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% \ Y _ vo| u NO J - SKWAK1L ALASKA, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, ______ Alaska Convention Urges Changes in federal Mining Laws applicable to District, t vlensioii of Cable and Telegraph Lines. Construction of Government Roads, and Various Other Reforms. By Cable to Th- fDatly Ga‘?wa7. Seattle. Nov L’l The Vu-ka con vention hist night unanimouslyadopted lie report of the committee or. tvso’u tions revomti etiuirg a forui "t me morial to he presented to congress. It emlHHlics tit" recommendations an nounced \ esterdr.y ru t ning as agre* it: upon. The preamble to * lie memorial adofe ted re* ites that oe.otia rm rican cite 'eiis are rt or*sonted it the convention |> tproceeds to outline prt sent con e■.i jo:.s. in Alaska, showing that the • istre; has tveeiv •••; far S s* considera tion from the oat ional gov ernm tit t han any of the recent1 > acquired tropical t>.w*e«-.iot a!tu«< ! fl it yiei-.s a far larger r tue to the governtt' n* than any of !h* n, and its population *' ehietly of men trained it: tiie oh ga | ions of citizens! p. The preamble demands the applirv • J ■ • \ .. s ’ } Mil • ■ . ■ .. principles of » •va-mmer:. no! id ing elective t r* viiut; >r in t *.»n< • it recites that the people of the dis trict ask -■ • rav ' !> t on.v fie i" of all American c.i’izens to work ora their own « estiny. The memorial then presents the following as ti> mo-' urgent needs , , <he district: To tiehrm ifiitic lows First Tim < ;;;e* m at ’■> t'orijr of a statute amendatory of and stipule mental to the present ft ora! mintnjf law. t * * be atipli •:ib,e *«» Alaska .1 :one •i«!< to all of the district. . ■ dm: >'z fht 1 ration of plueec.ttdnintf cl.*; ms by 1 »• wet* i f attorney; a further ; a* ::d» Went making it impossibl.. to locate more than twenty acres « •■!ae t •around in one claim, or root- lit tn two air. s on *•! 1 reek l a’. *«» . >r s Z '■'1 :•'*> t»t claims, w iiicii is dechit o to h.- a c-'fsr to a ir.iea ■_ oisrrict : niaU nz fie findi of jfoid in .my quant it ujkui a id.o* r claim a iaw faI discovery : sohsti 1 'll inz a *•-•*» annua! tax or lie* -1 upon •u r.i* ■/ e a r.is for the >1«N) assessment tv juir< • it, and making the failure to pay tie e« as>- ' .*>■,.-cl the claim to re l«K*a* 1 : *e ' .n '>r > iv( dfrom 1 icons* s to in employed in road build in*! in the ferritmv: and an explicit declaration • •t ;h“ law "f wat r rights in connec tion with jdacer mining claims. Second: Tin appropriation by Con •yress . if s|,.*o i,c;m to he expended in buihiitvjr wa.'ot: r*eats and trails in Alaska umler the divert ion of a govern ment commission or supervisor. Asks T.'lrqraph fxier.ions Tt inl Tie :• indication *>t all ••urn in-- of Alaska cabin wi:vl. » and land |.*ri'ai'h 1 iii« - to the improvement of t he line- and the construct i-mol oilier-. \ particular recommendation i-made pa tl • .xten-ion of the '"dde from Sitka to WranvivU and Ketchikan: and itor St ward to liiamna. Hutch Harbor, ami Ki-ka Fourth: Leyi-lation relicviny IVd «m! jr.d-.--ofudmini.strati\v dut'e -and the > -o;. tmein of Fnited State- com n:i—toner-, hv tran-ferriny -uch power to other federal official-. Fifth: \ t e-aliyument of the pre -etit •. , ,il ui-triets in Ala-ka, an in* er« :-e in i he number of jlultf* - and f he ereat ior. of an appellate court in A'aska. Sixth: The abolition of the antiquat ed fee-\-teni for public officials, and the substitution of adequate -alarie-. Seventh: -The removal of the annual lax upon railaoails of ■rl<h> per mile of • f.errt.o line-, which i- declared to he r -triciive of railroad con-*ruett n. Kiyh'h: The estahli-hment of i• i"«• line- and meridians for ;i permanent -urvey of government lands Ummyh out SuttHiepn ami We-tern Alaska, in . txier that hotue-teader- now located or w t-h ny to locate upon ay’m.'ii u-vi i - for farminy purpo-e- tn vy do so •toon at: equality with homes: eader ;-*-whet ■ in the Fnited States. Seeking More Light Ninth: Provision for mor* lijfht : * up the eo:»>t of Alaska. T* •;'>>: Plotter postal facilities for the e 'triet, ami especially provision • assistance for |»ostmasters : ra \ ‘jrtovin^ towns. • h'v-M’ii: The els et ion of suitable e >».;i tlinys for the transaction « f mini.'