The Ketchikan miner. [volume], May 25, 1907, Image 1

About The Ketchikan miner. [volume] (Ketchikan, Alaska) 1907-1915

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The I t Zikan Miner
V0L j KETCHIKAN, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1907. N0. ig
ANDREW CHILBERQ, Pres. J. R. HECKMAN, Vice Pres,
MINERS & MERCHANTS BANK
Of Ketchikan, Alaska
Transacts a General Banking Business
The easiest way to establish your credit in a community is
to open an account with your home Bank.
Small accounts are welcome
M. A. Mitchell - - = Cashier
Many Lives Saved
By buying Drugs
at the Neatest Drug Store in Alaska
The Revilla Drug Co.
$ WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED I
\ A Shipment of Fancy Summer Suits
2 From Hart, Schaffner & Marx $
* ^4 \ 3T- i
j Copyright 1906 by Hart Schaffner & Marx | f
K They are Swell. See Them Before the Assortment is Broken J
l J. R. HECKMAN & Co. \
WWW WWWWIWVWVWVV *
Rates; $1.00 to $3.00 Electric Lighted
Room with Bath Steam heated
Hotel Stedman
European
Ketchikan
JOHN W. STEDMAN
Proprietor Alaska
Every Alaskan
Should have a Savings Account with
Dexter Horton & Co.
Bankers, Seattle
All Savings Accounts draw interest at the rate of
4 Per Cent.
DEPOSITS MAY BE MADE BY MAIL
j Write for Booklet Regarding Saving# Account#
Electric Lighted Rates: $1 to $2.50
j Steam Heated ' Per Day j
The Hotel Re villa
J. F. Dubail, Manager
KETCHIKAN
Suites with Bath ALASKA
THE MINES
What the Mines and Miners of
This District Are Doing-Cheer
ing Prospects Ahead.
When as long ago as 188(1 the editor
of The Miner placed on public record
the prediction that Alaska was destin
ed to become one of the great mining
fields of the world, it'did not once
occur to him that lie might live to see
that prediction verified in nearly so
large measure ns it lias been. That
prediction, instead of being received
with some degree of allowance for a
perhaps over sanguine and enthusias
tic teinperaninet, which would not
have been far wrong, subjected tiie
person making it to tiie widespread
ridicule and censure of tiie news
paper world, some even going so far
as to declare that a person making
a statement of sueli probability, even
possibility, in'regard to a country cl
eternal ice and snow, if not proved a
fit subject for an insane asylum,
should have meted out to him no
better fate than that of drowning,
if indeed sufficient open water could
ho found in Alaska to permit such a
sentence to be carried into execution.
And in view of all the facts and cir
cumstances—-of the little knowledge
the world then had of Alaska, amt
what it did have gleaned from re
ports of subsidized officials whose sel
fish interest it was either to wholly
condemn the country or damn it with
faint praise—the ridicule accorded a
suggestive of anything of even dor
mant value in Alaksa was not at all
unnatural. And, looking back over
tiie years that lias elapased, the |
writer is free to confess that lie had !
littl ‘ more than an instinctive feeling I
that it must be so upon which to base
the prediction lie then placed on
record. At that time there was hut
one ledge mine in operation, and that
a low-grade proportion of the final
sucess of which not a few believers i
in the country were skeptical, though
it is true some considerable gold had !
been taken out of tiie gravel deposits
a short distance back of .Tuneau, and
some placer gold w as beginning to j
he brought out from the Forty mile
district. Though there was some ■
promise of successful quartz mining, !
nothing of a substantial character had ,
been accomplished up to that time, |
save in the instance of the low-grade j
proposition referred to. Except as j
to vague rumors coming from tiie
natives of the Copper River region,
nothing was known or thought of tiie :
existence of copper, and though coal of i
an inferior quality had been mined j
by the Russians on tiie east shore oi i
Cook inlet, and some by our own
revenue cutters on the shore of the I
Arctic ocean, it was not known or
thought that coal of merchantable
value existed anywhere in the terri
tory.
