Special Eight Page Edition Containing a Comprehensive Description of the C. R. & N. W. Railroad ' -
PAGES I TO 4 PAGES 1 TO 4
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VOL. 1 I ! i CHITIXA, ALASKA. SATCRDAY, AUGUST 5, 1911. XO. 47
Tl THE MILRHIIHWEL
Good progress is being made in
clearing out and retimbering the rail
Toad tunnel and open cut leading out
of Chitina to the Copper river. The
work is in charge of Engineer J. W.
Forrester, the assistant to Bridge
Superintendent O’Xeal. Mr. Forrester
made the soundings for the Miles
Glacier bridge.
The supporting bents in the old
tunnel proved too weak for the pres
sure from above, more especially as
the frost thawed under them, and the
works caved in.
Until the damage is repaired, trains
will have to use the steep grade over
the hill for all freight consigned to
points beyond Chitina, the same as
before the tunnel was finished the
first time.
Hydraulic pressure, -ay means of
water pumped from the lake, is the
method being used as the quickest
and most economical for again clear
ing the tunnel. The present boiler
does not give enough force and a
larger one was installed this week
The grade of the sluice boxes was
also raised in order to carry off a
greater volume of dirt.
By speedy work and a rare good
fortune, more than a hundred feet of
tunnel-way, opening on the river side,
was saved and is now retimbered and
shows the substantial character of
the work being carried forward un
der the direction of Mr. Forrester.
Between the old round pole bents or
supports, which were four feet in the
clear, are hung 12 by 12 square tim
bers, capable of withstanding the
greatest pressure that can be brought
against them. For a foundation they
are buried two feet in ice-hard grav-1
el. The water has been drained and i
the foot timbers again covered so,
that the frost will not thaw any.
IVhen the bents were placed in
the first instance it was impossible
to get them down, and the thawing
of the frost beneath them caused the
dirt to cave.
I
■According to reports of the mining
men who recently came to town there j
will likely be a stampede to Copper [
Creek, along the Chitina district, and
where Minneapolis parties recently !
purchased a half interest in dredg
ing and hydraulic ground owned by
Toney Diamond and others.
From reports that section is fully,
ns promising for quartz as for placer, j
For several days past prospectors in
this vicinity have been quietly head
ing for Copper creek.
It is thought one of the main I
causes is rock brought to Chitina by j
the Fagenberg brothers. It is said'
that it is decomposed, brownish j
quartz in which colors of gold can1
be plainly seen with the naked eye.
The Fagenberg brothers have tun
neled fifty feet in and have more
than two feet of a ledge from which
the samples were taken.
PRINCE CHING TO
RESIGN
i
London, Aug. 5.—The Times this
morning published a Pekin dispatch
to the effect that Prince Ching will
likely resign the premiership.
Washington, Aug. 5.—President
Taft will open his campaign trip for
re-election beginning September 16
and will possibly extend it to the
Pacific coast.
- I
TO WHJT[ RIVER
Tom Price’s survey party of eleven
members has returned from a trip
running a line to the head of the
White river for an extension of the
Copper River and Northwestern Rail
way.
The Nelson brothers are in town
again having enjoyed their trip with
the party. Jack Lawrence also re
turned with his pack train and made
a flying trip to Cordova on Tuesday’s
train. Bill McDonald returned and
left on Tuesday's train for Cordova.
Tom Price went to town the week be
fore to make his report to Mr. E. C.
Hawkins.
None of the members of the party
cared to give out any detailed infor
mation about the trip, stating that it
must come through headquarters, but
it may be said in a general way that
they found a good, practical route
for a railroad from near Kennecott
to the head of the White river min
eral district. They had plenty of
fresh game and reported that the
mosquitoes did not bother them very
much.
EOOOlCTiiS OF
- I
Berlin, Aug. 5.—A hot wave has
been prevailing for the past twenty
four hours and a thousand people I
have died from sunstroke.
■- M ■ ■ —
ANCIENT CHANNEL OE
GRAVEL DEVELOPED
Roy Wilson, the well known young
mining engineer, together with Wil
liam Wales and Jack Lowery, have
just returned from a month’s pros
pecting trip to the headwaters of
the Chitina river. They have devot
ed their time to examining a large
and ancient channel of auriferous
gravel lying on the divide between
Young Creek and the Chitina river.
They report the ancient river as it
now exists today as being about 25
miles in length with an average
width of 3 miles, and over 1000 feet
in depth. At many points on this
channel prospectors have from time
to time demonstrated that it is gold
bearing to a considerable extent, but
owing to the fact that the gravels
are at this time in a semi-solidified
or conglomerate state it has been
difficult ' to locate the paystreak.
whieh, no doubt, is a good one, as
some of the pans taken from the
gravels heretofore have shown re
markably well in course and little
W'orn placer gold. Mr. Wilson and
associates have been looking over
this ground in the interest of Gao.
Cappell, who is representative for a
London company of capitalists with
a view of ascertaining the advisabil
ity of placing a drill thereon. Mr.
