vo, 1V> SEWARD. ALASKA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY I. 1!M)K. \<). 25
ROUTE TO NOME
CUT 294 MILES
Government Outfit Starts for far
North Well Equipped for
the Lon? Run.
The government is planning a new
and shorter route across the territory
of Alaska to Nome. The present route
via Valdez and Fairbanks to Kaltag is
960 miles, and to Nome 1136 miles.
The pro|>osed new route starting from
Seward will be over a trail of only 4o0
miles to the Inuoko, and the entire
distance to Nome only S42 miles, a
shortening of the overland route to
to Nome of 294 miles.
Early yesterday morning W. L.
Goodwin, George Fulham, Ross J. Kin
ney and Mr. Jackson started overland
from Seward to Nome to carry out the
plan for the government as indicated
above. It is their intention to make
preliminary surveys along the proposed
new route. The outfit consists of two
14-foot sleds well packed with supplies,
and eighteen dogs, nine dogs to each
sled. Another team will be made up
either at Susitna Station or Knik.
\Y. L. Goodwin has full charge of
the work whereby the government
hopes to shorten the Nome trail. Mr.
Goodwin is unhampered by any orders
other than to find as short a trail as
possible from the seabord to Seward
peninsula.
NEW LICENSE
BILL FOR ALASKA
flat Rate Measure of $1,000 to Be
Introduced—No Women or
Gambling Allowed.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 1—A new
license bill will shortly be introduced
in the house of representatives pro
viding a flat liquor license of $1,000 a
year in each incorporated town of
Alaska. The license will be revocable
whenever gambling or women ate
permitted on the premises.
The Alaska Bill
The bill introduced in congress by
Delegate Cale "to create the territory
of Alaska and provide for the govern
ment of the same," will in large meas
ure, meet the demands of Alaskans for
local self government, and will put the
northern country upon a political
plane more in harmony with the gen
ius of American institutions.
The measure prov ides for a governor
to be appointed by the president, by
and with the advice and consent of the
senate: a secretary to be appointed in
the same way; a senate consisting of
seven members, and a house of repre
sentatives consisting of twenty-five
members: a supreme court consisting
of a chief justice and four associate
justices; the usual courts of inferior
jurisdiction, four district attorneys,
four marshals and a surveyor general.
Such is an outline of the organization
which is to begin the territorial ex
istence of Alaska.—P I.
Growing Potatoes on the Yukon
Ninety sacks of potatoes, weighing
in total five tons, is the splendid re
sult secured from 275 pounds of seed
potatoes by McCluskey brothers of
Clear creek, from their farm at the
head of that creek, a few miles below
Dawson. The potatoes matured this
fall and are being held by the owners
for the spring market. They are as
sound and as firm and mealy, and as
free from moisture, the owners de
clare, as any potatoes ever brought to
this country from the outside world.
The place where the potatoes were
grown is a black schist, with two or
three inches of soil over the top.
—Dawson News.
LIBERAL AID
RECOMMENDED
Taft, Hoggatt and Cale Urge on
Committee Generous Support
for A-Y-P Exposition.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway
Washington, I). C., Jan. 28—Secre
i tary of War, William H. Taft, Gover
nor W. B. Hoggatt and Delegate
Thomas Gale appeared before the com
mittee on industrial arts, and have
I recommended a liberal appropriation
I for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific expo
) sition to be held in Seattle in the year
i 19l>0. Secretary Taft is very enthusi
1 astic over the exposition and con
siders it one of the best plans ever de
vised for the benefit of the Pacific
coast states and for the Northland,
and indirectly for the entire country.
Proposed Bill Gets a Jolt
Washington, D. C., Jan. 30—The
I Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition bill,
I through the lack of interest on the
part of Senator Levi Ankeny, of Wash
ington, having been removed from the
calendar, cannot be brought forward
at the present time without a majority
vote of the senate.
FIGHT FOR FORTIFICATIONS
| IN SOUTHERN ALASKA LIKELY
! Representative Kahn Will Ask Con
gress for Extensive Defenses*
Washington, D. C.—To prevent any
foreign enemy from using the coast
of Southeastern Alaska as a base for
war supplies during a conflict with
this country, representative Kahn of
j California will make a strong light at
! the present session of congress for ex
tensive tortihcations on one of the most
suitable points between Ketchikan and
! Seward. From the point to be select
1 ed forces could be rushed along the un
i protected portion of the southern coast
| to prevent a landing.
Mr. Kahn said: “I believe in spend
! ing our money on fortifications before
1 hostilities begin, instead of paying it
'out afterwards in the form of pen
' sions.”—Walter E. Clark.
The Ketchikan Convention
Under the apportionment of dele
gates to the republican territorial con
vention which will be held in Ketchi
kan May 12 of this year, 50 delegates
are allotted for each judicial division.
