THE CHITINA LEADER
CHITINA, ALASKA
Entered as second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice at
Chltlna, Alaska, under the Act of Conbress of March 3, 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Tuesday by
HARRY Q. STEEL,' Editor and Proprietor.
Office: Hotel Chltlna BaUdtnC. Cordova Office: Daily Times.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Month ...I -60
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, NOVEMBER 16, 1915
ALASKA’S FRIEND WRITES ON OPENING COAL FIELDS
With the close of an interesting series of articles on Alas
ka the Daily Times desires to again pay tribute to that able and
fearless writer, Colonel John A. Sleicher, of Leslie’s Weekly,
who dared to tell the truth about conditions as they actually
exist in this northland. He personally investigated the rioh
resources of a comparatively undeveloped country, inquired
into the real cause of the bottling up process through which
Alaska is passing and drew pertinent and intelligent conclu
sions that made good reading and has done the territory a good
turn by an open and frank discussion of our pi table condition.
That incalcuable good will result there is no doubt, as Leslie's
is widely read by patriotic and thinking Americans.
Col- Schleicher believes that the storehouse of Alaska’s
magniftcient wealth is soon to be opened, and when it is, it will
give a new impetus to National prosperity- The following ex
cerpts deal with our large deposits of coal:
“Nature preserves its equilibrium always and everywhere.
It has furnished Alaska with abundant deposits of coal. Some
of the largest are in the Arctic circle, the land of the midnight
sun. It is estimated that Alaska can furnish this country with
a supply of coal for 1,000 years to come, but only when a higher
price will justify the cost of mining it in remote and almost
inacessible regions. Alaska’s greatest need for its industrial
development is an abundanc of fuel. While it has plenty of
timber along the coast, wood is scarce in the interior, but its
coal fields would supply the necessary fuel if the Government,
which owns the coal, would permit capital to mine it
“(Sensational writers have so exaggerated the immediate
value of Alaska’s coal fields and created such a widespread
alarm regarding their seizure and appropriation by private
parties that no administration at Washington has had the
courage to consider the solution of the problem from an econo
mic standpoint without regard to partisan considerations- So
Alaska’s coal fields have remained as they were from the crea
tion, while the people of the territory have pleaded in vain
for the fuel they needed- They bitterly resent the attitude of
those who, with little knowledge of the gravity of the situation,
have insisted on blocking the way to the utilization of Alaska’s
resources. The whole country has suffered thereby and the
growth and development of the richest territory on the contin
ent has been stunted when it is most promising.
“It is greatly to the credit of the precent Secretary of the
Interior, Mr. Lane, that, with the approval of President Wilson,
a vigorous effort to develop the coal deposits of Alaska is now
under way. The Government surveys show in all about a
dozen separate and distinct coal fields in Alaska, ranging from
lignite to bituminous and anthracite of high and low grade
Of these fields only three or four are tributary to seasonable
navigation, as the rest are locked in by ice fields during the
greater part of the year- These available are known as The
Bering River field near Cordova and including the much talked
of and greatly misrepresented “Cunningham Claim,” the Cook
Inlet lignite deposit, covering a very large area in southwestern
Alaska and on which little work has been done, and the Matan
uska field, to whoch the Government is now building a railroad
of its own by authority recently granted by Congress and' with
an initial appropriation of $1,000,000 and a plan that contem
plates the construction of 1,000 miles of railway at a cost of
$35,000,000.
“Secretary Lane, representing the government, proposes
ot arrange with responsible parties for the leasing of limited
sections of coal lands in Alaska. Some fear that, as these
sections are small, they may be secured by those who will utilize
them for stock-jobbing purposes. It would be very easy for
the owner of a government lease of coal land to inflate its value
for speculative purposes* How gullible the public is the post
office department reveals by its statement that in a single year
credulous persons were swindled out of $170,000,000 by the
promoters of fraudulent mining, oil, plantation, patent right
and similar schemes. A coal mine with the government’s
credentials behind it would give these gold brick gamblers
the chance of their lives
“The safest and’ obviously the only way to avoid such a
scandalous outcome of the government’s honest purpose would
be for it to deal only with those whose financial standing was
unquestioned,, just as Secretary McAdoo in carrying out his
patriotic purpose to improve out1 trade relations with South
American states, stripped it of all partisan consideration and
invited the aid of the largest banking houses and the repre
sentatives of the largest and most successful corporations- Let
Secretary Lane call to his aid the strongest parties he can
find and' let them unite in carrying out the avowed purpose of
the Administration to: open Alaska in deed and in truth. Then
this nation would have abundant cause to rejoice.”
