The Chitina Leader
X -;
CHITINA, ALASKA.
Entered as second class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice
at Chitina, Alaska, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
Published every Saturday by
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—Harry G. STEEL
SYDNEY D. CHARLES City Editor
Office: Hote IChitina Building. • Cordova Office: Daily Alaskan
ADVERTISING RATES
Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable for the
service given.
Application has been made to the postoffice department for the entry
of this newspaper as second-class matter at the postoffice at Chitina, Alas
ka. under the act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
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* LET US MINE OUR OWN COAL.
CHITINA, ALASKA. SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1011.
NEEDS OF CHITINA
Like most new and progressive communities, Chitina has
several important needs. A school is one of these.
Chitina offers many advantages for the residence of fami
lies. Kent is reasonable and the cost of living not excessive,
compared with most Alaskan towns, when many natural ad
vantages ai*e taken into considei'ation. A proper water system
is an important need in connection with the securing of fami
lies. However, the physical discomforts of carrying water a
short distance may be overcome, pi'oviding a school is estab
lished where children may secure common educational advan
tages.
Since the government gets a considerable tribute from
Alaska it should be liberal in providing schools where they are
so badly needed. The pioneers of Chitina and of the surround'
lug trade territory, the same as in all Alaskan communities,
are proud of their Amei'ican citizenship and realize that one
af the fundamental needs of any real progressive community is
a proper school. At the present time a hardship is worked
upon manv parents who are forced to send their children awav.
It is believed that Governor Clark, being an Alaskan familiar
■with northern conditions, when apprised of the conditions, will
do all in his power to assist in this matter.
Another need of Chitina is advertising to let people know
it is on the map and the center supply point for a rich mineral
and agx-icultural district. In this connection, too, the effort
should be made to have the government let new mail contracts
so that Chitina would be the headquarters for all of the ter
ritory directly tributary. The new chamber of commerce, if
organized, will find plenty to do in this direction.
A bank is another important need. During the past six
months large sums of money have been sent and taken out of
the country owing to the fact that there was no proper means
Tor cashing the cheeks of the workmen here.
While the working forces on the railroad will no doubt be
reduced this coming winter, lai'ge section gangs will be main
tained for several years. Moreovei*, the anny of prospectors
is rapidly increasing and the payrolls of the more promising
mining propei'ties are being added to right along.
Another important need is a decent roadway or walk from
the new depot to the main street and minor improvements in
other places. At the present time getting from the depot to
the main street is like crossing a glacier gravel bed. A road- j
way across the city limits to connect with the overland trail is
another need, but M. W. Anderson, of the Townsite company,
lias pi-omised that this will be made before the winter traffic
opens.
-0000
THE CONTROLLER BAY CASE.
Can it be possible that Secretary of Interior Fisher’s
anxiety to face those Controller Bay charges made the in
vestigators suspect that perhaps they had hold of the wrong
end of the argument. He appeared voluntarily before the
House Committee on Expenditures and made an unsuccess
ful plea for an immediate investigation of the story of Miss
M. F. Abbott, a writer, relating to the mysterious missing
“Dick to Dick” letter from Richard S. Ryan of New York
to former Secretary of Interior Ballinger, concerning the Con
troller Bay lands in Alaska.
Secretary Fisher, offering to co-operate with the com
mittee in every way, but insisting that the public interests
had not been jeapordized, urged that the letter be taken up
so as to determine whether such a letter existed, and if so,
who removed it from the Interior Department files.
Representative Graham announced that the committee re
garded the letter as of secondary importance, but would thor
oughly investigate that matter in due time.
The enemies of the administration spiling the new charge
that through a “secret” order of the president withdrawing
the shore of Controller Bay from the Chugach forest reserve
and throwing it open to entry the Morgan-Guggenheim syn
dicate had secured control of the only available tidewater ter
minus for a railroad tapping these coal lands. If the syndi
cate had lost the claims, it was asserted, they still controlled
the coal fields absolutely through monopoly of transportation.
Senator Lafolette was the first to exploit this charge of
ficially, back in April, and the report of Secretary Fisher,
himself a conservationist and the man who decided against the
Cunningham claimants, proved conclusively that there was
nothing whatever secret about the President’s action. The
proclamation withdrawing the Controller Bay shore was given
to the press when issued. Not content with this insinuation
of “secrecy” the democratic press bureau has now come for
ward with a statement that one Ryan, a supposed agent of
the Guggenheims, had written a postscript to a letter to Sec
retary Ballinger, found on file in the Interior Department,
stating that when the President refused to be satisfied with
Ryan’s representations about Controller Bay Ryan sent for
C. P. Taft and “asked him to tell his brother who Ryan really
represented, whereupon the President made no further ob
jection.”
