THE SDiTAROD PIONEER
Published Every Saturday Morning at Idltarod, Alaska
Vol. s CHARLES A. DERRY. Editor No. 5
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THE UNITED STATES AND GERMANY
The open defiance of the United States-govern
ment contained in the note handed in by the German
ambassador on Wednesday last would seem to leave
but one recourse open to President Wilson. He has
endeavored by all means in his power, and at the
cost of severe criticism by his fellow-countrymen,
to avoid a rupture with the kaiser’s government on
the question of t ie submarine warfare. He has
strenuously insisted that international law and the
dictates of humanity be observed m the conduct of
the submarine campaign, and has protested vigor
ously against the murder of innocent non-combat
ants, but all to no effect. The one recourse open to
him is to dismiss Bernstorff, thus breaking off diplo
matic relations with the government which has
shown such utter scorn of the repeated warnings of
the l mted Slates.
While the severing of diplomatic relations does
not necessarily mean, war between the two countries,
it is but a slight step removed from that condition,
and it is to be expected that the first invasion of our
rights on the high seas will bring about a formal dec
laration of hostilities. It may be premature to dis
cuss the position of the United States in the event of
an open rupture; but it is clear that the situation de
mands that our government should prepare immedi
ately for defense on modern lines.
COLLAPSE OF THE MAIL SERVICE
The mail service furnished to the people of this
district during the present winter has been even
more unsatisfactory than formerly, and its utter
collapse at this time is but the fulnilrnnet of predic
tions which have been made frequently.
The transportation of 475 pounds of mail weekly
over such a trail as that between Seward and Idita
rod is not such an arduous task as to require extraor
dinary executive ability m its handling; and yet
from the inception of the service this year there has
been more or less disappointment m the results ob
tained. And, as was foreseen, the trouble was not
with the hardy fellows who face the severities of
climate to keep the people of the Interior in touch
with the 'Outside world, ft is intimated that pay
ment for services rendered has not been forthcom
ing; and it ought to be apparent that these men
cannot be expected to perform the work indefinitely
without compensation. None of them is wealthy
enough for that or he would not be engag ed in
that kind of labor. Sf there is any class of men
who earn their money it is these mail carriers, and
steps should be taken to see that they receive their
dues.
In the meantime, because of mismanagement or
worse, the people of the Interior are without mail
communication, business is suffering, and the people ■
generally are discommoded. Many will be unable 1
to understand why such a condition, which must j
have been foreseen by the postal authorities, should!
have been allowed to develop.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
The stock argument—and in fact the only argu
ment—used by the opponents of' prohibition at the •
recent election was that such a law could not be en- j
forced. More or less distorted statements were
made as to the lack of law enforcement in those j
localities already under prohibition laws, and predic- j
tions were freely made that liquor would be openly
sold in Alaska in spite of such an enactment. The
city of Skagway has been “dry” for some time, and
recent disclosures showed that liquor had been dis
pensed openly in "soft drink” emporiums. The re
ports of the wholesale bootlegging in Seattle, in!
which city and county officials are alleged to have j
been implicated, shows that the new law was made i
a farce by those charged with the duty of enforcing
it. These two instances have brought varied expres
sions of the “I told you so” stamp from some Alaska
newspapers, which predict that the law cannot and
will not be enforced in Alaska. But there are sequels
to the Skagway and Seattle incidents, and it may be
that it is a trifle too early to say what will be the fate
of tire proposed Alaska law until the story of these
; two cities' experience lias been finished. The Skag
i way lav/ violators were given somewhat discourag
! ing fines, and the Seattle culprits are to be given an
| opportunity to purge themselves in court. The
, Douglas Island News, commenting on the Skagway
case, says:
For selling liquor contrary to law al Skagway, u former
saloonkeeper was fined SHOO and costs this week, after being
found guilty by a jury. l et there are those who contend that
prohibition cannot be enforced in Alaska. If the officers of
the law do their duty there will he no trouble in enforcing the
law when the time comes. It is only when crime is winked at
1 that it flourishes.
There is the whole thing in a nutshell. The pro
hibition law has not yet been enacted for Alaska,
I and there is plenty of time before its going into ef
fect for the people to give it due consideration. By
a tremendously large vote the people of the territory
voted against the liquor business, and it is doubtful
whether they would calmly submit to its being made
a dead letter. If there is to be no serious attempt
to enforce the law, it would be far better that it
j should not be enacted. It will be up to the officers
| of the law.
