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MATANUSKA
! ALASKA C0AL
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Volume XI Number 220 SEWARD, ALASKA,TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER ll, 1917. Ten Cents the Copy
CITY WILL HAVE WATEif TONIGHT—TELEPHONE SERVICE IN A FEW DAYHICHT IN TWO WEEKS IS ASSURED
After a cessation of three hours yesterday afternoon, rain again set in
about r. p ,m. and all through the night until practically noon today, it has
been a steady downpour. While the glacier stream which caused so much
damage an.l anxiety to the city gradually diminised. it is still a raging tor
rent. running in a channel partly cut by itself and paitlj mad. bj th. use,
of dynamite and logs. The greatest danger now lies at the foot of the stream
and along the line of the Alaska Northern railway, where all the storehouses,
machine shops, roundhouse and ether buildings are located, and here is where
a big force of men are stationed, working to protect the property of the gov
ernment.
In ninny places the meQ are compelled to cross the stienni in oidii to
secure ropes or place powder and dynamite and when you consider that the
force of the water is so great that it will carry two-story houses down a
distance of hundreds of rods, you can realize against what odds the men are
battling in attempting to cross the stream. Even with well-secured taut
ropes, they are swung back and forth with the rapidity of a ten-strokes-to
the-second pendulum. The water is like ice and this makes it doubly worse,
yet it is by these efforts alone that damage much greater in the aggregate
has not been done.
Considering the condition of the buildings and the damage done by mud
and water, it will not be long before the city will again have electric power.
JOHN E. BALLAINE AND
PARTY ARRIVED IN THE
CITY LAST EVENING
The party of capitalists accompanying John E. Rallaine, which includes
p r Keitshans, mining engineer and merchant; A. A. Raird, owner of llcr
inosa Reach and Rairdstown. near Pasadena; and E. K. Klauber, wholesale
merchant of Los Angeles and Pasadena, arrived on the Alameda last night
and will spend some time looking over the field in and around Seward. They
will make a careful study of the resources hereabouts and il they find con
ditions warrant, will make extensive investments in the shape of substan
tial business blocks, apartment houses, and above all, erect a modern, up
to date hostlery, a building equal to any in Seattle.
These gentlemen are representing a syndicate of about fifteen wealthy
business men of Los Angeles, and Mr. Keitshans. the head of the party, is
authority for the statement that after a careful study of conditions and a
thorough going over of the city and adjacent territory, that Seward will see
the start of building operations by spring that will exceed all expectations.
The improvements contemplated will give employment to hundreds of high
class mechanics in all lines, as well as add much to the beauty and standing
of the city.
It is impossible at this time to say anything further on this matter,
but we are assured from what we are told, that even though they are here
at a time when the city is in the throes of one of the worst storms in the
history of the Territory, they are well impressed with the future and the
outlook is more than promising for a fulfillment of the plans they have con
templated for this city. ___
EXPECT TO HAVE WATER
SI’PPLY READY TODAY
If possible fire hose will be connect
ed between the hydrant on the north
side and one on this side of the gla
cier stream today and it is probable
that the city will have water by even
ing. The big refrigerating plants of
Frye-Bruhn Co. and the Carstens
Packing Co., will then be immediate
ly started in operation, these enter
prising firms having already made
preparations and will use gasoline en
gines to refrigerate the large consign- j
ments of meat brought in by the Ala
meda. The big boxes are still ten de- j
grees below freezing and would re
main so for several days.
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STEAMSHIP ALAMEDA
ARRIVED MONDAY NIGHT
The Steamship Alameda arrived
last night at eight o’clock, with the
following passengers for Seward:
H. H. Mitchell, Isaac Evans and
wife, M. C. Feitshan. E. E. Klauber.
A. A. Baird, J. E. Ballaine, Mrs. L.
E. Thompson, G. Barger, Mrs. F. E.
Towle, Jas. Kearney, D. I*arzzo, Ca
mille Runz, J. Miller, F. B. Benson
and L. T. Jacobson.
