THE IDITAROD PIONEER
---I
Published Every Saturday Morning at Iditarod, Alaska
Vol. 7 CHARLES A. DERRY, Editor No. 40
ARBUCKLE S. DERRY, Publishers
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WILSON RE-ELECTED
At this writing it seems to be beyond doubt that
Woodrow Wilson has been re-elected President of
the United States. With 256 electoral votes already
assured to President Wilson, and with about forty
five still in doubt, it would appear almost a certainty
that he will secure the necessary 266 votes in the
electoral college to assure his election.
If this should prove to be the case when the final
returns are in, it will be the most notable victory ever
achieved in the United States by a presidential can
didate. With the populous states of New York, Illi
nois, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Wisconsin arrayed
against him, together with the almost solid vote of
the New England states, he comes out of the West
and South with sufficient votes to overcome the tre
mendous power of the populous states mentioned.
In some resnects the election just held has never
been duplicated in the history of the country. I he
\ ote plainly shows the effects of the foreign propa
ganda that has been in evidence against President
Wilson. The large cities, with their immense pro
portion of foreign-born citizens, have upset party
calculations in numerous instances. New York, for
instance, which city usually votes Democratic, shows
a much reduced majority for the Democratic candi
date, while such states as Wisconsin and Missouri,
show the effect of the dissatisfaction of foreign-born
citizens with the policies of President Wilson.
The great West and Northwest, joining hands
with the “solid South," hae stood nobly by the
President. Even though it should transpire that
the President has been defeated by a small majority,
it would nevertheless be a matter for congratulation
that he has been so loyally backed up by the class
of citizens who inhabit the great country west of the
Mississippi. And the fact that the great Eastern
financial and manufacturing centers have cast in
their lot with the opposition is not by any means a
reflection upon the statesmanship and humanity of
President Wilson. The country is to be congratu
lated on the result of the election.
_
THE DELEGATESHIP
Before this issue of The Pioneer goes to press
we hope to have the complete returns from the ter
ritorial election. At this writing, Thursday evening,
it appears reasonable to believe that Sulzer has been
elected over Wickersham by a fair-sized plurality,
although the figures available here are not decisive.
The contest for the delegateship in Alaska, no
matter how it shall result, cannot but work to the
advantage of the territory. The fact that Wicker
sham’s former majorities in his home division have
m numerous instances been greatly reduced and in
many more have been obliterated can have but one
interpretation. Alaska should be represented in con
gress by a man whose chief object should be the
upbuilding of the territory, and not by one whose
chief ambition is to work for his own aggrandizement
and influence in politics. Political machinery is
necessary to the conduct of political contests, and
it is to be expected that a man holding such a posi
tion as the delegateship should be a leader in polit
ical affairs. But when political activity degenerates
into political dictatorship, and when, under the guise
of non-partisanship, a one-man political machine is
built up, it is expected that the people will rebel.
Without desiring to form too hasty a conclusion,
we believe that congratulations are in order—first,
because a Democratic President has been elected,
whose policies are in line w'ith the hopes and aspira
tions of the people of this territory; and second,
that the territory is to be represented by a man who
is in harmony with that President and who will use
his energies, in co-operation with the administration,
for the benefit of the people of Alaska.
PROHIBITION
The people of this territory have expressed them
selves in no uncertain tones as in favor of the aboli
tion of the liquor traffic. In itself this is one of the
most remarkable features of the election. Not that
it has decided in favor of prohibition, but in the tre
mendous majorities given to the “dry” proposition
in many communities. Take the mining community
of Discovery, for instance. Out of a total of 40
votes cast on this question, 36 were for prohibition.
In the city of Iditarod, where there are two saloons,
there were but nine votes favoring their continu
ance. In no single precinct in the Fourth division,
the returns from which have been received here,
is there a majority in favor of the saloon shown. In
all the returns from districts throughout the territory
there is a noticable lack of “wet” majorities.
