Iditarod Pioneer
One Dollar Per Month. IDITAROD, ALASKA, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH L>5, 1911. _Two Bits Per Copy
RHOADS TUNNELED
800 FEET ON LEDGE
According to the Fairbanks papers,
Lucian Rhoads, one of the pioneer
quartz prospectors of the Tanana, has
gone Outside for the purpose of secur
ing a 15-stamp mill for his property on
Bedrock creak.
Rhoads has done a great deal of de-1
velopment work, and after tunneling
XX) feet on his ledge, is satisfied that
he has sufficient ore in sight to justify
the installation of a mill for his own
mine. _
Road Overseer Light
Reports to Commissioner
Following the provisions of the sta
tute, in such case made and provided,
Road Overseer A. E. Light, of the Ot
ter recording precinct, who also com
bines the position of superintendent for
the road commission for the Iditarod,
turned in his report to Commissioner
Maltby this week, showing the work
done last season on the roads of the
district, and the amount of money col- |
lected and expended.
After commenting on the difficulty of j
collecting road taxes last summer by
reason of the scattering population, and
the fact that Fairbanks had already
grabbed many before leaving for this
camp, Overseer Light, sets out that
some 14 miles of road were laid out,, be-!
sides the work done on the Dikeman !
trail.
There was the road from Iditarod to
Flat and from Flat to 2-a Otter. A good
road was built up Flat creek, all this
work beiDg done through tax collect
ions and private subscriptions.
About $300 was expended on the
Dikeman trail, most of it being for
camp equipment which can be used
this year.
He speaks with appreciation of the
help rendered by the people and ap
piends'a statement giving an account of
the monies received and disbursed as
follows :
Receipts
Total collections, for which road
tax receipts were issued . . $4856
Total subscriptions, as per list
appended.1075
$5931
Disbursements
June payroll as per copy filed $1260.00
July “ “ “ 1947.50
August “ “ 11 173.00
Vouchers for material, labor,
tools.2100.75
Cash on hand . . . 449.75
Total . . . $5931.00
Foolish If Yoo Don't
Attend April Fool Ball
Just to show how foolish they ain't, j
she A. B.'s of Flat will giro one of
their Informal parties at the big hall i
next Satutxlay night, which as every
body knows comes on the 1st of April,
the day of bricks and plug hats and
such pleasant things.
The tickets for this blowout come to
three case notes, including a run on
the bread line.
Beans, Beer and Biscuits
Tonight they will smoke up at the
Iditarod :lub. They call it a "smoker,”
but the chief fog in the atmosphere
will be the foam off of a few brimming
beakers, with an additional cloud of
heartfelt song. It. is very possible that
they will put on their old grey bonnets
and feed Dobbin a few plates of beans.
Moulton, He Pays the Freight
Tomorrow morning at. 7 o'clock, J. E. J
Moulton, representative of the Seattle j
Hardware Company, and D. A. Erapen- j
ger of the Pacific Coast Biscuit Com- j
pany, who hare been beguiling the
merchants of this district for the past
two weeks into buying their wares, will
leave for Fairbanks with a large dog
team and a fat. sack of mail. Moulton
■will go as a deputy mail carrier, after
taking the oath on a stack of Bibles,
and he will pay the freight.
If you desire to send orders or love
letters to Fairbanks or the Outside, get
them into the postoffice early this
evening, for Moulton will carry them
right on through to the Tanana me
tropolis. _
LATEST WAR NEWS
Call in and we will tell you all about
it while you smoke. We are selling the
FAMOUS OPTIMO CIGARS (50s) for
*3.50 a box, and keep all the best
brands of Cigars, Tobaccos and Candies
in the city. Landahl’s Emporium,
Iditarod. _
Arriving Daily
Fresh beef and pork. The supply is
limited. Place your orders early. Inde
pendent Meat Market. Second avenue.
WAR IS IN THE AIR AND NEARLY EVERYWHERE ELSE
The fat seems to be in the fire on the great Outside,
ind several nations of the world ate making faces at each
otliee with pugnacious intent. Even at the present moment
the warships of Japan, Germany and the United States may
be hurrying to a common rendezvous where they will stir
up considerable mess, while China and Russia may be
clinched in a death struggle on the frontier of Manchuria.
About Match loth, President Taft issued an ultimatum
to Germany and Japan, declaring that any overt acts on the
part of those nations looking to the establishment of coaling
stations on either coast of Mexico, would be regarded by
the United States as a violation ot the Monroe Doctrine,
and tantamount to a declaration of war.
