SECOND YEAR
CHITIXA, ALASKA, TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 10, 1912.
NO. 4'*.
BERING GOAL EXPEDITION
MEETSJTI DISASTER
(From Saturday’s Cordova Daily Alaskan.)
The steamer Mariposa brought from Seattle forty men
employed by the government to get out a sample lot of coal
from the Bering fields and to do certain surveying. Seven
horses to do the packing and 87 tons of supplies were part,
of the consignment, that it was expected would be landed at
Katalla. The Mariposa reached the latter harbor about 4:30
o’clock Friday morning and anchored opposite Katalla.^ -A,
heavy sea was running but it was thought that later it would
be possible to discharge the freight and passengers on scows
sent out from Katalla. Finally an attempt was made in the
afternoon to unload on the scow that was in tow of the. tug
Pioneer. About seventy tons had been unloaded when it
was found impossible to longer hold control over the scow
by the tug. After di’ifting about and breaking the tow lines
the Pioneer had to abandon the scow, which finally drifted to
about two miles south of Martin Island, where anchorage was
secured.
The Mariposa then proceeded to the protection ot Kayak
Island, which is near to the entrance of the famous Controller
Bay. From there it was found possible to unload the balance
of the freight consisting of rails, lumber and the seven horses
and 26 men, on another scow, to be taken to Stillwater, and
from there go up the river towards the coal fields. It was the
idea that the tug Corsair would immediately get the scow to its
destination, but the angry waters would not permit this. All
of the blankets and supplies for the men had been put off on
the first scow, likewise the feed for the horses. As a conse
quence the men and animals spent an exposed and unhappy
night behind Windham Island. About noon the launch Queen
was secured from Mr. Williams and with a supply of food
and blankets was sent out to the marooned scow and the un
fortunate occupants.
Last night shortly after the Mariposa steamed away for
Cordova she located the scow containing the seventy tons of
supplies anchored south of Martin Island. She signaled the
tug Pioneer and communicated the position of the scow. The
tug, however, continued back to Ivatalla, as she was not in
position to render any assistance to the scow, as her ropes
had all been broken in her fierce battle with the elements be
fore the scow had been earlier abandoned. With proper
equipment the Pioneer started out this morning to look for
the scow, which had evidently broken from her anchorage and
had either been washed out to sea or piled up on some beach,
for the tug returned to Ivatalla early this afternoon and re
ported that nothing had been seen of the scow.
The party of government men is sent under direction of
Dr. Joseph A. Holmes, director of the bureau of mines. Sev
enty-five thousand dollars had been appropriated for the ex
pedition, and for several days prior to their departure from
Seattle, government agents were busy purchasing supplies of
even' nature, for the comfort and safety of the expedition.
There is a general manager, a superintendent, an assistant suy
perintendent, a construction engineer, two geologists, a fore
man, an assistant foreman, a physician, a commissary ser
geant and twenty-eight miners. But even these expert men
were not proof against Mr. Pinchot’s “excellent” harbor that
President Taft, Secretary of the Interior Ballinger and other
noted men were anxious to covertly turn over to Dick Ryan.
The names of the men who are now in distress near Katalla
are as follows:
G. F. Powell, L. R. Wilson, W. Reese, T). R. Reese, R. V.
Ageton, Chas. E. Anderson, W. A. Selvig, Matt Lunner, Carl
Kelso., W. Puteher, T. Jolliv, M. Reese, T. T. Lewis, J. Mer
run, Geo. Savage, R. J. Williams, W. Jones, J. Saers, A. Gui
bert, William N. Dean Ed Lewis, Dan Davies, I). Harris, J.
Hall, Chas. A. Lindgreen, Wm, Matson, John B. Gregory, J.
G. Wiliams, R. L. Belton, J. Ivukulis, F. B. Samfle, Alfred
Williams, I. Jones, James Wattro, Chas. Farrel, John Halle,
and M. Gallagher.
»
(From Monday’s Cordova Daily Alaskan.)
Advises received from Katalla this afternoon indicate
that the scow containing seventy tons of provisions and sup
plies for the government expedition has gone beyond return.
All day yesterday the launches Pioneer and Elvyra skirted
about Egg island and other small islands, returning in the eve
ning without any results. No driftwood or any portion of the
cargo was seen, and it is thought that the scow may have
drifted off toward Montague island.
L. Y. Williams and Sumner S. Smith, who are practically
at the head of the expedition, have concluded that the seventy
tons, valued at $15,000, are a total loss. They have secured
horse feed, tents, miners’ tools, and provisions sufficient for
ten days, from the merchants of Katalla, intending to procure
some additional supplies at Cordova and to wire a large order
to Seattle, to leave there on the 16th.
