IDITAROD PIONEER j
~iiu7in.ii i:m:uy satiuiiay mohm.nu at iditakod, ai.aska
Vo, G Geo. M. Arbucktc. Publisher No. 9
SUSSCi VTION RATES
... .f i • ,irt i one Month .. ?l.i'u
hi\ 'i' nths '. ■" •1 “I’y...J
Advertising Rates on Application
tiQ-rj/sfr ivr'M'i's srn iinv ailwriis sir ropy from a ilisisnee ate partieul.u i.v le
ft ' . ... i in I.-. oil'll S Ihe same. The pulAi-hier cannot aeeopi the
resnnnsihiliiv i- 'r ain't « - i'v. iallv in I.are or forfeiture amt other legal
notices. ' II is. tin -er-.i-e. ,iiit11v.• mat such notices he clearly written, parlieu
larly rcKunls 1 i.n ti-• - aiul * I ' ■ ~ -
THE .VAIL SERVICE
The impression seems to pv; nil in Fairbanks, judging from news
paper accounts, that the peop'c of Iditarod are dissatisfied with the
mail service between this city and Seward, and favor a return to the
old plan bv whe h mail was rec nved from Fairbanks, inis is far f,o.n
the truth. The dissatisfaction arises not on account of the route fol
lowed. which is hundreds of miles shorter than by the Fairbanks route
nor with the time made between Seward and this city. The complaints
are due to the beggarly weiokt limit for such a large territory to ne
served and the lack of discrimination shown in making up the consign
ments. The mail from Seward nas been delivered with remarkable
promptness since the inception of the service, and there can be little
complaint on this score. That the service could be greatly improved
upon will not be questioned, hut it is rank nonsense to say that there
b a desire to again be served by the longer route by way of Coidova
and Fairbanks. The complaints that are made with referencce to the
ol matter dispatched m view ot the limitations oi the contiact, and ta
mail service from Seward seem to be largely concerned with the class
belief is expressed that a more intelligent choice of consignments to be
forward could easily be made.
The main difficulty appears to lie that the contract is for a limited
consignment for the country to be served. The rcsutl is that in some
instances mail has been held 11 for weeks owing to the fact that other
■ (immunities must also be served under the same contract. Appar
ently there is an effort to give each section served by the route r. con
signment of mail occasionally, so as to avoid entirely overlooking any
one district.
Efforts should be made to have the scope of the contract enlarged
before the commencement of the next season. The amount of mail
provided for in the contract should be at least doubled, thus allowing aii
classes of mail matter io be ('slivered. As it is now, no other class ol
mail matter than first and second is being delivered, and parcel post
consignments and other maker are being allowed to accumulate at
Seward unless consignees a;e willing to pay the exorbitant rate ol
$1.50 suer pound for bringin ; such mail matter frem Seward.
With reference to the service between this city and Fairbanks, its
inadequacy must be apparent even to the slow-moving and cautious
postal officials who direct the service in Interior Alaska. Fairbanks
the seat of government authority for an immense section of country
of which Iditarod is a part, the federal court, marshal and clerk being
located there, as well as revenue and other officials. A mail service
that will keep this section in close touch with Fairbanks is imperative,
end must be conceded by all. There is a semi-monthly service be
tween Takotna and Ruby, which connects at the latter place with the
route to Fairbanks. At Takotna, where the Fairbanks mail is delivered
to the Seward route for Iditarod, it may he for weeks until the con
tractor from the coast happens to miss connections somewhere, thus
traveling light enough to pick up the Fairbanks mail at Takotna, as has
already happened.
This is a most unsatisfactory condition of affairs, and steps should
be taken to arouse the interest of the department in the necessity for
an improvement. Newspaper comment vviT not effect this. It must be
done by the peopel as a whole. Iditarod having no chamber of com
merce, it behooves its citizens to make their wants knowm by other
means, and the plan that suggests itself is that a mass meeting be held
at an early date to formuk tc a demand upon the postofHce authorities
St.. Flat City
o. M'jtchler, Prop.
