MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
VOLUME XXI, NUMBER 56
SEWARD,
ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1926.
PRIC17, TEN CENTS
ALASKA MINING DISTRICTS SOURCE
MUCH DISCUSSION IN STATES
SAYS REPRESENTATIVE BEN GRIER
Contaminating Reports from the Territory Confusing
Outside, But Serve To Focus Attention
of the Public to the North.
SEATTLE CHAMBER ACTIVITY LAUDED
Birchwood Industry Be Big Factor in Development This
Region—Market Is Available Providing Price
Can Meet Present-Day Competition
Back in the north again, optimistic as to the ultimate
recognition and development of the Territory’s resources,
and mighty glad to be home once again, Ben A. Grier, 100
per cent. Alaska booster, and representative from this Di
vision to the Alaska Legislature, submits the following
peppy and instructive article to readers of the Seward
Gateway _ _
By BEN A. GRIER
Adverse and untrue reports of exist
ing conditions of our Alaskan towns
and people, will I believe result in ul
timate good to the Territory.
The protests that have gone forth
have been just as widely published as
the other, and every citizen of the
Territory' Outside at the time, and all
former residents of the Territory, im
mediately took up arms against these
untrue reports, and gave wide circula
tion of the true facts and real condi
tions that do exist.
The Seattle Chamber of Commerce,
and the Alaska Bureau of that organ
ization. are hand in hand with the
Territory. They realize and fully ap
preciate what Alaska has been to Se
attle; they value us as an asset; they
are vitally concerned in our progress
and development, and, eager to aid
and assist in every way. They con
sider our problems their problem.
I believe I am right in making
the statement, that to maintain their
Alaska bureau it cost them §12,000 a
year. This service does not stop
there. They entertained our Governor
and other Territorial executives on
their visit to Seattle. Any explora
tion party or Federal department head
are always entertained by the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce as Alaska’s
host and at the chamber’s own ex
pense.
One floor of their new home is de
voted to Alaska. Our products are
on display there, records, reports, sta
tistics of the Territory, as well as cur
rent copies of all Alaskan papers are
on file. And anyone calling there to
get any information concerning Alas
ka are shown the greatest courtesy
and attention.
This bureau is under the personal
direction of Charles Garfield, a former
resident of Alaska and at all times a
friends and booster of ours.
On the subject of Chamber of Com
merces, join, boost and work with
your local chamber. These men are
devoting their time and money un
selfishly to the welfare of the commu
nities. A good town is made by its
Chamber of Commerce.
At the recent convention of the
Western Division of the United States,
Chamber of Commerce, comprising
fourteen States and Territories, with
the valuable assistance of the Seattle
chamber of commerce, Alaska was for
tunate enough thru its representative
to have adopted three very important
resolutions with important riders at
tached to them. Four hundred dele
gates attended this convention, and all
told seventeen resolutions were adopt
ed. I am sure that these resolutions
passed were beneficial in getting
in all our appropriations from
Congress. The Mining Committee of
the Seattle Chamber meet every Wed
nesday for luncheon. They are a very
active body and welcome and scour
Seattle to bring mining men from the
Territory to these meeting, and to me,
who attended all meetings possible, it
seeme'd this committee is an organiza
tion demoted entirely to Alaska.
Mineral and Birchwood.
Nuka Bay, Moose Pass, Vadlez, Wil
low Creek, Cache Creek, Valdez Creek
and other districts, are talked of con
stantly.
From personal investigations at
Portland and Tacoma, I found there
is a big market and a demand for Al
aska birch as a hardwood, for the man
facture of furniture, finish and floor
ing, but our local cost of logging and
transportation depends as to our prog
ress with this. If we can compete with
the local hardwood of the coast, nam
ly, maple and alder, we can develop
a big business from our birch.
Tacoma has a big market for clear
birch logs and will take all that can
be supplied from ten inches in cir
cumference and larger, in any length
and at a price of §60 a thousand in the
log. The present rate of the Alaska
Steamship Company from this section
is $10 a thousand, and Mr. Stannard
advises me that they are ready to co
operate at any time and will lower
this rate if possible.
In the Portland market, the price va
ries in statements ranging from $60 to
$70, and in cases to a $100 for cants
or dimension and they can use stuff
that will square as low as twro inches.
Get Logging Cost Down.