| comparing conditions now wun
! those which prevailed twenty-two
years ago, the changes that have
been wrought appear altogether phe
nomenal. Then the southeastern sec
tion constituted about ail there was
of Alaska, so far as any trade or
industry other than the fur trade was
concerned. Now, not only does Alaska
stand in the front rank of gold pro
ducing states and territories, but she j
is rapidly forging to the front in the j
way of copper production, and it
would not be at ail hazardous to pre
dict that at or before the end of
another period of .twenty-two years |
she will lead the world in, the pro
duction of the red metal. ' Prior to
1904, she had produced no copper at
all; last year she produced 8,700,000
pounds, and will certainly double that,
amount the present year. Now she
is known to possess great measures'
of coal of the very best quality, rail
roads for the development of vjhicli
I are in course of construction, and
! when they are completed bringing
| fuel to Alaska will be wholly in the
nature of "carrying coals to New
castle." Every year, if not month,
adds to tlie list of her mines of copper
and precious metals, and she needs
now nothing hut the development ot
her Coal mines to assure her an era
of mining prosperity which nothing
short of a great national calamity can
seriously affect or for long disturb.
At the Mamie mine operations are
progressing smoothly, and in the
highest degree satisfactorily, One
of thu two lenses spoken of several
weeks ago as having been revealed
by the diamond drill, has been opened
by cross-cut tunnel, thus insuring a j
steady increase of product from this'
time forward. A product of nearly, j
if not quite, 11,000 tons the coming
mouth is confidently anticipated.
The Hadley smelter was closed down
for a couple of days last week, on
account of a burned out hearth,
occasioned by defective lire brick.
No time was lost, however, in putting
in a new lining, the management hu\- j
ing made preparations in advance for j
just such an emeigency, and the
smelter is again in full operation and
doing excellent work.
The tug Carita towed the Heckman
pile-driver to Kiam yesterday, to
gether with timber and men to be j
e uiployed in the repair of the Omar
Mining company's wharf. Work in
the mine will be commenced us soon
t *
as tho tramway can ho opened, it
being the intention of tiie management
to dertormine, the present season if
possible, whether tho sulphide ores
can he profitably mined and treated.
Now that the telephone line is in
successful working order between
Hadley and tho Uncle Sam mine, an
effort will be made for an extension
to Kasaan and the mining camps at
Karta bay. Ultimately it will, no
doubt, be extended to Hollis, Cfaol
mondel ey Sound points,, Sulzer and
Coppermount, and thus put most of
tiie principal mining camps in close
touch witli the world through and by
means of the cable.
Tho Alert left on her regular Tues
day run this morning, carrying
Wiu. Freeborn, manager of the Mt.
Andrew mines and a number of men
with which to increase his mining
force.
Mr. Rea, well known in connection
with the American ('oral Marble
company, hut. who is now giving his
attention to mining matters, came
over, a day or two ago, from tiie
North arm of Moira Sound, where lie
is interested with tiie veteran pros
pector and miner, Jack Westlake, in j
ilie development of three locations, i
Having struck pay rock at the bottom !
of a shaft 1(H) feet deep, they are now
drifting in tiie ledge towards that
which they know to he a large
"shoot” of rich ore, and are much
encouraged over the outlook. Mr.
Rea will go to the Sound on a brief
business trip, and on lus return will
put a larger force of men to work
with a view to developing the extent
and value of the ledge as rapidly as
possible. The many friends of honest
old "Jack" Westlake will rejoice,
if indeed it. turn out that lie has
"struck it rich,"
B. 1). Brown Sells Out..—B. I).
Brown, whose name is well known
in tliis district, as tiie first man with
grit enough to build a smelter in
southeastern Alaska has disposed of
his interests in the Brown-Alaska Co.
and tiie Alaska Smelting and Refin
ing Co. to G. I). Mum ford represent
ing the balance of the stockholders of
the two companies. Dan E. Erickson
who has been at Hadley for the past
live months as assistant treasurer
went down on last night’s Dolphin
and corroborated tho rumor of tiie
sale which had been irecirculation for
several days. There 'will be no
changes in the management other
than N. O. Lawton the mine manager
will assume Mr. Erickson’s ‘duties
until other arrangements 'are made.
