The Nenana News
VOLUME I
NENANA, ALASKA. DECEMBER 30. 1916.
NUMBER 15
SAWMIIUJTARTS
Plentiful Supply Of Lum
ber Guaranteed For
Early Spring
k
-f
The Howell sawmill, which was instal
led recently on an island in the Tanana
river ten miles below Nenana, began saw
ing lumber on December 27, and the in
dications are that it will be kept very
busy for the next several months. A
road is being built between the mill and
Neuana, and as soon as this is ready Mr.
Howell will put several teams to hauling
lumber to Nenana to fill orders that have
already accumulated. The lumber will
be delivered on the ground where need
ed, and a large storage shed will also be
established on the river front, near the
Nenana steam laundry, where Mr. How
ell has secured a strip of ground.
A little later in the season the new
mill will be operated day ami night, giv
ing it an output of 20,000 feet or more
every 24 hours. Mr. Howell spent sev
eral days at the null during the week
and reports that everything is now in
splendid working order.
Elsewhere In Alaska
Exports from Alaska during the month
of November exceeded nine millions.
There was an unusually heavy fall of
snow in the Haines district during No
vember.
There are five mercantile establish
ments in the native town ofjMetlakahtla,
run by native merchants.
Two bniUJiag permits were issued at
Juneau during the month of November,
representing an investment of approxi
mately $1000.
T Fifty-seven more children are enrol
led in the public school at Fairbanks this
year than there were last. The total en
rollment is 222.
S. Lundblad, formerly of Fairbanks
and now of Seward, is the inventor of a
combination bed and sleeping bag which
is declared to be a winner.
The Alaska Salmon company, operat
^ ing two canneries in the Bristol Bay re
gion, is planning to increase its capacity
to 200,000 cases per season.
Lena Morrow Lewis, Socialist candidate
for delegate in the recent election, will
open a school at Anchorage to teach for
eigners the English language.
By the completion of its new trolley
system the Treadwell mines are now in a
position to take ore from any one of the
workings to any mill which may be in
need of ore.
The Pacific Coast company has just
completed a new dock and warehouse at
Juneau. Fifteen hundred piles and more
than a million feet of lumber were used
in the construction.
f In compliance with the requests of the
many fishermen of this vicinity, the city
conncil of Juneau has decided to build a
landing float for small boats, at a cost of
between $3,000 and $4,000.
The Nome Chamber of Commerce is
seeking the construction of a trunk line
wagon road from Nome to Candle creek,
the cost of which is estimated at $200,
000. Col. Richardson will ask congress
to supply the nesessary funds.
H. D. Reynolds, the well-known Alas
kail promoter, who is now endeavoring to
raise funds to erect a smelter at some
point on the Alaska coast, went Outside
recently to interest the people of Seattle
and other coast cities in bis project.
A. A. Allen, better known as “Scotty,”
canine expert par excellence who has been
elected a member of Alaska’s Territorial
Legislature which will meet at Juneau
next March, instead of crossing the 1500
miles of ice and snow between Nome and
the Territorial capital bv dog-team, will
use a new mechanical contrivance known
as an auto sled. It is a combination of
aeroplane, automobile and Yukon sleigh.
[OWN WILL GROW
■Many Business Blo:ks
And Residences
Planned
Inquiry among owners of Xenana prop
'erty shows that there will be considerable
building activity here as soon as the
weather has softened sufficiently in the
spring- to permit of economical construc
tion. A number of new business blocks
will be built along A street, there will be
at least one large hotel built, a new the
ater will be ready to amuse newcomers,
who are expected here before the water
runs, and a number of residences will be
j built in the early summer. The plans of
a majority of the property owners cannot
be ascertained at this time, but it is reas
onable to assume that some of them at
least, other than those mentioned, intend
to put up buildings, and others will no
doubt dispose of their property to those
j who will build, so that it is sate to pre
dict that much work will be done before
the end of summer.
It is the intention of Tom Smith, the
well known Hot Springs man, to put up
: a large hotel on his property at the cor
, ner of First and A streets, nearly opposite
| the fire bell. He has two lots.
! Charles Dittmer, Cleary creek operate
or, will erect a business block on his
property at the corner of Second and A.
Another business block will be built by
>Irs. Delaney on her property on A street
between Second and Third, and on the
west side of A street, between Third and
FrruTth,- Mrs. Jacoby—wrtt bufhi-a-hotel.—
The new theater, which is planned to
be built by Sylvester Howell, will occupy
the two Howell lots at the corner of Sec
ond and Market streets, opposite the tel
egraph office. There is a probability
that Mr. Howell will also build on his
other property, but definite plans have
not yet been decided upon.
A second story will be added to the
Casey building, on lower A street, and
it is possible that the Simpson building,
on the opposite side of the street, will be
enlarged.
