The Chitina Leader
CHITIXA, 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
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—HARRY Q. STEEL
Office: Hotel Chitina Building. Cordova Orfiee: Daily Alaskan
Seattle Office: 551 Colman Building.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Month .* -50
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 legai advertisements pertaining to mineral lands
of the Copper River district.
CHITIXA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1912.
CHTOYA SHOl'Ll) GET TOGETHER
Some politicians maintain that in
framing of a Legislative ticket the
town of Chitina should not be over
looked. If a candidate for Repre
sentative from that section were to
be endorsed by a practically unani
mous vote it would mean that he
would have a couple hundred votes
back of him to be cast for a ticket of
which he was part. A man like E.
H. Gtlman would fill the bill. He
has already received the endorsement
of a majority vote in his town. If
they were to make it unanimous he
could likely be elected. There is no
question as to his ability to credita
bly represent the Copper river coun
try in the new Legislative Assembly.
-Y-Y-Y
A LICENSE BURDEN
It is to be hoped that one of the
first acts of the new Legislative As
sembly will be to recommend to Con
gress the repeal of the abnoxious
and unfair license tax of $100 on
every operated mile of railroad in
Alaska. Instead of throwing re
strictions and burdens on the capital
that comes to this northland for in
vestment, there should be all possible
encouragement extended to the men
who have the courage to assist in
opening up this vast territory, under
the most adverse circumstances. It
was presumed that, with the excep
tion of the Copper River and North
west Railway, the license tax had
been remitted to all other railroads.
But now the officials of tne Alaska
Northern find themselves in a posi
tion where they may have to pay the
tax for three years and possibly go to
the penitentiary for presuming to
think that when they purchased the
Alaska Central that the remittance
of the tax would extend to the new
organization. It is to be sincerely
hped that the contention of the ail
road is correct and tnat the addition
al penalty of $24,000 will not be im
posed upon the owners because of
their desire to build and operate a
railroad in the Seward section of the
country. And whatever technical
misunderstanding of the statute
there might have been it is certain
that Messrs. Wheatley, Davis, La
bree and other officials of the North
ern Central are not criminals.
WHERE IS THE COURT AT?
Court officials, attorneys, witness
es and litigants are here in large
numbers, but the burning question
that has today agitated all concern
ed is whether the term of court will
be held at Cordova this month. It
has been called for Monday, Oct. 14,
and there is no question but that the
Clert of the Court has the power to
adjourn court for one day. Whether
it is within his power to do so from
day to day, in the absence of the
Judge is another matter. The new
Judge for this division, Peter D.
Overfield, has been enjoying a short
vacation at Seattle. He delayed his
departure from below until the last
moment, expecting to leave Seattle
on the steamer Alameda, on the
night of the 8th, which would have
brought him here either on the 13th
or 14 th. But unfortunately the
steamer has been delayed in leaving
Seattle and may not reach here until
next Wednesday. Some of our able
attorneys contend that after the
Judge is within the jurisdiction of
Alaska it would be proper and legal
for him to wire and order an adjourn
ment until such time as he expects
to arrive at Cordova. Should the
term have to go by default it would
mean that there would be no further
term in Cordova until Spring as
thirty days publication must first be
made before a regular term may be
held. And it is expected to hold
court In Valdez in November.
IS SOCIALISM GROWING?
There has been considerable dis-!
cussion in Cordova recently about
the presumed rapid growth of the
third party movements in national
politics, and some profess to see a:
menace to our organized institutions
through what many think has been j
the rapid growth of Socialism
throughout the country. Figures
will not bear out this assumption. ■
There has been a Socialist-Labor
party since 1S92. when Simon Wing
polled 21.164 votes for President.
Since then the candidates of that
party have polled the following:
vote: 1896, 36,274; 1900, 39,739;
1904, 31,249; 1908, 13.S25. But
the real Socialist party sought to be
come a national factor in 1900, when
Eugene V. Debs received 87,814
votes for President. He has ever
since been the nominee of his party,
in 1904 receiving 402,283 votes,
and in 1908 a light increase gave
him but420.793 votes, out of a total
14,SSS,442 votes cast. There may
be some slight gain this year in the
Socialist vote but it is not likely t«
be very material.
Other third pa: ty aspirants for
national supremacy have had vi
carious careers. In 1876 Peter
Cooper, as the nominee of the Green
back party received 81,740 votes.
The light of the party went out in
1884, when Benj. F. Butler received
but 133,825 votes.
