Seward Weekly Gateway
VOL. Ill, NO. 21
SEWARD, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1!M)7.
PORTLAND TO
PUT ON BOATS
Organizes an Alaska Steamship
Company With Capital
of $1,000,000.
TO BEGIN IN WAY WITH THREE
*ne Vessel Will Run to Seward,
4nother to Nome and Third
to l>nn Canal.
y Cable to Tbw Daily Gateway.
Portland, l>ee al The Porthmd
\taska Steamship Company completed
r^ani/ation today with a capital stock
ri $1,000,000. It is propost*1 to put on
• oats to Lynn canal. Seward ami
(one. At lirst one steamer will he
laced on each route, be»rininn;r next
lay.
The corporation was organized prin
ipally by the efforts of the Portland
ioard of Trade, The cltamber of com
terce at tirst refused to indorse it.
(any prominent and wealthy business
en are stockholders in the company.
GENERAL STRIKE
UP TO HARRIMAN
Ungine Men Mill Quit on All His
Roads Unless He Settles
Southern Differences.
Sr Cable to Tb* Dally Gateway.
Peoria. 111., Jan. 3—The Hrother
hood of Locomotive Kngineers and
Kiremon served a second notice on K.
H, Harriman today that unless ho set
tles Ids differences with the striking
engineers and firemen on the Southern
’acific the strike will be extended to!
very railroad in the country which
Harriman controls.
Harriman Stands Pat
Omaha, Nab., Jan. 2- Herriman re
plied to the threat of the engineers
and firemen to inaugurate a general
strike on his lines if he does not settle
the Southern Pacific trouble, that he
is running his own business and will
aot allow anyone tointerfers.
TO REGULATE
THE WHALERS
Secretary Shaw Believes Punish*
ishment Should Fit Crime
in Bering Sea.
y Cable to The Daily Gateway.
Washington. IX C.. Jan. •> Secre
%i*v Shaw of the treasury department
wrongly urges change* in the naviga
lon laws designed to prevent outrages
.y the masters of Bering sea whaling
esseIs against their men and the
atives. He proposes to increase the
enalties for offenses now defined by
u» law and to provide for the punish
«ent of offenses not now classed a*
•rues under the navigation laws.
The secretary practically indorses
*. of Capt. Hamlet's recoiuuienda
on*. which were based u|H>n eoncii
on* as Hamlet found them last sum
jer when ho cruised Bering sea in the
evenue cutter Thetis and investi
gated the whalers.
SARATOGA CALLS IN
Wakes Another Fast Run from Seat
tle and Sails Again.
Steamer Saratoga arrived in port
.donday afternoon at 3. She made
> iot her fast run from Seattle, readi
ng Valdez in less than four days and a
half, stayed thirty hours and came
to Seward in fifteen, six days and
eight hours out of Seattle. She
brought sixty-seven tons of general
merchandise uud 207 tons for the rail
road. The latter included 53,411 feet j
of liridge timber and twenty tons of
iron.
The Saratoga *ailed for Seattle
Tuesday afternoon at 5:30.
The biggest gold nugget ever found j
in t'alifornia registered 2340 ounces.
BILL IN FOR
NEW DISTRICT
Creates Fourth Alaska Division
by Cutting Third on Fast
and West Line.
ALSO PROPOSES FIFTH JUDGE
Measure Introduced by Chairman
Jenkins of Mouse Judfciary Com
mittee and Sure to Pass.
By CaWIe to Tlie Dally Gateway.
Washington, IT. Jan. I on*
jrivssrnan Jenkins, chairman ol the
house judiciary commitu*e. introduced
a lull today to create a fourth judicial
| di-uric’ in Alaska. by cutting: the
Third in taro on an east and we*t line.
The lull also provides for the appoint
ment of a tift It jud^e for Alaska, who
U to he subject to asMjfnmenl by
the attorney-general.
The bill follows the recommendations
made by Gov. Uojjjjatt and Delegate
Wask« y. It lias the sup|H>rt of the j
president and no opposition is manifest
in either branch of congress, so it will
undoubtedly vro through at tins ses
sion.
EARLY GOLD MINING
ON KENAI PENINSULA
Russian Hxgineer Explored Streams
in 1848 and Americans Worked
Placers in 1888.
In a Lrealist* on the “Mineral Re
source" of Kenai Peninsula,” and tin*
“Gold Fields of the Turnagain Arm |
Region.” Fred H. Motfit of the federal j
geological survey gives the following!
history of early mining explorations
and work:
“The first attempt to develop the
mineral resources of Alaska was made
in 1"P by P. P. Poroshin, a Rus"ian
mining engineer, who was sent from
St. Petersburg by the Russian-Ameri
can Company to examine Baranof isl-!
and and the Cook inlet region. The J
locality which he chose for investiga-j
tion on Kenai peninsula was the Kenai
river valley, but although he found
gold-bearing gravels he was not sue-1
cessful in finding gold in commercial j
quantities, the product of two seasons’
labor, the summers of 1848 and 18o0, ;
amounting to only a few ounces of the ;
precious metal.
