Hemer B stily GMUIEIY
VOLUME XVIII.
NUMBER 159
SEWARD. ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 1923
PRICE TEN CENTS
PRESIDENT'S LIPE iRE
SHIED ON 15
MILE AUTO SIDE
IN SPEECH AT KANSAS CITY HE
DEVOTED TIME TO DISCUSS
ING RAILROADS
KANSAS CITY, June 23.—President
Harding, during a fifteen-mile auto
ride in a broiling sun through the
streets of Kansas City this afternoon^
was so sunburned that his lips were
badly swollen, but this did not pre
vent the delivery of a speech on the
transportation problems confronting
the farmer; though he did, on the ad
vice of Dr. Sawyer, give up his visit
to Swope Park and the Veterans’
hospital.
The President referred to his trip
as an official visit of inquiry to the
vast Territory of Alaska. His speech
was devoted mainly to railroads of
the nation, which he said were finding
it difficult to earn a living. He said
he did not share the views of those
advocating government ownership.
Harding at Hutchinson, Kansas
TOPEKA, June 23.—President Hard
ing today is traveling through the
wheat belt of Kansas to present to the
farmers of the “Sunflower State” his
views on agriculture. The President
will speak this afternoon at Hutch
inson, after he visits the Reno county
■wheat belt.
i
Miss Cecil Leweaux, an accom
plished contralto singer from New
York, is touring Alaska under the
management of her mother, Dr. Vir- (
ginia Leweaux, and will fill an en
gagement at the Liberty theatre to- i
night and tomorrow night. She is ac-!
companied on the piano by Winifred
Worrell, who is equally gifted. The!
show will start at 7:30 Sunday eve. |
owing to the length of the program.
Admission 25 cents and 75c There
will be but one show Sunday night.
Mr. J. H. Flickinger, local agent for
the Alaska Steamship Company, re
ceived word today of the intending re.
duction. He states this was made
possible by the company assimilating
the handling charges at Seattle.
F. B. Moore, a local painter, receiv
ed the contract to paint the local de
pot, and also two of the cottages be
longing to the government. Mr. Moore
has completed the cottages and will
start at once on the depot.
TODAY’S FISH MARKET
Seattle, June 23.—Trice at noon,
fresh halibut 17 cents.
Ketchikan, June 22—Fresh halibut,
12%c and Sc.
Airplane for Fairbanks
Passes Thru on Alameda
C. B. Eilson, aviator for the Far
thest North Aeroplane Company, at
Fairbanks, and Wm. S. Ambler, a ma
chinist, were through passengers on
the Alameda en route to the Interior
metropolis. With the young man was
one of the latest Curtiss JN4 model
biplanes, which will be used in carry
ing mail and passengers from Fair
banks to interior camps.
Mr. Eilson stated that it was his in
tention to assemble the plane at An
chorage and fly to the interior in case
the railroad was out of commission
when he reached that port. He said
he had mail contracts from Fairbanks
to Salchaket and to Tolovana, and
his company would seek further con
tracts as soon as the feasibility of
carrying the mails by plane was dem
onstrated to Alaskans.
While in Seward Messrs. Eielson
and Ambler, accompanied by Council
man P. C. McMullen and the editor of
the Gateway, motored to the radio
station to look over a landing site.
Mr. Eielson expressed himself as well
pleased with the site offered, and de
clared nothing further need be done
save leveling in spots, and making a
large whitewashed cross on the ground
to aid him in landing. He stated that
the field shown him was ample in size
and that he expected to use it in the
near future, as he would make the
trip from Fairbanks to Seward a
number of times this summer.
The machine is one of the latest
models of the Curtiss company, and is
equipped with a Hispano Spija motor
of late design. The company has also
a second motor in case of accidents.
The machine was shipped to Seattle
from Sacramento by express in order
to get the Alameda. She also brought
several crates of supplies.
It is the intention of Mr. Eielson to
accompany the Presidential party
part way on their Interior trip, and to
give lessons to those desiring to learn
the science of flying.
prilling material
b'einjj landed, oa
beach *$t5 Juneau
in the cffrv
road camp
of the
(?o.
c). 5.2edoi\do
discharging
drilling1,
at
^rvme way 10
the oil fields
of the
Associated Oil Pa
Conditions at Kanatak are
Portrayed by John F.
