Slje (fifyitina trailer
CHITINA. ALASKA.
Cordova Office: Dally Alaskan
Published every Saturday by
WXLL A. STEEL HABIT O. STEEL
Editors, Managers and Proprietors
O. B. BEE SETT, City Editor
ADVERTISING RATES:
Made know n upon application. They
win be found reasonable for the ser
vice riven.
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, JAN. 14, ’10.
LET US MINE
OUR OWN COAL
NATIVE COPPER.
The first known report of native
copper existing in Alaska was made
by Steller, the naturalist, who accom
panied Bering on his voyage of dis
covery in 1471. He noted that the
natives of Kayk Island were using
knives of native copper that un
doubtedly came from the Chitina
Kotsina copper belt. The use of na
tive copper was widespread among
the Alaskan natives, in fact, it was
the only metal used.
For about a century the Russians
occupied the country, but they ap
parently did not make any effort to
discover the copper belt. They made
only one attempt to explore the Cop
per river. The expedition was head
ed by Serebranikof in 1847, and the
whole party was massacred by the In
dians of the Copper river.
-XXX
NO COLOGNE AT POTLATCH.
The city of Cologne, although the
home of some of the finest perfume?
made In the world, had the reputa
tion of being one of the most evil
smelling cities in the world. We be
lieve it was the late G. A. Salla whc
called it the “City of a thousand
stinks.”
Also the story of the school teach
er, she had a class that came from
the poorer quarter of the city and
one boy who answered to the name
of Willie, used to smell so badly it
at last got the better of his teacher,
and she sent him home with a note
requesting that his ma should wash
him .
Willie’s ma became rather indig
nant and sent back a note saying
she knew that her “Willie ain’t no
violet, but she sent him to be school
to be taught and not smelled.”
Well, an Indian camp about twc
miles above the town of Chitina on
the Copper river was a rival to both
Cologne and Willie in the way of
smells.
For our Siwash brothers, Tonj
and McKinley John, did, during the
past week, potlatch a goodly numbei
of their worldly goods. The camp
is known as Camp Comfort and i?
the home of Little Joe (not of Easi
Lynne fame) and his aged father.
For days the Siwashes had foregath
ered at this camp to partane of dried
salmon and other Indian dishes.
Now, according to the Indians, it
was curiosity that killed the yellow
snake, and curiosity got the better
of a number of residents of Chitina.
So one fine day when the potlatch
was in full sway, they hied them
selves out to Camp Comfort and af
ter their visit the city of Cologne or
Willie will hold no terrors for them.
They were welcomed by the leading
Siwash citizen, including Chief Good
la-taw and Dr. Billum et al, and were
ushered in the residence there, to
view the festive board, and see the
many Indian vaudeville turns (one
was put on for their special benefit).
But let us return to the smells. The
principal product of the Copper river
Is salmon, which the Indians catch
and dry, incidentally drying the
smell with the fish. Now when these
salmon are cooked the smell escapes,
and as the salmon affords one of the
principal food stuffs at a potlatch,
the potlatch is better smelled thaD
seen. In fact one lady smelled it
no well she bad to be carried out
The Indians, noticing that t'ie lady
was overcome by the same complaint
as Willie’s teacher, kindly consented
to give their star turn in the open.
The party returned safely to town
In deep sympathy with Willie’s teach
er, and all agreed that the city of
a thousand smells could not equal
one potlatch on the Copper River.
INTERIOR JOURNALISM.
The newspaper is nothing new. In
the by-gone, prehistoric days, when
the editor (God rest his soul, like
wise the devil) used to do his own
printing by scratching pictures on
slabs of sandstone and Incidentally
go around and collect subscriptions
with a stone club.
Now Kipling mentions the fact
“that writing for a living is worse
than serving in a shop,’’ and, sad to
relate, the boys of Gray’s Copper
Mountain mining district have follen
from the ways of grace, since the
watchful eye of E. T. Gray has been
away.
