The Chitina Leader
CHITIXA, ALASKA.
Entered as second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice at
Chitina, Alaska, under the Act of Coogress of March 3, 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Saturday by
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—IT a SET O. STEEL
Office: Hotel Chitina Building. Cordova Office: Daily Alaskan
Seattle Office: 551 Colman Building.
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One Month ..I -5C
Six Months . 2.00
One Year . 3.50
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Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable for the servlet
given. Official publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands
of the Copper River district.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1913.
- m
A WORTHY APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONER
The much desired appointment of a United States commis
sioner and recorder for the White river mining district has been
made. The man designated to fill this office, Anthony
Diamond, lias peculiar cjualifications for the position. He l-^
courageous and has a mind and will of his own. Then again
he possesses the requisite of having a knowledge of the law and
its practices. From our personal knowledge of Mr. Diamond we
believe that every man who goes into the new gold diggings
may feel assured of such protection to his personal rights and
property as the law gives him. There will be no juggling with
the records, no overcharges and no connivance with big
interests to the detriment of the hardy son of toil. The people
of the new district are to be congratulated that the appointing
power has had the wisdom to give them an official who will
serve the people. ,1,^ , .a A
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SUMMER MAIL SERVICE FOR INTERIOR
It seems reasonable to suppose that the government would
prefer to serve the people of the Yukon and Tanana valleys
with their mail during the summer season by such route as
would cut the present time over one-half. And it seems to be
generally believed that the sendee can be acceptably made by
automobile from Chitina in two or three days. The Fairbanks
Commercial Club is working to the end that this much desired
result be brought about. And now a powerful ally has been
organized in the Cordova Good Roads Club, which organization
will either take the initiative or lend its assistance to the
organization of a company that will agree to carry mail and
passengers during the summer season, as well as during the
winter if necessary.
Bids will be received up to November 11, at the office of
the second assistant postmaster general, for the various mail
routes in Alaska. But it is not likely that award of contracts
in all instances will be made for some time beyond that date.
Or if the summer mail for the Tanana country should be
awarded before it has been proven to the satisfaction of the
postmaster general that an automobile service is feasible and
would be regular, he could later make a change. A clause to
bidders reads as follows:
“The postmaster general may also discontinue, change,
or curtail the service in order to place on the route superior
service, or whenever the public interest, in his judgment
shall require such discontinuance, change, or curtailment for
any other cause, allowing as full indemnity to contractor one
month’s extra pay on the amount of sendee dispensed with,
and not to exceed pro rata compensation for the amount of
service retained and continued.”
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THE CONDITIONS AT CHISANA
There has been some difference of opinion in the local press
as to whether the Chisana strike was genuine or not. Articles
liave appeared stating that people were coming out and that
pay gravel was being taken out of one claim only. The facts
seem to be that some are returning and that but few outfits are
actually mining. Those who are coming out are mainly the
inexperienced and those who find that their supplies and equip
ment are insufficient to meet the exacting requirements of a
high altitude, impending winter and a country where nothing
can be bought. That few claims are being mined is to be
expected in a rush like this in which the main object of those
taking part in it is to stake and prospect. Regular operations
require more tools and equipment than are commonly taken in
under such conditions. There has been hardship and suffering
due to inadequate preparation, want of knowledge of conditions
and the exigencies of travel in a little known and mountainous
country cut by glacial streams. The experienced and deter
mined men who are the backbone of any camp are, as a rule,
remaining in the country, otthers are going in and still others
after listening to all that has been said by the dissatisfied and
discouraged are preparing to go in later. A Canadian geologist
of experience in alluvial gravels who has been in the district
says the camp is genuine and the greatest find since the
Klondike.—Alaska Mining Journal.
_A_A_A_
A BENEFIT IN ANY EVENT
An objection is made to boosting for an automobile road
between Chitina and Fairbanks lest a summer mail contract, if
it be awarded, go from Valdez instead of Chitina and Cordova.
With our superior railroad facilities we certainly should be
willing to take our chance of getting the contract and the
summer passengers. Even though it went to Valdez we would
be nothing out and would be certain to receive some benefit
from diverting the mail and passengers from the Canadian
route to any section in this locality. A benefit to Valdez or
Seward is indirectly a benefit to Cordova, particularly when it
takes nothing from us. So why not pull for the summer auto
mobile road, let the benefit fall where it will. Fairbanks is
yearning for it, and its up to the coast towns to render all aid
possible.
-0—o—o-—
The main thing the Impenitent league in New York City
seems to lack is the confidence of the people.
