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DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME IN FIGURING WHY A BLACK HEN LAYS A WHITE EGG—BUT GET BUSY AND GET AFTER THE EGG.
Local News
Dr. Whiting was a visitor on
Thursday evening from the front.
The doctor states that all patients
in the hospital are doing nicely and
that he is now better equipped than
ever to handle emergency cases, as
he has an emergency hospital with
the portable camps.
Al. Church and Tommy Brady are
doing a nice business at their Chit
ina News Stand. Tommy is still on
the road, but Al. is looking after
the business and their place is get
ting the share of the trade. They
have a new ad. in this week’s Lead
er. Look for it.
R. J. Barry made a business trip
to Chitina this week in the private
car of Supt. Van Cleve.
M. W. Anderson and E. W. Exum
report a number of recent inquiries
from all over the states and differ
ent part of Alaska relative to real
estate and future conditions of Chit
ina. Prom the tone of the commun
ications there will be many prospec
tive buyers here early in spring.
Thirty-six men arrived on Thurs
day night’s train for track work at
the front. The men who have come
in so far claim they have no fault
to find with the new camps on wheels.
They say the cars are warm and com
fortable, but they should be, as the
weather at times has been so severe,
they hated to poke their heads out
of the car.
“Happy” Cottner, who recently
sold his interest in the Chitina “wa
ter works” to Jack Lawrence, re
turned this week from the front,
where he was helping to construct
the Gilhina bridge. Happy states
that it has been a little too “crimpy”
for his ears up at the front, and
thought a little rest wouldn’ hurt
him.
P. Fitch, brother of the well
known commissary man, A. F. Fitch,
made a trip to Cordova on Friday
morning’s train. A. F. Fitch, who
has been in charge of the commis
sary at Tiekel and mile 146 for so
long, is now located at mile 160,
while his brother is at the commis
sary at mile 146.
Judge Ferguson fined Oscar Carl
son $75 and costs this week for be
ing a bold, bad man. Oscar had a
big six shooter which he flourished
and fired later on but Deputy Mar
shal Brown found no gun when he
was arrested, which accounts for
his light sentence. The judge says
It’s going to go awfully hard with
the next bad man if a gun is found
on him. Six months or a year in
prison and $200 fine and costs is the
maximum penalty, so better be good.
No one need carry a gun in Alaska.
Shootin’ irons are not needed here.
E. P. Ziegler sends word to the
Chitina Leader that he has been un
able to get to Chitina, owing to the
duties at Cordova, but wishes the
people here would see to it that the
Bed Dragon club is kept open, and
hopes the social folks will hold, their
card clubs and dances there. He
says the big organ can be had from
the depot and there is no reason why
some social happening cannot be held
at the club house every week. There
are plenty of dishes for lunches, and
all the people need to do is to get
the wood, open the place and make it
comfortable and themselves feel at
borne.
Geo. Bloaen, proprietor of the
Home Bar, is installing one of the
most unique and tasty effects in bar
decorations ever seen in the North.
He has made a natural wood cover
ing of Alaska spruce the entire
length of the bar, with a roof of
poles, and heavy pillars supporting.
It greatly improves the place and
must be seen to be appreciated.
Bead tbs Leader for (he ne\ys.
JUDGE W. H. FERGUSON
ENTERTAINS AT CARDS
Judge Ferguson has been the gen
ial host to a number of guests this
week, entertaining them at 500 and
bridge, at his home in the commis
sioner’s office. His residence was
not sufficiently large to entertain
all of his friends in one evening, so
he invited them in sections, or as
he laughingly expressed it, “on the
installment plan.” The first evening
of this week he entertained Mr. and
Mrs. Morey, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett,
Mr. and Mrs. Johnston, Mr. and Mrs.
Burgun, Mr. and Mrs. Reeder and
Messrs. Haley and Brown.
After the card games were over,
the judge brought forth a light lunch,
which was greatly appreciated. The
judge is an epicure, and his guests
are always assured of something
good at his place. Others of the
Chitina card club were entertained
later in the week, and all left the
‘temple of justice” and the judge
with “I’m glad I went, and hope to
go back again” feeling.
RETURNS FROM FURLOUGH.
Arthur Barrows, the well known
locomotive engineer who has been
with the constructing company since
the days of Katalla, returned this
week from a three months’ furlough
to New York. Arthur will again as
sume charge of one of the throttles
at the front. He claims to have en
joyed his trip back home very much,
and says the Leader was a welcome
visitor each week, keeping him in
touch with all the news along the
road.
