I * l PI.ISUI.!* l.\ I.HY SATUtn.W .MOHMM'ii \T II>ITAIU>1>, ALASKA
Vo> 3 Geo. M. Arbuokle. Publisher No. 50
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lariy as reffards name' and dal- >.
RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION
The news of Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane’s plans for
railroad construction in Alaska will be welcomed by the people ol
this territory as tiie harbinger ol better days tor Alaska. It is evi
dently the intention of that official to proceed with the construction
of the line in which Iditarod people are most interested at an early
date, as the dispatches tell of work outlined in connection with the
Scward-Susitna route, which must ultimately be extended to the Kus
kokwnn, and possibly to the Iditarod. the significance o! such a hue
of railroad to the people of this region is enormous. That such a line
is under consideration will in itself be sufficient to awaken interest m
the possibilities of the great Kuskokwim valley as a mineral producer
and to cause a more thorough inquiry into its resources, ihere Has
already been much prospecting in that region, sufficient to demon
strate that large areas of low-grade gold-bearing gravels exist, and
with the promise of cheap transportation the inquiry will be stimu
lated. That there are large possibilities in the way of quartz mining
is also well known, and with an influx of prospectors will come an
investigation ot the agricultural and other resources of the region,
which are by no means to be overlooked in figuring on future traffic
for the railroad.
This also applies to the Iditarod and Innoko valleys, and the influx
of people brought by railroad construction should develop some sur
prises in these reginos.
One thing to be remembered in connection with Alaska raiiroaa con
struction is that the carrying on of the work depends altogether on the
will of congress, as according to the terms of the law appropriations
for the work must be made from time to time by that body—not, as
originally intended and hoped, by the law itself making provision for
the raising of the necessary money. In this connection it is most for
tunate that by the votes of the people the territory will have the ad
vantage of the services and experience of Delegate Wickersham. Po
litical differences should now be forgotten and those who have the real
interests of Alaska at heart will render every assistance in furthering
the work.
Whichever routes are determined upon by the President, local jeal
ousies will no doubt be aroused, as those regions which have hopes of
being included in the areas to be benefited by railroad construction w.ii
naturally feel the pangs of disappointment if they are passed by; but
railroad construction will benefit the whole territory, and there should
be no permanent disaffection on this account. Railroad build.ng once
fairly launched will mean the construction of branch lines and a net
work of rails that will reach all points of the great Interior of Alaska.
When that day arrives Alaska will be the scene of industry and enter
prise tiiat its natural advantages destine it to become.
THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Even the brief outline of the President’s message to congress con
tained in our news dispatches contains sufficient intimation of its con
Gold St., Flat City
Mrs. Geo. Mutchler, Prop.
Nicely Furnished Rooms Earn for Horses and Dcjs Baths in Connection
Seward Gold Seal Pacs
: ARE THE BEST ON THE MARKET
H. DONNELLEY^___ DISCOVERY, OTTER ;
McDonald House ACCOMMODATION I
Furnace Heat in Every Room Large and Warm Dog Houses
__FREE READING ROOM.—All the Late Outside Papers and Magazines.
nahteClf, ^ _ CLEflN’ WARM ROOMS
Stop at the ^ IS V O ■ lu O LS 5* W Tub and steam Baths
New Stables for Horses and Dogs MRS. DICKSON, PROP.
WE HAVE THE FINEST ASSORTMENT OF
DRESSED DOLLS IN ALASKA.
MECHANICAL TOYS, BALLS, RAILROADS,
GUNS, PISTOLS, HARMONICAS, SANTA CLAUS
MASKS, GARLANDS, TINSEL TREE ORNAMENTS,
RED BELLS, HORNS, TOPS, RATTLES. ALUMINUM
SETS, TEA SETS, BANKS, IRONS, BOOKS FOR
OLD AND YOUNG, ELECTRIC MOTORS
FANCY BOX STATIONERY, COLOGNES, ETC.
WE ARE SELLING KODAKS AT OUTSIDE PRICES
UNTIL AFTER THE HOLIDAYS. GET IN
WHILE THEY ARE CHEAP
And many other thing; suitable for Christmas presents. Call and
we will be pleased to show you the goods
tents to bring cheer to the hearts of Alaskans. It emphasizes once
more, if that were necessary, that President Wilson's interest in this
territory is not merely perfunctory. The disgracefully inadequate pro
visions made for the safeguarding of shipping on the Alaska coast
have for years been a reproach to the United States government, and
when compared to those of the adjacent Canadian coast the contrast
has been monstrous. The loss of property and human life through
the loss of vessels m the Alaska trade has eventually aroused the in
terest of the country, and now that the President has taken the matter
up it is probable that relief will be afforded.
