TAfilAIMA LEADER
Published Every Thursday at Tanana, Alaska.
Vtl I SAM J. CALLAHAN. EDITOR No. it
Coe. M. Arbuckle, Manager
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AN ILL-ADVISED MAGAZINE ARTICLE
Happy is the man who in writing for the public in
the interest of a worthy cause possesses the rare quality of
pleasing simplicity and convincing adherence to truthful
detail. The too common habit of magazine writers of in
dulging in picturesque exaggeration and cheap sensation
alism is apt to bring ridicule upon the object sought rather
than attract to it that calm, sympathetic consideration
which it may deserve and which alone would do it lasting
good. These remarks follow the reading of an article called
“Ministering to the Videttes of Empire,” by Wendell Phil
lips Dodge, in the World Today for October.
The article deals with the work of W. A. Reid of the
Young Men’s Christian Association in Alaska and Yukon
Territory, especially among the soldiers at the various
posts. In the opening paragraph are these words:
Little or nothing is known of the United States army posts
and government telegraph stations, where are men who from year
to year never see any one but their small company, never see a
newspaper, and for eight long months each year are “snowed-in,"
with nothing to divert themselves with save listening to the hun
gry howls of tierce wolves, the ugly growls of black bears and the
sharp whistling of the freezing Arctic winds. Because of the ter
rible stillness and utter isolation many of the men get to hate one
another, and scores of men are taken from the interior of Alaska
insane every year owing to the extreme isolation.
The article throughout, to state the case mildly, is
overdrawn and does not convey a correct impression of con
ditions here: it gives no hint that during the eight
“snowed-in” months it is juite possible to travel in comfort
and outdoor occupations are pursued as regularly as in
other parts of the world. People in this country almost
universally resent the tendency to overdo the matter in de
picting the climatic and other natural conditions.. It will
be fortunate if the article in the World Today fails to de
tract from what we are pleased to look upon a3 the good
vvork of Mr. Reid here this winter. As a whole the writer’s
production leaves the impression of deception on its reader,
and causes a revulsion of feeling that is hard to overcome.
“It is in trying to offset the terrible influence of the
saloons and gambling that the Army Y. M. C. A. in Alaska
finds its great work,” says Mr. Dodge. While this does not
say so in so many words, it is plainly open to the construc
tion that gambling is a common vice which needs to be
combated here- while the truth is that gambling is so far
as can be learned totally non-existent. But that is but one
sentence in a long article which is totally false by implica
cation, if not so by plain assertion of untruths.
CONSERVATION THAT WOULD CONSERVE
Blessings sometimes come in disguise and often spring
from unexpected sources. Who can say the conservation
controversy will not yet end in a better understanding and
a more practicable application of rules governing the unde
veloped resources of the country than has heretofore been
the case i
President Taft has intimated that in his message to
congress he will propose a remedy for the troublesome situ
ation over the disposition of the coal lands in Alaska by a
separation of the surface from its mineral contents, with
the object of the government either leasing the right to
mine the coal at a specified compensation per ton, or selling
the deposits outright to the prospective miners, and in any
case to prevent a monopoly of ownership of the coal land.
Secretary Ballinger is credited with recommending in his
forthcoming annual report “conservation by law and not
by executive whim.”
These are at least slight indications of a healthy reac
tion from Rooseveltian conservation, which placed the
timber and coal out of reach of individuals and made them
prizes to invite corruption and fraud.
LOSING FAITH IN LIBERTY?
Alaska is about 800 miles wide and 1,100 miles long. It is more
than eleven times as large as New York, and more than twice as large
as Texas. In 1900 it bad a population of 62,000, not quite one ball
being Indians. Of llie white population more than 25,000 were grown
men. The white population has increased materially in the last nine
years, says the New York World.
The District of Alaska is ruled by congress, a governor and a
judge. Its people are ambitious and progressive and for some lime
past have been petitioning congress for a territorial form of govern
ment. There are twice as many white men in Alaska as are to.be
found in Nevada, more dwellings and fewer mortgages. Alaska’s min
eral output exceeds that of Nevada. Yet Nevada is a state while
Alaska is a dependency.
