THE CHITINA LEADER
CHI TIMA, ALASKA
Entered as second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice at
Chltina. Alaska, under the Act of Conbress of March 2. 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Tuesday by
HARRY G. STEEL, Editor and Proprietor.
Office: Hotel Chltina Building.
Cordova Office: Daily Times.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Month .*.* -6#
Six Months . 2.00
One Year ....3.50
advertising rates
Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable for the service
given. Official publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands of
the Copper River District.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1915.
BIG BODY OF ANTIMONY.
The uncovering of a forty foot ledge of antimony in the
Nizina district by M. F. Rowland, the orignal discoverer of the
rich placer diggings of that camp, means much to this section of
Alaska, as this metal is now in great demand as it is used ex
tensively as an alloy with other metals for chemical purposes,
as well as in the manufacture of shells and other war munitions.
Since the outbreak of the European .conflict there has been a
scarcity of this metal, and the price has soared skyward.
Mr. Rowland is a practical mining man and says that he
has one of the largest deposits of ore to be found anywhere,
which averages sixty per cent in antimony. He is now on his
way to the states with samples of this metal, and intends re
turning shortly to Cordova to proceed with the development of
his mine, which promises to be a big producer.
—-:o:
THE MAN FOR DIRECTOR OF MINES.
Since the death of Dr. Dr. J. A. Holmes there has been a
vacancy in the position of Director of Mines and if Alaskans
were consulted in the selection of his successor they would
almost unanimously agree upon George Watkins Evans for
this post. He is a geologist and an experienced coal mining
engineer, and is recognized as one of the most capable experts
on all things pertaining to coal and coal mining.
The present administration has shown its confidence in
Mr. Evans by deptizing him to superintend the mining of the
coal from the Matanuska field, in 1913, for a naval test, after
he had made an examination and report on the coal areas to
the westward. During the past summer Secretary of Interior
Lane selected Mr. Evans to make a survey of the Bering river
fields with reference to the decision of the coal areas into units,
which was done so as to conform to geological and topographic
conditions, and to indicate the best method of approach and the
most feasible manner to mine each unit.
Mr. Evans’ report, together with maps, drawings and recom
mendations, will be made to the Interior Department early in
November, from which the government will make its selections
of coal areas for naval purposes. As Secretary Lane is anxious
to see the coal lands opened and mined, he hopes to evolve a
workable lease that will prove sufficiently attractive for capital
to develop this great latent resource of Alaska, and that very
soon.
All of which goes to prove that Mr. Evans’ experience and
sendee stamps him as a most capable man to be Director of
Mines.
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AN ALASKAN EXPOSITION.
Alaska is to have an exposition. It is already planning it
and has set the date—early in the summer of 1917, when Alaska
will be fifty years old as an American territory, it having been
acquired in 1867.
The idea is not altogether to attract tourists to Alaska as
visitors. The Alaskans want to get them there so that they
may see the resources and possibilities of the territory in the
hope that some of them will become settlers.
Such an exposition will prove sufficiently attractive to over
come th ehandicap—so far as the east is concerned—of a rather
long and somewhat expensive journey.
The public is at last beginning to know more about Alaska,
to realize that it is not a cold, desolate land, but a magnificient
empire much of which has a climate as good or better than that
along the northern Atlantic seaboard. It is being called a
wonderland, as it is, and curiosity concerning it will take many
a tourist there when the exposition is held.—Schenectady, (N.
W.) Gazette.
— — :o:
The American Anti-Saloon League has its eyes on Alaska
and with a campaign fund of $2,000,000 is determined to put
this territory and the Hawaiian islands in the dry column. The
residents fo Alaska will be given an opportunity next Nov
ember to cast their ballots for or against prohibition. In order
to help their cause along temperance speakers of national repu
tation are to be sent north next year and a whirlwind cam
paign may be looked for.
Word comes from Anchorage that merchants there have
it in for Seward because of he unfavorable publicity to that
part of the country which has eminated from here. A very
natural feeling. It is not easy to swallow gratutious knocks
from a neighbor who ought to realize that his interests are
common with yours.—Seward Post.
-;o:
Cordova is certainly receiving its share of publicity in the
financial world through the wonderful production of copper ore
from the Bonanza and Jumbo mines, owned by the Kennecott
Copper Corporation, which stock sold a short time ago for $25
a share and is now eargerly sought on the market at over $60.
