I D i 1 A R 0 1) P 1 0 N £ E R. SATURDAY M 0 R N i N G, K 0 V £ M E E R 2 o, iQi j
j | IDITAROD PIONEER | j
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY IYIORNINQ AT IDiTAROD, ALASKA
Vol. L CHARLES A DERRY, Lessae and Publisher No, 47
Subscription Rates
.Ono Year $10.00 . One Month $1.00
tSix Months G.GO j Single Copy .25
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ADVERTISERS will confer a favor on T\o Pioneer by furnishing copy for display
advertisements, wherever possible, not later than Wednesday evomng preceding
the day of publication. Copy will, of course, be received at any time, and will bo
given prompt attention. But with our small mechanical fcrce ads can bo handled to
best advantage early in the week. This does net apply to local and reading notices,
which can bo handled advantageously at all times.
The Pioneer solicits contributions cn matters of public interest from its read
erf. communications must be signed, but the 'writer’s namo may be withheld from
publication if so desired.
THE IDITAROD POSTOFFICE
At the lime that the Iditarod postoffice was reduced from a third
class to a fourth-class office, Fairbanks was similarly reduced from sec
ond to third class. An attempt is being made in that city to gain for the
.office its former rating, and m reference to the matter the limes says:
Until Fairbanks is once more accorded the dignity of boasting a second-class post- ,
office it will not be surprising if. at the national capital, the town is considered to be on
the down grade. F. is not well that tin.* iinpres.-ion should prevail, so no time should be
Jos in getting it ren oved. Until quite recently the pe. toilice was rated as a second class
office, and it would have remained such if the stamp sales ft r the year had not fallen a ,
paltry $100 or so below the amount required to keep it in that class. With anything like j
a united effort on the part of the townspeople the office can be restored to it- former dig !
nity. * * With the installation of the 300 new boxes at the postoffice there is ai
chance to at once raise the office from a third class to a second-class office. If these are
rented by the scores of people who in the past have had their mail coin * in care of other
people’s boxes, enough of an increase in revenue will have been secured to bring about
the promotion Another means of helping is for those who are taking out small moii'pv
orders to se*id stamps instead when this i> feasible. Most of the mail order houses will
take stamps, and it is only the sale of stamps that helps the office. If the money orders
counted. Fairbanks would be in the very front rank. Ur the issue of these stands c.-mpaii
soi* with that of Fr :ci:i<.- the F ales. Kverybody should get in and help.
* * * Fairbanks’ repuia.i-n will be under a cloud until the p-vToffice is restored to its
former rank.
Every word of the above is equally true of idilarcd. There never
was any excuse for the office being reduced, and had it not been for the
fact that the office of postmaster was filled by a man who had no in
terest in the city, and who probably at that time was making arrange
ments to leave, it would not have been reduced. The mere intimation
that there was danger of the receipts of the office falsing below the
requisite amount to insure its remaining in the thud class would have
brought forth the necessary response from the citizens.
It is understood an organized effort is to be made looking to
the placing of the local postoffice m its former class, and when these are
announced there is little doubt that the people will rally to its support.
A.
POLITICIANS ARE EARLY BIRDS
Although the election is a year distant, and the only office of any
moment to be contested for In the territory is that of delegate in con
gress, the politicians already are in the held with more or less well
defined plans to capture the delegateship. The wiseacres in Seattle
have announced that Dan Sutherland of Ruby and Frank Aldrich of
Nome will run for delegate on separate tickets, which of course means
that there would be at least three candidates to be voted for; and
rumor also has it that Judge Bunnell is being groomed for the Demo
cratic nomination. The Fairbanks Citizen sarcastically places in nomi
nation Marshal L T. Erwin, and if appearances count for anything, that
gentleman is taking the matter seriously. Indeed, it appears that he
already is laying himself ooen to the charge of usurping the functions
of the delegateship. The Fairbanks Tunes, which is friendly to Erwin,
contains the following:
Marshal L. T. Erwin was in Washington last winter when the matter (appropria
tion for capitcl building at Juneau - was being discussed, and he says that the or.lv reason
the larger appropriation was not passed was because the delegate was not in the confidence
of the party, and not being admitted to their caucuses, c-oul ! no? boost for the appropria
tion with the people who had the influence to get the measure through. As a result the
Juneau matter probably will have to be taken up again next session, and ii is likely that
it will go through. Marshal L. T Kr-.vin i- going Outside in the near future, and after
landing some prisoners at the penitentiary, he expects to go to Wa-hingt n. where he wi’l
do some boosting for an appropriation for a federal building. He will also try to get
sufficient funds to put the Wushington-Alaska Bank building in shape for temporary
quarters, pending the construction of a new building.