“Poroshin himself says the work was!
confined to a tributary of the lower
lake (Lake Skilak) and to two streams
flowing into the river (Kenai river) |
connecting the upper and lower lakes,
and that the quantity of gold obtained
uowhere exceeded O.OOOLNHU of the
gravel" moved. Prospecting was
greatly hindered by difficulties en
countered in ascending the river, by
the necessity of transporting all sup-j
plies on the back." of men, and in one ,
case by forest tires. He further states
that while the small results cooled the
ardor of the chief manager of the
Russian-.Vnieriean Company fur .gold ;
seeking, lu1 himself was convinced that i
gold was present and hoped that sume j
other engineer might be more fortu-;
nate in finding it.
“The second period in that part of
th* economic history of the Kenai :
peninsula relating to its mineral re* j
sources begins with the discovery of!
placer gold in the Turnagain arm'
field. The exact year " hen prospect-j
ing began is perhaps not known, but it ;
is said that gold was found near Hope!
a‘*out the year l^SS by a man named
King, and that the lirst claim was j
soon afterwards located on Resurrec
tion creek, two miles above Hope, by ,
('harles Miller. He did not work the1
ground himself, but leased it toothers, 1
and is reported to have ‘made a good
living for ten years and never hit a
lick.' Gold was fouud near by, on
Hear creek, in 1*!>4. by George Beady,
F. R. Walcott and Riley. This,
stream is said to have been worked bv
the Russians, but if this be true such I
operations must have taken place later!
than the time of Doroshin, for he ex
pressly states that the streams pros- j
peeted by him were tributary to what
is now known as Kenai river."
The steamer Yucatan was booked to
sail some time last month from Balti
more for Puget sound to join the
Alaska fleet of the Northwestern
Steamship Company.
Joseph Medill Patterson, who was
born so rich that he does not know
what to do with all his money, has
started a socialist paper in Chicago.
WASKEY WRITES
ON COAL LANDS
Indorses Action of President in
Withdrawing Them From
Further Entry.
GIVES REASONS FOR COURSE
Says Bio Financial Interests Arc
Tryino to Gobble fuel and Cop
per Deposits of Alaska.
Alaska’s delegate in congress. Hon.
Frank H. Waskey sends the Gateway
the following letter concerning the
withdrawal of the coal hinds, from
entry, lie indorses the action of the
president, saying:
"I enclose herewith a copy of my
letter written to the president, also
letters of Governor Hoggatt. one of
them commenting on my letter.
“A great number of those copies
have been sent to people throughout
the coal districts of Alaska, calling
attention to the statements l made
relative to the withdrawal of the coal
lands, and citing it as an instance that
lam working in the interest of cor
porations and not of the prospectors
and miners. I still maintain that the I
president’s withdrawal of the coal
lands was an act of wisdom and was
meant as a check on certain financial
interests that arc endeavoring to
monopolize the coal deposits, not only
of Alaska, hut of the entire West.
These interests are fully cognizant of
the enormous values and potential
possibilities of not only the coal but of
the copper deposit-, of Alaska and at
present are making every effort to grab
and control all the mineral depusitsof
the Copper river valley. 'Ibis with
drawal. as I understand it, is not made
with the intention of interfering with
the rights of any previous locations or
entries.
“This matter will come before the
committee on public lands, and l will
endeavor to see that the rights of the
legitimate miner and prospector are
protected in every way, and that some
new legislation may he enacted where
by individuals may ho encouraged to
develop the coal lands and he pro
tected, and at the same time constitute
a check on monopoly.”
COAL SHORTAGE
IS ARTIFICIAL
Commissioner Lane Asserts It Is
Due to Illegal Combine
of Railroads.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Washington, I). C , .Ian. 3— Franklin
K. Lane, interstate commerce com
missioner, made a report today to
President Roosevelt on the causes of
t ho coal shortage in the Dakotas and
Minnesota. He charges that it is di
rectly due to an illegal combine of the !
transportation companies and asks
that the matter be made the subject of i
a special message to congress by the
president.
Lane also recommends that the pres
ident advocate the enactment of a
law by congress creating a car clear
inghouse for the more rapid and equit
able movement of freight cars to local
ities where they are most needed. He
also asks the president to favor a re
ciprocal demurrage law.
ANNUAL POSTAL FIGURES
Business of 1900 Shows Large Gain
Over Preceding Year.
