Iditaroc. Pioneer
One Dollar Per Month. IDITAROD, ALASKA, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1910. Two Bits Per Copy
The Iditarod, with its population of 3500 people, is allowed by
the United States postoffice department a mail service of once a
month. This mail will be brought in from Nulato by C. K. Snow,
the contractor, who brought in the first allotment of 400 pounds,
arriving here Friday morning after a run of nine days from the
Yukon.
Nome, with its population not much greater than this section,
has been awarded a service this winter of twice a week. She had
only a^weekly service last winter. Fairbanks, which can hardly
hive more people than the Iditarod, gets a mail three times a weeh
while this town and country must wait for Iditarod mail to dribble
into Nulato until enough accumulates in a month to bring over here.
This is one of the rottenest pieces of mismanagement and care
lessness that lias ever been pulled off in Alaska, and one that can
not be allowed to pass unnoticed. It is up to the people of the
Iditarod to kick against it and kick mighty hard, since it is a rank
injustice, due not to inability to get the mail here, but due solely
to incompetence and neglect on the part of the postoffice officials
who have the matter of lower Yukon mails under their jurisdiction.
To the end that this matter may be properly brought before
the officials at Washington, the Iditarod Pioneer suggests that a
monster petition be prepared, signed by as many names as can be
procured and telegraphed to Washington, to the postmaster gen
eral and to the attorney general, the latter being a newly acquired
friend who can be relied upon to make some effort in our behalf.
According to this plan, we would start several petitions here
and on the creeks, placing them in reliable hands, the circulator to
collect 25 cents from each signer to pay for the expense of sending
the telegrams. It is desired to have the petitions signed and ready
to send to Nulato by Mr. Snow on his next trip, which will occur
about the 15th of next month.
Everyone should be interested in this proposition, and it is be
lieved that if strong enough representations be made to Washing
ton something might be done in the way of providing an emer
gency service for the Iditarod this winter.
It appears, according to the report of Mail Carrier Snow, that
* this monthly contract was let by Randalls at Fort Gibbon, and that
the call for weekly-trip bids issued by McManus of Nome was aban
doned. Under the present contract, the mail will leave Nulato for
Iditarod City between the 5th and 10th of each month. Snow ex
plained that he will carry passengers and express, and that should
the business warrant it, he might make a second trip each month,
of course bringing the mail in with him but without extra compen
sation. It is possible, that if nothing can be accomplished at Wash
ington, the people here, by private subscription, could prevail upon
Snow to make two trips a month regularly.
Snow left on his return to Nulato at 8:30 o'clock this (Satur
day) morning, carrying about 200 pounds of first and second class
matter. He has two teams of eight dogs each, and is accompanied
by two Indians. The trail is reported good beyond Dikeman, as
there is more snow on the other side. From Dikeman here it is
described as being the worst in Alaska and will remain so until the
snow comes. On this trip in, the mail carrier was accompanied by
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Sutherland, who had their own dog team. From
Dikeman he brought Mrs. Ray Brumbaugh.
STABBING AFFRAY
WON'T BE FATAL
Leaving his victim with a gaping knife wound in the breast from
which the blood sputtered at every breath, George Carlson, a prospect
or of the Ditna, who happened io be lately sojourning in Diketnati lias
taken to the hills, following the affray in the White .uid Leferge pool
room at Dikeman on the night of October i6tb, when after a general
free-for-all fight he stabbed Bob Leferge with a pocket knife. Deputy
Marshal Chas. Erick, who was sent down there to bring back the per
petrator of the deed arrived to late, as the friends of Carlson, and even
the victim of the fight himself had warned Carlson to get out of the way
and they would try to hush the matter up.
Leferge, who with his partner White, had been running the launch
Flyer on the river last summer, got mixed up in a drunken fight with
Carlson earlier in the evening than the time of the cutting. There were
several intoxicated individuals involved in the affair, and Lefergy who
is a large man, had his hands full. It appears that they afterward ad
journed to the pool ioom where they continued the quarrel and again
became engaged in personal combat. It was here that Carlson took out
his pocket knife and inflicted the wound that may possibly result in
Leferge’s death.
1 he wound was caused by a heavy-biaded knife and according to
reports, seems to have penetrated the lung, although this may be re
vised by Dr. Brooks who is expected back at any time. Chas. Erick
stated that when he last saw Leferge early in the week, he was ap
parently resting easier, but they could not concede him to be out of
danger. He was being attended as best they could, and it was hoped
that Dr. Brook s arrival would be in time to prevent further compli
cations.