CONGRESS ALONE RESPONSIBLE
The world has again been appalled by a great marine
disaster in Alaska waters, some 32 lives being snuffed out in
Ike twinkling of an eye. No vestige remains of the steamship
State of California which had been engaged in the work of
developing that wonderful land up there. Papers throughout
the country have been full of the wreck; the company owning
the vessel has sustained a serious financial loss; all the steam
ships operating in Alaska waters have suffered greatly in
decreased tourist traffic and in many other ways has the
disaster been a blow to Alaska. Who is responsible for this
awful loss of life? Who should be held accountable for the
continued wrecks of United States steamships in the uncharted,
i unlighted waters of Alaska ? The answer, harsh as it may seem,
| is, briefly, the Congress of the United States of America, whose
laxity in all matters pertaining to the development of Alaska
and particularly those relating to appropriations for aids to
navigation and the proper survey and charting its waters, has
been notorious for many years.
Neither the coast and geodetic survey nor the lighthouse
board can effectively prosecute work in Alaska unless appropri
ations are forthcoming. Year after year these appropriations
are wiumeia oy t ngress. home little creek running into the
Mississippi can be dredged at a cost of $50,000; Blackfoot.
Idaho, or Ishpeniing, get a little one-story federal building at
a cost of $100,000; or a member of Congress goes fishing in the
Aroostook and gets his fish line caught on a snag and returns
to Washington and introduces a $50,000 bill for the dredging of
that stream. When it comes to Alaska, however, no appropria
tion is made and yet in making the tour of Alaska the most
deplorable sight of all, to a patriotic Aemircan, is to see the
excellence of British Columbia lights with the flag of Canada
flying at the masthead of the residence of the lighthouse
keeper, while the moment the Alaska line is crossed, there are
practically no aids to navigation.
Alaska cost this country $7,200,000, in 1868. Its commerce
last year, 1912, amounted to $72,000,000, or 10 times its original
purchase price. The way Alaska waters are charted and the
Jack of aids to navigation is a national disgrace. The territory
has the largest coast line and by far the smallest relative
number of aids to navigation of any country in the entire world.
Yet, it is the most valuable outside territory of the United
States. The question is one that every thinking man in the
United States should at once take under careful consideration
and urge his representative in Congress to take some action
that will remove this blot from the escutcheon of our country.—
Seattle Railway and Marine news.
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EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS
The alleged gold strike in the Chisana district is certainly
a puzzler. Entirely reputable men, who have been to the
diggings, have come out thoroughly disgusted at the prospects,
and have no hesitation in proclaiming the alleged strike a fake
of the rankest kind. On the other hand, equally reliable, but
probably more optimistic fellows, who have gone there, write
that the camp is one of great promise. So there you are.—
Seward Gateway.
Those who are fearful that an automobile route cannot be
established between Chitina and Fairbanks in the summer
season seem to overlook the fact that the distance but a short
time ago was covered by machines, taking from 38 to 44 hours
to make the run. And it is expected that considerable work
will be done on the road next spring and summer so as to make
it better than at present.
The variety and conflict in the news reports from the
Chisana causes one to wonder if there is not some sort of
kinship between them and the Mexican situation news.—
.Juneau Empire.
What are the other ingredients of chop suey? • The
discovery that it contains talcum powder is only a partial
solution of the mystery.
It certainly looks as though the present national adminis
iranon was going to make good m the ettort to open up and
develop Alaska. When that $40,000,000 railroad bill passes
next December it will make every good citizen in Alaska feel
that he is or ought to be a Democrat.
In Strong City, Kas., an ordinance has been passed
making it a penal offense for mules to bray at night and keep
people awake. There is nothing funny about it, either. The
owners of the mules have to pay the fines.
Those Fairbanks people will begin to enjoy life when they
can make a trip in summer to Seattle in eight or nine days, and
at the same time enjoy the pleasures and comforts of automo
bile, railway and steamship travel.
The Alaska Good Roads Club hopes to accomplish results
that will be gratifying to the people of the Copper river country
and to the residents of the Tanana and Yukon sections.
Everybody in this section ought to be able to get together
on an issue of good roads. It is something that is concerning
and interesting the entire United States.
When Congress gives the public safe navigation through
the watesr to Alaska, then builds railroads and improves the
present roads and trails, this northland will begin to develop
at what will seem an astonishing rate.
U. S. Marshal Brenneman unintentionally played one on
his deputies when he wired then all on Sunday last of reap
pointment and to furnish new bonds. It seems that this was
necessary until he could make permanent appointments, and it
really does not convey much hope to the deputies whose heads
may go off any day.
