THE CHITINA LEADER
CHITINA, ALASKA
Entered as second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postofflce at
Chltlna, Alaska, under the Act of Conbrees of March t. 1*79.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Tuesday by
HARRY G. 8TEEL, Editor and Proprietor.
Office:
Hotel Chltlna Building.
Cordova Office:
Dally Times.
One Month
Six Months
One Tear .
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
I .SO
2.00
3.50
ADVERTISING RATES
Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable for the service
given. Official publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands of
the Copper River District.
CHITINaTaLASKA, TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1915.
“CARRYING COALS TO—ALASKA!”
A few years ago the whole nation was excited, alarmed and
indignant because certain enterprising gentlemen were going
to steal the “immeasurably rich” coal mines in Alaska.
The campaign to preserve these deposists “for posterity”
made several zealous souls, who otherwise would have gone on
the end' in the gray dusk of their own mediocrity, nationally
famous. The zealots triumphed, rightly or wrongly, and the
coal was tied up so tightly that practically none of it has yet
been mined.
That is one side of the picture. Now for the other side.
The government recently awarded a contract for 15,000
tons of coal for the forts in Southeastern and Southwestern
Alaska and on Puget Sound. Did it get some of the Alaska
fuel so zealously guarded from exploitation? Not by a jugful!
The fuel for Alaska will come from British Columbia and the
movement north has already started.
In other word's, with those beds of fuel of fabulous wealth
in the territory, Uncle Sam contracts to use in the Northland
coal produced in another land!
There was a time when “carrying coals to Newcastle” was
synonymous with absurdly misdirected labor. The same
thought is conveyed, even more strongly, by paraphrasing the
quotation, “Carrying coals to—Alasica.”—Seattle Times.
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A JUDGE’S DUDS.
A federal judge in Alaska acquired a wardrobe through the
unusal process of drawing upon the public treasury to pay for
same. The accounting officers of the treasury held that cloth
ing is a personal matter, so to speak, and that even a federal
judge ought to pay for his own duds.
Comptroller of the Treasury George E. Downey, on
appeal, held that of course he ought, hut that the judge has got
the law on his side and that his legal right to order the clothing
bill to he paid out of Alaska fund C, obtained from fines, forfei
tures, etc., cannot be questioned. The comptroller ordered the
hill paid.
The judge in question is Robert W. Jennings, of Juneau.
For his use in connection with a trip in 1913 while holding a
“floating court” the following sartorial articles were pur
chased :
Three pairs socks, $1; one suit khaki, $8.50; one hat, 50
cents; one war hag, $1; eno hat, $7; one pair gum shoes, $7.50;
one slicker coat, $7; gauntlet gloves, 30 cents; rubbers, $1.25;
rubber hat, $1; Arctic socks, 25 cents; head net, $1; cap, 75
cents; total, $37.05.
Judge Jennings himself issued the order directing that
these articles be paid for out of the Alaska treasury and in up
holding his right to do so Comptroller Downey says:
While the expense in question seems clearly to have been a personal one
under the decisions cited by the auditor, as distinguished from an official or
Incidental expense of the court, and should not be borne by the funds in
schedule C, yet the accounting officers are powerless under the law to prevent
the use of the funds for such purposes when paid out on the written order of
the judge. The law places the responsibility for the dsibursement of these
funds for proper and legitimate expenses upon the judge and he is answerable
for his conduct in office to the appointive power and not to the accounting
officers.—Tacoma News.
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i TRAIL WORK THAT IS NEEDED.
Col. W. P. Richardson and' the other members of the Alaska
Road Commission are being severely criticised by the miners
and prospectors of the interior country for being discriminated
against in the matter of road work. The trail over Sour Dough
Hill, which is largely traveled' is in a most deplorable condition
and this fact is well known to the officials in authority, but still
nothing is being done to improve it. Petitions and protests
have been filed by those who are compelled to mush or pack
over this almost impassabile roadway, but to no avail. The
Cordova Chamber of Commerce was appealed' to and took up
the matter with Col. Richardson and a tentative promise of re
lief was made, after the appropriation was available on July 1,
but thus far nothing has been done and the summer season is on
the wane.
At no time has the Copper River valley been given the con
sideration by the Commission that it was entitled to, notwith
standing our great need.This country has been retarded in its
devlopment by not having necessary trails and if the camps
where mining is being carried on extensively were accessible
there would naturally be more work done and the output of the
country increased. But then a little riatter of this sort may
not have any bearing with those who are expending not only
the government’s money, but also that derived from the people
of the territory.