. THE WEATHER
At the time of going to press
the sun is out bright and warm,
and all indications are for nice
weather for at least the coming
two or three days. The wind has
veered to the north, with the pos
sibility of being cooler tonight
KOADHOCSES AT MILES
29 AND 23 FLOODED
According to Superintendent Hook
er of the telephone department, the
roadhouses at Mile 23 and Mile *29
are standing in water to the depth of
three feet, the occupants having tak
en to the hills. He also says the lake
has risen six feet and is still rising.
He sent a large gang of men out to
relieve the marooned people on the
train stalled at Mile 17 and reports
they arrived at the scene at eleven this
morning. The searching party return
eariy this afternoon, bringing in Mr.
and Mrs. Sawyer and other members
of the party.
-a-*
DESPERADOES TRY TO
SEIZE BRITISH SHIP
AMOY. (China), Sept. 10.—The
British steamer Laertes, bound from
Singapore for Amoy, reports a pirati
cal attempt to seize the ship. The
Laertes carried 900 Chinese passen
gers and among them, unknown to
the officers, forty-one desperadoes
who had been deported. These crim
inals attacked the European officers,
but after a hard fight were overpow
ered by the Europeans with the help
of the Chinese. The Laertes called
at Cape St. Jantes and obtained an
armed guard.
♦
DILLOX, Mont.. Sept. 11. — What
is believed to have been the last big
wool sale for this season established
a record in the State. The J. R. Edge
hill clip of 200,000 pounds was sold
for 6212 cents a pound. This is hi
of a cent higher than the previous rec
ord price. The sale just about cleans
up the wool in Southern Montana, the
last car having beeen shipped to Bos
ton.
ALASKAN TRAVEL
BELOWNORMAL
As a result of the entry of the
United States into the European war,
tourist travel to Alaska during the;
summer months fell somewhat below
the high records of previous years.
This decrease was more than offset
however, by the increase in the num
ber of ordinary passengers, accord
ing to statistics just compiled by the
Pacific Steamship company.
Officials of the company’s traffic de
partment declare that the number of
persons who traveled for purely busi
ness reasons had been unprecedented.
This class includes commercial sales
men, buyers and persons engaged in
fishing, mining and other industries in
Alaska. The number of resident Alas
kans who have made trips hack and
forth has also been heavy.
This would seem to indicate a heal
thy business condition in Alaska, de
spite the slump in gold mine oper
ations and most people, we believe,
are awakening to the fact that great
wealth lies in mining her industrial
metals such as copper, and in her coal
and timber resources and her great!
fishing industry. These latter are po
tential sources of wealth and are just,
in the infancy of their development. I
Every year to come will see wonder-;
ful improvements.
^■
HISTORIC VILLA
IN OLD HANDS
ROME, Sopt. 11.—After 837 years!
the historic Villa Farnesina, located,
on the banks of the Fiber a half mile
distant from St. Peter's church, will'
again be occupied by descendants of
its original owners and builders, the;
Princes of Chigi.
The head of the house, Prince Lu
dovic Chigi, who last year was ap-'
pointed to the important position*of
Marshal of the Holy Church and the
Guard of the Conclave, and, there
fore, rules the Vatican during the in
| terim between the death of a Pope and i
the election of a new one, recently I
disposed of the Chigi palace to the
Italian government. It is. stated that
by this sale he was put in a position
to buy back the Villa Farnesina, built
in 1509-11 by the papal banker Ago
stino Chigi and notable because of its
frescoes by Raphael.
The palace will be restored and re
furnished as it was when first occu
pied by the Chigi family, an auction
sale having been held recently to rid
the palace of the furniture left there
by the King of Naples. The return
I of the Chigis is considered remarkable
I since it is pix>verbial in Rome that
when once a family leaves its home,
it leaves forever.
-8
Full details of the fair as well as
, a list of the winners and prizes given
by the Civic Fair League last Friday
j and Saturday will be published tomor
row.
PHONE SERVICE
IS CONTINUOUS
Monday afternoon, W. R. Hooker,
superintendent of the Seward divi
sion of the T. T., for the Alaskan
Engineering Commission, stated that
complete telephone communication be
tween Seward and Mile 80, the end
of the Seward division had been ef
fected.