Nicely Furnished Rooms B\rn for Horses and Dogs Baths in Connection
Seward Gold Sea! Pacs
ARE THE LfEST ON THE MARKET i
| ML DOT^IELLEY^ ______
wr jm wi-> yg n j7 v? FIRST-CLASS
EM QUO 21 Bk U itQUSB accommodation
Furnace Heat in Every Room Large and Warm Dag Houses
_FREE READING ROOM—All the Late Outside Papers and Magazines,_
r
When at ■ CLEAN, WARM ROOMS
stop at the ny oor ousso Tub and suam Bath*
New Stables for Horses and Dogs MRS. DICKSON, PROP.
j Fr sli aeats|
I Beef, Poultry, Fish
- Dry Packed Butter |
| seiondst. IDSTAROD S^SEAl OOb phone 15 [
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME_
Caribou Cafe
FIRST AVE. |
GOOD MEALS
SHORT ORDERS
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
ROST. SOUTAR
Prop.
for a mail service that shall meet the demands of the community, bear
ing in mind the fact that this portion of Uncle Sam’s domain is as much
entitled to the best to be procured in the way of mail service as are the
more thickly populated communities of the States. At least some
means should be taken to forward mail which has been accepted and
upon which postage has been paid without the payment of prohibitory
express rates in addition._
ALASKA MINING LAV/
With the approach of the Second session of the Alaska legislature,
all kinds of laws for the amelioration of the condition of the poor miner
and prospector may be expected, and it will be the part of wisdom
for the residents of the territory to carefully scrutinize these proposed
laws. A Fairbanks newspaper announces that a movement has been
started in that city which may mean the repeal of the Roden law, en
acted at the last session of the legislature, and states that “the law is
declared io be objectionable in every respect and to all persons, Ire
they the stakers themselves, the workers, or man who puts up the
money for some other fellow to go out and stake ground for him.
This statement is true in so far as it relates to that class of men to whom
all legislative restriction is objectionable. To the bona fide operator,
prospector and miner, who is jealous of his own rignts and observant
of the rights of others, the Roden law presents no defect that cannot
be readily remedied. The law itself embodies the views of a large
majority of the people interested in the development of mining in
Alaska. Its greatest defect is that it is somewhat ambiguous; but with
its phraseology made more plain and some of its non-essential require
ments eliminated, it is a good law.
The people of Alaska should regard with suspicion any proposed
legislation governing mining that is sprung at the last moment. If
the persons dissatisfied with the present law have anything better to
offer, now is the time to present it for discussion by the people. Mail
communication with Juneau after the legislature convenes will be al
most impossible from Interior points, and telegraph tolls are expensive.
Therefore, if there is to be any tinkering with the mining law at the
coming session, let the people hear the proposals now, while there is
time to become familiar with them.
Or.e of the strange things m connection with Alaskan affairs is thai
any proposed legislation emanating from Delegate Wickersham or the
authorities at Washington having for its object the development of the
territory or the improvement of conditions here is immediately assailed
by those posing as the interpreters of public sentiment. A recent dis
patch from Valdez published in the Fairbanks Citizen states that “Dele
gate Wickersham’s plan to have congress place ali license money col
lected in Alaska in the hands of the territorial legislature has aroused
much opposition here. One of the objections made to the plan sug
gested by Mr. Wickersham is that it would provide for maintaining two
separate road commissions, one under the direction of congress and
the other under the authority of the territorial legislature.” The ob
lectiori is trifling in view of the fact that no provision is made in the
bill for a territorial commission. Hie bill proposes to devote money to
he territory’s use which has heretofore gone into the national treasury
It may or may not be expended by a territorial commission, as the
Alaska legislature may elect. The bill lias all the appearances of being
a move in the interest of the territory as a whole.
The road bill introduced by Delegate Wickersham in the national
house of representatives, besides containing provisions for the build
ing of a bridge at Fairbanks, a permanent bridge across the Snake river
at Nome, a post road from Hope via Sunrise to an intersection with
(he Alaska Central railroad, a road from Skagway to the international
boundary line, and a bridge at Juneau, each of which projects is to
cost $25,000, contains a provision for an appropriation cf $25,000
io “complete the military post road from Ruby. Alaska, known as the
Ruby-Long creek road.” Whether or not the citizens of Ruby succeed
in getting the government to build this much-needed road, they are
at least to be congratulated upon their energy and aggressiveness in
making known their wants in the proper quarters. I hey realize that
to sit still and wait for improvements to come to them is a long, tedious
and profitless policy. They deserve success.
