Valdez Daily Prospector
PUBLISHED BY THE
Prospector Publishing Co.
TERMS.
Daily Prospector.
By carrier, per month.SI.00
By mail, per annum.10.00
The Weekly Miner.
By carriei per month.40
By mail, pcr annum. 3.00
The Daily Prospector and Week
ly Miner by carrier to one ad
dress, per month.. 1.26
The Daily Prospector and Week
ly Mine’ by mail to one ad
dress only, per year.12.59
Business Office and Editorial Rooms.
’Phone 152.
Advertising Rates on Application.
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1915.
WICKERSHAM BACK IN G. O. P.
According to the Times’ reported
interview with Mr. Wickersham, the
political acrobat of Alaska, since
coming back to Fairbanks, that gen
tleman has turned a back somer
sault and landed in the camp of the
O. 'O. P. Of late years Jimmy has
been on both sides of the political
fence, under the fence and on top cf
the fence. Query: How long will lie
remain where he is at present. Or
will the old reliables of the G. O. P.
kill the fatted calf tc celebrate the
return of the prodigal son? He is
now ready to swallow Taft, Bever
idge and Shackleford and turn aside
from the man with the big teeth.
"Constancy thou art a jewel.” Jim
mie never changes, ‘‘but administra
tions may change.” Jimmie is always
working for Mr. Wickersham alone.
Jimmie is a G. o. t\ when it is to
his own selfish interests to be a G.
O. P. He is i Roosevelt Republican
when it promises better returns, or a
Wilson Democrat if necessary. But
a la Jay Gould, for Wickersham al
ways. He is now glibly telling the
people of Alaska of the wonderful
things that the party he has lately
deserted is going to do for Alaska
in the way of railroad construction,
and expending public money through
out the territory, but he has chang
ed his mind somewhat since his cam
paign for reelection last fall. His
election would hasten the building
of the railroad. No other man in Al
aska had the ear and confidence of
President Wilson like Mr. Wicker
ersham. His reelection would hasten
the building of the railroad to Fair
banks. Now he conies back to tell
the people that it will require con
siderable time, perhaps years. He is
letting his deluded supporters down
easy.
But there is o.ie thing of more im
mediate importance to the people f
interior Alaska at the present time
than the railroad and that is the
freight rate to be charged for river
transportation the coming summer.
That, Mr. Wickersham is very silent
about.
In order for us to enjoy the bene
fits of a government constructed and
operated railroad after it is built, we
must have an opportunity to live un
til that time.
Mr. Wickersham dwelled at great
length in his 'address before Con
gress on the railroad bill, on the ex
orbitant freight charges, charged by
the transportation companies in Al
aska. But what has he done to rem
edy that evil? We are still left at
the mercy of the companies. The
freight rates will be the same the
coming season as though we had
no representative in congress.
This valley has been bled of a
great part of the gold produced in
paying exorbitant freight rates, and
from present indications will con
tinue to be bled by the same gang.
If the people are compelled to con
tinue to pay the freight rates here
tofore charged, there will be no need
ef an agricultural college, a school
of mines, or a semi-centenial at Fair
banks.—Fairbanks Socialist News.
GUTHRIE, Okla., May 29.—A tor
nado struck the city of McLain, in
this state, yesterday and left it a
mass of ruins. Several people lost
their lives while many others were
severely injured in the wrecked build
ings. The tornado was as severe as
any that ha,s ever visited these parts.
Weather Report
Valdez, May 28, 1915.
Barometric pressure .29,830
Temperature at 7 p. m. 54
Maximum temperature . 59
Minimum! temperature . 41
Mean temperature ... . 50
Precipitation.trace.
Clear air, wind eight miles; rain
ed at night.
ALASKA FOX FARMS
REPORT FAILURES
Deputy Commissioner of Fisheries
Puts the Chief Blame On the
Government.
Many failures in the new industry
of fox farming in Alaska are record
ed by E. Lester Jones, Deputy Com
missioner of Fisheries, in the report
on his recent investigations in Alaska
for the Department of Commerce.
He finds that the promise of big pro
fits caused many to rush into the bus
iness, and small fortunes were sunk
by men who did not understand the
difficulties of the industry.
The rush to raise foxes, the com
missioner says, was due to the exorbi
tant prices paid for live black, and
silver-gray foxes raised in Canada.