Secretary Fisher and all the officials of the Interior Pe
! partment dqny any knowledge of such a letter. The idea that
if there had been such a letter it would have been left on file
for any person to find it is the least preposterous feature.
But such dishonoring accusations are hardly worth discussing
beside the admission of Land Commissioner Dennett that be
tween the time of the original draft of the proclamation left
the Department of Agriculture and its final issue an important
provision requiring 60 days' delay before anyone could file
on the land was eliminated. Thanks to this ommission Ryan,
being on the ground, was able to file entry immediately. This,
at least, seems to require the most searching inquiry.
Meanwhile congress should end this everlasting contro
versy over Alaskan resources by following the President’s
recommendation and enacting legislation that will permit the
development of the resources of the territory with proper safe
guards for the protection of the public interests. So long as
this imperative duty is neglected the territory may be expected
to be a source of scandal and controversy.
-oooo
MORE IGNORANCE OF ALASKAN CONDITIONS.
To a resident in Alaska, the latest flurry in congress anent
the territory is almost funny. An investigation is under way
to see how it was that “Dick” Ryan has been allowed to gobble
up the shore line of Controller bay in the interests of the
Guggies. It is not our intention to enter into the merits of the
case as to whether or not Ryan should have been allowed to
file his script upon the land in question, the probabilities are
that according to the interpretation of the powers that be at
this time, neither he or anybody else should be allowed to do
anything that would tend to develop the country, the joke
is for Congress or anyone else to couple the names of Ryan
and the Guggenheims together after the manner in which the
Hon. Richard has fought the latter for these many years.—
Ketchikan Miner.
-oooo
NOW LET THE BUSINESS PROCEED.
It is to be hoped now that the Cunningham coal locators
have all been branded as thieves and robbers, and about 98
per cent of the balance of those who have spent their time and
money in trying to put Alaska into the coal producers class
have been listed as crooks, that the various departments Alaska
is blessed with will allow the wheels of their respective offices
to revolve again. For almost a year, it has been practically
impossible to get any action on mineral lands through the land
office at Juneau, which of course has succeeded in tying up
practically everything in the mining line in the district. Pat
ents for mineral claims have been hanging fire for mouths
while “investigators” have been drawing down their salaries
and the rest of us have been holding our breaths for fear that
any outward utterances might bring about confusion worse
confounded.
-oooo
SALMON BRINGING GOOD PRICES.
From outside points comes the news that the salmon run
is materializing in good shape, and every indication points to a
successful season. Almost every boat is carrying south small
consignments of canned fish from the upper canneries that are
anxious to take advantage of the unusually good prices now
offered. Owing to the depleted condition of stocks, the de
mand at this time is almost unparalleled in the history of the
canning business, and there is every probability that the prices
will have an upward rather than a downward tendency as this
year’s stock is received, as the demand is practically sure to
exceed the supply. During the past spring, canned salmon had
to be returned from England to this country owing to the short
age in the states, and there is little probability that one sea
son’s pack can be large enough to get the market back into a
normal condition again.
-oooo
Seattle’s former chief of police C. AV. AVappenstein, liasj
been sentenced to serve from three to ten years in the peniteir
tiary, having been convicted of accepting a bribe of $1,000. j
His attorneys tried hard to stave off the pronouncing of judg
ment, but the court refused. In the meantime AVappenstein
has had a respite pending an appeal to the Supreme Court for
a new trial. There are seven other indictments against him.
all of which will be brought to trial, according to Prosecutor
Murphy.
-oooo
Richard S. Ryan denies that he ever wrote a letter to for
mer Secretary of the Interior Ballinger, such as the yellow
journals have been raving about, in their efforts to retard the
opening of Alaska. It appears that some irresponsible news'
paper woman in Washington jumped at certain unwarranted
conclusions, in an effort to fabricate a “good story.” Alaska
has been made to suffer a great deal from senegamdians of
this character; but each one is being smoked out in turn.
Delegate Wiekersham is packing his trunk at Washing
ton preparatory to his departure from the capitol, being thor
oughly disgusted because neither a Democratic or Republican
congress refused to longer be bulldozed by this lumbering
buffoon, whose actions among the national legislators has
been a disgrace to both himself and Alaska.
-oooo
“The Guggenheims have come.” And now let the irre
sponsible alarmist continue to sound the tocsin. Pound the
hewgag. Play upon the psaltery. Get out the old ramshorn.
Or pipe the dead march in Saul. But it’s an arrant coward
that cries out before he is hurt.” Don’t know what the Nug
get means by all of them funny words, but we’ll bet it’s sure
glad to throw ’em off its stomach.—lditarod Pioneer.
