THIRD YEAR. CHIT1XA, ALASKA. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1913. ' NUMBER 17.
OF GENEMUNFORIII
Senator-elect Ray, of Seward, has
announced himself as a candidate
for president of the Territorial Sen
ate, and there may be others. How
ever, as the Senate is composed of
only eight members it should not be
a difficult matter to choose a presiding
officer. Besides Senator Ray there is
good material to choose from. He
ir. an able man, however, and would
make an ideal president; and he lias
the advantage of being the first in
the field.
The Territrial House, too, will need
a Speaker, but up to the present time
no announcements of possible candi
dates for the position have been
made. No doubt, however, among
the men who will comprise the House
there are men entirely capable of
making excellent presiding officers,
and there is little likelihood of there
being a spirited contest for the place.
There are a number of subordinate
places to be filled, and these are
more likely to give the legislature
something over which to ponder and
divide than the choosing of the pre
siding officers of the two bodies.—Ex.
-o—o—o
We should never get tired of agita
ting in favor of some new regulations
for the care of the insane in Alaska.
In ail this northern territory there is
not one refuge for the poor wretch
who loses his mind. Of course he ob
tains a place of rest and some comfort
in jails but such surroundings are
hardly conducive to an improvement
in the condition of a disordered mind.
Asylums for the insane, it is pre
sumed, are conducted on plans which
are well circulated to soothe the wan
dering Hind back to its normal state.
Men and women trained to care for
the mentally deranged are employed
and science is called in to render its j
■ , aid a( every turn.
Here in winter time when a man j
loses possession of his mental facul
ties there is nothin left but to place
him in the only quarters available.
There, of course, he will receive all
the attention and kindness possible!
but at most they are only little com
pared to what he could receive out
side.
But, even worse than this, no funds
are provided to look after a man who
might lose his mind in some isolated
quarter. He may wander about and
die so far as Washington is concern
ed. In such cases the marshal will
act through charity, no doubt, but
charity should not be depended upon.
-o—o-©
The trade of Nome with Siberia
during the past year amounted
to $115,000, or almost exactly to the
same sum as the trade of 1911.
Two years ago the trade was greater
but the falling off is due to the efforts
now being made by Russian traders
to obtain some of the benefits from
the growing importance of the Siber
ian coast opposite Nome.
It has been said that even Russian
warships make the most of their op
portunities by engaging in a little
trade on their own account. Once
it was said that a Russian war ves
sel’s crew had sold hootch to the
natives in the course of their trading,
but this story lacks the evidence that
would be required to give the story j
a good foundation.
The extent of the trade with Si-'
beria if that territory is opened will!
be of the utmost importance to Nome,
traders generally believe. Now with'
Sibera in its industrial infancy its 1
trade with Nome amounts to about'
$50 per head of the population of this
city.—Nome Nugget.
-o—o—a
The Governor’s office received a
telegram from Washington conveying
the information that the legislative
executive and judicial appropriation
bill, which was passed by the House
last month with no provision for the
expenses of the first Alaska Legisla
ture, has been amended in the Senate
so as to provide the sum of $‘'>,2C0
for the salaries of members and er
playees and for general expenses of
the legislature. The telegram does
not state, but Governor Clark said
that the sum appropriated doubtless
ly includes the rent of temporary
quarters for the legislative body.
Governor Clark has received the
following telegram from J. J. Mulla
Iy, of Fox, near Fairbanks:
“The presumption is I have been
elected representative from Fourth
division. Unable to attend session;
hereby tender resignation.”
-—-o—o—o
Judge R. A. Gunnison, of Juneau,
has been retained by George Baldwin
to contest the seat of L. V. Ray, on
the face of returns elected territorial
senator from the third legislative dis
trict, and has notified the canvassing
board to this effect.
George Baldwin, who is a civil en
gineer residing at Valdez, claims that
illegal voets were cast at several pre
cincts, and that on this account the
vote of these precincts should be
thrown out, which would give him a
pluralityof the votes cast over Ray.
