A Vote for Charles A. Sulzer Next Tuesday Is an Indorsement of President Wilson's
Progressive Policy to “Develop Alaska"—It’s a Good Thing, Push It Along
THE PIONEER ON THE TRAIL 'TT • . II UPli * DONT START OvCR tut TRAIL
Residents along theToute of the Seward- I 1 T Of J Hi £l O P uZ'TlZ:, i ^
Iditarod mail trail can have The Iditarod Sj B £ ■ 1 K H TO Blj /J1 'ty| 111 W il Wt %|1 ■ fa flre^s. It W! 1 he a wrle.ome weekly' visit ,r
Pioneer delivered to them weekly during D ■ I H Hi fi JBL ■ W 1 JB JH M S fl *L_ S while you’re ,« the Outside or in any ,.»
the life of the mail contract for the sum of ij.,, mining coin muni tics in Ah; ha Do i*
$5. Send in your names. You cannot now, before it lips your mind,
afford to be without it. _ y .... .. ..." . ."" ' " .. -T." ' 1__:.--—
ONE doi.iar PER MONTH _IDITAROD, ALASKA, SATURDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 4, 1916_« cents per copy
LAST OF VERDUN FORTS
RECAPTURED IF FRENCH
PARIS, Nov. 2.—Fort Vaux, which was captured
by the Germans after months of endeavor, has beer
recaptured by the French forces, and the German
have withdrawn. This was the only one of the Ve
dun forts remaining in the hands of the Teutons.
Italians Renew Drive on Trieste
ROME, Nov. 2.—Italy has renewed the drive on
Trieste from Gorizia, and has occupied the new Aus
trian defenses, taking many prisoners and guns.
Germans Inflict Losses on Russians
PETROGRAD, Nov. 2.—The Germans have re
gained positions on the west bank of the Stokhoc
river, inflicting heavy losses on the Russians.
The Greek Revolt
ATHENS, Nov. 2.—The Greek revolutionists are
pushing back the army of King Constantine, who has
ordered his troops to prevent the advance to the
south at all costs.
GERMAN FIELD MARSHAL VON H1NDENBERG
CONFIDENT OF FINAL VICTORY OF KAISER
BERLIN, Nov. 3.—A new war credit of 12,000,
000,000 marks has been issued by the reichstag
bringing the total credits since the opening of the
war to 52,000,000,000 marks.
Virtually the entire manufacturing industry of the
empire has been united in one organization, to better
meet conditions after the war.
Field Marshal Von Hindenberg, speaking of cond:
tions as they are at present, says they are as good as
possible. He declined to predict when the end of the
war would come, but said that the final victory for
Germany was sure.
NORWAY AND GERMANY ON THE BRINK OF WAR
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.—Norway is on the point
of war with Germany as the result of the sinking of
Norwegian ships by German submarines.
-e -
BRITISH STEAMSHIP SUNK WITHOUT WARNING
AND AMERICAN MEMBERS OF CREW ARE LOST
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.—Wesley Frost, the Ameri
can consul at Queenstown, reports to the state de
partment that the British steamship Marita, which
was being used as a horse transport, has been sunk
by a German submarine without warning. Onlv
thirty-four of her crew of I 04, including some Ameri
cans, were saved.
State department officials express a fear that there
has been a break of the pact made with the Berlin
government on the submarine question, and full par
ticulars are anxiously awaited.
Raid by German Destroyers
BERLIN, Nov. 3.—At least eleven vessels, two of
which probably were destroyers, were sunk or dam
aged by a German torpedo squadron in the English
channel between Folkstone and Boulogne yesterday.
This was the first naval engagement to take place in
the channel. The claim is made that all the destroy
ers returned to port in safety.
Famous Underseas Fighter in Port
BERLIN, Nov. 3.—The submarine U-53, which
recently crossed the Atlantic and sank many enemy
craft off the American coast, has returned to port in
safety.
