GOAL FIELDS AT
BEK RIVER
VISITER
Geo. C. Hazelet, president of the
local Chamber of Commerce, and
Falcon Joslin, president of the Tanana
Valley railroad, have just returned
from a visit to the oil fields at Katalla
and the Bering river coal fields, where
they made an examination of the natu
ral resources. The trip was made to
Katalla on the launch Prospector and
they mushed from the coal fields to
Mile 38, on the Copper River railway,
over the proposed route for transport
ing the coal from Bering river to Cor
dova, and are very' enthusiastic over
the future of this section of the coun
try. To a Dally Times reporter Mr.
Joslin said:
“Our trip into the Bering River coal
field and to Katalla was immensely in
teresting. What we saw tends to con
firm what 1 have long claimed, that
Is, that Alaska is acre for acre as rich
in natural resources as any other
equal area in the world.
“In the Tanana Valley the resources
are gold and agriculture. In the Cop
per River Valley it is copper; at Katal
la the resources are coal and oil.
What delights one Is to find that both
the coal and the oil is very finest
quality. In the time to come the
name ‘Alaska Coal* and ‘Alaska Oil*
will become trade names signifying
the very best.
“We mined coal from a vein twenty
feet thick and burnt'it in a coal stove
we found in an abandoned camp on
Carbon creek that was so high in fuel
value it would probably have melted
the stove if the draft had been left
open The coal which analysis shows
has between 70 and 80 per cent fixed
carbon burns white hot. We were in
formed by those who have used the
coal that it will melt the grates in an
ordinary stove if not used carefully.
We were reliably told of a case where
a 12 inch drill bit left in the forge to
be heated while the blacksmith was
at lunch was found to melted when he
returned, and this without forced
draft.
“We also made coke of this coal by
starting a fire with it and then cov
ering it with earth. It seems quite
probable, however, that the coal is of
such high heating value It may be
used for smelting as it comes from the
mine, without coking it. If this
should prove to be true it will be a
great economy in the smelting of the
copper ores adjacent to Cordova
The coal field is more than 30 miles
long and several miles in width. In
the upper end of the field, which we
did not visit, there is said to be the
finest anthracite coal. The field at
its nearest available point is about 25
miles from the Copper River railroad
and about the same distance from tide
water at Katalla. There in an excel
lent route for a branch line railroad
from the Copper River road from
about Mile 39 via Lake Charlotte. We
also went over part of this route and
over all the alternate route via Kattal
la and the sea shore. Either route is
quite feasible. If the line should go
via Lake Charlotte to the coal it will
probably be found advantageous to
extend it on to Katalla, for the de
velopment of the oil field about there
will undoubtedly make sufficient traffic
to attract a railroad.
“Indeed it is entirely possible that
the oil field may become of more value
and importance than the coal- The
oil field as proved by seepages—ex
tends from the Copper River delta on
the west to Yakataga on the eaBt, a
distance of more than a hundred
miles. It appears to skirt the shore
line and in width extends toward the
Interior 10 or 15 miles. It is not a
small field as I had supposed, but a
very large field. We found gas bub
bling up in many places in Bering
Lake and found we could with a
match light the bubbles as they came
through the water.
“There are three or four producing
wells near Katalla and a small refin
ery There is about 45,000 gallons of
crude oil produced monthly from
which about 15,000 gallons of gaso
line is produced. The rest is wasted.
It is a pity to see the fine paraflne
base oil thrown away from the lack
of means to refine and market it.
“In spite of these wonderfully fine
resources the whole district is dead
commercially. It is a sad example of
the conservation policy of the govern
ment. Now a revival seems In pros
pect. Whether these resources are to
be opened by private enterprise or un
der government ownership with prob
ably be decided within the next few
months. The government is making
an investigation of Controller Bay as a
harbor and railroad terminus for
the district. Itis evident that no
satisfactory harbor can be found or
It seems hardly rational for it to build
a second line to the Bering River coal
to compete with itself. So that it is
probable that the Bering River coal
and the oil also will eventually be
brought to market at Cordova. ”
CHANGES IN STAFF AT
CHITINA RAILROAD STATION
L. C. Geiser, station agent, and his
son, C. H. Geiser, relay operator, at
the Chltina depot, of the Copper River
& Northwestern railway, have re
signed their positions and will return
to the states. Henry J. Brandt, pay
master for the company, will succeed
the station agent as soon as J. V.