The Prohibition party has had its
ups and downs, but now holds its
own at about a quarter million j
votes. In 1876 Green Clay Smith
received 9,522 votes. Neal Dow did
a little better four years latter when
he received 10,305. In 1S8S John
P. St. John received 151,809 votes.
The banner year was in 1892, when
John Bidwell received 264,133 votes.
In 190S Eugene W. Chafin received
253,840 votes.
Since the war the greatest gain
by a new party was in 1892, when
the Peoples party sprang into exist
ence and James B. Weaver polled
1,041,028 votes. In 1896 and in
1900 William Jennings Bryan be
came nominee of both Democratic
and Peoples party. In 1904 ’I'hos.
E. Watson received 117,183 votes
and in 1908 the same candidate re
ceived but 29,100. This year a na
tional convention of seven men again
made Mr. Watson the nominee of the
Peoples party.
At the November election Theo
dore Roosevelt’s National Progres
sive party will undoubtedly receive
more votes than has any previous
new national organization. But as
to the Socialist party strength it un
doubtedly is much over estimated.
Some take it that the 900 votes pol
led by the Socialist candidate for
delegate to Congress, in the Fair-;
banks division, is an index of grow-'
ing strength in Alaska. But there;
were other contributing causes j
which lead to this vote, other than
an endorsement of Socialistic prin
| ciples. And even then it was only j
one-fourth of the total vote of the j
division. Inthe Cordova division;
the Socialists cast less than 200;
votes out of a total of over 2,000.
-S-X-X
GIVE THEM ALL THEY WANT
A woman in Cordova who has
read with wonder and some envy of i
the varions primaries and political
caucuses held during the past three
or four months has had an inspira
tion. She says that the new Legis
lative Assembly will have power to j
give women the eletive franchise.
And now then. How would it be,
just by way of experiment, to have
women primaries throughout Alaska
pass upon the question and thus find
out what the women of voting age
themselves really think about it?
There now, who shall say them nay.
WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST
Presidential candidate Wilson
seems to have gotten off wrong on
the Alaska coal situation. At St.
Louis yesterday he seemed to de
plore the fact that the people of the
state of Washington were not per
mitted to take out the heaps of coal
that were piled up in Alaska. And
he charges the Guggenheims and
men like them for being responsible
parties. As a matter of fact there
is no native coal piled up in Alaska.
It is all kept buried under mother
earth. The only coal piles in this
northland is the fuel hauled hun
dreds and thousands of miles and
brought into Alaska from British
Columbia. The government not
only fears to let, the Guggenheims
"and men like them” from getting
hold of coal, but there is the same
anxious fear that the honest pros
pector and locator may get posses
sion of some of Uncle Sam's land,
about the prosperous people of
Washington state requiring our coal,
when they buy local fuel for four or
five dollars a ton, he might give a
thought to the impoverished people
of Alaska, who are required to pay
from nine to twenty dollars per ton,
according to the location in Alaska.
Blacksmithing and anthracite
coal is needed in Washington, and
the natural source,of supply is Alas
ka. but there is a greater need in
this northland for coal for domestic
and industrial purposes, and to sup
ply the government vessels. And
the one thing that all Alaskans de- <
mand is that the government carry
out the existing laws, abolish Presi
dential reservations and Interior de
partemnt orders, and give the people
the same chance to develop Alaska
that they have had in all western
states. There are many honest lo
cators who have sacrificed years of
time and many thousands of dollars
in the effort to comply with the gen
eral understanding of existing laws,
so far as confusing and indefinite de
partmental orders would permit.
-A-A-A- «
SAX FRANCISCO'S GENIUS
The rapidity, energy and enthusi
asm with which San Francisco re
built after its earthquake and fire
excited the wonder an admiration of
the world. Mow it is announced
that the buildings for the great Pan
ama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, to
celebrate the opening of the Isth
mian Canal, will be completed ten
months previous to the time fixed
for the celebration, thus leaving op
portunity for the installation of all
exhibits in finished buildings and the
touches in beautifying the grounds.
If this prove to be true R will be a
world record in the timely comple
tion of exhibition buildings. It is
historical, and somewhat notorious,
that none of the many expositions
with the possible exception of Seat
tle, either in this or any other coun
try have been prepared for the open
ing, and some were really in a dis
gracefully crude condition. If, ther
fore, the City of the Golden Gate be
found to have a complete outfit of
buildings, grounds and exhibits pre
vious to the time of the touching of
the electric button by a yet undefin
ed President of the United States in
1915 at Washington it will have won
renown and glory.
