Seattle.—“I have never seen a camp in the world that pro
duced the gold Iditarod did last year where business conditions
were so bad,” said Thomas J. Nestor, president of the Miners &
Merchants bank of Iditarod- Mr. Nestor and Mrs- Nestor have
taken their regular quarters for the winter at the Hotel Washing
ton, and he was discussing affairs of the camp in the lobby.
“f surely think,’’he continued, “that these conditions wik
react next year. Everyone whostayed in this year has money, and
the merchants and business men left there will do well from non
on. Despite the large population in the camp early last spring,
men were short in the fall,” said Mr. Nestor.
“The operators were paying $7 a day, as against $0 a day in j
the early summer, and couldn’t get enough men at that,’ he de
clared. “Some of the shortage was caused by the stampede to
Ruby creek. I believe the total production of the camp, however,
will run between $3,000,000 and $3,500,000, more than any Alaska
camp ever produced in its first year.
COST OF FOOD HIGH
“Owing to the high prices of food last winter, there was much
complaint against the merchants. I don't believe I ever saw a camp
where there was so much dissension in this respect. The resul
was, when men who had been working out on the creek this sum
mer got through and came into town with $700 or $h00, instead oi
spending any of it, they took a boat down the river to the new
camp of Ruby. Some of them did not even stop a night. O.
course, that bit the merchants pretty hard, but conditions will It
changed next year, and for the better.
“Some of the operators had fine clean-ups, but many did no1
do as well as they expected. J. J. Price, who bought in on Glei
gulch, on Otter, and afterwards acquired sole interest in the prop
erty, struck some very rich ground in a small spot and did tine.
The Guggys, a nickname applied to seven partners having a lay
near the upper end of Flat creek, came out well this season, noth
ing extraordinary, but they made money. Johnson & Strandberg
though they had a heavy investment in buildings and machinery,
cleared it and made some money.
WOOD AT $22 A CORD
‘Riley tic Marston. on Otter, did not get started until well ii
the season, and also had heavy investments in their machinery
but I believe they will come out all right. Doc Mading also hao
good clean-ups, though not as much as he expected. Friend &
James also did well. Many of the operators, however, were disap
pointed in the returns of their claims, though that was to be ex
pected.
“Despite reports of a shortage of wood, the operators go'
through the season all right. Some of them, inc.luding Friend &
James and Doc Mading, had to buy more wood, but they got i so
a reasonable figure as wood goes in the Iditarod, about $22 :no cl.
“There have been no new discoveries to amount to anything.
A few operators on Willow creek took out some money, and on
Happy creek considerable also was taken out, but nothing great.
Last year I fully believe that there were from 3,000 to 5,000 per
sons in the camp and its vicinity. The population has been con
siderably decreased since then, and I believe now it will total prob
ably 2,500- There will be more than 2,000 persons wintering in
the camp this year.
PLENTY OF “KNOCKERS”
“There have been plenty of‘knockers’of the Iditarod, but
every camp in Alaska has been ‘knocked’ at some time. Isn’t that
right?” questioned Mr. Nestor of President C. J. Hurley, of the
American Bank of Alaska, of Iditarod, who chanced to be passing
through the lobby.
“I have never known one that wasn’t‘knocked,’” responded
Mr. Hurley.
Your Groceries When You
Want Them! promptly delivered.
We are out for the Retail Trade, and will show you a
line of Groceries that cannot be beaten for Price
or Quality in Iditarod. Phone 87
Sunderbrach
A FEW THINGS FOR WINTER
Extra Large-Size Horse Blankets
Yukon Sleds, Snowshoes Goal Oil aud Gasoline
Cole's Air-Tight Heaters
SMITH’S GUN STORE
Phone No. 6 Idltarcd, Alaska
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Capital, $100,000.00
General Banking Business Transacted Gold Dust Bought and Assayed
Drafts Issued an Any Part of the World
SEATTLE CORRESPONDENT: SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN BANK
OFFICERS:
T. J. Nestor. President
Chas- Ross, Vice President
E. G. Lindberg, Manager
John Holmes, Cashier and Assayer
] For This Week We Have a Special
i Footgear Jersey-Saving Sale.
j Special Mo. I. 4 Buckle Rubber Sole and Wool lined Arctic
| ' Now $4.00. |
] Special No. 2.- A neat laced heavy Rubber Soled and Wool
| Lined Arctic—Now $4.00.
