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CHITINA. ALASKA.
Cordova Office: Daily Alaskan
Published every Saturday by
WELL A. STEEL EAEBT Or. STEEL
Editors, Managers and Proprietors
O. E. BENNETT, City Editor
ADVERTISING RATES: t
Made know n upon application.' They
will be found reasonable for the ser
vice given.
Application has been made to the post
office department for the entry of this
newspaper as second-class matter at the
postoffice at Chitina. Alaska, under the
act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
CHITINA. SATURDAY, DEC. 24, ’10
LET US MINE
OUR OWN COAL
The Chitina Leader wishes all its
subscribers and friends a merry
Christmas. May’ dear old Santa Claus
fill your stockings to over flowing
and bring you happiness arAl pros
perity for the New Year.
-XXX
All reports from the bridge at Kus
kulana tend toward the completion
of the structure tomorrow, though
it may be a dayr or two later. A
leading story of the bridge will ap
pear in next week’s Leader.
-XXX
We are thankful old Sol has cross
ed the line on his northward course,
Wednesday, the 21st, being the short
est day in the year. Only a few
weeks now and the days will be per
ceptibly longer.
-XXX
A big improvement was made this
week on the depot, by the installing
of windows on each side. Agent Law
son doesn't have to use his glasses
now.
-xxx
Acting Postmaster Cliff Johnson
made a business trip to Cordova jes
terday in connection with the new
money order ruling now issued by
the postal department.
-xxx
It is up to the boys now to chip in
a half a dollar apiece and pay a team
ster to clean off the snow on the lake
sufficiently large for a rink. Mr.
Lawson had the engineer of the steam
pumping plant flood a part of the
lake this week, but there is too much
snow to make a successful job of it.
When the snow is scraped off he will
then flood it, which will make the
very best of skating.
REMINISCENCES OF THE TRAIL.
The following is a communication
sent to the Chitina Leader request
ing publication. The author states
that he has no grievance, nor cares
to indulge in any personalities, or
spite work, but has merely put to
verse how the “skinners” and othet
old-timers josh the roadhouses and
indulge in reminiscences of the trail
from Willow Creek to Valdez:
The Head Line.
By the author of “Who touches a
foot of the Valdez trail will get nc
grub for me—all have failed.”
PRELUDE.
To the tune of “My Old Kentuckt
Home.”
Stay no more, John, the can fiend,
O, stay no more I pray.
For it won't be long, if you stay at the
Drop,
Ere they take ail your sheckles away.
No more the stages mount the Pass
With slow and snail-like pace;
No more the drifts are torn apart
By rugged Perry Drace,
And never more the wolves will chase
J. Grisval on his sled,
For Jack turns off at Binghamville—
The good old days are dead.
No more will P. Magnusson scheme
The mushers to enthral;
The meal sheets hang—a crorno now
Upon the roadhouse wall.
And nevermore will Little John
Guide In his husky grays,
For he turns off at Binghamville,
Which kills the good old days.
And nevermore will John hand out
His canned goods as of yore;
The opener hangs—a relic now—
Behind the kitchen door.
No more he'll stand behind the stove
And pray the storm will last.
For George turns off at Binghamville;
The good old days are past.
And woe is me- no more the stage
Before Waughn's Tiekhell Home
Will stop, while Roughnecks lie awake
And haul their freight to Nome.
No more will four tons be a load
On trails, they said they broke.
The freight now goes by Binghamville;
Those good old days have croaked.
And Cameron, poor, luckless man;
They have it in for him;
Hes robbed them of their livelihood;
He's cleaned them of their tin.
No more he will dare .o show his face
Below mile eighty-nine.
He also turns at Binghamville
And goes to Guggenheim.
And what is there at Binghamville
That makes the skinners stop
And maul the meal sheets with both
hands;
They didn't at the Drop.
It can't be Bingham's sylph-like ways:
The Bamman s no Apollo;
But wait—I have it, Kismit—'tls fate;
The cook is what they follow.
LE ENVOI.
