Hemntd Dnily Gnteumy
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS ^
VOLUME XXL NUMBER-S&r &L b
SEWARD, ALASKA, MONDAY, FEBRUARY £.1926.
PPIC17, TEN CENTS
CHAS. KREFTING
APPOINTED AS
MEMBER COUNCIL
At the regular meeting of the City
Council last evening all members and
the mayor were present. The first or
der of business after the reading of
the minutes and acting on bills pre
sented was the election of a council
man to fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of H. E. Ellsworth, now
in the States. The name of Mr. Chas.
Krefting being the only one presented
to the council for the position, by unan
imous vote Mr. Krefting was elected
.and being sworn in took his seat.
Consideration of the motion, laid
over from the last regular meeting,
relative to the resignation of Fire and
Police Chief Lanning, was brought be
fore the regular meeting of the city
council, which was held last evening.
During its consideration the maker of
the motion, with the consent of his
second, withdrew the original motion
for the purpose of presenting a substi
ture. It was thereupon moved and
seconded that the resignation of the
fire chief and chief of police be ac
cepted, and the appointment or elec
tion his successor be elected by the
council at a special meeting to be
held Friday evening, February 5.
After a long discussion a vote was
taken and all councilmen voted in the
affirmative.
A resolution was then presented to
the effect that until April 10, 1926, the
office of fire chief and chief of police
be held by two men at the rate of $125
per month each. An amendment was
made to strike out the words and fig
ures “at the rate of $125 per month”
and insert “at the rate of $150 per
month.” Upon roll call the amend
ment and original motion was carried.
Upon motion regularly made and
seconded the city clerk was instructed
to advertise that applications will be
received for the position of fire chief
and chief of police for the town of
Seward, the same to be filed with the
city clerk not later than 5 p. m. Fri
day, February 5, 1925.
For the purpose of passing on appli
cations received it -was then regularly
moved and seconded that a special
meeting of the council be held at 8
o’clock p. in., Friday, February 5, 1926.
The dock committee reported action
had been taken in the matter of re
pairing the floating dock and that a
contract had been entered into with
Gus Manthey to the amount of $300
which is o be paid upon acceptance of
repairs to the float by the Alaska
Railroad.
The street committee reported the
garbage dump repairs had been taken
care of and that the piling was in
good shape.
Several notices were presented to
the council with reference to horses
being allowed to run at large in the
north end of town, especially in the
vicinity of the ball park.
With reference to the Gillespie case
it was regularly moved and seconded
the city attorney make a settlement
with Mr. Gillespie for a sum not to ex
ceed $50, after the necessary releases
had been signed. All councilmen vot
ed in the affirmative on this matter.
The total amount of $1,239.62 in
warrants were drawn and the finance
committee authorized to draw such
warrants with the exception of one
to the amount of $17.50 which was laid
over for investigation.
communications oi protests were re
ceived against the taxation of the
Daggett property for sidewalk im
provements. The matter was referred
► to the city attorney.
A communication from the volun
teer fire department was read indors
„ ing Martin Lanning as fire chief and
chief of police. The letter was read
and placed on file.
The fire committee reported certain
parts on the first truck generator had
been lost and asked for the sum of
S20 for replacement of same. The
amount was authorized.
The city attorney reported the cem
etery petition had been prepared and
mailed to the President of the United
States. He stated that upon the arrival
of B. H. Barndollar, examiner of ac
counts and legal adviser to the Alaska
Railroad from Washington, D. C., a
* lease would be obtained. The sugges
tion was made that the local frater
nal orders be solicited to assist the
council in laying out and selecting
of plots.
* * Under the head of unfinished busi
Arcade Annex Floors
Covered with Raecolith
Something entirely new in the way
of floor covering for this district
of the Territory, is the raecolith
composition now being laid in the
bath rooms, kitchens and hallways of
the new Arcade Annex. Gerhart
Johnson and his crew of skilled men
harve the contract well in hand. It
is planned to cover certain of the
floors in the original building, as
well.
