The Chitina Leader
CHITINA, ALASKA.
Entered as second-class matter, November 12. 1910. at the postoffice at
Chitina, Alaska, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Saturday by
nrrr.T. a. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—BABRT O. STEEL
Office: Hotel Chitina Building.
uoraova <->ince: uany AiasKau (
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given! Officii publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands
of the Copper River district.___
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1913
handwriting on the wall
The Fairbanks Times, which has always been one of the
few Democratic newspapers in the territory, is urging the
building up of the Democratic party in Alaska, with the idea
of securing better results for all the people concerned. Its atti
tude is different from some other “Democratic” papers which
seek to drive any new converts from the party in order that
their own betrayal might be easier. The Times has repeatedly
urged all elements to get together, and invites former members
of the Republican, Socialist and Labor Union parties to realize
that the direct hope of the Alaskans is from the national
democratic administration, and that all should pull togethei
to impress our needs on the present powers that be. Refening
to another phase of the Alaskan situation the limes recent \
Sciici *
“The administration has been subjected to much criticism
bv the Alaska press because of the appointment of outsiders to
positions of importance in the Second division, and w hile v e
do not share the indignation of those newspapers, we deplore
the fact that the necessity for such action should have arisen
in any part of the territory. „
“The President has demonstrated, by the appointment of
numerous Alaskans, that he is favorably disposed toward
Northern Democrats. He adopted the policy of ‘Alaska tor
Alaskans’ at the outset of his administration, and there is
every reason to believe that he would have filled all of 0111
offices with Alaskans had the Democrats of the territory given
him the encouragement he had the right to expect of them.
“The punishment that has been inflicted upon the Nome
Democrats is a sample of what may be expected by the other
divisions if party dissension is not eliminated. In fact, in view
of what has taken place in this divison, we have reason to con
oratulate ourselves that we were not the first to suffer at the
hands of any angry president, whose patience, it must be
admitted, has been sorely tried. We should be warned by the
action at Nome, and when there are further appointments to
be made here, the names of suitable candidates should be
submitted, backed by the endorsement of a united organiza
tion Failing in that, we may as well forsake the hope oi filling
local offices with local men, for the President has given con
vincing proof that he is wearied of party bickerings.
“Speaking of obstructionists, we are reminded that there
is one self-styled Democrat over in Valdez who is doing his
utmost to disrupt the party in Alaska Valdezians should
look up the record of their fountain of discord and treat linn as
lie was treated at Juneau and at Cordova. There is no room in
Alaska for his kind of journalism.”
-o—o—o
HYDAHBURG.
An interesting paragraph is found in a report just issued
on the work of the bureau of education for the natives of
Alaska. It tells of the founding of the village of Hydahbury
on the west coast of Prince of Wales island.
This is a communal village, like Metlakatla, but the
Indians are the Alaska Hydahs who formerly lived in scat
tered villages. After two years their two principal concerns,
a trading company and a lumber mill, both native enterprises,
show successful conduct. .
The remarkable thing about this is the rise of a people in
the scale of civilization in a half century from head-hunting
savagery to communism.
One of the early settlers of Whidby Island, and the first
collector of customs on Puget Sound, Colonel Ebey, who has
many descendants still living, was killed by one of these tribes
and his head was carried away as a trophy.
In common with the tribes of the Kwakiutl family, the
Hydahs practiced cannibalism. This was a rite, however, the
hamatsa degree in the secret society or order which united all
the northern Indians in a more or less common brotherhood.
These head-hunting cannibalistic natives preyed upon all
the flatheads of the south. They excelled the Salish in mental
and physical vigor and are surviving longer in the unequal
struggle with civilization. I u' 1 *
On the one side there is but a feeble survival, with no
advancement. On the other there has been progress and a
marked capacity for readjustment to changing environment.
In the light of history, the age-old conflicts of savagery,
with the accompanying degradation and debauchery, the rise
of various portions of the Hydah and Tsimpsian tribes really
is a most remarkable anthropological phenomenon.—Seattle
Post-Intelligencer.
-n—o—o
ALASKA OFFICIALS TO 00
r --
It begins to look as though there wouldn’t be many of the
old Republican office holders left in Alaska. The attorney
general has just decided that the district attorney and marshal
of the first division must soon go, and as they have made fairly
good officials it would not be surprising if the good natured
but inefficient district attorney of the third division would
soon be relieved of his arduous duties. Possibly in the rear
rangement it may be possible to have an assistant distric'
attorney placed at Cordova, where' one is greatly needed.
