Cannot Assisi on
Road Just Now
The council put the petition of F. A. Cleveland, tor help on his
Otter street road, on the table for an indefinite time.
The matter came up at the meeting Thursday night when Cleveland
appeared in person. He stated that the building of the road out Otter
was a public proposition, backed by the sentiment of the town, and that
he thought it was up to the city to pay half the construction cost at
least as far as the city limits. He further stated that he had not been
able tc detect, even with the aid of a good glass, that the city had done
any work whatever on the streets on the western side of town.
The council had made a trip out over the road the night before and
knew what he was talking about, they also knew that on the city’s
limited finances, the fire department had the chief call and that they
could not now engage in any cross country road building, at least until
they are able to find out where they get off with the road commission.
Therefore they explained these things to Mr. Cleveland, and his
request was laid on the table.
About the city at large, sentiment is widely divided in regard to
the Cleveland road. .Some say that he is the only one who has ever
accomplished results and that he will have a good road to the top of the
hill by next week. It has been brushed for the greater part of the dis
tance to the top of the divide, or what is now being called Birch hill,
and with the covering of moss and muck, will be in travel shape before
many days. This is all providing the money holds out, and the pro
moters say it will.
On the other hand there are a great many people who cannot under
stand why the work of the road commission of last year is ignored, and
a mile of good road out Willow abandoned. That’s what gets their
goat and they' are waiting to ste what the road commission will do
about it.
In the meantime however, the council has apparently determined
to get the main streets of the city in the best shape possible within
their limited means and leave the Flat road question to them as has it.
Militant Councilman
Accomplishes Results
There was a slight flurry of interest on Richmond street last
Wednesday afternoon when Councilman B irues abandoned the abstract
and got down to the concrete in the dealing of the so-called Barrett &
Lewin lot which they occupied during last fail and winter against the
protest of public sentiment. When they were cleaned out by the fire,
the council determined to keep the street clear, and to that end Council
man Barnes put a man to work to gather up the debris.
Assistant District Attorney Llegg, counsel for Barrett 81 Lewin
who occupied their building at the time of the fire and who represents
their interests here, went forth and ordered the man away, claiming
that the ground is under the sacred protection of lis pendens, and that
tio ruthless hand shall disarrange its ruinous surface until the court
has had its filial say.
Hearing that his man had been fired without his consent, Barnes
became exceeding wroth and went right down to move the debris him
self. He said ttiat the council had directed him to keep the street
clear and he intended to do it.
Clegg, apparently, found only one or two trumps in his hand, so
he passed and went after a camera. As Barnes sweated and tugged
at the chari ed timbers, Clegg calmly focused him on the sensitized
plate and the negatives will doubtless become famous in a legal lorum
at a later date.
What Do You Know
About Machinery?
Councilman Bavles wanted a layoff
on his job as chairman of the fire com
mittee last Thursday night, and got up
to tell his troubles to the rest of the
city dads. He said he didn’t know any
thing about machinery, and would be
too busy in another week to give the
grave questions of the fire department
the proper attention.
He put up an eloquent talk, but it
was no go. The rest of them paid
glowing tribute to Iiis prowess as fire
committeeman, and eulogized the ex
cellent work ho had done thus far. In
addition, Council nan McDonell said
that he would -ret on the job whenever
it came to knowing anything about ma
chinery.
Oliver Anderson John Barrett
Sditarod Launcli Agency
REAL ESTATE AND GENERAL BROKERAGE
Gofids Handled on Commission V/aifing Room for Passengers
Office—Foot of Willow Street. Phone
LADIES!
The First Boat will bring the Latest Styles in
Gage Hats and Sommer Dresses
Direct from the Outside, on Show Next Week at
MRS. MAR Y ANDERSEN'S
bad trails make weary limss. rest at the
Snyder House, Flat City
_______^SECOND^STREET^____
You'll Find What Yon Want at
The Fairview Trading So.
