THE NENANA NEWS
Application made October AO, 1916, at the Postoffice at Xenana. Alaska, tor
entrv as second-class mail matter under the act ot March 2. 1S79. by The Xe
nana Printing Company.
Published Weekly by The Ncnana Printing Company
Day ok Publication Saturday Kditkd by R. O. Southworth.
SUBSCRIPTION' RAT11S:
Per month: bv carrier.$ 1.0" Single copies. Two bit
Six months, in advance .... 5.00 One year, in advance.10.00
XENANA, ALASKA. SATritUAY SEPT. IS. 1!»17
I.MPOKTANT
The school election to b#
held in Xenana oil Tuesday
is an event of much importance
to the town—important to the
children who will attend the
school and important to the
owners of property who wiil
he called upon to hear the
burden of educating the rising
generation. We do not believe,
however, that the town is ex
posed to serious risk in the pre
sent instance. Those whose
names have been put forward
as candidates have* the interests
of the town at heart and they
are all desirous of providing1
the children of Xenana with
the best schooling that can be
obtained.
The fact that more than five
candidates are in the field does
out indicate that we are to fid
low the example of those other
Alaskan towns which seem 1111
aide to agree 011 matters per
taining To their schools and we
do not a 111 i c i p a t e
trouble of that sort, the state
ment to the contrary in a Fair
banks newspaper notwithstand
111".
The responsibilities of the
Xeuaua school hoard will I>e
greater than those of the hoards
in incorporated Alaskan towns
for the reason that our hoard
must raise funds hv taxation
sufficient to defray twenty
five per cent of the cost of eou
ductin" tie- school. In incorpor
ated towns the money is pro
vided hv the councils. This is
a point, which should receive
the consideration of the.voters.
The work of the hoard will not
consist altogether of employin'*;
See
COONEY’S
For Your
Roofing end Building
Paper
Rope. Hardware
NAILS OF ALL KINDS
Groceries
IT!ICES RIGHT
ELECTRIC PUMPS
DECK PUMPS
FORCE PUMPS
PITCHER PUMPS
W2LL POINTS
Lang and Toledo
RANGES
JUST ARRIVED
Tanana Sheet Metal Works
ieachers ami lookin'; after the
welfare of the pupils. They
mast have business aetimen a
' long with their other (jiialiti
eations.
The question of organizing
a sehool district, with out which
there can lie no school here, ap
pears to be as good as settled.
The need id’ a school is genera 1
jly recognized not only for the
; benefit of the many children
| who will spend the winter in
Xenana. blit also for the benefit
i of all owners of property in the
| town, for the establishment of
!a school will insure a larger
permanent population, and put
jproperty values on a reason
ably solid basis. Failure to or
ganize will do the town incal
ulable injury.
iiEASSUKIXC.
Cheering news comes from
Washington in the form of a
telegram from Delegate Sulzer
indicating that we need not fear
a curtailment of constrnctian
work in Alaska. The unfor
tunate part of it is that we
should have been led to believe,
by the reported statement of
Secretary Lane. Hint tlu* in
creased cost <if material might
necessitate a suspension of ac
tivities. lie]sorts of that sort,
oming from rise* national cap
ital. have a discouraging influ
ence on Interior Alaskans, who
are depending upon the govern
ment to carry through to early
completion the 1 iiir enterprize
which means everythin}!.t° the
future of the interior country.
If work should he suspended
now or at any time before the
toad is completed u> tidewater,
the eountrv would receive a
setback from which it could
not soon recover. Pioneer Ala
skans. whose best years have
been spent in developin': the
country, would he pauperized.
Properties which have values
new. would he worthless with
out the promise of improved
u ansportation facilities and
the monev already expended
by the goevrnment in startin}!
the railroad would be largely
wasted for work and equip
ment of that character cannot
he abandoned without loss.
If the cost of material and
labor should double by the time
more funds arc needed to carry
on the work, the government
still would he warranted in go
ing ahead with the enterprise.
■The: importance of developing,
the resources of tlie Interior
outweighs almost any sacrifice
in dollars', that the government
my be reiuired to make to hast
en the work now in hand. If
the work was worth while
when congress passed the rail
road hill, it is doubly so now.
with the world in need of those
minerals which abound in Ala
ska. Alaskans also are entitled
to consideration.
Especiallv are the people of
Xenaua and «»f those other
towns along the railroad en
titled to consideration. They
have invested their all in govern
ment property on the assurance
that the railroad would be built
and the government cannot
■ now. with honor, abandon the
enterprise.