Without any desire to detract from the wonderful influence at
W ashington possessed by the marshal, wh'ch, it would appear from his
own admissions, far transcends that of Delegate Wickersham, does it
not seem a pity that the overworked federal officer should be compelled
to make the arduous trip to Washington to attend to matters which
properly come under the duties of Alaska’s delegate? However, this
may be good political “dope.”
A story is being circulated to the effect that Wickersham will be
a candidate for governor of the territory if the Republican party wins
at the next election, and that Dan Sutherland is slated to take the place
of Wickersham as candidate for delegate. From now until the con
ventions next summer the mam business of a number of men who could
be better employed will be the mixing of political “dope” in relation
to the delegateship. And when their plans are all matured, and the
election rolls around, it will be found that Wuckersham has rolled up his
usual majority for the congressional office, and the more candidates
there are in the field, the more certain is his election.
•v
FANCIFUL STATEMENTS ABOUT COAL
Some time ago a news item was circulated throughout the terri
tory by means of the press that somebody had said that in the some
what indefinite future coal would be landed in Seward from the Mata
nuska and Bering rivet coal fields and sold to the favored residents of
that city at the low price of $2 per ton. On the same lines a Fairbanks
newspaper ingeniously figures out the saving that will result to the
householders of that city when Nenana coal is put on the market.
“Let us say that the average householder uses fifteen cords of wood
during the year,” it says, and continues: “By the time it is cut up
ready for the stove you are paying $10 a cord for it. A total outlay
of $150. What will coal cost you? Five or six dollars a ton delivered
in vour coal bin, and you will use about eight tons. Six multiplied by
eight is 48—$48 or a saving of over $100 for each home in Fairbanks.
One hundred dollars is not much money as we estimate it in the North,
put it means practically all the groceries one man will use during the
winter. If there are a thousand homes in Fairbanks, then the saving is |
$100,000.”
One hundred thousand dollars saved yearly to the residents of a
community in the matter of fuel alone is an item not to be sneezed at,
even in a country where “$!00 is not much money.” But the trouble
with these fanciful arguments is that they seldom reach realization.
When statements of the kind mentioned are made it is just as well to
stop and consider their meaning. Nothing is gained by deluding our
selves.
Now comes a surveyor for the United States government who has
been working in the Bering river coal fields and suggests that the min- j
ing of coal in the Alaska fields will be a most costly operation. He sug
gests that fuel oil can be shipped as far north as Crodova cheaper than
coal from the ad joining mines. I his man may or may not be compe- j
tent to make such an assertion, but at least his statement is entitled to
consideration. It may be the means of setting ourselves right on this
question of fuel.
Coal is mined practically within the city limits of Seattle, and yet
the price of coal there is no lower, if memory serves, than the price !
mentioned by the Fairbanks newspaper. It does not seem likely that
mining can be done in Alaska any cheaper than in Washington, and it
is not desirable that it should be. Then again, the amount of coal lands;
operated by one person or company is limited by the terms of the con
gressional act, so that operations on an extensive scale cannot be un
dertaken here, with a consequent minimizing of the cost of production.
The people of Alaska desire cheap coal, but they do not want it at the
expense of the men who risk their lives and expend the r labor in min
ing the coal. Alaska does not desire to see instituted coal camps v/liere
the standard of living is as low as m some of the Eastern states, and m
Western states, too, for that matter. The idea that dominated when
the matter was before congress was that the coal land" of Alaska were
to be developed for the benefit of the people, and not for the benefit of
rich corporations. It was therefore determined that the lands should
be disposed of in comparatively small tracts, and the terms made such
as would make their operation within the means of comparatively poor
men. Under such conditions there never will be a chance for the sa'e
of coal at the prices mentioned. And if it should be, it will be an indi
cation that conditions in the coal camps are such that it were better that
the coal remain unnamed.
A
The attention of the public is called to 'he communication in an
other column from Iditarod’s fire chief. As he modestly says: “It is
not my idea that I am telling anyone anything they do not probably
already know; but a reminder may prevent some carelessness.”
•»'
We have often heard of the defense put up by violators of game
laws that they were attacked by the animals—or birds—and compelled
to kill them in self-defense. But it was never expected that that great
huntsman. Teddy Roosevelt, would ever be compelled lo resort to ttvs
plea. A dispatch from Quebec says that Roosevelt and his two guides
have made an affidavit explaining how they broke the game laws of
the province. Roosevelt, according to the affidavit, had killed the num
ber of moose allowed by law when he was attacked by a ferocious bull
moose. He d:d not want to kill the animal, but was compelled to do so
in self-protection. Possibly the story is symbolic.
