t ■ .. ... 1
Keep Your Friends In
formed by Sending Them
The Chitina Leader
THE CHITINA LEADER
Opening of Bering Coal
Means Smelters for
Cordova
FIFTH YEAR
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14,1915.
NUMBER 47.
_Jl
Ore Shipments From Copper River Valley Are Over $2,000,000 Each Month
URGE SCALE
(From Thursday’s Daily)
Dr. W. H. Chase, president of the
Cordova Mining & Development Com
pany, returned today from the states,
where he closed a deal for $20,000 with
which to place machinery on their
property and open up the gold quartz
ledge.
While in the states considerable
machinery was purchased and is ex
pected north on the steamer Farragut.
The doctor was accompanied to Cor
dova by John Willis, of Glasgow.
Montana, who has become interested
in the local company; J. H. Henley
and C. W. Stender, of Seattle, the lat
ter to be the new superintendent of
the mine. They expect to leave to
other prominent Americans fraternized
Wells.
STEAMER ON W
SEITTLE
SEATTLE, Sept. 10—The North
western sailed yesterday for Alaska,
with a full cargo and a full passenger
list. The passengers for Cordova
were John Larson, J. V. Carter and
Alvin F. Turner.
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10—A. G. Spaul
ding, the sporting goods manufacturer
died here today after a lingering ill
ness. Spaulding was the maker of the
official baseball used throughout the
country by the major and minor
leagues, and was himself one of the
first and most famous of American
professional baseball players, obtain
ing during his playing days a national
reputation as a pitcher.
-to:
SEATTLE, Sept. 11—F. G. Noyes,
receiver of the defunct Washington
Alaska bank of Fairbanks has brought
suit in the Superior Court here against
the directors of the bank to recover
the monies lost to the depositors. The
suit is an echo of the legal proceed
ings that have been going on in the
Fairbanks court for several years,
Noyes having been appointed receiver
of the bank by former Judge Overfield.
» The defendants named in the present
suit are W. H. Parsons, Falcon Joslin,
John Schram, E. L. Webster, J. W.
Clise, F. E. Barbour, E. T. Barnette,
former president of the bank, who was
tried in Valdez on a criminal charge
connected with the affair and acquit,
ted, and the Washington Securities
Company. The sum sought to be re
covered from these defendants Is
$763,000.
-:o:
BLACKBURN TEACHER
TENDERS RESIGNATION
Owing to the resignation of Miss
Anne McGlinch, who has been teach
ing at Blackburn during the past five
months of the summer session of the
school there, Miss Mnrie Dennis has
been appointed for the remainder of
the year. A teacher’s certificate has
been issued to Miss Dennis by the
Governor’s office.
In a recent Issue of the New York
Market Review is found the following
interesting information as to mines
tributary to Cordova:
Kennecott Copper took the lead this
week among the Curb securities. In
the first two days of the week the
stock advanced 10 points, closing
strong on Tuesday night at $47 a share
The cause of the sudden and strong
advance was the opening up of the
most remarkable body of copper ore
known to the mining world. Tele
graphic advices from the company’s
engineers in Alaska state that in cross
cutting in the lower levels 60 feet of
ore, carying an average of 70 per cent
copper, have been opened up.
Before this discovery the Kenne
cott Copper mine had been looked
upon as the world wonder of mining
and the directors of the company had
been proceeding with the development
of the property upon a purely manu
facturing basis. While the copper
metal market was at its highest there
was a steady and sustained upswing
in Kennecot Copper. There was no
inclination to push the price of the
security at a time when it could have
been done with very little effort. The
company preferred to let the market
take care of itself on the showing of
the property. The report of the new
discovery acted like a match to a sky
rocket.
Without considering the new find of
high-grade, the company, it is esti
mated, will produce nearly 30,000,000
pounds of copper in the current quart
er. At a treatment cost of 5 cents a
pound and with 18-cent copper, this
would be a production amounting to
$15,000,000 annually, equal to nearly
$22 a share on the 720,000 share out
standing. With such a showing it is
easy to figure out what the future
holds for the Kennecott Copper com
pany and its stockholders Report
has it that the stock will soon be on a
divided basis and will be listed on the
New York Stock Exchange.