This afternoon most of the men of the expedition made
a start to the Bering coal fields, where they will establish quar
ters and build cabins, as the lumber was not lost, being on the
scow with the men and horses. So soon as additional supplies
are received they will be rushed out to the miners’ camp.
SEATTLE, Sept. 7.—The members of the Alaska Railway
Commission are expected here tomorrow and will hold their
first formal meeting on Monday. The commission is composed
as follows:
Chairman, Maj. Jay J. Morrow, engineer corps, U. S. A.,
now stationed at Portland, Ore., in charge of river and har
bor work; vice chairman, Dr. Alfred H. Brooks, IT. S. geo
logical survey in charge of Alaska exploration work; civil
engineer, Leonard M. Cox, IT. S. N., now stationed at the Nor
folk navy yard; and as the civilian member, Colin MeCrae Ing
ersoll, now consulting engineer of bridge affairs in the New
York City government. Charles E. Williams, a clerk in the
Indian office, who was formerly in the Philippines, is named
as secretary and disbursing officer.
Tentative plans call for visiting first the Kenai peninsula
and going over the route of the Alaska Northern, returning
by the way of Chitina and coming out over the line of the
Copper River & Northwestern. Inasmuch as the law calls for
a report by December, the commission will travel fast. Dr.
Brooks’ recent report on railroad possibilities in the terri
tory no doubt will furnish a basis for the work.
The selection of Mr. Ingresoll, the civilian member, was
on the indorsement of Attorney General Wickersham. Mr.
Ingersoll is a graduate of Yale scientific school ’80. Fi*om
1900 to 1900 he was chief engineer of the New York, New
Haven & Hartford railway and for the last six years has been
in the bridge department of the New York City government.
He was in charge of the construction of the Queenboro and
Manhattan bridges.
Maj. Morrow is a West Virginian, a graduate of West
Point in the class of 1891. He was engineer commissioner of
the District of Columbia from 1907 to 1908 and since 1910 has
been stationed at Portland.
Civil Engineer Cox is a native of Kentucky, who entered
the navy in 1890.
Dr. Brooks, by reason of his many years’ service in Alas
ka, is recognized as the standard government authority on
the territory.
5
Two miners came out from Fair
banks last week. When they reached
Willow Creek the road divided and
the sign board said:
************
i
* i *
* Chitina . .I.. 39 Miles *
* Valdez . . — Miles *
* *
* * * ******* *
Thdecided that 39 miles was
a good deal less of a hike than —
miles and they went in to see the
road house man and find out when
a train would leave Chitina and
whether or not it would connect
with a boat for Seattle.
“I don’t know anything about the
trains,” said the road house man.
"There is no telephone to Chitina.
You see most of the officials who
have authority to recommend such
a line live in Valdez and own prop
erty there and they feel that they
would do themselves an injury to do
anything that would divert travel
Chitina."
One of the men said, “Oh, Hell!
I’ll go to Valdez and make sure I
don’t get stranded.” The other de
cided on the Chitina Route. He
reached here the following day and.
being in luck, left the next morning
for Cordova. He was seasick by the
time the other miner reached Val
dez where he remained a week,'
waiting for the next boat.
This instance is a common occur
rance. Sometimes people loose out
by coming here because they can
learn nothing regarding the trains.
It would not take a lot of mon
ey to build a line from here to Wil
low Creek. The government may
do it in a year or tw'o. The Demo
crats assure us they will if there is
a change of administration. But we
need something now.
Jack Law-rence, the gentleman
who owns the big. new, up-to-date
barn; who handles contracts and
frieght and whose business requires
a telephone service out of here, has
a very practical scheme by which a
line can be put through at a cost
of only a few hundred dollars.
At the next meeting of the Com
mercial Club should consider tuis
matter with Mr. Lawrence who has
a very altruistic interest in seeing
another avenue of talk opened up.
With a little assistance from the
Stage Company, a little encourage
ment from the Railway Company,
and possibly a little approval from
the Sigual Service we could do it
easily.
REGISTERED AT CHITIXA HOTEL
Guests registered at the Chitina
Hotel are as follows:
Thos. Burke, A. C. Cotner, C. H.
Soule, M. Bush, F. M. O’Neil, Arthur
Mansey, F. P. Gritierrey, C. C. Jen
sen, O. L. Larson, J. M. Kelly, Chris
tian Tjoseirg, Joe Norris. Robt. Mc
llntosh, C. C. Howard, D. H. Wil
liams, John Blomquist, A. Carlson,
Guy Cordmer and wife, A. Nelson,
Oscar Renstrom, John Nelson, and
J. Jenson.
A. G. Morey has installed new fix
tures in the Post Office which will
add much to the convenience of the
public and himself.