CUR QUEER CALENDAR
Ther are many tilings about our calendar
v Inch everyone knows and yet which they
have never thought of, and if occasion
c Tims, ran make no use of.
One of the simplest and most obvious
facts in relation t > the calendar is that as
J ; re are seven days only named and 365
days in the common year, the first and the
last day of the year will lie the same day
of the week. 365 being divisible by 7. with ,
one over. Yet how many people on New
Year’s day will undertake to sav on what
day of the week the year will end, without
first referring to a calendar?
As there are but seven different days, so
it is easily seen that every one of the twelve
months must begin upon some one of the
-even days thus requiring that five of the
months shall begin with the same day as
some one or more of the oilier seven. In
the common years of 365 days, if one be
looking at the calendar for October and
wi h to know about the week days of the
month of January dust keep hiking at
October; they are both the same, January
and October are the same; February, March
and November are alike; as also an1 April
and July. May, June and August each com
mences on its own day of the week; while
September and December double up.
On leap years the grouping of the months
is different: May and June are the only
ones to retain their single position; April
and July are together, but with January;
February and August pair off; as do Sep
tember and December; while October, which
in common years is with January, now
goes it alone.
Previous to 47 B. C. the year had con- :
sisted of ten months, making 304 days, and ■
later by a twelve-month year of 154 days, '
and this ran along until in 47 B. C. it was
determined that the calendar was eighty
days in arrears, so that the great Caesar
decreed that the year 47 B. C. should con
sist of 445 days, which created w’hat has
since been known as the “year of con
fusion.”
The Julian calendar thus established had 1
365 days in a year, with every fourth year I
a biscxtile year— that is, a double-six year,
as the 6th of March was duplicated, in- j
stead of a day being added to February, i
as is now done.
As the true year is just a little short of
4651i days, this adding one day every four
years in time put the calendar ahead, and
in 1582 the pope, through his astronomers,
determined upon dropping ten days, and
the day after the 4th of October was made
the 15th. As this was a Catholic move by ,
Pope Gregory XIII, some of the countries
not ruled by the pope refused to fall in
line, and it was not until 1752 that Great
Britain, by an act of parliament, made the
change, the day succeeding the 2d of Sep
tember being the 14th.
This, the Gregorian calendar, is now in
use throughout practically the whole Chris
tian world except in Russia and Greece,
I
! which countries still adhere to the Julie
| calendar, more commonly known as “01!
? Style.” As ii:c Gregorian ca'en lar discards
I by 400 it and the Julian caFndar keep
j the leap year at the end of each century
| (saving it on each centennial year divisible
| drawing farther apart, and the difference
(which was eleven days at the time (f the
j establishment of the Gregorian calendar, in
i 1582, became twelve days in 1752. when
j England adopted it. and is now, since Fel>
| rue.ry. 1900. thirteen days.
In writing to Ru-sia or Greece you shot:! 1
j u.-e both styles, so that no mistake can be
made, thus: Noy._20. lb 15,
N\iv. 7, 1915 and your re
ply would come back in similar style, but
with the “Old Style” date above and the
“New Style” date below the line.
Owing to the fractional difference between
a true year and a calendar year, the calen
dar never is exactly right, but always a
little behind or a little ahead, and not
withstanding the double expedient of leap
years and discarding leap years, the calendar
will, along towards the end of the 56th
century, be a full day out of whack, so that
\ou may confidently expect to see some
chap move that the year 5000 be a leap
year, instead of one of the discarded ones.
But worry over this need not distract your
attention from the war news.
i _A._
PROCRASTINATED
“This milk is sour, and I won’t take it." j
declared the lady.
“That’s your own fault, ma’am.” replied !
the dealer. “I offered it to you day before
i\-< terdav when it was fresh, and you
Wouldn’t take it.”—Cleveland Leader.
-O -
WHERE THEY LIVED
Counsel—You reside?
Witness—With my brother.
Counsel- And your brother lives?
Witness--With me.
Counsel-Precisely, but you both live
Witness—Together.- Black and White.
-^
Fresh Olympia and Eastern Oysters, $1.50
per can. Iditarod Meat Co.
DOGS FOR SALE, CHEAP
Fifteen good dogs. Iditarod Dog Ranch.
Inquire at Ramps Peterson’s.
NOTICE
i _
Ophir, Alaska, Nov. 10, 1915.
Notice is hereby given that the partner
ship heretofore existing under the firm name
and style of Baumeister-Moses Mining Co.
is dissolved, and that the undersigned.
