I
CHITIXA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1012.
NO. 17.
HWGJTES
McCarthy, Jan. 6.—The comple
tion of the Copper River & North
western railway to a point some
eleven or twelve miles from the Niz
ina river has already stimulated
mining operations wonderfully and
the year now dawning promises to
be a real live one.
A few days ago Paul D. Range, H.
D. Poster, Pete Erricson, E. W.
Tracey and others were here at the
terminal arranging business matters.
These men are energetic and more
optimistic than ever now that the
railway approaches and dreams of
a big camp across the Nizina bid
fair to become a reality.
Mr. Foster is Superintendent of
the Alaska Exploration and Develop
ment company, the property com
prising a large group of claims on
Boulder, a tributary of Dan creek.
Mr. Foster has been actively en
gaged in development work for sev
eral years and has some fine ore
bodies in sight. He is especially
pleased with the results obtained
from his tunnel work this season,,
and as the process of development
work goes on the ear marks of a big
mine are taking form. Mr. Dillman
of Los Angeles, is one of the leading
capitalists interested with Mr. Fos
ter.
Paul Range represents a com
pany Incorporated under the laws of
the State of Washington, and their
holdings consist of 28 copper claims
located on upper Dan creek. Mr.
Range has been engaged in this
■work for five years now and is en
thusiastic as regards the district in
general as well as his company’s
holdings. Mr. Range declares that
the now world famous greenstone—
lime contact or zone of enrichment
—which lays to the east of the Ni
zina river will eventually yield great
er results than the Bonanza-Kotsina
section. Mr. Range, like the rest of
the community, regrets that Col.
Richardson did not see his way clear
to go ahead with the Nizina bridge
this winter.
The Alaska Calumet Co., holds 11
copper claims on Texas a tributary
of Copper creek at the head of Dan
creek. ^The headquarters of this
company are in Seattle and the
showing on the group should lend
encouragment to tne promoters.
E. W. Brooks has already freight
ed his 62 ton hydraulic outfit for
his Kex gulch property to the mouth
of the Kennicott and is now haul
ing up the Nizina. Mr. Brooks ex
pects to have the preliminary work
completed and the plant in running
order by June 1st The ground has
already been prospected thoroughly
and results ar promised.
Mr. Suhn, the veteran prospector
who the boys will remember as pul
ling his outfit along the grade last
winter has been fortunate in secur
ing a claim on upper Rex gulch
where he has located -encouraging
coarse gold prospects.
It looks now as if Young Creek
would come to the front this seas
on. We hear that Diamons, Steven
eon & Co., are likely to install a
large hydraulic plant. Mr. Diamond
will be warmly greeted when he re
turns fully recovered from the acci
dent he met with last fall.
With the Esterly outfit* busier
than ever and the Dan Creek Co.
and Brooks running full blast and
Cayuette Dewitt and others busy on
Copper creek It goes without say
ing that this neck of the woods will
be the scene of considerable ac
tivity this year.
The Bonanza Gold Mining Com
pany, (Bloomquist & Iverson) are
again at work driving the tunnel af
ter a 60-day shut aown. The com
pany has moved its camp from the
timberline to the mouth of the tun
nel. They are netting out some fine
looking rock.
A company is now being organized
in Washington to open up the Tellu
ride group on Dan Creek hill. This
property adjoins the Kruhm claims
on the North and the assay returns
are very satisfactory.
NOTICE.
Notice is hereby iven that the
partnership heretofore existing be
tween Dan McMilien and Swan Elm
green at Copper Mountain, is this
day dissolved and tnat Lucy Grimm
has taken the interest of Swan Elm
green. All debts of the former part
nership and all accounts due them
are assumed by the new partnership.
. SWAN ELMGREEN.
Dated, January 1st, 1912.
Rev. Newton, who was formerly
stationed st Cordova and Valdez,
has accepted a call to St. James
Church, at Hyde Park, about six
miles above Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He
expects to be married next month.
Bishop Rowe left New York today
for Southwestern Alaska and after
stopping at Cordova and Valdez will
go Into the interior.
GOVERNOR’S REPORT IS WORTH THE READING
The report of Governor Walter E.
Clark to Resident Taft was today
made public and deals comprehen
sively with live Alaskan subjects.
He finds the present population
of Alaska to be 64 356 both whites
and natives. There was no increase
the past year, but previous to that
a gain of 776, including whites and
natives compared wicn 1900.
There are now 15 incorporated
towns, which reported a total asses
sed valuation of $7,669,047.
