LATE TELEGRAPHIC HEWS HOTES
A Record of the Principal Happenings of the World
LONDON .July 21.—One of the
newspapers publishes an epitome of
the news of Whitsun week a year
ago, to contrast the trivial news of
that time with the stirring events of
today. A year ago Mr. Lloyd George
delivered a speech at Criccieth while
Mr. Asquith was playing golf on the
Hollyhead links. The Derby race had
been run. Two suffragettes were
bound over for attacking the doctor
of Holloway jail with a dog whip, and
another for using a hatchet on the
Bartalozzi sketch, "Love Wounded,”
at the Dore Gallery. At Oxford Uni
versity, the honorary degree of doc
tor of civil law was , conferred on
Prince Lichnowsky, the German
ambassador.
BRIDGEPORT,, CONN, July 23.—
The strike in the ammunition factory
of the Remington Arms Company his
been ended. The company has entered
> into an agreement with the unions,
whereby the men secure a partial in
crease of wages.
WASHINGTON, D. C., July 23.—
President Wilson today announced his
intention of returning to his summer
home at Cornish, N. H„ within the next
24 hours. The length of stay of the
president with his family will this
time depend entirely on the develop
ment of the German situation.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ July 23.—
President Wilson cancelled today’s
meeting of the cabinet because there
was no business of state pressing
enough to warrant bringing the cabi
net ministers together.
SEATTLE, July 23—.The torpedo
boat destroyers, Paul Jones, Perry.
Preble and Stewart, sailed from here
last night bound for Sitka. They will
later go to Dutch Harbor, and will
cruise around the Aleutians until
autumn. The Whipple, which is s
part of the flotilla, was delayed at
Port Orford because of a heavy storm,
that compelled her to seek refuge, but
will follow the others north in a few
days.
NEW YORK, July 23—William M.
Ivins, one of the best known lawyers
in the United States, and a recognized
leader of the American bar, died here
today at the age of 64. Ivins was for
merly city chamberlain of this city,
and was a Republican candidate for
mayor at one time. He represented
William Barnes in the recent suit
brought by the latter against Theo
dore Roosevelt for libel.
< WASHINGTON, D. C., July 23.—
James M. Sullivan, United States
minister to San Domingo has resigned
by request, after an investigation made
by the state department into certain
charges that had been filed against
him. The general fitness of the min
ister to hold the office was attacked
in the charges, and the investigation
resulted unfavorably to him. The
testimony showed that he had helped
his friends to get contracts and other
advantages from Domingo.
\
WASHINGTON, D. C.. July 23.—
The official figures for the mineral pro
duction of Alaska for the last year
have been announced by the govern
ment. The gold output was $15,760,
000. This shows an increase of
$140,000 over the previous year. Last
year Alaska produced 21,451,000
pounds of copper, which is a decrease
of 209,000 pounds under the preceding
year. The total mineral output of
the territory was $19,119,000. This Is
a decrease from 1913 of $358,000.
From figures now available, it is con
fidently believed that the present year
will be the banner year for mineral
production in Alaska. This is due to
the great amount of copper that is
being shipped from Cordova to the
States running in one month to over
$2,000,000.
NOME, July 24.—The Corwin has
returned from her first walrus hunt
and relates a tale of frightful suffer
ing on the part of the Russian ship
Kolyma on the coast of Siberia, which
suffering resulted in the loss of four
lives and the loss of the hands of
Johan Koren, the naturalist who is so
well known to the people of this camp.
The Corwin brought back a big cargo
of skins, bone and oil. Captain Healy
relates that they met the Rus
sian ship Kolyma near the mouth
of the Kolyma river. She had been
frozen in there last fall. Two of the
crew died during the winter of scurvy
and the remainder suffered from ill
ness. In the middle of the winter the
vessel tried to escape through the ice
but had a large hole torn in her hull
bringing her near total destruction.
Captain Healy gave the stricken crew
all the fresh food of the Corwin and
Koren lost his hands by freezing.
RAILROMlii
OFFICALS GO KENNECOTT
Vice President R. W. Baxter of the
Alaska Steamhship Company and
Copper River & Northwestern Railway
and President Stephen Birch, of the
Kennecott Copper Corporation, Thos.
Riggs, Jr., of the Alaska Engineering
Commission, W. E. Dunkle and E. T.