Lydick returns from his trip to the
states. In the meantime G. A. Strat
man, who has been employed at the
Cordova dock, will be in charge at
Chitina. H. W. Sheridan, Jr. has been
appointed relay operator.
-:o:
In a letter received by United
States Attorney R. F. Roth of Fair
banks from the attorney general, he
Is Informed that the department con
curs in his opinion that the legislature
of Alaska had no authority to pass
a law regulating the sale of liquor
in the territory. The act referred
to is more familiarly called the
“hootch peddling law,” in which the
legislature attempted to reduce the
crime of selling liquor to natives from
a felony to a misdemeanor, and mak
ing it a misdemeanor for natives to
receive or purchase Intoxicants.
Some months ago, Mr. Roth had
occasion to prosecute a man on the
lower river for the illegal sale of
liquor to natives. He proceeded un
der the old law passed by congress.
It so happened that the offense was
committed prior to the time that the
territorial law was passed, but the
case did not come up until after the
new act went into effect The defen
dant demurred on the ground that the
law under which the prosecution was
started did not exist any longer, and
therefore the accused could not be
held. The demurrer was overruled,
but the court did not fell called upon
to pass upon the validity of the act at
that time.
men Mr. Kotn too* me matter up
with the department and offered the
opinion that the legislature had gone
farther than was permissible under
the enabling act. The letter received
was in answer to that communication,
and stated that the department con
curred In the opinion.
It Is probable, however, that the
matter will not be settled definitely
until the courts have an opportunity
to pass upon the matter, as the at
torney-general's opinion Is not binding
upon the Judges. The district at
torney is simply instructed to prose
cute all cases according to the old law.
One well-known attorney, when
consulted regarding the matter, said
that the enabling act specifically
states that the legislature has not
the authority to regulate the “sale”
of liquor. The act does not state,
however, that it cannot regulate the
receiving or giving of liquor, and in
this way the terrltoral lawmakers
could pasB an act making it a mis
demanor for the natives to receive in
toxicants or to give them away to
another. In this way, any native vi
olating the liquor law could be pun
ished.—Fairbanks Times.
Bmcnil™$
FROM NEW railroad town
ANCHORAGE, Oct. 20—A shipment
of fifteen tons of vegetables from the
Matuska valley, which consisted oi
potatoes, cabbage, rutabagas, etc.,
brought here for sale this week, found
a ready market.
A half hundred men are employed
in the handsome structures being
erected by H. T. Fowler and associ
ates. That section of town, ag a re
sult, is a veritable beehive of industry.
Improvements are being made this
week on the roads through the term
inal grounds, located on the site of the
old tent city. The teaming between
the new town and the government
works and Government Hill is quite
extensive, and these improvements
will be appreciated by a great many
people.
F. F. Farrington, the transfer man,
has secured a tie contract and with
his family will winter on his Matanus
ka homestead- Mr. Farrington will
take horses, cows and hogs, to stokk
his farm, and plans on making it his
permanent abode.
place. In addition, two large hay
barns have been erected, and one fair
sized building for general uses in con
nection with this department.
-:o:
MAIL CONTRACT AWARDED
SEWARD TO ANCHORAGh
Colonel H. E. Revell has secured
the contract for carrying the mail
over the trail from Seward to Anchor
age this winter. The contract calls
for eight hundred pounds of mail a
week which, with the interior mail
also carried by the colonel, will mean
something like fifteen hunderd pounds
of mail going out of Seward each
week. Mr. Revell says it will require
about fifty dogs to fill both contracts.
Mail for the interior begins going over
the trail from Seward on November 15.
MINIM EXPERT
Thomas Riggs, Jr., of the Alaska
Engineering Commission, who passed
through Cordova the other day on his
way from Fairbanks to Seward, to
consult with Chairman Edes, believes
that there would be greater develop
ment in Alaska if the territory em
ployed an expert mining engineer,
whose duty it would be to make re
ports on all likely looking properties.
