SECOND YEAR CHITINA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MAY 11,1912. NO 81
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REPORT FROM BLACKBURN
The success of the expedition to Mount Blackburn, which
started from Kennecott in the early morning of April 22, is still
a grave question. The projector, Miss Dora Keen, is not dis
heartened and still remains hopeful of ultimate success. Three
of her men returned to Kennecott this morning, and they claim
that when they left a fierce storm was raging and that it was
altogether improbable for the party to reach the summit. These
men bring the first message that has been reecived since the
expedition left. That Miss Keen was not discouraged when
part of her expedition turned back is evident from a message
which she sent by them, for publication, and which was tele
phoned in from Kennecott this morning. It is as follows:
‘ ‘ From Crevice Gap, eight thousand seven hundred feet on
Mount Blackburn.
“Reached twelve thousand seven hundred feet April thir
tieth. All difficulties overcome. Am preparing for summit.
Was but one day distant when snowbound for four days. Driv
en down to present camp for food. Waiting for better weather.
Success sure if weather improves. All well and safe.
“DORA KEEN.”
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CORDOVA TAKES WISE ACTION
-' (From Cordova Daily Alaskan.)
The Cordova Chamber of Commerce held an important
meeting last night, at which an additional progressive step was
taken in the election of Sam Blum as president of the organiza
tion. He was presented as one of the leading and most influen
tial business men of Alaska, a man who has successfully con
ducted mercantile and banking interests in the territory for
many years past, a man who has the confidence of the people,
and a man of enterprising and liberal tendencies, who is ever
on the alert to advance the material interests of the communi
ty and to uphold the civic pride of the town. Without a dis
. senting voice he was elected to the presidency, made vacant by
the accepted resignation of H. Thisted. Mr. Blum had only re
turned last night from a trip to Chitina, and when informed
this morning of his election he was loth to accept, but finally
consented to do so.
Secretary Barry read a number of letters that he had re
ceived from members of Congress pledging support of the ef
fort to secure more liberal appropriations for trails and roads
in Alaska. Letters were also read from officials of the steam
ship companies with reference to assisting in the matter of pub
licity of this section of Alaska and the effort to attract capital
vvvv
ANOTHER LORDLY OFFICIAL
(From Cordova Dally Alaskan.)
Some of the officials of the city government feel incensed
at the attempt of a peanut deputy marshal to run the police af
fairs of the community. But they take Sam too seriously. He
is here to perform simple messenger service for the office un
der which he serves. The Department of Justice at Washing
ton does not contempjlate that the good order and administra
tion of justice in any municipality of Alaska shall be placed
in the hands of a process server. Because a few of these cheap
runners are encouraged by a weak United States marshal, they
swell up like real men and arrogate to themselves powers that
are dangerous to a community in the hands of irresponsible
jobbers. But the day for a few cheap government officials to
lord it over good American citizens in Alaska is fast nearing
an end. The big officials at Washington seek to discourage it,
and when properly brought to their attention any glaring dere
liction, assumption of power or intimidating methods, prac
ticed by some understrappers will receive proper attention. But
the City Council should have no difficulty in keeping Deputy
Sam Brightwell in his proper place, and when he again tries to
intimidate a city magistrate possibly a few days in jail will
teach him a lesson that marshals are not the entire government
in Alaska.
The actions of some deputy marshals in this division are
very trying to the people who may allow themselves to be im
posed upon, but they really don’t have to stand for it, and the
sooner they realize that fact the better it will be for themselves
and for Alaska. These understrappers ofttimes seek to con
trol the politics and business of a town, and when they are
thwarted in any such attempt they occasionaly try to wreak
vengeance in certain directions. But if deputy marshals are
not controlled by the superior marshal they can be controlled
by the people. And the people do rule in Cordova. And it is
dangerous for any servant of the people to get the swelled head.
But the real safe, sane, level-headed, reasonable, broad-minded
MAN doesn’t often have his head turned by a little temporal
* power. To the credit of our American institutions be it said
that in nearly every instance it is the big men who display the
liberality of thought, while the little fellows so often fail to
appreciate the modesty of a subordinate place, but take on
czar-like powers and thus destroy their usefulness. The peo
. pie are running the country, and they are trying to run Alaska,
notwithstanding the assumption of a few misdirected federal
officials. __ _x
OFFICIAL RESIGNS
FROM RAILROAD
SEATTLE, May 8.—The announcement lias been made
that Joseph H. Young, vice-president of the Copper River &
Northwestern Railway and president of the Alaska Steamship
Company, will leave the Alaska Syndicate and become connect
ed with the Hill lines. It is probable that he will become pres
ident of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle railway, known as
the “North-bank,” and which runs from Spokane to Portland,
with its branches having a total mileage of 551. This position
is now held by C. R. Gray, with headquarters at Portland. It
has been rumored that he is to have an important position in
the affairs of the Great Northern railroad at St. Paul, possibly
succeeding President Louis W. Hill. An unconfirmed rumor
states that Mr. Young is to be succeeded by Robert W. Baxter,
of Chicago, general superintendent of the northern lines of the
Illinois Central railroad, which operates 4,550 miles.
