<►<><><►
DELEGATE WICKERSHAM WORKING FOR ❖
THE EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION ^
- ❖
^ In a letter to T. R. Needham, of the Pioneer, Dele- ♦
state Janies Wickersham, under date of Washington, ^
^ D. December 11, says* in part: ^
^ ‘‘Everything is going in good shape here for en- ♦
^ larged appropriation for the railway, although you ^
^ will know all about that before you get this letter. I ♦
ain doing all 1 can to secure an immediate emergency
^ appropriation to continue the work this winter, and I ♦
^ know of no opposition at this time, although it may ^
spring up at any moment. Verv truly vours.
^ JAMES WICKERSHAM,
^ Delegate from Alaska. ^
❖ ❖
DEMOCRATIC TERRITORIAL CONVENTION
TO MEET AT JUNEAU ON MAY 24TH
VALDEZ, Jan. 11.—At a meeting of the democratic terri
torial committee, held here yesterday, Juneau was selected
as the place for holding the democratic territorial envention,
and May 24 was named as the date.
CONDEMNED GOVERNMENT SURVEY BOATS
ARE SOLD TO TWO SEATTLE BIDDERS
SEATTLE, Jan. 11.—The government survey boats Gedney
and MacArthur- condemned for further use in coast survey
work, were sold yesterday, the purchasers being the Alaska
Commercial Company, which bought the Gedney, and the
Blomskog Investment Company, which purchased the Mac
Arthur. Both vessels brought $<>,230.
DELEGATE Wlt’KfiRSHAM
IS ON BKi COMMUTE*
WASHINGTON_James Wicker
sham, delegate to congress frotr
Alaska, was appointed to tlie com
mittee on military affairs by Speakei
Clark. It is likely that because ol
the administration's preparedness
program that this committee will bt
the most important during the pres
ent session of congress. The forti
fications bill has been prepared, anc
will be the first considered by thf
committee. It calls for $z,s,000,001
to be expended on big guns to b<
installed in the forts constituting
the coast defenses, and for ordnantu
and ammunition. Last year bu
$6,000,000 was expended tor similai
pti rposes.
»-i:ust ]>o(« race to
BE BI N ON THE JOTII
(From Tuesday's Daily.)
An enthusiastic meeting of tin
Anchorage Kennel Club was held a
Kobarts’ hall last evening, and tht
proposed dog team racing events wai
the chief matter under discussion.
The following program was decid
ed upon:
The first, or preliminary, race will
take place January 20, and will be
from Anchorage to Matanuska Junc
tion and return. The race will start
in front of the Crist hotel, on
Fourth avenue, follow along that
avenue to C street, and down the
lull, following the usual trail to the
junction, returning the same way.
The first prize will be $100, the sec
ond prize will be $50, and the third
prize will be $25. Five teams must
enter, and the entry fee will be $o.
Entrees will close 48 hours before
tlie race takes place. Complete details
race takes place. Complete details
issue of the Pioneer.
Messrs. Cotter. Campbell and
Wood report tine success in the mat
ter of raising funds for the big rac
ing event, to take place March 17,
from Anchorage to Seward and re
turn. The committee has been out
canvassing, and is u.ghly encouraged
with the results obtained, and the
race is assured.
The Kennel Club will give a big
dance February 14 at Robarts’ hall,
and a live committee, consisting of
Messrs. Greer, Maxwell and Robarts,
have charge of the affair.
The name of the club was changed
from the Anenorage Kennel and
Sports Club to that of the Anchorage
Kennel Club.
WHV A IMMi tfKAM HACK?
What is tne object of pulling oh
dog team races in this town or frorr
this town? That question is easilj
answered by those of us who hav«
had experience in the northern gold
camps, where dog team races arc
easily the events of the year. The
editor of this newspaper, while ed
itor of the Nome Nugget, during the
winter of 1904-5, had the honor, tn
company witn E. Coke Hill, to whom
most of the credit Is due, of agitat
ing dog team races in that gold
camp, and the little race or two of
that winter evolved Into the great
All-Alaska Sweepstakes race, an an
nual dog team race’ known and fol
lowed with the keenest interest the
world over. Indeed, one of the
famous racing teams of Nome is now
employed with the allies in France.
In the first place, dog team racing
is clean, wholesome sport, enjoyed
by people of all classes and condi
tions of life. The women of Nome
and other northern camps take as
much interest in the races as the
men folks. The dog team is the es
tablished mode of travel throughout
Alaska in the winter time. While on
well broken roads horses may be
used, yet for the trails leading to re- i
mote points, the dog team is essen- '
tially the thing. Hence, for the most
part, the dog is man's beast of bur
den in Alaska. Dog team races
means a better class of animals, bet
1 ter treatment of animals, better
trails and better mushers.