Mr. Riggs would have the territory
pay the salary of this engineer and
make the owners of the property pay
only the actual expenses of the en
gineer while he was examinig their
property. Then if the report of the
government engineer was favorable,
many capitalists would be inclined to
pay for a thorough examination of
the various properties, while as con
ditions are at the present time, they
dislike to expend some five or six
thousand dollars for the superficial
examination.
To keep the office out of politics,
so that the territory would be assured
of a good man at all times, he sug
gests that it would be well to let the
secretary of the interior select a
competent man from the civil service
list.
During the last few years it has
been the experience of many holders
of mining properties that capitalists
would look over their property if they
would pay for part or all the expenses
of the superficial or preliminary ex
amination. If this could be avoided,
many of them, as well as Mr. Riggs,
think that there would be more money
invested, as there are many good prop
erties going begging because of the
fact that outside people dislike to
take a chance on property so far away.
CUN HANDLE ALL
THE TRAIL
The auto stage line between Chitina
and Fairbanks is making better time,
since the recent cold snap set in, and
the trail is now in good condition for
driving the Jeffrey-Quad trucks and
the five passenger Dodge cars. Horses
have also been stationed at regular
intervals, so that in case ot accident
the passengers will lose no time. The
horese, however, will be used only in
case of emergency.
Volney T- Richmond, superinten
dent of the Northern Commercial Com
pany, which has the mail contract,
believes that this new mode of trans
portation will enable his concern to
handle an increased service, over the
trail, at all seasons of the year. By
routing the mail via Cordova during
the summer months its delivery in
Fairbanks would mean a saving of
from ten to twelve days. Mr. Rich
mond says:
"There is no reason in the world
why we couldn’t handle all the mail
all the time if the government would
only authorize the shipments and
offer adequate compensation. We
certainly are willing to do all we can
to induce the government to ship all
the mail all the time, and would like
to see the people of the Interior do
everything possible.
“Not only are we prepared to han
dle all the mall all the time In the
winter, but in the summer as well.
It would mean that the people of
the Interior could get their mail In
about half the time now consumed In
getting it to Fairbanks.
“As last year, R. D. Menzie will be
manager, with C. E. Lake acting as
superintendent In charge of the actual
Operation of the horse stages between
Aitlna and Tanana. The horse stage
JfefQf the business will be conducted
CHARGES FILED
AGAINST GOV.
STRONG
Dispatches received from Washing
ton confirmed statements that have
been made on the streets by Edward
I. Wade, who was a stenographer
and clerk In the Governor's office from
early in August until the 18th of the
present month, that he had filed
charges against Gov. J. F. A. Strong.
The Seattle Times’ correspondent,
according to the Seattle dispatches,
said in today's Times: “Formal
charges were filed against Gov. J. F.
A. Strong with President Woodrow
Wilson late yesterday afternoon. The
Alaskan executive is charged with re
taining a Republican in office, the
said Republican being William W.
Shorthill, the Governor's private sec
retary .
"The charges against the Governor
are written on stationary from the ex
ecutive office and are signed by Will
iam (Edward) I. Wade, who, it is pre
sumed at Washington, is a former
clerk in the Governor’s office. On
plain oap?r Wade iniorms the Presi
dent that he has resigned in order to
be free to file charges against the
Governor. The charges against the
Governor aver that Shorthill manifests
‘a partisanship of a particularly of
fensive and radical type, and that his
incumbency of this important conl
detial and lucrative office is In defi
ance of democratic protests of the
most vigorous and trenchment charac
ter.’
"It is understood that the charges
will be laid before Secretary Lane, of
the Department of the Interior, to
day and that he will determine what
action will be taken.”
After resigning his position in the
Governor’s office, Mr. Wade stated
that it was due to friction between
himself and Mr. Shorthill, and for
several days he has been conducting
a more or less vociferous campaign
against the Governor for retaining
Shorthill in his office. He has stated
that he had filed charges against the
Governor for doing so, and alleged
that Shorthill is a hitter partisan Re
publican, The incipent campaign
against the Governor was not regard
ed seriously in Juneau.
