SECOND YEAR
CHITIXA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MARCH », |»12.
NO. 22
Horses and rigs are plentiful in
Chitina this spring, and can be ob
tained from $75 to $200. The stock
available here can handle any freight
that will probably arrive.
It is estimated that there are 100
dogs in Chitina having a tractive
power ranging from two to 99
pounds, or an average of about 35
pounds. Properly handled this force
would move about ten tons of freight
on the Fairbanks trail in the pres
ent condition.
The recent rains and sunny days
have spoiled the trail on a few hills
with a south slope. Otherwise it is
in prime condition. Winter is not
over and the experienced ones look
for more snow.
There have been several inquiries
at the Leader office regarding the
legality of any instrument made by
the present incumbent of the com
missioner's office. It seems that a
few parties have some claim record
ing and other work, but which they
are delaying until they are assured
that an alien can do legal work that
will stand.
Systematic railroading and goof
weather are giving us an excellent
train service these days.
Twelve stalwart Russians left foi
Fairbanks Tuesday. John Gage con
tracted with them to transfer thek
baggage and provisions for the trij
at the rate of $25 per man. Thej
travel by foot with the outfit, pitch
ing camp at night, and will proba
bly reach their destination in 12 oi
15 days. Gage furnishes the grul
and tents at the given price whicl
makes it a cheap trip to the interior
A five-ton stamp mill left for Fair
banks in charge of W. Terril. Con
sidering the excessive expense foi
trail transportation on such articles
there must be some good looking
quartz inside.
Lindig, the restaurant man, took
the stage for Fairbanks.
We are glad to learn that T. C
^lapfluley has been put in charge oi
the iutqber department of the Ken
necott miaipa with an increase in sal
ary. He is experienced in this line
and his ability soon asserted itself.
If you have anything to sell oi
rent, or anything you wish to buy,
leave q statement at the office ol
the Leader and we will keep it on
file for the information of the pub
lic.
J(, E. Wilson returned this week
from Fairbanks. He left here about
five weeks ago with a big consign
ment of meat for the White Market,
which he contracted for at a very
low figure, Cheap rates over the
trail mean much to Cliitina and can
hurt no one.
John McCrary contemplates bring
ing his sawmill down from Copper
Center and cutting some native lum
ber which he Will put on the mar
ket. This will be ft great help to
those who intend to build this sum
mer as it can be sold for much less
than fir lumber, but as it is unsuit
able for outside work the sale of
fir fumber will not be reduced sine#
there will be an Incentive for more
building.
Ed Deffenbaugh, Fred Brown, Roy
Wilson, Charles Cameron and Angus
Halliday returned a few days ago
from a prospecting trip in the Hana
gita valley. They found colors, but
not enough to warrant further work.
Gold is very extensive there, but so
far as known yet, profitable only for
dredging, if at all.
Ned Hill, of Copper Mountain,
was in Chitlna tihs week. He re
ports everything very fine at the
big mine.
., __ _ M
“BULL CON”KEL
LFSJJHT
(Wiith apologies to F. P. Erunne.)
“I understand, Hinnessy,” said Mr.
Dooley, that a limb lv th’ law named
Healy is in throuble up in Chltina.”
"There’s two iv thim,” answered
Mr. Hennessy; “Sleuth Brown Is
lookin’ as sore as an Indian thryln
to get a bald-headed man’s scalp.”
“Thrue for ye,” observed Mr.
Dooley. “These two ripresintative
citizens are gettin’ tneirs, an’ it’s a
good thing for th’ counthry. There’s
thribulashun among th’ boes; onl>
ch’ other day I heard Bull Con Kell)
unload a bale iv woe that’d milt a
aeart iv stone.
“ ‘I had just retired for th’ night,
said Bull Con, ‘an’ was comfortably
reposin’ on ^h’ soft Ind iv a bee.
oarrel in th’ Chitina Hotel. I ha>.
dve inches iv Cloninger’s rye insidt !
.ne belt an’ a-feelin’ iv pace an con
-intment was gradually o’erspreadiu
aie sowl, whin th’ sarpint entere
me garden iv Eden in th’ shape iv ai
.nnoeent appearin’ gink with th’ pa
,ier. It was full iv me ould frin
Healy—an outrageous attack upo.
aim; an me ould tillicum Marsha
Brown came in for a roast also,
.mmediately wept bitter tears iv mis
ery at th’ insult to me two bit
-rinds, an’ I’ve never recovered froi
shock. Me pace iv mind's bee.
gon iver since; me poor sympatheti
juld heart's nearly busteu; I’m ;
/ictim iv insomnia; thim lamps i
.nine won’t remain shut; th’ bee
jarrel tiiat I’ve warmed so long ha
jo charms for me, an’ me name
nud. To add to all me throubles m
.nidical attindant hez took to ui’ ta.
i .imber, an’ if I wish to consult hii
i’ve got to hike to the Scolai Pass.
