EARS TO GROUND '
ON OTTER GREEK
What with its stretches of flumes, its
whirr of machinery and its bee-like
activity the camp in the neighborhood
of Discovery certainly bears the ear
marks of prosperity. Large tracts oi
ground have been stripped most every
body is ready for sluicing.
Riley & McMillan have been hoist
ing for several days and will cleanu)
any time. Their ground gives greai
promise and should turn out well.
Andy Hensley is putting on mor<
men, and will be hoisting in a fen
days.
Merritt A: Bates have a big pump in
stalled and are making up for lost time
on their 1 above lay.
Sanderson A- Howland have sold theii
interest in the lay on 1 above bench tc
Riley A- McMillan, who will open up
that ground. Sanderson has hiked for
the old diggings. ne is interested on
Yankee creek where the rich pay has
been located.
Cap Worth, Billy Wise and Shroyer,
on the Otter association, are still hand
ling good money and will open up on a
larger scale during the summer.
The boys on 1 below have succeeded
in turning the creek and are preparing
to take out the money from its bed.
Erickson & Larson, Charley Goebel
and others had a big fight on their
hands as the rains made inrushes on
their dam, but they are now all smiles.
The firm of Palmer & Moyer, who
have been in business at Discovery and
Otter City, are contemplating selling
out and returning to Fairbanks where
they will arrange for a trip to the. Out
side to continue their school studies.
These young men have been most sue
cessful in their business enterprises,
and will return to the Iditarod in the
coming spring. They carry with them
the best wishes of the camp.
Discovery Otter is looking more like
a town daily. Large two-story build
ings are put up overnight, and the res
idents are seemingly satisfied. Sev
eral deals in real estate have been put
through in the past week. Small
houses are tumbling down to be re
placed with more substantial struc
tures.
V. L. Bevinglon, the well-known at
torney from the upper country who
has been established at Discovery all
summer, has decided to go Outside this
fall and will leave the diggings about
the middle of this month. Mr. Buv
ington lias made many friends during
his stay at the diggings who will be de
lighted to see him return next spring.
The loggers up Otter creek are busy
judging from the continuous procession
of fine timber which follows the line of
least resistance. Mr. Slippern, the
sawmill man. has selected 3.000 fine
logs from the drive for his mill at Flat,
while many others are picking out
their house material and winter fire
wood as it butts against their doors.
A. Lide, of the Alaska road commis
sion, accompanied by D. H. Sleen, sur
geon for the Alaska Northern railroad,
arrived at Discovery last Wednesday,
having mushed across country from
Seward. Both expressed themselves
pleased at the showing of the camp,
and remarked that the conformation of
the country between the diggings and
the seacoast is most suitable from a
road-making point of view.
The absence of political talk at Dis
covery is indicative of the spirit of the
camp, new stampedes, coming clean
ups on No. 1. winter work interspersed
with jolts from the Jobnson-JefTries
fight are the topics of the hour. Let
those who have the time for present
day doings at Washington solve politi
cal problems.
Likes It Up River
After a trip of several weeks up the
Iditarod riverduring which he reached
a point about 175 miles from Iditarod
city, near the very headwaters of this
historic stream, Ronald Morrison, one
of the early pioneers of Otter creek,
returned to this city last week and re
ported that the entire country up there
is looking very favorable.
He reports no strikes in particular,
but says that the prospects are excel
lent, and that he intends to return to
that section this fall. He would not
advise stampeding to the headwatersof
the Iditarod, but believes it a favorable
country for winter prospecting.
Anderson Bros. & Nerland—sash,
doors, store fronts, wallpaper, house
linings, all came on the high water.
See us. Willow and Second st.
Instructions About Fire
In case of fire inform telephone
central by giving number of fire
station located nearest.
The fire stations are listed on
another page.
Religious Services Today
Rev. J. Logan Sample will conduct
religious services at the federal court
house this (Sunday) morning at 11
o’clock and also at 8 in the evening.
Australian onions and winter lemons
and Salinas-Burbank potatoes—winter
stock, not coming, but here.
Innoko Trading Co.
The winter is coming, so get your
homes made comfortable while you can
pet the material. Anderson Bros. &
pferland, wallpaper, paints, sash, doors
ORR-SHACKLEFORD-GUGGS-O’CONNOR;
There is little wonder now that the Democrats did
not support the labor candidate for delegate to congress
since it has just become known here that the Orr-Shack
leford-Hoggatt-Guggenheim crowd have joined forces
with William O’Connor in a last desperate effort to de
feat Wickershain.