Total for mercnandise, other than
precious metals, shipped from Alas
ka to the United States was valued
at $13,813,824 against $12,349,
462 for 1910. The governor states
further that the copper ore ship
ments will increase very largely dur
ing the current fiscal year. There
was a falling off in shipment of do
mestic mercnandise from the United
States to Alaska the last fiscal year,
the total being smaller than in any
year since 1906.
Regarding mineral production the
report says:
“The value of the mineral output
for 1911 has not been authoritative
ly estimated but as a whole probably
will not greatly exceed that of 1910.
The copper production will be much
larger, owing to the beginning of
shipments from the Copper River re
gion over the new railroad. These,
however, did not begin until April.
The actual shipments of copper ore
from Alaska in the fiscal year 1911,
as shown by the customs records,
amounted to 23,633 tons valued at
$776,947 as against 13,056 tons val
ued at $166,566 in 1910. The gold
production in the calendar year 1910
was valued at $16,987,890 as against
$20,399,600 In 1909. The silver
production chiefly incidental to golo
mining, was 125,480 fine ounces, as
against 198 fine ounces in 190j
The report says serious defects
in the general mining laws as appli
cable to Alaska are becoming still
more apparent. The power of at
torney evil and the small assessment
required on association claims are
referred to.
The governor devotes consider
able space in his report to fisheries,
and' says:
Next to mining the fishing indus
try is the most productive in the
territory. In the calendar year
1910 there were employed in the
several branches of the fisheries 15,
620 persons, an increaes of 4,032
over 1910. Of these 6,836 were
whites, 4,147 Indians, and 4,637 Or
ientals. The most gratifyin" feat
ure is the large increase in the num
ber of whites and natives employed
as all the natives and many of the
whites are permanent residents oi
Alaska. The total investment in the
fisheries last year was $20,711,422.
The finished product was 214,536,
433 pounds, having an export value
of $13,250,859, an increase of 12,
553,195 pounds and $2,079,171 over
1909. The highly profitable price
realized for fresh halibut in 1909
caused an enormous increase in the
number of steamers and gasoline
vessels engaged in that kind of
fishing. The catch as reported in
1910 was 21,579,289 pound svalued
$$808,010, as against 5,109.924
pounds valued at $195 329 in 1909.
at $190,529 ini 909. In the absence
of adequate restrictive measures the
salmon fisheries are in grave dan
ger from overfishing. Power to
restrict the number of canneries in
any neighborhood whenever such
restrictions appears necessary to
conserve the supply of fish would
seem to be an elementary require
ment of proper supervision and con
trol by the government. The great
est and most immediate need for a
a movement looking towards conser
vation of resources in Alaska today
is the need of protecting the supply
of food fidslies. The present method
of taxation is not scientific, but as
long as the gross output continues
to be the sole basis of taxation the
effort should be to render this sys
tem as nearly equitable as can be
The taxing of all kinds of canned
salmon, without regard to the value
of the particular kind, uniformly at
four cents per case, is a crude
method. The calmon cannerymen
pay taxes at present somewhat in ex
cess of $100,1.00 per annum. It is
roughly estimated that a just revi
sion of the system of taxation upon
gross output would yield a revenue
almost if not quite twice as large.
The system of tax rebate as a re
ward for maintaining private salmon
hatcheries should be abandoned.
The maintenance of fish hatcheries
is a legitimate and customary func
tion of government, and the stout
opposition to the policy of remitting
the taxes on account of hatcuery
maintenance Wuich was voiced just
prior to i-e enactment of the pres
ent law should have prevailed. Un
der the present system the govern
ment -s simply keeping its money
in the wrong pocket and not a very
secure pocket at that. All salmon
taxes should be paid, and by at least
so much as the federal treasury is
enriched thereby expenditures for
the support of government hatcher
less should be authorized."
It is interesting ;o note in con
nection with forestry, that tiie cost
of administering the reserves was
$27,581.70, while the total receipts
amounted to $39,917,35. Stumpage
amounted to $29,975.07 and ttie
timber cut amounted to 28,147.640
feet board measure.
Tt is recommended that the game
laws be changed, and the danger is
pointed out in the increasing num
ber of hunters coming from outside
each year. The high rate of insan
ity is accounted for in “the rigors
of life in the more isolated settle
ments and to the hardships encoun
tered by prospectors and miners.
Improvement is noted in govern
ment of schools outside incorporated
towns. Tlie governor points out
that $1,000 allowance for erecting
a school building is not enough, and
recommends the law be changed to
make the amount from $1200 to
*2500 . Also that 15 children
should get a school district estab
lished instead of 20.
