Miners & Merchants Bank
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Capital, $50,000.00
General Banking Business Transacted Gold Dust Bought and Assayed
Dratts Issued on Any Part ot the World
SEATTLE CORRESPONDENT: SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN BANK
OFFICERS:
CHAS. ROSS, President
JOHN HOLMES, Cashier
R. C. BUTTON, Asst. Cashier
MUSHER RELATES STORY
OF WILLOW CREEK TRAGEDIES
Pet ails of the tragedies along the trail in
the vicinity of Willow creek were related in
Fairbanks recently upon the arrival of Ar
thur Helmstreet. who mushed in from the
coast. Although the bodies of the mur
dered men had been buried when he reached
the scene of the killing. Mr Helmstreet
learned many matters of interest in regard
to the murders.
He states that it was only by the merest
accident that the murders were discovered
by some workmen who were making hay
u short distance north of the WUow Creek
roadhouse, just above the point where the
Chitina trail turns off from the Valdez
road. i
Surrounding the roadhouse for some dis
tance is a large hay field, which extends
along the trail for some distance. The men
were making hay in the northerly end of
the field when one of them discovered a
watch on the ground. It did not look as
though it had been lying in the grass very
1 ng. and the workmen became suspicious
and began to investigate. It was only a few
moments until they discovered the body
lying in the underbrush within a few feet
of the edge of the field. This body was
later found to be that of Nelson.
Several days afterward two men were
driving along the trail a few hundred feet
farther north when one of them discovered
part of a pack outfit near the roadside.
On account of the other murder which had
been unearthed, they began a search and
soon found the other body.
When Mr. Helmstreet was discussing the
matter last night with a number of Fair
banks men it brought to the mind of a
prominent attorney the reign of terror that
was created in Fairbanks by the "blue
parka man." who held up so many stages
and individuals along the Cleary trail dur
ing the early days of the camp.
Many of those present who remembered
the incident were of the opinion that an
other "blue parka man," or a demon of
like character, was operating along the
trail, and the opinion was expressed that
there are many bodies of missing men hid
den in secluded spots along the highway.
Before leaving for the Outside. F'alcon
Jo.din stated that he expected to make it
his business to call upon the department of
justice at Washington to see if a thorough
investigation of the present cases could not
lie made by expert detectives. The mar
shal's office of this division is very anxious
to see the matter sifted to the bottom, and
would like to see special detectives placed
at work on the case.
Wireless Pictures Latest Invention
A genius who lives at Vallejo. Cal., has
evolved a wireless photographic instrument
which works only at night and reflects on
a mirror, it is said, a picture of everything
within a radius of several miles. He has
been invited by Secretary of the Navy Dan
iels to take the machine to Washington for
inspection. The instrument receives its im
pressions from a web of wires attached to a
tall mast. For this reason it is adaptable
to ships, making impossible, its inventor
claims, night collisions, accidents due to fogs
and running afoul of icebergs. It would be
valuable, too. it is claimed, for army use, as
the movements of an enemy at night could
be easily followed.
SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL
EXPERT BIG GAME HUNTER
(Fairbanks News-Miner)
Hunting all clay long, week in and week
out. carrying a Mannlicher ride anti a .22
also is a job for most men. many of whom
do not care for it even then, but that is
just what Miss Phyllis White, 16 years of
age. has been doing all fall, according to
the report of her father, Thomas H. White,
who is now in the city from the head of
the north fork of the Big Chena river.
Miss White came into the countrtv last
spring over the trail with her father,
mother, brother and sister-inlaw. The
brother and his wife left for the Outside
this fall on one of the last boats, but the
remainder of the family are living on the
Big Chena.
Up at the quartz camp where her father
and his partners are mining Miss White
is the official hunter, supplying the meat
which she obtains to the miners for several
miles around, who are too busy working
to hunt a few dayas for themselves. Cari
bou and all kinds of small game are usu
ally the result of a day's hunting when
Miss White starts out on a trip with her
Mannlicher and .22 ride. She shoots cari
bou with the ease of an old hunter at from
300 to 600 yards with her big gun, and the
ptarmigan or grouse which falls after she
has fired at him is always minus his head
when found. She never did any shooting
before coming to Alaska, but shows an
adaptation for it which is surprising.
