IDITAROD PIONEER
Published Every Sunday Morning at Iditarod, Alaska.
Vtl I 0*o. M Arhuokl*. Publisher Ho. >
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WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES?
In the first issue of this paper, published last week, we
Said nothing about our political color; since then we have
been tanned slightly, but have not yet reached that partic
ular shade that is worth mentioning, at least at this time
when the names of the candidates for the next delegate
election are not yet known.
At first blush it might seem strange that a newspaper
should hesitate to announce its political doctrines, but
there is nothing strange about it considering that Ray
Stannard Baker says political parties are busting up, and
that we don’t give much of a hang about national doctrines
anyhow.
It’s the man we want here in Alaska. ’Tis well enough
to let the highbrows consume the government’s money ar
guing whether lifeboats shall be admitted to the free list.
Some day when we are short of copy we may burn up a few
reams telling why the Republican party did or did not make
good in its revision downward, but for the present we will
only waste ink on the things that concern us at home, and
wili talk awhile about this delegate business.
To be entirely frank about it, we might confess right
here that we are somewhat up in the air about the men we
are to vote for when we go to the polls next month. This
may be accounted for in a measure by the fact that we don t
just know’ who are down down on the score card and what
weights they are carrying. We suppose that someone be
sides “Our Jim” will go to the post, but we haven't been
to the paddock, and besides his own lengthy one, we have
no dope book on past performances.
Of course we know all about Delegate Wickersham,
and we know that he wants to go back to congress next
year. He said so himself. We have heard a great deal
about him during the last winter, for next to Colonel Roose
velt, he is one of the best press agents in the business. He
has been kicking up more dust around the ancestral halls
of dear old Washington, even in places that had been newly
whitewashed, than anybody, excepting Carrie Nation and
Special Land Agent Glavis, but at that we are constrained
to-fidmit that the dust seems to have blinded their eyes as
to the real issues, and that they couldn’t see to get much
done.
Our Jim is unquestionably a fighter. He isn’t happy
till he starts something, and then before that is finished, he
starts something else. He is long on this “holier than thou”
business, and seems to entertain the idea that everybody
from Alaska but himself is a double-jointed limb of Satan,
specially detailed to Washington by the powers of evil to
grab everything in sight. He seems to have spent more
J. H. RICHARDS,
Hardware, Optical Goods, &c.
WILLOW AVENUE, IDITAROD
Beattie House
Best Equipped Lodging House in klitarod
Rates Reasonable
First Avenue, Between Willow and Black Streets
Slipperns Mill..
ROUGH AND DRESSED LUMBER,
SASH, DOORS, GLASS AND
BUILDERS' SUPPLIES
•-Otter Creek
..Pioneer Drug Stores..
Mouth of Fiat and Discovery Otter
CARRY A FULL LINE OF
Drugs, Stationery, Toilet Articles, Etc.
Give us a call and we will treat you right
Charles D. Carter, D. D. S., and E. M. Spaulding, M. D.
j Telephones at Both Places
Merchants Cafe
First Avenue, Near Corner Richmond Street
STRICTLY FIRST CLASS
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
Charlie Miller, Prop, IdltarodAlaska
ISADORE GOLDSTEIN
COMPLETE LINE OF
Ladies’ and Gents’ Furnishings
SPECIALTY IN LADIES’ AND GENTS’ SHOES
Front Ave., Between Richmond and Willow Sts., Iditarod
<
Fay & Loussac, Ph. G.,i
PRESCRIPTION DRUGGISTS I
Are open for business with u fresh line of 4
Drugs, Druggists’ Sundries, Perfumes |
AND STATIONKRV ♦
First Avenue, Bet. Willow and Richmond Sts., Iditarod City |
MRS. M. L. PETERSON,
Stenographer and Notary Public
LEGAL WORK A SPECIALTY
time making faces at Major Richardson and ex-Governor
Hoggatt than he did trying to make laws, but maybe that’s
just Wickersham’s way of delivering the goods.
Wickersbam is a strong believer in territorial govern
ment, and he has wasted no words to make himself plain
that point. He is also a believer in a modification of the
mining laws as applicable to this territory, and he has a
lovely little pet that he calls his Miner’s Lien Law. As a
campaign document this last bit of airv persiflage is one of
the cutest things printed on the government press for some
time, but as a law, it looks like a piece of Mexican drawn
work used as a chest protector.