---:o^
HOW ALASKANS ARK IMPOSED UPON*
Upon the occasion of the recent visit to Cordova of Post
office Inspector Neil that official issued a number of sweeping
orders that dearly demonstrated he was not familiar with the
]>ostal rules' and’ regulations and was attempting to exceed the
authority vested in him. He also severely critised the acts of
other inspectors who had made trips to this section of Alaska,
and did not hesitate to say they were not qualified to pass upon
the needs of the service ; that he and the late Inspector Whalen
were the only officials in that department who had the nerve
to make recommendations that would revolutionize what he
considered a poor and expensive service. As a matter of fact
the three proceeding inspectors who have investigated condi
tions in his section were men of intelligence and integrity, who
stood well with the Department through long and faithful
service-and as a result of their efforts many innovations were
inaugurated that tended to improve, rather than curtail, the
efficiency of the mail service in Alaska. They were conscien
tious and capable servants of Uncle Sam and’ most of the
recommendations made by them were thoroughly appreciated
by the public, in striking contrast to the parsimonious policy
of a grand-stand inspector, who thinks his judgment is superior
to that of all others who have been working for years to system
tize the dispatch of mail in this northland, so that the best
results be obtained' under existing conditions. In this they
have succeeded fairly well and it remains to be seen whether
the Department officials at Washington are going to allow this
man Neil to completely wreck all the good that has been ac
complished.
—.—, —.—;o:
TO SURVEY LOCAL WATERS NEXT YEAR.
The United' States Coast and Geodetic Survey has on num
erous occasions shown its great interest in all matters relating
to the commerce and development of Alaska, and its earnest
wish to facilitate the mso far as practicable. This fact has
again been proven in the request made by the Cordova Cham
ber of Commerce to have the waters surveyed between Katalla
and Point Whitshed- While Dr. E. Lester Jones, superinten
dent of that department, says that it is too late in the season
to do further work in Alaska, the matter will be given careful
consideration when planning next season’s surveys in Prince
William Sound. He adds “I am thoroughly alive to- the situ
ation and my host efforts will be put forth in accomplishing
what you all want and need’. ” As Dr. Jones is a man of action,
clothed with the necessary power to do things, some beneficial
results may be expected next year.
-....-;o:
BERING COAL SHOULD COME TO CORDOVA.
It is semi-officially reported that George Watkins Evans
the mining expert, who recently finished dividing the Bering
river coal fields into units, upon the direction of Secretary of
Interior Lane, is very enthusiastic over the quantity and quali
ty of coal he found there- He, like all others who have made a
study of the situation, is said to be strongly in favor of bringing
out the fuel over Bering river, via the Charlotte Lake, to con
nect with the Copper River & Northwestm railway at Mile 39.
If he embodies this recommendation in his report it will carry
considerable weight with the Interior Department. The open
ing up of this coal field will undoubtedly mean, the erection of
a smelter at either Mile 39 or some other point in close proxim
ity to Cordova.
Of course much d.-pends upon the regulations framed by
Secretary Lane for the mining of this fuel. All appreciate the
necessity of getting the proper kind of a lease, in order that
capital may f( el justified in making the large investments re
quired to proprrjy develop this resource.
--- . ,Ui*’ 1 1 '
Ketchikan is the latest Alaskan town that thinks it is en
titled to a federal building.
Cordova confines to attract attention throughout the United
States as her rirlu st copper-shipping port.
The Pacific Coast eating Pacific Cod under New England
labels presents the paradox of a fish fiction that is true.
Congress is go hr 'o break all records the coming year—if
the way can be found1 of raising the money. We are merrily
marching on to the trifim-dollaf days.
President Wilson will lose nothing in his fight for national
defense by the opposition of William Jennings Bryan, who
seems to be obessed with a peace mania.
There is a repo rt that the forestry headquarters are to be
removed from Cordova to the westward. Why not the
Chugach reserve? We have no need for it.
We are still path ntly awaiting, Mr. Secretary of the Inter
ior, the promulgation of a plan whereby the coal fields of Alaska
can be opened' up and developed on a workable basis.
The slide has transformed the moving picture at the Pana
ma canal to a sti reopticon. There will be standing room only
at both entrances until Major Gothals clears out the isles.
Delegate Wickersham has gone to Anchorage to look over
the railroad situation and the probabilities are that he will
learn much that will be of interest to the members of Congress.
