Among the tragedies of the North it appears almost certain
that two more names must be added to the list of casualities that
go to pay the heavy toll demanded by the Goddess of Fortune of
those who would be her retainers. Two more victims of the line
of the land of gold.
Are Harry Rice and his partner Tom still in the land of the
living or are their bones whitening under the summer sun some
where in the hills between Iditarod city and the Yukon t I his is
the question many are asking, and it may never be satisfactorily
hiiswg re d.
When they departed from Otter creek along in the dead of
winter with but seven days’ grub, no snowshoes and an outfit to
tally inadequate to withstand the rigors of this climate, tney had
scarcely been out two days when they encountered one of the worst
storms of the winter. They have never been seen since, nor has
word of them ever been received. Their property at Holy Cross
has never been claimed, and there is every reason to believe they
never reached the Yukon on that trip.
The story has just been brought to the attention of the author
ities through the application of parties who wanted to purchase a
launch engine belonging to Rice and his partner at Holy Gross.
Commissioner Maltby stated that he could do nothing in the. prem
ises as the men cannot be officially declared dead, and, besides, the
property lays outside of Maltby’s precinct.
According to the story told, Miss J- Murphy, now at. the
mouth of Flat, and Mrs. Van Pelt, now at Ophir, left St. Michael
last fall on one of the last boats. They had a launch with them
but the expedition got frozen in 2i) miles below Holy Cross, and
the two women agreed to give the launch to Rico and his partner
if they would bring them into the Iditarod. They all mushed to
the Mission, where they secured an outfit and sled, and then
mushed across the country to the mouth of Otter.
The two men, having* delivered their charges, started back
two weeks later to Holy Cross, this being sometime about the lat
ter part of December or early in January.
According to reports they were in no shape for such a journey
as they had but little grub and a poor outfit. Bota were chccha
cos, and as near as can be ascertained were ex-naval men with
little trail experience and no knowledge o' the country. Shortly
after they started they were caught in a bad snowstorm, and then
subsequent movements have been shrouded in mystery and doubL
as though the final curtain had been rung down on them.
They started up Trail creek from the mouth of Otter, and al
though many people were on the lookout for them, they never put
in appearance at any point along the lower river. . The launch,
which had been frozen in, was dismantled by the Indians.and her
engines removed. They are now laying at Holy C ross witn no one
to claim them. ...
Just what to do about the matter is the question that is.puz
zling the authorities here, but it is probable that the matter wdl be
turned over to the commissioner of the Holy Cross precinct-._
Arrive A'ter Long Voyage
Thirty-nine days out of Fairbanks,
from which point they cleared May 27
in the launch Wildcat, Harold Seddon,
Charles Newton, Mrs. Newton andson
Charles, reached Iditarod City Tues
day nighs last, reporting the sledding
good on most of the bars. Seddon is
interested in some of the best ground .
on Flat creek, notably the Wildcat as- i
fiociation au.l will put in some time this ,
summer weighing his pokes and clip
ping coupons. Newton, who is one of
the best single-handed Mcrganthaler
men in the country, is now feeding the
linotype in this otlice, applying the
power himself.
Henry Boas, one of our leading mer
chants, expects his e-ldest son to arrive
bore in a short while to help him at
tend to the store.
For Gold Seal Ruler Boots, McKinley Ruler Shoes
And Full Line of Ciothing and Furnishings
Iditarod Iditarod
J. ti. HWM/iMLfj,
Hardware, Optical Goods, &c.
WILLOW AVENUE, lO'TAROD_
B. B. K POOL ROOM
CIGARS,SOFT DRINKS AND CONFECTIONERY
Music Every Evening
Piano, Drums and Xylophone
—
BOURRET, BRIDGES & UMPHREY, PROPRIETORS
Rams’ Place
FOR HOOTCH AND A GOOD CIGAR
Iditarod City
Order and Notice Regarding
Election of Delegate from
the Territory of Alaska to
the House of Representa
tives of the United States.