It will not be possible for him to get
i certificate on his claim, however, as
the canvassing board was compelled
bv law to issue certificates of election
on the face of the returns, leaving the
Senate to be the sole judges of the
election of their members.
There is a rumor that objection will
be made to the seating of A. G.
Shoup, elected to membership in the
Bouse of representatives from the
first division, on the ground that he
was not legally qualified on the score
yf residence, but it is not believed
hat this will materialize. Mr. Shoup
I; eld a position as deputy United
States marshal under his father, who
•etired from the marshal’s office in
rune, 1908. Following this retire
nent, the younger Shoup left the ter
•itory and was gone for some years,
iie returned to Sitka in the spring
yf 1912. Whether or not Mr. Shoup
tad been a citizen of the territory
luring the lime of his absence de
yends upon his intentions, and it is
ilways a difficult matter to prove ad
verse intention.
All the election returns have been
•eceived for the canvass by the terri
torial board, except the returns from
:he second district. From this divi
sion no returns have been received
?xcept those from St. Michaels and
Jolovin. Senatrs-elect Elwood
Brunner and Conrad Freeding, and
representatives-elect Edgar Grimm,
Clhas. Jones, Thomas Gaffney and C.
I. Kennedy left Nome and began the
2,000 mile mush between that place
md Cordova, where they will take
the steamer for Juneau, and it is be
lieved that they have the returns
from the precincts in that division in
their pockets.
On account of the fact that the
government has no funds which the
marshal's office can use for the pur
pose of maintaining a quarantine
Deputy United States Marshal John
Goodell formerly of Cordova is s*p
plying food to two families consisting
of eleven persons at Sitka at his own
expense.
The condition under which the ro
tund official finds it necessary to suf
fer this depletion of his private purse
is due to the fear which exists in Sit
ka of an epidemic of diptherin. The
native woman who recently came
from Tenakee with the disease, is
now confined at her home at "The
Ranch,” and this confinement also
from necessity includes all the other
members of the household.
Doctor Krulish, now in Washing
ton, has authority to quarantine in
Alaska at the expense of the govern
ment under the marine law, but the
right is not possessed by any other
official charged with responibllitiee
in this territory. Judge Goodell
sincerely hopes that in the present
case it will not be necessary to main
tain the quarantine long.
-o—o—o
SEATTLE, Feb. 11—Emil Soren
sen, a smuggler, was fatally shot bj
Neil McArthur, a customs officer, foi
resisting arrest.
REPORT Of THE ALASKA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6—The report of the Alaska Railroad Commission was submitted
to Congress by President Taft yesterday afternoon. It is a voluminous document covering
every phase of the transportation question in Alaska, at the same time dealing with the coal
problem as a tonnage producer.
Although the Commission makes no specific recommendations, and states that several
railroads are necessary to properly develop the great resources of the territory, in the differ
ent routes discussed Cordova looms up as the only logical coast terminal for a trunk line
to the Tanana valley. The report makes it plain that the road built should terminate at
Fairbanks.
After a thorough investigation the Commission makes the postive statement that no rail
road or corporation holds the key to the coal problem in Alaska, which is one of the most im
portant findings in the report, as it contradicts the statements of the conservationists who
; have exerted every effort to tie-up the resources of the territory by claiming that corporate
! theft of the coal was their principal reason for opposing the development of this resource.
In reviewing the route from Seward up the Susitna valley, to pass near the Matanuska
j and Bonnifield districts, the Commission says it is inadequate as it would not develop the Cop
! per River ores and Bering River coal fields.
The route from Cordova would open up the Copper River and Tanana basins, which con
tain a large amount of commercial ores, as well as coal, agriculture and grazing lands. A short
spur could be built from the Copper River & Northwestern railway to bring the Bering river
coal to Cordova for the navy, smelting and other purposes.