Stannard, mining experts for the Gug
genheims and Superintendent Caleb
Corser left on a special train this
morning for Kennecott. They expect
to return to Cordova tomorrow.
ARE NOT DOING WELL
Captain Whitney and P. G. Peltret,
the inspectors of boilers and hulls,
who have just returned from the west
ward report that the weather is ex
ceptionally fine all along the coast
this summer. The rivers are low and
the water is very clear. However,
the salmon run is very light. Up to
July 15th the canneries had hardly
made a showing in their expected
packs and they expect to fall very
short of their season’s output of a
year ago. The Cook Inlet canneries
are doing the best they say.
The only cannery far west that is
doing well is that at Port Moller
where they are using “purse seines”
and going wav out to sea. When the
salmon begin running in the rivers
they will come so late in the season
and in such great numbers that the
canneries will not be able to handle
them.
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WHAT IS DOING AT
MATANUSKA LANDING
MATANUSKA LANDING, July 21.
—Boyd Leedy, formerly transitman
with Engineer Kuney’s locating party,
has been appointed resident engineer
on residency No. 5, which extends
from Knik river to Matanuska Junc
tion and also includes eight miles of
the line from the junction toward the
Matanuska coal fields. Mr. Leedy is
a young man of fine ability. He is a
son of former Governor Leedy of
Kansas and has resided In Alaska for
years past.
Matanuska Landing has two grocery
store and one restaurant. The latter
is owned by Dave Mahoney, formerly
of the D. D. restaurant in Anchorage.
Sam Wright, formerly in charge of
the commissary at Old Knik has been
transferred to this place to act as
timekeeper and commissar}’ man.
Right of way is now cleared for four
miles beyond Matanuska Junction.
The pile driver formerly in use at
Anchorage has been sent up the river
and is now driving piles to mark the
channel.
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ALASKA HOMESTEADERS
CLAIM 5.000 ACRES
Since August, 1914, or approximate
ly a year ago, the Juneau land office
has received and allowed applications
for 25 homesteads, mostly in the Knik
district. During this time some eleven
townships have been platted. In all
these townships the settlers have a
right which endures for a period of
three months, to file on the land, and
although there are between two and
three hundred settlers who could have
availed themselves of this privilege
only a mall proportion have done so.
The average tract Included In the
applications comprises 200 acres.
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There Is on exhibition at the Cham
ber of Commerce rooms a monster
strawberry, grown by O. L. Lambert.
It measures four and a half Inches In
circumference. * g*^
CORDOVANS WHO
INVESTED AT
ANCHORAGE
The Cook Inlet Pioneer gives the
following interesting account of how
the government disposed of lots, at
auction sale, at the new railroad ter
minal :
Anchorage broke all previous rec
ords in the sale, of lots in government
townsites when in two hours’ time
successful bidders bid in property for
which they agree to pay, in the aggre
gate, $48,000. No better evidence of
the faith of bidders in the future of
Anchorage can be desired than the
eager demand for locations which has
continued throughout the sale.
The sale of lots In the government
townsite recently platted at Anchor
age began at 2 p. m. July 10, under
direction of Andrew Christensen, su
perintendent of sales. From the in
ception of the sale, interest has never
waned. Spirited bidding on the part
of those seeking business locations or
home sites marked the proceeding.
Crowds stood or sat about the auction
stand seemingly intent on every lot
offered for sale. Especially was this
manifest when it came to business
property. Not one person succeeded
in getting a lot without competition,
and in several instances the highest
bid was more than four times the
appraised value of the lot. The grand
total for the 600 lots sold is $148,000.
The first lot offered was No. 1, block
44, corner of Fourth and C. It was
appraised at $400 and the bidders
boosted it up to $825, the successful
bidder being L. G. Nyberg, from
Seattle. The highest bid was $1150
for lot 7, block 26, made by G. M.
Campbell.
Among the successful bidders were
the following Cordovans, together
with the lots purchased and the
amount paid for same:
M. W. Diedrick, lots 4 and 5, block
22, $85 each; lot 6, block 22, $100; lot
12, black 46, $160.
George E. Burleigh, lot 9, black 24,
$800.
A. M. Laska, lot 4, block 28, $215.
Camille McGowan, lot 7, block 28,
$550.
D. M. Lynch, lot 1, block 22, $190;
lot 7, block 32, $225.
Geo. Osborne, lot 5, block 26, $300.
