— ■ I 1 - — I.- Ill ■ I I I - ■ ■" " " — - - - ■ - -■ — --- --
DO HOT WASTE YOUR TIME IN HQURINQ WHY A BLACK HEN 1.AYS A WHITE EGO—BUT GET BP8Y AND GET AFTER THE EGG.
VOL. L
CHITINA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1911.
NO. 33
Local News
Frank Iverson and Johnny Dykes
took advantage of the holy day on
Sunday last to come to Chitina on
their speeder, arriving in time to
get their hair cut and whiskers man
icured, so they could attend “church”
in the afternoon.
P. D. Burke, the Long Lake ranch
er. arrived in Chitina Friday and
was soon busy shaking hands with
ol.t liends, and talking Long Lake
as the only spot in Alaska. This is
his first trip down in many months,
and he says he hopes he won’t have
to come again until he meets the
government committee, who go to
overlook the Long Lake reserve for
an • Alaska school of mines.”
Just as we go to press a flash ov
er the wire to Chitina stated that the
Alameda had arrived, and that our
old friend. Grant Reed, the popular
depot agent at Cordova, had imme
diately got busy and within an hour
had Judge Tucker perform a wedding
ceremony, making a little lady who
had just arrived on the boat, Mrs.
Reed. Congratulations, Grant, from
all the boys along the line.
Jimmy McGill, the pile driver fore
man, who has been at the Copper
River crossing the past few days, w-ill
take a crew to Cordova the first of
the week and make some repairs
to the dock and trestles at the coast
terminal.
in tne last man we were pieaseu
to hear from W. W. Shorthill, form
erly chief clerk in the Katalla com
pany’s office, who is now secretary to
Governor Clark at Juneau. Mr. Short
hill sends regards to his many friends
and acquaintances along the line
from Cordova and Chitina as far as
the Bonanza.
"O You Kid" Hogan has just com
pleted a neat railing around the bar
ber shop at the Tibbs Bros, building,
and the shop is now taking on a
metropolitan appearance, as well as
enjoying a fairly good business.
There is room for one good shop in
town, and a better location could
not have been picked for it.
Eddie Walsh, who is to be crane
man on the steam shovel going in ai
mile 182, came up with the big shov
e on Friday night. Eddie says tht
gang can’t hand him anything more
about how to operate a crane, for
the rope on this crane is different
t" the last one he tried to “hold the
bucket” with.
Mrs. Johnny Reed was an arrival
on Friday night’s train, with her fam
ily and husband, who is in charge
Commissioner Ferguson Resigns
M. R. Healy His Successor
Captain W. H. Ferguson, who has
been the United States Commission
er for the Chitina precinct during
the past yeart has resigned the of
fice to take effect May 1. and Judge
Cushman has appointed our fellow
townsman, Mr. M. R. Healy, as Cap
tain Ferguson’s successor. It is a
compliment to the citizens of Chitina
that one of the old residents receiv
ed the appointment and not some
carpetbagger from the outside, with
no knowledge of the country nor of
its inhabitants. Mr. Healy is an old
sour-dough from the early days at
Dawson, then on to Nome, then into
this section, and Mr. Healy says that
this section looks good to him. Judge!
Cushman is to be complimented on
appointing Alaskans to office, as he
believes in recognizing home talent.
We wish to compliment Judge Healy
on his appointment and we extend to
him our hearty good wishes for his
success. We are sorry to lose the
services of Judge Ferguson, as he I
111 " ?
has given us such a good administra
tion of the office since he has occu
pied it and has always given every
body a square deal, and we extend
our good wishes to him in whatever
section of Alaska he intends to op
erate.
Captain Ferguson is going to the !
Iditarod with a flotilla of light draft j
scows for use in transporting freight !
on the upper river and he will work 1
in connection with H. V. V. Bean, of
Seattle, in the freight business.
I
Captain Bean is taking up a light
draft powerful stern wheel steamer
and barges and will do the lower
river haul and Captain Ferguson will
do the upper river part of it. The
captain says that a light dew is suf
ficient for his boats. We wish him
every success. Captain Oscar Weber,
one of our old-timers, goes with Cap
tain Ferguson as his chief assistant.
Send your job printing to the C'nit
fiis Leader.
