Seward Daily Gateway
OF SEWARD. ALASKA — ESTABLISHED August 19. 1904
Published Daily except Sunday by
THE GATEWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY
Entered at the Post Office at Seward, Alaska, as second-class matter
H. V. ROUEN and E. F. JESSEN. Proprietors
E. F JESSEN Ed'toi and Manager Edwin A. Sandbeck, Associate Editor
A PICAYUNISH POLICY
Final notice that the Alaska Railroad is not and was
not constructed for the primary objects voiced by the
Wilson administration, that of stimulating development,
but that it is, in the words of the late Senator Howell,
“being run for blood,” with the small population of some
10,000 souls sources of the blood infusion, is expressed in
the regulations established for collecting tolls over the
Richardson Highway.
Under these rules Class A vehicles, composed of
passenger cars, Class B, vehicles carrying passengers for
hire, and Class C, all vehicles in transportation of freight,
will pay from $100 to $175 annually in tolls whether the
highway is used for long or short distance!
It is a sad commentary upon statesmanship when
it is necessary to use the power of the United States gov
ernment to strangle struggling enterprises established
by frontiersmen in an effort to maintain a foothold in
Alaska.
Now if some foolhardy skipper happens to run a
cargo of merchandise up the Yukon River to Fairbanks
one may look for the rum guard fleet to be stationed at
St. Michael to head of this competition with the railroad.
The one responsible for this state of affairs should
take a deep measure of astuteness to himself as an exalt
ed empire builder shading the record of James J. Hill.
MORE GRIEVANCES
(Continued from Pate On»I
tc freight cargo for the Alaska
Railroad is justified by J. R. Um
mel, purchasing agent of the De
partment of Indian Affairs. But
private carriers had no chance to
compete. There is no published tar
iff on ties from Seattle to Seward.
In 1926 the rate was $10, while
the following year it dropped to
58.95.
The North Star landed ties at
Seward at a cost of 13 cents apiece,
according to Mr. Ummel. This
compares with 3IV2 cents each, he
says, if the commercial rate is
figured at $10. The cost of using
the Boxer in this service, he adds,
is $5.77 per thousand feet, board
measure, or less than 22 cents
each. But to make the comparisons
fair the government cost figures do
not include insurance, depreciation,
interest, taxes and other overhead
which every private owner must
pay.
From an operating standpoint
the voyage of the Boxer is interest
ing. On the present trip the us
ula ship’s complement of thirteen
was reduced to seven. Contrary to
custom, the government is not pro
viding subsistence for these men.
They hired their cook and bought
their supplies. No overtime is be
ing paid. This is saving money for
i the government but it is being tak
en out of the pockets of the crew.
Based on an anticipated 30-day
voyage, the Boxer’s w^ages will to
tal $810. as follows: Master, $200;
mate, $130; first engineer, $145; as
sistant, $105; three seamen, $75
each.
The wage scale on a typical Al
aka freight steamer, including
subsistence, overtime being paid in
addition, follows: Master $234;
mate, $139: chief engineer. $200;
first assistant. $139: seamen, $55
each.
The plan of having the crew
furnish cook and subsistence is ex
pected to be instituted on the
North Star in the future. It is an
innovation in sea practice.
Fuel, lubricating oil and engine
SEWARD WATER SUPPLY
Seward, Alaska
“Good water a necessity in every home”
Wayne Blue, Agent
Office, Arcade Building—Phone, Main 81
Seward Hotel
Mrs. D. J. McKenzie, Prop.
SEWARD, ALASKA
MODERN
REASONABLE
Rooms with or without bath
SPECIAL RATES BY
WEEK OR MONTH
Serving
The Moose Pass, Hope and Sunrise Districts
Hope and Seattle Potatoes
Swiss, Brick, American and Pimen
to cheese
Men’s and Boys Caps
Ball Band retanned 12” Leather
Top Crepe Sole Shoe Pacs.$5.00
14 oz. Canvas Gloves.25c
GEORGE ROLL
HOPE, ALASKA
room supplies ofr the Boxer are fi
gured at $11.50 a day or $345 for
the month. Loading the cargo cost
$211, a low figure for stowing creo
soted material. Day labor was used.
jThe longshoremen’s scale was cut
115 per cent in line with the cut
I in government wages. It was held
I that the stevedores were in govern
mental employ while working on the
Boxer.
Voyage expenses of the Boxer
thus total $1,366 to which was ad
ded $62 for repairs. This gives a
cost of $5.77 per thousand feet,
board measure. Thb motorshp car
ried. 6,600 ties, totaling 247,500 feet.
The North Star can stow about 24,
000 pieces.
Discharge costs are not included
in the tabulation because the Al
aska Railroad accepts cargo at
1 ship’s sling. However, the work of
taking the ties out of the hold
and slinging them for movement
over the side is to be done by the
' crew.
Experienced shipping men have
expressed surprise that treated ma
terial should be carried in ships us
ed for passengers and the trans
portation of foodstuffs and perish
ables. Many commercial lines refuse
to handle creosoted lumber. Mr.
