THE ALASKA PROSPECTOR.
H. H. HILDRETH, Editor. W. H. CRARY, Associate Editor.
JOS. A. BOURKE, Business Manager.
Published at Valdez, Alaska, every Thursday hy the Pkospkitok
Publisiiino Co. Phone, Main 1.
Municipal Government.
J. L. Steele, Mayor.
H. H. Hildreth, Clerk.
J. G. Snyder, Treasurer.
Hon. J. W. Leedy, City Attorney.
Dr. A. VonGv.nther,
Health Officer.
John Goodell, Pres. School Board.
rorxm.MEN.
James McHik. p. S. Osooon.
A. P. Olson. En. Worn*.
C. N. Chary. Chas. Craweoro.
J. L. Steele.
Srret'RIPTION RATKS.
One Year.13.00
Six Months.2.00
Three Months.1.00
Single Copy.10
AORT1SIXO RATKS.
Single column, $1.00 per inch |»cr
per month. Larger ads in pro
portion.
Aithorixed Agents.
E. C. Dake. 64-fi.’> McrchantsEx
chnngc San Francisco Cal.
(5eo. P. Rowei.i. a Co., 10 Spruce
Street New York.
James Hefferman, 212 Colum
| liia Street, Seattle.
AGRICULTURE ON INTERIOR.
Much lias been said regarding
4he agricultural resources of south
central Alaska, and many news
paper articles that have nppearod
loom time to time describing the
Copper river plateau, have licen
looked u|ion hv those who never
visited this much favored locality,
ns an illusion of some weary pil
grim looking for nowspajH'r notor
iety, or that the stories luul ltceu
put forward by some small mer
chant or proprietor of a roadhouse,
for the purpose of advancing their
interests to the extent of the few
pieces of silver that would l>e
dropped in their way by those who
might liecome interested enough to
investigate for themselves.
Ask those who lmvc passed over
this wonderful country, however,
and the reply is always ready and
forthcoming: “One half of the
possibilities of that country, either
from a miner’s or a farmer’s stand
point has never been told.”
The writer has visited this por
tion of Alaska on several occasions
and has made approximate esti
mates of the amount of land in the
Copper river valley suitable for
farming and stock raising, and has
placed it at 35,000 square miles.
Giving to each family half a section
or 320 acres of land, and you have
homes for 90,000 families. Now
multiply this by 5, the average
number to a family in farming
communities, and you have homes
for 350,000 people. Think of it.
One third of a million people oc
cupied in raising the necessities of
life, to sustain an army of pros
pectors and miners who are en
gaged in the neighboring moun
tains, forcing them to yield up
the treasures nature has so lavish
ly bestowed.
lo the uninitiated this will seem
a remarkable statement, as the
prevailing idea in the outside
World is that Alaska is a land of
iee and snow, almost entirely cov
ered with glaciers; and blizzards an
everyday occurence.
On the contrary the climate is
very similar to that of the Dakotas
and the lake states. All of the
hardier grains grow and mature to
perfection, as has lieen demonstra
ted by exjieriments during the past
lour years. Thousands of acres
are covered with wild grass and
vegetation that grows in luxuriance
unequalled except in the tropics.
Much of the land is covered with
a heavy growth of spruce timber
and must lie cleared at least one
et na in, thus giving time for the
ground to warm up and dry out,
before crops could be successfully
grown.
Of course some localities are
piorc favored than others. Places
exist where forest fifes have already
done the greater part of the work
of clearing. 1 have one locality in
mind that is deserving of special
.mention. This place is situated on
the east side of the Copper river,
opposite the mouth of the Tonsina,
pud extends to the eastward as far
As the Kotsina river, a distance oi
almut 25 miles, running north and
gouth almut the same distance
piuking an area of almut MX) square
miles, in round nnmliers. This
land has lieen burned off ladorc the
advent of the white man. The
timber has rotted off below the
surface and that portion that was
not destroyed by fire has fallen,
and ean lie easily removed. The
ground is dry and warm and prac
tically ready for the plow. In this
locality a good crop could doubt
less lie raised the first season.
On the west side of the Copper
river and directly opposite this
laxly of land, grain was sown this
year in the latter part of May.
This grain was put in under very
unfavorable circumstances, as the
owner had neither plow nor har
row, hut scattered it on the surface
and dragged brush over it, think
ing at the time that it was lalair
lost. \\ ltlnn a short tunc the
grain had sprouted and when vis
ited by the writer on June 14, was
in geod condition and the promise
of a fair yield was much better
than could he reasonably exacted
under such conditions.