If the mission of the automobile is to check the earth’s
tendency to overpopulation it is making considerable headway
in fulfilling it. Three lives were sacrificed at San Francisco
this morning because‘of a joy ride. Autos could certainly do
more good in Alaska carrying government mail and passengers
during the summer between Chitina and Fairbanks.
It is some comfort, as perhaps you were about to remark,
to know that the Hot Springs themselves cannot be consumed
by fire.
Huerta’s future as a diplomatist consists chiefly, as you
may have observed, of “tomorrows.”
The longer these negotiations with Mexico are strung out
the fewer are the chances of serious trouble. What is the hurry,
anyway ?
Editor Scott C. Bone takes the
following view with reference to
railroad building in Alaska and the
opening up of the territory to de
velopment:
The one great danger to Alaska in
| Congress is the pressure for ultra
j radical legislation.
I Government ownership of ra’l
roads in the territory is today an
accepted necessity by a majority in
both the Senate and House, but ad
ditional propositions involving a
venture by Uncle Sam into the busi
ness of mining and selling coal, in
vesting in a line of steamships and
engaging in transportation activities
in Alaskan rivers and along the
! Alaska coast will meet determined
! and invincible opposition. Therc
j fore the friends of Alaska who want
j action at Washington, and early
action, are advocating nothing so
far-reaching and imppossible of at
tainment. They realize that the
pressure of radical propositions
would complicate the situation in
1 definitely.
That the administration, with the
opening up of the territory by the
construction of railroads, will at the
same time safeguard fully, the pub
lic interests in the undeveloped coal
fields is to be taken for granted.
Extreme conservationists, accord
ing to reports from Washington, are
antagonizing the Chamberlain bill
in the hope of keeping the Alaskan
issue alive for 1916, and they, of
course, are aided and abetted by
eastern interests that profit by the
present situation, and want nothing
done.
Senator Poindexter, however, it is
understood, while hoping for favor
able consideration of his bill, which
embraces the ultra-conservation
view, will vote for the administra
tion measure rather than risk the
failure of any Alaskan legislation,
i or delay the government railroad
] building.
-v--U
CLEVELAND, Sept. 20.—There !
has just closen an important confer
ence under the auspices of the Na
tional Paving Brick Manufacturers’
Association. It was attended by
nearly 500 city engineers and roa 1
experts from all setcions of the coun
try. State and county highway de
| partments and the Cleveland bureau
! of engineering joined forces to help
; make the conference one of the most
j successful ever held. The engineers
t
| spent two days in minute study of
j the methods of construction that
have won world-wide fame for the
thousand miles of paved roads in
Cleveland and Cuyahoga county. A
hundred automobiles formed in one
procession for a grand tour over city
Cleveland has many miles of paved
streets, laid 19 years ago, which
have not cost a cent for mainten
ance. These old streets are appar
ently good for more than double
their present life and the engineers
will thoroughly study the construc
tion methods employed to make them
last so long.
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NOTICE OF FORFEITURE
j To Alex. Nesbitt, his heirs, adminis
i trator, assigns, successors or per
sonal representatives:
You are hereby notified that I
have expended in labor and im
I provements for the year 1912, the
i sum of One Hundred Dollars on each
of the following named claims, or in
total the sum of Sixteen Hundred
Dollars, the “Pacer,” “Mayflower,”
“Slocum,” “Red Jacket,” "Red
Jacket No. 2,” and “Independence.”
The "Hercules,” “Sandow,” and
“Sampson.” The “Rosey No. 1,”
and “Rosey No. 2.” The “Lucky
Strike;” “Fairview,” "Esperanza,”
"Webfoot,” and “Yankee,” all situ
ated in the Chitina Mining and
Recording District, Territory of
Alaska, and which have been duly
recorded in the office of the United
States commissioner, in and for the
Chitina Mining District, at Chitina,
Alaska.
The above amounts have been ex
pended in order to hold the said
claims under the provisions of the
law concerning annual labor upon
mining claims, being the amount re
quired to hold said above named
mining claims. And you are fur
ther notified that if, within ninety
(90) days after the last publication
of this notice you fail to contribute
your proportion of said expenditure,
which is one-sixth (1-6) of the
whole, your interest in said claims
will become the property of the
undersigned, your co-owner.
james McConnell.
First publication Sept. 23, 1913.
Last publication Dec. 23, 1913.
Chitina GRILL
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