THE CHITINA LEADER
CHITINA, ALASKA
Entered as second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice at
Chitina, Alaska, under the Act of Conbress of March 2, 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA •
Published every Tuesday by
HARRY G. STEEL, Editor and Proprietor.
Office: Hotel Chitina Building. Cordova Office: Daily Times.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
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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.
CHITINATALASKA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1915.
HERRON’S POLICY HAS TRUE RING.
Chairman Charles E. Herron, of the Republican territor
ial committee, is making a most commendable effort to
thoroughly organize the G. O. P. in Alaska along the right
lines. He very rightly believes that the members of that party
are the ones who should control its destinies, and to that end
has placed' himself on record as being unqualifiedly in favor
of the territorial convention electing the national committee
man, instead of allowing a select few to make this choice, and
thus foist upon the voters some political boss, as has been the
case in the past. In other words, he believes in the majority
rule, and had this open and fair policy been pursued hereto
fore, the Republicans in Alaska would be united today.
Chairman Herron is also strenuously opposed to injecting
any of the present factional differences into the situation. He
goes even further and would like to see the matter of federal
patronage in Alaska, at least so far as Republicans are con
cerned, handled in a way that cannot help but appeal to the
rank and file of the party. Instead of allowing one man to
dictate the different appointments for the territory, Mr. Her
ron is in favor of pledging both the national committeeman
and the candidate for delegate to Congress to only endorse
such applications for positions as are endorsed by a majority
of the local committeemen of the division where the office is
sought. In the gubernatorial contest he believes the success
ful candidate should' have the endorsement of a majority of
the full territorial committee.
One Month
Six Months
One Year .
SAY NOT .SO, NEIGHBOR.
It will be wise for the friends of Alaska to keep a sharp
lookout when the time comes for the appropriations to be made
by the coming’ Congress. Although to the ordinary observer
it would' appear decidedly idiotic in the face of the present
battleship program, and the public demand that something
be done at once to improve our present defenceless position,
not to provide an adequate coal supply for the new navy, it
must also be borne in mind that Congress is very hard up, and
it has been known to do some very peculiar things when tem
porarily embarrassed. Besides a great many congressmen
never liked that Alaska railway, anyway.—Seattle Railway
and Marine News.
It is to be hoped that Editor Kerr is unduly alarmed and
is not “speaking by the book.” Alaska needs all the appropria
tions she can receive and the Times earnestly hopes, and real
ly believes, that Secretary Lane will receive the appropria
tion of $8,224,000 asked for by him to continue the construc
tion of the government railroad.
-to;-- -
ONE KIND OF RETRENCHMENT.
Postmaster-General Burleson announces that the parcel
post is paying a profit. While that is merely his opinion,
given in the absence of any definite facts upon which a safe
conclusion could be based, it furnishes a proper occasion to re
mark that the postmaster-general placed an additional burden
upon the railroads without giving them additional pay when
he required' them to transport, as parcel post matter, mail
which had previously been carried by the railroad's as express
matter. In various other ways he increased the amount of
parcel post matters transported without increasing the pay
of the railroads. Perhaps litigation or an investigation will
sometime show the extent of this additional service required
without corresponding compensation, but until that is shown
it will not be possible for anyone to say whether the parcel
post pays a profit above all rightful charges against it. It is
a good bet that it doesn’t under the Burleson rates and
weights.
-:o:
The price of copper has reached twenty cents, with the
prospect of a further increase in price. And to think that
Cordova is the greatest copper port in the United States.
-:o:
WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS NEEDED.
The declination of Mr. Justice Hughes of the United
States supreme court, as a candidate for president, awakens
a thought of the order of man best fitted for the office of chief
magistrate of this nation.
The country lias seemed to have a wrong impression of
the needed qualifications for the place from long ago.
If a private citizen had an extensive and complex business
and he wanted a superintendent for it, what manner of man
would he select?
The first essential would be some one acquainted with the
business in all its details, the second a man acquainted with
the men to be dealt with.
Would he select a man whose whole life had been spent
in the study of the sciences and classics, and who had had no
practical contact with any extensive and varied business, and
only contact with elegant and accomplished gentlemen?
Senator J. P. Jones expressed the idea perfectly when he
said to Senator Lodge: “I have read your books, Lodge, they
are beautiful; I have heard your speeches, they are fine, but
senator, you don’t know a d-d thing in the world of how a
poor man goes to work to make a living. ’ ’
When Andrew Jackson was elected President men were
afraid.
