ATTENTION, A, B.'S PROSPECTORS
i a « ronnoctn^ tn a ° f Can secure blank Affidavits of Annual As
hood are urgently in^e"ted t<> attend a meet- sessment Work and Notices of Location at
mg Ir /'i , SS of01!: Jirst,av!‘ the Iditarod Pioneer office,
nue, Wednesday eve., Sept. 21, at 8 oclock,
to organize Camp Iditarod. We alao hav",ho Looa,lon bla"“8 brln,etl on cioth.
One Dollar Per Month. IDITAROD, ALASKA, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1910. ' Two Bits Per Copy
DELTA'S PASSENGERS
FINALLY ARRIVE HERE
After a trip brim full of hard
luck about 25 people arrived in
this city Friday, most of them
coming from the Outside. They
reached Dikeman Wednesday on
the Delta, which had taken them
from the Susie near the mouth of
the Yukon, where that packet
had sprung a boiler plate. Be
fore that they were compelled to
lay off Unimak Pass several days
on account of fog, and when the
Susie broke down they were’held
at the mouth of the Yukon about
five days until the Delta came to
their assistance.
The launch Helen M. brought
23 of them to this city, and some
came on the Fram. The Helen
M. also brought 20 sacks of mail
which represented a long ac
cumulation at Holy Cross.
In addition to her passengers
the Delta brought 275 tons of
freight to Dikeman, part of the
cargo being 250cases of eggs for
which the town has been waiting
with open arms.
The passenger list is as fol
lows: Roy Fairbanks, Mrs. J.
McDowell, Blanch Harris, Mr.
Zabel, Mr. Slighter, John Wil
son, Oscar Eckert, A. Sterne,
Pearl Squares, Miss Nest, Mr.
Knight, Chas. Reed, John Todd,
Mr. Hooper, C. F. Madaka, D.
Allen, MissCoolidge, Miss Cham
bers, C. T. Suter and wife, A. A.
Shonbeck and wife, Mi-, and Mrs.
Elliott, Mr. and Mrs. Hoxsie.
Gil Bates, the Otter creek operator,
was a visitor in the city during the
early part of last week.
N. Jaffa, the Flat creek merchant,
was in tho city last Monday.
Lon Doggett, of Otter, spent several
days in the city last week.
Bob Hart returned last week from
the Smeaton & Larson strike on Cari
bou creek, on the Kuskokwim side.
Snow gulcb is looking up better than
any of them, but good prospects are
being found on Donlon. Mr. Hart will
return as soon as possible with a pros
pecting boiler.
Sam Godfrey, representative of Grif
fin & Baird, has just returned from a
tour of the Kuskokwim strikes and
pronounces them all to the good con
sidering the amount of work that has
been done. He thinks Snow gulch is
carrying the money.
Ed. J. Slier, formerly clerk of the
district court at Fairbanks, and re
cently connected with one of the inde
pendent shipping outfits at Dikeman, is
in Iditarod city, looking over the situa
tion. He says that he has definitely
declined the office of United States
commissioner at that point.
J. B. Mading, father of Doc Mading,
the Flat-creek operator, accompanied
his son into the city last week to make
arrangements for his trip to the Out
side. He believes in resting up a spall
after the strenuous prospecting of the
last season
Claude Shea and Casey Jones made a
twelve-hour hunt down river last week
with a gasoline boat and returned
Tuesday night with 12 fine large geese
to their credit. They report the geese
more plentiful than ducks at this time.
“Shorty" Davenport, proprietor of
the Discovery bunkhouse on Otter
creek, has sold his place that he might
join the Kuskokwim stampede. The
building was taken over by Geo. Riley
who will use it for a bunkhouse in con
nection with his mining operations on
1-A.
For the purpose of taking one more
hurried look at the Iditarod before
leaving for Europe, Duncan Michie, the
well-known banker and mining man of
Dawson and Fairbanks, caine to Idit
arod City last week and is now looking
over the creeks. He was here early
in June and at that time closed out
some interests which were not looking
too encouraging. According to present
plans he will leave in a short time to
visit his folks in Scotland.
A large shipment of wallpaper and
house lining at Anderson Bros. & Ner
land. ___
WANTED—Position by competent wo
man as cook for roadhouse or camp.
Apply Pioneer office.
Roadhouse for sale. Xnquird Ed
Welch, Richmond street.
—
-—
Fairbanks,'Sept. 3, 1910.