■ business of all kinils in the territory. Tw, f; m : Placing the on re and prr • et ; of the native popu at ion under ft;,' cired supervision of the governor ,>f :in* territory. T . resolut i ;:is commit ?e is consid • ■ rij i r further report uhieh will he . i.; iater in tin* day. or tomor row. The convention passed a resolu tion of thanks to the Washington dele ft ion in t onyta-ss for past services r> me i > d to Alaska interests. Mayor Ualiin^er of Seattle addressed tii c nvention and promisi-u that Seal tle would do every tiling in the power of its citizens to secure Alaska de mands from Congress. By Cable to The Daily Gateway. Seattle. Nov. J4 Three steamers will sail dii- ■ from Seattle to Seward by the outside assume next year, be trinnin^f March !■*>. They wiM bo opera ted by the Northwestern Steamship Company which annourced the plan today. The vessels will return by way of Valdez. The < >rejron. Santa Clara and a third j \ steamer, not yet selected, will make | the run. A contract wa> signed today with the Alaska Central Railway Com* pany for 'h< t.ew steamer lit.e, which ' jumanir* (l to insure prompt delivery of material for the railroad and direct ami quick transportation of passengers to Seward* On the : ew schedule a steamer will | sail every eiifht days frojQ Seattle to [Seward, a d also from tin* ther end. c4 Prof. Geqrgeson qf the Alaska qgri cultural experiment stations telk ih his annual rejK»rt of a thriving herd of Angora goats oq Wood island, owned by Itev. G. P. Go, ,, — --' '» ■ * ' Ord* r> ljiqve been receive 1 at North em Pacific car shops in South Tacoma for the immediate construction of l.ooo freight cars. Work will begin on them lust as soon as the material arrives. William,/Jayson jailed on the Ore gon. lit* Till vi.^it tfye Sound and will spend soiju, ti^rn* at Sjca^way, looking after that his clothing business. He has a larji store there, as well as in Seward. The Kskimos at Nome departed im mediately Hie bijr tire with thejr l>oats loaded >wu with loot stolen from the merchants. OPEN CUE WITH TEN TON BLAST Tunnel Workers Destroy Rock Wall and Move 5000 Yards in one Mass Ten t .ns of dynamite shoved ot)00 vards of rook in one mass into Placer river near liic lirst tunnel which will he bored by Rich A. Harris on mile ;VJ of the railroad. The blast was touched olT Sumlay alternoon and Mr. Harris rt period *o il <’ railroad otllce that (h»‘ operation was v-nt irel\ successful, to employ a sury'Cal term. The hiy blast was on the bank of 11 it Placer river, across from the portal of tin* tunnel. Tin* track is to cross the rivet-on a bridye and on the farther side it will enter the tunnel. *ht tips side the approach to tin- river was blocked by a wall of rock sixty feel hiyli which :t w.i> necessary to pene trate. Instead ol tuuneiin>; it was de cided to make what is known in rail road enyineeriny as a throuyh cat. that is. to cut clear to the top-ol th< wall. Mr Harris decideil that the cheapest wav i<> make tin* cut was to tear it out with a buy - blast. Aecordinylv he bowl 1.early lift; feet intv) the rock wall and planted the ten tons of powder. The blast perfonnv d the work with neatne -s and dispatch. Just Scraped !t Off Ip ;i blast of that ma<rniuule tli> re i> scarce'y any dancer from living rook, as there is in handlinc small blasts. The tremendous weight above the powder and the lone distance to the surface prevent the shat u rine of the rock. The explosion merely loosens and Itii* mo tips the Imye mass with a mow iient like an earthquake. In this ctis.