THE NENANA NEWS
Application made October 30, 1916, at the Postoffice at Nenana, Alaska, tor
entry as second-class mail matter under the act ot March 2, 1879, by The Ne
nana Printing Company.
Published Weekly by The Nenana Printing Company
Day of Publication Saturday Edited by R. G. Southworth
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Per month; by carrier ... .$l.00Single copies ..,...T>vo Pits
Six months, in advance .... 5,OOOne year, in advance..$10.00
NENANA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1918.
THE ALASKA INSANE
Congress has been asked to ap
propriate the sum of $200,000 for
the purchase of a site and the erec
tion of a hospital for the insane of
Alaska, with a view to discontinuing
the practice of sending Northern
charges to Morningside sanitarium.
The request for funds for this pur
pose is contained in a bill recently
introduced in congress by Delegate
Sulzer, backed by a memorial adopted
during the last session of the terri
torial legislature. And, on the face
of it, the request seems like a reason
able one.
But when one considers the ques
tion impartially, with due regard for
the comfort of the unfortunate in
mates, the wisdom of making a
change in the manner of caring for
them becomes a matter of uncer
tainity. We have not heard it stated
by those familiar with the care of
insane that more recoveries will re-,
suit from the treatment of patients
in Alaska; but there are scores who
believe that unbalanced Northerners
have a better chance to recover in
Outside institutions, where the clim
atic conditions are less severe and
where years of experience in treat
in insanity cases have resulted in the ;
adoption of methods most certain of
quick recovery.
The establishment of a permanent
asylum in Alaska has been agitated
by many Alaskans, including mem- ,
bers of several legislatures; the gov-'
ernor has recommended the change
and numerous investigations been
held in the hope of finding a valid
excuse for removing the patients
from Oregon. But none of the ar
guments advanced encourage the be
lief that conditions can be improved
by keeping our insane at home. The
unfortunates should be given every
possible opportunity to recover; they
should be confined where the climate
will permit of outdoor exercise the
year round; the surroundings should
be attractive; they should have food
of the most nourishing sort; and
most important of all, they should
be under the care of men competent
to treat such cases. If these things
can be Drovided in Alaska, there re
mains no argument against the es
tablishment of an asylum in the ter
ritory. if they are not obtainable,
the agitation for the establishment
of such an institution should be
stopped. The restoration of mental
balance is of greater importance
than the pork barrel expenditures,
which coast politicians are trying to
make available.
THE ARMY POST
The detailing of a detachment of
regular soldiers to guard government
property in Nenana is a very strong
argument in favor of the establish
ment of an army post here. Nenana
is the center of government activity
in Interior Alaska, and the soldiers,
if stationed here, could be moved
to other districts in time of need,
more easily and quickly than from
any other' point in the Interior.
The troops are not needed at Fort
Gibbon; and if their presence there
at any time should be desired, they
can be rushed down river much more
speedily than they can make the
trip upstream. From Nenana, they
could be dispatched with celerity to
Fairbanks, winter and summer, and
they could be sent out the line, to
the south of Nenana, with equal
speed, by means of the government
railroad. The troops are isolated
at their present headquarters, except
during the brief open season, and
then the trip upstream is a long and
tedious one. Much might happen
before they could arrive anywhere.
If the presence of ten soldiers in
Nenana is needful now, the presence
of more of the troopers will be need
ed as the rails are extended north
and south of Nenana, and the in
vest lent of government funds be
comes greater. A full company
would be none too many to cover
♦he grc-ind thoroughly.
PUBLICITY.
Alaska, writes Governor Strong in
his annual rep< rt to the secretary
c . the interior, needs publicity—the
ri. ht kind of publicity. Much mis
information, he says, still finds a
place in the popular mind, but the
mists of ignorance concerning Alaska
are being slowly dispelled and the
' publicity of recent years is begin
i ning to bear fruit. In order to
make known conditions prevailing,
| and the opportunities existing for
[ capital and labor and for the man
: seeking investment and for those
I seeking lands and homes, where the
; fierce competition and struggle for
a mere living is ever present, it is
apparent, he points out, that sys
tematic and continuous publicity,
based on solid truth as far as ob
tainable, is indispensable.
The governor is an oldtimer in
Alaska. He knows the country as
few men know it, and he is familiar
with all its needs and the handicaps
under which Northerners are labor
ing to develop the country. He has
seen a thickening of permanent set
tlers, a steady growth in the number
of acres under cultivation, and he
realizes that very much of the de
velopment is the result of carefulh
planned and persistent advertising.
And the governor is one of those
men who believes that if a little ad
vertising is good for the country,
more advertising is better.