The governor notes railway con
struction. the one from Cornova be
ing the only one projected the past
year. Regarding the Alaska North
'ern he says: Last spring the com
pany announced that funds had been
pledged b> an Knglish firm or syn
dicate to the extent of $10,000,000
to extend the road immediately to
the ...atante.ka coal fields. But this
extension ,vas conditional upon the
opening of i,.0 COal fields."
The federal tax of $100 per mile
per annum on Alaskan railroads
should Di appended * he governor
says for 'under the present condi
tion of s: ali earnings or no earn
ings at till this tax amounts to a
tax upon people who are unable
to pay th: large in addition to the
present 1 rate of transports
tion.”
The got : : urges that at least
four times amount already ex
pended f Hg.it.ng the coast be
expended. Other recommendations
are for In c provide for the fol
lowing:
Sanitati. and public health.
Registrn: i of vital statistics.
Supervi n of hanks.
Compui~ v school attendance.
Relief of destitution.
1 <>R SALK.
Road ho is See George Bull,
Nine-Mile n'.house Chitina-Falr
banks trail 4t.
Madison, Wis., Jan. 19.—The Wil
son Democrats, headed by William
LaFollette, a brother of Senator La
Foi ette, are busy forming a state
organization with a view of captur
ing the nomination of president.
Rome, Jan. 19.—The Pope has
appointed auxiliary Bishop O'Con
nell of San Francisco, a bishop with
headquarters at Richmond, Va.
. ‘J
Havana, Cuba, Jan. 19.—The
crisis has passed and president Gom
ez can now assure the state depart
ment at Washington that there is
no further cause lor intervention.
Melbourne Jan. 19.—The steam
ship Suevic, bound from Sidney, Aus
tralia to London, put in here today
with a fire in her hold. Some of her
;argo will be destroyed before the
flames can be put out.
Washington, Jan. 19.—President
Taft has commuted the sentence of
Banker Morse so that his term ex
pires at once. It is not expected the
latter will live very long as his
health is broken.
Vancouver, B. C., Jan. 19.—J. EL
Farrell, the northwestern representa
tive of the Harriman lines, today an
nounced in a newspaper interview
that the Harriman system would ex
tend from Seattle to this place. He
said work would be started in a short
time.
Uew York, Jan. 19.—Brown w-as
knocked out by Abe Attell in a ten
round boxing contest. Attell was an
easy winner from the start.
Portland, Ore., Jan. 19.—Three
persons were killed and others In
jured by a boiler explosion on the
steamboat Sarah Dixon yesterday.
Freight is being contracted at Chitina for delivery in Fair
banks at ten cents per pound. This is by far the cheapest rate
ever quoted from the coast to the interior and is but another
example of the great practical benefit of modern transporta
tion in the form of a railroad.
It is said freighters are offering to contract all the freight
offered, large or small, at fifteen cents per pound. There, are
now about 100 head of horses at Chitina, and the large freight
ers are making that place their headquarters.
Recently Wilson, the big freighter at Valdez, moved 3o
head of horses to Chitina, and will operate from there litre
after. He has made a contract with Schumaker, proprietor of
the independent meat concern in Fairbanks to deliver 70 tons
of meat in Fairbanks at 10 cents per pound.
Last fall about 80 tons of meat held in cold storage' in
Fairbanks was condemned by the government, but upon a
showing made by the firm it was not destroyed. Another in
spector was sent to the scene and about nine tons were finally
condemned. It is supposed that this may have something to
do with such a large meat order being placed at this time.
The government road commission also is having its supplies
for next summer’s work hauled from Chitina. A few days ago
Mr. Ingram arrived there with a number of head of horses.
(Already two car loads of supplies have been shipped to Chitina
| for the road commission and two more ears will leave with the
train tomorrow morning.
To realize what ten cents per pound freight means it is
only necessary to recall the history of overland trail traffic.
I In the first instance freight between Valdez and Fairbanks
was $1.00 per pound, and only certain kinds of freight could
be transported and the freighter refused to assume any risk
as to damage or loss of goods.
Each year thereafter the government road commission
made overland trail travel safer and easier and the price grad
ually came down to fifty cents, then forty cents and finally a
few contracts were made for 35 cents. It is said in one or two
instances last year freight was haul'ed for 25 cents. Xow, with
the advent of the railroad, cveu though the distance covered
by the train service is a little over 100 miles, the price has
come down to the standard of 15 cents per pound and one large
contract has been made for .10 cents.
With an additional appropriation for making the overland
trail fit for automobile service, winter or summer, for which
Fairbanks is now working, freight will come down more and
thus all kinds of industrial enterprises in the interior be stim
ulated.