Matilda M. Moses, will not be responsible
for debts contracted for in the name of said
partnership by any person whatsoever.
MATILDA M. MOSES.
-♦-—
Hot Air and Vapor Baths with Electric
Vibration and Osteopathy Massages have the
power to cure such functional diseases as
Lumbago Indigestion
Rheumatism Disorders of Liver
Stiff Joints Melancholia
Dropsy Obesity and
Locomotor Ataxia Gout
THE CROSBY MASSAGE AND BATH
TARLORS *
OLD MONTANA
(J. Campbell Corey)
Take me back to old Montana,
Where there's plenty room an’ air;
Where there’s cottonwood and pine
trees,
Bitter root an’ prickly pear;
Where there ain’t no pomp nor glitter;
Where a shillin’s called a “bit” ;
Where at night the magpies twitter;
Where our Injun fights were fit.
Take me where the sage is plenty;
Where there’s rattle nakcs an' ticks;
Where a stack of “whites” cost twenty;
Where they don’t sell gilded brick ;
Where the old Missouri river
An’ the muddy Yellowstone
Make green patches in the Bad Lands,
Where old Sit tin’ Bull was known.
Take me where there ain’t no subways.
Nor no forty-story shacks;
Where they shy at automobiles,
Dudes, plug hats an three-rail
tra4> :
Where the old- sun tanned prospector
Dreams of wealth an’ pans his flirt;
Where the sleepy night-herd puncher
Sings to steers an’ plies his quirt.
Take me where there's diamond
hitches.
Ropes an’ brands an’ cat ridge belts;
Where the boys wear shapps for
britches,
Flannel shirts an’ Stetson felts.
I and of alkali an' copper!
Land of sapphire an' of gold!
T: ke me back 1 > dear Montana,
Let me die there when I’m old.
▼
CHRISTMAS GOCPS
Mrs. C C. Chit.lick of the Flat City post
I oriice announces Thai she will have t n dis
! i lay about December 1 her holiday good>,
i eon.'i. ting of a large assortment of Toy -,
; amor.jj them being Erectors’ Model BmM.-rs.
I>( b Sleds, Coasters. Western Farm Wagons.
Skis. Drums, all kinds of Dolls and lots of
i ' re'h Candies. There are also Tool Chests.
, Bmeks. Rocking Homes, Shoo 1 lies. Small
lapwing Machines. Cam®?, and all kinds • ?
j Mechanical Inst rum«i
*
Now’s the time to send out your C'hri^t
j mas cards. Get thr-.n at Ansloy’s. Id'.tarod.
! Let me engrave v-ur silver.varc with an
i DM Envlish initial f up-to-date design.
WM. TAYLOR, Hat.
, NOTICE OFToT.FEITURE
! i'o If. S • 1) o f! • ■! (J, and t * * your heirs, exrru
!■•:>. adimm't!*«■'.11»f" and assigns;
Y> ■■ arc iii'ii.,;. in.tilled that tlx■ under
- I"-' a co-owner, has expended in labor
•p. i improvement* the sum or one hundred
I ifol a i ( o.oi) per yi-ai r. fa- v.irs
I ; '.> i :i and ltUi upon that comm placer
mining eiaim known as The Happy .Mew
Yi■ ar \s-oriation, situated at the .head of
I !'!:it creek, a tributary of Otter creek, m
I inter reeordmg district. Territory of
, M.'I-;>. in which you are the owner of an
! undivided niie-eightli ' i* ) interest.
> -iii and eat u of you are hereby notil
I tfi.-t if at tile xyiraH-n <T ninety (On
1 day- after tlx list puldmali-'n of thi< n<• 11*
i urributo
I >■'•11 r -liar*' uf the aforesaid expenditures,
! youi- inter- -t m sai 1 claim will Ihthiiic for
feit".! ;o,l will be.‘(.me the property of the
i !."'>iit11<• c 1. aeeordlng t" the pr>»visinns ,.f
i '••••iii’ii j.rji or Revised Statutes ef the
j I idled Slates.
l'Wm sTFiAA'nnrRG. ro-nwnpf.
Date I.r I ibli'-atiim. 4. 191 j.
Hal.- I.r last publication, Dec. i, 10 i r..
FORFEITURE NOTICE
! To I ilther He--:
: . ■ her by :v tifh d that I. the
sigm (I. haw .• \i»« r: 1.• • t miring the \**ar nine
teen 1; . l m i £•» •< 1 an 2 ilnrteen 19 l': one I till) -
■ dred Mnlat's stmi and during the year
.nineteen hundred and fourteen ( f 9 1 4 > the
j -me of •■ne hu11f11 • 11 M liar.- C 1 on in labor
and mi] 'uwmmts upon the .Mammy Asso
| eiati n p!ae,-r mining rhirn. "ii left limit
>re rreeh ii arj f tii rakotna
i river. i!) Mi.mu .M. Kiuley mining district.