United States of America, Otter Re
cording District, Territory of Alaska,
ss:
I, Alfred E. Maltby, Commissioner of
the Otter Recording District, Alaska,
do hereby, in accordance with the re
quircmentsof the actof the Fifty-ninth
congress entitled “An Act Providing
for the Election of a Delegate to the
House of Representatives from the
Territory of Alaska,’’ issue the follow
ing order and notice regarding said
election:
1. I do hereby divide the Otter Re
cording District into five (5) polling
precincts, and do hereby describe and
define the boundaries of eacli of said
precincts by natural objects and perma
nent monuments and landmarks as fol
lows, to-wit:
Otter Creek Precinct
Otter Creek Precinct comprises that
portion of the valleys and watersheds
of Otter Creek and its tributaries, be
tween a line drawn across the valley of
said Otter Creek from tue summits of
the divides on eacli side thereof
through tlie mouth of Dry Gulch, a
tributary of said Otter Creek on the
left limit and tho head of said Otter
Creek.
The polling place for said precinct
shall be on Discovery Claim of said
Otter Creek.
Flat Creak Precinct
Flat Creek Precinct comprises all of
the valleys and watersheds of Otter
Creek and its tributaries between the
lower or down stream end of Otter
Creek Precinct and the junction of
Otter Creek and Alkabess Creek.
The polling place for said precinct
shall be at the Town of Flat.
Otter City Precinct
Otter City Precinct comprises all
the valleys and watersheds from the
lower or downstrerm end of Flat Creek
Precinct to the junction of Otter Creek
and the Iditarod River, including the
town of Otter, and also all the valleys
and watersheds of the Iditarod River
and its tributaries above the town of
Otter.
The polling place for said precinct
shall be at the town of Otter.
Dikeman Procinct
Dikeman Precinct comprises all tho
valleys and watersheds of the Iditarod
River and its tributaries situated above
tlie junction of Caribou Creek and said
Iditarod River.
The polling place for said precinct
shall bo at the town of Dikeman.
Iditarod Precinct
Iditarod Precinct comprises all the
valleys and watersheds of the Iditarod
River and its tributaries, including
Caribou Creek, situate above tho junc
tion of Caribou Creek and said Iditarod
River and its tributaries to the junc
tion of Otter Creek and tho Iditarod
River, excluding said Otter Creek and
its tributaries, tho said Iditarod Pre
cinct is intended to embrace within its
boundaries all the Otter Mining and
Recording District not included within
the boundaries of the other described
precincts.
The polling place for said precinct
shall be the Town of Iditarod.
II. I hereby give notice that said
election, namely, an election for one
delegate to the House of Representa
tives of tho United States, who shall
hold his office for the full term of the
Sixtv-second Congress, will be held on
the second Tuesday of August, 1910,
said second Tuesday being the 9th day
of August, 1910, and that said election
will be hold on said day between the
hours of eight o’clock antemeridian
and seven o’clock postmeridian at the
polling places in the various precincts
of this election district hereinabove
specified in connection with the defin
ing of the boundaries of each of said
precincts.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed my
official seal this fith dav of Julr, 1910.
ALFRED E. MALTBY,
Commissioner in and for Otter Pre
cinct, Alaska.
Capt, Allison's Place
Cigars, Tobaccos, Soft Drinks,
Confectionery and Fruit
IDITAROI)
Mitci rod
Lodging House
ROOMS ANtT
SPRING BEOS
Adolphe Rippa, Manager
MCDONALD’S
Lodging House
FURNISHED ROOMS AND BUNKS
Front Street Iditarod City
Fort Gibbon’s Up-to-Date House
Golden North
HOTEL
Finest and Neatest Rooms
Caters Especially to Family Trade
NO Bar
ED Y. BEE, PROP.
PRISONERS
FOR OUTSIDE
Chief Deputy Marshal Percy G.