A recent number of one of the
leading magazines pointed out the
almost uncanny fatality that has be
fallen the senators who supported
Lorimer a year ago. Forty-six per
cent of them have lost out political
ly or died, since then. We seem to.
be having an amusing parallel close
at home.
James Rockefeller, Ed Gillman and
Horace Leach, went out to Willow
Creek last week with the intention
of securing a wagon load of ducks
and grouse. At this writing they
have not returned but we feel sorry
for the fouls.
Robt. McIntosh, of Valdez, is in
Chitina again. He says Chitina
looks good to him and as soon as he
can settle up in Valdez he is com
ing here to stay.
Christ T. Joswig and his brother
Nels, who were before the commis
sioner last week to settle some per
sonal differences, managed to come
to a very peaceful agreement.
When the coal expedition, which
is now almost stranded at Katalla,
outfitted at Seattle, great secrecy was
maintained. Subsequent events have
served to give the expedition much
publicity throughout the states. A
recent issue of the Post-Intelligen
cer contains the following.
With sufficient equipment to make
a dash for the pole or explore hid
den Thibet, a party of thirty-eight
experts, engineers, superintendents
and miners will invade Alaska for
the unromantic purpose of mining
coal back of Katalla. The expedi
tion is sent by the bureau of mines,
and its movements are shrouded in
government red tape and mystery.
For the last few weeks advance
agents of the expedition have been
collecting an $18,000 outfit in Seat
tle. Outfit and party will be aboard
the liner Mariposa, of the Alaska
Steamship Company fleet when it
clears from Seattle for Prince Wil
liam Sound ports, September 1. The
party will be landed at Kayak Island,
near Katalla. Its destination Is
Trout Creek, on the Cunningham
group of coal claims that have
aroused so much excitement in the
last two or three years. The Cun
ningham group has reverted to the
United States.
To Learn Cost of Mining.
The real purpose of the expedi
tion, which will be headed by no less
a person than Dr. J. A. Holmes, dir
ector of the bureau of mines, is to
learn whether the coal of Alaska
can be mined, how much it will cost
to mine it and how it can most eas
ily be handled.
The expedition is one of the evi
dences of the sudden interest the
government has taken in the Alas
kan situation and its efforts to learn
the truth about the country. The
U. S. S. Maryland was sent North
by the navy department recently to
make coastal and harbor investiga
tions for the navy, and will prob
ably resume the work after the in
terruption of carrying Secretary
Knox to the Mikado’s funeral. There
are several smaller expeditions in
the country—one of ten that sailed
by the steamship Alameda, August
8, for the same destination, and one
of six that left Seattle on the Mari
posa, August 16.
Shrouded in Dark Secrecy.
Due to orders from Washington,
D. C., the movements of the present
expedition are kept as secret as if
the party was to make a dash into
Germany and carry away the Kais
er’s safe full of crown jewels. With
great circumspection all sorts of
camp equipment, tools and machin
ery have been collected. Every prin
cipal of the expedition will be
armed with rifles and shotguns, and
hundreds of rounds of amunition
have been purchased. No step will
be omitted to guard the scientisfs
from every danger, including Kod
iak bears and Alaskan mosquitoes.
The bureau of mines has an ap
propriation of $75,000 to pay for
the experiment. With this sum at
the command, nothing will be spared
to make the equipment complete,
and local firms are busy filling big
orders.
7-lie party itself will include Dr
Holmes, a general manager, a sup
erintendent, an assistant superin
tendent, a construction engineer,
two geologists, a foreman, an assist
ant foreman, a doctor, a commissary
sergeant and twenty-eight miners.
Will Sink Shafts.
When the Mariposa lands the ex
pedition on Kayak Island it will
proceed inland to Stillwater Creek,
where camp will be established.
Then, with all due pomp and cere
mony and the advice of the board
of strategy, shafts will be sunk on
Trout Creek, and Alaska coal will
be solemnly and advisedly removed
from Mother Earth, inspected and
passed upon. When the expedition
comes back it will be prepared to
tell just how easily the coal can be
extracted and what it will cost to
work it.
■— — - »
Magazines and post cards at the|
Chitlna Pharmacy.
Beginning October 1st, the winter routing of the mail
for interior Alaska will be resumed at the Cordova postoftice.
