THE NENANA NEWS
Application made Octob-r 30, 1916, at the Postoffice at Nenana. Alaska, lor
entry as second-class mail matter under the act ot March 2, 1S79, by The Ne
nana Printing Company.
Published Weekly by The Nenana Printing Company
Day of Pi bucation Saterday Edited by R. G. Socthvorth
SUBSCRIPTION RAPES:
Per month; by carrier .$1.00Single copies ........- ......T>vo Hits
Six months, in advance . o.OOOne year, in advance.$10.00
NENANA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1918.
REGRETFUL DELAY
It is a matter of regret to the
people of Nenana that a fight has
been started against the confirma
tion of Mr. Riggs as governor of
Alaska. There are two reasons for
regret. First, because of the under
hand tactics which are being used
by those opposing the appointment,
and second, because of the delay in
reaching a decision in the matter.
Insofar as we have been able to
learn, those opposing Mr. Riggs
have not put forward any real ob
jection to his appointment. It must
be admitted, even by the supporters
of Governor Strong, that Mr. Riggs
'can fill the office at Juneau as cap
ably as it is being filled at present.
And they must admit, also, that Mr.
Riggs is a better Democrat than the
governor has proven himself to be.
As for the charge that Mr. Riggs
is not a friend of labor, the people
of Xenana know well that nothing
has occurred here to warrant such
a charge. In fact, it is doubtful if
many men could be found, in charge
of work of such magnitude as the
Members of New Camp Will Perfect
Organization and Take Up
Work.
Xenana will have a camp of Arctic
brotherhood. This was decided de
finitely at a largely attended meet
ing held at Union hall on Thursday
evening and the work of perfecting
the new organization will be con
cluded at. another meeting »o beheld
on Sunday afternoon.
The Thursday meeting was pre
sided over by Woodbury Abbey, act
ing in hi official capacity as deputy
Grand Arctic chief. Howard P.
Curtis : t > act as keep
er of nuggets until a regular elec
tion is held, and he also served a?
rec . . g tb. . ' m -
Suffici t i ' sn co.
for a chart.r and. this will be sent
for immediately.
Fermar.r-.t officers are to be
c-hc .n at the meeting scheduled for
Sunday, at which time the work of
the R'.w cams will be regularly start
ed. The installation of officers will
take place upon the arrival of the
charter.
The camp will celebrate Seward
Day, March 2d. by giving an Arctic
brotherhood smoker and entertain
ment. to which the public of Xanana
will be invited. This will bo the
first of a seri s of entertainments to
be giver, by the local camp.
Carlton D. Ross, of the timekeep
ing department of tjje Alaskan En
gineering commission, was sched
uled to leave Fairbanks this morning
for Nenana. He was called to the
upper town on court business.
The force report for the Alaskan
Engineering commission for the
week ending Saturday, March 16,
numbers 619 men, 254 of whom are
employed by A. E. C. contractors.
The crews under Foreman Blakey
and Lee are both busy shoveling
snow between Camps 16 and 20-Mile.
General Storekeeper Howard P
Curtis returned from Fairbanks dur
ing the week in a private rig, after
a several-day visit in the upper, town
on matters of business.
The steamer Ravell recently lost
her wheel in the Clarence .Straits,
south of Lincoln Light and started
drifting toward the rock. Her calls
for assistance were answered by the
Alameda. She was within one hun
dred feet of shore and in water too
deep to use her anchors. She would
have been on the rocks within an
hour if the Alameda had not come
to her assistance and towed her to
Wrangell.
OLD PAPERS FOR SALE—Inquire
News Office.
government railroad enterprise who
stand better with the men under
them than dees Hr. Riggs.
Should the confirmation be long
delayed, it is possible that the ab
sence of a directing head to our rail
road work will be seriously felt here.
The work will go on after a fashion,
of course, but it would be hardly
reasonable to expect the best results
under such conditions. The season
of railroad activity is rapidly ap
proaching, and it is to be hoped that
something will be done, one way or
the other, before injury to the rail
road enterprise and to the town has
resulted.