-1-;o:
One of the interesting statements contained in a recently
published report of the territorial mining inspector is that there
appears to be “a mania for falling down mining shafts in the
Fairbanks district."—Iditarod Pioneer.
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A Kansas man has contributed to the world’s knowledge
of economics. He explans that he can’t accumulate because
while he receives wages for only six days he has to buy gro
ceries for seven. The simplicity of most great questions when
amply explained continues to be one of life’s wonders.
The latest fashions make it possible for women the more
easily to pocket their pride. The pockets are fairly easy to
find now. .
OIL AND ALASKA COAL.
While it was not to have been expected that a representa
tive of the Morgan-Guggenheim syndicate would talk enthusi
astically of the outlook for the government railroad' in Alaska,
the opinion of Stephen Birch, as expressed in a recent, inter
view, relative to the probable difficulty which will be met
with in disposing of Alaska coal outside of the territory, is
shared by a number of prominent men who have made a study
of conditions on the Pacific coast.
One of these men, who believes as Birch does, that oil will
limit the sale of Alaska coal, is J. M. Davidson, a mining en
gineer who was identified with the construction of the Miocene
ditch at Nome. In a statement made recently at Seattle, on
the eve of his departure for the North, Mr. Davidson declared
that the steady increase in the production of oil had begun to
worry the coal dealers of the Pacific coast. “They see their
markets constantly diminishing,” he said, “their one bright
ray of hope being that the fuel oil fields will .be short lived, or
that somebody will invent a method by which the full value of
the thermal heat units of coal may uiilized, instead of wasted,
as is the case at present, with 86 per cent of the heat going up
the flue in smoke, sparks and soot.
“Oil is cheap,” he continued'. “Desperately so. There
is not a sufficient demand, and oil deterioates when stored—
especially when the storage is an open tank. Much of the
volatile matter escapes. The thing that the Pacific coast needs,
more than anything else, to bring unboundetd prosperity, is
manufacturing industries in which its abundant supply of both
coal and oil and water power could be utilized.”
Referring to the coal fields of the North, he suggested' that
had the Matanuska and Bering river districts been opened
six or seven years ago, the Alaskan product would have had a
much better chance in the markets of the Pacific coast than it
will have when the government railroad solves the problem of
transportation, chiefly owing to the fact that many of the
steamships and railroads are now equipped with oil burners.—
Fairbanks Times.
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ROAD COMMISSION'S ANNUAL REPORT.
The Board of Road Commissioners for Alaska is preparing
its usual annual report after approximately ten years of exist
ence, although as stated in the report, “by reason of the meagre
fund available and the need for some preliminary examination
and reconnaisance of routes, its work proper may be said to
have begun in the spring of 1906.”
The mileage constructed' and maintained during this period
is given in round numbers, 900 miles of wagon road, 575 miles
of winter sled roads, and more than 2000 miles of trails. The
Board notes that the total amount received from the “Alaska
Fund” is $110,586.17 less than the total of special appropria
tions by Congress, but goes on to state that this difference has
has probably been more than made up by receipts from the local
road tax law (which was operative until repealed by the first
Alaska Legislature), together with some voluntary subscrip
tions, principally from the towns of Fairbanks, Cordova and
Nome; thus making the amounts received from Federal and
from Territorial sources practically the same.
After two years’ experience the Board gave the following
figures as the average cost of the different classifications of
roads and trails: "Wagon roads, $2,200 per mile; winter sled
roads, $250 per mile, and trail $100 per mile. These figures are
now in round numbers, $3000 for wagon road, $325 for winter
sled road, and $100 or less for trail: (includes surveys, main
tenance, and all office and overhead charges since he beginning
of the work.) A few of the more expensive bridges, detached
ferries, and the temporary staking of winter trails, are carried
seperately. The report continues in uart as follows:
“The cost of maintenance of the summer wagon
road has been relatively high, as might be expected
from the soil and climatic conditions in Alaska and the
type of road (previously described as what would be
classed as good country road), to which the Board
is compelled to adhere on account of limited funds.
It is difficult to separate accurately the expenditures
for construction from those for repair and mainten
ance, as “repair” frequently necessitated improve
ment upon the orginal construction, but it is safe to
say that not to exceed an average of $2000 per mile has
been spent on construction proper. This amount has
been exceeded, naturally, and even multiplied three
or four times, in some instances, whereas in other sec
tions, where the traffic is light and the soil conditions
favorable, relatively smaller amounts have been re
quired.”
