FIRST DOG RACO AT ANCHORAGE WON
BY DIXON—HOWARD A CLOSE SECOND
The following is the official report of the time made by tbo
participants in the dog team race yesterday, the course being
from Anchorage to Old Knik and return, tin* approximate dis
tance being fifty-four miles:
Dixon, Winner.
No. 4, start . 9:30 a. m.
finish . 5:21 p. m.
Time .. 7 hrs. 52 min.
No.
finish
Time
No. 2, start . .
finish
Time
No. 1. start .
finish
Time
Howard- Seqond.
Greer, Third.
Gustufson.
. . . 9:20 a. m.
... 5:19 p. m.
7 hrs. 59 min.
.... 9:10 a. m.
. . . 5:50 p. m.
8 hrs. 40 min.
. 9:02:50 a. in.
... 0:03 p. m.
9 hrs. 30 sec.
IIKTAII.S OF THU HACK.
About one hundred and fifty per
sons, including some fort}- ladies,
were in front of the Crist Hotel at
9 o'clock this morning, to witness
the starting of the dog team race
from Anchorage to Old Knik and re
turn. The cold, windy weather did
not deter in the least the enthusiasm
of the crowd, • President Shod heck
and Secretary Fischer, of the An
chorage Kennel Club, under whose
auspices the race is being pulled Off.
and the members of the racing com
mittee were on hand, as were also
■fudges Moore, ByrnP and Col. Ke
vell and Timekeepers Cornelius and
Ryan.
Prompttv at 9 o’clock. Commission
firne, Starter Tex Jones fired the
shot that sent Albion Gustufson’s
team over the line and on the way
to Old Knik, amid the loud cheering
of the assembled crowd. Gustufsous
team is composed of five fleet dogs
that respond to the name of Sniper,
leader, Brownie, Patty, Rags and
Kelly. Without a stop or hitch of
any kind, tile team speeded up
Fourth avenue to C.street and down
the C street grade. People along
the streets greeted the driver with
cheers and well wishes.
Ten minutes later. Way Bowkers
team of six dogs, William Greer driv
ing, made an entry into the prelimi
nary. and started down Fourth ave
nue at a good rate of speed, turning
the C street grade without a stop
from the point of beginning. The
crowd greeted Billie and his [earn
with equal enthusiasm. Secretary
Fischer's records show that the dogs
are named Nick, leader. Dude.
Moose. Cub, Spot and Mike.
Ten minutes later Walter How
ard, of Knik, and his team of seven
dogs, departed on the journey to Old
Knik and return. Arriving at H
street, the team set off down thai
thoroughfare, and Howard lost
about three minutes in getting on
tlie right track. Howard and his
team were the recipients of enthusi
astic cheering. The names of the
dugs in this team are Jack, leader.
Buster, Girlie. Fox. Whitie, Spot ami
Gus.
Ten minutes later Frank Dixon,
driving his own team of five dogs,
crossed the line when the starter’s
pistol shot rang out. Dixon made a
good start, and spurted it up Fourth
avenue. Arriving at C street, the
team turned to the right instead of
the left, and a couple of minutes
were lost. Dixon was likewise given
a good send-off, the crowd being en- 1
tirely impartial In its greetings to
! the participants. The dogs in the
Dixon team answer ‘o the names of
Red. leader. Baldy, Ginger, Lofty
and Dane.
Progress of the Race,
The first telephone report of the
progress of the race came in a mes
sage from the railway boarding car,
seventeen and one-half miles ont
from Anchorage. This report gave
Dixon, the last to start in the race,
as in the lead, and as haring reached
that point at 11 :28 a. m. Close
behind was a nnisher whose number
had been lost, and his identity could
not be determined. Then came How
ard, and then ' another racer whose
number had been lost. The four
ra ers were closely bunched.
Prom Peters Creek.
The second report came from
Peters creek, twenty-three miles out,
with Dixon maintaining his lead and
passing that point at 12:14:8©.