The first caribou Miss White ever killed
was at a distance of 300 yards. On that
day she was hunting with her father when
one of the migrating animals was discov
ered browsing among the bushes. Mr.
White then and there offered his Mann
licher ride as a prize to his daughter if she
could kill the animal, and she now has the
big gun for her own.
NAT GOODWIN’S ANSWER
Nat Goodwin was attending a vaudeville
performance in a London theater when a
performer came along who was giving imi
tations of celebrities. He looked up at Nat
Goodwin in the box and said to the audi
ence, "I shall be very glad now to give
you an imitation of our foremost Ameri
can comedian, Nat Goodwin.” Mr. Good
win appeared to be somewhat embarrassed,
which added very much to the laughter and
amusement of the audience. After the per
font er had given his imitation he looked
up at Mr. Goodwin in the box and said
directly to him :
“How was that, Nat?”
“Well, one of us is rotten,” said Good
win, while shouts of laughter followed the
sally.
This Should Settle the Jap Question
Mrs. Seward A. Simons, former president
of the Los Angeles, Cal., Equality League,
and now vice president of the Friday Morn
ing Club of that city, is quoted by a Boston
paper as saying of the Japanese question:
“I don’t know enough about the agricul
tural situation to understand just how much
of a menace the Japanese are. Personally.
I have found them to be excellent servants
and workers and don’t see what California
would ever do without them.”
Location Notices at Pioneer office.
CLEMONS & KOON
PORTRAIT AND VIEW
Photographers
To Remain In the District Only a Few Weeks
Will Visit All the Towns of the Gamp
Corner Wickersham and Front streets, Flat City.
GRAND BAR nothing but the best
CITY The Piece to Meet
Nels Glantz, Prop. _Your Friends_|
NICELY FURNISHED ROOMS BY DAY OR WEEK
Warm, Clean Well Ventilated
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
TIE CROSBY
MEDICATED, MINERAL VAPOR, STEAM, — _ _
TUB, SALT AND FRESH WATER |S3LTl1S
Caribou St., Bet. Black and Willow Sts., on Waterfront
Electric and Faradic Massage Treatments by Expert Attendants
Lighted by Gas Heated by Steam
WAITE AND CRAVEN
MISSING SINCE 1911
Some time in the latter part of June,
1911, three men John Craven, L. C. Waite
and Charles Fowler -left Iditarod with the
intention of traveling across country to the
Copper river via what is known as the
Taklin trail. The men are reported to
have had three dogs, three mosquito tents,
two rifles, a Colt army revolver and about
fifty pounds of grub each. Some two weeks
later Fowler came hack to Discovery, Otter,
and stated that he had become lost from
Craven and Waite in a fog; that he had
wandered around for three or four days
and had finally landed on Julian creek, in
the Kuskokwim. He subsequcnttly went
to work for Price & Ives on Otter.
Since the time of the separation of these
men nothing has been heard from either
Waite or Craven. Whether there was foul
play, or whether the men met with some
accident or were drowned in the high
water of that year is still a question. Cra
ven has a wife Outside, to whom he al
ways wrote regularly; in fact, he last wrote
her on June 13, 1911, just before starting
nn this ill-fated trip. That was the last
word she ever received from him. Waite
was a member of the Elks, a former resi
dent of Napa, Cal. He corresponded regu
larly with a Mrs. Sommers there. She has
never heard froni^ him since. He was a
-lose friend of Ray Clark's. Clark has
made inquiry but without success. He, too,
has never heard from Waite, although they
were most intimate.
There is little doubt but that these men
have perished miserably; whether by ‘acci
dent or four play is one of the mysteries
of this country. They had nothing of par
ticular value with them. Their bodies have
never been found. Is it another Campbell
or Willow creek case?
