VO!.. II. N<>. JJ. SHWAlil). ALASKA. SATI liDAV. -lANl AliV ■-><>, HHHi._
MAKES TRAILS
TO INTERIOR
Railroad Company Has Roads
Which Render Travel Around
Cook Inlet liasier
Far in advance of actual railroad
building trails have been matte by the
construction ortleials to facilitate tin*
transportation of men ami supplies for
the work of locating aud grading the
line. To a certain extent old trails
have boon used, some have been made
more easily passable and new ones
or short cuts have been made. Those
trails are of advantage to the ordinary
traveler as well as to railroad men and
make trips to the interior easier and
safer than ever before.
During the winter prospectors going
into the Yentna district will tind that
these trails are more available than
old routes of travel. Next summer
they can go nearly all the way by
water but until the ice is out of the
rivers the railroad trails around the
bead of Turnagaiu Arm and Knik
Arm to Shusbetna station constitute
the only feasible route. This route
with distances is described in detail by
General Manager Poland as follows:
From Seward to the end of the truck,
which after a few weeks will be near
the end of mile 4»>, the traveler can go
by rail. From the present terminus on
mile 4.1 to mile 'at the head of Turn*
again Arm is a good bob-sled road.
From 'it* toTo is a snow trail which can
be on ered with the sled known as a
doubie-eiider. From Tito Indian creek,
on nu ■ bit. is a trail which a footman
Can i.- but it is very bad for sleds,
eo n liogsleds. It runs along the beach
and through tbewmui- irnithc beaches
are lure in many plao s. T tv;- makes
sled traveling vev, sio-.v ami to:-some,
»s it is a hard task to drag a loaded
sled over the rocky l*eaehes. and ti e
hili> occasionally encountered are very
rough.
Two Trails to hr.ik
From Indian creek to the head of
Knik Ann. sixty mile', there are two
trails. One of tlu-M runs along the
north shore ot Tumugam Arm to
Campbell Point, on mile loj, which is
the end of the land barrier between
Turnagaiu and Knik Arms; from there
it follows the railroad survey near east*
ern shore of Knik Arm to the head of
that estuary. At places it is a con
siderable distance from the beach.
From Indian creek to Campbell Point
the trail is available only for foot
travelers, being impassable even for
dogsleds. From Campbell Point to the
head of Knik Arm, 150 miles from Sew
ard, a good trail for dogsleds is open,
ami double-enders can traverse it with
a little clearing in places.
The other trail from Indian creek to
Knik Arm runs up Indian creek valley
and over the divide to Eagle river val
ley; thence down that valley until it
merges in the beach trail, l'his trail
is estimated to be between ten and fif
teen miles shorter than the railroad
survey trail, aud is much easier for
sled travel except a very steep clime of
about 3000 feet through drifting snow
at the summit.
From the head of Knik Arm to Cot
tonwood camp the distance is about
twelve miles; from Cottonwood to
Knik station is six miles; from Knik
to Shushetna station on the Shushetna
river, two miles below the mouth of
the Yentna, the distance is estimated
by the railroad surveyors at thirty-two
miles. This places Shushetna station
exactly 200 miles from Seward by the
railroad route to Knik, and ten or
fifteen miles less by the Indian creek
Eagle river cut-off trail.
Can Go by Crow Creek
The old Crow creek trail is still
available. It turns otT at the mouth
of Glacier creek on mile 75, and runs
up that creek and its tributary. Crow
creek, to the divide; thence over to
Eagle valley. The trouble with this
‘trail is that it is very steep near the
summit, and the snowslides are danger
ous. It is unsafe for one man to travel
it alone. On this trail it is ten miles
from timber to timber.
From Shushetna station to the first
gold diggings on the Kahiltna it is
forty miles by the river, and forty-five
to the first diggings on Lake creek,
in summer small steamers and launch
es can go from Tyoonok on the western
shore of the Inlet up the Shushetna
and Yentna to the mouths of the gold >
creeks. This will be the route of the
expected stampede in the spi ing and
summer, as men can take much larger
outfits in that way than bv packing
over the trail, and in shorter time.
