SetMr&IlaUtjiatenMt)
OF SEWARD, ALASKA — Established August 19^ 1904
Publisued daily except Sunday by
THE GATEWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY
fJucered in the postoffice at Seward Alaska as
second-class mail matter.
MEMBER OE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
H. V. HOBtN and E. F. JESSEN, Proprietors
E F, Jessen, Editor and Manager
The Associated Press ss exclusively entitled to tne use for republieatioa
oi all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise in this paper and also
tile local news published herein.
All rights for republicatiou of special dispatches herein are reserved.
THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES,
Your editorial in last Sunday's paper captioned,
“The Truth About Alaska" is quite perplexing to me.
The caption, to say the least, is misleading, and the object
of the article is obscure. You use the word “debunk";
that is very harsh language. It preconceives the exist
ence of bunk. What kind of bunk, pray? A bill of par
ticulars should be forthcoming. You quote General Rich
ardson, as saying; “The American people have been led
to believe that the purchase of Alaska from Russia was a
great business bargain." Is that bunk? That purchase
certainly was a great business bargain. Business alone
however was not responsible for the sale and purchase;
other matters entered into the consideration.
Your article refers to a comparison between that
purchase and the Louisiana Purchase. While surely not
detracting from the latter, yet the comparison is not dis
advantageous to the Alaska Purchase. It is stated that
the Government has already expended about $200,000,000
on the Territory. You do not state how much money has
been expended on the Territory covered by the Louisiana
Purchase. Those expenditures are up in the millions.
You state that the Alaska Government Railroad was
built owing to exaggerated statements of Alaska's wealth
and opportunities, and quite frankly admit that other
things besides entered into the transaction. We of the
North know what you mean by “the other things," and
generally speaking will designate them as political, or
perhaps financial.
It is also stated that Secretary Fall championed the
slogan “Develop Alaska." We can not understand his
championship, when it is a well known fact that Secretary
Fall about the time of the birth of Teapot Dome sent his
engineer to the Matanuska coal fields in Alaska for an
adverse report thereon. These coal fields had always
previously received the highest commendation from the
engineers of the ^Interior Department as well as by the
United States Navy in making coal tests for battleships.
It is generally presumed that Matanuska coal fields were
“in" for the same treatment as Teapot Dome and the Gov
ernment's California oil reserve.
Your article also states the conclusion of President
Harding, among other things, that the Placer Gold mines
in Alaska were exhausted, and charged President Hard
ing with other information of like tenor, which you claim
he gained while on his trip to Alaska. The writer of this
article heard President Harding speak in Seattle, Wash.,
immediately upon his return from Alaska and just before
his death in San Francisco, and the writer can recall no
such sentiment expressed by President Harding. In fact
the records are absolutely contrary to the statement in
your ] a.per that the placer mines of Alaska are exhaust
ed. The annual gold production in Alaska during the
last few years has averaged around $3,000,000. A sub
sidiary of the United States Smelting & Refining Co., of
Boston and New Pork is just now completing the expendi
ture of around $10,0000,000 in the vicinity of Fairbanks,
Alaska, in preparing to placer mine, and it is stated that
this company estimates a gross production from its
placer mines there of around $4,000,000. Likewise a
large English company is now.completing its development
at an expense of about $4,000,000 to work its placer hold
ings in the same vicinity. These are only two companies
and cover but a small part of Alaska placer territory.
Therefore, it is hard for me to understand what you mean
by saying, “Placer mines in Alaska have been exhausted."
But I am glad to note that you admit that some day Alas
ka will come into its own. Alaska is infant territory as
was at one time the Louisiana Purchase.
You also refer to Secretary Hoover and his work in
reference to the Alaskan fisheries. A great many peo
ple in Alaska and on the Pacific coast differ with Secre
tary Hoover’s theory on the Alaskan fisheries. Seward
was and is the logical terminus of the Government Rail
road and much money would have been saved, had this
fact been kept in mind.
We all want the truth about Alaska. The writer
also is opposed to bombast about the resources of Alaska;
and he is particularly interested in having the truth
know about the same. I am frank to say that the cap
tion of your editorial needs some revision.