This experiment alone, demon
strates the fact that this land, prop
erly handled, could he made to
yield a good crop the first season.
That this portion of Alaska is
destined to become the greatest,
self sustaining, mineral producing
country in the world, will soon he
demonstrated, and I am of the
opinion that in this portion of Al
aska lies the greatest opportuni
ties of the present generation.
J. L. S.
WE ARE STILL RUNNING.
Since the first number of the
Pkosckctok was issued, we have
wait out each week a large number
of sample copies to all parts of tlie
country in order to advertise Val
dez, and the Copper river country,
as well as the Pkosckctok, knowing
that in doing so we would not only
help our own business hv encour
aging immigration to this rich and
fertile country, hut also every line
of industry represented in this sec
tion of Alaska. Not a mail has
arrived since our first issue that
we have not hud inquiries re
garding this country, from persons
desiring to come here. We know
that our efforts have been success
ful in a measure, and that we have
done some good for the Copper
river country through the columns
of this paper.
in the building up of this coun
try. it is safe to say that no one
instrumentality liasdoneany more,
if as much, for its advanement as
the public press. Yet we venture
to say that the newspaper men
in Alaska have made less money
in proportion to the amount of
capital invested thau any class of
business men in the District. We
also venture to state that no busi
ness enterprises, firms, prospectors
or miners have made as much
money in proportion totheamount
invested as the steamship and
transportation companies. Yet not
withstanding that they have made
vast fortunes in the Alaska trade,
due in a great measure we believe,
to the efforts of the newspo|*ers of
Alaska and correspondents of tin
press, it is difficult fora newspajier
man to get a pass from some of
these companies or a little ten dol
lar a month advertisement.
Among those to whom we have
sent nil occasional sample copv
of the PR<NPWTnR is the Alaska
Commercial Company and in re
turn for this courtesy we received
the following letter from the com
pany:
Seattle. Wash., July 11, 1!H>2.
Editor Prosckitor,
Valdez, Alaska.
Dear Sir:
The writer has tx-en
receiving in his P. O. Box, copies
of your paper, mailed from Valdez
during the Inst month or six weeks.
We have no knowledge of suhscrils
ing for the paper, or instructing
anyone else to do so. We are now
suliscrihing for as many papers and
ndvertfsments ns we feel justified
in carrying.
We herewith return your last
issue with thanks.
Yours truly,
Alaska Commercial Co,
Jas. Carroll, Agent.
It cost the coni]>nny four cents
to return the copy of the Prospec
tor and rather than have them out
that amount on our account we
have gladly returned the amount
by registered letter to them in care
of their “genial” agent, Capt. Car
roll.
The A. C. Company own the
steamer Bertha that runs 1k>tween
this port and Seattle, and they
have in it as good a vessel as is now
on the Valdez run, and in its mas
ter, Captain Johansen, a most con
genial and accommodating officer.
But why the company keeps such
an uncouth, uncivil, gruff old
whaler in their Seattle office,
no one knows. It is im|>ossihlc to
get a civil answer in that office from
its manager. If this company de
sires to regain their fast decreasing
trade they will have to stop their
penurious and uncivil way of do
ing business.
Send the Prospector to your
friends. It will contain the news.
JHflVEJ
fok GOOD WORK
go to
Bauson Barber Shop
Hot and Cold Water
Baths. PORCELAIN
TUBS and all Modern
Fixtures.
WM. QELINEflU.
Miners Hotel.
FURNISHED ROOMS with
BOARD, if Desired. Com
fortable Quarters. Light
Airy Rooms.
MRS. JOHNSON.
COOK INLET.
PROSPECTING and
HUNTING PARTIES
Can lie supplied with necessary
SUPPLIES
By H. N. WETHERBEE, at
Kenai and Kussiloff
At the MOST REASONABLE
PRICES in ALASKA thereby
Saving Freight and Trouble of
Landing Supplies.
Geo. S* Mearns> Agent
KENAI ALASKA.
L R. CAMPBELL,
Assayer and Chemist.
Reliable Returns
easonble Price§
R< LAMAR - - ALASKA
I
Professional,
Cards.
L. K. RILEY, m. D.
Physician and Surgeon
VALDEZ,
Office and Residence ALASKA
‘215 Keystone Avenue.
GOODELL & EDWARDS
Lawyers.
VALDEZ, ALASKA
%
FRED M. BROWN,
Lawyer.
Mining and land Uwr, HpeHnlliw.