About March 4, Russia issued an ultimatum to China
in a scrap over a port ol entry. Just what action the Celes
tials took on this communication has not been learned
Since these epoch-making events, nothing further has
been heard, and the suspense is rather trying. It is
known that American troops have been massed along
the Mexican boundary, and that warships have been
ordered ready for movement at any time.
It is interesting to note that should war be declared
by the United States, it is very probable that Major
Albrecht of this city will be summoned to return to
Kentucky to take up his command in the state militia.
SIX MONTHS, $500 FINE, AND TICKET OF LEAVE FOR GEORGE
Verbally excoriated before a crowded courtroom, while
he hung his head in apparent shame and contrition, Geo.
Smith, of the now famous team of Smith Brothers who
have several times appeared in the criminal court of the
Iditarod since the founding of the city last spring, was
\esterday given a scathing lecture by Commissioner Maltby
following the verdict of guilty by the jury and was sen
tenced to a term of six months in jail and fined $500 for
assaulting his brother Jack Smith, who now lays in bed
with a broken shoulder.
In passing sentence, Judge Maltby referred to the past
performances of the defendant who has heretofore been
tried for criminal trespass and for assault and battery, and
who already rested under a sentence of three months and
a fine o! $250. The appeal from this judgment is now pend
ing, and on that charge he will be again tried before the
district court when Judge Overfield arrives in the spring.
Although an appeal from the present sentence has been an
nounced, the $3000 bond required is still forthcoming, in
default of which Smith will remain iti jail. Should he fail
to pay the $500 fine he must serve that out at the rate of
$2 per day, which with the costs added would keep him in
jail an additional ten months.
The trouble out of which arose the latest prosecution,
and which resulted in the serious injury of Jack Smith,
started about 7 o’clock Wednesday evening at the Pioneer
lodging house. Geo. Smith had been drinking all day and
was evidently looking for trouble, as it is alleged he struck
Charley Martin at the Northern saloon, while the latter was
not looking, knocking his head against the bar aud so com
pletely dazing him that lie did not entirely recover for 24
hours. This assault seems to have been without provo
cation, and would have been the basis of a prosecution, if
the greater trouble had not come up in the evening.
According to the evidence submitted to the jury. Geo.
went to the Pioneer in search of a woman who was attempt
ing to elude him through fear of his temper. He found her
at the Pioneer and likewise his brother Jack, the latter
immediately attempting to persuade him to go home and
go to bed.
George refused to leave, and according to the witnesses
seized all the available chairs in the room in an attempt to
assault Jack, but only succeeded in smashing the chairs
against the partition. The combatants then clinched aud
in the struggle, burst through the room door, and fell the
entire length of the stairway, striking the street door at the
bottom and smashing it to a number of pieces. In this
fall it appears that Jack sustained a broken collar bone and
a dislocated shoulder.
Geo. Smith was arrested about 8 o’clock by Capt.
Donovan and immediately taken to the federal jail where he
is still held.
He was tried by a jury of six men, Assistant District
Attorney Clegg prosecuting and J C. Moody defending
In giving him the maximum -utence provided by the
statute. Judge Maltby informed the prisoner that his pres
enee in tne city would not be required after the completion
of his sentence.
Frank Manley Bringing Keystone to Prospect Willow Creek
That prospecting work will be carried on along a great
portion of Willow creek this season is the interesting infor
oiajtion given out by Charles Worden of this city, who is
authority for the statement that Frank Manley is making
preparations to bring a Keystone drill from Hot Springs on
the first boat for the purpose of testing the many claims
held by Manley, Worden and associates on that stream.
As was reported in this paper last fall, two or three
miles of ground on Willow were tied tip by Manlev and
company under an option, the purchase price aggregating
over $100,000.
Considerable prospecting was done on a portion of this
ground last summer and fall, disclosing a wide extent of
low grade dirt, but without locating any definite paystreak.
It was thought then, and is still the general opinion, that
the creek was a dredging proposition, and it was believed
that the purchases were made with that end in view.
Owing to the fact that gold seems to be scattered over
a wide expanse of the left limit of Willow, the diill will
unquestionably prove the most rapid and economical method
of prospecting the ground. Mining men are of the opinion
that whatever gold Willow carries came from Happy, and
since the recent boosting of Happy stock more attention is
being paid to Willow, and the probability is fieely expressed
that a definite paystreak will be discovered on the latter.
With a Keystone drill already working on the Ingles’
property on Happy and another one for Willow, these
creeks will get a thorough tryout this summer.
ANNUAL. STAMPEDE TO THE NORTH IS NOW FAIRLY ON
Wi Ii Valdez, the Iditarod and the Kuskokwim as the
objective points for hopeful pilgrims, and all boats from i
Seattle sold out with those who hope to make the interior
over the ice, it looks as those the liegira of 1911 is now
fairly under way.
