THE CHITINA LEADER
CHITINA, ALASKA
Entered as second-class matter, November 12. 1910, at the postofflce at
Chltina, Alaska, under the Act of Conbress of March 2, 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Tuesday by
HARRY G. STEEL, Editor and Proprietor.
Office: Hotel Chltina Building.
Cordova Office: Daily Times.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Month ...* B®
Six Months . 2.00
One Tear •........ 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. _
CmTINA^ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21,1915.
CORDOVA COPPER ATTRACTING ATTENTION.
It is good news—1-that coming from Alaska—that for the
year 1915 copper will take first place in the products of that
territory, followed by lead, gold coming third. For many years
gold has taken first place.
The aforemention reversal shows that Alaska is coming
into its own; that it is no longer to be looked upon solely as a
field for the hardy adventurer, but that an era of commercial
development lias begun, coincidental with the commencement
of work on the federal railroad, which will populate Alaska
with a permanent and desirable class of settlers.—Seattle Star.
SUGGESTION A GOOD ONE.
Mr.McPherson who toured Alaska in the interests of the
Alaska Bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce for celebra
tions in Alaska, in making his report to Seattle members, said
transportation companies ought to arrange tourist boats so
they would remain' longer in Alaskan towns.
He said he found there was a general complaint on the part
of both the tourists and' Alaska residents over present schedules.
Now that the Seattle Chamber is likely to take this matter up
with the transportation companies for next year’s business, the
commercial organization in Alaska should also get busy.
Naturally tourists come to Alaska to see as much of the coun
try as they can. Of course, until the present summer there was
probably not enough tourist business to run regular excursion
boats and break in on regular schedules. The interests of the
transportation companies must be considered as well as the
interests of the Alaskan business men.
But in another season there is a reason to believe there will
be enough tourists coming to Alaska to enable the transporta
tion companies to make a <*‘new schedule.” For instance,
tourists could profitably spend two or three days at any of the
towns at which boats stop on the coast of Alaska. Around
Juneau are many interesting places to be visited about which
the average tourist knows nothing under the present arrange
ment. This is true of other Alaskan towns. Very often boats
arrive in the night time and the tourists never leave the boat.
When they return to Seattle all thy have seen of the country is
from the decks of the boats. The Dispatch believes if the sev
1 eral Alaskan towns co-operate with the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce in this matter and put it up to the transportation
companies, a different schedule will be worked' out for next
season.—Juneau Dispatch.
-:0:
STEAMERS MAY CUT OUT VALDEZ.
Under the caption of “Valdez Council Blocks Progress”
the Seattle Railway and Marine News publishes a lengthy
article reviewing the action of a few insurgent citizens of our
neighboring town in attempting to present the rebuilding of the
ocean dock, recently destroyed by fire, by extending the city
limits and providing unheard of regulations governing the use
of lands, docks and wharfs, to force all steamships to do busi
ness with the Municipal Dock. After scoring those responsi
ble for this action the Railway and Marine News says:
“In justice to the always pariotic and' distinguished citi
zens of Valdez, they heartily against this attempt to pre
vent in the most flagrant manner the operation of steamship
business which could only result in loss and delay in the re
building of that city. Coming at a time when the steamship
lines were seriously considering withdrawal from the Valdez
Route, owing to the fact that such route has not paid for a long
time, this attempt on the part of the misguided councilmen and
antis to wrork out a special personal grudge against the owner
of the Valdez Dock is much to be regretted.
“Valdez is in a serious predicament at present and needs
all the upbuilding and development it can possibly secure and
to take an action at a critical moment when the curtailment of
its steamship service is under discussion, it looks as if these
men responsible for the outrage, are trying to ruin their own
town and drive steamships away. Owing to the fact that the
legal status of the case is quite clear in giving rights to the dock
owner, nothing can possibly be accomplished but the effort has
created no end of talk and those responsible are being severely
condemned while the ridicoulous effort is being regarded' as one
of the jokes of the summer season.”
CORDOVA’S PUBLIC BUILDING.
Under normal conditions work upon Cordova’s new $100,
000 federal building should start early next year, but Post
master General Burleson has sent a recommendation to the
treasury department which may bring about the annulment of
plans to construct public buildings in any town where the post
office receipts are less than $15,000 a year, which of course
would affect this town.