These prices, he declares, did not in
dicate a healthy condition in the in
dustry. Nevertheless, there was a
rush to raise foxes in Alaska in the
hope of reaping big profits quickly.
One of tho chief reasons for the large
majority of failures, according to the
commissioner, was the government’s
•system of leasing certain islands to
prospective fox farmers at a mini
mum of $200 a year for five years.
I The system was intended to encour
age fox raising, lie points out, but in
reality it proved one of the chief ob
stacles in the way of success.
‘‘Two hundred dollars per annum
does not seem much to people when
they hear of t;oxes being sold for $5,
000 to $10,000 a pair,” he says, “but
these unnatural and artificial prices
cannot possibly apply to the islands
situated in the Pacific ocean off the
coast of Alaska. The quality of the
fur from these islands is not as good
as that from inland areas further
north. The man who goes out to
that isolated country to carry on his
work alone has a hard row to hoe.
With a capital of say $3,000 he must
lay aside $800 to pay for his lease
for the first four years, as he must
not expect any return from his in
itial stock before the end of that
time. Then he has to buy his foxes
for a starter. Supposing he buys half
a dozen blue foxes, the cost will be
in the neighborhood of $1,200. There
!s $2,000 gone already, and the bal
ance will be well utilized in feeding
himself and his stock and in paying
other expenses.
“I have not allowed anything for
corrals, for in most cases on these
islands t e foxes do better to run
at large, but it must be understood
that on many of the islands of west
ern Alaska, including some of those
offered by the government on lease,
there is not enough natural food to
take care of what would ordinarily
constitute a fair number of foxes for
such an area. Therefore, a man must
provide food the year round. If he
does his own work he has no in
come for the first four years. If he
is fortunate enough to have a good
position and still more fortunate in
securing a reliable man to look af
ter things for these four years, the
chances are that matters will be in
pretty good shape at the expiration
of his lease. Then what is going to
happen? Some other man may out
bid him, and time, labor, and build
jngs are an gone.
“The government, if opening a res
ervation in one of our western states,
would permit the land to be acquired
free, under certain restrictions, and
I cannot understand just why any
man who is reliable and industrious
and willing to go out and help to
develop that far away frontier coun
try of Alaska should not be encour
aged by the same privileges instead
of being hampered and disheartened
at the start.
"If it seems wise to lease the is
lands at $200 per annum or there
abouts, I should certainly be in favor
of arranging it so that after the first
five years a man would either re
ceive a rebate of perhaps half of the
leasing price paid by him when he
has proved his good faith or I would
suggest sliding scale for leasing
these islands at $50, for example, for
the first five years and then a sta
tionary price for the next ten years
with the privilege of renewal, if de
sired, for another ten years, and so
on. {
“Under the present leasing sys
tem, at the end of five years a man
may lose the island where his money
and efforts were spent during the life
of the lease. I would suggest that
the men who have already leased
these islands should be advised at
once that the government extends
the right to the leasing of their is
lands to ten years, with the privilege
of renewal for ten more. This would
«•
be highly satisfactory and would cre
ate confidence and satisfaction, which
do not exist today among those who
have leased islands or are contem
plating such a step.”
Mr. Jones believes that the gov
ernment could easily remedy condi
tions by lowering the rental price
on these islands, so that it comes
within a poor man’s means and by
granting liberal extension of leases
so that the farmer may have plenty
time to develop his industry.
“The present system does not seem
just or right,” he concludes. “The
poor man without means is the one
who should be assisted in undertaking
this work. He should have the sup
port of the government and not be
handicapped or held back by having
some hardship imposed upon him.”
GERMANSSM
FOR HOSTILE ACTS
(Continued from page 1.)
tral ships and see that all of it was
used solely by the civilian population
and not allowed to reach the military
authorities.
Washington Hears of Note.
WASHINGTON, May 29.—It is un
derstood here that the German note
has beeivgiven to Ambassador Gerard
and that its tone is all that could
be asked from the Imperial German
government. The sinking of the
American steamer Gulflight is admit
ted but full reparation will be given
and money damage paid at once for
the loss of the steamer and the lives
of the three Americans killed. The
attack is said lo have been the result
of an error, the commander of the
submarine believing the boat to have
been a British steamer.