* the displacement was at the eti_>e of a canyon ami the rock rolled down t he jforev as easily as a snow slide. All that remains now is to level the surface where the rock stood and the approach to the hridjfe will be com* pole. The actua work of borinjf tin* Rich Ov Harris tunnels will be«fin vyr.v soon. It is era inaliy yrowiny colder in that 1, ality and a _ood deal of snow has fallen. So far it has quickly turned into slash, hat a iurth-T hill nf a few decrees in t* mineralure will soon make ;> snow road v« r whicii heavy loads ean be carried on sleds, and the hijj steam compressor to drive the drills wiil be taken up. Brgh Traiklaying Again Traeklayinjr i***trin ajjain this week hut will emceed slowly, as there arc several bridges on mile 41 which have have to be decked as the ruil-Iayinjr proceeds. The track now ends u little i beyond tie' l.’lrd milepost and the next stop will !>■ made about a mile further on. up n il.- Id. at the summit, some heavy rock work is still incomplete which will re juiri several weeks. When that is finished track will b( laid with little delay to mile -M*. near the southern portal of the litvsi tunnel. A larjre number of tuen tire working on the rocks eut remainin'* between the end of the track and the tunnel. Part of the men who mine up on the Orejron were added to the force there and pirt were turned over to Kich re Harris to work on their tunnel con tract. The days are yrettitijr so short now that th<* men cannot work full lime although they are beinjr paid for full time. It is the intention ot Construc tion Kajjineor Cameron to place Huek eye lights in the rock cuts as soon as he can install them, so that full time can be put in the rest of the w inter. Lost Big Money in I ares The steamers Portland and Kxeelsior each passed up a chance to make up ward of $2000 In passenger t'arOs by not goipg to Seldovia on their Iasi trips. Tin Bertha v ill get this as she is the first, boat put, . The men who have been waiting,rjf lyhy. s^ll. Mu\ month tp get out are <jbout as.,;ore. as ;ucn can be, a.ltjio^h they, arc,..feeling better since ply y i^nche(d ^wiyrcL l(,Some of their say tj;at if ^.i;y..could get. to {seattle without, patronising, either 'sterfmship company they would do it OUTSIDE KEEPS EVE ON SEWARD ■ Coast Cities Well Posted and !l, A. Ingalls Predicts Big Rush Here This Winter. Seward has found a place on the maps in use in Pacific const cities. It | was dot so a few months ayo when the jSealth newspapers were shippiny the j cargoes of the Alaska < 'entral to Val | dez. Men have been cominy here this fall from other parts of Alaska and jlroiu the states who said that thev had just learned that the town was in existence and all ayroe that Seward is rapidly h*c>miny the mi »st talk'd of Alaska town. II. A. Inyulls. the Nome mitvny man who was here two months ayo and bonded Falls creek quart/, property and who returned on the ore yon Saturday, said this week: •• I expect a biy rush to Seward this winter from all parts of the t oast. I was in San Francisco a lew days while [ was outside and they were talkiny Seward down there. It is the same i way all alony t he < 'oast Mr. Inyalls is a reticent poison, who talks very little about his own business j and not much more concerniny matters I of yoneral interest. Ilis simple state I moot that he is lookiny for a rush j meat’s that the opinion is based upon ; tangible information. The Oroyon brought up several ; youtiy nun who had novel been here 1 hut who came because of what they ! had recently heard com*' rniny oppor tunities.here. Other parts of Alaska i draw their immiyrants in the spring* hut Seward is heyinniny to yet them t in* year