The frameup is entirely plain because it smells to
heaven. Friday evening Jerry Dunn, a professional
labor agitator, arrived in this city and immediately got
on the job by delivering one of the usual “Roughneck
i Appeals.” His coming was known to the Orr Boosters,
! already in the city, and they had arranged for meetings
on the creeks in his honor. It was Orr-Gug money that
brought Dunn here, and it will be the same kind of coin
that takes him away.
The situation, in a nutshell, is this. The Orr Gug
genheim party concedes that Wickersham will carry the
interior of Alaska by a large majority. They know
that he will get a bigger labor vote than will O'Connor.
They know that down in Cordova they have about
5,000 Slavonians, and they are going to try to vote
every one of them.
Counting on these illegal votes to hold the balance
of power in Southeastern Alaska, at the last moment
they throw a ’ot of hired agitators on the stump in the
interior, not to strengthen Orr but to take as many of
the labor votes from Wickersham as possible. In this
manner they hope to encompass Wickersham’s defeat,
and they are spending a world of money to do it.
But they reckon without their host. Wickersham
will win in a walk, taking the interior solid, labor votes
and all. Down in Cordova will be seen one of the pret
tiest fights ever pulled off, for Dan Sutherland, with
good men as assistants, is there, and they are going to
see that those Slavonians do not vote.
Prevented from stuffing the ballot boxes at Cor
dova the last hope of the Orr Shackleford-Guggenheim
Hoggatt O’Connor party is gone. >
Rich Wildcat Lays Start Trouble Brewing
It is hinted that there are many more forces at work
in the recent negotiations for tlie purchase by Doc Madding
of the Dave Johnson lay on the Wildcat association, Flat
creek, than appear on the surface, chief of which is the
fight between two banks, the Miners & Merchants bank of
this city and another bank that is said to be about to es
tablish here.
The tiouble started on the first of August, the day set
for the payment ot $5,000, which Madding was to make to
Johnson on his $40,000 option to purchase Johnson’s lay.
The deal followed the discovery of rich ground on Madd
ing's lay, just above Johnson, where it was known that
Madding\s ground sluiced up better than $6 to the foot.
Madding secured the option on Johnson’s lay which
controls the second 1,000 feet of the Wildcat, at the upper
end of the claim, but it is understood that the owners of the
Wildcat would not consent to the transfer, the ostensible
I reason given out, being that Madding would not enter intoj
certain agreements regarding the payment of the labor. Tbe
owners having in mind the new labor lien law, refused to
permit the transfer of the Johnson lay to Madding, unless
the latter would agree to pay his labor at stated periods. In
the event of failure so to do, then both lays were to revert
to the owners.
At this, Johnson began to back out as he could’nt see
where he had a chance to get off, and refused to go through
with the option although Madding had the $5,000 ready
to pay over.
Back of all this jockeying between owner* and laymen,
there are powerful monied interests at work, and although
the inside facts cannot be secured it appears that Manley,
Aitkeu and Price are lined up on the deal and would like
very much to get possession of part, if not all of the Wild
cat association. They already own the Marietta, above the
Wildcat, and the Chicago bench adjoining on tbe left limit,
in both of which claims is known to exist very rich pay.
Maddiug’s lay at the upper end of the Wildcat is now
known to carry extremely rich ground, and his evident
anxiety td secure the Johnson lay is more pronounced as he
has taken possession of the latter ground, and threatens to
go ahead working it.
Serious trouble was anticipated there over the question
of possession, as it was understood that the owners would
prevent Madding's seizing possession at all costs To avoid
this, the Johnson option was by consent of all parties, con
tinued over August 2nd, to give them a chance to talk it
over. They could reach no agreement, and negotiations
were dropped. The attorneys, however are still working
on the complicated proposition in the hope of keeping the
parties out of court.
I he trouble is significant in bringing out the fact that
the head of Mat creek is now known to be verv rich, and
lends strong probability to the hope that it will
show up some of the most valuable placer^ground in Alaska.