-*
Advisory Master Charles Groe of Jersey City, in hearing the
divorce suit ol one William C. Burke, which was opposed by his
spouse, delivered the rather unusual edict that “No man who
rifles constantly on the water wagon can expect to get along
-m M.thly with friend wife," according to an Associated Press dis
I j ateh. "1 am (50 years old and have never taken a drink or
! .-ntoktd in my life.' boasted Burke to Master Groe. “That’s your
I trouble.” said Master Groe. tartly. “If you had gotten drunk and
smoked a cigar once in a while you’d have gotten along better
I ,vjjh your wife.’’ The startling advice gives expression to a well
j maintained belief that the infallible man - the man who is so
! superior to his fellows that his foot never slips, and who acquires
! a contempt for these who allow their shortcoming to acquire the
j upper hand occasionally is or.e of the most disagreeable persons
‘ io the world. And so this old wiseacre of a judge, with a knowl
; cikii of human n: urr. probably felt that if the immaculate hus
band had on i -cti-ion shown that he was human by lapsing into
j a state of !«•: irary fallibility he might have been better si.!.- to
| sympathise with the frailties ant! shortcomings of others, and
j thus have been a better and more companionable husband. Per
I bans he was right.
_-_— _ ./»i_ —- —
i If it should transpire that Mayor Gill of Seattle is guilty of
complicity in the wholesale bootlegging operations he may be ac
corded recognition as the biggest fakir of recent years. After pro
fessing ci nil lion for his past associate ns he was re el cted s He
• a; tie's mayor up.,n a platform whoso i rincipal plank was the
‘clamping of the lid" on that town. When the prohibition law
life before the people he was one of its warmest advocates, and
his words worn' >sed as campaign material in subsequent dry
1 lights. It i- almost inconceivabh that a man of intelligence such
I as Mr. Gill undoubtedly has should descend to such hypocrisy.
While the v:iock may prove to be a severe one, it will be
hoped that the President will survive the announcement that
Henry Lane Wilson does not approve of his speech to the l n:ted
! States senate in advocacy of world ['race. This is the - .me Henry
' Lane Wilson who, as ambassador to Mexico, endeavored to take
! out of the hands of the administration the adjustment of our rein
] te ns with Mexico, and because of his desire that the assassin
! Huerta be recognized a« president of Mexico he came into conflict
j with his superiors and lost his official head. It may be said that
l there were very definite intimations of self-interest in Henry Lane’.
i advocacy of Huerta’s cause.
I New York reports that the high cost of living, instead of tend
| mg to decrease the number of marriages, has had the opposite
i effect. The average daily number of marriage licenses issued has
j increased from 100 to 140, One of the young lady candidates for
| matrimony explained the situation as follows: “Dave pays a
i week board. 1 pay $i>. We can marry, both keep on working,
j have our own home and live for less. Lots of our friends are do
! ine the same thing.” Simplv a matter of arithmetic.
-♦
As an illustration of the caste feeling of the German army
j officers, Will Irwin tells of a German who was invited to have a
i drink by an American. The German sized up the nearest re
freshment place and remarked: “1 won’t go into the cafe; I’m
a German officer and a baron.” Whereupon the American re
torted: “Neither will I. I’m an American and a plumber.”
-«
The ease with which men may enter the banking business.
! as appears from the dispatches regarding the failure of the Seattle
! concern, evokes amazement that more frenzied financiers do not
j enter the business. Hut it seems that the four-flusher in banking,
! as in other walks of life, eventually is brought up with a sharp
i turn.
__ . A_.
[ The heroic men and women who undertook such arduous tasks i
i in an endeavor to save poor Duncan McDonnell s life would have ,
been decorated with medals and acclaimed by the poet laureates \
I had their efforts been called forth in response to war’s destructive
. demands in Europe.
—---«
All the residents of the Interior will hope that Nome may be
successful in securing the necessary appropriation for the dredging
of a harbor. It is a necessary public work and should receive
encouragement. _
If the Deutschland has been sunk or captured by the Britons,
as is now feared, there will be much regret at the fate of the gal
lant Captain Koenig and his crew.
Congressman Humphrey of Washington makes his exit from
public life with a good word for Alaska.
-«
England is now convinced that Germany has Zeppelins to burn.
—Atlanta Constitution.
