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The Mining Nev/s Published by The Ketchikan Printing Co. A. P. SWINEFORD, Editor. RICHARD BUSHELL Mgr. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One vear, in advance.*3-°° * . in Single copies.1 -1 FEBRUARY 8, 1907. PRAY TELL US. The .Tuneau Record-Miner rises to remark that it is not “any mer chant in particular who will be affected by the increased taxation of territorial governmnet. It is the property ow ners, railroad builders and the like who have invested their all in a wilderness and produced a community of industry. Tax these industries as they have to be taxed to maintnia territorial gov rnment and many will fail. I he num ber of industries and the amount of taxable property now in Alaska is not large enough to bear the burden of taxation that would be necessary if the territory were made self-governing at the present time.” Still “harping on the tune of one string!” The assumption that a ter ritorial organization would necessarily bring increased taxation is not justified by anytheory other than that the people of Alaska are incapable of an intelligent exercise of the privileges of local self-government. Such an argument, or suggestion, rather, might be made with some show of sense or reason, as applicable to Puerto Rico or the Philippines, but we apprehend that the Record-Miner will hardly wish to be understood as intending to make such an argument in the case of Alaska. And yet it amounts to just that and nothing more, for the reason that under a territorial form of government taxation would bo just what the people themselves made it, within, of course, the limit fixed by the organic act. Increased taxation is the bugaboo which the anti home rule papers keep constantly before their readers, and yet not one of them has yet es sayed to explain wherein would he the necessity for it, how much would be the cost, in fact, fail to give the readers anything other than mere as sertio unsustained by either facts, figures or sound reasoning. And it is to be regretted that there arc hon est, well meaning Alaskans who un thinkingly give heed to this bugaboo cry, and deplore the efforts that are making for the political habilitation of Alaska as tending to their injury rather than their benefit. Such per sons should unite in a demand upon those who set up this bugaboo for something tangible,—to be shown substantial reasons for tht faith they profess, instead of asking others to ac cept that- faith on the strength of mere assertion only. { There is no better way of judging ' f ~ -ifcauAttM. *Ua •Iqrfchc.Aijt. sJa h#"** ' I ' that conditions may Change, arid the rule may not be a wholly unerring (me, but as a general thing it may be held aslgood, if not better than, any other. If that be even partially true, ■ what then becomes of the feeble con tention born of fear, that local self government will entail upon the peo ple of Alaska a burden of taxation too grevious to be borne/* In the light of all the facts to be found in the history of territorial organizations, that fear would appear to be groundless, and, conceding the intelligence of the peo ple Alaska to be equal to that of the people of any other territory at the time of its organization, wholly un tenable. In looking over some statis tics of the territories printed in 18(19 we find a statement of salaries paid to territorial officials which at this time will be found interesting, if indeed they do not serve any other purpose. The Territory of Washingon, organ ized in 1853, had fifteen years later a salary list consisting of a territorial treasurer who was paid per centage on the amount of public funds received and disbursed by him, a territorial auditor whose salary was $500 per an num, and a prosecuting attorney for each of the three judicial districts, who were paid $200 and fees each. Montana, organized in 1804, had a territorial salary list four years later, consisting of a treasurer with an an nual salary of $700 and fees, an auditor with the same amount of salary and fees, an attorney general with salary of $200 and fees, and a secretary of the Board of Agriculture, and Superinten dent of Public Insturction with salaries of $700 each. Colorado, organized in 1804, had in 1808, a list of four territorial officials, consisting of treasurer, auditor, adju tant general and superintendent of public instruction, the sum total of the annual salaries of whom amounted to $2,300. Arizona, organized in 1803, managed to get along until after 1809, with a territorial auditor and treasurer, with salaries of $050 each. Dakota, organized in 1801, had in 1808, a territorial treasurer at pet annum, an attorney-general, who was * paid a salary of $250 a year and