GOV’T TO MINE COAL
Chicago, Oct. 28.—At yesterday’s session of the American
Mining Congress the administration’s policy towards Alaska
was outlined in a speech delivered by Secretary of Interior
Fisher, which he stated had the approval of President Taft
Mr. Fisher spoke at some length, reviewing conditions as
he found them in Alaska upon his recent visit there aud de
clared that remedial legislation was necessary for the devel
opment of the territory. He declared that he was convinced
that the solution of the Alaska problem was for the government
to mine a limited part of the Matanuska coal fields and build a
railroad to the mines and also establish a United States naval
coaling station, but opposes the selling of the land.
Whether or not this road will be built from Seward or
Chitina was not mentioned. There is a water grade from the
latter place to the Matanuska fields and by connecting there
with the Copper River & Northwestern railway, the haul to
tidewater would be easier and cheaper. But this is a detail
which will likely be worked out in due course of time.
As to the balance of claims in the Matanuska fields and
those of Bering River, Secretary Fisher favors leasing on a
liberal basis so that capital would go ahead and open up the
mines. By the government operating for naval purposes only
it would prevent, if necessary, any monopoly, and also compel
the fuel to be sold at a reasonable price.
Secretary Fisher also declared that Alaskans are entitled
to territorial government, as it was better adapted to their
needs than by being governed from Washington.___
DECISION IS AGAINST DALTON
Juneau, October 26.—The district court has rendered its
final decision in the case of Al. Low and Jennie Dalton vs.
Katalla company and Copper River & Northwestern railway
in which decision. Judge Lyons sets aside the order allowing
the temporary subway and grade crossing and holds that the
Copper River & Northwestern railway company is the owner
of the right of way and approaches connecting with the wharf
and the owner of the dock and is entitled to the free and inter
rupted use of the dock and trestles and approaches connecting
with the dock and that Dalton and Low have not right in any
way to connect any roadway, trestle or other structures of any
kind with or to the Copper River & Northwestern railway’s
right of way, trestles, approaches or dock, and denies to Dalton
and Low the right to have trestles, approaches and wharf re
moved as prayed for in their complaint. It also reciuires Dalton
and Low to remove his approaches where he connected them
with the defendant’s approaches and dock and requires Dalton
and Low to pay for the expense of making the subway opening
in front of his log haul, and permits the railroad company to
close this subway opening.
Dalton and Low sued the defendants claiming they were
the owners of the upland of the property now occupied by Dal
ton, on the water front of Cordova. Plaintiffs claimed the
trestles and approaches leading to the dock were constructed
against their protest and objection and that these trestles ap
proaches and dock cut Dalton off from the navigable waters
and prevented them from constructing a wharf or dock to the
navigable waters and cut off Dalton’s right of ingress and
egress to the navigable waters, and preyed in his complaint for
a mandatory injunction commanding and compelling the de
fendants to remove their dock, approaches and roadway and
trestles and other and further relief. Also to permit him a
subway crossing and grade crossing.
This case was tried in Valdez the latter part of June of
this year at which time the court announced that he would not
render a decision on the merits of the case until after he had
personally examined the ground and entered a temporary order
to remain in effect until he could examine the ground, go over
the pleadings and review the law. This order was entered July
6 granting to Dalton a subway crossing and grade crossing the
costs of which were to be taxed against the losing party when
the case was decided.
WmSHAftf OPPOSES CONVEftt ON
Special to Daily Alaskan.
Fairbanks, Oct. 27.—This city has failed as yet to take any action in
reference to the holding of a convention at a Southwestern coast town for
the purpose of recommending remedial legislation for the territory tt
Congress, due to the fact that Wickershamaniacs are afraid to move in
the matter, fearing the result. They do not want an honest expression of
views from Alaskans, lest it interfere with the political views of the dele
gate.
Heretofore Fairbanks has been Wickersham’s greatest stronghold, but
the community is now badly split on account of a break made in a speech
on Alaska Day.
Upon the recent arrival here of R. J. Barry, of Cordova, general agent
of the Alaska Steamship company and Copper River & Northwestern rail
way, he was met on the trail by a committee in an automobile and after
reaching town the Commercial Club tendered him a public reception.