Greer camp next, at 12:27:30, and
Howard passed at 12:29. About two
hundred yards out. Greer went out
in the s'now to permit the passage of
Howard. At 12:29:30 Gustufson
passed Peters creek. • Howard had
one dog riding. Greer, Howard and
Gustufson got in a mix-up just be
fore reaching Peters creek.
Old Kuik—Turning Point.
still maintaining the lead. Dixon
reached Old Knik at 1 :09, rested his
term and took a bite to eat. and was
•,ut again ai 1:30 p. nt. Howard ar
rived at 1:16:30, and.was out again
at 1:18 p. m., stopping just long
enough to say hello to the boys.
Greer came in at 1:20, and departed
homeward bound at 1:41. Gustuf
son was in at 1:21, and was out
again at 1:4 1. The report says "that
Howard put the dog he had been
carrying since leaving Peters creek
back in the team Dixon's dogs ap
peared to be the freshest, says the
report.
Peters Creek—Returning.
On the return trip Howard reached
Peters creek at 2:02. speeding past
the telephone station yithout stop
ping. Dixon reached Peters creek
ai 2:10:30, remained a half jninute
to take a breath, and was out again
at 2:11. Greer and Gustufson, in
the order named, reached Peters
creek at 2:30, and passed without
stopping.
Mi’e 17 1-2—Returning.
The racers arrived at Mile 17 1-2
in the following order: Howard
was in the lead, arriving at the
hoarding ear at 2:62; Dixon, second.
3:00; Greer had a lead of six feet
ahead of Gustufson at 3:31.
AXCHOKAdK THK CHIEF BKXK- ,
KK'IARV.
It w'U readily be seen, from the
published report of the apportion
ment of the emergency appropria
tion for the railway project, pend- j
ing before the congress, that An- j
< borage. as a town, will be the chief1
beneficiary of the railway construe- :
tior, contemplated when the funds
become available. Much the greater 1
part of the construction work im
mediately in prospect will naturally
icisi.c Anchorage the chief base of
operations and supply point. This,
or course, spells unbounded prosper
ity for this communuity.
The Pioneer has from the first
been in favor of the completion of
the railway line from Anchorage to
Fuiibanks (including the branch
lire to the coal fields) beftte any
considerable amount of work shall
be i ndertakon on the lm» connect
ing Kern creek to Ship era,',1' j.in.‘
ttor It seems to us that this is the
logical thing to do, in order to give
the Fairbanks country an outlet at
'h-‘ earliest possible time. The line
completed from Anchorage to Fair
banks. then the completion of the
railway from Kern creek to Ship
‘■r- ek junction could be undertaken.
Thi te Is tin great rush for this tar
.-e'llar piece of work, while there I*
Mi insistent and legitimate demand
for the early cntiipie' -of the lias
ti ihe interior.
Delegate .lames SVickersham has
got off his coat and is working in be.
half of the emergency appropriation
of two million dollars for the Alaska
railway project. Residents of An
chorage will do well to bear this in
mind. The delegate may be a can
didate for re-election next fall. Then
it will be our turn to show our ap
preciation. We must not be forget
ful of one who proved himself a
friend in the time of need. His (mil.
tics? Bother—what do we care what
a man's politics are! What we want
is results. We want to see Alaska
go ahead and develop, and the man
that will work to this end is the man
we want to keep at the national cap
ital. We don'f care a continental
what his politics are. As a matter of
fact, who knows the politics of the
vast majority of the office holders in
Alaska? Half of them have served
under so-called republican and so
called democratic administrations,
and will continue to hold on as long
as they can, regardless of what party
is in power. Heuce the matter of
Mr. Wickersham’s politics don’t cut
any figure at all with us.
LOCAL NEWS OF THE WEEK
(From Saturday’s Dally.)
Bud Whitney's ranch is now con-!
nected with the telephone system.
Mrs. F. Mears and child returned |
home from the government hospital i
| yesterday.