Serious Cutting Affray;
Victim in the Hospital
Last Saturday night Richard Bach
entered the home of Mrs. Minnie
Harber, and after refusing to leave,
when ordered out by H. E. Elliott,
the father of Mrs. Harber, was badly
cut about the head, hands and face
by the irate parent, after a consid
erable struggle by the pair to gain
possession of a large butcher knife
which was lying on the kitchen table.
At the preliminaty hearing, which
was held on Wednesday afternoon,
Mr. Elliott testified that Bach had
been coming to the house frequently, j
and that he had put him out on two i
different occasions previous to the j
cutting. In his story to the court
Mr. Elliott stated that he was just
about to retire when Bach entered
the house: that he requested him to
leave, and Bach refused, when the
struggle began. This happened about
10:30 o’clock Saturday night. Mrs.
Harber, who testified that she had
been ill and had taken a heavy sleep
ing potion, and knew but little of
what was going on until after the
struggle was over, when she heard
Bach say he was badly cut, and ad
vised him to go to the cabin of some
friends and send for medical aid,
which he did. Dr. Morey, the Chitina
pharmacist, was hastily summoned,
and dressed the wounds temporarily
so he would not bleed to death. Next
morning a train was dispatched to
camp 146. where Bach was taken to
the hospital and his wounds dressed
by Dr. Whiting, who says it will be
a week or ten days before he can get
out. In a sworn statement to the
conrt_ Bach stated that he was never
forbidden to enter the house, and was
a welcome and invited guest. The tes
timony of Elliott and witnesses, how
ever. contradicts Bach's sworn state
ment. and as the charge was assault
with a deadly weapon, and a case
of one man’s word against another’s.
Judge Ferguson could do nothing but 1
bind Elliott over to the grand jury,
which does not meet till October, in j
Cordova, and hold Bach under bond j
as a witness. Elliott’s bond was fix
ed at J-tOO, and as he has always
borne a splendid reputation, and has i
many friends here, he had a num-!
ber of men who were willing to go
his bond.
Bach is a native of Baden, Ger
many, and has been along the line of
railroad and at Chitina for some
time past. Mr. Elliott is a bridge ,
builder and has been foreman under
Supt. P. J. O'Brien for the past year.
‘t he sympathies of the people are with
Mr. Elliott, and regret that the case ,
is a matter which, according to the ,
statutes, must appear before the dis
trict court. Messrs. Exum, J. Sapiro,
Cloninger &. St. Clair and Hugo Fels
went on the bond of Mr. Elliott, and
he was released from custody Fri
day.
Job work at the Lewder office.
oi the steam shovel which is to op
erate at mile 182. Johnny says that
nt expects to scratch gravel all sum
mer at the pit on mile 182, and that
he wants his wife and kiddies with
him. He leaves them in Chitina for
a few days until he can get his tent
home prepared for them.
Subscribe tor the Clii'ina Ijead^r.
Mining Outlook Very Bright
J. H. Biggs, a mining man of con
siderable experience who arrived
here last week from the coast, is
very optimistic as to the mineral out
look all along the line of railroad of
the Copper River & Northwestern,
and believes that nowhere in Alaska
are there such probabilities for fu
ture development than in this miner
al belt. Mr. Biggs is from Valdez,
and has been interested in mining
propositions to the westward for a
number of years. He came here last
week to expert several quartz pros
pects, which were presented to him,
and states that he is surprised and
greatly pleased with the prospects he
has already seen contiguous to Chit
ina and believes that the hills all
along the line of railroad and partic
ularly the mineral belt surrounding
Chitina will be dotted with pros
pectors just as soon as the snow and
ice will have disappeared.
‘ It is certainly a prospector's par
adise,” said Mr. Biggs in an inter
view with the Leader representative.
"Your railroad has opened a country
which promises to be the richest dis
trict in Alaska, not only in copper,
but gold and iron. Valdez has a
splendid outlook for future gold
quartz activity, but since my arrival
here and in Cordova, I have examin
ed samples of free milling ore which
have come in from the surround
ing hills along your railroad, that
would make the glacier city enthu
siasts open their eyes with surprise.
“The formation close to the rail
road from McKinley Lake to the end
of the line, is where experienced
quartz men like to put in their time.
Greenstone, most prominent, is brok
en by slate, schist limestone, gran
ite and porphyry. Fine placer gold
is found on nearly all streams, es
pecially where there is a contact.