Mining Deal on Glen Receives Setback
On one of the first boats that hit the Iditarod with
the spring stampede there arrived a distinguished
southern gentleman destined to be known to the little
world of the new camp as Major A. K. Arnaker, the
owner of vast Louisiana plantations, the personal friend
of Colonel Roosevelt, who had come to look over min
ing properties here, and to stay but a brief period ere
he departed to join Rex Beach on a hunting trip along
the coast.
He was introduced to the mining community by
Earl Crutcher, with the assurance that they were old
friends in the South, and that Major Arnaker had but to
touch pen to paper to make banks open their doors and
heavy-lidded vaults disgorge.
Something over a week ago the so-called major de
parted suddenly, and with no fond farewell. He beat
it while his shoes were good, apparently, for his leave
taking antedated by but a brief hour the arrival of an
irate lady from Flat creek who claimed that the major
had forgotten to account for a little matter of some $250.
Miss Dot Browning immediately sought out the au
thorities, claiming that she had been bamboozled by the
gallant major, and would stretch the arm of the law to
sieze him ere the miasmic fogs of dear old Louisiana
again swallowed his interesting personality, but upon
second thought, she decided that the costs and delays
of Justice’s vagrant ways were more than a plenty,
wherefore she would charge the loss to experience and
the perils of the North.
According to the story of those who were connected
with the deal, it is alleged that Major Amaker and Earl
Crutcher were negotiating with A. B. Ferguson, Fred
Carter and other option holders on the Glen association
on Flat for a prospecting lay, with the privilege of tak
ing over the option, in case Ithey found the ground
worthy. They were to have the use of certain machin
ery to be freighted up from Otter City, and it is alleged
that the major indicated to the option holders that a
million dollars would be immediately available if needed
to take up the option when the time came. Amaker and
Crutcher were to put up $50,000, if they liked the
ground.
While these negotiations were pending, and, it is
alleged, before the agreements were drawn up between
Amaker et al. and Ferguson et al., the two former
began scouting around for money. The machinery was
coming up the river, and they needed a small trilie of
filthy lucre to pay the freight.
This is the point where Miss Browning’s kindly in
tentions get woven into the woof of the story.
It is alleged that the two gentlemen approached
Miss Browning giving a complete and hand-illumined
description of the deal that they claimed had been en
tered into, and offered to give her a chance to get rich
quick by disposing of a quarter interest in a $50,000!
deal for $5,000. They only wanted $250 at that moment
but would need another $1,000 in a few days, and they
would draw up the agreement right there, Major Am
aker being a lawyer.
According to Miss Browning’s story the deal was
entered into after this fashion while she sat wrapt in
the spell of the major’s eloquent description of his
Southern rice fields where the festive rice birds were
even then carroling gaily in the reedy marshes.
Well, that’s about all. Miss Browning claims that
she woke up in a day or so and began to inquire about
the papers of the original deal. There was a delay of
several days and nothing stirring. She began to get
uneasy and started to town, only to discover that the
major had sold his launch and was already on his way
down river.
Ferguson and Carter claim that the deal with Miss
Browning was made before the completion of their deal
with Arnaker and Crutcher. They also allege that freight
bills for the moving of the machinery are still unpaid.
Mr. Crutcher, who is still here, claims that Major
Arnaker received a message of the death of his father
and was compelled to leave hurriedly before he could
make proper arrangements, and that there has been
nothing done either criminal or unlawful, and all will
yet be well.
FALSE TO WN BOOMING ENDANGERS TRA VELERS’ LIVES
Were it not for the fact that the ridiculuous attempts
of the Dikeman City boosters to make the public compre
hend the existence of a paved highway between Dikeman
and Otter, were becoming serious, it would not be worth
while noticing them, but since these efforts have already
endangered the lives of several ‘ people, and are palpably
false and unworthy, it becomes uecessarv to warn the pub
lic against their further mischief,
During the last two weeks many new arrivals coming
up river have been given the hum steer at Dikeman, where
they were told that they could make the trip to Discovery
Otter over a well-marked trail in 12 hours. Iti consequence
ol this, several parties started out lacking proper equip
ment or provisions and quickly found themselves up against
it, and against it hard.
Something over a week ago, William Samercool and
his two companions, Rigel and McGrogin, started out on
what they supposed was a short mush. After being out
about a day, the older man, Satnercool, became exhausted
and was compelled to halt while his companions hastened
on to this city for help, arriving here after great hardship.
A relief party sent out failed to Cud Samercool as he had
finally taken to the ridges and did succeed iu reaching
Boulder.
