The Chitina Leader
CHITINA, ALASKA.
Entered as second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice at
Chitina. Alaska, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Saturday by
wtt.t. a. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—HABHY o. STEEL
'Office: Hotel Chitina Building. Cordova Office: Daily Alaskan
Seattle Office: 551 Colman Building.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Month .L’no
Six Months .
One Year .. j S0
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 Rive; Cistrlct.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 1914,
AN INDIFFERENCE TO A REAL AID
Over in Sewax’d they have a new editor who is not very
familiar with the thoughts and acts of the people of this part
of Alaska. He cannot understand just why greater encourage
ment and assistance is not given the newspapers which are
continually boosting their respective towns and doing more to
keep up the courage of its own people, and drawing new ones,
than all other elements. Its a hard question to answer, and is
beyond us, but the fact remains that in few Alaskan towns do
you find sincei’e newspaper boosters. Of course the editoi’s get
accustomed to this indifference and just pursue the even tenor
of their ways without hope of l’ewai’d or even any idea of
encouragement. And Editor Sawyer will soon fall in line and
not lose any time or peace of mind in wondering why this
tlnxsness. One of his ai'tieles seeks to impress the Sewardites
with the value of a live daily, as follows:
Each week Alaska newspapers receive numerous
l’eqxxests for sample copies from various sections of the
countiy. It is peculiar that these inquiries do not find
their way to the commei’cial bodies since scarcely a
| town in Alaska can be said to be without a promotion
ox’ganization, either alive or lingei-ing between life and
i death. Yet a moment’s thought will show that the news
j paper is the best index of the life of a community.
Promotion literature is often exaggerated in words and
! illustrations. The newspapei’s on the other hand,
) chronicle the whole life and spirit of the community;
] l’eflect its shadows and lights and tell the bad along
with the good.
Thus the Seward Gateway each mail receives
requests for sample copies; sometimes a stamp enclosed,
often not. There is no other agency that pi'omotes the
development of a town more than a live newspaper and
the newspaper reflects the real home life of a com
munity closer than any other form of effort, because
its reports must be accurate and tnxthful to merit the
continued confidence of its l-eaders.
• Still there are those who are continually criticising
the newspapers; who by a spirit of confidence contribute
nothing to its columns, and who never assist its editors
in obtaining interesting articles.
ENDORSES AUTO MAIL SERVICE
The establishment of a summer auto service between
Fairbanks and the Southern terminus of the overland road, as
planned by the Alaska road commission, will be a splendid
thing for Fairbanks and the whole of Interior Alaska, as it
will solve the problem of summer mail delivery. Not that there
is any assurance that a public mail sendee will be inaugurated
during the coming summer. The dispatches do not state that.
But it is reasonable to believe that the road will be used the
year round for that purpose long before the railroad is
completed, provided it is demonstrated by the commission that
a regular summer schedule can be maintained.
In order to do that, it will be necessary for the commission
to expend considerable money on the road. Colonel Richardson
undoubtedly realizes this, as he made a trip over the road last
summer in an auto, and had ample opportunity to study
conditions. And the announcement that the service is to be
established within a few weeks indicates that he sees no
difficulty in the way of improving the highway so that it will
be a real benefit to the territory.
The iise of the overland road as a summer mail route will
mean a saving of many days in the delivery of letters in
Interior Alaska, and a still greater saving will be effected on
the outward-bound journey. The improvement of the road so
that autos can make the trip comfortably also will stimulate
. travel to the interior by affording a cheap means of transpor
tation from that particular part of the coast where the
majority of those attracted to the territory by the railroad will
congregate.
The money expended on the road will not be lost to the
government. The travel of a single season, after the traveling
has been made easy, will mean a saving to Alaskans of more
than the amount expended to put the road in good condition,
and inasmuch as the highway passes through a rich mineral
and agricultural country, it is destined to become a valuable
feeder to the railroad, and probably will be used generally as
a public highway as long as there is a public to use it.—
Fairbanks Times.
Secretary of the Interior Lane is a man wise in his day
and generation. And for that reason rumor has it that when
Secretary Bryan retires from the state portfolio that he will be
succeeded by Secretary Lane. When the latter gentleman
comes to Alaska in July all conjectures about tidewater terminal
for the government railroad will assume a new aspect. The
people of Cordova are perfectly willing that Secretary Lane
make the decision on the superiority of terminals.
