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VOL. 1
CHITIXA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1911.
NO 50
LEGISLATORS DESIRE TO AID ALASKA, WE ARE TOED
The visit of Secretary Fisher of the
Interior Department to Chitina this
'• tek accompanied by Alfred Brooks,
h a.1 of t.ie geological department in
Alaska; Mr. Holmes, the new chief
ot i,u- recently created national bu
reau of mines; Governor Clark, Som
ner Smith, the new inspector of
mines, for the territory. and other
government officials, as well as mag
azine writers and newspaper men,
and leading business men from Cor
dova, proved an event full of in
terest.
A crowd of citizens assembled in
William Tibb's place and upon re
quest the secretary consented to give
an informal address. O. A. Tucker,
of Cordova, introduced the speaker
and the remarks of the secretary
were closely followed by the listeners
among whom were many old timers
and sourdough mining men and
prospectors.
The secretary explained mat his
mission to Alaska was to study the
conditions first hand for himself.
Tnere were certain things he wanted
to know of his own knowledge, not
from hearsay, tie said he did not
tablished that the people who gave
care to go into the controversy, or
its political aspects, previous to his
taking office, but that a great deal
of the real trouble and lack of con
structive legislation for Alaska
could be traced to lack of practical
knowledge of Alaskan affairs.
Continuing. Mr. Fisher said the
people were beginning to understand
Alaska was a land of great opportun
ities, instead of one mostly of ice
bergs and snow, where people were
working out problems of their own
in much the same manner as con
fronted pioneers in other sections
of the union.
He contended there was a univer
| sal desire on the part of legislators
and others to aid Alaska, and that
there was also an honest difference
of opinion as to the be3t method
of doing this. He said the so-called
muckraking magazines were also
| honest in what they believed was an
attempt to turn Alaska over to pri
vate capital but that they were msi
informed as to the real facts. He
said, for instance, he saw an article
in one magazine with pictures show
concerned the law would be strictly
| ing cuts of immense coal ledges 50
or 60 feet wide. He said he visited
| some of these immense ledges while
| in the vicinity of Katalla and found
that three-fourths of the dark
streak shown in the photographs
land labeled coal was in reality shale
and of no practical value as a mar
ket commodity. The magazine was
misinformed and had built up its
story on a false premise.
Mr. Fisher said he was certainly
pleased and surprised to see such an
enterprise as the railway and equip
ment of the Copper River & North
western railway in a new country.
He reminded his hearers that legiti
mate and constructive capital was
entitled to the same protection and
square deal as any other interest.
He stated that he did not consider
as important or bearing upon the
question the views of the few selfish
easterners who imagined Alaska was
a national asset and should be ex
ploited so as to give all of them
a share in her riches. They were
actuated solely by selfish motives.
He said it was a principle well es
their time to develop resources
should share most largely in the ben
efits derived therefrom. However,
the fact remained that the resources
in different states and territories
had been wasted and there was a
concensus of opinion south, east and
west that on government lands of
the United States still unappropriated
a different policy was necessary in
order to save waste and conserve the
resources for the benefit of the
common people. He said it was
intended that Alaska should profit
by the mistakes made by other states
and territories in this niat'er. The
secretary thought it unfair and un
just to accuse everyone who differed
front the old established order of
things with ulterior motives.
Auer Airred Brooks and Governor
Clark had spoken, some one in the
crowd asked: “What about the coal
Mr. Fisher?”
This brought the secretary to his
feet again, and he defined his posi
tion on the fuel question with con- ■
siderable spirit.
He said that so far as he was
enforced. Furthermore, he would
promise action, as far as it was with
in his power to act. He said those
who were entitled to coal claims
would secure patents, and those who
had not complied with the law would
have their applications cancelled.
He reminded those present that en
actments of legislation must come
from congress; that his powers were
limited to enforcing the law and sug
gesting and recommending legis
lation which he deemed might be of
value in promoting the welfare of
the people.
Governor Clark reminded the peo
ple that on a former visit a year ago
ne predicted Chitina would make a
town, and Mr. Brooks following,
said he could go the governor om
better for three years ago he had
visited this place and upon informa
tion furnished by his colleagues,
knew that the mineral indications
were sufficient to warrant the build
ing of a considerable supply cen
ter.
The meeting adjourned informally
and many of the citizens crowded
forward to meet the secretary. Gov
ernor Clark, as well as Mr. Brooks
came in for his share of the hand
shakes. Mr. Brooks is well known
among the old timers, who consider
him an Alaskan the same as them
selves. If Mr. Brooks could have
heard the many compliments paid
him owing to the work of the geolog
ical force in Alaska, he would have
felt it was appreciated among the old
timers.
Mr. Fisher made an excellent im
pression among the people with
whom he mingled. While there is a
difference of opinion as to the prop
er remedy for Alaska as to some of
his expressed views, all alike agreed
that he is thoroughly earnest and
conscientious and is really a big man
from whom relief may be expected.
The secretary’s special paid a visit
to the end of the line and returned
to Cordova. The special was held
a few minutes at Chitina on its re
turn to give Governor Clark time to
assist the citizens in getting a pe
tition for a school in shape.
