VO,, s. SEWAHI), ALASKA. Tn:si)A\ IV HNIMi. DECEMBER », MM3 NO..',I
ALASKA OFFERS
GREAT FIFED FOR
SIGHT SEERS
It is vorv probable that more Ameri
can traveler* are familiar with the
picturesque fiord* and glaciers of Scan
dinavia than have viewed the incom
parable scene' > afforded by the c«>a*t
of their ow n Alaska, whore the somber
inlets are bound* ii by sheer and tower
ing cliff* and where the great fields of
slow-moving snow-ice lose themselves
in some buy or inlet or pitch off sud
denly into the ocean itself. Hie stream
of visitors to this splendid American
scenery is annually increasing in mini- j
hers, and to those who indorse tiie
“See Aniercia First” program Alaska
offers a magniticent field.
Alaska glaciers were probably tir*t
known as the result of Captain Cook s
cud Admiral Vancouver’s explorations
in 177* and 1714. some of i he maps of
the early voyages showing certain of
the bays or tiords were ended by verti
cal walls of ice, from which block* fell :
into the sea. In more recent years<
discussions of these huge glaciers nave j
been given in the reports of Dali, Gil-J
heft, Tarr, Brooks, Grant, Mendenhall
Martin and others, ot the In.ted
States Geological Survey, and in the
publicatioi $ of such or ganizations as
tha National Geographic Society and
the Llarrimau Ala*\a Expedition.
The mo>t recent contributions on
the great glaciers of Alaska is Bulletin
5*Jf» of the Tinted States (ieologial
Survey, “Coas’ul Glaciers of Truce
William Sound and Kenai Penii sula,
A!a*K:t,v by U. S. Grant and l>. F.
Higgins. The report is urolusely il
lustrated with photographs and with
maps of the individual glaciers, as
well a* two comprehensive maps ot
Prince Wilburn Sound and the South
western part of the Kenai Peninsula,
showing the location of scores of glac
iris. The report is in facta gu.de and
huudbook to the wonderful scenic
region which must prove invaluable to
the tourist.
Many valuable data and important
measurements of glaciers in the l nited
States, Alaska and elsewhere have been
brought together from time to time,
aud it is probably the general impres
sion that since the vast ice sheet
which covered the northern part of
North America began its retreat the
glaciers of the continent have been
continually shiinking. It is therefore
interesting to note from the illustra
tions ana descriptions in Bulletin oJti
that some of these Alaskan glaciers
are progressing and growing larger
rather than retrogressing; many huge
forest* have been upturned aud devas
tated by the irresistible advance of
the ice. lu other glaciers the retreat
within a peroid of 10 years jhas been
more than a mile. The great magni
tude of some of these glaciers is seen
in the descriptions, which indicate the
height of the tidal ice cliffs that form
the termini of the glaciers as being
from 300 to 400 feet. Slowly moving
down the mountain vaileys, some of
them steeply pitched and others relati
vely Hat, these stupendous ice fields
induce billious of tons of ice. Many
young Americans can find here
memorials ot their alma mater, for
among College Fiord are Vale Glacier,
Harvard Glacier, Smith Glacier. Bryn
Mawv Glacier, aud \ assar and Well
esley glaciers.
John Holmes, who is here from
lditarod City, is connected with the
Merchants and Miners’ Hank of that
place, and formerly was cashier of a
bank at Candle C reek.
Tom Ham bright, a homesteader liv
ing at mile 7, trapped a tine otter the
«iher day.
Meet me at the Branch *
Lost—One 50 share stock certificate,
Alaska Electric Co. Finder please re
turn to Samuel I. Silverman. *
Pabstc blue ribbon beer at The
*
Branch. .
BttUweietr beer al %be Breeeh.
Washington, D. C., Dec. 8, 1913.
Seward Commercial Club, Seward, Alaska:
The senate has just ordered the Alaska railway bill
set to follow the currency bill, as next order of business,
which insures final action.
The bill is set for final action in the house Wednesday
(tomorrow). JAMES WICKERSHAM, j
Delegate from Alaska:
RECENT REPORT I
ISSUED ABOUT :
YENTNA HEEDS,
In investigating and reporting on j
»i) j mtm*i'M1 r**M)ui ees of Alaska it has ^
been the plan of the Geological Sur-1
V*ev to study the producing districts as
appropriations provided ny congress
permit. In accordance with this plan,
the Ventna gold-mining district was
tirst visited in 1911, and the final re
port on this interesting area, entitled
“The Ventna District. Alaska.” by
Stephen K. Gapps, has just been issued
as Bulletin 534 of the United States
Geological Survey. I tie district te
eeived its name from Ventna Kiver,
the largest tributary of Susitna river,
which drains a great basin in south
central Alaska.