Charles left Fairbanks June 25 in
charge of a party of prisoners and
insane patients for the outside via
St. Michael. The prisoners were
James Ryan, Frank O’Leary and
Ed Lord, convicted of attempted
robbery; C. C. Morgan, attempted
rape; Bob McCullough, larceny;
John Simpson, assault with a dan
gerous weapon, and Charles Ben
son, A. H. Chute and John Haw
kinson, insane.
The Fourth was celebrated at
Discovery, Otter creek, by a large
gathering from that and neighbor
ing creeks.
A variety of sports were partici
pated in by a number of well
known athletes.
As a preliminary to the main
event was a four-round boxing
contest between the English light
weight champion known to Alas
kans as the “Popcorn Kid," and
the “Cold Field Eightning Catch
er.’’ The Englishman bravely tried
to recover the prestige lost by his
countrymen on the field of battle
on the day we celebrate, but the G.
F. E- C,, while not exactly living
up to his name, was awarded the
decision.
The principal attraction was a
wrestling match for the champion
ship of Alaska and a substantial
purse between Tom Vasile, “The
Greek,’’ and A. Rheinholz, “The
Buffalo Kid.’’ The Greek won the
match it) two straight falls, the Kid
sustaining a fractured rib in the
second bout.
This event was followed by an
interesting exhibition wrestling
Dont between the Greek and the
Dutch Kid, illustrating the differ
ent holds known to mat artists.
A ball was held in the evening
in Carl Thiel’s new building, which
was largely attended and enjoyed
by all. The distribution of the
sexes was rather uneven, however,
there being 300 men to 20 women.
Introductions and dance cards were
tabooed, and it goes without saying
that there were no wallflowers
among the fair sex at that dance.
An amusing feature of the dance
was Cockney Courtney's wireless
messages from the Jeff Johnson
light read between the dances
Returns were still pouring in when
the dance broke up. Both men
were still fighting like fiends with
no signs of a finish in sight. The
tiiird referee had just taken charge
of affairs, and the spectators were
nervous wrecks.
Rooney Get There
F. W. Rooney, one of the old-time
purveyors of Alaska did a quick change
stunt during the last week when lie
heard that his late grantors were fram
ing to rejump his lot on Front Street.
He made it from the hay to the corner
stake in 3G seconds, by six stop watches
that got him. He is building a big
store and warehouse there now oppo
site Manuel's, and will pile several
sacks of beans on to hold down the
ground.
tsennett James weparis
Bennett James, owner of the famous
17 Goldstream of the Fairbanks district,
left Friday for the upper city having
completed arrangements for a lay on
the Bonanza association on Flat creek.
George Friend and Frank Lawson are
partners in the new deal and they be
lieve that they are on the goods. James
will return to Iditarod City early in
September.
Returning to Fairbahks
Abe Isaacs, the well-krown clothier,
and gents’ furnisher, is on his way
back to Fairbanks to send down more
of his first class goods. Abe will stay
in Fairbanks and Mr. Ike Bayles will
come down hers to attend to the busi
ness at this point. We will all be glad
to welcome Iko.
Mark Manson, champion pinochle
player and president of the Otter Club,
has an interest in the local water
works. He says that much of his prod
uct will be used by the steamboat peo
ple this season.
Charley Nordale, an old-timer in the
Innoko valley, was a visitor in town
last Thursday.
✓
The Fourth of July celebration in the newest 'town in the
world has just passed, and among other things has given one more
illustration of the foolishness of that vexed question of a few years
a go, as to whether the Flag followed the Constitution or vice versa
by showing that together they follow the prospector.
Just 32 days had passed since the first boatload of stampeders
were landed on the beach at what is now Iditarod City, and in that
month a town has arisen amongst the niggerheads, in a way of
which people who have never left old settled communities can have
no conception.
The inclement weather of the first week had been a great
cause of hardship, the discouraging reports of pessimists had its
effect to a certain extent, but now these have passed, the tent city
is rapidly giving way to more substantial structures as lumber be
comes available, making us more firmly established, and a good
stage of water has made optimists of all.