Bali Band Rubber Boots and Pucs
Ball Band Rubber Boots and Pass
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PETALUMA EGGS
Cold Storage
Ham and Bacon
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HUNT’S CANNED FROSTS
Fisher’s "Blend" and "Art” Flour
Golden Glow Butter-Hone letter
Dog Hams, 6c pound Dog Bacon, 12c pound
N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska
N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska
DEPOSITS OF ANTIMONY
IN IDITAROD AND INNQKQ
REPORTED BY THE SURVEY
In a report devoted to “The Antimony
Deposits of Alaska,” recently issued by the
United States Geological Survey, consider
able space is devoted to the Iditarod and
Innoko districts as possible future factors
in the production of this metal. 'I ho re
port is by Alfred II. Brooks, head of the
Alaska division of t^e survey, and says:
“Stibnite (antimony sulphide) deposits
have been found in a mineralized zone
marked try several gold placer districts,
which stretches from the lower Kuskokwim
river northeasterly to the northern part of
the Innoko district. The metallization of
this zone by no means extends throughout
its length, but. its will be shown, is limited |
to certain centers determined by the intru
iuii of igneous rocks. As here defined it j
includes the antimony-bearing cinnabar j
prospects of the Kuskokwim and the Idita- |
rod and Innoko gold-placer dslriets. It is
reported that stibnite has been found in the
Tuluksnk-Aiiiak gold placer districts, still
! ferther to the southwest, but this has not
| been verified. There has been no produc
; tion of antimony in this region, and none of
he lodes has been sufficiently prospected
o prove its value. The wide distribute, n
if stibnite-bearing veins is favorsb!c to the]
discovery of workable antimony lodes. On
lie other hand, much of the region is now
lilUci.il of access, and it i- at least an open
piestion whether antimony ores can be
mil't-d in this region, even at the present
high value of the metal, home of the de
posits are, however, favorably located for
water transportation, notably those near or
on the Kuskokwim river. These deposits
and some which are near Iditurod would
uem to offer the best hope of development
uider the present conditions of transports
! tion. » * *
“Stibnite is common iri the gold placers
if the Iditarod district, and mostly occurs
bi the concentrates with cinnabar in places
with scheelite. Mining operations at a num
ber of localities have uncovered stibnite
hearing veins and stringers, all of which are
closely associated with monzonite intru
“A little work has been done on a stibnite
ode, staked under the name Mohawk claim,
located about a mile north of the settlement
•ailed Discovery, on Utter creek. The shaft
•nd pits which exposed this lode were in
accessible at the time of the writer’s visit,
0 that little information could be obtained
except that yiel led by the dump. More
ivrr, the claim is located fin the fiat sum
nit, covered with moss and timber, between
31m gulch and Slate creek, where no bed
01 k is exposed. Monzonite occurs to the
outh in Glen gulch and to the north he
he Cretaceous sandstones and slates, to
rt her with some basalt. Fragments of ba
saltic rock were seen on the ridge, so that
robably this rock occurs close at hand.
The lode is reported to occur at the con
tact of slate and ‘diorite’ by those who
have ha'! access to the workings. The term
orite' may refer to either the monzonite
r the basalt. In any event, the deposit
. not frr from the margin of the monzon
te stock.
“The lode appears to trend northeastward,
which is paral.el to the major structure of
the sediments. It dips about fortyfive de
crees southeast. A shaft said to be thirty
five feet deep and a few pits are the only
■ptnings seen on the lode. The distribu
| don of these workings indicates that the
lode has been trared about fifty feet, but
os no on? V- nresenf on the nr nerty and
• examination was hurried there are po?
ibly other openings by which it may have
been traced a greater distance. The width
if the lode is reported to be two to two
and a half feet. Though this statement
-ould not be verified by observation, yet
he size of the fragments of ore on the dump
indicates that they came from a lade at least
re to two feet wide.
The lode consists of an intergrowth of
quartz and stibnite, and it is reported to
contain gold values. The stibnite occurs
chiefly as granular aggregates, with some
columnar masses. Vitreous quartz i- rather
evenly distributed among the stibnite in
grains, in partly developed crystals and in
irregular aggregates. Some cavities lined
with quartz crystals occur in the ore. and
the heavy iron stains on some of this quartz
megest. the oxidation of pvrite. though none
of this mineral was actually observed. The
stibnite itself shows very little oxidation.