The third route starting near Haines or Juneau would open up Thunder Mountain and
Rainy Hollow, where there is mineral agriculture and grazing.
President Taft is preparing a message in which he will put the entire matter up to Con
! gress. He will review the report and make some strong recommendations in favor of the de
velopment of Alaska. This message will be submitted this afternoon.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7—The Alaskans here are delighted over the report of the Railroad
Commission and the recommendations made by President Taft. A number of Congressman
| have expressed the belief that immediate action will be taken in the matter and result in at
j least one and possibly two routes being adopted and the construction work ordered soon.
| First road to be built will undoubtedly be from Chitina to Fairbanks, with a branch of thirty
miles, costing $2,034,000, into the Bering river coal fields. The Copper River & Northwest
ern railway gives assurances that it will either sell or make satisfactory traffic arrangements
with the government.
The Commission says early construction of the trunk line and branch is imperative, for
the reason that interior road will be able to quote a freight rate from Cordova to Fairbanks of
$37 a ton and passengers hauled for seven cents a mile.
Delegate Wickersham says he will immediately introduce a bill in the House for appropri
ations according to the Alaska Railroad Commission report. He is enthusiastic over the turn
the transportation problem has taken, which indicates that satisfactory solution has been pre
sented of this perplexing question. The Delegate will favor the building of both routes or
Cordova first if Congress prefers.
Ine Commission s second route is trom Kern creeK to busitna nver, a distance oi no
miles, costing $5,200,000; the extension to Kuskokwim is 229 miles which will cost $12,760,000.
The branch from Kern creek to the Matanuska coal fields will be 38 miles long and cost
81,600,000.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7—President Taft, after transmitting the report of the Alaska Rail
road Commission to Congress yesterday, sent a message to the national legislators on the
transportation question. He reviewed the work of the Commission and also offered a number
of valuable recommendations, which he hopes will be enacted into law before he retires from
office on March 4. The President states the Commission finds that the route from Cordova to
Chitina and thence through to Fairbanks is the best and most feasible trunk line to the Tanana
and Yukon waters, and gives as its reasons the fact that Cordova possesses district advantages
|as a terminal harbor; route requires the shortest construction, with superior grades, thus
affording the lowest freight rates.
The President recommends the building of 313 miles of road from Chitina to Fairbanks,
at a cost of $14,000,000, and that traffic arrangements be made with the Copper River & North
western railroad between Chitina and Cordova. In the event the latter connot be consummated
the government could build 101 miles of track over Thompson’s Pass to Valdez at an addition
ial cost of $6,000,000.
The Commission’s report finds that Cordova is the best terminal for the Bering river coal,
unreservedly condemning Controller bay as being a possible terminal. The second route
recommended is from Seward, around Cook’s Inlet, to the Susitna and Kuskokwim rivers and
on to Iditarod, with a branch to the Matanuska coal fields. If both the Cordova and Seward
routes are adopted, with branches to Bering rivers and the Matanuska, it means the construc
tion of 733 miles of road at a cost of $35,000,000.
President Taft recommends the government building of the two routes or a guarantee of
the principal and interest on the bonds necessary to build, and in the event of operation by
private parties urged the favoriDg of the government owning and leasing the coal lands.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 11—The
Baldwin Locomotive Works will in
crease their working force by 30,000
men, most of them being used at the
new Eddystone plant for the con
traction of all the larger locomotives
nd increase the capacity of the works
to 3,000 locomotives a year, whereas
the plant has only been able to turn
out about 1,00 per annum. The
works in this city will be used for
smaller engines and electric locomo
tives, for which the demand on the
company has grown to be enormous.
BERLIN, Feb. 11—The engage-'
ment of Princess Victoria Louise, 1
daughter of the Emperor, to Prince
Ernest August, son of the Duke of
Cumberland, has been proclaimed. I
TOKYO, Feb. 11—The political;
rioting continues and six were killed
this morning. Troops are now pa-[
troling the streets.
