THE CHITINA LEADER
. 1
Keep Your Friends In
formed by Sending Them
The Chitina Leader
Opening of Bering -Coal
Means Smelters for
Cordova
FITH YEAR.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1915.
NUMBER 60.
Ore Shipments From Copper River Valley Are Over $2,000,000 Each Month
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. — The In
terior Department has prepared its
report to Congress on the Alaska
railroad, and Secretary Lane has
been in consultation with Chairman
Hides and Thomas Riggs, members of
the commission, relative to the pro
gress of the work, and laying out
plans for the continuation of it next
year. Lane, in his report, asks Con
gress to appropriate $8,247,000 to be
expended in 1916. Chairman Edes
and Mr. Riggs are preparing statis
tics and information to be submitted
to the appropriations committee of
the House when the matter comes up
for consideration.
The members of the city council
met after the regular meeting last
night as a Board of Equalization. The
total assessment aggregates $917,900,
practically the same as it was last
year.
A communication was read from
the Northwestern Hardware Com
pany, stating the personal tax of $10,
000 was exorbitant, as the value of
its stock since October 15 has not
exceeded $4,000.
Mrs. Lona Price’s tax on $200 on
household effects was stricken from
the roll, as she is entitled to exemp
tion in that amount.
Chas. Goodall wanted to know why
his assessment had been increased
from $3,200 to $4,400 since last year,
and C. P. Mickelson objected to pay
ing on $400 worth of lodging house
fixtures which, he says, he does not
possess. Both of these cases went
over until tonight, when the assessor
will be present and the matter dis
posed of.
GOOD SHAPE
The city council met last night, and
after transacting routine business,
adjourned until tonight, when two
ordinances will be considered. One
of these provides for the filling ot
vacancies in the council and the
other in reference to the redeeming
of property sold for taxes.
The request of the School Board
for $412 to meet November expenses
was granted.
Chief of Police Dooley reported two
arrests during November, while Fire
Chief Byers reported one fire.
The monthly statement of the city
clerk showed that the amount on
hand December 1 was $4,554.39.
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CAPT. RUDE TRANSFERRED.
The many Cordova friends of Cap
tain Gilbert T. Rude, who has been
in command of U. S. Coast and Geo
detic Survey boat Taku for several
years past, will be glad to know ol
his good fortune in being placed in
command of the Isis, that fine ves
sel the government recently put
chased. Captain Rude took charge
of the boat on November 27 at Sa
vannah, Georgia, where Mrs. Rude
will probably live. The captain will
be on deep sea work, but will get
In port every two weeks.
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NATIVE POLICE DEAD.
Jim Juneby, native police officer at
Eagle, died of pneumonia. Junebj
had served in the capacity of native
police officer in connection with the
suppression of the liquor traffic
among the natives for several years
and was a very efficient officer.
WILL FREIGHT SUPPLIES TO
COPPER PROPERTY
J. E. Wilson, the Valdez freighter,
who has just completed the contract
for delivering 160 tons of freight to
the telegraph stations along the trail
as far «s Donnelly’s, arrived in Cor
dova on yesterday’s train. Mr. Wil
son will go to Valdez on business and
return here later, when he will freight
the supplies of the Alaska Consoli
dated Copper Company from Strelna
to their mines.
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AFTER ALASKA
CABLE LINE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. — That the
Alaska cable and telegraph lines will
be conducted by the postoffice de
partment in the near future seems
now to be an assured fact. The
army department has been trying for
some years to switch the lines over
to the postoffice officials, who here
tofore have been reluctant to take
charge, as they have always been
operated at a loss. Postmaster-Gen
eral Burleson has been won over to
the proposition, and in his report to
the coming ^Congress will ask the
national legislature to turn the cable
and military telegraph over to him.
Burleson recommends that the cable
and telegraph and telephone wires
be appraised by the Interstate Com
merce Commission and turned over
to him before July, 1916.