Alaska has fallen in line with enlightened modern
sentiment on the liquor traffic, and it will be well
for the people of the territory to look the situation
squarely in the face and be prepared to meet the
new conditions. The system of revenue collection
will call for immediate revision to meet the changed
conditions, and there will be ample room for the dis
play of real statesmanship in the equitable adjust
ment of taxation to provide funds formerly contrib
uted by the users of alcoholic liquors.
The proposition carried at last Tuesday’s election
contemplates that no liquor licenses shall be issued
after January 1, 1918, which will give those per
sons now engaged in the traffic a chance to adjust
their affairs to the new conditions.
The task of providing for the new legislation re
quired will be one for immediate attention, and
should be participated in bv all citizens.
-4
Before anything further is done on the score of "full terri
torial government" for Alaska, it might be well to look into the
question of whether we are in reality getting the benefit of what
territorial government we now have. The election returns for
the Fourth division seem to indicate that the only man elected to
the legislature outside of the Fairbanks district is Dan Sutherland
of Ruby, and the Koyukuk, the Iuitarod, the Kuskokwim, the
Innoko and all the vast region outside the “Fairbanks district”
is to be without representation. Those Fairbanks people have a
way of standing by their own, regardless of politics.
•---♦
Running for office, even though the candidate be unsuccessful,
sometimes has its compensations. For instance, W. A. \ ilia! of
Ophir probably would never have known how highly he was
esteemed by his neighbor,- had he not been a candidate for office.
The letter of Robert Evans, published from The Pioneer office
on the morning of the e.eetion, was a high testimonial.
The effete East may well sit up and take notice of the onward
march of prohibition. When the “wild and woolly" West, as .
represented by Nebraska, South Dakota and Montana, cuts out
its “red-eye," and Alaska follows suit, it is about time for the
Easterners to be getting nervous as to the fate of their cocktails. •
The splendid support given to Mr. Kdgore by his friends and
neighbors of this district is something he may lip proud of, evn
though it was not sufficient to overcome the indifference to his
candidacy displayed e’.-where in the division.
A telegram received here on election day stated that the voter
of a certain precinct were supporting Iditarod’s candidate for the
legislature, and suggesting reciprocity. Sa i to relate, the results
did not bear out the assertion.
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The campaign is over, and that newspaper or political orator
who has no regrets because cf mudslinging tactics or of personal
villiScations may congratulate i^elf or himself.
Why is it that the temptation to “roast" someone during the
ceur-e of political “orations” cannot be resisted by the average
spellbinder ?
SOBER NEWFOUNDLAND
(Boston Herald i
Newfoundland seems to loom larger on the map today than at
any time in its history. By two 'widely different things, military
prowess and liquor legislation, it attracts attention. On the first
day of the British advance toward Bupaume the Newfoundlanders
went right on to the third line of German trenches, and the gen
eral’s words to the survivors were: "Newfoundlanders, I salute
you individually. You have done better than the best.” They
were the sober boys of the singularly sober colony who went far
thest on the opening day of the drive, and other parts of the Brit
ish empire are wishing that they could keep step with New
foundland in its temperance march. The British liquor control
board says that Scotland cannot—that prohibition there is im
practicable; and probably the same will have to be said of Eng
land, though a vast number of business men. representing the
greatest interests of the country, are petitioning parliament to
suspend the liquor traffic during the war.
But Britain’s oldest colony has been for some forty years on
the road to prohibition, taking each step with deliberation, and at
the end of this year the course will be completed by bringing into
force a full prohibition law. It forbids the importation, manufac
ture or sale of any intoxicant as a beverage, and it will doubtless
be obeyed, because it has the support of public opinion. On both
the island itself and the Labrador coast, which together const!
tute the colony, drunkenness is rare, and crime is fractional, a
murder eleven years ago being the one dark blot in recent annals.
As one result of the war a giant and a pygmy—Russia 3nd New
foundland—join hands and take similar measures to guard against
their strength being undermined by intemperance. But neither
the French destruction of absinthe nor the Russian suppression of
vodka is so sweeping as Newfoundland’s total prohibition of in
toxicants. It offers a lead that great nations may hesitate long to
follow.