Every one connected with the affair displayed a remarkable reti
cence according to the story of the deputy marshal. He could obtain
very little information, as everyone seemed to want to forget it, and
Leferge had expressed a desire to let the matter drop as far as prose
cution was concerned.
Carlson, had apparently stayed around town for a day or so follow
ing the fight and had then struck out, possibly to return to the Ditna,
possibly to go to the hills in the vicinity of Dikeman where he could
keep in touch with his friends.
Erick has gone back to take up the chase, and every' effort will be
insole to apprehend this man who has attempted murder and who has
boasted of his prownesjs in other bloody affrays.
Dr. Brooks returned this morning, (Saturday), and says that al
t.rough the knife penetrated tiie lungs, he belie ves Leferge is practically
but ot danger. He says that when the men were separated, the knife
was slid sticking in Leferge s breast and was pulled out by a by
stander.
E. R. i eoples has anived in the arod is a good small camp but advises
Tatiana metropolis. He says the Idit- j against stampeding here.
SMALL STAMPEDE
OPPOSITE NULATO
According to the report brought in j
by C. K. Snow, tiie carrier of Nulato-J
Iditarod mail, a small stampede is now J
on to the Kaiyuk river section opposite
Nulato, where some good prospects;
have recently been found. He says that I
about 30 people have gone in there!
this fall and that they are taking in
several boilers with the first freezeup. !
An inspection of the map and the ;
geographic dictionary would indicate ■
that the river where the finds have
been reported is the Khotol, a river on ;
the southeast side of the Yukon, drain-j
ing the Kaivuh mountains from one of’
the highest peaks and emptying into
Kaiyuh slough 40 miles south of Nu- j
lato.
GRANITE GREEK SHOWS
BETTER ALL THE TIME
According to the report of Bob Mar
tin, who is in from Granite creek and
is stopping at the Jditarod hotel, the
latest development work on that creek
is showing' some good ground in Nos.
i, 2 and 3-A, upon which showing they
will make big preparations for the
work of next seasos. Martin and El
linger, of the firm of Martin, Ellinger,
Chronister and Thomas have been
working on 3-A lately where they put
down four holes. The last one panned
dirt from a cent to a grain. They are
building a bunkhouse and preparing to
put in a 2000-foot bed rock flume. The
balance of the winter they will be cross
cutting the claims with holes and will
hydraulic iu the spring.
_ i
Leaving Georgetown with Frank Joaquin in charge, her last cargo
stacked along the hank where Worruser, a clerk of the Kuskokwitn
Commercial company was disposing of food stuffs to anxious buyers,
the steamer Quickstep turned her nose down river on the evening of
October 16th for a hurried run to Bethel and another load. It was
thought possible to make the trip in seven days, and if weather con
ditions have not changed she should he due at Georgetown today.
The steamer brought 150 tons cti her last trip, 40 tons consisting
of feed. She dropped off a few tons at the mouth ot Crooked river
where 11 men were waiting for her, and where a lively scramble oc-J
curred as they pawed over the freight to find what they wanted. Joa
quin let them go to it, each man carrying what he wanted onto the
beach, in the darkness, where it was later checked over and paid for.
In leaving Bethel, the freight had been stowed on board the Quick
step in a great hurry and without checking. This came about from a
two-day delay which occur; ed even after the arrival of the steam schoon
er P. J. Abler, while the owners of the Quickstep squabbled about risk
ing the vessel on a trip up river this late in the year. Finally they
decided to let her go, and a crew trucked freight on board for five
hours without checking. Arriving at Crooked river, Joaquin had very
little idea of what he had on board, aud it was go-as-you-please when
the customer got well under wav. Butter, baking powder, spices, rub
ber boots, dried fruits, stoves aud some other things were short and these
were apportioned as fairly as possible while the general trend of prices
was kept entirely within reason.
The Quickstep arrived at Crooked October 14, and the next day
got up to Georgetown. In the meantime the weather stayed warm, ice
was lacking except a little shore ice, and the freight was dumped off
hastily after the owners had decided to risk another trip. It is believed
that luck is with them and that she can get back to Georgetown with
150 tons more, and perhaps 200, the balance of the freight at Bethel.
Jack Smeaton, who came in the other day with Bert McDonald
Frank Gleason, Jim Corrish, Geo. Smith, Gus Frieberg, Si Simonson
aud Harry Stevens, all from Smeaton city at the mouth of Crooked,
says that the Abler laid off the mouth of the Kmkokwim for ten days,
being unable to find the channel and without a pilot. An Indian was
finally secured and brought her through to Bethel in good shape.