The Fourth of July in a town of R00 humans and 2,000 dogs is
a never-to-be-forgotten occasion. Although devoid of some of the
usual trimmings common on the Outside it is replete with life and
action enjoyed by sourdoughs and cheechacoes alike. There were
no firecrackers, so we are up to date in having a sane Fourth. An
occasional fusilade of pistol shots answered for the noise part of it,
while an occasional inebriated individual reiterated the statement
that we must be respected in a patriotic manner impossible to ac
quire on a diet of red lemonade.
The sports began at the new Courthouse at 2:30 p. m. with a
wrestling bout between Sharkey Watton and Ed Hardy. Clever
work on the part of both men >von loud applause from the large
crowd. Sharkey won in two straight falls, 10 and 7 minutes re
spectively. Tom MeC-rae refereed the bout. This was followed
by a four-round boxing bout between Young Jeffries and Warren
Wilson. This event was an interesting study in human endurance,
as showing how trained athletes can withstand such gruelling con
tests without receiving injury. It was declared a draw.
A poling boat race was next on the program but failed to
materialize. When a man has poled his outfit about 400 miles he
may be excused if he would rather enter some rather less strenu
ous contest.
A 10 mile Marathon witn several good long-distance men as
entries was to have been the feature of the day, but it simmered
down to a 100-yard dash in the mud. There was a large number
of entries and the time is given as 10 minutes flat, but as John
Enlund, who was timekeeper was giving a figures cn some lumber
at the time the official time is disputed. Spectators say that
Johnny checked off some fellows who were crossing the street a
considerable period before the runners appeared.
The finish of the sports was climbing the flag pole at Frank
Miller’s corner. The pole was greased half way up, the flag stop
ped up and mast headed, then the fun began. Several fellows
managed to secure their share of the bacon grease a few feet from
the bottom and retired.
Scotty Thomson putting his nautical training to use made a
pair of stirrups out of rope yarns and after getting all of the re
maining grease absorbed came thinking that was all there was to it.
Tiie sensation of the day occurred then, however. A little Jap
who had been an intere ted spectator, seeing no more entries
showing up, speedily climbed to the masthead, and casting off the
stops with his teeth allowed Old Glory to follow its natural bent.
The dance which was heid in the Courthouse in the evening
was delayed somewhat by the arrival of the steamers Evelyn and
White Seal, whose passengers were agreeably surprised to find a
dance awaiting them. About 50 couples enjoyed themselves until
an early hour.
The sports committee were Commissioner Maltby, Marshal
Donovan, Henry Roden and Albert Wile.
Tanana Leader, June 23: Chief
Isaac, with two of his followers,
floated into Tanana Sunday even
ing and will return again 011 one of
the first boats. The local natives
did not miss this opportunity of
having a big potlatch, which was
pulled off Tuesday night. Isaac is
the chief of the Nfoosehide tribe
near Dawson, and is known as a
very intelligent and energetic man.
At one time he contemplated a
plan to federate the various native
tribes of this part of the country,
with himself as supreme chief, but
he finally realized that the scheme
would be impracticable with the in
fluence and authority of the while
man extending so rapidly.
A. S. Kemp, better known as “Doc,”
is just opening up his new emporium
on Second Avenue, where ho has a
bunch of lingerie and Chjjnticler^hats.
He says ho knows what the ladies want
and brought the goods with him, direct
from New York.
Eddie McArdle, one of tho J. P.
Morgans of Otter creek is in town try
ing the pavements and getting cut 0/
the way of automobiles.
Subscribe for The Pioneer now.
THE BOSTON CLOTHING CO.
First and Willow Sts., Iditarod
WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF
Strong &. Garfield Shoes
SEE OUR
Boss Raw Edge Stetson Hats
CURLEY’S
Discovery Cafe
H. W. BENSON, PROP. I9ITAROD CITY
Short Orders Our Specialty
Riverside Hotel
Iditarod City A. F. Morgan, Manager
| FINEST EQUIPPED LOG HOTEL IN THE NORTH
Furnished Rooms and Bunks at Moderate Rates
Every Bunk a Spring