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
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—HARRY Ch STEEL
Office: Hotel Chitina Building. Cordova Office: Daily Alaskan
Seattle Office: 551 Colman Building.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Month .♦ *50
Six Months .
One Year . i">u
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, JUNE 30, 1914,
A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING
It is more than gratifying to meet a government official of
such calibre as Dr. E. Lester Jones, U. S. Deputy Commissioner
of Fisheries. He is a broad guaged, conservative, fair-minded
man, intensely interested in the subject which he has made his
life work. He is approachable to all men, and seeks in an
intelligent way to become conversant with all the conditions in
Alaska as they affect the fisheries. He comes with an open
mind, anxious to learn the troubles with the industry and to
bring about a better understanding between all parties con
cerned, so that the great fisheries industry shall prosper and
be profitable to not only the buyers and packers, but to all the
people of Alaska. With a sincere desire to bring about reforms
that will innure to the advantage of Alaska, the coming of Dr.
Jones cannot help but redown to the great profit of the
territory, and reflect credit upon the administration that had
the foresight to send to these far-off shores a man whose report
cannot help but prove a text book of progressive action for a
Congress that cannot now seem to appreciate the great
importance of providing the necessary funds for perpetuating
an industry so valuable as the fisheries of Alaska.
Dr. Jones brings us the information that Secretary
Redfield is moi'e than likely to make a visit to Alaska next
summer. He will truly be a welcome visitor, for the people of
Alaska now hold him in high appreciation for services
already rendered us. His efforts to guard the safety of life
and property in these northern waters by personally making
a plea to representatives and senators for additional aids to
navigation will not soon be forgotten. And now that he has
himself listened to the recommendations of Dr. Smith*, the
distinguished official who presides over the department of
fisheries at Washington, by sending a representative to our
shores to study a question of great moment, the Secretary has
given additional evidence of his friendship to the people of
Ala ska and the interests that so vitally concern them.
MUCH PRELIMINARY BOOSTING
The people of Seward are getting tired of all this boosting
for Portage Bay as a railroad terminal. And to many others
it savors largely of a speculative scheme to which some news
papers have loaned their columns to promulgate. Our
contemporary in the Ressurection bay seaport thus comments
on the subject:
The Gateway is astounder at the consummate
nerve of certain Seattle newspapermen who are
boosting Portage Bay. Continued publicity of the kind
recently appearing in the Seattle Times under the head,
“Phrtage Bay Now a Real Live City,” is calculated to
start a stampede into that little glacier-bound fjord this
fall, and may lead to serious results. What the result
will be if several hundred people rush there, can only be
surmised. There are few spots in Southwestern Alaska
more desolate in winter, and according to old timers,
there are weeks at a time when landing on the beach is
out of the question. Of course relief parties could be
sent out from here, and a revenue cutter could stand by
until it Could get the unfortunates, unable to make the
trip over Portage glacier, aboard. What good it is doing
M. J. Sullivan, his backers and minions to “put over”
this kind of publicity is not obvious. The townsite has
been reserved and if Portage Bay is any good the
government engineers will say so.
THE DRIFT OF CULTURE
Statistics on the reading of the world compiled recently
show a remarkable drift towards serious reading on the part
of the working classes of all countries, and more especially of
Germany. The workers of the Fatherland read much, and
most of this reading is in economics, sociojogy, and philosophy.
While the wealthier classes content themselves with reading
novels with “tendencies,” the workers study the why and
wherefore of social progress. They study the march of
civilization in the past so as to understand its present and
future drift. .
To a smaller, but still significant extent the same tendency
manifests itself in the United States. Our enlightened work
ingmen take their reading more seriously than the class
immediately above them financially. You often find much
more sound thinking on polities and events at a labor conven
tion than you do at a meeting of business men. The drift of
real culture the world over seems to he away from the
comfortable middle class, and even the rich, to the more
harassed and precarious sphere of the wage earner.
