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VOL. 1
CHITIXA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1011.
N O. 41)
II
The following petition for a school
At Chitina will be presented to Gov
ernor Clark when he arrives in com
pany with Secretary Wisher, in the
hopes of securing from him a recom
mendation so that the school district
can be established without any un
necessary delay:
We, the unuersigned citizens of
Chitina, Alaska, owing to an emer
gency existing for a school, for the
fall term, petition your earnest co
operation in order that the same may
be obtained without any unneces
sary delay.
It is the belief of the undersigned
representative American citizens that
wherever a need exists, especially in
a pioneer community where proper
educational facilities mean so much
to the children, and where the par
ents are anxious to see their children
given some of the advantages pro
vided by the Constitution, so that
they may become loyal and good citi
zens and a credit to their country,
they will meet with a prompt re
sponse on the part of the govern
ment.
An additional reason for a school
here is the fact that there is none
where Indian children* may attend
nearer than Copper Center, sixty
miles north, or Cordova, one hun
dred and thirty miles south. At
Taral, four miles from Chitina, are
estimated to be fifteen Indian chil
dren of school age.
Annie Heney, aged 7 years; Dor
othy Haeg, aged 6 years; Ivory St.
Clair, 11 years; Mrs. Burrows’ two
sons, 14 and 15 years, Mrs. King
stons’ two sons; Euileen Charles, 7,
Alice Charles, 6; Eugene Tibbs, 7;
H. Webb, 17.
'i aere are six children of school
age between here and Tiekel who will
attend school in Chitina. There are
several parents whose children are
now sent outside at a great expense
to themselves.
Chitina has a population of 500
people. The following children of
school age are residing here at the
present time:
Unless proper educational facilities
are provided and a school established
for the fall term a great hardship
will be worked upon the families now
residin" here, as they will be com
pelled to move elsewhere.
a copy of this petition is being
sent to the clerk of the court, and we
earnestly ask that an answer be given
as soon as possible in order that
parents may know in time to make
other plans in case a school cannot
be secured for the fall and winter
term.
LOCAL NEWS
Dr. Cha3. Thom, formerly a phy
sician of Lincoln, Neb., has decided
to locate permanently in Chitina, and
those who may find themselves in
need of the services of a doctor will
find Dr. Thom an able and conscien
tious physician and surgeon as well
as a genial and public spirited gentle
man. IVe are pleased to welcome the
doctor to Chitina.
Having been in the west most of
his life, he finds himself right aD
home among Alaskans. He says this
part or the country looks good to him
and he is willing to settle down and
take his chances with the others and
grow up with the country.
The Copper River valley is to be
extensively advertised throughout
the states during the coming winter
by means of moving picture shows.
W. H. Harbeck, of Seattle, is here
with his machine and spent the
past few days along the Copper
River & Northwestern railway taking
views which will be exhibited on the
outside. He spent five hours at
Miles Glacier and caught the gla
ciers in action. A panoramic view
was also taken of the trip from Cor
dova to Chitina and this will fur
nish one of the most interesting
films ever shown.
ENCOURAGEMENT OFEERED ORE SIWPBtS
Evidence is daily forthcoming that
the officials of the Copper River &
Northwestern railway are leaving no
stone unturned to foster and encour
age the development of the trade
territory tributary to tneir system.
General Agent Barry has announc
ed that the railroad would accept
ore in ten-ton lots at any point along
the line and send it to the Tacoma
smelter and deduct the freight char
ges from the ore after it is smelted.
On these ten-ton lots the reduced
rate recently put into effect which
ranges from »< per ton upward ac
cording to the value of the ore, from
any point on the line to the Tacoma
smelter will apply. This means that
I operators can make a shipment of ten
tons witnout first paying the freight
charges.
The idea of the company is to en
j courage small shipments by pack
trains. This will enable operators
to ship their high grade ore and se
cure therefrom money with which to
carry on further development work.