The Douglas council has re-enacted a curfew ordinance
which declares that children under the age of 14 years shall not
be allowed' on the: streets after nine o’clock. We have a num
ber of young follows in this town, not yet 14, who consider they
are manly fellows, but they should set an example to their little
brothers and sisters by keeping off the streets at night.—Doug
las News.
Fortunately the San Francisco Chronicle is not widely read
in the Yukon Territory nor Alaska, otherwise the winter gloom
of the Far North country might be deepened by reading of
‘ * Dawson City, Alaska ” in the columns of a publication publish
ed in a presumably intelligent community like San Francisco.
Another evidence of the lack of knowledge of geography was
displayed not long ago by the Bulletin of the same place, The
Bulletin described the Pyramid's as “a range of mountains be
tween France and Spain. ” He might as well have said between
Mt. McKinley and the Matanuska coal fields. Evidently, we
are not the only deficient in geography.—Ketchikan Progres
sive.
There premises to he considerable interest taken in the
coming political conventions in Alaska, and here as elsewhere
an effort is being made to unite the Republican party.
Our former townslady, Mrs. Helen H. McEvoy, is now the
news editor and business manager of the Sunday Morning
Post, published at Juneau, which publication she has enlarged
and greatly improved.
Through ignorance or incompetency, or possibly both,
Postoffice Inspector Neil has made recommendations to the
Department al Washington* that include a sweeping reduction
in the clerical force and salaries of the employes in the Cor
dova and other postoffices of Alaska- This action is bound to
result in crippling the efficiency of the service now given and
the sooner the Postmaster General gets wise to fact that some
of these “gum-shoe” men are working to keep their own names
on the pay roll instead of looking after the interests of the
public, the better it will be for all parties concerned.
The Chamber of Commerce of the United States may be
enlisted as a supporter of Secretary Lane’s-Alaskan Develop
ment Board, before the coming session of Congress- The local
organization initiated' the movement to have this powerful
commercial organization render the territory a service and the
following self explanatory answer is very gratifying: “It
will be our pleasure to pres nt the matter of the support of
Secretary Lane’s proposal for an Alaskan Delopment Board
to the Board of Directors-of this Chamber at its next meeting.
In the meantime, wo are making an investigation of the pro
posal to ascertain whether it lies within the scope of the Cham
ber of Commerce of the United States as laid down by our
by-laws. We should, of course, be pleased to serve-your inter-,
cats in the matter if it is permitted to us to do so.” s
The many Alaska friends of R. E. Nixon, of Seattle; were
surprised and grieved to learn of his death yesterday, while*
undergoing an operation for appendeoitis
STORE FOR
In discussing his recent annual trip
to this territory, r*r. Alfred H. Brooks,
chief of the Alaskan division of the
U. S. Geological Survey, expressed
himself more than pleased with the
season’s work.
“The most pleasing thing on my re
cent trip,” said Dr. Brooks, “was the
spirit of optimism and prosperity I
found prevailing in all sections of the
territory. It ought to be mast grati
fying to the friends of the territory
and those who have been earnestly
Working to secure its development.
In these troublesome times, when tne
world is in need of and wants gold,
Alaska has it and is supplying it.
Copper, that the world likewise needs.
Alaska is furnishing, and the fishery
products, becoming more valuable to
the world every day, Alaska has ana
is furnishing. Agricultural develop
ment in the Nortland has ceased to he
an experiment and is today a practi
cal reality, so much so that in some
sections the farmers are raising more
produce than they can dispose of.
An intending homesteader of Alaska
must realize that his present market
is limited and dependent on the de
velopment of the mining and other
industries. This last year has shown
substantial progress in all lines of
development, the most remarkable
being in the copper mining. With
the opening of the coal fields a smelt
ing industry will be built up in Alas
ka that will make for the permanent
development and upbuilding of large
communities.”
:o:
BASE BALLISTS
IN SESSION
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 13—Many
intersting details in connection
with the professional baseball season
of 1915 which, for many reasons, was
non-productive of financial benefit to
those most closely indentified with
the national game, were included in
the annual report of Secretary John
H. Farrel which he presented at the
annual meeting of the National Ass
ociation of Professional Baseball
Leagues here today.
A resume of the business transact
ed by the National Association dur
ing the year showed that forty minor
league organizations embracing 262
cities and towns in the United States
and Canada qualified for membership
in 1915 as compared with forty-four
leagues representing 300 towns and
cities in 1914. Tetv of these leagues
did not begin the season’s schedules.