Ball Band Rubber Boots and Pacs j | Ball Band Rubber Boots and Pacs ^
§ Shipped in Cold Storage Expressly for Northern Commercial Co. |
s Cudahy's “Diamond C" I
1 r**" Armour’s “Star” 1
l MILD CURE HAM AND DACON l
“ None Better Try It
□I N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska | | N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska _□
MANY QUEER OCCURRENCES !
MADE DEEP IMPRESSION
UPON GREAT HUMORIST
In the ordinary interpretation, S. L.
Clemens, known the world over as “Mark
Twain,” was not a believer in ghosts,” says
a writer in The Great Divide, published at
Denver. But the extraordinary happenings
in his own household, here narrated by his
daughter, made a profound impression upon
him. Throughout his later life he followed
with great interest every movement look
ing to the proving of a spirit life after
death, and probably held an expectant alti
tude toward the claims of those who told
of encounters with spirits. Me never
doubted bis daughter’s word, and was, un
questionably, influenced deeply by her ex
periences. The daughter, Mine. Gabrilo
ivitsch, tells her story as follows:
We live so much in the unreal, the fan
ciful consciousness, that it would seem that
we live simultaneously in two worlds. I
have had strange experiences with the two
worlds clamoring for recognition. The ma
terial, the every day, matter-of-fact con
sciousness, I have seen frequently thrust
aside to give place to the spiritual, all know
ing intelligence.
1 suppose everyone must have witnessed
some unusual phenomenon occasionally.
What I am about to relate, however, is my
psychic problem, which has been one of the
inexplicable things of my life.
From the time I w as 4 years old until ray
14th year I was attended by a “familiar
spirit,” which the spiritual mediums call a
“guide.” We were living in Rome at the
time that this “very old u'itch” or spiritual
guardian first made her appearance. It
took*me some time before I learned that no
one else of our family group could see her
or hear her talk. Even at that early age
I had a dread of her. She was never wel
come, and I was glad when she left the
room. She had no regular time for her vis
its, coming sometimes when I had gone to
bed or when 1 ufas at play, and so often
when the other members of the family were
present that it was hard for me to believe
that they could not see her. She frequently
told me things or events of the day which
were happening. If 1 thought of her con
versation at aT it was to babble the news
in a childish way to the family at meals.
Spirit’s First Prophecy
I remember that one of my ‘‘guide's” first
prophecies to me was about our little calf.
We were assembled about the breakfast
table when I said:
“Our calf died last night.”
The coachman had not yet made his ap
pearance at the house, and there was no
way for me to know except by his informa
tion. The members of the family looked at
each other knowingly, and father asked me
how I knew, as I had just ari en.
“Why, the old lady tol I me.” I answered.
My prophecy was ignored and the matter
was dropped until the coachman verified
my information about an hour later. Then
father took me on his knee and asked me
to tell him all about the “old lady.” She
was about, the house so much that I could
not comprehend the fact that no one else
saw her. I tried to explain her to father
as best I could. I told him that sometimes
1 could hear, away tiff in the distance, a
buzzing noise that usually accompanies an
aeroplane. Then, after a little while. I
could see her coming, first like a tiny speck
in the sky, until she came closer and closer.
It seemed to me that she. rode on a large
spool decorated with ribbons and 1 though!
the flapping ribbons made the noise. You
may call it the imagination of a child if
you will, but when my “guide’s” communi
cations were voiced to me and verified by
my family after a matter of a few hours,
the interest in my ghostly visiter grew
apace, ami I would be taken into the family
councils for more catechism. I got so un
noted by her visits and their m b-e ment
effect upon the members of cur family that
I did not always tell about them. I dreaded
her daily calls.
“Guide" Foretells Death
One day while at the dinner table I re
member t'hat I blurted out the information
'.hat “Mrs. B- was dead.” This news
was received with smiles and my sister said,
“Oh, no, you are mistaken, for mother has
just received a letter from her husband
saying that she was much better. You are
wrong this time.”