If we had our way about it, we
would give Superintendent Packer
a free hand, with instructions to
make the most of the time at his
disposal. If that could be done, we
believe there would be less reason
to worry about delayed confirma
tions at Washington and we feel
sure the people of Xenana. who know
Mr. Packer, would much prefer such
an arrangement to the appointment
1 of some -stranger to take the place
of Mr. Riggs.
Thousands cf Ties and Many Logs
Fo* Railroad Construction Can
Not Be Moved Now.
Practically all contractors engaged
in fretting out ties and logs for the
Alaskan Engineering commission,
have beer, compelled to stop work,
the heavy snowfall of the past sev
eral weeks having covered the
ground to such a depth that it is
next to impossible to move about
in the woods.
And that is not the worst of it
Thousands of ties and many logs are
scattered about the woods, where
they were cut. and cannot be moved
until the snow disappears. Even if
it were possible to find the timbers
beneath the snot%, it would not be
an easy task to yard them just now.
All trails throughout the district
have been practically obliterated by
the storm- and travel is almost at
a standstill. Two stages departed
for and another arrived from Fair
banks during the week, but the trip
is a hard one under present condi
tions and particularly wearing on
stock.
The depth cf snow on the ground
is not unusual, the exceptional thing
about it being the amount which
has fallen within a short period of
time. Reports received from other
Interior towns indicate that the all
has been general over a wide area.
The depth of snow on the level now
in Xenana is slightly in excess of
three feet.
LECTURE WELL ATTENDED
A full house greeted the speaker
on Thursday evening, when ^Robert
Joseph Diven delivered his lecture
on “Are We Civilized?” The musi
cal selections rendered by Mr. Sel
ender at the opening of the meet
ing were very fine and much en
joyed. Dr. Malcolm E. Smith, who
recently delivered such an interest
ing lecture on “How Diseases Are
Transmitted,” has promised the com
munity another treat next Thursday,
evening. A number of people who
heard his first lecture regretted that
no provision had been made for ask
ing questions at the close. The doc
tor’s work next Thursday evening
will be' on the order of a “quiz,”
and it is desired that persons who
have questions to ask will hand them
in in writing, either to Mr. Diven or
to the doctor himself, before the
meeting is called- to order. Every
body Welcome.
Gus Borgeson, who was brought
in from 43-Mile, suffering from a
sprained knee, is now at the Com
mission hospital and is reported to
I be doing nicely.
ELSEWHERE IN ALASKA
An overheated furnace in the
basement of the Methodist church
at Ketchikan, set fire to the struc
ture recently, but the blaze was ex
tinguished before any material dam
age was done the building.
E. J. Farr, agent for the White
, Pass road, received a visit from a
diver recently, who stated that he
had heard that the line had lost a
steamer in Lake LeBarge, and sought
a job to salvage her. “Do you know
how deep Lake LeBarge is?" asked
Mr. Farr. ‘,Xo,” replied the diver,
"but I have handled some very deep
' jobs.” “Well, it’s about three feet,"
said the agent. “Then I reckon you
won’t need my services,” said the
diver, and departed.
John G. Shepard, son of H. R.
Shepard, of Juneau, recently suc
cessfully passed an examination for
the army aviation corps and expects
to get his commission about the
middle of February. In writing to
i his parents of the matter, he stated
; that out of eighteen taking the ex
amination at the same time as he
i did only five passed and thre£ of
them were Alaskans. Young Shep
pard is 23 years of age and held
the distinction of being the young
est mining superintendent in Alaska.
At a recent meeting of the An
chorage Chamber of Commerce, at
tended by practically every business
man in the town and many citizens,
a resolution was passed unanimously
endorsing the present Alaska coal
land' laws and regulations of the
leasing system, and emphatically op
posed any change in the same. This
action was taken in view of the leg
islation proposed by which outright
purchase of coal lands would be
1 permitted. A strong telegram was
sent to Delegate Sulzer setting forth
the sentiment of the meeting.
