British Columbia Fur
Trade Lost to U. S.
The fur business of Victoria, accord
ing to a publication of that city, has
dropped from approximately $250,000
per annum, exclusive of sealskin re
ceipts, to less than $25,000, while at
least 25 per cent, of the furs handled
through the Northwest Pacific states
are of British Columbia origin. It is
hinted that there may be an amend
ment offered to the game laws pro
scribing export of raw pelts in an effort
to check the diversion of the British
Columbia pack to American cities.
A shipment was sent forward to
London on Dec. 8 by the Hudson’s Bay
Company, comprising about $15,050
worth of assorted pelts, chiefly marten
taken by the Northern British Colum
bia and Alaska trappers. A small
shipment of extra-choice silver fox
went forward a little later, winding up
the shipments for 1959, a very consid
erable portion of which was made up
of furs bought for the London market
from American towns—Seattle, Taco
ma. Portland and even San Prancisco.
‘•It is a perpetual mystery to the lead
ers in the trade here,” says the publi
cation mentioned, “why Victoria, in
other days the headquarters and center
of the fur trade of the North Pacific
coast,' should have thus permitted the
greater part of an important trade to
slip through its fingers.”
A matter of great interest to the
British Columbia fur trade is embod
ied in communications now under con
sideration by the attorney general,
referring to the recent expiry of the
exemption for provincial Indians from
the prohibition against the taking of
beaver during the ensuing three years
from March 31 last, it being desired by
the trade that such exemption continue.
The Indians are virtually monopolists
of the beaver collection of British Co
lumbia, not more than ten pelts out of
approiiraately 8,0:50 making up the
total for 1959 being got by while trap
pers. There is no game law required
to induce the Indian to conserve the
supply by a more effectual system than
that encompassed by the white man's
laws. Since time immemorial the
beaver farms have been distinctly al
lotted in districts among the natives,
severest penalties being prescribed for
any invasion of territory, and only the
increase being taken to' meet the ne
cessities of the aboriginal proprietors
of the farms. Nor is there any killing
on chance of marketing. The Indian,
according to reports of Hudson’s Bay
Company traders, first of all visits the
trading post, explains the extent of
credit he desires, and ascertains how
many and what class of heaver will be
required to meet it. Then he goes
back to the farm, picks out the individ
ual beavers marked for sacrifice, lies
in wail for them at home, and quietly
nets them at the appointed time. If
after capture they are found not ex
actly as desired they are not lost, but
simply returned unharmed to their
habitat. The especial care taken by
the Indian in the protection and devel
opment of their beaver farms is widely
recognized by the Hudson’s Bay Com
pany and by the Indian department,
the latter tactfully recognizing the na
tive distribution of territory and co
operating with the inland tribes to
prevent raids of coastal Indians which
(until the white man tried uselessly to
improve on tne native game laws) con
stituted the only menace to the Indian
beaver farming.
It is estimated that British Colum
bia’s 1999 contribution of beaver to the
London market approximates 8,090
pelts, of which the Hudson’s Bay Com
pany sent forward 6,038, a considerable
portion being collected in the sound
cities, although originating in the
Canadian p-ovince. The last shipment
consisted of a sample lot of 139 Cassiar
beaver bought in Seattle, together
with 52} pounds of castorum.
The year’s fur collections in British
Columbia did not materially vary in
aggregate quantity from that of 1998.
Tne minx and marten, which made up
the major portion of the supply, were
not quite up to the standard in color.
British Columbia lynx, too, were
rather small, although the increased
price has caused white trappers to turn
their attention to lynx, which will be
a factor in the 1910 collections. As
high as $32 has been realized for skins
which ten years ago would have been
counted well sold at 75 cents each.
The foxes were exceptionally fine,
size, quality and color all being unim
peachable. The price was satisfacto
rily high, having doubled within 12 or
18 months, the price for silver fox
running from $59 to $900 per skin.
Bear was rising in price at the close
of the year.
Making Room for Hosea
Dr. Edward Everett Hale was
a foe to long sermons. He used
to tell a stor.v of a long winded
preacher and the minor prophets,
which the Washington Star re
prints.
This preacher once preached
over an hour on the four greater
prophets, and then, when his ex
hausteil congregation thought In
was through, he took a Ion*,
breath, turned a fresh page, am
leaning over the pulpit, said:
“We now come to the more
complex question of the minor
prophets. First let us assign to
them their proper order. Where,
brethren, shall be place Hosea?
An irascible old gentlemen in
a back pew arose, took his hat
and stick, and said, as he de
parted:
“Place him here if you want to,
I’m going home.”
Capt. Jack Green, of the Tana,
who has been spending the win
ter prospecting in the Iditarod
country, returned to this city
last Friday, and on the following
day made a visit to his steamboat,
which is in winter quarters a few
miles above here on the Tanaua
river. _
The Leader is on sale at the
postoffice lobby.
ABOUT THE MAILS
ARRIVALS
From Outside. Valdez. Fairbanks,
and Rampart-Hot Springs, every Tues
day.
From Nome. St. Michael and lower
Yukon, every Friday.
From Dawson and Eagle, every other
week, Saturdays.
From Cold foot, about the 12th of
each month.
DEPARTURES
To Outside, Valdez, Fairbanks and
Rampart-Hot Springs, every Saturday.
To Nome, St. Michael and lower
Yukon, every Wednesday.
To Coldfoot, the lath of each month.