C(#y
J^IGHT HUNDRED and fifty feet
is the depth of one of the holes
now being drilled by the Associated
Oil Company on the drilling grounds
near Kanatak, the newest oil camp,
according to statements by Attorney
John F. Coffee, who arrived in Seward
this week aboard the steamship Ad
miral Watson on his way to Anchor
age. Two holes are being sunk by
the Associated Oil Company and the
second hole is down to a depth of 475
feet. The Standard Oil Company ?
which experienced considerable diffi
fultv with its drilling on account of
the formation through which the
drilling is being carried on is now
down to a depth of 275 feet. The pro
gress being made now by the Asso
ciated Oil Company is highly satis
factory to the officials of the com
pany, having passed through the ex
tremely hard capping which is known
as conglomerate. In order to straight
en out the hole being drilled, the
Standard Oil Company resort to pow
der was necessary, and several blasts
were shot before the hole was finally
straightened. Phil B. Reed, superin
tendent of the Standard now feels
that the greatest difficulty has been
encountered and successfully over
come and that from now on much
better results in drilling will be had.
The Alaskan Road Commission is
prosecuting its work of road building
with vigor and is giving employment
to every available laboring man in the
new camp. The work of the Commis
sion, being carried on in conjunction
with the two oil companies, under the
supervision of George Spangler, when
completed will give a first class road
extending from the town of Kanatak
to the oil fields a distance of 17 miles.
There is a local shortage of labor for
this road building work and a tele
graphic request for twenty men was
sent out ten days ago to Anchorage.
Every available man in the new camp
is at work, either with the Road
Commission or with the Oil Compa
nies. The going wage with the Oil
Companies is six dollars per day and
board and four dollars per day and
board with the Road Commission.
The Ray C. Larson Lumber Com
pany, which recently brought in two
hundred thousand feet of Outside fir
and cedar lumber has been doing a
satisfactory business, with the result
that the new camp is experiencing a
building boom that makes for pros
perity for the entire community. Sev
eral new' buildings have been erected
upon the Erskine townsite, one which
is an office building to be devoted to
the uses of the tow'nsite management
now in the capable hands of James
Lathrop, who is on the ground and
hourly sees visions of coming wrealth
w'hen the rich oil pools have been en
countered.
Camp Is Prosperous.
The camp generally is in a fairly
prosperous condition, and w hile at the
present time there is no ground or
reason for any great influx of people,
Mr. Coffey declares that conditions
surrounding the drilling operations
and the progress now being made by
both companies warrants those on
the ground, now numbering approxi
mately in the camp proper, and an
other 150 in the contiguous territory
in harboring the most lively enthusi
asms and hopes. From talks had by
Mr. Coffey with the geologist connect
ed with the companies, there is no
question but that oil in considerable
quantities will be encountered, the
main question seems to be when this
auspicious event will occur. The sands
now being drilled through give every
evidence of oil bearing sands and un
less all signs and indications fail ab
solutely, wells with an abundant flow
will be struck within the very near
future. Oil in paying and commercial
quantities should be struck by the
drilling companies not later than the
first of September, according to Mr.
Coffey, who bases his predictions upon
conversations had with people who
have devoted their lives to the oil
game.
Each boat brings a few people to
the new camp, and while curiosity is
the actuating motive of their visits,
all come away writh the one idea that
if there is anything in oil signs and
exposed geologic formations, then
surely Kanatak is bound to find her
self within the next few months the
center of one of the greatest oil fields
in America. Many people who have
visited the camp during past two
months, according to Attorney Coffey,
are waiting the word that oil has been
stnafli and wttl then rush to the new
camp with their goods and chattels,
prepared to become part of the great
est boom ever to be experienced by
Alaska, and such a boom will rival
the Klondike and the Nome days. ,
Many Oldtimers Here
Many old timers are now in Kana
tak and have been busy during the
past spring and winter in preparing
for the rush that is anticipated in
the late summer or the early fall. At
a religious service held recently in the
camp by Rev. R. V. B. Dunlap of Sew
ard, one was reminded of the miners’
meetings held in the older days. Faces
that have been seen in every stam
pede of the North appeared at the
meeting, and were gazed upon by har
dy old stampeders that have with
stood the hardships and the privations
of frontier life during the past thirty
years. The same spirit of adventure
the same deisre to gamble with Na
ture were evidenced upon the counte
nances of the men and women pres
ent at the meeting, that actuated the
pioneers of old to seek out the waste
places and the spots of mystery and
romance^ and there grasp from the
inhospitable hand of Mother Nature
the riches and opulence that have
made Alaska the land of charm and
delight to the many thousands who
have visited her shores during the
past forty years.