He takes the attitude that when the receipts of a postoffice
are less than $15,000 it is poor business for the government to
construct a building to house the postoffice. Experience has
demonstrated that in such towns suitable quarters usually can
be rented at less than the cost of upkeep of a government build
ing, to say nothing of the interest of the government’s invest
ment.
It is expected, however, that the postmaster general’s at
titude will affect principally appropriations yet to be sought,
by putting a curb on pork-barrel activities. When a building
bill is introduced it is referred to the treasury department for a
report. If it is a postoffice building the treasury department,
calls on the postmaster general for a statement of the needs of
the postal service in that particular town. If the postal re
ceipts happen to be below $15,000, and the postmaster general
says the building is not needed nor desirable, the treasury de
partment will make an adverse report to congress on the bill
and it is practically impossible to get through a bill on which
the treasury department has reported adversely.
As the appropriation has already been made and the
donated site accepted for the Cordova building the Postmaster
General’s recommendation may not affect us, but in case it
does the local Chamber of Commerce should let nothing undone
to press our claim for that which has already been granted, by
pointing out the necessity of the government having a structure
here to take care of all of its federal business.
--—;o:
MEARS SLAMS OLD-TIMERS.
If our special correspondent at Anchorage, who is a trained
and thoroughly reliable newspaper man, has correctly reported
Commissioner Mears in reference to his attitude on the labor
question in connection with the construction of the government
railroad, there is little hope of the Alaskan pioneers being given
any consideration. We cannot conceive, however, of any offi
cial deliberately throwing down the gaunlet to the Sourdoughs
of this northland and giving preference in employment to aliens
and “bohunks.” This condition appears to exist at Anchor
age, and the residents of the territory have a just grievance and
one that will be aired' before the next session of Congress.
Commissioner Mears is credited with saying in substance:
“We’re going to show the Sourdoghs we can build this road
without their assistance.” Such a sweeping satement is not
only unfair to old-timers but entirely uncalled for and if untrue
should be promptly denied by Mr. Mears.
-:o
COAL MAY SOON BE LEASED.
It is gratifying to know that Mr. George W. Evans has
completed' his detailed observations of the Bering Coal field,
with a view of seperating the field into workable units and that
his report will be submitted to the Secretary of the Interior by
the middle of November. As Secretary Lane is working on a
form of lease of the coal lands of Alaska that he hopes will re
sult in opening up for development this great natural resource
there is every reason to believe that before the end of the year
our oft repeated prayer of “Let us mine our Coal” will have
been answered. And when it is the real development of the
territory will begin.
What this will mean to Cordova and the Copper River
valley is not fully appreciated by those who are unfamiliar with
the fact that this section is contributing in copper ore aione
more to the mineral output of Alaska than all other parts of
the territory combined. When the coal is available a smelter
will be erected at Cordova, giving employment to a largo num
ber of men. The Bonanza and Jumbo mines are now pro
ducing copper that is worth from $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 a
month. The glance runs about $225 a ton, the concentrates
about $1175 a ton and the slimes about $45 a ton. There are
other properties along the railroad that will be on a shipping
basis as soon as transportation facilities and cheaper fuel are
provided.
The ore from the mines on Prince William Sound makes a
perfect flux with the interior glance and the extra cost of the
haul to Tacoma will bo done away just as soon as Alaska coal is
mined and marketed, which means the immediate erection of a
big smelter at Cordova.
The Anchorage Pioneer is soon to be launched as a daily
newspaper, and judging from the support it is now receiving
there is a field at the new railroad terminal for an afternoon
edition.
The price of copper continues high and the shipments of
ore from Cordova to the Tacoma smelter are constantly in
creasing, the value of the high-water mark reached being about
$2,000,000 a month.
The Valdez Prospector has been enlarged and' otherwise
improved and under the management of Stewart & Selby is
making rapid strides forward. Our former townsman, R. J.
McChesney, is the editor.
When Cordovans have any “courting” to do they usually
have to go to Valdez—as the federal bench here is seldom occu
pied. Possibly when we get our new public building tlifngs
will be different—at least we hope so.
The postoffice building question is assuming the character
istics of “Button, button, who’s got the button.” Uncle Sam
is willing to put in a first class office but cannot find a building
suitable for its requirements.—Valdez Prospector.
The long delays in steamers reaching here from Seattle are
due to the fact they are discharging large quantities of freight
at all way ports, which goes to show that business is picking
up in Alaska and the steamship companies are coming into their
own.
