Iditarnd Pioneer
One Dollar Per Month. IDITAROD, ALASKA, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 4, 1912. Two Bits Per Copy
TAFT HEADS OFF
WAR BUGABOO
Washington, May 3.—In a mes
sage to congress President Taft
denies a report that Japan is ar
ranging for a great colonization
scheme on the coast of Mexico.
The report has been repeated by
alarmists who profess to believe
there is danger of war between
the United States and Japan.
GREAT WIRELESS
OUTFITS COMING
Yalejo, Cal., May 3.—Outfits for
powerful wireless stations at Cor
dova and Unalga are ready for
shipment north. [Unalga is the
island upon which it was recently
announced the government had de
termined to establish a great naval
base in the western Aleutians ]
PHILANTHROPIST PEARSONS DEAD
Chicago, May 3.—Daniel Kim
ball Pearsons, philanthropist, is
dead, aged 92. He was born in
Vermont and came to Illinois in
1857. He made a fortune in Chi
cago and donated over $4,000,000
to colleges, coupling each gift with
a requirement that a large sum be
raised from other sources.
GOVERNOR CLARK COMING BACK
Washington, May 3.—Governor Clark
of Alaska has started west and will
reach Seattle May 7.
WELLS EASY FOR MCFARLAND
New York, May 3.—Packy McFar
land had an easy victory over Matt
Wells in twenty round*.
MISSISSIPPI LEVEES GIVE WAY
New Orleans, May 3 —Under
the long-continued pressure from
the Hoods, the lower Mississippi
levees have given away and
35,000 people are homeless.
ANOTHER MAN STUMPING
FOR COL. ROOSEVELT
San Francisco, May 3. —For
mer Senator A. J. Beveridge of
Indiana is stumping California
for Roosevelt.
WILLIAM NEWMAN HAS ACCIDENT
While splitting wood at his res',
icnce on First street this morning,
William Newman sustained a bad
accident, the axe slipping and en
tering his right foot. The wound
is a painful one, and Billy will prob
ably be confined to the house for a
day or two.
NO HAIL THIS WEEK
The mail due to end the winter ser
vice this week had not arrived at noon
today. It will probably como in on
the gasolene boat Edna, which win
tered at Diskaket and was expected
the first of this week.
It is believed several notables, in
cluding a Guggie man, are with the
mail.
Outgoing mail will be carried on the
steamer Pup about Tuesday.
NOTICE TO MINERS
The Johnson Hose Co. have placed
tiieir stock of hose in our hands for
disposal at following prices:
3-inch hydraulic hose, 35c foot.
8-inch hydraulic hose, 7®c foot.
10-inch hydraulic hose, 80c foot.
Nozzles for 3-inch hose, $8 each.
10-i*ch flume hose, 12c foot.
12-inch flume hose, 18c foot.
Terms cash.
CHESLEY, RYAN it KEHOE.
To abolish H grade crossings in New
Jersey the Pennsylvania railroad let
contracts for new construction wcrr^ to
cost *3,000,000-_
Select Outside Lumber, corrugated
iron and roofing paper at Ross <fc Nes
tor’s- _
Just a few packages of Garden
Seed left. Olven away Free. 8un
derbruch’s.
' -Powei-of-attornev blanks—Pioneer,
HOW THE CANDIDATES ARE L1W1N6 UP
Colorado Springs, May 3. —Colorado Democrats instruct for
Speaker Champ Clark.
Atlanta, May 3.—Representative Oscar W. Underwood carries
Georgia and Florida in the Democratic primaries.
Boston, May 3.—In the hottest state primaries ever held in
Massachusetts, President Taft wins over Col. Roosevelt by 3,600,
but loses eight delegates at large. Roosevelt wants his delegates
to vote for Taft.
Harrisburg, May 3.—Roosevelt controls the Pennsylvania
state convention and a progressive platform has been adopted. No
i mention was made in it of the Taft administration.
CANNOT NAVIGATE IN CHENA SLOUGH
Fairbanks, May 3.—The official time of the breakup is Mon
I day, April 29, at 10:55 a. m The run of ice consisted of one small
cake about three times as big as a soughdough slapjack, which
stuck in front of the bridge till it rotted and fell to pieces. The
bridge was unharmed and cross-river traffic was uninterrupted.
The Chena slough is unnavigable. The steamer Tetlin started
for Fort Gibbon, but stuck on a bar above Chena and remains fast.
Water is scarce on the creeks.