Ummel states that the North Star’s
holds were carefully dunnaged and
no taint remains.
Waterfront criticism is based on
the use of government tonnage on
a route where regular service is
maintained and also because bids
wrere not taken. Furthermore the
wage scale is said to be too low.
The practice of compelling the
crew to furnish food and pay for
its preparation is condemned
As a matter of fairness to all,
it has been suggeted that govern
ment departments should ship all
their freight on commercial lines
i or chartered tonnage to a base in
the North, Dutch Harbor for in
stance, From that point the vari
ous bureaus could serve the out
lying ports, as far as Point Barrow.
Award of freighting contracts
'would be by bids. This system, it
I is asserted, would eliminate irritat
; ing competition with regular lines
i which furnished scheduled service
I in good seasons and poor. It would
I gives the government opportunity
; to care for its stations with its
| vesels, operatings from the base,
i There is no danger of a shipping
monopoly as the appropriation bill
for the Alaska Railroad has for
years contained a clause providing
I for a government steamship line
| between Seattle and Seward, as a
threat to commercial operators if
■ they tried to exact unreasonable
1 rates.
Discussing the matter from the
j viewpoint of the Department, Mr.
; Ummel said:
“When we got the Boxer 11 years!
jago there were only a few estab-j
fished government schools and |
| most of them were at regular ports j
cf call. Now no ships call at all
our stations and we find it pays!
to have our own service, both De-|
cause it is cheaper and also more
efficient. We lost money when we
shipped on private carriers and
l found the service unsatisfactory,
i You must remember we have spe
i cial conditions to meet. We have
to lighter cargo at out of the way
villages on dangerous, exposed
coasts.
i “The North Star represents an
j investment of 5400,000. She earn
j ed $35,000 for the government last
I year and we figure she will pay for
| herself in three years. Even if she
were laid up, sh would be a good
I investment as" a threat in keep
j ing rates down.”
NOTICE
I
Will be back from Nuka Bay on
about July 15. i
Earl Mount,
Seward Leather Works.
VEGETABLE AND
FLOWER SEEDS
HARDWARE, STOVES AND
RANGES
Tinning and Plumbing
J. L. GRAEF
Sew. rd, Alaska
LIBERTY HALL
Talking Motion Pictures Every Night But Monday
Show Tonight at 8 o’clock
One of the world’s most famous actors
GEORGE ARLISS
The man who stands in a class by himself in the fine drama
"THE SUCCESSFUL CALAMITY"
We need say no more as any picture in which this great Artist
appears is worth seeing.
In addition we have an unusual attrackm in the fine two
reel Opera Drama staged in Egypt
VERY FINE VOCAL MUSIC
A show in itself. Also a News. is
4
Cal M. Brosius
BUILDERS’ SUPPLIES
EVERY ITEM IN THE BUILDER S LINE
AGENT FOR ROYCROFT MOOSE PASS MILL
Mine Supplies, Rails, Rail Bolts, Rail Spikes,
Wheelbarrows, Drill Steel, Blacksmith Coal
Seward, Alaska
CMB
Phone Mad. 52
■A
>
THE ALASKA RAILROAD
TRAINS ARRIVE P.M. TRAINS DEPART A.M.
Thursday and Friday 6:00 Friday 9:00 Saturday 7:30
Mixed Train Arrives . Wednesday p. m.
Mixed Train Departs . Saturday not earlier than 10 a. m.
Round trip tickets on sale between all stations at 1 1-3 of one
way fare. Passengers from Seward leave on Friday or Satur
day; return the following Thursday or Friday. Passengers for
Seward from stations Curry South leave on Thursday and Fri
day. Consult ticket agent for further particulars and rates.
Motorship Discoverer
REGULAR SAILINGS FROM SEWARD TO KENAI, KASILOF,
NINILCHIK, SELDOVIA AND WAY PORTS
Captain Heinie Berger, Master
The Gateway, Seward Office
STEAMSHIP STARR
CAPTAIN ARTHUR RYNING
SAN JUAN FISHING & PACKING CO.
Next Seattle Sailing About Aug. 2
Chas. A. Jansen, Agent
Phone Madison 139 Seward, Alaska
•k
V
'4
FINEST
kSTEAMERS
LARGEST
FLEET
Steamer
Yukon
Aleutian
Yukon
Aleutian
# Yukon
Lv. Seattle Lv. Seward
July 8 July 14 9 p m.
July 15 July 21 9 p.m.
July 22 July 28 9 p.m.
July 29 Aug. 4 9 p.m.
Aug. 5 Aug. 11 9 p.m.
Ports of Call: Ketchikan, Wrangle, Juneau,
Cordova, Valdez, and Seward
S. S. Depere sails from Seattle for Seward
July 6
J. H. Flickinger, Agent
Satan** marked * connect with SS. Starr at Seward
Sailing! from Seattle at 9 a.m. on dates shows
Alaska Steamship Co.