Deutschland Here on second V oyage
NEW LONDON, Conn., Nov. 3.—The German sub
marine merchantman Deutschland arrived in harbor
here yesterday, after a stormy but otherwise unevent
ful trip. She brought a ten-million-dollar cargo of
dyes and chemicals.
She will sail on her return voyage within a fort
night.
INTEREST OF WILSON ADMINISTRATION
IN ALASKA ROAD PROJECTS IS DISPLAYED
JUNEAU, Oct. 30.—Colonel Richardson of the
Alaska road commission has received telegrams from
Adjutant General McCain stating that Secretary of
War Baker has approved the estimates for road work
in Alaska, exceeding the amount appropriated last
year, and has also approved the Gastineau channel
bridge project. The estimates now go in the book
of estimates which the secretary of war will recom
Ujepd for appropriations from congress.
JJiis indicates the interest of the administration in
road work in Alaska and its confidence in the road
commission. Colonel Richardson and Major Da
vison are here and Colonel Richardson leaves for
Washington next week.
WINTER TRAIL OPEN
Mail for Seward Leaves Next Mon
day and Every Succeeding
Week Till April 30
The first consignment of mail over the
eward trail will leave Hat on Monday next,
nd every succeeding Monday until the end
f the contract term on April 30. This is
ccording to instructions received by Tom
' doyd, the carrier in charge of this end of
the route, during the past week.
Contrary to the custom in previous years
years, the mail will be made up at Flat,
•vhich will relieve the local office of con
siderable labor, which will be transferred
to the Flat postmaster. This is due to the
I fact that the routing of the mail has been
changed to include Ophir, and Iditarod be
comes a way station thereby.
In all probability the mail from Seward
for the Interior will leave on the same day,
and to meet the contract requirements it
should reach here not later than Saturday,
December 2. However, it may be that an
effort will be made to push the consignment
through ahead of schedule. With good trails
the trip can easily be made in twenty days.
The last mail to be received here was oil
October 11. and thus a period of nearly two
months will have elapsed during which the
district has been entirely without mail
service.
Mails will close on Sunday of each week
at j p. m. at the Hat postoffice, and at
10 a. m. Monday at the Iditarod office.
---«
MANY MUSHERS DEPART
OVER SEWARD TRAIL
Thursday last was a busy day in Iditarod.
because of the number of persons departing
for the Outside over the Seward trail. Sev
eral of those departing were among the num
ber who usually take the last boat out, but
this year there seems to have been a gen
eral desire to await the opening of the win
ter trail rather than to suffer the diseom
forts and perils of a trip in a small boat to
St. Michael
The first team to get away was in charge
of Bob Griffis, the veteran musher ami for
mer mail carrier, with Charles Ross of the
Miners tfc Merchants Bone: as a passing. r.
Mr. Ross will go as far as Tokctna with
Mr. Griffis am! there await the arrival of
Henry Rilev, with whom he wi.l proceed to
Seward.
Henry Riley and A1 Walsh got away later.
Mr. Walsh goes only as far as Ophir at
present, and Mr. R’.ley, after transacting
business at Tokotna and Candle creek, will
resume bis journey to Seward.
Among the others who -departed or were
preparing to depart were Gillie Bates, Harry
Johnson, Angus McKinzie and his son. Kr
nest, Joe Lorenger and Chester Brink, and
several others. There premises to be plenty
of travel on the trail this winter, as most
if not all of the persons leaving intend to
return in February or March.
_ji._
WHY WICK QUIT
The following is a copy of a telegram
that has been posted a! various points in
the city:
“Fairbanks, Alaska, Oct. -<•
“Charles E. Taylor, Iditarod, Alaska:
“Wickersham wires from Cordova today ,
as follows: ‘Interstate commerce commis- I
sion served notice on me from Washington ,
by telegraph to attend Alaska rate case j
hearings at Cordova beginning November .