Some of the old-timers are develop
ing their property, which they have
held for years, and it is showing up
well. A few men who worked on
the railroad have saved enough
money to put in several seasons pros
pecting, but the country is so big it
will take many years to get over it.
I am convinced there will be some
rich strikes made around here this
summer. The weather conditions
here are much better than nearer the
coast, both winter and summer,
which is a great advantage to pros
pecting.
“The town of Chitina will put up
many prospecting outfits this year
and establish itseif not only as a
trail terminal, but a mining center.
In my opinion, the Copper River rail
road will not have long to wait be
fore it is a paying investment.”
Mr. Biggs has several prospects
which he will look over as soon as
the snow thaws sufficiently to enable
him to get out, and will no doubt re
main in the vicinity of Chitina all
I
season.
DO YOU KNOW OF
THEIR WHEREABOUTS?
The following letter was received
by the editor of the Leader from Gov
ernor Clark’s office inquiring for the
following described missing men. and
if any of the Leader readers happen
to know of them, they will confer a
favor by notifying the proper auth
orities:
William Alexander Sutton (or
Wm. Alexander!, who is supposed to
| have died in Alaska. Was a veteran
| of the civil war.
Napoleon W. Powers, native of
; Marysville, Ohio, came to Alaska in
1894.
Charles Rosenberger. last heard of
about six years ago at Eyak or
Kayak, Alaska. ,
Josepn jj. ouuek, of Cincinnati,
Ohio, supposed to have sailed from
Seattle, Wash., to Nome, Alaska,
about May 22, 1910; 25 years of age,
! tall, dark complexion, black, curly
j hair. Father and mother very anx
ious.
Information as to the w'hereabouts
i of the parties, or circumstances re
garding their death, should be aa
i dressed to Hon. Walter E. Clark, gov
' ernor, Juneau, Alaska.
A recent arrival in Chitina from
I the states is loud in his praise of the
1 new postal savings bank system,
which is a boon to the small deposit
or and assures absolute safety for,
the people. He says he saw several
established in different cities of the
United States, and that Postmaster
General Hitchcock recently ordered
the establishment of forty-five more
throughout the country. Why not
agitate the system for Alaska? WTe
need good banks in this country, at
least we can vouch for Chitina, and
other towns would undoubtedly ap
preciate a good sound banking sys
tem. How about it, Fairbanks?
FRENCH DINNERS AT
THE CHITINA GRILL
“Senator,” who is now proprietor
of the Chitina Grill, announces that
he will serve a French dinner every
Sunday from now on, and that this
special course dinner will be served
at the reasonable rate of one doi'ar
per plate. There are several families
in Chitina, as well as others who like
to eat away from home at least on’e
a week, and on Sundays front now
on the people will no doubt take ad
vantage of these special dinners.
Watch the “Senator's” new atlv for
other things he has to say to you.
ARRIVALS AT THE
* HOTEL CHITINA
The following names were regis
tered at the Hotel Chitina this week:
P. J. Devenney, M. Fitzgerald,
Geo. Carl and wife, J. C. Readman,
Geo. Bibber, Thos. Tollson, E. Mc
Donald, Ole Berg, Thos. W. Blake
ley, Paul DeHeiry, H. B. Donahoe.
Dan McMillan, Win. J. Lester, Robt.
Wood, James Marsh, R. B. Dunkle,
J H. Lund, W. dhoinas. G. E. Moul
ton, R. McMahon, D. H. Empenger,
Sam Rogers and Chas. Smith.
Paul DeHeiry, an old-timer from
Circle City, arrived in Chitina the
first of the week with a good dog
team, having traveled many miles
with his outfit.
Washington, May 6.—Secretary of
Interior Fisher has wired Governor
Clark that he is in favor of the early
development of Alaska coal, but that
lawlessness must be suppressed.
Washington, May 6.—The Nation
al Conservation Association says
Pinchot always advocated the early
opening of Alaska coal.
Send your job ptituing • J the Ctalt
lua Leader.
Anyone find a stray cat We are
informed that one of Mrs. King'3
treasured felines has wandered away
from its happy home, and a favor
will be conferred upon the lady
should the pussy be found and re
turned to her.
Sent*. ■ our job printing to tho Chit
ipa Leader.