Raecolith has been on the market
for about six years and is being used
thruout all modern buildings' in the
States. It is particularly adaptable
for this purpose owing to its tile-like
beautiful appearance. The composi
tion is mixed like plaster, in any
color one might wish; laid like a
cement walk but which, when it is
firmly in place and dried out, has
a soft resilience which is obtained
from the special compounds making
up raecolith.
cat A^v ar tuifif
oiiLillll vi linm^u
IS GIVEN AS $3,600
SEATTLE, Feb. 2. (>P)—A Times’
Washington dispatch said yesterday
that the Deficiency Bill reported by
Congress provided a salary of $3,600
a year for Karl Thiele, secretary for
Alaska.
CARLOAD MERCHANDISE HERE
Another carload of merchandise
from the stock of the former Brown
& Hawkins store at Anchorage arriv
ed in Seward the other day and is
being moved into the shelves of the
local big store.
WOLF SCARE IS
ON IN RUSSIA
MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (/?)—'The wolf sea
son is on.
Russian life would be incomplete
without its wolf scares and Russian
literature would lose its savor minus
the scenes where marriage parties
were chased in troikas over the frozen
i steppes by ferocious packs of snarling
1 wolves.
It’s all in the Russian picture. But
this winter the stage scenery has been
too greatly augmented. The wolf
population is not suffering from race
! suicide and since the peasants have
j been forbidden by the government to
| possess or c&rry firearms, it is impos
j sible to kill off these deadly enemies
of man and livestock.
It is estimated that there are at least
three times the number of wolves
roaming Russia as in 1914.
I K)nly professional hunters have been
: used so far. Now the government is
l awakening to the fact that this win
ter the wolves may take toll of hu
man lives as well as devouring mil
lions of head of much needed stock
and has set aside the sum of $50,000
to combat the wolves. The sum will
be but a drop in the bucket.
At present the peasants have been
asked to make maps of the districts
where wolves abound and turn them
in to their Soviet, so that in the spring
the fight can be taken up in earnest.
For some strange reason no figures
on the number of deaths in a year
from wolves have been compiled
I since 1S96. But in that year 1198 hu
; mans were torn to pieces by wolves.
NEW FIRE CHIEF AND A CHIEF
OF POLICE TO BE APPOINTED
At a special meeting next Friday
night the common council will consid
er the appointment of a Fire Chief
and of a Chief of Police, according to
an advertisement elsewhere in this
paper. The two offices will be sepa
rate and applications will be received
up to 5 o'clock p. m. Friday, February
5. Many good men are to be had and
those desiring the job should put in
their applications at once.
Mr. Berlin timed his wedding just
right to get a lot of publicity when
there was nothing worse going on.
ness the delinquent tax roll was pre
sented. This will be published in
March.
The meeting of the council lasted
fully three hours, many matters being
taken up for discussion.
MITCHELL CARRY
FIGHT TO PEOPLE
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 2. (/P)—
William Mitchell took up his cudgel
today against the War and Navy de
partment’s management of the Na
tional defense, just five hours after
he received official notification that
his commission with the government
had been vacated.
He reviewed his own efforts to “bet
ter conditions from within the ser
vice.” He said: “The Government has
become one of bureaucratic domina
tion.”
Mitchell will make a tour of the
country for the next three months to
carry his fight to the people.
ON INCREASE
On Seminoffsky Island, situated on
the southend of Shumagin group, and
65 miles southeast of Sand Point,
Thomas Skulstad and his partner
I Adolph Peterson, in addition to the
j 200 blue foxes on their ranch, have
I about sixty head of Durham cattle
I with which they are meeting with re
markable success. In case of a ne
cessity, they always have a silo full
of winter feed, but owing to the mild
climate thruout that district, the cat
tle generally forage about the entire
winter and very little silo feed is
consequently used.
As the cattle raising region, it has
been stated many times, the westward
district is unsurpassed anywhere.
All vegetation in Alaska has a very
rapid and luxuriant growth, owing to
the great amount of sunlight in sum
mer and the richness of the soil. Flow
ers of all color and varieties are found
in abundance from along the coast
to the Yukon, growing from the moun
tain tops to the valleys below.