The increased price of copper is causing renewed activity
along the coast of Alaska in the copper belt. For the past
four years many promising properties have been lying idle,
because it did not pay to ship the ore.
Copper is now quoted at 14^ cents; March deliveries are
quoted at 1514 and there is even* reason to believe that cop
per will go 20cents strong by the first of April. What this
will mean to Alaska, the copper treasure house of the world,
is already beginning to be understood in the many signs for
renewed work.
On Landlock bay, for instance, half way between Cordova
and and Valdez, it is reasonably certain there will be three
shippers by spring and active work will be pushed on others
to make them shippers as soon as possible.
The Landlock bay Copper company has installed bunker?
and docks and will be shipping ore in 90 days. The Standard
Copper company, which has been idle owing to the low price of
copper will start up again. John Steel, the manager, was cal
led to New York on a wire to arrange with the packers for im
mediate resumption of work. The Dickey property, it is said,
is now shipping and will increase its output.
The Fidalgo Bay Alaska Copper company, in which John
Y. Ostrander and Thos. Donohoe are interested, recently made
its first shipment of 350 tons of copper ore, and will lit' a regu
lar shipper from now on. Extensive improvements have been
made in the way of tramways, bunkers and docks and the
mine promises to become a dividend payer from the start.
AY. Al. AVilson, who is an outgoing passenger on the Ala
meda, is interested with George Baldwin, Jeff Deviney, Geo.
Treat, Al Grisbv and John Fleinbloom in the old Debriey prop
erty on Solomon Gulch, near Valdez, which they bonded for
$60,000, and which carries a fine body of ore giving from 6
to 21 per cent in copper, and $10.60 in gold, and $1.25 in silver.
A force of men is at work and are in 105 feet in the ore.
There are other properties of proven value, and prospective
ones, upon which work is being renewed or arrangements being
made to make them shippers as soon as possible. Naturally,
also, the big producing mines will, if anything, increase their
shipments to take advantage of the increased price. AVhen
the volume of copper from the interior joins the increased
stream from along the west coast, the industrial activity will
be felt in all lines. The minute the coal is opened it will mean
smelters at Cordova, and from that time the real permanent
history of Alaska will date.
I
Seattle, January 17.—The officials of the Copper River &
Northwestern railway announce that the company has ordered
by telegraph a snow rotary engine similar to the large one now
used on the line out of Cordova. The order was placed in Phil
adelphia with instructions to make immediate shipment re
gardless of expense. President Young believes delivery will
be made here inside of a month and it will then be rushed to
I Cordova.
Every possible effort is to be made to avoid any further
delays or blockades this winter. It is thought with two big
rotary engines and one small one, there will be no trouble in
keeping the road clear of snow. The force of men will be in
creased before the spring thaw, in order to render prompt as
sistance in case of unusual conditions.
DEMOCRATS HAVE HOW RULE JILL
Washington, Jan. 19,—The Democrats in Congress will
favor a home rule measure for Alaska. For their groundwork
they will use the Sulzer bill introduced five years ago and
amend it to meet the approval of those interested in securing
legislation for Alaska.
The preliminaries were arranged yesterday at a conference
between Speaker Clark, Congressman Underwood and Sulzer
and A. J. Daly of Nome, the National Democratic committee
man from Alaska. The Democratic congressional committee
having the matter, in charge has also reported favorably upon
It is believed here that the Democratic measure stands the
best chance of becoming a law. If they hack up the bill as a
unit, and the purpose is to make it a Democratic measure, they
will easily secure enough Republican votes to pass the bill,
Paris, Jan. 19.—The minister of
foreign affair- has sent a demand to
the Italian u.ivernment to release the
French stea .er Carthage, which was
captured and in id as carrying con
traband of war in the form of an
aeroplane.
Wiashingt Jan. 19.—The bill
changing tv. date of inauguration
for assemble -' Congress has been re
ported favoi tbiy by the judiciary
committee.
I
i
Detroit, Mich., Jan. 19.—Gover
nor Wilson in delivering an address
before the. jji oigan State Press As
sociation Iasi night stated that ‘ our
laws lag a g. neration behind bust
ness conditio;.- He contended that
the government should not hamper,
but encoura- legitimate business
enterprises.
Washington, .Ian. is.-me senate
Committee on election has made a
report to the senate that there is
no evidence to support the charges
of corruption against Senator Steph
enson, of Wisconsin. The members
of the committee made a thorough
investigation of the chargee.