When the Northwest territoiy, now embracing the states of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, was organized as a self
ruling territory it had but 5,000 voters. It is held now that Alaska's
populntion is shifting and uncertain, but worse epithets than these were
used against the pioneers of the Northwest.
Everybody believes that Alaska has a great future. It is rich in
minerals. It has an abundance of fuel. Its forests are of unknown ex
tent. Its agricultural possibilities are considerable Unless the Ameri
can idea is to be set down as a failure this great domain cannot be
wisely and justly developed without a republican form of government.
Just now it resembles a crown colony, ruled by non-residents, with less
freedom than Porto Rico or the Philippines.
As showing the alarming growth of the idea that American citi
zens may be governed by outsiders and without representation, and of
the equally novel theory that under some circumstances it is not safe to
intrust Americans with self government, the fact should be noted tha’
the President himself is in the case of Alaska the most powerful advo
cate of 'hpcp doctrines
NEW DEPUTY MARSHAL
FOR GIBBON PRECINCT
Following the arrival of Deputy Marshal John J. Donovan
from Fairbanks last Thursday afternoon, Deputy Marshal George
Vautier resigned his position and is now a private citizen. He had
served continuously since June 1, 1905, and was the “last deputy
appointed by Marshal Perry to continue in service under Marshal
H. K. Love.
Mr. Vautier has received his full share of the .condemnation
that is apparently inseparable from the deputy marshalship in
districts removed from the court headquarters. Local gossip has
had him at the point of being ousted from his position more times
than there are days in a month. Now that he is out, it is not im
pertinent to remark that he must have been satisfactory to his
superior's in office, else they would not have kept him in so long.
Captain Donovan is deputy here at present, and his wide pop
ularity will undoubtedly cause the people to wish him to remain
permanently. He is a typical Western man of the old school.
He mined in Idaho and other Western states; was at one time chief
of the tire department £ Salt Lake City. Since coming to the
North he has been favorably known and was made deputy marshal
for Dome creek, Fairbanks district, last winter. In the Koyukuk,
where he was sent as deputy last fall, he soon became very
popular.
CONCRETE BOATS
FOR MISSISSIPPI
St. Louis, Nov. 20 —The Mississippi Valley Transportation Coin
pany, organized recently with $10,000 000 capital, with W K. Kavan
augli as president, to do a general freighting business on the Mississippi
river between St. Louis and New Orleans has received a communica
tion from a Nebraska inventor, offering to construct for the river traffic
1 new-style concieti boat, which, he claims, is cheaper than steel boats.
He declares the concrete boats can be built light draft enough to run
the Mis. ouri river,"'and can be easily repaited in case of accident.
Secretary J. L Matthews, of the new company, in discussing the
nse of concrete boats in river traffic said:
’•The idea of concrete boats is not entirely new. In Italy some
young officers, encouraged by the government, built a series of these
boats for pontoons and lighters There was much ridicule when they
were being built, but, to the amazement of the people, the boats floated
lightly, were water-tight, and in use proved extremely strong and use
ful. Forthwith the government began building a large fl:el of them,
and they aft used i:i fleets to trau-port rubble stone, excavated materia!
and all manner of bulk cargoes or. river improvements and harbor work .
“When well painted and smoothly surfaced the boats tow with
little skin friction; they require 110 maintenance except painting, and
very occasional repairs, grow stronger with years of use. and are said
to cost much less than steel barges. It may he that in a few years no:
the steel mills of the Upper Ohio, but the cement quarries of the Mis
souri river will provide the carriers which will make up the fleet of the
rew river traffic.”
UNSATISFACTORY REWARD FOR LIFE SAVING
-• • ..
John Kelly, 05 years old, a blacksmith, of the New York
bridge department, several months ago looked out of a window ol
the bridge department shop under the Williamsburg bridge in time
to see a boy in the water sinking in the heavy tide. The boy was
George Aidie, of 297 Kent avenue. Kelly, leather apron and all,
took a header out of the second-story window and seized the boy.
He beat against the tide to shore with the boy, but the next thing
he had pneumonia and almost died.
A letter of praise from the mayor helped him to get well, but
when he got back to work he found the city had cut down his sal
ary per year by $125.