James has nursed and fondled that lien law of his till
he really believes in it. Every time it turns over or sighs
in its sleep, he sends out hurried bulletins to all parts of
the country telling how the poor down-trodden miner is
about to come into his own, and the bloated, plutocratic,'
sybaratic operator pried loose from his ill-gotten gains and
relegated to his proper place in the industrial scheme. He
thinks that will get the votes, and it may, but if that law,
as he drafted it, is ever passed by congress there will be
more unpleasant things stirring around here than was ever
dreamed of in his philosophy.
In fact, it might be nearer the truth to say that there
will be nothing stirring at all, for we believe the law so
drastic that it will paralyze the mining industry completely.
We believe in a lien law, but we want one that will be con
stitutional and will give everyone a fair show for his money.
However these things are somewhat beside the point,
for although we disagree with Wickersbam on soi^e of his
propositions, we do believe him a strong fighter, an able
man, and one with the best interests or Alaska at heart.
Wickersham is perhaps the strongest man in the field
today. He has made many enemies, which is only natural
for a man with strong convictions, but with his many mis
takes he is unquestionably headed in the right direction,
and can perhaps accomplish more at Washington next year
than any man from Alaska.
In regard to the other known and possible candidates
there exists a considerable amount of confusion and seem
ing inability to mass strength on the right man. The Dem
ocratic central committee, to which has been entrusted the
duty of selecting a candidate, is undeniably in a state of
indecision, and the Republican nominee, whether he be
Leroy Tozier or someone else, is sadly handicapped by
Taft's distasteful commission plan of government.
Wickersham is a Republican, but he is running as an
independent candidate as he did before, and in doing so he
will draw votes from all parties, but as we said before, na
tional lines are not drawn closely here.
William O’Connor, the Labor candidate, is not a strong
man, save as the Labor vote will make him strong. We do
not believe him the right man to send to Washington, and
much of his natural support will go to Wickersham because
many other voters feel as we do. There was some talk of
trying to get his endorsement by the Democrats, but they
emphatically deny any intention of doing so.
As for this question of territorial government, if the
agitation of this subject i3 going to force a commission on
to us, we would say drop it, and drop it quick. Wicker
sham has put up a strong fight for it and there are many
people in Alaska who think as he does. Still there are
many more who consider territorial government impractical
and beyond our reach. Besides they do not desire it.
There are other things we need much more than terri
torial government, but in the turmoil and hullaballo they
get behind the curtain, and are lost sight of, although in
fact paramount.
Among these we would put government aid of rail
roads, and a more liberal coal land law. If conservation
means the indefinite paralyzation of Alaska industries, then
we are not for it, and if the people can put a man up that
will tell congress that in the right way we will vote for
him.
We don’t want corporations to hog everything, but we
do want their money. It may be well to save a large por
tion for our children and our children’s children, but we
wrant some of this vast wealth that is in the ground in our
own day and generation, and we want the laws so fixed that
we can get at it. _
SOME MORE ABOUT ROADS
We understand they ran an ox over the trail from Dikeman to
Discovery City the other days. The bovine was equipped with a
pedometer and bell attachment set at a mile and three-quarters.
Every time the bell rang a crowd of merry townsite boosters, ac
companying the kind-faced old cow, gave three cheers for dear old
Dikeman and forged ahead through the trackless forest. Arriving
at Discovery, an expert who used to work for the Seattle Gas Corn
pany taking the quarters out of the meters, scrutinized the dial
closely and amid a deathlike silence announced in a raw and husky
voice—
“Gentlemen, I read 27 miles.”
The ensuing scene beggars descr iption, in fact as has been
truthfully said by the authors of Extra Dry, “It had old man de
scription blindfolded and selling pencils on the corner.”
Taking the bull by the horns they led him up and down the
streets of Discovery amid salvos of applause from a bunch of root
ers who wer e in on the deal and who had been sent on ahead to act
as reception committee and buy tanglefoot for the farmers. They
were also expected to get contracts for- the fall crops over- the new
trail.
Following this riotous scene a convention was held in the town
hall with a few remarks from Mush MacAdemize, a road expert
from New Jersey, who told the townspeople that he expected to
have a steam roller in their midst within a few days.
This week, it is understood, they intend to repeat the experi
ment as they have a long-legged Texas steer and hope te cut down
the distance by several furlongs.
This, we submit, is municipal spirit and enterprise.
A FABLE
Once there was an Old Geeser. with bats in his Conning-Tower
who built a beautiful Summer Resort far out in the midst of Death
Valley. He intended to raise Orchids at Twenty Bones per Ore,
so he took some water with him. He put the Pittsburg Bottling
Works on the Bum ordering Round Glass for his Greenhouse, and
emyloyed 75 husky Graduates from the Horticultural Conservatory
of Music raising Sweet William.