Guayaquil, Kcuador, Jan. 19.—A
fierce tattle between the provisional
forces and the army supporting the
Quito government has been raging
all day and 1,000 are killed.
Grand Forks, N. D., Jan. 19.—Dy
namite stored in a business house
expiodeu today and destroyed the
Masonic temple and a number of
other buildings.
Tripoli, Jan. 19.—Terrific fight
ing between the Italian and Turkish
forces is to progress south of this
city. It i8 reported that the Turks
were repulsed with heavy loaaea.
LOCIUJRIEFS
Peter Cordes has his dog team
down the line the past week in the
mail service.
O. M. Kinney, the Cordova mer
chant, was detained in Chitirta since
the first of the year by the tie up.
The coldest weather yet recorded
in Chltlna this year was on the night
of the 9th when tue mercury drop
ped to 45 degrees below zero.
Word was received from Janus
Hartney that lie would remain in
Fairbanks for the present and cur
ry out a contract for furnishing a
large quantity of wood. Emil 1,ar
son will join him there with another
team of horses at once.
H. E. Elliott is back in Chltlna
from the Kennicott mine where lie
has been working for the past two
weeks.
Dr. Sutherland anil wife of Fair
banks spent several days in t liitina
waiting for a train to take them
to Cordova, from where they sail for
Seattle. The doctor is interested in
some very fine quartz prospects near
Fairbanks and his present trip is to
purchase machinery for his new
stamp mill. He says he uas a nine-1
foot vein that has been traced ov« i?
four hundred feet and runs an aver-f
age of $90 to the ton.
The dance at the Red Dragon out
New Year’s night was largely at
tended and only the smallness ofj
the place marred the pleasure of tin]
evening.
Latest advices from P. It. Xew-l
house indicate that he would spoil- J
the winter at San Diego instead o (
at Los Angeles as he first intended t
Bob McIntosh has secured tln-j
room recently vacated by the Onf
Stage Co^ in the Hotel Chitina an- .
will use it as an office and storag-1
room.
Kenneth Holden, pilot, and Her I
man Albright, fireman, on the ill «
fated rotary which went through th.
burned bridge were brought to tin®
Lakeview hospital where everythin-'
possible was done to relieve the in
jured men and their complete recov
ery is only a matter of time.
A deal was consummated lad
week whereby Horace Leach will re
tain an interest in the hotel and sal
oon business with Griffiths & Hy
land in the new Bluen building
This will be welcome news to the.
many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Leach/
who will be pleased to have this
popular couple remain with us per
manently. They have rented tin
Martin cabin which is the finest inf
town and will occupy it in a few
uays.
The potlatch at Taral was largely
attended by Chitinaites last week
and quite a number went up to
Camp Comfort to a similar event.
The dog teams in town were used
as conveyances.
Mrs. J. L. Gage has been quite ill
for several days but is now much ini.
proved.
Dr. Thom has secured an interest
in the Erickson group of quartz
claims on O’Brien creek and prom
Ises that active operations will be
gin in the spring looking toward thi
development of what is believed t<
be the best gold prospect in thhj
part of Alaska. A fifty-foot tunne
shows a widening of the vein fron
six to twelve feet and the ore show;
richer values. Already more thai
tw’o thousand tons of ore is exposed
which assays about $12.
The opening up of this propertj
which is only four miles from th«
railroad will not only benefit thi
owners but will help all of Chitina
Let all possible business come till,
way, we can handle it.
The accident to the snow plow
which tied up the road for ncarlpj
two weeks and resulted In the deatl!
of Engineer Reed nearly caused i
famine along the entire line. Ii
Chitina the fresh meat supply wa:
quickly absorbed, the oil and vega j
table market exhausted while the
staples moved with surprising rapid)
Ity, still no one who had any fore>
thought had reason to fear hungel
ind much credit is due our merj
chants who continued to supply theij
cutsomers at tne old prices so long
is stocks held out. For fair amt
equitable dealing Chitina merchants
can not be beaten, no matter wlierl
you .go.
John Neagle, cashier of the Grea|
Northern Development company a
Copper Mountain who was severe!
Injured In the recent snow slidt
was discharged from the hospital o
aew year’s day, anu immediately ri
turned his duties at the mine.
Washington, Jan. 19.—The hous
military committee has agreed t
report favorably on the Hay bill prt
vlding for the partial reorganizatio
of the army.
Washington, Jan. 19.—Edward r
Stotesbury, a prominent banker t
Philadelphia, and partner of J. Pie
pont Morgan, has been united i
wedlock to Mrs, Oliver Comweil.