There are two varieties of wild peas
beautiful in blossom and rich in fruit.
; These thrive along the sandy banks
| of the rivers which head in the Alas
ka mountains the height of four to
five feet and cover the ground like a
great wheat field. The taller varie
ties are quite nutritious, having long
heads which are rich in seeds. Many
smaller varieties thrive everywhere.
The best known and sought after
by the stock is the bunch grass, which
is found in intervals thruout the re
gon and which is always eagerly eat
en by the stock.
Other residents and companies to
the westward have been experiment
ing for years until the industry has
now reached a point where it is an
experiment no longer but an establish
ed fact that the business of raising
cattle has an ideal enormous area
to thewestward, where the climate
is mild and seldom severe, and that
the industry can be conducted at an
extremely low cost, from an econo
mic standpoint.
HOLT SPENT SIX
YEARS IN ALASKA
PURSUIT OF GOLD
MANY SEWARD AND VALDEZ RES
IDENTS WELL RECALL THE
MOVIE ACTOR.
The West has played an important
part in the career of Jack Holt.
From the time he left the Virginia
Military institute, Holt has been iden
tified with the west. He went direct
ly from Virginia and later went to
Alaska, where he spent six years
in pursuit of gold. From Alaska he
went to Oregon, where he bought a
ranch and punched cattle.
His first entry into motion pic
tures w?as with a western produc
tion being made by a San Francisco
company. He jumped his horse off
a thirty-foot embankment into a
river and got just a bit of money for
it and no screen credit.
Not long after he went to Holly
wood and played many western roles
with a fling at society dramas and
back to the westerns he loves so
much. 1
As a matter of truth, Holt’s biog
raphy might well be titled “Winning
the West.”
His most recent screen appearance
i
iNEGRO TO HANG
ATTACK ON GIRL
LEXINGTON, Ky., Feb. 2. (JP)—Ed.
Harris, negro was sentenced to hang
March 5, after he pleaded guilty of
attacking Mrs. Clarence Bryan, whose
husband and two children he previ
ously had confessed to have killed.
The trial lasted sixteen minutes.
The charge of the murder of Bryan
and fhiidien was not called.
Tear Gas Used.
FRANKFORT, Ky., Feb. 2. (JP)—'The
State Militia released tear gas last
night to disperse the large crowd
around the State reformatory, where
Ed Haris, negro murderer was con
fined in a dungeon.
POLITICAL POT
BEGINS BOILING
COMING ELECTION
The primary election in Alaska
will be held Tuesday, April 27, at
which time the candidates of the
Republican and Democratic parties
will-be nominated for the November
election.
For Delegate .to Congress Dan A.
Sutherland has filed for renomina
tion as a Republican. Thos. C. Price
of Anchorage, is spoken of as Demo
cratic aspirant for this office.
In the Third Division the term
of Senator A. J. Dimond of Valdez,
expires and he has filed for re
nomination on the Democratic
ticket. Arthur Frame of Anchorage,
has also filed for this office on the
Republican ticket. As to the can
didates for the House of Repre
sentatives there is still considerable
conjecture, as no fillings have as yet
been made with no avowed candi
dates in the field.
The residents of Cordova feel
that they are entitled to representa
tion in the next legislature and the
many friends of Thos. ;S. Scott are
urging him to file on the Republican
ticket, believing that he can be elect
ed and would also add considerable
strength to the ticket.
Joseph "H. Murray of McCarthy, the
dean of the legislature, will in all
probability again file on the Repub
lican ticket, and with Ben Grier or
any other equally strong candidate
from Anchorage, the Republicans
would present to the electors a ticket
that the voters would ibe glad to cast
their ballots for.
The Democrats have no avowed
candidates in the field, but there is
some talk of Chas. W. Wilcox of
Valdez and John J. Coffey of Ko
diak filing. W. B. Dean, member
o fthe Anchorage city council, who
is seeking a republican nomination
for the house. Wililam A. Sherman,
democratic member of the last house
of representatives, from Anchorage,
will be a candidate for re-nomina
tion in the April primary.—Ex.