Only a few years ago Cordova contributed $6,000 in cash
to assist the Commission in building the government trail from
Willow Creek to Chitina, in order that a connection could be
made with the railroad by those desiring to travel over the
shortest and best route from Fairbanks to Cordova. This was
a work wholly in the line of duty which should have willingly
been performed by the Commission. When the stampede was
on to Shuslianna Cordova again came to the front and expended
many thousands of dollars on trails to the new placer camp,
and if this town is expected to do all the road building the soon
er we know it the better.
In the meantime the Alaska Road Commission has a duty
to perform and its about time it got busy by endeavoring to
ascertain with some degree of accuracy where and how and in
what proportion the money at its disposal should be expended.
Alaskans are a patient people, but at times they become restless.
. 1 . *Q « — - .
CORDOVA INSISTS UPON ITS RIGHTS.
If it be true that the accredited personal representative of
Secretary of Interior Lane, who is now in Alaska investigating
harbor and terminal conditions, with a view of handling the
coal from the Bering River and Matanuska fields, has already
expressed a preference for a certain harbor or harbors, without
having first looked into the matter, the public should know it.
When Ex-Secretary Fisher visited the territory, a few years
ago, he publicly stated thae he came to Alaska with a free
mind to investigate the coal situation and promised that upon
his return to Washington some means would be devised for the
unlocking of this great resource. It later developed that Mr.
Fisher was biased in his opinions before he came north and posi
tively resented any information or statements of fact that did
not agree with his preconceived ideas of what was best for
Alaska. And we all know what a miserable failure he made of
attempting to offer us any relief and what a fiasco his adminis
tration was of the affairs of the General Land Office.
If another investigation is to be made, and it seems that
Alaska is due for one every so often, let it be conducted along
the right lines, and' whatever decision is arrived at as to harbors
and terminals should be the result of honest, conscientious and
unbiased effort on the part of the person who is entrusted with
the work. Cordova has no favors to ask, but it will demand the
right to set forth the advantages of our harbor. The local
Chamber of Commerce has wired Secretary Lane asking him to
instruct Mr. Smooth to visit this town and learn for himself
that there is merit in our contention that Cordova has a harbor
second to none in Alaska, with terminal facilities that are recog
nized by experienced railroad men.
■ ...... jQ i -■ — . ■ —
SAYS TOLOVANA IS A FRAUD.
The many flattering reports sent broadcast about the new
placer camp in the Tanana valley do not find much favor with
the Ruby Record-Citizen, which stamps them as exaggerated'
frauds in the following excerpts taken from a lengthy editorial:
“About as concienceless a piece of business as has ever
been carried on in Interior Alaska has been the persistent boost
ing of the Tolovana district by interested persons at Fairbanks.
That truth was shamelessly distorted in the sensational reports
sent out from Fairbanks has long been evident to any intelli
gent person who was in a position to read widely and note the
contradictions in the boosts sent out from week to week, but
many not so favorably situated have been deceived—and there
by the purposes of the boosters have been achieved'.
“This business of deception and fraud has been going on
for upward of seven months and has been more pernicious and
narmful than many of the shady schemes which have been
denied the privilege of the mails in furtherance of their designs.
“Some workable gold may and probably does exist in the
Tolovana. The Record-Citizen would rejoice if it could be
multiplied until the district would become a Klondike. But
fact is fact and fraud is fraud.
“One of the means adopted by the boomers to lend color
to their wild assertions is to make it appear that they are sanc
tioned by responsible men. Thus Aired H. Brooks, the geo
logist, is given credit for the ‘“find’,’’ in having named the
district as a favorable field for placer. As a matter of fact
members of the geological survey severay years ago frankly
told prospectors they could not recommend' Tolovana as a field
for prospecting.
“No longer ago than last week word was telegraphed
from Washington that Mr. Riggs, of the Alaska Engineering
Commission, had referred favorably to the Tolovana district.
Tlier are a thousand localities in Interior Alaska that the gentle
man might truthfully refer to as favorable for prospecting;
yet it is unfortunate that he can be induced to lend his name to
a scheme for creating a false impression.
“For anybody to send broadcast statements that the Tolo
vana is a great gold field is a crime. To give such statements
color of governmental authority is worse.
“The district has been known to prospectors for more than
fifteen years. In the edge of it—Quail creek on the Trouble
some—a little gold has been recovered. With persistent pros
pecting other pay spots are almost certain to be found. But
it will never become a great gold field, or anything near it.”
On account of the increasing local travel, by small boats,
between Cordova and Katalla, an appeal has been made to tne
Coast and Geodetic Survey to have the waters between these
points surveyed and a new chart made on a larger scale than the
one now in use.
