THIRD YEAR.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2tf, lull:.
XL'MBKK 2.
ilOFl I
(From Tuesday’s Daily Alaskan)
The old familar Bertha that has
changed her garb from a passenger
to a freight vessel, arrived in port
shortly before noon today. She pro
ceeded at four o’clock to Valdez,
where she will discharge one hun
dred tons of freight. From there
she will go to Seward with one hun
dred tons of coal. She will then go
to the far westward. The Bertha
brought to Cordova a number of
sacks of second-class mail that had
been left by the previous steamer,
and as a consequence the latest mag
azines and periodicals are on our
news stands this afternoon.
Purser Ira Cohn states that when
the Bertha discharged her freight at
Katalia she was not far from the
town. But the storm was increas
ing in volume and the two launches
wore being driven away from instead
of closer to 'he cown until iinallv
they were piled on the beach at
Palm Point.
(From Monday’s Daily Alaskan)
Henry Alheidt came in last even
ing from Chitina. where he has been
for a month past by reason of an ac
cident caused by a falling piece oi
rock injuring his forehead. He spent
the past season with Chas. Graeber
at the headwaters of the Bremner
river. As a result he located some
placer ground that he expects to
work next season on a large scale.
He has a bag of gold nuggets with
him that is clear of quartz and of
high value. Mr. Alheidt will go to.
New York where he has monied
friends and relatives whom he ex
pects to get interested in his placer
property.
Falcon Joslin, one of the greatest
boosters that Alaska has ever had,
and one who has abiding faith in the
great development and growth of the
territory, was an arrival last night.
He came through from Fairbanks
and is on his way to New York,
where he will seek to further interest
capital in the expansion of the Tana
na Mines railroad, of which he is the
President, and in the development of
quartz properties. Mr.Joslin is an
enthusiastic advocate of government
railroad construction in Alaska, and
predicts the completion of a railroad
from a seacoast terminus to Fair
banks within two years.
Superintendent Geo. Geiger, ac
companied by his wife, returned to
town last evening after a lengthy stay
at Chitina. Mr. Geiger spent most
of his time at Mile 79 where the prin
cipal break occurred in the railroad.
Thos. W. Lynch came to town last
evening and will take the next steam
er to Seattle. He has spent the past
season in the Kuskulina country.
Volney Richmond, manager of the
Northern Commercial Company, ar
rived from Fairbanks last night and
will take the steamer Alameda for
Seattle. From there he will go on
to San Francisco where he will spend
several months in the interests of his
company.
t A post office was recently establish
ed at Copper Mountain. It is located
at the camp where the Great North
ern Development Company has been
working from thirty to one hundred
men during the past seven or eight
years, under the management of E.
F. Gray. The new office has been
disignated as Phillips, named after
one of the New York officers and
large stockholders of the Great
Northern Development Company.
The postmaster is Bill Arnold, a
foreman for the company.
(From Friday’s Cordova Alaskan.)
The Alaska Railroad Commission
is expected to reach Cordova on Sun
day evening. They reached Chitina
on Thursday noon and today they arc
making a trip over the line between
Chitina and Kennecott. As there arc
a few repairs yet to be made it is pos
sible that they may not get beyonc
Mile 176. The members of tile Com
mission will leave on the regulai
train c-arly Sunday morning, instead
of Saturday as was expected. They
are likely to be in Cordova for several
days.
The Cliff mine has declared its reg
ular monthly dividend of five per cent
for the month of September. The
five Nissen stamps are kept busy
crushing ore in the place of three
as before, using ore from the fifth
level.
John W. Frame came over from
Valdez yesterday. He is a free lance
in the fight for a seat in the House
of Representatives and expects to re
ceive considerable vote in Cordova
and the Copper river country.
(From Thursday’s Daily Alaskan)
The steamer Mariposa reached
port from the westward shortly be
fore one o’clock this afternoon, and
sailed about 2:30 for the south, via
Juneau and Ketchikan. When the
Mariposa sails north from Seattle on
November 1 she will make her last
trip via the inside pasage, until next
spring. Starting November 16 she
will pass out through Cape Flattery
and come direct to Cordova. The
Alameda will start her first trip north
via Cape Flattery, leaving Seattle on
November S. As she was delayed in
leaving soutbouna on her present trip
she lias not vet arrived at Seattle,
and instead of sailing from there on
schedule time tonight, will be de
layed until Saturday morning at ten
o’clock. The outgoing passengers
from Cordova to Seattle, on the Mari
posa this afternoon, were as follows:
Wm. Carless, L. V. Deeper, Chas.
