Iditarod Pioneer
One Dollar Per Month. IDITAROD, ALASKA, SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 1910. Two Bits Per Copy
MARSHAL LOVE WILL
VISIT NEW GAMP
After finishing his visit to the Kus
kokwim, where he went to look into
conditions in si now country, Marshal
H. K. love, head of the executive de
partment of government in the fourth
judicial district, will come overland to
the Iditarod, his arrival being expected
some time about the first of September.
According to the advices received
here by the local deputies, Marshal
Love left Fairbanks for the Kusko
kwim about July 11th, figuring on go
ing in by way of St. Michael. His desti
nation was the mouth of the Tokatna,
where a new post is to be established,
and he was accompanied by Commis
sioner Doc. Green and Deputy Harry
Siebe, both of whom will be located at
that point.
Tiie news from Fairbanks indicates
that a new recording precinct has been
established with headquarters at the
mouth of Tokotna, and it is there that
the new officers will have their resi
dence.
Following his inspection of conditions
in the Kuskokwim, Mr. Love will cross
oyer to the Innoko from which point
he will come overland to Iditarod City.
Since his visit to Washington last
winter, when he was called as a wit
ness in the congressional investigation
of the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy,
it is apparent that the department of
justice is anxious to gather all infor
mation possible concerning the wide
domain of Alaska over which it has
jurisdiction. For this reason Marshal
Love has taken this wide swing over
the fourth judicial district, and it is to
be hoped that his visit will be product
ive of good for this neglected, section.
THEY WISH TO
BE PUT RIGHT
Even at this late day when the smoke
of election's battle has cleared away A.
J. Daly and Major Strong wish to raise
a strong protest against the allegations
contained in the Fairbanks Times of
July 20th accusing then! of supporting
Ed, S. Orr in the recent campaign.
Major Strong was spoken of as the
Democratic candidate for delegate to
congress, Mr. Daly is national demo
cratic committee man for Alaska.
Naturally both gentlemen guard their
political virtue jealously; it pains them
to hear such careless accusations as
that emmating from the Times.
[t can be truthfully recorded here
that neither Mr. Daly nor Major Strong
supported Mr. Orr. Mr. Daly voted for
Major Strong, and as near as can be
ascertained, Major Strong voted for
Martin Harrais. These two votes were
placed in the ballot box, and as far as
one of them is concerned, the source is
freely admitted.
These two Democrats held many a
convention in this city preceding the
election, and although there never was
a question about the seating of dele
gates, there was frequent strife con
cerning the Democratic nominee.
It is a matter of history that the
Democrats had no candidate in the field,
it is also a matter of history that the
Democrats were somewhat split up in
regard to their choice on the other
tickets, but from the remarks heard
as expressed by both Major Strong and
Mr. Daly it can be stated without fear
of successful contradition that they
were not in favor of Mr. Orr’s can
didacy.
No, it appears that the Times made
a sad mistake.
Bert Day Made
a Record Trip
■ ■
After a record trip to Dikeman
and return, John Duncan and Bert
Day, of the N. C. Co., are back in
the city, having arrived Thursday
night in time for Henry Weir’s
housewarming. Day went down
and got back in 48 hours, all of
which is going some. They re
port considerable freight at the
lower town, but look lor a lot of it
here before the close of navigation.
The mosquito fleet is striking the
right gait these days, and a lot of
stuff is on the move.
Australian onions and winter lemons
and Salinas-Burbank potatoes —winter
stock, not coming, but here.
Innoko Trading Co.
8OR SALE—Corner lot 50x100 feet,
Second avenue and Flat street. Ap
ply Pioneer office.
Rubber Flaxine Roofing Paper guar
anteed for 10 years at Anderson Bros.
& Nerland.
EDWARD S. ORR “ALSO RAN”
The election is over and the vote in the Otter recording
precinct has furnished uiumstakeable proof that the people
do not go lor the “Rule or Ruin’’ gang nor the labor agi
tators. They want Wickersham, and the vote in this camp
is a fair index of the fact that they have him.