To the tune of the "Old Oaken Buck
et.”
How will we remember the days we
i shoveled
O'er dread Thompson Pass, with mail
and express;
But peace to the ashes of Wortman s and
Tiekhell,
When the rails started trouble, and
Orr did the rest.
- II. K. 1L
ENGINE NO, 2.
The following verse sent to the
Chitina Leader is dedicated to one
of the most popular locomotive en
gineers on the Copper River & North
western railway, who recently left
the front, telling his friends he in
tended taking a trip to Mexico and
his “sorrowing" freinds had the fol
lowing effusion “erected to his mem
ory”:
Engine No. 2 is weeping
She has lost her engineer;
O'er the rails she’s sadly creeping;
From each flue she drops a tear.
Her heart is broken—poor little dink;
But think of what she’s lost.
Heart-rending moans, and sobs and
groans
Are heard with each exhaust.
Engine No. 2 is weeping,
Once her heart was light and gay;
Now her very soul is sleeping.
Since her darling went away.
He left her on a bleak, cold day;
His voice was soft and low;
He said, “Dear Heart, I must away,
I'm off for Mexico.”
Engine No. 2 is weeping,
Can't keep back the scalding tears;
'Neath Southern skies tonight he’s
sleeping;
She’ll be lonely through the years.
On a wintry night, when weird North
lights
Parade the star-strewn sky,
The 2-spot dreams of her Mexican
Jack,
And prays Courtned to let her die
Note: As we go to press we re
ceive the sad news that the 2-spot
surrounded by her closest friends,
passed away at 4:30 on Saturday af
ternoon. Although everything in
their power was done by Surgeons
Courtney and Campbell, the 2-spot
was beyond all help.
“BELL HOP.”
Local News
Queen, the well known mother of
many a husky team dog, is now at
camp 146, and has another litter of
six fine puppies, which are of the
rugged husky type, and should by
this time next year be able to pull
a big outfit into the mountains for
some prospector.
A bar of Packers tar soap recent
ly disappeared front the “mad house”
tent at 146, and all the "inmates”
are on a still hunt. Engineer Jack
Courtney, the “mad house detective,
claims to have a clue, and swears
ue’ll hunt the robber down if he has
to return to the scoop once more, or
even go stronger yet and accept a
position on the steam shovel.
Conductor Eddie Funk has charge
of the train at the bridge camp, or
the extreme front. Geo. Hislop, ths
well known brakeman, is his right
hand bower, while Henry Lee is at
the throttle on the engine, with Carl
Rickards handling the scoop.
Al. Church broke two ribs on
Thursday of this week, while at
tempting to coast down the hill from
the residence of Thos. Cloninger.
Nick Bisel is now the chef at the
Kuskulana bridge camp, with Harry
Pollard as head waiter. There are
nine men in the kitchen and dining
room, and no better service or help
can be found in any camp in Alaska.
“Jock" McCauley, who has been
firing the steam shovel at 146, left
this week for the bridge camp at
149, where he has accepted a posi
tion with the riveting gang.
Lou Melsing has been quite ill this
week witn a touch of pneumonia. His
old friend, Judge Ferguson, has been
taking the best of care of him, how
ever, and it is hoped he will be out
again in a few days.
Old engine 50, which has been at
the front ever since the start of con
struction on the Copper River & Nor
thwestern, was run into Cordova on
Tuesday to undergo some repairs.
Old 50 is the pride of the old-time
railroaders at the front, and after the
necessary repairs, will again be sent
out and no doubt be the first to cross
the new bridge at Kuskulana, and
continue to puff at the front until
the steel will have reached the Bon
anza mine.
