_j IDITAROD PIONEER j
Published Every Saturday Evening at Iditarod, Alaska.
FRANK E. BECKER, EDITOR
2 Geo. M. Arbuckle. Publisher No. 16
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THE FUTURE OF THE CITY
After an election remarkable for the harmony that existed
and the interest that was developed, Iditarod city has gone on
record overwhelmingly in favor of incorporation, and has
elected to office a board of councilmen which, happily enough,
seems to meet with almost universal favor. In exercising their
suffrage, the voters seem to have disregarded sectionalism en
tirely, have placed men in office from all parts of the town and
have started them on their way with hearty unanimity that
should be of great encouragement to them in their explorations
into the new and unknown fields of municipal government.
The acts of this—the first board of councilmen of Iditarod
—will be all important in shaping the future of the city. In
this work they must be aided by the citizens, and the voters
should remember that in the mere act of casting the ballot
they did not slough off all further responsibility for the welfare
of their town upon the shoulders of the men who are thus com
pelled to take up the thankless task of trying to please every
body—of spending much money, and yet keep the city out of
debt.
Ihere are some things that need doing, and there will be
enough money to do them. The council will be asked to do
much more than it can do, and will be criticized for what it does
do, but that is only a part of the game. Let it be known, how
ever, that as long as they are honest and act according to their
own best judgment, they will be unreservedly supported. They
know what is wanted, and it’s up to them to deliver the goods.
In wishing them as few mistakes as possible and a success
ful administration, the Pioneer is moved to suggest in the
words of that ancient Italian poet: “A new broom sweeps clean,
but you will never miss the water till someone gets his hand on
the municipal bankroll
THE GENTLEMAN FROM ILLINOIS
The House was sitting as a Committee of the Whole,
bent on discovering the true state of the Union. They
were discussing the appropriation for the support of the
Army, particularly that portion thereof designed for the
construction of military and post roads in Alaska. “Our
Jim” was there, and by the same token, so was Jim Mann,
the gentleman from Illinois. Jim Mann is always there
when there is anything to be said about Alaska. He likes
Alaska.—but you want to have your fingers crossed when
you say it.
Well, as we were saying, this bill provided for the build
ing and maintenance of roads in Alaska, and as the clerk
read it, it provided for the expenditure of half of $100,000
for the Seward-Tditarod trail. Mann reserved a point of
order. He always reserves a point of order, for that gives
him a chance to get out his lfttle hammer and begin hit
little anvil chorus,—he loves Alaska so, you know. It is
strange, though, how one can love us so, and know so little
about us as Mann does.
One thing about Mann, we must admit, however, lie is
a persistent cuss. He is the original human alarm clock.
Every time any body says anything about doing anything
for Alaska, Mann begins to sit up on his haunches and
howl. He is so conscientious, Mann is, that it pains him
to see a raid on the U. S. treasury, particulaily, if it be for
road building in Alaska. He comes from Chicago—by-the
Stock-Yards, and lie has been in the sacred halls of our
national law shop for the last seven sessions of Congress,
besides be knows all about Alaska and is proud of it.
lo begin with, Our Little Mann ot Illinois, is deter
mined to save Alaska from the Morgan crowd. He is the
best, little, nickle-plated savior in the House. There are
some who have the temerity to suggest that he is developing
this saving propensity in the interest of the Chicago river,
and the Deep Waterways Commission, but perish the
thought,—he would never care a dam about his home
town as long as he could save Alaska from the Morgans.
Mann has a most malignant attack of Morgan phobia.
Every time the name of Morgan is mentioned he begins to
bristle and froth at the mouth. He foams up and spills
over like a dose of salts ; he becomes as agitated as a cup
of tea.
Mann was in his most Morganesque frame of mind
when he came in to talk about this Alaska road appropria
tion. He was there to do some saving. As events disclosed,
he done it and done it noble.
In speaking of the needs of the Iditarod, and the ad
vantages of the Seward-Iditarod trail, Wickershain men
tioned the fact that the trail would begin at the terminus
of the Alaska Northern railroad. Mann sat up and glared
about him. “We owns the Alaska Northern ?” says he.
“The Sovereign Bank of Canada,” says Wick, “and I
understand that Morgan owns a third of the stock of the
bank.” “Aha,” says the Little Savior from the shores of
Michigan, “you are discovered. I refuse to sign the
papers.”
When quiet was restored, our delegate went on to de
tail the absolute necessity of this road, and the good so
BETTER THAN EVER!