around. L. F. Shaw, formerly of the Nome Nnyy«y:. who is interested with Mr. Inyalls, has said repeatedly since he came here a month ayo that all Sew ard needs is ad vert isiny and the town will draw from all of Alaska, because of its milder climate and the fact tl at it is an open port every day of every year. Waj. Richardson of Army Board in Charge Predicts Extensive Building Next Year. By C/iL-le to Tlic Dally Gateway. Seattle, Nov. IN Muj. Richardson president of the 1". S. army hoard which is manairinjr the construction of government roads in Alaska, arrived here toda.v. li<‘ says the work this year has been conlin**d mainly to the ovcani/alion of the oilices at Ska^way. Fairbanks and Nome for superintend ence of the work. Little actual road huildintf lias been done this year, but Maj. Richardson >a,\s he expects active work m \t year and the (piantity of work will he lim ited only by the appropriation from Congress. One job which will be rushed to completion will be the trail from Valdez to Fairbanks. Improve ments will also be made upon the roads from Circle City to Rampart: from Nome to Council City: and from Nome to several interior points on Sew ard peninsula. Sunrise Truii Very Bad The Sunrise trail is almost Impassa ahle in places. The snow in spots is four feet deep. This report is brought by several mop who arrived in town Tuesday. Fred Haefs, who is earry the Sunrise mail, says it is about the worst he ever saw. Butler & Company now have nearly dOOO feet ot pipe laid oti I heir Lowell creek power line, and expect to Have it finished and the water running be fore the end of the month. The new Chichagoff district nea# Sitks is still drawing prospectors, and the Sitka papers publish "heap talk ” from them. c:' Boston Company Given $200,000 Option on famous Hydraulic Claims Which Will he Taken up December lr>--Arranqe ments for Transfer Made by Representative New in Seward: t ... Boston capita! ha- : a km an option on the fifteen claims of t he < row < reek Minini: t onipanx on the north sjd * ol 'I’writatriin Aim. I*y the terms ol vvhieii it must take tin property h\ heeeir her i:». That the com pain will t:.k< ovn t lie property i> a certain!' because a hijdiiy 1 favorable report lias I.. made In <\V. I’uriuton. the noted minim: expert who wrote t he .government re port on Alaska minini: n-soinves which was published a lew nmni h> au'o. and who is regarded as an an*horit,' on t lie subject Mr. I’uritittflon i now in.Sewam. He came in Tuesday nijflit with .several inemhers of the companv and the nec essary documents to consummate tin ideal are to be exchanged l\ore. Mr. I’urinjfton went up kite in Semi mb' r i to see the property and mad' a care ful investigation. 11<* was clothed itli ant iiorit.V to make a bargain if 11 i | judgment dictated the aeipns.i ion ol the property, and has done so. Kurthe* than tliai lie will make no admissions. ■ sa\in;:' that it is not his function to do any taikinc for his employers. The main facts i-euardini: the deal were ob tained trom the other side. Value widely hiiovtii The <'row ... property i- known to I>e one of tlu‘ richest hydraulic mines in Aia-ka. Ii i- a surprise to Seward people that lie* present owner 11; l V t • ' ec;di d to sell, hill a- they a I’** told Alaska -ourdou*;li- it i- stippused 11hat a yearnimr lo hunt new pa-lure . lias seized t hem. The property which tin* < row tvek company ha- agreed to sell eon-i a* o{ ! fifteen claims. Seven ol I lie-e an ai iin ' the lied of 1 row creek and -even are 1>< ncli ela’ms parall**lin}» them. Th< fifteen!it claim is at ilie jmici ion < row CM'k w il h < lacier cr-ek. h u< ; course of the work already done tie ' pay taken out has ranged from 'i ceio hi yard to >•». it varies greatly. In' practically every yard enrrie- color in paying (p’antPy. 