“ ‘But me gorge is rapidly risin
ne old tiilicums are not to be at
.acked wit- impunity. I’ve starte
-o rare up on my two hind legs an
.here’s goin’ to be somethin’ doin
Bein- under th’ weather mesilf,
-•ouldn’t undertake a thrip to Cpr
tovy on a brake beam, so I uepute.
.ne cabin mate. Box Car Ryan, an
ae left for th’ methropolis th’ Oi-»e
lay. He’s invisted with me ful
towers to demand an audience witi
ludge Cushman an’ lay th’ matte
oefore him.
“ ‘An order has also been sint ti
Seattle for a hand press, an’ a papei
iO be known as the Chitlna Repub
.ican, will be issued in a few week;
—I’m one iv th’ principle stocauold
ors. It’s purpose is to champion mi
two frinds, Healy an’ Brown. Speak
.n’ iv Brown, it really hurts me appe
tite for booze to see th’ pathetic loo!
on that reliable ould sleuth’s mug
tie can’t enjoy a game iv pool an:
more. He’s so distracted that hi
jokes holes in th’ clotn, much to th
joy iv th’ “Gambler’s Ghost,” who it
loin’ a thrivin’ bizness repairin
chim. Brown is gettin’ so thin thai
us crony—th' slick young gint in th
overcoat who is lookin’ att^er th’ in
cerests iv his two relatives on th
outskirts iv town—is disconsolate.
An’ well be may be, for his bizness is
on th’ bum; there’s a slump in th'
market.
“ ‘Th’ only thing that prevlnts me
from callin’ a hoboes’ convintlon an’
answerin' these base attacks by
nominatin' Healy tor delegate, is tn'
fear that th’ drunks might follow th’
gineral example an’ bolt,
“ ‘Th’ eoupthry’s rap.dly goln’ to
th’ dogs; but whin th’ Chitina He
publican comes out, $ts its associate
editor, i’ll have somethin’ further to
say on th’ subject, an’ Healy an'
Brown will be avenged.* ’’
“Th’ commissioner and th* mar
shal hiv a strong champeen in Bull
Con Kelly," remarknu Mr, Hen
nessy.
“Ivery gintleman afflicted with th'
hook-worm In Chitina Is fighting for
’em,” replied Mr. Dooley. "It’s a
case iv ‘God save me from me frlnds’
with these two—there'll be nothin’
doin’ for them at th’ federal trough
very Boon.”
SEATTLE BOND ISSU!
SEATTLE, March 7.—At the election on Tuesday the City
of Seattle took a rapid stride forward in the adoption of plans
of the Port Commission, and the voting of $2,000,000 bonds to
inaugurate the plans for Harbor Island terminals. This is con
sidered the most progressive and beneficial step that Seattle
has ever taken in its history. The Bogue plans for creating a
civic center in that part of the city north and east of the new
Hotel Washington building was defeated. A most important
decision upon the part of the voters was the defeat of the single
tax amendment to exempt improvements on land from taxation
and taxing vacant and improved land alike. The adoption of
this, amendment would have been as serious a blow to further
development of the city as is the endorsement of the Harbor
Island terminals an index of future greatness and growth.
The Pacific Terminals Company is at the head of the en
terprise which is to do so much to create a greater Seattle. The
president of this company, R. F. Ayers, of-New York, thus
-.peaks of the project and the benefit that the city will derive
from it:
“Seattle lias decided to become the greatest port of entry
of the Pacific coast, and the grouping together of all the neces
sary facilities, the providing of every known economy of oper
ation, is what we plan to do on Harbor Island, to establish a
port here with such facilities that no other city on the Pacific
can enter into competition.
“It is not enough to provide big roomy piers isolated fron.
each other. The piers must be grouped together in order t*
bring about a sufficient volume of business at one point to jus
tify the heavy cost of fireproof warehouses, the building ol
targe freight yards, the cost of railroad equipment and tin
maintenance of efficient organization to insure speed, accuracy
md economy in handling and safety of storage. And all these
we will soon have in Seattle.
“It is an established fact that when the Panama Canal i
tpened to steamship traffic, commerce is going to seek on tin
Pacific coast a port of entry which shall in time lead all othei
pacific ports by as great a margin as New York city leads al
jther ports on the Atlantic coast. The trans-oceanie steamshij
iines and the larger intercostal lines will seek terminals at tin
same port because it is the law of commercial development thai
concentration of shipping interests produces a corresponding
concentration of the interests which consume the larger por
cion of the cargoes which the steamers bring.