Out of a total of 766 votes Wickersham received 433.
or almost 65 per cent, of the entire ballot. He received al
most one and a half times as many votes as the other candi
dates combined, each man putting that touching inquiry as
he folded his ballot, “Oh, Where is Birch ? ”
O’Connor nosed out Orr by 81 votes, giving eloquent
testimony of the fact that all the Orr campaigning in this
camp did him more harm than good. O’Connor made his
best showing at Discovery Otter, where by some strange
coincidence there were almost as many unthinking labor
votes as there were thinking Wickersham voters. Here it
was that the plan of the Orr-Guggeuheim O’Connor con
federation made itself felt to a noticeable degree, for al
though Orr received only a few votes at Discovery, they did
Wickersham Orr O'Connor
Otter creek.... 99 22 91
Flat creek. 104 30 32
Otter City . 24 2 12
Dikeman. 34 13 4
Iditarod City. 192 49 58
Total. 453 110 197
Major Strong, 1; Martin Harrais, 1.
succeed in drawing some of the Wickersham votes to
O’Connor.
Flat Creek and Iditarod City proved themselves good
staunch Wickersham strongholds, for in both places the
opposing candidates didn’t have a lookin. In both places
Wickersham polled nearly twice as many as the other two
candidates combined, running away with the ticket in such
fashion that tiie Orr boosters in the camp beat it the next
day without saying goodbye.
The returns from other parts of Alaska are not yet in
but it would seem from tfre vote here that Wickersham ad
herents need have no uneasy moments concerning Lhe
general result. Southeastern Alaska may poll a few alien
votes for Orr where the whip of the corporation drives the
ignorant outlander to the voting booth, but in other parts
of the territory he will look like a frayed joker in a new
deck when the returns are all in.
O’Connor carries the good old hide bound labor vote
that believes a labor candidate can do rro wrong. They
lose sight of the man in the blind following of party, and
will vote for a shovel stiff as quickly as for a parliamen
tarian, thinking that either can achieve like results in the
councils of the nation.
Evert at that they did better than wasting votes on an
avowed corporation figurehead.
Senator Sam Boosts for Wireless Station
—
In answer to a message sent to Senator Sam
uel Piles, of Washington, by Edward Lewin, of
this city, in which the needs of the district in re
gard to communication with the Outside world
were set out, a message was received early last
week by Mr. Lewin which gives every hope that
something may yet be done looking to the instal
lation of a wireless station here before the freezeup.
Senator Piles wired; “Do all I can and am
taking the matter up with the secretary of war.”
Other forces are at work on the proposition,
General Mans, commander of the Department of
the Columbia, having announced on his visit in
June that he was convinced of the need of a sta
tion here, and that he would recommend such an
innovation in his report to the war department.
This report has gone in and the matter is un
questionably before the secretary of war.
Following the receipt of this telegram an
other message was sent to Major Richardson ask
ing his co-operation which will be cordially given
according to the major’s statement on his recent
visit here.
When Deputy Customs Collector Jack Hil
lard was here two weeks ago he stated that Lieut.
Tamm, in charge of the interior division of the
wireless service of Alaska, was working on the
proposition of putting a station in the Iditarod.
Lieut. Tamm had two portable stations of limited
radius which he believed capable of transmitting
messages from Iditarod city to Kaltag on the
Yukon, and was ready to install them at once
upon receipt of the authorization from headquar
ters.
The matter is of extreme importance to the
people of this section since it is apparent that
mail facilities this winter will not be of the best.
The country will be shut olE from communication
with the outside for weeks at a time, and quick
results will be impossible.
In view of these facts, the citizens of this city
should use every effort to force action.
FLAT CREEK WILL PROVE TO BE ALASKA'S RICHEST STREAM
Where are the knockers of yesterday ? Where are the
mining sharks who looked at the sands of Flat and shook
their heads dubiously to go back to Fairbanks and to Nome
to tell the old folks at home that Flat creek was vastly over
rated ?
Gone are they all, hack to the fields of their old en
deavors. Gone are their pessimistic visages, made doubly
sour because they could get nothing for nothing. Gene is
the Anvil Chorus into the limbo with many other less in
famous noise-makers. Gone is the spirit of disbelief, and
in its place reigns a feeling of optimistic assurance, that the
Iditarod is witnessing the development of one of the richest
creeks Alaska has ever known.
Flat creek has pay from tip to tip. Nearly five miles
of it stretching from the very top of the divide at its head
to the point where its waters empty into Otter. Fabulously
rich in spots, there now exists a dead certainty that she car
ries a continuous paystreak all the way, and that next sum
mer will see the creek ripped open from head to foot with
a possible output of more than $2,000,000.