For a character study the face (?)
of the editor of the Chitina Leader
was a wonder, as on the night ot
the 12th inst. he received a strange
epistle through the mail. After
scanning it for a few minutes his
mind wondered back to his younger
days when he was an admirer of the
plays of the Bard of the Avon,” and
he was heard to mutter to himself,
“What, ho! Another Richmond in
the field!” The epistle was nothing
more or less than a new paper pub
lished at Copper Mountain, the well
known mining camp of E. F. Gray.
The Copper Mountain Truth it Is
called, and, strange for a newspaper,
it has a motto: “Don’t pick from
him who is shy.”
The following items may be of in
terest to the many friends and cred
itors of the boys up there. The first
thing of note in the paper was head
ed: “Paint as Grease.”
“An amusing Incident occurred in
No. one tunnel yesterday. King Os
car II. greased the car with paint
and the mucker on the opposite shift
had troubles of his own making the
car move.”
It was noted in the paper that a
new world’s record was established
by a gentleman named Al. Jackson,
who drilled a complete round of holes
and only used one piece of steel.
Now, Mr. Jackson, we have heard
of a man carrying two buckets oi
water across the Rocky mountains
and never spilling a drop, but as foi
drilling a whole round of holes and
only dulling one piece of steel; that’b
too hard to swallow.
They have some specie of animai
common to camps, namely, a ’Bull
Jook.’ He seems to be a differen.
Kind to what is founa ;n most camps
and he is undoubtedly too clean, as
he boys protest against him sweeping
out their shoes. Also some of them
seem to be in need of medical aid,
as a gentleman of ‘French’ decent,
namely, Louie Spitzenberger, is go
ing to Cordova to be operated on.
Vhat his complaint is is not stated,
but no doubt it is a common one.
All modern improvements art
there in that busy mining center.
Telephone wires being installed from
tunnel No. 1 and from the powei
nouse. Muckers are forbidden to ust
the same.
The high cost of living has even
touched that remote part of the
world and a gentleman has just clos
ed a deal there for all the oranges in
the camp, paying the price of one
buck’ each. This orange king goes
oy the name of H. C. Frick.
"A dark and bloody deed was
•did’ up there. Some villian prowl
ing around with a hammer and ten
penny’ in his hip pocket, spied the
engineer's tobacco (three parts of a
plug of Westover) taking its after
noon’s ciesta on a bench. Creeping
up on the unarmed tobacco from the
rear he drove the ten penny through
its heart, or tin tag, and into tht
neavy oaken bench. When the ‘tal
iow pot’ attempted to remove his
plug the air was turned blue, anu
the boys hereafter think of installing
lightning rods for future safety.
When Rome was cornered they hau
to send for Cincinnatus, whom they
found plowing in his field. In these
days Cincinnatus would be called a
rancher, and they also have a mem
ber of that profession up there, who
answers to the name of H. H. Jones,
and he has just harvested a large
crop of mosquitoes feathers on his
Strelna ranch. Lookout, H. H., the
market is low; hold for a raise.
They also have wires from the out
side and the mining situation at Val
dez is quoted. The statement reads
to the effect that a. fine ledge nas
been uncovered on the claims belong
ing to Frank wpilte and Al. Jackson,
showing free milling bullite and cor
ralide dust. Development work on
a large scale will be started in the
spring. Mr. Jackson has ordered six
new pairs of brog&ns stamp mill to
place on his feet to stamp out the
mosquitoes, etc., etc.
The cook must be a sport, as he
is going to box one round with the
night shift. The betting is even mon
ey and a very lively go is expected,
the winner taking all the purse.
The paper has plenty of ads. in it.
There being a hand laundry run by
Charle. What Charlie? Charlie
Chop Suey, Charlie Sue Lung or
Charlie Bentz?
They have a professional crib
teacher up there, too, who goes by
the name of Sandy. Look out, old
man, there are several people here
who think they invented the game.