BLON DIN'S GREAT FEAT
Harry Warren recently died in Chicago.
Mr. Warren was the man whom Blondin
carried on his back 1,500 feet on a tight
rope across Niagara river and 16S feet above
the whirlpool rapids.
Here is Mr. Warren’s story of the most
daring feat performed in modern times:
“After I got on Blondin’s back he said
to me, ‘Harry, whatever you do, let your
weight be dead.’ Blondin carried a 30-foot
pde to balance with. Blondin was the
nerviest man I ever saw. There were a
great many thousands of dollars bet that
Blondin would fall with his life freight from
the rope. Others bet that Blondin would
perform the feat. The rope sagged 30 feet
in the center, so he had to walk down an
incline 750 feet to the center of the rope,
and up an incline 750 feet. The stay ropes
running to the main rope were cut on one
side of the river by some heartless wretch
who had been bribed to do so. or had
money at stake himself that Blondin would
fall to his death with his passenger. The
main rope swayed 30 feet sideways, caused
by the stay ropes being cut. Mr. Blondin
performed the feat, saved himself and his
friends by executing the greatest feat of
modern times, and if there was ever a mir
acle performed in these ages, we might say
this was a miracle. But it was not a mir
acle. for a miracle can only be done by the
Infinie Spirit, which is God. Thy will be
done, and it was done.”
Mr. Blondin was booked for this profes
sion. for he took a liking to it and with
practical experience he became the great
est tight rope walker of this or any other
age. And as time passes Blondin will not
be forgotten, for as a balancer on high ropes
over whirlpools and precipices his equal
never was, and probably never will be.
DAN HARTNETT.
Iditarod, Alaska.
SECRETARY LANE TALKS ON
ALASKA RAILROAD SITUATION
Washington, Oct. 11.—Arriving at his
desk after his long absence, Secretary of
ihe Interior Lane said to the reporters:
"l have a specific conviction regarding
the Alaska railroad situation. The time will
come when we will need not only a com
plete government-owned and government
operated railroad through Alaska, but an
overland railroad system to Alaska from
Puget sound, and possibly from Chicago.
Alaska is bound to develop rapidly now, and
it will be necessary to keep that territory
in complete and constant communication
with the United States proper. This can
be done only by means of direct rail com
munication, which I believe must eventu
ally materialize. This government should
at once begin negotiations with Canada
whereby we could use one of their present
roads, which would require only the build
ing of 200 miles of railroad to connect the
transcontinental line with the railway sys
tem now proposed by the administration for
the interior of Alaska. Canada seems will
ing to meet us more than half way in this
matter.”
A Practical Wife
“Wife, this is our wedding anniversary.”
“So it is."
“As a matter of sentiment I shall bring
home a bunch of flowers tonight."
“Never mind the sentiment, Henry. Bring
home some limburger cheese.”—Washington
Herald.
Anyway, a married man doesn’t have to
worry; he knows the worst.
“The best ever” is what people say they
are getting at the Crosby nowadays.
6YHSASM
REGULATIONS
The second benefit ball for the gymna
sium hist Saturday evening was a well
attended affair, and the fund was swelled
to the extent of about $75.
At the regular meeting of the Iditarod
camp of the A. B.’s last Monday night the
sports committee presented the following
for the government of the gymnasium, and
the same were unanimously adopted by the
lodge:
Rules Governing the Use of Arctic Brother
hood Gymnasium, Iditarod
1. The use of this gymnasium will be
free to all brothers of Camp Iditarod No. 27
in good standing.
2. Visiting Arctic Brothers will be wel
come to the free use of the gymnasium for
a period of two weeks. For this purpose a
card will be issued by the Arctic recorder
upon application by the visiting brother
If desired, this card wifi be extended for a
further two weeks upon application simi
larly made.
3. Members of other camps of the Arc
tic Brotherhood in good standing in their
respective camps will be allowed the use of
gymnasium beyond the time allowed as vis
iting members upon payment of a gymna
sium fee of $2.50 per month. Payment
should be made to the Arctic recorder and
a gymnasium card obtained covering the
period paid for.