‘‘Never again,” said Kelly; “if that’s the way they reward res
cuers I’ll let the next man sink.”
Kelly was hammering sparks from his anvil a few weeks ago
when he heard a scream from the river. He ran out and saw a
man being carried along by the tide toward a scow of the street
cleaning department. Kelly saw that if the man reached the scow
he would he would go under it with such a ti,de, and he had only 10
feet to go. Kelly went into the river withfca splash, swam to the
man and contrived with strong strokes to dodge tee scow, and,
with the man he had saved, he was pulled aboard with boathooks.
“Looks like more pneumonia and another cut in wages for
him,” said one of Kelly’s colleagues.
ED HERRING GOES
RACK TO FAIRBANKS
Ed Herring, of Fairbanks, lias
passed up the Iditarod for the pres
ent, at least. He accompanied the
Hagan party as far as Nulato, and
the information he gleaned of the
new camp between Tatiana and
Nulato had the effect of making
Ed’s toes tingle—in fact, his feet
got very frosty, and he proceeded
to liot-foot back to that dear Fair
banks. He arrived in town Thanks
giving evening, and continued bis
journey the following morning.
Mr. Herring stated that Jim
Hagan and the rest of the party in
tended to go to the Kuskokwim
river country.
Men arriving from Fa rbanks
this week say that' Slim Gorman, a
well-known character in the upper
country, will be in Tatiana within
a few days to establish a horse
stage service to and from the Idit
arod.
GOLDEN NORTH CAFE
Carrying the Best Supplies on the Market
OYSTERS, FISH AND GAME
IN SEASON
Centrally Located. In Connection with Grand Hotel.
ED Y. LEE, PROP.
THE IViAGiC MIRROR
I went one nij^ht with tnv high priced thirst to loaf in the booze
bazaar, and as I sampled the old red dope I leaned on the handsome
bar My purse was full of the good long green, and my raiment
was. smooth and new. ai d I looked as sleek as a cabbage rose that's
kissed by ?he nice wet dew. Behind the bottles a mirror stood, as
huge as you? parlor floor, ai cl I looked and looked in the shining
glass and wondered, and looked some more. My own nflection
di 1 not appear, but there where it should have been I saw the form
of a cringing bum all crumbled and soaked with gin. His nose was
red and bis eyes were dim, unshorn was his swollen face, and
thought ii was queer such a seedy "bo” would come to so smooth
a place I turned around lor a better look at this effigy of despair,
and t early fell in a little heap tor the i-ffigv wasn’t there! The bar
keep laughed. “It’s the magic glass,” he said, with a careless
yawn, "it shows a m-mi how lie’s apt to look years hence when his
roll is gone!”—Walt Mason.
Northern Commercial Co.
STAGE LINE
Carrying U. 8. Mail. Passengers and Express
CONNECTIONS THROUGH TO VALDEZ
FOK HATES APPLY TO
CEO. J. MILLER, First Door Below N. C. Store
Going Outside This Winter? Subscribe ter Leader
Stanley House
HOT SPRINGS' NEWEST CGTEL
I
First-Class Restaurant Frank . Slant y, Prop
CAMP GIEBCfi KO. 25, Arctic Brother
liood, meets every Monday nig;ht
in A. B. Hall, corner Second st.
and Campbell ave. at 8:30o’clock.
Visit in<i Arctics cordially invited to at
tend the meeting's of the Camp.
Pfllt. GAtiUHKR, Arctic Chief.
J. Rcsseli. Wai.i.k, Arctic lire.
When Von Go to California Where livery Month
is June, Travel on the
CALIFORNIA
LIMITED
Only Train in Southern California, via. Any Line,
Exclusively First-Class Travel
g HAS A PULLMAN CAR FOR GRAND CANYON |
EAST OR WEST
THE COMFORTABLE WAY IS VIA. THE
Great Northern
Railway
CLOSE CONNECTIONS
To All Points East or West, With Two Modern Over
land Trains in Either Direction Daily.
FOR FULL INFORMATION AllDRESS
F. I. Wliitney, Passenger Traffic Manager, St. Paul, Minn.
—O R
S.B. Yerkes, Assistant Gen. Pass. Agent, Seattle, Wash.