“In this section the ore shows a mosaic
of quartz in which some idiomorphic crys
tals are recognizable. The quartz has been
in part fractured and granulated al ng mar
tins. Subsequent to this granulation the
stibnite has been deposited in part in irregu
lar masses in the granulated areas, in part
as thin films along the lines of fracture.
This metallization appears to have been ac
companied by some deposition of quartz.
The noteworthy feature is that the deposi
tion of the sulphide has taken place after
the crystallization and deformation of most
of the quartz.
“The commercial value of the deposit as
an antimony ore would seem to depend on
the discovery of shoots of purer stibnite than
most of that which was seen on the dump.
However, some fairly pure specimens of stib
nite from this lode were seen. In regard
to its value as a gold ore the writer has no
information other than that given above.
“According to observations by Made iron,
some stibnite-bearing veins have been un
covered by placer mining on Glen gulch and
on Black creek. Both these streams are
tributary to Otter creek from the south.
The exact location by placer claims of these
veins cannot he given, but the occurrences
on both streams are about 1.200 feet in air
line from Otter creek. It is probable that
the Black creek vein is on the fraction
claim below No. 3 below Discovery, and
the Glen gulch vein on No. 1 above dis
covery.
“Both veins strike about north 60 degree
east, and their relative position indicates
■hat they may be on the same zone of frac
ure, but they are separated by a distance
of about 500 feet in which the bedrock is
not exposed. The Glen gulch vein was ex
posed at the time of Maddren’s visit for a
distance of about thirty feet, and the Black
creek vein for a somewhat shorter distance.
They probably both stand nearly vertical,
but as only the trace of the veins is exposed
on the bedrock surface, and as no prospect
ing had been done on the deposits, their atti
tude could not be definitely determined.
These veins occupy fissures in the monzon
ite which forms the bedrock of the creek.
They are filled with quartz and range in
thickness from two to twelve inches, prob
ably averaging about four inches.
“The vein filling is chiefly vitreous quartz,
much of which shows crystalline outline, in
dicating the filling of open fissures at the i
time of deposition. Stibnite is the princi- I
pal metallic mineral, and appears to have j
J
been deposited after the quartz. A little j
cinnabar is associated with it, and also some I
yrite. The stibmte occurs in granular ag- I
regates through which are scattered grains j
and crystals of vitreous qtlartz. Stibnite
seems to be most abundant in the widest
part of the vein, where it occurs as kidneys
of irregular outline. Though the specimens
were collected from the outcrop of the de
i >sit, the stibmte shows very little oxidation,
which may be due to the fact that the over
burden was permanently frozen when first |
opened. As the alluvium that overlies these I
coins carries rmh placers, they may be aur
iferous. Scheelite occurs iu the concen
rates from the placers of these creeks but
r.: s not seen in the vein. So far as exposed
the veins are not of sufficient width to per
mit development. Their description is here,
included because they indicate .some!long of
the mode of occurrence of the stibnite. anti
because further prospecting might reveal
larger ore bodies.
“Maddren also found a small stibnite
beering vein on lower Slate creek, at a lo
cality which lies approximately on the ex
tension of the strike of the Glen creek vein,
fakir, noted a small vein of stibnite asso
| elated with cinnabar at the head of Chicken
creek. This vein cuts a monzonite stock,
s -md its mineral character is similar to those
described above which occur on Glen gulch
end Black creek. A specimen from this vein
shows the deposition of quartz and cinnabar
along both walls of the vein Between these
two siliceous parts of the vein lies an inter
row th of columnar and granular stibnite
and vitreous quartz.”
A.
CROSSING ENGLISH CHANNEL
H A BRITISH ARMY PLANE
| Nf’.^r were such numbers of planes em
: ployed, and never (lid they play such an
; important part as in the battle of the
i Somme. ,
The wastage of British planes at the front J
| has been supplied by new planes flown
; across the channel from England; where.
! fter coming from the factory, they an ;
ested out at a home aerodrome. The rev- ;
j ord time in crossing the channel at the j
' narrowest point, where the distance is j
twenty-two miles, is eight minutes,
i When the correspondent, who was in
: 1/ ndon for a day’s leave from the front,
■ asked a certain general at the war office for
ermission to fly back instead of going by
i earner train and automobiK the answer
; vas, “Perfectly easy.” And to prove it he
; called up the commander of the flying corps
i a in five minutes all was arranged over
: he telephone.
