Published Every Thursday at Tanana, Alaska,
VjI I EY GIBEOlY PUBLISHING CO. No.21
Geo. M. Arbueltla, RZanagor
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mivenisinK ruuws on Mppucaiion.
THE COMING COUNTRY
A far-seeing editorial writer on the Anaconda Standard,
which paper is always friendly to Alaska, in a recent issue
said of this territory:
“If it can he credited with nothing else, and it can,
the exposition at Seattle is presenting to the investment
world some features of Alaska’s resources in addition -to its
gold possibilities. Since the gates of the fair were thrown
open, more has been written concerning the-resources-of the
northern sister than had been told in all the years before.
“In a general way people have understood that copper,
coal and iron abounded in Alaska; but these resources have
been exploited in the press pretty generally in the last few
weeks. A man who acted for years as one of J. J. Hill’s
western advisers says in a recent interview that Alaska is
going to be a great factor in the commerce of the world;
that it has the very material which is needed for the opera
tion of great iron works on the North Pacific coast; that
before long, steel rails will be made from ore mined in
Alaska, and that rails for the entire west will be supplied
from this projected plant.
“The timber possibilities are being talked about now
as never before. There is said to be a quality of wood up
there adaptable for paper pulp; also timber from which ex
cellent lumber can be manufactured, and this in abundance.
The Perkins party that visited Batte and Anaconda recently
is enroute to Alaska, accompanied by Guggenheim repre
sentatives, and they are going there to inspect copper prop
erties reported to be of immense proportions.
“The Louisiana purchase proved to be a successful
deal. The same may be said regarding the purchase of
Alaska. Yet, when Secretary Seward negotiated the Alas
kan deal, most people in the United States regarded it as a
bit of poor business.”
Jerome Degraw, a woodchopper and trapper who lias been living
on the Tanana liver for some months past, has been confined in the
federal jail in this city since July 28.
On that date he hurried to the Fort Gibbon barracks and excitedly
told the soldiers that “they are after me; that they are sneaking along
the river bank laying for me, and I want the protection of the garri
son.” Marshal Vautier was sent for, and removed the bewildered
man to the jail where he has been under rhe observation of Dr. C. L.
Chase, the post physician.
On his arrival at the Sail the guards found $40 in his pockets, but
later in the day when Degraw was prepared for the •bath a tin tobacco
box was located in his underclothing, and beneath a thin layer of to
bacco $240 in currency was neatly folded.
Last Friday in Commissioner Galiaber’s court a jury composed oi
William F. Hoelscher, William H. Blair, G. H. North, Lynn Smith,
Andrew G. Vachon and Bert Poe, after listening to Degraw's testi
mony as to how he was pursued by persons having evil designs on
him, and to that ol Dr. Chase and others, returned a verdict declaring
Mr. Degraw "duly and truly insane.”
Judge Gallaher has officially notified the district court of the action
taken in the local court, and Degraw will be held here until the mar
shal finds it convenient to remove the unfortunate man to the asylum
for the insane at Mt. Tabor, Ore.
Proposes Survey of Alaska
Secretary of the Interior Ballinger, who has been visiting at his
home in Seattle, says that Ins department is taking steps lor a survey
of the public lands in Alaska. Geological surveyors at wotk in the
territory have been instructed to make reports for base lines and raeri
dians for survey use, and these reports will be employed in working
out methods for complete surveys. The department in its annual re
port next December will recommend to congress that an appropriation
be made to begin the' work of surveying Alaska lands.
The geological surveyors are also instructed to make reports upon
the extent and character of agricultural lands and climatic conditions
as far as possible in order that the department may have definite data
concerning agricultural possibilities of the territory to be used in a
recommendation that all agricultural lauds in the territory he opened
to the pubiic. The secretary says the present administration hopes to
accomplish a great deal for the development of Alaska, and will favor
any legislation in the interest of the territory.
An Insult to Noah
C. B. QJI.VCY
Iii n lamentably pica punish spirit, the Society of Naval Aichitects
and Marine Engineers, recently in session at Detroit, lias refused hon
orary membership to Noah, on the absurd charge that he was not a 'de
signer, but a gamekeeper.
The action is an insult to a great marine architect, engineer, com
mander and inventor, and I predict that it will prove a boomerang and
bite the hand that conceived it, to use a metaphor as mixed as the
brains of the self styled naval architects.
Noah needs no defense from me; but is there one of these navai
irehitects able to design a ship that could carry even the tr< phits o
iiwaua Ttimbo, ! t along the living and kicking animals?
Is there a man in the society capable of designing a houseboat ii
which three sisters in law could live harmoniously, wall one anotlie
*ud with their mother in-law for forty days? Noah did it.
Is there a marine engineer capable of hoisting elephants and Jilin
bugs safely aboard with the same winch? Noah did.
Is there a purser who could, without argument, assign staterooms
to the sons of Sliem, Ham and Japheth? ^oah did it with the fathers.
Is there a steward who could cater for the first cabin and at the
same time overlook nothing needed by the- auteater or caterpillar? I;
was easy for Noah.
How would the captain of a crack liner like to he adrift on a
Urange ocean w ithout chart or compass? He would probably commit
-uicide; whereas Noah never worried, and accomplished a feet nevei
unee equalled—that of docking his packet safely on the top of a raoun
ain.
Who, it may be asked, sent the first wireless? Again the answer
is Noah. Jack Binns is a commonplace figure beside Noah, umbrella
in hand, leaning over the side to see whence his dove dispatch wouh
be answered.
And this is the man to whom the Society of Naval Architects and
Marine Engineers refuses honorary membership! Fortunately, far
trorn injuring Noah, the society’s action but belittles itself.