The business of the local post office
for 1900 shows a large gain over that
of the preceding year. Following are
the figures:
1905 1900
Stamp sales.$1540.04 $2070.42
Registers received. 1304 2710
Registers sent out.. 170S 2296
Money orders issued in seven months
of 1905.uifter the otliee was made one
of money order issue, aggregated j
$35,434.43. Paid and repaid, $5502.43. !
In 1906 the total amount of money ;
orders issued was $89,075.01. Total j
amount paid and repaid, $20,181.92.
New rich strikes on Cleury creek in
the Tanana, one of the richest creek
ever found anywhere, are reported.
URGES RECOUNT
ON MAYORALTY
Gov. Hughes Asks Legislature to
Take Up Hearst-McClel*
Ian Contest.
PROPOSES COURT SUPERVISION
SuoQfsts Changes in flection Law
of State and Limitation of Lx
penditure by Candidate.
3y Cr.bift to The Dally Gateway.
Albany. .Jan. 3 Gov. Hughes in hi
first message to the legislature, urges
that a recount he math* of tin* mayor
alty vote io the Mct'Iellan-Hearst
election of I'.tiCi in Now York city.
The governor states that there is a
general belief that a recount might |
change the result. The state courts I
refused a recount.
The governor recommends that if
the recount is ordered that it be placed
in charge of the supreme court of the
state instead of the attorney-general,
as the law now stands, in order that
too much power may not reside in the
hands of one man.
Gov. Hughes further recommends a
change in the election law providing
that the name of a candidate for office
may appear only once on the official
ballot. Also that a limit be placed
upon the amount of money which a
candidate may spend in an election.
Attorney-General Will help
Albany. N. Y,, Jan. 2 Attorney
General Jackson, who was elected on
the llearst ticket last fall and was in
ducted into office yesterday, at once
addressed llearst offering to reopen
the latter’s mayoralty contest against
Mayor MeCellan of Greater New York
city, llearst promply wired accep
tance ol the offer with thanks, saying
that he hoped to be able to prove that
McClellan is not entitled to the office.
FORTY KILLED
SEVENTY HURT
_
Two Passenger Trains on Balti
more & Ohio Collide
Near Washington
By Cable to The Daily Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Dec. .11-Two
passenger trains on the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad crashed together yes
terday evening not far from this city
and forty persons were killed and
seventy injured. Mangled remains of
victims were strewn along the track for
half a mile.
Both trains were long and were run
ning at a high rate of speed. The cars
were all somewhat shattered by the
impact and many of them completely
wrecked, making heaps of debris un
der which many lives were crushed
out.___
TEMPERATURE FOR YEAR
--
Cool Summer Made Very Low Aver
age for Local Thermometer
The average local temperature dur
ing 1907 was 39.44 degrees. This low
average was due to the cool summer.
In June, July and August the average
temperature was only about 55degrees.
The mercury rose to 70 on only three
days, May 25, June 27 and June 29, on
each of which days it was 72. The
lowest temperature was 9 below zero
on January 25. The average temper
ature by months was as follows:
January. 11.00
February. 31.64'
March. 34.89
April. 38.85
May. 47.77 |
June. 54.22]
July. 55.061
August. 54.89 j
September. 50.21;
October. 42.21
November. 31.30
December. 21.20
Average for year. 39.44
The nine-hour day for coal miners in
France will be reduced to eight and a
half in the beginning of 1908, and to
eight hours in 1910.
Kodiak had two earthquake >hocks
the morning of December 23.
STEAMER LOST
WITH 100 LIVES
Wreckage from City of Panama
Floats Ashore Below San
Francisco.
LEFT THAT PORT DECEMBER Ji
Life Boats and Debris Carry Name
of Vessel and No Other Inform
ation Received of Her.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
San Francisco, Jan. It is reported
that the steamer City of Panama,
which left this port December Jl, has
been wrecked at an isolated place lifty
miles down the California coast with
the loss of 100 lives. Life raft* and
other wreckage bearing the name of
the steamer have Heated ashore.
Antony the passengers on the vessel
were Dr. Coe and wife of Portland, Dr.
Rutherford and wife of this city and
many other prominent persons. The
total loss of the steamer with all on
hoard is regarded as a certainty on
account of the large quantity of wreck
age which has come ashore so near
this city. Had anyone been saved he
should have reported before this.
PROPOSE TO DEVELOP
QUARTZ ON CHULITNA
R. Oderkirk and John Sample Start
for headwaters of River With
Large Equipment.
R. Oderkirk and John Sample started
inside this week with a dog train
carrying supplies and a large equip
ment to develop the quartz property
discovered and located by Oderkirk
last spring. The property is at the
headwaters of the Chulitna river, the
westerly branch of the Susitna. An
assay of $57 in gold was obtained by
Harry Ellsworth from ore brought out
last spring.