And there is an army of Alaskans
who are anxiously awaiting a chance
to get out and see a real live Ex
position. They don’t want any de
lay about it, and it is pleasing news
that all will be in readinesson time.
In Cordova and other towns many
are already laying away spare dol
lars so as to have the necessary
‘needful” when the big day arrives.
The New York World says that
New York buildings are founded on
solid rock “so ancient as to reveal
no sign of volcanic action.” How
about New York politcs and police?
-£-X-X
We are surprised that one of our
subscribers should inquire whether
the initials of the newly designated
Judge for this division are “P. D.
Q.” The Honorable Peter D. Over
field is a little shy on the ‘ Q."
Otherwise he might now be holding a
term of court at Cordova.
-x—x—x
Still, the best cards Woodrow has
played so far have been getting at
loggerheads with Murphy and Smith.
Lots of men, both in the states and
Alaska profit by the enemies they
make.
THE CAMPAIGN LIE
The campaign lies are beginning
to circulate, and they will likely
grow thick as tile Legislative light
nears an end. One of the improba
ble stories is to the effect that the
voters of Valdez have reached a sil
ent understanding that practically
the entire voting population of that
town will stnd together in support
of their two resident candiaa* s for
the Senate and two aspirants for the
Legislature. If Valdez can get to
gether on any such harmonious basis
'lien truly may we soon look for the
dawn of the mill mium. The story
sounds too improbable *o be given
any serious thought.
-X-X-X
ANOTHER ILLVSION SHATTERED
One by one the cherished popular
illusions are being denounced by the
cold, unsentimental voice of science.
Every day or so the layman wakes to
find his knowledge pruned, for the
scientific mind insists that the trou
ble with the ordnarv man is that he
knows so many things that are not
so.
Now it is the equinoctial storm
that is hurled into the limbo of tra
dition. There “hain’t no sich
thing." according to the sharps of
the weather bureau, and it must be
supposed that they ought to know.
And here in Cordova we have been
supposing that the changeable wea
ther. with rain and wind, of the past
month, was attributable to our old
friend the equinox. Nothing of the
kind!
The stormy season, according to
the experts, begins in August and
continues with increasing severity
until March or April; but there is no
special day or period likely to be
more stormy than another. If there
have been unusual storms around the
equinoctial periods they must just
have happened.
-X-X-X
OXE OF CORDOVA’S NEEDS
The number of different head
quarters that the court officials have
found it necessary to secure in vari
ous parts of town for office work
and grand jury purposes, is a strong j
reason fpr the immediate erection of
a federal building in Cordova. Then
there is the cable office, the post
office, the customs office, the forestry
I
office, and other government offices
that should be established here,
that require commodious and per
manent quarters. At the forth
coming session of Congress there
should be a united and persistent ef
fort made to secure the passage of
the bill providing for the appropri
ation of $100,000 for the erection of
a public building at Cordova. If
all the residents f the Copper river
country would exert themselves to
bring pressure to bear upon mem
bers of Congress, there would not
be much doubt about our securing
this much needed improvement.
Attorney General Wickersham,
when in Cordova fifteen months ago.
appreciated our need and promised
to favor the project. The hrst
necessity is to have the bill reported
favorably by the proper committee.
Efforts should be made to take the
matter up with the members of this
committee and enlist their favor
and support. The editor of the
Daily Alaskan has a personal friend
as a member of the important com
mittee. In response to a letter urg
ing the necessity of this appropri
tion for Cordova, among other things
he writes, “As a member of the Com
mittee on Public Buildings and
Grounds you can count on me.”
There is at least one other member
of the committee whose support we
feel positive of securing.
And there may be other members
of the committee personally known
to our people, and who might be im
pressed with our need through per
sonal communication or by influence
exerted through friends in the states
who might be induced to make the
proper representation that would se
cure support for this measure. The
services of Delegate Wickersham
can undoubtedly be enlisted upon be
half of this meritorious measure.
He introduced the bill and if he will
now exert personal effort to secure
its passage, aided by such support as
the people of this section may be
able to give him, success would un
doubtedly crown his efforts.
-o—•—o
Advertising pays. Try the Chit
ina Leader. Start now.