The word go has been given and this afternoon at Chitina
the first stake was driven in the survey of a route for govern
ment railroads in Alaska.
THE ALASKAN EXHIBIT
The purpose of Senator Jones to amend the sundry civil
bill to provide for an Alaskan building and an exhibit at the
San Francisco exposition will meet with the approval of every
friend of the Northland, here and elsewhere. Doubtless Senator
Jones is proceeding in the only way by which an appropriation
of $200,000 can be secured. It is unlikely that Congress, with
its calendar crowded with measures which must be left waiting
at adjoui’nment time could be induced to pass a special bill.
The administration can provide no better object lesson for
the country than to install at San Fi*aneisco an exhibit of
Alaskan products which will show convincingly that the expen
diture of $35,000,000 for a railroad is amply justified. The
opposition to the Alaskan railroad bill came largely from
congressmen unfamiliar with the magnificent resources of the
North. Even yet there are millions of people in this country
who have but a vague idea of the natural wealth of Alaska.
Probably among the thousands of visitors at the exposition
there will be many who are uninformed concerning the real
Northland.
The discussion of Alaska in the newspapers and magazines
within the last six months has aroused a public interest never
before known. Now that the government has taken the first
step toward developing the great territory, the demand for
ixxformation is increasing. Pi'obably there will be no attraction
at San Fi’ancisco which will surpass the Alaskan exhibit in
genex-al intei-est. That will depend upon its being well done,
and the friends of Alaska should see to it that the pi’oposed
exhibit is adequate.—Seattle Post Intelligencei’.
REVENUE CUTTER NEEDED
The report of the grand jury at Valdez last week indicated
that everything was running all right over at fedei’al head
quarters. A few recommendations were made, including one
that might with profit be urged by all the people and commer
cial clubs on the Sound. On an important subject the report
reads:
“On account of the constant increase of shipping to Prince
William Sound ports, and the further increase that will come
when construction commences on tfie government railroad, the
urgent need for safe and quick ti’anspoxdation at times for the
U. S. marshal and his deputies, and the fact that sevei-al boats
have been wrecked in and near these waters during the past
few years we believe the stationing of a revenue cutter in these
watex*s to be an absolute necessity. We sti’onglv recommend
that a revenue cutter be stationed in the watei's of Prince
William Sound, and if no boat is available, that the matter be
laid before Congress and a sufficient appropriation be asked
for with which to build one.”
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Lord Curzon opposes woman suffrage because women
might enter parliament. Convincing, at least to him.
A Chicago experimenter announces that a family of five
can live on $4.50 a week. Useless knowledge. Who wants to?
Senator Cummins’ “Iowa idea” having been eclipsed, a
Greater Iowa booster committee is raising $100,000 to advertise
the state some other way.
A little more than a year ago The Alaska Times, or more
generally known as The Weakly Joke, was started at Cordova.
Its excuse for birth was primarily to put the Daily Alaskan
out of business and secondary to advance the political
ambitions of Ajax, its owner. The effort proved fruitless and
costly and now Ajax gets from under by selecting two
temporary victims, who at different times worked for him and
took part remuneration in valuable (?) stock, and he has
leased the plant to them. And the end is not yet.
In all this talk of surveying routes for government
railroads in Alaska, the towns of Cordova and Chitina were
lost sight of in the preliminaries. But “the last shall be first”
and now the first survey party has already started from
Chitina to survey the route from there to the Matanuska coal
fields. It won’t be necessary to survey a line from the Copper
River & Northwestern Railway to the Bering River coal fields
because the Commission has already the most available infor
mation obtainable on that route, which was surveyed under
direction of the late E. C. Hawkins.
The Copper River country was a little late in coming to
the front with the Alaska Engineering Commission, but the
order to start a surveying party at once from Cordova to the
Matanuska coal fields sounds reasonable and indicates that the
people of this section only need to exercise patience to see d
connecting railroad line start from Chitina.
Alaska can afford all kinds of novel experiences to the
Puget Sound sightseers. One of the pleasant social features
was the wedding of Deputy Marshal Harry Brown and one of
the young ladies on the steamer Sampson. It occurred at
knik, at 4:30 o’clock in the morning.