POSTAL INSPECTOR MAKES
TRIP OVER THE ROAI)
Alvah Eames, chief clerk or postal
inspector for this division of Alaska,
made a business trip to Chictina on
Thursday. He and Mrs. Eames were
the guests of R. J. Barry in the pri
vate car of Supt. Van Cleve. He
found everything in apple-pie order
at the Chitina postoffice, and stated
he was perfectly satisfied with mail
conditions over the new route. Af
ter a trip over the road in mid-win
ter, during the worst weather, when
the big rotary hurls huge snow
drifts many feet high, and the train
easily making the trip in ten hours,
he says there is never a doubt about
the Katada Company being able to
fulfill its contract with Uncle Sam.
SIGNOR “JOHSO REERO”
VERMOSE SIESTA MEXICO
We heard some time ago that our
old friend. Jack Reed, had at last de
parted for his beloved Mexico. “Fat”
has been making this trip so often in
the past three years, and has gone
so many times (without going), next
week usually finding him back at the
throttle, that we could hardly credit
this last cry of “wolf,” nor could his
many friends, but we can now say for
a fact that the dear old fat boy has
gone. Jack said his signorita could
not be put off any longer, and he is
now taking his afternoon siesta
among the palm trees and olive
eroves. Jack’s iriends maintain, how
ever, that the kiss of the Mexican
signorita is not so fascinating or en
during as that of the ice maiden, and
predict that he will soon mush
northward again and after parting
with a few dozen pounds of “blub
ber,” caused by the fierce rays of el
Sol en Mexicana, fighting centipedes,
fleas, horned toads, rebels and oth
er varmints, will be glad to get back
to the throttle on the C. R. & N. W.
once more.
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Martin, who
have been on a trip to Fairbanks, are
on their way home, having left on one
of the stages this week.
If you have good furs and want
to realize 100 cents on the dollar for
them, see Perry Jacobs. He will give
you a-square deal. 12-17-tf
At Fairbanks drivers are not com
pelled to take out their teams when
it is 40 below zero.
GILNINA BRIDGE
COMPLETED
Ni .
On Thursday evening Bridge Su
perintendent P. J. O’Brien finished
the J,000 foot crossing over the Gil
hina River at mile 160. This breaks
all previous records on the road in
wooden crossings, as the bridge was
started on the 27th of January and
finished within eight days. •
When the news was received in
Chitina, the general expressions
heard from old-time railroaders were
such as "Going some, isn’t it?” and
“That Pat O’Brien is sure some
whirlwind and a rotary thrown in,
when it comes to putting up bents<
and rapid work.”
“Call it what you want to,” said
a railroad official, “the work is noth
ing short of marvelous, when weath
er conditions and all are taken into
consideration. For the past two
weeks the thermometer 'has been
ranging between 30 and 60 degrees
below zero, and at times during the
' extremely cold hours, trouble was ex
perienced by the carpenters in driv
ing the bridge bolts, which split the
heavy timbers like a cake of ice.”
The foundations for a number of
the bents had to be blasted and
piling driven, which of course, took
time and care, and working in fro
zen ground during winter is no pic
nic.
Superintendent O’Brien is anxious
to get in the crossings as rapidly
as possible so that there will be no
delay In the laying of the steel, and,
judging from the record made on
this crossihg, which is the largest
and most di|fi4ult of any between
Chitina and the Bonanza mine he will
have^ completed all the bridges much
sooner than even his closest friends,
who know his ability, dared or hoped
to expect.
The work of decking and laying
the steel over the bridge began yes
terday and the first of the week will
see the steel being laid on the other
side of the Gilhina, at the rate of a
mile or better each day for a dis
tance of twelve miles before another
crossing is reached.
New Dining Car
On Chitina Run
The new dining car, which has
been much talked of for the past
few weeks, made its initial trip with
the local on Thursday of this week.
This service is of course in the ex
perimental stage and the company
has appointed L. R. Baird to take
care of the car and promote the
service to the best possible degree.
Mr. Baird is not only a master of
the range and cusine, but is an ex
perienced manager and buyer for
camps, cafes, etc., where contract
ing for such supplies must be figur
ed to the fraction of a cent. In a
short conversation with a Leader
representative Mr. Baird stated that
the Katalla Company had authorized
him to do everything possible for the
wellfare and comfort of travelers,
and from the report of the travelers
on the first run of the car the ven
ture Is already a decided success.
The diner for the present is fur
nished with six tables, comfortable
chairs and a seating capacity for
eighteen at one sitting. There are
six windows in the car, and every
thing being newly painted and var
nished, it has a light, clean and in
viting appearance. The kitchen is
also well arranged. A first-class
steel range is installed in the rear
of the car, while the hot water tanks
sinks, dishes, cupboards, etc., are all
arranged with a view to clealiness
and modern sanitary conditions. Mr.