When questioned regarding the
charges Gov. Strong replied:
“I have nothing to say in regard to
the matter as I consider the charges
too absolutely foolish to pay any at
tention to them. I shall make my an
swer to them. I shall make my an
swer to the Secretary of the Interior
if I am called upon to do so.”
William W. Shorthill, in a state
ment given to The Empire today, said
that he is not a Republican and never
has been one: that he has voted only
once for President, and that was for
William J. Bryan in 1896, and that hp
has taken little part in politics in Al
aska except to vote.—Juneau Empire.
NEW STEAMER IS
FASTEST OF
THE FLEET
The steamer Kansas City, recently
purchased by the Alaska Steamship
Company, will be the largest vessel
engaged in the Alaska trade in point
of gross tonnage, and she will lead in
indicated horsepower The North
western and Victoria only lead her in
length, and the Northwestern in net
tonnage The Kansas City is 13 feet
longer than the Mariposa and ex
ceeds her in tonnage by more than
500.
The Kansas City was built at Chest
er, Pa., in 1889; is built of iron; reg
isters 3,679 gross tons and 2,163 net
tons. She is 327 feet in length, has
a beam of 45 feet and a depth of 18.8
feet. Her engines are capable of de
veloping 4,000 horse power, and her
required crew Is 79.
Rumors of the purchase of the Kan
sas City by the Alaska S. S. Co. were
in circulation last spring, but it was
later stated that the owners and the
Alaska S. S. Co. failed to agree on
terms. Officials of the Alaska S. S.
Co. made no secret of the fact that
they wanted the Kansas City.
Later the Alaska S. S. Co. and the
Paciflc Coast S, S. Co. entered nego
tiations f6r the purchase by the form
er of the latter’s steamship Puebla,
and again there was a failure to agree
to trms.
J. B. Farrell has gone to the states
on a short visit
H. A. Ballard has accepted a post
LOML NEWS ITEMS OF THE WEEK
What Is Transpiring In and About Cordova
MONDAY
Link Wain has returned to town
from ills westward.
'/rank il. Townsend has returned
from a trip to the states.
Stephen Palmer, of Nizina. arrived
in town on Sunday’s train.
P. A. Johnson, a well-known mining
man, formerly of Nome is in town.
James MasCormac has been suffer
ing from an injury to his wrist, for
several days past.
H. Millard and wife, of Seattle,
came to Cordova on the Alameda and
will make this town their home.
Geo. R. Gosbaw came over from
Valdez on the City of Puebla and ex
pects to return to Chisana.
H. F. Andrus, who is one of the op
erators in Nizina district, was an
arrival from the interior on yester
day’s train.
Mrs. E. S. Norland and little
daughter, of Everett, are visiting the
former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.
Baur.
Edward M Bates and wife have re
turned from an extended visit to the
states- They attended the Panama
Pacific Exposition while outside.
Bert Carvey. who has been mining
in the Nizina district, accompanied by
his wife, arrived in town on yester
day’s train.
A pair of rubbers was left at the
home of Mrs. W’. B. Hancock, when
she gave her children’s party last
week, and the owner can secure same
by calling for them.
G. A. Coleman, manager for the
Northern Commercial Company at
Fairbanks, accompanied by his wife,
was in town over Sunday and left for
the interior on today’s train.
Mrs. J. V. Carter and baby were
arrivals from Seattle on the steamer
Alameda to join the former’s husband
who had housekeeping apartments
awaiting them in the Kendrinck build
ing on Front street.
On Saturday evening Mrs. W.
Bertram Hancock gave a most de
lightful party to the young people in
honor of Miss Ethel Price, wno will
shortly leave for the states. The
evening was pleasantly spent in danc
ing and the playing of games, after
which delightful refreshments were
served
Thomas Riggs, Jr., Falcon Joslin
and R. C. Wood, of Fairbanks, board
ed the steamer Alameda here yester
day for Seward and Anchorage.
Mrs. Alvah Eames, who spent the
past couple of months with friends in
Portland, returned home on the Ala
meda last night.
nixiensive improvements are oeing
made by Murphy & Thompson to the
interior of the Mecca gallon. A new
floor is being laid, the pool room will
be partitioned off and linoleum placed
in the bar. A new safe has also been
housed.