This organization is composed of practically every business man in the
Tanana Valley and is making a hard fight to secure an automobile road
from Fairbanks to Chitina. As Mr. Barry was the first passenger to make
the trip overland this winter and being identified with the largest com
panies operating on the coast, he was extended every courtesy and his
co-operation solicited in the movement.
This entertainment of Mr. Barry riled Wickersham and the first op
portunity that presented itself the Commercial Club came in for stinging
ridicule of its entertainment of Mr. Barry, a Guggenheim man. The mem
bers resent this cowardly and uncalled for attack on the part of the delegate,
and refused to share the Guggenheim bugaboo with the delegate. This
has resulted in an open breach, in which the newspapers are denouncing
Wickersham and demanding that he be relegated to the same position at
home as he occupies at the national capitol—a seat close to the bootblack
stand.
When the call for a convention af Alaskans was issued another great
conspiracy was scented and hurried conferences were called of the dele
gate's lieutenants. The residents of this city were in no frame of mind
to tolerate any further interference of Wickersham and the latter realizing
that if a delegation were elected to represent the Tanana Valley at the
convention that he and his friends would be ignored he adopted his usual
tactics of obstruction. .The result has been that no meeting has been held
here, as the matter has settled dov n to purely factional fight. . It has
also been learned that in Wickershan.’s strongholds in Southeastern Alaska
the towns have either refused to participate in a convention- or took no
action at all, clearly indicating their fear of a free and honest expression
on the part of Alaskans.
IDiTAROD MAIL GOES VIA CHITNIA
Postoffice Department Refuses To Consider the Proposition of Sending a
Part of the Interior Mail From Seward—The Present
Route the Cheapest and the Best
According to a letter received by the Seward Commercial
Club, from the Second Assistant Postmaster General, the post
office department will not route the Iditarod mail via Seward,
during the winter season of 1911-12, but will continue to for
ward it from Cordova. The following reasons are given for
the refusal of the government to make any change in its
present arrangements:
The lowest offer submitted for the performance of two
round trips monthly emergency service between Seward and
Iditarod is at the rate of $11,900 for ten trips, covering the
period from November 1, 1911, to March 31, 1912, the carrier
to be allowed sixteen days in which to make the trip each
way over the route, with a weight limit of two hundred and
fifty pounds of mail. It is stated that the cost of weekly
service over such route would be $18,000 for the period in
question.
The department has been able to provide once a week mail
supply for Iditarod, with a weight limit of four hundred pounds
per single trip each way over the route, during the period from
October 1,1911, to May 31, 1912, for an additional expenditure
of $13,000, mail to be sent to Iditarod by way of Cordova, Fair
banks and Xulato.
In view of the great difference in the cost that would be
involved in maintaining the same mail facilities from Seward
for the patrons of the Iditarod postoffice as has been author
ized by way of Cordova, Fairbanks and Xulato, it was believed
j the department would not be warranted in authorizing service
1 from Seward to Iditarod.
Seattle, Oct. «C8.—In a dense fog |
the sound steamer Iroquoise ran into:
and sunk the steamer Multnomah in
the harbor at this place. The passen
gers and crew of the vessel were res
cued and the Iriquoise sustained
but little damage.
New York. Oct. 28.—John D. Rock
efeller was served with subpoena in
the steel trust suit at Tarrytown.
When papers were served on An
drew Carnegie he declared> “I never
violated the law in my life.”
STEAMER PATTERSON'
ASSIGNED TO PANAMA
Seattle Oct. 27.—The steamer Pat
terson will likely be assigned to sur
vey the Panama roadstead.
San Diego, Oct. 2".—The Pacific
fleet is assembling for review at Los
Angeles next Tuesday. On the same
day the Atlantic fleet will be re
viewed at New York, which will be a
magnificent naval pageant.'
_ J
That conservation, as now being
applied to Alaska, is hurting the
country instead of helping its de
velopment, is the opinion of J. A.
Edson. president of the Kansas City
Southern railway, who has just re
cently returned to Kansas City, after
having spent the greater part of the
summer in Southwestern Alaska.
“The least that one can say,” Mr.
Edson said Recently, ‘is the pres
ent brand of conservation is retard
ing the growth of that country, and
preventing its development. Alaska.