Mrs. B-had been a neighbor and was
one of mother’s friends. She had been
quite ill, and on the doctor's advice had
moved to a villa not far from Rome, where
the climate was considered benefical to suf
ferers afflicted with her malady. My sister
left the table and picked up from the writ
ing desk near by the very letter referred to,
which had been delivered by the morning
post.
“She is dead,” I said, vehemently. “The
old lady told me so.”
The next morning another letter came
from Mrs. B-’s husband, saying that his.
wife had passed away quite suddenly within
an hour or so after he had mailed the first
letter. This news called for another cate
chism on the subject of my ghostly visitor,
after which I was more discreet about men
tioning her conversations with me.
Betrays bister s becret
Such phenomena as I have related oc
curred at intervals during the ten years of
ihis spirit's intimacy with my affairs; in
fact, they were daily occurrences from my
fourth to my fourteenth year, when they
ceased altogether in a most peculiar manner.
One day the “old lady” came to me and
said: “You must go to your sister and tell
her that she must stop writing those ro
mances during study hours.”
I refused to obey her. I had been teased
enough as it was about these occult mes
sages. I felt rather sensitive about giving
out any information from this source as I
grew older, so it often happened that most
startling news was known to me before the
others knew it. Father was always inter
ested and encouraged me to tell him more
of my peculiar gift.
The old lady came to me again and begged
me to tell my sister that she must stop
writing. I refused to do so.
“Then,” she added, “if you won’t tell her
I shall.”
That decided me. I did not have the
heart to have this “old lady” “wished” upon
my sister. It was quite enough punishment
that she belonged to me, so I reluctantly
went to my sister, determined to save her
from this catastrophe. I will say right here
that I never doubted but what the old lady’s
advice was right. I always found her ac
curate, but I felt a diffidence in meddling
with my sister’s secrets.
At last I mustered up the courage to tell
her what the “old lady” said. I was un
prepared for its effect. My sister was
shocked that her secret should have been
discovered and asked me quickly: “How
did you know that I was doing this? I
have not told anyone.” |
A Danger to Health
“The old lady told me,” I confessed. And
so it happened (hat this was the last mes
sage that 1 ever delivered for the old lady.
It was but a culmination of every-day
occurrences that finally decided my parents
that my health was being undermined. My
sister confided her secret to them, and it
was decided to call a doctor in consulta
tion. My malady was considered to be seri
ous. I was put under treatment for a nerv
ous disorder, and gradually the old lady
was driven from my consciousness. Her
disappearance was like a fairy tale. Hay
by day some part of her body, it seemed
to me, would disappear, until at last there
was nothing hut her head, which
bowed and said “good-by.” I never saw her
again after that time nor have I been aware
of her presence in any way.
But I have developed another phase of
prophecy which is quite as inexplicable.
Sometimes I have a strange prescience of
coming events, which usually occur two or
three days later. Sometimes as I read the \
page will be blotted from my consciousness
and instead I will be precipitated into the :
midst of a conversation with someone whom
I meet a few days later. I remember every
word of the conversation. I can see the
party to whom I am talking blush or hesi
tate, and I know whether or not he is
pleased or displeased with my talk. Then
after the conversation is finished I once
more see the printed page that I was perus
ing before it was so strongly swept from
my consciousness. In no instance of such
I r;'. i.-i n have I had any knowledge of the
interview which is to take place, and in
many instances the party with whom 1 con
verse is unknown to me. I know and hear
the names at this conference and I am
never surprised when two or three days later j
I find myself in such company.
In my studies 1 am frequently assisted oy |
information which drifts into my conscious I
ness in an occult way. I do not explain it. j
Nor have I tried to harness it into a work
ing ,-ystem. it is an involuntary experi
ence. and one that I would like to have
explained to me. I simply feel the pres
ence of another world with this world stil
existing.