“The concentration of the larger steamship lines at one ol
the Pacific coast ports will be the first factor in establishing tin
leadership of that port. This one factor will bring to the saint
port the distributing depots for western territory of the largei
enterprises which deal in crude produets and raw materials.
“The next natural step is the location in the same port ol
the manufacturing industries which make goods from tliest
raw materials. These manufacturers will be competed with
by their larger rivals located in the east who will ship in large
piantities through the canal to the same port where they will
maintain distributing points capable of holding very large
stocks of their finished product.
“All this will mean an immediate increase in populatior
jnd a corresponding increase in banking facilities. All these
cactors soon unite to aid each other in producing furthei
growth. More manufacturers will be attracted by the improv
ed labor market and by the increased power of consumption ol
the population. More banking facilities will come to fill the
| need of increased business, more distribution of raw material
will come to supply the additional manufacturers attracted
also by good banking facilities and good steamship facilities.
More steamship lines will come to carry the increased business.
“The port which secures the first concentration of steam
ship lines on the opening of the canal will become the port of
entry of the Pacific coast, tiie manufacturing center, the bank
ing center and the population center just as New York is on the
| Atlantic coast and for the same reasons. And the people of
Seattle have decided to go ahead to such an extent that the
concentration of these steamship lines at this point is assured.
Past experience of other ports has shown that the port which
provides the facilities gets the steamships. There are today
eighteen steamship companies, American apd foreign, planning
to make an early selection of a Papifip cqast port in order to
have all their arrangements complete to get the very first busi
ness which w|l| meye thropgh the canal. A|j of these concerns
will very probably sigp pppfrapfs for berths within g year from
today, and I predict that Seattle w|ll be the favored city with
practically every one of them. ..
ttgf. (I, —-OOQQ-'
We congratulate our optimistic friends to the westward in
making the best of a situation that hasn’t been very encourag
ing since Mr. Pinchot’s conservation grip sought to retard the
entire territory. The Seward Gateway says; “Indications
point to the fact that there will be more legitimate mining de
velopment on the Kenai peninsula than in any previous year.
The region is slowly but steadily evolving into a mining camp
of formidable proportions. There are enough properties al
ready in process of development on the peninsula to Insure a
very prosperous season for the business men of Seward. There
is no reason to feel other than optimistic over our prospects. ’ ’
HEALY, THE ALIEN
Recent letters received reflect the views of most of the
people in the Chitina Valley. And now that they have the
feeling that the alien who usurps a judicial office can no longer
wreak his vengeance on those people who have had the cour
age to demand his removal, expressions on his many vicious
acts are freely heard. It is an open secret that M. R. Healy
forced the discharge of a faithful employe because he had the
courage to circulate a petition asking the court to remove this
same Healy from a position that he was dishonoring. And
“Judge” Healy and his “friends” have but recently publicly
boasted that they would “get” another official who had sign
ed this petition. Under threats of arrest and other means of
persecution this unworthy judge and his obedient stool-pigeon.
Deputy Marshal Brown, have made themselves a terror in the
community where they are expected to preserve peace and
order. But they are no longer feared, for so long as they are
permitted to retain office their actions will be carefully scrut
inized and irregularity or wrong-doing on their part will be
publicly exposed. The editor of the Daily Alaskan will stand
to the end back of this effort to remove from a position of
trust and honor an unworthy official who is not an American
citizen. The public who know of his acts have placed their
seal of disapproval upon the further tolerance of his official
existence. He may try to cloud the issue by crying “politics,”
but this false-hearted official vampire knows that the writer
knows that there are a dozen reasons why he should be ruth
lessly thrown from the office he has desecrated. If necessary,
,ve will later go into these reasons, but at present we are bas
ing our demand for his removal principally upon the fact that
i grand jury practically recommended it because he is not an
American citizen.
ALIEN HEALY'S OATH OF OFFICE
DID HE COMMIT PERJURY?
M. R. Healy, an itinerant soldier of fortune, who is
now and always has been a subject of Great Britain,
was appointed United States Commissioner of the
Chitina Precinct less than a year ago. He has since
performed judicial functions that have to do with the
liberty and property of American citizens. Prior to
assuming his duties and until he was compelled to ad
mit otherwise before the Grand Jury, Commissioner
Healy posed as a citizen of the United States. In
April last lie subscribed to the following oatli of of
fice :
“I, M. R. Healy, do solemnly swear that I will’
support and defend the Constitution of the United
States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that
I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that
I take this obligation freely, without any mental res
ervation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well
and faithfully discharge and perform all the duties of
the office on which I am about to enter, and therein do
equal right and justice to all men. So help me God.”