However, while I look to see in the
course of time a big business in our
birch, it is not a promotion proposi
tion for anyone to go outside with; at
least not now. We have a lot of work
to do among ourselves to get our log
ging cost down to the lowest figure
.and w’hen sending out any test ship
ments we must only send the best
stuff we can. Not all of the birch
is good. Good clear stuff is demanded,
and a clean heart. The color of the
bark makes no difference.
Tourist Season, 1926, Huge.
It is predicted we will have more
tourists than ever before. A million
ollars are to be spent jointly by Wash
ington, Oregon and California in ad
vertising with a slogan, “See the Pa
cific Coast and Alaska.”
Many eastern railroads in their fold
ers and pamphlets advertise travel
over “our” road on “your” way to Al
aska. Many middle western states
and all of the coast states are using
Alaska as a pulling power to bring
visitors through and to their states.
I am closing this by saying, w'e are
living in the best country on earth,
among the best people on earth and
none of us fully realize our wonderful
resources, possibilities and opportuni
ties. Alaska will hit her true stride
some day, and will astonish the world.
We may not all share in this, but we
have been a part in the making.
More power to Alaska and to us
who are fortunate to live here.
MANY PERISH
RESULT STORMS
VIENNA, Mar. 10. (JP)—A Belgrade
dispatch reported fifty trawlers with
their crews were sunk along the Dal
matian coast in a terrific gale. A
train was overturned and many pas
sengers seriously hurt. The Italian
freighter Seeno was shattered on the
rocks in Spalato harbor and half of
her crew perished.
BYRD PARTY WILL
HAVERADIO
WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar. 10. (yP)
The Byrd expedition will carry a
short wave radio outfit. It is expect
ed the range will be a thousand miles.
Two former marine corps radio oper
ators, Floyd K. Grenlie of Chicago,
and George H. James of Manchester,
Mass., will accompany the expedition.
PRESENTS CLAIM
FOR $39,000
TO GOVERNMENT
CAPT. AXEL OLSEN, VETERAN
SEALER AND ALASKA NAV
IGATOR, IN SEWARD
LICENSE IS CONFISCATED
Was Halted 28 Years Ago by Cutter
Off the Coast of
Sitka
The subject of the fur-seal indus
try and its commercial and physical
aspects has been fully discussed
since the United States took charge
of the business over a quarter of
a century ago, thoroughly worked it
up and so systematized it as to
bring it to a par with a well-con
ducted cattle ranch on a large scale
—with this difference, perhaps, that
greater caution with reference to
their comfort than is generally be
stowed by farmers upon their cattle.
Hundreds of romantic stories have
been weaved about the sealing
ground off the rock pinnacle coast of
Alaska when thousands of sealing
vessels were engaged in hunting fur
seal; about the poachers from for
eign lands, and the battles that en
sued, but little has been said since
in late years, when, by the order
of the United States, all sealers were
stripped of their licenses prhibiting
them thereafter from following their
chosen line of endeavor. Captains of
revenue cutters and coast guard ves
sels, boarding sealers, as they were
overhauled, put an end to an offshore
industry in which tens of thousands
of men were engaged, created a loss
to the sealers which has been estim
ated as between four and five mil
lion dollars.
A few years ago, in 1905, old claims
presented by British sealers against
the United States government, am
ounting to one and one-half millions
of dollars, were settled. The courts
have decided those who were law
fully engaged in the industry and
who sustained losses at the time of
the issuing of the order prohibiting
the hunting and killing of fur-seal,
are entitled to reimbursement.
Capt. A. Olsen, whose last com
mand was the schooner Olive, but
who was one of the thousands en
gaged in the seal industry in the
early days, is in Seward today for
the purpose of making preliminary
arrangements for the presentation of
his claim, which amounts to $39,000,
to the government. Capt. Olsen ar
rived in town last Saturday from
Matanuska where he conducts one of
the most modern of Alaskan farms.
He plans returning to the valley
Thursday.
Computing interest at the rate of
six per cent, Capt. Olsen and his
attorney, have figured his claim will
total about $70,000, for it was- 28
years ago when he was boarded and
his license confiscated. “The Amer
ican sealers were painted with the
same brush as the British sealers, so
I see no reason why our claim
should not be paid”, Capt. Olsen
stated yesterday to the Gateway rep
resentative. He still retains his ships
papers and several witnesses who
remember the incident. One of these
is Capt. O. A. Johansen, of the steam
er Starr.
On his last voyage to the grounds,
his vessel, the Ethel, of 32 tons and
crew of 14, became disabled a short
distance out of Kodiak, so he pro
ceeded to San Francisco for repairs.