Mr. Brown has been succeeded as
president of the company by Mr.
Mum ford.
C. G. Johnson, of St. Paul, an
official of the Alaska Marble company,
wtiose quarries are at Mai hie creek,
near Shakan, is in town waiting for
tlie Ella Rohlffs to take him to his
destination.
LOCAL CURIOS
—1'Ycu wo t to the lull gnn.e yes
terday, you say. What were the most
interesting features.” “Well, the
features that made the greatest im
pression on me were those of the
chap who went out on three called
strikes when he looked at the um
pire.”
—Clerk: “There sir, I call that a
pretty good fitting pair of trousers.”
Miner: "They feel all right in the
seat, bull: but it seems to me that they
don’t lit very snug under the arms.”
—At a minstrel show up at Juneau,
after Mr. Tooter Baretone had sung
“The Harp That Tears Through
Overalls,” Mr. Celluloid Dickey ask- |
ed the interlocutor—"William, can j
you tell me why angels visits are like i
Juneau sowers?” “I don’t know
Richard,” replied, tho interlocutor,
in his deep, rich bass voice, “why
are angels visits like Juneau
sewers?” “Because, sail,” said the
end man, with a mighty effort at
solemnity, “they are—phew l and far
between 1”
—“Say,” said a Ketchikan small
boy to an engaged young man, “ma
says you are going to take sister
away,” “yes, in a few weeks she is
going to my home to live, and my
ma and pa will be her ma and pa.
See?” “Oh yes, I see; then she'll
be your sister same as she was mine.
But say, dont’ you do anything she
don't like, for if you do she' 11 just
bang you "round awful when your
pa and ma aiut lookin'.”
—"Where's your pa, sonny?"
"lie's out,” “mother in?” “No,
she's out, too.” “Your brother in?”
“No, lie’s out,” “Then I guess
you're the only one in.” "Nuw; 1
aint in! three out side~out: I'm
just left on bases!.”
The finance committee of the Fourth
of July celebration report good success
thus far and believe that we will have
a total of $l&iO at least to do business
on. That should provide a hot old
time for everybody. The list will
be published in The Miner as soon as
completed.
New business signs seam to be mul
tiplying around town. That of the
By us Drug Co. is the latest, and most
consplcious, as being placed where it
can he seen of nil persons approaching
the (pwn by steamer from the south,
KETCHIKAN
Local Happenings of the Past
Seven Days Tersely
Told.
FROM TUESDAY'S DAILY
The Wells prospecting outfit on the
Unuk river started active operations
yesterday morning. The Onward took
up a new sand pump for them on her
last trip.
The electricians got the tire alarm
system to working this afternoon.
Hereafter all you have to do is to
break the glass and pull down the
handle. The (ire whistle will then
give the location of the fire by sound
ing the number of the box from
where the alarm was turned in.
The steamship Northwestern, which
was expected to arrive here on the
Kith, has not yet put in an appearance,
nor lias anything further been heard
from her, and it is feaped that she
may have met with some other mis
hap. Nevertheless, if she depended
upon a supply of coal with which to
steam from here to Seattle, she would
not have been able to proceed, further
had she reached this place at the time
she was expected.
At 11 :25 this morning lire was dis
covered in the roof of Charles Tay
lor's residence, near the court house.
A bucket brigade, with the assistance
of the chemical, put tho tire out of
business. Loss only about if50.
A cablegram received this after
noon from the father of William
Crusell, the young man who was kill
ed Sunday morning, asks that the
body lie embalmed and sent to Bristol,
Tennessee, the nearest railway station
to the deceased’s former home. The
remains are accordingly being prop
erly prepared, and will be shipped on
the City of Seattle, in charge of
Walter Hvbank, a friend and partner
of the dead man.
