OF 6ENERAMNF0RMATI0N
Cordova, December 4
In a telegram received yesterday
from Chicago the statement is made
that fears are entertained for the
safety of Scientist and Explorer Lef
fingwell, who has been connected
with the University of Chicago and
whose people live in that city. He
went north the past summer to
finish some work for the govern
ment. He left Nome on the Mary
Sachs, which was one of the small
boats used in connection with the
Stefansson exploration. Capt. Ped
ersen and Olaf Swenson, who re
cently reached Cordova from the
Arctic, coming overland, declare that
Leffingwell is safe in winter quar
ters at Flaxman Island, where he
arrived on August 15. Camped with
him are the members of the Can
adian Arctic expedition, which in
cludes Dr. Anderson, Messrs. Chip
man, Johanson, Cox and O’Neil. All
these men went from Nome either
on the Mary Sachs or Alaska. Ex
plorer Stefannson and nearly all of
his party are aboard the steamer
Karluck, which passed Flaxman
Island going eastward, on August
15th last. Since that time nothing
has been heard of the Karluck and
it is feared that the vessel and
those aboard her had some serious
mishap.
William Solomon, who has been
in the employ of the railway for
the past seven years, has decided
that it is time for a change so he
will take the Northwestern to
Seattle and go on to his old home
at Kansas City. After a visit there
he will return and go into the
Chisana country.
W. E. Townsend, who is known by
everybody in Cordova, returned
Tuesday from several months spent
in the Chisana diggings. He will
return there later.
A number of women availed
themselves last night of the kind
invitation of the fire boys to use
their gym on Wadnesday evenings.
It is expected that the number will
be increased as time goes on. Sev
eral young men are conisdering the
proffer of their services as instruc
tors.
* It has been determined that tne
break in the cable line is about 200
miles this side of Sitka, in deep
water. As a consequence it will
likely be necessary for the cable
repair ship Burnside to come north
to splice the break. Just when this
will be we are not informed. In the
meantime we are receiving press
messages by way of Skagway,
Egber*. Fairbanks and Valdez, at
about four times the ordinary cost.
And this is one of the discourage
ments that prevent the newspaper
men of Alaska from becoming
millionaires.
Cordova, December 5
The train from the interior ar
rived on time this afternoon before
4 o’clock, bringing some Fairbanks
and Chisana passengers. Those
who came from the gold diggings all
came out over the Hazelet glacier
trail and mushed from Chisana to
McCarthy in from three to four days.
They report the trail in good condi
tion and passed a number of freight
ers with horses drawing good loads
going into the digging.s Others ar
rived at McCarthy today and will
ooftie out on Sunday’s train. Among
'the number is Ned Hill. Another is
Howard D. Fields, a representative
of the R. H. Channing and Hamshaw
interests. He has been in since early
summer and will take the steamer
Northwestern from here to Seattle,
expecting to go east from there.
The freighter Seward reached
port this morning with a cargo of
explosives and general mercahndise.
She is now loading about six cars
of copper ore and will sail early in
the morning for Valdez. She carries
14 horses for that town, consigned
to W. E. Wood, who it is said will
use them for freighting purposes.
The Seward had stormy weather
coming up the Inside Passage and
across from Cape Spencer.
About nine incnes oi enow
during tlie early hours of the morn
ing, and some who have been busy
shoveling the sidewalks insist that
there must have been about nine
foot.
Cordova, December 6
Among the passengers to go out
on the morning train was ‘‘Shorty ’
Gwin. He will go to Chitina and
on Tuesday will go on to McCarthy,
with his tents which will arrive to
night on the Northwestern and be
sent out on Monday's train. He
secured supplies in Cordova and
made every preparation for estab
lishing a roadhouse about four miles
this side of the summit on the
glacier. He has also arranged to do
freighting and is contracting to
transport supplies from McCarthy to
the town of Chisana for 15 cents
per pound.
The carpenter shop occupied by
Currier & Cochran, and which is a
good sized building, fell in last
night by reason of the heavy weight
of snow on it.
Among the arrivals yetserday on
the train from Fairbanks were H.
Anderson, C. N. Keane and T.