TOKYO, Feb. 11—Minister Kats
jura hap formally tendered his resig
nation.
MADISON, Wis., Feb. 11—When
i
Capt. Roald Amunsen, the explorer.
read of the sad end that Capt. Scott
met with he seemed greatly af
fected, and gave vent to his feelings
by exclaiming “horrible.”
LAREDO, Feb. 11—Telegrams re
ceived assert that at 10 o’clock this
morning fighting was resumed. The
Federals, led by Blanquet, with ma
chine guns and arsenal, have pro
ceeded to where President Diaz has
his headquarters.
-O-O-'1
The Glacier Pach’-g Company, of
Hoonah, has hnncv ‘So floating can
nery, “Glory of the Seas.”
.
I
i The Army and Navy Journal of the
j 25th of January, tell of the passage
jhy the House of the $100,000 app.o
Ipr'Htlon asked f'T by Col. Richaul
son for the repair and construction
of trails and roads in Alaska.
The House committee on military
affairs, containing some enemies of
! Alaska, had the item stricken from
the bill, but it was introduced on the
floor by a friendly member of the
House, when the bill came up for dis
cussion, and in open debate the men
who have been trying to defeat the
appropriation would not come out in
the open and take a stand.
The bill is now up to the Senate and
will surely pass. Senator Nelson and
several other strong members are
working with Col. Richardson.
-o—o—o———
The appellate court has sustained
jthe decision of Judge Lyons in the
jJuneau banking case and C. M. Sum
jmers, the president, will have to
'serve five years at McNeils island, un
less action can be secured in the
Fnited States supreme court, which
is very improbable.
C. M. Summers refused to plead to
jthe indictment at Ketchikan; a plea
!of guilty was entered by Judge
j Lyons and Summers was sentenced
j to five years and costs of trial. An
appeal was immediately taken to the
j appelate court and the briefs were
argued by counsel two months ago.
Summers is now in Southern Oregon,
out on bonds, and it is probable he
will be very shortly taken into cus
tody by an officer of the government
| and taken to McNeils Island to ser
ve his sentence. Summers was a
:former president of the Juneau First
National bank, an institution later
iplaced on a sound financial basis
land enjoying the confidence and pa
jtronage of Southeast Alaska.
| If the postofiiee department has
I issued orders “regardless" that our
i mail be sent us by Valdez, as Dele
gate Wickersham’s telegram would
seem to indicate, there is a chance
I of our mails being further balled up.
I In the very nature of things, there
ir, a limit to the time the railway
will be closed, and that limit seems
!to have been reached. Any day now,
The news should come that the rail
jway is open and trains running regu
larly, in which event our mails will
jeome through quicker that way than
! by way of Valdez, for there is always
a storm on the summit of Thompson
Hass, when there is one on the rail
way. To have our mails struggling
over the pass when the railroad is
open and doing business regularly,
would be to our disadvantage in time
and mails.
Thq trouble with our mail system
is that there have always been too
many bosses and too little under
standing of our needs. The proper
instructions needed are those from
the postmaster-general or the proper
official to Clerk Eames at Cordova,
to use his best judgment in getting
the mails to us—when the railway is
wide open, send them by the railway,
and when the road is in trouble
send them by Valdez. He should be
given authority to order the boat to
take our mails right by Cordova anil
put them off at Valdez when the rail
wav is in trouble.—Fqirbanks News
' Miner.
-0—0—O
The United States government has
enlisted the services of two members
of the faculty of the Washington state
; university, Dr. Theodore C. Frye, pro
fessor of botany, and George B. Rigg,
! instructor in botany, to head parties
|of botanists to make a survey of the
beds of kelp in Alaskan waters dur
ing the coming summer. The party
; led by Prof. Frye will investigate the
I Sitka region and the botanists tind-jr
the guidance of Mr. Rigg will cvrvoy
the Kodiak region. With Mr. Rig.;
will be Sanford M. Zeller, gru'uato
assistant in the department of botany
at the university. Both parties will
leave Seattle during May, at which
time the kelp is of large size.