And the free advertising a com
munity gets that pulls ofi annual
racing events is really astonishing,
i Say, for instance. Anchorage pulls
oil a race between here and Seward
ami return. Any associated press
correspondent would deem it a good
story to first wire the date of the
event, the course, the purses, the
general conditions, etc. This news
would appear in almost every daily
newspaper in the United States. Next
would follow tne entries, the num
ber of dogs, etc. Then would comp
the beginning of the race, to be fol
lowed by tne progress of each entry
man to the end. “Anchorage, Alas
ka." as a date line, would appear in
almost every newspaper in the
United States. A large number of
people, reading the racing event
being pulled or! in a town of which
they had perhaps never heard, might
w ish to know more about a live com.
munity that has the enterprise to do
things. And there isn't money
enough in this man’s town to pay
| for having the word "Anchorage” tn
| serted as a paid advertisement in the
1 vast number o f newspapers that
would gladly insert it as a matter of
news of general information.
| And that’s way it's cheap adver
tising. None cues' ■
This towii of Anchorage has a
"Punch” in it that if persisted iu |
i means a big future for it. The en
ergy and enterprise of residents of a 1
j community play a most important
part in the npbull ling of a town.
Here, our residents do citings. They
turn out in numbers to about every
| thing that's going on, from a church
! service to a wrestling rnaten. They
| take an absorbing interest in anj’r
thing pertaining to the town s wel
fare. They contribute liberally when
the occasion demands. Take in ,ne
matter of the dog team racing
events. The committee in charge
went about the town the other day
and achieved fine success in the mat
ter of donations to make the affair
a success. "Anchorage, the town
with a punch in it,” would be a fit
ting slogan for this community. Ant
drew Christensen, chief of field di-r
vision of the ^ind department and
manager of sales in the disposal of
town lots here, attended a meeting
of the local Chamber of Commerce,
where about everybody there, and
the meeting place was crowded, got
up and expressed his opinion on the
subject under discussion. “I like
that spirit,” said Mr Christensen to
the Pionoer man. • It allows interest
in the town's welfare."
X
(From Monday's Daily.)
As indicating the confidence of
business men in the town’s future,
and especially boom times in the
spring, A. W. Mylroie, of the An
chorage Supply Company, writes an
associate here that he has closed the
purchase of four million feet of tine
fur lumber and that arrangements
have been perfected for its shipment
to Anchorage upon the opening of
navigation in the spring. Mr. Myl
roie closed the deal for the lumber
in the early part of December, and
soon after toe price of lumber ad
vanced very materially, due to large
orders received from the allies.
Mr. Mylroie says that the lumber
was bought at a price that will en
able the Anchorage Supply Company
to sell it for considerably less than
the prices asked for lumber in An
chorage last season. He says that
many people in Seattle are keeping
posted on Anchorage and expect it
to be the center of government rail
way activity next year. His faith in
the town's future is attested by a
substantial investment in lumber.
The ice skating rink drew a good
crowd Sunday afternoon, and the
skaters enjoyed a merry time. The
day was beautiful.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Locke will de
part by dog team tomorrow, enronte
to Seward, from whence they will
take the steamer Northwestern for
.Seattle, Mr. Locke Is going on busi
ness for the Commission. They will
return to Anchorage on one of the
first boats In the spring.
Mrs. Marie Wilson, assistant to
Postmaster Wood, accompanied ihe
mail team from Seward, after a
pleasant visit to that town.
The Anchorage public school is
planning to put before the public an
entertainment in the form of an his
torical pageant, some time in the
latter part of February or early in
March.
Last night Col. Revell reports
that Captain Sam Cramer arrived at
Seldovla all O. K. and took on a
load of freight for Anchorage, and
sailed for this port about a week ago
last Saturday. After that date there
is no news.
Mr. and Mrs. O. S. Gill, of Kmk,
convoyed by Walter Howard and his
dog team, arrived yesterday, to
make Anchorage their future home.
Mr. Gill expects to depart tomorrow',
enronte to Seidovia, to look after the
Commission launches and barges
there.
(From Tuesday's Daily.)
The ladies of the Catholic church
will give a hig dance March 17th—
St. Patrick's day.
Charles E. Brown, of Brown &
Hawkins, departed from Seward Fri.
day last, enroute to Seattle.
Three mail teams departed from
Anchorage for Seward this forenoon. !
