The Chitina leader. [volume], January 21, 1911, Image 1

About The Chitina leader. [volume] (Chitina, Alaska) 1910-1928

Image provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections

                
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME IN FIGURING WHY A BLACK HEN LAYS A WHITE EGG—BUT GET BUSY AND GET AFTER THE EGG.
VOL. L CHITINA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 1911. — v « NO. 18
Local News
Chas. Spangler, master mechanic
for the construction company, ran
down to Chitina on Thursday's train
to make some repairs on engine No.
52.
Deputy Marshal Brown entertain
ed on last Friday evening. About
20 guests enjoyed dancing and cards
until the midnight hour. Splendid
coffee, cake and sandwiches were
served. Mr. Brown makes a capital
host, and if those attending wrhen
he entertains do not enjoy them
selves, it’s no fault of his.
E. E. David was given judgment
against Dr. Kimberlin in the com
missioner’s court last Friday for the
sum of f 19.60 and costs.
Eddie Funk, the well known and
popular conductor at the front, who
has been spending a short vacation
in Cordova, returned on Thursday
evening’s train to resume w-ork.
E. F. Cray, the Copper Mountain
mining '.tan, arrived from a hurried
business trip to the states on Thurs
day evening’s train and left for the
mines the same evening.
On Thursday evening the steel
was as far as mile 158, and the
bridge crew expects to be at work
on the Lakina crossing at mile 160
by the first of the week.
Capt. Oscar Weber left Thursday
evening for the Strelna river coun
try. The captain expects to stake at
least three homesteads in the above
vicinity, as the fame of the Strelna
river ranches are already becoming
so renowned that even Judge Fergu
son has become interested, and is
thinking seriously of abandoning his
beloved cocoanut scheme at Takayti
to raise bananas on the Strelna near
er home. “Bushwa.”
Johnny Dykes, who has a position
in the material yards at camp 14 6,
came down on Thursday evening’s
train for a hair cut—that is that’s
what he told the gang he came in
for.
The train crew at the front have!
expressed a desire that “Deacon”
Jones, watchman at the Kuskulana
bridge, wouldn’t “cuss” so hard as
the train pulls over the crossing.
It’s new yet, and no telling what ef
fect that blue stuff the “deacon”
belches out might have on the struc
ture. The boys say the “pious” old
watchman had such a grouch on the
other day, he had to take two buck
ets and go clear down the Kusku
lana gorge to get water to cool off.
A number of placer locations were
recorded with Judge Ferguson this
week.
E. E. Durgin, the versatile one, is
now chef de cusine on the private
car of Supt. Van Cleve, having left
the camp at mile 42.
SUPT. MURCHISON* RETURNS
AND WILL RUSH CONSTRUCTION
Supt. Samuel Murchison, of the
M. J. Heney construction company,
who has been absent for some time
on a trip to the states, returned to
Chitina on Thursday evening’s train
and left for the front the same night.
In a short interview with a Leader
representative Mr. Murchison said:
"I’ve been kept well informed of
conditions at the front during my
absence, and am satisfied the work
has progressed just as well as
though I had been here, but never
theless I’m glad to get back and help
to get the work finished. We should
be nearly ready to drive the golden j
spike by May 1st, possibly earlier,;
as we have about 300 men actively
at work, and I am informed the steel
is being laid so far at the rate of
about one mile per day, including
the small bridges. The steel is now
at mile 158, and should be at the
long bridge at mile 160 by Sunday.
It will take about ten days or two
weeks to finish this bridge, accord
ing to Bridge Supt. P. J. O’Brien,
after which the work can go on as
rapidly as heretofore. A crew of
about thirty expert bridgemen arriv
ed on tonight’s train with us, and
the work will be rushed as rapidly
as possible.”
—_____
Clifford Cayouette, a French Ca
nadian who has been in the Nizina
country since 1903, was an arrival
in Chitina the first of this week. Mr.