A decision has been rendered by Judge Tucker at Nome to the effect
that while a laborer’s lien is effective as against a mining dump con
taining, or supposed to contain, gold, it is no1 valid as against the
finished product of mining operations carried on by means of a dredge
—the gold itself. Tins may be the law; if so, that law needs fixing.
It is not likely that the intent of the legislators harmonizes with the
decision of the judge, and it will be interesting to learn the basis of
such devious reasoning._
The Washington state prohibition law, which will go into effect
January 1, 1916, forbids the manufacture of liquor in the state and
forbids sale or shipment of liquor, even by clubs, also the giving away
of liquors; but it provides that users of liquors may have limited quanti
ties, equal to about a case of beer every twenty days, shipped to them
for their own consumption, after registering at the county auditor s
office, paying a 25-cent fee, and complying with other formalities.
-— |
PERVERSITY
My foot is swollen with the gout; if it were pounded with the knout it couldn’t
have more kinds of pain, and remedies are all in vain. But I could stand the tor
; tore well and bear my grief and seldom yell if things did not conspire and scheme
to hurt that foot and make me scream.
Yes, things inanimate will plan to put the kibosh on a man, and when his mud
hook makes him curse they set to work to make it worse.
I rise at night, with anguish bent, to seek the jim crow liniment supposed if?
ease my muscles torn, and which it eases—in a horn. I know just where the bottle
stands, and there I steer, with groping hands; and then my sore foot, goes, kerswat!
against the corner of the cot. On one lame letfjuwhile I stand and hold the other in
my hand, and quote the bards of ancient Greece nad yell for firemen and police.
The cot, a thing of wire and steel, of course, you’ll say, can’t think or feel; and
yet it left its proper stall to sspoil that inoffensive toe and multiply my load of woe.
Then, when the anguish quits a bit, and I’ve recovered from my fit, I start again,
once more intent on getting that blamed liniment, I take three steps, or maybe
four, and then a chair slides up the floor, and so displays its nether limb that I shall
kick the same with vim. I have ten toes, and I might kick with nine of them a
! chair—or brick—and not be much the worse for wear; alas! the sore one hits that
chair! The one lone toe I’d fain protect gets in collision and is wrecked!
I fold my poor foot to my breast and rant around like all possessed, until my wife
leaves her repose and cools me with the garden hose.
That chair, at ordinary times, would not descend to sordid crimes. It is a meek
and humble stool that follows up the golden rule; it tries to make the world more
gay and scatters sunshine day by day. But when it saw that swollen scow, it had
to take a fall, I trow.
And everything around the shack will leave its place and jump the track to
bruise that poor old hoof of mine, and so I sit here and repine.
You know the truth of what I say, that things inanimate will play the most per
verse, outrageous pranks on one who’s shaky on his shanks; and if you don’t, just
try the gout, and you will blamed soon find it out.— Walt Mason.
Captain Tom Willett came up from his
wood camp the early part of the week and
spent a few days in the city.
Monday being Washington’s birthday, and
a legal holiday in Alaska, the bank and
public offices were closed.
DREAMING
BY C. EDWARD CONE
A poof in a golden clime was born,
With golden stars above.
Endowed with the hope or hope, and scorn of scorn,
And love of love. —Alfred Tennyson.
lie sang of strength, high hope, and great endeavor;
(larlands of sweet words he wove, and tried to sever
The gross things of life from high desire;
To kindle in men's hearts the holy fire
Of all-embracing hope of peace to be,
And brotherhood of all humanity.
With boundless hope, he sang of hope to those
Who most had need of hope, and of their woes
And troubles he, with sympahtetic heart,
Tried to relieve them with his simple art
Of song; and sang again of hope’s light streaming
O’er a dark world. And men said “He is dreaming.”
