WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2
I, 1905.
Yukon Valley News
Issued every Wednesday.
S. K. Hektkr.Proprietor
Sam J. Callahan.Manager
Subscription.—One year, $7.50; six months,
J4.00; one month 75 cents.
\DVKRTtsiN<;.—Transient advertisements, $1
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space, $2. Religious and funeral notices free.
Twelve solid lines small type make an inch.
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Calendar—June-]uly
June.
2tl, new tii.
10th, 1st qr.
16th. full in.
24th, lastqr.
July.
2d, new m.
9U1, 1st qr.
16tli, full 111
24th, last q
31st, new 111
S. M. T. %V. T F. S.
. 12 3
4 5 6 7 S 9 IO
II 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 ..
. i !
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 :i 12 13 14 15
;i6 17 18 19 20 21 22;
123 24 25 26 27 28 29
I30 3l.. •
THE CAL’SE OF BUSINESS
DEPRESSION.
“The Fairbanks Manufacturing
and Trading Company has made a
full assignment of all their property
for the benefit of their creditors, to
G. A. Jeffery. It is rumored that
there are other big firms unable to
meet their obligations, and that se
rious developments may be ex
pected in the next few days. The
unexpected business depression lias
done much to bring about this state
of affairs.”— Chena Times, June 30.
The Fairbanks News makes no
concealment of the unsatisfactory
state of business, and says tons of
produce now lie idle because of
high freight rates to the creeks.
As a remedy, the paper very prop
erly urges haste in the construction
of roads.
Hut this ‘ unexpected business
depression,” which is not confined
to the Tanana country or to any
other section of Alaska, is not
wholly attributable to high freight
rates. A year ago, it is said, many
st iples could l*e lauight at Nome at
Seattle prices, because the demand
did not come up to expectations and
dealers had to stimulate consump
tion by selling at a loss. 1‘eople are
simply living on less and confining
themselves to the common uo mu
nesotliie. Prospec tors and miners
are luoking out lor .» rainy da\.
Two years have brought a great
change in this respect Business
concerns themselves instituted the
new order of things, which they
said would be belter (or all ton
cctned. They adopted a cash »ys
tem and allowed miners less for
tlieir gold. “This is business,”
they said.
Miners and prospectors bought
bacon and beans and flour, and
snared rabbits for a change of diet;
and “This is business” they said.
And perhaps it is well. At any
rate, the individual miner will not
experience greater difficulty than
others in adjusting himself to the
new conditions.
THE EXPOSITION.
Newspapers received lately have
had practically nothing to say
about the Lewis and Clark exposi
tion. A dispatch printed in Alaska
papers briefly stated that over
60,000 people attended on opening
day, and another raid that bad
characters of all kinds were flock
ing into Portland; but that was all.
Outside papers as late as June 4
have no word of the fair.
Wbat is the matter ? If the ex
position is not worth mentioning in
the newspapers it is not worth any
thing.
Dawson has decided to send no
exhibit and the Fairbanks exhibit
will contain no gold, and little of
anything else, if the tone of the
News of that camp is a fair indica
tion. Again, what is the matter?
Did all the enthusiasm go out with
Mr. Chealander?
The truth of the business is that
something is lacking in some vital
part, or northern exhibitors would
have a guarantee for the safety
of gold without having to pay an
outrageous insurance, amounting
to 5 per cent.
A strong reminder that all peo
ple do not think alike is presented
by a late number of the Cbeua
Times, with a long article attempt
ing to prove that forest fires are
beneficial to the country. The
pap>er says ‘ much smoke is the
principal part about them, and if
that smoke brings al«>ut a shower
enabling steamboats to reach their
destination, we sav that such a
blessing would be more than an
ample compensation tor the damage
•lone by the fire." Heretofore it
has remained an unchallenged prop
osition that the forests amt the
nu«we* play an important part in
keeping up an abundant ami ttiii
fotm rtow of water in the streams
by holding in check the melted
•now and summer rain ami causing
them to gradually drain into the
channels instead of pouring in in
fktfml &«»!• and then leaving the
N. V. HENDRICKS
ESTABLISHED 1904
Alaska Commission Buying Agency
SEATTLE, WASH.
We Buy and Ship (or you, Only on Commission
Call on our Agent or write to us
creeks and rivers to dwindle away
for want of supply, as might be the
case if the land was reduced to a
more or less barren state. It is
doubtful if the Times’ conclusions
regarding this important matter
will be generally accepted as true.
In 1896 the whole world’s gold
output, estimated by the United
States mint, was $202,251,000. In
1903 it reached $325,527,000. Es
timates for last year place the yield
at between $350,000,000 and $360,
000,000. This increase has oc
curred notwithstanding the output
from the Transvaal mines has not
even yet regained the volume
reached just before the outbreak of
war in 1899. It is largely the pro
duction of the United States that
has made good the difference. In
1896 the gold production of the.
United States slightly exceeded
$53,000,000. In 1903 the figure
had risen to $73,591,000, and last
year the country turned out no less
than $84,551,000.
're»t Ctiisess Decided.
A mineral claim does not take
prior right over a homestead, if the
homestead entry was filed first and
in good faith.
Xo title can be given to gravel j
bars in navigable streams.
Those who file for mineral upon
a homestead will be dealt with as
trespassers by the court.
These were important points set
tled in an important written decis
ion handed down by Judge Wicker
sham June 9, according to the Fair
banks News, in the case of C. H.
Heine vs C.eorge Rotb.
‘ W hen once a homestead entry
is allowed,” said the court, "no
other claim of any kind could be
permitted to attach to the tract un
til, after notice and hearing, the
laudstead entry is canceled by the
land office.”
The Chena Times say# a decision
ha# been tendered in the case of
Redden, liempsey et al. vs. Harlan
i et al., previously mentioned in this
paper.
An injunction was asked for bv
Krddeu ami lirmpsey to keep Har
lan et at. tr* m prospecting. The
plaintiffs located ■# ami 4b 011 Crip
ple creek on June 19, 1904 On
GEORGE A. SALISBURY,
Attorney and Counsellor,
Rampart. Alaska
J. LISDLEY GREKS.',
Lawyer.
Office at the Courthouse.
OFFICE OF
Commissioner and Recorder
Rooms i and 2. Courthouse
THE MIRROR
Wines,
Liquors,
Cigars.
JERRY FORD,
\1. R. DOWNING.
May io, 1905, defendants located
the same ground. On the same
day plaintiffs began to sink. The
day following defendants began 10
work. Dn May 16, before either
party had struck bedrock, plaintiffs
brought suit, basing their rights
upon their location of June 19,
1904.
The court said, in part: “Plaint
iffs do not show why they did not
make a discovery during the eleven
months preceding the location of
the defendants. A discovery is
necessary to the validity of a placer
claim. If the act of discovery fol
lows the acts of staking and record
ing, the validity and life of the
claim begins only with the discov
ery. In the case at bar there is yet
no valid mining location by virtue
of the acts j>erformed by cither
plaintiffs or defendants. Plaintiffs
appeal to the court to hold defend
ants' hands while they sink their
discovery shatt. Tbit appeal comes
with little force ftotn a locator who
has had eleven months in which to
comply with the law The appli
cation for an injunction is denied."
The congressional party of tj,
supposed to lie en route to the in
terior, turned hack at Bennett a
lew days ago. Their future intett
lions are unknown.