O. M. Kinney returned to Cordova
this week after spending several days
along the railroad.
a-.v, QUARTZ STRIKE
REPORTED NEAR TE1KEL
Dennis Kelly reports having made
a strike on Bernard creek, a tribu
tary of Teikel, which will make min
ing circles sit up and take notice. Re
claims to have one ledge of quartz
d" feet wide and another 15 feet
wide. The strike, he says, is 14
miles from the railroad at mile 122
and twyo and a half miles from the
C'hitina-Fairbanks trail.
SURVEYS MADE IX
COPPER RIVER VALLEY
The total acreage surveyed by the
government force in the Copper riv
er valley, under the direction of
the Interior Department, in order
that homesteads may be proved up
on, is approximately 65,000 acres.
The parly which recently passed
through Chitina, having completed
its labors for the present season,
surveyed 45,000 acres this summer.
During the season of 1910, approxi
mately 22,000 acres was surveyed.
CHINA TOWNSITE IS BONG IMPROVED
At the unanimous request of the
;
residents of Chitina the Katalla com
pany has taken over the townsite,
and are now engaged in making some
decided improvements. The price of
lots will also be greatly reduced and
the affairs of the townsite hereafter
will be in charge of William Lawson,
the station agent at Chitina.
Work was started this week under
the direction of Engineer Forrester
for making a good roadway from the
intersection of Main and First streets
to near the Orr & Co. barns, to con
nect with the overland trail to Fair
banks ard other interior points. Mr.
Forrester is doing the work for the
railroad company.
A donkey engine was put to work
to pull the stumps. Mr. Forrester
is having a hard time to find enough
men. All of the available workmen
were s?nt to Cordova a short time
ago to work on the oil tanks, owing
tc the fact that there were net enough
idle men herjj».for_Ahe purpose. The
railroad company is constantly re
cruiting men from the different
places, and shipping them to the
various points where their services
are needed.
Other needed street improvements
will be carried on under the direction
of Engineer Forrester. A fill will
be made over the rocky bed between
| the depot and Main street. The
I residents of Chitina are very much
! pleased to learn that the street im
j provements are going ahead. It is
likely that Fairbanks, First, Second
and Third avenues will be graded
■ front Main street to A avenue, and
! i hence along that street to the main
‘overland trail. That route will
bring tue mail and stage out on the
main street about the center of the
! business section.
CHITINA TO BE MADE SCHOOL DISTRICT
the question of a school for Chiti
| na was discussed with Governor
Clark by a number of citizens who
were assured of the governor’s
HAS FAITH IN THE COUNTRY
Pat Murphy, who is interested in
a number of claims on Kotsina, is
a firm believer in the mineral future
of the country surrounding Chitina.
He has been in the district for years,
and has traveled over nearly the
whole of Alaska. He is one of the
pioneer operators who believed in
the country from the first, and who
endured the hardships attendant up
on carrying supplies over the winter
trails by packtrain.
Mr. Murphy has a cabin on his
property and may work all winter.
He has a wrell defined ledge carry
ing copper, gold and silver values
ar.d will strip this ledge and get
ready to open it up.
“It will not be very long,” he said,
"before you will see a spur track
from the Copper River & North
western railway up the Kotsina.
Some people do not believe this, but
these same people did not believe
the company would ever build a
railroad to the Bonanza mine. The
fact that the enterprise has been
carried through has not changed
this class, who can never believe
anything unless it is a realty. They
are the same people> also, who won
dered what us old timers were wast
ing our time for in packing supplies
over the trail, claiming that there
was not enough in the whole coun
try to justify the building of a rail
read.
| “You may depend upon it, and I
am speaking from the standpoint of
a practical miner who has seen evi
dence of values, that there will be a
tig mining boom when the true
conditions become known. I took a
150 mile prospecting trip this sum
mer and saw immense dykes and well
lefined ledges, and assays taken
rom some of them gave $5 per ton
n gold values. Of course this is
tot enough at the present time to
make them atttractive, but -some day
many of these ledges will be work
ed and furnish immense tonnage.
It would hardly be worth while
staking them at present, unless
enough time was spent in investi
gating them more thoroughly to see
if bigger values could be secured.
“There are wnote mineralized
mountains adjacent to the railroad,
some of which have not even as yet
been prospected, and when they are
and the real conditions become bet
ter advertised, a flood of capital will
be turned loose and you will see de
veloped the greatest mining country
on earth.”
Mr. Murphy tumks the plan to ad
vertise the mineral resources of the
Copper river valley at the New York
exposition is a good one and will in
terest himself in seeing that some
samples of ore are sent there. He
will also speak to other operators
with a view of getting as many
samples as possible.
hearty co-operation if it could be
shown that the conditions would jus
tify. Consequently a mass meeting
was called which met in the Brown
building, while the governor and par
ty was up the line. A committee
consisting of A. G. Morey, Fred
Schaupp and William Tibbs was
chosen to collect the necessary data
and arronge the details in present,
able form to the governor upon his
return.
A careful canvas showed the re
quired number of pupils with two to
spare and a very creditable showing
was made to the governor, who car
ried away with him the necessary
papers for presentation to the clerk
of the district court at Valdez.