4. Prospective members, who have made
application for admission to this camp and
paid the requisite fees therefor, will be per
mitted the free use of gymnasium.
5. Ladies will be allowed the free use of
gymnasium at such times as the sports
committee may set same aside for their use,
upon first obtaining a card which will be
issued by the recorder at the request of
any member of this camp in good standing.
6. No persons other than above stated
will be allowed the use of gymnasium or
equipment. All wid be welcome to view
practice from the gallery with the consent
of a member of the sports committee.
7. The regular gymnasium nights will
be: Monday night, before and after lodge,
Wednesday and Saturday nights. Practice
may also be indulged in at such other times
designated by the sports committee.
8. No person will be permitted to use
the gymnasium or apparatus unless wear
ing rubber-soled shoes or felt slippers.
9. Members must not take any article
of equipment, gymnasium clothing or shoes
from the hall without first obtaining the
consent of a member of the sports com
mittee.
10. Any damage to or loss of equipment
should at once be reported to the Arctic
chief or a member of the sports committee.
If resulting from carelessness or negligence,
member causing same wi.l be expected to
properly repair such damage or make good
such loss.
11. The greatest care of floor and ap
paratus is urged upon all. Members are
co-owners of equipment and should be in
terested alike in its proper use. Each
brother is earnestly requested to co-operate
with the sports committee in making the
gymnasium attractive, instructive and bene
ficial. Suggestions for betterment will be
welcomed.
ALFRED E. MALTBY,
CYRIL P. WOOD.
IF 0. RODEN,
Sports Committee.
TOWNS RECEIVE LICENSE MONEY
Fairbanks' Share Is $2,335—Iditarod Gets
$535—No Licenses at Eagle
Clerk of the Court Page is sending out
to the various incorporated towns of the
Fourth judicial division their proportionate
shares of the license money collected during
the month of September. The total amount
received by the government during that
month was 314,619.36, the greater part
of which was collected from unincorporated
districts, so that the treasury of the United
States will be enriched to the extent of
•SS,59G.34, and the remainder will be di
vided up among the municipalities.
Fairbanks will get $2,335; Tanana is sec
ond, with $2,140; Chena, 31,015, and Idit
arod $535. Eagle gets nothing this month,
as no license money was collected within
that town.
During the past quarter the license
moneys for this division have amounted to
341,819.34, of which Fairbanks received
312,135; Iditarod, $5,993; Tanana, $4,325;
Chena, $3030, and the balance, $16,336.34,
went into the treasury of the United States.
Of the latter amount, 10 per cent may be
used for the indigent poor, and is to be
expended at the discretion of the judge of
the district court.
HENRY AGAIN IN TROUBLE
Tanana Newspaper Man Remanded to Cus
tody of Marshal
George Hinton Henry, the Hot Springs
and Tanana newspaper man, is again in
the toils of the law, Judge F. E. Fuller hav
ing dismissed he habeas corpus proceedings
which were instituted some time ago by
Commissioner Dehn of Tanana. Mr. Henry
is charged with criminal libel, the warrant
for his arrest having been issued some time
ago by Commissioner Coffer at Hot Springs.
He is now in the custody of Deputy Mar
shal J. L. Anders, and will be taken back to
Hot Springs for trial.
It seems that at the time the warrant
was issued Henry wis at Tanana. When
arrested by the deputy he at once insti
tuted habeas corpus proceedings and was
released from custody by Commissioner
Dehn, who, in releasing the man, is stated
to have taken the powers of a district judge
into his own hands, having no authority
according to law to release a man who had
been arrested on a warrant issued by an
other commissioner.
Not even an ingenious woman can make
a real good husband out of poor material.
Good dog feed, 10c lb.
Iditarod Meat Co.