Merchants Cafe
Opens Monday morning
Chas. K. Miller & Krnest H. Slenter, Props.
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR
Fire Sale Bargains
I. GOLDSTEIN" Front St.
Will Open Tuesday Morning at the Old Stand.
City Drug Store
Z. J. LOUS3AC. Prop.
ITS MOTTO IS AS EVER :
Quality—Purity--Reliability
C. J. Hurley, President J. P. Gleason, Vice President A. Bruning, Cashier
Corner First Are, and Richmond St., Iditarod
CAPITAL $50,000.00, FOLLY PAID IN GASH
General Banking Business Transacted Upon Liberal, But Conservative Lines
GOLD DUST PURCHASED UPON ASSAY VALUE
And we guarantee our assays against any of the government assay offices.
Clippings from your gold furnished you for the purpose
of obtaining check assays if desired.
We solicit your business, and assure you of our courteous, prompt and
careful attention combined with fair treatment, whether
your account may be large or small.
small an expenditure would do this country. He grew
eloquent and forceful, but every time the balloon got to
soaring high, Mann would hurl one of his anti-Morgan
bombs, to the discomfiture of the delegate and the demoral
ization of the SewardTditarod trail.
Mr. Hay of Virginia, had also shoved a point of order
up his sleeve. He was on the job with Mann, doing a
little saving. Between them, it became apparent that if
the provisions about the Iditarod trail be not stricken out,
the whole appropriation of §100,000 for Alaska roads would
be lost. Hence Wick struck it out.
At this point Billy Sulzer of New York puts his oar in.
Billy has been in Alaska and knows something about the
needs of the country. He knows that a new mining camp
of 3,500 people that will produce millions in the next few
| years is entitled to more than one mail a month. He also
knows that the gentleman with the grouch from Illinois
I doesn’t know any more about Alaska 1han an infantile goat,
land it makes him mad. These two have been to the mat
many times before on this very Morgan-Alaska proposition
so when Billy Sulzer sticks his finger in the pie, Mann be
gins to hump up his back and growl.
Mr. Chairman,/ says Billy, 1 move to amend the
paragraph so it shall read “one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars.” He then goes on to say that he believes that the
government should build that Iditarod trail, and that if the
road commission needed $100,000 to keep up tiie old roads,
they should have $50,000 more for this special work. He
puts in an additional plea in which he says we are the
goods and that Congress should certainly be willing to jar
loose from a little spare change for the benefit of a country
that has added so much to the wealth of the nation.
During this appeal Mann of Illinois, is squirming
around like a small boy on a tack. He tries to butt in
several times and when lie finally does get the floor he ex
plodes with righteous indignation.
“The very idea,” says he, “that the gentleman from
New York. (Mr. Sulzer) should stand upon the floor of the
House in behalf of the particular persons mainly interested
in the construction of this road, namely, the Morgan
crowd.”
Right there, the two go to the mat once more. Sulzer
tries to point out to Mann that Morgan cares no more about
the Seward-Iditarod trail than the Sultan of Sulu, but it's
no go. The Illinois Tocsin knows it’s a deep-laid plot to
sell the Iditarod to the Morgans, and he chews the fat
about it until it’s time to adjourn and the amendment is
lost.
Amongst us here in the North, comment on this little
chapter of the comedy being enacted in Congress is un
necessary. With such flatheads as Mann bucking us, we
can easily see what we are up against. Nevertheless, there
burns in our hearts an angry resentment, even against
American institutions that permit such crass ignorance
and bull-headed stupidity to withhold from us what is justly
our due. We get the muddy end of the stick every day,
knowing that fatuous self-sufficiency, lack of knowledge
and disbelief in the righteousness of our cause is constantly
holding back the development of the richest portion of Uncle Sam’s
domain.
But there, brethren, dry these teai-s. It looks hopeless, but it
isn’t. We have our shoulders to the wheel, our hands to the plow,
and our fingers to the pen. We must fight the good fight, and
keep it up. We must educate them, point out the error of their
ways, instill into their torpid thinktanks some modicum of truth
about this great country and its needs. Therefore let it be said
that as long as these fragile fingers may be permitted to poke the
dead letters of the language into living words of truth, shall their
office be to unman the Manns of Illinois and to send the Hays of
Virginia back fo the discard.
Caribou Bathhouse
Opens With Dance
Taking advantage of the large floor
space that has been the scene of many
an enjoyable dance in the past, Mr. and
Mrs. C. J. Sellander, who were burned
out of their old location on Willow
street two weeks ago, gave a big dance
at the Caribou hotel last Monday night
and entertained a large crowd.
