| IDITAROD PIONEER j
Published Every Sunday Morning at Iditarod, Alaska.
FRANK E. BECKER. EDITOR
til I Oco. U. Arbuokla. Publltbar Nrt. 23
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Six Months .. .... . 5.001 Single Copy. 25
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AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION, ETC.
To the casual observer, and to the novice at the science
of fire fighting. Front street presents a rather interesting
picture these days. Down tlie center of the street is a
canyon of wood, piled to the second story of the buildings
on either side. One is compelled to walk half a block in
order to reach the sidewalk.
The first thought that occurs to you is,—How would
the fire fighters get at any certain building from the street.
We know they can’t get at it from the sidewalk, and there
is no access to the rear of the buildings, for all alleys have
been effectually closed by real estate captains of industry.
Not long ago there was a period of two or three day.'
that a small dog team could not have gotten through the
street.
Ihe plea to this indictment is, of course, necessity.
They say they must have the wood and there is no other
place* to store it. Yet it is unquestionably true that by
storing wood in such quantities to block the street, they are
not only endangering their owrn property by hindering the
fire-fighters, but they are also jeopardizing the property of
other residents in the same blocks.
SCATTER SUNSHINE RECIPROCALLY
From what we can hear, Flat City is laying for us for
Christmas. By the same token, we have the jinks on them
for New Years.
In other words, we understand that they are planning
big doings out that way for December 25th, and want the
town people to come out and join them. They will have
Christmas trees and big feeds and dances and Tom and
Jerrys hot.
We published something last week to the effect that
we intended pulling off a few gay stunts ourselves on New
Years, -wherefore we want those Flat Folks to play fair with
us. If wm play guests on Christmas, we want to play hosts
on New Years. _
AN OUT FOR THE CARPENTER
Now that the dead and silent days are here, when the
•nothing note of tiie mosquito is stilled and the song of the
hammer has ceased to reverberate along the rim of morning,
the carpenter turns drowsily in his matutinal slumber and
opens a weather eye just long enough to heave a handy mal
let at the malignant visage of the loud-toned alarm clock.
Then he rolls over and goes to sleep again, for lo, the build
ing days of summer have passed and the carpenter has no
more work than a rabbit.
In looking over the season’s wage account, and casting
up with speculative eye, the amount of bacon still hanging
on the hook, the wood-working artisan is prone to grow
despondent in the thought of the long months that must
elapse e’er sweet-faced spring again greets the (lowering
hills. He is apt to count himself an idle man, or else if the
larder be particularly lean, he may feel called upon to hump
himself in more strenuous and less dignified occupations
than that of gouging at an aromatic board. In this thought
he overlooks a bet and does his accomplishment a rank in
justice, for look you, is not the carpenter one of the most
iudispensible adjuncts of our industrial life, and do we not
need him now even more than ever ?
lo put our hgner then, upon the very pulse of the
thought we have in minrl, let us inform you that we have
been using a coffee box for a typewriter desk for some con
siderable moons. It hasn’t been much of a desk to look at,
but it has Btood up under some gallant assaults and has
been the suppoit of many a burning creation. Should we
dispense with it by the substitution of a more pretentious
piece of furniture, this tin-bound coffee box will always hold
a grateful and effectionate place in our memory.
With this parting tribute, let us say that we have de
cided to get a better desk, one with drawers to it and little
lallapaloosas on the side, where we can put our receipted
bills and invitations and pool checks and other memoranda
considered necessary for an editor and a cub reporter.
Inis desk, we have decided, shall be a piece of mission
furniture, made simply but substantially by a carpenter and
cabinet-maker of this city. It will not only combine com
plete utility with a certain beautiful repose, but it will be
a fitting monument and a constant reminder of the skillful
handiwork and unabating industry of our own artisans.
This is the thought we would set adrift upon an unex
pectant world. Imported furniture is expensive and the
money goes to buy Turkish rugs for some palatial residence
in Grand Rapids. Besides, it very seldom meets the re
quirements of the purchaser for the diversity of choice is
limited.
A box of La Verdad Perfecto cigars Eye* examined free—Simpson’s.