Baseball Games Attract.
Bob McIntosh, the old Valdez war
horse, with Ed Lawson, of Seward, are
there, and occasionally when the wea
ther permits, Old Bob takes up his
baseball bat, much as the Old Romans
were wont to shoulder their cudgels,
and goes forth among the youth of
the camp, as exemplified by such boys
as Ed Maddox, Tom Dodd, Bill Rust
chow and Carl Armstrong, and plays
a mighty game of baseball, the dia
mond of which is located on the Ers
kine township, as level as a floor.
The old boys play baseball two or
three times a week and it is no unu
sual sight to see the lads that at va
rious times have aided in the develop
ment of the almost inaccessible places
of Alaska, cavorting around the bases
much as young colts do when spring
zephyrs sigh and the grass grows
green.
When baseball is out of the ques
tion then the oldtimers gather about
the fire and accuse one another of
knowing too much about the oil game.
Monoclines^ anticlines, synclines and
every other cline known to man is
discussed with a rare degree of intel
ligence. Men who for the past thirty
(Continued on Page Five)
\
Standard Oil Company
Starts Construction
After two years unwinding of gov
ernmenal red tape, and numerous de
lays, Mr. R. H. Fleser, engineer in
charge of Standard Oil Construction
work, arrived in Seward on the Ala
meda, accompanied by G. L. Edmond
son, boilermaker foreman for the big
Company, and work was started this
morning. A large quantity of material
will arrive on the freighter Lake Fil
bert, which is due in port at any day.
Mr. R. H. Fleser, who is in charge of
construction work, is from the Seat
tle office.
After a thorough and analytical
study of business conditions today in
Southwestern Alaska, the Standard
Oil Company of California, has decid
ed to establish a sub-station in Sew
ard. The growth of this community
and particularly the community’s pros
pects for expansion and progress for
the future have been some of the im
portant factors which has brought this
service to Alasa. This will give the
town of Seward a large supply of
Standard Oil products, backed up by
the progressive marketing system of
this Compan}^ which will mean an im
proved service for the entire commu
nity.
' The site which has been secured is
located on the waterfront at Seward
approximltelv one-quarter of a mile
northerly from the Government wharf.
A portion of the site will be used as
a yard for five large storage tanks
which will carry fuel oil, Calol Diesel
Oil, Engine Distillate, Red Crown
Gasoline and Pearl Oil. The balance
of that portion of the site to be de
veloped will be used for a warehouse
location, boilerhouse and other build
ings, and will also comprise the sub
station yard over which trucks can
operate in loading products for distri
bution to the local trade.
A wharf of sufficient size to ac
commodate the largest steamers will
be located at a sufficient distance out
from shore to insure a proper depth
of water for all boats that may desire
to land at this station. This wharf
will be connected to the shore with an
approach upon which will be laid
pipe lines through which oil will be
pumped into the storage tanks by the
tankers themselves.
All buildings, tanks and other ne
cessary structures will be painted
with the light gray paint which has
been adopted as that familiar and
standard paint combination by the
Standard Oil Company of California,
and the entire exterior of the site de
veloped will be enclosed by any at
tractive wire fence strung on steel
posts, . -»~ . „ , *
The construction of the buildings,
tanks and the filling in of this tract,
to make it suitable for handling the
distribution of petroleum products
will require the expenditure ot many
thousands of dollars, and the opera
tion of the plant will give employ
ment to a large number of men.
The business men of Seward are
j congratulating themselves over the
! entrance of the Standard Oil Company
in the local field, as this company is
always the harbinger of more pros
perous times, industries following fast
upon their heels. The fact that they
have picked Seward as one of their
largest sub-stations, is indicative of
what they think of the future of the
| town.