Wright. They will go outside on the
Northwestern.
Cordova, December 8
Among the arrivals on the North
westenr was Charles S. Black who
will take the train on Thursday for
Chitina, from where he will start
for the Nelchina diggings. He states
that about eight others on the
steamer were bound for the same
locality. Mr. Black was one of the
early men to go in from Seward,
being the 32nd man on the ground.
As a consequence he located some
good ground. He came out by way
of Tazlina and Chitina and declares
that as a summer route this is not,
only much shorter but is better
going in every way. He is return
ing with supplies and will sled them
in from Chitina. He is satisfied
that as a winter route this way will
be even better than the summer
route. From Chitina the first 58
miles is over the government road
to Tazlina. From there on the
course is along the river for nearly
the entire distance of 80 miles,
without any hills or summits to
climb. While in Seattle Mr. Black
heard much discussion of both the
Nelchina and Chisana districts and
looks for a big exodus of prospectors
to both camps after the holidays.
John L. Steel, who has had inter
ests in Alaska for many years, is a
passenger on the Northwestern for
Landlock bay. He circled about
town today and met many old
friends. He states that he is not
seeking the nomination for Con
gress. He has just come from
Seattle where he says the feeling is
general that the Alaska railroad bill
will be passed early in the session
of the present Congress. Mr. Steel
also anticipates a big rush to both
the Chisana and Nelchina gold
fields during the months of January,
February and March. And he says
that if some new pay is found on
bed rock this winter the stampede
will exceed all expectations. Most of
the people with whom he talked
hold the opinion that the quickest
and better way of reaching the in
terior is via Cordova.
R. R. Stoddard who has been at
Tanana for twelve years came in on
the train yesterday and will go out
side on the steamer Northwestern.
The board of equalization will
hold its last meeting tonight at city
hall. At the meeting of the council
on Monday, December 15, the tax
levy shall be made and a week later
the tax roll shall be turned over to
the city treasurer, who shall pub
lish notice for two weeks that the
town taxes are now due and payable
to him at his office. Taxes will be
come delinquent after 6 o’clock on
the evening of the second Monday
in February next, after which a
penalty of 5 per cent will be added.
The cable is still out of commis
sion between Sitka and Valdez, and
is likely to so continue for some
days yet. In the meantime official
business and commercial messages
are being sent by wireless from
Sitka to Cordova. As there is no
press rate that method of receiving
news is prohibitive. The line by
way of Ashcroft has been interrupt
ed, while there seems to be some
trouble in getting our press mes
sages through from Skagway via
Egbert and Fairbanks.
The steamer Northwestern en
countered bad weather on her trip
north from Seattle, and this was
particularly true from Cape Spencer
westward. She was not able to put
into Cordova until 10 o’colck last
night, having had to tie up until a
snow storm blew itself out. The
Northwestern brought 600 tons of
freight for this port, as well as 34
passengers and 14 horses. A pair
of fine double grays are for Capt.
Austin E. Lathrop, whose increasing
transfer business demands addi
tional service. The others are for
the Chisana, and will go out to Mc
Carthy on Thursday’s train. The
steamer had discharged her freight
and was ready to sail for Valdez at
5 o’clock this afternoon. As snow
was thickly falling there was a
doubt as to when she would pull
out. Unless the weather interferes
the Northwestern will return from
the westward on Wednesday night
and take on seven cars of copper
ore, leaving for Skagway, Juneau,
and the south some time Thursday
morning. The following passengers
were for this section of Alaska.
For Cordova—E. L. Kimble, H.
Colombon, Mrs. A. Olson, G. W.
Sproat, C. Maydha, A. Korfourky,
D. Carrison, H. M. Cohen, M. V.
Lattin, J. R. Walters, J. A. North
way, D. McQuestion, L. K. McCul
lough, Charles Scofield, J. L.
O’Brien, P. Erickson, L. Lavensaler,
A. Thompson, A. Chinkenbrand,
Alex Thompson, C. Harris, F. A.
Schmitz, N. Nickleson, R. Nickleson,
E. Madson and 9 second class.
For Valdez—J. McGrath, Mrs. V.
