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
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—HAUT O. STEEL
Office: Hotel Cliltina Building.
Cordova Office: Daily AlasKan
Seattle Office: 551 Colman Buiunng.
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Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable for the service
given. Official publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands
of the CoppCr River district.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1813.
CITY OPERATING COAL MINES
There is a wide discussion in many sections of the country!
over the plan of Secretary of the Interior Fisher to have cities
engage in the operation of coal mines. Very few newspapers
look with much favor on the plan. One of them has the follow
ing to say on the subject:
“Secretary Fisher has a plan for granting to each of the
. cities in the public land states a piece of government land, in
order that those critics may enter upon the experiment of muni
cipally-conducted coal mines. But Secretary Fisher considers
it necessary, if this be done, that there should be retained in
the hands of the federal government a certain amount of federal
supervision to make sure that the city will develop the coal
without waste and with due regard to the health and safety of
the miners; also that all transactions of the city be given the
fullest publicity to prevent an opportunity for corporation
abuses, etc. It is a queer idea, not only in its original form,
but with its suggestions for federal regulation. It shows the
singular obsession which many ‘conservationists’ have that
nothing can be done properly save under direction of a federal
bureau at Washington City, conducted by a lot of civil service
clerks, not necessarily familiar with conditions in any part of
the country, save the particular states from which they were
appointed.
“The federal government, holding lands in a new state as
trustee for the people of that state, might very properly grant
a tract of coal land to a city. It would do far better, in fact,
if it withdrew entirely from its position as a non-resident land
lord and turned all of the public lands over to the states where
in they are situated. But that the people of a city, people
located on the ground, are not competent to attend to their own
affairs or conduct their own business of any kind without the
supervision and direction of some civil service clerk from
Washington City, is rather absurd. Pinchot ideas always have
had a strong hold on Secretary Fisher, although he has had
too much sense to follow the former forester in his political
gyrations, and remains a loyal Republican.’’
THE MARYLAND’S UNFINISHED WORK.
It might not be amiss to call attention to a peculiarly sig
nificant fact concerning the United States armored cruiser
Mayland, and her recent sojourn in nothern waters. Of all the
idle fleet is it not a little peculiar that this particular cruisei
should be called from Alaska to make the diplomatic trip t(
Japan with Secretary of State Knox, who goes to attend the
Emperor’s funeral. It is a worthy piece of diplomacy to send
the distinguished Secretary and the late ruler has all our sym
pathy, but—the Maryland was sent to Alaska to make a report
of the harbors, and it passetli the ordinary understanding that
it should be recalled before its officers had a chance to take
more than a cursory glance at some of our shore line. The
work so far performed deals with that small portion of Alaska
having a relative bearing on the Alaska Northern Railway,
the line Secretary Fisher has advocated as the one to be bought
by the government. No report therefore, that is put out by the
accredited officers of the Maryland can be regarded as com
plete, and it is up to the administration to again dispatch a war
ship to Alaska—when the Emperor is buried.
The Maryland was ordered to southwestern Alaska osten
sibly to obtain reliable data concerning the various harbors
that might be utilized by the government for a naval coaling
station, but—
The Maryland did not make a nautical survey of Cordova
harbor, one of the finest landlocked harbors on the Pacific and
the key to the situation;
The Maryland did not go into Valdez bay;
The Maryland did not make a report on Nelson townsite;
The Maryland did not go to Katalla harbor or to the
world-famed Controller Bay.
The Maryland only went to Seward and Port Wells.
-oooo
A RUN-DOWN RAILROAD.
A private letter from the Seattle office of the Alaska
Northern Railway Company conveys the information that
the meeting of the board of directors has again been post
poned, this time until September 1. The directors are await
ing, it is presumed, coal legislation by congress, before again
starting construction. While in a measure the railway com
pany cannot be blamed for delaying new construction work
until congress shall enact a definite policy for the opening
of the coal areas of Alaska, yet a preservation of their prop
erty here demands that it shall not remain inactive for too
long a period. Otherwise, the property will deteriorate in
value to such an extent that if it seeks to dispose of the road
to the government, it will have nothing but a lot of junk and
a run-down system for sale. A going concern, with the com
pleted portion of the line in a good state of repair, should
bring a fair price, should the government elect to purchase.
