The Nenana News
VOLUME 1
NENANA. ALASKA. JANUARY 27. 1917
NUMBER 19
MUCH FREIGHT DUE
4 River Fleet Will Be Kept
Busy During Com
ing Season
Questioned regarding the probable ton
nage that would be received by the Alas
kan Engineering commission during the
^ coming summer, Tlios. Riggs, Jr.,
stated yesterday that a sufficient quantity
of rails,rolling stock,commissary supplies
and other material would be purchased to
insure a steady stream of freight landing
at Nenana from the middle of June until
the end of the season, providing the
transportation companies fulfill their end
of the contract. In round figures, the
tonnage is placed at between 12,000 and
13,000, a large part of which has already
been contracted.
i Coast deliveries will be arranged in a
manner that will eliminate congestion on
the river, but there will be sufficient
awaiting shipment at all times to insure
full loads for all the boats engaged in
hauling. And Mr. Riggs has the assur
ance of the transportation officials that
there will be no delays on the part of the
^ company.
In addition to the Commission freight,
it is expected that an unusually large
quantity of merchandise will be shipped
by Nenana merchants and business men,
the amount being variously estimated at
from 5,000 to 10,000 tons.
CANVASSING BOARD
HASTAKEN LAYOFF
Juneau: The canvassing board, which
has been engaged in making the official
count of the votes castat the late elec
tion has taken an adjournment, pending
^ the receipt of missing returns. The re
sult of the count is still uncertain.
“'Plans have b?en formulated for a cam
paign to si cure from the territorial legis
lature fu ids to establish a divisional high
school at Seward, and as the first step in
this direction eight acres of ground lia\e
b :en offered at Woodrow Park for the
f purpose.
RAILROAD NEWS
The auction of Anchorage townsite lots
which was conducted by Manager Chris
tensen of the Laud and Industrial depart
ment of the Alaskan Engineering com
mission on December 18, resulted in the
sale of fifty lots, ranging in price from
$50 to $310.
Carelessness on the part of contractors
in felling trees in the Anchorage division
has resulted lately in numerous interrup
tions to the telephone and telegraph ser
vice along the right of way.
The disbursements made by the office
at Anchorage during the period Decem
ber 15 to 21 totaled $31,123.18. The pay
ment of salaries and wages amounted to
$15,806.14; for local purchases $.57.00; to
contractors $14,952.75; other expendit
ures $307.29.
It is expected that all grading will be
completed and all structures driven by
early spring north of Matanuska as far
as the Little Susitna.
The work of installing lights at An
chorage is progressing rapidly. The pow
er plant is in operation and the service is
Leing extended as rapidly as possible, a
large force of men being engaged in that
work.
All rock work east of Kings river has
been contracted and no further contracts
will be let in that section until next sum
mer.
t
The ruins of the former Haida Indian
village, known as “Old Kasaan,” in the
Tongass national forest, has been set
apart as a national monument by presi
dential proclamation.
The number of employes on the An
chorage division, including stationnien
and laborers, on December 9, was 2101.
The commission will operate a dinkey
train in the Tufnagaili district between
Potter creek and Rabbitt, a distance of
lour miles. The trip either wav can be
made with safety In half an hour.
ARRIVAL OF MAILS
RATHER UNCERTAIN
The arrival of the nest first-class mail
in Nenana is a matter of much uncertain
ty, owing to the cold weather prevailing
at the present time. It appears from re
ports received from Fairbanks that there
w as some delay in the arrival of first-class
mail at the upper towm, the last consign
ment having reached there from the
coast on Thursday, just too late to catch
the Calhoun outfit.
Postmaster Deal, of the Fairbanks of
fice, informed the News yesterday that
the delayed shipment would be forward
j ed at the first opportunity, with Koland,
Palmer or any oilier reliable outfit head
ed this way. In case the weather pre
| vents the departure of any stages or pri
| vate rigs, the mail will await the regular
trip of Mailcarrier Calhoun, who is due
to leave Fairbanks on February 1.
Calhoun arrived in Nenana on Thurs
day with a large consignment of second
class and way matter, but no first-class
mail. He returned to the upper town
yesterday.
TULL QUITS NENANA
FOR JOB AS DEPUTY
H. R. Tull, assistant timekeeper in the
employ of the Alaskan Engineering com
mission, resigned his position during the
week, and left for Fairbanks Thursday
to accept a position as deputy in the of
fice of United States Marshal Erwin. He
is to take the place of Deputy Marshal
G. G. Berg, who recently resigned to go
Outside.
FOUR REEL PROGRAM
TOMORROW NIGHT
Owing to the fact that travel between
Nenanaand Fairbanks has been interrupt
ed by the extreme weather of the past
several days, the regular weekly ship
ment of films has been delayed. The
Coliseum management is therefore unable
to announce a feature for tomorrow eve
ning’s show. A regular four-reel pro
gram will be shown, instead, with week
day admission of twenty-five and fifty
cents.