Cochran, Edw. Griset, C. E. Funek, I.
B. Herring, W. E. Desmond, J. R.
Chambers, Steve Busch, D. C. Fitz
gerald, Alex. Daing, J. E. Clark, Al
bert Borg, Frank Manley, Mrs. Man
ley, Fred Broughton and twelve
steerage. There were two passen
gers for Juneau, Ben Delzell and
wife.
George E. Baldwin, who is being
favorably received everywhere as a
candidate for the Senate, came from
the westward today on the steamer
Mariposa. He will go into the in
terior on Saturday's train, visiting
Chitina, Kennecott and McCarthy’s.
E. W. Exum is down from Uliitina
to spend a few days in our mlast.
The freighter Cordova will leave
Seattle on Friday morning. She will
come via Nanaimo and the inside pas
sage, with a cargo of genera! mer
chandise and coal for Cordo.a and
Southwestern Alaska ports.
Frank Manley and wife are at
Willow Creek awaiting transporta
tion to Valdez.—Monday’s Prospec
tor. Mr. Manley and wife were in
Cordova Tuesday evening and sailed
this afternoon for Seattle.
O. A. Tucker has been reappointed
United States Commissioner by Judge
Overfield, succeeding Judge Scott, re
signed.
•jaeK Headman, wno was former
ly with the Heney construction force
and who has since been located at
Copper Center, will come out in a
few days and return to Seattle. He
has resigned his office of United
States Commissioner.
Carl Armstrong came over on the
Mariposa today from Valdez. He is
deputy Marshal at Kodiak and ex
pects to catch the freighter Bertha
at this port and return to the west
ward. She will not put in at Valdez.
Robert D. Gray returned from the
westward today and is very much en
couraged over the prospects of his
election for Representative. Mr.
Gray will return to Katalla in a
couple of days.
Captain Robert D. Gray, of Katalla.
candidate for representative to the
territorial assembly, came over on
the steamer Alameda and returned
on the same boat. “Bob” was kept
busy renewing old acquaintances
here. He is an old timer in Alaska
having lived in this country for tlir
past twenty years, the greater part oi
the time at Katalla. His friandt
propose to see that he gets a good
vote in Seward.—Gateway.
ILH
ALASKA RAIROAD COMMISSION.
Chairman—Major Jay J. Morrow, of Engineer Corps,
U. S. Army
Vice Chairman—Dr. Alfred H. Brooks, in Charge
Mineral Resources, Geological Survey.
Leonard M. Cox, Civil Engineer of Engineer Corps,
U. S. Navy.
Colin McCrae Ingersoll, Consulting Engineer Bridges,
New York City.
Secretary—Charles E. Williams, Clerk in Office of
Indian Affairs.
The members of the Alaska Rail
road Commission arrived in Cordova
Sunday evening shortly after eight
o’clock and are quartered at the
Windsor hotel. They left Chitina at
seven in the morning, on the tirst
through train that had been run since
the slides and wash-outs of several
weeks ago. They had an opportunity
to observe and realize the many diffi
culties and obstacles that must be
encountered in this nortbland in the
way of development and construction.
They evidenced much interest in the
Copper River & Northwestern rail
road, and until the shades of night
had gathered they closely observed
the road bed, the contour of the land,
the easy grade and the scenic beauties
of the route.
While at Chitina the Commission
went over the road as far as Mile 17(i,
a small wash-out there preventing the
train last week from running through
to Kennceott. Front Chitina south
to Mile 7<> there was ample opjtor
tunity to observe and examine the
road, as the train was run slow for
that purpose. Rut the Commission
was prevented front getting a clear
idea of the road from there into Cor
dova, because of the gathering dark
ness. In order that they may ex
amine this stretch they will be taken
out in a special, early tomorrow
morning, and return at night. They
will then have a very correct and
comprehensive idea of the railroad
that it is expected the government
will wish to acquire as a part of its
great trunk system from Cordova into
the Tanana valley, with branches into
the Matanuska and Rering river coal
fields.