Baird states that Superintendent Van
Cleve has announced his satisfaction
over the system, and when the win
ter is over expects to put on a regu
lar modern dining car for next sea
sr i's travel.
FORTNIGHTLY CARD CLUB
FORMED IN CHITINA
The social people of Chitina got
busy this week and formed a card
club, elected officers and arranged
to meet on every other Wednesday
of each month. The object of the
club it to get the ladies and gentle
men of the town out at least twice
a month to play bridge or 500, or
indulge in dancing and other social
amusements, The organization has
already met with much favor and
the majority of ladies and gentlemen
of the town have already joined the
club and subscribed their names for
the social fund.
The first meeting was held with
Mrs. Wallace, at the Katalla Com
pany boarding house, on the evening
of January 30. Mrs. M. Wallace was
elected president, Judge Ferguson,
vice-president; Mrs. D. Reeder and
J. L. Brown, secretaries, and Mrs. A.
G. Morey, treasurer.
Dues were fixed at 25 cents per
month for all members and the gen
tlemen have already subscribed lib
erally toward the social fund. The
next meeting will be held at the
residence of Mrs. Wallace, a few of
the ladies arranging it among them
selves to act as hostesses in turn.
Following are the members al
ready belonging to the club; Messrs.
J. L. Brown, M. R. Healey, George
Shade, J, K. Starr, J. G. Mulroy,
Wm. Lawson, John Gage, Clifford
Johnston, Fred M. Schaupp, C. Stan
guetb, O. E, Bennett, John Hirst,
Oscar Weber, Wm. Tibbs, B. B.
Tibbs, E. W'. Exum, Al. Brimmer, T.
H. Holland H. Chamberlain, L. H.
Smith, A. G. Morey, Jas. Hartney,
P. S. Shearman, C. C. Hull, Jack
Saplro, D. Reeder, C. M. Berry, I.
J. St. Clair, Thos. Cloninger and
John Palmer. Mesdames Wallace,
Morey, McCutcheon, Bennett, Haney,
Gage, Sherman, Wales, Schaupp, St.
Clair, Cloninger, Tibbs, Meyer, Hull,
Saplro, Johnston and Reeder.
Between $30 and $40 are already
in the social fund, and it is thp
intention of the club to purchase
suitable prizes and spend the money
for refreshments and amusement for
the members of the club.
“BACK TO THE WOODS"
C. C. Stevens, the well known loco
motive fireman, who left early last
winter for California, foreswearing
forever the future kiss of the ice
maiden, is returning on the next
staemer. "Steve,” as he is familiarly
known, was one of the oldest firemen
in the employ of the company, and
was soon in line for an engine. The
Leader received a card that he was
returning, but of course he didn’t
say why. It’s the same old story.
When you are in Alaska, the slogan
is “The states for mine," but after
a few months in “God’s country,”
as some call it, the majority of us
return. Will some of the Leader
readers tell us why?
Next fall the revenue cutter Rush
goes out of commission.
MESDAMES WALLACE AND
JOHNSTON ENTERTAIN
The Katalla Company boarding
house was filled to overflowing on
last Friday evening, the occasion be
ing the first card party held in Chit
ina. Mrs. M. Wallace and Mrs. Clif
ford Johnston were the hostesses,
and all who attended enjoyed them
selves to the fullest extent. Bridge,
500, euchre, pedro, whist, solo and
other games were enjoyed until 11:30
when tne hostesses called all present
to a delicious buffet lunch. After
luncheon tehe lights were turned out
and several flash lights taken of the
party, after which the guests took
their leave, thanking Mesdames.
Wallace and Johnston for a most
pleasant evening. Those present
were: Mr. and Mrs. Morey, Mr. and
Mrs. Schaupp, Mr. and Mrs. Tibbs,
Mr. and Mrs. Keeder Mr. and Mrs.
House, Mr. and Mrs. Haney, Mr. and
Mrs. Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. Gage,
Mrs. McCutcheon, Mrs. Sherman and
Mrs. King. Messrs. Ferguson, An
derson, Exum, Brown, Uulrich, Hea
ley, Palmer, Hirst, Brimmer Hurtel,
Hartney, Shearman and Burkhart.
BABBAGE, THE JEWELER,
LOCATES IN CHITINA
Babbage, the old sour-dougli jew
eler, is now located in Chitina, hav
ing rented a space in the Chitina
Pharmacy, w’ith A. G. Morey, the
druggist. Mr. Babbage is well known
throughout Alaska, having been in
the jewelry business from Southeast
ern Alaska to the interior. For the
past two years he has been engaged
in business in Cordova. Being well
known and a first-class workman, he
is assured of immediate patronage.
Chitina has been in need of a jeweler
for several months and we are all
glad to welcome Mr. Babbage among
us.