—(»—
Nenana should be represented in
the next territorial legislature. Nu
merous questions doubtless will arise,
during the coming season, bearing
directly upon local interests and we
should have scmq one in office to
speak for us, instead of being de
pendent, as we have been, upon rep
resentatives sent to Juneau from
other districts. We are entitled to
this recognition, and we have among
our residents, men as capable as any
in the division to fill any office with
in the gift of the territory. Why
not decide upon a candidate for the
legislature and see that he is elected?
If we will stand together, we can’t
lose.
BENEFIT TONIGHT
FOR ROBBINS GIRL
The many tickets sold indicates
that there will be a large attend
ance tonight at the entertainment,
to be held at Union hall, for the
benefit of little Leona Robbins, an
eight-year-old patient at the Govern
ment hospital who must be sent
Outside for the benefit of her health.
A splendid program has been ar
ranged for the entertainment for
which an admission charge of one
dollar will be made. The entertain
ment will be followed by a dance,
for which there will be an additional
charge of one dollar for men at
tending. There will be no charge
for ladies attending the dance. The
entertainment will begin at 8:30.
NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF
PARTNERSHIP
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN,
that the copartnership heretofore
existing and carrynig on business
under the firm name and style of
Thompson & Gagnon, at Nenana,
Alaska, is hereby dissolved. The
undersigned will not be responsible
for any debts contracted in the name
of said late copartnership on and
after the publication of this notice.
All accounts due and owing by
the late copartnershin will be re
ceived and paid by the undersigned,
A. D. Thompson, who will continue
the business at the above address.
Dated this 16th day of February,
1918.
A D. THOMPSON,
Publications: Feb. 1C, 23; Mar. 2.
9, 16th.
Statement of the ownership and
management, required by the act of
congress of August 24, 1912, of the ,
Nenana News, published weekly at
Nenana, Alaska:
Name of publisher, editor, busi
ness manager and owner—R. G.
Southworth. i
Names of known bondholders,
mortgagees and other security hold
era—H. J. Hale.
Sworn to and subscribed before
me this 16th day of February, 1918.
JOHN C. MURPHY, J
My commission expires July 27, 1920
PIONEER BALL IS
; A BIG SUCCESS
i With more than two hundred in
attendance, the Alaskan Order of
Pioneers of Nenana celebrated their
i
first ball, and the biggest time that
has ever been held here, last Tues
day evening. All the sourdoughs
were on hand, many whom had not
attended a dance since they arrived
I in Nenana, as well as the entire
younger element, so that the hall
was packed and the big floor crowd
ed during the first part of the eve
ning.
The hall was decorated with picks,
shovels, gold pans and other char
acteristic emblems of the order,
while the familiar spike candle
sticks were stuck in the wall at
various intervals. These were light
ed during the candle light waltz,
the house lights being turned out,
making a novel dance. The center
lights were shaded so as to diffuse
a soft glow throughout the hall and
at one end of the building a large
picture of Abraham Lincoln was
hung, draped in the folds of the
American Flag.
Two kinds of punch were served
throughout the evening, and after
midnight supper was announced, a
continual buffet service being in
effect after that hour.
The souvenir programs made a
big hit and everyone had plenty of
dances, as the floor committee in
troduced the strangers as fast as
possible in order that all might have
an equal chance for a good time.
Twenty dances were played by the
orchestra, and so great was the ap
plause, that they were forced to re
spond with encores to nearly every
piece.
The committee desires to express
their thanks to Messrs. Herman An
derson, Max Smith, the A. E. com
mission, Heine Zickwolff and others
who so generously loaned articles
and material for the hall decora
tions, and also to the management
of the Coliseum for their action in
starting the evening show ahead of
time.
STEEL GANG TO BE
LAYED OFF UNTIL MARCH
The steel gang at Camp Fifteen,
of approximately sixty men, will
be layed off today, according to
Superintendent W. L. Packer, and
the camp will not be in operation
until some time in March. This
action is necessary on account of
the trouble that has been experi
enced with the ice and water near
Twenty-Mile, the bank of the river
being lower on this side of the Ne
nana than on the other. The entire
camp at 17 will be moved up to
Twenty-Mile., immediately and work
will be started at Lost Slough,
where the engineers left off last
fall. The reclamation work neces
sary will consume about a month’s
time, says Mr. Packer, after which
the steel gangs will be employed
again, and the work of steel laying
will be able to continue over this
bad spot on the line.
COLE BOUND OVER;
CHARGES SERIOUS
Lawrence Cole, former employee
of the Alaskan Engineering com
mission, was given a preliminary
hearing before Commissioner R. S.