■■ — " -
Local News
Geo. MacMurtay, the old sour
dough barber, whom many remember
in the days of old Eyak, is now
holding forth at a chair in the Gog
Cabin saloon of St. Clair & Clonin
ger.
Special Engineer Spangler, who has
been busy with his party at the front
for the past few months from 14 6
to the Kennecott. was down to Chit
ina the latter part of the week on
a business trip.
A large number of workmen arriv
ed on Friday night's train for work
along the line from Chitina to the
front. There is plenty of work for
good men all season along the rail
road. and the Katalia company have
made a call for all the available local
men in Cordova and Chitina.
Hugh McCaughey, the barber who
formerly wrorked for Kimberlin. and
who was at 146 all winter, returned
from a snort trip to Cordova on Fri
day's train, and will possibly locate
in Chitina.
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Martin were
guests of Mr. and Mrs. John Sapiro,
at dinner, on Tuesday evening, which
w as served at the Hotel Chitina grill.
It looks good to see old mother
earth again, and sounds much better
to hear that a pipe line is soon to be
established so we can have a fairly
good water supply this season.
Dick Ficken is again at his stand
behind the mahogany at the Hotel
Chitina bar, on the day shift, with
Chas. Gaby taking the night "look
jut."
Supt. P. J. O’Brien moved his
string of five camp cars, which he
tad on a side-track below town, to
he side hill overlooking the Copper,
>n Monday, which is much nearer
us work. Mr. O'Brien states that
le will have two crews at work all
mmmer, one above and one below
Chitina, reenforcing bridges, driving
tew piling and finishing much other
work which needs to be done this
teason.
G. E. Moulton, R. McMahon and H.
Empenger, were three arrival* on
rhursday night's stage from the Idit
trod country. Messrs. Moulton and
Empenger are traveling salesmen,
taving left for Iditarod by dogteam
n February. Mr. Moulton represents
he Seattle Hardware Co. while Mr.
Empenger is stocking the Alaska
?amp with the products of thj Paci
5c Coast Biscuit Company.
Paymaster Wm. Lester was down
from camp 15 6 for a few days this
week, attending to some business
matters.
Rex Beach Not Coming Here
It has been rumored for some time
that Hex Beach, the famous author,
| and Fred Stone, one of the leading
comedians of the United States, v. ho
were here two years ago on a hunt
ing expedition, would arrive here
again this spring, they even having
advised friends here to that effect,
but Dr. B. F. Whiting received a
letter on the last mail from the well
known author which announces a
j change of their plans, and which we
print below, as it expresses regards
: to many friends here whom he met
• while on his last trip to Alaska:
New York, April 11, 1911.
Dr. F. B. Whiting,
Care of Copper River & N. W. Ry.
Cordova, Alaska.
My Dear Doc: 1 was delighted to
' receive your letter of February 6th,
which came during my absence in
the South. 1 sent It on to Fred Stone
and he advises me that he will drop
you a line.
I had made arrangements for a
trip for bear this summer and ex
pected that Fred and I would reach
Cordova some tint" this month, when
you and I could settle once for all
the cribbage championship for the
new railroad. But Fred in the mean
time had heard about some Norwe
gian captain who was promibing a
polar bear hunting trip from Trom
soe, Norway, so Fred decided he liked
white bears better than brown, and
has arranged to go to Norway and
from thence to Greenland.
I had made all arrangements to go
with him, but have bought a country
place about at) miles from New York,
and feel that i have to get that go
ing early this spring. Other business
matters have conspired to knock me
out of a trip, so 1 am aTraid that I
will get no hunting until a year from
now.
Thank you for your invitation,
whi’.h 1 would accept under any oth
er circumstances.
I expect if you complete the rail
road this sprin , you will not be in
Cordova thereafter, and my pleasure
up there would depend very largely
upon seeing you. What are your
plans?
Everything has been going very
prosperously with me, and t red has
been having a very successful sea
son, as usual. I am much disap
pointed that I can't get to Alaska
this spring, and he is greatly disap
pointed that we can’t go to Green
land together.
Let me hear from you once in a
while and give my regards to any
of the boys w ho may happen to re
member me. With kindest personal
regards. Yours sincerely,
REX BEACH.
M, W. Anderson, or the Chitlna
Townsite Co., and bride, have arrived
here, where they will make their fu
ture home.