fees, and a superintendent of public instruc tion at $3 per day. In that year the whole amount of taxes collected in what is now the two great states of North and South Dakota, was $380.49, and the total amount paid in salaries, $357.75. Of course, it will not be contended that the above quoted figures would be anywhere nearly equal to what would be the salary requirement under territorial organization in Alaska, but if we multiply the salaries embraced In the largest list—that of Montana— by ten, it would yet leave $200,000 be accounted for by the anti-territori ilists to cover their estimate of annual ■xpenses to lie raised by property tax ation. The fact is, and it can in' dem onstrated beyond the possibility of suc cessful contradiction, tiiat tiie annual cost of maintaining a territorial -cr other form of popular home govern ment. economically administered, would not lie such as to necessitate a single dollar of direct taxation. Win n that proposition is flatly denied, Tiie Mining News will undertake to dem onstrate its truth, ‘WAY OFF ITS BASE. The Jur.eau Dispatch is either not al together disingenuous in its reference on Collector Hobart’s statement of merchandise brought into Alaska dur ing the calendar year, 1906, or else wanders far away from his base when it says “Ketchikan lends Southeastern Alaska ports in tiie amount of mer chandise shipped from the United States to Alaskan ports, Treadwell eiines within a few hundred dollar. of equaling Ketchikan, while Juneau is some seven thousand dollars in the rear. The combined ports of tin Juneau mining district crowd Nome, which is the banner porrt of the north. The large amount shown to Ketchikan is occasioned by thy coke used on Prince of Wales Island points being entered at that port. Tread well goes away up in the list by rea son of the heavy coal shipments.'’ The facts are that Treadwell was a little more than a few thousand, instead of hundreds,behind Ketchikar, in 1006 merchandise receipts, and $28,032 behind its pwn total for the previous year. It does not appear, therefore, that Treadwell went away up in the list by reason of the heavy coal shipmentts, though it is true that she very materially widened her lead as compared with Juneau, which last place named fell from a lead of $24, - 243 over Ketchikan in 1905, to $71, 083 behind the latter in 1906. Nor is it true that Ketchikan's increase' was “occasioned by tiie coke used at Prince of Wales points being entered at that port.” The total amount of shipmens into the places of wliat the collector designates as the Southern Section is given at $4,451,203, of which $861,433 is credited to “all other” than the ten principal places -Douglas, Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan Loring, Pyramid Harbor, Skagway, Sitka, Treadwell and Wrangell—every place on Prince of Wales Island being designated separately in his detailed statement, and credited with the merchandise consigned to them: as for instance, Hadley, $113,409, Copper mount, $42,055, Kasaan, $29,827, of a total of $ 435,452,. So it is not pos sible that any part of tiie shipments to Prince of Wales Island could have been included in the amount credited to Ketchikan. NOTE AND COMMENT —Mrs. Emma I. Barr, tiie female woman who is attempting to stick her dilated [nose into the puddle of Alas ka legislation^Jianded out the follow ing dope to the people' dT“¥?ome, say's tho Douglas News: “It is a great pleasure to he in this progressive town. The saloons here are respect able. There is little drunkenness There is every sign of order and so briety. Vice itself does not flaunt in open daylight nor brush skirts with modesty, as it does in Juneau, Ketch ikan, Douglas and Fairbanks. In those places women are admitted to tiie saloons and sit there in broad day light at tiie tables patent to the eye of every passerby. Tiie little newsboys are brought up in such scenes as those. The little newsgirls—for the girls have taken to selling newspapers in those cities—are corrupted in their very infancy. Vice is bold and dar ing in Southeastern Alaska. It is a marvel to me to see tiie decency and order that prevail here. It may be that there is evil here. I do not doubt it. But a great step lias been gained when it is not open to tiie public gaze and dare not parade itself to the hurt of tiie respectable.” Without detract ing in tiie least from wliat this female iterloper says of conditions at Nome, Tiie Mining News is willing to go on record as pronouncing her statement regarding Southeastern Alaska as wholly an unqualifiedly false. There is no more vice in the towns of South eastern Alaska than is to be found in many of those of the same size in tiie States, and exactly what particular graft this