Father van der Pol, lot 11, block
54, $75; lot 12, block 54, $100.
t
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EIGHT HOUR ACT
i m nnrn nmim
i MINES
The placer miners of the Tanana
and other interior camps are facing a
serious situation, owing to the eight
hour act passed by the Territorial
legislature, which became effective as
a law July 11th.
Nearly all of the deep placer mines
in that vicinity shut down when the
law became effective, as the operat
ors declared they could not operate
three eight-hour shifts and pay the
schedule of $5 per day and board.
Wages Are Lowered
A few, however, reopened by an
agreement with their men to try the
experiment of paying ?4 per day and
board.
The majority of the mines are still
closed and the situation is serious.
Catches Short Season
The unfortunate part of it is that
the law becomes effective in the mid
dle of the short five months’ season
during which time the operators must
make the most of the water running.
What the fipal outcome will be, is
still a matter of speculation.
Will Lower Wages
Most all of the operators are agreed
that one result will be the reduction of
the wage schedule to $4 per day for
eight hours, with three shifts during
the open season when the water is
running, and possibly two shifts for
the higher grade ground in doing
dead work and getting out dumps
during the winter months. > t
Close Low Grade Mines
It is the general opinion that all of
the low grade properties will be forced
to close unless board can be re
adjusted on a basis where the expense
will be less to the operator.
Pays Highest Toll
The mines of the Tanana have al
ways paid the highest toll in wages of
any mines in Alaska, save for the
palmy days of the Klondike uoom.
Until the strike several years ago
common muckers secured $6 per day
and board and engineers and hoistmen
and skilled workers received addition
al pay, some of the positions being:
paid as high as ?15 per day and
board.
Placers Declining
i Gradually the high grade ground has
been worked out and the operators
have been evolving dew processes in
order to extract the gold from the
lower ground.
This meant tieing up considerable
capital in heavy machinery, and not a
few operators were forced to suspend.
Make Quartz Strikes
Energies were directed towards
quartz mining and gave some relief,
but the main industry there is still
placer mining. The percentage of
ground which could be worked profit
ably under improved methods and the
ten-hour schedule has been rapidly
diminishing.
While there are immense districts
of low-grade ground, the greater por
tion of it will have to remain idle
until a railroad reaches Fairbanks and
cost of machinery, labor and supplies
are considerably reduced.
Cut Down Output
Owing to new strikes and favorable
conditions, the Tanana was In a fair
way to increase its output this season,
but the new law, so it is claimed, will
put a decided crimp in the operations
of placer operators, unless an agree
ment can be reached with the men to
adjust themselves to the new condi
tions.
A number of operators are planning
to shut down and allow their claims
to remain idle until the government
road reaches the Tanana from the
coast.
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Alaskans Respond Quickly
Speaking of Alaskans, Mrs. Percy
V. Pennybacker, of Austin, Tex., presi
dent of the general federation of
women’s clubs, says: “I have found
the people of the North quick to re
spond to a call on the emotions,
whether pathetic or humorous. They
are quick-minded. In fr«t, they usu
ally see the point before the speaker
has made it. Their hearts are at
tuned to the needs of the world and
there is a beautiful spirit of democracy
in the north.”
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Send in your subscription now.
RAILROADS BIG
FACTOR IN
MINING
Dr. A. H. Brooks, geologist in
charge of the division of Alaska min
eral rc oarces, is on his way
for his eighteenth annual official
visit to the Northland. Dr. Brooks
will go at once to the Iditarod. Later
he will go to Fairbanks and Cordova
and then to Juneau. Dr. Brooks is
taking no party in with him, but will
exercise a general supervision over
the parties already at work in the
north. Special attention this year will
be given the big triangle district be
tween Ruby, Kuskokwim and the
Tanana, as this field has only been
slightly surveyed.
Increase in Production
“Alaska,” says Dr. Brooks, “is begin
ning to see its mineral wealth devel
oped, and the completion of the Alaksa
railroad and opening of the coal fields
will mean much increasing the pro
duction of the country.
'“Good roads, and especially rail
roads, will permit development that
In the past has been impossible. I
don’t mean by this that any especially
new districts will be worked, but that
those already producing will be able
to increase production to a great ex
tent.
Cheap Fuel Will Help Mining
“Cheap fuel for interior points is
going to be a big factor in mining
generally as this will provide com
paraticely cheap power with which to
work the mines. The production of
coal will mean the development of a
copper industry that is now only in
its infancy.”