Henry Heheler arrived in the city last night, 19 days
from Seward, having left there on March 4th. He came on
the Alameda which brought 200 passengers from Seattle,
dropped them at Valdez and Cordova and landing 50 at
Seward for Iditarod. He says that boats billed to leave
Seattle on March 1, 5 and 8 were sold out, the majority be
ing headed for Valdez but a laige per cent coming here
Most of those going to Valdez are laborers, but as there is
no labor there at present (only one mine being open) he
j believes that many wiU'pttsh on to Seward ard ever the tr it
He estimates that there are between looand 150 people
on tile trail between here and Seward at the present time
Some oi these were headed for the Kuskokwitn, but he
thinks the adverse reports which they will meet on the To
kotna will send them all here. From now on until the
breakup there will be a continuous stream of travel over the
trail. The going is good and will improve.
DIVINE SERVICES j
WELL ATTENDED
Taking advantage of Archdeacon j
Stuck’s visit to the Iditarod, a large i
number of people attended the divine j
services which were held at Ansley's '■
hall at 11 and 8:30 last Sunday. So keen !
was the interest taken in the message j
which the archdeacon had to deliver, j
that the hall was crowded to its capa-1
city, and many were unable to gain ad
mittance. The sermons were much j
appreciated. In the afternoon Mr.
Stuck visited Flat City, and addressed |
a large congregation at the the A. B. j
hall.
Collections were taken up at each
service, the proceeds of which will be
used for the establishment of a church
in this city during the coming summer.
“Scow Harry' Dies on the Kuskokwim
Found in his cabin near the mouth
of Stoney river on the Kuskokwim,
where he had evidently expired sud
denly while cooking his breakfast,
“Scow Harry,” an old time river man
and trapper, whose name cannot be
learned at this time, passed away re
cently, and his body taken to George
town.
Commissioner Heavey and Deputy
Marshal Siebe went up the river about
10 days ago and brought the remains
back to the town. Sudden heartfailuie
is given as the cause of death.
Old Timers Are Coming Home
On the steamer Alameda that touched
at Cordova on March 1st were Jim
Bullard, Tom Aitken, Frank Lawson,
Henry Riley and Edith Neil, all of
whom disembarked there for Fairbanks
and the Iditarod.
Bullard and Riley may stop at Fair
banks, but it is probable that the rest
of the travelers will come on through
over the trail.
Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Larson, of Flat,
are in town stopping at the McDonald
for a few days.
Fred Bruhn was a visitor from the
Halfway roadhouse on the road to Dike
man. _
The Pioneer for Job Printing,
Bill Says He Was 27
A man is as young as he feels, as
Bill says. He was 27 or 37 or 44 years
I’oung last Wednesday and to celebrate
he fact he gave a jolly party at Heim
surger’s Wednesday evening, where i
;bere was plenty of good eats and lots j
_>f cheer.
Among those who partook of Mr.
Ansley’s hospitality on this occasion
were Cecil Clegg, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie
Troughten, Miss Tjernstroin, C. W.
Rogers, Theo Johnson, Chris Anthon
ison and Nat Lyons. j
Slicing Logs With Sawmill
Slippern’s mill -as siaritP ft, Dis
covery Otter last Wednesday, and in
the first eight hours of operation 7,000
feet of boards were added to the chan
nels of trade. The mill will be run
continuously at Discovery for the next
two months as there is a big demand
for building material and sluice lum
ber, and a plentiful supply of sawlogs
at hand.
Old Timer Kills Wife
And Self Outside
Although the rumor cannot be defini
tely verified, a story is making the
rounds of the camp to the effect that
Dave Curry, a widely known operator
of Dawson, Fairbanks and HotSprings,
killed his wife recently in California
and then committed suicide.
The news is supposed to have come
in a letter to one Johnson, formerly a
roadhouse keeper on Sullivan creek in
the Hot Springs district. The cause
of the double t ragedy cannot be learned,
but is believed to have been brought
about through a fit of jealousy on the
part of Curry.
Dave Curry is known to all the old
timers of the North and was one of the
most experienced placer miners that
ever struck the country. He worked
for Chute and Wills in the Dawson
country and was afterwards a partner
of Jerome Chute in the Hot Springs
country. __
Snow Glasses. Red Cross I>rug Store.
First avenue and Willow street.
COMING AND GOING
Sam Tansy, Joe Lewis and Jack Nic
oli came in from Reindeer creek this
week after a winter’s prospecting
which proved none too encouraging.