DAVENPORT, CARTOONIST, DEAD IN NEW YORK
—
New York, May 3.—Homer Davenport, the cartoonist, is dead
1 of pneumonia. Davenport was a remarkable example of the self
; made man. He never attended an art school or had any school ed
| ucation. He was reared on a farm in Oregon, was a jockey, a rail
j road fireman, a clown in a circus, and jack of all trades. In 1892,
! when 25 years old, he was given employment on the San Francisco
I Examiner. Later he went to New York and originated the Mark
| Hanna {-mark suit of clothes. His caricatures caused an attempt
I to pass an anti cartoon bill in New York in 1897. In 1906 he was
! granted permission by the Sultan of Turkey to export 27 horses
from Arabia to America, and while en route to the desert to secure
the horses he drew' the only picture ever made of the Sultan, and
was made the Desert Brother of Akmut Haffez, the great Bedouin.
As a cartoonist his fame w'as world wide.
| EXPLOSION KILLS JAP MINERS
Tokio, Japan, May 3—Three |
hundred miners are dead as a
_1
result of au explosion in a mine at
Yuvare. _
Highest market price paid for shaded
ivory for jewelry manufacturing pur
poses. Kobert Simpson.
FAIRBANKS MEN
WOULD STAY HOME
Fairbanks, May 3. — Forty lead
ing business men have joined in
a protest against going to Valdez
to appear in the bank cases Tune
24 To go would mean a big pri
vate loss, as well as to the com
munity at large.
GOOD CLEANUP
ON GOLDSTREAM
Fairbanks, May 3.—The Bigelow
dump on the left limit of Gold
stream has yielded $51,000 so far.
It washed up $26,000 in sixty
hours
SOCIALISTS TO MEET
MONDAY AND TUESDAY
Fairbanks, May 3—About the
only stir noticeable in politics here
is preparations being made for a
couple of socialist meetings. Social
ist Chase has secured the Audi
torium for Monday and Tuesday.
PLANNING TO SEARCH
FOR RED MCCARTHY
Fairbanks, May 3.—Miners of
Birch creek, in the Circle district,
are planning to start a search for
the body of Red McCarthy, who
disappeared last year.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
RULES EXTEND TO US
Washington, May 3.—The supreme
court has decided in the Purobel case
that the interstate commerce commis
sion has jurisdiction in Alaska.
Cut Glass, jewelry. W. Taylor, Flat.
ECHOES FROM1 BREST DISASTER
New York, May 3.—The Senate committee is continuing the
Titanic investigation behind closed doors in this city. Col. John (
Jacob Astor was buried last Saturday at his birthplace, Rhinebeck
on Hudson. Vice President Ismay has sailed for England.
Halifax, May 3.—The cable ship Mina of the Mackey-Bennett
Company has arrived here with 196 bodies. They were found in a
horrible condition, battered and frozen. All wore life preservers.
Major Butts’ body was not recovered.
Augusta, Me., May 3.—President Taft is here attending me
morial services for Major Butts.
London, May 3.—The Titanic investigation has begun here.
St. John’s, Newfoundland, May 3.—The Canadian cableship
has abandoned the search for bodies. Most of them have floated
away to the southward.____
ACQUITTED OF GRIMES ON YUKON
Nome, May 3.—John Staten, arrested with Louis Coynte for a
series of crimes committed on the Yukon river last fall, has been
acquitted. He was indicted on three counts—burglary, theft and
embezzlement in bailee. On the first two counts he was found not
guilty, and the third was dismissed on motion of the district attor-1
ney. Coynte pleaded guilty as Staten’s accomplice and turned
state’s evidence, but his evidence was discredited.
One of a dozen Indian witnesses in the case suicided Sunday
night. He tied a rope to the doorknob of a cabin and with the
other end of the rope around his neck strangled himself. The
case is suspicious, and the coroner’s jury is not satisfied it was sui
cide.
The cases of Staten and Coynte have attracted a great deal of
attention on account of the sensational allegations regarding them
last fall. They have cost the government a large sum. Natives,
officials and the Russian Mission trader (Chris Betsch) were
brought here at big expense.__
PROMINENT FAIRBANKSANS
MAY BE TITANIC VICTIMS
Fairbanks, May 3 —It is feared
lhat Max Manger and Archie Mc
Intyre were passengers on the
Titanic.
Bread, home made daily. Phone
your order. Sunderbruch’s
Flume hose, tents, canvas. H. Boas.