Cayouette and his brother are large
holders of placer property on Dan
creek, and from the report he and
other miners, as well as many pros
pectors who have been through that
section of country, bring in, the
output of gold from the tributaries
of the Nizina will make many Alas
kans sit up and take notice this com
ing fall, particularly on Dan, Chit
itu, Young, Rex Gulch and Copper
creeks. Mr. Cayouette is interested
in fourteen groups of claims on Dan
creek and two on Copper creek, be
sides having a half and fractional in
terests in other individual claims on
Copper creek.
To a Leader representative Mr.
—
Cayouette stated that he had been
offered $ 100,000 for his holdings,
but considers them worth more mon
ey. and that the people who were
trying to secure the property realized
that it is one of the best hydraulic
propositions in this part of the coun
try.
“Of course," said he, “there hasn’t
been much of a showing made as
yet, for all the gold that has been
taken out has been done by sluic
ing, but the gold is there, and hun
dreds of acres of fine bench land is
only waiting for the giants. I con
trol over 2,500 acres of ground, all
of which has been proven by suffi
cient development work to run well
in pay. You have no doubt heard
of the rumor that a big hydraulic
plant would be installed on Dan
creek this coming season. I’ve heard
it, too, but mind you it is only a'
rumor. I’ll say, however, that if a *
plant does go in there this year
there’ll be some surprises in store
for many who have heretofore be
lieved the properties in our vicin
ity were only prospects. Now that
your railroad is here, something for
which we miners have been praying
for years, heavy hydraulic machin
ery can be brought in, and I do not
hesitate to say that within two years
there will be some good placer camps
along the Nizina and other rivers
of this mineral belt.”
Mr. Cayouette left Nizina on the
10th with a dog team, and after a
few days rest in Chitina left for Val
dez by the trail. He will remain in
the Glacier City a few days, after
which he will return to his proper
ties on Dan creek. While here he
recorded several claims with the
commissioner, and said he was sorry
he didn't have more to record in
that vicinity. He also secured the
power of attorney from Joe Des
charnps, who owns an interest with
him there, so if he decides to sell
to the parties negotiating for the
properties he can turn over all the
groups of claims in a bunch. Rumor
has it that he may, or even has dis
posed of some of his holdings, and
that contracts are being figured on
for taking the machinery from the
railroad to the mines, for a large
concern who will work the ground
on an extensive scale this coming
season. Anyway, the poke of gold
he brought in made the old-timers
around here, as well as the checha
cos wish they had property in that,
vicinity.
Mail Schedule is Maintained
The worst storm which has struck
Alaska in several years, caused the
regular local train to be tied up sev
eral days at mile 65 this week, but
no serious conditions resulted from
the tie-up, and by the prompt and
energetic action of the Katalla Co.
in relaying trains, the mail from
the interior was taken through for
the steamers on schedule time.
When the storm and tie-up was
first reported, it was amusing to hear
the one or two Valdez sympathizers
howl: “I told you so. Your train
is stuck. Now, how are you go
ing to get the mail through?” These
howlers made no mention of the fact
that even the mail steamers could
not reach Valdez on time and had
nothing to say when asked what
they thought of Thompson’s Pass
during the severe wind storm. Fact
of the matter is, the mail off the
Alameda was landed nearly as soon
as it was in Valdez. This statement
was made by R. J. Barry, of the
Alaska Steamship Co., who arrived
in Chitina on Wednesday night. In
a short interview with a Leader rep
resentative Mr. Barry said:
“The storm was too severe for
man beast or steam to face, as the
engineers could not see ten feet
ahead of their engines, so they did
the only thing possible—tie up and
await yn abatement of the storm.
"Nc< inconvenience or suffering
was Experienced by the passengers,
as there was plenty to eat on board,
though naturally the delay and mo
notony was tiresome. Telephonic
communication was maintained at all
times, and food was taken to the
train from camps 62 and 78 at dif
ferent times. Hereafter, should a
recurrence of the storm happen, 1
believe it will be the policy of the
company to order the train crew to
tie up as before, for it is folly to at
tempt to run in the face of such a
stor:ft, which at most cannot last but
a few hours.”