Si ng he then of scorn scorn of those base things
That, sear the heart, and breed remorse’s stings;
Scorn of those things that glorify but self
The power o’er men, and ruthless gains of pelf.
And with his song he ever tried to lead
Men's thoughts unto a higher, nobler creed.
lie would that they with him to heights would soar,
That they, too. might with him see on before
To a great realm wherein the superman
Walked like a god; no motive other than
Scorn of base things, like a day-star beaming
With g'.- at promise. And men said “He’s dreaming.”
So then he sang of love; and loud and clear
The clarion notes rang out to silence fear.
And warm the hearts of men, that they might cease
To war upon each other; and that peace
Might reign o'er all the world, and then
Man’s love for man might till the hearts of men.
The song of love he sang was of a love divine;
That through all time its olorious light should shine.
And light the dark, lone places where despair and grief
And misery in the heart lay like a thief.
And o’er man’s love for man. God’s own love gleaming.
And those who heard still said that he was dreaming.
IDITARQD’S MAIL SERVICE
SUBJECT OF COMMENT
-—
(Fairbanks Times. Jan. IS)
That Iditarod is much worse off than
Fairbanks so far as mail is concerned is
evident from a letter received yesterday by
:ho marshal's office from Deputy P. G.
Charles. According to his statement, no
mail from the Outside was received at
Iditamd between October 4 and November
jr>. The shipping of mail by way of Seward
has proved an utter failure, according to
the majority of the people of Iditarod, and
*y would prefer to go back to the old
system of having the mail routed by way of
Fairbanks.
In a letter from the deputy marshal at
• hir the marshal's office was informed that
no mail had been received there since the
letter part of last summer. The mail from
Fairbanks for Ophir is said to be lying at
Takotna.
Other lower river points are reported to
have received little or no mail since the
1 close of navigation, and practically every
.'C-!tlenient cn the Yukon below Ituby is
dissatisfied with the conditions existing this
I winter, as the result of the change made by
I the department.
PUNCH TO “BERNARD JAW”
Under the caption. “Punch to Bernard
.Taw.” London's famous humorous weekly,
Punch, pays its compliment* to James Ber
nard .'“haw m the following vigorous verges:
Ili'n -1 rii us jc*P !'. who in happier (lav s
\nnis<mi ii* wilh your pr> fa-« - and plays,
'.'■(iiiiring a pre.-an< i * I'eimu ;i
By Tinning law- ami morals upside down,
-inking pm i to : ,i• p,11> in Mr*, liruihi.'. .
itailmv a: n.;i; i.t■ • • • r lie- Botisii .sunday.
\ik! lavishing \ •■ur a •’ i i ulinjle
« hi the I'oundat! »ns o| impel...t rule -
’Twits Well elluligll lli 11 1 IIjU 1 lill.e- to Sit
And wateii in.* v. rkiug* of your wayward
w"
But in tliese bitter days of storm and -ire--,
v. lieii - .;.i- ate shown m all their naked
ness.
Y<*ur ur\a-taimg eg- "*m *:ands nut
lumided « f the la.-t i ••mainihg clout;
You own y iir cause i- ju-t. yet can’t re
frain
1 ’r in libeling those win made its justice
plain;
You chide the Prussian junkers, yet pro
claim
uur siate-men beat them at their own vile
game.
Tims, bent on getting back at any cost,
Into the limelight you have lately lost.
And, high above war's trumpets loudly
blown
on land and sea, eager to sound your own,
\Ye tinil you faithful to your ancient plan
of disagreeing with the average man.
And all bemuse you think yourself undone
I'nless in a minority of one.
Vain to the core, thus in tlie nation’s need
You carp and cavil while your brothers
bleed,
And while oil England vitriol you bestow
You offer balsam to her deadliest foe.
THE LAST WORD
A little girl traveling in a sleeping ear
with her parents greatly objected to being
put in an upper berth. She was a-vured
that papa, mamma anti God would watch
over her. She was settled in the berth at
last and the passengers were quiet for the
night when a small voice piped:
“Mamma!”
“Yes, dear.”
“You there?”
“Yes, I’m here. Now go to sleep.”