Outgoing passengers included Mr. j
and Mrs. Harry Locke, enroute to
Seattle, Mrs. Ollie Gray, enroute to j
California, Mr. and Mrs. O. S. Gill \
and three children, Captain Peterson '
and Otto Gunderson.
TJie social hop under tne auspices
of the Northern Light Whist Club, j
held in the club room in the Fowler I
building last night, was the occasion ,
of a big turnout of memoers and
their friends, and a jolly good time j
was enjoyed. The committee in j
charge won praises for their efforts
to see that all who attended had a
good, social time.
Johnnie Reickhart, of Susitna Sta
tion, returned from Seward with his'
crack team of nine dogs this morn- ,
ing, bringing a large load of express. !
including 300 pounds of magazines j
and papers for Jack Sutherland, of ;
The Model. Seattle papers as late -
as January 1st were brought. John
nie reports the trail in fair condition,
but encountered quite a blizzard on
tne summit yesterday, which forced
the following teams to turn back.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. W. 7.
Normile was last night the scene of
a genuine and very enjoyable sur
prise party, promoted by several or
their friends to commemorate the
thirty-third anniversary of the birth
of Mr. Normile. The earlier part of
the evening was devoted to the play
ing of auction bridge, and the latter
to dancing and music. The party did
not end until about 3 o’clock this
morning. Those present were Mr.
and Mrs. Standiford. Mr., and Mrs.
W. R. Manning. Mr. and Mrs. J. H.
Watts, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. M. Camp
bell. Mr. and Mrs. E. j. Warner,
James O’Reilly and S. L. Maxwell.
(From Thursday's Daily.)
Charles David, the well known
contractor, is just recovering from
quite a severe illness. He was about
the town yesterday, after a spellUn
the government hospital.
Lovers of skating are nightly en
joying themselves at the skating
rink, at Fifth avenue and G street.
Johnnie Reichart, with his dog
team, departed this afternoon, en
route with a load of freight for Mc
Dougall.
L. V. Farmer, formerly chief clerk
to the townsite manager, is now in
Storekeeper Chase's department on
| the Commission dock.
With the exception of a few minor
cnses of la grippe, Anchorage is en
joying a healthy season. There is
no question hut that our city is es
pecially blessed in this particular.
Thomas Riley and Mrs. Laundrye
have established their roadhouse at
mile 63. on the Anchorage-Seward
trail, and are open for business.
They have a nice, comfortable stop
ping place.
j John Matilla, found guilty of lar
ceny in the commissioner’s court
! yesterday, was sentenced to serve
! four months in jail. He stole the
I sum of $25 from the pockets of an
j other man.
E; R. Wilson, convoying Mrs. Har
mon. and conveying four hundred
pounds of freight for Lyall & Smith
and Carrol & Co., arrived from Sew
ard yesterday. Mrs. Harmon is the
wife of Mr. J. Harmon, of the Pa
cific Grocery Company.
A story has been put in circula
tion that the Revell Express and
Passenger Company has raised the
passenger and express rates between
Anchorage and Seward. Mr. E. J.
Warner, agent for the company,
states that this report is false, and
that the rates have been unchanged.
A two-masted boat, supposed to be
the Traveler, in Charge of Captain
Cramer, came within a hundred
yards of Ship creek- yesterday, but
as the ice was running quite heavily
at the time, no attempt was made to
get ashore, but drifted out with the
tide. There is not a chance but that
Captain Cramer will make a safe
landing when he attecffpts to, but is
not a man who will hazard a chance
unless all things seem favorable.
Some of the commercial gentle
men who came to Anchorage last
summer are telling the Alaska coast
newspapers that this town is short
of provisions and the inhabitants
will surely be up against it this win
ter. Well, hs a matter of fact, the
people, of this community are living
about as well as the coast towns, so
far as we can observe, and there is
certainly less want here than In any
other town in Alaska. We have
never heard ot an instance where a
business man was stopped on the
street and asked for enough to buy
a meal, a common occurrence In the
coast, towns of Alaska It will do
these commercial men no good to be ;
knockers of a community to which
they will flock this coming season in
an effort to sell goods.
(From Friday's Daily.)
it is reported that Jack Cronin, 1
who went to Seward, has hit the trail
for the Tolovana, going via Valdez j
Charles S. Black and George Cot
ter departed this morning, by dog 1
team, enroute to Seward. They e\- 1
pect to make the five-mile roadhouse
this evening.
Ground is now being broken for
the building of a home for the local
Elks’ Club, on the rear of the lot
owned by them, on Fourth avenue
and F street.