Maltby, Commissioner, Iditarod, Alaska:
Joseph Greon, secretary citizens’ committee, wires com
plaint that under guise of trading post parties have seized and
dealt in land for speculative purposses and assaulted citizens
with deadly weapons. Wire at once full particulars.
Brown, Asst. U. S, Atty.
District Attorney, Fairbanks, Alaska:
McDowell and Stewart stakad trading post. Don’t know ag
to completion of location. Have leased propetty to different
parties. Trouble all summer with jumpers. Last trouble re.
your wire, assaulters Smith brothers, arrested, found guilty.
Fined $200, costs and three months, appealed. McDowell,
Stewart and others arrested, hearing soon as possible.
Joe Green arrested jumping in street. Jury trial, guilty.
Fined for contempt of court. Agitator, he careful, bad char
acter. Has given lots of trouble here. Letter of explanation.
Maltby.
The above telegrams explain themselves, but they do
not explaiti who are the Citizen’s Committee or how Joe
Green, professional lot-jumper and trouble-maker came to
be its secretary.
The rumor that there was such a committee spread
about the city too slight extent shortly after the trouble on
the corner of First and Richmond, where the houses of
Landahl and Kientz took their spectacular journev out into
----
the street and back again. This rumor could never be
traced to its source since every citizen interviewed ex
pressed an ignorance of the existence or purpose of such a
committee.
It was later rumored that this alleged committee of
citizens had wired to Judge Overfield at Fairbanks, asking
for an investigation of tbe commissioner’s and the marshal’s
offices here, apparently on the theory that these officers had
been responsible for the trouble that had occurred. As a
part of this rumor it was said that money had been raised
to send Joe Green to Fairbanks as the champion of Idit
arod’s down-trodden and pAce-loving citizens.
The telegram from Brown to Judge Maltby is tbe first
authoritive information received by this paper that there
was such a committee, but just who they are, aud why Joe
Green is tbe spokesman is still a matter of perplexity.
Upon being interviewed, Commissioner Maltby ad
mitted that be had heard such a rumor and submitted the
above telegrams as proof of tbe fact that word of some kind
had been sent to Fairbanks.
“In regard to tbe investigation of my office,’’ said
Judge Maltby, “if my administration here has in any way
been questioned, I want an investigation made at once and
thoroughly. It matters not who or what this alleged citi
zen’s committee is, but if it represents a spirit of criticism
against my office, founded upou any dereliction or duty on
my part, then the sooner my superiors know about it tbe
better. I have sought to serve the people of this district to
the best of my ability and the work is written in the public
records. You may say for me that I court an immediate
investigation, being most anxious to see this unpleasant
matter settled as soon as possible.”
Deputy Marshal Donovan gave expression to the same
sentiments feeling that the business of his office had been
handled here in a manner satisfactory to his own best judg
ment,”
As stated heretofore, the management of this paper
has been iu ignorance of the fact that investigation of the
commissioner’s or the marshal’s office is wanted here except
as learned through unsubstantiated rumor, but if such a
thing is desired, the Iditarod Pioneer takes an unequivocal
stand in favor of it also, not only to vindicate the honest,
clean and impartial administration of justice that has been
the lot of this district since Commissioner Maltby and
Deputy Marshal Donovan came into office here, but also to
determine finally whether or not the desirable element ol
this town’s citizenship will control its destinies.
We believe in Judge Maltby and Captain Donovan.
We do not believe in Joe Green.
We believe that ticklish, unsatisfactory and frequently
dangerous situations here havt been handled iu a sane, just
aud expeditious manner.
We believe that an undesirable element has existed in
this city since its founding, men who were not willing to
comply with the law becSuse iu so doing they would lose
that something they w?re trying to get lor nothing.
We believe that through the activity of this class most
of the trouble has arisen, and that it will continue to be so
unless the firm hand of the law is backed up by the proper
sentiment in this community.
KSonos Talks About Upper Iditarod Creeks
With the statement that they will besluicingpay dirt
on some of the new creeks at the head of Iditarod river
next spring, John Klonos, better known as “John the
Greek, an old-time mining man of other districts in
Alaska, has just returned from Rainey creek, about 150
miles up river, and is preparing to start back at once
with a winter’s outfit. With him came Harry Splatz,
his partner, and Harry Hue!, of Little creek, and two
Montenegrans who have been prospecting in that sec
tion.