woman may have in view is not clear, though it is said she is after an appropriation for a chilren’s home in Alaska. Such an institution in Al aska would lie about as useful as was tiie home for discarded wives built by the general government at Salt Lake and which never had an inmate.. —Important recommendations for river and [harbor work in Alaska have been made by the rivers and harbors committee and this year’s bill will probably authorize the survey of Dry Straits, with tiie view of improv ing this route as an alternative chan nel to ho used instead ofWrangel nar rows. One of the most important pro jects ever contemplated for water way improvemnt in Alaska has been favorably reported by Capt.G. B. Pills bury, of the corps of engineers, and has ■been endorsed by Gen. Mackenzie, chief of engineers. The report, with Gen. Mackenkie’s indorsement, was sent to congress giving the results of the preliminary survey of the proposed canal to connect St. Michael with the Yukon River. The construction of this canal would obviate the hazardous voyages across Bering Sea between St. Michael and the mouth of the Yukon and the scheme lias long been urged. Mackenzie’s indorsement of the report is as follows: “The entire supply of the interior of Alaska is carded by boeta plyitffc 1 • jn the Yukon River. The only known ivilahle point where merchandise can be transported from sea going ves sels to river boats is at St. Michael. The object of the improvement con templated is to provide the smaller boats a mpre protected navigation hetween St. Michael and the mouth of the Yukon river, about seventy miles. C'apt. Pillsbury estimates that a channel six feet deep and 100 feet wide can he secured through St. Mi chael canal at a cost of $248,000. —Prof. Georgenson, special agent in charge of Alaska agricultural experi ment stations, states, in a letter to tho Juneau Dispatch, that at the Copper Station thirty acres of grain which did not mature last season was made into hay, which was sold for $4152.00. Now, if lie will tell the public the price per ton at which the hay was sold it will be much easier to iorm a conclusion as to the productive ness of tlip spil jn immediate sec tion. Hay may not always be worth $500 a ton, even in the interior ol Alaska. Nevertheless, the prof, has amply demonstrated the • fact that money can be made in farming in cer tain sections of Alaska, for the pur pose of supplying the heme market if nothing more, —The Douglas News says that though the game animals of Alaska are now protected, in a measure, against the soulless devils who kill for sport, Congressman Humphrey has in trouced a bill providing that they may be slaughtered by the. game hog who pays hunter’s license of $150. Ol course the license money so paid will accrue to the federal treasury, as do all license and occupation taxes col lected outside incorporated towns. Under a territorial or. other form of popular home government the li censes that jpight ho collected from foreign hunters of our big game, would as is the case in the State of Maine, constitute a very consider able revenue, . ■ •<:• —One man in Nome shamelessly con fessed a few weeks ago that lip-was in the employ of a corporation ’and that he had, during the month preceding., staked 51 association blocks of ground in the Cape Nome precinct, embrac ing over 8,000 acres. These were staked over individual claims which had been owned and worked for the past live or six years by bona fide, con scientious miners, Upon such disrep utable and wholly reprehensible- pro ceedings does the luw of injunction feed in the Nome and Fairbanks dis trict. It is little wonder under the circumstances that the honest miners preferred one of their own to repre sent them in Congress? —How is this for burdensome taxa tion, etc.? According to the reports of their respective governorsj the terri torial tax levy in New Mexico for 1900 was 14 mills, l’.tTper cent on a valuation of one-fifth the actual cash value of the property assessed ; that of Arizona, 1.3 per cent. Considering that the official rosters of these territories are large as those of ^ sovereign state, the figure? quoted ation as a' concern) taut of organization in- Alaska. ' ' ^ i . —It i3 reported from Washington that Gov. Hoggatt has abandoned his suggestion of a commission to revise the Alaska code, mdved thereto by the advice of Speaker Cannon and leading members of Congress. If tho governor can he made to realize the fact that the people of Alaska have a represen tative oJ their own selection in Con gress, the further fact may dawn upon him that lie has at this time no legiti mate official business at the national capital. —A Nome paper states that Judge Moore is just taking things easy, a