The tug Florence, of Port Simpson,
arrived in this port yesterday morn
ing, hut no one seems to know on
what mission. From the fact, how
ever, that she has been doing some
mysterious ‘‘skylarking” around, the
impression prevails that she is in
search of natives to work in and
about the cannerids of northern
British Columbia.
The steamship Ilaldis passed up last
evening, heavily laden with lumber
and cattle, hut not a pound of coal for
Ketchikan, where a shortage again
prevails—nor indeed, for any other
Alaskan pert. The Halvard is, how
ever, reported to be on the way
with 500 tons for this port.
British Boats to Carry Mail.—The
local post ofllce was in receipt Satur
day of a communication from the
post ollice department instructing
them that hereafter they should re
ceive and dispatch mails from and to
the south on all Canadian Pacific
boats. This is in response to a re
quest sent from this place some time
ago, and will bo a great convenience
to us especially during the winter
months.
The City of Seattle arrived north
bound at 2:40 this morning, leaving
again about an hour later. She had
three passengers—Win. Beck, E. B.
Parsons and Geo. Finn for Ketchikan
—and about forty tons of general
freight.
Hans Andersen’s pleasant phy
siognomy lias been dispelling tiie
gloom of Ketchikan’s public places
today.
Capt. Gurney reports that lie has
changed the sailing date of the On
ward from Friday to Wednesday
morning of each week. He says that,
his garden at the mouth of the Unuk
river is growing finely and promises
a good crop.
The steamer Vigilant towed the
barge Blanche, laden with 20,000 sal
mon boxes, to Loring today.
No emergency consequent on the
herculean task of rebuilding the
city is allowed to interfere witli
'Frisco’s strike industry.
FROM WEDNESDAY’S DAILY
John M. Cobh, of the bureau of fish
eries is here on oflieial business. It
appears that a new deal has been
made in the matter of government
regulation of the fishing industry in
Alaska. Under the new regulation
three agents have been assigned to
the work of protecting and propo
sition of salmon—one whoso duties
ire of a purely scientific nature, one
whose duties will have reference
exclusively to economic conditions and
results, and a third who will have
charge of the piscicullural part of the
.v ora. Under the old arrangement
Mr. Cobb was assistant to, or associate
jf, the agent for protection of salmon
in Alaska—now he is supposed to do
the work of both, from the econom
ical standpoint of the industry, and
laving fully recovered his health,
:hat iie will do it satisfactorily and
well, goes without the saying.
The ever busy John Koei, acting
for the Ketchikan Athletic associa
tion, reports that lie lias concluded
the preliminary preparations for a
baseball excursion to Metlakuhtla,
Memorial Day, Thursday, May 30.
fheoexcursion is for the purpose of
raising money to buv uniforms for
tho baseball team, and should be well
patronized. A game will be played
with tho Metlakahtla team, and a
good time is certain.' The Ketchikan
Cornet band has promised to go along,
so nothing will be lacking to insure a
successful and pleasant trip. Tickets
will be $1.50 for the round trip.
Worse Than Ever.—Manager Brad
ford, of the Ketchikan Steamship Co.,
reports that instead of the coal situ
ation improving it is really getting
worse. A recent letter from the
Dunsmuirs is to the effect that it is
impossible for them to furnish the
amount of coal needed here, as they
cannot get the men to mine it. The
colliery proprietors have offered a
general advance in wages of from 10
to 15 per cent in their attempts to
get out the fuel promised, but
apparently in vain. The letter gave
as an indication of the dearth of coal
the case of a large ocean tramp
steamship, which, at the time the
letter was written, had been lying
waiting for her bunker supply for
seven days, and the mine operators
had to pay demurrage of $200 for
every day she was delayed.
Messrs. Fremont King, W. A.