Wilson and party expect to return In
a short time but at present reports
the Nizina river very high and almost
impassible, a condition which they
hope to avoid on the return trip.—
Valdez Miner.
NOVEL WAYlTO
GETJVATER
There is one thing in Chitina which
works most all of the time and that's
the wind. An enterprising citizen
of Chitina Heights with an inventive
turn of mind, is now studying out a
plan for utilizing this wind power
for the purpose of pumping water
from the lake to the residences on
the hill.
The prevailing kind is from the
south, up the Copper river gorge. It
keeps real estate and everything
else laying around loose moving. In
one respect, it is a blessing in dis
guise. It keeps the swarm of mos
quitoes from pestering folks and
one must seek the sheltered places
to realize that mosquitoes are stili
on the job. They soon make up for
lost time and the open wind-blown
reaches and exposed points then
seem decidedly refreshing.
Speaking seriously again about the
wind power, there is plenty of it
going to waste around Chitina. and
it would be a very easy matter to
rig up a windmill pumping plant to
supply the hill residents with water.
Between October 1911 and Janu
ary 1912, no provision is made by
the government for getting the mail
from the end of the line at Kenne
cott to the mining districts and points
beyond where Max Esterly and oth
er large operators are working.
Since this is the freezing up sea
son it was not thought advisable by
the government to let a contract.
If the men left in the district want
their mail, they will have to go after
it during the closed season.
Ned Hill returned on today’s
steamer from Sitka, where he re
ceived treatment at the hot springs
for a severe attack of rheumatism
and is greatly improved in health.
Cananea, Mexico, Aug. 5.—Col.
William C. Greene, a copper magnate,
died here today with pneumonia.
At the suggestion of Mr. Simons a
canvass is being made of the school
population of Chitina with a view of
securing an appropriation from Gov
ernor Clark for a school district.
There- are at least 12 children of
school age, and probably that many
more would come were a school start
ed. Parents are living in Chitina
who are compelled to send their
children- to school in other places
because there is none in Chitina.
It is the desire of property own
ers to make Chitina a home for fam
ilies. It is already the headquart
ers for men living in the hills who!
would send for their families were
proper educational facilities provid
ed. It is believed that when the
necessary petition is drawn and sent
to the governor, together with a de
scription of the actual conditions,
and the urgent need of a school, there
will be no trouble experienced in get
ting the necessary appropriation.
Another spell of rain was exper
ienced in Chitina last Monday.
F. A. Smith found a piece of
float on O'Brien creek, near mile 116
which gave him several weeks of hard
work prospecting without results.
The original piece weighed about
10 pounds. A sample taken from it
shows free gold and antimv and lead.
It runs about $600 to the ton.
He believes that the ledge from
which the float came is covered un
der the heavy overburden some place
in that vicinity. The country is hard j
to prospect. He says the only miner
alization he found was in the low
hills; that the mountains above did
not show a trace of mineral. He
located one likely looking ledge, but
a little work showed it to be a
stringer, wdde at the top and narrow
at the bottom.
Read the Leader for the news.
OBSERVATORY FOR
COPPER CENTER
C. V. Hodson and Edwin Smith, of
the Geodetic survey, are preparing to
take the exact latitude and longitude
of Copper Center prior to the gov
ernment surveyors running a base
line from that point, due east and
west, upon which future land sur
veys are predicated. In order to
obtain the exact longitude of Copper
Center, a base is established at Val
dez, where the longitude was ascer
tained by observations made in 1905,
a similar point or table being estab
lished at Copper Center, both being
connected by telegraph. Observa
tions are then taken for three or
four nights of certain constellations
and the exact time is thus obtained
as if taken by the sun. This time is
then telegraphed between the sta
tions and the difference in the time
indicating the exact position of Cop
per Center. The operation is simple j
in itself, but must be very exact, as j
a second represents approxima’ely :
one mile. These base lines are run
at different points from which sur
veys are started, and if it could be !
that subsequent surveys were actual-;
ly correct, the lines of the surveys;
would come together as if they were
started from one initial point. The
monument established in Valdez is
used to establish base lines through
out a great portion of the interior,
owing to the convenience of the tele
graph for transmitting the time.
DURGIN GOES TO
Earle E. Durgin, who In ’98 was
known in Skagway as “the Irish Cor
poral’’ Durgin, arrived on the Jeffer
son Saturday and with Judge Marsh
will leave tomorrow for the Chand
lar country.
Mr. Durgin was connected with the
Skagway Budget in ’98 and was
one of the live wires of early days.
His ability as an actor kept him in
the lime light and he always made
good. There are hosts of old timers
who remember the “Corporal’’ and
wish him well in his new venture
Mr. Durgin has been employed on
the Cordova papers for some time,
past but he sees more money in min
ing and for the time being, at least,
will give up newspaper work.—Skag
way Alaskant
GIVEN TIME TO
THINK IT OVEH
Chicago, Aug. E.—Ueil O’Connor
and three accomplices, who are pro
fessional sluggers, were sentenced to
14 years in the penitentiary for a
murderous assault on Morgan Bell,
a union steam fitter.