In addition to the private construction
planned, the Alaskan Engineering com
mission lias outlined a building program
of considerable proportions, and the
work will commence as soon as the liec-'j
essary money is available.
SODA MAN COMING
WITH GOOD PLANT
Advices received from Fairbanks dur
ing the past week state that William
Polly, owner of the Tanana Bottling
works, has ordered a complete bottling
outfit for Nenana and will start a plant
here in the early spring. The necessary
machinery to start operations will be
shipped in over the trail.
GRIGG MAKES TRIP
TO QUARTZ REGION
W. H. Grigg, townsite clerk, left for
the Broad Pass country on December 21,
with the Bjerson dog team, and will be
absent from Nenana for at least a month.
It was Mr. Grigg’s intention to have a
look at the Toklat country enronte, for
the purpose of obtaining (first-hand in
formation regarding the strike made on
Moose creek during the past summer.
Washington: Senators Poindexter,
Weeks and Sutherland have expressed
themselves as opposed to the manner iu
which the administration is handling the
international affairs of the nation. They
charge that there is too much apparent
secret diplomacy.
ICongress Passes New Law
Empowering Pres
ident to Act.
Washington: Every male citizen of
the United States l>et\veen the ages of
eighteen and forty-five years is liable for
service in time of war without further
act of congress. Under the terms of the
national defense act, which was passed
by congress some time ago, the president
may resort to drafting if voluntary en
listments fail to bring the fighting strength
of the nation up to the required standard.
A circular, setting forth the details of
the act, was prepared by the war depart
ment nearly two months ago, but it was
not made public until today.
Shortage of Supplies
Pulls Revenue Down
The charges for electric current con
sumed in the town of Nenana during the
month of December will aggregate 5732,
according to meter readings which were
taken during the week. This is some
what under the estimate of Mr. Riggs,
who figured at the time the plant was in
stalled that there would be a larger con
sumption per month. The fact that more
current was not used during the month,
however, was due partly to the fact that a
number of residents have been unable be
fore now to install lights, owing to the
shortage of wire and other supplies.
This shortage will be relieved at an ear
ly date, it is believed, for a shipment of the
needed material is now enroute from Seat
tle and should arrive here soon.
KOLAND ANNOUNCES
ONE-DAY SCHEDULE
Commencing next week the Koland
stage will cut the time between Nenana
and Fairbanks to one day each way, .and
the stage will make two round trips a
wegk. To accomplish this an extra team
will be stabled at the Ohio road house.
Mr. Koland also announces that far robes,
foot warmers aud fur coats for those who
have none of their own will be furnished
for the comfort of the stage passengers.
Commencing on Tuesday the Koland
stage will leave the Nordale hotel, Fair
banks, at seven o’clock a. m., and there
after on every Tuesday and Friday morn
ing, and on the up river trip will leave
the Cooney House, Nenana, on Sundays
and Wednesdays, arriving in Fairbanks
the same day.
ALLIES REPLY ON
WAY TO KAISER
London; The reply of the Entente
powers to the German peace note has
been completed and it could go forward
immediately but for the necessary for
mality of transmitting it to all the Allied
nations before its final delivery. This
means that the note will not be handed
to the kaiser before next week.
STRIKE IS PROBABLE
IF NEW LAW FAILS
New York: Representatives of the
several railway brotherhoods threaten to
put the question of a strike up to the
men at once if there is any attempt on
the part ot the companies to defer com
pliance with the terms of the Adamson
eight-hour law, which is supposed to be
come operative on Monday,
LIMITED HIS SPEECH;
MEMBER THREW EGGS
Saskatoon, Sask.: The Ruthenian Pres
byterian convention, which was started
in this city this week, was broken up
yesterday afternoon by a member ot the
opposition, who began throwing eggs at
Chairman Rodrtik when the latter re
I quested the tnemlier to limit his address
' to three minutes. Almost instantly the
j entire gathering was in an uproar and
; all attempts to restore order were unsuc
! cessful.
Marshal Heppenstahl De
scribes Activities
Of Camp
Deputy United States Marshal lid Hep
penstahl paid a brief visit to Nenana this
week, enroute to his post in the Koyu
| kuk after having delivered a prisoner to
| the federal authorities at Fairbanks. The
| deputy came to Nenana for the purpose
of consulting with Dr. Smith, and prob
ably will return at a later date for an
operation.
Regarding conditions in the northern
camp, Mr. Heppenstahl savs that the
principal activity this winter is on Nolan
| creek, but he expected to find consider
j able work going on also on Hammond
| river by the time he returned. A small
Keystone drill is being operated on Wise
j man creek, but at the time the deputy
; left bedrock had not been reached. A
; larger drill was to have been moved to
I Flat creek, in the Wild river district and
I probably is in operation now.
