ALASKA FORUM
(OFFICIAL paper)
THE FORUM PUBLISHING CO.
J. B. Wingate Editor and Manager.
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Address all communications to the
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SATURDAY, APRIL l6, 1904
The reports from the Fairbanks
district the past week throw much
light on the situation tb6re. The
. statement of Frank Hiatt that there
is, and always has been, plenty ol
provisions of all kinds—if the
money was available to pay for
them—is fullv corroborated. The
estimated cleanups next spring are
lowered, as it is admitted that all
the best dirt mined this winter has
been panned and rocked, and the
money long since in the companies’'
safes in the new district, to whom
it has been paid, in order to obtain
supplies for the winter’s operations.
We are sure to hear much of
Harbin in the near future. It is
the strategic base of Russian war
operations where the Siberian rail
way divides, one branch extending
to t .e port of Vladivostok and the
other to Port Arthur. It is nearly
in the center of the province of
Manchuria. Mr. H. B. Miller,
our consul at Niuchwang, has late
ly made a most interesting report
concerning the place, which the
state department. has published.
He calls it “the Moscow of Asia.-’
It has been built up by Russia
especially to be the central mart of
trade in the east. Mr. Miller says
its building is “one of the greatest
achievements in city building that
the world has ever witnessed.” It
first assumed importance only four
years ago. In 1901 its population
had increased to 12,000, which be
came 20,000 in 1902, 44,000 in
May, 1903, and 60,000 in October
last, exclusive of soldiers. None
but Russians and Chinese are per
mitted to hold land, erect build
iugs, or engage in permanent busi
1 ness, and all the territory for miles
around has been so secured that it
is impossible for foreigners to do
any profitable business, or to secure
, even a foothold. This does not
1
I look much like an intention on the
part ot Russia to some time aban
don Manchuria, nor like a purpose
to tolerate commercial freedom in
the province. On the contrary, it
. is a sure sign that Russia intends
1 to foster Russian monopoly of trade
advantages.
AROUND AND ABOUT
| Hugo Felitz, of the Felitz Bros.
| Tent and Awning Co., committed
suicide in Seattle Feb. 22.
It is reported that a saloon at the
lower end of town is conducting a
i circulating library consisting of t ie
I books belonging to the Reading
j Room. This appears to be carry
i ing enterprise perilously near the
limits of larceny.
J. Wesley Young, at one time
local manager for the S.-Y. T. Co.
and later passenger agent for the
W. P. & Y. R. at Dawson, has re
signed his position with that com
pany. He has purchased the Fifth
Avenue hotel in Skagway.
Jim O’Day and Chas. Myers left
for Ft. Gibbon Wednesday. O’Day
has secured a good contract from
the quartermaster at the post. He
will overhaul • the boilers in the
government boats Van Vleit and
Argo. The crown sheet in the Van
Vleet’s boiler will be taken out and
a new one put in. A patch will be
placed on the Argo’s boiler. The
“Iron Butchers” will not return
until June 1.
THE HOTEL FLORENCE
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