This prophesy is no mere idle dream, it is almost an
assured fact, based on present development and tlie opinions
of many capable mining men. The work has been done
which shows what there is, and the results thus far ob
tained are even better than the enthusiastic guesses made
earlier in the season.
From the very head of the creek where the timber line
ends on the hillside, the gold runs down and has already
been caught in the riffles. From Dark & Sweeney’s ground
where they take the gold out directly under the moss, to
the Homestake association on Otter creek bottom, they
have found it and have shoveled it into their sluice-boxes.
Below Dark & Sweeney’s ground lays the wonderfully
rich claim ol Manley, Aitken & Price. I'he finds of the
Marietta have been reported heretofore, where in one hole,
pans averaging $5 were taken. This claim alone is figured
good for $1,000,000.
Below the Marietta lays the Wildcat where Doc Mad
ing has already taken out $22,000 in two cleanups, and
where the ground sluiced up better than $6 to the foot.
This sort of pay is known to extend through a great part
of the Wildcat, and pay almost as good is known to exist
in the Chicago bench, adjoining on the left limit.
In the box association below, Henderson & Larsen are
sluicing ground that goes $3 to the foot, and they are just
beginning to get into the pay.
On the Bonanza, next below, Friend, Lawson & J unes
are finding a continuous streak of very lich ground which
will go several dollars to the foot.
On down the creek from the Glen association, through
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Fraction to the Homestake association,
the pay is known to he there, the width of the paystreak
alone being a matter of speculation.
All this is wonderfully good news, for it assures a
prosperous camp lieie through the winter and next season.
It means much gold added to the world’s wealth and the
justification of the faith of those who risked their all to
come to the Iditarod.
Try the Pioneer adv. columns for results.
DR. SLEEM TELLS OF SEWARD TRAIL FOR WINTER ROUTE
Asserting that the trail to Seward is not only feasi
ble but that it will in fact be traveled this winter in
comfort and without danger, Dr. D. H. Sleem, surgeon
of the Alaska Northern railroad is in Iditarod City,
having just completed a reconnaissance of that country
between the Iditarod and the coast.
Dr. Sleem reached this city last week, having made
the journey from Seward with A. Eide of the Alaska
road commission. They left Seward on the 21st of
June and traveled by boat to Bethel on the Kuskokwirn,
and by another boat to the mouth of the Takotna. From
that point they traveled overland to Discovery Otter.
Upon his arrival here, Mr. Eide found instructions
from Major Richardson awaiting him, by which he was
directed to proceed at once back to Seward to begin
work on that end of the trail with the freezeup. In that
way he will connect with Mr. Goodwin who is coming
here to begin work on this end of the route.
The trail will be blazed and cut out, and according
to Dr. Sleem’s statement, travelers will find plenty of
accommodation along the way, many people having made
inquiry as to locations for their roadhouses. From
Discovery Otter to Seward the distance is estimated at
479 miles, the last 72 miles being over the line of the
Alaska Northern now operating between Seward and
Kern cx-eek. Dr. Sleetn states that there is absolutely no
reason why this route should not be used for the mail this
winter,'providing ai-rangements have not already been
made for bi-inging Iditarod mail in by way of Fairbanks.
The following is Dr. Sleem’s description of the trail
with a table of approximate distances. He is a topo
grapher of experience, has di-awn several maps of the
Seward country, and the information contained in his
statement should prove of great value to those who
may have occasion to travel over the Seward trail this
winter, or who desiere to cross into the Kuskokwim.
, The trail from here to Seward will
not present any natural difficulties, to
pographically speaking. There is one
high range of mountains to pass
through, and that is the Alaska range.
Nature, however, has helped out the
travele'r by providing a pass—the
Rainy pass—at the head of Rhon river.
There is very little grade to either
side of the pass—the Vollies of Dalzell
creok on. the Kuskokwim side, and ol
Pass creek on the Susitna side, meet in
a ravine or saddle between two high
peaks, level, even and well protected.
In a general way the trail will follow
the valleys and water courses, and
with the exception of six or seven
miles on Rainy pass, it will be in tim
ber all the way through to Seward. At
least the trail that was traveled last
winter followed that course and nc
doubt Mr. Goodwin, who will perma
nently locate the trail for the road
commission, will follow the same
course with modifications. He will un
doubtedly cut the estimated distance
shorter, and while following the trend
of the rivers, he will avoid the river :
and endeavor to blaze the trail on ;
banks and timbered land.