Two months later, he cleared once
again for the fishing banks. While
25 to 30 miles off-shore from Sitka,
one day, he was stopped by the cutter
Corwin, -whose- captain boarded him,
declared he was unlawfully sealing,
and confiscated his license and or
dered him to return to his home
port, which Capt. Olsen did. It is
on the basis of the expense created
at that time and the probable loss
he sustained, that he is now basing
his claims. That his claim will be
paid, Capt. Olsen has not the slight
est doubt in the world.
MASS SUNDAY MORNING
Father A. J. Markham, of Anchor
age, will arrive in SeWard this eve
ning. Mass will be held at the Cath
olic church Sunday morning at 10
a. m.
Good program at the Liberty.
PACIFIC FLEET
MAY USE BAY
AS NAVAL BASE
JUNEAU CHAMBER EXTENDS IN
VITATION TO FLEET CALL
FOR VISIT
NOTHING DEFINITE AS YET
Rumor of Visitation of Fleet Cur
rent for Last Three
Months.
Two months ago, The Seward
Gateway published a local rumor to
the effect that to all intents and
purposes the Pacific Fleet would
maneuver in this district this sum
mer, and that Resurrection Bay
would be used as the Fleet’s base.
The Gateway dispatched an Associa
ted Press wire to Seattle to that ef
fect, and in reply, from naval head
quarters in San Francisco, officials
pronounced no official orders for
such a cruise or maneuver had been
received.
However, it is evident some such
move by the naval forces is being
contemplated, for the local chamber
of Commerce received a letter from
the Juneau Chamber recently, in
which they state it has been re
portedthe Pacific Fleet is coming to
Alaska and they believe it would be
appropriate for detachments from
this fleet to visit Alaska ports. The
letter continues that the Juneau
chamber is extending an invitation to
the Secretary of the Navy to have
such visits made that they believe
a similar action by other chambers
in the Territory would assist in the
matter.
By reason of other local activities,
due to recent communications re
ceived from the States, naval pre
parations of some sort are being
made and that these activities are
directed toward Seward, is confi
dently expressed through local chan
nels.
HEAVY SEAS
PREVENT BOXER
FROM FLOATING
PRINCE RUPERT, B. C. Mar. 10.
(P>)—Efforts to refloat the M.S. Boxer
yesterday was suspended because of
heavy seas.
Cannerymen Preparing
for Coming Season
Henry J. Emard, who, for a num
ber of years past, has been operat
ing a cannery independently on Cook
Inlet, but who, last season, became
associated with the Gorman interests,
departed for Seattle on the North
western for Seattle, where he will
go over plans in preparation for the
coming season. The company also
operated a plant at Drier Bay, near
Seward last year.
—
SPOKANE OUT FOR
NEW AUDITORIUM
SPOKANE, Mar. 10. (£>)—'Voters ap
proved the construction of a public
auditorium to cost $690,000. The
money will subscribed thru a school
bond issue.
Local A. Legion Post
Hold Annual Election
J. P. Hannon was elected depart
ment executive committeeman at the
meeting last evening of the local
American Legion Post. J. S. Bogart
was elected delegate to the depart
mental convention wfaich will be
held at Wrangell, this year. Mr.
Hannon was named alternate.
Those elected as the Post execu
tive committee were Alex Bolam,
Wm, Anvig, and E. E. Kurtz.
Copy for advertisements should be
in the office of The Seward Daily
Gateway by 4 p. m. of the day pre
ceding publication to insure its ap
pearance.
MS. LANDES CHOSEN MAYOR OF
SEATTLE BY SMALL MAJORITY
# SEATTLE, Wn., Mar. 10. (AP).—Unofficial figures
indicated the City Manager lost, the vote standing 36,
606 in its favor and 36,709 against.
Mrs. Landes received 48,700 votes and Brown 42,802.
Mrs. Landes was called out of bed and informed of her vic
tory. She said “I shall make every effort to serve the city
loyally and efficiently. I shall remain faithful to my be
lief in a city manager in future campaigns and for its
adoption.”
Three incumbent councilman, Philip Tindall, Robert
Hesketh and W. T. Campbell were returned to office, as
also were Port Commisioner W. S. Lincoln; E. B. Holmes
and O. B. Thorgrimson, school directors City Comptroller
Harry Carroll and City Treasurer Ed. L. Terry.
Two sewer bond issues, totalling $3,125,000 were ap
proved by the people.
Fawcett Still Running.
