$c it) aril IPatMatatJ ai|
• OF SEWARD, ALASKA — Established August 19. 1904
Published daily except Sunday bv
THE GATEWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY
Enrered in the postoffice at Seward Alaska as
second-class mail matter.
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IN DEFENSE OF ALASKA
A few weeks ago The Gateway published an article from
the Chicago Tribune wherein was contained the attack
on the Alaska Railroad by Senator Howe and Treadway.!
Also, the able defense of Alaska, by Representative Ves
tal. The Gateway at that time invited expressions of
opinions. Evidently Alaskans, as a whole, are willing to
howl but that is all for the following is the only contribut
ed letter received. And it is with much pleasure we pub
lish it,
Mr. Keys is actuated in the matter solely with a view
to give every moral assistance possible to Mr. Vestal and
those who are taking up the cudgel in our defense. He
says, in his letter to this paper, if we remain silent others
will take it for granted that Alaska is the picture Howell
and Treadway painted or we would make some defense.
Representative A. H. Vestal. House Office Building Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. Vestal:
I am w.iting to thank you for your able defense of Alaska. In your
speech answering the attack of Representative Treadway, you disproved a
cumber of fallacies regarding our Territory, and Alaskans are indeed for
tunate in possessing such a champion.
I myself am an oldtimer; came to Alaska in 1S96 and have lived herd
engaged in mining ever since with the exception of the past two years. I
have operated on an extensive scale for a portion of the time, and although
ice production of the efforts of myself and family has mounted up closje to
itie million mark, still we have nothing left clear for ourselves. Mainly
due to the fact of the heavy overhead expense, the input little more than bal
anced the output.
The principal factor contributing to this result of the unusjually heavy
expense was the lack of transportation. Conditions now that we have the
railroad are so improved, that could we have had the same advantages about
10 years earlier a great many of us would have something to show for to re
ward us for the tremendous’hard toil and the many severe privations which
we have experienced.
i
There is the consolation of still having a show to make good for by!
reaajon of the railroad which has so substantially reduced the cost of opera
Tions we can work the heretofore unworkable in a number of instances, and
capital is finding a field which is attractive for investments; only give us
a fair and reasonable chance and under the new conditions and in a few
years we shall hope to see the railroad be self supporting. '‘Rome was not
built in a day”, nor have a great many other railroads besides! the Alaska
Railroad been a paying proposition from the start. The Northern Pacific
had the help of millions of acres of land from the government and yet it was
years before that wonderful corporation could operate without a yearly.
deficit. The Canadian Pacific was subsidized for years.
As to the Alaska Railroad costing so much more than the original esti
mates, it’s not fair to charge all that up to Alaska. The railroad waisl built
by Government appointees who had little or no experience in that line of
work. Any responsible experinced railroad contractor could no doubt have i
I
saved millions on the construction alone, and had it been isairveyed by more
experienced engineers several millions more could have been saved.
Many of us who have toiled so .sitrenously here in Alaska in helping to
produce that ‘‘billion and a quarter of wealth” have done so at the expense
of our health. Many more like myself have received no benefit whatever.!
We are not cryng or bewailing our hard luck; but are still going strong and
putting forth our very' best efforts! to make a strike that may mean a substan
tial profit to each of us individually as well as contributing to the develop
ment of the United States.
It is with no desdre to engage in a criticism of Colonel “Dick” Richard
I
eon s work in the construction of the Richardson Highway here in Alaska; J
but will isay that there are many who comment on the fact that it was a j
rather extravagant job. There are an endless number of curves thru the i
Tanana Flats, which apparently there is no good reason for. It made longer
callage to build and consequently a greater distance to keep in repair. We
all make mistakes and for that reason should be more charitable of others.
There are thousands of acres of fertile soil here in Alaska; and while
we do not have everywhere the salubrious climate of the States, still we can!
to adapt themselves to the varying conditions, I feel confident that they will
have proportionately greater success. Many farmers in the States have I
oniy of the past few years learned to adopt a system of diversified crops and
are turning past failures into present successes. Quite recelntly live stock
in on dice to
DE PRESENTED IT 1
May will be ushered in thia year
wiUi a beautiful May Day Dance,
which has been in course of prepara-;
tlon for many days past, by Mtea Tal-|
bert, under the auspice-* of the Ameri
can Legion Auxiliary, who annually
are sponsors of this affair. The talJ
ented pupils of Miss Talbert, dancing
teacher, are rehearsing steadily and
a number of clever terpsicherean num
bers will be presented, including the
May Pole Dance. Odd Fellows hall
will be the place and May 1 Is the
date. i
STARR SOUTHBOUND
The S. S. Starr, of the S. J. F. & P.
Co., arrived at Unalaska yesterday
morning at 7 o’clock and left last
evening at 7 o’clock for Seward. The
Starr Is expected to return to portj
about the 24th.
HIGHWAY ENGINEER
R. J. Sommers, Territorial Highway
Engineer, returned to Seward yester
day from an official trip of inspec_
tion of Interior work. While here
Mr. Sommers will go over the local
aviation field with city and Chamber
of Commerce officials, with the view
of Territorial assistance for improve
ments.
RAIL OFFICIAL HERE
Norman M. Lack, Alaska Rairroad
official, arrived in Seward yesterday
froin his Anchorage office. Mr. Lack
will remain for the remainder of the
*
week.