; Special No. 3.—8-inch new stock Ruboer Soled and Leather
Top Pacs -Now $3.00.
Special No. 4. -Get these while they Inst: Black Vici Kid Pelt
Sole and Wool lined Shoe, which we always sold for $0.50 ■;
-Now $4.75. y
Our iVJotto: Always the Best Goods for the Least Price.
store —S
JS S3 I wish to announce that I have taken
"3 full charge of Mrs. Silverstein’s Lt^fies’
l*s 11'ia»? Furnishings, Cloak and Suit House.
I will offer Mrs. Silverstein’s stock of Goods at
PSQ on the dollar ^SC
This is a chance for all of you to get busy.
All Alterations on Ladies' Garments FREE GF CHARGE, and Work Guaranteed
I also wish to announce that I do Tailoring (as I did in my
old quarters), and will be pleased to see you all.
ALL WORK GUARANTEED
H. SCHLAPIK, First Ave.
THE
Returning last Wednesday from a visit to Otter creek. Ear!
Slippern brings news of what appears to lie a well-defined pay
streak on Slate creek, which enters Otter on the left limit opposite
discovery.
Among the many outfits that are working on the creek may be
men! on-'d Louis Delmonier, who. with his partner Olsen, is work
ing on No. fi, on the left fork. They have pay running $1.50 to
the foot and are taking out a windlass dump. A small boiler is on
the ground.
A dump is also being taken out on No. 8, where French Pete
and his partner Roblin have two feet of 5 cent dirt.
On No. 10 Jack Herron and partners have drifted 35 feet and
are still in the pay. It is about 11 feet to bedrock.
Several men are prospecting on the right fork of Slate, and
good prospects have been found. The ground is said to be looking
better all the time, and it is believed a paystreak will be proved
before long.
OF G9DML
The regular weekly meeting of the
common council last Wednesday eve
ning had little business before it.
Warrants were ordered drawn in
payment of the following claims:
Harry Cribb, lumber, $16; W C.
Mitchell, lumber, 75 cents; Independ
ent Lumber Company, $8.93; Riley &
Beattie. December water, $13.50; Eric
Hard, blackstnithing. $9.00.
Fire Chief McGovern having made a
requisition on the lire committee for a
few joints of stovepipe needed to re
place wornout material of the kind in
the city building, the committee re
ported that Atclne Allen had been
approached with a view to securing
pipe of approved quality, but had stip
ulated for a warrant drawn on the
emergency fund, virtually amounting
to payment in cash. In the talk that
followed, the particularity of what is
commonly called the local steel trust
was deprecated-and means sought to
surmount tiie difficulty. A suggestion
from Mayor Barnes that maybe a
little lighter grade of pipe could be
secured from somebody else brought
chief McGovern to bis feet. He quoted
from an ordinance making it unlawful
to use less than 2-t-gauge steel pipe in
the lira limits, and asked what kind of
a figure t fie council would cut as the
very first violator of its own law. The
mayor acknowledged that the chief
had the best of the argument and the
problem was turned back to the fire
committee.
The council lapsed into a kind of!
committee of the whole and various
matters were talked over.
City Attorney Roden quoted from
decisions of the district court bearing
on the liability of business men for
tax on goods stored outside the city
limits. The rule is that such goods
are taxable when entering into the
regular business of the city; if go
ing direct from the warehouses for
consumption on the creeks or other
places outside the city, they are non
taxahle. Equitable understandings are
being reached with the merchants re
garding the matter.
Treasurer Lindberg is to submit to
the next meeting a statement of the
taxes collected, and sufficient money
will be credited to the salary fund to
square up back salaries.
It is understood that tlie Northern
Commercial Company will pay its taxes
before next meeting, and then the
company will be paid for apparatus
furnished to the fire department, as
per former agreement.