Mis proposal of an autonomous government for the Philippines will
be the text for wide and acrimonious discussion, but in the absence of j
further details it would be foolhardy and presumptuous to pass judg- j
rnent on the suggestion.
1 he request that congress practice economy in government expend!
hires is one in which the President Will be backed up by all the people.
The present chaotic condition of the world’s commerce caused by th<*
European war will bring about new conditions and open up new fields
for American enterprise, but until matters adjust themselves it is the
part of wisdom to practice conservatism in financial matters.
The portion of the message which will receive the widest attention
and which will find the readiest response from American citizenship
is that touching upon the tendency toward ‘militarism. Wisely bp
says that we must not depend upon a standing army, but upon our
citizenry. That a powerful navy must be maintained is no doubt true,
| but the true spirit of Americanism is contained in the assertion that ’L
must never be used for aggression. This pronouncement will be a
proper rebuke to the growing number of misguided “patriots” in this
country who are forever preaching the doctrine that because Europe
has gone insane on the question of armaments we must follow then
example. _
CARLYLE’S VIEWS ON WAR
What, speaking m quite unofficial language, is the net purport and
| upshot of war?
To my knowledge, for example, there dwell and toil in the Bntisu
; village of Dumdrudge usually some five hundred souls. From the ■
there are successively selected, during the French war, say thirty able
| bodied men. Dumdrudge at her own expense has suckled and nursed
ihem; she has not without difficulty and sorrow fed them up to man
i hood and even trained them to crafts, so that one can weave, another
1 build, another hammer. Nevertheless, amid much weeping and sweat
ing, they are selected, all dressed m red, and shipped away at the pub
i lie charges some two thousand miles, or say only to the south of Spain,
and fed there until wanted.
And now to that same spot in the south of Spam arc thirty similar
j French artisans in like manner wending; till at length, after infinite
I effort, the two parties come into actual juxtaposition; and thirty
| stand fronting thirty, each with a gun in his hand. Straightaway the
order “Fire! ” is given, and they blow the souls out of one another, and
in place of sixty brisk, useful craftsmen the world has sixty dead car
| casses which it must bury, and anew shed tears for.
Had these men any quarrel? Busy as the devil is, not the smallest:
! They lived tar enough apart, were the entirest of strangers; nay, in so
I wide a universe, there was even, unconsciously, by commerce, some
mutual helpfulness between them.
| How, then? Simpleton! Their governors had fallen out and in
stead of shooting one another, had the cunning to make these poor
I blockheads shoot. _
The news that a Kentucky legislator has announced his intention of
1 introducing a bill for the repeal of the Alaska railroad bill need cause
1 no great alarm to the residents of the territory. Even in the midst Oi
plans for retrenchment of government expenses it seems hardly prof
. able that the measure will be given serious consideration by congress,
l and even if it should be passed, it is almost inconceivable that it should
| receive the sanction of President Wilson, who probably is better ac
quainted with Alaska conditions than the Blue brass statesman.
Through the efforts of Mrs. Ray D. Clarke and her co-workers.
Iditarod will send to the needy and afflicted people of Europe a nice
contribution to be expended under the direction of the American Red
i Cross. It probably is true that the citizens of this district are called
1 upon more frequently than other communities to subscribe to various
! causes, but it is safe to say that no more worthy work ever made r
demand upon their liberality than that being conducted by the Red
' Cross. In the midst of Christmas festivities and rejoicing it will be
| comforting to feel that we have done our little to help relieve suffering
1 among a less fortunate people.
The Chitina Leader says that it hardly seems possible, but yet we
are cited an instance of a man holding a good federal position who
contemplates throwing it to the birds. And he is from Alaska, and be
comes from the Fourth division, and he is on a vacation to the great
Outside, and he contemplates settling in Seattle to practice law, and
his name is Judge Frederick E. Fuller, and he has nearly two years or
an unfinished term, and the people of his division are content to have
him stay. The perversity of man!
It probably has been suspected by close readers of the war bulletins
that the war news given to the world from Petrograd was not alto
gether reliable. The events of the past few days tend to almost con
firm these suspicions. Instead of the German army being cut to pieces,
as reported from the Russian capital, London reports that Lodz is in
j the hands of the Germans and that 100,000 Russians are prisoners.
It is to be hoped that the warring powers may heed the request of
the pope that a truce be observed during Christmas. And while the
work of butchery is at a standstill it would be a good time to consider
the horrible uselessness of it all, and devise some means of settling
the differences on lines more compatible with the principles given to
the world by the Prince of Peace whose birthday they celebrate.