MAJOR AND MRS. STRONG
HAVE REACHED SEATTLE
Seattle, May 3 —Major and Mrs
J. F. A. Strong have arrived troru
a trip to the the Orient.
Fresh eastern oysters $1.00 per can.
Iditarod Meat Co.
Golden Gate Coffee — delicious
and drinkable. Sunderbruch's.
ARBOR DAY NAMED
FOR FAIRBANKS
Fairbanks, May 3 — Mayor Dris
coll lias named Friday, May 10, as
Arbor Day, and recommended its
observation by the schools and civic
organizations. The citizens have
become enthused over the proposi
lion and will set trees in places
where they will add to the beauty
of the city.
OTHER ONE KILLED
BY GUGGENHEIM
Washington, May 3.—Delegate
Wickersham’s mining bill has
passed the House. It provides
that a prospector cannot stake
more than two claims monthly
for persons on power of attorney.
SOME TROUBLES OF THE TRUSTS
St. Paul, May 3.—The government
has filed a suit to dissolve the harvester
trust.
Jefferson City, Mo., May 3.—The
Standard Oi! agrees to obey the anti
trust laws and offers to pay a fine in
the ouster case.
TRANSPORT BUFORD SAILS AGAIN
Sail Diego, Cal., May 3.—The
transport Buford sails lor the south
coast of Mexico, to rescue Ameii
cans. Rebels are gaining victories
everywhere.
CORDOVA NURSING A GRIEVANCE
Cordova, May 3.—The first an
ninersary of the Cordova coal
party will be celebrated tomor
row. It is proposed to hold the
celebration annually in future.
WESCH IS SUMMONED
George B. Wesch of (he American
Bank of Alaska was summoned this
morning to appear in Valdez June 24
as a witness in the Barnette case.
COL. ROOSEVELT THEN AND NOW
On the night of his election to the
presidency in November, 1904, Mr
Roosevelt made public the following
voluntary declaration:
“On the 4th of March next I shall
have served three and a half years, and
this three and a half years constitute
my first term. The wise custom which
limits the President to two terms re
gards the substance and not the form,
and under no circumstances will I be a
candidate for or accept another nomi
nation."
And on December 11, 1907, Mr.
Roosevelt, who then desired to ham
Mr. Taft nominated and elected presi
dent, republished the foregoing declar
ation and added these words: “I ham
not changed and shall not cbango
that decision thus announced." Can
it be that Roosevelt is waiting to be
forced into the “Ananias Club" h»
established for conferring obloquy
upon his personal adversaries?—Ex.
Choice mackerel, fancy saimcn
bellies, pickled pigs feet, 8under*
bruch'8. ______
IVES HAS OPTION
N. ws comes in from Flat this
mon ing that Eddie McArdle has
given an option on his interests In
the bonanza association to FT J
Ives. The terms of the option are
not known.
A GRANITE SURPRISE
One of the surprises of the early
season is a thousand-dollar poke
that was brought in yesterday from
Granite creek, the result of a small
dump taken out in winter.
EG38—absolutely guaranteed the
best. Sunderbruch'a.
Fresh eastern oysters $1.00 per can.
Iditurod Meat Co.
Sweet, sour and dill pickles,
Sur.derbruch’s._
The Pioneer for Job Printing.
IDITAROD CITY FINANCES THEME OF PARAMOUNT INTEREST
At Wednesday night's meeting of the j
city council Mr. McDonell, of the com- j
mittee named to confer with Banks & j
Mikuta on the matter of the city water
supply, reported that Mr. Banks was j
insistent that the payment of the $500
a month for the water service be made
in warrants drawn on the salary fund.
Mr. Auten said he had talked to Mr.
Banks with a like result. Mr. Banks
had said he couldn't use the warrants
if drawn on the general fund; if drawn
on the salary fund he could.
In answer to question as to whether
or not the salary fund, if drawn on too
freely, would not become practically in
the same state as the general fund is
| in, Attorney Roden answered that
i within a week or two it would become
in the same fix. The reason the salary
fund is preferable is because money is
put into that fund and made unavail
able for the purposes for which war
rants are drawn on the general fund.
To draw the warrants, intended for
those purpose, on the salary fund would
reduce the salary fund to the present
status of the general fund, at least as
soon as the public learns there is no
money with which to pay warrants on
the salary fund, either. Persons re
ceiving salary-fund warrants might be
able to trade them until such time as
the public gets informed as to the true
situation.