The survey of the kelp beds of Alas
kan waters will be conducted under
the direction of Dr. Frank K. Cam
eron, in charge of the fertilization in
vestigation of the bureau of soils of
the federal department of agriculture.
The most important use that had
been made of kelp up to 1906 was
that of candied products, especially
“seatron” under patents granted to
Drs. T. C. Frye and Carl Magnusson,
of the Washington state university.
Through difficulty with Germany over
the large per cent, of h ■ po.ujh cut
put of that country coming to the
United States, the attention of he
federal bureau of soils was drawn to
the search for potash within our own
boundaries. The potash bed3 at
Strassfurt, Germany, are the sourco
of supply for most of the civilized
world, and that government has a
monopoly of the industry.
--o—o—o
A bottle containing a slip of paper,
' was picked up in Yakutat, which had
j been tossed overboard from H. M. S.
I Empress of Japan, H. Pybus, R. N. R.,
j commander on February 26, 1908 at
noon.
i The slip of paper gave the position
of the Empress of Japan as latitude
50 degress, 30 minutes north, longi
tude 173 degress, 35 minutes west.
The finder was instructed in the mes
sage to forward the slip of paper to
the chief of the United States weather
bureau at Washington, D. C., explain
' >ng that it had been tossed overboard
for experimental purposes in an effort
to get accurate information as to the
; direction of ocean currents. The
! bottle was picked up by Indians, who
jturned it over to W. A.Leonard, a
cannery man of Yakutat.
| The position of the Empress of Ja
1 pan when the bottle was tossed into
| the sea was approximately 900 miles
| west of the entrance to Unimak pass
and about 100 miles south of tlio
| Aleutian islands.
-— o—o—o
LONDON’, Feb. 11- Realizing that
the end was near Capt. Scott wrote a
few pages which he called a “Message
to the Public” shortly before he died,
from which the following excerpt was
taken: “I do not regreat my jour
ney, which has shown that English
men can endure hardships and help
one another to meet death with as
great fortitude as ever. During tho
past things have come out against us,
but we have no cause for complaint,
and bow to the will of Providence.
Had we lived I should have had a tale
to tell of the hardihood, endurance
and courage of my companions, which
! would stir the hearts of all English
men. As ft is these rough notes, on
our dead bodies, must tell the tale.”
LONDON, Feb. 10—Capt. Scott,
I four of his party and possibly a great
er number, were frczt-n to death at
their depot on McMurdo sound after
planting the British flag at the South
pole on January 18, 1912, beside the
Norweigan banner left by Capt.
Amunsen’s expedition, Is the 'nfornia
j tion received in a wireless mes'9
from the steamer Terra Neva. TL re
were sixty-six men in Capt. Scot .’s
party.
LONDON, Feb. 11—i he R oyal Geo
graphical Society has officially an
nounced the death of Capt. Scott,
Capt. L. F. G. Oates, Dr. E.»A. Wil
son and Lieut. R. H. Bowers, and Pet
ty Officer Evans, members of the Eng
lish expedition to the South pole.
They perished while returning last
March from hunger and exposure.
Being caught in a blizzard they were
swejt down and frozen to death,
throw of the Madero administration
is complete. Ambassador Wilson
has wired the authorities at Washing
ton that “Madero, accompanied by
several hundred troops, has gone to
Cuernavaca. Diaz told diplomats
that he would avoid, if possible, any
bloodshed. Peace negotiations be
tween Diaz and Huerta, the Federal
! commander, are progressing,
j MEXICO CITY, Feb. 11—President
i Madero is again in possesion of the
j National palace, while Senora Ma
dero is back in Cbapultapec castle.