Owing to the many washouts and
slides during Sunday afternoon and
night, the line was down in a great
many places.
Hooker started in on the job Sun
day afternoon and remained in the
harness all of Sunday night, getting
in touch with his men, and giving in
structions for repair work to begin
as early as possible Monday morn
ing.
Starting at Mile 10 one gang of
linemen worked toward Seward, re
pairing the line as they advanced,
while other gangs in relays Worked
toward the Turnagain arm end of the
line, with the result that at five
o’clock Monday afternoon, complete
w'ire communication was in operation
on the Seward division of tlu* govern
ment railroad.
At dark Monday evening Anchor
age could not be reached, owing no
doubt to the fact that lines were dow n
on that division.
_A_
ATHLETES FURNISH
MANY RECRUITS
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 11.—From
the ranks of the athletes more sol
diers and sailors are to be enrolled
for the fighting forces of the United
States than any other class, accord
ing to estimates made by sporting
authorities.
The athlete, with his restless, ag
gressive spirit and his superb physi
cal fitness, is in great demand for all
branches of the government service,
and few of this class have failed in
the tests, rigid though they are, par
ticularly for the aviation service.
It was recently said that when Ma
jor General Pershing’s men “get go
ing in the trenches, Old Glory will be
defended by thousands of American
soldier athletes.”
-^—. --
ELK MENACE CROPS
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
BAKERSFIELD, Cal., Sept. 11.—
Two hundred elk from the hills have
been eating the hay on the lands of
James Arp, a rancher in Buttonwil
low district, and Arp has appealed to
the California Fish and Game Com
mission for relief.
With hay at $20 a ton and all the
elk enjoying hearty appetites, Arp be
came desperate and wrote the game
commission that the wild animals were
denuding the range needed for his cat
tle and horses.
To kill an elk in California is fel
ony, carrying a maximum prison sen
tence of two years. The game com
mission’s attorney contends that the
commission cannot legally give Arp
permission to kill an elk. Arp is con
sidering the plan of engaging cow
boys to herd the elk off his lands.
i
WHY NOT INAUGURATE
CAMPAIGN FOR FLUME
FOR GLACIER STREAM?
• ii « m —imm
Why not, as citizens, City Council and Chamber'of Commerce, now in
augurate a vigorous campaign towards the installation of a concrete rturut*
from the glacier down through the canyon and through the city to the bay,
which would take care of the water that comes periodically down through
the city from this stream and thereby save much expense, damage, and above
all. provide for the safety for all time to come of the people?
A little pressure, at this time, brought to hear upon the government
would, we believe result eventually in having such a flume built and right now
is the time to start the hall a’rolling for every time a heavy rain sets in,
we wil undergo the same result of the past few days.
A flume that would carry off all the water that could possibly come down
from the glacier could be built at a cost of not over $<5,000, and perhaps
less, but any cost would be but a trifle considering what a reliet it would be
to know that the people and the city was absolutely safe at all times.
Why not get busy now and take this matter up with the government?
Better still, call a meeting of all concerned and after considering ways
a \| means, act accordingly. We should not take much time to think on this
matter—but act—for it is impossible to tell bow soon another occurrence
of the same character will be experienced.
MAN AND WIFE
STAY IN TREE
Mr. and Mrs. Cordall, who had just
i moved into a cabin out at Mile two
or three days ago, where Mr. Cordall
was working for Mr. Stewart on the
road, were forced to leave their cabin
at 11 o’clock Sunday night, the
water having reached the windows.
Mr. Cordall had to carry his wife to
a tree about twenty-five feet from the
1 cabin, where he built a seat for them
both. They were compelled to stay
in the tree until 6 o’clock in the morn
ing, with trees falling around them
all night long, their tree starting to
lean over. They were rescued about
one o'clock the next day.
Mrs. Cordall was attired in a pair
of overalls, heavy shoes ,etc., all be
longing to her husband, her own cloth
and that of her husband, along with
the furniture in the cabin, being com
pletely ruined.