The Seward Gateway says it’s all a mistake about some of
the people of that town being hostile to that paper, and finds
delight in the friendship of a vast majority of the residents to
the westward. It adds: In all communities the existence of a
few disgruntled individuals seems to be regarded as indispen
sable by the Providence which gives every town that varied
sprinkling of peculiar mental specimens that aid in keeping
mankind humble by holding constantly before its eyes the limi
tations of poor humanity. Have you ever noticed that no town
is without even its village fool?
We would suggest to Mr. Smoot, Secretary of Interior
Lane’s special representative, who is making an investigation
of Alaska’s harbors and' terminals, that'he visit Controller bay.
Gifford Pinchot tried to and was tossed about on the briny deep
for several days and mighty thankful when he was again safely
landed in Cordova’s land-locked harbor. Others have had a
similiar experience and old mariners who have traversed this
coast for years could relate some tales that would1 make interr
ing reading, but the fact remains that Uncle Same is about the
only person who is not familiar with the harbors in Southwest
ern Alaska.
REMARKABLE ALASKA MOVEMENT.
Including the usual Nome movement, which practically has
no change from year to year, a grand total of approximately
15,000 passengers purchased tickets for Alaska during the four
months, April, May, June and July. This by far the greatest
number ever moved north during a similir period. Excluding
Nome, St. Michael and Skagway rushes, incident to the sailings
of early June, the bulk of the movement arranged as to volume
of business was to Anchorage, Juneau, Ketchikan and Seward.
When it is considered' approximately 30,000 passengers were
ticketed for Northern ports during the entire calendar year
1914, four months of the year 1915 have already produced 50
per cent of the grand total northbound passenger movement of
1914.
-:o:
A comparison of the rainfall and cold days experienced at
Juneau and Sitka during the month of July, has been made and
was found to favor Juneau. This is easily accounted for. The
nearer one stands to hot stove the warmer it is. Juneau being
nearer to Ketchikan—the Banana Belt—than is Sitka, Juneau
gets the benefit of the reflection of our climate, which is a
decided advantage.—Ketchikan Progressive.
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The Russian duina adopts a resolution in praise of govern
mental “benevolence”—a rather new word in Russian govern
mental circles.
CHISANA, July 20—There Is con
siderable mining activity in this camp
during the present season, and in the
neighborhood of 150 men are busily
engaged in the effort to extract gold
from the ground. Most of the work is
being done on Bonanza creek, with
very satisfactory results. On No. 11
"Dud McKinney is in rich pay and
pans running as high as $50 are ob
tained. James and Nelson are entend
a ditch at a cost of $10,000. Many of
the operators are sluicing on the dif
ferent creeks and considerable pros
pecting is being done.
The great surprise of the year was
occassioned by the richness of the pay
found on Bonanza creek above Coarse
Money creek as far No. 10. James
Murie on No. 10 having one clean-up
all coarse gold.
The season is very backward and
little gold is being recovered in com
parison to what would have been done
had there been a plentiful supply of
water. All above claim No. 6, on Bon
anza creek and its tributaries are
handicapped for lack of water. When
there is water to work with the men
are worked night and day trying to
make up for lost time.
The following is a resume of the
workings on the different creeks of
the camp.
Bonanza Creek.
Best & Green with a crew of five
men are sluicing on No. 3, and are
meeting with fair results.
McLellan & Wily and crew of five
men are slucing on the upper end of
No. 3, Fraction and are working in
good ground.
F T. Hamshaw’s crew of twelve men
have passed the line of No.4 and are
now working on the lower end of No.
5. The ground they In is quite deep
and still frozen on bed-rock. They
are also working on the lower end of
No. 6, above the dam.
Max Altman with a crew of nine
men have taken out a number of cuts
from the point below Hamshaw’s camp
on No. 6, upstream and has met with
good success.
Briggan & Hocker with a crew of
five men are working the lower end of
No. 7, from the old workings of last
season, upstream.
John Ludwig and partner are sluc
ing on No. 7, Fraction, which was
worked sucessfully by Billy Taylor
last season. They have not as yet
made a big clean-up.
Hagan & Smedley with a crew of
men are working on No. 8, and so far
have not become enthused over the
prospects.
Discoverer Billy James and brother
with a crew of six men are working
on No. 9, stripping the ground with a
hydraulic nozzle connected at the end
of a 1,000 feet flume extended from
the mouth of Coarse Money Creek.