It is reported around town that
a party of joy riders are loping
down from Fairbanks via the Ford
route, this evening, and will arrive
in time to take in the big dance
and entertainment at Union hall.
However, mum’s the word.
BASKETBALL PLAYERS SHOW
SPEED IX DOUBLE HEADER
Basketball in all its strenuous
essentials came into its own Thurs
day night, at Union ha’!, when a
double-header was staged there for
the benefit of the fans. The Mid
night Suns and the Northern Lights,
girls’ teams, played a snappy game
that aroused lots of enthusiasm, and
the Xanana boys’ five “squared off
with the team from Co. B., U. S
army; the girls and boys playing
alternate periods. There was lots of
basketball crowded into the time of
play ar.d excitement aplenty fur
nished the fans.
For Xenana, the playing of Ward
and Weiliver stood out in a marked
manner; and Slippern, at center,
played a good game. Meagher and
Taylor were relieved by Hollerbach
and Slippern, and for Co. B., Drury
relived Miller after one period of
play. Individual brilliancy was
shown at times, especially by the
forwards and, while this was often
gratifying to the audience, it was
noticeable for its paralyzing effect
on the team work as a whole. The
score was 47 to 21 in favor of Xa
nana.
In the girls’ game, a marked im
provement was noticed, both in the
team work ar.d individual play. Mrs.
Lawrence, for the Midnight Suns,
shot five field goals and was ably
seconded by Mrs. Hall. For the op
position, Mrs. Schaeffer and Miss
Foster, at forward, played a strong
game and had at all times the sup
port of the entire team.
Announcement will be made later
of the date of the next game to be
played.
HUGH ECKHART IS
IN NEW POSITION
Hugh Eckhart, mechanical engin
eer of the Alaskan Engineering com
mission, has been transferred from
the drafting department to the posi
tion of master mechanic, and will be
in charge of the locomotives from
now on, or until a nfew man can be
imported from the Outside.
Mr. Eckhart is especially fitted for
the position, having worked his way
through the various stages of the
locomotive game, Jrom fireman to
assistant master mechanic, being for
merly in the employ of the Santa
Fe railroad.
Roy Lamb, formerly master me
chanic, has been offered a position
at 43-mile, and will probably take
charge of the bridge building there.
The herring run on Cooks Inlet
this season has surpassed all records.
The fish are of the finest quality
and in an unprecedented quantity.
Clyde Coleman , of Anchorage, who
is interested ’ in the Kachemak Can
ning company, says that there are
more fish than the companies can
possibly handle. He was trying to
make arrangements to get five hun
dred more barrels from Seattle.
Grosanni Mangini, one of the pio
neer Italian miners of the Dawson
country, was found dead recently
in bed in his cabin, on he left fork
of Eureka creek. An inquest over
the remains resulted in a verdict
that the man came to his death sud
denly from natural causes. Mangini
was the owner of a number of min
ing claims on Eureka and other
creeks, and was possessed of con
siderable money. He is not known
to have any relatives.
Advices received from Nome from
Captain Heckla, of the ill-fated
M hite Bear, wrecked while enroutc
to Nome with mail and considerable
gold bullion, states that the mail and
bullion was not saved. C. L. Ross,
who is heavily interested financially
in the vessel and cargo, wired back
tv Heckla to take plenty of provi
sions and as soon as conditions per
mitted to make an attempt to se
cure the cargo of the vessel, which
is caught in the ice.
At a late hour on the night of
January 4, the launch Georgia M.,
owned by John McWilliams, of Jun
eua, was blown up in its winter
quaiters in the town limits. The
officials are working to discover who
dynamited the launch. A piece of
fsue was found and presents prac
tically the only clue to the guilty
person.