Klonos says that in the opinion of many min
iug men who are there now', they have already struck
pay dirt, especially on Little creek where they have
three feet of gold bearing gravel that will go a grain to
the pan. Some of this dirt will pan 5 and 6 cents on
the dump. He himself does not consider it pay dirt at
the present time, but from the showing made in the
short time that the country has been prospected, he
has every reason to believe that there will be plenty of
pay country found by spring.
He is one of the two or three prospectors who have
had the advantage of small prospecting boilers, and
with his outfit he sunk seven holes on Rainey creek.
Here he found excellent prospects, but not what he
considers pay. The creek itself lays about 50 miles
above Little, on the Iditarod, and is about 20 miles long.
The ground varies in depth from 18 to 25 feet, and from
the character of the dirt found, he is a firm believer in
the future of that creek.
On Little creek, a stream some 15 miles long, they
have found bedrock at 18 feet and deeper. Harry
Buhro, with a small boiler, sunk 45 feet without strik
ing bedrock on that creek, and was compelled to sus
pend operations while he went to the Innoko to look
after business.
There are a number of outfits working on Little en
gaged in prospecting. Many of these have knocked off
sinking holes for the purpose of building cabins and
getting into winter quarters. This Mr. Klonos cites as
an excellent indication that they are satisfied with the
showing and expect to put in the winter there.
There were some 15 outfits in the country when he
left, numbering perhaps 50 men, and more going there
all the time.
Having outfitted Mr. Klonos will return to Rainey,
and besides prospecting there, will take a look at the
gravels of Elliott, Klonos and Fourth of July. Just
across the divide from these creeks—about one day’s
travel—lays the head of Black river, a tributary of the
Kuskokwim, a stream which is now attracting consider
able attention.
Vice President Sherman has been “stumping” Illi
nois for the stand-pat Republicans.__
Georgetown L@©ics Lite [fntur© City
Georgetown, at the mouth of the Yukwonilnuk is
threatened with metropolitan ambitions according to re
ports of returning stampeders who have been looking at the
recent finds on the head of that river. They say that town
lots are already being staked there, and that someone may
soon get the saloon license bee in his bonnet, wherefore it
will be all off.
It is said that a number of individuals have gathered
there, and although they haven’t enough grub to wad a
small bore shotgun, nor a tent to sleep under, they begin
to dream of thoroughfares, and the time when they can sell
a six-bit lot for a thousand cold samoleums.
Last week Joe McNamee and Jack O’Connors, Bill
Rose and Smithy Bembrook came back after a somewhat
extended survey of the country in the vicinity of Julian
creek. They looked it over carefully, but found no work
in progress except at the mouth of Julian creek, where on
the ground recently acquired under option by the Cascadens,
they are shoveling in and find placers that run $1.50 to the
foot.
The entire country is staked and no lays of any impor
tance have been let. Everybody is running around over
the country, waiting for someone else to do the work, while
they look for a likely spot that has not beeu taken up under
our old friend the “association” claim.
At Georgetown they are waiting for supplies. The
last trip of the Lavelle Young proved unsatisfactory since
the captain of the boat refused to land the supplies there.
He was billed through to the Takotna and kept on going in
spite of protests. It may be that some of that grub will be
brought back, but if this fails them, the miners will get
what they want from Bethel, availing themselves of one or
two small steamers that are plying on the Kuskokwim.
From the mouth of the Yukwonilnuk to the North
Fork, it is figured about 20 miles. From that point to
Julian creek, it is about 15 miles. Going up the North
Fork one reaches the Smeaton and Larson strike, which
has hitherto been thought to be on an entirely different
river from the Yukwonilnuk.
From Georgetown, the provisions can be brought up
by poling boats to both of the new mining districts. Still,
it is deemed possible that much of the winter supplies will
be taken over the trail from this city after the freezeup since
a practical trail cau be negotiated from here.
It is also said that both Commissioner Green and
Deputy Marshal Siebe have arrived at Georgetown, where
upon it looks as though there will be something doing there
in the way of a town before snow flies. Pat O’Connor, for
mer chief of police at Fairbanks, is at Georgetown, and is
busy laying out streets and advantageous sites for new
courthouses.
JULIAN CREEK STAKED AND SOLD W1THSN FOUR MONTHS
With a whole creek staked and sold within four
months of the discovery of gold in its gravels, Julian
creek—a tributary of George river on the Kuskokwim
side—has made rapid strides in mining history, and bids
fair to become a well-known producer in another season.