“Papa, you there?”
“Yes, I'm here. Go to sleep like a good
girl.”
This continued at intervals for some time,
until a fellow' passenger lost patience and
called:
“We’re all here! Y'our father, and
mother, and brothers and sisters, and uncles
and aunts, and first cousins—all here. Now
go to sleep!”
There was a brief pause after this ex
plosion. Then the tiny voice piped up
again, but very softly:
“Mamma!”
“Well?”
“Was that God?”—Ex.
AUSTRALIA PLACES EMBARGO
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.—The American
consul at Sydney, N. S. W., has reported
that the Australian government has placed
an embargo on meat and coal, except to
the mother country. An embargo has also
been placed upon wool, wheat and flour.
FOR SALE—A quantity of good copper
mixed lead (type metal). Much better and
more durable for machinery repairing
than the ordinary soft lead. Pioneer
office.
CLIWER'S
FOOTWEAR
FLAT CITY
Now Is the time to get your boots and
shoes repaired—just berore the busy sea
son begins. You’ll save time and money by 1
having vur repair work done now.
GOOD WORK REASONABLE PR!C23
C. C. CLIMER, FLAT CITY
PLENTY OF TONNAGE
IN SUS3TNA VALLEY
There is plenty of tonnage in sight to
warrant the building of the government
railroad v;a the Su.-itna valley, in the opin
ion of Thomas A. Parker, one of the be t
known of the old-time Alaskans, vri." has
spent much time in that sect: .a, and wh
was engaged with the United St.o - rail
road commission during the work ol la-;
summer. The resources which are to fur
nish this tonnage, he says, are still practi
ce !ly undeveloped, although the .-tart that
has b°e:: made has already given showing
enough to prove that further development
will open up vast resources, not only in
mineral wealth, but in agricultural pur
suits.
The Breed Pass section seems to olT r
evidences of prolific mining resourc
Lane deposits of gold ores, carrying values
according to assay tests running from $12
to $200 per ton, arc known to exist, whip
the conditions for successful farming are
<-ro favorable than in any other section of
Alaska, except, perhaps, the Tatiana valley.
Mr. Parker lei' that section of Alaska
during October just passed, and at that time
development work in the Bread Pass ac
tion was actively under way. The property
of the Well- brothers is probably the be-:
: ’ i,vn an i has had the greate;. am ji
development work done on ir. They have
developed three of their -ix claims to some
rent. On one claim they have driven :■
tunnel for a distance of seventy-five feet
and shown up an ore body carrying value*
running from $12 per ton to $200. The
deposit or dyke lias been developed to be
000 feet in width, and has been traced in
1 myth for a distance « f twelve miles. Ti e
>:re is base or semi-base and will mostly
have to be smelted.
On the same lead Coffee and. Kelly un
doing development work; d-o the Bowker
br.-ih^r*. while twenty-live miles \ve<t o!
Br< ad pass? Wclf and H si develop
a lead of the same character of ore on the
C ulitna r v * i tributi ry of Susit
river. There were 140 quartz locations
m. ' ■ .luring the past year.
\\ . Mrausoetter, tne well Known min
ing engineer, is on the ground with a force
(f men. representing a big LI m:-tern syndi
cate. They have an n the Wells
brothers’ property and will spend the winter
investigating its possibilities further.
“It is absolutely necessary that the trans
portation facilities be provided in order to
develop these properties and to operate
them. This can only be done through the
construction of a railroad and the building
of wagon roads so that mining supplies and
machinery may be transported to the
ground.” says Mr. Parker.
“Already." continued Mr. Parker, “there
are forty bon:*, tide homesteaders located . n
the tillable land of the Susitna vrlby. air!
they are engaged in building cabins and in
clearing land at the present time. One
ranch owned and conducted by Olson and
Larson this past summer raised potatoes on
ten acres of ground that is under cultiva
tion, securing a yield of 400 tons to the
acre. They also raised nearly all the other
known vegetables that thrive in Alaska."
It is Mr. Parker’s belief that coal will be
shipped from Ship Creek first, because tin
’s the point where the railroad will first
touch tidewater. After running the prelimi
nary lines a party of government surveyors
this past summer ran a location line from
hhip Creek to the Matanuska coal fields.