But under present conditions of operation and with the line
badly in need of repair and ballasting, it could not hope to get
its money back, in the event of a sale. It is up to these direct
ors to take a chance.—Seward Gateway.
Rather an admission from a paper published in Seward.
Yet the truth is that even the work of opening the Alaska
Northern last spring, after the ravages of the winter, was" not
seriously taken up, and the road is practically impossible of
operation at the present time owing to several washed-out
places. So if Secretary Fisher wants to put it over on your
Uncle Samuel and run those five foot engines over the track
that is some narrower, he has got to get to it mighty quickly.
-oooo
REMOVE THE STRANGLE HOLD.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer doesn’t see humming pros
perity for Alaska simply because we are to have a form of
alleged home government. It adds:
“As soon as the machinery can be put in motion Alaska
will have a full territorial government, which has been denied
it up to this time. With local self-government, one thing left
to secure the rapid development of Alaska would be the re
moval of the present strangle hold upon the resources of that
territory. If congress does not act, the executive might prop
erly drop the present reseration system and permit the laws
which congress has passed for Alaska to take effect.
“The provision remains in the bill for a railroad commis
sion to investigate the transportation system and report upon
the best route for a railroad from one of the open harbors
into the interior. The appointment of this commission af
fords an easy method of putting off to the future the matter
of furnishing Alaska with proper transportation facilities.
At that, with the report of the commission when it is made,
the arguments for a government construction or government
aid to the construction of a railroad will be strengthened.”
-uuuu
HARMONY IN LEGISLATIVE ELECTION.
As there are no political issues to be fought out by the
newly created Legislative assembly, it would seem that the
first territorial election might be carried on without strife or
bitterness, with the sole idea of sending men to Juneau who
would honestly and intelligently represent the best thought,
motives and desires of the people of Alaska. If the voters of
the several divisions can “get together” and obliterate poli
tics, it is possible that a higher standard of statesmanship can
be secured, and that the new body will enact such legislation
as will be fair to all interests and be devoid of jobbery and un
fair corporate influence. Then again it is important that the
two houses, when in session during the months of March and
April, do only those things and make only such needed and
reasonable recommendations to Congress as shall tend to
create a confidence in the minds of the national law makers in
the personnel of the new Legislature and the justness of their
demands. When that condition is brought about then will
there be a strong probability of securing enlarged powers and
wider scope for our Legislatuve assembly.
We realize the difficulty which would be met with in the
effort to bring about a non-partisan expression from the voters.
There will be many in each political party who may iusist upon
party nominations, and that idea may eventually prevail. In
that event there would be a free-for-all, and many contestants.
The result would be uncertain. But if each party would insist
upon nominating its strongest and most available men, then
the good of the territory would not be sacrificed in any way,
for the successful candidates would labor on behalf of the pub
lic good. In the forthcoming election each division will fight
its own battles. In the third division, whether nominations
be made on the non-partisan plan or by political parties, each
section should be accorded its fair representation. Cordova
tnd the Copper River country have the same interests and this
section will undoubtedly poll a much larger vote than was cast
at the delegate election last month. We should poll more than
one-third of the total vote of the division and of the six mem
bers of the two houses this section should be entitled to two.
. -o—o—o
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Some of the residents of Cordova are celebrating the hol
iday today by laboring.
Addicks also is lined up to fight the bosses. What is he
doing in the same gallery with Dupont ?
Helen Kellar as a singer will be a curiosity; but we have a
dim suspicion that she will prove more convincing as a
writer.
Whether is is impossible to unscramble eggs, or not, the
Administration believes that it can dissolve trusts from the
Elgin grade down to the movies.
At the November election Cordova, Eyak and the Copper
River country will poll more than 600 votes, which will be in
excess of one-third of the total vote cast.
Mrs. O. II. P. Belmont now has “Votes for Women”
printed across the face of her personal checks, but it is not
probable that any person getting them will save them as me
mentos or curios and neglect to have them cashed.
_
In answer to an inquiry we state that the World almanac
is authority for the statement that Labor Day is a legal holi
day in all the states and in Alaska and the District of Colum
bia.
In various sections of the Third judicial division there is
a sentiment for the forming of a non-partisan Legislative tick
et. But the big problem will be in apportioning the four mem
bers of the House and two Senators among the regular Repub
licans, what are known as Wickersham Republicans, Demo
crats and Socialists.
Many Democrats in Alaska are becoming impatient at the
delay in naming a new member of the national committee.
