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THE SMALLEST TOWN IN THE WORLD PUBLISHING A DAILY PAPER!
VOLUME XVI. NUMBER 24.
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 1931.
PRICE TEN CENTS
CONFESSED KILLER
LYNCHED IN N. D„
BY MASKED MOB
i
MEN TIE ROPE AROUND HIS
NECK AND SHOVE HIM
OFF BRIDGE
SCHAFER, N. D., Jan., 30, (7P)—
Charles Bannon, 22, confessed
killer of six members of the A.
E. Haven family, was lynched by
£ party of 80 masked men yes
terday morning.
On the day before he was to
nave been arraigned on the mur
der charges, the lynchers broke
down the jail door, tied the sher
iff, disarmed a deputy, and took
Bannon to a bridge outside of
town, tied a rope around his
neck and pushed him off.
He dropped 20 feet; the body
-a-as left hanging.
The mob did not bother the
father of the killer, James Ban
non, also accused in the mur
der.
Young Bannon confessed that
he killed Mrs. Haven and her
children, ranging in age from 3
to 17 years, and buried the bod
ies on the farm. He told neigh
bors that the Havens had gone
to Oregon. The first intimation
of murder came after young
Bannon wras arrested for selling
hogs from the Haven farm.
CUT SCIENTIST
NEVER MISSES !
OH JN SCHOOL
PASADENA, Calif, Jan. 29. (/P)
—There is one student here who
woudn’t think of missing a les
son. It is Albert Einstein, who has
been going to school ten times
as long as it takes the average
scholar to finish college.
“I won’t miss one lesson there,”
said Einstein as he walked to
the laboratory with his scienti
fic secretary, Dr. Walter Mayer,
for Wednesday’s semester. One
thing he finds that fascinates
is the work going on here re
pealing the actual amount of light
the stars give out.
The sun, the astronomers find,
if placed at the distance of the
nearest star, would appear about
the same brightness as a candle
half a mile away.
UNDERSELLING OF GAS
MAY END III BATTLE
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29. (&)—
Although none of the major com
panies would declare that they
were ready to launch a gasoline
price war, officials of lead
ing companies said that persis
tent underselling by local retail
ers might soon draw fire.
This followed a declaration by
Charles Jacobs, manager and dir
ector of the Retail Service Sta
tion Dealers Association, that a
♦‘war” impended, with the large
companies ready to throw down
the gauntlet.
THE SPECIAL SENATE COMMITTEE
REPORT ON THE ALASKA RAILROAD
Pertinent facts contained in the report of the com
mittee, composed of Senators Howell, Kendrick, and
Thomas, appointed in pursuance of Senate Resolution
298, Seventy-first Congress, second session, to inves
tigate the operations, economic situation and prospects
of the Alaska Railroad, are herewith published:
Congress has been called upon year after year to make appro
priations not merely for new capital and replacements but to cover
deficits.
The reason why passenger and freight rates are inadequate is
apparent from the following facts:
The railroad traverses a region, portions of which are still in
the making, rendering the cost of maintenance high along certain
sections of the road.
The severe climatic conditions prevailing during part of the year,
the usual winter temperature on the northern stretches of the
road approximating 10 degrees below zero, interspersed with periods
of 50 below zero, while heavy snowfalls must be dealt w’ith between
Seward and Anchorage.
The spareness of the population served.
The census of 1930 indicates that there are less than 8,400 in
habitants, about a third of whom are there, directly or indirectly,
on account of the railroad.
Lack of exports from the region.
There is little or no merchantable timber for export. As a mat
ter of fact, much of the lumber used along the railroad is imported
from southeastern Alaska, including thousands of railroad ties.
While there is an abundance of coal, it is of a character that
has failed to develop an export demand.
There can be no exportation of agricultural products as the re
gion can not produce in competition with the States.
The fisheries are along the coast and contribute little to the
volume of outgoing freight, excepting the output of several canner
ies located in the vicinity of Anchorage, 113 miles from the railroad’s
port, and some dried salmon for dog feed originating along the Yu
kon River.
As a matter of fact, furs and the precious metals are the chief
exports of the region, and of course contribute little to the outgoing
traffic of the “road. Hence, the freight carried is largely inbound
'which results in freight trains being loaded in only one direction,
except in so far as the distribution of coal for local consumption
is concerned.
A factor, other than inadequate passenger and freight rates,
that contributes to the annual deficits is looseness and inefficiency
in the conduct of the railroad's business and affairs, and of activi
ties incidental thereto.
In the reported assets of the railroad, there was included an
item of accounts receivable totaling some $258,000. Accounts that
had been accumulating for years. Individuals and corporations had
, been dunned but no suits brought to enforce collections.
Not included in this $258,000 item are the accounts receivable
I of the hospital, maintained by the railroad in Anchorage, amounting
to some $66,000. It has been more agreeable and popularizing to
allow the government to pay rather than to sue citizens. The cost
of maintaining the hospital that year (1930) was some $21,000 in
excess of receipts.
Of course, from the day of its acquisition by the government,
j the Chatanika branch lost money, and at the rate of $121 per day.
What the total deficits have amounted to, your committee was un
jable to ascertain, as the accounting office of the railroad could not
segregate them. But together with the original cost of $300,000, sub
sequent capital expenditures, and interest, the loss attributable to
this transaction—inasmuch as this narrow guage has at last been
abandoned—approximates $1,000,000.