The Board does not class any of the roads constructed as
“automobile roads,” and has not felt justified in encouraging
the use of automobiles upon them. . Nevertheless, there in use
at this time on the different roads more than a hundred
trucks and passenger car. * * # The report goes on to state that
a number of machines have been carrying passengers over the
main wagou road’ beteween Fairbanks and Valdez on the Coast,
and over the Willow Creek-Chitina branch to the railroad,
making the distance out to Valdez on one occasion in three and
one-half days, and to Chitina in less than three. The service
would become continous and regular if the road were in condi
tion to warrant it. These routes were accurately measured
last season for the first time showing Fairbanks to Valdez 370
miles, Fairbanks to Chitina 328 miles. The cut-off from Wil
low Creek to Chitina is 39 miles, making the total mileage in
round numbers, 409 miles. * * *
This road crosses two main ranges, also numerous glacier
streams which, being fed by the melting glaciers and snows in
the summer, against which protection is difficult and expen
sive. During the past summer, for six or eight weeks the
struggle against this destructive agency has been extremely
costly.
Referring to the cost of road work it is stated that the re
latively high scale of wages and cost of subsistence, especially
in the interior, make the cost of such work in Alaska not less
than double the cost of similar work under conditions generally
prevailing in the States. Day laborers receive from $2.50 to
$5.00 per day with board, and the wages of other employes are
correspondingly high.
-;o:
We note that C. K. Snow, the father of the prohibition bill
in the late legislature, does not allow his grape-juice tendencies
to interefer with the income of his newspaper, the Ruby Record
Citizen, to such an extent as to refuse advertising from the
saloons. The Record-Citizen carries two such, and one of them
right at the bottom of the editorial column.—Fairbanks Citizen. |
One now must have a very broad
view to keep well informed on the cop
per world. For many years American
incestors have looked to this country
alone as dominating in the red metal
market because the American produc
tion was two-thirds of the world out
put and of this we exported about 60
per cent.
We have grown confident in our
position because the big deposit in
Australia requires seven years' work
to bring it to a producing basis, while
more than seven years' wor kin Cen
tral Africa has failed to bring out
Tanganyika as any effective factor in
the metal market. South America
has had a record of past performances.
Now South America is likely to
come forward in the copper world with
the latest Chilean development, but
Alaska bids fair to rival Chili as the
new source of copper supply.
We paid $7,500,000 for Alaska, or
about the same amount that Boston
people and their associates have put
in cash into a single gold mine—Al
aska Gold, about 750,000 shares with
a par cost of $10, now selling at more
than three times this amount.
Recently the reports from Alaska
of copper expansion were" so large
that we refused to print them until
we had made further investigation.
Henry Krumb reported on the Al
aska copper field and it was upon his
report that $21,000,000 was put into
a railroad in Alaska to open up this
field, as Engineer Pope Yeatman ad
vised.
All sorts of difficulties stood in the
way of this railroad and within three
years a western mining man reported
that the copper field would just about
return the cost of the road.
Engineer Henry Krumb on July 29
wired to the bankers who put the
money into the building of the road
and the development of the Kenne
cott mine:
“Ore showing is the greatest in the
history of mining and has wonderful
possibilities.”
On the 16th of August Krumb again
wired:
“Conditions greatly changed in nine
years. Kennecott a world beater.”
These telegrams are believed to be
based on the showing of one of the
company's mining veins on the 500
foot level, where for a width of 61
feet the copper ore assays 70 per
cent.
This of course, means that where
in the Butte mining camp, the Bon
anza or 70 per cent ore was found
for a few feet in the center of a vein
100 to 120 feet wide, Alaska has gone
the Butte camp and the famous Ana
conda several times better.
Copper matte from the smelter usu
ally assays from 55 to 65 per cent.,
and when the Anaconda, the greatest
silver mine in the world, struck a
heavy black ore of very much the ap
pearance of anthacite coal, and made
its first shipment of a carload to Swan
sea for treatment and report, the re
ply was, “unusually high in copper,
about 66 per cent. How do you make
such a grade matte?" and it took sev
eral days of correspondence to con
vince the smeltrs of Old Swansea
across the ocean that they were rece
iving ore instead of the product of a
smelter.
