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, 18,9.
* ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Saturday by
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—HARRY O. STEEL
Office: Hotel Chitina Building. Cordova Office: Daily Alaskan
Seattle Office: 551 Col man Building.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Month .*.^v’nn
One Year .... J &U
~ — - advertising rates
Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable torthe service
given. Official publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands
of the Copper Rive: district.__
CHITIAN, ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1914.
DRASTIC EIGHT-HOUR LAW
California is to vote this fall on the question whether the
new eight-hour law is to go into effect. This measure is so
drastic as to create a doubt whether it will be adopted,
although the indications are said to be in its favor.
The measure prohibits working over eight hours a day in
all cases except those of “etxraordinary emergency caused -by
tire, flood or danger to life or property.” The penalty for
violating its provisions, either on the part of employer or
employe, is a fine of from $50 to $500, or imprisonment in the
county jail for from ten to ninety days, or both together.
Overtime work is absolutely prohibited even in farming and
fruit gathering.
That this limitation will work hardship all around under
certain circumstances appears plain when the difficulty of
obtaining adequate labor for a large harvest is considered. The
conditions now make it necessary for one farmer to wait upon
another for the necessary labor, and make up for the delay by
working overtime. With such a law in force the ordinary
family will feel its effect by the limitation it imposes on
domestic labor.
Also the law will make it impossible for laborers to earn
anything etxra by worikng more than eight hours. It hardly
seems that such a law will be enacted by popular vote, though j
it may be done by a minority of the voters, the majority j
omitting to vote.
• v.
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE
Chairman Joe Baxter, of the Democratic Territorial;
committee, struck the key note at the convention last night;
when lie declared that local polities and petty squabbles should
fade away before the one great idea of extending support to
the Alaskan policy of the, national administration. And he
declared that tills could (rest be done by giving a- generous
.support to the candidacy of a man who would go to Wash-!
ington and immediately take a seat in the high councils of the
Democratic party. He declares that in the election of Chas. E. i
Bunnell to Congress there would be a deserved and commend
able acknowledgement of the appreciation which the voters of
Alaska feel for the splendid work done by the administration
toward opening up for development the rich resources of this
territory. And as a member of the Democratic party Congress
man Bunnell could he counted on to secure needed results for
Alaska from the colleagues who would recognize him as a
member of their own political family. Chairman Baxter insists
that it is the plain duty and should be the appreciated
privilege of all thinking men and women in this territory to
endorse the splendid efforts of President Wilson, Secretary
Lane and other members of the administration by aiding in
sending to Congress a Democrat and able representative, such
as Candidate Bunnell.
__
WHY THE NECESSITY?
For some unaccountable reason our well intentioned
friend, Albert Johnson, of Hoquiam, Wash., has presented a
resolution in the House of Representatives to relieve the
miners of Alaska from performing their annual assessment
work this year. He would thus relieve both the quartz and
placer operators. Why this bill should be presented this
particular year we know not. Certainly no emergency has
arisen which would seem to make any such relief to the miners
desirable. And if there were any good reason why this should
be done “ur good friends at Washington have waited too
long to afford any general relief for this year. Within a month
the season for placer mining will end and it is safe to assume
that nine-tenths of the location work has already been
performed, at least upon such claims as it was intended to do
work this year. In the Copper River section of the country
the representation work on quartz claims has already been
completed. And we have not heard of any section of Alaska
making a plea for this intended relief upon the part of the
government. We would like to oblige a good friend who
wires us to urge the passage of the bill, but wo cannot see our
way clear to do so. We need more light on the subject.
In the Juneau district there promises to be a spirited fight
for election to membership in the Territorial Legislature. A
non-partisan ticket has been named, with fighting Mike
O’Connor, of Douglas, for senator, and he says he will keep
things lively until after November 3rd. The members on
the ticket with him for the House are: William 10. Britt and
John G. Heid, of Juneau; Arthur G. Shoup, of Sitka; John R.
Heckman of Ketchikan.
A New York Russian committed suicide after reading that
the Germans had captured 70,000 Russians. The man who
hastens to kill himself on the strength of a war rumor is taking
awful chances.
The mlitary experts continue to air their wisdom regard
less of whether they have any facts to go on or not. In fact
it is believed the absence of facts helps them to their
conclusions.
The anti trust bill has gone through the Senate. It has
next to go through the trusts.
CANDIDATE NAMED FROM CORDOVA
Cordova now lias a full fledged candidate for the Terri
torial Legislature, with one or two others to soon appear on
the horizon. At the Democratic convention last night Tom 0.
Price was named for senator. As a tried and true Democrat
of long years the nomination could possibly have gone to no
more deserving aspirant. And as a man and citizen it would
be difficult to select a more deserving or trustworthy standard
bearer. He is a man who is well and favorably known in the
community and if elected will serve his party and the people
of Alaska with fidelity and a conscientious desire to give the
best that is in him toward the enacting of legislation for the
governing and betterment of the territory. If other1 parties in
this division shall name candidates who are as honest and
straightforward as Mr. Price the result on November 3rd will
insure a senator in whose good intentions there can be no
doubt. The selection of Thomas Holland, of Chtiina, as a
candidate for the House of Representatives, was another
tribute to a pioneer Alaskan who is regarded as one of the
substantial and popular men of the Copper River country.
