The Cordova Daily Times
VOLUME ONE. NUMBER 211. CORDOVA, ALASKA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1915. ~ PRICE TEN CENTS
, GOETHALS RESIGNS HIS JOB IN PANAMA
REPRESENT
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It now develops that Lewis E.
Smoot, who was in Cordova a couple
of days ago, on his way to the west
ward, is not the personal represents
tive of Secretary Franklin K. Lane,
of the Interior Department, H3 had
been reported here by his fellow-pas
sengers.
While in Seward the Gateway in
terviewed him. When asked as if
the rumor that he was in Alaska in
an official capacity Mr. Smoot said:
“Tell them I am here on private
business and at my own expense.
Yes, at my own expense."
“Can we say that you do not repre
sent Secretary Lane?”
“Why just tell them I am here on
private business and at my own ex
pense” he repeated, and he repeated
it emphaticaly.
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F
NIT cun
_
The Chamber of Commerce has re-1
ceived a telegraphic answer from the!
Board of Underwriters of th“ Pacific,!
with headquarters at Sac Francisco
relative to the matter of the fire risk i
and the effect on the rotes providing
a fire wall was built between the build
ing formerly occupied by Ihe O’Neill
& Slater Co. and that occupied by the
Empres theatre. The purpose of the
Chamber was to see if the fire rates
could not he reduce! by the erection
of a cement wall 30 feet high, 12 inches I
thick and 100 feet long between the
two buildings
This fire wall would extend about
s'* feet above the adjoining hi il lings,
and it was thought .t would so de
crease the insurance rate tfiat. i* would
pay the business men to invest in such
a preventative. In order that accurate
information could be secured the
Chamber at its last meeting voted to
find out just what reduction could be
secured.
A reply was received from the un
derwriters board stating that If such
a wall was erected it would reduce
^ the insurance rate 50c per hundred on
' all property north of the wall, but that
it would not effect the rate on property
feouth of the wall. The answer rather
discouraged the Chamber over the
project as it is not felt that there is
any reason for the reduction north and
no reduction south. As the hoard of
underwriters replied by wire they
could not elucidate thje reasons for
this, and until an answer by letter is
^ received, the matter must be held in
abeyance, as the merchants would
surely not invest the cost of a cement
wall without securing what they be
lieve to be adequate reductions in the
insurance rates.
A representative of the Board of
' Underwriters is now making a trip
through Alaska, and it is proposed to
take up the matter with him when he
W reaches Cordova. The originators of
the project still feel that a greater re
duction in the rates should be secured,
and it is thought that possibly the
Board of Underwriters misunderstood
the situation when they replied.
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Send in your subscription now.
(iFA'FRAF >R(iK W. (K)KTIf A I ,S
May Build Railroad
And Naval Defenses
In Aalska for U. S.
XLW ^ORK, Aug. 12—Oen. George W. Goethals’resigna
tion ns governor of the Panama Canal Zone to take efiect No
vember 1st, was informally announced today.
I lie general admitted that it had been sent to Washington
when seen here today on his way to the national capitol.
General Goethals tried'to dodge interviewers and reluctant
ly answered the numerous questions fired at him. He finally an
nounced that lie was on his way to Washington to confer with
the military authorities regarding natioual defense and the
practicability of making the Canal Zone immune from attack,
should the occasion arise.
\\ ASHTXGTOX, Aug. 12—The resignation of Gen. Gothals
has revived here the talk that he will be placed in charge of the
work started in Alaska for railroad building and naval bases.
What strengthens this belief is the fact that while the
well known canal builder lias resigned as governor of tin* Pana
ma ( anal Zone, he has not resigned his position tn the armv or
the engineering corps.
It is also indicated'that the United States intends to make
the 1 anal Zone and the Panama ('anal effective against being
used by any foreign foe in case of trouble with the United
States.
1 lie government is said to have in mind extensive plans for
national defense which include both the Canal Zone and Alaska.
In the latter field the government is said to include in its plans
the quickest method of reaching the coal fields for naval pur
poses and the establishment of an important naval base in
i Alaska ot supply the naval stations along the Pacific coast.
CORDOVA ONLY LOGICAL PLACE
When Stephen Birch, manager of the Alaska Syndicate’s
mining interests in Alaska, was shown an article in the Sew
ard Gateway relative to the Guggenheim’s having taken an
option on the property in the Broad Pass district and that they
would erect a smelter at Seward, he laughed' at the idea. “The
Alaska Synlicate never had any thought of building a smelter
at Seward or to the westward as there is nothing there to build
a smelter for,” said Mr. Birch. 1
The following excerpts from the Gateway go to show how
the people over there are fooling themselves, and incidentally
the public, by claiming tonnage and a smelter which will not
materalize:
“That the Guggenheims have taken up the options secured
by them in the Broad Pass district is a fact which has been
learned' from an authority which cannot be doubted, and a fact
which means more for this part of Alaska than the government
railroad work itsself.