The deputy was on the trail with his
prisoner during the recent cold spell and
found it extremely difficult traveling. He
stopped at a roadhouse five days during
. the worst of the snap.
There are about 200 people in the Koy
I ukuk this winter.
NEW BOND ISSUE
TO COVER DEFICIT
-Washington: President Wilson has
tentatively agreed with administration
leaders on a bond issue to meet part of
the treasury deficit for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1916. It is estimated
£160,000,000 will he required.
GERMAN RAIDER
GETS FREIGHTERS
New York: It is believed that five
British freighters, which are long over
due, have been sunk by a mysterious
German raider that lias been sighted in
mid-ocean several times recently. Two
French cruisers are trying to locate the
vessel.
SULZER LEADING
BY FIFTEEN NOW
Juneau: The complete unofficial re
turns for the First division, except Yak
utat and Warm Springs bay, where no i
election was held, give Sulzer a total oU
2394 votes and Wickersham 1S95, a plur
ality of 499 for the Democratic candidate
for congress. This total includes Shak
en, heretofore unreported. The Umpire
figures for the entire territory show Sul
zer leading Wickersham by 15 votes.
VISITING PRINCIPAL
HAS ENJOYABLE TIME
Miss Margaret Keenan, principal of the
Fairbanks schools who has been in Ne
nana during the past week as the guest
of Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Riggs, Jr., and
Mr. and Mrs. F. II. Rvn*. returned to
her home in the upper town this morn
ing. and reports having hail a most en
joyable time during her stay here.
On Wednesday evening Miss Keenan |
was the guest of honor at a reception giv- j
en at the Ryus cottage, and on Thursday
Mr. and Mrs. Riggs arranged a box party
at the Coliseum in honor of the visitor.
During the early part of the week Miss
Keenan was the guest of Mr. and Sirs.
Rvus and the last several days of her
stay were spent at the home of Mr. and
Sirs. Riggs.
I
Census Of Nenana Just.
Completed Denotes
Permanency
The town of Nenana lias a population
at the present time of approximately 600;
including the employes of the Alaskan
Engineering commission and others who
make the town their headquarters. The
census was taken during the week by L.
R. Ebert, of the local townsite office,
and the figures are to be forwarded by
Townsite Manager Rvus to the head
quarters of the Land and Industrial de
partment at Anchorage.
An effort was made by Mr. Ebert to
ascertain the number of lodge member^
residing in the town, but the result was
not as satisfactory as it was hoped it
would be because of tile temporary ab
sence of many residents. Sufficient data
was gathered, however, to show that the
Moose, Eagles, Pioneers and Masons are
very well represented here. The town
also has a population of 20 children of
school age and under.
It is of interest at this time to recall
the fact that Mr. Riggs expressed the be
lief, as long ago as last spring, that the
town would have a population this wint
er of approximately 500. Excluding the
contractors and others who make their
headquarters in town but who are absent
part of the time, the estimate of the
commissioner just about hit the mark.
Personal Mention
Bob Mitchell returned lrom Fairbanks
last night.
Mrs. ArUrcd returned to Nenana last
night after a brief visit in Fairbanks.
The Palmer stage arrived from Fair
banks yesterday afternoon with first-class
mail.
Mrs. Stella Madole is home again, after
spending Christmas w ith Inends in Fail
banks.
Melville, son of Mrs. M. J. Cooney,
will return to school in Fairbanks the
first of the week.
Dog mushers have announced that the
passenger rate hereafter between Nenana
and Fairbanks will be $20.
District Engineer F. II. Bailey return
ed to Nenana early in the week, after a
brief visit in Fairbanks.
\V. H. Gilclier left for Fairbanks this
morning with the Malainute Kid. He
will return after a brief stay in the upper
town on business matters.
Teddy Gleason, who returned from’
Fairbanks the last of the week, is hobbl
ing around on crutches as the result of
wrenching a tendon w hile mushing down'
the trail.
Roy Lund arrived from Fairbanks on
Thursday evening w ith his dog team. He
made the trip dqwn the river trail and
covered the distance in twelve hours with
one passenger.
Mrs. J. C. KeMuni arrived from Fair
banks on Thursday evening and will
spend several weeks in Nenana visiting
her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and
Mrs. Leon Kellum. Mrs. Kellum came
down the river with Roy Lund.
Roy Lamb, foreman of the Commission
piledriver, had tlie misfortune to a break
bone in his foot on Christmas as the
result of slipping on the walk in front of
the Aic.ic pool parlors. He rs now in
the hospital under the care of Dr. M. E,
Smith.
The following were legistered at the
Cooney hotel during the week: L. F.
Rice, T. Jones, Win. Fleeder, John Boul
ter, Roy Lund, Owen Williams, John
Mitchell, J. P. Lynch, George Taylor,
Deputy Marshal Ed IfcpyienstaLl am*
C. II. Calhoun.