They said he was a rough soldier, an indifferent lawyer,
a horse racer, etc.—not at all the scholar and gentleman needed
to occupy the White House.
They did not realize the shrewd judgment needed to com
pass the tactics and strategy of the race track; or that the
rough soldier would be just the one to keep his eyes on his
country’s enemies; or that a grounding in the law gives an
alert and honest man a clear ituition to grasp the right in any
given case. ii
Abraham Lincoln had practically no education in the
schools, but what other man ever carried such an equipment
of brain and heart into the presidency as he did!
Mr. Gladstone was a much finer scholar than Disraeli, but
he was a failure as premier, a most costly mistake, while Dis
raeli gave England the most brilliant administration it had
enjoyed since the sceptre fell from the hand of Pitt.
But Gladstone’s translation of the Iliad was marvellous.
A president of the United States should not only be a most
sagacious business man, but should have an intimate personal
knowledge of all the people of all the states. Unless he has he
will assume the great office hedged about unconsciously with
a robe of provincialism which he can never divest himself of.
He will, too, be stuffed full of personal theories which a
little contact with all the people would long before have scat
tered to the winds.
A too close adherence to the studies of the schools, with
no mingling in the practical affairs of life is liable to have the
same effect upon a man that too close inbreeding does upon
horses. It is followed by a lack of steady judgment, impat
ience of needed restraint, a disposition to fly the track when
the presence is most urgent, irritability and a desire to take
the bit and run away just when most is expected.
The most essential need to fit boys to be real men, is a
training in the simpler lessons of military discipline while yfct
young. It teaches them discipline and at the same time self
respect. It improves their bearing; it impresses upon them
the obligations of duty, and the obligation that is upon them
to do their best in whatever honorable occupation it becomes
their duty to fill. It dissipates foolish ideas and fits their
minds, their hands and eyes for a life work.
--:o:
No matter how squeaky the governmental machine in
Gieece becomes they always seem to find a lubricant.
-:o:
Christmas is a week from today, and it is none too early
to purchase your holiday gifts.
-:0:
Now that the plum tree has been shaken in Alaska those
looking for federal jobs are hopeful that some fruit will drop
into their baskets.
-:o:—
This was one of the coldest days we have experienced this
winter, and even then the thermometer did not come anywhere
near the zero mark.
-:o:
Secretary of Interior Lane is urging Congress to pass an
emergency appropriation of $2,000,000 with which to continue
construction work on the government railroad in Alaska this
winter.
-:o:
A committee of railroad employes, under the Alaska en
gineering commission, is at Washington, asking Congress to
make an investigation of the labor conditions existing at An
chorage, but thus for it has not met with much success.
-:o:
The term “full territorial form of government" also has
Republican authority for its use as well as Democratic. It
was used by Governor Clark and' President Taft before it was
sanctioned by President Wilson in his message to Congress
two years ago.—Juneau Empire.
-:o:
The first Democratic^ostmaster to be given a place at the
“pie counter” is our friend W. E. Root, who has been nomin
ated to look after the mails at Seward. That he will make a
capable and obliging official we have no doubt, but why he
should want to serve Uncle Sam at a lower salary than he can
command' as a druggist we are at a loss to understand. But
as William was after the job we are glad he landed it. Here’s
hoping he may have enough influence with the administration
to see that his clerk hire allowance is raised, so that the em
ployes of that, as well as other offices, will be paid a living
wage.
GOV. STRONG’S
REPORT RELEASED
The 1915 report of Governor J. F.
A. Strong has just been released for
publication. It contains 116 pages,
and treats on every part of Alaska.
Under the caption, “What of Alas
ka’s Future,” he says:
“From what has been written
above it may be thought by some that
Alaska is a Tand flowing with milk
and honey,' like the promised land
of the ancient Israelites. It is a
greatly superior land, in point of
fact, to the one of ancient times, but
the 'milk' must be sought out, and
the ‘honey’ carefully gathered. It is
but a truism to say that Alaska and
its resources have been persistently
and insistently misrepresented since
its purchase from Russia. It has
taken many years of patient effort to
convince people elsewhere that Alas
ka is really a land of promise. In
the early days of the territory the
few people who visited it as tourists
gained their impressions of the coun
try from the deck of a steamship,
and wrote and talked accordingly.
