FOURTH YEAR. CHOTNA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1914. o,
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k k
k Nothing has been heard from k
k the steamer Admiral Sampson k
k since she started on her west- k
k ward trip from Seward, expect- k
k ing to go to Kodiak and Cook's k
k Inlet. Until she returns to k
k Seward possibly no information k
k will be received. It is not now k
k expected that the steamer and k
k Puget Sound excursionists will k
k arrive at Cordova until some- k
k time Thursday. It is expected.k
k to run a special train out to the k
k glaciers. • and possibly as far k
k as Chitina, if the visitors desire k
k to accept the invitation of the k
k Chitina Chamber of Commerce k
k and visit that busy little k
k interior town. k
k k
-*-***.*kkkkkkkkkkk
-o—o—o
SEATTLE, May 25.—Breaking all
records of the past three years ex
ports to Alaska from the customs
district of Washington during the
month of April reached the tremen
dous totals of $2,230,725, according
to the report of Collector F. C. Har
per just issued. This is an increase
of nearly 100 per cent in excess of
March, when exports valued at $1,
302,226 were sent from this dis
trict to Alaska, and is greatly in
advance of the exports to Alaska for
the month of April, 1913.
Taken at its face the value of ex
ports to Alaska for the month of
April is considered as an indication
of the rapid development which is
now obtaining in the north. Much of
the merchandise expoited is machin
•ery intended for mines and can
neries, $838,649 worth of this class
having been shipped to Alaska dur
ing the month. Lumber valued at
$187,639 and meat products worth
$121,428 were the exports ranking
next to iron and steel.
-o—o—o
NEW YORK, May 26.—J. P. Mor
gan, Jr., i*. iadign.-’nt at the freedom
of C. S. Mellen in connecting the
name of his father with deals con
cerning the railroad of which Mellen
was formerly president. Mr. Morgan
characterizes as untrue the testi
mony given before the Congressional
committee by Mr. Mellen and to the
effect that his father negotiated the
New Haven Railroad deals or with
held information from Mr. Mellen
that he as president was entitled to
know. In order to clear his own
skirts and throw the responsibility
upon another it is alleged that Mel
len has selected the late financier as
a victim.
-o—o—o-—
VALDEZ, May 26.—C. A. Eby,
who recently pleaded guilty to the
indictment charging him with the
embezzlement of $7,500 from the
;bank of S. Blum & Co., at Cordova,
was sentenced this morning by
Judge Brown. He ordered that he
serve 18 months in the penitentiary
at McNeil’s Island.
The grand jury reported not a
true bill against former U. S. Com
missioner Kuppler, of Kenai. He
had bee.n charged with misappro
priating government funds, in failing
to account for some minor fees paid
Into his office.
SEATTLE, May 26.—Thirty-eight
gas schooners and three steam fish
ing schooners with an aggregate of
1,84 7,000 pounds halibut arrived in
Seattle from Alaska last week, illus
trating the vast proportions to which
this industry has grown and justify
ing the claim now made, by fisher
men that this port is the greatest
halibut center in the world. On
account of the immense receipts, the
price paid for the fish dropped from
4% cents on Monday to 2% cents
the latter part of the week, but
even with an average price of 3
cents per pound, the value of hali
but landed at Seattle during the six
days is $55,410.
Of the 38 schooners many lost
money after being out from three to
four weeks, according to Capt.
Albert Lindvog of the Pacific Fish
ermen’s Association, who is in close
touch with the halibut men. Accord
ing to Lindvog, crews of from 11 to
15 men finished a cruise to find the
profits of the three or four weeks’
work to be less than $50, which had
to be divided among the crew.
-o—o—o
VERA CRUZ, May 26.—Consul
Silliman, who was held in captivity
for a time, which gave report to a
rumor that he had disappeared and
likely had been killed, reached here
yesterday after spending a few days
in Mexico City.