'I’lie mine ha* ample water supply and where tie company has he<*n working the lace i I |n feet hij.rh and afunit the -am* width. Tin miners simply turn a stream from -he flume against tiii- fan and wa-li it down. The Hume take water from the creek at the upper .1.0 of t he properly. Owners Come to Seward Four menders of the (.'row creek company came over with Mr. f ‘urin^ton to Seward. They arcT. Fcnstermaeher. tie- -ec ret a r.v of the corporation. \V. < ■ .lack. (I. \V. Davies and Paul Ifuckh ;,. They jjive no re ison for -elliny 1 property except that they hav< dum well on it and are willing that sotm - body else should make somethin*.. Work on the mine will proem steadily, regardless of the pendin. transfer, hut it is assumed that v\ I the eastern syndicate takes it o\>* operations will lie conducted on a vast -cale. as it i> the pftliev of tniniti.* capitalist-Jo work their property ’ the uimo.-t. This company ha-minin. interest- in many -tales. 'I'll* attention of the syndicate which In- piircha-eii t he property was d'rcct *<: to it f;ist summer hy one of their enjyin ■ er-, 'dr. Radford, who was here it •Inn* . Ile recommended it K'the com pany as <>oe of the tno-'t renntrkahl* lti*n:iii/.i»- he had ever seen. Mr. I’t - inyiou was then sent upwitlt authoriiv to buy it it his opinion coincided with that of Mr. Radford. Gy Cable to The Daily Gateway. Seal lie, Nov. 21 At the annual meeting of the directors of the Alaska Central Kaiiwai Company in this city , yesterda) it was decided to rush con struct ion of the line to Knik Arm. 142 miles from Seward, before winter next year, and during the summer to huild a trail from Knik to Ivantishna aim | Fairbanks, for the aecimrtnoda.ion of freight and passengers bound for the Tanana. 'I'his trail will be built over tb*- route of the railroad so that traffic can !*• | curried constantly to the end of t track and then placed directly upon it lie trail. As the country is mostly level little work upon the trail will h necessary h yond bridging the streams. < M11ei.il reports show that since* .lim itary I. the railway company has ex pend'd <1 .tidd.OiMt upon tile road, i I’resident A. C. Frost came from Chicago to attend the meeting. Xearly all the directors were present. THUNDER AND LIGHTNING All Kinds of Weather Took a Whack at Seward this Week Thunder and lightning formed a ; rare feature of .the bunch of weather | which was handed out to Seward this | week. This is almost a phenomenon on i lie southern coast of Alaska. Snow* rain. hail, sleet and the rest of the mixture surprised nobody. The com j lunation couldn’t he worse if the town had a government weather bureau. Since the middle of the week the weather bureau has reformed, and two days of sunshine with the mercury along in the thirties has made life very pleasant from a climatic stand point. Dr. Applewhite, who has been one 1 of Dr. Hums’assistants on the railroad hospital force for seven months, went, j out on the Oregon to spend the winter ! at his old home in Portland. Oregon, j He will return in the spring. LtrT TRAIL OL CHECKS Goods!! Passed Eorged Paper all the Way to Sioux City Wallace (ioodall, the clever forget who passed several spurious checks op loeal business men and made his exit safely, has left a trail of Itogus checks as foi‘ us Sioux City, Iowa. More re mote places have not yet been heard from* F. (i. Hale, president of the Bank of Seward, says (ioodall’s check" are coming in on every boat. The local bank has lost nothing as all the forged checks went through in dorsers ttefore reaching there. Tin* cheek in favor of Booth «V Watson and stolen from the letter to them by Good nil. 'was cashed by him at Seattle bank. He also cashed other checks in that city. It has been suggested that the young plunger ought to change his name to (Joodhaul. A Masonic temple is to be built at Nome to cost about $l;>t000.