Certain women of the restricted dis
trict liave complained that women of
their own class are living unmolested
in the city proper. Investigation has
been made but no incriminating evi- i
dence obtained. Prompt action will be
taken if anybody lays formal charges
or any evidence justifying it cun be
secured.
1
Ben Atwater, who came over the
Chilcoot August, 29, 188(1, bound for the
Fortymile, lias met with a serious ac
cident, and is now at the Takotna post
in a helpless condition.
On September 17 last, “Uncle Ben.”
as he is familiarly called, accidentally
shot, himself with a double-barreled
shotgun. The charge p issed tl.r .ugh
the palm of his right hand, shattering
the fingers, and lodged in the left fore
arm. The wounds were dressed by Dr
Green, commissioner at Takotna, wh
ims done all that medical skill could dt
for the unfortunate man, but the in
juries received were so severe that
Atwater is absolutely dependent, upon
others for every service.
Unfortunately Atwater has no re
sources, and he has been compelled to
depend upon the kindness of friends
until arrangements can be made to
send hint Outside by the first boat.
Mr. Atwater bears an excellent
reputation among those that know him
tie was one of the founders of the
order of Pioneers of Alaska, and is a
Freemason and Oddfellow. These or
ganizations have been communicated
with and it, is hoped that, it will b<,
possible to send h in out to Boise, Ida u..
where he has sons and a daughter who
could look after him
The case of the United Slates v~.
ihe Pacific Cold Storage. Company, be
ing tlie comdemnation proceedings be
gun last fall in which a large amount
of meat was involved, terminated at
Fairbanks last month. The decree ot
the court followed a stipulated agree
ment between the district attorney and
the meal company. Of the 84 tons of
meat and meat products libeled, it was
found that 18,287 pounds should be
condemned because it consisted wholly
or in part of decomposed animal sub
stances and was not lit for human con
sumption. and i he same was ordered
set apart to be destroy ed by the United
Suites marshal; provision being made,
however, that the condemned meats
may be cooked and canned and sold as
dog feed, under proper bonds and guar
antees that sales will not be made un
lawfully. The remainder of the meat
was released.
.Mr. Parkin, manager of the Fait
b.mks Meat Company, lias made a
statement in which he says the com
pany has never offered any of the sus
pected meat for sale and did not intenil
to; that meat spoils annually on the
hands of the P. (J. S. Co. and Is cooked
and so d for dug feed; that no meat
C unpany could afford to sell any meat
iaiiued in the slightest degree, which
would cause it to lose its trade and lay
it open to criminal prosecution; that
tne information was lodged in the first
place by a professional informer and
dischargtd employe; that the govern
ment went off half cocked, and that
it realized nothing was proved by find
ing aged meat in a storage warehouse
or it would not have settled tlie case.
NOT MANY IN REINDEER COUNTRY
There are only four men on tlie Rein
deer river this winter. They are Wal
ter Hunsaker and George Lee, who
went in six or eight months ago, and
Jack Stewart and Jake Herrington,
who have gone but lately.
The only edible game over there is
ptarmigan, and they are very wild A
few marten are in evidence, according
to Henry Peel, who recently made a
trip to the Reindeer.
In Bui to, Humboldt, Cuerte Rev, Op
timo, Lovera, Bock and a fine line of
Puerto Rico Cigars at Empire Com
mercial Co.
Oregon City woolen goods. H. Boas.
Wrink'e-i s'loti d merely indicite
where smiles have been.—Mark Twain.
Bill-of-Sale blanks—Pioneer office.
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
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4
4
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Is proving quite successful. We sold many 5
Suits of Clothes to men who had no intention 1
of buying. The prices were the sellers 4
IT iS NOW UP TO YOU \
TO PICK ONE OF OUR FLYERS l
Our entire line of Men's Furnishings and
Shoes included in our Great Clearance Sale.
,
Leading Qiothiers i
<
GOEDOVANS IMPRESSED BY
DELEGATE WICKEESHAM
A letter from Rev. Dr. M.E. Koor.ce,
of Cordova, to Rev. Dr. Young, dated
Dec. 4, says: *'Wiekeraham was here
last week; he made an address in Eagle
Hall, which was packed with people.