WASHINGTON, May 25.—This
afternoon the President and Dr. E.
Lester Jones, deputy commissioner
of the bureau of fisheries, were in
conference relative to the duties of
Dr. Jones upon his trip of investi
gation to Alaska. He will leave this
city for the west on Thursday and
has been instructed to make an ex
haustive survey of all fisheries in
the territory, and to file a report
with the secretary of commerce to
be used as a basis for proposed
legislation.
For many years past an annual
war has been waged at the. national
capital between representatives of
the trap and gill net fishing indus
tries, each claiming that the other
is responsible for the partial destruc
tion of the fishing industry. Repre
sentatives of trap-fishing claim that
the prohibition of trap-fishing would
amount to a practical confiscation of
$20,000,000 worth of property. On
the other hand, it is contended that
the traps have destroyed the oppor
tunities for gill netters and that
hundreds of fishermen thereby have
been thrown out of employment.
Half a dozen or more bills affecting
the industry have been introduced
at each session for several years past
but always they have failed of
passage.
Lobbyists representing the gill
netters and purse seiners have
pointed out that the run of salmon
on some streams has be.en destroyed
and have attributed the depletion of
these streams to the traps. Repre
sentatives of the trap fishermen have
contended that some streams on
which traps were installed by the
Russians are still the breeding
grounds of salmon, and attribute the
depletion on other rivers to the
establishment of saw mills and other
industries. They also contend that
the purse seiners and gill netters
kill all the fish that comes into their
net, while the trap fishermen can
liberate any fish that are undersized
or which they are unable to use.
The Alaskan legislature passed a
memorial asking Congress to abolish
the fish traps after a period of three
years had elapsed. Under the law
granting territorial government to
Alasla, the legislators were pro
hibited from passing laws affecting
the fisheries, but another clause of
the same law allowed the territorial
government to impose taxes on prop
erty. Therefore, a territorial tax on
high-grade fish was imposed.
The whole matter doubtless will
be gone over at Washington next
winter, and the secretary of com
merce, who must first approve any
legislation proposed, will be fortified
by the report made by Dr. Jones,
who will leave for Alaska on May
28 and remain in the territory for
one month.
-o—o—o
SEATTLE, May 26.—The steamer
Admiral Evans sailed from this port
last night and will go through to the
head of Cook’s Inlet. Her cabin
passengers for Cordova were R. R.
Smith and wife, C. Morgan, T. D.
Ramage, Miss Ramage. and 8 second
class. For Valdez there were two
cabin and 7 second-class; for
Seward, 6 cabin and 7 second-class.
-o—o—o
HONOLULU, May 26.—The grand
jury is investigating the charge of
assault with a deadly weapon against
United States District Attorney
McCarn. An attempt was made upon
his life and it is believed that it was
because of his activity in the pur
suance of what he considers his duty
in the investigation and prosecution
of certain unlawful acts upon the
part of violators of the law. Threats
had been made against the district
attorney and it is believed that an
effort was made to put them into
effect.
-o—o—o
NEW YORK, May 26.—Thirty
one years ago Brooklyn Bridge, for
a long time the greatest structure
that spanned any river, was opened
to traffic. The only celebration was
the flying of flags from the Manhat
tan and Brooklyn ends. It its 31
years the great suspension bridge
had earned close to $24,000,000 in
tolls for the city, according to esti
mates based on the earnings of
$23,224,572.31 up to one. year ago.
The greatest source of revenue is
from street cars. An average of
about 4,000, at a revenue of ten
cents a car, pass over the bridge
every day.
-o—o—o
Send the Dally Alaskan to friends.