Henry Krumb was the field engin
eer who reported on Utah Copper, the
Nevada Consolidated, and did the
drilling and reporteing on Ral, and the
drilling and reporting on Inspiration,
which latter company will soon come
into the copper world with over a hun
dred million pounds of copper and
may rival the famous Utah Copper
mine with its 180,000,000-pound pro
duction.
The problem now is, what does
Krumb mean, aB a conservative min
ing engineer, when he reports Kenne
cott a world beater and its ore show
ing the greatest in the history of min
ing?
His detailed report and personal
observations are awaited with consid
erable interest by the men in New
York who have been identified with
the building of the railroad and the
development of Kennecott Copper.
Besides the above dispatches, which
were too strong for print, even though
from an engineer with such a record
behind him, the real news is that the
capacity of the smelter at Tacoma has
been ordered expanded so as to make
a product of 90,000,000 pounds of cop
per per annum from Kennecott.
There are 110,000,000 Kennecott
bonds covering the mining property,
and one-half the net earnings must
be devoted to the retirement of these
bonds, but the whole may convert at
any time after June 1, 1917, into
stock at |2S per share. There are
now outstanding 720,000 shares, with
out par value. It is believed from!
present indications that all the bonds
will take the first opportunity to con
vert, bnt meanwhile or for a year
and a half after January, one
half the net earnings must go into a
sinking fund for their retirement, but
they are neither convertible nor call
able until June 1, 1917, when they may
be converted as above or called at 105.
Therefore we must figure on the con
version of all the bonds, as the trus
tees may be unable to call any in be
fore June 1, 1917. At $45 a share the
mine has a market value of about $50,
000.000.
As this company has now the lowest
cost sheet in the world at under 5
cents per pound, the question of divi
dends upon its shares is already under
discussion and in some quarters pre
dictions are made of $6 a share for a
beginning.—Boston News Bureau.
ALASKA TIN IS
WALES
The following Is the subject o* a
government bulletin under the title
“Search for Tin in America:"
In view of the iterest of an ade
quate tin supply for the United States
and the discussion of the smelting of
Bolivian ore on the Atlantic seaboard,
and possibly on Puget Sound, the pub
lication by the United States geologi
cal survey of a special bulletin on tin
mining in Alaska is opportune. It is
noteworthy, too, that specimens of
stream tin were collected by survey
geologists in Alaska in 1900, before
this metal was known to occur in the
Territory. Soon after that time pros
pecting for stream tin became active,
and two years later a commercial pro
duction of tin ore was made.
The survey was also closely identi
fied with the finding of lode deposits of
tin. In 1903 two prospectors brought
to survey geologists in Alaska some
specimens of float from Lost river
which they thought might be tin ore.
All the specimens but one were worth'
less. From this one the geologists
obtained tin by smelting it in a teacup
in their cookstove after which both
the geologists and the prospectors
went to Lost river and discovered
a vein of lode tin. This lode on Lost
river has since been extensively min
ed. Some of the Alaska tin ore has
been reduced at Seattle, Wash., within
the last two years.
The report just issued presents a
review of other work by the geological
seurvey and the re-examination of the
more important tin deposits by Geolo
gist Henry M. Eakin.
The total tin production for the per
iod 19102-1914 amounted to 526 tons of
metallic tin, valued at $380,000. The
Alaskan tin ores have heretofore been
shipped for reduction to Swansea
(Wales) and Singapore. A copy of
the report (Bulletin 622-B) may be ob
tained on application to the Director,
United States Geological Survey,
Survey, Washington, D. C.
:o:
REMAINS “KAYAK" SMITH
HAVE BEEN FOUND
While earning on his work in con
nection with the investigation of the
coal lands in the Bering Sea district,
George Watkins Evans, discovered the
remains of the body of “Kayak” Smith
a white man, who disappeared in that
vicinity two or three years ago, and
was believed to have committed sui
cide.
Only a few of the bones were intact,
the remains indicating beyond a doubt
that the man had been attacked by
wolves. A rifle and two or three
shells were found a short distance to
the right of the place where the body
had lain, and from this, scraps of the
man’s clothing, and a knife which was
marked, the indentification of “Kayak”
Smith was made possible.
“Kayak” Smith came to Alaska
many years ago, and was a very well
known figure in the Katalla country.
U. S. Commissioner Robt. D. Gray
ordered the remains and the two weap
ons to be brought to Katalla.