During the night they could hear
the Burns’ family, who lived near,
calling for help, which made them
doubly anxious.
John Rosness and Anton Iverson,
when they heard that the Burns’ fam
ily were needing help, took a push car
and speeder from the machine shops,
put on a dory with the help of four or
five men from the cannery, and start
ed out to the house.
They succeeded in getting Mr. and
Mrs. Burns and their children from the
top story of the house and sent them
in on the speeder, afterwards, along
with Mr. Burns going back in search
of other people in distress.
Mr. Burns lost all his chickens, two
cows and much other property.
r. »r c. doctor heads
BABY SAVING UNIT
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11. — Spe
cialists in infant welfare have been
sent to France by the American Red
Cross, headed by Dr. William P. Lu
cas of the University of California,
originator of “Save a Belgian Baby”
movement. “There is a crying need
for effective work among children,”
Major Grayson M. P. Murphy, head
of the American Read Cross commis
sion in France, has cabled. The in
fant welfare unit will be prepared to
give such immediate relief as it can.
The unit was financed by Mrs. Wil
liam Lowell Putnam of Boston.
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I. W. W. HAMPER
COUNTRY’S PRODUCTIVENESS
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 11—The
Industrial Workers of the World men
ace is important in certain sections.
Instead of everyone, proprietor, clerk
and laborer alike, feeling it a patri
otic duty to work a little harder and
a little longer in order that we may
spare men for waging the war to
bring peace, and safety to the world,
efforts were made to diminish both
hours and output of work. The result
is of course to hamper the effective
ness of this country’s efforts, which
in effect is the same as aiding to in
crease the enemy’s effectiveness.
-A
NO CABLE NEWS
No news from the Oustide can
be had today, the cable Leing out
of commission and for the time
being we are compelled to use
only that coming by boat and the
wireless, which is limited. Just
when service will be resumed is
not definitely known.
lights and the telephone service will be in commission shortly. The water
system will be repaired and in use within a few hours as soon as it is pos
sible to get to the big mains which lie directly in the center of the big
stream. It may be possible to swerve the water to the left a trifle more, and
if this is done, we will soon be using city water again. As it is at present,
restaurants are considerably hampered, as is the housewife, for nearly
everyone was compelled to have the water coils taken from their stoves,
and are now all members of the bucket brigade, with the mountain streams
their source of supply.
The Community Christian Church, which was swept away yesterday,
is standing high on the rocks. Mr. and Mrs. Munro are busy removing
everything possible from the upper story, which had been left yesterday.
If* the stream does not swerve again, they will be able to save almost all the
lumber, although they will not be able to use it as it is.
Mr. Adelman, who lives at the head of the bay on the Nash place, is re
ported safe. His cattle were driven to the hills.
Of the seven patients from the hospital, two women patients are hous
ed in the Romig home, while the men are distributed with different families,
whose names we have been unable to learn. Three of the Sisters are with
Mr. and Mrs. Finnegan. All the hospital furniture has been saved and re
moved to one of the government buildings.
Ihe rinnegan family moved out Monday night on account of the prox
imity of the water, as did Mr. and Mrs. Harr, who went into one of the
government houses.
Three men walked in from Mile r>2 and reached Seward last night. They
reported the train at Mile 20, stalled on account of a bad rock slide, and at
Mile 8 a bridge is out, while at Mile 2V* the bridge is practically out, as it
is badly twisted and bent. #
Seward is not the only town that has suffered and from reports re
ceived, Cordova was hit even harder than this city and the damage done
by water and wind was greater in every way. At Valdez, which town has suf
fered so much in the past few years from tire and glacier streams, the water
has entirely covered the flats and many people have vacated their homes to
be tter places of safety. The government dike is still holding, but the water
?s rushing down from the glacier in every direction on both sides of the
dike. All along the line both to the south and west reports have come in
that the worst storms in the history of the Territory raged all of Saturday
and Sunday and part of today, while here our worst part of the storm was
on Sunday.
Everything at this writing has assumed the normal again and all efforts
are now for putting in shape the water, light and phone service, which is
being pushed to completion by a large force of men.