OF GENERAL I J
Cordova, December 30
S. W. Jenson, who for the past six
months has been placer prospecting
in the vicinity of Mile 55 on the
Copper River & Northwestern rail
way, has great faith in the placer
possibilities of that part of the
country and has shown that faith
by doing a lot of hard and practical
work. This work, he says, has un
covered ‘ good prospects,’’ although
he does not claim any bonanza
finds. Mr. Johnson came to Cor
dova yesterday after supplies. While
he is a cheeehaco, he is also a bed
rock crank with the reputation of
having done more real prospecting
than any other man in that im
mediate section.
"People rushing to remote and
almost inaccessible parts of the in
terior are passing over good placer
ground near home and accessible by
railroad,” he said, "i nave put in
an open cut 60 feet long and from
12 to 30 feet wide, with good pros
pects appearing as bedrock is ap
proached. In addition, I have sunk
several noles. A peculiarity of that
section is the drainage which pre
vents water from interfering with
shaft work. These surface skin
ners who condemn the country with
out giving it a fair trial make me
tired.”
Cordova, December 31
The recent accident on Cleary
Creek resulting in terrible injuries
to Manley Mayhood, who fell down
a 6haft, will cause a more thorough
inspection of mines in that district
in the future. That shaft is not the
only one without a ladder, it is
claimed. Mr. Mayhood’s condition
is improving. He was unconscious
for several days.
Rev. Jas. McBride, wno returned
on yesterday’s train from the in
terior, where, he spent the week at
Chitina, Kennicott and McCarthy,
reports that 30 men recently stam
peded from those places to Rex
Creek, southeast of Kennecott, the
stampede being based on a rumor of
the discovery of good placer ground.
The rotary snow plow was sent
up the line today for the first time
line this morning for the first time
last year. Services of the rotary
were rendered necessary by the big
storm which prevailed Thursday
night and Friday. ^ esterday s
train from the interior bucked
through between two and three feet
of snow for about half a mile in the
vicinity of Long Island; but not
withstanding this obstruction and a
delay of fifteen minutes at Tie.kel,
made the run between Chitina and
Cordova in the fast time of four
hours and fifty minutes. The snow
was reported to be not more than
1S inches deep on the level today.
The crew going out on the rotary
this morning was composed of Geo.
Scott, Geo. Steel, Floyd Smith, .lack
Carlyle, Warren Taylor, John Fii
linger, Art Barnes and Lem Cox.
A report received by the, Cordova
Mining & Development Company
from Supt. Thomas states that the
crew drove 42 feet of tunnel during
the 26 working days of last month.
This tunnel was started on a
stringe.r that runs diagonally to
wards the main vein and at a point
near where it was three feet wide.
At the face of the tunnel the
stringer shows eight fe,et of good
looking quartz. A survey shows
that the main vein should be
reached in 110 feet from the pres
ent face.
Cordova, January 4
Representatives of Libby, McNeil
& Libby, the Alaska Packers Asso
ciation, and the Fidalgo Fishing
Corporation have, been served with
notice to appear at Valdez on April
2, to answer indictments alleging
illegal fishing in the waters of west
ern Alaska. It is understood that at
least a dozen other large fishing
corporations will be summoned with
in the next thirty days to appear and
* answer similar indictments, as a
result of the investigations con
ducted by Dr. E. Lester Jones repre
senting the department.
Francis E. Johnson, the telegraph
operator at Donnelly’s, whose body
was found on the Chitina-Fairbanks
road by travelers from Nome sev
eral days ago, had started from his
station to the. relief cabin to install
a new stove which was needed at
the cabin. He left with a horse and
sled. The horse has not been found.
Johnson had fallen into the lake
'fcnd been frozen to death after pull
ing himself from the water.
The relief cabin at the Rapids is
maintained by the military authori
ties for the aid of travelers and for
the men employed in keeping the
Ut(k open. Hundreds of mushers
have found safety in it and the stove
having been burned out a new one
was ordered put in.
Cordova, January 5
SEATTLE, Dec. 24.—When Land
Commissioner Tallman was in this
city nearly three months ago he
gave assurance to various coa!
claimants in the. Bering field that
he would shortly announce decisions
in their cases. He stated to Cheez
zum, Davis, Greene, White and
others that full investigation had
been made, and conclusions reached.
He assured these claimants that
v hen he returned to his office at
Washington decisions would be an
nounced. Every day during the pa3t
month various coal locators have
been diligently scanning the news
papers in the hope of seeing an an
| nouncement that their claims had
! gone to patent. But thus far their
hopes have not been realized.