Iu anticipation of a rush of prospect
ors several men have already planned j
to put launches on the run from
TO PLACE 2000 I
MEN AT WORK
Martin Welch Says His Company
Will Employ Big Force on
Turnagain Arm
Two thousand men will he employed |
all next summer upon the rock work
j on the north side of Turnagain Arm
| for which 1’. Welch & Co. hold the,
I contract. This contract covers thirty
miles and extends from mile to mile .
I Of). Some preliminary work has been
done upon it this winter and with the
1 opening of navigation on Cook Inlet in ,
the spring, which will enable the con
trading company to take in supplies in
unlimited quantities, the work will
start on a large scale.
Martin Welch, who has charge of,
the work, returned to Seward on the1
Santa Clara, after a short visit to j
Seattle to consult with his associates.
He went down on the Oregon just be-'
fore Christmas and was in Seattle ten
days. He reports that he thinks there
will be no difficulty about getting the j
JikH) men wanted to rush the work all
through the summer.
“We have a large number of men i
w ho have been employed upon other
contracts, and who cun he released
there to be placed upon the Turnagain
Arm contract.” said Mr. Welch this
week. ”1 believe w e can run the force
up to the number required very early
in the sprang. We do not want them
there until we can get supplies to the
ground through the inlet. It is utterly
Unpractically, as anyone familiar with
:lie situation can understand, to take
>uppli. > to Turnagain Arm except on
iulet steamers, .lust as scon as inlet
boats 1h gin running again we w ill rush .
in s..(.piles and hav» the men follow.
We will work along the entire distance
covered by the contract until the job is
done.”
GREELY OPPOSES
LEASE Of CABLE
Washington, D. Jan. 17—Gen.
Greely, chief signal officer, today re
turned to the secretary of war the pro
posal of the American Telegraph &
t able Company to lease the Alaska
cable and land telegraph lines from
the government, with a rocomtnendat
! ion that the proposition be refused.
Secretary Taft is expected to join
with Gen. Greely in disapproval of the
project and the lease is not likely to be
made. Much opposition to it lias de
veloped from Alaska and from Seattle,
which does a great deal of business
I over the lines.
ALASKA FARMING RESOURCES
Secretary of Interior Reports on
Results of Experiments
The agricultural resources of Alaska
are gradually receiving recognition.
In his annual report Secretary Hitch
cock of the interior department says:
"That agriculture can be success
fully prosecuted has been clearly
demonstrated, $.'>,237 worth of agricul
tural implements having been shipped
into Alaska during the last tiscal year.
Wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and hay
have been harvested; strawberries,
caulillower, and other plants have
been cultivated. There are four agri
cultural experiment stations in the
district; one at Sitka, given largely to
the cultivation of nursery plants and
their distribution; one at Kenai, on
Cook’s Inlet, testing the native and im
ported grasses and dairy work, and
one each at Copper Center and at Ram
part, on the Yukon river, where
grains are tested. Dairying promises
to be one of the chief industries, owing
to the enormous wealth of grasses in
southwestern Alaska. Milch cows
have long been kept at most of the
coast settlements, and they do very
well while feeding on the green
■ grasses. Many admirable sites for
: dairying colonies or settlements may
I be had on Kodiak island, or other
i islands, and on the mainland. The
Finnish colony on the Kenai peninsula
will engage itself in this industry.”
Rampart has a marten farm which
has been conducted as an experiment'
station for two years.
Tyoonok to the gold creeks, (.'apt.
Blodgett of the Inlet steamer Tyonic,
is building at Scldovia a steamer with
a draft of 3* feet to cover the run dur
ing the summer A general belief ex
ists that the river will be dotted with
boats before the middle of the summer.
ORGANIZE FOR
FIRE DEFENSE
Citizens Take Steps to Equip a
Volunteer Department with
Costly Apparatus
The first steps for the organization
of a volunteer tire department in Se
ward were taken Monday night bv a
meeting of citizens in Moore’s hall.
A board of tire protection consisting of
Jive members were chosen, and in order
to avoid eontliet with the work of the
chamber of commerce tlie three mem
bers of the chamber’s lire committee
were made the first three members of
tin* citizens committee.
These three are Fire Marshal W. A.