The 1st fiscal year of its operation shows an income of $18,800.
Operating expenses were $57,200, rseulting in a net deficit of ap
proximately $38,400 for the year. This branch was not officially
i abandoned until the 1st of August, 1930, some three weeks before
‘ the advent of your committee in Fairbanks.
Undoubtedly the Alaska Railroad has property rights in the 200
ifoot right-of-way of the Chatanika branch, purchased from public
j funds, and the Fairbanks Exploration Company should not be al
,lowed to mine the right-of-way without compensation to the gov
ernment. ,
There are four power plants operated by the Alaska Railroad.
The first of the two plants investigated is located at Nenana, a vil
lage of 293 inhablitants. The plant in question was installed by
the railroad and leased to the village authorities. Upon development
(Pleaao turn to PaTwo)
CHIEFS WILL TALK
OTTAWA, Jan., 30, (/P)—Pre- j
mier R. B. Bennett left for \
Washington for discussions of j
great importance to the United'
States and Canada. The Premier
is expected to talk to President}
Hoover about the fatal shooting!
of Captain Cluett and seizure of j
the rum runner, Josephine K. j
DEMOS WILL DO
THEIR PROGRAM
HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THEY
WILL GO OVER TO AN
EXTRA SESSION
i WASHINGTON, Jan., 30, </P>—'
Senate Democrats decided to go J
to any limits, if necessary, to i
obtain their relief program. Rob- {
; inson, the minority leader, sup- j
ported the plan for a finished
fight with President Hoover and
the Fled Cross for the $25,000,000
relief appropriation.
They are also determined to
insist upon an appropriation of
20,000,000 bushels of farm board
wheat, a $3,000,000 fund for med
I ical supplies and $5,000,000 for
organization of relief and coop
eration.
All have been voted on by the
Senate but the House has not
! acted.
| The Democrats have made it
clear that they are willing to
force an extra session of Con
I gress in order to get their pro
| gram through.
FAIRBANKS, Jan., 30, (fP)—
■ Harry Busby, pioneer Interior
j rancher, 67, died after an ex
j tended illness.
He leaves a widow, four sons ^
#nd two daughters, four of whom i
live in Alaska.
Mr. Busby stampeded to Nome
in 1900 from Oregon; the fol
lowing year he moved to Skag
way. He came to Fairbanks in
11904 and lived here since with
j the exception of five years in
; the States because of his wife’s
! health. (
j He was born in New Jersey.
WILMINGTON, Calif., Jan. 30,
(/P>—The “Commercial Mariner,” j
a 5,500 ton steamship of the
Coastline Company was rammed
and sunk by the San Simeon, an
eight thousand ton vessel of the
Quaker line, off the marine ter
minal here.
The rammed vessel sank almost
immediately, but all of the crew
were reported saved. A big hole
was torn in the Commercial Mar
iner’s side, and she went down
stern first.
The San Simeon proceeded to
ward Philadelphia.
B. S, APOLOGIZES
TO MUSSOLINI.
TO
SINCERE REGRETS TENDERED
THE DUCE AND ITALIAN
PEOPLE
WASHINGTON, Jan., 30, (fP)—
The United States apologized to
Premier Mussolini because of the
Philadelphia speech of General
Smedley Butler.
Secretary Stimson handed Am
bassador Demartino the note.
Secretary Adams refused to di
vuldge General Butler’s letter
to him but it is fair to assume
General Butler admitted the re
marks.
Ambassador Demartino called
at the State department to re
ceive the note and expressed
satisfaction after his conference
with Stimson.
The note said in part:
“Your Excellency, I have the
honor to express the deep regret
of this government feels at the
reflection against Mussolini in
unauthorized speech of General
Smedley D. Butler at Philadel
phia, January 19. The sincere
regrets of this government is
extended to Mussolini and the
Italian people for the discourte
ous and unwarranted utter
ances.” Signed, Henry L. Stim
son.
MUST WILL WITH
TWO CUHS BLSZING,
liRDERER GOES OUT
FRESNO, Calif, Jan. 29. (/P)—
Trapped by an armed posse of
50 men a few minutes after he
had mortally wounded a police
sergeant, Leo Soldovich, 41, also
wanted for the slaying of an
other peace officer here, died like
an outlaw of the Old West, his
back to the wall and two guns
blazing
A number of automobile
headlights, operated by firemen,
revealed the killed, wounded in
the shoulder, standing off a posse
for nearly an hour before he was
shot from behind and fell, his
body riddled with bullets.
Tire wounded officer, Sgt. J.
O. Brame, 39, is fighting a los
ing battle with death in a local
hospital, a bullet wound in his
head. Soldovich beat him to the
draw.
HOCKEY SCORES
PORTLAND, Jan., 30, (flP)—
The Seattle hockey team defeat
ed Portland 2-0.
GAS TAX FRAUD
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Jan. 29.
(JP)—In an amazing report the
State Board of Equalization re
vealed that the state had been
defrauded of approximately $1,
250,000 in gasoline taxes. The en
ormous sum represents the
sum due under the three cents a
gallon gasoline tax paid by Cali
fornia motorists, and which has
never been turned over to the
state treasury by the oil com
panies.