) Hemard Dnily Gelt-emsig
MEMBER ASSOCIATED RKESS.
VOLUME 20. NUMBER 235
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1925
PRICE TEN CENTS
JOHN E. BALLAINE POINTS OUT MANY
RESOURCES ALONG ALASKA RAILROAD
OVERLOOKED BY CONGRESSMAN FREE
Portage Bay Investigated as Possible Harbor to Start
Railroad From and Given Up as Impracticable
Many Years Ago, Says Mr. Ballaine
BJG STANDS OF BIRCH TIMBER WORTH MILLIONS
Statement that Coal in Alaska is Unfit for Use Is Shown to
Be Untrue—Mr. Ballaine Charges that Eastern In
» terests are Trying to Hold Up Resources
\ SEATTLE, Sept. 1 (/P)—Coming to the defense of the Alaska government
railroad, John E. Ballaine, founder of Seward, and builder of the Alaska
Central Railroad, which was absorbed «later by the government railway,
charged that the Alaska railroad is “secretly controlled by New York inter
ests hostile to its administration, and determined to prevent the development
of the tremendous resources along the railway line.”
Replying to the recommendation of Congressman Free that the railroad
should b«| abondoned, Mr. Ballaine said the railroad would continue to lose
$2,000,000* yearly until a competent, honest management takes it over.
“If Congressman Free examined the 1914 and 1921 reports of the Naval
Coal Commission he will not say that government tests have proved the coal
along the railroad is of too poor a grade to be used by ships or industries,”
declared Mr. Ballaine. “On the contrary the Commission made elaborate
tfists of the coal from the Matanuska district in comparison with coal from
-fcihe West Virginia fields, and officially gave the Matanuska coal a rating of
15.5 per cent better than that of the Virginia coal, and stated that it was
suitable for naval use.
SECRETARY DENBY TRIES TO STIFLE ENTERPRISE
“It is true,” continued Mr. Ballaine, “ttyat directly in the face of these
favorable reports, Secretary Denby arbitrarily discontinued development work
on the naval coal reserves in the Matanuska district, stating that the coal
was unfavorable for naval use, and later undertook to transfer these naval
reserves back to the Interior Department under Secretary Fall, who attempted
to negotiate leases with private holders, the same as was done with the Tea
pot Dome oilfields. These facts are included in information submitted by
Senat^f Lenroot and myself to President Coolidge, the 14th day of February
last year. Four days after President Coolidge received these facts and found
he had been officially misinformed, Secretary Denby hastily resigned.
The Matanuska fields can not only supply the Navy on the Pacific coast
at a saving of over $3.00 per ton over the present cost on coal hauled from
the Atlantic by way of the Panama canal, or a total saving of $900,000 a year
but it can supply the consumers of the Pacific coast with millions of tons
of high grade coal each year at a saving of ten millions of dollars annually.
These shipments would make the Alaska railroad better than self-sustaining.
FREE MISINFORMED ON OTHER RESOURCES
“Congressman Free is equally misinformed in his statements as to the
lack of other resources along the Alaska railroad. A birch forest was re
cently discovered within a few miles of the railroad, which cruised over two
billion feet of merchantable timber, equal to the best hardwood birch of
Main and Wisconsin, and worth on an average of $200 per thousand board
feet. One such birch forest is worth more to the industries of the United
States than all the gold ever taken out, and many times the cost of the rail
road.
In addition to the vast deposits of gold and copper near the railroad, there
are the rich alluvial agricultural lands of the Matanuska, Susitna and Tanana
Valley, surpassing in quantity of tillable areas those of Norway, Sweden and
Finland combined. These three valleys can support a population of twelve
million inhabitants.”
PORTAGE BAY REJECTED AS UNFIT FOR HARBOR
Mr. Ballaine said that Congressman Free was equally in error regarding
liis proposition to build a highway from Portage Bay, as Naval experts had
rejected the bay as unfit for a harbor after a thorough examination. Mr. Bal
laine, himself, and crew of surveyors, made an exhaustive survey of Portage
Bay with the view of running the Alaska Central railroad from that point to
Fairbanks, but found that it was practically impossible to build a railroad
from here owing to the steep mountains which would necessitate a two to
five mde tunnel, and the many live glaciers discharging into the bay, at
limes completely blocking the harbor.
Airplane Returns from
Cruise In British Wilds
PRINCE RUPERT, Sept. 1 (JP)—
Returning from a six months pros
pecting trip, the first ever conducted
by an airplane in British Columbia,
Col. J. Scott Williams, of Montreal,
with his mechanic,, returned today
from Telegraph Creek.