Wood sawing by Frank Sellers. He
aims to please but please don't aim.
Al. Jackson again appears in the
ads. as a card player. He must be a
shark.
Tandy Carson's dog teams are in
the field for hire for freighting.
Lectures on the ship subsidy bill
will be given by Karl Karlson.
In the want column there are sev
eral chances for good men. One who
can talk German and French and at
the same time understands horses.
Well, that's a pretty big handful, “I
tank.”
Wanted, a good black smith help
er; must know nothing about pile
driving.
Now, after the editor of the Chit
ina Leader had read the Copper
Mountain Truth he looked around his
office. The devil had gone some
place to see his grandmother buried
for the twenty-seventh time within
the new year.
The printer was flirting with the
stenographer. The only who was not
busy was his understudy. He was
merely making out bills with his
,-ight hand, tieing up papers with his
left and between times trying to eat
some grub he had swiped from a
free lunch counter a week ago, and
reading a dime novel. So he handed
him the Truth and told him to get it
ready to go to press, and behold his
masterpiece.
“BACK TO THE LAXJ>."
The cry of the past year has been
“Back to the land.” The advocates
of that slogan have little cause for
rejoicing, for as far as the census fig
ures (those that have been made
public) for the past year, clearly
indicate that the chief trend of the
population is still towards the cities,
rather than towards the country. It
has been hoped by economists that
the census returns for 1910 would
show the reverse, but it is an un
disputed fact that the cities are grow
ing faster than the farm communities j
and the inclination of the population j
is still to seek employment and oc
cupations in the manufacturing in
dustries, rather than be a “man with
the hoe.”
Now the movement of the rural
population towards the cities has
been in progress for more than a
century. The phenomenal prosperity
enjoyed by the farmers during the
last decade was hoped to have acted
as a check. But the steady growth
of the industrial population goes on
at the expense of the agricultural
population and is clearly indicated
by the following figures:
In 1796 the suburban population to
taled 3.4 per cent of the national
census. In 1840 it had increased to
8.5 per cent. In 1890 it had ei
panded to 29.2 per cent and in 19C0
to 33.1 per cent, and the 1910 enum
eration is expected to show a larger
percentage of the population massed
in cities.
From incomplete figures the New
York Sun estimates that in the last
ten years the population of the l nit
ed States as a whole has increased
about 21. per cent, while that of the
cities has increased about 31. per
cent. Now the great tendency among
the native Americans and immigrants
is to crowd to the cities. This move
ment is one of the leading causes of
the growing cost of all agricultural
products, which are the necessaries of
life.
One leading Southern paper
thinks the present movement "city
ward” will cause the formation of
large agricultural trusts that will cul
tivate vast tracts of land, employ
ing millions of workers, probably
Chinese. Land cultivated in this
way, the owners could take advan
tage of every economy and secure the
best results possible at a very low
cost of production.
Now, the Wall Street Journal, al
though admitting the fact that the
cities are growing at faster rate than
the rural communities, thinks that
the disparity in the rate of growth
is diminishing, rather than increas
ing. Whatever has been the growth
of cities in other states, Texas has
upheld the motto, "back to the land"
and it is estimated that the rural
growth of the Lone Star state has
been doubled that of the suburban
during the past decade.
The great growth of the cities has
been principally in the South, with,
of course, the exception of Seattle and
Los Angeles on the Pacific coast, it
has been pointed out again and again
that the North has too many large
cities and the South not enough.
Now, cities, with all their faultk,
all their poverty, all their riches, are
the centers of thought and energy
and always will be so, and the larg
er the cities the greater the Impetus
they give to a country.
The old-time centers of the world
like Babylon, Rome, Athens and oth
er places are mere incidents in the
history of great populations, when
they are compared to London and
New York.
HAVE YOU ANY FURS?
