4
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 21, 1915.
NI MBEH 61.
-
Ore Shipments From Copper River Valley Are Over $2,000,000 Each Month
BUILT NEXT
FAIRBANKS, Dec. 15. — Delegate
Wickersham today wired to this city
that he had talked with Secretary
Lane concerning the government's
plans for railroad building in Alaska
next year, and that Lane had assured
him that the construction of the road
would be commenced to Nenana next
summer.
CHAMPION jess
ILL FIGHT
FULTON
CHICAGO, Dec. 15. — Another big
heavyweight battle has been arranged
for and articles were signed here to
day by Jess Willard and Fred Ful
ton, agreeine to fight for twenty
rounds on March 4 next. Willard is
now the holder of the world’s cham
pionship heavyweight title, and while
the fight is not to a finish the title
will be at stake. Willard is to get
$32,000, win, lose or draw, and Ful
ton is to get $7,500 whether victor or
vanquished.
FAIRBANKS, Dec. 15. — The peo
ple of Fairbanks are so anxious to re
ceive their parcel post mail this year
that they have raised sufficient
money by private subscription to take
all of it over the trail from Cordova.
A wire was sent to the postmaster at
Cordova today, asking him as to how
many sacks of mail was held up there
addressed to Fairbanks, so that an
estimate could be made as to how
much it would cost to bring In the
surplus mall.
--• n • .. -
BUILDING Til
FAIRBANKS TO
- BROOKS
FAIRBANKS, rx»c. 15. — The citi
zens of Fairbanks and the miners of
the Tolovana have started the build
ing of a new trail from this city to
the new camp in the Tolovana. The
now trail will follow the Happy Creek
level, as the old trail has been
found to be too steep, making the
cost of freighting supplies too heavy.
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 15. — The
department of agriculture made pub
lic today its official estimates of the
value of the farm crops for the year
1915. The total products of Ameri
can farms were valued at six billion
two hundred and seventy millions on
December 1 last. The most valuable
product of the farms is corn, the
value of which for this year is set at
a billion seven hundred and fifty-six
million dollars. ,
.ASKS PATENT TO HIS HOME-.
STEAD.
John E. Barrett has filed in the
Juneau office an application for pat
ent to a homestead claim comprising
296 acres in the vicinity of McCarthy.
Barrett located upon this land in
1906, and since that time has had
it under cultivation, raising crops
each year. Several photos of the
farm which accompanied the applica
tion indicate that the tract is high
ly productive.
THElilFOR
ISIS IS NOW
The city council met last night as
a board of equalization, and disposed
of all the kicks registered on the
assessment roll. The total valua
tion is approximately $925,000, and
the council will fix the tax rate at
its meeting next Monday. It is gen
erally believed that five mills will
raise sufficient funds to defray the
expenses of the city until next July,
when the federal licenses are due.
Last night the assessment of Chas.
D. Goodall on lots 5 and 6, block D,
was reduced from $4,400 to $3200.
H. C. Feldman's personal property
was assessed at $10,000, and he
Itated that it has not exceeded |4.
000 since October 1. It was reduced
to $8,000.
The Arctice Lumber Company
asked for a reduction on personal
property from $3,200 to $2,050. It
was reduced to $2,C75.
The request from the Olympia
Brewing Co. of a reduction of the
assessment of $150 on a cabin, was
disallowed.
C. P. Michelson was relieved of
the payment of a tax of $400 on lodg
ing house fixtures, which he does
not own.
Judge F. M. Brown advised the
council that he was taxed $675 on
lot 12, block 5, which he disposed of
to Mrs. Schooling, and he was re
lieved of this assessment and it was
transferred to the owner of the pro
perty.
The Carstens Packing Company
asked to have its assessment of $30,-{
450 on lot 26, block 7, reduced, which
the board refused to do.
The cable office objected to an in
crease of $200 in its assessment and
it was reduced that amount.