They were looking for the grotesque
and bizarre, for glaciers and ice
bergs, polar bears and totem poles,
and the fur-clad Eskimo, hence their
motifs covered these and llttld more.
The immense latent riches of the
country were overshadowed or lost
sight of in their zeal to find those
things of which they in turn had read
in geographies and other publica
tions of the time. But a change has
taken place. Alaska, as it is, is be
coming better known with the pass
ing of each year. People of other
lands are coming to see it for them
selves. Many of these are not skirt
ing merely the southern coast, but
are visiting every other section.
Tourist travel to Alaska the past
jummer was the greatest by far in
its bistory. This was in part due,
no doubt, to the war in Europe, which
impelled many people to visit other
lands and safer places. The scenic
beauty of Alaska is unsurpassed. Its
mountain ranges are the most mag
nificent on the continent. Its bays,
fiords, inlets and harbors are com
parable at least with those of Nor
way. The mighty Yukon and other
rivers of the interior afford 6,000
miles of inland navigation. From the
deck of a river steamer, valley and
plain and towering mountain peaks,
seen in the distance in the^long per
spective of waxing and waning lights
and shades of the summer day, are
a delight to the eye. The country
abounds with lakes, set like jewelB
in the midst of mountains, affording
the finest fishing, while deer, cari
bou, mountain sheep, goats, moose,
waterfowl and shore birds furnish
game for the sportsman with a mini
mum amount of effort. Alaska has
all the natural attractions to make
it an ideal summer resort and a sana
torium for thousands of people of the
United States. The summer months
in most sections are balmy, the air
being pure, clear and healthful.
From a mere material standpoint
Alaska’s natural resources have told
and are telling their own story. It
is not alone a land of gold, for it has
many kinds of ^precious metals and
other minerals. Its production of
silver is a not unimportant item. Its
copper production is steadily forging
to the front, and the output of this
metal alone during the present cal
endar year will probably reach in
value 920,000,000. It has unlimited
quantities of coal, as yet undeveloped,
but with the probability that it will
soon be producing high grade steam
ing and coking coala unequalled In
i
..
quality by any on the Pacific Slope
of the continent. It has extensive
areas of agricultural land, aa evi
denced by the prosperous ranches of
the Tanana valley and other parts
of the territory. Cattle have been
raised in Southwestern Alaska ever
since the days of Russian occupation.
It has been estimated that Alaska
has 30,000 square miles of agricul
tural lands, besides large areas suit
able for grazing. Twothirds of these
areas are probably tributary to the
proposed government railroads. Rein
deer raising is a promising and stead
ily increasing industry of great pos
sibilities, and the territory's pastures
are a prospective source of future
wealth. Its fisheries are extensive
and are capable of great expansion,
and ultimately will attract consider
able population. Increase the local
market for foodstuffs and mineral
foods and supply return cargoes, and
therefore cheapen freight rates for
northbound vessels. The best tim
bered areas are confined to south
eastern Alaska, where there is a large
supply of wood suitable for pulp, the
manufacture of which promises an
important industry. Water power is
abundant, and is an important factor
In the treatment of the low grade
ores of the southeastern section, be
sides furnishing electric power for
industrial and other purposes. With
the further development of water
power the manufacture of electro
chemical products will, without
doubt, soon be an important Alaskan
industry.
The vast possibilities of Alaska in
dustrially, agriculturally and commer
cially have been only briefly outlined
here, but enough has been said to
justify the prediction that within the
next decade the potential greatness
of this territory, as a producer of
natural wealth, will have been so
firmly established as to dispel the
last lingering doubt of those who
have assumed the expressed or im
plied attitude of scoffers when Alas
ka has been under discussion.”
:o:
HOLDS MAJORITY
OL KENNECOTT
COPPEH STOCK
With 167,972 shares outstanding
In his name, Daniel Guggenheim
heads the list of the Kennecott Cop
per Corporation Stockholders. Dur
ing the few months intervening since
the company was formed its shares
have been distributed to more than
800 persons. On the other hand, the
Braden Copper Mines Company, to be
taken over by the Kennecott, has in
excess of 2000 stockholders; but this
company has been in existence for
years.