The bullet of the crank that ]
sought to take the life of Col. Roose
velt very fortunately failed to pene
trate a vital spot. The Col. himself
declares that a little thing like that
has no terrors for a Bull Moose. All
will hope for his speedy recovery.
-X-X-X
The political Legislative combina
tions these days are becoming more
complex than “when’s a court. '
Soon the voters will have more than
a Chinese puzzle to work out. But
then Alaska is new at the political
game.
-x—x—x
Now that the Seattle-Alaskan poli
ticians have secured home rule for
Alaska they are turnip their efforts
in another direction. They have
just decided to elect Key Pittman a
United States Senator. Their excuse
is that Key once lived in Nome and
is a good fellow.
-X-X-X
After many years the men who
profited by a-conspiracy to make the
government pay an exorbitant price
for coal at Nme. have been found
guilty by a jury at Tacoma. It may
be all right for a government offi
cial to personally consume his em
ployer's fuel, for that's only a family
affair, but the government is certain
ly "sot” against conspiracy of any
kind.
-X-X-X
Delays are dangerous in many in
stances. And sometfmes they are
mighty expensive and inconvenient
when Judges make them.
I stock topics of casual conversation,
there will not be anything left to say
about the weather more than to dis
cuss “Old Prob’s” batting average,
i They had better leave us a few tradi
tions to keep our minds off that
subject.
-X-X-X
Now that our newspaper friends at
Valdez have about exhausted them
selves in their gladness because ofi
the misfortune that we have had in
connecction with our railroad, it is
believed that repairs will soon be
made and trains again running.
And here’s hoping that the Valdez
boulevard is nt interfered with by
the ravages of nature during the win
ter, or any other time.
-X-X-X
A mining of 91,000,000 tons of
anthracite coal in 1911, according to
the Bureau of Mines, suggests pretty
hot work. It is about 11,000,000
more than in any previous year and
I there is no indication this year that
| the increasing demand will go be
|yond that supply. And that’s un
' fortunate for us in Alaska, for if it
did possibly Uncle Sam might bring
forth the key to unlock the vast coal
fields of this northland.
-X-X-X
Although the court officials from
Valdez are enjoying tneir present va
cation in Cordova they will not feel
particularly aggrived if fate shall
degree that they prceed to the west
ward on the departure of the Ala
meda on Thursday morning.
-X-X-X
Of course when it is announced
that a great diamond field is found
in the Kongo, it is announced in the
; same breath that the Guggenheims,
Ryans and other billionaire Ameri
cans are in the thing up to their
necks. As they are giving the Gug
genheims a rest on Alaska they must
, be pleased elsewhere.
-X-X-X
As time goes by the sentiment in
Cordova is erystalizing in favor of
T. B. Tansey, as a candidate for the
Senate. Other than a few scatter
ing votes he should receive practi
cally the entire support of the town
and neighboring precincts. There is
talk of forming a Tansey club to en
list support for this candidate from
other sectins of the division.
-X-X-X
Valdez has raised a monthly sub
sidy of $700 to establish a stage
line between that city and Willow
creek during the winter months and
to keep the trail open during that
period.
-X-X-X
The Alaska Packers Association
have turned into the office of the
clerk of the court affidavit show
ing that they have caused to be
planted and released 44,067,100 red
salmon. ‘a!i in a good and proper
manner.'* under which the law re
leases this corporation of paying tax
es on 4 40 ("1 cases, or $17 61C.S4
The affidavit is sworn to by Ingwald
J. Loe and L. W. Strass.—Valdez
Prospector.
4. V
SEATTLE. Oct. 15—Yesterday
saw the commencement of a sensa
tional damage suit at Port Orchard
in Kitsap county. Miss Dorothea
Williamson is suing Butterworth &
Sons and Dr. Linda B. Hazzard for
$25 000 damages for alleged dese
cration of the body pf her sister.
Miss Clare Williamson. It is al
leged by Miss Dorothea that without
authorization from herself or a'ny
member of the family. Butterworth
& Sons allowed Dr. Hazzard to per
form an autopsy on the body of Miss
Williamson's sister, Claire. She also
charges that Mrs. Hazzard likewise
was absolutely without authorization
to perfom the authopsy.
The suit is one of the develop
ments from Claire Williamson's
death in April, 1911, at Dr. Haz
zard's so-called fast cure institute
in Olalla. Kitsap County. Claire
died from starvation, and as a result
Mrs. Hazzard was convicted of man
slaughter and sentenced to a term in
the state prison at Walla Walla.