The high cost of living in the Puget sound cities is mitigated some
what by their favorable location, as one reads advertisements such as
the following in the Tacoma newspapers: “Great, big salmon, 30 to
35 inches long, weighing from nine to thirteen pounds, 25 cents each,
delivered free.”
The name of Senator Jones of Washington appears quite frequently
in the news dispatches in relation to Alaska matters these days. His
interest will be appreciated. And who knows but that the historic
name of Jones may not some day adorn the map to designate some
populous and prosperous county or city in the great territory?
Job Printing at Pioneer Office
FOR ALL WE HAVE AND ARE!
For all we have and are,
For all our children’s fate,
Stand up and meet the war!
The Ilun is at the gate.
Our world has passed away,
In wantonness o’erthrown.
There’s nothing left today
But steel ami tire and stone.
Though all we knew depart,
The old commandments stand:
‘In courage keep your heart!
In strength lift up your hand!”
Once more we hear the word
'Hiat sickened earth of old:
“No law except the sword,
IJn heathed and uncontrolled!”
Once more it knits mankind;
Once more the nations go
To meet and break and bind
A crazed and driven foe.
Comfort, content, delight
The ages’ :•! nv-bought gain
They shriveled in a night.
Only ourselves remain
To face the naked days
In silent fortitude,
Through perils and dismays
Renewed and re-renewed.
Though all we made depart,
The old commandments stand:
“In patience keep your heart!
In strength lift up your hand!”
No easy hopes or lies
Shall bring us to our goal.
But iron sacrifice
Of body, will and soul.
There’s but one task i r all
For each one life to give.
Who stands if Freedom fall
Who dies if England live
Rudyard Kipling.
THE GREATEST PEACE PARADE j
(Tacoma Tribune!
Let us not grieve for the slain soldiers.
They have escaped from misery. Let us
shut our eyes even to those weeping for
their dead or wounded. There is wretched
!i< - enough. God k; • ws, i:i hundreds of
the u. ands of homes where women and chil
dren wait in lonely -ori - and poverty.
But there is anguish greater than theirs.
With the war !es^ than three months
' Id. 3.000,000 victims are homeless. Prob
ably 2.000.“00 are today seeking bread from
the hands of <trang**rs, absolutely destitute,
without money, food or baggage, perhaps
without even a change of clothing.
1! ey have 1 en iriven fr m their hoi les
by invading armies. If fear permitted their
return they wmiM find little shelter, no
food and no work.
And ftugitives arc not strong men
those are in tin- armies. They are the old
and infirm, il. ■ women and the childr*!'.
Thev are largely ignorant. They are dazed
by their fate and helpless in a strange en
vironment. In countless ea-es families arc
separate.-!, never to be reunited.
Belgium, of course, provider the nm-t
u 1 n t r \ tj
ha- 1 *, a an indices pioce*.--:on >f shrinking
wretch*'-; p*,unng from every city, '.ullage
and har. !“t. driven forth again and again
as the ( nemy pre.m west v; ard Hoi
having revived halt a million *>f thorn.
e! isirig its doors in helplessness. Nearly a
| milhon have d rawed wearily into northern
1 ranee, oniy to loin the hordes of I reach
•voider* rs expelled from their own ruined
homes. Prussia h:: its myriads driven
westward by the Kn- '.an novation. !>>
hernia is overmin with (.kdieiuns who lien
from the Co ('as. In Hungary the nopu
1;111on from tfm Carpathian mountains is
streaming painfully toward Budapest.
There i* tm f rm of wretchedness that
Oh e fugit •• - (!-• no* vuer. Hunger, e ll.
thirst, wear'.nes . b *dily pain, unregarded
sickness, grief fi.r thi r dead, anguish b»r
the .suffering m aged paimi*- or Iltth chil
di-en that they cannot help, humiliation.
; hooeles~i.es.- thi- is the very hell of war.
And the war is lust begun!
"Spare our feelings!’' peoplr* cry. "V\ e I
cannot stand il.- horrors. But the truth
must be tol 1. Tiu* men and women of this |
and every other land must let ihose y.<
| ture.- Mnk into their soul-. There is no
other wav. _
By Their Works Yc Shall Know Them
Howard
OR
Hamilton
WATCH
Ina 12 Hze\ thin model, 17 to 23
jewel-, makes an ideal Christmas
present.
Ivory and Nugget Jewelry to
order at prices to suit the times
Wm. Taylor, Flat
Dis., Otter Miss M. Earl, Prop.
Warm and Clean Rooms
Porcelain Tub Baths
CONVENIENT DOG KENNELS
Summit iteasitase
Both Winter and Summer
Locations
INQUIRE AT THE ROADHOUSE
. .