Bring your job work to the Lead
er offic®. . ...JiL.Alfl*
A Few Hot Rivets Tossed
By the Steel Workers
The Leader man made a trip to
the Kuskulana bridge camp on Mon
day of this week, and received a
warm welcome by the steel workers
On making the rounds of the differ
ent bunk houses he gathered the fol
lowing "hot rivets" from the differ
ent gangs of steel workers. All are
good fellows and can take a josh as
well as give one. All stated that
they liaed to see the other fellow
get "panned" a little in the Leader
columns, and if a not one goes to the
fellow who handed one to his friend,
he can only "hold the bucket.” and
say, “all right, wait 'till next week”:
Ray Taylor had a birthday last
week. The gang say it’s all right
with them if he had had three an
niversaries of his birth winthin two
months, and besides Ray is there
when it comes to entertaining.
Bob Clark and Norman Ferguson
say the cold weather of last week
nearly put their heaters out of com
mission, but they are getting the
right color on again, now that milder
weather has set in.
Phil Albertson, better known as
j "Dirty Dutch,” has “boiled up” anti
taken a wash this week. His bunkies
hardly recognized him and all put a
long mark on the tent wall.
Geo. Reed is sure the real signal
man on the job. The gang say he
can turn quicker, signal faster and
yell louder than any one on the
bridge, and it sure gets results.
"Slam” Johnson is the only signal
man on record who can take up a
top cord with the nigger head out of
gear.
The boys would feel lost if Sam
Thornton, signalman on the high line,
were not on the job. His lusty
Cockney yells or “out ’aul” and “'old
it, Bill," are music to the ears of the
steel workers.
Since the "gun” kicked "Toughy”
McNutt off the staging, he has been
using more old sacks and bags than
ever in which to wrap up his feet and
legs. In case he should be kicked
off into the canyon he’d be padded
sufficiently to break the fall any way.
“Drift Pin” Dick has shown mark
ed signs of lonesomeness since he
lost his six-foot-five mate last week.
His mate aspired to the riveting gang,
but “Geronimo” couldn't see it that
way, so he hied himself for the grape
arbors in the good old native son
state.
Paddy Monohan, whom the gang
call the “Irish Chow,” says the job
can’t last too quick for him, for he
has recently received letters from
home which he reads each evening.
Pete Schadle, the “Foo-Foo” man,
is a real, living curiosity. The gang
say they expect to have him on ex
hibition at Luna Park on their return
o Seattle and advertised as the “Foo
Foo” steel man, captured after a ten
weeks’ hard and desperate struggle,
n the dead of winter, 200 miles north
of Cordova, Alaska. They are sure
he’ll be a hit with the public and his
managers say there will be no furth
er need to make another contract on
steel work.
“Honest John” McArtle was scalp
ed by a red hot rivet last week, but
it wasn’t serious enough to keep him
fiom work or from donating a tew
beans to the camp fund each even
ing.
Walter Norris is still pushing the
hospital side of the cantilevers.
Fred Lowe, one of the old-time
Miles Glacier boys, is the only man
in the hospital at the present time.
Fred has been troubled with his
stomach, nut is anxious to get back
in the harness again.
The “wonder” engineer, G. H. Hop
kins, is a happy man now. “Hop’s”
troubles are over now since the warm
spell. His lubricators are working
nicely and the world looks good to
him.
Who said Gloomy Gus and his gang
were not the star riveters 01 the job?
Some of the gang was mean
enough to suggest that Phil Seffren
came through with twenty-five to
snare the nigger head job, but it isn’t
credited. The only trouble with Phil
is he can’t get away from that “gim
me habit.” He’s dug up a pipe some
where, but it isn’t on record that he
ever purchaesd any tobacco.
What do you know about 1,250
rivets being driven in one day with
none cut out? Going some, ain’t it?
Does any one dare deny that Johnny
Rowe, Arthur Frost, P. Monahan,
“Slam" Johnson and that gang are
not the Kandy Kids when it comes to
driving rivets? Of course, in order to
make that record "Slam” Johnson
had to pound ’em in with both
hands, and even Johnny Rowe’s
whiskers were singed with the rapid
work.
A janitor is wanted in the “Labor
Temple.” Anybody want to volun
teer?
The boys say Saginaw Bill has a
home on the nigger head and there's
no chance of him losing it.
Frank Reider isn’t troubled with
the same ailment since being assign
ed to his present position.
