Seward Weekly Gateway
VOL III NO. 27 I SEWARD. ALASKA. SATURDAY. l'KHHUAKY Mi. 1907._
LOBBY AGAINST
RAILROAD BILL
Gu££enheim*Wor£an Representa
tives Oppose Congressional
Grant to Burleigh.
SYNDICATE FIGHTS ALL RIVALS
Seeks to Prevent Construction Into
Copper Fields Until It Gobbles
Ip Best Deposits.
Br CibU to Tta* Daily Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 11 Flit* j
Quggenbe ini-Morgan crowd has in-;
•reused its congressional lobby to de
feat in the senate the charter and land |
grant to Burleigh’s Alaska Railroad. I
The measure has strong support hut it ;
is not likely to pass at this session.
It is well understood now that the
Guggenheim - Morgan syndicate will
oppose all legislation to aid railroad
building into any of the copper and
ooal districts of Alaska. It is the pur
pose of the syndicate to prevent any
and all railroad building if possible j
until it secures control of all the large ;
deposits of copj>er and coal of the in-;
terior of Alaska. At the present time '
these deposits are worthless for actual
use and will remain so until railroad
transportation reaches them.
Stands Up for Guggenheims
Washington, L). C., Feb. l'» A tuem- :
her of the senate committee on rail
roads says Andrew F. Burleigh failed
to substantiate his charge that the
Guggenheim syndicate is trying to de-1
•troy Alaska railroad projects in order
to obtain a monopoly of copper and
coal in the territory.
MAIL SWAMPS *
SEATTLE OFFICE
Delayed Trains Bring in 1000
Sacks in a Bunch and Em
ployes Burdened.
By Cable to Tb« Dally Gateway.
Seattle Feb. 15—A complete block* j
*de exists in the Seattle post office as i
the result of the arrival in the past
two days of 1000 sacks of mail on the
delayed trains held during the snow
blockade. The condition is the worst
in the history of the office and without
extra help several weeks may be
necessary to clear the accumulation
ami the new mail coming in daily.
All railroads have revived their reg
ular passenger train schedules and are
starting trains on time. The freight
blockade has caused a marked diininu- |
t ion in food supplies here and a short
age is impending unless freight co’.nes
in rapidly from this time forward.
Wholesale houses are holding Alaska
orders on accouut of the shortage.
STACK 2000 MAIL SACKS
OUTSIDE POST OFFICE
By Cable to Tbe Duly Gateway.
Seattle, Feb. IB—The blockade of in
coming mail became so great today
that pest office employes were com
pelled to stack 2000 sacks of undis
tributed mail in the alley back of the
building, where it is kept under guard
while the clerks work to clear the
mail inside. Several days will be re
quired to dispose of the first claas mail.
Dora Sails Westward
Steamer Dora arrived in port last
Sunday forenoon and sailed in the after
noon for westward ports. John E.
Thwaites is again on the steamer as
mail clerk after a vacation of three
months in the states.
Steamer Saratoga Sails
Seattle, Feb. 11—Steamer Saratoga
•ailed for Seward yesterday at noon
with sixty passengers, mostly for the
Tanaua, and a general cargo.
Saratoga to Sail this Evening
Steamer Saratoga will sail for Se
ward thia evening at 9 o’clock, if the
weather i» favorable. If the storm
oontinues unabated she may stay in
Valdez over night. She reached that
port yesterday afternoon from Seattle.
NO HOME RULE j
AT THIS TIME
House Committee on Territories,
Thinks Adverse Sentiment
Is Growing.
By Cable to The Dali? Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 13—The
house committee on territories, of
which Delegate Waskey is a member,
announced today that it will not con
sider territorial government for Alaska
at this session, claiming that senti
ment against it is growing in every
quarter. The opposition forces are
organizing to defeat the proposition in
the next congress.
Gov. Hoggatt has been very active
all through the session in trying to
create the impression that little popu
lar sentiment exists in Alaska in favor
of territorial government. The Gug
genheim lobbyists are also working
against it.
CUTS OFF ALL
ALASKA BILLS
Senate Will Take Up No New.
Measures for Territory at
This Session.
By Cabla to Tha Dally Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Fob. 15 No
more new Alaska legislation will be
considered by senate committees in the
present congress on account of the
length of the Brownsville investiga
tion. which is likely to take up much
the senate’s lime in the last days of
The session. This announcement was
made today.
It seems improbable now that any-,
thing will be done at this session with !
the judiciary bill Tor Alaska, providing 1
for the creation of a fourth judicial!
division to relieve congested court j
conditions in the territory.