A card party for members of the
j local Klks’ Club and their ladies will
; be held at Byrne hall Monday night.
George Cotter, who ts now on the]
trail to Sew ard, will bring hack with I
him a number of the dogs that Col
Revel 1 will place in training at once
for the big Anchornge-Seward dog
race.
Dolph Smith came in from the
Matanuska yesterday with two
horses to add to the siring that the
Smith-Gray outfit will use in hand
ling the mail and express between
Anchorage and Bird creek.
Mrs. Martha White, of the While
House, is expecting the arrival of her
son, Robert Wnite, from Texas, on
oiie of the next stages from the
coast. Mr. White formerly lived in
Hope and Sunrise, but has been out
side for soonie time, and 1s planning
on again making his home in Alaska.
Griftis. fiealy and Beattie, the,
musliers who conveyed the big ship
ment of gofd dust from an Idttarod
bank to Seward, readied here this
morning, on their return to the in
terior. They brought from Seward
about a thousand pounds oT freight
for local concerns
Albert Dohrmann, the mail carT
rier, is laying ott a trip. While en
route to Seward he met Oscar Gill
at the nuTe roadhouse. Gill is on
his way back to Seward, and will
take the mail to that point. Oscar
Koyeroft tWTi bring the return maTl
as far as Bird creek, where it w;ill be
turned over to Smith $ Gray, who
have recently taken the route from
that point to Anchorage.
Jimmie Caseadden, an ! old-timer
in Alaska, who underwent an opera
tion for hernia at the government
hospital, is about again, feeling bet
ter than he has for years past Dr.
Reedy performed the operation-,
which was’entirely successful. JiA
mie has a host of friends in Anchor
age as well as in most town ?>f ATas-'
ku where he has resided, who will be
glad to see the old-timer restored to
health again.
Advice has been received liy a
business house in Anchorage from
Capt. Knafllch, who passed through
here a short time ago, that he is now
negotiating with the Alaska Railway
Commission to place the steam
schooner ituoy Cousins oTi the win
ter run between San Francisco, Se
attle and Anchorage, to handle gov
eminent freight aud suppi.es, and
that in the event of the government
not accepting his proposition he wilt
place the ship on the run on a com
mercial basis, providing that ne j
get the tonnage. Captain Knaflich
says that tne winter rate will be
slightly higher tnan the summer
freight rates, on account of the risk,
hut not so much higher as conditions
would seem to warrant: He is oesir
ous of getting a list of probable or
possible shorts, and will complete his
cargo with these commodities, and is
planning on making a trip in the
near future to (test conditions and
ascertain by actual trial just what
the Ice conditions are and to what
extent they will Handicap him
The launch wliieh has been seen
in the channel at intervals during
the past week has been definitely
recognized as the Traveler, and it is
likewise known that no one Is
aboard. Captain Howe, who has
lived for a decade on Cook inlet and
is perhaps the best informed man on
the inlet waters in the country, ts
• u. .*n‘S, 1 't'cirrn'.. b I ' O.i
launch as the Traveler. A man
named Miller, who has been camp
ing at Point Campbell for some time
past, and who reached Anchorage
yesterday, gays tnat while at the
point he saw a launch which he
finally recognized as the Traveler,
passing to and tro ullii the line.
Cadi time the launch was getting
lower and lower in the water,
through becoming waterlogged or
weighted down with an accumulation
of ice. He likewise reports that on
Friday night he saw a camp fire On
Fire island, which he thinks may be
‘he camping place of Captain Cramer
and crew. If the Cramer party does
not show up today, a rescue party,
headed by Dick Doherty, vgfn depart
in a small boat to the aid of the ma
rooned men.
( From Monday’s Daily.)
The saw mill is closed temporarily
until a new saw can arrive from ,
Seward to replace the one broken
one day last week when it was run
into a frozen log with the carriage
moving at too high speed.
i.s. a
A rumor is current today that the
Tacoma Lumber Company, a large
lumber manufacturing concern, has
secured a site at the mouth of Ches
ter creek and will establiS ha big
lumber yard there m the spring.