The Copper River & Northwestern
Railway asked for a number of re
ductions. The thirteen acre tract
was assessed at $14,000, and Attorney
Capers wanted it cut down to $12,
900, but this was disallowed, as was
also $225 on lot 20, block 9. Lot 13,
block 9, had been raised from $450
to $950, and was reduced to the
former amount. The assessment of
$1,000 on the lot at the southwest
corner of the survey of the townsite
was allowed to stand. Lots 23 and
24, block 14, assessed to the C. R. &
N. W. Railway, are now owned by
C. C. Keenan, and the records were
corrected accordingly.
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HMD TO UNLOAD
HIS FEDERAL
POSITION
Postmaster Steel yesterday wired
the postmaster-general at Washing
ton, reminding him of the fact that
he had resigned his federal position
abopt six weeks ago, and as other
matters required his attention it was
imperative that he be relieved^ from
duty at once. He also wanted to
know whom he could turn the office
aver to until his successor was ap
pointed and qualified.
The local postmaster is very anx
ious to be relieved from the service
>f Uncle Sam under the existing
:onditions, and has done all within
its power to make room for a deserv
ng Democrat who wants to get on
he payroll.
William E. Root, manager of the
Northern Drug Company, was yester
day appointed postmaster at Seward,
to fill the vacancy caused by the re
signation of Phil J. Hickey, a Repub
lican holdover. Delegate Wickersham
today wired Mr. Root, advising of his
nomination, and assuring him of his
confirmation.
Mr. Root is president of the Demo
cratic Club at Seward, and has been
an applicant for this position since
the last Presidential election as'soon
as there was a vacancy, preferring to
allow Mr. Hickey to serve out his term
if lie so desired. The latter, however,
refused to longer continue In the
service when the department saw fit
to reduce his clerk hire allowance.
The Democratic organization of the
territory endorsed Mr. Root, and the
Daily Times extends its congratula
tions to him in landing the coveted
job. The only other applicant for the
office was J. E. Thwaites, mail clerk
on the steamer Northwestern, who
was formerly purser on the little
Dora, running from Seward to Un
alaska.
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NEW SHIPPER’S MANIFEST EF
FECTIVE JANUARY 1.
Beginning with January 1 all per
sons shipping goods from Alaska
will be obliged to secure the new
shipper’s manifest, which has just
been authorized by the government.
This manifest, which is to be made
out in duplicate, must be signed by
the actual shipper and must list ac
curately the articles shipped. One
copy is kept on file in the customs
office, the other going to the steam
ship.
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NEW TOWN SPRUNG UP ON KE
NAI LAKE.
Over a mile along the shore of Re
nal lake lots have been taken by lo
cal people, and several residences will
soon be in course of construction
there. William Weiraer, who went
out there this morning, and Karl
Vaughan have built two houses across
the lake and are just moving into
them. They will also build on the
lots near Mile 23.—Gateway.
:o:
EXPERIENCED WIRELESS MAN
AT KODIAK STATION.
The Kodiak News-Letter of recent
date says that L. B. Distln, the new
chief of the radio station there, was
formerly chief of the Sitka station,
but came to Kodiak from the U. S.
S. Cleveland after that vessel re
turned to San Francisco from south
ern waters. The new chief has had
many years experience in the navy,
and has increased the efficiency of
the Kodiak station.
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RED ELLIS WILL CONTINUE TO
OPERATE CLIFF MINE.
An agreement has been reached be
tween the litigants in the Cliff mine
case whereby H. E. Ellis will con
tinue to operate the mine and will
pay into the registry of the federal
court five per cent of the gross
amount of gold taken out, pending
the decision of the appeal case as to
the ownership of the one-fifth in
terest.
During the trial it was shown that
approximately |26,000 in gold was
recovered from the ores treated since
the mine was reopened last summer.
This includes the output from H. E.
Ellis’ operations, as well as John
Hughes, the layman.
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P08TOFFICE E8TABLI8HED AT
GRANITE MINE.
The postal department has estab
lished a postoffice at the Granite
mine. Hobo Bay, to be known as
Granite Mine, Alaska, with R. W. Mil
lard as postmaster. The new office
will be served by a special contract
between Golden and Hobo Bay for
the first ninety days after which
time the service will be included In
the regular mall route from Valdes
to Port Wells points.