The encouragement of packtrain de
livery is but a preliminary step to
building spur tracks to each section
as soon as there Is enough ore in
sight to warrant the expense.
“Realizing that many properties
in the interior are still in the pros
pective stage,” said Mr. Barry, “Mr.
Young and other railway officials
have for some time been figuring
out the best plan to encourage the
shipment of ore, so that the operators
could realize immediate returns for
carrying on development work. There
are a number of properties adjacent
to the railroad which have small
quantities of ore on the dumps worth
so much money in case it can be got
ten to the market. Some of these
operators are not financially able to
pay advance freight charges, and oth
ers are desirous of securing money
to continue development work with
out letting the property pass out of
their hands. Since what the rail
road is after is tonnage, the railroad
officials therefore consider every
movement which will encourage the
operators will prove a benefit in the
long run.”
Anything in the job printing line at
the Alaskan office.
MINERAL MAP OF THE XOPPER RIVER RAILWAY
One of the attractive exhibits at
the exposition to be held in New
York for Alaska will be a "mineral
ized map” of tne Copper River &
Northwestern Railway system.
The idea is to have a map several
feet long showing the railroad and
every station and river and prom
inent landmark thereon. At Ala
ganik, for instance, will be a pile of
McKinley lake rock; at Teikell will
be samples of ore from that section;
at mile iu9 will be another pile of
rock showing the mineral character
of the country surrounding, and so
on, for each station of the line vnere
there has been any prospecting or
mineral development.
At Bremner station will be shown
placer gold and data to indicate the
hydraulic nature of the prospective
gravel along the Big and Little Brem
ner rivers.
With a view of making this miner
al exhibit as complete as possible, so
that it will properly advertise ihe
resources of the country, the assist
ance of every . prospector, operator,
mining man and business man in the
country is solicited. It is the desire
to show the varied mineralization of
the country also by exhibiting anti
mony, asbestos, gold, silver, iron,
lead, copper and the many other min
erals found in the Copper River ■n al
ley and its tributary streams.
The business men ’hre interesting
themselves in the movement, and
will request samples from the mining
men of their acquaintance, as well
as secure samples from the proper
ties in which they are interested.
All anyone need do to have samp
les represented at this display is to
hand same to any agent along the
line, first marking the samples to
show wnere they came from so that
they may ue properly placed on the
“mineralized map.” No time should
be lost in getting the samples into
the hands of the railway officials
in order that they may be arranged
in time for the exhibit.
Anything in the job printing line at
the Alaskan office.
INTERIOR SOIL YIELDS GOOD CROPS
On the Deyo homestead, just be
low Chitina, Albert Church is giving
a practical demonstration that the
soil can be made to yield good crops
in this section. Moreover, he is
making it pay and is now selling
some of his second crop of several
kinds of vegetables.
Among the products grown suc
cessfully are cabbage, potatoes, car
rots, parsnips, peas, Brussels sprouts,
turnips, lettuce, radishes and onions.
His second crop of lettuce is now
ready for the market. He began
planting this year June 2, sowing in
the soil without any hothouse prep
aration. He says that May 20th will
not be any too early to begin plant
ing.
Mr. Church is in all particulars
a scientific farmer. He leaves noth
ing to chance, but studies out every
move. He keeps the weather tem
perature and knows chemical analy
sis of the soil.
While the vegetables have all done
tine this year, the season so far has
been an off year and much colder
than usual. There were but 18 days
of actual sunshine to August 8th, and
this is something unheard of, since
nearly every day of summer around
Chitina is simply one of sunshine.
The average temperature has been
about 60 degrees above, while it
should average about 70 degrees.
?the highest temperature registered
is 86> and there were only 20 days
with the temperature 70 degrees
above zero.
Mr. Church has a pipe line run
ning along the hill above his garden
patch, so that he can irrigate, when
necessary, but he has had very little
use for the water this season.
Among the things that Mr. Church
tried as an experiment were Brus
sels sprouts, and they matured fine
ly. Those who have not tried this
plant for greens have a rare treat
coming.
“Yes,” said Mr. Church, in answer
to a question, “I meet people every
day who are skeptical about this
part of the country ever being good
for farming purposes. Any one with
common sense and ordinary powers
of observation should know that this
soil is productive. There is plenty
of proof of this fact in the wild ber
ries and luxuriant vegetation and
flora seen on every hand. When
ever the soil weathers wild vegeta
tion it will grow domestic products.
Here ,of course, the same as in all
new countries, certain experiments
must be made before the maximum
results can be obtained from the min
imum effort and cost.”
When in need of job printing of
any kind give us a call.
LOCAL NEWS
Jesse Martin arrived in Chitina this
week, accompanied by Mrs. Martin,
to remain a short time. He and
Mrs. Martin will make another trip
to Valdez before the winter mail con
tract of the Orr Stage Line begins
There is now a small army of
miners and prospectors at work in
the hills in the vicinity of Tiekel
and mile 109. On nearly every train
additional outfits arrive.
Another social dance was enjoyed
in the Tibbs building this week.
Considerable rain fell on Wednes
day last.
Tom Cloninger will be associated
with John Palmer in the Chitina
Hotel bar. St. Clair & Clononger
have dissolved partnership in the
Log Cabin and the latter place will
be closed.
Geo. Belts, George Sauer, and Geo.
Schindewolf left this week with a
pack train for Chicken and Jack
Wade creeks, near Eagle. They
will follow the Fairbanks-Valdez
trail to Gakona and then take the
old Eagle mail trail, crossing the
Tanana river at Tanana Crossing.
They denied the report started by
their friends that they were headed
for a new placer stampede.
Another $25,000 spent on the
Overland trail will make it an ex
cellent roadway for light buckboards
in the summer time. It is now a
good road for pack trains. An ad
ditional sum will make it an auto
mobile route for the summer. The
worst stretch is between Copper Cen
ter and the head of the Big Delta.
WILL SHIP ORE FROM
LEDGE AT MILE 191
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Christian Tjosevig, one of the main
owners of the group of copper claims
by the same name, near mile 191,
passed through Chitina this week
with an outfit to start work on the
claims.
Mr. Tjosevig intends to ship some
of his high grade ore this winter
over the railroad to the Tacoma
smelter. He expects to soon have
enough ore in sight to warrant the
railroad building a spur track.
He came througn irom Fairbanks
over the trail with his pack outfit
down O’Brien creek, which empties
into the Copper a short distance be
low Chitina. Twelve years ago,
while prospecting for placer, he ran
across a considerable ledge, but, ow
ing to the lack of transportation
facilities, did not stake it at the time.
Now that the railroad furnishes' a
means for quartz development in
this section, he deemed it worth
w'hile to revisit the scene and stake
the ground. He has sent some of
the samples to be assayed, and says
he has a well defined ledge at least
two feet wide. One prospector this
summer spent three months on O’
Brien creek trying to find a ledge
traced from a piece of quartz float
found in the bed of the stream, and
it is possible Tjosevig has located
the much sought ledge.
Peter Schneider, better known as
Tazilana Jake, paid Chitina a visit
last week in his “prairie schooner.”
He covered the distance from his
farm at Tazilana, 60 miles in thiee
days and a half with one horse avid
his home-made wagon.
The wagon, or rather the cart is
a two-wheeled affair, with wooden
wheels and a canvas covering. Mr.
Schneider brought along some fine
oats.
He has about thirty acres under
cultivation. He has a half an acre
planted to barley, ten acres of oats
and raises potatoes and all kinds of
vegetables.
He is a handy man with tools and
made a self binder out of odds and
ends picked up in Chitina when he
worked in the old tunnel. He has
a number of farm implements and !
believes his farm will net him a good 1
income in another season.
Let us do your Job Printing. i
LOCAL NEWS
William Lawson and his staff
moved into the new depot last Sun
day and they are note housed in their
new quarters. The depot building
and warehouse would prove a credit
to any city of five thousand popula
tion. Xo expense has been spared
to make it warm and comfortable
All that is now needed is a good walk
from the depot to the main street,
and Chitina will rapidly take on
metropolitan airs.
Griffith & Hyland, of the Xeevada,
are contemplating a number of im
provements,
Earney Young has opened Geo. j
Blouen’s Cafe in connection with
Blouen’s Home Bar. and says he
will give the best meal in this part
of the count!-} for the price.
Opal Hopkins, a colored woman,
ran amuck this week and was fined
$50 and costs by Commissioner
Healy. She was afterwards given
a. blue ticket by Marshal Brown. Ot
to Strom is said to have used vile
language against her in a restaurant,
and she hit him over the head with
i bottle of catsup. He was also ar
rested and fined for using profane
anguage. Chris, Burstram, who
;ried to give the officers the slip
'rom becoming a witness was fined
510 for contempt of court. Com
missioner Healy says that it might
is well be understood first as last
hat the law will be enforced while
te Is in charge.
When in need of Job printing of
tny kind give us a call.
DEATH OF AN OLD
*
Tony Barrett last Thursday re
ported to Commissioner Healy the
death of A. K. Crawford, better
known as “Scotty,” at his homestead
11 o'clock, Aug. 14, on the Kotsina,
four miles from the copper property
of the Northern Development com
pany.
Death was due to heart failure.
Barrett passed the cabin of de
ceased that same morning and Craw
ford was saddling a horse. He said
he did not feel very well. Later
when Barrett returned Crawford was
in the house and asked him to stay
with him for a while as he was not
feeling good.
An hour or so later Crawford rose
up in bed and said, “I didn't know
you were still here, Tony.” He gasp
ed for breath a couple of times and
fell back dead. He was buried on
the homestead.
His partner was Ammann, who has
an adjoining homestead. Deceased
-was about 61 years of age. His will
and papers were left in his cabin in
Valdez. Se has considerable mining
and other property. While the old
timers around here have known him
for many years they do not know if
he leaves a family or who his rel
i atives are.
When seen by a Leader reporter
I about the Cliitina Townsite, Mr.
j Young stated that the railroad would
take It over as soon as the contract
of M. Anderson expired, which
would be in a short time. He said
certain needed improvements would
be made on the streets. He de
clared that he wished to acquaint
himself more fully with ^he condi
tions before giving out any detailed
statement. ^
This morning while an ore train
from the Bonanza mine was enroute
to Cordova, the engine and eight
cars jumped the track on a curve at
mile 193, where there is the only
severe grade on the road. It is said
that the engineer did not have the
train under control at the time the
accident occurred.
The engine was turned over on its
side and the 8 cars deerailed. The
crew jumped and escaped injury. A
wrecking derrick left for the scene
this afternoon and a shoo-fly has
been built so as not to delay tratfic
until the engine can be rerailed.
Considerable local interest is
aroused over the news that General
Passenger Agent Harry and Captain
Lathrop, of the Alaska Transfer Co.,
will attempt to make the trip to
Fairbanks in Lathrop’s automobile
this fall, after the first freezeup.
Some of the old timers do not be
lieve that they will be able to ne
gotiate the worst part of the trail
over the stretch already mentioned.
However, the experiment will prove
well worth while, whether success
ful or not.
Let us do your Job Work.
James Hall and the Sullivan broth
ers have taken an option on the
Frank Kernan group of placer and
hydraulic claims, near where Geo.
Max Esterly is operating on the
Nizina. It is said Mr. Hall wras
formerly minister of war of Nica
ragua and being with the losing side
thought that his health demanded a
change of climate. John Orchard
son of Lieut. Orchard, is one of the
party now with Hall and the Sulli
ran brothers’ outfit.
The Katalla Company will erect
i double telephone wire from Cor
lova to Kennecott. By transposing
jvery half mile a metallic circuit
will be established and the service
hus greatly improved.
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Let us do your Job Work. 'itri