George Thorp, a harness man of
Juneau, writes a friend that he is
coming to Anchorage in the spring,
if not sooner. He may decide to
come in over the trail. Thorp is
widely known in Alaska, and will be
an addition to the town.
The pupils of the sixth, seventh,
eighth grades and the high school
have organized a club for social and
literary purposes The following of
ficers were chosen: President, James
Allnebaugh; vice-president, Ora
Spilman; secretary and treasurer,
Mona Robarts.
The cabin of Mike Long, at the
foot of Fourth avenue, was de
stroyed by Ore last night about 10
o’clock, together with all of his win
ter supplies and clothing that he was
not wearing. Mr. Long left* a tire
burning in the stove when he went
out to visit a neighbor, and the fire
was not discovered until the noise
made by the roof falling in attracted
their attention.
The Anchorage water system is
now in working order, and water
may be obtained from any of the
hydrants: iTie following rates for
use of the water has been estab
lished, to be effective until further
notice:
Residences, $1.50 per month.
Stores and all business places not
otherwise classified, $2.50 per
month.
I Bath houses, per tub, $2,50 per
month.
Restaurants, hotels, boarding
houses. $4 per month
Laundries, $5 per month.
Tile use of water by skating rinks,
boats, etc., will be regulated by spe
cial rates and permits.
All water charges will be due and
payable on or before the last day of
each calendar month. ' ,,
(From Tuesday’s Daily. >
Hand sled found, at McMahon's
farm. Owner can obtain same by
giving description
Captain “Dad" Grant, of Knik,
and “Scotty” Watson, of Old Knik,
are out of town visitors today.
Local Elks and their ladies turned
out in force at Byrne hall, the occa
sion being a card party for members
bers and ladies only. A delightful
evening was passed by all in attend
ance the Elks entertaining with
their usual hospitality.
Gritfis. Haley and Beattie, the in
terior mushers who brought out the
goM dust, departed this morning, en
roitte on their return to Iditarod.
Griflis says he may take in*the Tolo
vana before he completes his jour
ney.
George M - Woods arrived here
yesterday, coming from Fairbanks
via Seward. He came from Seward
in company with Engineer McFar
land, of the Commission force. Mr.
Woods had charge of the construc
tion of the government telephone
line in the Fairbanks district. While
Here he is the guest of his old friend
and partner, Tex Jones.
' Hud” Scammon, who for the past
vear has been in the employ of
Howard called for him to go to An
Frank Cannon, at Knik. as cook,
was found dead in his cabin on Wed
nesday last. Death was caused from
heart disease, On Monday last Mr.
Scammon decided to come over to
Anchorage to have some work done
on his teeth and made arrangements
for Mr. Shortley, a former employe
of the Cannon house, to work for him
until his return. He went to his
cabin, and was not seen again until
friends discovered his remains on
last Saturday morning. His absence
during the week: caused no uneasi
ness, as many thought he had left
for Anchorage, but when Walter
cliorage, it was discovered that the
cabin was locked aud the key was
on the inside of the door. The door
uas forced open, and the men were
dismayed to tind him cold in death.
Mr. Scammon was a cousin of Mr.
Al. Davis, of Knik, and Mrs. Robert
Beach, of Anchorage, and had a host
of friends in the community. Before
coming to Knik, Mr. Scammon had
been in the employ of the Gastineau
Mining Company at Juneau, having
charge of the large mess room at
Thane. His remains were interred
at Knik.
It is reported that the bids for
the construction of the Commission
commissary building ranged from
$ 1,200 to $4,000.
Duncan McCormick, original dis
coverer of Albert creek, in the Nel
china district, is in town from the !
Matanuska country.
A well-attended meeting of the
A Jchorage Chamber of Commerce j
held last evening, and much
-ouBiness came up for consideration. !