McNeiley, H. N. Coleman and C. E.
Brown. To these were added H. W.
Ross and John A. Nelson. Mr. Cole
man was made treasurer of the lire
Iwurd, Mr. Brown secretary, Mr. Boss
•irst assistant lire chief, Mr. Nelson
second assistant lire chief. The tire
chief is chairman of the board.
It wasalso decided to purchase an ex
tensive equipment for fire fighting aj>
paratus. This list had been indicated by
\V. B. Poland in a letter in which he out
lined bis ideas of the system necessary to
offer the city reasonable protection from
lire risks. Mr. Poland’s plan was made
the ba'.is of the citizens’ organization
and the list of articles for department
apparatus suggested by him was adopt
ed with one addition.
Select Hrigade Chiefs
After the lire board was chosen the
members held a short session to soled
head" of tin* different brigades of tire
lighters which t tie plan adopted re
quires to Ik* created. W . A. Sherman
was named as chief of the engine bri
gade. with a force of ten men; John A.
Nflson and 11. W. Boss, chiefs of two
law cart brigades, with tifieen men
each: Thomas Boyd, chief of the hook
and ladder and bucket brigade, with
thirty men. The members of these
brigades will la* chosen by the chief of
each from the list of volunteers.
The meeting was largely attended,
especially by merchants, and although
I the discussion was somewhat lengthy
j not a single voice was raised in objec
tion to the jmrehase of the extensive
i apparatus suggested by Mr. Poland,
kludge Morford presided and Frank L.
Balluine was secretary.
Provides for Tire Station
Mr. Poland’s plan provides for the
erection of a lire station on a vacant
lot to be furnished temporarily by the
townsite company, the building to be
twenty-live square feet with a belfry
for an alarm bell, and of sufficient
height to dry the hose required. In
behalf of the railroad company ho
offered to furnish the dimension lum
ber required for the building, and ex
pressed the opinion that volunteers
could be found to do the carpenter
work. It was agreed that the build
ing should be located not far from the
corner of Fourth avenue and Adams
street, in order to give the department
a downhill run with their apparatus to
the business district.
The subscription list for the neces
sary funds was headed by Mr. Poland
for the railroad company with $200.
At the meeting of the chamber of
commerce Thursday it was voted to
accept the project formulated by the
citizens’ mass meeting to purchase
additional fire apparatus to be used in
connection with that already secured
by the chamber and to assist in the
organization of a volunteer depart
ment uuder the direction of the com
mittee of live of which the three mem
bers of the chamber’s fire committee
constitutes the majority.
Business Men Subscribe $1500
Business men of Seward in a few
hours yesterday subscribed $1500 to
the fund to purchase a complete appar
atus to equip a volunteer tire depart
ment in this city. These were all $100
and $50 subscriptions except the $200
subscription of the railroad company.
Only the larger business houses were
reached, yet the fund at noon was only
$100 short of the amount estimated to
necessary. That sum will easily be ex
ceeded by the subscriptions from the
smaller merchants and individuals not
in general business. W. M. Sauers, K.
L. Whittemore and R H. Stewart are
the committee engaged in raising the
fund.
Hang Ip Fire Bell
The bell belonging to the Catholic
society was hung up across the side
walk from the lire station yesterday
afternoon to l>e used as a lire alarm
bell. Father Turnell gave permission
some time ago for its temporary use
for that purpose. Peterson & Brown
have promised to present the tire de
partment a bell and it will be sent for
at once.
TO CARRY MAIL
EROM SEWARD
Routes to Westward to End at
This Port Instead of Valdez
Hereafter
By Cable to Tho Dally Gateway.
Washington, I). tv'., Jan. 18—The
post cilice department today issued a
call for bids to carry mail from Seward
to the westward over two routes here
tofore leading out from Valdez. 'Ibis
is the result of the creation of a sub
port at Seward, and the extension of
the cable to that place.
One mail route is from Seward to
Nushagak, by way of Seldovia, Homer,
Kodiak, Uyak, Karluk, Coal Bay, Chig
nik, Unga, Sand Point, Cold Harbor,
Petkafsky, Sarechief, Scotch Cap; the
mail to be carried once a month.