Ask for Information Regarding Lusi
tania
The American government is also
asked to investigate the information
reaching Berlin that the Lusitania was
an armed ship, carried large supplies
of munitions of war and was thus not
entitled to any consideration by the
German admiralty.
Wants Action Deferred.
The note also asks the American
government to defer any action in the
matter until the ,German government
can present more fully its case
against the action of Great Britain
and also present to President Wilson
its great provocation and justification
for the acts of the submarines.
Sorry American Lives Lost.
The Imperial German government
again expresses its keen regret that
the sinking of a British steamer car
rying 4,500 cases of ammunition and
almost all of its cargo composed of
contraband of war should have re
sulted in the loss of American lives,
especially as the German government
had gone to great lengths to warn
Americans that they were in great
danger in traveling on British steam
ers.
Cannot Treat Armed Steamers As
Merchant Vessels.
The German government insists that
the arming of merchant vessels places
them on the same plane as warships
and that the fact that the boats carry
passengers cannot be considered by
the German admiralty without great
loss to the empire.
Kayser’s silk hose at E. Winter’s.
England Angers Packers.
LONDON.—With millions of dol
lars’ worth of provisions tied up by
the British admiralty and virtually
no opportunity to ship foodstuffs to
•Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, Eu
ropean representatives of American
\ packers have lost all patience with
what they call the dilatory tactics
of English officials, and no longer
are disposed to accept in good faith
the promises of the British foreign
office and admiralty that immediate
steps will be taken to facilitate neu
trall trade with neutral countries.
The refusal of Sir Samuel Evans,
judge of thej prize court, to grant
immediate trial in the cases of the
Norwegian sh'ps Alfred Nobel, Bjorn
stjerne Bjornson, Kim, and Fridland,
which were seized at Kirkwall in No
vember, was the worst blow which
neutral ships and shipping have had
so far. The hearing was fixed for
June 7, on the request of the counsel
for the Crown, who pleaded for more
time for investigation.
All four of these Norwegian ships
carry large quantities of American
goods, chiefly packers’ products. The
wheat which was on these ships has
been taken oyer by the English gov
ernment and paid for. The same is
true of the copper, but the packing
house products have been detained In
definitely In spite of efforts to have
them released.
In addition to these four ships
twelve others which carried packers’
products have been thrown Into the
prize court. These are the Arkansas,
THE EVENT OF THE YEAR
GIGANTIC CLEARANCE SALE OF
MEN AND YOUNG MEN’S SUITS 4
Beginning Saturday, May 29th, We Will Put on
Sale Over 100 Suits at Less Than Cost Price.
PRICES CUT IN HALF
Thirty Dollar Suits, sale price - - - $15.00*
Twenty-five Dollar Suits, sale price - $12.50
Twenty Dollar Suits, sale price - - - $10.00
A line of suits, regular price up to
$18.00, sale price - -«----$ 7.50
SIZES, 34 TO 42
These Suits are such well-known makes
as Hart SchafFner 8c Marx, Stein-Block
8c Co., and Henry Sonneborn 8c Co.
It Will Pay You To Attend This Sale
and buy your clothes for the Fourth of July,
next Christmas, or even for next year.
You Can Buy Three Suits for the Price of One
Copyright Hurt Scbaffner & Mors
S. BLUM & CO.
GOOD GOODS
Antilla, Frogner, Elsa, Grekland,
Maracas, New Sweden, Kjorsford,
Balta, Seguranca, Taurus and Stavn.
The goods on these ships have been
held pending investigation.
Alfred R. Urion, of Chicago,-the le
gal representative of the Chicago
packers, who has been in London
since January in an effort to effect the
delivery of packing products to neu
tral countries, has been in constant
communication with Ambassador
Page, Consul General Skinner, and
the commission the English govern
ment has created to deal w'ith con
traband. In discussing the situation,
Mr. Urion said:
"Prize Court authorities have defi
nitely refused to release our goods ex
cept upon the consignors’ undertak
ing to sell the goods in Great Britain
and to give English bail in the full
value of the seized cargoes. The first
of these conditions is impossible, be
cause most of the- goods have been
packed for continental markets and
are unsalable here. The suggestion
that American packers give English
bail for their own goods is unreason
able.”