FRANK B. WIESTLING
16 West 84th St., New York City.
Possibly we might have more great men in future if
someone would build log cabins for them to be born in.
CLEGHORN UNABLE TO SINK
CLEVER CHICAGO NEGRO !
MAIN EVENT
SEATTJ /E, Feb. 1. (/P)—Walcott
Langford, Chicago negro, and Walter
Cleghorn of Seldovia, Alaska, fought |
a six round draw in the main event
at the Crystal Pool.
NO DAMAGE DONE
SEATTLE, Feb. 1. (/P)—Neither boy
was able to do much damage. They
felt their way carefully thru the first
rounds confining their activity to in
fighting.
The third session opened up a bit
when Cleghorn was attacked by Lang
ford who delivered smashing blows
with both hands to the Alaskan’s
stomach. During the next two rounds
both used the same tactics but neith
er were able to pound their way into
a lead.
Cleghorn drove his way in repeated
ly in the final session but Langford
absorbed them and drove for the body
as the Indian tried to clinch.
SALE
OF LAND NEAR SEWARD
__ i
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1. (^P)—The
House Public Lands Committee re
ported favorably on the Sutherland
bill authorizing the sale of land near
Seward to the Woman’s Home Mis
sionary Society there for use in con
nection with the Jesse Lee Orphans
Home.
SERVICE POSTPONED
Owing to the change in train
! schedule Reverend Kurina, of An
! c’iorage. who intended to hold local
services tonight, wired to The Gate
way the Lutheran services will have
! to be postponed.
WESTWARD MARCH 1
Captain H. Ilerger. of the M. S.
i T'i-w-overer, who ha • been overh.ful
I >v: his conrnodiiou•• craft in prenar
i
j a:ion for the corning busy season, j
j v; i 11 d" pa it'‘from Seward the first of j
: I
March or Uiamua and way ports. j
; TO MAKE INSPECTION TRIP j
I Lcving Friday or Saturday Cap- !
jf in R. K. Guthrie, with Lvv< Inde
I gard a. dog mils her, will go to La-.v- j
i. g to make an inspection of the win- j
, i
; 'or be tween Russian River and
Renal. They will be gone for about
tv.-,' weeks.
SORROWFUL PROCESSION FILE:
REVENTLY PASS BIER OF j
r
COMMANDER
LONDON, Feb. 1. (IP)—Thousands
of countrymen and women filed rev
erently by the bier of Earl Haig in
silent tribute to the dead. In the sor
rowful procession were former ser
vice men, some of whom limped pain
fully; women who -wept silently, and
ohters who sobbed audibly.
The men came almost automatically
to a gesture of salute and others,
stood with bowed heads, as if in pray
er.
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! LIBERTY
! THEATER
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8 O’CLOCK — ONE SHOW — 8 O’CLOCK
ANOTHER GREAT WESTERN FEATURE
“The Last Frontier”
A stirring tale of the early west when “Buffalo
Bill's” fame was growing. When “Wild Bill”
killed his second dozen bad men. When the In
dian “Pawnee Killer” was leading the attacks on
the white men. When the buffalo furnished
meat and bedding. When emigration was by
covered wagon only. When to shoot a revolver
quick and straight was the most valuable asset.
WILLIAM BOYD
AND
— MARGUERITE DE LA MOTTE
Head the cast which includes a number of spec
ially selected men to protray many famous day
characters.
A STORY BRISTLING WITH ADVENTURE
AND EXCITEMENT *
This feature was staged at “Gap”, Arizona, 170
miles from the railway, the loneliest spot left.
A big 8 reel feature that will keep everyone
holding their breath for interest.
And there will be a Pat he News
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EVERY MONTH IN THE YEAR
1928 SALES DATES
February 21, March 21, April 25,
i
May 23, June 27, July 25, August 22, September 19,
October 24, November 21, December 12. •
SPECIAL SALES HELD ON REQUEST OF SHIP
PERS. ADVANCES MADE ON SHIPMENTS WHEN
>;i;
Builders’ Supplies
C.M.B