Ball Band Rubber Boots and Paes
N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska
BIG
REDUCTIONS
vv
p
—t
22
P
P
Petaluma Eggs
NEW POTATOES, ETC.,
Other Prices Cut Proportionately
Ball Band Rubber Boots and Pacs
N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska
MORE DETAILS OF THE
STRIKE AT NELCHINA
(Seward Gateway, October 4)
The very recent discovery of another pay
creek in the Matanuska gold district is im
portant in that it indicates the wide area of
the gotd-bearing belt in the new camp. This
creek, or rather it should more properly be
called a gulch, enters Crooked creek from
the opposite side from that which Albert
llows into the larger stream. It also indi
cates that Crooked creek, into which flow
ihese gold-bearing streams, may possess gold
in commercial quantities.
The gulch, ca.ied by the discoverers Poor
Man's, was located by the Christofferson
party, comprising four men, which returned |
to Knik a week or so ago. This party bed- j
1 r eked the gulch at one point, getting coarse
gold and good prospects. Bedrock was struck
at six feet.
Cbristoflerson’s party covered forty miles
of territory in the new diggings. The mem
bers say that the formation, wash, etc., on
other creeks look similar to that existent on
Albert creek, where a paystreak has been
revealed. This is another good indication.
Just why this new gold-bearing district
has been passed up untii this time is cx
lained by the fact that the ground is par
tially frozen, rendering prospecting much
more difficult than in unfrozen camps.
True, various prospectors have been in this j
region from time to time, but unless they
had extensive outfits, in such a remote
country they could do but little in deter
mining whether or not gold existed in pay
ing quantities.
It is pretty well substantiated that
S Getcl.el. and Olson, who found the pay
! ,-treak on Albert creek, struck pay through
i continuing to bedrock an open cut which
had been dug by Jack Tansy and others of
| Valdez some three years ago. The Tansy
i party got down to a false bedrock of clay j
| and quit in disgust. Getchell and Olsen
■.vent through the clay, which formed a layer
| about eighteen inches in thickness, and en
1 countered a four-foot paystreak lying above
the true bedrock. The richness of the
ground may be judged when it is authori
tatively said that the discoverers took out
65 ounces of gold dust from an open cut j
within a radius of 34 square feet. And on |
neither side of the creek has the rim been J
touched. The ground shows more values j
cn the left-hand side of the cut.
Henry Bahrenburg, of Bahrenburg &
Budd, mining men of the Cache creek coun
try, made a prospecting trip through that
I region in the year 1898. As he himself says,
in those days the steam thawer for gold
mining was unheard of outside of the Klon
dike, and when he found that the ground
was frozen he quit the district.
Nowadays, however, frozen ground pre
sents no difficulties to the mining man. In
fact, he rather likes it, as it means that he
will have to handle only the paystreak
lying on bedrock, in the case of deep dig
gings eliminating the working of a lot of
valueless overburden. Then again, it
means a winter as well as summer camp,
and that’s what the miner wants.
George R. Vause of Susitna, who passed
through Knik en route here, and who
talked with members of the Christofferson
party, brings the latest news of the camp
to Seward. He thinks so well of the new
district that he proposes to go there at an
early date.
Mr. Vause says the Gateway’s articles
concerning the district have not been at all
exaggerated and have not overstated the
facts regarding the camp.
LOST ONES
Moke Kuprianoff Kazarin, formerly of
Pokos, Zarubinsk county, Spask, Russia.
Last heard of at Seattle about three years
ago, when he was leaving for Fairbanks,
Alaska. His wife makes inquiry through
the Russian consulate at San Francisco.
Francis Heinrich Webber, who left Fair
banks six years ago to go to another camp
on the Tanana. Webber has been in Alaska
about fifteen years.
Mrs. August Jacobson. If living she is
now about 60 years old. Was in Skagway
in 1900 or 1901.
Information concerning any of the above
persons should be addressed to the gov- [
emor’s office, Juneau. Alaska.
HOWDY, PAP J
The Loyal Order of Moose is now in all the principal camps of Alaska and 5 uk.-a
territories, and Iditarod can enjoy the same distinction if the citizens so desire.
A lodge outfit is on the way, but no attempt will be made to institute unless do
respectable English-speaking white men voluntarily make application.