Jas. E. Wilson, the Valdez freighter,
came to Cordova this morning on the
steamer Admiral Earragut, and will
leave on the first train for the in
terior. He has the contract for the
delivery of four hundred tons of ma
chinery, fuel and supplies from Strel
na station to Nugget creek for the
Alaska Copper Corporation. Charles
Payne will have charge of the work
of moving the freight for the mining
company, and will have Bert Gau
thier, Alex EaRoux, J. O. Stevens and
Chris Anderson as his crew.
Mr. Wilson states that present in
dications point to greater activities
in the interior mines during the com
ing year than ever before, and that
many big operators are preparing to
take in shipments to their properties
as soon as conditions on the trails ar-'
right. He has under consideration a
contract for delivering freight to Val
dez creek for the Valdez Creek Placer
Mines, the Boston syndicate, which
is among the largest operators in
Alaska. They will install another
hydraulic plant next summer and the
pipe and machinery will be taken in
over the winter trail soon after the
beginning of the new year.
The syndicate of California people
which took over the Swanson hold
ings on Slato crook, will nlno send in
a hydraulic plant and has offered the
contract for its delivery to Mr. Wil
son. The freight will go ip via
Chltina.
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ANY OFFICE
Under a Valdez date line the Sew
ard Gateway of December 4 prints
an alleged dispatch stating that R.
E. Ritchie, of Valdez, will be- a can
didate for the Republican nomination
for Cpngress in 1916. In a local story
discussing Wickersliam as the pos
sible Republican nominee, the Gate
way says:
“Ritchie was formerly a strong
supporter of Wickersham, but is now
a dyed-in- the-wool Republican, if the
dyeing process can be affected on
such order.”
These articles were shown to Mr.
Ritchie yesterday and he made this
statement:
"The Gateway dispatch was prob
ably faked in Seward. I am not a
candidate for Congress, or any other
office, big or little, elective or ap
pointive. T hope to have a chance
to support a Republican for Congress
In 1916.
“As to the Republican dye in my
wool being recent, I was born in the
party in Northern Illinois, where the
Democracy used to call them Black
Republicans. I supported Judge
Wickersham in two campaigns when
there was no Republican organiza
tion in Alaska deserving of the name.
I would have supported him a third
time, but in 1912 he got the notion
that the Roosevelt garbage cart was
the band wagon, and he trie dto load
all his Republican friends into it. I
refused to be delivered as a political
pawn, to the outfit that set Alaska
back twenty years by allowing jack
ass bureaucrats to practice their
tads on the territory. I try to do my
own thinking, unlike a lot of Wick
orsham followers who whoop it up
ror him no matter what he does.
'“There is no personal qunrrel be
tween Judge Wickersham and my
self. I do not owe h'm anything and
Ito does not owe me anything. I sup
ported him when I thought he was
right and opposed him when he went
wrong. I spent more money for him
In two campaign* than dny other man
In Valdez, and supported him with a
newspaper that never cost him a
sent. He will no doubt freely admit
this, and also, that I never asked him
tor a personal favor In my life,
though I sometimes made requests
for other people.”—Valdez Mine*.
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The launch Waif has returned from
Fldalgo Bay, where it took a' pile
driver for use in building a new dock.
BISHOP ROWE ON
TRADE
“There is no reason why Portland
should not get a good share of the
Alaskan trade. The people of Alaska
look with favor on the possibility of
gaining commercial intercourse with
Portland. 1 am expressing no pre-.
judices. I am stating the feeling of
the Alaskan commercial men.’’ These
three potent assertions came from the
lips of Rt. Rev. P. T. Howe, for the
past 20 years bishop of Alaska, head
of 21 Episcopal missions in the North
land. and who bears the distinction of
being more familiar with Alaskan af
fairs than any other man in the most
northerly province of the United
States. The bishop of Alaska is in
Portland, accompanied by his wife.
They have just returned from a trip
to the San Francisco exposition
‘ I heard it stated in a meeting of
the Seattle Chamber of Commerce re
cently,” continued Bishop Rowe, “that
there passed through Seattle every
year from Alaskan ports commercial
products aggregating in value be
tween $§0,000,000 and $60,000,000. Of
this amount the fisheries alone supply
shipments valued at $25,000,000. This
figure is hound to increase, as Alaska
is just beginning to develop.