It is our opinion that the present ad
vance will continue to at least $80 a
share.
Mother Lode, after nearly a fort
night of Inaction, took on a new lease
of life this week and advanced to 29
cents. It loks as if this stock were
being handed over the bargain coun
ter at this price. The mine is most
advantageously located with regard
to Kennecott, but its location has its
drawbacks with regard to a market for
its output. The mine is the next door
neighbor of the wonder copper mine of
the world and has a splendid showing.
The unforrtunate part of its problem
is that the ore can be hauled out only
in the winter months when sleds are
used.
The engineers of Kennecott Copper
who have just reported so favorably
on the new showings of the Alaskan
wonder mine, were sent north to ex
amine Mother Lode, the understand
ing being that Kennecott had an op
tion of purchase on its neighbor at
60 cents a share. It was on the re
port of the engineers that Mother Lode
developed new strength, although the
nature of the report has not been made
known. Kennecott Copper can find
expedient and inexpensive means of
getting the product of Mother Lode
and it looks very favorable for their
taking over the property. Mother
Lode affords a grand speculation at
present prices.
-:o:
KETCIHKAN, Sept. 9—In the dis
trict court today Judge Jennings ruled
that the territorial legislature had no
authority to reduce the crime of sell
ing liquor to Indians from that of
a felony to a misdemeanor. The rul
ing does not cover the giving of liquor
to Indians, the judge said, as there is
a difference, but the question was not
Involved in the case at issue.
MINING ALASKA
Captain J. A. Herbert, who was the
first men to secure a lease of coal
lands from the government in Alaska,
has already taken out more than three
thousand tons from his leased prop
erty at Bluff Point twelve miles from
Seldovia. The output has been sold
to Anchorage, steamers, the canneries
and will soon be on sale in Seward.
The coal is lignite and the engineer of
the Panama steamer Sinoloa, which
tested in and brought 107 tons, said it
was about the finest coal he ever used
for steaming purposes. The veins
crop out from a bluff right over the
beach and a tunnel has been driven
300 feet into the solid coal so that in
future the sort of coal taken out will
be far better than the coal from the
surface. The government at Anchor
age has used a large quantity and is
so well pleased that the steamer
Tyonic is continuing to haul it every
day to the new railroad city. The
mine has a capacity of forty tons daily
but this capacity can easily be in
creased and Captain Herbert has in
sight enough coal for years and years.
The coal shipped before from the sur
face was not so good as the quality
now being mined. The present output
is so clean that handling it does not
even soil the fingers. It is, therefore,
Captain Herbert says, also ideal for
domestic purposes. The captain is on
his way to Seattle and will be able to
let the world know that the coal which
has been so long tied up by th egov
ernment is now ready to aid in the
territory’s development.
-:o:
J
Congress will be asked this fall to
investigate labor conditions on the
government railroad, according to cur
rent rumors on the streets of Alaskan
towns.
It is alleged that mostly aliens are
being employed. Seattle unions have
adopted resolutions concerning this
report.
In fact, different people have inti
mated that they intend to call the at
tention of congress to what they term
discrimination. If there is any fire In
all of the smoke that is being raised
concerning events to the westward,
where Uncle Sam is beginning his first
big railway project, it may become a
very important part of congressional
sessions next session.
All of which will remind Alaskans of
that old saying that the “Alaska ques
tion is loaded,” and administrations
may come and administrations may
go, but “Alaska” continues to be the
big question mark of each session.
In reporting a meeting of the Seat
tle Central Labor Council the Times
of that city says:
“An important item was the adop
tion of the report of the legislative
committee on the resolution received
from the Metal Trades Council last
week denouncing and protesting
against violation of the federal eight
hour law by the Alaska railroad com
mission and condemning the employ
ment of cheap alien labor by govern
ment contractors in navy yards and on
public works. Concurrence in the
resolution substantially as received
from the metal trades organization
was recommended by the committee.