Three holding concerns will figure
in the proposed merger, all being do
minated by the Guggenhelms. Ken
necott was owned entirely by the
Alaska Syndicate, an equal partner
ship divided between the Guggen
heims and J. P. Morgan & Co. A
portion of the Guggenheim participa
tion was several years ago turned
over to Kuhn, Loeb & Co. M. Gug
genheim’s Sons are believed to have
been the controlling factors in Bra
den, which finds confirmation in
the large holdings standing In the
names of Guggenheim employes. The
Guggenheim Exploration Co. will dis
solve after distributing its assets and
turning over a block of 404 shares
of Utah Copper to Kennecott.
In view of the approaching merger
the following compilation, showing
some of the largest holders of Ken
necott and Braden may be of in
terest :
Kennecott.
Daniel Guggenheim.167,972
T. W. Joyce. 30,031
Flllov, Bullard & Smythe .... 21,000
G. Schram. 20,000
H. S. West.18.200
H. A. Sacke.18,000
G. F. Moeser.46,600
W. H. Gates.16,000
J. J. Lowery.12,000
H. B. Pendrey.i0,000
W. T. Edgerton .18,200
M. S. Butler.17.600
Agnes Clarke.12,118
R. Dolo .17,900
S. J. Greismans.13,000
C. J. Poole.12,700
Hayden, Stone & Co. 1,700
J. S. Bache & Co. 6,298
C. D. Barney & Co. 4.060
A. G. Beatson Estate. 3,320
Vernon Brown & Co. 1,120
H. Content & Co. 4,600
B. C. Converse. 4.000
Emanuel Parker. 4,000
Homblower & Weeks. 6,900
T. W. Joyce, ranking as the sec
ond largest holder of the Kennecott
shares, is understood to be an em
ploye of J. P. Morgan & Co. He also
appears as the holder of 120 shares
of International Mercantile Marine
common stock. The other individu
als against whose names appear
largo holdings are believed practical
ly, without exception, to represent
the controlling factors.
Braden.
H. L. Daniel. 42,245
M. A. Meeker .. 46,588
G. H. Hilton . 26.003
Prendergast, Hale & Co.20,010
Morris Guggenheim.10,50t»
Mesmore Kendall.14.086
Joseph Liss .14,900
H. Content & Co.11,800
E. D. Peters.11,104
H. Herbeyer. 10.000
Wm. Braden ... . 3.800
E. B. Braden. 7,700
O. H. Cole . 8,800
M. Kendall, Jr.*_ 8,194
-:o:
UW IS NOW IN
Agitation has been started In
Fairbanks and Seward to comply
with the new municipal law as
passed by the last legislature. The
law provides that fifty electors may
call a meeting for the purposes pro
vided in the Act. Under its provis
ions all incorporated towns in Alaska
shall In future be divided into Cities
of the first class and cities of the
second class. If the people ratify the
clauses of the law governing such
matters, mayors of the first class cit
ies will be elected directly by the
people, also city clerk, attorney and
treasurer. The mayor will be elected
for one year and the six councilmen
will be elected for terms of two
years, but after the election they will
draw lots to decide who must retire
at the end of one year. Following is
the law:
An act designating incorporated
towns in the Territory of Alaska as
Incorporated cities of the first class
and incorporated cities of the second
class; providing for fixing the time
of municipal elections by ordinance;
providing for the election of a mayor
and common council in cities of the
first class; providing for the election
of city officials in cities of the first
class, and repealing all acts and parts
of acts in conflict therewith.
Be it enacted by the Legislature or
the Territory of Alaska.
Section 1. That all incorporated
towns in the Territory of Alaska
hereafter-by designated as cities of
the first class and cities of the sec
ond class.
Section 2. That the common coun
cils in cities of the first class and
the board of trustees in cities of the
second class shall, by ordinance, fix
the time of holding all municipal and
school elections within the boundar
ies of the municipal corporation.
Section 3. There shall be elected
in every incorporated city of the
first class in the Territory of Alas
ka at the next regular election after
the ratification of this section, a
mayor and common council, consist
ing of six councllmen. The term of
office of the mayor shall be one year,
and of the councllmen two years;
provided that immediately after the
council shall be assembled in conse
quence of the first election under this
section they shall by lot or drawing
be equally divided into two classes.