WASHINGTON, May 26.—A very favorable prediction
for Alaka was made this morning by Representative Scott
Ferris, of Oklahoma, chairman of the House committee on
public lands and a member of the committee on territories. He
Alaska measures on the administration’s program will be
said, “I regard as certain that a coal leasing bill and other
passed by the House before adjournment. Oscar Underwood,
the floor leader in the House, assured me that we will get at
these bills right after the trust bills are out of the way. The
President has written me a letter within the past few days,
setting forth his keen desire that we do not adjourn without
first dealing with Alaskan matters. I cannot speak for the
Senate, but there is an intimation that that body will regard
the desires of the President in the matter of Alaskan
legislation.”
SEATTLE, May 20.—Thos. Riggs, .Tr., a member of the
Alaska Engineering Commission, gave out an interview this
afternoon, in which he freely discussed the present plans of
the government with reference to the preliminaries to railroad
construction. He said:
“Our surveys will be location surveys merely, and our
selection will not mean that the proposed road will be built on
the line selected by us. The one we are to survey is the one
about which there is least information. There will be 11
locating parties in the field and our work will take until about
the middle of October. Then in all probability the locating
engineers will meet at some point on Prince William Sound.
“After visiting various ports on the Sound for the purpose
of gathering data on local conditions, possible harbor facilities,
and probabilities of development along other railroad lines,
which will keep us busy until about December 1st, our next
step will be to prepare estimates of cost and construction. We
will submit these, together with all information gathered, to
President Wilson for his decision, as to which route will be
selected. We expect to have our report ready to submit to the
President about April 1st.”
Mr. Riggs stated that the proposed survey, to be first
undertaken, would extend up the valley of the Susitna, cross
into the Chulitna, go up that river to its head, over into Broad
Pass and down the Xenana river to the Tanana. “The survey,”
he said, ina} then follow the lanana to Fairbanks or may leave
the Xenana river at Healv crossing and go through the Xenana
coal fields and Bonnifield country to Fairbanks. If the road is
extended to the Yukon, the main line would either cross at
Xenanar or by going from llealy Crossing would cross the
Tanana at Fairbanks.”
SEATTLE, May 20.—“Fairbanks will probably be the
northern terminal and Portage Bay or Seward the southern
terminal of a government trunk line railroad in Alaska.
Cordova and aldez are also possible terminals.”
This was the expression given last night by Thos. Riggs,
Jr., one of the members of the Alaska Engineering Commission,
who had just arrived from Washington and was asked to give
an opinion as to the intention of the government on railroad
construction. Mr. Riggs was appropriately welcomed by the
Arctic Club and old time Alaskan friends.
Lieut. Mears did not reach this city, as he remained over
at Portland and will not arrive here until tomorrow. Mr. Edes
will be detained in closing his business affairs in California and
will not reach Seattle until June 14. Mr. Riggs will leave
Seattle on June 3, and proceed direct to Fairbanks via Skag
wa\, TV bite Horse and Dawson. Lieut. Mears will maintain
an office at Seattle and after the arrival of Mr. Mears they will
both proceed to Alaska and establish headquarters at Seward
or some point on Cook’s Inlet.
MAZATLAX, May 26.—Yesterday afternoon the American
and Japanese warships fired 21 gun salutes'as a tribute to the
Dowager Empress of Japan. The federal fortifications also
joined in the salute. This firing was misinterpreted by the
Constitutionalists as acts of beseiging so General Obregon’s
batteries began shelling the city, and considerable damage was
done before the situation was understood.
\ ERA ( RI Z, May 26.—The federals took a dozen shots at
American aeroplane scouts who were determining the positions
I of the enemy.
NIAGARA, FALLS, May 26.—Hurried confei ■ences were
held on Sunday at the request of the Mexican delegates. They
admitted that they were moved to this activity by the taking
of Saltillo and the threatened advance on the capital by the
rebels.