L. Sedwick, R. H. Coles, W. M.
Elliott, A. P. Hunt, Mrs. Hunt, A.
A. Lipp, B. H. Howard, Charles S.
Block, J. L. Steel, Charles H. Gort
and wife, Miss A. Gunther, A. J.
Ecea and G. Stridner,
For Seward—R. L. Hatcher, Mrs.
S. Silverman, J. Cummings and
wife, C. E. Whitney, and F. J.
Chopman.
Arthur G. Thompson, of Katalla,
was a passenger on the steamer
Northwestern last night. About two
months ago he went to Yakataga on
some mining business and has been
compelled to return home by
a round about way, because of
steamer schedules. He went on the
Sampson to Juneau, caught the
Northwestern back to Cordova, and
will now likely be compelled to
mush it from Mile 39 on the rail
road to his home.
Deputy Marshal W. E. Wood, of
Chitina, was a passenger to town on
yesterday’s train, returning this
morning. He states that a special
officer sent from the outside has
been working to discover the mur
derers of the two men who were
found dead last summer on the
trail near Willow' Creek. He pre
dicts developments shortly.
Jack O’Brien was a returning
passenger on the Northwestern. He
accompanied his wife to Fresno,
where she will spend a few weeks.
Chic Harris returned to Cordova
from Juneau on the Northwestern
and left this morning for the in
terior where he will join his brother
“Bill” and assist in getting a couple
of tons of supplies to the Chisana.
M. V. Lattin, station agent and
postmaster at McCarthy, was a re
turning passenger on the North
western from a short trip outside.
He took the morning train for the
interior, to resume his former
duties.
Thomas Keel, who is one of the
old-timers in the Fairbanks coun
try, arrived with his wife on the
train yesterday. They will go out
side on the Northwestern and spend
the winter in California. Mr. Keel
was out about a year ago, when he
was married.
Judge C. M. Frazier will be a
passenger on the Northwestern to
night for Valdez, where he has sev
eral matters before the district
court.
Cordova, December 9
When the train went out yester
day it was preceded by the snow
rotary as far as Chitina, as there
had been considerable of a fall on
the upper end of the line. There
was no particular delay and return
ing the train reached Cordova this
afternoon at 4:45 o’clock. About
16 passengers came in, some from
the Chisana and others from Fair
banks.
Louis Lavensellar was a passen
ger on the steamer Northwestern,
going through to Ellamar. He ex
pects to return on Thursday and go
through to Seattle.
Now that there is a IT. S. commis
sioner and a deputy marshal in the
Chisana district it is only a ques
tion of a short time until there will
be one or more liquor licenses
granted. One of the first to apply
is Frank Miller, who formerly run
the Miners’ Home on Garden Island,
near Fairbanks. It is said that he
secured the necessary signatures on
a petition to be presented to Judge
Brown.
SEATTLE, Dec. 9.—Yesterday af- |
ternoon Lloyd J. Caswell died at his
home in this city. He will be re
membered as the consulting engi
neer for the Alaska Central Rail
road. Afterwards he became asso
ciated with Mr. Hawkins, chief en
gineer for the Copper River &
Northwestern railway, and was divi
sion engineer. His work was prin
cipally between Tiekel and Chitina,
which was finished in June 1911,
when Mr. Caswell came from Cor
dova to Seattle.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.—Since
mining began in Alaska in 1880 the
gold placers of the territory have
yielded 7,488,491 fine ounces of gold
valued at $154,800,875. These
mines have also produced 1,652,016
fine ounces of silver, with a com
mercial value of $960,743, according
to A. H. Brooks, of the United States
Geological Survey.