Congress is asked to appropriate
$300,000 to pay for the transfer. Pri
vate parties will be allowed to build
additional lines in Alaska, connect
ing with the government lines, but
permission to do so will only be
granted on the condition that the
government may purchase the lines
itself at any time.
SPENCE CHARGES
HIVE REACHED
WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.—The fight
which the Alaskan Democrats are
making against District Attorney
N. Spence, of Valdez, was given pub
licity here today, when the attorney
general's department announced that
definite charges had been filed
against Spehce. Charges have been
preferred by the Democratic territor
ial committee, and also by the Valdez
commercial bodies. The things
brought against Spence are numer
ous, alleging incompetency and the
fact that he has never shown Klmself
to be a Democrat since coming to
Alaska, the specific charge being
made that he opposed the election of
the regular Democratic candidate for
delegate to Congress at the last elec
tion. It is charged that Spence did
all he could to elect Delegate Wicker
sham, who has always been a Repub
lican, and will run again next year
as a Republican. When Mr. Wicker
sham was interviewed here on the
matter he denied all knowledge of
the facts of the case, but said that
he had heard that Spence had aroused
the antagonism of the Guggenheim
interests in Valdez.
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NEW SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA
STEAMSHIP LINE.
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad
Company contemplates a line of
steamers for the Southeastern Alas
ka run as far north as Skagway. The
present plan is to inaugurate the ser
vice about January 1, 1916, by plac
ing on the run a small steamer with
ample facilities to meet the require
ments of the present. With the open
ing of spring, the Prince Rupert and
Prince George will alternate between
Seattle aqd Skagway, reaching the
latter port each Friday and sailing
south Saturday evening.
CHIP GLA1K IS
RE-ELECTED
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. — The na
tional House convened today and or
ganized by the election of C'lamp
Clark, of Missouri, the p eding
chairman, as speaker. Mr. C®ark
thanked the House for the hor >r be
stowed upon him by his re-el ction,
and warned the members thai they
were commencing a session which
would be memorable in the history
of the country, as the nation had
many vital problems to solve, and he
urged the legislators to be faithful
in attendance and devote their best
efforts to the needs of the country.
Mr. Clark said that the members
might as well be prepared to stay in
Washington indefinitely, as the Con
gress would sit continuously, probab
ly not taking a recess at Christmas
or New Year’s even.
anotherTew industry is
BEING STARTED HERE
Another new industry will shortly
be in operation here. It will be a
salmon and clam factory, and is be
ing erected about a mile and a half
this side of the wireless station at
Whitshed. The Cordova Packing
Company is the name of the corpor
ation, and local capital is now en
gaged in constructing a building 30
by 80 feet, two stories, for the muln
plant. There will also be several
other small buildings, and the ma
chinery is now on the way here from
the States.
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BUNNELL CLAIMS
SEATTLE, Dec. 8. — Judge Cbas.
E. Bunnell, of Fairbanks, has been
Interviewed extensively by the papers
concerning conditions In Alaska since
his arrival from the north. Judge
Bunnell jokingly told the newspaper
men that his jurisdiction included the
north pole, as the pole was American
territory, having been discovered by
Lieutenant Peary, and he was the
farthest north district court judge of
the United States.
CflNNERYTAXMONEY WILL
ENRICH TERRITORY
Figures compiled from data in the
office of Territorial Treasurer Smith
and by J. H. Cobb as attorney for
the territory, show that thlriy-five
of tbe canning companies that have
entered into the agreement to abide
by the decision in the test tax case
which is now in the courts, have
made their returns, showing the
amounts of taxes paid by them to
aggregate $115,905.58. These figures
do not Include figures from the seven
teen canneries of the Alaska Packers'
Association, which have not yet been
fully compiled except for the year
1914. The tax due from the Alaska
packers for that year totals $41
072.04. The remainder of taxes due
will undoubtedly bring the total to
at least $200,000, according to a
statement made by Mr. Cobb.
“There are eighteen canneries op
erating in Alaskan waters who have
not entered the agreement to abide
by the test suit,” said Mr. Cobb,
"and of these only one has paid the
tax. Proceedings will be started at
an early date against the remaining
delinquent for the purpose of com
pelling them to pay the tax due.”
