IDITAROD PIONEER
Published Every Saturday Evening at Iditarod, Alaska.
FRANK E. BECKER. EDITOR
EDITOR S PHONES- MAIN OFFICE NO. 2, AUXILIARY M
VaI 2 Cco. M. Arbuckle. Publisher No. 27
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
One Year.$10.00! One Month . 1.00
Six Months. 5.00 | Single Copy. 25
Advertising; Rates on Application.
SEEMS SO SIMPLE
Speaking of fires and fire-fighting, did it ever occur to
you that it would be good business to stop building fire
traps in towns where fire protection is inadequate. '( Or for
that matter, wouldn’t it be just simply too cute for any
thing to cut out this monumental asininity and quit building
fire traps altogether (
In every town in Alaska where our festive feet have
fared wTe have seen the same thing going on, in the same
way7, and with the same results, namely : We have seen
the city dads gravely gathered round, meditating with mas
sive mien, and wondering how much they can hook the
city for to put into the fire department. At the same time
we have seen ambitious carpenters swarming over the cor
nices of frame buildings put close together without fire
walls, while the balloon-ceiling man merrily weilds his
little hammer on the inside.
Some people might call this an anachronism, a contre
temps, a ludicrous contradiction or a folderol, but being
unable to think of the polite word, we will call it just what
it is,—plain dam foolishness.
As we say, this situation lias obtained in every city ol
size in Alaska where they have progressed beyond the log
cabin area, and it always has the same result. Sooner 01
later that camp is visited by a disastrous fire that nearly
wipes it oft the map and puts many of its estimable citizens
on the bum.
The total folly of allowing a balloon ceiling in a town
like this never struck us so forcibly as it has since that last
fire that wiped out a whole block of this perfectly good
city. Not only that, but directly under it they place a
gasoline lamp, admittedly the most devilish and dangerous
of all forms of sport. With these two lovely dangers within
reach of each other it requires no sense whatever to start a
fire,—why even a child could do it.
This same condition exists in nearly every house in the I
middle of the city, or the business portion thereof. Gaso
line lighting is the prevailing method of illumination, and
every night, the fates are tempted and only Good Fortune
sits on the lid. Twice this year and within three months
of each other, she has gone to sleep and fallen off, where
fore the city is out two blocks.
It is almost idle to talk of good fire fighting apparatus
w’hen such conditions are allowed to exist. Once a balloon
ceiling gets going, the building is practically doomed and
in such a hurry and with so much heat it is practically im
possible to keep it from spreading to adjoining houses. Bui
aside from putting the most dangerous contrivance into
our own house we take no precaution against a fire in oui
neighbor’s house. We just put up a board wall, plenty of
tar paper on the roof and then sit down and wait for the
fun to start.
Every balloon ceiling in this town should be covered
with asbestos paper at least, every outside wall should be
covered with iron. An agonized wail would go up if the
council tried to enforce such an ordinance for the buildings
now standing, but without some such precaution we might
as well dump our fire apparatus in the river.
To prove once for all whether or not
whites may sell intoxicants to natives
in Alaska, District Attorney Rustgard
has gone to San Francisco, The im
mediate object is to appear before the
court of appeals in the case of the
United States against Tom Nagle, who
was convicted on the charge of selling
whisky to a native at Juueau. Attor
ney Actander, for the defense, pleaded
that Alaskan natives are citizens of
the United States, according to tin
treaty made with Russia. On this plea
he succeeded in securing an appeal.
The Northwest Development leaguf
which will meet at Seattle for its next
annual conference, has planned t<
favor a wide exploitation of the Pacific
coast, including Alaska.
Lemonade and Ice Cream Soda a
Johnstone’s.
First Class in Fact
FIRST AVENUE
Furnished Booms, Bath Rooms, Spring Cots
Good Stables Adjacent
WHEN IN FLAT WHEN IN ID1TAR0D
EAT AT THE
Merchants Cafe
The Only Restaurant that
Did Not Raise Prices Dur
ing the Winter Months.
Open ■ Cut Headlights
TO DO YOUR MINING
Three thousand and five thousand candle power, throwing a shaft of light
1500 feet.
Call at the Iditarod headquarters for information concerning the J. B.
COLT’S ACETYLENE LIGHT MACHINE.
Pioneer Sheet Metal Works
ALL SIZES
For Fourth of July
Decorations,..,
j I. GOLDSTEIN 30
C. J. Hurley, President J. P. Gleason, Vice President A. Bruning, Cashier
Corner First Ave, and Richmond St., Iditarod
CAPITAL $50,000.00, FULLY PAID IN CASH
General Banking Business Transacted Upon Liberal, But Conservative Lines
GOLD DUST PURCHASED UPON ASSAY VALUE
And *.ve guarantee our assays against any of the government, assay offices.
