THIRD YEAR.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1913
NUMBER 51.
Late Telegraph News
VALDEZ, Oct. 2.—A report has been brought to town
that indicates that foul murder was committed in the interior
a few months ago. The unknown body of a man was found
fifty yards from the government trail a quarter of a mile from
the Willow Creek road house, 39 miles from Cliitina and 90
miles north from this town. It is evident that robbery was
the motive, as his pockets were tinned inside out. However
the perpetrators evidently overlooked the big loot for in his
shirt pocket was found intact $600 in Canadian bills. A
Winchester 22 rifle was found near the body. .The man’s legs
were tied and he was evidently dragged from the road into
the brush. It is calculated that he has been dead for three or
four months. In his pockets were a few postal tcards and a
receipt for dues from the Industrial Workers of the World. He
also had a medal of some foreign nature, as well as letters. The
matter has been reported to the marshall’s office, and that
official, as well as the district attorney’s office, will follow
every clue in the effort to determine who committed the deed
and cause their arrest. It is believed that the man must have
had a partner, and the first step will be to try to locate him.
VALDEZ, Oct. 2.—The Grandy Consolidated Mining,
Smelting & Power Company, Ltd., closed a deal yesterday by
which the Midas copper property passed into their hands. Jt
is reported that the consideration was $180,000 and that a
good part of it was paid in cash. Representatives of the
company have been here for several days past working on the
deal. This morning they took over the property and will at
once put a big crew of men to work on it. They announce that
they expect to secure other copper properties in this section of
Alaska and will contest with the Guggenheim interests for a
large share of the business. They say that in order to do this
it will likely be necessary for them to put on freight and
perhaps passenger vessels to run to Southwestern Alaska.
The Granby Company was only organized in 1911, but
since then they have been quite active. They have built a
2,000 ton smelter at Granby Inlet, B. C., 120 miles south of
Ketchikan, which will be blown in during the early spring.
They have taken over the copper property at Hadley, a few
miles from Ketchikan, also a property on Goose bay, and with
ore from the Midas mine expect to keep the smelter running.
The company also has a large limestone quarry on the British
Columbia side of Portland canal, from which they expect to
ship 200 tons of limestone per day for fluxing purposes. Thus
far the properties they have secured are of low grade copper
ore.
Over a year ago the Midas mine was taken on an option
from Charles Debney and wife, formerly of Valdez and now of
Seattle. Ceorge E. Baldwin was the leading spirit in securing
the option for himself and two others. They then formed the
Midas Company and about the first of the present year gave
an option to Stepen Birch, representing the Alaska Syndicate.
He at once put a large force of men at work and continued
development until July 1st, at which time his option expired.
He was not then satisfied to make the payment required on his
option and asked for an extension so that lie might continue
work and further develop the property. The Midas Company
declined to give any further extension of time and themselves
then raised the amount necessary to make a payment in order
to make good their option and have title pass to them. They
then entered into negotiations with the Granby Company, with
the result that a sale has been effected.
The property is directly across the bay from Valdez, about
two and a half miles distant. There is great jubilation in
town over the prospect of having another big property in
operation, which will be a direct benefit to Valdez. According
to the report of an engineer who recently examined the
property the development work to date consists of something
over 1,800 feet of tunnels, drifts and raises, and there is now
in sight more than 200,000 tons of copper ore averaging 7 per
cent copper, with a considerable vein in one portion of the
mine which carries $27 in gold and about $6 in silver.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.—Recently the Nome Chamber of
Commerce made an appeal to Washington for assistance in
locating the power schooner Wasp. It was desired that a
revenue cutter be sent to the Arctic in the effort to locate the
schooner. At first it was thought that the revenue cutter Bear
could be sent north but it now appears that she is not in condi
tion to make the voyage. No other cutter is available. It was
decided this afternoon that Commandant Bertholf, who is in
charge of the cutter service, should notify Nome of the
inability to render the desired assistance. The Wasp is nearly
six weeks overdue on her return voyage from the Kuskokwim
coast, and it is feared that she is lost, with all on board. She
sailed from Nome with United States Commissioner Reed,
Superintendent Evans of the bureau of education, Capt. George
Madeson and a good sized crew. She was chartered to take
supplies to the Kuskokwim region at a time when Arctic waters
are especially dangerous to navigate. Nome also wanted
assistance sent to the schooner Transit. But it was recently
reported that this schooner had been crushed in the ice at Point
Barrow, having been caught between two immense bergs and
ground to pieces. The crew, however, made their way safely
to shore. The Karluck had left Point Barrow intending to go
to Herschel Island, but before proceeding far was surrounded
by immense ice floes from which she was not able to free
IflfUS 1IFKI (H:
NEW YORK, Oct. 7—Over 30,000 enthusiasts watched
the Giants go down to defeat in the first game of the world’s
series. The Athletics played a good steady game from the
start and had no occasion to change their battery of Bender
and Schang. For New York, Marquard was in the box from
the start but he was knocked out in the fifth inning. He was
then followed by Crandall, but he only lasted two innings.