President AVilson ought to congratulate himself that the
suffragettes of the United States are not as demonstrative as
is that element in England. There they seek to do the King
and Queen bodily harm. Here they simply heckle the President,
and this afternoon our ruler was permitted to turn his back
upon the mob and walk with dignity from the East room of
the White House. But of corse he didn’t hear w}iat they said
behind his back. . —..Ai
CONTRACTED VIEW OF NORTHERN LIBERTIES
When Judge Spence was sent from the prohibition state of
Georgia to serve as District Attorney for the Third division,
it was predicted that he was not only a grape juice drinker
but that he would take a narrow view of the things in life
generally accepted in the northern towns. This idea seems to
be fairly correct, as the judge is reported to object to the
orderly Moose dances held at Valdez, where not even ragging is
permitted. He says that the attendants have too many
librties and dance too late. He has also taken upon himself
the solving of the moral question in seeking to abolish
restricted districts. And the judge is said to be about 70 years
of age, which reminds us of a little verse which runs thusly:
King Solomon and King David led merry, merry lives,
With many, many lady friends, and many, many wives;
But when old age crept o’er them, with many, many qualms,
King Solomon wrote the Proverbs and King David wrote the
Psalms.
A FISH HATCHERY FOR ALASKA
A fish hatchery for Cordova looms on the horizon. Dr.
.Tones 1ms expressed the opinion that on the banks of Lake
Eyak is a site that has no superior in Alaska. He would like
to see there a fish hatchery, and if Congress can be induced to
appropriate $50,000 for that purpose, it will be built and serve
a great purpose in perpetuating one of the valued resources ol
this northland. If Delegate Wickersliam comes to this section
before the December session of Congress the matter should be
taken up with him so that his services might be enlisted to
make a fight for an improvement that would build up the
fisheries of Alaska. After a bill were presented to Congress
there would be a splendid opportunity for the Cordova
Chamber of Commerce to do some valuable work in securing
support for the measure.
EDITORIAL COMMENT
On July 1 a new act strictly regulating the sale of drugs of
the habit-forming kind will take effect in New York. Governor
Glynn has signed the “anti-dope bill” for which many
experienced charity workers worked earnestly in the belief that
the drug evil “amounts to a scourge” with us, and that the
number of habitual “dope fiends” among the weak, vicious,
semi-criminal and criminal is startlingly large. The new act
is drastic. It not only requires the'prescription of a licensed
physician in every case of sale of habit-forming drugs, but it
also provides for the verification of the prescription when it
calls for more than a certain dose.
In these days of Republican organizations in Alaska one
might naturally inquire where is Shackleford at. But then,
come to think about it, Lewy is not much interested in polities
when delegates to the National convention are not to be named.
At those times he is willing that the people shall rule. At
other times he wants to be the big czar.
“To go or not to go”—to Valdez. That has been the
question that has been agitating the Cordova baseball team for
several days past. But after putting the matter up to the
committee at our neighboring town, suggesting the probability
of going without many rooters, a wire came this afternoon to
“come” and help make the Fourth of July celebration some
thing that will go down in history as the big event of Prince
William Sound. Of course the boys couldn’t resist after that,
and Manager Council wired that the team would be there with
bells on.
An interview with Vice President Baxter, of the Copper
River & Northwestern Railway, leads to the opinion that he
himself is still up in the air with reference to the intention of
the government to take over the railroad that is the key to
the unlocking of a rich and tonnage producing section leading
from the Copper River country into the Tanana valley. But
we rather incline to the opinion that the railway company may
'teal a march on the government officials and connect up the
areat coal fields of the Bering river with the present railway
system.
The Agricultural Experiment Station of South Dakota has
raised sugar beets that yield over 20 ton> to the acre and give
over 20 per cent of sugar. The extreme result was 24 tons to
the acre and 25.0 per cent sugar. That seems to be a good way
to meet foreign competition in sugar.