10. Absolutely necessary I remain here and .
attend hearings, otherwise case lost by ne- |
gleet. I will remain on job and expect j
people Fourth division who want rate re- ,
ducticns to support me, also elect Suther- j
land senator over McGowan, who always |
represented transportation companies and :
high rates.’
“Wickersham will carry Third and lourth
divisions by big majorities, and also carry 1
First and Second. Covered thousand Juneau
money today he wins First. Have any
amount he wins territory. No takers. Few
small bets and five to one. Beware false
telegrams from local papers. Give this all
publicity possible. Wire returns after elec
tion."
The telegram is signed, “Wickersham
Campaign Committee. '
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
The number of votes in the electoral col
lege is 531, and 266 are necessary to a
choice of a president and vice president.
In the electoral college of 1912 Wil-on
received 435 votes, Roosevelt 88 and daft 4.
The three pivotal states of New York,
Illinois and Indiana have a total electoral
vote of 79. In 1912 Wilson carried all 'hree
of these states, with pluralities as follows:
New York, 200,047; Illinois, 18570; In
diana, 119,883.
The total popular vote cast for presiden
tial electors in 1912 was 15,036,542. Of
these Wilson received 6,293,019; Roosevelt,
4,119,507; Taft, 3,484,956; Debs (Soc.),
! 901,873; Chafin (Prohi.i, 207,928, and Rei
mer (Soc. Lab.), 29,259.
In the presidential election of 1912 Wil
son carried all of the states with the ex
ception of eight. Of these eight states, six
were carried by Roosevelt and two by Taft.
The states carried by Roosevelt, with the
number of their electoral votes, were as
i follows; California, 13 (of which Wilson
j reCeived two) ; Michigan, 15; Minnesota, 12;
I Pennsylvania, 38 ; South Dakota, 5; Wash
I ington, 7. The states carried by Taft were
Utah and Vermont, each with an e.ectoral
jvote of 4:_<>-—
Mrs. C. R- Peck, who has been quite sen
: ously ill, was so far recovered as to b.
| outdoors this week.
LANSING HAS BRITISH REPLY
ON MERCHANT BLACKLIST
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3. Secretary of
State Lansing admitted today that he is in
| receipt of the British reply to the Ameri
i can protest against the blacklist of Anieri
i can merchants instituted by the entente al
lies. He refused to make any comment on
the reply, but says that Britain refuses to
I recede from her position.
DAME RUMOR GIVES HiNTS
OF DREDGE ON SLATE CREEK
iN THE NOT DISTANT FUTURE
Sh-h! Don’t whisper it around, and
above all don’t say* you saw it in The
Pioneer, because as yet it is a deep secret- -
one of those deep, dark kind that to even
hint at were treason in certain quarters in
this great Alaska placer mining center. But
if people will whisper, The Pioneer eventu
ally will come within earshot, and so the
momentous secret will be out.
We will divulge the news in the strictest
confidence, according to the prescribed for
mula. and trust to our readers to refrain
from revealing the source of their informa
tion. And remember, it may be held to be
just as reprehensible and treasonable to re
peat the story by word of mouth as it is to
put it. in print.
During tlip past lew days, or since trims
became passable, there has been considerable
hurrying and scurrying between the creeks
and this city. Now this in itself is not re
markable; it happens whenever the travel
ing is good. But it so happens that persons
who seldom make the journey from the
source of gold supply to this great distribut
ing center have been seen frequently in the
city of late, anti likewise persons whose busi
ness usually confines them to the city have
been seen on the creeks. And their goings
and ct.tilings have elicited persistent inquiry,
which has been rewarded, as it frequently
is. with the answer. It may be taken for
what it is worth.
As the story goes, there is to be yet an
ither dredge installed in the I.iitarod district
in the near future. The scene of its opera
tions is to be Slate creek, a tributary of
Otter, am! the name of the operator is Riley
lie i f the energy and persistency of a
dynamo and the courage and enterprise of n
veritable Napoleon cf placer mining, other
wise known as “Georg.1.' There! the story
is out and we must bear the consequences.