On 1 uesday the voters ot Valdez held a primary. It was
supposed to be a Republican primary. No attempt was made,
however, to bar from participation the men who are known as
\\ ickersham Republicans, Territorial C'ommitteman Sam
Blum had made the request of the judges of election that they
do not exact any pledge that voters had supported Ed S. Orr
at the last election, lie did this in the interest of harmony,
and with the assurance that only bona fide Republicans would
attempt to vote. Mr. Blum is now in California and took no
part in the primaries, although his name was placed on a ticket
as follows: Thomas R. Shepard, James Fish, Jesse C. Martin,
Joseph Murray, E. \\ heat, S. Blum. Another ticket had these
names on them: Thomas R. Shepard, James Fish, Jesse C. Mar
tin, Norman Merchant, Ray Larson, Barney Niebling.’ The
latter ticket was elected. One hundi-ed and forty-eight votes
were cast. There was no particular issue, except that a certain
element- just to show how they appreciated Mr. Blum’s effort
at harmony turned in and defeated him during his absence.
A plea for the relief of railroads in Alaska is contained in
Attornel General Wickorsham’s latest report. Under the
present law railways in Alaska are taxed at the rate of $100
per mile per year for every mile of road operated. Not one of
the roads, with the exception ot the White Pass Railwav, can
afford to pay such a tax. In some cases the tax has been re
mitted when it was shown conclusively that the enforcement
of the provisions of the law would drive the road into bank
ruptcy. The attorney general recommends, therefore, that the
tax be reduced or that the act be repealed entirely. The rec
ommendation is just and fair, to the railways and to the peo
ple alike. Private railroading in Alaska is a precarious busi
ness, and would-be investors should lie encouraged to place
their money in such enterprises rather than discouraged from
the start by a heavy burden,—Fairbanks Times.
- 1
Erm - .
Kennecott, March 7, 1912.
On the first of the month Harry
Wolking was appointed foreman in
charge of construction work on the
concentrator plant. Mr. Wolking
has been employed at Kennecott dur
ing the past year and his many
friends here are pleased at his ad
vancement.
Everything possible is being done
to rush work on the concentrating
plant, and a large force of men is
now employed in getting it ready for
business. Practically all of the
heavy timbers and lumber used In
its construction are of native stock,
having been saw'ed at Kennecott.
William Deyo has received a new
camera and is now in a position to
get larger pictures of the wonderful
scenery in this neighborhood. His
collection of Chitina valley scenes,
including several remarkable photo
graphs of Mount Blackburn, cannot
be excelled.
T. R. Hunt, general foreman, left
on February 1 for his home in Den
ver, Colo. During the two months ho
has been at Kennecott his unfailing
cheerfulness, uniform courtesy and
devotion to duty made him a host of
warm friends, who sincerely regret
his leaving.
Charley David arrived from the
logging camp on the last train with
all of his crew, excepting four men,
left behind for the loading of logs.
He has been appointed foreman of
outside operations at this place.
Everything is in readiness for the
installation of the oil tanks upon
their arrival. Wood is now used for
fuel at the power house, and the
change to oil will be welcomed.
On the tram line the new passen
ger-carrying car “Louise” is fre
quently in use during this soft
weather, and as the car is comfort
ably furnished, the trip to the mine
(a rather trying experience in an
ore bucket) can now be made in
comfort.
Republican primaries were held
here on March 5. J. H. Jones and F.
A. Iverson were chosen as delegates
to the Cordova convention.
A straw vote was taken recently
among the men for the purpose of
ascertaining their Presidential pref
erences. Sixty-eight votes were cast
with the following result: Roosevelt.
33; Taft, 11; Wilson, 7; Clark, 6;
Bebs, 5; LaPollette, 2; scattering,
4.
John Amber, William Wooden, H.
Sorensen and Angus Halllday ar
rived on Wednesday’s train from
Chitina.
Ptarmigan have been plentiful in
this vicinity of late, and a consider
able number have been kll.ed with
in a few yards of camp.
The wiring of the high voltage
lines from the Bonanza to the Jumbo
mine is to commence at once under
the direction of D. Rhodes.
E. W. Brooks, of the Rex Mining
Company, arrived in Chitina Thurs
day for the purpose of procuring
some supplies. His company is put
ting a hydraulic plant on Rex Creek.
Mr. Brooks, who is vice president of
the company, has charge of the work
and reports very good progress. He
is consistent In his statements and
in predicting a good season for the
Nlzlna country we believe he knows
whereof he speaks.
The warm weather is threatening
to break up the Copper River. The
Ice is not nearly as heavy this win
ter as usual, and it is probable that
the break up will not damage the
railroad bridge to any great extent.