McDonald on Saturday night, on the
charge of assault with intent to kill
German Louise, a resident of the
Dardanelles. Cole was represented
by Attorney Cecil H. Clegg, but no
defense was offered, Attorney Clegg
contending himself with a cross ex
amination of the government’s wit
nesses, of whom there were several.
At the conclusion of the hearing Cole
was bound over to the grand jury,
in the mean time being admitted to
bail in the sum of $3,000.
Cole «was arrested on a second
charge during the week, the com
plaint charging the defendant with
uttering a forged time check. He |
was also bound over to the grand j
jury on this charge, following a hear
ing held on Thursday. He was ad
mitted to bail on this charge also.
Officials of the steamship lines
plying between the States and Alas- :
ka assert that the going into effect ■
of the “bone dry” law in the terri- I
tory has relieved them of one of
their greatest annoyances. During
the past two years practically every
shipment of liquor to Alaska had
been opened in transit and a portion
taken with a result that claims for
shortages have come pouring into
the offices with great regularity.
Every effort to trace the source of
these shortages has proved unavail
ing and the officials welcome the
stopping of shipments.
E
10 GET REAL GUNS
Rifles and ammunition in suffi
cient number and quantity to meet
all the requiremnts of the two cit
zen military organzations, the Home
Guards and the Loyal League, of
Anchorage, have been alloted by the
chief of ordnance of the war depart
ment, and their arrival is expected
in the near futre, says the Anchor
age Times.
Money was apportioned last fall
from the territorial treasury to pay
rental for a drilling place for the
guard and the league of Anchorage,
and, accordingly, Robart’s hall was
engaged for this purpose, each or
ganization to hold drills semi-weekly
Lack of rifles, however, detracted
from interest in drilling, and the
drills, particularly of late, have been
very poorly attended.
Captain Dwyer has addressed a
communication to members of the
guard, urging them to be present
at the drills, and officers of the
league have addressed a simialr com
munication to members of the league.
The letter from Governor Strong
to Captain Dwyer regarding the al
lotment of rifles and ammunition
to the citizen military organizations
follows:
‘•I am in receipt of a communica
tion from the chief of ordnance,
Washington, D. C., advising me that
his office had allotted, for the use
of the Anchorae Home Guards, an
adequate number of Springfield
rifles, calibre. 45, together with a
plentiful supply of ammunition.
“I am also advised that a similar
allotment was made for the use of
the Anchorage Loyal League of An
chorage. The chief of ordnance
states that these stores will be ship
ped as directed in my communica
tion to him, under tiie authority of
the act of June 14, 1917. These
supplies, therefore will be shipped
in care of the Alaskan Engineering
commission, Anchorage, Alaska, and
it is probable that the two allotments
will be contained in one unit.”
NEW ACCOUNTANT ARRIVES
The home of Mrs. and ?,Irs. W. E.
Hubbach was brightened yesterday by
! the arrival of a baby boy at the Gov
ernment hospital. Both mother and
baby are getting along nicely.
SHAW IS SENTENCED
TO LONG JAIL TERM
William Shaw, a well known resi
dent of Nenana, was tried before
| Commissioner McDonald Wednesday
; evening on the charge of making
; seditious utterances, and was found
guilty by a jury, the verdict, how
ever, pleading leniency. Whereupon
the court imposed a sentence of six
months in jail. Shaw was accused
of saying in substance that he “hoped
the Germans would sink all the
boats of the Allies, thereby ending
the war quickly.” Shaw will serve
his sentence in the federal jail at
Fairbanks.
; Lester Earhart, who came to town
: recently to receive treatment at the
' Government hospital for an injured
: foot, has left that institution and
] will soon be able to return to his
' work south of Nenana, where he is
interested in a contract.
Mrs. A. W. Heimburger, pro
! prietress of the Cascade laundry,
; who underwent an operation at the
Government hospital several days
j ago, is improving rapidly and will
! soon be able to leave the institu
j tion.
-!
The rooms of the Xanana club, at '
Fairbanks, will be turned over to j
a committee of women on Monday |
evening, and the public will be in- :
vited to play bridge for the benefit;
of the Red Cross.
Amsterdam.—The Turkish govern
ment has awarded a contract for
the construction of a tunnel across
the Bosporous, a distance of 1800
feet. The work is to begin in April.
Mrs. Hawley Sterling gave birth
to a baby boy in Fairbanks yester
day morning. Mr. Sterling is an em
ployee of the Alaskan Engineering
commission and the couple resided
in Nenana during part of last sum
mer.
