14 MINERS IMPRISONED1
Shaft on Placer Claims Near Fairbanks Caved in and a Hundred Men Are
Working Fifteen Minute Relays In Effort to Rescue Those
Imprisoned 175 Feet Underground
Special to Daily Alaskan.
1 airbanks, Sept. 28.—A shaft on the Shakespeare placer
claim, Dome Creek, caved in yesterday afternoon at 5 o’clock,
entombing fourteen miners at a depth of one hundred and sev
enty feet.
The news of the accident spread rapidly and created con
siderable excitement, notwithstanding the fact that most of
the men imprisoned are Russians. Practically every miner
on the creek volunteered his services to-attempt to rescue those
entombed.
A hundred men were put to work on fifteen minute re
lays. They are seeking an entrance through an old shaft five
hundred feet distant and which is plugged by thirty feet of
ice at the bottom. Dynamite is being used to loosen the ice.
and the work of rescue will be pursued night and day. There
is a possibility that the intermediate shafts have settled and
in that event it is feared that the men may be smothered to
death before they can be reached.
ALASKA IS fOOMt fOR PROGRESSIVES
Hutchinson, Kansas, Sept. 28.—Secretary of Interior
Walter L. Fisher is here in conference with President Taft in
reference to the administration’s Alaska policy. Secretary
Fisher has recently returned from a trip to southwestern Alas
ka," where he went to study the fuel problem and incidentally
to investigate the alleged Controller Bay harbor. A thorough
investigation convinced the cabinet officer that Alaska had
been grossly misrepresented and that Cordova possessed the
only harbor on Prince William Sound, as an outlet for the
Bering river coal
9
, In an interview given out Secretary Fisher attacks the
| Progressives for their attempt to make political capital at the
expense of the development of Alaska. He characterizes their
efforts as piratical and demagogic and has placed the whole
Alaskan controversy in an entirely new light.
United States Senator Curtis called on Secretary Fisher
and pledged his support to his recommendations, recognizing
that a great injustice had already been done Alaska and hav
ing confidence that Fisher would work out a solution of the
problem which will permit of the opening up of the northern
territory.
GOVERNMENT LAUNCH RESTLESS IS WRECKED IN KATALLA RAR60R
#
Katalla, Sept. 26.—The government launch Restless, one
of the staunchest crafts of the kind plying in these northern
waters, was wrecked here yesterday afternoon- The launch
is operated by the forestry service at Cordova and it is reported
that it came here for the purpose of taking on board Gifford
Pinchot and party, who just returned from the coal mines.
A heavy northeast wind was blowing and the surf running
high, which caused the launch to drag her anchor. She finally
went ashore at Martin Island, on a bar on the Katalla side of
tne Bruner trestle.
I
As the storm has subsided and the tide is getting lower
today, the Eestless was gotten up on timbers and an examina
tion showed that a hole had been stove in her bottom. An
effort is being made to repair the damage here.
Among those on board at the time of the wreck were Sup
ervisor Weigle, of Ketchikan, and T. M. Hunt, in charge of the
Cordova forestry office.
The Eestless is 48 feet in length, has a 10 foot 6 inch beam,
and accomodations for about ten passengers. She is a seaworthy
I little boat, but could not withstand the storm that was raging.
IED M
CHEO__
I air banks, Sept. 30.—At midnight a Keystone drill pene
trated the drift, which had caved in last Wednesday on a
Dome creek placer claim, entombing fourteen miners. Blankets,
underwear, candles, matches and newspapers were lowered to
the men through a six inch hole. All of those imprisoned are
well and appear cheerful, under the circumstances.
It is not likely that the miners will be rescued for several
days, as only seventy feet of the collapsed shaft has been ex
cavated and there is still a hundred feet more of the dirt to
go through. The other rescue party, which is working through
an abandoned shaft are still six hundred feet distant. They
have gone one hundred feet along the drift, but the mine has
settled requiring a large amount of digging.
All other resources failing the drill hole will be thawed
to the necessary diameter and hoist the men out.
PUBLICITY LEAGUE TO
EXPOSE MUCKRAHERS
The Katalla Publicity League has:
been organized with Julius Thomp
son, president; Arthur Thompson,
secretary and Dave White, Charley
Williams, G. W. Smith and William j
Carless, members of the executive
committee.
The purpose of the league is to
take up the fight of Alaskans against
muckrakers and political writers who
continue to misrepresent conditions.
“For too long a time,” said Judge
Thompson, the president, “we have
allowed politicians to lie about Alas*
ka. This place has been the storm
center, because of the nearness of
the cpal fields, and the amount of
falsehoods peddled about the condi
tions here has amazed us beyond any
power of expression.
“At first we did not pay very much
attention to what said about us.
When we did take note, we were;
more amused than anything else. It |
was beyond our power to cornpre- j
__%
hend at the time that the falsehoods,
though repitition, and because uncon
tradicted_ would become the ground
work for the schemes of politicians
and work us such a grevious in
jury.
“We should have contradicted
them from the start. The fact that
they were not denied led many peo
ple to believe they must be true.
From now on, however, wo shall call
to account every writer who misrep
resents the conditions for political
or selfish reasons. All we want is a
square deal and the truth and from
this time on we shall demand that
writers not merely assume things but
that they must have proof to back
up tlieir statements.’
Mrs. Minnie Harber, formerly of
v--itina orders the Leader sent to her
address at Gobel_ Oregon.
Job Work at the Leader office.
7 IS YOUR HOUSE H MY TOR THE WINTER 7
We will make the following prices on lumber delivered in Chitina
on cars in car load lots, terms cash.
Rough timber and dimension 2x3, 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10, 2x12 up
to 22 feet at $42.00
1x8 shiplap, mixed lengths.$42.00
6 in. drop siding. 50.00
6 in. Rustic.50.00
4 in. flooring, tongued and grooved, slash grain in short
lengths 4’-5’-6’-7’-8’-9’-1 O’, $45.00
4”=flooring V. Q. 4’ to 16’ $60.00
lx4’-5”-6”-8”=10”=12” surfaced four sides finishing lumber $60.00
Shingles $5.50 per thousand. Lath $6.50 per thousand.
We also carry plaster, roofing pitch, tar paper, P. & B. Building
paper, flalhoid roofing, nails and sash and doors on which we will
make SPECIAL PRICES.
ARCTIC LUMBER CO.
CORDOVA