The program will consist of an espec
ially good Pathe, showing a balloon fall
ing into San Francisco bay; a two-part
drama entitled “The Latent Spark,’’ and
a whirlwind comedy entitled “Getting
Andy's Goat.”
j Fatty Arbuckle will appear in the com
edy to be shown tonight. In addition,
there will be a two-reeler entitled “Breed
of the North,” a good frontier story with
lots of action. A good Pathe completes
the show.
The following were registered at the
Cooney house during the week; Mr. and
Mrs. J. K. Green, Peter Jepson, Ruby;
Geo. Burrell, John Payne, Funk s camp;
Owen Williams, Norman Campbell, F.
Harris, Howell camp; Fred Martin, Geo.
Murphy, J. P. Lynch, Roy Lund, Mala
mute Kid, E. C. Green, Sam Clow, Emil
Johnson, Fairbanks; C. II. Calhoun, Nor
man Hadlev, Chena; N. A. Lundstrom,
C. B. Nelson, Geo. Taylor, Bob Mitchell,
Nenana.
The John Lee property on A street be
tween Second and Third, was sold dur
ing the week to A. D. McMillan for a
substantial advance over the original
purchase price.
CLUB TALKS PLANS
Civic Body Holds Session
Another Meeting
Tomorrow
Improved mail service between Fair- J
banks and Nenana. water and sewage
systems lor the town, and the organiz
ation of a volunteer fire department were
matters discussed at the meeting of the
Nenana Commercial club which was held
at the oflice of Secretary Robert E. Burns
on Sunday afternoon. There was a large
attendance and everyone present took a
lively interest in all the questions which
were brought up for discussion. Another
meeting istobe held tomorrow afternoon,
at which time other matters of import
ance to the town will be discussed.
With regard to the mail matter, the
club instructed the secretarv to make ar
rangements with the several stages and
dog outfits operating regularly between
Nenana ami Fairbanks to carry mail, al
lowing them a fixed rate per pound for
all mail carried. In this way it is be
lieved that a more satisfactory service
can be secured for the town.
Townsite Manager Ryus reported that
he had been gathering data on sewage
systems and desired to get an expression
of opinion from the members regarding
the kind of piping favored. The matter
was explained in a manner that showed
that the townsite manager had gone into
the question very thoroughly, and when
he had concluded his remarks the major
ity of those present agreed with him that
it would be advisable to install the best
piping obtainable This will cost some
what mere than laying ordinary wooden
boxes, such as are used in most of the
Interior towns, but there will be no ex
pensive repairs needed after the piping is
in the ground. The cost of installation
is estimated at £2.00 a foot, or roughly,
about S20.00 per 25-foot lot more than
the cheaper grade of piping, which would
be sure to be a continual source of an
noyance and expense.
Nothing has been decided upon with
regard to the proposed water system.
There is a possibility that the townsite
and the Commission will act jointly in
the matter, and until that question is de
cided it will be impossible lor the town
to take definite action. The matter was
taken up for discussion, however, and
there probably will be further discussion
along the same lines at the meeting to
morrow.
i he question of providing means tor
immediate fire protection was also dis
cussed at considerable length, and it was
the opinion of the members that steps
should be taken at once to organize a I
volunteer fire department. A fire chief !
probably will be named tomorrow and
the work of organizing commenced at
once.
Deputy Marshal Hagen reported that
the night watchman who is serving the
town at present had been unable to se
cure enough subscriptions to pay him ad
equately for his services, and several of
those present volunteered to increase
their payments A new list was circu
lated during the week at the suggestion
of the clnb, and several additional uarnes
were added to the list.
The meeting tomorrow will commence
promptly at three o’clock.
OLDTIMER CROSSES ”
THE GREAT DIVIDE
Adam Wyman, better known among
Ibis friends as “Charlie,” died at the
Alaskan Engineering commission hospi
tal yesterday morning shortly after eight
oclock, following a number of severe pul
monary hemorrhages. Realizing that the
end was near, Wyman sent for a number
of his more intimate friends Wednesday
afternoon, and he was closely attended
' by them until he breathed his last. *
The deceased was an oldtinler of the
North, having arrived at Dawson in 1900.
He spent several years in that camp, anti ,
stampeded to Fairbanks when gold was
discovered there. Last summer he came
to Nenana and secured a grading con- ,
tract with the Commission, which kept i
him occupied until early winter.
The deceased was born in 1862 and j
came North from Illinois, where he is
survived by several brothers.
The funeral will be held next Monday
at one oclock at the city jail and the
body will be laid to rest in the local cem
etery.