From that date until November 24th there will be two mails,
of eight hundred pounds each, dispatched every week from
both the Cordova and Fairbanks offices.
From November 24 to March 24 there will be three mails
a week, the weight limit being increased to J.,200 pounds for
each trip. The twice a week serJice b^fesumed March 24
and continued until dune 1. /
During the past mouth or twosome uneasiness was oc
casioned by the circulation of a rumor, that evidently emanat- .
ed from Yajdez, to the effect that the routing of the mail woidd
hereafter take place from the latter town. But those in a po
sition to know never gave the reported change serious con
sideration,.and refused to place any credence in the fairy tales
that listened so good to Yaldezites, but were without founda
tion in fact.
During the past two winters the Copper River & North
western railway has given a most satisfactory service between
Cordova and Chitina and from the latter place the Orr Stage
Line has handled Uncle Sam’s business with dispatch, so that
no plausible reason could be given for changing the distribut
ing from Cordova. And the government never entertained
any such idea, notwithstanding the various rumors afloat.
If a doubt existed among the most skeptical that Cor
dova was to continue to handle the interior it has been dissi
pated, as Postmaster Steel has not Only received supplies and
equipment for the handling of this business, but the last mail
also brought him a letter from the First Assistant Postmaster
General authorizing a special appropriation for clerk hire and
other expenditures in connection with the handling of the in
terior mail via Cordova and Chitina for the coming winter.
(From Saturday’s Cordova Daily Alaskan.)
The nomination of Harry G. Steel as postmuster of Cordova, Alaska,
was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on August 24.
Xotice of that fact was officially received today from the Postmaster
General, stating that the appointment was for a term of four years, be
ginning August 24, lf)12. A new bond and oath of office were sent to
be executed.
There is a little interesting history in connection with the post of
fice appointment. When the former postmuster practically left the town
during the summer of 1011 and his bondsman gave notice of their with
drawal, recommendations were made for u new officiul. Some of the
leading business men wishing to have the office filled by a competent mid
reliable man requested Harry G. Steel to file au application for the posi
tion. This he iledined to do, stating that he did not desire the office.
However, these men took the matter up with Governor Clark, who im
mediately decided that the appointment would be a most desirable one
and he accordingly recommended the name to President Taft. The ap
pointment was at once made, the latter part of August, 1011. A bond
and oath of office was then sent from Washington, promptly executed at
Cordova, and a commission issued Oct. 0. The newly appointed official
taking office Xov. 3, which he has since continued to hold. -u
Some of the officials of the Copper Itiver & Xorthwestern railway
company opposed the recommendation of Mr. Steel and gave their en
dorsement to another applicant, hut the corporation influence didn’t avail
much. After the appointment was made Senator Poindexter and Gilford
Pincliott visited Cordova and Chitina. The sentiment was not very friend
ly to the ex-Forester and the Daily Alaskan reflected that sentiment, al
though the Senator was courteously considered and treated. So Mr. Pin
chot decided that he would get even by having his friend, the Senator,
hold up the confirmation of Cordova’s new postmaster. The matter was
talked over one night at Chitina and. of course Senator Poindexter felt
under some obligations to oblige his friend and traveling companion.
Alter tlie nomination was sent to the Senate when Congress con
vened in December last, Senator Poindexter whispered a few words to his
friend Jonathan Dourne, Jr., chairman of the committee on (Hist offices.
And there was nothing doing in the way of confirmation. Dut last month
an influential Democrat of Oregon and a mutually personal friend of
Postmaster Steel and Senator Dourne realized that a good official ought
to be endorsed. Accordingly he explained the mutter to his friend the
Senator and within a couple of weeks he received a letter, under date of
Aug. 26, which reads:
“Vour letter of August 15th reached me when I was busily occu
pied with the {Mistoffice appropriation bill, which was then in confer
ence, as well as with other matters. However, on Saturday evening I
reported the nomination of Mr. Harry (1. Steel as postmaster at Cordova,
Alaska, and requested that it receive immediate consideration. It was
then immediately and unanimously confirmed by the Senate.”
It may be said to the credit of Senator Poindexter that he realized,
that there was no possible reason why the confirmation should not .be
made, other than a request from a criticized ex-Forester, and that after
his first whisper he did not seek to prevent action. Hut it required the
right suggestion to again bring the matter to light, and Senator Bourne
made amends for allowing it to drift several months by doing the honor
able thing and securing the unanimous confirmation of an official whp hpd
been making good for eight months and who gave up a more lucrative
position to accept a public office that the business men of Cordova insist
ed that he should have. WILL A. STEEL.
4