--—oooo
The quartz finds along the railroad, and particularly at
mile 109, are attracting the attention of the prospectors and
scores of them are headed that way on every outgoing train.
-——oooo
Business conditions are slightly improving and the silve
lining will soon be in evidence.
♦♦♦+■11 1 | 11 m»H I I I M"
SAVOY
!ii RESTAURANT
i i
! i» _
—
!;; Opposite Chitina Trading Co. ■
III J
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III ,
«, The Only First-Class Cafe in I
< i Chitina !
•» •
•» __ «
•» i
; | American and European Plan •
■ • I
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: Dinner 75c up :
j ■ * ;
.. A la Carte all day ]
i — i
: 1 * i
: ■ ■ Cater to special dinner parties. ■
*
i W»WWH»M4*»» i t > I H»
Chitina
I
Pharmacy
Drugs Toilet Articles
and magazines our
Specialties
Parisian Chocolates
The Best of the Bast
Mi Eleccion Cigars
An All-Havana Smoke
A. G. MOREY, Proprietor
Chitina, Alaska.
Pete’s Lodging
House
AND
SECOND HAND STORRE
—
CHIIiNA HEIGHTS
—
Bunks 25c; Beds 50c.
PETER CORDES. Prop.
HOTEL ii
ii WASHINGTON ii
ANNEX
" < '
I \ SEATTLE ! !
.. • >
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■ • < »
., New, modern and fireproof. ,,
< > ,,
• > All outside rooms. • •
• •
■ * The most conveniently located ■ •
• • hotel in the city. • >
; • Rooms and suites are partiru*
> > larly large. < >
'1 Very desirable for families or ■ *
< ■ ■>
<» parties traveling together. < 1
■ > ii
- IRATES MODERATE -
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'1 Aub>-bus meets all boats and ' ’
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• * trains. Write for booklet. ♦
< > < •
j.h. davis, Prop. ::
!♦♦♦♦♦♦♦«< I » »♦♦♦♦»* I III M*
NOTICE TO CREDITORS.
In the District Court for the Dis
trict of Alaska, Third Division, Chit
ina Precinct, before M. R. Healy,
Commissioner.—In Probate.
In the matter of the estate of Char
les W. Babbage, deceased.
All persons naving claims against
the estate of Charles W. Babbage, de
based, are hereby required to present
them for settlement to the undersign
ed, the administrator of the sakl es
tate, at his office in Chitina, at the
Chitina Pharmacy, not later than six
months from date.
All persons owing money to the
said estate are required to pay the
same to the said administrator at his j
office without delay.
Done at Chitina. Alaska, this 9th
day of June, A. D. 1911.
A. G. MOREY,
6-12-4 w Administrator.
♦♦♦♦i i iw >♦»♦♦♦■» mi»
Chitina
« ► « »
News
1 ’ < >
Stand
1 * « ►
I * i »
• » t >
! I All the Latest J*
•■ MAGAZINES & PERODICALS 1 ►
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■ • Cigars, Tobacco's, Confection- ■ ►
II | .
' ‘ ery and Soft Drinks < >
::
■ • POOL AND SOLO TABLES ■ ►
• *
J ; Barber Shop in Connection ; ;
> > You can play or read while ",
« *
awaiting your turn '*
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; ; AL CHURCH & TOM BRADV, ; •
J [ Proprietors < «
♦♦♦♦♦< BUI II 11 ♦Hill
Just Open j
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Billiards - Pool
CIGARS
;; Confectionery
■ > Soft Drinks and !'
;; < ►
• > Solo Tables ! ’
;; < *
ii Bowling Alley ij
I TIBBS BROS. I
i ♦ ,,
I I t l »
♦ Chitina Bakery J
I& Coffee House I
t
GESSNER & STANGNETH £
Proprietors ♦
FRESH BREAD *
♦ Cakes and Pastry f
♦ Always on Hand ♦
♦ Main Street, — Chitina. £
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PUBLIC LAND AND MINING
CASES.
If you are interested in any contest
or any matter before the Interior De
partment, write to Clark & Wright,
registered land lawyers, 902 F Street
N. W. (opposite Gen’l Land Office),
Washington, D. C. Free information
about contests and where to obtain
scrip, locatable upon public lands,
without residence or cultivation.
I L°g 1
t Cabin :
♦ ♦
l Restaurant *
♦ f
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X GOOD COFFEE X
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♦♦W-W I i I I I »
1 OSBORNE I;
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!! THE 11
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! • PRACTICAL !!
• ‘ <»
Jeweler
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• • CORDOVA, - ALASKA !!
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• • Watches and Jewelry at !!
< ■ ■ ►
;! Outside Prices :i
T at
T a a
vLeave Your Work at the Leader!!
•f Office <»
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