If you want your clothing cleaned or pressed
ring up Wile the Tailor—Phone B8
“SPRING”
Just listen to the song of birds as Spring comes on apace,
And see the broadening smile upon the farmer’s rustic face;
We’li also see the budlets shoot as if in self-defense,
And the waving grain spiu upward till it's taller than the fence.
We’ll see the tramp leave town to count ties along the track,
And the tireless sun shine down upon tlie rags lie has to pack.
We see die tears of April fall and doubtless they are sent
Because March misbehaved herself and Time would fain repent.
“The Spring is here,” the maiden cries, “Oh, joy! where am I at?
The flowers bloom in die gardens, also on my Master hat;''
The farmer hitches up his team and starts right in to plow
“For he wlio’d reap must sow,” says he, “B’gosh. I’ll do it now.”
The small hoy hies him to the pond :.o soak his limber shanks.
Alas! his pleasure terminates with warm maternal spanks.
Shade and shine together blend for Spring is here to stay;
’Twill make the heart rejoice to see the green tilings of the Mav.
The busy woodman with his ax now does his level best
And loadeth up the skidway of “The Giant of the West.”
For seasons come and seasons go and earthly ties may sever,
But that’s the grand old Order that will surely live forever.
—Ca rvetli.
COMING AND GOING_
E. E. Kellogg, of Brumbaugh, Ham
ilton & Kellogg, accompanied by John
Ronan, departed Tuesday last with a
fast dogteam for Nulato, where the two
men go to get in touch with the wires.
Their mission lias to do with the order
ing of hurry-up machinery and sup
plies.
C. J. Hurley, ptesident of the Amer
ican Alaska bank of Fairbanks and
Iditnrod, left last Tuesday for the Tan
ana metropolis to be gone until the
I opening of navigation. He accompanied
Mail Contractor Snow and the two will
strike the Yukon at Lewis Landing,
i During his absence George Wesch,
formerly manager of the Washinglon
Alaska bank before its consolidation
with the Fairbanks Banking Company,
will have charge of the business of the
American bank here.
According to Perry Warner, who
! came in from Seward some days ago,
j ‘‘Ham Grease Jimmy” and Jack Mc
! Namee, formerly caller and part, owner
i respectively of the Fioradora dance
hall at Fairbanks, were among the
travellers who started toward the Idit
arod from Seward. These two mushers
negotiated part of the distance, but not
caring for the going, they gave up the
proposition as a bad job and turned
back, declaring that they would confer
the honor of their presence upon
Vadez.
"Buckskin Bill” Landers, accom
| panied by Mrs. Landers, arrived in
town last Thursday, bringing four
hprses and the memory of a hard and
unfortunate winter on the trails. The
story of Bill’s hard luck with the meat
contract and the loss of four horses has
been told, and the linal successful
transportation of the meat by Snow
and his dog-teams, apparently the only
practical way of freighting in this
country in the winter time. Mr. Lan
ders will engage in the freighting
business here.
Dawson Ferry Man
Doing Fourteen Years
J. P. Hubrick, formerly of Dawson,
known as Capt. Hubrick, the famous
pistol shot, has a standing engagement
for fourteen years. He has been invited
to Walla Walla to sojourn as the guest
of the state of Washington.
Hubrick was in Dawson in the early
days of the camp and ran a roadhouse
on Sulphur. Later he established the
West Dawson cable ferry, which was
bought by the government and which
is still in commission. Afterward he
ran the Tower roadhouse on Hunker
and won considerable fame in Dawson
by buying and bringing to the camp
the first automobile for any service in
the country. When Hubrick left Daw
son, Stanley Scearce acquired the Red
Devil, as it was known, and used it in
touring California and Mexico. It was
then brought back to Dawson, used a
season and was shipped to Fairbanks.
The latest chapter regarding Hubrick
is told in Outside papers as follows :
Olympia, Wash. Dec. 24—Governor
Hay today revoked the conditional par
don granted J. P. Hubrick of Pasco, as
the result of Hubrick attempting to
take his 18-year-old daughter home
with him at the point of a revolver.
Hubrick was sentenced to serve from
one to 14 years at Walla Walla for
stealing coal from Northern Pacific
cars, but was pardoned on condition
that he behave himself and support his
family. His latest escapade and the
story told by his daughter of having
been maltreated by her father since she
was 13 years old caused the revocation
of his pardon.