The ladies of the Friendly Aid So*
ciety of the Presbyterian church will
give an old-fashioned party in the
church January 20. The shadow of
ladies bearing basicets filled with
good things to eat will be auctioned.
Everybody ig invited.
The committee representing the
local Red Cross Society of Serbians
report that thus far the sum of $330
has been raised in Anchorage for the
relief of the distressed and needy
people of Serbia, which haB been de,
vastated by the ravages of the world
war. There will be a meeting at the
home of Mr. Janovich Sunday after
noon, between the hours of 2 and C
at which time the committee will
make a full report —Adv.
A large sign was placed on the lot
adjoining the J. H. Smith real estate
ofttcfe, on Fourth avenue, near O
street, this morning, stating that the
lot would be occupied by the Blm
press theater, to be built of concrete,
and win be 42x130 feet in size. It
has been known for some time that
(’apt. Lathrop contemplated the erec.
tion of a swell theater building, but
the site had not been made known
to the general public. The theater,
when completed, will be one of the
best in Alaska, and as Capt. Lathrop
has an interest in a chain of theaters
reaching from Ketchikan to Nome,
tne people of Anchorage may be as
sured that, the new Empress will be
the home of gome of the best
“movies” brought to Alaska.
SECRETARY LANE GIVES DETAILS OF
PROPOSED WORK ON RAILWAY LINE .
Under date of December 16, Sec
retary Lane gave an Interview to the
Washington correspondent of the
Seattle Times, as follows.
Washington, D. C., Utst. 16.—Just
what Secretary i.ane'x plans for rail
road construction in Alaska are
were outlined by him today for the
Times. He was asked to give a
statement because many rumors re
garding the intentions of the inter
ior department were afloat in Seattle
and Alaska.
“We have already begun the re
construction of the Alaska Northern
road which we bought from the own.
ers,” said Secretary Lane, “and will
extend that line up to the Matanus
ka coal fields. Part of the line now
is in operation, and grading has
been extended practically up to the
Matanuska river. We have gone
ahead so rapidly on this work tha*
it will be necessary to ask congress
for a deficiency appropriation to be
come available to prosecute con
struction work during the remainder
of the fiscal year ending June 33,
next.
“Grading and construction of the
line from the coal fields to Anchor
age also is being rushed, in order
tnat we may have a short haul from
the coal fields to tidewater beyond
the Mataniiska fields, we will push
construction through the Susitna
valley to Tanana river. We want
also to reach the Nenana coal fields,
and therefore estimates for next
year included an apportionment of
>225.000 for construction of the line
from the river southward to that
field.
Fairbanks Situation.
“As to the Fairbanks situation,
the citizens of that town have been
urging us to begin construction
southward from there, and when
Chief Engineer Edes reaches Wash
ington we will i.ave a conference to
see whether anything can be done to
gratify the wishes of persons living
at the northern terminus of the
road. I can say one thing. The
road is to be constructed to Fair
banks. Those interested may be"
sure of that. Mention has been
made in newspapers of Seattle and
other places that the road will not
reach Fairbanks for three years. It
is possible that there will not be a
through line to Fairbanks before,
that time, but we will keep onwork
ing as fast on the construction as
the money available will permit.
"Our chief aim has been to get to
the coal fields, and other work will
fpllow as fast as possible. But rail
roads are not built in a day, week,
month or year. The road as pro
jected is to be 450 miles long, and
it takes time to build one of that
length. The people of Alaska must ^
realize that and be patient. ’
"How about the situation at An
chorage?” the secretary was asked.
"The trouble there was that there*
were no steam tugs available,” an
swered the secretary.
Difficulty at Anchorage.
"As soon as t saw the report that
ships couldn’t get up to town, I tele
graphed for information and was
told that gasoline launches or tugs
couldn't get in because of strong
currents. The result was that one
sh'p turned back. That's all there*
is to that."
SecAtary Lane also was asked
about the failure to submit an esti- ■
mate of the appropriation for con
tinuing mineral surveys in Alaska
next year.
"We are going to ask congress for
mon^y for that shortly,” he said.
“In order that we may have the full
season for work, we get money be
fore the beginning of the fiscal year,
July 1, and we will ask for an ap- .
propriatlon to be made immediately
available.”
Secretary Lane said also that reg
ulations for coal land leases have
been prepared, but he Is waiting the
return of the geological survey par
ties from Alaska before further con
sultation nefore issuing them.
NHIP MMDS OP PEOPLE COMING.