Fairbanks paper says Judge Wicker sam lias gbne hunting, and Judge Gun nison is off on a pleasure trip to New York. Yet'there can he no doubt that the Federal judges of Alaska are ovreworked—Douglas News. And of course another division is necessary together with a fifth judge to “spell’’ the other four in the dis charge of their arduous duties. —The question of increasing the pay of Senators and members of the house of representatives is still on tap in both the Senate and house. Yes, well there are senators and senators, mem bers and members; some are worth the full amount of the propose increase —others are of little value either to the country or their constituents. —Ben Tillman has been re-elected to the U, S. Senate by the almost unanimous vote of the state legislature. Notwithstanding his versatility in the several effective uses of the prover bial pitchfhrk, Bejamin is popular with his fellow senators, none of whom question the honesty and sincerity of his motives and convictions. —That’s not the right name for it. Congressman Adams, of Philadelphia, who ended his earthly career by kill ing himself at Washington last winter has just been declared by the or phans court of the City of Brotherly Love to have been a defaulter to the extent of $70,000, appropriated to his own use from his father's estate, of which he was one of the executors. The poor man who purloins a loaf of bread is usually denominated a thief— the man who deliberately steals thou sans is only a defaulter. —“Football, ” says a Michigan paper, will receive a blow if Congress legislates the Carlisle Indian School out of existence.” And it might have said with equal truth, so will the graft ers who persist in prolonging its prac itically useless existence. —No question involving the well fare of any considerable community of Americans is ever settled until lettled right—And the question of pcfk i ular home government for Alaska will not down until it is finally so settled. —The Wrangell Sentinel says the claim that territorial government would be too expensive is “a coward's plea.” Yes, well there are luxuries as well as comforts that are sometimes found too expensive for those who would like to have them: but the anti territorialists have yet to show where in home rule, would be more expensive. than the long distance government Alaskans now have. It is not a plea— merely a whim, like unto that of the bound who licks the hand of the mas ter who beats him. —Delegate Waskey’s bill providing for the removal of the $100 per mile tax on railroads in Alaska has been reported on favorably by the commit tee on the territories. In that con nection a Washington correspondent says that the removal of this tax will lie an impediment' to any other pro posed assistance to Alaska railroads from tho government. Well, Alaska can afford to be thankful for even small favors. If congress will not assist in building railroads in Alaska we should be thankful to that body if it will refrain from taxing those built bv private gjiftjrur.Ue., at least until they begin to earn something for their owners, —Another adventuresome chap pro poses to reacli the North pole by the yet to be discovered balloon route. He is a Milwaukee pian, who probably wont be satisfied till bo joins Andree, the man who tried the same route some years ago and never came back. .—And now that he has been re elected Senator, Mr. Joseph W. Bailey, of Texas, is accused of having employed the most corrupt and im moral means to accomplish the result. It isn’t safe, however, to believe all you read in the partisan papers, espe cially those of the yellow persuasion. Tiie mere fact of such charges being made against him will, however, be a shock to the gallery gods and goddesses Lo whom JosojJ, has been wont to ■|Kise, first in the House and after wards in the Senate for the past dozen years or more, —A Juneau paper, in the beginning of a leading editorial* very lucidly says:—“The forecast of 1907, on the whole, is to be deplored on account of the approach of Mars to our earth, the astronomical oeeuring once in every revolution, notably its greatest occurrences are during the intersec tion of the earth between the sun and Mars, recurring every fifteen years: this to planet, at this period, is said to be in its peregee of evil tendency.” Why, and if not why, wherefore:* —The Skagway Daily Alaskan ent ered upon the tenth year of its-exist ence on tiie 1st inst, It lias always been a wonder how its publishers were able to furnish its readers so good a paper, but its editor gives the expla nation in its own words:—“The Daily Alaskan would .not be alive to boast of this record if it had not received the generous support of Skagway men and women—Skagway men and women, at jpg, the tryefit, the. TTsTta^or tiny other .