On the night the steamer reached Smeaton city, the boys were
waiting on Hie bank with a big bonfire at a spot where tiiey bad cut
out the shore ice for a landing. They took all the grub they could get
and took it in a hurry, spending about $3 000 from the eleven of them.
There will be a much larger bunch of men waiting at that point when
the boat comes back for there are plenty of prospectors along Donlau
and Crooked creeks and they need the beaus.
Smeaton brought over a bill showing that the prices are quite
reasonable. Flour sold for $9, sugar 13c, rice 13c, butter 75c, Eagle
milk $14, rolled wheat $12 50, corn meal $12.50, coffee 75c, Lipton’s
tea $1 25, candles $4, salt 10c, lard 30c, Star tobacco $1, Edgeworth
$1.50, bacon 50c, onions and spuds 15c, fresh apples $10 a case, eggs
$28.
SUTHERLAND EXPERIENCES
STRENUOUS WEDDING TRIP
Following his marriage to Miss Hilda
Evanson at Nulato, Oct. 3rd, just after
the bride’s arrival on the steamer
Susie, Dan Sutherland, formerly U. S.
marshal at Juneau, hitched up his dog
team and brought his wife overland in
the wake of the mail carrier on one of
the most strenuous wedding trips im
aginable. They were nine days mak
ing the journey to this city, and al
though pretty well worn out, Mrs.
Sutherland received the plaudits of
both her husband and the mail carrier
as being a first-class musher.
The wedding ceremony took place
before Judge Harry G. Strangman, com
missioner at Nulato. Sutherland had
gone from here to meet his bride who
was formerly stenographer in the office
of the district attorney at Juneau, and
who came in by way of Dawson.
They have gone to Flat City where
they will visit with Mr. and Mrs. Fred
Carter, after which they may possibly
go to the Kuskokwim.
Geo. Grant, alias “Brockey,” charged
with petty larceny, had his preliminary
hearing before Commissioner Maltby
this morning (Saturday) and was bound
over to the grand jury at Fairbanks.
Blankets, bedspreads, sheets and pil
lowcases at GOLDSTEIN’S.
PHILLIES AND COBS
WIN THE PENNANTS
*
The world’s series between the Chi- j
cago Nationals and the Philadelphia
Americans for the championship of the
year were scheduled to begin Oct. If,
at Cleveland.
Pioneer Lodging
House Remodeled
A decided change has been affected
in the arrangement of rooms and the
equipment thereof in the Pioneer lodg
ing house on First avenue.
Since Mrs. Uhl took charge of the j
place, it has been overhauled and re
furnished and is now provided with a|
modern bath room, iiot and cold water |
in the rooms, and a general furnishing
that makes it one of the most comfort
able rooming houses in the city.
Casey sells Bock cigars
Red Cross Changes Quarters
Had it not been for the arrival of the
mail Friday morning which caught
Frank Dunham, at the Rad Cross drug
store, with every thing in the confused
state incident to moving, the drugstore
and posteffice would even now be doing
business at the new quarters on the
corner of First and Willow in the build
ing recently vacated by the Boston
clothing store.____
Anselm Rautio and Miss Alii Nikkoto,
both of Flat creek were married Fri
day afternoon at the courthouse in this
city, the ceremony being performed by
Commissioner Maltby. The couple will
make their home at Flat.
i
Through Commissioner Maltby, this paper is in receipt of doc
uments from the Alaska-Yukon Magazine at Seattle which show
that that publication is thoroughly alive to the needs of this terri
tory, and is launched on a schema to arouse Congress to action
that should receive the hearty support of every Alaskan.
In the communication are included copies of a petition to the
Senate and House of Representativee couched in sensible and dr
rect terms, asking that some action be taken by that august body
toward proper coal and railroad legislation, to the end that a
proper solution of the transportation question be achieved, and the
development of the country be placed upon a more economical
basis. The author of the petition hits directly at the territory’s
most vital need, and in an accompanying letter points out the evi
dent truth, that with 20,000 Alaskan names to back up the move
ment, something might be done to awaken the conscience of the
law-making body as regards this Northern empire.