ELSEWHERE IN ALASKA
I
Word lias been received at
.Tuueau that Captain Robert
I,. Wt*eks. formerly disbursing
orticer for ilit* Alaska Road
< omuiission, with headquar
ters at Valdez, is with the first
American contingent in France
with General Pershing.
Ralph M. Pederson. son of
Reverand Pederson, formerly
of Seward, where he graduated
from high school, and for the
past two years a student of
-Tournlism at the I'niversity
of Washington, has taken the
editorship of the Skagway
Alaskan.
Advices received at Nome
from Governor Strong state
that the Russian government
lias released the trading
schooner Diamond I. and a
considerable cargo of furs,
seized at a Siberian port some
time ago.
At a meeting of the Elks
club at Juneau recently it
was voted to suspend the dues
of all members who joined any
of the armed forces of the
I*nited States, and a special
care will be taken of their
families by the lodge.
At a meeting of the Mer
chants Protective Association
of Juneau recently, it was de
cided to place a suitable boat
on the run between Juneau
and lower Chatham Strait
points to encourage more cor
dial business relations between
the capital and the commun
ities along the strait.
The Alaska Road Commis
sion has started a crew of
men building a road between
the town llliamna, on Cook
Inlet to llliamna Lake. The
route from llliamna tfr the
lake, down the lake and the
Kvicliak river is a short one,
cutting off many miles from
the steamer route from this
section to Rristol Ray districts.
No election was held at
Skagway to determine whether
or not the people of that hurts;
were in favor of licenses. J. F.
Anderson, the oiilv applicant
for a license withdrew his ap
plication before the date of
election.
What is claimed to he a re
cord for fish cunning; was
made recently by the Tenakee
Fish Company at its .Sunny
'('ove cannery. The cannery,
which is a sin tile line plant,
averaged 1,000 cases of fish
per day for a period of 15 dnvs
recently, and this with only
one hour overtime.
Through the efforts of Del
egate C. A. Kulzer a naval
wireless station for the West
<'oast of Prime of Wales Is
land is an assured fact. The
station will he constructed just
as soon as the necessary ma
terial can Ik1 secured.
The natives of Nome have
formed an athletic and sports
dub. and figure on giving the
public an exhibition of their
prowess in these lines in the
near future.
P.ert Tlowdeshell. one of
rite best known newspaper men
in Alaska died recently at his
home in Juneau after an ill
ness of several months. He was
recently editor of the Cordova
Titties, but ill health.compelled
him to resign the position.
John Johnson, the well
known dog musher of Nome,
was paid £-50 per week for
his Metro film engagement
and • later was hired with his
dogs by the Vitagraph concern
for £300 per week for an en
gagement of several weeks.
A heavy frost occurred at
Whitehorse July 27, seriously
injuring the gardens of that
section.
While Lieutenant Clark of
the Uremerton navy yard at
Petersburg recently securing
recruits for the navy, his room
was entered at the hotel and
all his enlistment papers stol
en. A German resident of
Petersburg is suspieioned of
having committed the theft for
the purpose of delaying en-:
listment.
Throe hundred sixty dollars
were raised by the citizens of
t'andle for the Ued t'ross fund.
Candle has but few inhabitants
and the pot- eapita contribution
was uuusally large.
lit. Kev. I{. -I. ('riniont, l’.i
sliop of Alaska, has made the
announrement that Juneau lias
been selected as tin* episcopal
see of the new Alaska diocese
and the Church of Nativity of
the 1 Messed Virgin Mary, which
is to lie remedied and enlarged,
will he used as the pro-cathed
ral.
Henry Einhard of Anchorage
has taken over the l’earl Grouo
of claims on Archangel creek,
in the Willow creek section,
and will soon let a contract
for 150 feet of development
work. The property covers a
vein of free-milling ore, three
feet in width, an assay of
which gave returns of S5t> per
ton.
A small plant has been
established at Juneau for the
treatmen> of shark skins for
leather and the extraction of
oil from the carcass. If the veil
ture proves a success the plant
will h, "reatly enlarged.
Four or five men are report
ed to be stranded in Nome
after arriving then* under an
alleged contract to work for
ninety days for 85 per day and
hoard. Tliev claim to have been
hired in Seattle and expended
all their money in getting to
Nome.
The Talkeetna Mining .Com
pany operating in the Willow
Creek section, has just com-*
pleted the installion of a tram
from its mine to the mill.