The middle west is enjoying a summer winter, while in the
eastern and southern states they are suffering from excessive
heat. In Alaska it’s different. Here we have an equabal tempera
ture, not hot, not cold—just right, and it’s mighty good' to be
here.
Secretary Lane will ask Congress, at the coming session,
for $8,000,000 or $10,000,000 for government railroad construc
tion in Alaska, and feels confident that he will secure this sum.
Mr. Lane is very optomistic as to the future of the territory, and
believes that in the end the railroad will pay for itself. He is
not in favor, however, of the proposal of a bond issue of $33,000,
000 for rushing the construction work.
What appears to be English resentment against the talk
of peace is but the coy and intended-to-be-deceptive, whispers
of a maid who is about to cry with a heavenly ecstacy, “Oh,
this is so sudden!”
Scaricity of textiles has caused the German government to
warn the people to wear their old clothes as long as possible and
when ordering new, to omit the dudads. Perhaps the war will,
among other things, teach the world some of the values of
simplicity.
“The Truth About Alaska,” the first of a series of articles
by Col. John A. Sleicher, appears in the current number of
Leslie’s Weekly, and deals principally with conditions in South
eastern Alaska.
Ihe steamer Corwin recently returned to Nome without
having found a trace of Explorer Stefansson on the Siberian
coast. He may be on.Wrangell island, but the probabilities are
that he is dead, somewhere in the.great white waste, a martyr to
the lure of the mysterious Arctic. Is it not a strange thing that
man is so made that he constantly contrives to overthrow that
of which he is fondest—life?
Valdez is now holding its full term of court and Judge
Brown has announced that a jury term will be held at Seward
in November. Cordova does not seem to figure in the schedule
of the federal officials, notwithstanding that much litigation
emanates from the Copper River valley, the cases usually, being
tried in Valdez, at an increased expense, to the government and
great inconvenience to our <people.
BUILDING BOOM
IT
E
ANCHORAGE, Sept. 9—The town of
Anchorage has, at the end of the
seventh week following construction
of the first building on the new town
site, a building record probably un
equaled by any municipality in the
United States. A count of business
structures made today shows a total
of 145, of which 103 are substantial
wooden buildings and 43 are canvas
covered frames or tents which will
soon be replaced by the class first
named. Of this total, 92 are on Fourth
ave., the main business thoroughfare;
25 are on Fifth ave. and the remainder
on other avenues and intersecting
streets. Eleven of them are two
stories in height. Among the more
substantial and larger of these is the
Empress block at Fourth and H,
erected by Capt. Austen Lathrop,
rormerly of Cordova, and containing
five commodious store rooms. The
others were glad to aid him in finish
ing when he commenced construction
of a roadway from the waterfront on
Ship creek up the hill on an easy
grade reaching the business section
on H street one block from this build
ing. This roadway is the main artery
of travel to and from the dock, being
preferred to C street, which was open
by the Commission, because of the
easier grade. A branch of this road
way is now being constructed by the
Commission and reaches the business
section on E street.
A majority of the mor^ substantial
buildings are west of the blocks re
served for municipal and federal pur
poses, and considerable rivalry exists
between property owners east and
west of that point.
A Sourdough from Hope recently
asked Commissioner Mears why, in
giving men employment here, Alas
kans were discriminated against and
favors were shown aliens—Canadians
and “bohunks.” The pertinent part
of the answer was in subtance:
“We’re going to show the Sourdoughs
that we can build this road without
their assistance."
Here’s a bit of news wnich ran the
gaunlet of the censor and which will
be appreciated by the Sourdoughs
aforesaid. When the steamship Sin
aloia arrived with machinery and sup
plies from the Panama Canal, she was
boarded by Mears and the captain was
informed that he would have to work
his men overtime, all night in order
that the vessel might be unloaded
within the demurrage limit of time.
The exact words of Captain’s Sannas’
reply were not recorded by witnesses;
but that reply was in tabloid form
and so hot that the atmosphere there
abouts smoked. It was something like
this: “Blankety blank you! I am
boss on board this vessel. We work
eight hours and you’ve just 15 min
utes to get off this ship.”
The departure of the Commissioner
was very informal, was within five
minutes and wasn’t even preceeded by
the military salute. Heretofore men
engaged in longshore work under
direction of the Commissioner have
been compelled to work as much 12 to
18 hours in one shift, regardless of
the federal regulation limiting the
hours of labor on government work
to eight hours. If there was a scar
city of men here there might be an
excuse for violating the law, but there
are at least three men for every job,
and if the Commissioner really wished
to save the government that $350 a
day demurrage he might have provid
ed for three 8-hour shifts a day.