These petitions will be found at various business houses in this
city and on the creeks, and if you are sufficiently interested in
Alaska’s welfare, take the time to find one and sign it. They are
wanted in Seattle by the first of December, so that it behooves all
would-be signers to get busy.
iiere is wnat tne petition says:
P E T I T I O N
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
Your petitioners, residents of Alaska, respectfully submit:
That the progress of this territory, with its inestimable unde
veloped wealth and opportunities is being very seriously retarded
by the discouragement of settlers and investors through inadequate
laws. It is evident that our population is not increasing at the
normal rate for so young, rich and splendid a territory, and indus
trial development of every kind is far less than might reasonably
be expected.
That as a result, thousands of Alaskans find their labor of
years—labor that has often involved unusual risks and hardships
—and the investment of all their money in serious jeopardy.
That the commencement of coal mining from our lands is abso
lutely necessary to the reasonable encouragement of railroad build
ing in this territory and the establishment of other industries, and
that the normal and necessary progress of our development is
chiefly dependent on increased rail transportation, opening rich
districts now inaccessible and, by cheaper freightage, making it
possible to work at a profit where now profits are impossible.
That surveys of our public lands should go forward with all
possible haste, as they are essential to the reasonable encourage
ment of the farming settler, upon whom we are dependent for our
progress as an agricultural territory.
We therefore respectfully urge that our affairs be given your
immediate attention and that some equitable solution be found
without delay for those problems that are now vexing m so sorely.
MALTBY A DEPUTY
CLERK OF COURT
Although he has not yet received any official communication from
Fairbanks, the latest papers received from that city publish news to the
effect that the agitation at this end has finally resulted in action by the
district court and that Judge Overfield has appointed Commissioner
Alfred E Maltby to the office cf deputy clerk of the district court of
this division.
Although the appointment of Judge Maltby will be appreciated by
many and a great help and convenience to all, it is even more satis
factory to him, in spite of the fact that it means no additional salary.
It comes just at a time when his office was supposed to be under sus
picion by some, and means that the attacks made by a disgruntled few
here have been entirely ignored by Judge Overfield.
The appointment of a deputy clerk of the court here will be a mat
ter of considerable convenience to litigants who have cases for the dis
trict court. Such cases can be filed here with Maltby, and forwarded
by him, and much expense will later be saved in the matter of securing
licenses and making filings. It will also simplify matters when court
comes down here next spring. This term of court is now expected to
be held here in March.
As stated above, the appointment means no additional salary to
Judge Maltby since the law forbids officials receiving more than $2,500
a year, holding two offices with salary. As commissioner bis salary
cannot exceed $3000, but in case it should fall below, then it can be
made up by the clerk of the couit, He wishes to hold the office for
the convenience of the public, and it will probably not conflict in any
way with his duties as commissioner.
McDonald Hotel
in Full Bloom
With nicely furnished rooms, each
ene provided with a radiator, a well
appointed office and a service that is
said to be excellent, the McDonald
hotel, recently erected on First avenue,
between Richmond and Willow, is now
jpen for business, and has been found
entirely satisfactory by its first pat
rons.
The place is centrally located and
will doubtless experience a good sea
son since Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are
well known and have a good reputation
is caterers to the public comfort.
Manuel sells Bock cigars.
Chance to Get Dog Feed
It is said that the big run of white
fish is just starting in Moose and Bo
nanza creeks, and that anyone desiring
Jog feed or who is short of provisions
ran grab all he wants at this season.
Ramps sells Bock cigars.
For cleaning and repairing see Wile ihe
Tailor, Second avenue.
A. E. Bain, proprietor of the B. <t
M. poolroom at 1-A Otter, paid the city
a visit last week.
Late News of Steamboats
According to the news brought in
by Dan Sutherland who left the Yukon
on Oct. 12th, the Minneapolis and
Martha Clow were hopelessly hung up
in the Tananarivey where an unusually
low stage of water prevailed this fall.
Both had big cargoes and passengers
for this section. The Delta which left
Dikeman for Whitehorse, was unable
to make it and was compelled to turn
back from Rampart. The White Seal,
which left Fairbanks on Oct. 1st, and
was just ahead of the Delta is believed
to have gotten through. The Florence
S is stuck 40 miles below Diskaket or
ten miles overland.
Economize
i By ordering your supplies for next sea
I son from us; we will save you at least
j 25 per cent, and will quote you now
guaranteed delivery prices, besides we
require no money down—all we do re
quire is a guarantee from you that
goods will be paid for on arrival here.
BARRETT & LEWIN,
Direct Agent for the Leading San
Francisco Firms.
Ladies don’t forget the 20 per cent,
j reduction sale at GOLDSTEIN’S.