-:o:
COMMISSIONER FINNEGAN
TENDERS RESIGNATION
Judge J. J. Finnigan, wife and
child have returned from Chisana
and do not expect to go back to the
placer camp. While there are a nm
ber of rich claims there that will be
worked for several years. Judge Fin
negan does not figure that Beventy
flve people will winter in that coun
try. He has resigned as United States
Commissioner and turned the office
over to Anthony McGettigan, an old
time Alaskan, who will make a most
competent and efficient official.
FAIRBANKS, Sept. 8—The new
town in Tolovana has been officially
named Brooks, in honor of Dr. Brooks,
of the Geological Survey, who first
directed attention to,, the mineral re
sources of the region. A wireless
plant has been installed in the new
camp by Falcon Joslin. The output
of the camp this year will be about
six thousand dollars. The pay streak
has been lined up for about four miles
along Llvengood Creek. The camp is
one year old today and has a popula
tion of five hundred. A new stam
pede took place recently to Bear
Creek, where a rich discovery was re
nnrterl.
:o:
.TAFT ADDRESSES
SEATTLE, Sept. 9—Ex-President
Wliliam Howard Taft addressed the
convention of the American Banker’s
Association in this city today. Taft
discussed the new currency law and
the recently inaugurated federal re
serve system.
SEATLE, Sept. 9—The convention
of bankers, now being held here, is
attended by many leading financial
men of the country. Alaska is repre
sented by Sam Blum, of Cordova.
INSDRED R AT E S
ON PARCEL
POST
The local postofflce has received
notice from the department that a new
order went into effect September 1,
regulating the fees on insured parcel
post packages. It is as follows:
Fourth-class matter shall not be
registered, but may be Insured against
loss in an amount equivalent to its
actual value, but not to exceed $5 in
any one case, on the payment of a fee
of 3 cents; not to exceed $25 an pay
ment of 5 cents; not to exceed $50 on
the payment of a feen of 10 cents, or
the payment of a fee of 10 cents, or
a fee of 25 cents, in addition to the
postage, both to be prepaid by stamps
affixed; but indemnity will not be al
lowed in cases of loss of such mail
addressed to the PhilUppine Islands,
unless the loss occurred in the postal
service of the United States.
-:o:
; ■
Death of Railroad Foreman.
John Moriarity, a forman employed
on the Copper River & Northwestrn
railway, with headquarters at Tiekel,
died at the company hospital last
night, from a complication of dis
eases.
-:o:
Steamer 8ailing Postponed.
The sailing of the steamer Mariposa,
from Seattle, has been postponed from
Sunday Until Tuesday evening next at
9 o’clock.
O. L. Larson and bride are living in
one of the cottages on the company
row.
-:o:
The fall term of the district court
will convene at Valdez next Tuesday.
-:o:
Mrs. Wm. J. Brown, of Chitina, is
registered at the Windsor hotel.
•-:o:
Geo. E. Baldwin was a passenger on
the Admiral Farragut on his way to
Latouche. He will return to Cordova
on one of the next boats and go to the
Interior. . .
GENERAL VILLA
KILLED
EL PASO, Sept. 11—An unconfirmed
report has gained considerable cre
dence here to the effect that General
Pancho Villa, lader of one of the fight
ing branches of Mexicans and General
Rudolfo Piero, one of Villa's com
manders, were both killed while on a
visit to the ranch of General Thomas
Urbinas near Santa Barra, in the pro
vince of Chihuahua. According to the
story which is being told, Villa and
Fiero went to Urbinas’ ranch for the
purpose of compelling Urbinas to
share with them the loot he had col
lected during the present internal
troubles in Mexico. Four hundred of
Villa’s best troops accompanied the
generals and Urbinas refused to divide
his spoils and in a fight which result
ed, both Villa and Fiero met their
death. The loot which Urbinas is sup
posed to have at his ranch has been
valued at five million dollars. De
tails of the trouble have not been re
ceived, but the report is considered to
some degree credible as it is known
that Urbinas had the money and that
Villa figured on securing some of it
for the purpose of replenshing his sup
plies for his soldiers.