Amplified, the rumor relates to certain
options, or leases, that have been secured
recently, and while the name of J, K. Riley
docs not yet appear in the transactions, i.
seems to be pretty generally understood that
he is the principal in the matter.
Mining operations have been in progress
on Slat'1 creek in a desultory fashion for
years, but a.- the ground is low1 grade, r. >
great stir has been made there. Dame Ru
mor gives ni details as to the amount of
ground secured under the option . hut it is
understood to be sufficient to warrant the
installation of a dredge of the same capacity
and pattern as those now operated by Mr.
Riley and his associates on Otter creek and
Black creek. The ground probably would
not pay to work by any other method than
by dredging, and the news of the deal, if
confirmed, will be haiied by the residents
of this district with satisfaction.
To those who for years have been lea lo
bcl'eve that the Iditarod was on the decline ,
as a gel l-producing district it will be a sur- .
prise to hear that it is freely predicted by j
men in position to know that within a few j
years the Iditarod will be producing five
millions of dollars yearly, figures never
reached even in the palmiest days of the
camp. This does not mean that the boom j
days will return, or that an era of “easy
money” is in sight. But it does mean that
the business of extracting gold from the !
low-grade gravels of the creeks of this camp i
has been brought to such a perfection of ,
efficiency that ground that was considered j
of little or no value a few years ago will be
serked and will pour its stores of the pre
vious metal into the channels of trade, giv
fcig an opportunity for labor and business
over a period of time heretofore un
dreamed of.
Reports from the Innoko and from the
Tolstoi continue to be of the most favorable
nature. The recent acquisition of ground
on Boob creek by J. E. Riley is supple
mented this week with stories of new finds
in that camp, and those who have become
interested in that section are encouraged
in the belief that extensive operations will
scon be under way there. Scores of persons
from this district are planning to spend the
winter in prospecting in the new district,
and next spring should see determined the
extent and value of the gold deposits.
The news from the Innoko also is encour
aging. It is more than likely that a few
more years will see several dredges operat
ing there, and already it is authoritatively
stated that one or more dredges are to be
installed on Yankee creek. In the adjoin
ing Candle creek district a dredge, which al
ready is on the ground, will be in operation
shortly.
While all these different camps are mu
in the Iditarod district proper, they really
constitute a portion of the tributary coun
try. Iditarod is the center of business for
the whole of this region, and the prosperity
of the various sections wi.l be reflected in
renewed activity in business circles here.
It is possible that when speaking of an
annual output for the district the authori
ties above quoted had in mind the adjoin
ing tributary districts just as the people of
Fairbanks include in their figures of out
put for that district the product of adjoin
ing and more or less dependent centers of
mining activity.
-—9-—
A pleasant surprise party was tendered
to Mrs. John Bagoy and little daughter
Mary at their home on G Id street. Flat,
last Thursday, the occasion being their joint
hirthdav A large number of the ladies am.
bad the occasion was a most enjoyable one.
VOTERS WILL DECIDE
; --
Campaign Comes to a Close and
Everything Is in Readiness for
Next Tuesday’s Election
The political campaign which comes to
an end with next Tuesday’s election has
hown that the peo| le of this section are
pecuiiaily apathetic in political matters.
There has been no attempt at systematized
campaigning by either of the parties, and
even the series of meetings arranged for by
the Democrats aroused no great amount of
interest. There has been no attempt what
ever to hold YVickersham meetings. It is
not to be inferred that there is no interest
in the approaching election, for everyone
who is approached on the subject has de
cided opinions, end these are backed up by
reasoning more or less logical, according to
the party leanings of the inquirer.