Those who have selected the public offices that they desire to
fill in the territory wish to at once place their selections on file.
They believe in the early bird, etc.
“Some way must be found to end our perpetual campaign
ing,” exclaims the Boston Herald. What way is there? There
used to be a theory that it was to let the office seek the man;
but the trouble with that is that the office is so slow in start
ing at the quest that all the men are in full chase of the office
before the office makes up its mind whom it wishes. Just look
at the new Alaska territorial bill. It had scarce received the
President’s signature ere willing statesmen were bobbing up
in all parts of Alaska.
Some Alaskans are wondering whether the wily Secretary
of the Interior didn’t suggest the recalling of the cruiser Mary
land from Northern waters to go to Japan. Possibly he agreed
to personally furnish the desired information regarding har
bors in Suthwestern Alaska. lie certainly knows all about
them, as his field glass was always handy during the time he
made his flying trip through Alaska.
SEATTLE PAYS GOLD BONUS.
SEATTLE, Aug. 31—The Seattle
Chamber of Commerce has assumed
the burden of paying 75 cents to the
depositor of every thousand dollars’
worth of gold at the Seattle office.
This action has been taken to pre
vent the probable abolition of the
United States assay office in Seattle
after July, 11» 13. and to absorb the
differential in assay rates now in
favor of the San Francisco mint and
Guggenheim smelter at Selby.
The Seattle office handling rate
of $1.25 per thousand is not charged
at the San Francisco mint and smel
ter, and though the express rate from
Alaska to San Francisco is 50 cents
per thousand higher than to Seattle,
depositors have been able to save
75 cents per thousand by shipping
direct to San Francisco. It is this
differential that the Chamber of Com
merce has now' assumed, and has
placed Seattle on the same basis as
San Francisco.
Receipts Are Shrinking.
Gold receipts have been steadily
shrinking for the past three years
through deflection to San Francisco.
From July 1 to July 12, 1909, the
Seattle assay office receipts were $3,
439,453; for the same period in
1910, $1,924,158; in 1911, $570,
035, and in 1912, $436,G31. During
the current season at least $7,000,
000 in gold has gone by this port to
San Francisco.
Since it was pointed out to local
bankers that the abolition of the
local office meant the payment by
banks of $1.35 per thousand on
minted gold from San Francisco,
some interest has been manifested
in iclaiming the deflected current
of nigin gold. The net cost of the
subsidy t.> be paid by the Chamber
of Conuii’i co will be approximately
$4,000 per rnnum. The action ernes
too ;a e to affect the great bulk m
the 1912 si ipments.
Bunks Are Affected.
In the judgment of the leading
bankers and business men of this
city, the action of the chamber will
once more turn the stream of Alas
ka gold, which has been gradually
diverted to the San Francisco mint,
back to Seattle. The imposition of
the assay office charge has, during
recent years, more and more turned
the golden harvest of the North ayvay
from the doors here for the accom
modation of the Alaska miners and
sent it on to other points.
This fee is not levied on deposits
at the Neyv York assay office, which
stands on the same basis as the mints
in this respect.
Should Have Some Rate.
It has been contended that the of
fice here, receiving as it does the
largest quantity of bullion direct
from the mines of any office in the
country, is entitled to the same sched
ule as New York. Having thus far
failed to obtain the concession, the
action of yesterday was taken in
order that the local office might in
reality serve to accommodate, in the
mariner for which it was established,
the miners and producers of Alas
ka, and at the same time retain here
the enormous deposits sent down
from the North.
-o—o—o-——
PRIEST TELLS OF ALASKAN
TRIP.
Father Bernard Vaughan, the
English Jesuit, was in Cordova
about six weeks ago on his way to
the westward. He returned to
Juneau and from there went into
the interior. He returned to Seat
tle the other day and referring to
his experiences he said that in Alas
ka they do not ask you what you
are, or whence you came, or how
much you have got, but only what
you want and what you will do for
it. He says he found the miners to
be a hearty, honest and good-na
tured, open-handed class of men.
‘‘The miner’s life,” said the fa
ther, ‘‘symbolizes that of the zealous
Christian. It was made up of faith,
it was buoyed up by hope, and at
length it struck gold, that precious
ore which was the symbol of char
ity. for which every man in right
earnest about his mission in life
sought till it was found. It, too.
was the current coin in the king
dom of Christ. There was faith,
hope and charity, but the best of
these was charity. Circulate it
widely.”
