> THIRD YEAR. CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, MARCH 11. 1913. NUMBER 21.
RAILROAD III 6000 SHAPE
Cordova, March 6.
At seven o’clock this morning, preceded by a rotary and
two engines, a train of nine cars started for Chitina over the
Copper River & Northwestern railway. A number of pas
sengers for the mining country and for Fairbanks took passage.
Great quantities of freight went out, including merchandise for
Chitina and the interior, iron and timbers for the Gulkana
bridge, pipe and supplies for the Dan Creek Mining Company,
and timbers for the new loading station at the Bonanza mine.
The rotary that went out early Monday morning was held
up last night at Mile 88 but got started again this morning and
had reached Tiekel shortly after three o’clock this afternoon.
It pushed ahead and will clear the snow from the track between
there and Chitina, so as not to delay the passenger and freight
train from getting through in good time. The latter passed
through Abercrombie shortly after one o’clock this afternoon
and expects to reach Tiekel before eight o’clock tonight, and
to pull into Chitina tomorrow morning before noon.
It is announced that the next train for Chitina will leave
Cordova on Friday morning at seven o’clock, taking freight
and passengers.
-o—o—o
vv —... Cordova, March 7.
It was rather a significant fact that the blowing of whistles
at Chitina and Cordova, at 1:30 o’clock this afternoon, re
corded the arrivals of trains, one from the north and the other
from Cordova. And it further indicates that railrod traffic has
been permanently resumed. T ie train that left here yesterday
morning went as far as Tiekel. There the passenger coaches
and freight trains were taken by the freight train that left here
early Monday morning. Preceded by a rotary and engines
the train of twenty-three coaches reached Chitina early this
afternoon and reported that the tracks were in good condition.
From Tiekel a train returned to Cordova and will go out again
Saturday morning at six o’clock, carrying passengers and
freight. A train for Cordova will leave Chitina tomorrow
Cordova, March 8.
The train went out this morning and had no difficulty
whatever in getting through, arriving at Chitina shortly after
four o’clock this afternoon. About fifty passengers were
aboard, many of them going into Fairbanks. As the stages
were at Valdez, expecting to make a start from there today on
the arrival of the steamer, they will not be able to get to
Chitina until Monday evening and to start from there Tuesday
morning. The stage company was notified yesterday of the
change back to the railroad for the transportation of the mail.
Twenty cars of freight were also sent to Chitina this morning.
The next train will go out Monday morning at six o’clock. A
train from Chitina is due to arrive here tomorrow afternoon.
Cordova, March 8.
This morning Postmaster Steel received instructions from
the superintendent of the railway mail service to resume the
dispatch of the interior Alaska mails via Cordova and the rail
road to Chitina... The cable further stated that the postal clerk
on the steamer Northwestern had been instructed by wireless to
discharge at Cordova the interior mail now aboard that steamer,
on the current voyage, so that it may be sent in over the rail
road. Several weeks ago after the tie-up on the railroad, and
at the request of local officials the mail was taken to Valdez
and from there sent in over the trail to Willow Creek, where it
connected with the regular stage lines to Fairbanks. As trains
are again running regularly on the Copper River & Northwest
ern railway, and are likely to so continue throughout the winter,
much time can he saved in the transportation of the mails via
Cordova. The steamer Northwestern will arrive this evening
with a large number of passengers and mail for the interior.
Both will go out on a train to leave in the morning, which will
reach Chitina tomorrow night.
Another matter lias also been straightened out that for a
time looked as though much inconvenience was to be inflicted
upon the miners and operators in the Copper river country to
the east of Chitina. Since the completion of the railroad the
local mail to points between Cordova and Kennecott has been
carried free by the railway company, although Dee Davis has
the contract for carrying the mail twice a montli from Chitina
to points along the Kuskulina, McCarty creek, Nizina, etc. He
had very little mail to carry to points along the railroad, where
the mail was delivered free two or three times a week by the
railroad company. About six weeks ago the railway mail ser
vice sought to have the Copper River & Northwestern Railway
sign a waiver for all charges or damages by reason of their
carrying the mail. While the company was willing to continue
the free carriage of the mail objection was made to signing the
document referred to. Thereupon the postmaster at Cordova
about a month ago was instructed to route via Valdez all the
mail for points east of Chitina, where it would be taken by car
rier twice a month. When Vice President Baxter was here
recently the matter was taken up with him and he kindly con
sented to sign the necessary documents that would permit his
company to carry the mail free and thus restore the accommoda
tion that is greatly appreciated by the people of Strelna, Ken
necott, and the interior mining camps. Upon his return to
Seattle Mr. Baxter immediately fixed the matter up and since
then Postmaster Steel has been directed to send the mail over
the railroad as formerly.