While, at first many believed that
it was the intention of the interior
department to issue some patents,
the long delay in so doing has had
a tendency to cause much discouf
agement. And then there have been
various intimations since from
Washington indicating that but few
patents would issue. The on,e thiig
that tends to keep up hope in tie
minds of the Bering coal locators is
fine report that up to a few days
ago there had been no applications
for coal leases under the new’ leas
ing bill. And the locators believe
that if there is to be, any immediate
development by private parties that
it must be on lands to which patent
will issue. - •
Since the result of the test ot
the Matanuska coal has been an
nounced there is a general impres
sion that the government will com
mence in the spring and build a rail
road from Ship Creek to the Mat
anuska field, and likely engage in
the mining of coal. While this may
be done there is still a strong hope
upon the part of many that the
route to be selected for the trunk
line to Fairbanks will go from Cor
dova via Chitina. It is not believed
that the government would think of
mining coal in the Bering field until
after another test of that coal is
made. And that would require an
other appropriation and possibly a
couple of years time. Howe.ver good
the coal there may be it is evident
that the government intends to
stand on the test made a couple of
years ago.
People who are not familiar with
the circumstances, as to the method
of taking out the sample of coal
from the Bering river, and which
was fully exposed by the Daily
Alaskan before the coal was tested,
assume that the Bering coal is not
suitable for navy purposes. The
following misleading statement »..»
recently published here:
“After many years congress was
finally induced to make an appro
priation to secure a full test of
Alaska coal for navy purposes. The
first appropriation was entirely used
in getting out a quantity of coal
from another Alaska field, that of
Bering river, where everyone who
had investigated knew' that the coal
was useless for navy purposes, a
fact fully confirmed when the coal
was tested.”
This article brought forth a reply
from T. P. McDonald, who expended
over $150,000 in the development of
Bering coal property. He says:
“Such statements as the above,
whether true or false, serve, to dis
courage investment and develop
ment in the Bering river coal field,
hence it is of the. first importance to
know' if the facts stated are true.
It is a fact that the coal mined by
the bureau of mines from the Bering
river field and tested on the. battle
ship Maryland was very unsatisfac
tory. The report of that test shows
the coal contained about 40 per cent
ash, and the coal clinkered badly by
reason of the foreign matter con
tained.
“That the coal tested from the
Bering river field w'as not a fair
sample is evident from the official
reports on this coal field as pub
lished by the United States govern
ment.
“It is putting the case in a
charitable light to say that the
bureau of mines demonstrated its
incompetence in mining the coal for
this test.
“Now if we wish to know the
vie.ws of the disinterested officials of
the government who have devoted
many years to the investigation of
these two coal fields, please read the
following analysis quoted from Bul
letin 442 A by Dr. Alfred Brooks,
page 33:
“ ‘Kind of coal, semi-bituminous.
“ ‘Bering river, average 28 analy
ses, 4.18, moisture; 14.00, vol. mat
ter; 72.42, fixed carbon; 9.39, ash.
“ ‘Matanuska, average 16 analy
ses, 2.71 moisture; 20.23 vol. mat
ter; 65.39, fixed carbon; 11.60, ash.
“ ‘The higher grade, (semi-bitum
inous) coals of the Bering river and
Matanuska fields are comparable in
composition and heating power with
the Georges creek, New river and
Pocahontas coals of the east.’
‘‘Also the following from Bulle
tin 335 by Dr. G. C. Martin, of the
i United States geological survey, who
jhas devoted more time to the in
j vestigation of Alaska coals than any
man in the United States, page 101;
“ ‘Much of the Bering river coal
is of such superior quality as to
make it especially suitable for use
on warships or wherever a' high
grade smokeless steaming coal is re
quired.’
‘‘Suffice it to say, that the me.n
who discovered and developed the
Bering river coal field and expended
some millions of dollars in so
doing, are thoroughly convinced
that the. Bering river coal has no
. superior as a steaming coal any
where.
‘‘We would not disparage the
quality of the Matanuska coal, and
we are pleased that the test was
successful, for the result of this test
doubtless w’ill assure the early build
ing of a railroad and the consequent
development of coal mining in
Alaska. Nor will success in the
Matanuska field be jeopardized by
disparaging any other coal field of
merit.”
It has been intimated to many
claimants that the government
would be pleased to return to them
the $10 pe.r acre which they have
paid, and which arrangement is per
missible under the new coal leasing
bill. Many who have given up hope
of securing patents will accept the
return of the money paid to the gov
ernment, but which in numerous
cases represents a small part of the
total expenditure. The first claim
ants to receive their money back
will get it as a Christmas present.
Twenty-two of the claimants in the
A. C. Frost group in the Matanuska
field who have' applied under the
terms of the. act have, by order of
Secretary Lane, been awarded their
refunds, aggregating approximately
$30,000.
Fifteen hundred and ninety-five
dollars is the highest single award,
and $794 the lowest. The twenty
two claimants are George W. Miller,
E. H. Vivian, Frank R. Thompson,
J. P. Naumes, W. O. Kilman, E. S.
Gail. L. F. Seward, Frank H. Just,
Waiter E. Wandtke, E. A. Turpin,
C. E. Thompson, E. L. Desjardins,
A. L. Drum, William C. Cook, A. C
Frost, Joseph W. Fitzpatrick, K. L.
Geraglity, Lee, Scott, Charles F. Lin
coln, Webster S. Rickey, M. A.
Doran and W. C. Ball.