Xmas will please the most fastidious
smoker. At Johnstone’s. Worden sells Bock cigars.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR
GENTLEMEN
Neckties, Military Cellared
Shirts, Linen Handkerchiefs,
Fancy Hose, Silk Underwear,
Gloves, Pajamas,uMfflers and
Leather Shoes.
LADIES
Sweater Coats Silk Waists,
Silk Kimonos, Fancy Hose,
Hand Bags, Fancy Handker
chiefs, Automobile Veils,
Gloves, Fancy Aprons,Shawls
and a full assortment of Utz
& Dunn’s Shoes and Slippers
1. GOLDSTEIN, - FRONT STREET
City
Teiophone 3S
Drugs, Perfumes ' Cigar3, Cigarettes
Rubber Goods, Stationery Tobaccos, Pipes, Cutlery
Photographic Supplies, Printing and Developing
Thermos Bottles
CIRCULATING LIBRARY
WILLOW STREET
Second Av. <
Tel. 17 4
4
First-Class Accommodations Your Patronare solicited <
i
C. J. Hurley, President J. P. Gleason, ice President A. Pruning, Cashiar
Corner First Ave, and Richmond St., Iditarod
CAPITAL $50,000.00, FOLLY PAID IN CASH
Genera! Banking Business Transact Upon Liberal, But Conservative Lines
GOLD DUST PURCHASED UPON ASSAY VALUE
And w« 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 businoss, and assure you of our courteous, prompt and
careful attention combined with fair treatment, whether
your account may be large or small.
W a r m Comfo r t a b 1 e
RADIATOR IN’ EVERY ROOM
GOOD, WARM DOG HOUSES
WILLOW SI. m SECOND AVE,
I. NYHOLM, PROP.
if !
Phone 67. Corner Caribou and Black. ;
!
Whitefish, Arctic Trout, Pickerel and Arctic;
Halibut dressed to order.
i
<
Creek Orders May be Left with Keyes & Meaghan’s Stape Lina
Steam Heated Throughout
Warm Dog Houses }
TELEPHONE 63 \
BETTER ENGAGE THAT
TABLE RIGHT N6 W
Although it may he too cold to hold a carnival and throw confetti
around the streets on New Year’s eve, Charley Miller says you can have
it in the soup if you want it, at the Merchants cafe.
Although we are a long ways from Broadway, we know when the
New Year gets litre and we are just as glad about it as anyone else,
and we can have just as much fun officiating at the reception. There
fore, it might be a wise precaution to engage your table at Miller’s for
that New Year’s eve watch party. There will be a lot of live ones there
and the fun will last all night, hence it will be a good time to fling off
that winter garment of re pen fence. Get next.
Met for the purpose of putting their club on a permanent basis
and for the further purpose of giving everyone a chance to get ac
quainted, the Masons of Iditarod, their wives, daughters and sweet
hearts gathered together at Ansley's hall last Monday night and
enjoyed one of the pleasantest social affairs yet held in this city.
The early part of the evening was taken up by a businsss ses
sion during which the permanent officers of the club were elected,
following the provisional organization of the week before.
As the result of the balloting, Major Strong, of the Iditarod
Nugget, was elected president, while Ike Ba.yles was made vice
president. Earl Hunt was elected secretary treasurer- It was de
cided that the regular business meetings be held on the first and
third Thur days of each month. Social sessions will be called spe
cially as desired. During this session it was ascertained that more
than 30 names have already been enrolled on the club membership.
Cutting out the business as soon as possible so that it would
not interfere with their pleasure, the gentlemen resolved them
selves into a reception committee for the ladies, and the social ses‘
sion was on, developing into a most enjoyable concert.
Major Strong made an opening address, Charles E. Taylor
told a story, and Judge Vinal, commissioner at Ophir made a short
speech
Mrs. Frank Dunhum was in excellent voice for her solo and
her duet with Mr. Saunders. Mr. Moses sang some pleasing solos.
Mrs. Tom Thurston recited very cleverly and Bill Ansley told a
funny story. From the orchestra—consisting of Berggren, Drake
and Bourret- special talent was elicited in the shape of solos from
Berggren’s violin and songs oy Drake.
Along towards midnight, they began to think about eats, and
Charley Miller, of the Merchants cafe, appeared on the scene with
a large collation of good things which molted away like snow be
fore a June sun. Following this excellent repast, the floor was
cleared and the entire assemblage began a series of waltzes and
two steps that lasted until 2 in the morning.