ClIRDIIVA RECBVES $100,000
WASHington, Harch 6—In the various appropriation bills passed prior to the adjourn
ment of Congress, and which have since been signed by the Presideut, provision ha - been
made for projects in both Cordova and Valdez, as well as for the indigent poor of Alaska
$100,000 was made available for the constrction of a federal building at Cordova. In this
building will be housed the district court and such resident court officials as may be located
at Cordova, the post office, deputy collector of customs, forestry officials and possibly the cable
office. $50,000 was appropriated for the building of a dyke at Valdez, as a protection against the
waters of the glacial stream that has always been a menace to the life and property of the town.
JUNEAU, Harch 4.—After both Houses of the Legislature organized today and were in
shape to do business, the first joint resolution offered was of vital interest to Alaska. It
was an unqualified endorsement of the report of the Alaska Railroad Commission. It
further urged President Wilson to send a message to the special session of Congress recom
mending that speedy and early action be taken to secure railroad construction in Alaska
and otherwise open up the territory. The resolution passed both houses by an unanimous
vote. It was introduced in the Senate by Col. B. F. Millard, and in the House by Hilo
Kelly, and had passed and received the signatures of the proper officers before six o’clock.
IL S. COMMISSIONER NICKELL IS REMOVED
VALDEZ, March 11—This afternoon Judge Overfield made an order removing from office
John W. Nickell as U. S. Commissioner at Chitina. Immediately thereafter the Judge appointed
Paul d’ Heirry, formerly editor of the Valdez Prospector, and an attorney.
WASHINGTON, March 5—President Wilson this morning
sent to the Senate the names of the members of his cabinet.
They are the same as those sent the Daily Alaskan yesterday.
Brushing aside red tape a meeting of the Cabinet was called
and was in session before the names were sent to the capitol.
At this meeting the President announced that a new departure
would be inaugurated in that the heads of the different depart
ments would be expected to dispose of the patronage of their
offices, unhindered from any requests upon the part of the chief
executive. Announcement was further made that the un
written law forbids the President from being directly quoted
upon matters concerning the government would be abolished.
In other words President Wilson expects to speak for himself.
WASHINGTON, March 5—It was reliably reported this
afternoon that the President would appoint Louis K. Brandies,
of Boston, to succeed Franklin K. Lane, the new Secretary of
the Interior. The President annouced that he would appoint
Edgar E. Clark, of Iowa, as a member of the commission. His
term recently expired and he was reappointed by President
Taft, but the Senate did not confirm him. Another member of
the Interstate Commerce Commission that he will appoint is
John H. Marble, of California.
WASHINGTON, March 5—The Prssident stated that he
had not yet decided upon a man as Ambassador to Great
Britain. Other European ports, however, will be filled it is
stated by those n§ar to the President, by Thomas Nelson Page,
of Washington city; William F. McCoombs, of New York;
Maury Morganthau; Frederck C. P’ields, of New York. It has
not been decided to which posts they will be assigned.
WASHINGTON, March 5—At noon today there were
caucusus of the Democrats of the Senate and the House. John
Worth Kern, of Indiana, was chosen as the majority leader of
the Senate. Champ Clax-k was unanimously selected as the
next Speaker of the House. There was also a discussion on
the names for members of the ways and means committee.
WASHINGTON, March 8—The Ambassadorship to Great
Britain has been tendered by the President to Richard Olney,
of Boston. During President Cleveland’s administration
Judge Olney served as Attorney General from March 1893-95,
when he assumed the duties of Secretary of State.
SEATTLE, March 11—-The steam
er Mariposa sailed for the north last
night with considerable freight and
a large number of passengers. Those
booked for Cordova are as follows:
E. C. Stroup, J. E. McGilvery, J.E.
Barrett, F. I. Peterson, Mrs. Caleb
Corser, J. P. Hawkins, Max Heed, C.