Originally there were 63 claim
ants in the group. Only 49 applied
for patent, of whom 32 paid the
purchase price. Of these nine, de
faulted and did not press their
claims, and one has now declined to
relinquish.
-ri-n-n-»
LOCAL ID SOCIAL
MGGARTHr DEWS
A Christmas entertainment was
held Christmas eve in .Vir. Peter
Johnson's hall. This oeing the first
Christmas tree in McCarthy for al!
the children, everyone, was enthusi
astic and did their part toward
making it a success. The children
responded with a delightful, enter
taining and beautifully rendered
program. St. Nicholas was theje
and presented each child with a
present and well filled stocking of
goodiesfrom the tree. After the pres
ents were, distributed, a lunch was
served by the ladies and a very
social evening ensued.
Christmas day Charlie Royal’s
dog team nearly ran down and de
molished Bill Spence.r’s team of
“Huskies" in his endeavor to over
take and capture the load of little
fairies Mr. Spencer was taking for
a Christmas ride. Chas. I. is seri
ously thinking of entering his
to.am in any dog rjce—nobody
barred.
A dance was enjoyed Christmas
night in Mr. Johnston’s hall.
Sam Thomas lost a horse on the
Nizina one day last week, while ea
route to the Chitina diggings. Sam
Recovered his load of freight, how
ever, and getting another horse
from McCarthy continue4 on his
way.
Rev. Jas. L. McBride, of Cordova,
passed through McCarthy, on his
way to Kennecott today. He wi'l
hold services at that place touigh*.
It is sad, indeed, that we have
another death to relate, this week,
that of Mr. Tim MacMullen, an old
time Alaskan, who passed away at
the Kennecott hospital on December
27. Relatives have not been located.
McCarthy, Dec. 29, 1914.
The. building at Sitka formerly
known as the governor’s house has
been turned over by the navy de
partment to the trustees of the
Alaska Pioneer’s Home for addi
tional quarters to the marine bar
racks now in use. Notwithstanding
the additional quarters thus pro
vided, territorial officials are doubt
ful as to whether further applica
tions for admission to the home can
be granted at present, the mainte
nance funds being now practically
exhausted. The territorial legis
lature meets in March, when provi
sion is expected to be made for the
I maintenance of the enlarged insti
tution.
Lights and buoys in the vicinity
of Wrangell Narrows are being in
spected and repaired by the tender
Columbine.
-u-.1— u
Jack Williams, an old Alaska
pioneer, died suddenly of heart dis
ease at Anchor Point November 23.
Edward Forsgren, a pioneer t>B
years of age, who came to Alaska in
the ’90s, was admitted to the Pio
neers' Home at Sitka from Candle.
Alaska.
On Hearst creek, a branch of the
Tatlanika river, the prospectors use
local coal for thawing the ground
Lowdc.rback states that they simply
knock off a few chunks from the big
veins projecting above the ground
and put them in the middle of a
wood fire. As soon as the coal
catches it burns strong aird long,
and strange to say leaves no clink
ers. This would indicate a splendid
quality of fuel.
Businessmen of Catanika are
building a cut-off trail to the Tolo
vana diggings which they claim re
duces mushing distance five miles.
Several new sinking outfits have
been moved to Vault creek in the
Fairbanks district because of the
good showings made there during
the past few months.
Natives from Nome recently re
turned from the Diomede islands,
where they went on a mining ex
pedition for old ivory and imple
ments used in years past by the
natives. It is said that they were
very successful on the trip. After
digging to a depth of 14 feet they
came upon a rich find of old imple
ments of the stone age of the Eski
mos and many pieces of old ivory.
Letters and papers received in
yestreday’s mail from Nome and
vicinity |pdicate. that the Seward
peninsula country is more active
this winter in a mining way than
for a number of years. This is espe
cially true with regard to individual
work, there being many miners en
gaged at present in taking out pay.
The winter thus far has been very
mild—-so mild in fact as to retard
winter operations fully a month.
An unkuov n vandal has been rob
bing caches and has burned at least
one cabin in the Salchaket district
on the uppe.r Tanana. Joseph Enos
is the principal loser.
Mushers returning to Fairbanks
have informed the Times that no
pay has yet been struck on Haley
river. Several claims are tied up
in litigation.
Three prospecting drills are work
ing at Hot Springs, on the Lower
Tanana and good pay is reported to
have been located.
The town of Lake, City has been
located at a central point in the
new Tolovana district where a large
amount of prospecting is being
done.
The Seward peninsula is claimed
to be the most highly mineralized
area of equal extent in the known
world.
The first overland mail irom the
outside arrived at Nome Dece.mber
11, the earliest winter arrival on
record.
The Canadian government has
ordered that all claims in which the
enlisted men are interested are to
be exempted from representation
until the return of the owners.
The fine detention hospital which
was built at Nome by the fe.deral
government has never, been used for
the purpose for which it was con
structed. An effort is being made
to secure the use of the building
for a hospital for natives.
That the government will start
building the railroad out of Fair
banks next spring, is the opinion of
Falcon Joslin.
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