James & Nelson are extending a
ditch, wrich will connect with the
flume now in use by James. This
ditch, which will connect with and ex
tend down creek to No. 4, crossing
from right to the left limit of the creek
at the upper end of No. 6. The esti
mated cost of the ditch being $10,000.
On the lower end of No. 10, Bob
Clark and partners sluicing.
On the upper end of No. 10, James
Murle with a crew of 11 men sluicing
with good money in sight.
On the lower end of No. 11 Huntley
& Moore, laymen of Dud McKinney,
sluicing, alongside old workings.
On No. 11, Dud McKinney with a
crew of 6 men sluicing and good pay
in sight, as high as $50 pans being ob
tained.
On the upper end of No. 11 Fraction,
Wright & Anderson with a small crew
are sluicing on good ground.
On No. 12, George Bitner and part
ner with a crew of men sluicing, the
ground showing up good.
No. 13, is being prospected by
'James, Eagan and Ryan.
No. 17, is being prospected by John
ny Nichols for Sam Shucklin.
Johnson Creek.
Hawkins & Dahl are prospecting
their creek and bench claims, located
between the towns of Chlsana and
Bonanza, as yet no report has been
given out regarding the results of their
work.
Little Eldorado Creek.
On No. 1, Andy Johnson & McGov
ern, laymen of Hamshaw’s are work
ing on the left limit near the upper
end.
On No. 2, Carl Whitman with 10
men sluicing, the ground not showing
up as well as was expected, at first.
On No. 3, W. McLennan with a crew
of six men sluicing.
Skookum Gulch.
Charley Range and crew of men
operating on No. 1.
Woodin & Dettinbaugh prospecting
on benches.
8now Gulch.
W. E. Nelson prospecting No. 3 and
4.
Coarse Money Creek.
James, Eagan & Co., sluicing on No.
1.
A ..... 4
Shamrock Creek.
McCallum, McNutt & Tweedale
sluicing.
George Moshler prospecting the
bench.
Canyon Creek.
A. P. Nelson prospecting.
Luck Pup.
Jack Costello prospecting.
Gold Run Creek.,
Bastin, Lewis & Munsell sluicing on
No. 3, below.
Poor Man'* Gulch.
Danny Ryan, and partner sluicing.
Sargent’s Gulch.
Wagner & Hill prospecting.
Big Eldorado Creek.
Montgomery & Retching slucing on
No. 4 below upper discovery.
Richard Bell with a crew sluicing on
No. 3, below upper discovery.
iifilln
HAS BEEN LEASED
Today a lease for a three year
period was closed with Capt. Walter
Storey, owner of the Rainier Grand
hotel, by Robert Gottschalk and Art
Clonlnger, who took immediate posses
sion of the building and expect to re
open the hotel on September I.
In the meantime the place will be
thoroughly renovated and put in first
class condition. Practically the in
terior of the building will be re-paper
ed and painted and new furnishing
placed where needed.
The bar will be moved into the old
lobby in the corner and a ladies par
lor fitted up in the room formerly
used as a bar. The heating plant has
been overhauled and when the hotel
re-opc-ns under the new management
it will be a stricly up-to-date place.
MAY KILL ONLY
THREE DEER
YEARLY
Only three deer may be killed by
one person during the open season in
Southeastern Alaska, according to an
announcement received by Gov. J. F.
Strong from the Department of Agri
culture announcing the amendment of
regulations for the protection of deer,
moose, caribou, sheep and mountain
goats In Alaska.
The communication reads as fol
lOWSt
By virture of the authority confer
red upon the Secretary of Agriculture
by Section 2 of the act of May 11,
1908 (35 Stat. 102), entitled “An Act
to amend an act entitled 'An act for
the protection of game in Alaska, and
for other purposes,’ approved June
7, 1902,” regulations 2 and 3 of the
“Regulations for the protection of deer
moose, caribou, sheep and moun
tain goats in Alaska,” made and pub
lished July 14, 1914, are hereby amend
ed, effective on and after August 1,
1915, so as to read as follows:
Regulation 2. Limits.—The num
ber of deer killed by any one person
during the open season in Southeast
ern Alaska is hereby limited to three.
Regulation 3. Sale—The sale of deer
carcasses ki Southern Alaska is here
by suspended until August 1, 1916.
In testimony whereof, I have here
unto set my hand and official seal this
30 th day of June, 1915.
D. F. HOUSTON,
Secretary of Agriculture.
Regulations As Amended.
The regulations for the protection
of deer, moose, caribou, sheep, and
mountain goats in Alaska, as amend
ed June 30, 1916, are as follows:
1. The season for killing deer in
Southeastern Alaska is hereby limited
to the period from August 15 to No
vember 1 both Inclusive.