The coming retirement of Mr. Young gives additional force
to the rumors that there is to be a general change in the man
agement of the affairs of the Alaska Syndicate in the course of
a couple of months. The three-vear agreement that was entei*
od into between the Morgan and Guggenheim interests, by
which the latter were to have the management of the Copper
River railroad for three years will expire in July next. The re
port from New York indicates that the Morgan interests will
now take a turn at management, and that the present policy will
be changed in some respects.
Nearly two years ago Mr. Young resigned his position as
general superintendent of the northern division of the Southern
Pacific railroad, at the request of S. W. Eccles, head of the in
terests of the Alaska Syndicate, who desired to be relieved of
his former duties in Seattle and Alaska. Mr. Young has had a
wide experience in railroad affairs and is regarded as one of
the coming men of the country in that line. It is stated that he
is glad to again return to a position that will bring him in closer
touch with larger operations, as his present position, with head
quarters at Seattle and with steamship business to also look
ifter, has made it impossible for him to give the personal super
vision to the affairs of the Copper River railroad that he would
iiave desired.
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SEATTLE, May 11.—Robert W. Baxter, of Chicago, has
been named as the active head of the Alaska Steamship Com
pany, the Copper River & Northwestern Railway Company, and
all other Morgan-Guggenheim interests in Alaska, with the ex
ception of the mining affairs. The presidency of the various
corporations will remain for the present in S. W. Eccles, of
New York, but the active direction of the Alaskan interests of
the Syndicate will be in the hands of Mr. Baxter, as Mr. Ec
cles is engrossed with other duties. Mr. Baxter will be offi
cially known as vice-president of the various companies. It is
reported that shortly after he assumes his new duties a few
resignations may be accepted, as he will naturally desire to
have associated with him men, in executive capacities, with
whose work and methods he is familiar. Mr. Baxter is a man
of wide experience, and at present is general superintendent
of the northern lines of the Illinois Central railroad. He ex
pects to assume his new duties shortly. There is much regret
expressed at the near departure from this city of the retir
ing head of the Morgan-Guggenheim interests, as Mr. Young
is a popular official who has built up a large circle of friends
here.
VICTORIA, May 11.—C. W. Clai'k, representative of the
Morgan-Guggenheim interests, announces that the New York
syndicate expects to expend four millian dollars in building a
fleet of steamers to run between Seattle, Victoria and Vancou
ver in opposition to the line of greyhounds now operated by the
Canadian Pacific.
IMPROVE MINING LAWS OE ALASKA
WASHINGTON, May 10.—A strong effort will be made to
have the Senate consider the Wickersliam bill, providing new
mining regulations for Alaska. It is believed that if it can be
gotten before the Senate at this session that it will become a
law. The bill passed the House on May first. The proposed
new regulations, which were drawn up and introduced by Dele
gate James Wickersliam, have to do chiefly with the evil which
has grown up in the north through use of power of attorney.
Section two, which seeks effectively to curb this evil, reads in
part as follows:
“No person shall hereafter locate any placer mining claim
in Alaska as attorney for another unless he is duly authorized
thereby by power of attorney in writing, duly acknowledged
and recorded in any recorder’s office in the judicial division
where the location is made. Any person so authorized may lo
cate placer mining claims for not more than two individuals or
one association under such power of attorney; but no such
agent or attorney shall be authorized or permitted to locate
more than two placer mining claims for any one principal or
association during any calendar month.”
The measure provides that no association placer mining
claim shall hereafter be located in Alaska in excess of forty
acres, and that no claim shall be patented which is longer than
three times its greatest width.
WASHINGTON, May 10.—A few days ago it looked asj
though the assay offices at Seattle and other points would be
abolished, as well as the mint at San Francisco. But the action
of the House late yesterday afternoon gives new hope, and al
most makes it a certainty that the much desired offices will
be maintained. It was on May first that the House committee
on appropriations reported legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bills, with the usual appropriation for mainten
ance to federal assay offices at Seattle, Helena, Deadwood and
other cities unprovided for, and if the measure had become a
law in that form these offices automatically would go out of
existence.