For the action of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engi
neers at Saturday’s session in Detroit there is, of course, an excuse,
but it is a pretty poor one, says the New York Tribune. Noah was
primarily a gamekeeper, as one of the members pointed out; but he
was a good deal more. He was unquestionably a ship designer, too,
and the vessel which made him famous was a marvellous success
There being no necessity that it should develop speed, no time, trouble
ar money was devoted to propelling machinery, but the craft which he
built possessed the three essential qualities—capacity, buoyancy and
stanchness. It never started a seam. It floated until its mission was
fully performed Before voting down the resolution to make Noah an
honorary member, it would not have been inappropriate to ask whether
but for the service he rendered to the human race there would have
been any ships or ship designers since his day.
Moreover, the old gentleman’s talents were by no means limited
to marine architecture and gamekeeping, Though the period’ during
which he was called upon to act as a sea captain was short, he proved
equal to to the occasiou. lie was also a meteorologist. Indeed, lie was
a considerably better weather forecaster than some who have followed
that profession alone. Besides, he seems to have been one of those
versatile men who not only know when it is going to rain, but also
know enough to come in when it does rain.
Coincident with the latest bomb explosion in the war of rival gam
biers in the streets of Chicago, and with the trial of Ella Gingles, the
19-vear-old Irish laeemaker, who was abused by white slave traders in
the Hotel Wellington, the big city on Lake Michigan has been stirred
fo its depth by the cumulative revelations of city official graft and vice
published in the Daily Socialist. At first the other papers ignored the
whole matter as a partisan maneuve., but as the Socialist daily became
bolder and gave names and dates and figures to sustain its charges, the
politicians in control began to take notice, and the reform bodies forced
the prosecutor to bring the matter to the attention of the grand jury.
Editor Simons, of the Daily Socialist, and part of his staff being asked
to tell all they knew. This they refused to do on the gtound that the
secrecj' of the jury was being violated in the interest of wealthy graft
ers. Thereupon the state’s attorney issued a statement discrediting
the paper’s exposure. Simons defied the authorities to punish him and
his' associates, and his volunteer newsmen sold tens of thousands ol
extra copies of the Socialist 011 the streets to people who had never
heard of the paper before.
GRAZING LANDS
FOR THE WORLD
Arriving from Kodiak and other
islands to the westward on the Ber
the today were W. A. Gossett and
son, Charley Gossett, cattle and
business men of Baker City, Ore
gon, who have been looking over
country with a view of investing.
They left on the Bertha for the
south, but expect to return later,
says the Cordova North Star.
Mr. Gossett says the Aleutian
chain of islands will, in time, be the
grazing lands for the warld’s mar
ket of horses, cattle and sheep. The
grass is even superior to the famous
bunch grass of the West, and
enough wild hay can be put up to
keep vast herds for the short time.
for which the}' have to be fed dur
ing the winter months. He believes
that stock can be shipped from the
: islands cheaper via. water to ports
I in America, Alaska and Asia than
from from any part of the western
hemisphere: certainly very much
cheaper than from east of the moun
tains, where a rail haul is neces
sary. He believes that goats will
prove more marketable and valua
ble at the present time than sheep.
He has plans under way for a big
farm, and is now enroule outside
with a view of arranging the neces
sary details.
THE KNOCKER
I like to run my chickens upon
my neighbor’s lawn; I live to raise
the dickens from sunset until dawn;
to spend my time in whining, and
grunting and repining, and when
the sun is shining, to swear the
sunlight’s gone. I live to loaf and
languish while others strive and
toil, to kick uplots ol anguish, «nd
trouble and turmoil; 1 live to find
and handle all sorts of grief and
scandal; folks say I am a vandal,
and should be boiled in oil. I live
to scoff at virtue. I live to make a
fad. of all the things tint hurt you,
and put you to the bad; I live to
prove the thesis that hope s as dead
ns Greece is, and honor shot to
pieces, and all the world gone mad.
. I live to fuss and clamor, while
I others smile and sing; to pack
j around a hammer, and knock on •
| everything; to make my tongue a
sabre, and slash at useful labor; to
crilicbe my neighbor—and thus I
have my fling—Walt Mason.
Hair cutting, shaving, shampooing—
Matt Stewart's barber shop.
i Did You Know That the
I GIBBON BAR
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Noble's, Lacey’s, and the celebrated Hunter
Ilye, also Old Valley, in pints and quarts
Pabst, Schlitz, Olympia and Bndweiser
always on hand
!
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ONLY FIRST CLASS GOODS HANDLED
THE PIONEER BAR.
THE OLD RELIABLE.
FINEST WINES, LIQUORS ANI) CIGARS. GIVE
US A TRIAL. A SQUARE DEAL TO ALL.
Tool and Hilliard Tables in Connection.
JOE ANIC1CH, PROP
GOTO THE
Golden North Restaurant.
Wliile In Tanana For Good Meals
And Best Service.
BEST GOODS OX 'i'llIC MARKET
Meals at all Hours.
ED LEE Proprietor.
When You Go to California Where Every Month
is June, Travel on the
CALIFORNIA
LIMITED
Only Train in Southern California, via. Any Line,
Exclusively First-Class Travel
HAST OR WEST
THE COMFORTABLE WAY IS VIA. THE
Great Northern
Railway
CLOSE CONNECTIONS
To All Points East or West, With Two Modern Over
. land Trains in Either Direction Daily.
FOE FULL INFORMATION ADDRESS
F. I. Whitney, Passenger Traffic Manager, St. Paul, Minn.
—O R—
S. 1). Ycrkcs, Assistant Gen. Pass. Agent, Seattle, Wash.