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Soon Delegate Wickersliam will return to his bailiwick
and hunting grounds. Here he has been the victor of three
hard pressed battles, but the scarred veteran in politics has
not yet been unhorsed. Some of the old war horses of Democ
racy declare That this November he will certainly meet his
Waterloo. But lie is eager for the fray and the fore part of
next week will be sailing north to enter the jight with all his
old-time vigor. So it behooves Candidate Bunnell and his
supporters to throw up intrenchments to impede the progress
of the bold knight from Washington.
Some of the Republican members of Congress are gettin r
rabid about the coal situation in Alaska. Although doing
nothing for six years to relieve a deplorable state some are
now willing to go to the lengths of passing a resolution
compelling patents to issue to locators. But that is a matter
that Secretary Lane will soon attend to, and there is every
reason to believe that his conclusions will be fair to all parties
concerned. Precipitate and hasty action is not now called for.
President Wilson’s policy toward AThska is generally
satisfactory.
The “failure” of the President’s Mexican policy, which
the opposition were making so much of a month or so ago, now
wears the aspect of the most successful failure of modern times.
The high cost of living resembles the crowded street car,
in that there always seems to be room for some more, no
matter how we may have thought we had reached the limit.
The corn crop of the United States is getting ready for
mobilizing. Some 2,700,000,000 bushels of it will concentrate
if the frost holds off a little while longer.
“Tourists Rush to The Hague” is one headline in the
news. The Peace Palace should b ea satisfactory and indeed
instructive place for them to rest in.
When the sun again shines there will be ball on the
diamond that will have more fire in it even than the Firemen’s
ball.
Mr. Perkins’ advise to the housewives to get busy canning
shows a dense ignorance of the sugar price list.
It passeth all understanding. Here a new Democracy has
been born in Alaska, but to all that westward country even as
far as the Aleutian Islands, no Democrat seeks legislative
honors. Are there no Democrats or are they simply Democratic
voters,, not statesmen or tricksters.
There doesn’t seem to be very much Democratic organiza
tion in the Third division and for that reason candidates for
legislative honoYs are not particularly desii’ous of running on
the Demo ticket. It will take about*two years to build up a
Democratic organization in this division. In the meantime a
lot of amateurs will play at politics.
Belgium did not seek military glory; but so far as the war
has gone, it has allotted to her the lion’s share of it. Still
the Belgians woxild probably tiade off the fame they have won
by their heroic, defense, to have their territory cleared of
combatants and combats.
And now the report comes from the far Chisana that Geo.
Gosliaw is a candidate for the Senate. Already J. J. Finnigan
had announced that he was willing to go as a member of the
lower house. These boys are long distance ninners.
The price of milk has been boosted in Chicago. Possible
the booixiing of cannon in Europe is scaring the cows in Illinois.
It would be a safe bet that the fiiat railroad construction in
Alaska will be a branch line from the C. R. & N. W. Railway
to the Bering River coal fields.
We have not heard anything lately concerning action by
the Senate on the Alaska coal leasing bill. But it is safe to
assume that it is being properly taken care of. President
\\ ilson and Secretary Lane are the tried and proven friends
of Alaska and if it is possible to secure favorable action at
this session the administration will undoubtedly see that we
get all that is coming to us.
There may be other candidates for legislative honors in
this division, .but the only real hustler, who keeps his name
before the people at all times and in various ways, is A1 White,
of Valdez. He is said to be the white haired boy in the
running, with the other candidates in a cloud of dust left by
Al’s auto.
The two members of the Alaska Engineering Commission
who have been in this section for the past week, will go to the
westwai’d toxiight. But they will soon return, accompanied by
Chairman Edes. Thei'e is lots to see and examine over this
way.
The Kaiser’s army seem to be as anxious to get away
from France as they formerly were to enter gay Parey. For
some l’eason there was a failure to turn over the keys of . the
city to the visitoxa, so they left in a huff.
When it comes to retreating the Germans hit xxp even more
speed than they do on their advances.
One of the channing things about the military flying
machine is that it usually drops bombs where they hurl
nobody/* One of the hideous things about it is that it so often
drops the flier.
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Why Not Invest? :
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With the building of the government railroad from <
Chitina to Fairbanks, the future of the Town of Chitina <
is assured. <
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Lots are still offered at attractive prices and there <
are many desirable ones remaining. <
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A few months later lots in Chtiina will be held at
largely increased values. Why not invest NOW 1
GEO. C. HAZELET,
Agent Chitina Townsite Company.
TIN SHOP
IN SHUSH ANNA
Xo more need to carry
STOVES and TINWARE
over tliejong trail to the
interior, as \vc are pre
pared to till all orders in
our tin shop.
W. H. CARSTENS & CO.
SHl'SH AX' X A - - ALASKA
Chitina GRILL
Good Eats for Particular People
Prompt Service. Popular Seivice.
Next to Chitina Hotel.
CHITINA : : : ALASKA.
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CHITINA: BAKERY
N
AN1)
Coffee House
HENRY GESSNER, Prop.
FRESH BREAD, CAKES AND
PIES ALWAYS ON HAND
Chitina
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V—1 Let Lewis Help
"Pointer* for Amateurs” will help you to better II
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Lumber
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road. Our feed is the very
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0. A. Nelson & Co.
CHIT IIMA
♦♦■144 I 444 Mil 1444 I I I Mi l >
hotel
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ANNEX
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■ SEATTJLE ! !
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. >ew, modem and fireproof. < ■
| All outside rooms * *
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• Very desirable for families or !!
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J. H. DAVIS, Prop :
niittttiiiimimmi