While in the North Father Vau
ghan was the guest at a banquet
at which the menu was made up
of bear pie, caribou steak, moose
tenderloin, leg of mountain sheep,
grouse, wild duck, salmon, crab and
trout, and the chef was a Chinese
and the waiter a Japanese. The
venerable priest, who, when he is
in England, labors among the slums
of London, became a musher, went
up and down the creeks among the
miners and preached to them. He
lectured in a dozen mining towns,
speaking on a wide range of sub
jects, though he says some phase of
socialism was the theme that he was
asked to discuss most frequently in
the Coast towns. Any man who was
ready to take off his coat and put
his back into his work was wel
come.
He mingled with the natives and
says he found them singularly cour
teous, reverential and truthful. He
was touched by the piety of the
Catholic members of the tribes and
says they compare favorably with
the whites of his country in their
simple, fervent practices of relig
ion. He preached to them, he re
ceived some of them into the
church and officiated at their wed
dings.
Father Vaughan says he found
the Catholic church doing good
work, zealous work, among the na
tives and whites, the priests’ self
sacrifice in their devotion often ris
ing to quiet heroism. One priest
he found mending his own clothes
and cooking his food. He found it
cost more to live in the North than
it does in London, but if living
comes high, he said, wages in the
Klondike were correspondingly
skyward. Fancy a gardner on an
Englishman’s estate getting a dol
lar an hour. Father Vaughan found
one near Dawson getting that wage,
a Japanese cook drawing $180 a
month, a maid $86 and a night
watchman $160, and when he
bought a daily paper he parted with
two bits.
" • -O-O-V 1 '•»
THE FREIGHT STATION
WILL NOT BE CHANGED
The order recently Issued by
Superintendent Geiger, and to be ef
fective September first, changing the
freight station of the Copper River
and Northwestern railway from the
station at Second street to the dock,
a mile out of town, has been rescind
ed. When announcement of the or
der was made, a meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce was held and
a protest voted against the change.
A committee was appointed to con
fer with the officials of the company,
with the idea that a discussion of the
matter and setting forth the dis
advantages that would result to the
merchants of town, would be suf
ficient to induce a reversal of the
order. As Supt. Geiger has been
cut the line most of the time since
the meeting of the Chamber it has
not been possible for the commit
tee to get a personal conference,
other than to briefly discuss the mat
ter over the telephone. The Superin
tendent, however, had evidently tak
en up the object, for this morning
M. Finkelstein, chairman of the com
mittee, received a letter stating that
no change would be made for the
present. And as a consequence the
people of town are today rejoicing
and again view the railroad with all
their old-time friendly feeling.
The Chitina Pharmacy has the
best quality obtainable.
-o—o—o
You will find most of your friends
at the Chitina Hotel.
Judge Murnne in Fairbanks v
Judge dornelius 1). Murane of
Nome opened a term of court in
Fairbanks on Monday morning.
Judge Murane will be in Fairbanks
disposing of a crowded calendar, for
many days. He will then proceed to
Nome, where Judge Lyons lias been
presiding since his arrival there on
the Thetis. Judge Overfield, who lias
been holding court in the Iditarod is
supposed to have sailed on the 2.">th
from Nome for Seattle. He will ar
rive there about Sept. 2 and will
likely take the steamer on the 8th
for Valdez. He will open a term of
court at Cordova on Oct. 14. Judge
Fuller was confirmed by the Senate
on Aug. 16, and will assume his new
duties in the Fourth division as
soon as Judge Murane disposes of
the present calendar.
■-o—o 1>
Try the Chitina Hotel for cigars
and pipes, at Seattle prices.
Chitina
Pharmacy
Drugs
Stationery
Magazines
Candy
Fruit
Cigars
A. G. MOREY, Prop.
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
Coreles & Simons
PUBLIC LAND AND MINING
CASES.
If you are interested in any contest
or any matter before the Interior De
partment, write to Clark & Wright,
registered land lawyers, qoj F Street
N. W. (opposite Gen'l Land Office),
Washington, D. C. Free information
about contests and where to obtain
scrip, locatable upon public lands,
without residence or cultivation.
Feed, Fuel
and
Lumber
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.
0. A. Nelson & Co.
CHITINA