It is known generally in London
that a compromise has been agreed
upon wJth American copper interests
by which a limited amount of cop
per may be sent regularly to Euro
pean neutrals. Mr. Urion wonders
why American meat should be treat
ed | with less consideration than
American copper or wheat, copper and
provisions should receive similar
treatment.
No Fool.
•He’s hot headed, but he’s no fool.”
“What do you mean?”
“He knows enough not to lose his
temper In the presence of a man he
can’t lick.”—Detroit Free Press.
Bamboo Lighthouse.
A lighthouse constructed of bamboo,
which Is In use in Japan, Is said to
have great power of resisting salt wa
ter and does not rot like ordinary wood.
It Was Burned.
“She had money to burn when she
narried the count."
“Yes. and so he made light of her
fortune.”—Philadelphia Ledger.
SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION.
In the District Court for the Terri
tory of Alaska, Third Division.
Anthony J. Dimond, plaintiff, vs.
Rambler Gold Mining Co., a corpor
ation, defendant.—Summons. No. 714.
—Summons. No. 714.
The President dt the United States
of America, greeting:
To Rambler Gold Mining Co., a cor
poration. the above-named defendant:
You are hereby required to appear
In the District Court for the Terri
tory of Alaska, Third Division, at Val
dez. Alaska, within thirty days after
the completion of the publication of
this summons, to-wlt: on the fbth day
of July, 1916, and answer to the com
plaint of Anthony J. Dimond, the
above-named plaintiff In the above
entitled cause. The said cause Is an
action brought by the said plaintiff
against you to recover from you the
Copper River Lumber Co., Inc.
ALL KINDS OF
Native and | f TMD iTD and Building
Puget Sound 1—* U iVlX3l_iXv Material
CONSTANTLY ON HAND
Prices Right W. M. FINICAL, Mgr. Phone 18
Patronize a Home Industry
ALASKA
STEAMSHIP CO.
S. Sc Mariposa, S. S. Alameda and S. S. Northwestern
sail from Seattle the 6th, 12th, 18th,[24th and'30th
EVERY MONTH
From Valdez south-7th, 13th, 19th, 25th and 31th for Cor
dova, Skagway, Juneau, Wrangall, Ketchikan and Seattle.
Regular freight service for Ketchiknn. Wrangell, Juneau. Sheep creek Treadwell.
Douglas Skagway. Cordova. Ellamar. Valdez and Latouche. Explosives. S S Seward.
8 S Seward. 5th1 S S Latouche, 15th; S S Cordova. 25th of each month—Right re
served to change this schedule without notice.
F B. Tracy, Gen’! Agt- Valdez Dock Co., Local Agt
Pacific Alaska Navigation Co.
PUGET SOUND PUGET SOUND ]
California Alaska
ALASKA i
Steamers sail from Seattle at SIP. M. on ]
5th, 15th, 25th—EVERY MONTH
St'amer tailing 15th calls Iliamna and Kodiak-All tailings call at Knik Anchorage 1
CALIFORNIA
Seattle to San Francisco every Wednesday and Sunday connecting with
Steamers Yale and Harvard for Southern California.
Rlpht reserved to change schedu.e without notioe
RICHARD J. RIN6W00D, Mgr., Seattle. VALDEZ DOCK CO. Local Agt,
sum of twenty-two hundred ninety
three and 14-100 dollars ($2,293.14),
together with interest thereon from
the first day of January, 1915, until
date of Judgment at the rate of eight
per centum per annum, and the said
plaintiff's costs and disbursements in
said cause. The order for the pub
lication of this summons was duly
made and entered on the 7th day of
May, 1915.
And you are hereby notified that
if you fail to appear and answer said
complaint as herein required, the said
plaintiff will take Judgment against
you for the said sum of twenty-two
hundred ninety-three and 14-100 dol
lar* ($2,293.14), together with inter
est and costs and disbursements, as
above stated.
The date of the first publication of
this summons Is the 7th day of May,
1915, and the date of the last pub
lication thereof is June 18, 1915.
Witness the Honorable Fred.
Brown, Judge of said Court, and th®
seal thereof, this 7th day of May.
in the year of our Lord one thousand
nine hundred fifteen, and of our in
dependence the one hundred thirty
ninth.
ARTHUR LANG, Clerk.
CHAS. A. HAND,
(Spal) Deputy Clerk.
Publications May 7, 14, 21. 28, and
June 4, 11, 18.