If you have good furs and want
to realize 100 cents on the dollar for
them, see Perry Jacobs. He will give
you a square deal. 12-17-tf
ALASKA STEAHSHIP CO.
Fastest and most commodious steamers sailing between
Cordova and Seattle.
Sails from Seattle— Sails from Cordova—
“ 8.ALAMEDA.*• 16
‘ Jan. 16.VICTORIA. 24
Jan. 24.ALAMEDA.Feb. 1
Feb. 1.—....VICTORIA..Fed. 9
This company reserves the right to change schedule or
steamers without notice.
Tickets on sale at up-town office Alaska Steamship Bldg.
Baggage or freight will not be received at dock later than one
hour before sailing time.
R. J. BARRY, THOMAS J. TALLENT
Ticket Agent.
Chitina Trading Co.
General Outfitters
*
HARDWARE CLOTHING GROCERIES
Kinney & MacCormac
-i ..I —i——
i » , ,
:: Buy Your Clothing at the Home ::
Store and Save the Freight
ii ii
■ ■ < >
ii ,,
i:: ::
We Will Sell You Everything
AT CORDOVA PRICES
• > <i
■ i « i
< i (i
♦+♦+♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦*
• > ii
!i FINKELSTEIN & SAPIRO ii
*» ii
! I CORDOVA MEN’S OUTFITTERS ! !
•1 Chitina, Alaska. < 1
■ • ii
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦■»♦♦
♦ ♦
;; Of course you want "
DRUGS I
<►
< • <>
;; In Chitina „
■ <» * ’
” You can get the beet . ►
at the .>
;; PIONEER j
DRUG
;! STORE f
<►
<►
>• In Cordova "
<► <>
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■ • Special attention paid to out- ;;
;; of-.own orders .",
<► <►
:: l L. dodge, Prop. ::
♦ T
OWL CAFE
FINEST MEALS IN TOWN
ROOMS FOR LADIES
NICE CLEAN BEDS IN CONNEC
TION.
Noodles and Chop Suey
Copper River
Trading Post
XEYVHOUSE & CO., Props.
Opposite Chitina
MILE 133
WHOLESALE & RETAIL
Seattle Price*
heapeit Place In >>>;• 3j’:1>
Buy Supplies
I I Ii
j FEED STABLE ;;
as • *
ii HAY AND GRAIN ii
ii FOR SALE ii
as as
!; First Class Accommoda- ! I
;; tions for Stock, Steady or ;;
| • Transient. : : : : ;
i i « »
: H. CHAMBERIAIN, Prop. ii
CHUM ROAD HOUSE
_
Mile 133
C. M. F. COLE, Proprietor
i; Log
ii Cabin
4 ► < ►
| Restaurant
4b « P
4> «>
4P
< » — •« ►
<►
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:: good coffee ::
< <•
0 ^ P
4 ♦
♦ + ♦♦♦ ♦ ♦-♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦<»♦♦♦ 4 ♦♦♦♦♦»»
;; ||
:: Chitina Laundry ::
•1 i »
:: and Bath House ■ ■
: NICE HOT BATHS
;;
j I Good Work
Guaranteed ■;
1 ■ , ,
< > i ,
< • , ,
i ■ , ,
!1 i Branch Office and Barber J J
< > Shop at Stringer’s. ! !
. i ' I
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:: JOHN RAWSON. Prop. j
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<■ <■ '!■ ♦♦♦ ■
ED. S. OROJUIGE CO.
Leaves Chitina
TUESDAYS,
FRIDAYS
and SUNDAYS
Carrying Passengers Express
and U. S. Mail
Office in Hotel Chitina
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
:: Chitina Bakery ::
& Coffee House ::
o
** < *
:: GESSNER & STANGNETH ::
* | Proprietors *'
FRESH BREAD
• Cakes and Pastry
« ‘ « ►
Always on Hand «*
- ► «- ►
< ► o
4 * Main Street, — Chitina* < -
< *