The steamer Sampson arrived in port this afternoon at 1
o’clock, bringing the 42 excursionists who are the guests of
President Alexander. They were met at the dock by Mayor
Boyle, several ex-mayors, the members of the Chamber of
Commerce and the men and women of the town. All th auto
mobiles and busses of the Alaska Transfer Company were at
the dock and soon the visitors were on their way up to the
town. A banner of welcome had been thrown across the Itreet
and all places of business were decorated with flags and
bunting. The rooms of {he Chamber of Commerce were visited
and then the men who represent some of the biggest industrial,
commercial and financial institutions on Puget Sound spent a
half hour in walking about the town. As it had been decided
not to take the railroad trip to the glacier until the return of
the party Mr. Alexander thought it best to leave so as to arrive
at Valdez early in the evening. Accordingly the party was
escorted back to the steamer in time for the gang plank to be
pulled up and the vessel to steam away at 2:30 o’clock.
SEATTLE, May 26.—Advices re
ceived from Washington indicate
that a strong effort will be made
upon the part of the administration
to secure additional legislation for
Alaska before Congress adjourns. It
is thought that the passage of the
coal leasing bill will result in an
early development of that industry.
Word from the capital indicates that
there is a likelihood of incorporating
into the bill a clause under which
claimants for public lands will be
given the privilege of appealing to
the courts from unsatisfactory deci
sions rendered by the interior
department.
Under the present system it is
possible to violate the laws of Con
gress, and during the past four or
five years the fact that decisions
have be.en rendered not upon the
law, but upon regulations drafted
for political purposes, has become
notorious. As the law at present is
carried' out, the land department
gathers the evidence against a claim
ant, acts as his prose.euting attorney
and the judge in the case, and quite
frequently it has happened that the
same man who prosecuted the case
has written the decision.
A change, in the law, allowing
claimants the right of appeal to the
courts, was first suggested by R. A.
Ballinger, during his term as secre
tary of the interior, who asserted
that each succeeding secretary of the
interior made a different interpreta
tion of the law. His suggestion,
embodied in a special message to
Congress by President Taft, found
no support. However, according to
the information received from the
national capital recently, a poll of
the Senate shows that a change of
heart has come in its work since the
fallacies and inconsistencies of Gif
ford Pinchot were laid bare to the
world, and the idea that Ballinger
promulgated stands more than an
even chance of becoming a law.
A judicial ruling on their cases is
what the coal claimants of Alaska
have always asked. The.ir claims
have been disqualified and rejected
for various reasons, the most notable
case being that of Clarence Cun
ningham and his associates, whose
claims were rejected because they
had not opened a mine on their
property. Yet within two weeks
after the final decision was rendered,
government employes were sent to
Alaska to mine coal on the Cun
ningham ground, and they took 800
tons of fuel from some of the open
ings that Cunningham made.
It is probable that an effort will
be made to bring about a change in
the regulations so that a claimant
for a piece of government land will
not be bankrupted in traveling
around the country with his lawyers
to try the case in which he is in
volved. Within a few weeks a num
ber of Alaskan cases are to be
brought to trial, and the claimants
have been notified that the evidence
will be taken in 32 cities in the
United States. Under the regula
tions a special agent may not be
moved more than 40 miles to give
testimony in a case, nut lie may
travel many thousands of miles in
gathering the evidence which he has
to tender. Therefore, the court is
moved to the locale of the particular
special agent who is to testify, and
the claimant and his attorneys and
witnesses, if he has any, have to
journel hither and yon all ove.r the
country to try his case piecemeal.
Among the coal claimants who are
now cited to appear and travel prac
tically all over the United States to
press their claims are Charles F.
Munday, C. Christopher, C. F. Dow
ton, C. A. McKenzie and M. A.
Green. Some of them already have;
expended many thousands of dol
lars in endeavoring to obtain
patents.
Another important clause in the
coal land leasing bill provides that
the. Alaskan coal claimants who have
a vested interest, or cases pending
before the department, may have the
first option of a lease of the property
to which they seek to obtain patent.
In the aggregate the Alaskan coal
claimants have paid the government
$320,000 for coal land, but prac
tically all of the claims have been
canceled, and there is no method by
which they may recover their money.