Tansy and Nicoli will remain here, hut
Lewis is going back to take another
whirl at it. They report that Sam Kin
caid will be in shortly.
Bob Plummer came in the latter
part of the week from Moore creek
where prospects are looking more en
couraging all the time. |
Aaron Longnecker, the sawmill man
of Otter City, enjoyed a brief sojourn
in this hive of industry this week.
Henry Peel, one of the pioneers of
the Reindeer section, has given up
prospecting there for the time being. :
Charles Murray and Bill Taylor,
well-known miners of the Tanana left
last Thutsday for Fairbanks, where it
is understood they will be engaged as
foremen for some of the larger com-1
panies there.
Mr. and Mrs. George F. Kilroy came
into town Thursday from their home at j
the head of Flat. They spent a couple
of days here,
Jim Cody had announced his inten
tion of departing for Fairbanks this
week to resume his duties as gold dust
coliector for the First National bank.
Wallev Owens and Cole McDougall,
who put in most of the winter pros
pecting on Donlan with Charley Wor
den, reached the city Thursday even
ing, after having abandoned further
work across the divide for the present.
“Don’t Be Deceived”
The instigators of the regular Satur- !
day night dances at Ansley’s hall de-;
sire to announce to the public that they
are still on the job and will continue to
deliver the goods, all other arrange,
ments to the contrary notwithstanding.
They make music with Kemp’s orches-1
Ira. ____
WANTED—Musher with fast dogteam j
going to Fairbanks wants passenger
at reasonable fare. Tel. this office.
Buy your Cigars by the box at Lan- j
dahl’s Emporium and save money. We 1
have back numbers of Iditarod papers.
Drill Goes to Happy
In order to do some quick prospecting
,n accordance with the terms of his
recent purchase of Dan McCaskill’s in
erests on Happy, Frank 3. Ingles of
Fiat, has secured the services of Bert
Walker and Hank Wallick with their
aig Keystone drill, and the machine is
sven now punching holes on that creek.
It was taken over last week and will
be used extensively for the next month
ar so.
Distemper Kcraerty for Dogs. K«<1
Cross Drug Store.
Workingmen, Take Notice
There will be a mass meeting of min
ers and operators of the Otter Record
ing District held at the A. B. hail at
Flat City on Thursday night, March 30,
for the purpose of considering plans for
a public hospital. Everyone is urged
to attend._
JDistempwr Keiuotly for Dogi. Keel
Cross Drug Store.
CORRESPONDENCE
To the Editer of Iditarod Pioneer:
Dear Sir—Just as I was leaving town
today I was informed that it is being
reported that I had refused to bury the
body of a woman recently deceased in
your city.
Will you kindly permit me to say
that this is an unqualified falsehood ?
I was not approached about the burial
at all, nor had even heard that it was
to take place. In the 19 years that I
have been in holy orders I have never
refusal to bury anyone. There are
certain poitions of the church burial
office that under certain circumstances
are not appropriate, but I have never
been able to understand hojv any cler
gyman cou'd refuse to say a prayer
over any open grave.
In view of this deliberate fabrication
I feel disposed to ask of those who do
not know me the kindness of their in
credulity should any further derogatory
stories be in circulation.
Faithfully yours,
HUDSON STUCK,
Archdeacon of the Yukon.
Half-Way House, Iditarod, March 20.
Herbert Lyncl and wife came back
to Iditarod this week after a winter
spent on George river where Mr. Lynch
has been chasing the elusive paystreak.
Iditarod Post Cards. It^d Cross Druj*
Stora. first Avenue.
SEWARD CAMP
IS HAPPY PLACE.
Those who have come to the Iditarod
from Seward give most glowing accounts
of the Kenai peninsula, so much so
that if the statements were only half
true Seward wonld still be a veritable
garden of Eden: a land of plenty to
which the wage earner can turn with the
assurance that his labor will be well re
warded and that the fruits of his toil
will not be exhausted in the purchase of
the bare necessaries of life.
Miners in the quartz mines which are
springing up in the district get $3 50 a |
day and board, and there is plenty of
work to be had.
If you want to know how the poor
j live in the favored section around Res
urrection bay, just listen to this: Spuds
of the finest quality sell at 1 '/£ cents a j
pound; the largest, sweetest and best i
vegetables in the world can be grown in j
your own garden or purchas ’d locally j
for a nominal sum, and all provisions!
can be obtained at practically Outside j
prices, i ne rivers teem witu nsn, uie
woods are alive with game—moose and
caribou; the hills abound in sheep and
bear, and oftimes the sky is darkened
by the flocks of feathered game, which
await decimation at the hands of civil
ized man, in blissful ignorance that
their domain will shortly be plastered
with ‘‘I claim,” etc.