One of these was disqualified and the
other four dropped out their failure to
continue being attributed malnfy to
the unusually adverse weather con
ditions which prevailed. In one lea
gue 105 games were postponed on ac
count of rain in a four month’s play
ing season.
Out of $72,800 received by the ass
ociation for drafted players the
American League contributed $23,400
and the National League $21,950.
In all $129,557 passed through the
office of the National Association dur
ing the current year for drafted play
ers, optional agreement players and
others released by purchase.
The following is a list of the play
ers drafted by the major and minor
leagues.
National League.
By Brookyln: Reilly from New
Orleans $1,500; Barth from Seattle,
$1,200; Prieste from Syracuse $1,200;
Colwell from Vancouver $1,200.
By Boston; Blackburn from In
dianapolis $2,500.
By Pittsburgh; Madden from Gal
veston $1,200; Blackwell from Lexing
ton $500.
By St. Louis; Hiller from Durham,
N. C„ $500.
By Chicago; Mulligan from Daven
port, la.,$1,200; Wallace from Birm
ingham, Ala., $1,500; Allison from
Memphis,Tenn., $1,500; Hogg from
Mobile, Ala., $1,500; Wright from
Virginia, Minn,, $750.
By New York. Farrel from Port
land, Me., $1,200; Sharman from
Portsmouth, O., $500; Baker from Lit
tle Rock, Ark., $1,500; Koscher from
Toronto, Ont., $2,500.
Kennocott Copper Attracts Attention
information from San Francisco Is
to the effect that the exhibit of copper
glance from the Bonanza mine; Ken
necott, la attracting more attention at
the Panama Exposition than any other
mineral from Alaska.
ALASKA TRADE
IS GROWING
RAPIDLY
Alaska commerce continues to show
a phenomenal increase. The total
through the port of Seattle from Jan
uary 1 to September 30, 1915, was 39
per cent greater than for the same
period last year. This increase has
been gardualiy growing since early in
the year. For the months of July the
increase was 41 per cent, for August
60 per cent and for September 67 per
cent.
"Alaska's ^ commerce this year will
show a most remarkable increase, and
when the figures are completed by the
end of the year they will demonstrate
most effectively the great possibilities
of Alaska development when given
half a chance," said J. L. McPherson,
secretary of the Alaska bureau of the
Chamber of Commerce. Commenting
on these figures, Mr. McPherson said.
"Alaska commerce for this year
shows conclusively how enormous will
be her trade when her resources are
opened up and developed. If she can
maks such a showing with the slight
measures of encouragement that have
been meted out to her during the last
two years, and with her mere handful
of men, a white population of about
only one-eighth the size of Seattle,
what will she do when she is granted
those measures so essential to her en
velopment, and for which all friends
of Aaska have been striving?
Comparisons With Other Trades.
"Some idea of the immensity of this
trade and what it means to Seattle
can be gained from a comparison of
this Alaska business for the last year
with that of other countries. In 1914
Alaska’s commerce exceeded the total
commerce of the United States with
China by more then $8,000,000, and
was 21 per cent of the entire com
merce of all the United States with all
the countries of South America. Al
aska’s white population was then only
about 40,000. This year's comparison
is going to be far more startling.
“The remarkable increase this year
has been due to no one factor, nor
does It center from any one locality,
although some predominates over
others. All sections of the Northland
have felt the revival, and where for
years there was nothing but a spirit
of pessimism, you will now find the
most enthusiastic optimism. These
facts are going to be a strong lever
age to secure from congress the meas
ures for which the administration and
all friends of Alaska have been striv
ing, and the opportunity is going to be
taken advantage of in the fullest
measure.
“Busines for next year promises
even greater returns. One company
alone, the Alaska-Juneau Gold Mining
Company, of Juneau, has recently
made known its plans for next year.
It contemplates the expenditure of $2,
500,000 in the development of its en
ormous gold property back of Juneau
—$1,000,000 for the mill, $500,000 for
the power plant and $1,000,000 for
mine development.
New Ball-Type Mill.
These plans include the erection or
an 8,000-ton Ball-type mill, the first
unit of which, with a capacity of 2,000
tons daily, is to be in operation by
January 1, 1917, and the other three
unites, with a total capacity of 6,000
tons by March 1917.