LOCAL WEATHER
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 — The
weather bureau reports today re
markable and widely variant weather
conditions in several parts of the
country, which add a fittting climax
to a summer season which has been
out of joint from the beginning. Snow
is falling today in Helena, Montana,
creating a new record for that region.
In North Dakota and Wyoming tem
peratures almost as low as the freez
ing point are recorded at many lo
calities. The hotest September wea
ther ever known is making the whole
of Georgia swelter and resort to pro
fanity, while in the Great Lakes a
great storm is raging accompanied by
heavy rains.
NEW YORK, Sept. 11—As part of
the campaign to educate the public
as to the need of more effective meas
ures, Oct. 9 has been selected for Fire
Prevention Day. The plans of the
Safety First Federation of America in
clude not only popular instruction in
the means of guarding against fires,
but legislation in the various States
that will lead to stricter and more
uniform regulations.
-:o:
New Hotel Opened.
The Alaskan Hotel was formally
opened last night and a large number
of people dropped in to inspect the
place and pay their respects to the
new proprietors, Robt. Gottschalk and
Art Cloninger.
-:o:
Commissioner William O’Connor
and Deputy Marshal Jos. W. Feaster
arrived on this afternoon’s train and
left for Valdez to attend court.
-:o:
Miss Eversole and Miss Burroughs
have gone to housekeeping in the
Price cottageon Fourth avenue and
it will be known as the "Seldom Inn.”
H. W. Ross, who spent the past two
years in Chisana, returned to Cordova
on today’s train.
-:o:
Capt. Robert D. Gray, of Katalla,
SIR VAN HORNE
DIES TODAY
MONTREAL
MONTREAL. Sept. 11—Sir William
Van Horn, one of the foremost rail
road men of the American continent,
and said to be “ the Hill and Hand
man of Canada" died here today, at
the age of seventy-two.
Van Horne rose from the foot of the
ladder to wealth and fame as one of
the so-called empire builders of Cana
da. Although he was born in the
United States in Will County, 111.,
Feb. 3, 1843 and gained railway ex
perience through many years connec
tion with railrods in the Central and
Western United States, it was after
his moving to Canada and becoming
general manager of the Canadian Pa
cific railway in 1882 that he achieved
his most notable triumph by pushing
the railway to completion across the
continent.
All the rest of his active life he was
one of the heads of the Canadian Pa
cific, being vice-president from 1888
to 1899, and chairman of the board of
directoirs from 1899 to 1910.
ADMIRAL LINER
The steamer Admiral Farragut
reached Cordova at 9 o’clock this
morning on her initial voyage to
Southwestern Alaska. With her in
terior repainted, her carpeting and
other furnishings in a large part re
newed and althogether looking like a
bran new liner, the double-bottom,
twin screwed vessel was met at the
dock by a large number of people.
The Farragut takes the place of the
liner Admiral Watson, now submerged
at the Bell street pier, at Seattle,
where she was rammed by the freight
er Paraiso. On the Watson's return to
commission, the Farragut, however,
will remain on the Northern route,
giving the company three vessels in
the Seattle-Alaskan run. the third be
ing the Admiral Evans. The Farra
gut has been operated in the Seattle
San Francisco service since she was
purchased by the company last year.
The first-class staterooms on the
upper deck remain as two-berth apart
ments, this arrangement having been
found popular with the traveling pub
lic. Twelve new first-class state
rooms were added in the after main
deck. Other additions include a bar
ber shop, a bar and an extra bath
room. To handle the increased quant
ity of ship stores that the liner will
have to carry on her new run, as com
pared with the California route, her
cold storage capacity was doubled.
Her steerage accommodations were in
creased from a limited number of
berths to care for 180 passengers.