The Pioneer ig reliably Informed
that the first six steamers scheduled
to sail for Anchorage and way ports
in the spring have their passenger
accommodations entirely sold out.
While Anchorage, of course, will not
be the destination of a great num
ber of these passengers, it is fair to
assume that much the greater num
ber will come to this port, led here
by the railway activities which
should by that time be in full
swing. We believe a fair statement
to make would he between fifteen
hundred and two thousand people
for Anchorage on these first steam
ers.
The advent of such a number of
people arriving on the scene within
a period of perhaps two weeks,
means a veritaole boom for Anchor
age. Hotels, lodging houses, res
taurants, mercantile establishments,
in fact all lines of business, wonld
feel the effect, in a financial way,
and this boom condition of affairs
would continue throughout the en
tire season.
It has now been established be
yond the question of doubt that An
chorage, as a town, will be the cfiTef
beneficiary of the construction of
the great Alaska railway, because of
its vast advantages in the way of lo
cation. With this point as a hose,
the railway work may be attacked
from Kern creek, or Turnagain arm,
to the Broad Pass rnnntrv hv tho
aid of water transportation. This Is
the chief reason tor Anchorage, and
this, likewise, will be the chief cause
for its importance as a commercal
center—accessibility to all parts of
the country comprising the Cook
inlet region, and the great Mata
nuska and busUna valleys.
Col.H. E. Revell, who has the con
tract for carrying the U. S. mail be
tween Seward and Iditarod and
Seward and Anenorage, has closed a
contract with A. G. Smith and V. L.
Gray, which will without doubt be
a source of gratification to the par
ties concerned and the public as
well. The contract is, in substance,
that Messrs. Smith and Gray will
take complete charge of all mail, ex
press and passenger business be
tween Anchorage and Bird creek.
They have four double-enders with
which to handle the business, and
will arlw'ays have an extra team at
Bird creek to use in case of emer
gency.
Messrs. Smith and Gray are both
old-timers and are thoroughly la
miliar with trail work, and any time
that mails are late after this time
it is a guarantee that the trail is sim
ply impassable, otherwise the mail
may be looked for on schedule time.
Prom Bird creek to mile 84, Col
Revell has six magnificent dog teams
to handle the business, making cer
tain that he wm Keep up the sched
ule from that end.
i COL. UKVKLL WILL HAVE
TEAM IX THE DOC HACK
i ~
(From Tuesday’s Daily.*
Col. H. E. Revell arrived In Au
1 oho;age yesterday with the par-cl
gost and express matter from Sew
! ard. Mr. Revell reports tne trail in
fine condition, and states that horses
I are now being employed as far as
Bird creek successfully. Col. Revell
says that a great deal of interest is
being taken in the coming dog race
in Seward and that every one in the
coast camp is a booster for the
event and that the business men are
supporting the affair generously. He
will seletc a team from his dogs and
put them in training for the race,
and is not denying the rumor that
he Is out to win the big event. In
all probabilty he will drive his own '
entry, and in speaking of the com
ing event says: "A lot of people
seem to think that in point of time
the Anchorage classic will not clas3
with the big N’ome Sweepstakes, but
: 1 maintain that ‘it will be an even
bet’er event than the Nome affair,
and this is the reason: At Nome
they have a sprint over the crust,
and unless they run into a blow or
storm, that's all there is to it, while
l here it is a battle of both dogs and
drivers. The team that wins this
race will have to take chances on a
. trail that is the toughest in Alaska.
And it's no place for a sprinter. It
will be a plugging race, suited to
local dogs, and the team and driter
that outgameg the other is going to
win. The team that comes home
with the long end of the purse will
be a team that can at an/l the Staff
and do the regular work of a team of
dogR In this section of Alaska, and
not a team of sprinters. I wouldn't
like td predict what time will be
made, but it is going to be so fast
that it wll surprse a lot of people..”
BIO MIMING DEAIi
REPORTED FROM JUNEAU
JUNEAU.—It has been learned
from reliable sources that another
big mining deal nas been consura
mated *n the Juneau district, and
j that development work will be
started early in the spring. The
deal ig for the twenty claims, two
'tnillsit jo and water sites at Wind
ham Bay, and the purchase price is
said to be $232,000, a little over
$40,000 of which is to be paid at
once to Gudrannd Jensen and E. J.
Dailey, the present owners of the ’
group.
Commissioner Mears made a trip ,
to the front yesterday, returning in
the evening. The rails are now laid
for a distance ot abqut five miles
from the Eagle river bridge.
Charles David, who underwent an
operation at the government hos
P 1, is out again and well on the road
to complete recovery.