Mrs. Hazzard's arrest for murder was
due to the efforts of Vice-Consul
Agassiz, who personalty unearthed
the evidence on which the warrant
for her apprehension was issued.
SAN FRANCISCO. Oet. 11-E. Frere
Champney, Seattle architect has tele
graphed to the directors of the Pan
ama-Pacific exposition his acceptance
of terms by which he becomes chief
of design for the buildings of the big
1915 world's fair at San Francisco.
Mr. Champney held a similar posi- ;
tiou for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific ex
position. He will have general man
agement of the fair and will design
buildings erected by the exposition
company. In 1902 as assistant to
E. L. Masquerray, chief of design of
the Louisana Purchase exposition at
St. Louis, he worked upon plans for
the transportation and agricultural
buildings cascades, terraces, and the
general treatment of the grounds.
SALEM. Mass.. Oct. 11—Yester
day Justice Quinn denied the request
to fix bonds for Joseph J. Ettor,
Arturo Giovannitti and Joseph Car
nso. They are charged as accessor
ies before the fact with the murder
of a woman during the great Law
rence textile strike last winter.
Change of venue to Salem was se
cured after bitter arguments lasting
many days. As a result of the pros
ecution of these men, 15,000 workers
affiliated with the I. XV. XV. cause
went out on a one-day strike two
weeks ago as an organized protest
against the charges brought against
their leaders. Their trial started :
October 1, but the venire of 350!
talesmen became exhausted without
nearly securing a jury. A postpone
ment of the case was secured and the
accused men will be held in jail.
NEW YORK, Oct. 12—The fire
prevention conference, that was to
be held in conjunction with a fire
exposition at Madison Square Garden
in October, has been postponed to
the week of December 16, in order
to increase the attendance of Euro
pean experts and add to its inter
national value. Europe leads in fire
prevention, the United States in fire
extinguishments, and as an exchange
for the views of the European au
thorities the conference in Decem
ber will have an exposition, in con- j
junction, in which all manner of,
fire extinguishment devices will be j
shown including automobile fire en-'
gines, automatic sprinklers, hand ex- j
tingushers and other devices such
as fire alarms, hydrants, fire escapes
and a department of fireproof build
ing construction. The fire loss in
the United States and Canada in
1911 was $234,337,200, and inl910,
$234,470,600. The annual per cap
ita fire loss in the Unitd States ex
of the vote pandemonium broke
ceeds that of England, France, Ger
many, Ireland and Norway com
bined, the figures for 1910 being:
United States, $2.39; England, 44c.;
Germany, 19c.; France, 92c.; Ire
land, 45c.; and Norway,25c.
UNIONTOWN, Pa., Oct. 12—Dur
ing the election of a new pastor at
St. Mary’s Greek Catholic Church at
New Salem, this county, this after
noon, a fight between opposing fac
tions broke out, the doors torn from
the church, the interior decorations
were ruined and at least two score
men lost their coats and shirts.
Several persons narrowly escaped
serious injury. More than 900 per
sons were in the church when the
fight started. After an hour’s melee
the riot was quelled by the opposing
pastors and two Uniontown at
torneys.
Chitina
Pharmacy
Drugs
Stationery
Magazines
Candy
Fruit
Cigars
A. G. MOREY, Prop.
♦♦♦•♦44 ♦
M"h'h •H"H| -I- l t m H4
GROCERIES, HARDWARE
AND - =
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
C. A. SIMON’S & CO.
PUBLIC LAND AND MINING
CASES.
If you are interested in any contest
or any matter before the Interior De
partment. write to Clark & Wright,
registered land lawyers, Q02 F Street
N. W. (opposite Gen’l Land Office),
Washington, D. C. Free information
about contests and where to obtain
scrip, locatable upon public lands,
without residence or cnltivation.
Feed, Fuel
and
Lumber
HAY, BRAN, OATS, CHOPS,
ROLLED BARLEY
I
We can make prompt ship
ments to points on the rail
road. Our feed is the very
best Quality.
0. A. Nelson & Co.
CHITINA
HOTEL
WASHINGTON
ANNEX
SEATTLE
New, modern and fireproof.
All outside rooms
The most conveniently located
hotel in the city.
Rooms and suites are particle
laiiy large.
Very desirable for families or
parties traveling together.
RATES MODERATE
Auto. Li us meets all boats and
trains. Write for booklet.
J. H. DAVIS, Prop.