CHITINA PHARMACY NOW
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
A. G. Morey, the druggist. Is now
open for business and Chitina is now
proud of a first-class pharmacy. He
carries a fine line of stationery in
connection w-ith his line of pure
drugs, and has the best brands of
cigars and tobaccos on the market.
Chitina ladies w-ill not have to send
to Cordova from now- on for their
toliet articles. In fact he has a
splendid selection of miscellaneous
sundries usually found in a drug
store. He invites particular atten
tion to a special brand of fine choco
lates and candies and high class
stationery.
Mr. Morey is a pharmacist of
years of experience and no one need
hesitate to have prescriptions filled
here. A drug store has been badly
needed in Chitina ever since the be
ginning of the town, and Mr. More.v
is sure to do well here.
GRIFFITHS & McCUTCHEOX
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Patrons who once drank at the old
Chitina bar, would not now recog
nize the old stand. It has been clean
ed and renovated throughout a new
floor, ceiling and walls having been
put on and the place lightened by
an attractive paper. Messrs. Mc
Cutcheon and Griffiths, w-ho recent
ly received a license to conduct a li
quor business in Chitina, are quite
justified in feeling proud of their
place, and the Leader, as well as
their many friends, hope they will
get a good patronage. They make
a specialty of Old Crow whiskey, be
sides carrying a fine line of all the
sandard wines, liquors and ci°-ars.
Drop in and sample heir goods. They
have sometning to tell you in their
ad. in next week's Leader. Watch
for it.
In a recent issue of the Leader
we mentioned that John Kingston
had been a guest of the Hotel de
Brown for several weeks. John says
this was a mistake, that he paid his
five and was relaesed the following
day. We are glad to make the cor
rection.
Local News
Bill Sherman, the well known bar
ber. has abandoned the profession
and is now administering to the
thirsty front behind the mahogany
at the Home Bar of George Blouen.
Z. Kintberlin is back at the chair in
Al. Church's place. ,
Tom Holland, Chitina's pioneer,
was a busy man this week cleaning
house, since the departure of Mar
shal Brown's boarders. As soon as
Mr. Holland had his residence ready
for occupancy, he rented it to Mr.
and Mrs. Morey, who are now at
home there.
1. J. Desehamps, oftentimes known
to old-timers and his friends as
“French Joe,” received the sad news
last week of the death of his father
in the states. Joe has been in Alas
ka since '98 and has made many
friends here, who deeply sympathize
with him in his bereavement. He
feels the death of his father keenly,
as he is the only one of the family
who was not present at the funeral.
Joe has been in Chitina all summer
and has recently been in the em
ploy of the Orr Stage Company.
Aonther saloon, pool and billiard
hall, drug store and jewelry store
have opened for business in Chitina
this past week. Doesn't look much
like Chitina was dead, does it?
Mine Host Oscar Breedman “now
bane a happy Swede man.” He has
a splendid steam heating plant in
stalled at the MacCormac hotel in
Cordova, and the Chitina people who
have stopped at the MacCormac since
the installation of the steam heat say
the hotel is now one of the most
comfortable in Alaska.
Geo. Hislop, the popular trainman
at the front, who was recently op
erated upon by Dr. Smith for her
nia, is doing nicely at the Katalla
Company headquarters hospital at
Cordova.
Mrs. Henry Burkhart, of Cordova,
received a sprig of cactus from her
home in Missouri on Jan. 21, and
the plant is now in a healthy condi
tion and growing nicely. Who said
cactus and tropical plants could only
thrive in the temperate zone? Alas
ka may be raising oranges before
another decade.
Tommy Burns, the old-time
trainman, returned on Thursday ev
ening, after a three months’ furlough
in the East. Tommy was put in har
ness the same evening and left for
work at the front.
Chitina zephyrs got boisterous one
evening this week, blew off a few
stove pipes and broke a few windows,
which were insecurely fastened. It
was only a squall, however, and we
still have the finest weather in the
North.
J. A. Jackson and wife were stage
passengers returning to Fairbanks
this week. Mr. Jackson is connect
ed with the defunct Fairbanks bank
ing concern, and stated before leav
ing Chitina that he believed the bus
iness of the now much advertised in
stitution would soon be amicably ad
justed.
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WINS A NEW STETSON *!
G. A. O’Connor, the old-time
blacksmitii, who has been at the
front off and on for the past year,
is taking a few days rest in Chitina.
Mr. O’Connor won a new Stetson on
the time limit of the bridge being
built across the Gilhina. The pre
vailing opinion was that the bridge
could not be completed under three
weeks. Mr. O’Connor wagered It
would be done in fourteen days, and
won over his own reckoning by at
least six days.
Juneau and Fairbanks are the on
ly Alaska towns with national banks.