Although the members of the Com
mission had experienced an active
and somewhat unusal existence for
nearly two weeks, since they left
Fairbanks on October 17, they reach
ed Cordova in good spirits and very
enthusiastic over their treatment in
various sections of the interior and
the novel sights that they had enjoy
ed. As their time is getting short
they were somewhat disappointed
when they were informed that a
steamer southbound would not leave
Cordova until next Sunday or Mon
day. Major Morrow stated that he
had wired outside to ascertain wheth
er a revenue cutter was avaiable to
take the party to Haines. But he
was informed that the cutters had
all left Alaskan waters.
In an interview with the editor of
the Daily Alaskan Major Morrow de
clared that the Commission had had
a most interesting trip from Yuldez
to Fairbanks and from the latter city
to Cordova. doing inland the
weather was clear. Coming out it
was colder and at places there was
considerable snow. Part of the way
sleds were used. He stated that they
were all impressed with the great
possibilities of the country, both from
a mining and a agricultural stand
point. At Fairbanks a large num
ber of citizens gathered together and
presented their views to the Com
mission as regards the necessity for
the construction by the government
of a line of railroad from the sea
coast to the interior.
Major Morrow further stated that
the Commission would remain in Cor
dova for a week, and during that time
the members would be glad to hear
from the citizens and railroad officials
of the reasons they lind to advance
in favor of the adoption of the pres
ent route of the Copper River &
Northwestern Railroad as the nucleus
of a trunk line to run from Cordova
to the great interior. He stated that
they wished to secure all possible
data of every suggested route, so that
they might reach their conclusions
anti make their recommendations
after having had full information and
personally inspected much of the con
templated routes.
The party is made up of Major J.
F. Morrow, corps of engineers of the
United States army, chairman of the
ooard; Alfred H. Brooks. United
States geological survey, vice-chair
nan; Lieutenant-Commander Leon
ird M. Cox, United States navy; Colin
H. Ingersoll, civil engineer, of New
i'ork City; E. Wiliams, secretary to
:hp board; and Henry Deyo, civil en
gineer, of Valdez.
From Cordova the Commission will
?o to Skagway, where the White Pass
St Yukon road will be examined and
then the proposed terminus at
Haines. After that it is the inten
tion to go to Prince Rupert to inspect
the terminus of the Canadian road
md the journey east will be made
over the Canadian Pacific railroad
for the purpose of observing methods
n vogue on that system. As there
ire no government cutters or cruisers
now available in Alaskan waters it
is believed that the Commission will
be required to remain at Cordova un
til the coming of the steamer Alame
da. That vessel will be three days
late in leaving Seattle, as she is not
due to sail until Sunday afternoon,
she may make a quick trip north but
on her passege south she is not likely
to sail for Seattle before Sunday,
November 3. And in that event the
Commission will be here a week.
When in Fairbanks recently the
people of that town gave a big ban
quet, attended by two hundred, in
honor of the Commission. There
were many talks both upon the part
of the visitors and the townspeople.
That the Commission made a favor
able impression is evidenced from an
expression in the Times, as follows:
“Friendship, and a desire to help,
was evidently the thought uppeimost
in the mind of each and every one of
the visitors, and it is safe to say that
there was not a man present who did
not feel convinced that the destinies
of interior Alaska, in so far as they
may be helped by the coming of a
railroad, can be safely intrusted to
the care o.f the gentlemen selected by
the President of the United States to
investigate the needs of the territory
in the matter of transportation.”
speaking further on the talks
made the same paper says:
“Major Jay J. Morrow, the chair
man of the railroad commission,
opened his talk with several felicit
ous remarks with reference to his
selection by the rest of the commis
sion as the spokesman of the trip.
Referring to the appointment he re
gretted that there had been delay in
the final arrangements in regard to
its getting to work. Had it not been
for the long session of congress, the
commission would have been able to
get to work much sooner, and ‘there
is absolutely no question that Alaska
would have been redeemed in six
months if we could have gotten up
here in time.
“ ‘This commission is going to get
in a report between the Christmas
holidays and the fourth of next
March, when congress will adjourn,
which, if Alaska does not get some
action on, everybody here may know
that the blame may be placed upon
congress and not upon the commis
sion.’ ”
“Major Morrow stated that it was
not so much the mineral as the agri
cultural possibilities of the territory
that had to be considered, as these
best demonstrated the permanency
of population. He stated that in the
course of their trip they had found
a difference of opinion as to the coest
point from which the railroad sh >uld
*
start, but none as regards the propo
sition that its interior terminus
should be in the Tanana valley.