•T. K. Heckman, chairman,
and W. \V. Casey, member, of
the Fish Hatchery Commission
of the Territory, recently ap
pointed by Governor Strong,
have resigned, following the
discovery on the statute hooks
of a statute which prevents
members of the legislature
from serving in any position
created by the body of which
they were members until a
year has elapsed.
While Fritz Nelson, a miner,
was working at Porcupine, a
dynamite cap exploded in his
hand, completely blowing off'
the member, lie was piaceed in
a wagon to 1m* taken to Haim*s
for treatment and on the road
the kingbolt of the wagon
nave way permittin.it the
wa._.ui to tin back d . a
slight {trade and over a bluff
225 feet high. When a team
and wagon was sent to the foot
of the bluff it was found that
Nelson had escaped uninjured,
although the wagon was smash
ed to bits.
Harry M'Lean formerly
assistant postmaster at Idita
ro 1. died recentlv at the Morn
ingside Sanitarium to which
place he was sent from Idita
red in 11115. He was the victim
of a spinal disease which af
fected liis mind. The body was
sent to St. Paul for interment.
High water in the Mata
nuska river recently cut away
about fifteen acres of ground
including about 1000 feet of
flu* cleared right-of-way of the
government railroad. A .change
in the permanent line will
probably have to be made to
escape this section.
The Maliawk Mining Com
pany, of the Willow ('reek sec
tion. near Anchorage, has let
a contract for the driving of
a second tunnel of 200 f(M*t on j
I its property. The new tunnel,
! will be started 1000 feet below]
the upper tunnel.
Warren Bennett and James
Taylor two enmlovees of the
Copper River & Northwestern
Railway at Cordova, have left
that place for Seattle where
they will enlist in the railroad
engineering department, now
being raised bv Colonel Cavan
augh for service in France.
_
and the miners are fleeced of
| their hard earned gold with
all the abandon of Soapy Smith
and his followers,
WE HAVE THE
LUMBER
DELIVERY ON SHORT NOTICE
INDEPENDENT LUMBER CO.
Ill, -Inh il (Mlll'jilijl
Never since tlit* organization
or the founding of the Interior
Department lias it I teen run
on ti|» to i]at<* and business
principles and methods, as has
prevailed since Secretary Lane
assumed charge. Progression,
speed, justice and fair play,has
been cliaracteriistic of everv
bureau of the department.
When l assert this fact. 1
merely voice the eoncensous
opinion ef the whole West.
Especially notable is this,— in
the rulings and adltniuistra
tion of the general l\ S. Land
under the leadership
and direction of that courte
ous. efficient, honest and
brainy western man. < 'lay Tol
man. This UureaiTs appointees
in the West, are on the whole,
splendid types of American
manhood. Alaska is Id esse 1
with her share of such officials,
painstaking, obliging, prompt
and capable men.
For the past two years, the
writer has had many occas
ions, and note the work of said
branch of Interior Department,
homeseeker. Noted with what
ness, and uniform kindness,
the E. S. Land (tffice. at.J utieau
gave to the homesteader and
homeseeker. Noted with what
dispatch, the government land
surveys were made always a
liead of the homebuilder. All
accomplished under the direct
supervision of that capable,
honest and faithful servant.
John P. Walker.
On a recent travel over a
stretch of country east and west
of the Nenana river, from a
point near Lignite creek -and
north to the enterprising town
of Nenana, I found many
township surveys completed t<V
wit;
SoutJi of town of Neiiana.
All of township 4. <1. It. S, W.
in which lies Xenana. Town
ship 5. S. H. s. '-V. Sections 1
2 - 3 - id - 11 - li* - n - ir, - it;
-1 - 22 - 27 - 2S - 33 34. Town
ship f> S. J’., S. W. Sections
5 - t; - 7 - s - it - 1st - 1 !)-:»>
Ml. Township (i. S. II. !t. W.
Sections 24 - 25 - 2<> - 35 - 3h.
Townshio 7. S. If. It. W. Sec
tions 1 - 12 - 13 - 24 - 27> - Mf>
ami parts east of Xenana fiver
of sect ions 2 - 11 -11-23- 23
37). Township S, S. If. !). \V.
Sections 1 - 12 - 13 - 21 - 27,
3<> ami parts east of Xenana
river of sections 2 - il - 14
23 - 21 i - 37). Township S. S. If.
8. XV. Sections 7, - t! - 7 - S - 17
IS - 111 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 27, - 20
27 - 28 - 2i> - 30 - 31 - 32 - 33
34 - 35 - 30. Township 10. S. If.