The impression lie left was very favor
able, and he has more friends here
iban ever.”
Dr. Koonce says there are not half
as many people in Cordova as there
wet e a year ago, and scarcely any out
along the railroad, except a few at
I 'hitina. The people are waiting anx
iously for the settlement of the coal
question.__
CANADIAN MAY RULE IN BRITAIN
London, Deo. 16.—Mr. Bonar Law
has been selected Conservative leader in
the house of common*. In succession to
Mr. Arthur Balfour. iu:d in the event
of the next elections turning against
the Liberals he would be ilie logical
choice Tor premier.
Mr. Bonar Law is a native of New
Brunswick, and his election as leader
of t great party is considered a high
compliment to his country.
TO REOPEN THE COMBINATION
The attachment suit against George
Kinruan, of Fiat City, pending in the
commissioner's court at Iditurod. was
settled out of court.
The Combination saloon, which was
closed on account of the suit, wilt be
reopened shortly by Gularte & Font as.
AND
In all lengths, see
Flat City Water Co,
Back of Stanley's. P. 0. Sundberg, Mgr.
RICH SPOT CN FAIRBANKS CREEK
What is considered to be the richest
spot of pay ever struck on Fairbanks
creek, was encountered by Martin,
Walters & Sandstrom, laymen on 2 be
low, left limit bench claim, Wednesday
afternoon, Dec. 0, says the Fairbanks
Times. Panning tests from the enti
length of tiie 25 out face now discin',
indicate phenomenal values. Pa
average #2.50, anu the dirt is ft.
three to four feet in thickness Tin
ground will run $03 to the square 1
of bedrock. The width of the spot l;:i»
not been demonstrated, as only one 12
foot thaw has been taken out.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES TOMORROW
In the commissioner’s courtroom at
8 p. m. Sermon on ‘'The Look F.
ward.” Good singing. Everybody w .
come. S. HALL YOUNG, Pastor.
In th- Justice’s Court, District of Alask.
Fourth Division, Otter Precinct.
Starr Ballard, Frank Chew an ! J. I.
Jean, plaintiffs, vs. Rothchild Bros., i
corporation, defendant. —No. y;
Summons for Publication.
The President of the United States •
Rothchild Bros., a corporation, gr.
ing:
You are hereby required to appear be
fore the undersigned, a justice of tin
peace for Otter precinct. District of
Alaska, within thirty days from the dale
of the last publication of this summon •
at the office of ilie United States com
missioner, in the Miners Merchants
bank building. Tditamd, Alaska, lo an
swer the complaint of Starr Ballard,
Frank Chew and J. I,. Jean, plaintiffs
above named in the above entitled cause,
wherein they demand one hundred and
fffly dollars, costs, and attorney's f. «. 3
amounting to seventy-five dollars, and
in case you fail to so app.-ar and answer,
judgment will be granted against you
and in their favor for the said amounts
and the property attached in the above
sntitled cause will be sold to pay such
judgment;
inis summons is puolisneu pursuant
to in order of publication made by the
judge of the above entitled court De
cember 8, 1911.
The date of the first publication is
December 9, 1911, and the date of the
last publication is January 13, 1912.
WITNESS the official seal and signa
ture of the judge of the above entitled
court. K. M. STANTON.
U. S. Commissioner and ex-officio
Justice of the Peace.
MERCHANTS CAFE
Caters to Large and Small Parties
PRIVATE DINING ROOMS
Popular Prices Everything First Class
CHAS. E. MILLER, PROP.
Open All Night Open All Night <
THE NOR THERM :
<
<
Family Trade a Specialty
Goods Delivered to Ail Farts of §J1y Day or Night
i
HARRY ASHLAND GEO. F. MARSH\
(
__Warm, Clean and Comfortable—Ed Kelly's Diskaket Roadhouse__
Marquette Rye AA, National Club Bourbon, G. & U. Dry Gin,
Queen Anne Scotch and Budweiser Beer
THE BUD WEISER JACK BAIRD iditarod _flat city ED ANDERSON THE BRANCH