Patterson and John McCall ion have
bought, from the American Coral
Marble company, the fast and com
modious gasolene launch Elk, and will
place her actively in the local freight
and passenger traffic. She is a
staunch vessel, and next to the Alert
said to bo the fastest In these waters.
Cashier Mitchell returned from
Juneau on the Dolphin last evening.
Fred Heckman is in the city today
from Hadley.
FROM THURSDAY’S DAILY
It transpires that Capt. Connell is
one of the “big four” who have
acquired the ownership of the com
modious gasolene launch Elk, and that
he will be her master. It is the
intention of the owners to put her on
a regular schedule between Ketchikan
and Hadley and other points on the
east shore of Prince of Wales. The
Elk is about the size of the Alert, is
equipped with a 45 h.p. Union engine,
and has comfortable accommodations
for 20 passengers, but can carry 40.
Her new owners resent The Miner’s
intimation that in the matter of speed
she may be second to the Alert, or
any other similar craft in these
waters.
The gasolene launch Pioneer is on
the Hadley run, during the temporary
absence of the Marion on other bus
iness.
Don’t forget to make your calcula
tions to take in the baseball excursion
to Metlakahtla next Thursday, May
Jo. The baseball boys say that they
will have a good team in shape by
that time, and the Metlakahtlas are
practicing every day so that a gilt
edge game is assured. The Ketchikan
Cornet band has promised to go along,
and if the day is as line as it promises
to be dancing can be indulged in by
those in that direction bent, both
going over and coming home again.
There is no nicer or more pleasant
trip in the whole of Alaska than that
to Metlakahtla, and the sights to be
seen over there are well wortli the
going. Besides, the baseball boys
are somewhat out at knees and elbows,
and need new uniforms. The excur
sion is for the purpose of rigging
them out and you will thus be getting
a double result if you go—having a
good time, and helping out a worthy
cause.
Mrs. A. E. King, of the Sunny
Point salmon packing establishment,
is a guest of the Stedman.
Work on the addition to the skat
ing rink is moving apace, and soft
drinks and ice-cream will soon be on
tap at that popualr pleasure resort.
The steamer Ella Rholffs is in from
the west coast after a very pleasant
trip . She brought down 21 tierces of
mild cured salmon from Girard
Point, near Wrangell, for H. Berg
man. Capt. Fulton reports the Haldis
discharging a large quantity of
freight at Wrangell for Stickine
river points. Just before the Rohlffs
reached Suker three men who had
been working on the portage road,
stole a skiff lying on the beach near
Suker, boarded a sloop at anchor
there and cleaned out every bit of
food and clothing on board. The men
then went to Suker and inquired the
way to (,'oppermount. The owners of
the skiff and sloop made their way
to Suker along the beach and appl led
to Chas. A. Suker for assistance In
locating the pirates. He left on a
hunt for the men just ns the Rohlffs
pulled out of the harbor.
The Vigilant started for thp head of
Hetta inlet, west side of Prince of
Wales last night, towing one of the
Ketchikan Power company's large
scows laden with 70,500 feet of 2-lnch
plank for the portage wagon road.
It will require another shipment of
equal sine to fill the order, while it
is understood that the Wrangell mill
lias been drawn on for ns much more,
and most if not all of which has been
delivered. It really looks now as if
the road might be fully completed
on or before .Tune 15.
Mrs. A. Kengeyl, the better half of
mine host “Tony,” of the Occidental
hotel, Juneau, is in town, and regis
tered at the Stedman,
i
Ketchikan Will Celebrate
July 4th and 5th
A good sized crowd of representa
tive business men turned out yester
day afternoon at tbe Athletic club
hall to start the preliminary work for
an appropriate celebration, July 4, of
the 137th birthday of the United
States. There was no hesitancy about
the way in which everybody favored
a celebration on a "larger scale than
ever before attempted in this city.