FULL LINE OF
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
J. W. KEMPF, MANAGER
COFFEE LIKE YOUR MOTHER MADE
The f+offee House,
|| M SLgffi Formerly Home Bakery
___ Willow Street
i JUST OPENED DISCOVERY, OTTER
MRS. FRASER, PROP.
Everything New. Furnished Rooms and Bunks
WARM DA YS ARE BR Y BA YS
DROP INTO
Julios’ Place, lie. Otter
AND GET THE LATEST THING IN DRINKABLES.
FRENCH SOFT PHSZZES,
Hop Beer, Ginger Beer, or Cider Right Off the Ice
Cigars, Tobaccos, Candies, Etc.
Henry Wallace Appointed
Acting Fire Chief
Adopting the reix>rt of the tire committee on the condition of
the tiro department, the council last Wednesday night approved of
their work in moving the fire hall to the N. C. Co. lot on the river
side of First street, and approved of the action of the committee
in appointing Henry Wallace, night watchman during the winter,
to the post of captain of the volunteer fire force, at a salary of
$200 a month, and granting Chief Brunelle a vacation from con
stant attendance and a salary of $100. In this manner they
secured the services of two competent men to take command in
case of fire for $300 a month.
This would have all been well and good but for the defection
of Former Chief Brunelle, who let it be known at the adjourned
meeting of the council held Thursday night, that he would not
continue on the job and would consider himself off duty at 12
o’clock that night.
In the meantime Wallace had been summoned in from the
creeks but had not arrived, and it looked as though the depart
ment might run loose for several hours without a head
To meet this condition the council passed a new resolution
continuing his appointment as captain, and making him acting
chief, but in the event that he did not show by Friday morning,
Felix Seppi was to receive the appointment of temporary chief.
Wallace reached town about 4 o’clock yesterday morning and all is
well.
Chairman Bayles of the fire committee reported that on the
authority of the council, he had completed a lease with the N. C.
Co. to pay a rental of $1 a month for the ground occupied by the
fire-hall, but that the structure would have to be moved whenever
the company required the ground and gave reasonable notice. The
cost of moving the hall as contracted was $99 to Jim Ryan for the
actual moving and $30 to Tom Walkinshaw for putting in the
foundation.
Gilbert Nairn Appointed
City 'Road-Tax Collector
Urged to action by the request of
many people to work out their poll-tax
on the streets of the city during the
lull before the opening of navigation,
the city council got busy last Thursday
night at the adjourned meeting from
WILL ARRIVE OH FIST BOAT
AND DELIVERED AT FLAT CITY IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVAL
Fresh Dates, Apples, Grape Fruit, Figs, Lemons,
Oranges, Eggs, Onions and Spuds
And a full line of Fresh Groceries personally selected. Prices Bight
Complete lines carried at Otter City. Outfit with us.
E. W. GRIFFIN
FLAT CITY OTTER CITY DIKEfUIAN
Wednesday night, and appointed Gil
bert Nairn poll-tax collector, with in
structions to get right on the job and
collect.
Mr. Nairn, who is a graduate of Yule
and now engaged in the study of law in
the offices of Coke Hill, was highly
recommended to the council and his
appointment was made unanimous. He
was allowed a commission of fen per
cent on all taxes collected and he has
his work cut out for him. Besides,
he apparently gets nothing from those
who work out their assessment. Before
assuming his duties, which are to
begin at once, he will be required to
put up a bond of $500 for the correct
performance of his duties.
Every resident of the city is now
subject to a tax of $4, which he can
work out in a day if he so desires.
Those desiring to work may report to
Chairman Barres of the street com
mittee or to Mr. Nairn, and will be
told when and where they can get
busy.
If you should happen to feel oppress
ed and kick against this tax as a great
injustice, as most Americans do when
taxed directly, don’t do it. It may cost
you more and a spell in jail. Just put
up or go out and work like a man. It’s
for your own and the public good, so
jar loose and smile.
City Dangerously
Near Destruction
It was a heartfelt sigh that escaped from the breasts of the
spectators about seven-thirty o’clock Monday morning, when it
was realized that the blaze that had attacked the southwest corner
of the Ansley building was under control.