Judge O. A. Tucker, commissioner
at Cordova, who has had large ex
perience in school matters assisted
in preparing the papers, and Gover
nor Clark promised to present them
in person to the Clerk at Valdez in
order that prompt action might be
had and a school for Chitina is now
assured for the winter.
The prompt response of the gover
I nor in this matter is characteristic
of the business methods of his ad
ministration. and the citizens of this
community are a unit in endorsing
the broad-minded, public spirited
governor> whose assistance was so
necessary in securing a school for
Chitina.
The following estimate was made
by the citizen’s committee for funds
for the ensuing school year:
Teacher, $125 per month ....$ 1,000
Janitor, $25 per month.160.00
Fuel .200.00
Lights . .50.00
Water .25.00
Rentals .200.00
incidentals.160.00
Total.$2,000.00
The large attendance at the mass
meeting indicated a wide spread gen
eral interest in the school movement.
Jesse Martin acted as chairman and
C. C. Hull as secretary.
The matter of a location was con
sidered and Mr. Anderson of the
Townsite company promptly respon
ded with an offer to donate a lot
50x150 feet or to reserve a suitable
I>R. WHITING GOES ON
HUNTING EXPEDITION
Dr. P. B. Whiting sailed on the
Aiameda for Seward where he will i
join Frank E. Young and spend a
couple of weeks on a hunting expe
dition. Jack Dalton has arranged
for the doctor to meet Jim Jeffries
and his brother and return with
them and go to Montague island to
hunt bear.
During his absence at Prince Rup
ert Bert McCutcheon has become the
father of a healthy boy baby. Dr.
Chase reports mother and child do
ing well.
George Cappell arrived from Cor
dova on Monday’s train and will
leave for the interior on the next
train. Mr. Cappell has opened up
offices for the Cappell, Radclyffe &
Co., in the Adams block in Cordova.
M. W. Anderson left on Tuesday's
train for Cordova and the outside.
General Manager E. C. Hawkins, of
the Copper River & Northwestern
railway, accompanied his family to
Seattle on last night’s Alameda and
expects to return to Cordova on the
came boat.
When In need of job printing of
any kind give us a call.
het us do your Job Printing.
'ocauon, but in view ot cue snoit
time till school should begin it was
decided to rent a building for the
present. It is hoped to have every
thing arranged by October first.
biggest ore train
over THE RAILROAD
Superintendent Geiger has the dis
tinction of bringing in yesterday the
largest train that has ever passed
over the Copper River & Northwest
ern railroad. It consisted of one
passenger coach, a diner, 3 cars of
machinery and 24 cars of copper ore.
The ore will amount to nearly 1100
tons and will be shipped on the Ala
meda to the Tacoma smelter.
O. A. Nelson and M. S. Nelson are
becoming well known in Chitina and
along the railroad owing to their ex
cellent work with the camera. They
have fitted up a gallery and dark
room in their building and will make
a business of developing, printing
and taking photographs. They have
an eye for the artistic and are doing
their share to advertise the many
beauties of Alaska, especially this
part of the northland, via the post
card and other kinds of work.
Dr. Thom is proving himself a
tjreat musher and is exploring the
mountains surrounding Chitina.
(MG NEED OF BRIDGES
C. M. Cole, one of the mail carriers under the Lee Davis
contract, declares emphatically that a bridge across the Nizina
river is one of the urgent needs that should not he longer neg
lected. Speaking on the subject he says: “The Nizina is one
of the most treacherous streams in this part of Alaska. The
channel changes so often that we can hardly ever ford it in
the same place. On my last trip one of my packhorses was
swept from his feet, and but for the fact that he was a good
swimmer would have been lost. Not alone do we find the high
water and swift currents a source of danger and annoyance, but
the trail over Sourdough hill is almost impassible. The under
brush is so thick and the soil so mucky that it takes hours
longer than necessary to get from McCarthy creek over the hill
to the river. Then beside the laborious task there is always
great danger that man and horse will meet with accident be
cause of the many pitfalls. With a very little expenditure,
compared with the travel it would accomodate, a substantial
and permanent bridge could be thrown across the river in the
canyon which would connect with the old pack trail, and be
available all seasons of the year. Trails and bridges are cer
tainly badly needed in that section.’*_
HARDWARE STORE IS
OPENED IX CHITIXA
Fred Sehaupp, the sheet metai
vork?r, has installed a hardware
stock in his place of business anu
will make a specialty of carrying
everythin" in that line.
Mr. acnaupp is an old timer f-om
the Klondike and Tanana camps and
it thoroughly familiar with the needs
of the trade in Alaska. He will carry
everything needed for freighters and
uunters and trappers, and later In
tends to carry mining machinery.
“I shall endeavor at all times,”
said Mr. Schaupp, ‘ to anticipate the
needs of me trade. The stock I am
now laying in is but preliminary to
that wi.ich I shall carry later, all
arrangements having been made.’
Paris, Sept. 2.—The government
is considering the importation of
cattle, as meat suspension is cer
tain, the taxes forcing cheaper food.