An injunction was issued at Birm
ingham, Eng., forbidding Dan Cart
wright from calling John Jones a
“skunk” at union meetings.
Jim McGuire, a burglar in jail at
Greenock, Scotland, locked ten police
men in their squad room and made
his escape.
When police searched the house of
Gordon Graves, suspected of swindling
at Hull, Eng., they found nearly ten
thousand love letters written to him
by various women.
Rev. J. W. Howard of Columbus,
Ga., aged 85, claims the record for
having married 2016 couples.
Miss Alma Currie of Teague, Texas,
found §37,000 worth of old coins un
der the doorstep of her home on pre
mises once occupied by a notorious
gambling resort, the former owner of
which was killed years ago.
Rev. Alexander Wills, pastor of a
Lynn, Mass., church, disappeared re
cently, leaving word that he was go
ing to Canada to work in the mines in
order that he might make a decent
living.
is in “The Enchanted Hill,” a west
ern story. Others featured are Flor
ence Vidor, Noah Beery, Mary Brian,
George Bancroft and Richard Arlen.
The story is by Peter B. Kyne.
Cutter Thefts Bring
Arrest of Guardsmen
Arrested as suspected members
of a gang believed responsible for a
long series of thefts from the coast
guard cutters Haida and Algonquin,
including the ship’s compass from
the latter vessel, three men were re
cently arrested at Seattle.
The prisoners are R. A. Erner,
seaman, and George H. Storr, wa
ter carrier, both of the Algonquin,
and M. M. Swain, civilian.
Loot valued at several hundred
dollars already has been recovered
by agent under W. D. Bolling,
chief of the .department of justice,
and other men "alleged to be impli
cated are being sought.
Quartermaster F. C. Shine and
Radio Operator R. E. Metiver, two
other members of the Algonquin’s
crew, were released and sent back
to the ship after being held for
questioning.
“They have absolutely nothing on
these two. boys,” said Lieut. Comm.
C. H. Howell, commanding the Al
gonquin.
The Algonquin and Haida are
laid up at the Bell Street dock for
repairs.
5 MEN RESCUED
OFF THE SIMMONS
—
NEW YORK, Feb. 2. (#>)—Fve men
; of the crew of the schooner Simmons
were rescued by the Pure Oil Compa
ny’s vessel, W. W. Mills, it was re
ported yesterday.
FIGURES REVEAL
RIG COAL MARKET
IN CALIFORNIA
Bituminous coal is retailing in Cal
ifornia today from SIS to $20 per ton,
:coal, which in many instances is far
i below heating units and ash contei,r
! to Alaska coal. The population rjf^
California is said to be around the 4,
000,000 mark which would bring the
icoal consumption to one ton per capi
ta. Nationally known coal experts and
authorities have pronounced a 10,000
ton collier, operating between this!
port and Calfornia, could transport Al
aska coal for §1.00 a ton.
Assuming the coal cost the opera
| tor §5 a ton to mine, which, it has
been stated is quite high for large
quantities; add to that the cost of the
rail haul to Seward, the loading, and
final landing, unloading in California
port, it is quite apparent the market in !
the States but await the time when
Alaskan coal operators are financially
I able to enter into the larger field.
It was pointed out to The Gateway
the other day that two million tons of
Rock Springs, Wyoming coal, and al
most a like amount of Utah coal is
being shipped into the State of Cal
ifornia. And in making this long ov
erland rail haul to the port of San
Francisco, the Continental Divide and
the Sierra Nevada’s must be crossed.
! The same condition holds true to the
Mexico frontier, from which point,
other shipments are made from. The
rail haul over The Alaska Railroad
to tidewater, is considerably shorter.
Alaska’s coal industry is barely in
its infancy yet, when one recalls the
forward strides made since they be
gan producing, three or four years
ago, the progress being made at the
'present time, it will be seen the near
future looks exceedingly bright.