“What about my baggage?” asked the
correspondent.
j “Oh, take it along and strap it on.” re
| plied the general. “A plane that carries
I i0 pounds of bombs will trot be bothered
ith a suit case.”
A dozen machines, one after another, were
ue to go to France that day as soon as
he wire said a storm on the other side of
he channel had passed.
The correspondent slipped into a wadded
picket for protection against the wind,
which would (d-o act as a life buoy if he
• pened to fall into the channel, and took
' Is place, a position usual v occupied by
observer, who also mans the machine
gun.
“She’s a good and steady bus,” said the
pilot. “They flew her down from the fac
ory three days ago, and she’s tuned up
; and ready for her part in the big show on
I ‘he other side. You must not expect any ■
fancy stunts.
“My business is to fly her to France and j
'eliver her in good condition, ready for
work.”
The pilot had made thirty such crossings,
and was proud of the fact that he never
had come down at any of the way stations.
The course was as straight as a line, fol
lowing a plotted course of land objects for
the route. After forty minutes in unvary
:ng Steadiness of speed above the English
hedges he turned at a given point for the
channel crossing. Usually the crossing is
made at a height of 10.000 feet. This al
lows of more leeway to descend to the near
est shore, or to a steamer in the channel,
in case of engine trouble.
On account of thick weather he took
he channel this trip at a height of 4.00C
feet. As the white lacework of surf beat
against the chalk line just underfoot, the
correspondent looked at his watch. Then
■he machine ran into a cloud. The pilot]
topped the engine, and the machine slid
'or 1,000 feet until the sea again appeared,
and ahead as the engine took up its re
gain was the shore.
As the machine crossed that shore line i
‘he correspondent looked again at his watch, j
The time elansed was seventeen minutes.
The flight had not been made over the nar !
row part of the channel. The fastest steamer
would have required an hour and a quarter
and. traveling that way. the passage would
have been rough, as a heavy sea was run
nirg.
Finally the aerodrome at the front wa.
reached. When storms have prevented mi
ration for a period, fifty new machines
have come in from Eneland in one day.—
Frederick Palmer, writing from the Somme
front, in the New York World.
-A
A WORD OF APPRECIATION
“I suppose you think a republic is un
| grateful.”
I “No.” replied Senator Sorghum; “this re
| public ha? always treated my all right. And
: there have been times, when I got to think
ing about what it has to nut tip with, thatg
o republic seems downright patient and?
forbearing,”—Chicago Herald.
FINNEGAN & CAMERON
FLAT CITY
Agency for Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs and Records
TOEACCO CIGARS STATIONERY
CONFECTIONERY AND BILLIARDS
C. R. Cameron Jas. F. Finnegan
THOS. SVtcIVSAHON
HEALER IN
FLAT, ALASKA
I3 r o fcssiona 1
Michigan. 1881 Alaska, !»!«
Kentucky, 1841
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Th»» Pioneer Attorney of Idltarod
E. M. STANTON
Attorney at Law
Office: Corner Willow and Second St*
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CHAS. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue !ditaro<J
OR. MOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. H. E. AURINGER
Physician and Surgeon
Office: Fiat City Hospital Flat City
Consultation Hours in Forenoons and by
Appointment
FLAT DRUG STORE
Best of Everything
all the time at the
Arcade Cafe
FLAT CITY
Open Dev and Nlfcht
FINE WATCH REPAIRING
NUGGET JEWELRY TO ORDER
J. L. SALE, Flat City
pj»f Ann's b1? anJ printed or,
I paper, cardboard or cloth
on short notice, at Idttarod Pioneer office.
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
CAFE
FLAT CITY HOHBACK 4 DURAND j
Bet. the Grand and Bagoy'e Bare
THE BEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
French Joe's Roadhouse
SOUTH FORK KUSKOKWIM
DOC BACON AND FISH
FOR SALE
Big Stocks of Fresh Goods
Everything for the Miner and
Prospector
r^Ax simeL
Stores at Cripple City and Mouth of Tolstoi
J. H. ROQERS
l\Iew Restaurant
Open Early and Late
0000 EATS, QUICK SERVICE
Only Correspondence School Chef
in Alaska
Front St., Iditarod, next to Manuel’s
BEST LIQUORS AND CIGARS
Thrse-Times-Move Bar
(Formerly the Stanley House)
JOHN BAGOY, PROP.
GOOD ROOMS CLEAN BEDS
FLAT CITY