Details of the mining taxes are not
all in, but it is believed that when
the legislature is again in session
there will be a surplus revenue on
hand that will total $200,000 above
all the appropriations made.
ORE FREIGHTERS UNABLE
GOME TO CORDOVA,
The freighters Bennington and the
Burlington, recently purchased by the
Alaska Steamship Company to handle
the ore shipments from Cordova to
the Tacoma smelter, are now plying
between New York and Southampton.
Captains Werner and McMullent went
east to bring these vessels to the
Piclfic coast.* but on account of the
slide in the Panama Canal did not
start on the trip. As there is a big
demand for boats in the east they are
doing service there until such time
as they can get through the canal.
ATTEMPfED HUE
FAIRBANKS, Dec. 9. — The first
case to come before the new com
missioner at Brooks, in the Tolo
vana, is scheduled for today, and in
volves a shooting affray in the saloon
of Anton Christopher. Sam Barber,
a prospector, appeared in Christoph
er's saloon yesterday and demanded
that the proprietor make him a pres
ent of a bottle of whiskey. Christo
pher refused to come through, and
Barber insisted that he had better
give him the whiskey if he did not
want to be killed. On Christopher
still refusing. Barber left the saloon,
but returned in fifteen minutes carry
ing a rifle. As he entered the door
he called to the patrons of the place
to stand to one side, as he was going
to shoot Christopher, and did not
wish to hurt anyone else. A by
stander named Swanson grappled
with Barber and attempted to take the
gun away from him, while Christo
pher endeavored to escape through a
window. Barber wrenched himself
free from Swanson and fired at
Christopher, but the bullet went wide.
The others present then overpowered
Barber, and in the scuffle which fol
lowed he was badly used up, being
kicked in the face and badly man
handled.
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CANNERY FAILS
SEATTLE, Dec. 9. — The Seldovia
Salmon Cannery, which was peti
tioned into bankruptcy some few days
ago, filed its schedules today, show
ing liabilities of $206,000 and assets
of only $67,000. The Seattle National
Bank is the largest creditor of the
defunct concern, It having cashed the
company’s paper to the extent of
$62,000.
INNUEIIM COLD
SAYS REPORT
The Gateway received a sort of an
S. O. S. telegram from Anchorage,
stating that the burg, which bids fair
to be the new capital of Iceland, is
suffering worse than Poland or Bel
gium from famine. They say they
have enough to eat, but nawthln else.
When the Farragut was unloading,
or trying to unload, there some days
ago, a big consignment of barrels ol
meat fell on the dock from the ship’s
sling and busted. The crowd watch
ing the unloading process suddenly
caught a suspicious smell, and hav
ing in mind the stories of German
plots against munitions cargoes,
"every man for hlndself” became the
motto in fact as well as in sentiment.
Later the people came back to find
the dear old federal authorities con
fiscating the stuff. It was whiskey,
When the boat came here, it is said,
It did not yet have the stuff com
pletely out of its system, and Seward
will get the benefit of It. The latest
weather report from Anchorage was
"dry and cold.’’—-Seward Gateway.
EAGLES' DINNER
WAS HIPPIf
The Sourdough dinner, given by the
Fraternal Order of Eagles last night,
was a big success, and will undoubt
edly result in the immediate erection
of a big hall, 50x100 feet, on the pro
perty on Front Street owned by this
pioneer organization.
One of the big features of last
evening’s entertainment was the ex
cellent music rendered by the Cor
dova string orchestra, which was
highly appreciated by all present.
The camp fire effect produced by
the hall arrangement awoke mem
ories of the past in a number of old
sourdoughs present, who added much
to the evening's entertainment by
relating many humorous anecdotes of
days gone by. Interesting talks were
made by Rev. Ziegler, Judge Medley,
Charles Goodal, Geo. Dooley, Attorney
Capers, Dr. Chase, and others. Fred
Schrenger was up to his usual stand
ard with all the good things which
make an old sour dough's mouth
water. Brown bread, beans, dough
nuts and coffee were included in the
bill of fare.