■ss them! Likewise, can had not striven -the people, to give jwspapar as its reve t, to support truth and justice as i* saw them, it would not be dancing on the graves of its -former contemporaries today.” .All of which is to he point—a record of the “survival of'the fittest” not only —but a just tribute to a people whose faith in the future of their town is worthy of all praise and commenda tion. —The report of the chief of bureau of statistics, department of commerce and labor, for the month of Novem ber, 190(i, shows the commerce be tween the IJnitf d States and its non contiguous’territories for tliat and-the preceding ten numths to have been as follows: I Hawaii.'.$40,090,294 Porto Rico..38,733,093 Philippine Islands.. .15,785,323 Alaska, including gold.42,884,949 ^On the other hand the report of the Collector of Alaska, for the entire year 1906, places the total of domestic commerce between the States and Alaska at $49,407,227, while the for eign shipments tij and from Alaska were $2,053,107—making a grand total of $51,400,334, and showing that the commerce of Alaska leads that of the next highest noncontiguous possession by not far from ten millions. —The first issue of the Ketchikan Mining News is at hand. The paper is published by the Ketchikan Print ing Co., with Hon. A. P. Swine ford, editor, and Richard Bushell, Jr. manager. Tiie neW paper is set on a Simplex typesetting machine and is a seven column, all home print. The paper bids fair to be -the greatest weekly paper in Alaska, as the editor is recognized as one of the greatest writers in the district. The Daily Dispatch wishes the new paper all kinds of success and sees in it a leader of the great forces battling for self government in Alaska.—Juneau Dis patch. . .. —We are glad to welcome to our ex change table the Mining News, pub lished at Ketchikafi by the Ketchikan Printing Co., Hon. A. P. Swine ford editor and Richard Bushell,Jr., manager. Mr. Swiueford stands at tho head of Alaska journalism as a writer and thinker and -wA all* know where he stands and why.* His pen has never wavered in the defense of the cause of right and justice for Alaskans, and it is our earnest hope that he may be spared many yeansYJo. continue his noble work.—Douglas News. —The Ketchikao Minin# News has - 4 issued its first number. It is edited by ExGovernor A. P. Swineford and its pages are full of readable matter of tlfe'section it represents.—Juneau Record-Miner. Volume 1, Number 1 of the Ketchi kan Mining News has just reached our table. The new sheet is' edited by Ex-Gov. A. P. Swineford, the pioneer editor o'Alaska, which explains its excellence in an editorial way. It is also replete with local and general news, has a good advertising patron age, and bids fair to live and prosper. Amen.—Wrangell Sentinel. The outlook in the Juneau mining district for 1907 is indeed bright. Nearly every large camp will open with increased crews, while many smaller'camps will add to the payroll. The center of interest will hover around Treadwell, Nevada Creek, Perseverance, Elmer, Jualin and Eagle river, .Sheep Creek, Rodman, Berners Bay. Red Diamond and others promise to be among the working camps.—Dispatch. ROOMS) WARMED WITHOUT FIRE A new innovation calculated to make the owner and homemaker smile with gladness, hut which wouldn’t work very well just now in any part of Alaska, is described by Mr, F, <’, Perkins in the February number of the Technical World Maga zine. Imagine rugs, carpets and com forters so heated by electricity ns to warm the rooms in which they are used, and then imagine the effect of such up innovation in your own home —on your own housekeeping. Think of a dustless, odorless, noiseless heat ing system in your home, which pre serves an even temperature, makes no trouble, requires practically nq care, and which not only bu.nishes stoves, radiators, register# and all such cum brous, vupiiglith- things, but hides the very presepcq of its own mediums of radium, in the heart of some beauti fully decorative fabric. It seems like the perfection of devices for satis factory heating, “The advantages of this.new system,” says Mr. Perkins, “are-many. It cun be used whereever incandescent lights are in use. There is no smoke, no combustion, no gas eous by-products are thrown off; it creates neither dust nor qd.or,; requires neither fuel, reservoir nor .special ap paratus. It does not consume oxygen from the air and, spread out flat on the lloor, one of the thermopile rugs, for instance, furnishes a mild, steady and permanent source of heat, evenly distributed over a very large surface. The feet of persons occupying a room heated in this way will . always be warm and