Hubrick will now serve the 14 years,
and gets no credit for the time out of
jail. He can be taken back without
the formality of a trial.
FILED FORJECORD
Friday, April 7
Location of Lot — B. L. Banks, lot 18
x75 on Willow street.
Saturday, April -t
Deed—R. S. Fox, G. T. Nighbert,
John Burwash, W. Pickrell, C. Wat
son and P. Carrol to Peter Rainstad;
lower end of Hilltop claim, head of
Glen gulch; $1.
Monday, April 1)
Revocation of Power of Attorney
P. T. Nixon of Valier, Montana, to
David Black.
Location—A. T. Swingen, R. T. Les
lie, F. K. Bower, P. J. Corbett: Roos
ter association, Chicken creek.
Deed—P. Ryden to B. W. Stickney;
a 1-4 interest in ail the following pro
property : 1-48 Summit association,
bead of Happy; 1-24 Wild Bill associa
tion, near head of Happy; 1-16 Sham
rock association, near head of Happy;
1-16 Gold Brick association, near head
of Flat; 1-1 Happy association, 1-16
Wild Rose. 1-16 Singing Bird, near
head of Happy; ?1.
Mortgage—Eva Donaldson to Julia
Kubel: lot on Third street; $4.
Location —Erick Hard : lot on Idit
arod river, Idttarod, at Hard’s black
smith shop.
Deed—Peter A. Bugg to Annie Clif
ton; lot 1, block 0, south Iditarod; $1. j
Tuesday, April 11
Location - Louis Roy and eight
others: Montana association, Porcupine
creek.
Power of Attorney Alfred Hoy,
Hennepin, Minnesota, to Andino Roy,
general.
Power of Attorney — Louis David
Pepin, Hennepin county, Minnesota,
to Andino Roy, general.
Option to purchase — Carl Ramstad
and John Hewitt to R. .T. Ives and J. .J.
Price: 20-day option on Left Fraction
association, bench; Triangle fraction;
No. I creek claim; water right. Pur
chase price $50,000. $5,000 down, $5,000
April 27, $40,000 Sept. 1, 1911.
Revocation of Power of Attorney—
W. C. Mading to Frank B. Ingles.
Wednesday, April 12
Marriage Certificate — Frank Kor
konen and Mary Levonen. Jan. 14,
1911.
Power of Attorney—Maud Kemp of
New York, to Arthur W. Kuh. General
to deal with store in Idita.’od.
Deed—C. J. Jordon to Louis Seyler,
1-8 of 450 feet spuare, northwest corner
Up Grade association, at head of Flat;
$1 consideration.
Location - Jens Jarde and F. H.
Stearns, Billy Jr. association, Cleary
creek, tributary of Bonanza.
Assignment of Lease—Louis Seyler
to Sam Sequin, 1-2 interest in lay on
Up Grade association on Flat creek; $1.
Deed— Louis Seyler to Sam Sequin.
1-4 interest in 450 feet square, north
west corner of Up Grade association at
the head of Flat creek ; $1.
Location—Charles Hoxie, 1-a Kelly
Discovery, Otter creek.
Location—Henry Peel, 1-b Kelly Dis
coverv, Otter creek.
Friday, April It
Location—Oust. Linder and seven
others, Politis association on Tender
foot creek, near Diketnan.
Location—Anton Politis and seven
others, Johnson association. Tender
foot creek.
THE WORKERS
They’re giving all manner of knowledge, the teachers infesting this
vale; you store np your head iu a college, or gain erudition by mail. Alas, 1
but in all of our questing, the thing that’s most useful is missed: the
beautiful science of resting is never put down on the list. The people who
rustle around me pursuing the kopeck and ysp, astonish, disgust me and
confound me, they’re such industrious men ! Tfivy never let up for a sec
ond, all day they are working for gain; at night, when their profits are ‘
reckoned, they’re planning another campaign. They're planning some
skirmish or sortie, some ambush they think may be sprung; they’re older
than Noah at forty, and die of old age while they’re young. The thought
of a let-up is funny; suggest it, and get a rebuff; “We’ll rest when we have
enough money, and money is surely the stuff.” All through the country
you’ll find ’em, for money they labor and grub, as though the Old Nick
were behind ’em, a-touching ’em up with a club. All this may look good
to the miser who lives by his big money chest, but some w ho are calmer
and wiser insist on the beauties of rest.— Walt Mason.
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