8, XV. .Ml oast Xenana liver.
Township 11. S. If. S. \V. All
east Xenana river.. Southern
end of work is about one
half mile from mouth of. Lig
nite creek.
1 found that the engineer
surveyor in charge, as chief,
was Woodbury Abbey, a courte
ous, able, energetic and all
around good official. South and
southeast of the town of Xe
nana I found level. good
land,— excellent soil., but two
thirds of it, for a distance of
about 15 miles rather inclined
to be wet and swamny. When*
ditched will make the best of
land.
From a point, say 15 miles
south of town Xenana. is hen
chv and somewhat rolling, with
numbers of meadows of many i
acres in area. Soil is numberj
one,— sandy loam,— subsoil!
gravel. Splendid land. No bet
ter in Alaska. Some coming
near day, these lands will be
homesteaded. So near the rail-!
road, market and coalfields.
I met with several settlers, j
Good land can be taken up as!
far south as Mile 43 from Xe-|
nana. And then west of Xe
nana river from this point can
be found hundreds and hun-j
dreds of good agricultural J
bench land. The town of Xe-i
i t*K SAI.L—.Motor imi.ii.
"'•I' 1- II- I’. KelTO engine.
I in111 iri• at New v.
NOT( 1: To <’Ki |»iTn|;s
In probate enurt, Territorv
of Alaska. N'enana precinct,
•lamos Duke, <!,. ascii.
No!in- is heivhv given that
iIh- undersigned ims been ap
pointed by allow named court
executrix of tile esiale of
•lames Duke deceased. All per
sons having claims against said
estate are herein notified and
repaired to present them with
tin- proper vouchers within six
months after the date of this
notice to tin* undersigned execu
trix at her place of business
in the town of N'enana. Alaska.
Dated at N'enana. Alaska, dulv
L’3, 1!M 7.
Mrs. Km ma Duke
nana will pride herself on the
fit'll farming lands lying south
hut within her trading zone.
I'ut settlers of the right kind
must he made acquainted with
these lands and invited to make
homes thereon. This will re
quire judicious and honest ad
vertising. If N'enana is to
grow and heroine as she can,
a lively, bustling commercial
center, she must bestir her
self. in getting settlers on the
foregoing described lands.
W hen another year rolls a
round, she must he buying la-r
potatoes, cabbages. turni|is and
vegetables generally from her
own farmers, located on these
lands lying south of her. Stop
importing what can be raised
equally as good, if not better
on land adjacent to the rail
road. All along, southeast of
Mile id; for a goodly number of
■I1'!'s. is a level country,— soil
ot the best covered with birch
stud growing red top grass four
feet tall I wish to impress
up>.a the people of N'enana
and the public generally, that
■S«U-I ; mentiom* I l:i;nis
li;r>t very large agrivul rural
I m issijflit ies. Tin *st ;v| i i i r< ■
viiuc *>*!* tl' velopment. Private
as vt .1 as public interest must
ndopi policies that, will shorten
this time. Ii must he borne in
iniinl that the larger part of
tin* lam] near south ami south
cast of Nenana, for possible
1<> miles off must first ho drain
'd before being available for
tin* plow. Then there are fens
of thousands of fine grazing
land, all tributary to Nenana
and these lands eventually will
feed and support big and grow
ing Cattle and sheep industries.
This is as certain as night fol
lows day. Native grasses can
he put Up even HOW as forage
and 1 have seen the same, a
delighted success as win ter.
forage for horses. Some day
till this conntrv south of Xe
nana. will prove itself a great
rattle and dairying conntrv.
There are hundreds and hun
dreds choice homeseteads yet
to he filed on, when it is made
known to the public that the
available hinds are south of
Nenana.— that they are as
good as any lands in Alaska or
in many of the states.— that
they lie from one to ten miles
from the great government
railroad. Xenanaites should
and must lie alive to a settle
ment of these lands. Strat a
propaganda and advertiz ■*,
spread literature let the world
know what and where are your
rich farming lands. In letters
and Mre'-afre, state the trai l. V
do not color or mislead. To
this end you will receive the
tin hcarh co-operation of the
Alaskan Engineering commis
sion, Secondary Lane, and
Huston of Interior and Agri
cultural Departments respec
tively.
Get colonies if you can,—
get families, get married men.
Such settlements spells, stick
tivity, permanency and pros
perity. Remember, that the rail
road alone will not and can
not make for Nenana a real
(Continued page 4)