Oderkirk and Sample are taking a
good stock of provisions, and an equip
ment to do their own assaying. Oder
kirk says the region is full of gold
quartz, besides copper, iron and coal.
He is not bothering alxrnt placers,
although he says the placer symptoms
are good. He went to Seattle after
making his discovery a few months ago
and returned on the Saratoga.
Prospectors are starting inside near
ly every day now. Two men started
this morning for the Kuskokwim, and
a party of four headed for Granite
creek, on Turnagain arm.
T. eadwell to Operate
Late Juneau papers state that the
Treadwell mine, which recently shut
down because it ran out of coal, had
secured a supply and was about to
start up again. This was just before
Christmas. The papers also state that
the plant for generating power with
oil as fuel will he in operation in
another month.
Reports Kuskokwlm Strike
A rich strike at tiie headwaters of
the Kuskokwim was reported iu Nome
recently by Capt. W. E. Geiger of the
river steamer Quickstep, which took a
prospectors' expedition up the river
last fall. Capt. Geiger mushed over
land f>00 miles to Nome to obtain medi
cal aid for bis son who was seriously
ill.
Prospectors Start Inside
Several prospectors who came to Se
ward on the Portland started last
Wednesday for the Yentna district.
While in town they stated that a large
number of men will come from Valdez
in the next few weeks to go to the
interior.
Temperature in December
The average temperature in Seward
in December was 21.2 degrees. The
highest was 3b on the 16th and 17tli.
The lowest was 4 on the 6th. The
mean temperature of November was
31.3 degrees.
Takes Tyonok flail
Alfred Lowell started Tuesday with
the Knik. Susitna and Tyonok mail for
Anton Eide. The limit is 100 pounds
and there was nearly that much lirst
class mail.
Portland Sails Southward
Steamer Portland returned from the
westward Monday evening at 7
o'clock and sailed for Seattle at b. She
brought no passengers from the west
ward.
j TRIES TO FORCE
JAPANESE ISSUE
Attorney-General Molds that They
Cannot Be Excluded from
the Schools.
WILL INSTITUTE TEST SUIT
Opinion Based Upon Provisions of
Treaty but San Francisco
Txpected to Wesist.
i
Oy Cable to The Dally Gateway
Washington, I). Jan. The at
j torney-generul’s depart mem holds
Jtliat the exclusion of the Japanese
, from I lie public schools of San Francis
co isiu violation of treats rights. It
I will immediately tile a suit in tie
I’nited States court there to force the
San Francisco school hoard admit
Japanese to the white schools.
The issue will be tried by making
a test case of a Japanese hoy. Manda
mus will he brought against the school
board to show cause why it excludes
I Japanese from white schools. It is
known that the school hoard will rest
its case upon the contention that the
federal government has no concern
with the management of state schools
CHINA TRIES TO
REVIVE BOYCOTT
War on American Goods Starts.
Again in Several Big Cities
• of the Empire.
By Cable to Tbe Dally Gateway.
Shanghai, Jan. 4 Because of the
failure of the American congress to
modify the Chinese exclusion law the
boycott of American goods is again
spreading over China. The movement
is actively stimulated by the Japanese,
who hope thereby to supplant the
United States in the trade of China
and to align China politically
against the United States.
The boycott is growing in all the
large cities of China, particularly in
Shanghai and Canton, and Americans
in this city believe that it will be
ditticult to check it this time, especial
ly with the Japanese fomenting it in
dustriously. China is not very friendly
to Japan, but is nevertheless 'argely
under Japanese influence.
To Renew American Boycott
Ilong Kong, Jan. 1—The Chines*'
merchants of Canton resolved today to
renew the boycott on American goods.
FAMINE FACED
BY 4,000,000
j
Starvation Impends Over Vast
Numbers in Stricken Dis
trict of China.
By Cable to Tlie D»xly Gateway.
Pekin, Jan. 1 it is estimated that
4,000,000 people are starving in the
famine district. They are almost whol
ly without food and unless relief is
given to them very soon they will
literally starve to death.
The government is making som**
feeble effort to assist the famine suffer
ers and foreign relief is promised but
everthing moves so slowly that
thousands will undoubtedly perish be
fore systematic assistance is given.
LOCAL SHIPPING RECORD
Eighty-four Vessels Brought I4.54K
Tons to Seward In 190b
Freight shipments to Seward during
liKKi reached the total of 14,.>48 tons.
Of this 8224 tons was local merchandise
and OJ24 tons railroad material and
supplies for the railroad company.
During the year eighty-four vessels
of all kinds, steamers and mailing
ships, landed at the Seward docks.
Percy G. Charles, superintendent of
the Alaska-Pacific Express Company
at Fairbanks, estimates the Tanana
gold output for lOOtf at $0,174,017.'