The new dining car service, which
will soon be installed, will be a great
convenience should a repetition of
this week’s storm occur. Superin
tendent Van Cleve, who was here on
his special car this week, stated that
everything possible was being done
by the Copper River & Northwestern
Railway company toward the com
fort of passengers, and that the mail
and freight schedule will be main
tained this winter no matter what
the expense may be.
Subscribe for the Chitina Leader.
I)R. WHITING BACK FROM
TWO MONTHS’ VACATION
Dr. B. F. Whiting, who has been
in charge of all the hospitals for the
construction company since the be
ginning of the railroad from Cor
dova, returned to Chitina on Thurs
day night’s train after an absence
of about two months in the states.
The well known and popular medico
looks bigger and jollier than ever, |
and his many friends were glad to
see him with us once more.
“I’m good now until the goal is
reached,” said the doctor to a Lead
er man.. "The worst, or most dan
gerous part of our work is over,
and there will be but little use for
hospitals, I hope, though of course
it’s best to be always prepared, and
our medical stores and hospitals will
be equipped with the best of every
thing until the work is finished.”
There was no construction work
while the Kuskulana bridge was un
der construction, and the doctor took
advantage of a well-earned vacation,
but now that work has again re
sumed, he will be found at the front
as usual,
Tony Diamond and Joe Murray,
partners on Young creek placer dig
gings, are reported to be taking out
the pay, as are also Stevens and
Brooks on the same creek.
Geo. Hislop, the well known train
man, is taking a few days lay off,
having a slight touch of rheumatism.
Work on Ton sin a Bridge
To Start February First
Word has been received from the
Alaska Road Commission that work
on the Tonsina bridge will begin not
later than February 1st. As was
stated in the Leader last fall, after
the completion of the cut-off trail,
work would begin on this bridge ear
ly in the new year. The building of
this crossing will facilitate summer
travel to Fairbanks and interior
points and with the appropriation
that Major Richardson expects from
this session of Congress for the
building of Alaska roads, It is believ
ed that the mail, which has hereto
fore gone to Skagway and down the
Yukon, may be taken in this way.
Major Richardson strongly favors
the idea end is of the opinion that
it will require but little work to put
the trail in condition to handle the
mail and summer travel. A num
ber of influential Fairbanks citizens
and others of the interior country
who have passed through Chltina al
so favor the idea and state that if the
mail can only be handled ten or
eleven months in the year this way,
the interior people would be satis
fied, for a saving of at least two
weeks can be made on each trip, the
mail around by Dawson from Seat
tle often taking from three to six
weeks to arrive at its destination.
Joe Miller, one of the steel work
ers, who went to Cordova after the
completion of the Kuskulana bridge,
returned on Thursday evening's
train, and will again engage in
bridge work at the front,
(Walter Morris, one of the steel
workers, who was at the Kuskulana
bridge, has accepted a position as
brakeman on one of the trains.
Jack Ebelken, C. J. Morey and
wife,. W. Vanderlip, C. S. Hoyt, L. M.
Baldwin and O. M. Kinney were
guests of the Hotel Chltina, arriving
on Thursday evening’s train.
,C. J. Morey, the druggist, who is
opening a drug store in one of the
store rooms in the Hotel Chitina, ar
rived on Thursday’s train and will be
open soon for business. Mrs. Morey
accompanied him. There is a good
field here in Mr. Morey’s line, and
there Is no question but what he will
prosper. The Leader and people
of Chitina welcome him and wish
him success.
Engineer L. Wernecke has been
busy around Chitina this week, and
the front, making another trip up
the line on Thursday evening.
NEW FREIGHT TARIFF
TOOK EFFECT OX 13TH
The slash in freight rates recently
made by the Katalla Company, went
into effect on the 15th, the freight
arriving on Thursday night’s train
being the first to arrive with the new
tariff rate. The Katalla Company
has been planning this reduction for
some time and now that the rates
are In effect, considerable difference
in freighting to the interior will be
noted. The rate on canned goods,
coffee, flour, staples and the abso
lute necessities of life for the people
of the interior, is virtually cut in
half, while perishables and other
goods, are also greatly reduced. Now
that the prospector, freighter and
outfitter can get practically all his
staples laid down at Chitina for $1.