After searching for him back and forth across the
country where they suppose l him to be, the rescue party,
consisting of Billy Lewis and Colin Inkster, where com
pelled to push on to Dikemuu, haviug nearly lost a horse on
the way.
A few miles out they met Mrs. Ruth Sherburne of
Fairbanks starting out tor this city on horseback, also de
luded into the belief that she had but a short day’s journey
before her. The men prevailed upon Mrs. Sherburne to
turn back with them and the whole party came up on a
launch.
During the last week Sigard Wienerburg, Haus Peter
.->oti aud Clias. A. Carlson arrived after experiencing a bard
journey, finding that the information they had been given
before leaving Dikeman was entirely erroneous.
On Tuesday morning last about 7 o’clock, Bob Hillary
arrived at Otter after being out three days. He had been
told that the trail was but 28 miles, so taking a pack on his
back and grub for 24 hours he started out. For three days
he followed the alleged trail going two of them without
food and when he arrived he was practically all in. The
distance he figures at 55 miles, and he says it is no place
for a nervous person. Jim Blodgett was financed by the
people of Dikeman to blaze a trail to Discovery Otter. It
took a week and covered 55 miles.
In view of these facts it is hard to understand why the
peop.e of the lower town will continue to give out false in
formation concerning their contiguity to the creeks. It is
entirely false, misleading and dangerous, and besides they
can do their talking after the freezeup.
CUSTOMS COLLECTOR
FINES STEAMBOATS
With six boats already under a $500 fine and more
yet to come under the eye of the law, J. R. Willis, col
lector of customs from Juneau, accompanied by J. J.
Hillard, deputy collector from Eagle, is in Iditarod
city, spreading consternation among the steamboat fra
ternity, and throwing large chills into launch owners.
The advent of Mr. Willis comes directly upon the
heels of the visit of Marine Boiler and Hull Inspectors
Heeney and Deering, who were here last week and who
looked over the river flotilla from stem to stern. In
many cases they refused certificates of inspection be
cause the boats could not pass, and these are the ones
that are now falling under the critical eye of the cus
toms collector.
“I do not wish to be severe upon steamboat own
ers,” said Mr. Willis, “as I am familiar with the difficul
ties they have been up against, although the violations
of the law in some instances has been very flagrant. In
fact, though I have assessed some fines and may assess
more, I shall recommend to the department that they
be remitted in whole or in part, on account of the fact
that these boats could not be inspected at the time they
were ready to begin navigation last spring.
“I want this understood, however. The depart
ment will show' no such leniency next spring. 1 be-1
Move it would work a hardship on the camp to put the
boats out of commission this fall, but there will be no
excuse to offer next season, and steamboat men will be
compelled to live up to the tery letter of the law.”
Mr. Willis and Mr. Hillard are making measure
ments of all steamboats and are inspecting gasoline
craft, in order to get a line on the Iditarod fleet. They
said that in cases where fines have been imposed the
boats will not be permitted to run until the fines are
paid. _
THEY ARE MOVING RIVERS
About a week agothe work of changing the channel of Otter
creek at 1 below, which has be8n going on all through the spring,
was successfully accomplished when the water was shunted into
the cutoff that lays bare about a quarter of a mile of the old
creek bed.
Apparently it was amply justified since report has it that
good prospects have been found in the old channel not more than
18 inches bc-low the surface, and several outfits are preparing to
get action on it at once.
Erickson & Larson have machinery on the ground and are al
ready sluicing, with cleanups expected in a few days.
The first newspaper pictures of the Johnson-Jeffries fight to
arrive in this city were displayed in the display window of Isa
dora Goldstein early last week, where they attracted much atten
tion.
WAR AGAINST
POLL-TAX DODGERS
1 lie first gun in the war on delinquent tax dodgers
was started with the arrest of three persons who refused to
pay the $8 road tax to which all residents are subject, with
the result that one man is now in jail and two others are
wiser to the extent of $14 costs over and above the original
$8 it would have cost them.
Ibis is only the beginning, is the announcement given
out by the public officials. Every able-bodied citizen who
is subject to the tax must either work it out for the com
mou good, pay it in cash or go to jail.