--
HOWELL BUYS AUTO
FOR LUMBER TRUCK
Sylvester Howell has purchased a Jef- i
frey quad from the N, C. company and
within a short time the machine will be ,
brought to Nenana and placed in com
mission as a lumber truck between here
and the Howell saw mill ten miles below
town. The auto was brought in for the
town of Fairbanks, to be used as a hose
truck, but it was found to lack sufficient
speed for that purpose. The machine
has almost unlimited power, however,
and speed enough to make two round
trips daily between the Howell mill and
Nenana, and it is believed that it will
prove vastly more economical than the
teams which are now in use.
—
DRILL WILL START
WORK IN FEW DAYS
Preliminary foundation tests for the
steel bridge which is to be built across
the Tatiana river by the Alaskan Engin
eering commission will be started within
a tew days, under the direction of C. H.
Rand, who arrived from Fairbanks dur
ing the week. Mr. Rand and a force of
men are now busy preparing the drill
and making other necessarv preparations.
After the foundation tests have been
completed, Mr. Riggs states, the drill
will be used in an effort to locate a flow
of better water than is now obtainable in
Nenana or any of the other towns along
the river.
PAYMASTER HELD UP j
BY AUTO BANDITS
Chicago: The paymaster for Swift &
Co. was held up here in broad daylight
today by two masked men, and relieved
of two thousand dollars in cash. The
bandits escaped in an automobile.
SLAVS RETREATING
BACK TOWARD RIGA
Berlin: In an effort to check the ad- '
vance of the Germans in the Riga sector
the Russims are delivering a series ot
strong counter attacks along the east
bank of the Aa river. The enemy is re
treating slowly across the swamps in thRt '
district, however, in the direction of
Riga. Five hundred Russians were cap
tured today. '|
GERMAN EXPLOSION
IS FATAL TO MANY \
- ,
1
Paris: According to a letter taken
from a German prisoner, the big arsenal j
at Dresden was destroyed recently by an
explosion, ami more than ^ thousand
women and girls working there were
killed. Windows within a radius of 12
miles of the arseual were shattered.
SEATTE PROBERS
WILL INDICT GILL
I
Seattle: Indictments are being drawn
and will be returned late this afternoon
charging Mayor Hi Gill, Chief Becsing
liam, Logan Billingsley and Jesse Moore j
Hunt company with conspiracy to com
mit a crime against the United States by
bringing whiskey into the state of Wash-!
lUgtOU
OLNES IN FLAMES
Fire Threatens Destruct
ion of Oldtime
Mining Tow n
Fairbanks: According to advices re
ceived here late this atteruoon, the town
of Glues is in flames, and the entire set
tlement is threatened with destruction,
owing to the tact that there is no water
available for fire fighting purposes. The
fire started in the mercantile establish
ment of J. L. White, and is now spread
ing to the nearby buildings.
SNOWSLIDES CAUSE
DAMAGE ON COAST
Juneau: Three snow slides daring last
night resulted in the death of Benjamin
Groie and Maurice Rassmu.-sen, and the
interruption of electric service in the
l’erserverence and Alaska-G astineau
mines. Juneau, Douglas and Treadwell
are in darkness, and the extent of the
damage is as yet unknown.
PITTSBURG BLAZE
CAUSES BIG . LOSS
Pittsburg; Fire this morning cwept
through the retail district in this city,
and caused damage amounting to more
than $2,COO,COO before it was finally con
trolled.
FRENCH ARE TRYING
TO RECAPTURE HILL
Berlin: What appears to be the most
violent offensive undertaken by tl c
French forces in several weeks was start
ed todav when an attempt was made to
recapture Hill 304, in the Verdun sector,
which was taken by the Germans yester
day.
The Nome chamber of commerce lias
received a petition signed by a hundred
citizens of Candle asking lor the estab
lishment of tlie projected Pioneers' home
at Kruzgamapa springs on the site offered
dv i,eorge i). scnoneiu, iaie Kepnimcuii
candidate for attorney-general of tlie ter
ritorv.
FAIRBANKS NOTES
Walter Fisher and his brother are plan
ning the construction of a high power,
light draft boat of forty tons capacitv for
freighting on the upper Xanana this sum
mer.
Statistics made public during the week
show that the number of marriages per
formed in Fairbanks during the past
rear was considerably in excess of the
number of divorces granted. The num
ber of births is given as 21, and the num
ber of deathe 36.
Reports from Seattle state that Louis
Golden is recovering rapidly from his
recent opera'ion.
The Moose smoker was a tremendous
success.
Charles Joynt and Dave Cascaden are
in town from the Tolovana.
John J. Fallon and Haw ley Sterling, of
the local office of the Alaskan Engineer
ing commission, left this week for Ne
nana, where they will be stationed in the
future.
Reports from Anchorage state that
Jack Robarts, formerly of Faiibanks, is
prospering in the railroad town. He now
owns a big business block.
Deputy Marshal Percy G. Charles and
wife are reported to have passed through
Anchorage recently, enroute to Jditarod,
where Mr. Charles is stationed. They
have been Outside since last summer