There is a deep undercurrent of feeling on
the question of the delegateship, and it is
really surprising in this district, where
Wickersht m’s fo.lowing always has been
large, to hear the comments of erstwhile
supporters of Alaska's congressional delegate
announce that they intend to vote for the
Denn cratic candidate. And the reason
given is invariably the same the attitude
of hostility to the administration of Presi
dent Wilson which has been assumed bv
Mr. Wickers!tain.
it seems to bs tne prevailing opinion mai
Sulztr will carry Otter precinct, which con
sists of the voting precincts of fditarod.
Flat, Discovery, Yalley and Dikemau. Even
Wickersham supporters admit that the vote
here wilt be close.
Reports from other portions of the Fourth
division al-o indicate that there has been
a decided change of sentiment, and even in
Fairbanks, Wickersham’s home town, there
is said to be a strong undercurrent of op
position to the delegate. From the coast
divisions come glowing reports of Sulzer's
increasing popularity, and while these must
he taken for what they are the statements
of interested partisans there appears to be
little doubt that Wickersham is experiencing
im re concerted opposition than ever before.
1'racii ally (he only campaigning done in
this district has been that in behalf of
Thomas McGowan, Democratic candidate
for the territorial senate, but it appears to
be meeting with but slight encouragement.
Mr. Kilgore, the locsd nominee of the Dem
ocrats for the lower house of the legislature,
apparently has confined his campaigning to
this locality alone, and, indeed, has not
made a very vigorous canvass. The other
legislative candidates scarcely have been
heerd from here.
Democratic Meetings
A. M. Kilgore. Democratic candidate for i
tli" 1 •gi.Oature. addressed a good-sized au
dience at Flat last Saturday evening on |
the issues of the campaign. On We lues- ,
day lie addressed the citizens of Discoveiy, j
Otter, at the Riley mess house, where a j
good-sized audience was gathered.
Tonight at A. B. hall in this ciry he is ;
scheduled to address the voters of Iditarod, <
and there should lie a large turn-out for t
the only political meeting to be held in this
city during the campaign.
The campaign will be brought to a close
on Monday evening next by a final Demo
cratic rally at Moose hall, Hat.
Voting Placet and Election Officers
The territorial election law provides that
the polls shall be open from 8 a. m. to 7
p. m. The polling places and the election
officers for the several precincts are as fol
lows :
Iditarod Fire hall. Judges, E. M. Stan
ton, H. E. Riley and Frank Larson; clerks,
Charles A. Derry and James Farrell.
Flat Marshal’s office. Election board, ;
Tom McMahon, II. R. Moore and Charles I
Jackson.
Discovery- Donnelley’? store. L ectu n
board, Flarry Donnelley, J. G. Rivers and i
Tom Ward.
Valley—Election beard, W. Pringle, Ai I
bert Jones and William W illiams.
The Prohibition Referendum
There has been but little effort on the
pert of either the Prohibitionists or the
liquor men to influence pub ic opinion in ;
this district on the question of the pro- ’
posed prohibition of the liquor traffic in
Alaska. It is true some of the propaganda
literature of both sides of the discussion
has found its way here, and has been dis
cussed to some extent, and there is
no doubt that the question has cre
ated a great amount of interest. It
has been discussed so intelligently from
every viewpoint in the leading periodicals of
the country for the past several years that
every reader is familiar with the question in
all its bearings. Therefore the “arguments”
presented have had little weight, and in
fact the majority of voters appear to have
had their minds made up on the subject
long before there was a likelihood of the
people of Alaska passing upon it.
Predictions are freely made by business
men and others who have special facilities
for learning the trend of public opinion that
Otter precinct will vote “dry.” As to the
vote in the rest of the territory there is lit
tle data to judge from. But it is believed
that prohibition sentiment is strong, other
wise the liquor interests would not have
made the strong fight that they have in
the more populous centers.