Tesreau finished up the game, with Myers catching all through.
New York had 11 hits and no errors and scored 4 runs, making
one in the third and three in the 5th inning. After that they
failed to score. The Philadelphians also had 11 hits, one error,
but scored 6 runs. They first scored in the 3rd, making three,
following with two in the 5th and one in the 8th. Baker was
the hero of the game. He made hits each time that he went
to bat and each time there were men on bases.
SEATTLE, Oct. G.—The steamer Spokane arrived in port
yesterday under her own steam. The report that the vessel
had been aground at Cape Lazo, in the Gulf of Georgia, was
not correct. The trouble was more serious than that and from
the report of the officers it was almost a miracle that the
steamer was saved from sinking. Fortunately the freighter
Latouche was near by and took off the passengers, so that
there was no danger of loss of life. It seems that in repairing
the boiler tubes a piece of wood from the sea caught under the
valve and the water poured in at such a rate that the two port
boilers were soon submerged. For a time it looked as though
the flood could not be stopped and it was only through the
heroic work of Chief Engineer J. C. Dumett and his assistants
that the water was checked. They worked in wafer up to their
armpits and finally checked the rush of water by closing the
valve. After the water was then pumped out it did not take
long to get everything again in good shape so that the steamer
could proceed.
The steamer Spokane is the excursion boat of the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company that runs every summer to Alaska.
Her excursion season had ended but she sailed on a regular
trip from Seattle on September 20 and was. returning from
Skagway when she met with the accident, which occurred at
a point between Hartley Bay and Swanson Bay, south of
Prince Rupert. A number of her passengers had come from
the interior, at the close of navigation. The freighter
Latouche, belonging to the Alaska Steamship Company, was
on her way south. She sailed from Seward, but instead of
sailing direct as usual, went inside to take fish at Ivassan and
other points. She was thus enabled to render assistance at a
critical hour.
W ASHINGTON, Oct. 6.—Late Saturday afternoon, afte:
he had sent the appointment of Judge Tucker to the Senate
the President sent in the name of F. M. Saxton, to be district
attorney for the Nome division. He is a resident of Portland,
Oregon, 1 he President found it necessary to diverge from his
originally announced intention to appoint Alaska men to office
in that territory, by reason of the fact that practically all of
the men available for appointment to the positions made vacant
during the past few daysMiad serious charges preferred against
them.
Mr. Saxton has been a candidate since it was known that
there would be a change this fall in the office of district
attorney. He is a prominent attorney of Portland and had
the cordial support of Senator Chamberlain as well as the
other members of the Congressional delegates from his state.
The selection of John Randolph Tucker, Jr., was made at
the instance of Senators Martin and Swanson, of Virginia. The
new judge comes from a prominent Southern family. His
father, whose namesake he is, was a former member of
Congress, and was professor of constitutional and internationa’
law and equity. His brother, Henry St. George Tucker, was
a member of Congress from 1889 to 1897. For several years
after lie was dean of the law schools at Washington, Lee and
olumbian universities. In 1904 he was elected president of
the American Bar Association, and the following year was
president of the Jamestown exposition. The new judge is a
5 oun"6r brother and it is said inherits the judicial tempera
ment and ability of his father and brother. lie is further said
to have a good law practice in Virginia.
SEATTLE, Oct. 6.—Another excitement was caused
yesterday morning and a big conflagration was narrowly
averted. Fire broke out in the basement of the Daily Times
press room. The firemen had difficulty in preventing the spread
of the flames to the upper part of the building. Four of the
firemen were overcome by an explosion of gas from the city
mains. The press room was gutted and valuable machinen
ruined. It is estimated that the loss will exceed $150,000. The
presses are practically ruined. The other offices have tendered
the use of their machinery and for a time the presses of the
Post Intelligencer and Sun-will be utilized. The Times will
appear this afternoon as usual. The fire originated in the
lockers used by the sterotypers and it is believed that it is of
incendiary origin.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.—Again the agitation is on to
have the Alaska cable and telegraph lines transferred from
the war department to the post office department. Under the
past administration it had practically been decided to make
this change but the order had never been officially promul
Nome Storm Swept
NOME, Alaska, Oct. 6.—Late this afternoon when this
wire is sent, a terrific 50-mile gale, which started on Saturday,
continues to rage along the coast and has already caused
enormous damage at Nome. Nearly one mile of Front street,
abutting on the beach, has been washed away and business
ruined. The real destruction commenced at 2 o’clock tins
morning, when the Elite Baths and four-story hotel buildi.