BASEBALL
National League.
Phila. 3, Pittsburgh 10.
Boston 5, Chicago 3.
YANK SPARK PLUG
SELLING IN SPAIN
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1. (£>)—Lo
cally made spark plugs are finding a
ready sale in Spain. A firm, manu
facturing such equipment, reports it
had shipped thousands of dollars
worth of spark plugs and light auto
supplies to a Madrid importer since
the first of the year.
SPANISH TRANSPORT MEETS
DISASTER MOROCCAN COAST
FEZ, Sept. 1. (£>)—The Spanish
■transport, Espano, No 5, carrying
■troops along the Moroccan coast is
reported to have sunk. No details
of the disaster are given.
PROHIBITION UNITS
START WORK IN ALL
SECTIONS NATION
WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 1 (jP)—
The National prohibition enforce
ment unit began functioning in most
sections of the nation today, direct
ing its energies to the elimination of
the liquor trade by depriving the mar
keters of their supply by eliminating
the market. Assistant Secretary An
drews said that there would be close
co-operation among other Federal
units of law enforcement, such as the
immigation office and coast guards.
NEWSPAPERS GET
ACCESS RECORDS
WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 1 (£>).
The people of the United States will
have a second opportunity today to
see who paid incomes taxes for 1924,
and see how much was paid. At 9:00
o’clock this morning local time, inter
nal revenue collectors of all districts
will open their lists to the public and
newspapers will be permitted to pub
| lish them for the first time without
fear of prosecution.
COST OF LIVING IN
ROUMANIA GOES UP
BUCHAREST, Sept. 1. (jp>—’There
is a conspicuous rise in the cost of
living in Roumania as compared
with last year. The Argus points
out that food has risen 18 points
over the level of August last year,
nearly 56 points and such articles as
soap, firewood, paper, petroleum, 31
points.
The average of prices in 1925, the
Argus points out, is about 46 per
cent higher than a year ago.
TAX LISTS SHOW
LARGE INCOMES
PAID IN 1924
DETROIT, Sept. 1 (£>)—Henry Ford
and his son Edsall, with the Ford Mo
tor Company, paid the largest income
tax in the Eastern Michigan district.
Henry paid $2,608,808, and Edsell, his
son, paid $2,158,055. The Motors
Company paid $16,493,160.
President Pays Big Tax
BOSTON, Sept. 1 (/P)—President
Calvin Coolidge paid $14,091 tax in
1924 against $6,643 in 1923.
Rockefeller Pays Heavily
NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (/P)— John D.
Rockefeller, jr., paid $6,277,669, the
largest amount paid by any individual
on Wall Street. Rockefeller, sr., paid
$128,420. J. Pierpont Morgan paid
$574,379. John W. Davis, Democratic
candidate for president during the last
campaign, paid $49,533.
Secretary Mellon Pays $882,600
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 1 (^—Secre
tary Mellon paid $1,082,600, the larg
est income tax recorded in the Pitts
burgh district. His brother, R. B. Mel
lon, paid $1,180,099.
Wrigley Pays Small Tax
CHICAGO, Sept. 1 (/P)—William
Wrigley, jr., gum manufacturer, paid
$2,644, compared to $836,365, last
year. His representatives explained
that the new revenue act enabled the
auditors to write off the losses suffered
by him, dating back to 1914.
Charley Chaplin Pays $1,345
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (/P)—Char
ley Chaplin paid $1,345 tax this year.
ICE CRACK OUTFIT
SELLS IN CANADA
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1. (^—Al
though California is presumed to be
alcoholically as dry as the district
surrounding an oasis, the ice crack
ing machiinery business here is re
ported exceedingly brisk. Canadian
importers have placed several orders
in recent months with Los Angeles
Arms for the latest apparatus for
reducing congealed water to the stat
us required for highballs.
“BABE” SORRY FOR HIS
REMARKS ABOUT HUGGINS
NEW YORK, Sept. 1. (£>)— Babe
Ruth arrived here today and an
nounced after a conference with
Ruppert, that he would publicly apol
ogize for his remarks abou>t Miller
Huggins, manager of the Yankees.
Ruth appeared to be playing the
field in uniform today.