The other route is from Seward to
Unalaska, mail to be carried once eacli
month.
ALASKA BILLS
IN COMMITTEE
Washington, I). C., Jan, 17—The
House committee on territories is now
engaged in the consideration of the
various hills which involve Alaskan
affairs. They number fifteen and the*
committee will probably spend a week
on the measures. Alaska representat
| ives will be given a hearing upon all of
them.
Senator Nelson of Minnesota today
introduced a resolution in the Senate
providing the tie* codification of all
Alaska laws and decisions, and the
printing of the same.
Favors Change in Assessment
Washington, D. Jan. 18—The
House committe on public lands today
voted to make a favorable report on
the bill of Congressman Lacey to sub
stitute an annual assessment of $2.>
for tiu; *100 annual assessment work
upon each located mining claim in
Alaska and to apply the fund derived
from such assessments to the construc
tion of roads in the territory.
This measure was favored in the
memorial adopted by the recent Alaska
convention in Seattle and as it is to be
made applicable to Alaska alone it
will probably pass, although some op
position from the territory has de
veloped.
President For Aid to Railroads
Washington, D. C., Jan. 19—Presi
dent Roosevelt favors legislation to aid
the building of railroads in Alaska, the
federal government to guarantee the
interest on the bonds. He so stated to
Senator Nelson and Carl M. Johansen
of Fairbanks, who called upon him
yesterday to discuss Alaskan affairs.
It is expected that the House com
mittee on territories will report, favor
ably tomorrow on the bill to aid the
building of a railroad into the Copper
river country.
CUSTOMS Of NCIALS GET GAY
Canadian Agents on White Pass
Line Annoy Travelers
Travelers over the White Pass road
complain frequently of petty annoy
ances which they claim are imposed
upon them at the international bound
ary by Canadian customs officials, and
it is asserted that this dissatisfaction
is likely to lose the White l'ass some
business. The Skagway Alaskan
says:
“The complaints of people crossing
the line from Alaska to Canada over
the White Pass because of the petti
ness of the policy pursued by the Can
adian customs officer at the summit
are becoming numerous. Some peo
ple go so far as to say they will not go
into the interior this way any more,
but that they will go overland from
Valdez or Seward or up the Yukon.
“The Canadian customs officer at the
Summit is named John Noot, but it is
claimed in his behalf that he is b
following the directions of his c
ior, Collector E. S. Busby
Yukon, who has told him, it
collect duty upon absolute!,
thing, no matter what it is,
taken across the line.
“This order has been construeu
I Mr. Noot to include a sandwich lunc.
a man might have in his overcoat
pocket. One faithful, hard-working
miner who has devoted six or seven
years to the development of a mine in
Canada, was assessed for thetarilT duty
on a pair of shoes which he hud on his
feet which still gave some evidence of
, being new.”
PUSHES ATTACK
ON MCKERSITAM
Senator Nelson Does Not Want
Alaska Judge to Appear
Before Committee
--
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Washington, I). C., Jan. ID Senator
Nelson of Minnesota is leading a hitter
war against the confirmation of Judge
Wickersham of Alaska for another
term. He objected to calling Judge
Wickersham to appear ' in person be
fore the sub-committee which has
charge of the case. This act ion has
aroused some feeling among other
members of the Senate.
The sub-committee of the Senate
judiciary committee, appointed to in
vestigate the Wickersham case, met
this morning to take up the subject.
Senator Nelson is chairman of the sub
committee and Senators Carter and
Pettus are the other two members.
Pettus is opposed to Wickersham.
Today at the opening session Nelson
presented charts which had been draft*
ed to show that Wickersham owns a
lot in Fairbanks upon which saloons
are located which have open gambling
in their rooms.
Nelson was formerly friendly to
Wickersham but he claims that Wick
ersham opposed the division of the
Third judicial district after having
recommended it. This Judge Wicker
sham denies, saying that what he did
was to state in answer to a question
before the House judiciary committee
that one judge could try all the cases
but the district should he divided be
cause of its vast territorial extent.