SOLDIERS SAY CITIZENS
FIRED OVER BARRACKS
By C»U« to Tbo Dally Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 1G—Negro
soldiers formerly belonging to the
Twenty-fifth infantry, discharged for
participation in tlie riot at Browns
ville, Texas, testified before thesenate
investigating committee that citizens
of the town tired volleys over the
soldiers' barracks in an effort to get
the soldiers out in order to start a
general massacre of them. Citizens
shouted, “Come out you blacks,” with
opprobrious epithets. The soldiers j
testified that they remained inside to J
avoid trouble.
FIRST GREAT NORTHERN
TRAIN IN EIGHT DAYS
3y Cable to Tbe Dally Gateway.
Seattle. Feb. 11—The first Great]
Northern passenger train from the
east in eight days arrived in the city
last midnight. The Northern Pacific
expects to break the blockade on that
line Tuesday. Trains have been tied
up all the way to Spokane on l>oth
roads since the big snowstorm.
KNIGHT ISLAND MINE
SELLS FOR $100,000
By Cablft to Tb« Dally Gateway.
Seattle, Feb. 12 -The Dago group of
copper mines on Knight island, Prince
William Sound, Alaska, was sold today
for $100,000 to Seattle purchasers.
Tungsten Price Jumps Upward
Tungsten advanced in price from
$400 to $000 a ton in one day in the
Pittsburg market recently, owing to
the limited supply and increasing de
mand. Tungsten as an alloy with steel
makes the hardest steel known and is
used in making large guns and naval
armor.
The California saloon in Fairbanks
has offered a reward of $50 to the man
who makes the quickest trip between
Fairbanks and Valdez this winter,
either way, afoot or horseback, with
dog team or horse sled, automobile or
wheelbarrow.
The signal service threatens to
operate the Alaska cable twenty-four
hours a day, beginning June 1. This
is claimed to be necessary to keep up
with the business on the main line.
ADMIT JAPS TO
WHITE SCHOOLS
San Francisco Delegation Makes
Concession to Keep Out
Coolie Labor.
COMPROMISE GENERAL ISSUE
President Roosevelt Agrees to Favor
Exclusion of Yellow Workers
from United States.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Washington, D. 0., Feb. 16—The
San Francisco delegation held a final
conference with the president today to
settle the details of the compromise of
the Japanese controversy. It is agreed
that Japanese students may attend
while schools in San Francisco.
Separate schools will still be main
tained for Chinese students.
In return for the concessions made
regarding the admission of Japanese
to the San Francisco white schools it is
agreed by the administration to place
restrictions upon the admission of
Japanese coolies, against whom there
is a rising agitation among the labor
element on the Pacific coast. It is
understood that the Japanese govern
ment will accede to tins restriction.
To Restrict Japanese Immigration
Washington, D. CM Feb. 13—Plans
are practically perfected by Pacific
coast members of congress to offer an
amendment to the immigration laws
providing that no Japanese shall be
admitted into the Puked States with
out a passport from the Japanese gov
ernment.
Agree on Settlement
Washington, D. (’., Feb. 14-Presi
dent Roosevelt and the San Francisco
dclegation reached ar* ..g vo...rt,t tod;)
upon the Japanese issues in controver
sy. The school question is settled by
agreeing that Japanese may l>e edu
(Continued on page 4)
STRIKE STOPS
BUTTE PAPERS
Pressmen Walk Out and Typo
graphical Union Follows
in Sympathy.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Butte, Feb. 16- The pressmen on the
city newspapers struck yesterday for a
new wage scale and the Typographical
union joined them today. The news
paper publishers of llutte and Ana
conda immediately suspended all
effort at publication and will make no
attempt to issue again until the union
ists accept terms.
Indications point to a long and bitter
light as both sides say they will accept
no compromise. The publishers say
they will not undertake to conduct
newspapers under the dictation of
labor unions.
MANY BRIDGES OUT ON
OREGON RAILROAD’S LINE
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Portland, Feb. 12- The Oregon Rail
road & Navigation Company succeeded
in clearing its tracks today after a pro
longed snow blockade and found many
bridges out all along the line. The
residents of many towns are suffering
from the lack of necessaries as no
freight has gone through for twenty
days. _
Finds Hastodon Remains
Max L. Lohbrunner recently found
remains of a mastodon on Alice creek
near Circle City. One tusk, nine feet
long, was intact; four teeth weighed
fifty pounds each. About 1000 pounds of
bones were resurrected and indicate that
the animal was of unusual size, even
for its class. Lohbrunner says numer
ous fragments of ancient remains have
been found in the same vicinity which
indicate that it was a sort of prehis
toric graveyard.