The prospectors who visited this atea
in 11H15 in their search tor gold may
well have been impressed bv tin* scenic
beauty or the country into which they
penetrated. Indeed, according to Mr.
rapp>, few places in the work! have so
superb a setting, lo the northwest
the Alaska range, with its thousands
of square miles of unexplored territory
rises in a labyrinth of ragged peaks,
with two gee at domes, Mount horaker,
17.000 feet high, and Mount McKinley,
20,300 feet, dominating the whole range
with their snow covered slopes. Huge
glaciers, which head in unknown basins
push down the valleys to the very
thinks of the range.
Although the Ventna district is not
one of the widely known gold camps,
and its gravels are only of moderate
richness, it lias produced steadily since
the tirst year of its discovery and will
probably continue for many years to
add to the sum of Alaska’s gold pro
duction. Even within the last two
years discoveries of gold in old stream
channels, buried beneath a covering of
glacial debris, havs opened a new field
, for prospectors.
The description of the geology and
mineral resources of this district, Bui
I let in 534, with geologic and topo
graphic maps inclosed, may be ob
tained free on application to the Di
rector of the Geological Survey, Wash
ington, D. C.
The steamer Northwestern was still
in Valdez at 1 o’clock this afternoon,
but expected to sail for Seward within
' an hour or so.
Service for 10c up and meal tickets
that last forever at $7.
Commerce Cafe
Meet meat the brannn
Community silver, Sheri ion. La Rose
and De Lax# patterat. tiUerjre the
Jeweler.
BRYAN'S THEORY
GF GOVERNMENT
When William Jennings Bryan re
turned to New York frmna triparou *d
th** world a number years ago, he'
slai th'd th.e people by declaring in a j
speech that he made in Madison *<|uarc
Garden that he believed the United;
States might sometime be compelled to J
take over tiie ownership and operation
of the railroads of the country. Aj
stortn of protest arose from sea to sea '
and Bryan’s suggestion was covered
with ridicule. In more recent years
he has said little about government
ownership of these public utilities, but
he probably has not changed Ids belief J
therein. Now that government owned »
and operated railroads are proposed
for Alaska, the proposition has been j
received with much favor, especially
in the west. This would not have been
the case ten years ago, but public sen- j
timent in this respect has undergone a ;
perceptible change and government
ownership of many other public utili
ties, among which is telegraphy, may
now be discussed in a safe and sane
manner. Truly, the times change, and
we change with them. 11 tiie federal
government can own and operate
canals, steamship lines, the parcel post,
postal savings banks in a succetsful
manner, why could it not operate tele- •
graphs and telephones and also rail-1
roads? One reason that the govern
ment ownership of public utilities
1 finds opposition is to be found in the >
: fact that this is an individualistic na
tion, and we are unwilling to allow the
I government to do things which we
; imagine we can do better ourselves.—
1 Empire.
CABLE LINE WILE
SOON BE REPAIRED |
! |
I The cableship Burnside, enroute to
■ repair the broken cable 200 miles west
| of Sitka, is nearing the scene. The
i Valdez office this morning received
I orders to watch for signals, indicating
the near approach of the repair ship.
It is fair to assume that within two or
three days communication will be re
stored, much to the relief of patrons of
the cable line.
Sourdoughs and chechakos, you
are invited to the Commerce Cafe.
Service every hour In 24.
Field tlaeaee at J. L. Oraef ’».
FIRST COAL IK I
IK YEAR 1758
The presence of coal in tin* Rich
mond basin of Virginia was known as
far back as 1700 and mint s were opened j
and worked at as early a date ae l <50. !
In 1780 shipments were made to some !
of the northern states. In 1*22, ae- j
cording to R. Taylor, in Ids “Sta
tistics of Coal,’’ the production
amounted to 54,000 short tons. I*or
nearly a century the Richmond basin
maintained some prominence as a coal
producer, but in 1882, when the Poca
hontas district was opened, followed
shortly afterward by the development
of the New River field in West \ ir
ginia. the mines in the Richmond basin
were put at a disadvantage and opera
tions were for many years practically !
suspended.
During the last four years, however, ,
new life lias been introduced into the j
Richmond basin areas by the reopen- I
ing of tiie old Gavton mines in lien- j
rico county. For many years after the
opening of the southwestern \ irginia
and the southern West Virginia coals j
the mines of the Richmond basin lay
idle or were worked only for a re
stricted local market. The Richmond'
basin is the only area producing free
burning coal which lies immediately j
adjacent to tiie Atlantic seaboard.