Confirmation Thought Probable
Washington, I), t'., Jan. 15—The
Senate committee on judiciary will ask
the attorney-general to allow Judge
Wickersham or Alaska to come to tin*
capital to appear before the sub-corn*
mittee appointed to investigate the
charges against h>m. The roque t
will undoubtedly be granted.
The general belief is that Judge
Wickersham will he confirmed for
another term after a severe quizzing.
The opposition to him is not considered
formidable enough to defeat his con
firmation unless some of the charges
are made to stick.
TO TRADE WITH
ENTIRE COAST
Seattle, Jan. 17—Maj. John E. Bal
laine in an interview published today
says that the Alaska Central Railway
will reach out for business to all coast
cities; that it is not being built for the
benefit of Seattle but for the region it
will traverse, and that its outside trade
will go where the company and Alas
ka can reap the most advantage.
This statement was made in refuta
tion of the charge which has been
made in the newspapers of other cities,
particularly Portland, that the Alaska
Central and the town of Seward are
the proteges of Seattle and all their
business will be controlled by this city.
To Run Boats on Kuskokwim
Capt. W. D. Geiger has organized
a company with Nome capital to oper
ate a new trading and transportation
company to handle the Kuskokwim
river business. Steamer Quickstep is
now being put in repair in the Snake
river at Nome for spring service. The
Kuskokwim is navigable for 1,000
miles.
Reports Big Copper find
A discovery of a big led?'
grade copper ore has b
Knight’s Island by O
partners. The find
one and is said
the Sound. *
been expo
of verv
copr
r
ei.
buii
The .
son’s dof*
use north o
traction on ti
TAKES IF CASE
CE GOV. BRADY
President Ur^ed to Name Succes
sor and Dick Ryan Boosts
for W T Perkins
By Cable to The Dally Gateway.
Washington, I). ('., .Ian. 17 The
President is now considering the ea*
of Gov. Grady of Alaska. A general
belief prevails here that llrady will he
asked to resign if lie is not -a mmarily
removed.
This morning a committee composed
of Senators Piles. Allis* 11 and l/idge
I accompanied by Richards. Kyan and
Ex-Governor Swinoford, two of the
Alaska delegates elected by the Scuttle
convention, called on the President to
discuss Alaskan affairs. Kyan is tin
moving spirit in agitating the guberna
torial matter. He asked that a
resident of Alaska be appointed to
succeed Brady and strongly recom
mended W. T. Perkins of Nome The
' President listened to the delegation at
I length but did not. coinmii himself.
Perkins is here and during the Whit*
House conference was closeted with
1 Secretary Shaw of the treasury depart
I ment.
W. B. lloggatt of Juneau is the only
candidate for the governorship besides
Perkins. Hi* is strongly indorse*! amt
is considered a formitiahie factor.
I’erkins May Became Gavernor
Washington, I). .Ian. lb Vhr
Alaska delegation now in the city lx
lieve that W. 'I'. Perkins m likely to
land the governorship of the territory,
in ease Iirady vacates, and that ►
thought to he probable.
The main obstacle to I’erkins’ snct ess
is that Secretary Hitchcock of tin it
I lerior department is opposed to him.
iloggatt ‘s campaign is not being pushed
vigorously. I’erkins is here managing
tiis own canvass.
Seattle, Jan. I<> Steamship Oregon
arrived yesterday afternoon from the
north, having made the run from Klla
mar in four days and one hour. This
is a record run from that port to Seai
tle for any vessel. It was the third
trip of the Oregon.
i lit? wrrj'Uii siiiieu iruiu ot*».nu utn«
uary 7 at 1:30 a. ra. She did not get
away from Kllamar until the afternoou
of January 11, owing to various delays,
one of which was caused by striking**
reef. A careful examination of her
was made by the ship's officers before*
she understock to load ore but no vis
ible damage had resulted aud she pro
ceeded on her way.
Oregon to Sail Next Monday
Steamship Oregon will sail for S* w
ard from Seattle next Monday evening.
A private message from the company s
Seattle office to Agent Brown in Sew
ard today announced the schedule
sailing. This disposes of the fear
the Oregon might have been d*
by scraping on a reef near '
she went southward the 1
would be compelled to
for repairs.
r