But, alas, this land of the blest is not
for us. There is one compell ng force
which prevents us from packing our
traps and hiking to the latest promised
land; so far the United States in con
gress assembled has failed to provide us
with a trail; natnre has denied us wings,
and Seward is quite a long way off.
Odd Fellows Will Celebrate
Celebrating the anniversary of the
founding of the order, the Odd Fellows
Club of Fiat will hold a grand ball on
the night of April 26 at the A. B.
j hall. They are making elaborate pre
! parattons, and will pull off one of the
swell affairs of the winter.
—
' FOR SALE — North Star restaurant,
Dis. Otter, completely equipped. In
quire Skonbeck, Discovery.
GAMP IDITAROD NO. 27
A. B, WILL BLOSSOM
Under the direction of Deputy Grand
Arctic Chief at Large Strong, Camp
Iditarod No. 27 of the Arctic Brother
hood will be instituted Monday night
at Ansley’s hall, when officers will be
elected and arrangements made for the
installation and initiations a week
hence. It is understood that ail visit
ing brothers are welcome as well as all
those who have declared their intention
of becoming charter members of Camp
No. 27 and who have put up the neces
sary cash. _
Vanguard cl Seward
Travelers Arriving
After 21 days on the trail, and lead
ing a host of starapeders which he
figured at about 75 travelers, George
Dreibelbis, formerly deputy marshal
under Marshal berry, accompanied by
Charles McWhorter and Perry Warner,
arrived in the Iditarod early in the
week and reported that a continuous
stream of travel can be looked for over
the trail during the balance of the
winter.
He reports the trail in fine condition
at the present time, as the blizzards
have ceased and there has been enougli
travel to keep the going open Road
houses are scattered all along, or at
least tent shelters, so that it is now
possible to make the distance without
carrying an outfit.
Many of those who are now on their
way are bringing a pick and shovel
each, and most of them are headed for
the Kuskokwitn where they expect to
open up some sort of a camp this sum
mer. However, it is certain that a
large proportion of them will switch to
the Iditarod when they learn of the
late discouragement in tho Kuskok
wim.
He believes that subsequent travelers
can make the Iditarod from Seward in
! 15 days as traveling conditions are
hound to improve as the season pro
gresses.
The read commission accomplished
good work through its representatives,
Goodwin and Eide, and the trail is
thoroughly blazed all the way. Several
cutoffs have been effected, notably the
cutoff from Youngberry’s at the mouth
j of Big river,—20 miles the other side of
! the N. C. Co. post on the Tokotna—to
! South Fork, as well as cutoffs engineer
ed by Eide on tho other side of the
pass. Goodwin’s party arrived at Se
w’ard on Feb. 25, after experiencing
considerable trouble from shortage of
grub and dog-feed.
Both McWhorter and Warner were
pioneers of the Iditarod, but this is Mr.
Dreibeibis’ first visit here. He will
look the situation over for a week or
two, and if he finds the camp to his
liking, ha may decide to put in the
season here.
“Quaker Maid” V/as
There iin the Flesh
Which means much more than you
would think at the first glance. We
are talking about that St. Patrick’s
masquerade out at Flat where Tommy
Lewis made the hit of the evening as
the demure little “Quaker Maid,’’ and
where they had so much fun that they
are still talking about it.
Tommy went after that prize for the
most original costume representing a
business bouse of the Iditarod, so he
decided to copy that picture of the
Quaker Maid that comes on those bot
tles of liquid joy from Kansas City, and
which are sold at the Connolly at Flat,
and at the Miner’s Home in this eity.
With his modest apron and coy little
bonnet, there was nothing to it when
Tommy started after the cako in the
prize cake-walk. He and “Happy”
Kilbourne won in a canter. But to re
turn to the little joke in the head,
there were a number of skins full of
Quaker Maid ere the jewels were
p’ucked from the dusky robe of Dight
Do Three Awnings Make i Spring ?
The streets of the city began to
hi ussom as the rose the other day when
O.d Sol deigned to smile on us for one
bi ;ef span.
Down at the Red Cross they put out
one of these striped awnings to properly
shade the light, and the same idea
found expression at Isaac's and Gold
stein’s. They are beautiful affairs done
in the most metropolitan manner show
ing that the Johnson Flume Hose Co.
is .here with the goods.
FOR SALE CHEAP — One large
Worthington pump, 1-4-h.p. engine,
drill press, saw and arbor, blacksmith
outfit. Morgan & Litsey, Iditarod.
f'now Glasses. Ked Cross Drug Store,
F.rat avenue and Willow street.
Best watch repairing at Simpson's.