TACOMA, Wn., Mar. 10. (AP).-Reports from 86
precincts out of 101 gave for mayor of this city M. G. Ten
nent, manufacturer, 16,937 votes and A. V. Fawcett, 12 -
460. Fawcett, the present mayor ran for his fifth term
Oil Tanker Departs for
Sitka En route Seattle
The M. S. Chas. Watson, the Stan
dard Oil tanker, which arrived in
port early yesterday morning, de
parted for Sitka this morning at 1:30
o’clock. The vessel was scheduled
to sail at midnight last night, but
owing to an accident to a part of
| the ship’s machinery yesterday, dis
charging of the big oil cargo pro
ceeded more slowly.
The motorship has a carrying ca
pacity of 13,000 barrels of oil and
though is much larger than the Al
aska Standard and other oil tankers
which regularly supply Alaskan plants
is considerably smaller than other
tankers which the company has in
operation along the coast. Of these,
the larger carries over 100,000 bar
rels.
MELLON AGAINST
SILVER PURCHASE
WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar. 10. (ff)
—A breach in the Senate banking com
mittee disclosed six democrats were
backing Andrew Mellon, secretary of
the Treasury in opposing the silver
purchase. During the legislation the
republican majority voting tried to
override the secretary.
The Pittman bill, which would re
quire the treasury department to carry
out the terms of war-time silver was
contained in the purchase act. Mel
lon declared this will be a five million
dollar gift to the silver producers, and
will compel the purchase of fourteen
million ounces of silver metal which
the government doesn’t need.
Phipps, republican of Colorado, de
clared the Pittman law required that
silver be coined into standard silver
dollars at a price which the Treas
ury would gain more than four mil
lion.
ATTEMPT MADE TO
FREE MILO EGGERS
TACOMA, Mar. 10. (JP)—A shotgun
squad surrounded the city jail last
night after current reports were to
the effect that an attempt would be
made to free Milo Eggers.
WELL KNOWN PROSPECTOR
AND TRAIL BLAZER HERE
Pack Olsen, widely known from
Iphigenia Bay to Demarcation Point,
Arctic Ocean, whose trail blazing
reputation is of Territorial renown,
is back in Seward from Indian, where
he has been located the past few
months. He is considering' going
over to Latouche shortly, but has
not definitely made up his mind.
George Colwell,jr., son of Mr. and
Mrs. G. W. Colwell, returned to Sew
ard yesterday from the home of his
parents at Tunnel where he spent the
day with them, the occasion being
the arrival of his seventh birthday.
CANNERY LABOR
BEING EX AMINED
BEFORE LEAVING
SBATATLE, Mar. 10. (&)—'The pub
lic health service department announc
ed all fishermen and cannery workers
going to Alaska this season will be
compelled to under an examination to
prevent the spread of disease. Five
thousand will be examined here.
GERMANY STANDS
PAT LEAGUE ISSUE
_
GENEVA, Mar. 10. (JP)—After a
conference last night between Cham
berlain, Chancellor Luther and For
eign Minister Stressman of Germany,
it is hoped that the difficulty over the
admission of Germany to the league
will soon be settled. It is reported the
conference was a lively one, especial
ly when Sir Austin mentioned the
danger of a collapse of the league if
the Germans maintained the sole right
of the election of the council.
Spain withdrew from the league.
RECOMMEND
IMPEACHMENT
WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar. 10. (>P)
—The House judiciary committee by
a vote of 14 to 6, yesterday, recom
mended the impeachment of Federal
Judge George W. English of eastern
Illinois, who is charged with manipu
lation in the bankruptcy proceedings
and the usurption of power over state
officials.
Card Entertainment
At Starr Residence
The card party held last Friday at
the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Starr,
was a happy occasion and gathering
of friends. Three tables were in
play during the evening and refresh
ments were served. Mrs. Johnson
and Mr. George Loughlin scored high
points.
Guests attending were the Misses
L. Dryden,, Julia Dryden, Mary Mon
goul, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, E. Vogel,
E. Eckman, Russell Johnson, George
Loughlin, Will Dryden, Douglas
Loughlin, Wm. Vincle, Jack Sparks,
Edward Starr.
EXCELLENT TIES DELIVERED
There has been quite a number
of ties delivered to the right-of-way,
between Seward and Anchorage, an
nounce Seward arrivals yesterday.
The ties are of excellent quality, but
many more are still in the woods
ready to be hauled to the tracks.
At Mile 86, teams are bringing the
ties in loaded on vfrllow carriers.
“The best In the north.” The
Seward Weekly Gateway. $3.00 a
year and worth it.