Next year’s development in the
Northland promises greater activity
and advancement in all sections. To
take full advantage of the opportunity
now offering and secure the legisla
tion so essential to the greater dvel
opment of Alaska which Secretary
Lane and the administration are most
ably championing, the Alaska bureau
is now organizing a most comprehen
sive plan of education, by which it is
hoped to reach in a personal way,
through Seattle’s leading citizens, all
the more influential men of the coun
try,
“What this greater development will
mean to Seattle I do not think any
one fully realizes. At the gateway to
Alaska, Seattle has a heritage un
equaled by any other city. To aid in
securing the remedial legislation es
sential to Alaska’s development is the
work of Seattle.”—Seattle Post-Intelli
gencer.
-:o:
Nifty job printing at the Times.
The basis for expectation of divi
dends on the Kennecott Copper at the
rate of $5 per share per annum in
January is that from the present price
of copper the company is earning
more than twice this sum. Under the
mortagage indenture one-half of (he
net earnings must be set aside for the
redemption of the $in,000,000 10-year
bonds until these have been paid off
or converted into stock. The bonds
are callable after June 1, 1917 at 105,
or exchangeable into stock at $25 per
share between June 1. 1917 and June
1, 1927.
The company began its year June 1
and for the first three months pro
duced 40,000.000 pounds in the suc
ceeding four months so that January
1st there should be a production of
63,000,000 pounds for seven months
and a profit therefrom of about 13
cents or over $8,000,000. Out of this
must be taken interest at the rate of
six per cent on the bonds.
A quarterly dividend of $125 in
January on 720,000 shares would call
for only $900,000. When Kennecott
bods are converted the dividends
on 1,120,000 shares should be no less
even with a 13-cent copper market.
Kennecott people say that every
thing is now arranged so that month
ly shipments in winter shoulr be
equal to those in the summer months.
—Boston News Bureau.
-:o:
BERING RIVER GOAL
GASES ARE CLOSED
Word was received at the Juneau
land office of the denial of the Hart
line Alaska Coal company's request
for a hearing of the case of the Gov
ernment against their application for
patent to 15 coal claims in the Bering
River coal field, in connection with
which the litigation began in 1910.
In the communication received
it was announced that not only had
the rehearing been denied but that the
case is entirely closed.
A like decision has been rendered
in the matters of the United Slates
against the Thimpson Valley Coal Co.
and against the Northern Improvement
Company. The former company was
denied patent to four claims in the
vicinity of Unga, while the latter
was denied patent for 11 claims in the
Bering River field.
There are still some 30 cases of the
same nature yet to come before the
Department before the entire list of
Alaska coal cases will be finally set
tled. The failure to secure patent has
been in amost every case due to the
fact that the cdaimants have neglect
ed to open up coal mines within the
time specified by law.
Loses Both Anchors Cook’s inlet
The freighter Cordova lost both of
her anchors in Cook’s Inlet and was
delayed there some time before pro
ceeding up the Inlet, until another
anchor was procured from the freight
er Latouche.
-:o:
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
In Commissioner’s Court for Chitina
Precinct, Territory of Alaska, In
Probate.
In the Matter of the Estate of Nels
Oscar Sail, Deceased.
Notice is hereby given that E. E.
Ritchie has been duly appointed and
has duly qualified as administrator of
of the estate of Nels Oscar Sail, de
ceased, in a proceeding iii the above
named court. All persons having
claims against said estate are requires*
to present them, with proper vouchers
within six months from the date of
this notice, to said administrator at
the office of the commssioner of Chiti
na precnct, in the town of Chitina,
Alaska.
Dated, Chitina, Alaska, October 15,
1915.
E. E. RITCHIE,
Administrator of the Estate of
Nels Oscar Sail, Deceased.
First Publication, Oct. 19, 1915.
Last publication Nov. 16 1915.
Get “More Money” lor your Foxes
Black. Silver, Cross, Red, White and Blue, Lynx,
Bear, Marten ud other Far bearers collected in your section
SHIP TOUR FURS DIRECT to “SHUBERT*‘the largest
heart la the Wertd dealing exctasively In NMTH AMERICAN RAW FURS
a reliable—responsible—safe Fur House with an unblemished rep
utation existing: for "more than a third of a century.” a long suc
cessful record of sending Fur Shippers proinpt.SATISFACTOR V
AND PROFITABLE returns. Write for "Tin Rbufarrt Rbipptr,"
the only reliable, accurate market report and price list published.
Write lor It-NOW-IPa FREE • I
▲ R SHIIRFRT I rtf 25-27 WEST AUSTIN AVE.
»• OnUDLRl, Inc. Dept.61 CHICAGO, U.S.A.