John Moe, a resident of Douglas, 1
was found dead recently at the bot
tom of a cliff near Outer Point,
Douglas Island. At a coroner’s in
quest the jury decided that Moe
came to his death accidentally by
falling over the cliff while on the
trail from Juneau to Outer Point.
His skull was crushed and one of
his legs broken by the fall.
CARTER KOON NOW
IN WE SERVICE
In a letter recently received by
Han/ Davis from Carter R. Koon,
formerly of Nenana, Carter tells of
his experience in the engineers reg-'
ijnent, which he joined soon after j
j his arrival on the Outside. He says
in part: I
l
“Everything is all O. K. with me [
out here. You will no doubt sur-:
mise that I am “Somewhere in!
France,” as they don’t allow us to
tell the place where we are quar- j
tered. We had a very interesting
trip across the pond. Just seven
teen days from our port of embark
ation, New York, to here. As far
as I am concerned the fishes went'
(hungry, but it was not the same
l with some of the other poor fellows.
I have been transferred from the
116th Engineers to the 1st Engin
eers of the regular army, Co. B. It
is said to be the best regiment in
the army and I guess we new re
cruits will have to go some now to
keep up the rep of this outfit We
| are quartered in a small French vil
lage, not fa • from the fighting zone
j where some of the hardest fighting
j of the war is taking place. I have
i not been in the exact front line
j trenches as yet. but some of the
j other boys have and all returned
O. K., anti a^e anxious to get back.
I expect to get ‘over the top’ with
the next hunch.
“This is certainly a strange look
J ing town, all the houses are of stone
| and the streets are narrow and
' crooked. They say that the houses
.are of the architecture of the 17th
i century, and they sure look it. It
I is hard to describe the condition of
the country, but the war seeminly
has made no difference in the
: people. They are determined to
win, and go about their business
just as though nothing out of the
ordinary was occurring a few miles
in front of them. The streets are
all dark at night, no lights being
i allowed anywhere owing to the
danger of air raids, but since I
; have been here the Germans have
, not taken the chance of venturing
over our ground. We are expecting
: to make a move against them soon.
How soon no one knows, but we all!
hope to get into action immediately, j
I have been on the move so much j
; that it doesn’t seem just right to
i stop at any one place now, and we
are not satisfied with it.
! “Tell the boys in Nenana to drop
me a line, as I haven’t heard much
from Alaska since I left and a letter
is a great thing out here. Give my
regards to Taylor and Dutch and the
rest of the bunch and tell them my
address is Carter R. Koon, Company
“B”, First Engineers, American Ex
peditionary Forces, via New York.
“Your old friend,
C. H. KOON.” 1
Manager Woodbury Abbey an
nounces that a double header game !
of basketball will be played at the
Union hall next week in honor of
Washington’s birthday. One of the !
games will be between the boys’1
teams and the other will be staged
by the girls. The exact date of the
game will be announced within a :
day or so.
ELSEWHERE IN ALASKA
Axel Rangenan, a chute man em
ployed on the No. 5 level of the
Perserverance mine, was instantly
killed recently by a falling rock that
crushed the life out of him.
Mrs. W m. G. Thomas, wife of ex
Commissioner Thomas, of Wrangell,
for nearly forty years a resident of
that town, died recently at her home
there.
One of the most picturesque lakes
along the right of way of the gov
ernment railroad north of Anchor
age, has been named “Lake Nancy”
in honor of the daughter of Secre
tary of Interior Franklin K. Lane.
The lake is about two and one-half
miles in length and about one mile
wide; abounds in all kinds of trout,
and the surroundings are unusually
beautiful. The lake is located at
Mile 180, about 3 miles northwest
of Matanuska.
At a recent meeting of the Alaska
Labor union, composed of the em
ployees of the mines and mills of
the Treadwell Co., on Douglas Island
the members emphatically denounced
all attempts to defeat the working
of the eight-hour lay which went
into effect on the first of the year.
While trying to raise the launch
Myrtle at Ketchikan, recently, div
ers Jean Thomas and John Porters
discovered a small covered dory sub
merged near by. On being raised
the body of a man and a small dog
were found in the cabin, the former
being identified as that of Anton
Larson, a fisherman, who was last
seen early in November.
The first cases tried in the terri
tory under the new “bone dry” law,
came up before Commissioner John
Henson, of Douglas recently. Seth
Orava and John Haho were arrested
on the charge of having liquor un
lawfully in their possession, the li
quor having been found on board
the launch owned by Haho, who had
been engaged by Orava to carry it
to Tenakee. Both men pleaded
guilty and Orava was fined $100
and costs and Haho $50 and costs.
The booze was confiscated.
LOT FOR SALE Close irT;
rlosuvi]; cliciiji. Inquire News
oftico.
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