Henry Lucas and George B. Nelson,
two of the best known of Alaskan li
censed guides and big game hunters,
arrived in the city last evening from
their lodge on Lake Skilak.
The last of the automobiles which
have been in the local railroad sheds
awaiting transportation to the Inter
ior, went North today.
POUT (If Ml'V MfN |;
Omer A. Hoover, at one time era- i
Ployed at Indiana State Soldiers’ i
Home, deserted from 3rd Field Ar_ ^
tillery at Ft. Harrison, Indianapolis, t
Ind. His mother, Mrs. Lola Palmer, (
1815 Hanna St., Lafayette, Ind., wants f
to hear from him.
t
8 O'CLOCK
ONE SHOW —
8 O'CLOCK
A rich all comedy program
P—Z—Z—Z—Z—Z— Z—Z—Z—Z— the
“ Whole
Town’s
Talking”
The keenest comedy drama of scandalmonger’s
activities ever seen in Seward
A laugh provoking play by an unusually fine
cast composed of
EDWARD EVERETT HORTON
VIRGINIA LEE CORBIN
DOLORES DEL RIO
HYDEN STEVENSON
The whole town will be talking about this
feature after they have seen it
LAUGH — LAUGH — LAUGH — LAUGH
There will be, also, a roaring 2-reel Comedv
HONEST INJUN
Preceded by a reel of Jokes and a Fable
• ■ i
SUP 0* EXESPS
fBy “Babe” Hayes. Cordovai
Dr. Classen Mo wry, Providence. R.
. “Was glad to hear from you as it
wrought back memories of your kind
less and cordiality to us when we
vere in Cordova in 1926. If there
vere more men in Alaska at the dif
erent stopping places like you who
^’ould take an interest in showing
ourists the place of interest and be
rdial to them as you are it would
urely stimulate interest in visiting
his far away Alaska.”
CABIN FOR RENT. J. L. GRAEF. GENUINE GILLETTE SAFTY RAZ
---- ORS. $1.00. SCHALLERER'S ALAS
Brown & Hawkins have ka shop.
the exclusive sale of Mef- __
ford’s ranch eggs. See our window. Seward
J. h. Mefford Trading Co.
raising has been started along tbe coast and bids fair to become very success
ful. Numerous lode mines which before the advent of the railroad w'ere
too low grade to operate successfully, are now being reopened and no doubt
a goodly percentage will yield a profit. Placer ground is attracting capital
ists who are -spending millions in dredges and extensive ditches and pipe
lines, going ahead regardless of the threats of certain members of Congress
to take away the railroad. But there is a grave danger to the future progress
and advancement of our Territory, that those threats will have a material
effect in deterring other capital from any investment here, As you state
the wealth which the Territory produces does not stay here but goes in a
constant flow to the States, and it is developing the United States by the
process. The harping carping criticism only serves to discourage and deter
more extensive operations here, and is really moat discouraging to those
who are willing to take the risk.
I particularly wish to thank you for your kind words of praise of the
white citizens of Alaska. And your appeal to your fellow-memberst in the
House to give “what is most needed a little encouragement to the people who
have pioneered” this country of ours who have spent the best part of our
lives here; and are rearing families because, after all, the real development of
the Territory must come thru us.
Thanking you again for your able defense of Alaska,
I am most sincerely yours
B. M. KEYS
FRATERNAL ORDERS
, SEWARD POST NO. 5, AM
0 ERICAN LEGION, meets 2nd
and 4th Tuesdays each month
at Odd Fellows Hall.
Chas. Sheldon, Adjutant
H. DuMarce, Commander
SEWARD CHAPTER NO. 10. ORDER
OF EASTERN STAR
Meets the second and
fourth Mondays of each
month in Odd Fellows’
Hall at 8 p. m. Visiting
members always wel
come; Mrs. Anna Lee
lie, W. M.; T. P. Graham, Secretary.
SFWARD LODGE NO. 1425, L.O.O.M.
Meets every first
and third Fri
day each month
at 8 p. m., at
Odd Feliow8'
Hall. All visit
i n g members
W'Sl’C 0 TT10
PETER N. ANDERSON, Dictator.
M. A. HORNER, Secretary.
IGLOO NO. NINE-PIONEERS OF
ALASKA
Meets every Second and Fourth Fir
day nights in Odd Fellows’ Hall; Chas.
Crawford, President; C. M. Brosius,
Secretary.
SEWARD REBEK^H LODGE NO. £■
A., I. O. O. F.
Meets the first and
third Mondays of
each month In Odd
Fellows’Hall at 8: ••
p. m. Visiting mem
bers are always wel
come. Mrs. P. N. Anderson, N. G.,
Ludvig Larsson, Sec’y.
RESURRECTION LODGE NO. A-7
I. O. O, F.
Meets every Thurday at
8 00 p. m. in Odd FellowB’
Hall. Visiting brothers welcome.
Gust A. Peterson, N. G., Ludvif
Larsson, Sec'y.
SEWARD LODGE NO. 219, F. & A. WL
Stated communications first
and third Tuesdays of each
month. Visiting brethern wel
come. Henry Frost, W. M.; T. P. Gra
ham, Secretary.