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VISITORS BARRED FROM
ALL CANADIAN STEAMERS
Collector of Customs Pugh of Ju
neau, has issued an order preventing
visitors from going on board Canadian
staemers while they are in Alaskan
ports. The order follows the con
viction of the captain of the Canadian
Pacific steamer Princess Sophia, for
carrying two passengers from Juneau
to Ketchikan. The passengers were
Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner, of Juneau,
who had boarded the steamer at June
au in the early morning hours to visit
with a Skagway lady, who was a pas
senger south. The officers of the
steamer did not know the couple were
on board and carried them to Ketchi
kan, where they were allowed to
leave and take another steamer back
home. The Sophia was fined $400 for
violation of internatlonl law.
ALASKA'S INSANE
ARE MOSTLY MEN
During the quarter ending June 30,
1915, twelve insane patients were
committed to Morningside Sanitarium
from Alaska, of this number 5 have
been discharged, have died and 3
have escaped.
Patients are cared for at the San
itarium under the contract entered in
to March 19, 1914. which will last for
five years and will provide that Alas
ka patients be cared for at the rate
of |27.50 per capita per month. This
contract is revocable at the discretion
of the Secretary of the Interior.
Since the insane of Alaska have
been sent to Morningside for treat
ment, under contracts of this sort, or
since February 6, 1909, the folloying
numbers of patients have been at the
sanitarium from this Territory: In
September. 1909. there were 133 pa
tients, in July 1910 there were 122,
in July 1911, 145, in July of 1912 there
were 160, in September of 1913 there
were 189, and in June 1914, there were
181.
The records show that a large ma
jority of these patients have been
men.
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PINK SALMON PRICE
DISAPPOINTS CANNERYMEN
While the price on reil medium
red salmon is up to expectations,
Alaska cannerymen are disappointed
over the opening price of pink fish,
which is 75 cents, or fifteen cents lpw
er than the opening price of pinks last
year. The cannerymen expected the
price to be eighty or eighty-five cents,
owing to the off-year on Puget Sound
and in Southwestern Alaska.
A schedule of prices is as follows:
Dozen Tails.
Reds.$1.60
Medium Reds . 1.15
Pinks .75
Chums *.65
Dozen, Half Flats.
Reds . 1.15
Dozen, Pound Flats.
Reds . 1.65
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PROSPECTORS FIND AN
UNDERGROUND LAKE
Two prospectors working on Flat
Creek in the Koyukuk district sunk
a hole 225 feet and ran into clar blue
ice. After working with steam pipes
which they ran down a great distance
they were unable to find any bottom
to the ice and finally gave up hope of
using it as a prospect. It is generally
believed that the source of the ice
must be a subterranean lake which
has frozen solid.
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EARLY EXPORTATION OF
ALASKA GRANBERRIES
Among the records of the govern
ment of the exports from Alaska to
San Francisco, kept during the ear
liest years of the occupation by the
United States, is the item of six bar
rels and one cask of cranberries, val
ue $70. There were sent from Sitka
on the ship “Winged Arrow" on July
17th, 1868.
In the “Alaska Herald” published in
San Francisco. Colif., March 15th,
1869, appears an item as follows re
lating to the cranberries from Alaska.
“The Kodiak fruit readily commands
in the market from 15 to 20 cents more
per quart than the Oregon.” It is al
so said that the northern berries are
put into casks, water put over them,
and the cask headed up, in which
condition they keep for months with
out deterioration through both warm
and cold weather.
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Nome Pastor Goes to Juneau.
The Rev. Guy Christian, for several
years priest in charge of the Eplco*
pal church at Nome, will become pas
tor of Trinity Episcopal church, Ju
neau, and will arrive there about Octo
ber X.
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P. O. SELLS RECEIPT TAGS
FOR PARCEL PACKAGES
In accordance with a recent regula
tion of the Post Office Department,
the local office is now prepared to
give receipts for fourth-class matter
in return for a fee of one cent. The
receipt tag is given for “one ordinary
parcel of the fourth class addressed
—to.” and states that
it does not provide for indemnification.
A corner of the tag is marked off for
the one-cent stamp which pays the
fee.
Tags which will show that the arti
cles have been delivered are also on
sale at the post office. This tag is
attached to the package, at the time
of mailing and bears a one-cent stamp.
When the package is delivered the tag
is mailed back to the sender. No in
surance element is involved in either
of the tags.
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Lady Appointed Notary.
Mary N. Cole, of Nizina, has been
appointed a notary public for the ter
ritory of Alaska.