The attractive quarters of the Xe-*
r.ana club, in the Roberts building at
Second and A streets, will be for
mally opened on Thursday evening
with a dance and entertainment, for
which invitations will be is rued by
the club entertainment committee
within the next day or two.
The club rooms will compare fav
orably with those of any town in
Alaska. The furniture for the main
room has not all been i,.-tailed yet,
but in other respects the quarters
are ready for occupancy and present
a most attractive appearance. The
floor of the main room is veneered
o: f pr ared for da i . :
and another feature is a player piano
with a great variety of music rolls.
In another room, a pool table has
been in-tailed and a third room ha ■
been set apart for use as an office,
for the convenience of club mem
bers. Stiil another room has been
prepared for the use of the lady
guests of the club, as a dressing
room.
The quarters were de igned and
furnished by tor. J. It. Bowen and
Joe Roberts and the club is now in
the process of formation, two meet
ings of the prospective members hav
ing been held during the week for
the purpose of drafting the plan
of organization.
The committee in charge of the
dance announce that a brief pro
gram has been arranged, and in this
connection it is hinted that a sur
prise or two await those attending
the opening. The strictest secrecy
is being maintained regarding the
arrangements.
ELECTRIC PUMPSl
DECK PUMPS
FORCE PUMPS
PITCHER PUMPS
WELL POINTS
Lang and Toledo
RANGES
JUST ARRIVED
Tanana Sheet Metal Works
SUNDAY LECTURE A
SPECIAL OCCASION
Doctor Diven will speak on “The
Stranger Within Our Oates" Sunday
evening at 7 :30 sharp. The Ameri
can spirit and the unique character
of American national life will be
discussed. The Servian boys- now in
Nenana will be the church’s guests
that evening. Everybody invited to
attend the lecture.
The second assessment for main
tenance and operation of Nenana j
townsite has just been issued. This
assessment covers the period March
1 to December 31, 1917. The term
“Maintenance and Operation,” in
cludes all work done and supplies'
purchased which are a benefit to the
the town as a whole, such as fire ,
equipment, the construction, main-!
tenance and operation of the fire j
hall and townsite office, and things
of that nature which are chargeable
to the entire town and not to any
particular portion or district. Under!
the Alaskan Railroad Townsite Reg
ulations. assessments for all purposes
must be levied under the following
general assessment heads only’: Fire
Protection, Sanitation, Streets, Side
walks, Alleys, and General Main
tenance. The total cost of all im
provements and work done within
the townsite, of whatever nature,
must be apportioned to these differ
ent heads. For the purpose of se
curing an equitable proportion or
pro rata of assessment, the town has
been divided into six assessment dis
tricts and the assessment into two,
classes. Class 1, includes salaries
(other than salary of townsite man
ager > not charged against construc
tion, purchase of expendable ma
terials, etc. Class 2, includes the ex
penditui s for all general-construc
tion and permanent equipment, such
as construction of the fire hall, pur
chase of fire equipment, etc. As es
mentis under class one are charged
to sold lots only, as this includes
the regular running expenses, which
naturally must be borne by the prop
erty owners now here. Assessment
under class two, being for perman
ent improvements, such as buildings,
furniture, fire equipment, etc-, it i
considered proper to assess the un
sold lots also, til is amount to be col
lected as the lots are sold. This
method will relieve present property
owners of some of the burden, and
subsequent purchasers of lots will
thus be required to bear their pro
portionate share of this expense.
The amount charged against unsold
lots under this head will be deducted
from the fifty per cent fund derived
from the sale of lots. As lots are
sold, however, this assessment will
be collected and the fifty per cent
fund credited with same. The
amount to be collected by asse ---
m r.t at this time is as follows:
Class 1
Salaries: Clerical, Watch
man, Janitor, Fire Dept. $3455. -
Fuel,, Townsite Office. 103.44
Li ht, Town site Office. 31.7.