The Farragut’s passengers were as
follows:
For Cordova—J. L. Blanks, Grant
Hoppe, W. C. Hoppe, H. W. Robbins,
W. J. Lavery.
For Katalla—Robert McHardie.
For Valdez—Geo. Baldwin, A. A.
McDonald, J. M. Elliot, Geo. E. Ken
yon, S. W. Emerson.
For Anchorage—W. J. Darwin, Ma
tilda Krogman, Richard Lander, Mrs.
Lander, H. L. Warren, Mrs. C. K.
West, P. H. Moore, Otto Davis, Mrs.
Davis, Mrs. H. Tillman.
For Seward—Mrs. A. W. Shaw, O.
C. Nelson, J. A. Morrison, Mrs. A.
Caldwell, P. F. Vian.
-:o:
Excursion Tomorrow.
There will be an excursion to the
glaciers tomorrow morning, the fare
for the round trip being $5. The train
will leave the dock at 10 o’clock, and
the local depot about five minutes
later.
-:o:
Court Term For Seward.
Judge Brown will go to Seward on
the steamer Alameda and hold court
there for a couple of days to try sev
Among the Cordova’s distinguished
visitors while the steamer Mariposa
was in port Sunday was L. E. Smoot, a
close personal friend of Secretary of
Interior Lane, who is making an in
vestigation of Alaska harbors with a
view to securing an outlet for our coal.
He was on his way east, after having
visited the Cook Inlet country. Mr.
Smoot is a representative business
man of the Atlantic coast and made
the trip north at the request of Mr.
Lane to gather all information avail
able as to harbor conditions, and this
he has done. The Secretary realized
that the people of the Pacific Coast are
prejudiced against one town or an
ther in Alaska and believed that he
could get the most unbiased opinion of
conditions in the northiand by send
ing Mr. Smoot here.
Although this was his first trip to
Alaska Mr. Smoot was not unfamiliar
with our country. He had fortified
himself with maps, charts and other
data before coming to the territory
and during his visit interviewed a
large number of people. Realizing
that it was an easy matter to ac
quire false impressions he desired to
get his information first hand and it
did not take him long to modified some
of his views about the Cordova harbor
and Trince William Sound after he
had gone over the harbor situation
here with members of the local Cham
ber of Commerce. Mr. Smoot was fur
nished with a mass of reliable data
and will be in a position to make an
intelligent report on conditions as they
actually exist.
Unfortunately his time here was
limited and he was unable to aval!
himself of the invitation to take a trip
over the Copper River & Northwestern
railway to the interior copper mines.
-;o;
NEW YORK, Sept. 9—Mrs. Eliza
beth Nichols, the widow of a wealthy
wholesale grocer was found last night,
strangled to death In her home. The
woman was sixty years old, and every
evidence of a fearful struggle for life
was found in :hc boudoir of I ha lady,
where dainty dresses and ornaments
were scattered around promiscuously.
The motive of the crime was robbery,
as the woman’s purse was missing, and
servants say that In her room Mrs.
Nichols had a jewels case contain
ing about $10,000, of gems, which
cannot be found. The dead woman
lived in what is known as the mil
lionaire district of New York, Just
off Fifth Avenue, her husband having
died a year ago leaving her two mill
ions. The house was large and a co
tier of servants were employed. The
police immediately suspected that
some of the servants were concerned
in the crime, and after putting them
all through the third degree, they
placed the hall boy Owen Talles, under
arrest. The police claim that the boy
confessed that he had participated in
the murder but refused to tell who his
accomplices were.
-: o:
FIREMEN WILL HOLD
A 8MOKER TONIGHT
The Cordova Fire Department will
give a smoker tonight, and a special
invitation has been extended to the
crew of the collier Prothemus to at
tend. The program will Include a
number of athletic stunts and a good
time is assured the guests. There
will also be refreshments, both liquid
and solid, served.
--:o:
Geo. Watkins Evans, who has had
charge of surveying the Bering river
coal fields in units for the govern
ment, came over from. Katalla on to
day's steamer and expects to remain
here for a time.