And now they are taking out 1100
pans from a pay streak thirty-eight
feet wide in the Victor group on Vault
creek, according to the veracious Fair
banks papers.
SEA COLLISION
ENDS 156 LIVES
New York Liner Larchmont
Crashes Into Schooner Off
Long- Island Coast.
SHIP SINKS IN SEVEN MINUTES
Many freeze to Death in Open Boats
Wearing Only Night Clothes in
Zero Temperature.
Ky Cable to Tbe Dally Gateway.
Boston, Feb. 1.1—One hundred and
fifty-six persons are known to bo dead
as a result of a collision of the New
York liner Larchmont with a sehooner
off the Long island coast yesterday.
More than half of them were frozen to
death in open l>oats into which they
had escaped from the sinking steam
ship in their nightclothes. The ther
mometer was at zero and the thin at
tire of the victims quickly froze stiff
when saturated with water.
The Larchmont sank in seven min
utes after she struck the schooner in a
dense fog. Boats were quickly lower
ed and most of the passengers were
put off in them but some passe.tgers
and part of the orew wont down with
the ship. Forty-three bodies have
washed ashore.
Only Two Women Saved
Providence, Feb. 14—Only two wo
men were saved from the Larchmont
when she went down off Long island
after collision with a schooner. It is
asserted by survivors thut the captain,
crew and male passengers pushed wo
men aside in the panic and crowded
into the boats to save themselves
while nearly all the women were left
behind and went down with the vessel.
Eighteen survivors and lifty-nine
iTirr-.. picked up along the shore, ar
rived here today, it will be impossible
to tignrc the exact life loss until it is
certain that all survivors have been
reported.
STRIKES REEF
OFF FLATTERY
Steamer Spokane Returns Safely
to Seattle With Hole in
Her Bottom.
Seattle, Feb, 12- Steamer Spokane,
en route to San Francisco, struck nun
can reef, clT Cape Flattery, yesterday
and pierced a hole in her bottom. She
returned here this morning leaking.
Good order prevailed among the
passengers after the boat struck, ex
cept the Japanese, who became mnch
excited and attempted to lower boats.
They were prevented by officers of the
boat and as it was soon found^hat the
damage was not serious the steamer
[nit about to return.
POWERS AGREE TO KEEP
LIQUOR OUT OF AFRICA
By Cable to Tne Dally Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 14 — The
senate committee on foreign affairs
reported favorably today the interna*
ional treaty by which the powers agree
to the suppression of the liquor traffic
in the African free states, by enforc
ing a prohibitive tariff against its im
portation.
Seward Has a Magazine Writer
In the January “Recreation” is an
article on moose hunting on Kenai
peninsula by Edwin Lowell of Seward,
giving an account of a moose hunt
taken by himself and Elgin Vaughan
of Seward last September around the
head of Resurrection river. It is
illustrated with three cuts and is cal
culated to make all wild game hunters
who may read it form an immediate
resolution to hunt moose in Alaska
next fall.
More miles of railway were built in
the United States in 1906 than other
year since 1887. The record of com
pleted construction for the present year
is 6067 miles. In 1887 the record was
7106 miles. The year previous, 1886,
was the banner year in the country’s
history—13,000 miles.
AGREES ON BILL
FOR COAL LAND
House Committee Formulates
Measure Different From the
President’s Ideas.
By Cable to The Dally Qatoway.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 14—'The
house committee on public lands today ,
agreed upon a compromise bill to % v
ern the disposition of coal lands on the ,
public domain, which is far different!
from the form which the president was
anxious to secure. It provides for the !
sale of coal lands under the same
restrictions as other lands, except that
the privilege of commutation is with
held.
The bill provides that four or more
persons who may expend $10,000 in de
veloping mines upon coal lands on the
public domain may receive a patent to
2560 acres. For an expenditure of
$5000 they may receive patent to 1280
acres._
FISHERY BILLS
CANNOT PASS
Small Independent Interests Op
pose Government Aid to
Big- Corporations.
By Cable to Tbe Dally Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 16—Con
gressman Humphrey’s Alaska fisheries'
bill is dead. Also that of Senator Per
kins. All the smaller and indepen
dent fishing and canning interests are
opposed to any government aid which
will help the big corporations in
Alaska.
Tft wa« found that it would Iw1 in»po«
sible to bring either measure to a vote
at this session, even if the supporters
of botli could he united.