The seats of councllmen of the first
class shall be vacated at the end of
one year, and when their successors
are elected and qualified; and the
seats of councllmen of the second
class at the end of two years, and
when their successors are elected
and qualified so that three members
of the council shall be elected an
nually thereafter for a term of two
years. A mayor shall also be elec
ted for a term of one year and until
his successor is elected and quali
fied at each annual election there
after.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of
the mayor so elected to preside at
meetings of the common council, to
approve or disapprove of all ordin
ances or resolutions passed by the
common council, to sign all warrants
drawn on the city treasurer, and to
exercise a general supervision over
the affairs of the city in which he
has been elected. The mayor shall
be the executive head of the city.
'Ie shall have authority to veto any
ordinance or resolution passed by the
common council, and any ordinance
or resolution so vetoed shall be re
turned to the common council at the
next regular meeting, together wit
a statement from the mayor giving
the reasons for his veto. Any ordi
nance so vetoed by the mayor may
be passed by a majority of the com
mon council, in which case it shall
become effective without the signa
ture of the mayor. If the mayor
neither signs nor vetoes an ordinance
or resolution before the next regular
meeting of the common council af
ter its pasage, it shall become effec
tive without his signature.
Section 5. Sections three and four
of this act, nor any of the provis
ions of the said sections, shall be in
force or effect, or in any way appli
cable to any Incorporated city of the
first class until ratified by a majority
of the qualified voters of such city
voting upon the ratification of mud
sections 3 and 4 at any regular or
special election in said city.
Section C. There shall be etectea
in every incorporated city of the first
class in the Territory of Alaska at
the next regular election after the
ratification of this section, one city
clerk, one treasurer and one city at
torney.
The duties of the city clerk, city
treasurer and city attorney shall be
the same duties imposed upon such
officers by laws enacted, and such
additional duties as the common
council of the city in which such
clerk, treasurer or attorney shall
have been elected, may from time
to time impose. The city clerk, city
treasurer and city attorney shall be
elected at each regular annual elec
tion hold for the election or city
officials after the ratification of this
section, and they shall hold office
for one year, and until their success
ors are elected and qualified, unless
sooner removed by the council roe
cause. The qualification of the offi
cial provided for in Sections 6 and 7
of this act shall be the same as those
now required for like positions in
cities of the first class in the Terri
tory of Alaska.
Section 8. Sections 6 and 7 of this
act, nor any of the provisions of the
said sections shall be in force or ef
iect., or in any way apply to any in
corporated city of the Ilrat class
until ratified by a majority of the
qualified electors of such city voting
upon the ratifications of said Sec
tions G and 7 at any regular or spe
cial election in said city.
Section 9. All vacancies in the of
fice of mayor, city clerk, city treas
urer or city attorney shall be declared
and filled by the common council in
the same manner as vacancies in the
common council are declared and
filled under Chapter 46, Alaska ses
sion laws, 1913. nnd amendments
thereto.
Section 10. Upon a petition of 60
qualified electors in any city of the
first class, the matter of ratification
of Sections 3 and 4, or the ratifica
tion of Sections :i and 4 and also
Sections 6 and 7 of this act, shall to
referred by the common council to
a vote of the people. At the same
elections there shall be placed upon
the official ballot at such city elec
tion the names of such electors as
may be candidates for the offices of
mayor and councilmen, city clerk,
city treasurer or city attorney. In
case a majority of the votes cast at
such election shall be in favor of
ratifying; Sections 6 and 7, then the
candidates receiving the highest
number of votes for the office for
which each was a candidate shall be
declared elected and take office upon
qualifying and filing bond as re
quired by the council.
Section 11. All acts and parts of
acts, so far as they are in conflict
with this act, are hereby repealed.
Approved April 28, 1916.
-o:
Judge Fred M. Brown, of the dls- fk'
trict court, has appointed Ed. Wood
to be jury commissioner in this divi
sion, and he wilt officiate with Clerk
of the Court Arthur Lang at the jury
drawing on February 1 for the term
which is called to convene of Feb
ruary 15. Only a petit jury will be
drawn later.
-:o:
In the case of Mrs. Hattie Woodln
vs. W. W. Harvey & Co., of McCarthy,
the motion to continue was over
ruled and the case submitted to the
court, who entered judgment for the
plaintiff in the sum of 6200. This was
a suit over the rent of a hofse.
H. P. Warren, a recent arrival at
Anchorage from the States, Is an
nounced as assistant to Commission
er Mears, and will be in charge of
the government railroad work dur
ing the latter’s absence.
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