“According to the information secured by this paper the
options were to have been taken up on the 9th of the present
month. It will be remembered that Engineer Dunkle, the
representative of the Guggenheims, returned to Seward just be
lore that date and after having transacted his business here
lie went back to Broad Pass as quickly as possible. This eir
cumbstance bears out the truth of the statement that the
options have really become a purchase and that the great
smelting firm are into Broad Pass to stay. Dunkle, to be exact,
returned to Seattle from Broad Pass on June 30 and remained
here only three days. During that time he was constantly send
ing out and receiving code cable messages. He refused to»
speak when here of the result of his investigations but admitted
that he was here to be in cable communication with the outside
and that he would return to Broad Pass on receipt of instruc
tions. Coupling all this with the statement that the options
have been taken up confirms the news. The information has
been received from a source which may not be divulged. •
“As the Broad Pass ore is all base it means that a smelter
will be necessary’ and that the Guggenheims will erect the
smelter is a certainty. T hey had bonded a very large number
of claims so that the erection of a smelter would be justified.
During the winter the Guggenheims have been drilling and
sinking shafts on the properties bonded and the ore has received
a through testing, Mr. Dunkle having carried in an assving
outfit and having operated it constantly.”
FISH IS BEING!
WASTED III
ALASKA
SEATTLE, Aug. 12—Burdens now
imposed on ships and shipbuilding and
on fish and on other Interests were
made plain here to the members of
the Federal Trade Commission now
in session.
A sweeping change in the LaFolette
seaman’s law was urged in order to
place American ships on tjie same
competitive plane as those engaged
in foreign service.
It was further urged that more lib
eral rules would result in the utiliza
tion of waste products in fish and lum
ber and the fruit industries of the
Northwest. If combinations were per
mitted, it was stated, such things
would be possible, resulting in an
economic saving.
Salmon packers told of their difficul
ties in marketing their pack owing to
the lack of ships for carrying the
canned fish abroad.
One witness stated that he had seen
thousands of salmon rotting in Alaska
while consumers were paying high
prices for the canned product.
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S. Blum & Co., have leased the
Cliff House at Valdez, to act as tem
porary quarters until a building can
be erected to replace the one recent
ly destroyed by fire.
MAY NO? ADOPT NEW
NAME OF ALASKA CITY
That the post office department will
not accept the name of Alaska City for
Anchorage is the belief of Commis
sioner Thomas Riggs as, he says, the
department never likes a double name.
Indeed, he says that was one, at least,
of the reasons why the name Ship
Creek was not accepted. Alaska City
was the name which received the high
est number of votes at the recent
poll over there. Mr. Riggs will re
turn to Seward from Fairbanks in
the fall with the engineers who are
engaged at that end and place them
there under the supervision of Chair
man Edes.
VflLOEZ CABLE MEN
MAY CO TO MEXICO
-.
It is reported that the Signal Corps
men at Valdez and along the govern
I ment road will be ordered to the
states as they are needed with the
troops if Mexico is invaded. It is
stated that civilian operators will be
sent north to take the place of the
men now there who are not only able
to telegraph but are able to do many
other things so necessary when large
forces of men are moved from place to
place.
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Jerry Quinlan, formerly with the
\\ hite Pass Co., has been chosen to
take out the first construction train on
the government railroad.
The first case of smuggling from
Canada to Alaska on the Yukon River,
to be detected in many years was
brouht to light recently at Eagle when
a man giving the name of Walskey
was arrested there by Deputy Collector
of Customs, J. J. Billiard.
Walskey, who claims he Is an es
caped inmate of the Morningside Sani
tarium, went to Dawson and bought a
$750 diamond ring and a $65 watch,
giving therefore a bogus check. He
was attempting to smuggle the Jewelry
into Alaska when detected.
Walskey was committed to the sani
tarium last April from Fairbanks and
was taken south by Marshal Erwtn.
He was tried before commissioner
at Eagle on the charge of smuggling
and was sentenced to two monfs In
jail and a fine of $200.
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TWO STEAMERS
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The steamer Admiral Watson ar
rived from Seattle at 12:30 o’clock this
afternoon and sailed for the westward
an hour later. Her passengers were:
For Cordova—John Cann.
For Valdez—Mr. Stahl, E. Pester,
F. Tiyvichell, H. Selby.
For Seward—Catherine Twombly,
Arthur Wright, Mrs. J. W. Wright,
Frank Sweeney, J. Barnes, J. McGill
and wife and five steerage.
For Kodiak—Inez Fleehart.
For Knik—Mrs. Laura Reed. Mrs.
McC'omber, Lee McCourt, Mrs. C.
Jones and baby, Robert Hopkins and
wife, Sal Freyd, Mrs. Albert Sammuels
and two children. Ed. Smith, Mrs.
Gladys Smuht and daughter and eigh
teen steerage.
The steamer Evans was in port dur
ing the noon hour. She had aboard
3,000 cases from Port Graham. The
only outgoing passengers from Cor
dova were O. M. Kinney and wife, who
expect to make Tacoma their future
home.
There were eleven first-class and
eleven steerage passengers from the
westward for Cordova, as follows:
Will Clayson, Major A. E. Ransom,
Jas. Heney, wife and child, W. H.
Simpert, J. T. Newsem, T. W. Mack,
Robt. Smith, V. Scott and F. R. Reed.
CAPT. STRETCH MAKES
SHORT STAY IN CORDOVA
Capt. R. H. Strtch, formerly statisti
cian for the Copper River « North
western railway, who now calls Seat
tle his home, was a passenger south
bound from Anchorage on the Evans
and his only regret was that the steam
er did not remain in port longer, so
that he could have the time to call
on his many Cordova friends.
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The Rainy Season Now.
The present rain is indeed refresh
ing after the long dry spell enjoyed
and suffered by residents of south
w-estern Alaska. For one thing, it is
having a decidely dampening effect
upon forest fires, which were becom
ing more and more of a menace.