Clippings from your gold furnished you for the pur|>ose
of obtaining check assays if desired.
We solicit your business, and assure you of our courteous, prompt and
careful attention combined with fair treatment, whether
your account may bo largo or small.
CHAIRS, WINDOW SHADES,
OSTERMOOR AND WOOL MATTRESSES
INLAID LINOLEUM. ETC.
PERISHABLES OF ALL KINDS
A Large Stock of Furniture and Groceries will arrive
on First Boat via St. Michael
Willow Street, Iditarod Phone -16
THE LUMBER GO,
HAVE ARRIVED WITH ALL KINDS OF
ALL DIMENSIONS TEL-86 Yard Near Slippmi Mill
R. RUTHERFORD, MANAGER
Good,
Billy Newman has received a letter
from Ruby creek, which, while not
particularly promising as to the
present outlook, leads one to believe
that a camp will be developed in that
section within tlie next twelve months.
In part the letter says:
••I have just got back to town after
being out in the hills three weeks I
ira pretty well staked in on the pay
creek, besides other creeks. I also
have a Front street lot, and if the
camp turns out all right I may be in
the pay. I have a tent and cache on
my 'ot and will start on a cabin within
a few days. Then I shall be footloose
to monkey around in the hills. The
ooys on Discovery, Long creek, so far
have got $1.50 the square foot, 100 feet
wide and up about 1900 feet.
“but right now it is pretty soon 10
know where the pay runs and how
many creeks have the pay, as there
has been very little prospecting done
on the other creeks. You could drop
the Fairbanks camp into this and have
another one left. It will be pretty
slow prospecting this summer, as the
packers charge 35c a pound to the
creeks. . . .
“Besides Long creek there are Birch
Flint, Basin, Last Chance, Wolf,
Bonanza, Beaver, Dome, Fox, Spruce
and a bunch of other creeks. The for
mation is schist, quartz, some lime
stone and granite and slate.
“I figure on prospecting next fall and
winter, and by next spring there may
be something doing. There are about
400 men around here at present.
“The boys on Discovery will be in
shape to ground sluice in from six
weeks to two months, and then we
shall know some more.”
Old Firm Coming Back
Report has it that F. W. Rooney &
Co. will be back to the Iditarod
on one of the first boats through
St. Michael bringing a fresh stock of
groceries from Seattle. The firm closed
out its stock last fall, and gave it out
that they were through with this sec
tion. It is reported however that they
left Seattle on the Victoria with their
goods. __
Pioneer Drug store has received
everything up to date over the Ice.
Flat City. __
Try a Portola Milkshake. They are
delicious at Johnstone’s.
I
' received here news notes have been
gleaned concerning old-timers of the
North and of Nevada who have flocked
to the new Ontario strike, which bids
fair to become one of the great gold
fields of the world.
Among others mentioned was Tracey
Hope, well known in the Klondike.
He visited Porcupine this spring, and
went to Vancouver, the inference
being that he went after money to in
vest in Porcupine mines.
“ Diamondfield” Jack Davis and Ed.
Mead, both well-known Nevadans, were
among the first-comers in the Porcu
pine country, looking for a chance to
get their hands on something good.
A. D. Williams, who had ono of the
most important concessions in the
Yukon when the Klondike was boom
ing, is also a Porcupine fan. He
hiked back to Kansas city for a certi
fied check and some clean collars,
having decided to remain in the On
tario camp.
“Foghorn” Neil McDonald, once of
Nome, is now in the Porcupine. Alfred
Z. Minter, W. Geddes, Tom Grady,
Jerry Galvin and other old time miners
of the North and the Southwest, are
down there looking for a chance to
trade a mule for a good mine.
Close Call For
Discovery Town
Discovery Otter had a close call from
fire last Saturday which is much more
pleasant to contemplate in retrospect
than it was at the time A forest fire
urged under a high wind encroached
upon the borders of the town so closely
as to burn back-yard fences in places,
and it was only stopped after a general
fight on the part of the whole popula
tion. At one time the danger seem ed
so imminent that many householders
began to wrap up their household gods
and prepared to beat it while their
shoes were still good.
The moss was extremely dry as a
result of the hot spell and a fire once
started spreads rapidly in all direc
tions.
Slippern has spring doors, fancy and
plain; wire screen—all sizes at lowest
prices.