SERA JEYO, June 29.—Archduke Francis Ferdinand and
ins morganatic wife,, were assassinated yesterday afternoon
Early in the day while driving through the streets a young
Servian threw a bomb into their automobile, hilling the Arch
duke and wife and wounding seevral members of their suite.
1'ranz Ferdinand was a son of the second brother of the present
Emperor of Austria and was the heir presumptive to the
throne. He was born in 1863 and in 1900 was married
norganatically, to Countess Sophie Chotek, who had the title
of Duchess of Hohenberg conferred upon her in October 1909,
and renounced the claim of his issue by her to the throne. The
affair lias caused great excitement here and throughout Austria
and Hungary.
It is undoubtedly the most graceful and palatial of the small
•raft that has ever visited Alaskan waters. Colonel Jacklin
and his guests are touring the coast of this section of Alaska.
Most of the visitors are from inland cities and they will
undoubtedly see many of nature’s wonderful works that will
interest and thrill them. But after they reach the railroad
terminal port and speed 49 miles on a railroad equal to the
best in the states, they will realize that their trip had been
well worth while even though no other great wonder had been
viewed. The famous Child’s and Miles’ glaciers, that are on
either side of the Copper river, with their tons of ice crashing
frequently into the waters helow, affords a sight that is
appaling and magnificent in its grandeur. And the visitors
will be more than delighted that their itinery brought them
to this section of the coast. And our people will be glad
because of the opportunity that they have had to see a section
of the great copper country of Alaska. 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 bo 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 Ion" trail to the
interior, as we are pre
pared to fill all orders in
our tin shop.
W. H. CARSTENS & CO.
SHUSHAXXA - - ALASKA
(Mina GRILL
Good Eats for Particular People
Prompt Service. Popular Service.
Next to Chitina Hotel.
CHITIXA : : : ALASKA.
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il 0. ADRIAN NELSON i
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:: U. S. Mineral Surveyor :
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:: CHITINA ■ - - ALASKA :
CHITINA: BAKERY
AND
Coffee House
HENRY GESSNER, Prop.
FRESH BREAD, CAKES AND
PIES ALWAYS ON HAND
I Chitina j
| Pharmacy |
J DRUGS. J
X STATIONERY, |
♦ CANDIES, ♦
l KODAK SUPPLIES J
X CIGARS & TOBACCO X
t If you cannot call, write |
I us. MAIL orders our ♦
t Specialty. t
| A. G. MOREY, Prop, j
Let Lewis Help
"Pointer* for Amateurs" will help you to better I
pictures—it’s free. Send us you.' films for develop- I
ing and printing. Enlarging. Developing 10c roll. I
any size: printing, ic up. Cash with order. You’ll I
find our work better. Photo supplies. Dept. S. I
i
I GROCERIES, HARDWARE I
| - AND— r I
I MEAT MARKET |
f 4*
y We have a big line of Sec- *
ond-Hand Goods, and can 4.
4. save you money on your out- £
? fit. Bunk House, with tree £
£ Cook House, in connection. T
| CHITINA HEIGHTS |
■£ C. A. SIMONS & CO. X
feed, fuel
and
Lumber
HAV, HR AX, OATS, CHOPS,
ROLLED HARLEV
We can make prompt ship
ments to points on the rail
road. Our feed is the very
best quality.
* —
9 S
j 0. A. Nelson & Co,!
II CHI T IN A J
-f—1-^—«—1—I—I—!• » <■ ■» »»»
i HOTEL I
i! WASHINGTON I
ANNEX I
• • I
■> SEATTLE X
< • X
.. x
< * ,v
<■ Aew, modern and fireproof, <»
" All outside .ooins ■»
X
., The most conveniently located |J
| hotel in the city. ‘ *
1Rooms and suites ace par tic u« j [
I | larly large. J j
! i Very desirable for families or j [
,, parties traveling together. J J
RATES MODERATE j;
■ > Auto-bus meets all boats and < >
. > trains. Write for booklet. ! !
J. H. DAVIS, Prop ::
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