PROVINCE MAY SUE
DOMINION GOVERNMENT
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Vancouver, B. C., Feb. 14—Owing to
differences between the Conservative
provincial government of British
Columbia and the Liberal Dominion
government at Ottawa the former
threatens to sue the Dominion govern
ment to compel it to accede to demands
of the provincial cabinet regardingthe
land grand in the province to the
Grand Trunk railroad. The railroad
terminals at Prince Rupert are in
volved. _ _ _
WAVES CRUSH HOUSES
AND BURY INMATES
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Rome, Feb. lo-- Heavy storms along
the Calabrian coast hurled waves into
the town of Calonna which crushed
houses and buried the inmates in the
ruins yesterday.
JUDGE WICKERSHAM TO
HOLD TERM AT VALDEZ
I
In answer to a query wired by the
Gateway Deputy Marshal Wybrant
answers from Valdez that Judge Wick
ersham will preside at the term called
to convene at Valdez March 4. Jurors
are expected to report on the first day
of the term.
Gravel Elevator for Placers
It is claimed for the Ruble gravel
elevator, an invention for use in placer
mining, that it does the work of grizz
ly, undercurrent and elevator in one
combination. It separates the fine
gravel frotn coarse rock while
both are forced up the elevator by a
stream from a giant. The tine gravel,
sand and gold drop through the grated
floor and the water returning in an
easy flow carries the gravel back to a
sluice._
The Council News has died of inani
tion. It was a bright little paper but
in his valedictory the editor explains
that he was tired of running a news
paper without an income.
The high temperature today was 8
degrees above zero, between 12 and 1
p. m. This is the lowest maximum of
the winter.
Placer discoveries in the province of
Saskatchewan are reported.
WILL RENEW
WORK MARCH I
Watson & Snow Contract Signed
and They Order Agents to
Employ Men.
LARGE NUMBER WILL BE NEEDED
Firm Will Take Over Commissary
and Have Entire Charge of
Roadbed Construction.
87 Cable to Tbe Dally Gateway.
Seattle, Feb. 11 President Frost of
the Alaska Central wired to the Seat
tle office of the company today that the
contract has been signed with Watson
6c Snow for construction of tin* road*
bed, including bridges, from the pres
ent track terminus on mile 4'J to mile
75, at Gird wood. Snow left Chicago
for Seattle today. He wired ahead to
his Seattle agents to engage men im
mediately for bridge work, rock work
and grading.
Watson 6c Snow will arrive in
Seward about March 1 and will begin
work promptly with all the men they
can take with them or employ iu
Alaska, and will add to the force
steadily as fast as men can be picked
up from any source.
The contractors take over the com
missary and will have entire charge of
all operations pertaining to construc
tion. Building will be pushed contin
uously from the beginning of opera
tions this spring anil there will he no
suspension next winter. Contracts
will be let through to the coal fields
with a stipulation as to time of com
pletion which will require active work
without cessation.
F. H. Stewart, treasurer of the rail
road, arrived in Seattle Saturday and
will sail for Seward on the Northwest
clTi Fclil’Uuij IS.
TO TURN OVER
TRADING POSTS
Agents of Alaska Commercial
and Successor Go West to
Make Transfer.
Among the Dora’s passengers on
this trip are William J. Krskine, gen
eral manager of the new Alaska Coast
Commercial Company, which has
bought all the stores and trading posts
of the Alaska Commercial Company,
and Charles Fletcher, representing
the latter company, who will mak*
the formal transfer of property from
the old ownership to the new. With
this transfer of possession of store*
and stocks to the westward, the Alaska
Commercial Company will go out of
business in Alaska.
The Alaska Commercial Company
was the first American corporation to
engage in business in Alaska. Soon
after the American occupation in 1867
it was organized and established trad
ing posts along the entire southern
coast and on navigable waters of the
interior. For many years it had a
monopoly of the Alaska fur trade,
from which it made a great deal of
money. It was unfriendly to mining
on a large scale, as that business
steadily diminished its profits by bring
ing in competitors, and it did not keep
pace with the demand ior increased
steamer service.
Mr. Fletcher, who will turn over
the business of the old company to the
new, is one of its oldest employes. Of
the original incorporators the only one
now living is “Uncle Gus” Niebaum of
San Francisco. The company is a
California corporation, and when it be
gan busiess in the north Portland was
a small town and Seattle a frontier
settlement.
WILL PUT FAST 15-TON
BOAT ON SUSITNA RIVER
F. C Woolsey of the Yentoa river
launch “Bat,” writes to the Gateway
from Bremerton, Washington that he
will put a new 15-ton launch on the
Susitna this summer. It will be a 40
horse power engin and will have a 14
knot boat. Mr. Woolsey will continue
to operate the Bat on the Yenlna.