That the low schedule of wages es
tablished by the Commission is to be
made permanent here is indicated by
contracts which successful bidders
for street and other municipal work
are signing and which contain these
words; “The rates paid these labor
ers must be in accordance with stand
ard schedule of wages adopted by the
Commission,” which are 37% cents
an hour for common labor, as against
50 cents paid by private Individuals
and firms, and other labor in propor
tion.
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
BE STATIONED ANCHORAGE
The Department of Justice has al
lowed for the appointment of an assis
tant district attorney to be stationed
at Anchorage and Assistant District
Attorney Munley, now of Valdez, has
been selected for the position. It is
rumored that H. G. Bennett, a nephew
of District Attorney Spence, will suc
ceed Mr. Munley. Dame Rumor also
reports that O. P. Hubbard may se
cure the appointment.
*
Ordered to Report to Mexico.
Cornelius Whaling, of the Valdez
signal corps detachment, has received
orders to report to the signal corps de
tachment, stationed on the .Mexican
border. j
V MOVIES
IN ALL PARTS
ALASKA
C. C. Garisford. president and gen
eral manager of the Silver Fox Films,
of the Moose Bay Fur and Trading
Company, of Chicago, arrived In Cor
dova this morning, accompanied by
three photographers and they expect
to remain here for some time, taking
educational films of Alaska. This
work has been in progress for two
years, and is wide in its scope and
covers practically every section of the
northland.
They are taking pictures of all the
mining interests, including the famous
Bonanza and Jumbo mines at Kenne
cott, the gold quartz properties at
Juneau and in fact every mine of any
note in Alaska. A number of films
are taken of each operation, showing
how the ore is taken out of the mines
and the process it goes through in
the mill.
Scenes have been taken along the
Copper River & Northwestern rail
way, including the glaciers and other
points of interest. The same has been
done at Anchorage, where the gov
ernment road is being built.
The fishing industry is shown in all
of its phases. They have taken pic
tures of the canneries, hatcheries and
show how the fish is treated from the
time they are caught until served on
the table. Street scenes have also
been taken in all of the towns, and the
panoramic views of the country will
give tourists an excellent idea of the
scenery and conditions, which will un
doubtedly prove one of the greatest
advertisements Alaska has ever en
joyed.
This collection of views is recog
nized as one of the best that has ever
been taken and it is the intention to
show it on the screens throughout the
United States.
Mr. Garisford is making Juneau his
headquarters for Southeastern Alaska
and Cordova his headquarters for
Southwestern Alaska.
—-:o:
NEW YARD ENGINE IS
ON WAY TO SEWARD
Considerable freight for the en
gineering commission including a 30
ton yard engine for use in reconstruc
tion work along the old line, is expect
ed soon from Seattle, according to a
statement made by Chairman Edes.
It is possible that it may be brought by
the freighter Wilmington, which will
stop at Seattle on its way north from
Panama.
-:o:
DR. SMITH RECEIVES NEWS
OF DROWNING OF HIS SON
Dr. L. C. Smith, formerly of Cor
dova and Chitina, who is now located
at Fairbanks, has received the sad
news that his son, Frank Smith and
the latter’s wife, of Sioux Falls, South
Dakota, were accidentally drowned in
Brown’s Lake near Melrose, Montana.
It was nearly a month after the son
and his wife had drowned before the
father and mother heard of the sad
event. This was due to the fact that
Dr. and Mrs. Smith had changed their
address. The drowning was the re
sult of the boat, in which the couple
were fishing having overturned when
the young man stod up in it and tried
to throw his line a long distance.
-:o:
FORMER CORDOVAN HAS
CLOSE CALL FROM DROWNING
Councilman King had a close call
from being drowned Sunday, in the
waters of Mineral Creek. Together
with his son, Porter, he was attempt
ing to ford the stream, when he was
swept off his feet and into a pot-hole.
Struggling desperately, Mr. King was
drawn under twice, and was just about
exhausted, when Porter succeeded in
catching him by the coat and lirting
him into shallow water.—Valdez Pros
pector.
-:o:
TWO NEW STEAMERS TO
BE BOUGHT FOR THIS RUN
Officials of the Alaska Steamship
company have gone east to arrange
for the purchase of twe vessels which
will be put on the Alaska run at once.
