OF GENERAL INFORMAIION
Cordova, November 25
Recent arrivals from Fairbanks,
who are awaiting departure of tne
first steamer for the outside, state
that Geo. Wheeler had just arrived
at the interior metropolis from the
headwaters of the Tolovana and re
ported finding pay of 34 a foot in
ground 30 feet deep, but workable
from the surface down on his claim
on Livengood creek. The pay is
nine feet deep he said. Livengood
creek is about 10 miles long and is
staked from one end to the other
with the men doing the necessary
amount of location work required
by law.
Conrad Miller and J. k. Lowry
will depart for the interior on to
morrow’s train, returning to their
claims at the head of the Chitina.
They are taking in a winter's sup
ply of provisions and material and
will sink several noles this winter
by the freezing process, as the
ground is so wet that bedrock can
not be reached during the summer
season without aid of pumps.
included in a lot of fine furs
brought to Fairbanks last week by
the firm of Murphy Brothers & Cook,
fur dealers, from the Totatlanika,
was a silver fox pelt estimated to be
worth 3750. The trapper tried to
catch the fox alive but failed and
was obliged to shoot it or let it
escape. This firm will establish a
fur farm in the Tanana valley.
Len W. Miller, formerly foreman
of the Juneau Dispatch mechanical
department is installing a plant for
printing a weekly paper at Peters
burg, to be known as the “Weekly
Report.” The first issue will be out
by the 1st of December.
The TJrsuline convent at Valdez
had a narrow escape from destruc
tion by fire early on the morning of
the 15th inst. The origin is sup
posed to have been an over-heated
stove. The damage was about 3200.
Cordova, November 27
An optimistic picture of Alaska’s
future is painted by Governor J. K.
A. Strong in his annual report, sub
mitted lest week to Secretary of the
Interior Lane, a copy of which has
just been received and brief refer
ence to which was made in the Daily
Alaskan’s dispatches last week. The
governor urged that the government
exercise closer supervision for the
conservation of the territory’s wealth
of fisheries, pointed out the need
for the construction of a system of
wagon roads and trails to supple
ment government railroads and de
clared means must be taken To
stamp out disease among the native
population.
“With the promise that the future
holds,” said Gov. Strong, "and the
exact knowledge of the extent and
variety of the great mineral and
other resources of Alaska, coupled
with the new' broad policy of devlop
ment which the government has in
augurated, Alaska, it is confidently
believed, will hereafter occupy an
important place in the mining, in
dustrial and economic history of the
i nited States.”
It is estimated that there are now
39,000 white people in the terri
| tory, an increase of 3,000 over last
year’s estimate. The total value ot
the 1913 mineral output was $19,
470,336, and the total value of the
products of the Alaskan fisheries was
$15,739,068. Both showed some
decline from the preceding year. The
territory’s commerce in the last fis
cal year showed exports of more
than $61,000,000—a decrease be
cause of lesser gold production,
while the United States sold mer
chandise worth $21,929,160 to the
territory.
Alaska’s mineral resources, Gov.
Strong said, waited development to
: restore some of the foreign supplies
cut ofT by the European war. Lack
of an adequate coal supply, he said,
had retarded industrial development.
Congress recently passed a leasing
4d>ill to open the ccal fields in the
far northern territory.
Although copper production is
now important and promises to in
crease largely within the coming
years. Given a supply of coke
which cannot now be had at prices
which make it available for indus
trial use, the copper industry would
be greatly stimulated by the erec
tion of smelters for the treatment of
the ores.
The governor said that the agri
cultural possibilities of the terri
tory are beginning to be appreciated.
There are probably 50,000,000 acres
of land suitable for agricultural pur
poses, he said, and millions of acr-s
adapted for cattle raising and dairy
ing. Outlining other sources of
natural riches in minerals and for
ests, the governor said the territory
must present an inviting field for
the home seeker, for capital and for
labor, for men of brain and brawn
such as have caused the great west
to bloom and blossom.
‘ The construction of railroads by
the government,” the governor
added, “will be a means of opening^
to development a vast extent of ter
ritory, now practically inaccessible,
but which is known to possess great
possibilities from a mineral and agri
cultural point of view.
“I wish to emphasize here, how
ever, that supplementary to rail
roads, and as producers of added
tonnage for railroad transportation,
,ere should be a largely increased
appropriation by congress for the
construction and maintenance of
new roads and trails.
‘‘Health conditions among the
white people of Alaska,” said Gov.
Strong, “continue to be excellent.
Among the native population, how
ever, diseases of various kinds are
| widespread, this being especially
| true in remote sections, in some
1 parts of Southwestern Alaska and
the eastern shore of Bering sea,
where such things as sanitation and
hygiene are unknow'n.” he added.