This is the first of a series of en
tertainments to be given during the
season by the local order, and from
the enthusiasm expressed about
town today it will not be long before
the order will be installed in their
new home, which will not only be a
credit to the order, but a substantial
monument to the city.
Let every business man in Cordova
get in and boost for the success of
this most worthy cause.
MINING EXPERT
The engagement of M. Pierre Bou
ery as manager of the mining pro
perties of the Valdez Creek Placer
Mines for five years, which the trus
tees have just announced, means that
these properties will have highly in
telligent development. M. Bouery
has for fifteen years been manager
of the Lagrange Mine at Weaver
ville, Cal., which has long been con
sidered an astonishingly successful
hydraulic mining property. The
owners of the property ascribe this
success entirely to him.
The problem which he overcame
there seems clearly to have been
much more difficult than the work
which awaits him at Valdez Creek.
He had to bring his water for hy
draulicking 49 miles, and he had to
work gravel which would produce
only four cents’ worth of gold to the
cubic yard. This he succeeded in do
ing at a real profit, after his prede
cessors had conducted the property
at a loss. At Valdez Creek these dif
ficulties will not be present. The
source of the water supply is within
two miles of the hydraulic pit, and,
according to the expert engineers
whom the management has consulted,
the gravel will yield 94 cents per
cubic yard.
Boston and New England people
are heavily interested in the Valdez
Creek Placer Mines, and there seems
no doubt that they are to be congrat
ulated on being now assured that
their properties in Alaska will be
developed under the direction of a
most eminent engineer, who knows
Lhis particular line of mining activ
ity thoroughly and has proven his
ability to cope with any situation
that may arise. M. Bouery did not
make his new contract with the trus
tees of the Valdez Creek Placer
Mines until he had gone into the
question most thoroughly. He had
the offer under consideration for a
month. When, some time ago, the
management of the Valdez Creek
Placer MlneB learned that his third
five-year contract with the Lagrange
Mining Company would expire in Oc
CONGRESS ADJOURNS
UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10. — Con
gress met this morning, but no busi
ness was transacted. The speaker
has announced the chairmanships,
and the committees are generally
busy getting ready for their work.
Immediately after convening Con
grsse adjourned until next Tuesday.
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The Kennecott Copper Company
issue of new shares for Braden and
some Utah Company stock appears
not to be fully understood.
The offer will be made to all Bra
den stockholders to exchange thetr
shares for Kennecott in the ratio of
3 1-3 for 1 Kennecott. No general
offer is at present contemplated to
the stockholders in the Utah Copper
Company, but the Kennecott people
have agreed to purchase the 400,000
shares of Utah Copper in the Gug
genheim Exploration Company’s
treasury, issuing therefor one and
one-half shares of Kennecott for one
share of Utah. An there is, there
fore, no opportunity for arbitrage as
between the Utah and Kennecott
shares.
The Guggenheims are understood
to own personally between 100,000
and 200,000 shares of Utah; the
French have reduced their holdings
from approximately 300,000 to 100,
000 shares, and the Hayden-Stone
Jackling interests represent between
200,000 and 300,000 shares, but none
of these appear in the present trade.
The question of who is benefiting
by the Kennecott stock purchase de
pends upon the future of the Kenne
cott property over the next 20 to 40
years. If the Kennecott can repeat
its Bonanza copper discoveries in
definitely the stock has a value be
yond $100 per share, but if there are
many intervals between Us discover
ies of the Utah bonanza ore, the wis
dom of the Utah and Braden pur
chases will be apparent.
Utah Copper Is good for from $4
to $8 per share dividends at the
present rate of production for more
than 50 years. The Braden is rapid
ly coming into shape after many mis
calculations. Utah and Braden will
now stand forth as two of the great
est and lowest cost copper produc
ers in the world. They will furnish
a magnificent background for the
wonderful bonanza exhibits of the
Kennecott. These three properties
together may make in the future
one quarter of the total output of
copper in the western or all-Ameri
can hemisphere.