Adams House
FIRST ST., IDITAROD
Clean, Warm Rooms, Gas-Lighted. The
Only First-Class Horse and Dog
Stables in Town
A Fine Dog Team to Rent
Free Library and Reading Room
_Salman for the Dog Musher., .
FOR YOUR
I
Remember that we have in slock a splendid assortment of articles j
suitable for presents. Cal! and investigate
t
Toilet Soaps
White 1 nlac ]
Carnation Bouquet
Cosmos Bouquet
Spring Violet
Irish Bouquet
Japan Bouquet
Violet Glycerine
Imperial
Box Candy
!n Christmas Boxes
All lands of Chocolates, in
cluding Fancy Box Chocolates,
all the freshest obtainable.
Of All Kinds I
Christmas
Pipes Galore
From $10.00 down to two j
for 25c.
Cigars and
Tobaccos
Of AH Kinds
Special Christmas Box Cigars.
Famous Red, White and Blue
Cigars cut to $2.25 per box.
A GERMAN CUSTOM
In Germany I he home of f'dk-lore. senti
ment and family love— the inevitable Christ
mas tree not only glitters over the laughing, j
living childieii dancing beneath it. but even j
.-preads its mild radiance over the odd and
cheerless graves in bleak end wintry ceme
teries. No mother who has such a little
mound out there in the ‘‘God’s acre” will,
while providing Christmas cheer for her
happy, noisy, living brood, entirely forget
that lonely little spot in the dark and the
cold, but will find a moment in the busy,
day- a half hour between the dusk of |
' hristinas eve and dawn of Christmas morn- i
dig- in which to visit the cemetery; there •
to plant on baby’s m.-v- i small min.il'
: tree or branch, and to stand : •
it until the tiny Ii...hthave all gone out.
It is a pathetic sight to be met with in al
most evtn ' - r:.... n cemetery; for even in
•hu.-e of B ;i::i. Leipzig. Bremen mid M g
debar.: there will be some .-v:eh h'tie Chri-t
ma- graves.
NATURAL METHOD OF HEALING
The effect of Electric Vibration on rheu
m:.'ism i> n>'thing short iff magical. The
:;i • 11«■ r * 11 theory upon which this treat men!
> ba-> 1 ; that all functions and organs iff
he b b ; re e< n'r- lied by certain nerve* or
nerve comers, located pr.ncip. by in
• final (ord. And if these centers an
reached and treated with proper mas.*age*
and electric vibrate n. re.-;, rati mi to nor
mal action mav be expected to lake pk
THE CROSBY MASSAGE AND BATH
PARLORS
LOOK OUT FOR FIRE!
Plenty of acids and soda at Dr. Moore’s
Drug Store, Plat City.
Black Cod, 35c pound.
Iditarod Meat Co.
PSOHEER DRUG STORE
FLAT CITY
_PHONE DAY OR NIGHT
PEST LIQUORS AND CIGARS
Three-TSmes-Move Bar
(Formerly the Stanley House)
JOHN 5AGOY. PROP.
GOOD ROOMS CLEAN BEDS
_FLAT CITY_
Best of Everything
ALL THE TIME AT THE
Arcade Cafe
FLAT CITY
Open Dav and Night
PIONEER CREEK AGENCIES
FLAT CITY. Mrs. C. C. Chlttick
DISCOVERY OTTER . . Harry Donnelley
DR. MOORE,
Gold St., Opposite Postoffice, Flat City
Eye-Glass Fitting Telephone
DR. H. E. AURlftGER,
Physician and Surgeon
Office: Gold St. Fiat City, Alaska
Con.'ultatiou Hour.- in Ft.rennons- and i y
Appnintnifnt
M. STANTON,
Attorney at Law
Oflicf*: Corner Willow and Stv.nd Sts.
Iditarod Pioneer Building
J. C. MOODY,
Attorney at Law
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Office: Second Avenue
W. F. KARRISOft,
Attorney at Law
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Room 12, Regina Hotel
CHAS. E. TAYLOR.
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue Iditarod
For a Quiet Sleep
FURNACE HEAT
REASONABLE RATES
Second and Willow Streets
MRS. N. P. GILMORE
DtSKAKET AND CRIPPLE CITY
Big Stocks, Standard Goods
Gasoline and Lubricating Oil
Good Roadhouse m Connection
Beef, Poultry, Fish
Dry Packed Butter
sesondst. {D8TAROD HI EAT GO. pti°ne 15
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME
Caribou Cafe
SHORT ORDERS
FIRST AYE. OPEN DAY AND NIGHT ROB£ro80UTAR