“As to the settlement of the terri
tory the chairman of the commission
stated that the members of his party
had appreciated the difficulties that
had been encountered and over come
by the pioneers. Had the old-timers
who first inhabited Virginia and some
of the older states met up with half
of them he believed the population
of the United States would at this day
be about as big as that of Fairbanks.
He had seen enough in his travels
through Alaska to hope that each and
every member of the commission
would be one of the party officiating
at the ceremony of driving the golden
spike of Alaska's first railroad, built
from the coast to an interior point,
which would start the opening up of
the wealth of the territory.
Among the other speakers was
Delegate to Congress James Wicker
sham, who said that it gave hint
great pleasure to welcome the com
missioners who had been sent by the
congress to investigate the needs of a
railroad into the territory, and who
had been appointed by the President
oi the United States, because he had
confidence in their ability, integrity
ard good judgement to aid in the
development of the country. “For
my part,” said the judge, “I have
such faith in this commission that I
pledge myslf to support its report.”
(From Tuesday’s Daily Alaskan)
The members of the Alaska Rail
road Commisslnn went out this morn
ing on the regular train leaving at
seven o’clock. They will thus have
daylight in which to view that part
of the railroad that they were pre
vented by darkness from seeing on
Sunday. They will go as far as Mile
78, where they will transfer to a
south bound train that left Chltina
this morning. They will likely
reach Cordova before seven o’clock
this evening . The Commission is
anxious to make the trip to Control
ler bay and have considered the possi
bility of going over there in a launch
However, the storm that is raging
may make it impracticable for them
to venture over in that locality. On
their way north the Commission stop
ped at Katalla for a few hours and
had expected to go from there to Con
troller bay in a launch, when a storm
suddenly came up and the McCul
lough steamed away to the westward.
It is expected to spend a day in a
launch on Cordova bay, to make an
examination of our harbor facilities.
On Wednesday evening a public meet
ing will be held at the Empress thea
tre, at which the members of the
Commission will appear and hear of
the reason why a trunk railroad
should have its coast terminus at
Cordova. And some expression may
be had from the Commission.
VALDEZ, Oct. 29—The following
trial jurors for the Cordova term of
court, to convene on November four
teenth, were drawn this afternoon:
Prom Valdez—Frank Millard, F.
G. Davis, Gus Deoarf, C. P. Topliff,
W. A. Soule, Pete Boutin.
From Seward—E. H. Wittemore,
F. A. Taylor, H. B. Patter, Chas.
Bern, Wm. N. Jones.
From Cordova—George Long,
Frank Colo, T. B. Tansey, Wm.Bos
well, Wm. Clayson.
From Katalla—D. H. White.
From Unga—H. Richards.
From Latouche- '. L. Florence
■ ^ i >■ t>— -f>-—
Try the Cl.itlnn Hotel for cigars
and pipes, c Sea.tic prices.
KATALLA, Oct. 29—Yesterday afternoon the rain and
wind made conditions very unpleasant on the waters around
Katalla. The storm increased after night fall and during the
early hours of the morning it raged fiercely. As a result one
life was lost and another was narrowly saved from the angry
waves.
The freighter Bertha arrived yesterday afternoon at two
o’clock. She brought about thirty tons of supplies for the men
who are employed by the government in mining and sacking
about one thousand tons of coal from the Cunningham claims.
The Bertha anchored out in the stream and after a time the
launches Corsair and Pioneer were enabled to reach her side,
and the difficult task of unloading the Katalla cargo was com
menced. This was completed about ten o’clock last night, after
which the Bertha pulled up anchor and sailed for Cordova.
The launches soon realized the impossibility of returning
to Katalla with freight, so they tried to seek a place of
safety under the lea of Martin Island. They were tossed about
for a time and finally at two o’clock this morning both launches
were washed on the beach at Palm Point. One of the men,
named A1 Ness was thrown into the ocean and while assistance
was immediately rendered he was drowned before he could he
reached. His body, however, was soon recovered, He is a
married man with a wife and child, living at this place. An
other one of the launch crew was also washed overboard but he
was rescued just as lie was sinking for the last time.
While some freight was lost, most of it was saved, and the
launches were slightly damaged. The effort to land the men
and freight of the government expedition when they first came
here met with disaster in the loss of most of the eighty tons of
supplies which was shipped from Seattle, and the total loss of
one of the launches that tried to bring the freight ashore. The
men and horses succceeded in effecting a landing and since then
the forty men have been employed in the Bering river fields.