The Alaska contingent who are now in Washington got
busy, and securing a number of congressmen who are friendly
to Alaska, started to do missioary work on behalf of the Seattle
office. They soon found it necessary to make a fight for the
retention of all the various offices that had been overlooked in
the appropriation bill. Their arguments prevailed and Repre
sentative Humphrey, of Washington, presented an amendment
to the bill which will provide for the maintenance of the Seat
tle and other assay offices, as well as the San Francisco mint.
The matter was considered yesterday before the House acting
as a committee of the whole, and the amendment was adopted.
This means that it will pass the House, and in all probability
the Senate, too.
Alaskans here are jubilant because they now believe the
Seattle office will not close on June 30. The government appro
priation for the maintenance of the Seattle assay office is ap
proximately $41,000 annually, but there is a material refund.
For the year ending June 30,1910, the office received $12,000,
000 in bullion and its gross earnings were $19,000, or a net cost
to the government slightly in excess of $23,000. Since the of
fice was established in 1898 it has handled gold bullion, chief
ly from Alaska, to the extent of $205,206,266.72.
Three of the men returned from
Miss Dora Keen’s party this morning.
They report all well, but the moun
tain climbing people are encountering
very foggy weather and lots of fresh
snow. Miss Keen was within 4,000
feet of the top of Mount Blackburn
when they left, with every hope of
accomplishing her task.
Jack Laurie is kept pretty busy at
tending to the business of tne Arm
of FInkelstein & Sapiro, whicn is do
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Ing a good business these days. He
has found time, however to assist In
Installing the mains for the water
system which Is nearly completed.
LOCAL JOTTINGS
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Word has been received of the
marriage of Dr. Thom to Mrs. Wal
lace in Seattle on April 20th. They
will leave soon for South America,
where they will make their home.
Both were well known in this vicini
ty and their many friends wish them
happiness and prosperity.
Jim McConnell Is In Chitina from
the Kuskulana country.
Several of the business men of
Chitina have expressed the wish that
the findings of the coming grand Jury
would result in changes that would
permit of more harmony and co-op
eration than now seems possible. We
are looking forward to June 3. No
one seems to doubt that something
is radically wrong.
Joe Janey returned to Chitina on
Thursday’s train.
A steam shovel arrived from Cor
dova Wednesday, with a gang of
men and train of gravel cars. They
left the next morning for Kuskulana,
where they will be engaged for some
time in ballasting the track.
Jimmy Heney, who Is gradually
recovering from an injury erecived
while working In the Chitina tunnel
last winter, returned from a trip to
Cordova.
It is reported that a Catholic
church will be built In Chitina. That
denomination owns two lots on Fair
banks avenue.
Subscribe for the Chltina Leader.
The bridge across the Copper riv
er was connected and the first train
crossed Sunday morning. The dis
patch with which it was replaced sav
ed the perishable stuff that was held
In Chltina for the mines and camps
on the Chitina branch. Piers, con
structed of piles driven close togeth
er, were put In with openings of 25
feet. These piers are now being
boarded up to prevent their catch
ing drift wood during high water the
last of July.
Fishing is good in Lake Chitina
now and some record catches are be
ing made. Ask Johnnie Nelson.
Have you tried those mealB at the
Overland Restaurant? They’re great,
ooo
A BRIDGE PARTY
A very congenial party was enter
tained at the home of Mrs. Jesse For
rester on Wednesday night. The par
ty was occasioned by the departure
of Mrs. Bates for a few months’ visit
to her former home in Wisconsin.
Bridge was played, but that was only
the formal part of the evening's en
joyment. The gentlemen present de
clared the dainty, delicious refresh
ments to be in a class by themselves.
The time was double appropriate, be
ing Miss Nickell’s birthday, and every
time the guests bit into that birth
day cake they heartily wished her
another wigintl tree years of happi
ness and glowing health.
Those present were Mr. and Mrs.
James Rockefeller and James Rocke
feller, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Morey,
Mrs. James Heney, Annie Heney, Mr.
and Mrs. Horace Leach, Mr. and Mrs.
E. H. Gillman, Mrs. Ed Bates, Mr.
John Nelson, Miss Nlckell and Mr.
and Mrs. J. W. Forrester.
KENNEGOn NOTES
Kennecott, May 8, 1912.
The crusher plant and concentra
tor mills being built by the Kenne
cott Mines Company are about com
pleted. The machines Installed are
the most up to date In America.
Heretofore the ore has been sackeu
and shipped just as it came from the
mine. These mills will be in opera
tion day and night. Kennecott is cer
tainly a prosperous and busy center.
E. P. Gray, the big mine operator,
passed through our town this morn
ing with a large pack train of horses
taking supplies over Kennecott Gla
cier to his mining properties, where
active work is to be?in at once.
Mrs. Archie Hancock came in on
today’s train to join her husband,
who is master mechanic for the Ken
necott Mines Company.
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