Yesterday Fred Clausen, who was
employed in the building of a “Y”
trestle at Miles Glacier, on the Cop
per River railway, met with a painful
and possibly serious injury. He was
pushed off the trestle by a swinging
timber and hurled to the ground with
considerable force- Clausen was
brought to the company hospital on
the afternoon train, where he is rest
ing comfortably.
The steamer Alameda arrived in
Cordova about 9 o’clock Saturday
night with the following passengers
for here.: F. R. Townsend, E. M.
Bates and wife, Mrs. E. Norland, Mrs
J. V. Carter, Mrs. A. Eames, H’
Maillard and wife, J. Wiklund. G. A.
Colman and wife, C. Adams, F. Cox,
Miss M. Williams, O. J. Berg, F.
Johnson and 4 steerage.
The City of Pubebla sailed for Seat
tle at 11 o'clock this morning, after
taking aboard 1250 tons of copper ore.
Her outgoing passengers were Alex
Horton, S. W. Emerson, A. A. Mc
Donald, J. Crowley, Geo. E. Kenyon,
A. M. Dewey, W. D. Skelton, L>. K.
Svendsen, E. Bassett, D. Boisseau, H.
McIntosh, Win- Jean, C. A. Leonard,
L. Robbins, H. Flore, H. Hutchinson,
Geo. Madden, Herman Hoffman, S. H.
Palmer, John Miller, J. R. Cordingly
for Seattle; Peter Miller, J. A. Kissel,
Juneau; L. H. Carvey and wife, Ket
chikan.
TUESDAY
The theremometer took a tumble
last night and as a result Eyak lake
is frozen over and if the cold weather
continues for a few days there will be
good skating.
A. E. Harris, the rustling passenger
agent for the Chicoga. Milwaukee &
St. Paul railway, stopped in Cordova
long enough to greet friends and place
an advertisement for his company in
the Daily Times. Mr. Harris is on his
way to the westward, but upon his re
turn will remain here several days.
The new rotary for the Copper River
& Northwestern railway is now on its
way here, having left Seattle on the
freighter Cordova last Sunday.
Deputy Marshal Will F'ursman and
wife are passengers aboard the Farra
gut for their home at Naknek.
The freighter Cordova left Seattle
for this port on Sunday.
The U. S. S. Prometheust dropped
anchor in the local harbor at 9 o’clock
this morning, having come direct from
Bremerton, Wash. She will repair the
damage done to the Whitshed wireless
station by a recent explosion and so
far as can be ascertained the big re
pair ship expects to be here from ten
to twelve days.
The steamer Farragut arrived at
Cordova from Seattle at 2:30 o'clock
this afternoon. Her only passenger
for here was Sam Thompson.
Officials of the Alaska Steamship
company have received advices from
the divers working on the wrecked
steamer Mariposa, near Bella Bella,
stating that the steamer will be easily
floated, as heavy seas cannot reach
the vessel to interrupt the work of the
Salvor's crew.
WEDNESDAY
Mrs. J. Howard, of Iditarod, is in
town.
There will be a train for Chitina and
Kennecott tomorrow morning.
Joel Moreney, of Fairbanks, is in
towns on his way to the states.
A few of our young people enjoyed
the skating on Eyak lake last night.
Alvah Eames made an official trip to
the westward on yesterday's steamer.
Pat Meehan, of Iditarod, is among
the guests registered at the Alaskan
hotel.
ine cablesliip Burnside is still at
Valdez and expects to sail direct from
there to Seattle,
Thos. B. Hyde, of the White Pass
steamer line, came out from Fairbanks
on yesterday’s train.
H. W. Ross has returned from
Sitka, where he spent a month at the
Hot Springs, and is a good booster for
the benefits to be derived there.
Capt. A. E. Lathrop went to Valdez
on the Farragut, and will open his new
theatre there this week.
Mrs. D. C. Steel came in from Mile
114, on yesterday’s train, and will
make a trip to the states.
Mrs. Lee Butler came down from
Chitina, on yesterday’s train, to spend
a few days with Cordova friends.
The civilian radio crew of the Pro
metheus are now at Whitshed, making
the necessary repairs to the navy wire
less station.