District Attorney Munley. who i
has been quite ill from a severe at
tack of the la grippe, is on the mi- 1
prove now, much to the satisfaction
of his hosts of friends.
B. T Spaulding, an efficient ma
chinist, who has been in the employ
of the Engineering Commission, en
! gaged in assembling the engines, will !
depart tomorrow morning, enroute
to siisitna. . He expects to be one
! two weeks or more.
J ,\V. Roberts, who had charge of
the installation of the steel reservoir
j for the local water system, and who
came as the representative of the
company from whom the equiifmcnt
was purchased, and Miss Fletcher
were outgoing passengers on the Re
vell stage and express line this morn
ing.
Olson and Getchell, concerned in '
properties on Albert creek, reached
here from Knik last evening, bring
ing to the government hospital i
William Elliott, better known as
•Billie, the Horse.” Elliot has been
sick for some time past. Olson and
morning, and expect to pull out for
Albert creek within a few days.
Getchel] departed for Knik this
At a meeting of the executive com
mittee of the Anchorage Chamber of
Commerce, the publicity committee
made a report with respect to. the
folder to be issued. The publicity
committee has about all the data
prepared, ready for the printer, and
the executive committee authorized
the publication of the folder without
further delay,. A committee was ap
pointed to wait on the business firms
and individuals interested in the
town to see how many copies of the
folder could be disposed of. The
price will be .five cents the copy.
The old-fashioned party held at
the Fresbyterian church last night
wag a very successful affair, both
from a social and financial stand
POin t. A large number were in at
tendance, and all expressed them
selves as well pleased with the en
tertainment. The shadowgraphs
created a fund of amuusement, and
the bidding was spirited, especially
when some young man felt that he
wag bidding on his “best girl.” Of
course, there w^ere times when even
tlie young men couid not guess
right, and in some cases they were
; obliged to endure the torture of
seeing some other fellow eating sup-|
per with ais best girl. But, as stated,
everybody had a good time, and will
surely be on hand when another at
Responding to a call issued by
Fred A . Martin, member of the dem
ocratic territorial committee, a good
ly number of democrats met at the
business place of Price & Bennett '
last night. After a general discus
sion of the political situation, par
j ticipated in by most of those present,
it was decided, for the time being, to
| select only a temporary organization
and on January 31, at a big rally at
Byrne hall, perfect the permanent :
organization.
Fred A. Martin was chosen tern- j
porary president, and Thomas Price 1
temporary secretary.
President Martin named the fol
lowing committees:
Organization and Membership—
Messrs. Byrne, Hunter, Rock, Me
Intyre, Eckmanif.
Arrangements—Captain Johnston
and Messrs. Maddocks and Jones.
Entertainment—Messrs. Dwyer,
Sundmacher and Price.
At the rally, January 31, it is
planned to give an entertainment in
connection, and all are Invited to at
tend.
Distress signals are said to hat
been seen on Fire island, by two or
three men camping at Point Possea
siun, and it is now the accepted opin
ion that the Cramer party is’ ma
rooned there. Efforts for their re
lief «.: -i .umJe:--way, and possibly to
day, a small l oat -will leave for Fire
island. Matt Yuth, who is camped
six miles down the arm, gave Dick
Doherty an order on M. C. Hall for
an Evenrude which belongs to him
and which: has been in the care of
Hail. Doherty took the Evenrude
down the arm yesterday. It will be
placed in a small dory and an effort
made to reach Fire island, possibly
today. Doherty and Yuth will prob
ably go in the relief boat.
In the marooned party are Captain
Cranny, Engineer Claude Pierce,
Mate Annan and Edward Kra ts,
cook.
Roy Anderson, the electrical en
gineer, says he saw the launch
which ha8 been passing to and fro
in the channel during last week, go
down on Monday, at a point opposite
Fourth avenue. An employe of the
Engineering Commission declares nr
positively identified the launch,
which came within three hundred
yards of the mouth of Ship creek, as
the Traveler. He says the masts
and superstructure looked as if they
had been afire.
later.