Mayor Hunt was elected chairman of
the meeting and Fremont King sec
retary, and after an informal talk by
almost everybody present, it was de
cided to have tbe chairman appoint
an executive committee of three to
put the celebration through. Tom
Johnson. Rev. J. A. Chapman and
Richard Bushell, Jr.,,"were appointed,
with instuctions to make the celebra
ton the biggest and best celebration
that southeastern Alaska lias ever
seen.
Immediately after the general meet
ing the committee got together
and elected Rev. Chapman permanent
chairman, and Mr. Bushell secretary,
and decided that the first step would
be to see what funds would be forth
coming to meet the expenses. To
this end it was decided to appoint
John Koel chairman of a finance
committee with power to appoint
his own assistants, and have such com
mittee make a thorough canvass of
the town to see what cash they can
raise. The local Liquor Dealers’
Association have shown a good spirit
by raising $(>75.00 from its own mem
bership, and Mr. Johnson speaking
for the Admiral sample and billiard
rooms and the Budweiser, said that
they were ready to put in another
$100 if a deficiency was found to exist.
With this amount for a starter, the
celebration, which is scheduled to
extend over two days—July 4th and
5th—is bound to he a success, and no
difficulty will he experienced in rais
ing the thirteen or fourteen hundred
dollars necessary. Outside of the
sentiment of the proposition a rous
ing, enthusiastic celebration will he
a good investment for Ketchikan, not
only on the business that will he
transacted here at that time, but
looking into the future with the view
of keeping Ketchikan in the position
she is destined to occupv if her citi
zens do their share—that of the First
City in Alaska. Everybody get hold
and everybody pull together.
Fred Catching is engaged in a re
location of the Heckman telephone
lino, at least that part of it between
Ketchikan and Ward’s cove. The
line was originally strung through the
woods, and is now being changed to
the beach where it can be more easily
and cheaply kept in good working
order.
The revenue cutter Rush came in
from the south yesterday afternoon,
and left again early this morning on
her way to Sitka. She will sail for
the westward about June 1st, taking
Agent Cobb, of the Fish commission,
on a tour of inspection to tbe salmon
fisheries and packing establishments.
Dale Hunt has slicked up the bowl
ing alley to beat the band, and one
hardly recognizes the place with its
new paint and varnish and general
air of prosperity.
II. S. Marshal Shoup was a passen
ger on the Doiphin Tuesday, with the
insane murderer of Jack Levers, Mar
inko, in charge, bound for the Mt.
Tabor asylum. He also took Hunseth,
the insane Norwegian who tried to
kill himself here a week ago. from
this place. Both men are hopelessly
insane—Marinko so violently so that
he has to be kept in a straight jacket
all the time.
WEATHER RECORD.
The following meteorological sum
mary of the weather conditions dur
ing the week ending May 2!!, 1907, is
reported by N. B. Whitfield, deputy
U. S. land and mineral surveyor;
May 10—0 a. m. to (1 p. m.—clear;
wind from west, average temperature
45.
May 17—0 a. m. to 0 p. m—clear;
wind from west, average tempera
ture 47.
May 18—0 a. m. to 0 p. m.—clear;
wind from west, average temperature
49.
May 19—0 a. tn. to 0 p. tn.—clear;
wind from S. W., average tempera
ture 42.
May 20—0 a. ra. to 0 p. m.—clear;
wind from S. W., average tempera
ture 53.
May 21—0 a. m. to 0 p. m.—clear;
wind from south, average temperature
54.
May 22—0 a. tn. to 0 p. m.—clear;
wind from S. W.,average temperature
55.
May23—0 a. m. to 0 p. m.—- light
shower of rain, one-twentieth inches.
Served him right! Thomley Thomp
son, a sixteen year old boy, is step
fatherless now, having made himself
so by braining his mother’s hustiand,
while tiie latter was engaged In the,
to him, pleasant pastime of choking
his wife. The boy says be is not
only not sorry, but would be delight
ed to do the same thing to a dozen.
stejrt*0iers, under like sU'Sumstamjea,.