From Otter, the trail will find its
way to the valley of Bonanza and fol
low that stream to the very head, or to
the headwaters, that dovetail with one
of the branches of Moore creek, which
is the continuation of that long and
tortuous stream. The divide between
the two waters is of very low grade,
and one would hardly notice the ascent
or the descent. Then it follows Moose
oreek to Discovery on Moose. From
Otter to Discovery on Moose is esti
mated to be 35 miles. From Discovery
on Moore the trail passes over a slant
of a ridge and reaches in 3J miles to
Discovery on Fourth-of-July creek, and
it follows that stream to its mouth
where an Indian village and a few cab
ins are located. The distance between
the two latter points is estimated to be
also 35 miles.
Following the Takotna 15 miles
urther you will reach Takotna City, a
lettlement of 20 cabins, two roadhouses
md the headquarters of the Kuskok
vim Commercial Co., which has a gen
;ral merchandise store. Frank Joa
luin, an old trader, and Mr. Higgins
ire at the head of that concern.
From Takotna City the trail will in
ill probability cut through cross-coun
try to the mouth of the Takotna, where
there is a big settlement of prospectors
and traders. The place was given the
name of McGrath. McGrath was once
sommissioner and built a cabin there,
in fact, there is a trail now cut be
tween Takotna City and McGrath, and
probably will bo located by Mr. Good
win as permanent. At this latter place
the N. C. Co. intends to establish a
trading post. Then the trail will pass
to Big river, on the main Kuskokwim,
where there is a roadhouse, and then
crosses over level country to Nicolai,
m Indian village, and then follows the
South fork of the Kuskokwim, but Mr.
Boodwin might take a straight bee
line from McGrath t» a point on the
South fork near Farewell mountain,
and shorten the distance many miles.
Following the valley of the South fork
to R’non river, it ascends that stream
to Dalzell creek, thence to Rainy pass,
Pass creek and Happy river, and the
sequestered valleys.
From the mouth of Yentna to Sew
ard the trail will be traveled all win
ter and many roadhouses are located at
convenient distances. The Susitna
station is quite a new town where the
A. C. Co. has a large store and sup
plies can be had. Then the trail
passes by Knik, another town and post
offlce, where there are three restaur
ants and two good stores. Leaving this
point the trail winds around Knik arm
and Turnagain arm until it reaches
Girdwood, another small settlement;
this is three miles further—it reaches
Kern creek station, on the Alaska
Northern railway, 72 miles from Sew
ard.
Seward is located on Resurrection
bay, endowed with the best townsite
on the coast, and enjoys all the privi
leges and improvements of an Outside
city. It has very commodious hotels,
elegant large stores, banking facilities,
and hag an open harbor all the year
'round, and connected with the Outside
world by cable. The town has mail
service every week, and one can catch
a boat every few days.
To recapitulate the distances from
Discovery Otter:
Discovery Moore creek.. 35 35
Mouth of Fourth-of-July creek 35 70
Tokotna City. 15 85
Mouth of Takotna. . 20 105
Rohn river. 70 175
Rainy pass. 14 189
Susitna station... _.105 294
Little Susitna.. 18 312
Knik . 17 329
Girdwood. 75 404
Kern creek station.. 3 407
Seward.. 72 479
Odorless Closets complete at The
Tin Shop.
:
RAMPS PETERSON HAS
NICE NEW GIN MILL
With the genial faces of Fred Chap
man and Gordon Shea welcoming the
stranger and the old habitue, the new
saloon of Ramps Peterson in the Phil
lips building on First street opened to
the public last Thursday afternoon and
evening with the result that many a
schooner crossed the bar while some
went out to sea.
The interior arrangement in its ar
tistic merit is restful, and pleasing to
the eye, >ut if one feels skittish
desired effect can be secured by raising
the finger and winking the left optic
slowly.
Get a regulation “safety” at The Tin
Shop,
A. J. DALY LEAVES
ON WAY OUTSIDE
In company with Henry Roden and
Capt. Donovan, A. J. Daly, an attor
ney, formerly of Nome, who has been
residing in Iditarod City for some
weeks representing the Miners & Mer
chants bank, left down river yesterday
morning for the Bering sea metropolis
and the outside.