SEATTLE, June 23.—The oteam
ship Northwetsern sailed this morning
with 333 passengers, including 40 ex
cursionists. The following were for
Seward: Mrs. L. W. Wells, C. K. Wil
cox Eli F. Colson.fi C. Black, Lee
Wright. L. Haggerty, J. Gorman, J. I.
Wagner, R. Heckery D. Eames, L. M.
Knuppe, C. I-Ieglin, S. King, S. L. Cox;
A1 Kruse, F. Retchener, C. A. Clark,
Frank Wojack, R. Koyt and wife, the
Misses Johnson and Tuska. L. A
Rogge, D. Callahan, J. W. Felder and
wife, G. A. McClellan and wife, Claude
Felder P. McClallan, Pearl Johnson.
Miss Everson, Rev. J. Vernon and
wife, Miss R. Earthen, M. Vernon.
Stanley Tull, Mrs. G. E. Rockefeller,
Chas. Rockefeller, Henry Carlson, B.
I. Bartholf, Mrs. M. R Bartbolf. Rev.
Alexander Vashon, Mrs. 3. Weaver,
Mrs. B. Shallabarger, Dr. G. V. Greg
gory and wife. Archer Wolfe and wife,
E. A. Tonseth and wife, Nat Birge, R.
Morris, J. !\ McGurln, C. M. Chant
land, 13 -'ecrage.
PROMINENT MINING MAN HERE
Jos. Hutchinson, former lieutenant
governor of Idaho, whose home is now
in Reno, Nevada, arrived on the Ala
meda, on his way to his mining prop
erty the Crow Creek Mines, above
Girdwood. This property which was
formerly the Burns property is imme
diately above the big Dawson place on
Turnagain Arm, and employs about
six men. It is a quartz proposition of
great merit. Mr. Hutchinson will
leave Monday for Girdwood.
R. F. and T. J. Rouner, of Denver,
Colorado, arrived on the Alameda and
are stopping in town. Mr. Rouner,
senior, is a popular lecturer and mu
sician of Denver who is traveling
through the territory giving enter
tainments.
TRAIN WILL BE LATE
Today’s train from the interior will
not arrive before 9:50 p. m., being
two hours late. Anyone regarding in
formation regarding Monday's service
can call up the depot Sunday p. m.
Vic Rivers, electrician for the com
mission, is In town from Anchorage.
Slim STEAMSHIP £0.
DEDUCES FREIGHTS 5PC
SEATTLE, June 23.—The Alaska
Steamship Company has announced an
additional reduction of fifty cents per
ton in general merchandise rates from
Seattle and Tacoma to Ketchikan,
Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Doug
las, Haines, Skagway, Cordova, Val
dez, Latouche, Seward, Anchorage and
other Alaskan ports. This reduction
will become effective July 1, and is
in addition to a 55 cent reduction
made on general merchandise and
other commodities effective April 25.
Winfield, Ervin, son of the cashier
of the National Bank at Fairbanks,
is registered at the Overland from
the U. of W.
MRS. H. S. BALDERSTON
HONORED BY LUNCHEON
Mrs. H. S. Balderston, who has been
in Seward the past week awaiting the
arrival of her daughter, Helen, was
delightfully honored during her short
visit this week, when Mrs. L. V. Ray
entertained on Thursday afternoon at
her home on Second avenue, with a
bridge-luncheon. The large living
room and diningroom were beautifully
decorated with a profusion of wild
flowers. After partaking of a deli
cious luncheon the guests indulged in
bridge for the remainder of the aft
ernoon, honors going to the following
ladies: Guest, Mrs. Balderston; high
score, Mrs. W. O. Perry; low, Mrs. J.
B. Reher, and cut prize to Mrs. J. P.
Hannon. The guests were Mesdames
Balderston, Perry, Hannon, Reher, A.
Eames, J. Flower, Henderson R. Reed,
O. A. Johansen, W. R. Shelihorn, W.
E. Root, R. McNally, H. Dougherty,
E. Swetmann, H. B. Selby, W. Blue,
George Sexton, E. Weybrecht, A. E.
Rucker, H. Thody, and the Misses
Sylvia Sexton, Inez Waugh and Eliz
abeth Romig.
ttttttttnttttttttttttttntttttttt
8 WEATHER FORECAST »
8 - 8
8 Fair on coast; unsettled 8
tt probably showers in Tanana 8
8 valley tonight and Sunday. tt
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