The deal was completed last week whereby the
whole of the creek, constituting two miles of ground, or
eight claims, was sold to Charles and Dave Strandberg,
B. E. Johnson and Con Junkins for $90,000 the pur
chasers receiving a three quarter interest. The re
maining quarter was sold some time ago to Cascaden
brothers by Charles Ammilon for $50,000.
Under the $90,000 option Ben Anderson, John Kie
land and Jim Johnson, the discoverers of the creek,
dispose of all their interests there. Ten thousand dol
lars has been paid down, another payment of $10,000 is
due next June, and the balance in $35,000 payments
which are to be paid next fall.
Julian creek has been known to carry pay since
last June. Its discoverers located the w hole creek and
prospected it, afterwards open-cutting at the mouth
where they sluiced ground that went as high as $3 to
the foot. Charles Strandberg is authority for the
statement that he got $3.30 from 14 pans at this point,
and that the paystreak is figured 75 feet wide. This is
its narrowest portion, however, since the mouth of the
creek is narrow, but basins out further up.
About half way up the creek a hole is down in
ground figured at $1.50 to the foot. At the head of the
creek good prospects have been found, but they could
not get down on account of water.
It is the plan of the purchasers to get machinery
and supplies on the ground this winter if possible,
ready for extensive open-cutting next season. Casca
den is now working at the mouth of the creek, but the
operations before the freezeup will not be extensive.
OLD 9
The murder theory has been entirely disproved ini
the case of Robert Brown, whose body was found at the |
head of Slate creek. The money was found on him,
sewed inside his shirt, and the holes in the slicker were
thought to be other than bullet holes by the jury that
delivered the verdict of the inqeest.
He met his death by natural causes according to
the opinion of the men who deliberated on the evidence
submitted and who viewed the body on the spot where
the old man fell. He was not far from the trail and it
does not seem probable that he was lost. He most
likely fell in a sudden attack of heart failure or ex
haustion, coupled with hunger for his pack was admit
ted to be entirely inadequate.
The identification has been complete and there is
no doubt in the minds of those who viewed the body,
that the remains were those of Robert Brown, old timer
in the country and one-time miner of Dawson. His
pipe, through the evidence of witness Kline was a de
ciding factor in the formality of identification.
He fell between two trees, perhaps his last support
before the thrall of death overtook him. The body had
been mutilated by wild beasts or malamutes and yet
upon the mutilated remains there remained enough
evidence to prove that no murderer had stalked the
woods in search of his victim.
Just before going to press it was learned that the
money found in the old man’s shirt amounted to $486.
The White Seal is expected at Dike
man at any time with a large bunch
of passengers from Fairbanks. She
was billed to leave that place about
Sept. 6th, and when last heard from
her reservations were ail sold out.
Among those who are known to be on
the list are Henry Roden, Jerome
Chute, Fred Vogler and some more of
the old timers. It is thought that
Bennett James and Tod Cowles will
also be on that boat.
Harry Ashland, partner of George
Marsh, of the Northern, got back
last week after a tedious trip to Nulato
where he went to hasten matters in
regard to the saloon license. He burned
up 17 bundles of telegraph blanks and
achieved results.
John Cameron, business getter for
the Str. Lois came to Iditarod City
Wednesday night. He says that Capt.
Bingham has been waiting there for
a week on account of lack of freight.
The Evelyn's arrival last Tuesday prob
ably lifted the freight embargo.
A. E- Bain, the popular cigar mer
chant from 1-A Otter, is visiting Idit
arod.
Get a regulation “safety" at The Tin
Shop.
Fat Nickerson Cashes In
According to reports received from
the last passengers from the Outside,
C. R. Nickerson, better known as
“Fat” Nickerson, whose name is fami
liar to former residents of Dawson and
Fairbanks, died in Seattle on Aug. 13.
Death was caused by appendicitis,
following a protracted illness.
After spending an evening with
convivial friends, the head of the
family entered the house as quietly
as he could, turned up the reading
light in the library, and settled him
self as if perusing a massive, leather
bound volume. Presently h<s wife
entered the room, as he knew she
would, and asked what he was do
ii'K- :
“Oh,” he replied, “I didn’t feel
like turning in when I first came
home, and I’ve been reading some
favorite passages fro» this sterling
old work.”
“Well,” said his wife, “it’s get
ting late now. Shut up the valise
and come to bed.”
Mrs. E. Welsh, wife of the well
known merchant on Richmond street,
has gone Outside for the winter.