Twelve Years Kxperlenee In Mining
and I.mii«I Uws.
VALDEZ, ALASKA
LEEDY & KELSEY,
Attorneys and Counselors.
Keystone Ave. Valdez.
ORLAN CLYDE CULLEN.
Counsellor-at-Law*
1*. H.Hnpmnt1 Court, ItcgUtcrc.l Attorney I*.
S.Patent Offlit*, l’nite«l State* Mini Foreign i’at
ent*, ("a vca i"*.|"rrmIf Marks ami copyrights.
No. 700 7th Street. N. W.,
Opp. t. 8. Patent f Mice.
WASHINGTON, I). C.
A.JUDSON ADAMS,
Civil Engineer and Surveyor.
U. S. DEPUTY MINERAL AND
LAND SURVEYOR.
Next dcor to Merchant* Cafe.
H. H. Hildreth,
Notary Public and
Conveyancer.
Prospector Oflice.
DR. W. G. Alexander.
DENTIST.
McKinley st. valdez.
NEW YORK LIFE
INJURflNCE CO.
WRITES THE BEST POLICIES.
G. Sponbrg, Agent.
R. B LIX.
NOTARY PUBLIC
And CONVEYANCER.
COPPER CENTER, ALASKA.
W. H. Brennen,
HOUSE and SIGN PAINTER.
Paper Hanger and Decorator.
VALDEZ, • • ALASKA.
B. F. Hillard
Is Prepared to Ex
amine, Take Options on
and Purchase Mining
Properties.
VALDES MT i ME (0.
Complete abstracts of title
to all mineral and other
claims in the Valdez Min
ing district, including the
Prince William Sound,
Copper River, Chistuchi
na and the Chisna dis
tricts.
Midi f rated to Me;
Toti lots
■
Valdez, Alaska
The SteamshiJj Santa Ana
New Modern Wooden Steam Ship, Electric Lighted and Steam Heated
Sails from A KM N< 1T< >N STH K KT HOC K, S KATTLK,
on the 15th of each month, for
Sitka, Yakutat, Ellamar,
Valdez
AND
llliamna.
The Santa Ana is under Contract with tlic government
to make regular monthly trips by a schedule not excelling
Seven Days hetwwn Seattle and Valdez, thus affording Quick,
Safe and Comfortable service.
SAILING DATES;
Leave Seattle on the loth of each month northliound.
Leave \ aides on the 2nd of each month southlHiund.
FOR FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RATES APPLY TO
FISH BROS, Agents.
DOARF & MACKINTOSH.
Blacksmith Shop.
All Kinds of Iron or Steel Work
Done in the Best Manner.
HORSESHOEING MSLEDS
J. J. YAKSHAW,
Valdez Sheet Metal
and Plumbing Shop.
Metal Work of all Kinds. Camp Stoves and Air
Tight Heaters.
Corner Glacier St. and McKinley Ave. Valdez.
Seattle's Great
Taper.
THE DAILY,
SUNDAY,
TWICE A WEEK
The
Post-Intelligencer.
Simple Copies free.
Write for One.
Dally Post-Intelligencer. 12 to li Pages.
Publishes the fullest telegraphic
news from all parts of the world.
All the state and local news. Daily
and Sunday edition 75c per month.
Sunday PosMntemgeocer. 30 to 40 Pages.
The largest and most complete Sun
day paper north of San Francisco.
Special departments of literature,
of fashion, of women's news. Sun
day edition $2.00 per year.
TwkeaWeek Edition me Seattle Post-Intelligen
cer.
All the news of the week In concise,
detailed form THE TWICE A
WEEK EDIIION IS THE BEST
TWICE AWEEK PAPER PUBLISHED
ON THE PACIFIC COAST. Write for
sample copy and be convinced,
Subscription price $1.00 per year.
All POSTMASTERS Will Take SUBSCRIPTIONS.
POST • INTELLIGENCER CO* SEATTLE. WASH
S. P- WESTON, Business Manager.
The Keystone
CIGARS.
AND TOBACCO
BEST QUALITY.
Hall Adjoining. Music.
»
Cor.McKinley St. and Keystone Ave.
Dr. L. 5.' Canicia.
Dentist and Optician.
A Full Line of Spectacles on Hand. Clocks
and Watches Repaired on
Short Notice.
McKiniky St. Valdez.
PMii zmnERn/iN
Cleaning, Repairing and Altering
. Done on Short Notice
Keyxtoiu' Ave. m xt to Proajiwtor Otlir<*.