The fisheries industry, second In
importance to mining in the terri
tory, ‘ calls loudly for the protect-|
ing care of the federal government, ’ |
; Gov. Strong declared. "It has been i
and still is the victim of neglect and ;
this neglect is directly attributable,
to the insufficiency of funds to em
ploy the necessary personnel to en
force the laws and regulations for
the protection of the fisheries and
for their proper supervision and ex
tension. Flagrant violations of these
laws on the part of fisheries oper
ators are a common occurrence, and
! attempts to prosecute known violat
j ors have been only partially success
! ful. The waste of fish at many of
the canneries is excessive.”
Governor Strong de'clared that the
waters of Alaska had been exploited
i for their wealth for many years, but
that at no time had the exploiters
contributed an adequate return for
their privileges.
“The system of rebating taxes,"
he said, "in return for the release
of salmon fry by some of the can
nery companies operating hatch
eries is, and always has been, more
or less of a solemn farce. No one
has benefitted except the cannery
companies, which are thus given a
direct bonus by the operation of tne
rebating system, and the govern
ment has been deprived yearly of a
substantial amount of taxes.
"These fisheries should oe held m
trust for all the people and not re
served for wholesale exploitation.
This statement applies not alone to
the salmon fisheries, but to all the
others prosecuted in Alaska, and
those who are engaged in the in
dustry should be compelled to pay
a just and reasonable tax for the
privileges which they enjoy.” The
governor added that taxes were
levied on the salmon output alone.
Gradual transition from placer to
lode mining was indicated in the
gold industry. Gov. Strong said, but
the building of roads probably would
result in increased output from the
placer mines. Decrease in the 1913
output, he said, was partly accounted
for by a shortage of water in the
placer mining regions. Gov. Strong
urged that Alaska be given a full
territorial form of government.
* Under enlarged powers,” he said,
"no additional expense to the fed- j
eral government would be entailed, j
and matters which properly belong'
to the legislative functions of the I
local legislature could be dealt with !
in a way suited to the needs and re
quirements of the* territory.”
He declared the need of an attor
ney general for the territory was
‘imperative.”
Sixteen hundred pounds of mail
went out for interior points on the
first train of the new tri-weekly
winter service, yesterday morning.
Cordova, November 28
The federal grand jury made its
report Tuesday and was discharged.
The jury recommended that a deputy
marshal be stationed at Copper Cen
ter, also that the city of Valdez
provide better school buildings for
tne children. Fees for commission
ers were condemned and a salary
recommended. The report also urged
upon the city authorities that the
books of the city should be audited.
The Valdez hospital conducted by
Dr. E. C. Dalton was given favorable
mention and the grand jury urged
an Australian ballot and registration
system be adopted for the territory.
I —Valdez Prospector.
J. H. Cobb, .a Juneau attorney,
has commenced legal action at that
nlace to recover an attorney fee of
$5,000 from Jack Dalton, alleged to
be due for services in connection
with the case which the trail-blazer
Drought against the Copper River &
Northwestern Railway tor title to
mining claims and his homestead
on the Cordova waterfront.
James Waddell, deputy U. S.
marshal at Katalla, was a passenger
on the steamer Admiral Evans for
the south, taking Tony Papas to
the federal penitentiary at McNeil’s
island. Papas, it will be remem
bered, received a sentence of 20
years for shooting and robbing a
fellow countryman near Cordova.
The mercantile firm of Brown &
Hawkins, of Knik, announce their
intention of installing wireiess com
munication between tnat place and
Kodiak next spring.
Cordova, November 30
The Portland Steamship Co., a
new organization composed princi
pally of merchants of that city who
are going after a portion of the
Alaska trade, has purchased two
steamers on the Atlantic coast and
they will arrive in time to inaugur
ate a new schedule for next summer.
While the names of the steamers
purchased will not be divulged for
the present, it has been given out
that they are of large passenger
carrying capacity and will make a
specialty of this class of trade. They
will have accommodations for about
150 first class passengers and will
carry about 2,000 tons of freight.
They are of the same, general elasc
and size of the Admiral Line
steamers.
The steamer Mariposa, with 20
passengers for Cordova and points to
the westward and 2'JO tons of gen
eral merchandise for this city and
points along the railway, arrived
from the south promptly on time
last evening, at 6 o’clock. She de
parted at 1 o’clock this morning and
is expected to arrive here early Wed
nesday morning returning to the
south. Two freight clerics, old on the
run, but new on the Mariposa, were
on duty this trip—H. J. Surrott and
L. Richardson. She had 31 pas
sengers for Juneau. Those for this
section of Alaska were:
For Cordova — Leonard Bauer.
Thomas Derlsan. William Blackman.
Mrs. M. Wallbank and baby.
For Valdez—Richard Bell, R. R
Herman, L. B. Douglas, P. Olson.