In the Third 20 are given to the south
ern, or coast end. Of these Valdez
gets fi. The remainder are apportioned
as follows: Seward 3. Orca 2, Latouche
1. KUamar 1. Katalla l. Copper Cen
ter 1. Sunrise l, Knik 1, Seldovia l,
Kodiak 1. Unalaska 1.
Primaries in the precincts for the
' election of delegates are to be held not
earlier than March 10, but may be
held later when notice cannot be given
| for that date.
C. G. Wulff of Valdez, secretary of
the territorial committee, is sending
! out copies of the call together with
copies of the plan of party organiza
tion adopted by the Juneau convention
in November.
The Ketchikan convention is to
i nominate a candidate for delegate to
■ congress to be voted upon at the
August election: and elect two dele
gates to the national convention.
—Valdez Prospector.
Needs Railroads
“Alaska says that it needs plenty of
railway lines. The needs of a metal
country, other than in mining itself,
; is usually delayed until the sanity of
! commercial facilities takes the place
of the lust for ore. What is the use
of wasteful production? Why not have
improvements sufficient to mean great
er profit on the ore mined?”—Mining
Record.
In the above there is much that is
true. Great as the mineral produc
tion of Alaska is, the day will come
when, with the ore treated on the
ground, the wealth now poured out
by Alaska mines will be many fold
what it is today .—Juneau Reeord.
THAW FOUND
NOT GUILTY
Insanity Racket Worked and the
Slayer of White Held Irre
sponsible by the Jury,
By Cable to Tbe Dally Gateway.
New York, Feb. 1—The Harry K.
Thaw murder ease went to the jury
last evening. The men were out all
night and disagreement seemed prob
able, but a verdict was brought in this
morning of not guilty by reason of in
sanity.
Case Will Soon End
New York, Jan. 28—The defense in
the Harry K. Thaw murder trial will
have in all its evidence, and will close
today. The prosecution has tomorrow
for rebuttal. The case will go to the
jury tomorrow night.
STREETS RUN
WITH BLOOD
Rioters and Police Clash in Por
tugaPs Capital and Many
Are Injured.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Lisbon, Jan. 30—Rioting is going on
all over the city, caused by the at
tempted overthrow of the monarchy,
and the arrests which followed the
discovery of the plot. Armed police
and those demanding .• republican
form of government have met in
fierce conflict, and the streets are
filled with blood. Some have been
killed and many seriously wounded on
both sides. The strictest censorship
of the newspapers regarding the
troubles is being maintained.
No Saloon Men on Juries
All men engaged in the wholesale
or retail liquor business and two men
who admitted that they were profes
sional gamblers were excused from
the grand and petit jury panels by
Judge Reed at the opening of the jury
term of court in Valdez. The judge
is from a country where the liquor
bu:>iness is somewhat under the ban,
and he brings the court system of that
country with him.
As soon as the clerk called the grand
jury the court inquired if any man on
the list was engaged in the liquor bus
iness. and getting an affirmative ans
wer Judge Reed said:
“You are excused from service on
your own showing.”
The same procedure took place when
the petit jury was called; two profes
sional gamblers were dropped with the
same remark.
Several jurors had not been served
and it was necessary to issue a special
venire for five grand and ten petit ju
rors.
Judge Harlan Back in Valdez
District Attorney Harlan returned
to Valdez on the Northwestern. He
will remain there during the present
term of the district court and then
probably go to Fairbanks. He had an
attack of grip while visiting at his old
home in Nebraska, which held him
there longer than he expected to stay.
Coaling Station For Seward
It is considered most probable that
the government will establish a coal
ing station at Resurrection bay, as that
is described as one of the best harbors
along the Central Alaskan coast, well
protected from storms and open all the
year round. It is believed that coal
to supply such a station will be obtain
ed withiD the next few years from the
great Alaska deposits.—New YorK
Herald.
The niceties of the law are not law
they are costs.—Process Work.
APPEALS BILL
MUCK FAVORED
, Alaskans May Have Option to
Carry Cases to Seattle, Port
land or San Francisco.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Washington, 1). C., Jan. 30—The bill
introduced by Congressman William
E. Humphrey of Washington provid
ing for appeals of Alaska cases to the
circuit court of appeals to be heard in
Seattle, Portland or San Francisco,
at the option of the parties interested,
instead of requiring them all to be
heard in San Francisco, as at present,
is favored by most of the members of
the judiciary committee.
ALASKA COURTS TOO
FEW AND FAR BETWEEN
Poor Man Practically helpless in Ob
taining Witnesses or Fair Jury.
Tacoma.—“Alaska has many needs.
They are as numerous as the sands of
the sea. But in my opinion the very
most pertinent need of all is the form
ulation of some method by which peo
ple of the district may come in closer
and easier touch with courts of law.”
This is the statement of J. Bindley
Green, ex-United States commissioner
for the district with headquarters at
Rampart, and returned to the states
last month after being out of sight of
i tidewater for ten years.