The mining possibilities around
Chitina on every side are just begin
ning to become known. There is
room in the hills for hundreds of
prospectors, as well as capital look
ing for investment for anything which
can be shown up and a systematic
advertising of the mineral resources
will give practical results in getting
these things.
Des Moines, Aug. 5.—Five hun
dred employes of the street car
company have gone on a strike.
mas INSIST HUT
“An improvement that is badly
needed is a bridge across the Xizina
river,” declared C. M. Cole, one of
the mail carriers for the Dee Davis
contract.
“The Xizina,” continued, Mr. Cole,
“is one of the most treacherous
streams in this part of Alaska The
channel changes so often that we can
hardly ever ford it in the same place.
On my last trip one of the pack
horses was swept front his feet and
but for the fact that he was a good
swimmer would have been lost. At
the present stage of water the trail
over Sourdough hill is impassible.
“With a very small expenditure,
compared with the travel it would
accomodate, a substantial and per
manent bridge could be thrown
across the river ir. the canyon which
would connect with the old pack
trail, and be available all seasons
of the year. The men working in
the section beyond the railroad would
only be too glad to work out their
road taxes by improving this route,
I am glad to hear that the road ov«_.
erseer intends to apply the road
money on roads and trails in the*
districts in which it is collected."
Owing to the fact that both the
government and Elliott bridges have
been swept from the Kotsina river
the mail from Valdez for upper river
points is forced to come around by
Chitina. These bridges were fifteen
miles from this place and it is im
possible to ford the river.
It is believed that a pocket lake
in the glacier broke and caused the
high water which swept away the
bridges. No time should be lost in
putting the government bridge in
position again. The absence of one
is working a hardship on not only the
mail contractors but many miners
and prospectors.
Valencia. Spain, Aug. 5.—A fort
ress near here collapsed killing nine
people.
Jack Lawrence has returned with
his pack horses from accompanying
the Price survey party to the head
of the White river, and is now ready
to furnish pack horses for mining
outfits or hunting parties and act as
their guide.
“One of the best game countries in
Alaska surrounds Chitina.” said Mr.
Lawrence, who knows the map of
Alaska like a book, and can take a
pack train any place in the wilds
without getting lost.
“Within forty miles of Chitina.”
he continued, “I can show hunters
all the mountain goat and sh ep they
will care to see. I guarantee any
hunting party to get them game, pro
viding they know how to shoot
straight.
“It is no trick to go out and get
a bear any tithe, either black or
brown, although the latter are harder
to get and more dangerous. People
on the outside spend large sums
looking for a game country, often
to return empty handed, w'hile, by
coming here, they could secure game
at a nominal cost and make a trip
over one of the most scenic and in
teresting routes in the world.”
TUFT RECEIVES
IP
Wasnington, Aug 5.—President
Taft this afternoon briefly received
Admiral Togo at the white house.
PROSPECTING III
A1 Brimner and Tom Lewis re
turned this week from a several
week’s prospecting trip along the
Chitina river. They had a look at
Fourth of July creek and late,r pros
pected arounu mile 193.
While tney did not find anything
warth while, they are satisfied with
the outlook, and returned again to
prospect in the vicinity of Copper
creek.
They state that Frank Iverson and
I Bloomquist have an excellent pros
pect at mile 193, and are now in with
their tunnel about 45 feet. The
ledge is on a large porphyry moun
tain and can be traced a consider
ors of gold can be panned almost
any place around the mountain.
H.e states that he believes the ledge
from which excellent assays have
been received is in place and seems
to be quite extensive.
Kansas City, Aug. r>.—The heavy
rains of the past few days have done
a million dollars worth’ of damage
in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma.
Seattle, Aug 5.—A warrant has
been issued for the arrest of Dr. Lin
da Burrell Hazard, charging her
with murder in the first degree, as
the result of the death of Claire Wil
liamson, by prescribing food absti
nence.
MERCHANTS TO ORGANIZE
CHAMBER Of COMMERCE
There is a movement on foot
amon the business men and property
owners of Chitina to call a meeting
for the purpose of organizing a Cham
ber of Commerce. Action regarding
the same will probably be taken the
coming week.
There are a number of questions of
vital importance to the town that
it is felt can be better handled
through concerted action. The busi
ness men are thoroughly awake to
the importance of seeing the resour
ces tributary to Chitina advertised.
The grading of streets, an electric
light system, a water system and
sewerage system are other matters
that demand attention.
It is realized that by getting to
gether and exchanging views, a de
finite plan can be evolved for united
action in all things pertaining to the
growth of the city and development
of the surrounding country.
By having a chamber of commerce,
the town, moreover, would be in a
position to co-operate with other
communities in Alaska for the com
mon good. Through such an organ
ization, for another thing, it will be
in position to secure advertising
space in the Northwest Tourist As
sociation, with headquarters at
Tacoma.
Cincinnatti, Aug. 5.—The decapi
tated body of Mrs. F. A. Mitchell
was today found in a trunk in a
sewer and the murder has baffled
the police.