Fraud has been charged against
practically every claimant, but In
both cases in which criminal pro
ceedings were Instituted the courts
held that no fraud had been prac
ticed. It is the consensus of opinion
of local attorneys that the incorpora
tion of a clause providing for t a
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k SEATTLE, May 20. — Al- k
k though no official announce- k
k ment has l>een made as to the k
k future intentions of the Hum- k
k boldt Steamship Company, it k
k was stated this morning, upon k
k seemingly good authority that k
k this company intends to extend k
k its operations. At present they k
k operate the steamer Humboldt k
k between Seattle and South- k
k eastern Alaska, but it is stated k
k that they will extend their run k
k to Cordova and other xvestward *
k ports. For that purpose they k
k are planning the construction k
k of a large passenger and freight k
k steamer, to l>e modern in every k
k particular. k
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-w-y-U
The £as schooner Progress, In
command of Capt. Mike Meagher, is
now on its way north from Seattle,
to be gone at least three months. It
is the intention of the captain, who
is an expei ienced fisherman from
the East, to go “fletching“ for hali
but. This industry, which is com
mon in the East, has never before
beeji tried on this coast. The hali
but after they are caught are cov
ered with salt for two weeks. This
is sufficient time for them to be
completely cured, after which they
are, piled up like cordwood to await
shipment to the East,, where they
will be smoked. Halibut prepared in
this manner is common on the At
lantic Coast, but as yet has never
been introduced here.
Capt. Meagher will establish head
quarters at Kodiak and conduct his
operations from that point. He ex
pects to prospect for new halibut
banks in the vicinity of his head
quarters. The. Progress is a new
vessel of 115 tons net and 170 tons
gross, the largest gas schooner in
the trade. She is 103 feet long, 22
feet beam and powered with a 140
horse. power engine.
-o—o—o
SEATTLE, May 25.—It is ex
pected that the steamer Admiral
Evans will sail north tonight. The
t propeller that she. recently lost at
Seldovia was replaced. She will
make the run to the head of Cook’s
Inlet and will take on most or all of
the cargo of 900 tons of coal that
has been freighted from the Mat
anuska coal fields. She will take this
fuel to Bremerton where it will be
stored until the government is ready
to make a test. Any that is left by
the Evans at Knik Anchorage will
be brought back on the ne.xt trip of
the Sampson. General Agent Wat
son of the steamship company, went
westward on the present trip of the
Sampson and will remain at Knik
Anchorage until the arrival of the
Evans.
The, Admiral Evans will anchor
off Fire Island, in Cook’s Inlet. The
coal will be brought down from Knik
by barges prior to the Evans’ arrival,
and stored aboard the steamer
Bertha, lying off Fire Island. The
Bertha will transfer to the Evans as
much coal as will be decided upon
to take on this trip. The coal will
be stored in the government coal
docks at the Puget Sound navy
yard, until such time as it can be
properly tested. The armored cruisex
Maryland has been officially desig
nated to test Alaska coal, her officers
and crew being peculiarly skilled- in
this kind of work. The Maryland
has painted on her afte.r funnel the
large red “E” awarded by the navy
department, which signifies that she
is the most economical vessel of her
class in the navy for coal consump
tion. She is at present doing patrol
duty in Mexican waters and no
orders have been received regarding
her arrival at the Puget Sound navy
yard. It is thought, however, that
she will come north for repairs with,
in a few wee.ks.
-o—o—o
ST. PETERSBURG, May 26.—For
publishing a book on “Autonomy
Regional and National,’’ Prof. Beau
doin de Courtenay, a member of the
Imperial Academy of Russia, began
serving a two years’ sentence in one
of the fortresses. Because he advo
cated the granting by Russia of
Autonomy to individual districts, the
court held that the book was an in
citement to the. overthrow of the
existing government. Prof, de
Courtenay is one of the leading
literary men of the empire and a
recognized authority on Slavonic
languages.