“Many a man in Alaska, worthy but
ignorant or bound hand and foot by
the magnificent distances of the coun
try and the lack of sufficient means to
fight his battles, has lost valuable
claims simply because of his inability
to reach the courts.
‘‘At present the courts of Alaska are
located at Nome, Fairbanks, Juneau,
Valdez, and one or two other places on
special call. Until a few months ago,
in fact during all the time I held the
office of commissioner, the territory
under my jurisdiction extended from
Mount McKinley to the Arctic ocean,
and from the line of the Second divis
ion on the Yukon river—a country
larger by far than the state of Texas—
and only four or five courts of law for
all that region of Alaska.”
Trying to Get Jamestown Exhibit
Washington, D. C.—Henry E. Reid
who is here in the interest of the
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition, just
returned from the Jamestown exposi
tion, where fie went to arrange to
have several of the exhibits kept in
tact for shipment to Seattle. He and
Gov. McGraw called upon Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury Edwards to
ask that he have the treasury depart
ment exhibit kept boxed for ninety
days, during which time they hoped
to secure authorization for forwarding
west.
Mr. Edwards, however, said that he
could not do so without an order from
the president. Senator Piles confer
red with Mr. Roosevelt on the matter
later and the president promised to
send for Mr. Edwards and see what
could be done.—Walter E. Clark.
President Interested In Exposition
Washington, D. C.— A renewed ex
pression of his interest in the A-Y-P
exposition was given by the president
recently in a conversation with Sena
tor Sam Piles, Ex-Govenor John H.
McGraw and Henry E. Heed.
The Washington delegation has been
promised the support of George B.
McClelland, representative of the Hon
olulu board of trade, in a hearing be
fore the house committee. Mr. Mc
Clelland will appear and express Ha
waii’s interest in the exposition.
Barney Hittle, one of the youngest
old sourdough prospectors of the north,
and who has rained in every gold camp
in Alaska, is here and says the Susitna
country looks good to him and he will
leave for that region in a few days.
—Valdez Prospector.
WOULD GRANT
HIGHER PAY
Bill Is Before Congress for Bet
ter Compensation for Soldier
Mechanics in Alaska.
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Washington, I). Jan. 31—A bill
has been introduced providing for the
higher pay to the soldier mechanics in
Alaska, in accordance with the custom
of paying higher wages for that class
of workmen elsewhere.
FLOTILLA IN
BUENOS AIRES
j _
Advance Section of Pacific Fleet
Heartily Welcomed in Ar
gentina’s Capital.
By Cable Lo Tbe Dally Gateway.
Buenos Aires, Jan. 27—The torpedo
flotilla proceeding Admiral Evans’
fleet now under way to the Pacific,
has reached Buenos Aires, and was re
ceived with an enthusiastic demon
stration of welcome.
Fleet Reaches Pacific Waters
Punta Arenas, Patagonia, Feb. 1 —
The Pacific battle fleet in command of
Admiral Evans arrived at noon today.
FOREIGN BOTTOMS CARRY
COAL FOR AMERICAN SHIPS
The cost of transportation of coal for
the fleet now sailing to San Francisco
will be $1,000,000. With a single ex
ception the colliers chartered to ac
company the fleet are foreign bottoms,
American owners having declined to
give charters even at the 50 per cent
advance over foreign quotations which
the government offered. The reason
for their refusal was that American
vessels could make more money by
plying in the coastwise trade. The
one exception was the collier Virginia,
whose owners gave a charter at a
slight advance because they proposed
transferring the craft to the Pacific
trade.
Important Decision
On September 20th, 1006, a tow of
logs being taken from Ideal Cove to
the Jorgenson Company's saw mill at
Juneau, was broken. These logs were
subsequently taken possession of by H.
F. Rapp et al.
The Jorgenson Company brought
suit to recover. The court returned a
verdict for the plaintiffs; appeal was
taken and the decision now handed
down upholds the original finding. It
is held that the Jorgenson Company
had never abandoned the logs.
The suit was commenced October 1,
and the decision of the appellate court
handed down December 11.
This decision will be received with
interest by mill men, as it may be fair
ly taken as indicating the rights of
parties picking up logs which have
gone astray.
Starts on Long Arctic Journey
Capt, Hanson D. Black of the signal
corps of the U. S. army has set out on
what probably will be the longest trip
taken by an army officer in Alaska.
Capt Black left Valdez recently to in
spect all the telegraph stations of the
Alaska land lines. He expects to be
gone eighty-five days and to travel
1,170 miles.
Mall Arrives From Tyonok
Alfred Lowell arrived from Tyonok
Tuesday afternoon with the mail
after being gone 25 days. He re
ports a hard time over but says the
trail was in fair condition on his re
turn trip. He started again this morn
ing on his long trip.