Andrew Mason, better known as
“Scotty” was arrested on the charge
of vagrancy, preferred by Deputy
Marshal Brightwell and the United
States Commissioner sentenced him to
serve sixty days in the federal Jail.
The injuries of Fred Clausen, who
was knocked from a trestle at Mile
49 are not as serious as first reported
and his condition is rapidly improving
at the company hospital.
THURSDAY
A set of cable instruments have
been received by the local Signal
Corps office for installation at the
Whltshed radio station.
The Cordova Mining & Development
Company has opened an assay office in
the Hegner building on C avenue,
where assays will be made of the Mc
Kinley Lake gold quartz from prop
ties now being experted by that com
pany.
Yesterday the three men who were
badly burned by an explosion at the
Whitshed radio station on October 14
were removed from the railroad com
pany hospital to the collier Prome
theus and are on the way to recovery.
David Barry, civilian member of the
working party from the Prometheus,
suffered the greatest injuries, and for
a time his condition was critical, but
he is now getting along nicely. A. J.
Holton, gunner of the U. S. Navy, and
M. Schajkowski, machinst at the wire
less station, was also badly burned
about the face and hands, but their
wounds are healing and they will soon
be about again.
FRIDAY
The freighter Seward is in port,
loading 2,000 tons of copper ore for
the Tacoma smelter.
Mrs. Maude Rice is spending a few
days in town.
O. E. Jones, of Mile 89, is spending
a few days in town.
Tomorrow’s train from Chitina is
expected to arrive shortly after noon.
Mrs. K. G. Robinson yeft on this
morning’s train for McCarthy, where
she has accepted a position as teacher
of the schools there, which open on
November 1.
Mrs. Thomas C. Price and daughter.
Miss Ethel, will shortly leave Cordova
having disposed of their cottage on
Fourth street to Harry I. O'Neill. They
will visit relatives at Juneau and
Treadwell before proceeding to Arl
ington. Wash., where they expect to
make their future home. Mrs. Price
and Miss Ethel have many friends in
Cordova, who will regret their re
moval from our midst.
F. A. Jones received word in the last
mail that his father, C. E. Jones, of
Stockton. Cal., had been stricken with
paralysis and as he is weli advanced
in years, being 64, Frank and his wife
will leave an the Alameda for the
former's old home, and expect to he
gone five or six weeks.
E. T. Stannard. mining engineer
for the Kenneeott Copper Corpora
tion, arrived from the westward on the
Alameda and will go to Kenneeott on
the next train.
Thomas Riggs. Jr., member of the
Alaska Engineering Commission, is in
town today on his way to Washington.
Mr. Riggs made a trip to Seward to
confer with Chairman Edes, who ex
pects to leave for the states on the
next sailing south of the Admiral
Evans, and will spend the winter in
Wasington. Lieutenant Mears will re
main at Anchorage.
Falcon Poslin was a returning pas
senger today from Anchorage, where
he inspected the construction of the
government railroad. Mr. Joslin is
president of the Tanana Valley rail
way at Fairbanks and is on his way
to the states, where he will spend the
winter.
R. C. Wood, president of the First
National bank at Fairbanks, returned
on the steamer Alameda from a trip
to Anchorage and he expresses him
self as very much impressed with the
townsite and character of buildings
erected at the new railroad terminal.
Mr. Wood took a trip out the line,
the rails having been laid for a dis
tance of seven miles, while the grad
ing extends towards Matanuska for
about forty miles. He says the
Commission expects to receive a de
ficiency appropriation in December
and by laying track at the rate of a
mile a day expect to have the rails
laid for the forty miles by the end of
the year.
SATURDAY
J. D. Reagh, manager of the Domin
ion Commercial Company, at Fair
banks, was a passenger on yesterday’s
train and left on the Alameda for the
states.
Miss M. A. Davis, representing an
outside publishing house is spending
a few days in Cordova.
F. A. Jones and wife left on the Ala
heda for California, where the form
er’s father Is ill.
COPPER RIVER & NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY
Good Passenger and Freight
Service to Interior Alaska
For Rates and Other Information Apply
DEPOT OFFICE