It was a matter of minutes purely, and the fate of the town
hinged thereon. Five minutes or even three minutes more, and
the consensus of opinion was that the whole of the town tvould
have gone.
The tire was discovered by Miss Sargent of the telephone ex
change and Charles Martin, who was working near the exchange
building, almost simultaneously, and both raised the alarm.
Apparently a spark had lighted on the moss between the logs, and
fanned by a high wind that was blowing from the south-west,
burned immediately into the inside of the building and caught on
the ball-room decorations.
Apparently it had burned but a minute when discovered and
the fire department responded in quick order.
Good work was done by both the chemical and the bucket
brigade and while the spectators stood by with hearts in their
mouths they saw' almost certain disaster turned into victory.
The owners of the building gave striking evidence of their
confidence in the fire department by leaving the oil lamps burning
all that night.
COMMUNICM TIQN
Looks Road Question Right in the Face
Iditarad, Alaska, May 26, 1910
Editor Iditarod Pioneer: May I ask a small space in your val
uable paper to make plain a few facts in connection with this won
derful new wagon road in which F. A. Cleveland has been so nobly
boosted and applauded by the Nugget in its last issue, and which
the poor, innocent and unoffending public has been gulled intosub
cribing for. This new road is supposed to go up Otter street and
cross the low-lying tundra and ponds in a comparatively straight
course and connect with the government road already partly built
to that point on the first rise on summit going to Flat ci-eek.
The Government agent, Mr. Light, last summer had superin
tended the construction of the road from the end of Willow street
to the point where the new proposed wagon road intersects at con
siderable expense in ditching, grading and bridging, and it was
well done as far as it went, as it is already drying out where it was
ditched and graded, and why should all this Government work be
ignored and a new road built a few hundred yards west in a much
lower ground and in a wet marsh and in a much harder place to
build, I certainly am at a loss to know.
I went over the Government road yesterday up Willow and
back on the proposed new road being superintended by Mr. Cleve
land, and I must say I was surprised beyond measure to think that
any sensible man or number of men would undertake to squander
good money and time in building a wagon road through a suc
cession of glacier hillocks, ponds, and low-, wet tundra, when one
fifth of the time and money wonld make a much better road on the
present Government road. It is only about 300 yards from Third
avenue on Willow street (where it is already slabbed and sawdust
laid by the city trustees last summer) to where the Government
road is graded, ditched and bridged, and it is comparatively good
travelling for half-a-mile to where there needs more ditching and
grading, with some brush and a culvert and we have a good road
to where the new road connects it. And, Mr. Editor, anyone who
knows anything about road building can’t but admit that where
the present Government road is laid out is the only natural place
for a wagon road out of the city, and the easiest place to build one.
And it does seem a pity, Mr. Editor, when we do really need a
wagon road to Flat creek so badly and there are so many
generous and enterprising citizens who are so willing to subscribe
so liberally to public benefit, that the money and labor so sub
scribed should not be put to where it would do the most good to
all concerned, instead of for the benefit of a few personal inter
ests in the w-est end of town.
Yours truly,
Citizen J. H. SULLY.
Charles Erich, deputy marshal at
Flat, was in town this week in connec
tion with his lawsuit over the steamer
Zodiac.
SUMMIT ;
ROADHOUSE
Furnished Rooms and Bunks
Cafe in Connections,
Liquors and Cigats j
Tel: “Summit Roadhouse.”
_i
Will Sargent, formerly from “back
down east in Maine.” sometimes ad
dressed as Bill, visited the town on
Empire day.
FLAT CITY
Second Avenue, Next Iditarod Hotel
COME, LISTEN TO THE BAND
—AT THE —
Board of Trade Pool Room
MUSIC EVERY EVENING
Lottery Pool Still On. Coupon Given With Each Game.
Drawing Every Sunday Night Harry Bridges, Prop.
Iditarod Machine Shop
Black St., Near Slippern's Mill List Your Machinery With Us for Sale McDonald, Horner & McDonald