Another Deal on Happy
A deal has just been concluded in
this city, whereby Jack Goslow, who
has interests on several creeks in this
district sold to J. Casper of the Pacific
Cold Storage Co., a two-claim group
known as the Goldfinch at the head of
Happy. The consideration named in
the deed is $3000.
Mr. Mitchell of the Pacific Cold
Storage company has gone to Dikeman
to me?t some meat. This is the last
shipment before the freezeup and will
be brought to Iditarod City over the
trail.
SAND ON TRACK
FOR THIS DEAL
Unconcluded negotiations which
may yet reach court have developed
on the head of Flat creek, where
the attempted transfer of the Edgar
and McLean lay on the rich Ayl
mer fraction to John McKay and
Peter Hotts has been held up by
Manley and Aitken, and other
owners, and where Aitken as at
torney for Manley has served notice
that the new lay claimants will not
be recognized.
The deal has been pending for
some time since it was known that
the owners of the Marietta were
anxious to acquire the Edgar and
McLean lay after they had dis
covered rich pay. The laymen
wanted $20,000 for turning over
their 500 feet to Manley and Ait
ken, including their machinery.
The negotiations reached no con
cluding point as the purchasers
would not come quite up to this
sum.
A short time ago, it is said,
Edgar & McLean found purchasers
in McKay and Hotts who were
willing to come tip to the figure
asked and who would also make
satisfactory arrangements concern
ing the machinery.
This, it seems started the trouble
for it is alleged that Aitken, repre
senting Manley, refused to agree to
the transfer, as did also Harold
Seddon and associates, owners of
the Wildcat who are also interested
in a fraction of the Aylmer.
As a last resort it is said that
Edgar and McLean have entered
into an agreement with McKay,
whereby McKay is to take active
management as foreman of their lay
under salary. He to conduct the
work on the Aylmer, while his
partner Hotts, looks after things
on their other lay on the Glen as
sociation.
Edgar and McLean are contem
plating a trip Outside and will
probably leave as soon as all mat
ters are straightened out.
FIRST TRIAL OF
WICKERSHAM BILL
The affairs of the Markle, Slater and
Tuttle venture on the Celene fraction
on Otter creek are in a merry muddle,
and it is possible that several jurists
will be called upon before things are
finally straightened out. The filing of
one miner’s lien started the trouble
and now there so many that it begins
to look as though somebody is bound
to lose.
Roy Bigham, the attorney’, gave the
initial push when he brought suit for
wages on behalf of T. Dixon and Aram
Kiddi. He asked for. an attachment
against the gold in the rifties and got
it. The marshal seryed the attach
ment and cleaned up the gold, placing
the same, to the amount of something
over $1000 in the hands of the com
missioner.
Following this proceeding, a number
of other claimants got busy’, with the
result that they all filed liens and then
intervened in the suit started by Big
ham. The original suit is entitled T.
Dixon and Abram Kiddi vs. Markle,
Tuttle and Slate,*, C. A. Celene, Win,
Leggett and Wm. Davenport.
There are 11 intervenors and their
names and amounts they claim are as
follows: Martin Moran, $479 ; Stephen
Sweeney, $239; E. W. Mongan, $479;
Jacob Jensen, $218.50; Fred Smith,
8195.75; Frank Robertson, 8173; Sam
Argentier, $173; Joe Steiner, $291.75;
Jerry Lopes, $90; Chas. Purdy, $130.25;
Mrs. Chas. Slater, $1,572.00.
As' the matter now stands, it is a
question as to the proiorityof the liens
and just how far the Wickersham lien
law crnp!<5.
A Dight clerk in a hotel sat doz
ing at his desk at about oue a. m.,
when a man in evening clothes
came in as if laboriously trying to
wajk a crack, and said :
“I’m Ferguson; key to room
44”
The guest disappeared in the di
rection of his room, oue flight up.
In a few minutes a man in his shirt
sleeves, with a flattened silk hat on
the side of his head, and with one
shoe on a foot and the other in his
hand, came in and said to the clerk:
“I’m Fershon ; key to four-four.”
“Mr. Ferguson just took his key
and went up.”
“Mr. Fershum just fell out win
dow ’n’ left key inside. Kindly
lemme have ’uother.”
Joe Riesman, better known as “Zith
er Joe,” the champion zither player of
Alaska was one of the last week ar
rivals from Fairbanks. He likes the
place and will probably stay, wherefore
he will add much to the pleasure of the
winter. _
All sizes of doors, sash and glass at
Andersen Bros. & Nerland, Willow st.
Store fronts made to order.