The gold placer mines of Alaska
are estimated to have produced in
1912 gold to the value of $11,990,
000. Railroad development is the
thing that is most needed, and it is
not to be expected that under pres
ent industrial conditions there will
be any stability of placer-gold out
put in the territory. So long as the
high cost of transportation prevails,
the production of placer gold must
depend on the exploitation of
bonanza deposits, for these alone can
be expected to yield profitable re
turns.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9. — The
fisheries of Alaska yield annually
more than $12,000,000 while almosl
$35,000,000 is invested in the sal
mon industry, which employs 18,
000 men. Because of complaints
against Canadian, Japanese and Rus
sian fishermen invading Alaskan
waters for halibut Secretary Red
field has been induced to include in
his estimates for the department of
commerce an appropriation of $100,
000 to purchase one sea-going ves
sel, one light-draft tug and six rapid
motor boats to enforce the alien
fishing law. For additional employes
he asks $8,500. The department
now has no vessel to use for this
purpose, and the secretary points
out that wrhen a government official
has to visit an Alaskan cannery or
fishery to see that the law is ob
served, “his only means of transpor
tation is a boat owned and run by
the very company or person that
may be violating the law.”
JUAREZ, Dec. 9.—General Villa
has ordered the merchnats here and
at Chihuahua to furnish such goods
as are required and to charge to
him. He asks for the prices of their
complete stocks.
EVANSVILLE, Ind., Dec. 9.—To
pay sick, death and funeral benefits,
to protect members in case of sick
ness or distress, and to establish co
operative enterprises are the main
objects of the International Socialist
Brotherhood recently launched here.
A home for aged and disabled
workers, an orphan’s home, a hos
pital and other institutions are
eventually to be founded by the
organization, according to its back
ers. Branches will be organized in
every town and city in the United
States having a Socialist local. The
promoters hope to have 1,000,000
members within a comparatively
short time. Eugene V. Debs, Clar
ence Darrow, Charles Edward Rus
sell, J. Stitt Willson, Victor Berger,
Seymour Stedman and Stephen M.
Reynolds have promiesd to aid the
movement. The project has been
under consideration for months in
Southern Indiana. The originators
of the movement are C. L. Bourne,
Russell Eyttenbach and Charles
Nuesselor, three local Socialists.
Some of the leading Socialists in
the United States are expected to ac
cept offices in the association when
it is finally incorporated.
SEATTLE, Dec. 9.—It has been
definitely decided that there will be
no Potlatch celebration during the
year 1914. Instead, a greater cele
bration will be held in 1915 to ob
serve the opening of the Lake Wash
ington canal. At a recent meeting,
the executive committee of the Car
nival Association urged the aban
donment of the annual celebration
next year, and suggested making the
event of 1915 the greatest ever held
here. It is the purpose of the execu
tive committee to include in the
1915 program all forms of water
events, in addition to the usual
features and pageantry on land.
-o—o—o
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STEAMSHIP COMPANY !
Fast and commodious steamers sailing between Seattle,
Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, Cordova, Valdez,
and Seward, via INSIDE PASSAGE.
Sails from Seattle— Sails from Cordova—
November 30-NORTHWESTERN_December 9
December 10.ALAMEDA.December 19
This company reserves the right to change schedule of steam*
ers without notice.
Tickets on sale at up-town office Alaska Steamship Illdg.
Baggage or freight will not be received at dock later than one
hour before sailing time.
F. B. TRACY
General Agent.
T. J. TALLENT,
Ticket Agent.
ALASKA oc„°„fAS
Steamers via the INSIDE PASSAGE calling at Ketchikan, Juueuu,
Katallu, Cordova, Ellamar, Valdez, Fort Liscum,
Latouche, Seward, and Kodiak.
STEAMER JEANIE
SAILING FROM SEATTLE ON
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10
California connections at Seattle with Alaska-Pacific S. S. Co.
Right is reserved to change this schedule without notice.
15. F. WATSON, General Agent. ALASKA TRANSFER CO., Agent.
The Only Modern Hotel in Chitina ^
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FREIGHTING
From McCarthy to Chisana i
CONTRACTS WANTED
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PARIS, Dec. 9.—Prefect of Police
Reunion today notified all motion
picture manufacturers, dealers and
theater managers, that within a
short time he will permit no more
inflammable films, such as are now
in universal use, to be manufac
tured or exhibited. His circular
states that experiments conducted
t
before him have proved that fire
proof films can now be made and
are perfectly practical. The time
limit will be fixed as soon as it can
be found out what delay manufac
turers need in order that no hard
ships may result.
-o—o—o
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