Country Is “Awakening.”
“1 have watched the growth of
Alaska for twenty years and I have
discovered that it is just beginning to
justify the hopes that I have enter
tained for it for many years. The
building of the government railway
| has started to open up the immense
territory of the southwestern section
—rich in possibilities, both industrial
and agricultural. The mines in the
region of Juneau are just beginning
a marvellous development, and the
entire country is awakening to its pos
sibilities.
i “It lias been estimated by managers
of the three largest mining properties
in the Juneau section — Treadwell,
Juneau and Alaskau-Gastineaux—that
they will crush enough ore in coming
years to send the United States $50.-1
000,000 worth of gold annually. That
figure is based on the engineers’ es
timates.
“Due to the promise of prosperity
in the Juneau section the city has
increased from a town*H>f 2,500 in
habitants to more than 10,000.
“The building of the government
railroad has produced the town of
Ship Creek, or Anchorage, its more
modern name. When the railroad was
first conceived there were but a few
hundred persons in the town, and now
Anchorage is a thriving city of 6,000
inhabitants, with plenty of substan
tial resources — lumber, fish, agri
cultural products, etc.—to insure a
steady and permanent growth.”
Long Trips Taken.
Dishop Rowe is stamped with the
spirit of the north country. For 20
years he has battled with the north
ern winters, prosecuting the work he
loves and has been so successful
wl(|h. Every winter he starts out
with dog teams to make the round of
his mossion stations. Two thousand
miles by dog team every winter for
20 winters is part of the traveling he
has done in the interest of the Epis
copal church.
hast summer he completed u 0,000
mile trip over the entire Alaskan
country, going as far north as Pbint
Barrow, working among the whites,
Indians and Eskimos. He even went
to the Siberian coast.
Bishop Rowe clultus Seattle us his
pnited States home, although he has
headquarters in Sitka. The supplies
for the missions are purchased every
year and sent to Alaska from Seattle.
Bishop Rowe will celebrate the 20th
anniversary of his consecration to the
bishopric at the Trinity chapel this
morning at 10 o’clock. The clergy of
Portland and friends, especially resi-'
dents of Alaska who are in Portland,'
are invited to attend.
The bishop and Mrs. Rowe will
leave tomorrow, for. Seattle,, where
they will sail for Alaska. — Portland
Oregonian.
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Attorney R. E. Capers returned this
morning from a trip to Latouohe.
ANCHORAGE TO HAVE A NEW
WIRELESS STATION.
The commission is installing a ra
dio station at Anchorage in connec
tion with the telegraph and telephone
system. Poles have been erected on
the rear of the townslte manager's
office and the wires are how being
strung.
The station is more of an experi
ment than anything else, and if it
works satisfactorily, a well-equipped
plant will be installed early in the
spring. It is for the accommodation
of shipping. It Is figured that steam
ers carrying wireless equipment may
be able to communicate with Anchor
age after they enter Cook Inlet.
-:o.
FOR ITS
I.ocal liquor dealers are in receipt
of communications from the Seattle
Brewing & Malting Company, an
nouncing that they are making an
extra effort to supply customers in
Alaska with Rainier beer from their
new plant in San Francisco.
It is announced that arrangements
are being made whereby a line of
steamers will ply direct between San
Francisco and Alaskan ports, which
will give a five days' service. These
steamers will be equipped with re
frigerators, enabling the transporta
tion of their goods in better condi
tion than ever before.
The Seattle Brewing & Matting Co.
was one of the first concerns to re
move their plants from the state of
Washington following the pasage of
the prohibition measure which be
comes effective on January 1. The
brewing company, It Is believed, have
joined forces with San Francisco in
terests who have been desirous of
establishing a direct line of steamers
in order that San Francisco might
again enjoy a portion of the Alaskan
trade which was once exclusively
hers. f
-;o
SAYS SEWARD TOOK MOVIES OF
ANCHORAGE ICE.