PLANES NEARING
HONOLULU IN
OVER SEAS TRIP
ONE MACHINE FEARS GAS RUN
NING LOW WIRELESSES FOR
AID IN CASE NEEDED.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1. (/P)—
The planes hopped off on their non
stop flight to Honolulu, the PN.-9,
No. 3, at 2:42 yseterday afternoon,
the PN.-9 No. 1, the flag plane at
2:55. Both passed San Pedro at a
point six miles from where they start
ed at 2:59 and were headed thru
the Golden Gate to the open sea.
Fear Gas Running Low.
HONOLULU, T. H., Sept. 1. (£>)—
A message caught from the PN.-9,
No. 1, said: “Please keep track of
us. Gas about all gone. Think it
impossible to get in.”
A notation added by the Associated
Press Was to the effect that the
planes appeared to be about two or
three hundred miles from Honolulu
when the foregoing message was re
leased.
The PN.-9, No. 3, Descends.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Sept. l.(/P)
—A radio message received here to
day said that the U. S. destroyer
Farragut, stationed approximately five
hundred miles out of Honolulu gave
the PN.-9, No. 1 compass bearings at
eleven o’clock this morning.
As the plane .approached the Far
ragut, the mine sweeper Gannet had
gone to establish a contaot. The
destroyer William Jones, which took
the PN.-9, No. 3 in tow when this
plane descended three miles from
San Francisco it wras learned that
the oil pressure lines to both en
gines were broken.
PATENT KIDS ARE
WORN IN CYPRUS
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1. (£>)—
Whether it is the rage in Paris or
not, the Senoritas of Cyprus are go
ing to wear ’em!
Shoe merchants of the Mediterra
nean Isle are in distress over their
inabili/ty to supply ’em.
For it appears that the ladies of
Cyprus must have patent kid leather
shoes.
WESTERN THRILLS ARE
LIKED BY SYRIANS
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1. (^-Six
reel wild west “thrillers” made here
have found a new audience of fans
besides - the small boys of America.
Motion picture owners in Syria re
port there is a popular demand for
films of this type.
Read the Gateway advertiseents.
MINERS ON STRIKE
FROM 185 MINES
IN PENNSYLVANIA
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 1 (JP)—One
hundred and eighty-five coal mines
suspended operations in the anthra
cite region this morning as a result
of a strike for increased wages. Pres
ident ohn Lewis of the union, said
that the coal operators had capital
ized public apprehension to boost the
prices of coal. He said the miners
had no choice in the present wage in
crease except to wait until the opera
tors are ready to talk. At the pres
ent time every anthracite mine in the
state is closed.
JAZZ TAKES HOLD
OF PANAMA YOUTH
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1. (JP)—Jazz
orchestras on the liners of the world,
passing through the Canal have in
spired the youth of the zone, accord
ing to reports received here by the
foreign trade department of the
Chamber of Commerce, which state
that there is an increasing demand
in Panama for stringed and brass mu
sical instruments and the last word
in sheet music.
COOUDGEASKS
HENEY TO RESIGN
WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 1 (JP)—
Bert Emery Haney, a member of the
Shipping Board, who was appointed
by President Coolidge in January of
last year, reiterated his refusal to re
sign in a telegram sent to the Presi
dent Thursday, following the receipt
of a message from the President read
ing: “It having come to my attention
that you are proposing to remove Lee
Carlyle Palmer, as Shipping Board
chairman, contrary to the understand
ing I had with you when I reappointed
you. Your resignation is requested.”
Haney replied that he told the pres
ident that he considered Palmer unfit
ted for the position before his reap
pointment, and that “there was a cer
tainty that there was no express un
derstanding concerning the continu
ance in office or removal of Palmer.”
Chinese Missionaries
Released By Bandits
SHANGHAI. China, Sept. 1 (JP)—
Bishop N. W. K. Mowll and wife and
six other missionaries who were cap
tured by bandits August 6, have been,
released.
UNIQUE FEATURE
AT THE LIBERTY
NEXT MONDAY
WORLD’S GREATEST MEMORY EX*
PERT WILL DEMONSTRATE
USE TRAINED MEMORY
Chas. W. Haniley, the world’s great
est memory expert will demonstrate
the use of a trained memory, using
educational, entertaining and interest
ing subjects. Mr. Hamley was the
only memory expert used in the Armr
in France, and is known as the mira- •
cle memory man and human dicto
graph who records all things of in
terest that he sees or hears. The pub
lic is invited to hear this unusual ex
pert demonstrate his powers of mind,
and who is a Master Mind, on the sub*
ject of memory. >
At Liberty Theatre, Monday night.
September 7. s
A free entertainment. No collec
[ tion.