Looks Bad for flic
Slayer of Sellers
Additional facts concerning the kill
ing of Fred Sellers the Baker Kid by
Borisa Rokoceviche, which occurred
at Fairbanks in the card room of the
Imperial cigar store, show that the
Slav tried to cheat at the game of
poker they were playing and, when
called, became angry and started the
fight. The men fought with fists
across the table, when a third player
got between them. This gave Rokoce
viche time to pull a gun and fire four
bullets into Sellers, who hud taken
refuge behind the door. The others
ran out of the room.
Spanish Claim Refuted
Havana, June 18—The assertion by
Spanish officers, shortly after the blow
ing-up of the Maine, to the effect that
the vessel's decks were cleared for
action at the time of the explosion, are
proven false by the engineers who
have inspected the wreck the past few j
days. The entire hull and the decks
of the Maine have been exposed by the
pumps. _
Pioneer drug store, Flat City, has
a fine line sheet music, strings for
musical Instrument*, violin pegs,
tailpieces, resin, how hair, bows,
bridges, harmonicas, etc.
Fine weather for a steam bath.
Elite Baths, Caribou street.
This Will interest Y'ou
The Johnson Mattress & Hose Com
pany make the finest silk floss mat
tresses on earth from $6 up.
Pure cotton-filled comforters, from
$2.50 up.
Floss pillows, $1.50 each.
Feather pillows, $2 each.
Sheet blankets, $1.25 each.
In a few days we shall have cretonne
and figured house lining, also colored
burlap. See us before you buy.
Johnson Mattress & Hose Factory,
Phone 22. Willow Street.
NOTICE DF HEARING OF PETITIONS
FOR NATURALIZATION
On Monday, July 10,1911, at 7:30 p.m.,
at the Court House at Jditarod, the Dis
t-rict Court for the Fourth Judicial Divi
sion will hear and pass upon petitions
for naturalization.
The following named persons, witli
two qualified witnesses, are especially
directed to appear at this time:
Lars Persson; witnesses, George B.
Wesch, F. W. Hawkins.
Kris Vavich; witnesses, Peter Mili
vik, Spasaje Radovich.
If any of the above-named witnesses
can not appear, properly c;ualilie(J.wit
nesses may be substituted.
Othet persons desiring to apply for
first or second papers may do so by
calling at the clerk’s office.
C. C. Page.
Clerk of the District Court,
Fourth Judicial Division.
.7. Gruenbaum is representing 77oths
cliild Bros., liquor dealers, and Mason,
Blit-man & Co., cigar importers. Place
your orders early. Phone 57.
DR. B. F. BROOKS,
Office: Discovery Otter.
Dr. Heinrich Wortmann,
Office at City Drug Store, Tel. 70
First Ave., Bet. Willow and Richmond
Office Hours—ii to i, 3 to 4, 7 to 8
DR. E. T. BRADBURY,
Dentist
Over Merchants Cafe, First Avenue
Telephone 30-B
CHAS. D. CARTER,
Dentist
Offices, I^ioneer Drug Stores,
Flat Creek
McGowan, Clark & Albrecht
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Iditarop, Alaska Phone No. 7
The Pioneer Attorneys of This Camp
ALFRED E. MALT BY,
[V. S. Commissioner]
Attorney at Law
Notary Public
Practice only in District Court. IDiTAROD
J. S. HARDING,
Attorney at Law
Room 1, Iditarod Hotel
Iditarod. Alaska
CHAS. E. TAYLOR,
Attorney at Law,
Notary Public, Conveyancing,
Abstracts of Titles
_flat City_
A. J. DALY,
Attorney at Law
M. & M. Bank Bldj?, Iditarod
Wickersham & Roden,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Iditarod, Alaska
£'. COKE HILL,
Attorney at Law
Simpson Building, Iditarod, Alaska
The Board of Trade
WILLOW STREET A. WALLACE, PROP.
Mil Hours MUk© in This House
GOME ONCE AND YOU WILL GOME AGAIN
FIRST AVENUE. SOUTAR & SUTHERLAND, Props.
An Alaskan Product
TRY THE
BABTHEL BREWING 00,’S
Bottled and Draught — —
Wholesale, Retail and Family Trade Supplied
Joe i-ieacock, Agent, Miners’ Home Saloon
You Don’t Have to Frog
WE SELL
Cigars, Pipes, Tobaccos,
Candies, Etc.
CAP’S PLACE
ml Cigar
iCli Store....
TURN YOUR FACE TO
For Inspiration
Corner Second Avenue and Willow Street
George Auten Dave Ferguson
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