In » recent Issue of the Cook Inlet
Pioneer appears a story on the front
page, which says that In its desire
to Knock Anchorage Seward sent a
moving picture man and outfit to An
chorage to take moving pictures of
the ice there. The Cook Inlet Pio
neer is not to be blamed for that. In
Seward at present is a man who met
one of the publishers of the Pioneer
on the street at Anchorage some time
ago. “What do you think of that,"
says he to the newspaperman, “that
infernal Seward bunch has a man
down there on the waterfront with
a moving picture outfit taking pic
tures of the ice to send them out
side.” And away rushes the scribe
to publish Seward’s villainy to the
world.—Seward Gateway.
SHORTAGE OF DOG TEAMS IS
REPORTED IN INTERIOR.
Ji la reported from Nome and inter
ior Alaskan camps that dogs will be
in big demand this winter owing to
the number of new camps which are
receiving attention from stampeders.
The hundred or so animals taken
from Nome by Lieut. Haas for the
French army has left Nome sny ot
good dogs, and the discovery of new
beach diggings in the Solomon dis
trict combined with the rush of
prospectors to Dime Creek has
caused a real shortage of dogs.
Present indications are that a
heavy travel between Anchorage ana
Seward and Portage Bay will result
from the failure of the steamers to
land tneir cargoes and will require
dog teams for making fast trips over
the divides.
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TWO MORE NEW STEAMER8.
The officials of the Alaska Steam
ship Company have announced that
negotiations are under way for the
purchase of two more freighters,
which are now on the Atlantic coast.
The steamers will be rechristened
the Ketjchkan and Petersburg bexore
entering the Southwestern Alaska
trade.
WICK IS PLACED
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14. — James
Wickersham, delegate 'to Congress
from Alaska, was appointed to the
committee on military affairs by
Speaker Clark. . It is ltkely that be
cause of the administration's pre
paredness program that this com
mittee will be the most important
during the present session of Con
gress. The fortifications bill has
been prepared and will be first con
sidered by the committee. It calls
for twenty-three million dollars to be
expended on big guns to be Installed
In the forts constituting the coast
defences, and for ordnance and am
munition. Last year but six million
dollars was expended for Blmllar
purposes.
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TO
MEET VALDEZ
JAN. ID
VALDEZ. Dec. 14. — Chairman
Joseph Baxter, of the Democratic ter
ritorial committee, has called a meet
ing of the committee to be held here
on January 10, to fix the time and
place for the holding of the territor
ial convention, and arranging for the
holding of primaries.
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FRANK WATSON A BENEDICT.
B. F. Watson, general agent for the
Pacific Alaska Navigation Company,
with headquarters at Seward, has
stolen a march on his Alaska friends.
He was quietly married at Seattle
last Sunday to Miss Margaret Mc
Connell of that city. The Times ex
tends congratulations to Mr. and Mrs.
Watson.
RECOMMENDED REMOVAL
DF DISTRICT ATTDRNET
Z. R. Cheney, a member of the
Democratic territorial committee,
when seen yesterday, admitted that
he had recommended the removal of
District Attorney William Spenc^ of
the third division.
He said he did not know whether
all of the other members of the ter
ritorial committee had taken similar
action; that there was no meeting
of the committee for that purpose,
but supposed that Individual members
might have taken the same action as
himself.
Mr. Cheney said he did not recom
mend the, removal of District Attor
ney Spence because of the allega
tions that the latter was not "train
ing with Democrats,” but on -the
ground of incompetency. — Juneau
Dispatch.
-—:o:
NOME MAIL CARRIER’S TERRIBLE
EXPERIENCE.
Fred Larson, who carries the mail
between Nome •and Candle, had a
fearful experience on a recent trip
in which he narrowly escaped being
drowned and freezing after escaping
from the former danger. He was
using reindeer sleds and while at
tempting to cross Salt Lake, sled and
man went into the water. Larson
struggled among the broken Ice and
finally succeeded with the help of
another man In reaching solid ice.
The wind was blowing a gale and
as the spot where the accident oc
curred was without shelter, Larson
was in danger of freezing to death,
as the wet garments froze to his
body. His hands were numb and it
was Impossible for him to do any
thing to help himself, so his partner
cut his clothing from him and wrap
ped him in a fur robe. They finally
reached shelter, but the mail car
rier's health Is reported badly shat
tered from hie terrible experience.