“Foo-Foo” hasn’t been ill a single
minute since that notice was tacked
on the tent door.
“Skipper” Kernan has a touch of
lumbago and has his back painted
with iodine. The skipper has put in
for a warmer job alongside of Sagi
naw Bill.
Deacon Jones' blooded bear dog
got caught in a steel trap last week,
and the deacon swears it was “malice
aforethought” on the part of some
of the gang.
Curley McTague isn’t saying much
but he is keeping in mind that brew
ery proposition he has a cinch on in
good old York state, providing, of
course, unless Ray Taylor goes Kast
before he does.
LOCAL NEWS.
A. F. Fitch, the genial commissary
man, is still in charge of the commis
sary at mile 146. Ned Hill, who was
formerly in charge, left recently foi
a trip to the mines.
Johnny Dykes, the well known
commissary or store house man, ar
rived from Cordova on Thursday ev
ening’s train and will again be sta
tioned at the construction camp at
mile 146.
Zeke Mullet, of Kuskulana, re
cently lost two valuable dogs. Most
every one knows them. If any one
should hear of their -whereabouts
they will not only confer a great fa
vor but will be rewarded by the
owner for any information leading
to their recovery.
Some one steered Marshal Love
and his deputies, who had the twe
insane patients in charge, to Jesse
Martin’s new residence for the jail.
Pretty mean trick, wasn’t it? And
the bunch even had the nerve to givc
Jesse the he-haw over it. Some one
had to buy.
Mrs. R. Blix, wife of Commissioner
Blix, of Copper Center, spent sev
eral days in Chitina this week, in
having some dental work done by Dr.
Griffith. She returned home on Fri
day morning’s stage.
1 FRED M. SCHflUPP l!
O 4 '
4 * Manufacturer in 4 -
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Sheet Metal
:: stoves, ::
:: ranges ::
:: and i:
HEATERS
o 4*
♦.$
I OSBORNE:
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THE
‘ * PRACTICAL •
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Jeweler
;; cordova, • aiaska ■•
; ; Watches and jewelry at •
> ! >
i Outside Prices i i
•Leave Your Work at the Leader, ,
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Office ■ •
• ! •
I» « »
I ► 4 1
|| Northern Meat Market ||
CHITINA BRANCH
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4 » 4 1
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Wholesale and Retail Butchers
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< • < •
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; ; HOTELS. RESTAURANTS, MINING CAMPS, STATION CAMPS, \ I
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; ; AND ROAD HOUSES SUPP PLIED AT CORDOVA PRICES ; ;
PETER SHEARMAN, Manager. '
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♦
; I Of course you want 1
DRUGS i!
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: [ In Chitina <:
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!. You can get the be*t "
!. at the <»
ii PIONEER j
DRUG
j STORE |
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♦ In Cordoya "1
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4> O
< ► Special attention paid to out- ;;
j;; of-town orders :;
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l. L. dodge, Prop.
♦ « ►
OWL CAFE
FINEST MEALS IN TOWN
ROOMS FOR LADIES
NICE CLEAN BEDS IN CONNEC
TION.
Noodles and Chop Suey
....y
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C..
CHITINA HOAD HIM
Mile 133
C. M. F. COLE, Proprietor
Chitina Transfer
F. ACKLES, Proprietor.
Freighting and Teaming
of all kinds
BAGGAGE DELIVERED
; *♦♦»iii♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦■ ■
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:: Chitina Laundry ::
:: and Bath House ::
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NICE HOT BATHS : i
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;; Good Work
:: ••
Guaranteed j;
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, , i Branch Office and Barber | |
< • Shop at Stringer's. I I
j;; !!
I: JOHN RAWSON, Prop, j
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♦■Mil I ■
ED. a ORR STAGE CO.
'’S .. : : *j
Leaves Chitina
TUESDAYS,
FRIDAYS
and SUNDAYS
J i x 1 'V
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Carrying Passengers Express
and U. S. Mail
Office in Hotel Chitina
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