Heavy traffic to the north. In addition
to the increasing demand for copper,
has made the immediate increase of
the fleet imperative.
-:o:
BUY ANTIMONY MINE
LEA8E NOME RAILROAD
The Sliscovitch antimony mine on
Manilla creek near Nome has been
purchased by capitalists from the
states who have at the same time
leased the Seward peninsula railroad
and will install a gasoline motor car
service to handle the ore to Nome.
Demand for antimony has increased to
such an extent since the beginning of
the European war that it is being
sought in every part of the world.
The Seattle Star of September 4
contains a front page story, together
with a largo portrait of a former resi
dent of Cordova, under the caption of
“Officer enters innocent girl’s room at
1 a. m.” Here’s the story:
Mayor fiill began an investigation
Saturday of charges made Miss Lillian
McClug, 24, of the Oxford hotel, 1920
First Ave„ that City Dectectlve Daniel
McLennan arrested her in her room at
1 a. m. Friday, then compelled her to
dress while he remained in the room.
Miss McClug's parents live in Port
Angeles. She has lived in Seattle for
about two years, and has been employ
ed In various downtown department
stores.
She spent one year In Alaska as
night nurse in the hospital of the Cop
per River & Northwestern railroad at
Cordova.
The girl appeared Friday afternoon
as a witness against Mrs. Nellie De
Vorss, charged in Justice Rrinker’s
court with shoplifting. Mrs. DeVoross
was convicted and fined $50.
At midnight Thursday, the evening
before the trial of Mrs. DeVoross the
latter woman appeared at police head
quarters in company with a man.
Complains to Headquarters.
The man said a girl had robbed him
of his watch.
Mrs. DeVorss told the police she had
seen the watch in the possession of
Miss McClurg.
Detective McLennan accompanied
the pair to the Oxford hotel to arrest
the girl. There was no warrant is
sued.
“The detective, after the clerk had
refused to let him come up to my
room, called me from the hotel office
on the telephone," Miss McClurg said
to a Star reporter. “He said he would
give me five minutes to dress and go
to the station with him.
“It couldn’t have been a half min
ute afterward that he pounded on my
door. I had slipped on a kimono, and
I went to the door and opened it a
little. The detective then pushed his
way in, and ordered me to dress.
Stays in Her Room. i1
“He styed right in the room with
me. Finally I took some of my clothes
into a small bathroom that opens off
my room, and dressed in there, but I
had to do it with the door open.
“He wouldn’t even allow me even to
close the door.”
McLennan than walked with her
to the station, she says. Outside the
hotel they met Mrs. DeVross and the
man who said Miss McClurg had stolen
his watch.
This couple got into an auto, the
girl says, and kept pace with them all
the way to headquarters. I
There McLennan and other detec
tives bullied her for an hour and a
half, Miss McClurg asserts, trying to
get from her a confession that she had
stolen the man’s watch.
Finally, at 3 a. m„ they decided
they “had nothing her” and released
her.
Spends Evening With Friend.
Miss McClurg had spent the evening
before, when she was declared to have
stolen the watch, at the home of a
friend, Mrs. Martha Metz, 199 Fifth
ave. N. She declares the whole af
fair was engineered to discredit her
testimoney in the DeVoross case.
Detective McLennan would not m
admit to the Star Saturday that he
forced his way into the girl's room.
He says she asked him to come in.
He stated, however, that he stayed
in her room while she put her clothes
on in the bathroom adjoining. t
After it was all over, he said, and he
had heard about the DeVoross case
that was to come up on the day fol
lowing, he made up his mind that the
girl was innocent.
Girl in Nervous State.
Miss McClurg is still in a highly
nervous state as a result of her ex
perience. g
“I never was inside a jail or a police
station before in my life,” sl;e de
clared. “Neither was I ever subjected
to such Indignities as were forced
upon me by Detective McLennan, and
the things that were said to me while
the detectives were trying at head
quarters to make me confess to a
crime I knew nothing about.”
-:o:
Captain Warner To Take Vacation.
Captain Fred Warner of the Alame- ^
da is taking his last trip with his ship
now for a couple of months. After
reaching Seattle he will visit the San
Francisco exposition and will return
to duty la a couple of months.
-:o:
Jury Term Court for Seward.
A jury term of court will be held in
Seward about the end of October or
the beginning of November, according
to the announcement made by Judge
Brown.