The Moose is acknowledged to be the fastest-growing and most popular order in
the world—700,000 members in over 1,500 lodges scattered from Nome to Panama and
from Berlin to Manila—and only 25 years old.
All the members enjoy all the privileges of every Moose club house anywhere, and
the International Home University, where indigent Moose widows and orphans ara cared
for, and Moose children given a college education absolutely free.
The lodge provides free medical attention for each member and his family, weekly
sick benefits when unable to work, funeral benefit in case of death, etc.
Charter initiation fee is S10, and covers all cost of joining. Dues are only % 1 d a
year, and no assessments.
All interested should send their names and addresses to Basil Clemons, district
director Loyal Order of Moose, at Clemons & Koon’s studio, corner Wickersham and Front
streets, Flat City. _
KENNEL CLUB MEETING
There will be a meeting of the Iditarod |
Kennel Club at the telephone office tonight, ,
Saturday, November 22, at 8 o'clock, for j
-he annual election of officers and to trans
act such other business as may come before
ihe meeting. All members of the club are
urgently requested to put in an appear
ance. BY THE PRESIDENT.
WINTER STEAMSHIP SCHEDULE
The Alaska Steamship Company’s sched
ule for the sailing of its vessels from Seattle
for the balance of the year is as follows:
Alameda, Nov. 17; Jefferson, Nov. 21; j
Mariposa, Nov. 27; ffeJerson, Dec. 2; Ala- j
nieda, Dec. 7 ; Jefferson, Dec. 12; Mariposa, j
Dec. 17; Jefferson, Dec. 22; Alameda, !
Dec. 27.
Steamers Dolphin and Jefferson operate
on the Southeastern Alaska route, calling
at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg. Tread
well, Douglas, Juneau. Haines (Fort Will
iam H. Seward) and Skagway; connection
at Juneau for Sitka; connection at Skag
way with White Pass & Yukon route.
Steamers Mariposa and Alameda operate
on the Southwestern Alaska route, through
the Southeastern “inside passage,” calling at
Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Cordova,
Valdez, Latouche, Ellamar and Seward;
connection at Juneau for Sitka; connection
at Cordova with Copper River & North
western railway; connection at Skagway
with White Pass & Yukon route; steamer
of Oct. 8, Nov. 7, Dec. 7 connects at Sew
ard with steamer Dora for Alaska Penin
sular route points.
Paralysis, locomotor ataxia, scientifically
treated at the Crosby Massage and Bath
Parlors.
Assessment Work Blanks at Pioneer
HEAVY WIND BROKE
BIG TELEPHONE POLE
The large telephone pole that supports
nearly ull the wires of the local exchange,
at the corner of the telephone headquarters,
was broken about four feet from the top,
just below two of the heaviest cross-bars,
during the heavy windstorm Wednesday
night. Although the repair work took con
siderable time, owing to the twisted condi
tion of the many wires, the telephone ser
vice of the system was but little impaired.
A soft answer never turns away a book
agent.
Otter Creek Roadhouse
One Above Discovery
LODGING, MEALS AT ALL HOURS
Liquors and Cigars JOHN BACOY, Prop
Best of Everything
ALL THE TIME AT THE
Stanley Cafe
PLAT CTV
Open Day and Night
Phone Baths
REGINA
HOTEL
All Rooms Heated by Furnace
Warm Dog and Horse Stables
Place to Cook Feed
mniiHm
Full Line of Cigars
Optimo, Lovera-Juan deFuca
NEW SUPPLY OF BUDWEISER BEER
MERCHANTS CAFE
Caters to Large and Small Parties
PRIVATE DINING ROOMS
Popular Prices Everything First Class
CHAS. E. MILLER, PROP.
• I ■ Gold St" Filt City
I Sip g W Mrs. Swanson. Prop.
I 11 w I Dining Room Now Open
Nicely Furnished Rooms Barn for Horses and Dogs Baths in Connection
n B I 8^* PIONEER DRUG STORE
hF 8T8b W PLAT CITY. ALASKA