COMPLETION OF TRAIL
The report of Geo. C. Hazelet to the Cordova Chamber of
Commerce indicates positively that a new and short trail to
the Chisana has been established. He set forth in detail the
time required and difficulties encountered in locating and
marking the glacier trail. Other additional facts were clearly
enumerated that give certain information that is valuable to
the intending musher. After many weeks of hard labor, that
included assistance from expeditions sent from the Chisana
and McCathy as well as the aid rendered by the Alaska Road
Commission, it is believed that the work has been well and
satisfactorily done. All that remains to be done is the placing
of a couple of permanent relief tents and the securng of at
least one more road house, which however, has been promised.
The citizens of Cordova have taken the initiative in the matter
of establishing this trail and raised several thousand dollars
to pay part of the expense. And such work as may yet seem
necessary in order to assure the absolute safety of mushers,
the5’ will undoubtedly see performed. The thanks of the com
munity are certainly due Mr. Hazelet for so successfully
pushing thourgh this valuable work to a termination that
means so much to all concerned. In the course of a few weeks,
when the rivers freeze, freighters will be hauling amide food
supplies and steam thawers to the new diggings from
McCarthy at a cost of 10 to 12 cents per pound, and possibly
less. The winter trail to the Chisana has now been definitely
established and it is only about 75 miles from McCarthy.
-u-u-u
WE LEAD IN SOME THINGS
The Copper River & Northwestern Railway has been
particularly fortunate this winter in not having had any snow
slides to cause an interruption to the regular traffic or to delay
the running of trains on schedule time. It is expected that this
condition will continue to prevail througohut the winter, or
at least if there is any trouble on the road to contend with that
there will only be delays of a few hours at any one time. Every
preparation has been made to meet any emergency that might
arise and it is confidently expected that no serious delays in
the train service will result. While we have cause to congratu
late ourselves over the bright outlook for uninterrupted service
or a railway that has only been operating three years, we read
of days and weeks delay on the transcontinental railways that
have been operating for many years past in the United States
and Canada. A clipping from a newspaper published ten days
ago gives some idea of the troubles “Outside.” It is as
follows:
“Traffic on the Canadian Pacific railroad’s main line in
the Rocky mountains has been demoralized for several days.
Heavy rains weakened the roadbed near the Salmon river,
eight miles east of North Bend, and caused the wreck of a
freight train loaded with lumber. Before the wreckage could
be cleared away a rock slide at Sea Bird bluff further impeded
traffic.”
-0-0—o
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS
President Wilson presumably delivered bis message to
Congress today. As the wires are down connecting us with
the outside world, we are unable to state whether or not the
President called particular attention to the necessity for
Congress to take immediate action on legislation that would
tend to open up the coal fields of Alaska and the building of
trunk lines of railroad throughout the territory.
Fairbanks is making an effort to secure the Democratic
Territorial convention, to be held next summer. It is a
commendable effort, but if the Democracy really wants to
secure a big attendance of delegates they should urge the
holding of the convention at Cordova. This is the logical
convention town of Alaska.
And now another congressman rises to remark that he
favors railroads for Alaska, and embodies a bill that he has
his committee endorse, which is materially different from the
Wickersham bill. That’s what happens when the Honorable
.Tames leaves the national capital.
The authorized cost of the canal is $375,200,900, and
Colonel Goethals says he does not think it will all be used.
Those army engineers seem determined to break every prec
edent in public contracts.
La Follette says T. R. is politically dead, and then destroys
his claim as a prophet by predicting that Tammany cannot
come back.
And the mushers continue to go or come over the Hazelet
glacier trail in from three to four days. And yet some peopple
recommend going into the Chisana by other routes that
require three or four weeks in the going.
It must be very distressing during these days of heavy
snows for some of our neighbors on Prince William Sound to
read of the regularity with which trains continue to run on the
Copper River & Northwestern Railway. They refuse to even
be a half hour late, and that’s really unkind of the management
for some concession should certainly be made to the superior
knowledge of the fellows over the way who know positively
that trains can’t run this winter.