W. Landwehr I. Benson, J. Morin,
J. E. Halstead, A. L. Smith, Geo.
Resor, George Berg, H. Watkins, H.
G. Birch, J. M. Rhodes, Rev. E. N.
Bradshaw, M. J. Sullivan, S. T.
Brightwell J. B. Howard.
Cordova, March 11.
The steamer Northwestern arrived
this morning about five o’clock, and
sailed southward a couple of hours
later. She took on 1,000 tons of
copper ore at Latouche. Her pas
sengers from Cordova were as fol
lows:
For Seattle—Miss K. E. McKean,
Mrs. S. E. Doverspike, D. Davidson
and wife, J. W. Flllinger, S. Stafford,
Thos. Burchett, Mrs. W. A^ Webb,
Miss Anna Webb, John Murphy, Mrs.
D. Sundeen T. C. Quiring.
For Juneau—Mrs. M. E. Teed,
John Erm, H. D. Cruse, G. C. Die.
trick, L. Wayne, D. McClellen, C.
Sherman.
The steamer Admiral Sampson
reached port last night before eleven I
o’clock, having passed up Katalla as
a heavy sea was running there yes
terday afternoon. After discharg
ing freight and passengers here the
steamer sailed to the westward about
one o’clock. She brought four days
mail from Seattle.
Frank Cole, Orca; J. M. Cameron,
Canada; Chas. Evans, San Francis
co; Geo. A. Parker and wife, Fair
banks; T. G, Newman. W. W. Hurst,
A. Holman, E. C. Johnson, Chas.
Onite, John Erickson, registered last
night at the Kainier.Grand.
Cordova, March 10.
Much anxiety was recently felt for the safety of a party of
four men who were prospecting in the Bremner country. They
are Harry Happel, Lewy Dahl, John Van Idestine and Frank
Gobel. It was feared that they were without supplies and
possibly that they had perished during the winter storms. A
purse had been raised in Cordova to send a couple of men into
the Bremner country to look for the prospectors but the tie-up
on the railroad prevented them from getting started. How
ever, it turns out that the fears were unfounded, for on the train
yesterday Harry Happel returned to town. He says the party
are all safe and in good health. They have found some good
placer ground and some splendid gold quartz indications.
Happel is here to get supplies, which lie will take in the fore
part of the week. He leaves the train at Mile 78 and then
mushes for about twenty miles, lie has great hopes that with
more prospecting the Bremner country will develop into a
profitable mining section. He is grateful for the interest that
the people of Cordova have taken in the welfare of him elf •
companions.
Recently there has been much excitement in Sea tile er
a rich placer strike, in the Yukon territory. It is 1 >0 milea
east of Atlin and seventy miles east of the eastern ei d of T< H
lake, from the upper end of which, at its conflm :ic,, . ' ,1 , -
Le Barge, flows Thirty Mile river, down which stem
from White Horse to Dawson.
There are six creeks which have already been staged ard
recorded, and from which coarse gold averaging $18 an ounce
has been panned at depths varying from four to six feet. The
six streams already staked on are Silver creek, Moose creel:
and Williams creek, and three others as yet nameless.
H. Molineaux, superintendent of road construction in the
Atlin district, who left Atlin a month ago reports that 400
claims on these creeks had' already been recorded, a great
number of which were staked by Indians.
The strike was made last fall by the Teslin Indians, forty
of whom arrived in Atlin some time in October and after
recording, disappeared. They took with them their friend
Skookum Jim, who had a residence at Caribou Crossing, and
who at one time was in partnership with Dawson Charlie, who
conducted a roadhouse there. They also guided Jim McDonald,
Skookum’s partner, and two other Indian friends of Skookum’s,
WASHINGTON, March 8—At a caucus of the Democratic
Senators the selection of Senator James P. Clark, of Arkansas,
for President pro tem was made. He has been in the Senate
for ten years. Charles P. Higgins, of St. Louis, was agreed
upon for Sergeant at Arms, while Rev. E. J. Prettiman, of the
District of Columbia, was chosen for Chaplain.