They have met with unexpected success in finding ample quant
ities of high grade coal in the Cunningham mines. It stands all
chemical tests and is being sacked, 200 pounds in a bag, ready
for shipment in the spring for tests on the government naval
vessels.
There has been considerable dis
cussion, and some anxiety, In Cor
dova, over the reported attitude ol'
one of the Senatorial candidates on
the subject of conservation. State
ments have been made that at the
Pinchot meeting held in Valdez a
year ago. Col. B. F. Millard was prac
tically the only speaker who upheld
the views of the one man who it is
generally admitted to have been more
responsible than any other for the
present condition of inactivity that
now exists in So,uhtwestern Alaska.
Other speakers took issue with the
great apostle of stagnation conser
vation, but Col. Millard stated that
Pinchot was right. In reporting
tile meeting, which was held at Mc
Kinley hall, on October 5, a news
paper in our neighboring town re
ferred at length to the utterances of
some of the speakers. We republish
the following:
(From the Vadez Miner Oct. S, 1911)
Colonel Millard was the last speak
er at the Pinchot meeting and ex
pressed himself in no uncertain terms
on the coal question, declaring that
Pinchot was right in his attempt to
prevent the coal lands from falling
into the hands of a monoply.
"I don't care whether the coal
lands are opened or not," he said,
"Rather than have them fall into the
hands of a monoply, I'd prefer to see
them idle for generations to come.”
Col. Millard said that he did not
believe the price of coal to the people
would be reduced a cent if a monoply
secured control of them and tne gov
ernment did not fix the transporta
tion ratee. He said he was not op
posed to capital, representing seven
corporations himself, but was op
posed to one large corporation opera
ting the mines without restraint.
During his address, the Colonel re
ferred to a previous speaker who
pictured the Alaskan leaving his com
fortable home and the dear ones in
the Btates, to come to the frozen
north and undergo untold hardships
in the development of the country.
The Colonel said he came north be
cause he had to, was here to make
a stake and would get out Just as
soon as he made It.
NEW YORK, Oct. 29—Tomorrow
police lieutenant Becker, who was
found guilty of complicity in the mur
der of Herman Rosenthal, will be
brought before Justice GofT and re
ceive sentence.
ni<; crop of potatoes
John Brown of Tlekel, at Mile 101.
on the C. W. & N. W. Ry. harvested
his crop of potatoes recently. The
yield was surprisingly good. From
a patch lt»ss than a hundred feet
square he got over half a ton of good
potatoes which he disposed of to the
Railroad camps and to the people of
Chitina. He also raised a crop of ex
cellent turnips. Next year he will
farm on a larger scale.
COMISSARY FOR COMPANY
The Railroad will hereafter main
tain a boarding house for their em
ployes at Chitina. A tent has been
fixed up near the depot for that pur
pose. The company abolished the
boarding house here sometime ago
but their experience has shown that
it is the only satisfactory system.
The first slush ice ran in the Cop
per River on October 22ml.
The hotels are doing a very good
business. The travel from Fair
banks is beginning and from present
indications there is little danger that
much of it will be diverted at Willow
Creek to the “Excelsior” route.
One can hardly go out of doors
these days without being attacked by
a candidate. We are sorry they can't
all win.
The Chitina Baker) did a bigger
business in Oct. than any month since
the town sas flatted over two years
ago.
The first (rain )or six weeks r>'
rived on the 2itn.lt brought the place
•o life in a hurry. The ligluo briglu
. tied up the horses got a square feed
anj business took on a live pace.
Cloninger and Brown have bought
a lot on Main street from C. C. Hull.
The Chitina Pharmacy carries an
extensive line of magazines that is
kept strictly up to date.
The Road Commission is having a
well dug in the barn they purchased
here in Chitina.
The heavy rains caused the trail
to freeze up quite rough which will
make traveling somewhat disagree
able until considerable snow has
fallen.
C. A. Simons is doing a good busi
ness on Chitina Heights. Has large,
[ clean bunk house with free cook
house in connection is quite a draw
‘ug card. Adjoining his grocery
store is a large, warm reading room
with a pool table where all are wel
come. It is the popular hang-out
for those looking for clean, quiet
passtime.
I ...