_
Deputy United States Marshal Evans
this forenoon sold three work dogs,
seized from King Thurman when he
was arrested for violation of the game
law, at public auction, and the animals
were bid in by E. E. Chamberlain at
$148. This sum represents the cost of,
feeding the animals for the past eight j
months and costs attending the sale.
Dr. Rotnig reports that the com
mittee in charge of trail breaking per
formed an excellent service yesterday.
William Weaver and James Clinton,
on snow shoes, took the lead. John A.
Nelson, with a dog team, was among
the mushers who assisted. John just
talks to the dogs, instead of applying
the lash used by the more inhumane.
Welcome to Patrons.
Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Perkins take
pleasure in announcing that the Vienna
cafe will be re-opened under their
management at ft o’clock this evening,
when dinner will be served. Old and
new patronB are cordially invited.
Three meals for One Dollar. Open
day and night. Commerce Cafe
lee creepers and iee skates at J. L.
Graef’s.
BEASTS AnS
BIBBS NATIVE T9
THIS REGION
Both Bald K»gies and lh« Golden
inhabit this country, Trie later is
found in the interior mountain
regions, l’he former is a vt»r\ com
mon bird ail .along tin* coast where
their huge nests are a conspicuous
feature of the landscape. The young
birds of tlie Bald Kagle first appear in
a black plumage and do not acquire
the white head and tail of the adult
until three years of age. For this
reason they are often classed as a diff
erent bird -the so called Black Kagle,
in which stage they hear some resem
blance to the Golden Kagle hilt can
readily he distiuguisdd by the legs;
those of the Golden Kagle being feath
ered to ttie toes, while the Bald Kagle
is bare from the knee down.
Magpies and two kinds of Jays aer
permanant residents. 'The Alaska Jay
Commonly known as “Camp Robber”
will appeal1 almost anywhere on the
scene as soon as tiie aroma of fried
bacon is in the air. The other, Stel
ler’s Jay, of ultramarine blue with
black crest is equally bold but of more
local distribution.
The summer season brings several
kinds of Sparrows, dozens of bright
colored Warblers, the Hermit '\ hru>li,
three kinds of Swallows, two <1110
Birds, the Western and the Arctic,
the latter pure azure colored througu
put but shy and exclusive, seldom
courting the haunts of man.
Kven Humming Birds are not
averse to a summer sojourn in Alaska,
for the Rufus Hummer of the Pacino
Coast is a regular visitor to our gar
den of w iId tlowers.
A characteristic turd of the d irk
canons and swift flowing streams is
the Water Ouzel, a Samuil bird si» u
living in and out of the spray ot the
cataracts or bobbing about along tho
wet rucks, as much at home in the
water as out of it. fcTheir nests are
marvels of bird aicbitecture, being
composed of moss with waterpro >f
lining, bung behind a small wateriali,
the spray of which keeps it green and
growing, harmonizing so perfectly
w ith its surroundings as to be almost
beyond detection.
The giant Alaska mouse inhabits Hie
Kenai peninsula; the Woodland Cari
bou is found in tlie interior and ilie*
Kodiak bear is found on Kodiak island,
a* well as other contiguous region^.
Fach of these spec«es is the largest of
its kind.
^The smaller black and brown hear
iu*e to he found in most any likely lo
cality, not a few being taken eacn
year near Seward. In the interior
lives the rare and little know Glacu-r
bear, a small cream-colored fellow wi.o
has a reputation of always being » n
the tight.
The White Mountain Sheep of
ka, an animal totally different from
the dark Big Horn of the Rockies, ui.d
only until recently known lo science,
is native to the Kenai peninsula and
interior Alaska.
Mountain Goats are plentiful in the
vicinity of certain coast glaciens.
Rabbits, or more correctly speaking,
the Northern Hare, that change id
white with the first snowfall, are
abundant some seasons and almost un
known at others; dying off at time* by
the thousands as through stricken
wuth a plague.
Among fur bearing animals the
country is famous for its Martin,
Beaver, Mink, Land Otter, L\nx,
Frmine, Wolverine, Fisher and its
many foxes, the lied Gross. Black,
Silver Grey, and Blue fox.
Bread for sale—10c a loaf or 12 for
$1. At Commerce Cate
Sleds for boys and girls; sleds for
uaen. At J. L. Graef’s. *
For reliable information write Cuq
bod, Pioneer hotel, JCnlk. Alaska, t
Long distance telephone booth at the
Braneh. *