Registered Mail and Money Or
der Business will close every Friday
at noon and not open before departure
of Outside mail.
Stoddard
Kay
THE . . (
NORTHERN.
BEST WINES
LIQUORS AND
CIGARS.
Pool Tables In Connection.
Stoddard Kay
■SWIFTWATER”
NOW IN PERU
News comes from Spokane
that Klondike’s only “Swift
water” is to hie to a new section.
The Spokane advices reads as
follows:
“Swiftwater Bill” Gates, min
ing prospector of Spokane, who
has found a half dozen fortunes
in the great silent North and in
the Pacific Northwest only to
lose them in other ventures, has
turned up in the Andes moun
tains in Peru, where he is exam
ining a placer mine, discovered
and worked by Cortez and his
men more than 300 years ago.
His partner, P. A. Wilson, now
in Spokane, says that Gates is to
have a half interest in the prop
erty for his work in opening the
mine—the cost of this being
$165,000.
As Gates has ample backing, it
is believed he wi 11 be able to
clean up another fortune. The
mine is 30 miles from the coast
at an elevation of 7,000 feet, and
so far has only been “scratched.”
There is a canal 130 miles in
length, through the placer
ground, and it is purposed to use
its w’ater in washing out the gold.
Gates has advised Wilson that
the mountains in Peru fairly reek
with yellow metal, as is evi
denced by the fact that an ad
joining property is producing
$600,000 in gold a month. He
adds there will be a rush to the
new fields as soon as full inform
ation is available.
Carried “Old Abe”
Captain Victor Wolf, who car
ried t.he famous eagle,1 "Old Abe,”
throughout the civil war as the
mascot of the Wisconsin Eagle
Company, died at Eau Claire.
Wis., on January 21 at the age
of 86. The Eagle is now a relic
in the national museum at Wash
ington. _
S»e us for Cloth Posters.
PASSING OF THE KANAKAS
Victoria (B.C.) Colonist: There
died on South Salt Spring re
cently, William Naukin, bettei
known as Likameen, at the ripe
age ol 96. He is the last of sev
oral Kanakas who settled on Salt
Spring and the adjacent islands
in the days of Sir James Douglas.
He was amongst the number ol
the first Kanakas who arrived
here from the Sandwich islands
in the employ of the Hudson's
Bay Company. After some years
he and others took up land or.
San Juan island and resided
there until San Juan was an
nexed by the United States,when
under the advice of Sir James
Douglas they sold out theii
farms and came to reside under
the British flag. Naukin pre
empted part of Portland island,
where he resided until about
three years ago, when he sold
his property to Captain C. P.
Wolley, and purchased a ranch
on Fulford Harbor. He is gen
erally regretted, being the last of
a band of industrious settlers
who worked hard in the early
days of the colony and who con
tributed not a little in the open
ing up of the country. He leaves
many children, grandchildren
and great grandchildren behind
him.
QUICK CURE FCR MORPHINE
A London physician vouches
for a cure of the morphine habit
of ten years duration by the infu
sion of dried leaves of a plant
named combretum sundaicum,
' which is grown in the Malay pen
insula. He contends that a wine
glassful of this taken every half
hour daily for four weeks cured
his patient.
The patient was a man of 30
: who had reached a stage where
he injected 45 grains of cocaine
and from ‘24 to 30 grains of mor
j phine into his system daily He
began the new treatment in No
vember, but broke down after a
few days and secretly obtained a
supply of morphine which he
used while talcing the half-hourly
infusions. But on December 8
the patient made up his mind to
overcome ihe habit.
His cravings for the drug re
turned at intervals, but always
with lessened force, until the ad
ministration of the new medicine
was stopped and the cure an
nounced lo be complete. The
patient now sleeps eight hours a
night. Twelve cases like this
one have been successfully
treated during the last two years.
The power of this herb were
discovered accidentally’. Some
Chinese coolies who were work
ing in the forests of the Malay
peninsula tan short of tea. In
its place they used combretum
sundaicum. After two weeks it
was discovered that the herb de
stroyed the taste for opium
among certain of the party who
were addicted to its use.
Try Williams’ new barber shop for
an easy shave or a stylish haircut.
H. L. HEDRICK,
GENERAL
BLACKSMITH
AND MACHINE SHOP
Horseshoeing Repairing
Near Cor. Campbell ave. and 2nd St.
Rear of Yukon Saloon.
CLEAN AND REFRESHING
BATHS
All Hours Wednesdays and Saturdays
Williams' Kew Barter Shop
Front St., Tanana.
CHAS. B. ALLEN,:
Attorney at Law
Rampart, Aka.
Legal Papers Carefully Drawn.
Neatly-Printed Stationery
ADDS MORE DIGNITY AND GIVES GREATER SATISFACTION IN YOUR
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE THAN ANY OTHER ITEM OF OFFICE
EQUIPMENT.
The Leader Furnishes That Kindi
AND SOLICITS A TRIAL ORDER. OUR PAPER STOCK IS THE BEST
OBTAINABLE. TELEPHONE US YOUR VSANTS IN THE STATIONERY
LINE, OR FOR JOB PRINTING OF ANY KIND. SEE OUR LINE OF
LETTER HEADS, BILL HEADS, ENVELOPES, ETC., ETC.
i»r*
High-Class Book Binding
Mr. Ernest Lindholm, the most artistic book binder in Alaska, will
“hang out" at The Leader office during the next few weeks where he
is prepared to bind your new books or re-bind your valued old ones