Mr. Daly will practice law in Seattle
during the winter, having been already
established there. He is a firm believer
in the future of this section, and will
be among the first back on next spring’s
stampede.
FOR SALE—Two 2-horsepower pros
pecting boilers. Apply Henry Schnei
der’s paint shop on waterfront,
Goes Outside to School
Ariel Slippern. the 13-year-old sou of
J. A. Slippern, the well-known sash
and door manufacturer of this city, left
on Thursday last fot Portland, Ore., to
join his mother and younger sister and
to take up his second term in high
school. Ariel is a youngster of fine
character, and will be greatly missed
by his many friends.
Subscribe for The Pioneer now.
THEY GATHERED ROUND
THE FESTIVE BOARD
Last Thursday night the friends of
Henry Weir gave him a house-warm
ing. From all accounts the place haa
not cooled off yet.
The affair took place in that large
log dwelling on Richmond street with
the four gables and the lookout on the
eastern exposure. Everyone was there
but the village pest, he being chained
in the outer darkness.
The main drawing room which opens
upon the secondary reception chamber
was tastefully decorated with a large
pine table around which gathered some
40 of the faithful. The board presented
an interesting picture to the casual on
looker, since it bore itself, as tables
will, under a bubbling array of large
bottles. About it flitted several pre
occupied gentlemen carrying bundles
of suds which they deposited here and
there in accordance with a system of
wig-wag signals.
In one corner of the room was a
tuneful instrument where a man sat
tickling the horseteeth. Near by stood
another industrious person pecking
persistently at a peculiar arrangement
of little boards while around them in
friendly circle stood a number of noisy
individuals, ams on shoulders and oars
cocked expectantly for a discordant
note.
In the centre of the room stood a
large cheese and by it a sword rescued
from the relics of Damascus. Candle
lights gleamed fitfully along the walls,
their slender flamos waved hither and
yon by the gusty voices of the singers.
Henry was brought in just as things
were getting good. He was surprised,
’tis true, but he stayed until things got
much better. His coming was greeted
by a burst of melody that would put
the blush of shame to the cheeks of
Oscar Hammerstein,—of the manner of
his going deponent saveth not.
The party was a huge success, and it
is hoped that those comfortable lookln-g
walls will ring with the echoes of it
for many a happy year.
STEAMER LOIS
CHANGES HANDS
Confident of his ability to handle a
large amount of tonnage before the
freezeup with the powerful little Str.
Lois, Capt. John R. Bingham, an old
timer of the Yukon has just purchased
a three-quarter interest in the boat,
following his arrival here last Wednes
day with a cargo of 43 tons, one of the
biggest lots brought to this city since
the spring flood.
The boat was built in Fairbanks by
Mat Peters and A. W. Stewart, the
Paris brothers sharing a half interest.
She brought passengers and freight to
the Iditarod and was found to be just
about the right sort of craft for this
river. Shortly after their arrival here,
Henry Paris and Hugh Paris sold
their half interest to A. W. Wil
liams and W. A. Van Horn, and it was
these interests with that of Steward
that Capt. Bingham purchased.
On her last trip up the Lois brought
27 tons of liquor for the Empire Com
mercial company, five tons for Frank
Miller and one ton for Ramps Peter
son. In addition she carried 8000 feet
of lumber for Nestor. Capt. Bingham
and John Cameron, business represen
tatives of the beat, were formerly in
terested in the Little Delta and have
had much to do with landing freight at
this town this season.
Launch Party Launches
And Then Lunches
Giving themselves entirely to
the pursuit of aquatic pleasures
a large launch party disturbed
tne peaceful ripples of the upper
river last Friday evening, and
while they shattered the primeval
silences with bursts of many gay
songs.
H. L. Jaffa’s launch Lois was
loaded to the gunnels with ladies
and gentlemen and good cheer.
They were engaged on no topo
graphical researches, neither
were they improving the river
channel, rather it seemed their
earnest endeavor to scatter a,
little sunshine along the shady
places.
Following the run up river,
the party was entertained at
Goldstein’s where Messrs. Lous
sac and Merchant had prepared
the feast, In the party were
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Shea, Mrs,
Lang, Mrs- Skidmore, Mrs. Cum
mings, Messrs Hunt, Jaffee, Gold
stein, Merchant and Loussae