For Ft. Liscum—J. A. Sheehy.
For Latouche—A. Wallbank, G. J.
Hodge, Mrs. G. Stardahl.
For Seward—Mrs. W. W. Butts,
R. E. McDonald, J. F. Walker, Mrs.
Walker, S. E. Sack, J. W. Kager,
Miller. Beck.
Cordova, December 1
W. H. Carson, who left Cordova
for Shushanna last February, re
turned this afternoon on the train
from the interior. He accompanied
the mail carrier, “Dog Musher’
Peterson, over the new winter trail
across the Robn glacier which, Mr.
Carson declares, is a much easier
route than the old one over Nizlna
glacier, as the former is at least
1,000 feet lower, has no heavy
grades and few crevasses. These
two men covered the distance of 40
miles between timber lines in two
days of actual traveling time, al
though they were delayed a day at
the camp of A. Eides, the road com
missioner. because of the illness of
Mr. Carson. This camp is about
midway between the timber lines
and and has been fitted up by Mr.
Eides for accommodation of travel
ers. Mr. Eides has so thoroughly
staked the trail that one can in ordi
nary weather see 20 to 25 stakes at
all times, thus el.minating danger
of travelers getting lost.
Mr. Carson stated that at least
200 people are wintering at Shu
shanna. A stampede started three
weeks ago for Ptarmigan creek, but
nothing except good prospects were
cund. The Hamshaw company hao
15 to 20 men employed in develop
ment work on Wilson creek when
Mr. Carson left. He met four out
fits going in over the. new trail—
Lulie brothers, Brown, Grant Reed
and another party whose name he
did not learn.
Among passengers arriving from
the interior on the train this after
noon was Road Commissioner A.
Eides, who has been building and
Eides, who has been building and
staking a new trail to Shushana over
the Rohn glacier. He declares this
trail iB at least 1,000 feet lower than
the old trail and easier of travel
because of light grades; in fact, the
grade is so light as to be hardly
percepitble until near the summit.
-o—n—o
Further details of the death of
Richard Price, run over by an elec
tric car at the Treadwell mine last
Friday, are given by the Juneau
papers. Mr. Price was riding on the
front of the car and for support wn
holding the rope leading to the
trolly. The. movement of the ra”
caused him to slip and fall and the.
front truck passed over him before
the motorman could stop the car.
Price’s neck and back were broken
and both legs mangled.
McCAKTHY lews
P. Brcoks, Grant Keed and Davil
Brown lett Monday for Shushanna.
Fred and Chas Lubbe are also on
their way to Shushanna diggings
with a load of perishables.
Five head of horses belonging t.
the bankrupt estate of J. A. Fagen
berg were auctioned off Saturday
November 21. Rapid bidding dis
posed of them in a very short time.
Mr. and Mrs. Tom L<ane are home
again after a few months stay in
Blackburn. Mr. Lane has been in
charge of the J. A. Fagenberg estate
Attorney F. H. Foster returned
from Chitina Tuesday.
Mrs. Alta Hinman is now convales
cent after an illness of two weeks.
Mrs. A. Church entetrained No
vember 23 at cards. Three tables
of whist were in play. Those pres
ent were: Mrs. Mark Lattln, Mrs. J.
Barrett. Mrs. Fred Cope, Mrs. L. ft.
Royal, Mrs. T. Lane, Mrs. Neva
Spencer, Miss Ingrid Sather, Mrs.
Lillian Frye, Mrs. A. E. Todd, Mrs.
Tim Eckstrom, Mrs. J. Baltuff, Mrs
Robert Marshall, Mrs. A. Ketterer
and Mrs. A. Church. The prizes were
won by Mrs. Royal and Mrs. Eck
! strom.
Mr. Otto Lnbbe narrowly escaped
serious injury from a runaway train
last week.
-o-o- —*
The new internal revenue law,
1 known as the war tax, went into
i effect today on many articles of use
; in Cordova. The necessary stamps
i have been received and must be at
I tached to legal documents, bonds,
stock certificates, etc., and failure to
attach a stamp will subject the of
fender to a fine of $100. Five cents
for each $100 of face value is
charged. Cosmetics, toilet prepara
tions, perfumes, etc., carry a tax of
a fraction of a cent where the retail
price is leas than 25 cents. The tax
decreases in proportion to the price
above that figure. These stamps
must also be attached to bills c.t
lading, bills or memorandums of
sale of merchandise, on every charge
: exceeding 5 cents made by railway,
! steamship and express companies
each agent having been furnished
with a supply.
A tax is also levied on telephone
and telegraph messages, which tax
is collected monthly at the rate of
1 cent for every charge of 15 cents
or more, but stamps are not used
for messages.