LATOUCHE OUT OF JUNEAU.
The freighter Latouche of the
Alaska Steamship Company left Ju
neau this morning for southwestern
Alaska. Two or three stops are to be
made en route to this port. It is ex
pected the vessel will arrive either
on Friday or Saturday.
Baby Lawrence, of Lubbock, Tex.,
a few weeks old, partially swallowed
a small brooch which had fallen into
its mouth when it wropped from the
mother’s waist collar. By the aid of
X-rays the brooch was removed from
the child’s throat without serious ef
fects.
E. A. Duke, coal miner, of Pike
ville, Ky., was left a fortune of $500
000 but will stay on the job.
w. E. BOEING ON
STAND OLMSTED
LIQUOR PROBE
GOVERNMENT WOULDN’T PROSE
CUTE ANYONE FOR ORDER
LIQUOR OVER WIRES
SEATTLE, Feb. 2. (^—William E.
Boeing, millionaire builder of govern
ment airplanes of this city on the
witness stand in the Olmsted trial yes
terday was asked: “In the summer of
1924 did you give an order for one
case of Holt’s Decanter and one case
of King George?’’
Boeing replied: “I did give an or
der, but I cannot tell what it was I
ordered.”
When questioned whether Fred
Gage, defendant, gave him the tele
phone number from which to order
the liquor, Boeing said “that is quite
possible.”
Prohibition Agent Fryant testified
that Bobby Kernan, former secret in
vestigator for Police Chief Severvns,
was liquor scout for the organization.
In a conversation it was told in which
Kernan represented, as inviting Roy
Olmsted to police headquarters to see
him about “losing two hundred and
sixty-four cases of liquor” August 28
1924, five months after he had left
Severvns employ.
“We are going to bring in four hun
dred and fifty cases tonight so get
some boys to help,” Olmsted telephon
ed Edward H. Mclnnis July 30, stated
Fryant. He also testified that Mcln
nis asserted the conversation as im
possible as “I was in California that
month.”
No Crime In Ordering
SEATTLE, Feb. 2. (£>)—Answering
an objection to Vanderveer. while
questioning Boeing, Reville said: “The
Government isn’t going to prosecute
anybody for ordering liquor over the
telephone.”
Local Handling Freight
Billed Woodrow, Ceases
According Instructions
Instructions have been ,/v.eived
from Washington, D. C., by The Al
aska Railroad headquarters, that the
present practice of handling freight
billed to Woodrow from the States,
will be discontinued. In the future all
freight, so billed must be forwarded
to Woodrow, atid should any con-i
signee wish to re-ship any of this
freight, a bill of lading must be pre
pared covering same to be shipped
and left at Woodrow for the conduc
tor.
Thfs new ruling, according to local
business men, will probably mean that
in the future the parcel post system
will be used as frequently as possible
in order to avoid additional costs of
freight shipments, due to the increas
ed cost of shipping direct to Seward,
instead of to Woodrow. As pointed
out to The Gateway freight shipped
from the States direct to Woodrow
was charged for by the poundage with,
no wharfage charges over the Seward
dock. In comparison to this freight
shipped direct to Sew'ard from the
States is charged by measurement
and local w'harfage charges made, en
tailing a considerable extra expense
to the merchant.
capt. McDonald,
KODIAK CITIZEN
COMMITS SUICIDE
Capt. W. J. McDonald, resident of
this district for a great many years,
committed suicide Sunday night at his
home in Kodiak, according to advices
received in Seward today upon the
arrival of the Admiral Watson in port.
It is reported that friends going to
visit the aged gentleman yesterday
(Monday) morning found him lying
dead, shot through the heart, appa
rently with a revolver which was be
side the body.
No reason is attributed or could be
found up to the time the Watson left
Kodiak as to why he killed himself.
He was a man abaut 75 years of age,
was a Pioneer of Alaska, and some
years aga had served as agent for the
Northern Commercial Company and,
at one time, held the office of inspec
tor of customs. It is expected more
particulars will be obtained later.