Besides a large gathering of city residents there were a num
ber in from Flat and Otter, making in all some 50 couples. Tho
affair was pronounced a huge success, and augurs well for tho fu
ture of the Iditarod Masonic Club. Among those present were the
fol’owing:
Messrs. Strong, Bayles, Hunt, Taylor, Keyes, Peters, Stewart,
Clarke, Breeze, Atkinson, Murdock, Strelic, Wilson, Simpson,
Ross, Ensor, Dunn, Miller, Donovan, Lyons, Ansley, Lundgren,
Newman, Thurston, Brooks, Funk, Christopher, H. Ross, Weir,
Goldstein, Smith, Witte, of Iditarod Masonic Club; Monkman,
Jaffe. Britt, Hagen, Patten, Risser, Dunn, Hebeler, Robey, of
Otter Masonic. Club, Flat City Mesdames Strong, Miller, Riley
Taylor, Risser, McMullen, Newman, Stevens, Peterson, Dunham,
Jaffe, W. S. Riley, Tyler, Clifton, Brooks, Saunders, Witte, Suter,
Thurston; Misses Fernstrom, Sargent, Taylor, Kotsch, Roscoej
Grant, Maltby, Jones.
GETTING SUPPLIES
UNDER DIFFICUL TIES
In this season of shortages and high price* ir might be well to re
flect that we haven't starved vet, and that after all there are very few
tilings we are compelled to go without in spite of tire fact that the base
of some supplies is now a long way off, amt that it costs money to bring
things over the trail.
Take !or instance that stuff that was brought in from Holy Cross
atrd Difkaket. Tom McMahon brought over two torts of smoked meats
trom Holy Cross and he had about eight dog teams on the road for ten
days. That cost a lot of money, but E. W. Griffin company .says we
must have ’em, in the meantime claiming that there is not a cant made
in the sale of that stuff in this city or on the creeks.
They say it is enterprise, and it most decidedly is, even though the
consumer kicks like a government mule wbeu he has to pay the price.
The same company shipped in three torts from Diskaket at a heavy out
lay, feeling satislied if they can make a rough standoff.
Then again, McMahon ha* charge of another expedition which i*
now on the way from Holy Cross, and on December 13, "Alabam
Laboyteau leaves with five teams for the steamer Minneapolis at Lewis’
Lauding where Griffin has a fine assortment of goods that can be
brought in via Nulato.
The Northern Commercial Co. received a large consignment ot
snow shoes from Nulato, brought in by Contractor Snow, These cost
a lot of money, but to accommodate the trade the company is selling
them at what they cost.
Granting that exorbitant prices have been charged for some of the
supplies sold here during the fall and winter, a little reflection will
show that some of the things brought in this winter, we are lucky if wtt
get at all.
Take that shipment of fresh meats on the Minneapolis, About two
tons of it have already been received here, and Mead Menard, accom
panied by Bill McCurdy, started back again last week after auother
consignment. It will doubtless all be brought over the trail.
Innoko Commissioner
Visits the iditarod
Called over by the necessity of secur
ing dental treatment, Judge Vinal,
commissioner at Ophir, in the Innoko,
arrived in Iditarod last week in time
to take part, in the festivities planned
by the Masons of this city.
He left a busy camp across the di
vide, and says he looks for an excellent
output next summer. He was due to
return with Deputy Marshal Shepard
about the end of the week.
FOR SARK—Piece of boiler-plate steei
48x81 inches, 135 lbs. Pioneer office.
Red Cross
Drug Store
OPTICIANS
Your Eves Tested Free c
'Telephone I
\Zff%F FJMF MIFF DC X-Mas Special,Ever-Ready Safety Razors
\ £A JU/jtlll S MAJLiJtctJr With 12 Blades, $2.00 Each
Ladies' Hand Bags and Purses, Gillette Razors and Sets, Hand-Painted China,
Gentlemen's Bill Books and Wallets, Perfumes, "All the Best Makes," Writing Sets, Lowney’s Gandy,
Manicure Sets and Toilet Sets, Cigars hy the Box, Hair Brushes, Mirrors, Combs, Etc.
■Red Cross
Drug Store
Prescription Druggists
Prompt Attention to
Telephone and Creek Orders