■ i ■ iirth division. Tmi itory of Alaska, notice
}«• f vs .i' h is found in Yo’iin-e i, nr page too,
I'M’ tin- n -ords of -aid Mount McKinley min
; imr di-timm in order to hold said claim un
der the proviso iis of wetmn 000 1 "f the
\ Hcvised Statutes, ami the amendments
thereto approved January 22. 1SS0, con
cerning annual labor ii;mi mining claims.
1m ing the amount required to hold said
placer mining claim for the periods ending
"ii Hi*- i-t day of I me mber. ] 91, and on
the a i st day ->f December, 19 1 1.
Ami if witliin ninety days after the puh
licaii. ii of this notice ymf fail or refuse to
contribute your proportion of such expeii
* * D i a- a ■ owner, your interest m the
I Mammy Association j la<vr mining claim will
! b the pr iperfy of the subscriber, your
•o-owner. who lia- made the required* ex
j jm nditure. by the terms of said s» ctn.n.
• :fm:il b mid >w.
First publication. on. -j.;, j 9 ]
l.a.-t publication, Jail. 22. 19 im
XXXXXXXXXX/OOOOOOOOOOOOC
Broadcloth and Imitation
Pony Skin Coats, $8.00
SPECIAL THIS WEEK
MRS. L. C. THORNTON
Best off Everything
ALL THE TIME AT THE
fla'p crrv
Open Dav and Night
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
| FLAT CITY HOHBACK & DURAND
| Be!, the Grand and Sagoy's Bars
THE BEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
GENERAL
FREIGHTERS
DAILY TRAM SERVICE
P r o fe s s i o n a 1
Michigan, 1881 Alaska, 1810
Kentucky, 1891
Georte Woodruff Albrecht
j COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney of Iditarod
E. M. STANTON
Attorney at Lav/
Office: Corner Willow and Second Sts.
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CHAS. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Lav/
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue Iditarod
Fred Harrison
ATTORNEY AT LAW
REGINA HOTEL PHONE 53
EJR. SVtOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEOM
DH. s:. E. A’JEINGER
Ofi'uo: Flat City Hospital, Flat City
Consul, u ion Hours in Forenoons and by
Appointment
DR. H. BEHLA
7-' Ik, i U r £ tdft H
Aprc.ntn'.-nts by Telephone
_FLAT CITY_
-T-H
So;ondSt. !0I 2 AFfOD LAT CO, P-'M# 15
Tp -fa /T23^ Gold £t., Flat City
| |H£f! fef rn
1 3 fc tj? G Mrs. Geo. Mutchler, Prop.
Nicely Furnished Rooms Barn for Horse: and Dogs Baths in Connection I
KAs?j?Y DONNELLEY
SUES GENERAL MERCHANDISE
DISCOVERY, OTTER
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING ALL THE TiME
Carib&u
gmsggrrsznsaai
gsrassresr - -sgggd
FIRST AYE. ROBT. 60UTAR
Prop.
There Is a Handsome
waiting fey you. It contains a picture that entitles it to the place of honor in the home
of every liberty-loving American citizen.
Take it. Use it first to count the days of the New Year, which is rapidly approach
ing, and which we fiope will be a happy and prosperous one for you.
Preserve the picture. It will pleasantly remind you of a notable event in the his
tory of the Greatest Country on the Globe.
Keep the mat. It will tell you where cur place of business is located. If you feel
that we have wronged you, come and state your grievance. We will go to extreme
lengths to put ourselves right with you.
If we have treated you fairly, come often, that we may continue to do do.
Then use
S. & W. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES GOLDEN CLOW BUTTER
SWIFT’S PREMIUM HAMS AND BACON PETALUMA EGGS
SWISS, CAMEMBERT, YOUNG AMERICA OR IMPERIAL CHEESE
HILL’S COFFEE LIPTON’S TEA
HOLLAND HERRING S. & W. FRENCH AND NORWEGIAN SARDINES
WEAR STANFIELD OR MEDLICOTT UNDERWEAR, WOOLEN OVERSKIRTS, JUMPERS, OVER
ALLS, LEATHER AND WOOLEN MITTS
WOOL SOCKS AND OTHER COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR
Fill your pipe from any of the favorite brands of Tobacco, and live happy ever after.
c Fiat City