Attention, however, will not be de
voted at present, we understand, to
any further absorption of Utah Bhares
but the Kennecott may take in the
railroad originally built for its de
velopment and go extensively into
transportation by water on the north
and south Pacific in conjunction with
the transportation to and from the
mines and smelters. — Boston News
Bureau.
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The governor’s office has been ad
vised by the Sanitarium Company of
Portland of the death on November
19 of John Francisco, who was ad
mitted to the institution from Val
dez on September 21, 1913. The In
terment took place in the Multnomah
cemetery, Portland.
The wife of the deceased, who
resides in Italy, and a brother-in-law
who lives In Roslyn, Wash, have
been advised of the death and burial
of this patient.
tober, they made him an offer, al
though they hardly dared to hope that
he could be had. Now, after careful
consideration, he has decided to ac
cept their contract, and he will
-■anage their properties for the next
five years. Thus, there is accom
plished the best combination that
can possibly be obtained for a mining
enterprise, a good natural property
and a manager of tested and proven
ability.
ALASKA IMPORTS
THIS YEAR
Alaska’s commerce with the United
States will be increased from $64,
799,245 last year to at least $100,000,
000 this year, and it may exceed that
sum. The number of passengers go
ing in and out of Alaska will double
that of last year. The first seven
months of the year showed a tremen
dous improvement in both exports
and imports, according to records
compiled by the department at Ju
neau. the increases in exports being
mainly in the line of copper and other
metals. The imports to Alaska this
year exceed the figures for 1908-09,
the record years of the country, when
the Copper River & Northwestern
Railway was under construction.
The Increase in imports this year
is due largely to the mining activity
at Juneau, where tremendous plants
are being installed, augmented by «
lot of material shipped to Anchorage
for use in the construction of the
government railroad, and an in
creased number of small quartz mil's
and mining plants shipped to var'otM
parts of the territory. Cold exports
are already $2 000.000 ahead of those
of last year. This is accounted for
by me fact that big plants have be
gun operations on low grade ores.
The increase in copper comes main'.y
from the Kennicott mines, and Cor
dova is shipping at the rate of about
$2,000,000 a month. The increase in
the number of passengers going in
and out of the territory this year is
due to the fact that Alaska received
a tremendous amount of advertising
when the appropriations for the con
struction of the government railroad
were passed by Congress. Many tour
ists, unable to go to Europe, were at
tracted to the North.
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CHITINA, Dec. 7—The Republi
cans of Chitina met and organized
on Friday evening last. The meeting
was particularly conspicuous by the
absence of Wickershamites, the big
chief not having passed the word to
them what their politics are to be this
year.
F. M. Schaupp, Committeeman,
presided, and it was decided to form
a Republican Club, in which all men
professing Republican principles will
be recognized. George Shade was
elected secretary, and the list is
open for members to enroll by giving
him their names. The hope was ex
pressed that the Wickersham men
would join, and if they should prove
to be in the majority and want to in
struct the delegates to the convenion
for Wickersham those Republicans
who cannot support him would stand
by the majority rule, only Wicker
sham Democrats being barred.
George Bluen, owner of the Over
land Hotel, is under arrest, charged
with taking doors or windows, or
both, from a cabin on the hill, and
his trial is set for December 10. Mr,
R. E. Capers of Cordova is his at
torney.
The Arctic Brotherhood gave one
of their successful dances on Satur
day night in honor of Miss DeWitt,
who was on a short visit from Men
tasta.
The McCrary boys are burning up
the trail with their auto, making a
round trip to Copper Center almost
daily.
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PRESENTED WITH CHAIN.
F. Yoshi, who has been cooking for
the plledriver crew for the past
eight months, will leave on the
Northwestern for a short visit to
Japan. As a token of appreciation of
his services the railroad boys pre
sented Fred with a nugget chain.