T. J. Kerwin, who with Dick Do
herty and two other men left Tues
day to locate the Cramer party, re
turned this afternoon, and reports
that they reached Point Campbell •
where they had to camp. They built
a fire on the beach, and it was but
a few minutes until a fire signal was
shown from the beach on Fine
island. Thus assured, the boys ex
pected to attempt n rescue the fol
lowing morning, but the storm,
which has been raging for the past
two days, prevented the attempt
being made. The boys returned to
Anchorage for more supplies, con- .
sisting of grub, clothing, etc., and
will leave early tomorrow morning,
when the party will be taken off the
island and brought to Anchorage. '
TO HE1AEF OF CRAMER PARTY.
Dick Doherty and Matt Yuth
came in from Point Possession yes
terday afternoon and reported that
they could not get across to Fire
island to the relief of the Cramer
party. The matter was put up to .
Commissioner Mears, and this morn
ing two of the Commission men,
Frank M. Kelly and George Vause,
departed with a dog team laden with
supplies. The plan is to await rat
able conditions and go across, tak
ing with them adequate food sup
plies, so that if the rescue party
itself becomes marooned on the
island for several days, there Will be
no lack of food. It is known that
the Cramer party have a gun in
:heir possession , because a man '
living at Point Possession firejl
a shot and the rten on the island
answered with a shbt. With a gun •
in their possession and plenty 1 6f
rabbits; on the island, there is no
chauce for suffering to any extent
for lack of food, bu{ at the same
time, no time will he lost in, seeking
to rescue them. With the abatement
of the wind which has been prevail
ing for the past throe days, an op
portunity to get acros swill probably
be afforded.
XO CHARGE FOR WATER
FROM STAND PIPES
Townsite Manager Moore informs
the Pioneer that there appears to be
a misapprehension with respect to
charges for water. There will be.no
charge for water taken frum stand
pipes in the streets. The charge
made is for those places that have
service connections with the water
The mail for Seward closes al i!
o’clock tonight.
The Northern Light Whist Club
will hold a social hop in its club
room tonight.
Manager Charlebois, of the skat
ing rink, reports that many have
signified their intention of entering
the skating races next Sunday alter-'
noon.
Will the dog team races under '
the auspices of the Anchorage Ken
nel Club prove successful? Yes: <le_
cidedly so. With wide-awake, pro- •
gressive fellows like Shonbeck.
Fischer, Piiger, Cotter. Comf)bell.
Robarts, Jones, Murphy, Wood and
others in charge of things, fa’lure b
out of the question. The Kennel
Club is officered by business and pro
fessional men of the town, who enjoy
clean, wholesome sport and like to
promote it, but they are shrewd, far
seeing fellows, who know a good ad
vertising stunt when they see it. THe »
dog team races are events that es
sentially combtre business with
pleasure.
The formation of political clubs in
Anchorage serves to remind us that
there will be an election in Alaska
next fall for the purpose of electing
a delegate in congress and members
of the Alaska legislative assembly.'
As tlie most important town in the
l hird division of> the territory, An
chorage will, of course, insist upon
* senator or representative in that
body. In fact, we should have two
men in the legislature 'from this
part of the division—one from An
chorage, and the other from Knik or
:he Matanuska valley.
The Pioneer editor has had an op
portunity to look over the data pre
pared by the publicity committee of ’
the Anchorage Chamber of Com
merce, and has nothing but praise
for the painstaking efforts of the>.
various members of that committee 1
n gathering material for the folder
to be issued. Cold, simple, logical
tacts about Anchorage and the sur
rounding country will be given.,
without attempt at exaggeration or
flamboyance.
DAWSON.—Rufus Reeves Miller,
a sourdough miner who has been a
resident of this district for years,
died yesterday from cancer of the
stomach, after a long Illness.