of
oeing thought a falsifier. The Valdez
Prospector cites some rather odd in
stances. It says:
Frozen Melody Thaws.
“During the recent cold snap at
Fairbanks the city band played half
the night without making a sound, and
when a warm wave struck the city the
inhabitants were kept awake by the
?hunks of frozen melody thawing out.
“While mushing over the trail re
cently a Nenana man placed his trou
sers to close to the fire one night in
camp and they caught fire and burned.
This would have left a newcomer in an
embarrassing position. This old-timer
jumped into a brook nearby and right
out again, the water freezing on him
without wetting him, and he wore
these sartorial habiliments for the rest
of the trip, of course taking care not
to exert himself and melt his impro
vised garment.
“While driving from Whitehorse to
Dawson recently a stage driver came
to a stream where a bridge had wash
id out. Being an experienced sour
lough he started a small stream of
water over the creek, which quickly
Toze. By carefully throwing water on
;he arch in the thin spots, he quickly
?roze a bridge strong enough to carry
lorse and sled over. It is to be regret
;ed that no record was kept of the
;emperature at the time, but it was
somewhere in the region of 86 below.
“In Nome the natives hang around
;he miners’ cabins and if not watch
id break the frozen flame off the
:andles. They string these on wires
ind by thawing them when needed
lave sufficient light for their igloos
;hrough the dark winter days.
“Many miners in the interior care
hilly break the frozen steam from
;he spouts of their teakettles and pil
ng it outside their cabins use it in
ireless cookers in summer when they
ire too busy mining to make a fire.
“While these phenomena are gen
;rally observed in the interior, the
:oast also has its cold weather. Mas
ers of vessels have been known to
whistle for southwestern Alaska
iorts shortly after leaving Seattle,
md take the sound into the pilot
louse to prevent its freezing.
“Upon reaching a southwestern
Alaska port they tear off the requir
id amount and thus prevent fooling
Tie citizens, who in former days have
?one to the wharf thinking a boat
was due when in fact it was the
»ound thawing out from a boat the
winter before.
“These few incidents may illus
;rate in a measure how cold it some
times gets in Alaska, but a short res
dence hardens one to the cold and
t is then really enjoyable.”