their heads cool.” Ideal combination! But it is reasonable, and as an invention sure to find favor. It is worth knowing about. ORDER In the District Court for the District of Alaska, Division No. 1, at Juneau. In the. matter of the fixing of the erms of ('ourt for the year 190", Now on this day, tKfe time required by law, for the fixing by order of the terms of this Court for and within Division No. 1 , for the District of Alaska, for the year 1007; and it further appearing that public business and the business of this Court requires a continuance of the Term of this Court now in session known as the November, 1900, Juneau Term, and that the said term should be con tinued in lieu of adjournmen thereof and the calling of another Term at a later date with Terms of Court at other places intervening, now there fore upon consideration, It is hereby Ordered that the Terms of Court within Division No. 1 of the District of Alaska for the year 1907, be held at the following places, as hereinafer set forth, towitt:— At Juneau, commencing on Mon day, Nov. 25th, 1907; At Skagway, commencing on Mon day, June 3rd, 1907; At Skagway, commencing on Mon day Nov. 11th, 1907; At Kotchikan.^eommencing on Mon day, October 14th, 1907. And it is Further Ordered that the Clerk of this Court have notices in accordance with this Order duly published at least once in a newspaper published in each of the said above named cities. Done in open Court this 2nd dav of Januarv, 1907. ROYAL A. GUNNISON, District Judge. District of Alaska, Division No. 1, SS I, C. C. Page, Clerk of the District Court for the District of Alaska, Div ision No. 1, do hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of an order made and entered of record in this Court on the 2nd'dav of Januarv, 1907. Dated this 15th dav of Januarv, 1907 C. C. PAGE, Clerk. IN THE UNITED STATES COMMIS SIONERS' COURT, for the District of Alaska, Division No. 1, Ketchi kan Precinct, In Probate. Int he matter of the estate of Johnny Kitkoon. Deceased. Notice to Creditors. The undersigned, Mark Williams, hereby gives notice that he has been duly appointed administrator of the estate of Johnny Kitkoon, deceased; and all parties having claims against the said estate are notified to present the same with proper vouchers within six ((>) months from date of this not ice, at the office of Chas. H. Cosgrove In the town of Ketchikan Alaska. MARK WILLIAMS. Adm inistrator. Dated at Ketchikan, Alaska, this 9th day of January, A. D., 1907. U. S. COMMISSIONER’S COURx for the District of- Alaska, Division No. 1, Precinct of Ketchikan, Sit ting in Probate. In re Estate of Johnny Kitkoon, de ceased. « Citation. A petition having been presented to this Court this 7th day of Januarv, 1907 by Mark Williams, administrator, for an order for the sale of the real property of said estate, consisting of a house and lot situated in Ketchikan, Alaska; all heirs, devisees and other persons interested in said estate are Hunt, Lathrop Co. ■ Watch this Space and Be Money in Pocket By Trading With Us Hunt, Lathrop Co. The Alaska S. S. CO. Operating the Fast Steamships Jefferson and Dolphin Carrying U. S. Mails Between Seattle, Ketchikan, Juneau, Douglas, Haines, Skagway Dolphin northbound, Jan. 14 and 29, southbound 18 and Feb 1st; Steamers and sailing dates subject to change without notice. Through tickets and bills.of lading issued. For further information apply too H. S. REYNOLDS, Agent Ketchikan, Alaska S. A. LOVE, Freight Agent, Seattle. CHAS. E. PEABODY. Manager, Seattle 1 " 11 " 1 1 "Ti HENRY GOEMAERE _ -''pitspr*'...~ ^ The Seattle Bar l ' ' First Class Liquors, Cigars and Tobaccos NEWTOWN j KETCHIKAN - - - - ALASKA W. H. GILMOUR TOM JOHNSON Proprietor Manager ADMIRAL SALOON The place where the good fellows hang out and where you get what you call for. Ketchikan - - Alaska MHHUNMiHIM I M'I'!»# I »» > | The Budweiser Theater ; j HIGH CLASS VAUDEVILLE | You are invited to bring your friends and | J ' spend a jolly evening at the only theater in I ■ a II ' Ketechikan. The fine moving pictures will be ! \ I exhibited again as soon as the lighting system ; ; ; is repaired. ! ! I KETCHIKAN • • - ALASKA || I MOUNTAINEER SALOON | Newtown J [ I SAM GOWAN ;; | Proprietor mu \ > I THE MIDWAY SALOON I! X Opposite Frye Bruhn's ' [ | A tidy first class place. < > X < > | Nothing but the best of goods. !! 1 FURNISHED ROOMS KETCHIKAN \\ hereby notified that Monday, February 14th, 1007, at 2 o'clock, has been fixed js the time for hearing upon said petition, at which time they may appear and show cause if any they have, why an order for the sale of said real property should not issue as prayed for. E. S. STACKPOLE, _ . . ,, • Probate Judge. Dated this 9th day of January, 1907, J