75 per hundred, a big increase in
supplies will undoubtedly soon be
noted, and shows that the Katalla
Company is willing and anxious to
meet the people half way in live and
let live, all of which tends toward
more rapid development of this great
northland and which has ever been
the policy of the officials of the Cop
per River & Northwestern railway.
That they are, and will continue to
be, the chief factor in the develop
ment of this territory, no one can
deny.
Fire consumed the tent and most
of the effects of Geo. McMurray on
Thursday afternoon of this week.
Local News
Deputy Marshal Geo. Goshaw ar
rived here Thursday evening on his
way to Fairbanks. He is returning
the gold which was shipped front
Fairbanks and intercepted at Cor
dova. Deputy Marshal Brown helped
hint guard the precious stuff as soon
as the train arrived.
Chas. Walters, of the Dominion
Commercial Co., who conducts a mer
cantile establishment in Iditarod
City, arrived on Wednesday's stage
from Fairbanks, making the trip
from Iditarod City in 30 days. He is
on his way outside to purchase a
stock of goods, which he wil Itake to
Lake La Barge, when the ice breaks
up and from there on into the Idit
arod country.
Mrs. Carson J. Walters was a pas
senger on Wednesday's stage from
Fairbanks. Mrs. Walters is on a vis
it to her relatives in Kansas City,
and will not return home until next
summer.
J. A. Booth and wife were pas
sengers on Friday’s train for Cor
dova and the outside, having arriv
ed on Wednesday's stage from Fair
banks.
It is rumored in official circles
that there are to be at least two or
three more marriages in Chitina in
the near future, and that orders have
already gone outside for several
cradles and baby buggies.
O. M. Kinney, of the Chitina Trad
ing Co., made a business trip to Chit
ina on Thursday evening's train.
Kinney it MacCormae are enjoying
a good business here, with C. C.
Hull as their manager. Mr. Kinney
states that we can now’ look for bed
rock prices and some big sales at
the Chitina Trading Co., now that
the freight rates have been reduced.
Oscar Breedban proprietor of the
Hotel Chitina, arrived on Thursday
evening’s train, smiling and hand
some as ever. Mr. Breedman states
that the steam heating plant is now
installed in the MacCormae hotel in
Cordova, and that a similar one will
go in here next season if business is
as good as he expects. Travel w'ill
start within the next tw’o weeks, he
says, and both hotels will undoubt
edly be filled with guests. We hope
so. He deserves the patronage.
Mr. and Mrs. St. Clair have moved
from the Burkhart cabin to the up
stairs apartments in the new Nelson
building.
R. J. Boryer, attorney for the Ka
talla Company, made a business trip
to the front this week. A curious
old sour-dough, on rubbering at the
Hotel Chitina register, noted that
the well known attorney registered
from “Anderson’s Drive,” and re
marked that he’d been all over Alas
ka, but that sure was a new camp
to him.
C. S. Hoyt the Gulkana roadhouse
man, who recently made a trip to
the coast, returned on Thursday ev
ening’s train, en route home.
FIRE LOSSES AMICABLY
ADJUSTED IN FAIRBANKS
G. R. Sumpter, the insurance ad
juster for the different fire insurance
companies issuing policies in Fair
banks, who recently passed through
Chitina on his way to the interior
city returned on the last stage, hav
ing adjusted all the losses sustained
there by the recent fire. He stated
that it required loss than three days
to adjust th losses, all of which were
satisfactorily settled with the excep
tion of the Miller & Vinning build
ing, in which were located the Frac
tion saloon and the B and B cigar
store. The owners of this building
are now outside and Mr. Sumpte*
will settle with them as soon as he
reaches Seattle. He states that the
fire did not do so much damage as
first reported and the adjustment
could have been made without his
making the trip, the approximate
payment on policies totalling about
$6,000, nearly $8,000 less than the
sixteen companies, whom Mr. Sump
ter represented, expected to pay.
X