Election Bulletins
Arrangements have been made by which
election bulletins will be received by wire
less as to the result of next Tuesday’s elec
tion in all parts of the country. The bul
letins will commence coming in Tuesday
evening and will continue to be received
until the approximate results have been
announced. These bulletins will be received
. ; the Budweiser in Iditarod and at the
Blanch in Flat.
WON ENDS CAMPAIGN
WITH IMPRESSIVE SPEECH
NEW YORK, Nov. 3.—President Wilson closed his
campaign in this city on Wednesday night with two
rallies. The meetings were preceded by a monster
parade, which was joined in by Tammany Hall, led
by Chief Murphy. The crowds which gathered to
hear the President in Madison Square Garden were so
dense that many women fainted, and the police re
serves were required to handle the throngs.
In the first political speech made by the President
in this city he made a plea for unity, and said that
while citizens of the republic may hold different opin
ions at home, they should present a united front to
the world. He blamed his political opponents for
the tactics used, and said that the use of critical na
tional situations to secure party advantage was rep
rehensible.
Both political parties are preparing for the final
fight, and each will have a big parade on Saturday,
the Wilson parade being led by Tammany.
DISGRUNTLED HIGH-BROW MAGAZINE EDITOR
PICKS REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE TO WIN
NEW YORK, Nov. 3.—Colonel George Harvey,
editor of the North American Review, predicts the
election of Charles E. Hughes to the presidency. He
guessed wrong four years ago on only one state, and
in 1908 he missed the result by only seventeen elec
toral votes.
A Tammany poll indicates the loss of the state to
Wilson.
Betting on Wall street on Wednesday last was
heavy at odds of 10 to 7 on Hughes. Some bets were
made at even heavier odds.
OFFICIALS WATCHING FOR ELECTION FRAUDS
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.—The departments of jus
tice and labor are watching closely the migration of
Southern negroes to Northern industrial centers, the
former to check election frauds and the latter to pre
vent the use of the federal employment service for
colonization schemes.
STATE OF CHIHUAHUA DOMINATED BY VILLA
AND AMERICAN MINING MEN ARE IN PERIL
EL PASO, Texas, Nov. 2.—The troops of the do
acto Mexican government are bottled up in the Chi
huahua district, without holding a single town. Villa
now dominates the entire state.
American mining men at Parral, which town is re
ported to have been taken by Villa’s troops, are
facing great peril, and grave fears are felt for their
safety.
Carranza Announces His Cand'dacy
MEXICO CITY, Nov. 3.—Carranza has formally
announced his candidacy for the presidency, m re
sponse to a manifesto of the new Constitutional
party.
_
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
WILL HOLD SERIES OF IMPORTANT HEARINGS
CORDOVA, Nov. 2.—Examiner H. C. Wilson of
the interstate commerce commission left Seattle yes
terday on the Alameda for Cordova, where he will
hold the first hearing in the Alaska rate case on
November 10.
The hearing is on a petition for reduction and con
trol of Alaska freight and passenger rates. Bogle
of Seattle and Grosscup of Tacoma, general counsel
for the combined steamship and railroad interests
of Alaska, will appear for their companies, while
Delegate Wickersham is at Cordova preparing the
case against them, and favoring the reduction of
rates.
The Alaska rate case was begun by the Samson
Hardware Company of Fairbanks, and a petition
was filed by Delegate Wickersham. It is the first
case ever brought for control and reduction of
Alaska rates, and is highly important, involving
grave questions of jurisdiction and the power of the
commission to establish through joint rates over rail
roads in the United States via Seattle and by sea to
Alaska ports, and joint rates over the White Pass,
Copper River and government railroads.
Hearings will be held at Cordova on November
10, at Juneau on November 20, at Seattle on De
cember 2, and before the commission at Wash
ington.
PIONEER OF NOME GOES ON LONG HIKE
SEATTLE, Nov. 3.—Frank J. Gnmm, one of the
earliest miners on Seward peninsula, died in this city
yesterday, aged 52 years.