This would seem to indicate that Mr. Par
ker’s belief is well founded. These esti
mates were all turned in and the line is
ready for construction, he says.
Knik is reported by Mr. Parker to be
thriving in a wonderful way. At least
seventy-five new buildings were erected
there during the past summer and fall. Mr.
Parker, who is aboard the Admiral Evans,
will engage in the commercial business at
Knik next spring. He expects to return to
Seattle within the next sixty days for the
purpose of making arrangements for his new
enterprise.
The mines back of Knik produced during
the past season approximately $280,000.
‘he Gold Bullion alone produced $140,000.
Everyone around that section is reported to
be in a cheerful frame of mind, and opti
mistic for the future.—Juneau Empire.
ARTHUR BUEL IN RENO
Arthur V. Buel, the cartoonist, whose
clever work will be remembered by news
paper readers of Dawson and Nome, has
become identified with the Nevada Gazette,
a new' Democratic weekly publication in
Reno. Buel has just completed a thrpe
year contract with the Sacramento Bp
'•here his sketches were a powerful factor
in the political battles of the state.
Fresh Olympia Oysters, for cocktails $2
can. Iaitarod Meat Co,
LIEN LAW APPLIES TO DUMPS
NOT TO DREDGE PRODUCT
(Nome Nugget, Dec. 2i)
Judge Tucker, in a lengthy and well
considered opinion, this morning denied the
motion of the plaintiff for an injunction in
the ease of Frank Nordstrom et al. vs.
Siev°rstlen-Johnson Mining <fe Drpdging
Company Frank Nordstrom and his eo
plaintiffs were workmen employed upon the
Sicverlsen-Johnson dredge upon Solomon
river during the past summer, and their
vagi - were not paid them. The action was
brought under the act of congress passed
Jum* 2~>, 1910, creating a lien upon dump*
for the wages of laborers employed in pro
ducing such dumps. The court, holds that,
while the lien exists 8vS to dupms and the
gold and gold dust therein, or extracted
therefrom, it does not exist under such act
to gold taken from a mining claim by a
dredge.
PIONEER CREEK AGENCIES
FLAT CITY.. . - Mrs. C. C. Chiitiek
DISCOVERY OTTER Harry Donnelley
DR. IVSOORE,
Physician and Surgeon
j c.
Gold St., Gppo;ite Posioffice, Flat Gty
Eiye-Gla'S Fitting Telephons
DR. H. E. AURINGER,
Physician and Surgeon
Office: Gold St. Flat City, Alaska
'.>n.'i;Itutir.n Hours in ! renoons and i.y
Appointment
E. M. STANTON,
Attorney at Law
Office: Corner Willow and Second Sts.
Idwurod Pioneer Building
W. F. GARRISON,
Attorney at Law
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Room 12, Regina Hotel
CHP.S. E. TAYLOR,
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue Iditarod
; OPEN DAYAND NIGHT
j
FLAT CITY HOHBACK &. DURAND
Bet. the Grand and Bagoy’s Bars
THE BEST AIL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
Adams House
FIRST ST.. IDiTAROD
| Clean, Warm Rooms, Gas-Lighted. The
Only First-Class Horse and Dog
Stables in Town
' Travelers Taken to the Creeks
Free Library and Reading Room
Pet; Salmon for Sale I
~ _
FLAT CITY
Open Dav and Night
MRS. N. P. GILMORE
FURNACE HEAT
REASONABLE RATES
Second and Willow Streets
Warm Horae and Dag Barns
Both Winter and Summer
Locations
; INQUIRE AT THE ROADHOUSE
BEST LIQUORS AND~C16ARS~
Three-Times-Move Bar
(Formerly the Stanley House)
JOHN BAGOY, PROP.
GOOD ROOMS CLEAN BEDS
__FLAT CITY
CO ROOMING
LSI HOUSE
Dis., Otter Miss V. Earl, Prop.
Warm and Clean Rooms
Porcelain Tub Baths
CONVENIENT DOG KENNELS