After all the tender fledglings of Cabbage and Mignonette were
set out, and the Orchids were pining to burst into bloom, be sud
denly discovered that the Water was All Gone. In other words,
| there was the Janitor to pay and No Pitch Hot.
Thereupon, the Old Geeser sat up and began to look About
him. Quoth he: “Comrades we must have moisture, else my
Beautiful Darlings will go Flewee.”
Then up spoke a bright young Hero, thusly:
“Monsieur Nuts, there is a plenteous Spring 10 miles beyant,
where lioweth the Stuff that looks like Gin, but the Boulders that
lieth in the Way are Large and Grevious.”
Whereupon the Old Geeser set Three Hundred and Seven
Popular Plumbers pottering pettishly at a Pipe but when the Line
reached the beautiful Summer Resort, the Husky Horticulturalists
were stuffing Mignonette Mattresses, which are Light and Dry.
Morpi: Get Busy on the Road.
The following notice by an Idilarod City advertiser was seen
posted on one of the city lampposts: “Horses with web feet for use
on the Dikeman trail. Apply any teamster as we have no further
use for them here.” _
—
Lock the stable door after the horse is gone, but don’t attend
the fire protection meeting called by the city trustees until after
your house has burned down.
...... - — i
It might be well to call attention to the fact that scows are al
ready loading here to take supplies to Flat by way of Otter City.
How about that road? _
We take great pleasure in announcing that it is now possible
to navigate First avenue without sails or monkey-rudder.
DR. B. F. BROOKS,
Physician and Surgeon
Opposite Red Cross Drujr Store
CHAS. D. CARTER,
Dentist
Offices, Pioneer Drug Stores,
Flat and Otter
Will bo it Flat lilt two waits at licit math
DR. E. T. BRADBURY,
Dentist
Temporary Hcadqtiarte-s. Red Cross
Dru» Store
A. J. DALY,
Attorney at Law
Jditarod, Alaska
HENRY RODEN,
Attorney at Law
Iditahod, A da ska
McGowan, Clark k Albrecht
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Iditahod, Alaska
The Pioneer Attorneys of This Camp
ALFRED E. MALT BY,
f U. S. Commissioner]
Attorney at Law
Notary Public
Practice only in District Court. IDiTAKoD
F. E. BECKER,
Attorney and Counselor at Law
Office- Richmond St., near Second
CHAS. E. TAYLOR,
Attorney at Law,
Notary Public, Conveyancing,
Abstract* of Title*
Flat Creek
j MRS. HARRIS,
General Stenographer
N. C. Co. Building
Having finished looking at his coal
properties, Fred McFarline, warehouse
man of Fairbanks and president of the
Eureka Coal Co. of Iditarod, has gone
back to llie Xanana metropolis to see
if there is anything left in tho tiM. He
is said to have interested himself in
this section on some mining deals.
Subscribe for The Pioneer now.
ROBERT SIMPSON,
Watchmaker
DISCOVERY, OTTER
Formerly with E. A. Suter, Fairbanks;!
Diamond House, San Francisco
The Riverside
MOSQUITO PROOF TENTS
First Avenue, Flat Creek
JACK CONNELLY
Forks
Roadhouse
AT THE FORKS OF FLAT CREEK
First-Class Accommodations
Good Trail to Willow, three miles |
from Flat City
CULLEN & HUSSEY, PROPS.
TEDDY H.
Semi-Weekly
Sailings
Dock and Warehouse
on Waterfront
COMPLETE STOCK OP
Sash, Doors,
and Glass
FOR SALE
SEE
A. W. PECK,
AGENT
Pioneer Commission House
DISCOVERY OTTER
J. F. NELLAMY, PROP.
A Full Line of Oenenal Merchandise
Will be Kept Constantly on Hand
WE SOLICIT YOUR PATRONAGE
Pioneer Barber^ Shop ]
Front St.,Iditarod ?
Otto Xientz, Prop.
STRICTLY UP TO DATE
Oh,Ho! Here’s a Tin Shop!
Pi&neer
Sheet Metal Works
Willow Street, next to Anderson Bros., Iditarod
FRED BRUHN, j
gaining Broker, ]
Real Estate, Employment Agency, Notary Public j
Postoffice Building, Iditarod £
.. . . . . . - a Vk-A-A'AWA JkVkWA'A*A‘AWA'A^U,
Clark Lumber Co.
IDITAROD
New Wharf Now Ready to Receive
Freight and Steamers