Asked as to what he would advise to
be done under the circumstances, Mr.
Roden said: “Well, give it to him on
the salary fund, I reckon.” He added
that it was hard to give advice under
the circumstances. If the city were
able to keep up the salary fund it would
be all right. As it is it will make
little difference: practically all war
rants are now wanted on the salary
fund. Last week there were no war
rants ordered on the general fund, but
$1,000 on the salary fund. Every month
there is drawn $1,000 on the salary
fund and about $70 on the general fund.
Mr. Banks was present, and said he
understood from people he tried to get
wood from this week that they wanted
it on the salary fund. “It is not a
question of what I ought to accept,”
said be, “but what I’ve got to have. I
have got to have paper lean dp business
with.”
Mr. Roden said if the salary fund is
kept up Mr. Banks can do business
with the Northern Comme.cial Com
pany. There are also some incidentals
the company wants assurance on. If
these things were drawn on the emer
gency fund that fund will be in the
same fix. Some classes of labor, he
pointed out, are not paid out of the
salary fund. Some one present
answered that men working on the
street, for instance, where their terms
of employment would be short, could
better afford to take pay on the general
fund than could regular employes, be
cause such laborers could soon go to
work somewhere else and earn some
thing to eat, while a regular man’s
meal ticket depends on the worth of
his warrant alone.
Mr. Roden said that however you can
turn the matter it looks like somebody
is going to get the worst of it. He
said they might try putting certain
stated percentages of all future re
ceipts into the salary, emergency and
general funds and see how that would
work. Mr. Wood said that seemed
like a good idea, and thought Banks
might be able to do a little better with
his paper if that were done.
Mayor Barnes: But when would the
general,fund warrants be paid?
Mr. Roden continued to this effect:
“I assisted in the estimates made pre
viously and am doing so in some being
gone over now. Last year we got in in
taxes $12,000. This year we can count
our total receipts at $16,000. If we
pay all but $500 of this out of salary
fund where will we get any balance?
Still Mr. Banks would have to wait a
long tune for any part of hts pay on
the general fund. At the end of the
year all the income will have been paid
out of the salary and emergency funds.”
Mr. Bradley and Mr. Banks each de
clared Banks should have the {prefer
ence if anybody does.
Mr. Roden: Then you can't get any
thing.
Mr. Bradley wanted to know the
difference in all these funds there was
so much talk about.
Mr. Roden elucidated the matter.
He said that whereas the license and
tax moneys come in in bunches, it was
originally decreed that all fines should
go into a salary fund, so tfce boys could
eat once in a while. Then, after a
while, 10 per cent, of the fines were
converted into an emergency fund, in
order to meet little things that bobbed
up occasionally. Still later the council
got to turning all kinds of receipts into
these two funds, until now everything
seems to be going into them.
When Mr. Roden had finished his
explanation, Mr. Bradley remarked:
“It is all considerable of a Chinese
puzzle, now isn’t it?”
Mr. Roden suggested that the council
get together and talk things over in
formally. He said the city is not in a
bad fix and cited an instance where
Fairbanks cleaned up a big debt and
soon had $6,000 in the treasury. He
suggested that business men be in
vited to meet and confer with them.
The suggestion seemed to meet general
approval, and on motion of Mr. Me
Donell it was resolved to carry out the
plan the very next night at 8:30
o’clock.
Other Matters
Mr. Bradley was asked if he had any
report to make regarding the new
walk he had been authorized toarrange
for between the old Mecca corner and
the Regina hotel. He answered that
he had secured the lumber and Mr.
Nyholm had built the walk. Then
Byers’s horse walked across the cross
ing and broke holes in it at ODe side,
and walked back and broke it on the
other. Something ought to be done
with these horses, he said. He was
authorized to have the crossing made
double thickness with lumber taken
from another corner.
The fire committee reported progress
in the matter of securing 325 feet of
2i-inch pipe.
The clerk read a report showing the
total deficit on April 30 to be $6,207.61.
Thursday evening, following an in
vitation by the council, a number of
business men met with that body for
the purpose of conferring upon the
condition of the city finances. Plenty
of talk followed, and most of it was
good and sensible. 'The actual results
amounted to nothing more than an ex
pression of individual opinion—there
was no attempt made to get an ex
pressed sense of the conference as a
compact body. However, it was very
generally acknowledged that a reduc
tion of city expenses is necessary, and
a majority thought the first and great
est reduction should be in cutting off
one of the two men from the payroll of
the fire department. Several of the
business men expressed entire confi
dence in the ability of the council to go
ahead and regulate the city’s affairs
properly.