My parents had almost a working system
of telepathy. For instance, it was ever my
father’s habit to read at the table. One
day mother was late coming into the room
and father looked up, saying: “Livy, what
use do you think they are putting the X ray
to now?” He had been reading an account
of it in the paper which he folded into his
lap as she came in.
“To detect false gems and jewels,” she
answered quickly. Mother was right, and
had only road telenathicallv father's knowl
edge of the news. Mv parents were in per
fect rapport, and such experiences occurred
daily. To them the manifestation ceased
to aonear at all marvelous. It became a
hi bit. Who knows, the next generation
may be able to take from the ether thoughts
as easilv and systematically as the wireless
apparatus is doing now.
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PIONEER ADS ARE READ BY ALL
Someone has sent us a clipping from the
Seattle Post-Intelligeneer which is headed.
“Almost Like a Drug Store.” It is as fol
lows:
“Some unusual ads are printed by Alaska
dailies, says the Seward Post, but this one
from The Iditarod Pioneer attracted our at
tention today: ‘For good potatoes and
cigars call up the Iditarod saloon. We still
have some to wholesale.’ That saloonkeeper
is a man of parts.”
TREATMENT ALL LAID OUT
An Irish quack doctor was being exam
ined at an inquest upon the treatment of
a patient who had been in his care.
“I gave him ipecacuanha,” he -aid.
"You might just as well have given him
the aurora borealis,” replied the coroner.
“Indade, yer honor, an’ that’s jist what
Oi'd have given him next if he hadn’t un
fortunately died.”—Boston Transcript.
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THE BLUSHING BRIDES
“Why are brides generally expected to
be blushing as they walk down the aisle?”
“I suppose,” replied SufTron Long,
glancing cautiously about and lowering his
voice, “that a good many of them blush
to think how they are going to subdue the
lords of creation after they’ve safely got
them.”—Judge.
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NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the under
signed has been appointed agent in Iditarod
for H. H. Porter, and that he will collect
and receipt for all bills due him.
GUY G. GERAGHTY.
Professions 1
Michigan, 1881 Alaska, 1910
Kentucky, 189 1
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney of Iditarod
E. M. STANTON
Attorney at Law
Office. Corner Willow and Second St®
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CHfl.S. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenua Iditarod
DR. MOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. H. E. AlfRITiGER
Office: Elat City Hospital, Flat Gity
Consultation Hours in Forenoons ar.d by
Appointment
FI AT DRUG STORE
DR. E. T. WlALIfS!,
Chiropractor and Masseur
Diseases Cured Without Drus;s
Chronic Cases a Specialty
Office: Gold St„ Flat
Best of Everything
ALL THE TIME AT THE
Arcade Cafe
FLAT CITY
Open Dav and Night
PI A^ARP^ an;I small, printed on
I L./1 paper, cardboard or cloth,
on short notice, at Iditarod Pioneer office
Big Siocks of Fresh Goods
Everything for the Miner and
Prospector
MAX SI MEL Z™
Stores at Cripple City and Mouth of Toletoi
I
RESTAURANT AND BAKERY
PETE MICHAELS, Prop.
Front St., Flat, Opp. McMahon's
NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Day and Night
Fresh Pies, Cakes and Pastries Always
on Hand
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
CAFE
FLAT CITY HOHBACK 4. DURAND
Bat. the Grand and Bagoy’s Bars
THE BEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
FINNEGAN & CAMERON
FLAT CITY
Agency for Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs and Records
TOBACCO CIGARS STATIONERY
CONFECTIONERY AND BILLIARDS
C. R. Cameron Ja»- F- Finnegan
F%sh Ctiitiaware
Handsome Dinner Sets, 5 0 or 100 Pieces
Rich American Cut Glass
Large and Small Pieces
DAINTY THINGS IN HAND-PAINTED CHINA
CAKE PLATES CELERY BOATS OLIVE DISHES
BON BONS
I Tea Cups and Saucers, Creamers and Sugars—Something to Make Tea
Taste Good and Coffee Taste Setter
MgMAHON
General Merchandise
i FLAT CITY