I am told, is as large as one-third of
the territory of the United States
west of the Mississippi river. Ten
years ago there were 100,000 people
there. Now there are less than 40,
000. The people are becoming dis
gusted and are leaving the country
as fast as they can.
“Fuel is one of the principal neces
sities of life in that country. Yet
the citizens are not allowed to cut
trees, nor to take coal out of the
ground. They are importing oil from
the Pacific Coast states. Besides this
nearly every industry is compelled to
pay an occupation tax.”
The policy of the government, Mr.
Edson says, is such as to discourage
railroad construction in Alaska. On
ly one railroad has been built, that
of the Guggenheims, which touches a
mining district 200 miles inland. This
road, as any other road would be,
is compelled to pay an annual occu
pation tax of il.00 a mile and a tax
of ten cents on every ton of freight
handled at seaboard. O n the other
hand, Mr. Edson says, tue Canadian
government is guaranteeing a certain
per cent on the investment to a com
pany building a line in the British
Northwest.
“It will take millions of dollars to
develop Alaska,” Mr. Edson says "but
it will be impossible to get t/ie money
as long as the conservation idea is
carried to such extremes. Alaska has
great possibilities. There are several
places that with proper encourage
ment, would become thriving towns.
Cordova is perhaps most favorably
located.”
J. L. Garrison of the Copper Moun
tain district, was in town Monday en
route to the outside for the winter.
Mr. Garrison is an acknowledged au
thority on quartz mining and when
showed samples from the Erickson
find on O’Brien creek said this was
the best looking prospect he had seen
in all this district and if the rock on
ly developed half the value shown
by the assay, the mine was sure to
be the biggest winner in this part of
Alaska. The editor, who visited the
mine personally, while not a practi
cal miner, has all along shared the
same ouinion. We are confident that
Chitina has a big mine at her very
door.
NOTICE.
_
All persons indebted to the Chit-,
ina Grill prior to this date are here
by notified that said bills are due
me personally.
JOE JAXEY,
Chitina. Sept. 25, 1911.
Rome, Oct. 28.—Another Italian
expedition for Tripoli sailed secret
ly on Thursday,.
San Francisco, Oct. 27.—The Sur
geon General orders alien immigrants
arriving in Seattle to be examined
for the hookworm.
Chitina
Pharmacy
THE DAYLIGHT STORE
DRUGS
STATIONERY
CANDY
CIGARS
TOBACCO
MAGAZINES
and PAPERS
A. G. MOREY, Prop.
ALASKA STEAMSHIP COMPANY
Fast and Commodious steamers sailing between Cordova and
Seattle via “THE INSIDE ROUTE,” stopping at KETCHIKAN'.
Sails from Seattle— Sails from Cordova—
Oct. 8.ALAMEDA.Oct. 17
Oct. 16.ADMIRAL SAMPSON.Oct. 24.
Oct. 24.ALAMEDA.Nov. 1
Nov. 1.NORTHWESTERN.Nov. 8
This company reserves the right to change schedule of steam
ers without notice.
Tickets on sale at up-town office Alaska Steamship Illdg.
Baggage or freight will not he received at dock later than one
hour before sailing time.
R. J. BARRY, THOMAS TALLENT,
General Agent. Ticket Agent.
▲ ▲A ▲▲▲▲ AAAA A A A A A A A A A A A A a a a a a .
Ifcup flom
C/MS. P£MK MGJ9L *
THE BEST Or EVERYTHING *
IN THIDtWTOrTHtCITT
tBto«syftTnlkTit-50 Stmt Rooms
ALASKA COAST CO.
“The Inside Route”
To Juneau and Puget Sound Ports and Southwestern Alaska.
Steamer Sampson leaves Seattle Oct. 16... « ^ „
Steamer Bertha leaves Saettle Oct. 20.
Steamers connecting at Seattle with the AlasUa-Pacinc Steam,
ship Company’s steamers sailing from Seattle Monday and Thurs
day of each week for California points. Through service. Low
rates.
Right reserved to change steamers and sailing dates without
notice. ALASKA TRANSFiSR CO., Local Agents 4 B
B. F. WATSON, General Agent.