Str. t Lights. 335.65 ,
Omissions from 1016 assess
ment . 18.02
Stationery, printing and
office expen e.... 50.39
Scavenger service to townsite
office .-. 50.00
Inspection, electric wiring.. 60.11
Maintenance 1 ' lev. grounds,
sidewalks, streets .... .... 02 75
$-4187.77
84223,7 4
421.47
110.08
1844.70
$6705.03
This assessment is considerably
higher than the one levied for 1016,
due tothe greater activities within
the townsite and also to the fact
that the 1916 assessments were lev
ied against all lots, sold and unsold.
This practice of assessing the unsold
lots for all purposes has been found
to be objectionable, however, and in
future unsold lots will be charge I
with only such items as appear under
class 2 of the classification given
above. Assessments for mainten
ance and operation are levied an
nually, notices of same being sent
out during the first quarter of each
year. F. S. Ryus, Townsite Man
ager.
OLD PAPERS FOR SALE—Inquire
News Office.
Class 2
Municipal building.
Furniture and Fixtures.
Tools .:..
Surveying instruments ....
Fire equipment .... .
,w
FOWLER & MORRIS
GROCERIES
DRY GOODS
COMPLETE LINE
LOWEST PRICES
i
K
t
{MINTS END
WITHIN FEW DATS
Local Exemption Board Receives
New Order From Governor
Of Alaska.
Chairman Howard P. Curtis, of
the local exemption board, is in re
ceipt of a telegram from Governor
Strong, in which the executive an
nonces that voluntary induction into
the army will cease almost immedi
ately, and Chairman Curtis is in
structed so to inform Alaskan regis
trants. The instructions to the gov
ernor came from Provost Marshal
General Crowder and in substance,
were as follow’s: “Voluntary induc
tion will be stopped in the next two
or thre days. Give publicity to this
fact in Alaska in order that regis
trants may not visit the stations with
a view to voluntary induction.
TRIANGLE PRESENTS
GOOD DRAMA SUNDAY
The attraction at the Coliseum
tomorrow night will be N'orma Tal
made and the “Fine Arts” children,
in the five-act Triangle feature,
“The Children in the House.” The
story is one of love, deception, part
ing. reunion and a final renuncia
tion by two people who put honor
above affection, the governing fac
tor being the children of the woman
who has married a man unworthy
of her respect.
The chlidren in the cast, George
Stone, Carmen de Rue, Francis Car
penter and Xinon Fovieri, do some
wonderful acting, and Miss Tal
mad re i- teen in one of her strong
• t parts. She is ably agisted by
Towel <’armen.
The usual Sunday prices will pre
vail, fifty c ".its f r g. neral admis
si >n and seventy-five o Ms for re
terv,d seats. The «dv v will start
at 8:30. Rev. 11 then Jo- h Diven,
will address the audience during the
last intermission in a four-minute
talk on the great world war.
Charles Zielke, who i- ii.t Tested
in mining ground on Moose i reek,
is a bu ine?s visitor in town. He
reports trail cornhti >ns impossible
out his way.
Mi s Helen Hutmach r spent last
Sunday at the Hutmnchor home
stead, several miles up river from
X'enana.
V
‘Frank Doner, head of th time
keeping department th- Ala-kan
Engineering • commi -1 n. i -k at
his nost, after a several- !.iy absence
in Fairbanks.
IIKASON M'l.K
< t>m i'oK'< .\ i;u:
1/ ¥ V«
K ? J3 I-“I A' r*
Co
age
ROUND TRIP WEEKLY
BL1 Will \
Nenana and Fairbanks
Carrying Mail, Freight and
Passengers
Make Reservations at Southern
Hotel s
*
*
I
r.s. McDonald
CONVEYANCING
GENERAL BROKERAGE
NOTARIAL WORK
LIFE INSURANCE
Local Agent of
Whitely-Woodward Company
Home Insurance Co., New York
National Fire, of Hartford
Hartford Fire Insurance Co.
Norwich Union Fire Insurance Co.
Union Insurance Society, London ^
Law Union and Rock, London
Look Them Up In Best’s