Chairman Barnes called the meeting
to order and at his request Henry
Roden stated the conditions and read
the estimates that have been made of
probable receipts and expenses, as fol
lows:
Receipts—
Federal licenses $10,000
Poll tax. 500
Fines, etc . 1,000
City taxes. 5,000
Expenses—
Water service . $6,000
Fire department. 6,000
School . 2,000
Wood and light. 750
Incidentals. 1,000
Present liabilities 6,000
Without allowing for a dollar's worth
of work on the streets this shows there
would be a shortage at the end of the
year amounting to $5,250.
Around these figures the talk circled,
zigzagged, caromed, criscrossed, tur
key-trotted and capitulated with every
body agreed on one point that some
thing must be done.
Mr. Roden suggested the passage of
an ordinance providing that future
warrants bear no interest; that no in
cidentals be bought unless paid for;
that school expense be reduced, $2,000
being too much (he would sweep the
schoolroom himself for $5 a month and
be glad to get the job); hinted at a re
duction from Bunks, and didn’t see how
two men could be kept on the fire de
partment. They could get young men
to sleep in the hall and act as volun
teers—could save, perhaps, $3,000 a
year. With these suggestions carried
out the city could get along. He would
suggest again that say 40 per cent, of
receipts be put into general fund and 60
per cent, in the salary fund—or 50 per
cent, in each. Keep up this till Sep
tember. Then put it all in one fund
and pay it out in rotation.
C. P. Wood said Judge Roden's re
marks covered the whole ground. If
the figures were correct the deduction
was simple—expenses must be reduced.
Sam Bayles said it was a groundhog
case—with the city bankrupt it must
reduce expenditures for it can’t, expend
something it hasn't got.
Ira Wood said if funds could be raised
he would be in favor of getting a gaso
lene plant. It would cost about $2,000
laid down, and not much to install.
Mr. Barnes said such a plant would
be an asset. Mr. Bradley asked when
the money would begin to come in, and
Mr, Barues said there ought to be
about 16,000 by the first of September.
The plant could be got in by July or
August. If creditors would agree to it,
then we surely could get the plant.
Mr. McDonell said last year they had
gone into the gasolene matter. Then
he favored it. Summing up a compre
hensive statement of the matter, he
said it would finally be a paying invest
raent, but for the present year would
1 cost more than the present arrange
i ment.
Mr. Auten was asked what he
thought about the gasolene proposition
and answered that he didn’t know any
thing about gasolene engines or buzz
wagons.
Constant hints were being made that
Banks ought to “come down" in his
I water charges. Asked if he had anv
| thing further to say, he answered no—
there wore mechanics who could pass
upon the cost of his service, and it was
up to the city to have them do it.
Even this did not end the sparring
over the Banks matter.
Eric Hard said the way he looks at it
we have now four men on the fire de
partment—Banks and his helper and
the two in the hall. It seemed to him
Banks could be fire chief and run the
wnole thing in good shape.
Mr. Roden said it seems to be the
Opinion one man should be kept on.
Mr. Bayles said as a matter of fact a
volunteer fire department would be
sufficient, and this village could be run
very well at a total expense of $1,000 a
year.
C. P. Wood, in explanation of a busi
ness principle, said the N. C. Co. holds
probably $2,500 general-fund warrants.
If the company now accepts preferred
payments, to their extent it defeats the
payment of its older claims. The ex
pense must be cut off or the city must
go out of business—bankrupt.
Mr. McDoneli reverted to tire pro
position to cut one tnac off the fire
department, and Mr. Barnes sided with
him.
Ira Wood said the change will come
on after awhile. They had all known
that. He understood there was some
$18,000 expense last year not needed
this. The change would probably be
made inside of two months. They had
objected to Chairman Barnes arbitrari
ly saying when the change should come.
Messrs. Auten and Mutchler assented
when asked if this was not so.
The meeting adjourned with nothing
done more than eliciting a rough
general opinion- that expenses must be
reduced and that one man should be
taken from the fire department
Infinito, Humboldt, Cuerte Hey, Op
timo, Lovera, Bock and a tine line of
Puerto Rico Cigars at Empire Com
mercial Co.
Gold Seal Pacs $2.60 and $3. H. Boas,
clothier. _
New shoes, bargains, Paulson’s, Flat.