It is reported that the new collector of customs for Alaska
is a brother-in-law of Judge Jennings. And yet some people
intimate that the judge isn’t dispensing considerable of the
patronage in this territory. Had he been elected delegate to
Congress a year ago the duty would naturally have fallen to
him, but he seems to be doing pretty well as it is.
And now it is rumored that Uncle Sam is about to estab
lish a postal savings bank at Cordova. Wonder whether he is
trying to knock out that Ohio institution that is now inquiring
whether the people of this town really need and will support
a new banking institution.
Huerta—Going! Going!! Gone ! ! ! That was the story
yesterday. But will he come back is the inqxiiry today.
Sulzer was evidently a strong recruit to the Progressive
oarty. He was the one Progressive candidate of whom we
have heard as winning anything.
Electricity is a great civilizing agent. China is preparing
fo adopt it as a means of execution. We have much faith that
those to whom it is applied will son nomore.
The Fairbanks Commercial Club,
is again becoming active in the ef
fort that it started two or three
years ago for better roads and gov
ernment railroads. The club will
enter upon a renewed fight for bet
ter wagon roads in the territory,
and especially between Fairbanks
and the coast, and is urging the
government to make the million-dol
lar allotment as desired by Governor
Strong and other territorial officials.
The Fairbanks Commercial Club
will work with the various repre
sentative bodies along the coast in
the matter of better roads.
The club voted to continue its
fight for a 2,400-pound mail allow
ance during the winter months, in
stead of 1,600 pounds as provided
by the present regulations. It was
also decided to ask the department
to route all the first class mail win
ter and summer, by way of the trail
instead of by boat in summer as at
present. The assistance of Delegate
Wickersham has been asked on both
of these matters.
In regard to the railroad bill,
which will come up before Congress
next month, the club decided to
prepare all the data possible regard
ing the general conditions in Fair
banks and the surrounding district,
with a view to presenting it to the
government as an argument in favor
of making Fairbanks the terminus
of the road. The committee ap
pointed to prepare this data is made
up of the executive board of the
organization, Dan Driscoll and T. A
McGowan.
-• v -
NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS
The annual stockholders’ meeting
of the Bonanza Gold Mining Co.
will be held at Blackburn, Alaska,
at 12 m. December 29th, 1913.
F. A. IVERSON, Pres.
NOTICE OF FORFEITURE
To Alex. Nesbitt, his heirs, adminis
trator, assigns, successors or per
sonal representatives:
You are hereby notified that I
have expended in labor and im
provements for the year 1912, the
sum of One Hundred Dollars on each
of the following named claims, or in
total the sum of Sixteen Hundred
Dollars, the “Pacer,” “Mayflower,”
“Slocum,” “Red Jacket," “Red
Jacket No. 2,” and “Independence.”
The “Hercules,” “Sandow,” and
"Sampson.” The “Rosey No. 1,”
and "Rosey No. 2.” The “Lucky
Strike;” “Fairview,” “Esperanza,”
“Webfoot,” and “Yankee,” all situ
ated in the Chitina Mining and
Recording District, Territory of
Alaska, and which have been duly
recorded in the office of the United
States commissioner, in and for the
Chitina Mining District, at Chitina.
Alaska.
The above amounts have been ex
pended in order to hold the said
claims under the provisions of the
aw concerning annual labor upon
mining claims, being the amount re
quired to hold said above named
mining claims. And you are fur
ther notified that if, within ninety
(90) days after the last publication
of this notice you fail to contribute
vour proportion of said expenditure,
which is one-sixth (1-6) of the
whole, your interest in said claims
will become the property of the
undersigned, your co-owner.
james McConnell.
First publication Sept. 23, 1913.
Last publication Dec. 23, 1913.
0. ADRIAN NELSON
_
U. S. Mineral Surveyor
CHITINA - - - ALASKA
CHITINA: BAKERY
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—
CHITINA : : : ALASKA.
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GROCERIES, HARDWARE
==AND==
MEAT MARKET
We have a big line of Sec
ond-Hand Goods, and can
save you money on your out
fit. Bunk House, with free
Cook House, in connection.
CHITINA HEIGHTS
C. A. SIMONS & CO.
HAY, BRAN, OATS, CHOPS,
ROLLED BARLEY
We can make prompt ship
ments to points on the rail
road. Our feed is the very
best quality.
_
I
0. A. Nelson & Co.
CHITINA
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