The refusal of the Japanese to take over Huerta’s diplo
matic affairs lest it be misconstrued as unfriendly to America
showed a delicate tact worthy of our friends across the
Pacific. It is a staggering blow to the Japanese-Mexican
alliance mongers.
The New York Socialist party has repudiated the
“sensational” methods of Upton Sinclair’s mourners, pointing
out that it is not individuals, but a system, the party is warring
against.
It was good tidings received yesterday stating that a
survey would be made at once from Chitina to the Matanuska
coal fields. The late E. C. Hawkins always maintained that this
was the logical outlet for the coal of that region. That the
government is to thoroughly investigate this route'is evidenced
from the authority given Engineer Henry Deyo to at once
organize a survey party and proceed with the work. Mr. Deyo
is at Valdez but is soon expected over this way. He has wired
to,a Cordovan who formerly worked with him asking that he
be one of the survey party.
Roger Sullivan’s candidacy for the Senate in Illinois has
suffered a severe setback by the President’s serving the pie to
the opposition. Roger may have reformed, but Mr. Bryan
evidently has his doubts.
i
Why Not Invest?
With the building of the government railroad from
Chitina to Fairbanks, the future of the Town of Chitina
is assured.
Lots are still offered at attractive prices and there
are many desirable ones remaining.
A few months later lots in Chtiina will be held at
largely increased values. Why not invest NOW!
GEO. C. HAZELET,
Agent Chitina Townsite Company.
TIN SHOP
IN SHUSHANNa
Xo more need to carry
STOVES and TINWARE
over the long trail to the
interior, as we are pre
pared to till all orders in
our tin shop.
W. H. CARSTENS & CO.
SHUSH AX1 X A - - ALASKA
Chitina GRILL
Good Eats for Particular People
Prompt Service. Popular Set vice.
Next to Chitina Hotel.
CHITINA : : : ALASKA.
< » T
X
10. ADRIAN NELSON
* • — y
:: U. S. Mineral Surveyor I
«> *1*
* f
< • y
■ t T
I’ CHITINA 8 - - ALASKA |
CHITINA: BAKERY
AND
Coffee House
HENRY GESSNER, Prop.
FRESH BREAD, CAKES AND
PIES ALWAYS ON HAND
l Chitina j
| Pharmacy j
t ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦» t
I DRUGS,* I
I STATIONERY, |
X CANDIES, X
J KODAK SUPPLIES f
t CIGARS & TOBACCO X
♦ _ ♦
♦ ♦
Slf you cannot call, write t
us. MAIL orders our t
Specialty. X
\—=l
| A. 6. MOREY, Prop. j
jV— Let Lewis Help
II “Poiatera for Amatenrs” will help you to better
| pictures—it’s free. Send us your films for develop
j ing and printing. Enlarging. Developing 10c roll,
any size; printing. ?c up. Cash with order. You’ll
find our work better. Photo supplies. Dept. S.
'i': ' ■ :■ "■■■■. i.vi'rjy
WfWIH IIMHIU HH»I
i: GROCERIES, HARDWARE :
.. :
;; -■ AND=r- :
|| MEAT MARKET
* * - .
;; We have a big line of Sec*
• • ond-Hand Goods, and can
< > save you money on your out- !
.. fit. Bunk House, with free ]
! ! Cook House, in connection.
CHITINA HEIGHTS
j;; C. A. SIMONS & CO. !
-- -
feed, fuel
and
Lumber
II ' V, BRAX, OATS, CHOPS,
ROLLED BARLEV
t
We can make prompt ship
ments to points on the rail
road. Our feed is the very
best quality.
0. A. Nelson & Co.
CHIT INA
I HOTEL I
II WASHINGTON ]
ANNEX 1
; SEATTLE |
1
., J
< > , ,v
■ • new, modern and ti reproof.
• * •
“ All outside looms •
::
The most conveniently located \
) | hotel in the city. ■
!, Rooms and suites are particu* !
;; larly large. ;
i■>
v Very desirable for families or ,
I* parties traveling together. |
RATES MODERATE j
Auto-bus meets all boats and !
trains. Write for booklet, i
J. H., PAV1S, Prop |