The number of deer killed by any
one person during the open season in
Southeastern Alaska is hereby limited
to three.
3. The sale of deer carcasses in
Southern Alaska is hereby suspended
until August 1, 1916.
4. The killing of deer on Kodiak
Island and Long Island and the kill
ing of deer on the following islands in
Southeastern Alaska: Duke Island,
near Dixon’s Entrance; Gravlna Isl
and, near Ketchikan; Kruzof Island,
west of Sitka; Suemez Island, near
Klawack, and Zerembo Island, near
Wrangell, is hereby prohibited until
August 1, 1916.
5. The killing of caribou on the
Kenal Peninsula is hereby prohibited
until August 1, 1916.
The shipment of carcasses of sheep
and moose for sale from Seward or
other points on the Kenai Peniinsula
is hereby prohibited, and no corcasses
of said animals shall be accepted for
shipment to other points in Alaska
unless accompanied by affadlvlt of the
owner that they were not purchased
and are not Intended for sal.
6. The season for killing mountain
goats in Southeastern Alaska is here
by limited to the period from August
1 to February 1, both Inclusive.
ALASKA EXPORTS
break all
The value of Alaska products, In
cluding gold and silver, shipped to the
United States and Canada for the sev
en months ending July 1, 1915, has
broken all records, according to figures
issued by the local customs office yes
terday.
The highest values for products
shipped from Alaska for the same
period in former years was in 1912,
when products to the value of $10,233,
599 were exported from the Territory.
This year's record has exceeded this
mark by $4,437,950, making a grand
total for this year of $14,671,579.
The production of copper ore for the
seven moths was valued at $5,759,113.
Other products exported and their
values are given in the table below:
Copper ore . $5,758,113
Canned salmon . 1,203,182
All other fish . 765,268
Furs . 292,729
Marble . 60,279
Gypsum . 46,000
Oils, from fish . 31,382
Other products. 27,711
Gold and silver. 6,496,925
Total . $14,671, 679
The values of the exports for the
three years preceding, for a several
months period were as follows:
1912 . $10,233,599
1913 . 9,883,081
1914 . 7,743,565
LOOKING OVER
SITES
(From Monday’s Daily)
Lewis E. Smoot, who is said to be
a personal representative of the Secre
tary of Interior, Hon. Franklin K.
Lane, was a Cordova visitor yesterday.
He is passenger on the steamer North
western and made the trip over the
Copper Hiver & Northwestrn railway
to Miles and Childs glaciers. The trip
was revelation to Mr. Smoot and he
was very enthusiastic in his praise
of the wonderful sights he saw’ and
also the throughly equipped road over
which he traveled. He had evidently
not expected to find such a railroad in
Alaska, judging from his expressions.
From those who talked with Mr.
Smoot it was learned that he was on a
tour of investigation of Alaska harbor
conditions for railroad terminals,
with a view to their adaptability In
handling the local coal when it is
opened up and ready for market. He
is on his way to Portage Bay and An
chorage, but expects to return to Cor
dova in about three weeks and study
conditions here. This is Mr. Smoot’s
first visit to Alaska, and it is under
stood that he Is a rallrod contractor
in the states.
BIG SHIPMENT MATERIAL
FOR RAILROAD BUILDING
SEATTLE, Aug. 10—The freighter
Seward sailed north last night having
on board the first heavy rails which
have been consigned to the Alaska
Railroad Commission for construction
work on the government road. The
rails will be bent to Anchorage, where
the first construction will take place.
On board the Seward is also consid
erable lumber for the use of the com
mission in constructing bridges and
culverts in the Matanuska.
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CORDOVA CHAMBER IS
AWARDED MEDAL AT FAIR
The governor’s office is in receipt of
word that the awards for the Alaskan
exhibit at the Panama Pacific Exposi
tion have been made and asking him
to notify the recipients.
However the commute making the
awards did so by the number of the
exhibit on the official list, and no
names were given, with the exception
of the Alaska Road Commission, which
has been granted a gold medal for its
exhibit on bridge building.
The others will have to wait until
a more detailed report is received.
Silver medals have been awarded to
the following who assisted in the col
laborating of the exhibit. Governor
J. P. A. Strong, Colonel Richardson,
C. C. Georgson, Gates & Morange, R.
V. Sewell, Leonard M. Davis, Miss M.
E. Wagner, Fairbanks Chamber of
Commerce, Cordova Chamber of Com
merce, Jessie L. Mindeleff, George W.
Henley, L. P. Schweckebler and Louis
Betts.