Dr. Brooks is favorably impressed
with the Bering River oil fields and
says that the oil there is far better in
quality than that of California.
“Another big oil field that I expect
to see a big producer is the Cook In
let and Alaska peninsula,” he said.
“There are indications of oil over a
large area of country and in my opin
ion this district looks the most prom
ising of any in the North.”
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KATALLA, July 24.—There is con
siderable activity in this goold old
town, and at last we are enjoying a
wave of prosperity. Every idle man
has found employment, either with
the government party surveying the
Bering Coal fields or by the lighthouse
people who are installing a new light
at Cape St. Elias.
I
ALASKA
STEAMSHIP CO.
Fast and commodious steamers sailing between Seattle, Ketch
ikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, Cordova, Valdez, Seward and
SHIP CREEK, via INSIDE PASSAGE
Sails from Seattle— Sails from Cordova—
July 12.NORTHWESTERN.July 21
July 18.MARIPOSA.July 28
Regular freight service for Ketchikan, Juneau, Sheep Creek,
Treadwell, Douglas, Cordova, Ellamar, Valdez ard Latouche. Explos
ives, S. S. Seward. S. S. Seward, 5th; S. S. Latouche, 15th; S. S.
Cordova, 25th of eagh month.
This company reserves the right to change schedule of steamers
without notice.
Tickets on sale at up-town office Alaska Steamship Bldg. Baggage
or freight will not be received at the dock later than one hour before
sailing time.
F. B. TRACY,
General Agent
T. J. TALLENT,
Ticket Agent
EIGHT HOUH OAT
FOR PLACER
MINERS
'! ■* ' - *> I
Much criticism was directed on the
first territorial legislature for failing
to pass an eight-hour law to apply to
placer miners. Th^ last session
passed an act giving them an eight
hour day under certain conditions, and
as the Times has received many re
quests for the law, ti is herewith
printed. The new law is Chapter 6
of the Session Laws of 1915, and leav
ing out title and preamble is as fol
lows :
Section 1.—Employment In under
ground workings, open cut, open pit
workings, smelters, reduction works,
stamp mills, roller mills, concentrating
mills, chlorination processes, cyanide
processes, gypsum mines and other
quarries, coal mines and in and around
coke ovens, is hereby declared to be
injurious to health and dangerous to
life and limb.
Sec. 2. That the period of employ
ment of working men in underground
workings, underground mines, stamp
mills, roller mills, open cut and open
pit workings as applied to metallifer
ous mining, underground placer min
ing, smelters, reduction works, con
centrating mills, gypsum mines and
quarries, chlorination processes, cya
nide processes, coal mines and in and
around coke ovens shall not exceed
eight (8) hours within any twenty
four (24) hours, except on such days
as change of shift is made, excluding,
however, any intermission of time for
lunch or meals, and excluding also
the time required in descending to
and ascending from, or otherwise
going to or from the place where the
work is actually carried on, whether
going to or coming from the place of
work be in going on or off shift, or in
going to or returning from meals or
lunch; it being the intention of this
act to limit the hours of employment
in any twenty-four (24) hours to
eight (8) hours of actual labor at the
face or other place or places where
the work or labor to be done is actu
ally performed; except in case of
emergency where life or property is
in imminent danger, or in case of
urgent necessity, the period may be
extended during the continuance of
such emergency or urgent necessity
providing this act shall also apply to
and include rock quarries, gypsum
quarries or workings, coal mines,
metalliferous lode mining, under
ground workings in placer mining
claims, and all other kinds of under
ground workings of any kind or char
acter whatsoever.
Patents Granted
Patents have been issued through
the Juneau land office to Frank B. Pet
erson, for a 14-acre tract of lang on
Mackinak river in Bristol Bay and to
the United States Whaling Company
for a tract of 27 acres on Three
Saints’ Bay, Kodiak Island.
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R. L. WEAVER BECOMES
SEWARD COURT CLERK
R. L. Weaver, the Seward lawyer,
has been deputized deputy clerk of
court for Seward by Clerk of the
Court Lang. The period of Mr.
Weaver’s service began last Monday.
COPPER RIVER & NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY
Good Passenger and Freight
Service to Interior Alaska
For Rates and Other Information Apply
DEPOT OFFICE