Albert Moncher was the first man up. He had been
warned severa’. times but failed to come through. He
couldu’t see whv he should be forced to disgorge, where
upon Commissioner Maltby fined him $20 and costs. He
refused to pay it so is now doing a 17-day sentence in the
federal jail. James O’Neil had been warned. He was fined
and $14.25 costs assessed against him. The fine was sus
pended on condition of the payment of the tax and the costs,
which was accordingly done. Chas. McKeuzie had been 1
warned three times and had refused to give his name to the
tax-collector. He was quite indignant and refused to pay his
fine. Therefore he was thrown in jail and had not his part
ner Mahoney come to the rescue he would be there yet.
More arrests are expected at once if deliquents don’t J
put up the money.
N. C. CO, DOING
MUCH BUILDING
Following the arrival of W. H. Fair
banks, general manager of the North
ern Commercial Company, wlio re
mained here but two or three days
before leaving for the Xanana,
marked activity has been noted on
the part of the company workmen
in this city, and at the same time,
the. assurance is given out that the
company has made arrangements to lo
cate definitely here and to establish it
self on a large scale.
In fact the foundations of the com
pany buildings were started early last
week in the tract owned by them on
the trading post, the same to be a
large two-story affair on the corner of
First and Richmond facing north, ant
to occupy the site of the temporary
warehouse which they have just dis
mantled. This building will have a
frontage of 30 feet on First street, and
will run along Richmond for a distance
of 80 feet. On the rear will ba joined
a storeroom 24-40 feet.
The upper floor of the main building
will be devoted to living quarters for
employes of the company. There will
be a large sitting room, four bedrooms,
a dining-room, kitchen and bathrooms.
The lower floor will be taken up by
glass-partitioned offices, general store
room ana snipping-room.
The building at present occupied by
the store on the north side of the
street will .be used as a storeroom or
warehouse, and in the rear of it, a
substantial dock will be built along
the entire width of the N. C. tract—or
about 200 feet long. This work will be
started in the near future and will be
completed before the freezeup.
It is impossible at the present time
to get a line on the amount of tonnage
that the N. C. Co. will hare in this
city this fall as the future possibilities
of the river are still a matter of ques
tion. Much of their freight still lays
at Dikeman where it is being stored in
the warehouses constructed there.
They will also have a small retail es
tablishment at that point, and John
Duncan will be the agent in charge of
both stations, with Bert Day local
manager.
They will, of course, make every ef
fort to land as much of their freight at
Iditarod city before the freezeup as
possible, as this is to be the main dis
tributing point, and where they figure
the volume of the business will be
done. _
AN OFFICIAL DENIAL
The telegram appearing in the News
Miner from the Cordova Alaskan to
the effect that the Democratic nomina
ting committee had endorsed the can
didature of Ed. S. Orr is a baseless fab
rication.
The undersigned members of the
nominating committee of the Demo
cractic party know nothing of any such
endorsement. There is only one mem
ber of the committee resident in Cor
dova, Judge Ostrander, and he is not
authorized to make any statement
which would lead the public to believe
that the nominating committee had
departed from their original decision
to endorse neither of the candidates.
(Signed)
MARTIN HARRAIS,
JOHN RONAN,
R. W. JENNINGS.
Y. O. OSTRANDER,
A. J. DALY,
YOUNG ATTORNEYMEETS
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT
While engaged in chopping wood
in the rear of his office on Rich
mond street Friday morning at 9:30
o'clock, R. E. Bigham, a young
attorney recently from Tacoma,
Washington, sustained a painful
and dangerous accident which may
result in the permanent stiffening
of the right ankle joint.
In making a full arm swing with
a sharp axe, the instrument missed
and struck the unfortunate young
man on the inner side of the right
ankle, completely severing a por
tion of the bone, and exposing the
inner section of the ankle joint. By
a strange coincidence the impor
tant ligaments and arteries were
missed, else danger of bleeding to
death might have been imminent.
He walked immediately to the
office of Dr. B. E. Brooks where it
was found necessary to put him un
der an anaesthetic, while the joint
was given a thorough treatment to
pievent infection, and the frag
ments of bone and tissue removed.
After the completion of the opera
don, Mr. Bingham was removed to
he Riverside hotel.
We can put you in a good, comfort
ible house in a jiffy. See Anderson
3ros. & Norland—sash, doors, wall
iaper, carpets, window shades, etc.
We have without any exception the
>est selected Salinas-Burbank potatoes
m the market—the kind that will keep
.11 winter, and they are here now.
Innoko Trading Co,