A portion of the act went into
effect Nov. 1, when tobaccos, cigars,
cigarettes, liquors, beers, ale and
similar “juice” were affected by a
tax of $1.50 a barrel of not more
than 31 gallons. Bankers then
were assessed $1 for each $1,000 of
capital stock.
-o—o—o
Several homesteads have recently
been located near Haines.
U. S. Marshal H. A. Bishop of
Juneau has been stricken with
paralysis of the right side.
The newly organized Indian foot
ball team of Douglas was defeated
a week ago Sunday in their first
game with the whites, 32 to 6.
There are now 42 inmates at the
Alaska Pioneers home in Sitka, 23
of them having been admitted dur
ing 1913. The divisions are repre
sented as follows: First, 18; Second,
10; Third, 7; Fourth, 7.
Senator Wesley Jones of Wash
ington state has announced his in
j tention of coming to Alaska next
summer and visiting all points in
order to listen to an expression
| of the needs of the people at first
hand.
The old volunteer fire department j
of Juneau was wiped out of exist
ence by the passage of a resolution i
by the city council disbanding It,
and a new temporary organization
was affected with Sim Freiman as
chief. The new company will have
20 members—10 nominated by the
fire committee and 10 chosen by the
chief.
The Olympia Brewing Company
having announced an ^advance in
prices since the. state of Wash ng
ton went dry, and the new revenue
law will add to their troubles,
Alaskan dispensers of hop juice will
either have to reduce the. size of
glasses or increase the price of
drinks. The brewing company sug
gests that its product be retailed at
25 cents per quart instead of three
quarts for 50 cents as heretofore.
♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ 4
| Overland Hotel j
♦ Dining Room t
t
♦ and Restaurant
♦ o
T CHITINA, - ALASKA
5 -
THE BEST j
of Everything in the Market i
ALASKA
STEAMSHIP COMPANY
*'a,t £lld commodious steamers sailing between Seattle, Ketchikan.
„ /2£' *kag«r»y, Cordova, Valdes, and Seward, via
INSIDE PASSAGE.
***** *r#B Seattle— Salle from Cordova—
November 24.MARIPOSA.December 2
December 1.ALAMEDA.December 9
_ Beguiar freight servloe for Ketchikan, Juneau, Sheep creek,
«*2“~®n' DouSlaa> Cordova, Ellamar, Valdes and Eatouchs. Explosives,
asth ol’^ch moit®' S,WBr<1, 6th: 8> ®- tat0°Ch®’ 15111; S' *■ C°rd°**«
_... company reserves the right to change schedule of steamers
witnout notice.
_,„Tlf?*t*.?“ •*1* at op-town office Alaska Steamship Bldg. Baggage
salling1timeWU1 a0t *** r*c*iTa<1 at dock later than one hour before
P. B. TRACY, T. J. TALLENT,
General Agent. _ Ticket Agent.
Pacific-Alaska
Navigation Co.
ALASKA PACiriC S. S. CO. .ALASKA COAST CO.
Puget Sound=AIaska Route
Steamer Admiral Kvans sails from Seattle on
DECEMBER 5 T H
Via tlie INSIDE PASSAOE for Ketchikan, eunaan, Yakutat, Ka'alia,
Cordeva. Valdez, Seward, Cook Inlet pointa and Kodiak Island.
Seattle-San Francisco connecting with steamers Yale and Hirvard
for Southern California ports.
Schedule subject to cbangre without notice.
ALASKA TRANSFER CO., Local Agents
♦»»♦+♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦»■
t THE LEADING AND FIRST CLASS HOTEL I
^ THE PLACE TO STOP IN CHITINA ♦
} HOTEL CHITINA
1 THOS. CLONINGER, Prop. ■>
X ONLY STEAM HEATED HOTEL IN INTERIOR
1 BAR AND CAFE IN CONNECTION ; •
.*..t
The Leading Hotel of
CHITINA
OVERLAND Hotel
CHITINA, ALASKA
All Booms Heated
A Large Parlor and
Reading Room
CAFE and BILLIARD ROOM
H. T. STAFSHOLT
5
■ PROPRIETOR
^ The Only Modern Hotel in Chitina ^
i> <►
Steam Heated Rooms Parlor and Bath <►
<> <►
0 Commercial Hotel %
^ John Palmer, Propr. ' o
o — O
O FIRST CLASS BAR AND DINING ROOM
O <►
O CHITUVTA. ALASKA £
^ THE COMFORT HOTEL OF CORDOVA *
j HOTEL NORTHERN |
* V. G. VANCE, Prop. *
* *
* STEAM HEATED CENTRALLY LOCATED *
* ★
♦ Ostrander Bldg., Cordova. *
4 tr
***-* + -* + *.* + .*** + ****** * * * * * .*
California rnr
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AH62LES
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