crashed to the ground and was at the mercy of the angry
waves which rolled in from a tumultuous sea. The scenes on
Front street are indescribable. Jewelry stores, dry goods
stores, restaurants, saloons, warehouses, are all ruined.
Nearly all day a terrific wind and rainstorm raged, while
a darkness pervaded that was almost pitch black, and added
to the horror of the situation. The storm continues unabated
and may carry away the entire business section of Nome. The
Board of Trade saloon and restaurant are ruined, as are also
the entire row of buildings along the beach side of the street.
The life saving station has been swept away. Ruins present;
an appalling sight everywhere, while hundreds are homeless.
Every building on the sand spit has been washed away,
excepting the cold storage plant, which threatens to go at any
minute. Fortunately no loss of life has occurred up to the
present time.
All hands have been commandeered to assist in rescuing
the effects from the destroyed buildings, but the huge breakers
have carried many thousands of dollars worth of goods out to
sea. The people are anxious but have shown a wonderfully
courageous spirit in the time of dire calamity. They are
working heroically but can do little to stay the hand of
destruction that is ruthlessly sweeping away hundreds of
thousands of dollars in personal ownings and buildings.
SEATTLE, Oct. 7.—The people of this city have heard
with much regret of the serious catastrophe which has befallen
Nome. Representative citizens have called a public meeting
with a view to starting a relief fund for the afflicted people
of Nome.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.—Having secured a satisfactory
tariff bill, which the President expects to sign tonight, with a
currency reform measure to be adopted before adjournment,
and with assurances that the Alaska railroad bill will be
passed soon after Congress reconvenes in December, the
President is now giving attention to the fourth big measure
which he will likely insist upon having passed. It relates to
the government ownership and operation of telegraph and
telephone lines. The idea is either to purchase existing lines
and operate them under the post office department or to
establish new systems. Yesterday Representative David John
Lewis, Democrat from Maryland, had a lengthy conference
with President Wilson on the subject, having had a similar
talk some days ago. Mr. Lewis is preparing a bill which he
will shortly introduce in the House. It is intimated that it will
have the endorsement of the President and that he will make it
an administration measure. It is not generally known the
details of the bill to be introduced but it is thought that the
first provision will be to call upon the postmaster general to
submit estimates of the probable cost (l)'of installing govern
ment telegraph lines and telephone lines in competition with
the existing companies and (2) of purchasing all existing lines.
Either would involve a physical valuation of the two
companies, probably through the interstate commerce
commission.
The present agitation upon the part of the Alaska Good
Roads Club, of Cordova, for an automobile road between
Chitina and Fairbanks, will, it is hoped succeed in clincihng the
good work that was started at Fairbanks two years ago. Since
that time wonderful improvement has been made on the
government road. It has been put in such condition that
during the good weather of the summer it is now po ssible for
automobiles to make fairly good time over the thoroughfare.
But it is still necessary that considerable work be performed
so that the road would be available throughout the entire
summer season for rapid traffic by automobile between the
two terminal points. It is desired that regular lines be estab
lished for the carrying of passengers and the government mail
at regular intervals between the railroad terminus at Chitina
and the metropolis of the Tanana valley. The club recently
formed at Cordova is expecting to aid in the establishing of a
company that will be in a position to put on a line of good
machines and make a bid to the government for carrying the
mail. Efforts are under way to have the Postmaster General
advertise for bids for the summer service via Chitina. It i3
also expected that such representations will be made before
the proper Congressional committees as will result in a large
appropriation this winter for the improvement of Alaska roads
in general and the Fairbanks road in particular. For a long
time Fairbanks was very active in this matter and made much
headway. With the aid that Cordova’s new club can give the
present winter mail service from Cordova to Chitina and
Fairbanks should be extended the year round, and automobiles
should be the motive power to transport the mails and pass
engers beyond the railroad line. The Commercial Club of
Fairbanks sent out strong letters of appeal for assistance just
two years ago. Some of the early replies were as follows: