VOL. 1
CHITIXA, ALASKA, CROAT, AI..CST 20. 1911.
NO BO
J. McClelland arrived from Valdez
this week and says a good practical
summer and winter road could be
maintained from Chitina to Teikel
and Beaver Bam and other districts
vai Tonsina.
He has traveled all over the hills
between this point and different dis
tricts along the overland trail and
is thoroughly familiar with the coun
try. He says another practical route
may be built to the railroad near the
mouth of the Teikel river, but not
so good a route as by the Tonsina,
although the latter would be the
longest.
attoIeTbosle
Judge Wi. H. Bogle, general coun
sel for the Alaska Syndicate, who
has spent the past week or ten days
here will return to Seattle on the
Northwestern. In his opinion there
is little hope of constructive legisla
tion at the hands of congress until
after the presidential election. He
declared that there was nothing but
politics, so far as Alaska and its
needs were concerned, and therefore
no relief could be expected.
The Judge said there was no pre
cedent in American history for the
manner in which the industrial de
velopment of Alaska has been re
tarded through political jugglery. He
said, furthermore, that the coal un
der the proposed leasing system
would not likely ever be touched by
private capital.
For instance even under the most
»
favorable circumstances> it was
doubtful if the coal could be mined
and marketed at a profit in competi
tion to the outside and foreign prod
uct, w'hile, under strict government
control which would allow politics
to enter into the question and annul
or cancel contracts at the first pol
itical howl that went up, no private
capital would care to invest its mon
ey. The judge said when a Congress
allowed the constructive capital to
be harrassed and persecuted the
same as the manner in which the
building of the Copper River &
Northwestern railway was harassed,
the outlook for the country was any
thing but bright. He said he could
see no immediate prospects of re
lief in sight, and that it would re
quire years of the most favorable
and constructive legislation to over
come the setback already given
Alaska by reason of too much poli
tics.
SURVEYS MADE
Engineer Warner, of the govern
ment survey party which has been
running cross sections for townships
in the Copper River valley around
Copper Center, arrived in town this
week ahead of his party. They have
completed their work for this sea
son. *
This is one of the several govern
ment survey parties sent to the
Tanana and Susitna, in order that
the land can be thrown open for
settlement. Homesteaders who have
lived the required time upon their
places will be in position to prove
up and secure title as soon as the
surveys are finished.
A pipe line for fire protection of
the railroad property is being extend
ed from the water tank to the depot
under the direction of A. Pauli.
ACTIVITY IN HUNNKilTA DISTRICT
Ole Berg, superintendent for the
Spirit Mountain Copper company of
Philadelphia, located at the head of
Canyon creek in the Hunnigita val
ley, was in Chitina this week on
business.
He reports that there is consid
erable activity in that section of the
country. His force of men is driving
a 300-foot tunnel. When in a dis
tance of 150 feet they struck splen
did looking ore which will give uni
form values of $75 per ton.
On the Bell mine, one of the group
belonging to Spirit Mountain, and up
on which a considerable body of nick
el ore has been developed, heavy
machinery will be installed this win
t#, consisting of air compressors and
machine drills. For the present, fuel
will be used for power, but later the
company purposes to dam Canyon
creek which will furnish plenty of
power the greater part of the sea
son.
In order to get in the machinery, a
trail will be built this fall from near !
mile 121 up Canyon creek. It is
but 10 miles from the Copper river
to Spirit mountain. It must be re
membered that the Canyon creek re
ferred to is on the opposite side of
the river from the Canyon creek
which empties under the railroad
right of way, although it empties in
to the Copper nearly opposite. It
will be an easy matter to construct
a good practical winter route for get
ting in supplies over the ice, but for
summer operations it will be neces
sary to ferry across the Copper.
Several years ago Mr. Berg was
in the country along with Louis
Lavensaler for the Alaska Syndicate, j
At the time he was greatly impres- J
sed with the heavy mineralization of j
the hills, and later decided that Spir- !
it mountain was as likely a propo-!
sition as there was in the country |
the Bonanza mine not excepted.
A force of men and several horses
will be used in constructing thej
trail, and the superintendent may
ship a few small lots of ore this win
ter. But he does not expect to be'
in shape to ship much before another'
season or two, as it requires both
time and money to open such a big
property. He is an earnest advocate
of the policy of Fred Schaupp, the
road overseer, to expend poll taxes
on trails in the communities from
which the money is collected. He
thinks the least the government can
do is to keep in repair and maintain
trails and roads after miners and
prospectors have builded them at a
considerable expense.
“I have always had unbounded
faith in this part of the country ”
said Mr. Berg, "and the more I see
of it the more convinced I am that
in time and with the expenditure of
sufficient capital the mining men will
open one of the greatest mining dis
tricts in the world.”
MACHINE SHOPS
TO BEJUILT
The company has definitely de
cided to build a new machine shop
here, near the present round house,
which will be 120x80 feet In ad
dition there will be a carhouse and
car shop, which will be 200 feet
Irng. There is as much machinery
here as is used on the big roads
in the states, a great deal of which
has never been set up, as there were
no available buildings in which to
house it. The equipment is com
plete and when the improvements
contemplated are completed all re
pairs for the railroad will be made
here.
There have been a number of re
quests made to the Copper River &
Northwestern Railway, from mining
companies on Prince William sound
and in the interior to do custom
work and the railroad may con
elude to do so until such a time
as local parties instal machine shops,
1 I
Captain Ericson, of Spirit Moun
tain was in the city Thursday last
en business. He owns a number
of claims in that promising district.
“I have been in every part of
Alaska” he said, "and I have never
come across a better showing any
place than we have around Spirit
Mountain. There are big iron dykes,
there are nickel ledges, we have cop
per almost in its pure state and
plenty of evidence of gold.
“Take my word for it, in another
season, when the miners begin to
realize the highly mineralized char
acter of that country, there will be
a stampede in there. I am now tak
ing in a man with me and furnish
ing him with a horse. I have all 1
can do to look after my own claims
and am desirous of seeing the coun
try more thoroughly prospected. I
know of a number of ledges which
might prove worth while if a little
work were expended upon them.”
Most of the Copper river tribe of
Indians living near Chitina are now
in the hills hunliug. After Septem
ber first there will be plenty of
fresh game in the local market.
Billy Simport is In the city from
mile 109 where he located several
claims for Frank Clarkson and New
house .
J. Canning was in the city this
I week from his properties on the Kot
sina, near Iron Mountain. He will
put up a cabin this winter and do his
assessment work. He has a good
looking ledge containing copper and
silver and a small trace of gold.
mm TO GO AfTER
THE TRAIL BUSINESS
Every facility will be afforded for
taking care of horses in Chitina this
winter. The price of feed has been
reduced by the railroad company. and
a guarantee- is given by dealers that
it will not cost more tlian $60 per
ton.
H. Chamberlain has been busy get
ting in shape horse boarding stables
and will be in position to handle 40
bead. He says the charges will be
$45 per month per head.
Other people are also talking of
providing quarters. In fact, there
will be accomodations for all of the
stock that may come along. Last
year many outfits proceeded through
to the coast as there was some doubt
if Chitina was in position to care for
the trade. It is assumed that very
few outfits will care to make the dif
ficult trip over Thompson's pass, ow
ing to the greater cost and loss in
time, to say nothing of the fact that
weather conditions are seldom fav
orable for a quick trip, when they
can make use of the railroad route.
The citizens of Chitina will con
duct an active advertising campaign
to let the people of the interior dis
tricts know of the advantages offered
by this place for accomodating trail
traffic, and it is certain practically
ail of the traffic will come through
this way this coming winter. The
work under the direction of the
government road commission has
made the road a boulevard from
Chitina to the main overland trail.
The route is sheltered by timber the
entire distance, offering excellent
camping for travelers.
DEVELOPMENT DELAYED
AWAITING RAILROAD
D. C. Sargent, representing the in
terests of Henry Bratnober in the
Nabesna copper belt, arrived in town
this week on his way to the outside.
He is accompanied by Mike Lar
son.
Mr. Sargent said there was little
that was new in that part of the
country, in other words the upper
reaches of the Tanana valley, in
which he has been working for the
past five years for Mr. Bratnober.
He went into the Nabesna on the
steamer Ella, which made the trip j
from Fairbanks during the summer
of 1906 and ascended the river far
ther than ever any steamer went be
fore or since.
Mr. Bratnober sold the steamer at
Fairbanks on his return for less than
a third of her actual value. He has
spent a large sum, keeping a force of
men on the ground every season, with
a view of developing the mineral re
sources, only to find that his prop
erties are at a disadvantage without
means of transportation.
Mr. Sargent said he did not know
what the future plans of his em
pioyer were, but it is certain that
neither Mr. Bratnober nor anyone
else would ever have spent such a
large sum of money so far in the in
tcrior if he could have foreseen the
policy of the government in refus
ing aid and in throwing obstruc
tions in the way of those desirous
of building railroads. When he
first entered the field there was con
siderable talk of active railroad
building in the interior. In ract, the
government «as on record as favor
ins o. bill guaranteeing the bonds of
a trunk line to the interior so mat
the country could be opened up.
Mr. sargent minks the ground will
be probably patented and will have
to lay as it is until there is some
assurance of transportation. He says
the railway survey made by the Cop
per River & Northwestern to the
head of White river through Skolia
pass would find a practical route
from the latter district to the Nabes
na. In the Nabesna alone, he states,
there is hardly enough tonnage in
sight to warrant the building of a
railroad.
W. Wulf, the well known photo
grapher and member of the firm of
Wolf & Woodring, Cordova, who ac
companied the mountain climbing ex
pedition to Mt. Blackburn, arrived
home on last night’s train.
Mr. Wolf secured a number of
fine views. He left Miss Dora Keen,
the eastern tourist who is anxious
to be the first person to scale the
summit of Mount Blackburn, and her
guides, A. McCellan, Frank Buell,
Barrett and others above timber line.
Mr. Wolf went along to enjoy a va
cation and get some good views and
decided that it was not necessary for
him to ascend to the summit of the
mountain to get experience and views
and pleasure.
Let us do your Job Work.
If. GOAD GETS
AN EXTENSION
The Seward Gateway says that the
recent action of the Senate giving
tlie Alaska Northern Railway an ex
tension of six years has been the
cause of all sorts of comment on
the railroad situation. Some took
the pessimistic view that it meant
a delay in the construction of the
line; that the company was sparring
for time, so to speak. The Gateway
man was informed by President
Laberee that the extension has no
special significance one way or the
olher. That it was a mere matter of
form to keep the records straight.
The company lias filed with the
government a definite line of loca
tion extending for a distance of 250
miles, to be completed within a speci
fied time. This time limit will have
expired in February next. The action ■
of the senate extends this time for
a period of six years.
MINER DROWNED1
John Anderson, at>out 50 years
old, who has been working for
Jack Miller on Slate Creek, was
drowned early this month in the
Chestochina river, 3 miles above the
middle fork. i
He was crossing stream to- t
gether with Adolph and Emil Jonn- *
son, when he lost his footing. Emil i
Johnson was ahead, with Anderson t
following. Suddenly Anderson slip- 1
ped and grabbed hold of Emil John- 1
son, pulling him into the water with t
him. Anderson was unable to swim 1
and hung onto Johnson, pulling him 1
along for a distance of about 50 c
feet. Johnson was unable to res
cue him and with difficulty reached 1
shore himself. In the meantime, t
Adolph .Johnson ran along the shore s
and attempted to help Anderson, but t
was unable to do so. i
The two brothers then returned t
to Melvin Dempsey’s camp, where t
a miner’s meeting was called. Mr. i
Dempsey asted as chairman and E. t
C. Keelser as secretary. The miners £
decided to send volunteers with the i
Johnson brothers to hunt for the
man’s body. Mr. Dempsey appoint
ed John Hazelet Carl Stoll and Otto i
Webnerholm, who accompanied the (
brothers. They searched for three <
days but were unable to find any S
trace of the bory. 1
■ ■■■■ (
The bridge across the Copper river 1
near Chitina is now completed and <
will carry the traffic until the ice i
goes out in the spring. The Copper
river has fallen four feet in five
days, due to the growing cold of
the nights. ,
TO MS
Mrs. William L. Crittenden, better
known under the pen name of El
byrd Moek. was a visitor In Chitina
this week, accompanied by her hus
band, an attorney of Stigles, Ok
lahoma.
Mrs. Crittenden is the author of
the “Seattle Spirit," and is now is
suing “Le Moqueur,” a sourdough
magazine, devoted mostly to Alaskan
matters. Its contents is a pot-pouri
of original matter in verse and prose
and ridicules the policy of the gov
ernment in its mismanagement of
Alaskan affairs.
The writer shows a wonderful
grasp of Alaskan affairs for one who
has never visited the northland until
her present tour. She is thoroughly
in sympathy with the pioneers who
have been the real sufferers and con
stituted herself their champion so
far as it may lay in her power. Her
writings are widely commented upon
and she is sure to be of great as
sistance to the cause of the north
land.
The talented writer and her hus
band camped several days near mile
109 and lived with the genuine sour
doughs and prospectors. She helped
stake a claim for herself on the
mountain top and gave a camp fire
dinner to about 12 sourdoughs. The
menu contained Alaska wild berries
and game and a.11 present compli
mented her as a cook. She athered
enough data from the old miners to
furnish her with plenty of good copy.
“In fact,” she said in speaking of
her experience, “I hardly know how
:o begin, because there is so much to
iay, and I appreciate more fully than
sver before what a great injustice
las been done the people of Alaska
by those in power, and who, by all
latural laws and common sense jus
dee, should have been the first to
mcourage, instead of retard, indus
rial development.
"I shall do my best to let my read
■rs know anu feel as I have observ
'd and felt while a guest of the best
lass of people on earth.”
NEW STRIKE ON
Will A. Steel returned from a vis
t to the Westover copper properties ,
his week and reports a new strike
’»* “ •** —- >i r,,L • utoro
u six feet on the new ledge and had
lot as yet crosscut it when Mr. Steel
eft. On this property the men have
leen working in ore for some time
hat goes 4 6 per cent copper. The
edge is 15 feet wide and a tunnel
as been run long side it a distance
f 50 feet.
Mr. Steel says that the so-called
ack trail from the end of the line
o this and other properties in that
ection is fierce. One good trunk
rail there would serve Chititu creek
toulder and Ilan creeks. There is a
eneral complaint among the mining
nen and operators at the slowness
f the government in doing anything
owards making trails where they
re so badly needed and where so
nany interests could be served.
Alexander Spout, who says his
eal name is P. Spaul, was bound
iver to the grand jury this week by
Commissioner Healy to the sum of
12,000 on the charge of forgery. He
s accused of casuing a number of
hecks without any money in the
>ank, amounting to $130. He claim
id he was drunk at the time and did
lot know what he was doing.
Arthur Geng, a pressman of Port
and Ore., arrived in Chitina this
veek, having mushed over the trail.