FRIEND OF NATIVES
SEEKS INFORMATION
Was Instrumental in Aiding
Copper iiiver Indians.
[The following letter bearing on
an in .eresting topic is published by
the consent of Deputy Marshal
Charles Dreibelbis, to whom it was
addressed.]
Princeton, N,J., Oct. 10, 1904.
My Dear Mr. Dreibelbis:
You will remember our passage
on the Santa Ana from Valdez to
Sitka and our talk about the Cop
per River natives—their needs,
starving condition, and what might
be done for them. Well, I recom
mended that on account of their
miserabie condition — taking into
account this season when the ex
treme wet would spoil much of
their fish, and until congress could
do something permanent to make
them self-supporting—army rations
should be sent in from Fort Liscum
to Copper Center, stored there un
der *he charge of an officer, to be
given to those who were sick and
absolutely destitute, and to all oth
ers to be sold at a reasonable price
for this year. Cf course the Army
was opposed to this, and I met with
opposition; but the 1 resident sus
tained me and gave a direct order
to ship in by pack train immedi
ately and later by dogs 10,000 array
rations. Now there will be the
usual kick from the traders of the
valley and from mauy in Valdez
who sell to the natives at a great
profit- the idea of cheap food tor
them! and they will claim that
this is a useless charity, and un
necessary. I have been twenty
two years in Alaska, and I know
how little feeling there is for the
native—how he is rohbcd,—and 1
want to sustain the president’s ac
tion in this matter. My request
was based on rejairts fiom Bishop
Rowe. Mr. Clevenger, Prof, (leorge
son, J. T. Steele. T. I, Bales. Brat
uoba, and yourself and others. The
commanding officer at Port U-Cum,
on the rejxjrt of a Lieutenant Ham
ilton, in March, 1904, reports the
condition ot the natives not bad;
they had game and fish; were a
worthless, improvident crowd that
would not work. Now this is all
contrary to all the reports I gath
ered. 1 wish to ask if you will
write rue out a short statement of
the following facts
The condition ol the natives of
the Copper Rivet valley
What iood have they *
(s gatuc to be h id * and if not,
why r
Are Rsh abundant *
INd they sutler tor bast in the
win<er ami spring of ton-) *
|to they sutler f>ar food every
winter and spring *
The character of the natives for
I honesty, friendliness and intelli
gence; and will they work ?
The wet summer this year and
! spoiling of their fish.
I Your own personal experience
and what you saw in June or July
I in the Copper River valley.
Now, I do not want to impose on
you, but I wish to have these facts
to present to the president. He is
anxious to do all he can for the
native, but you know how few take
I any interest in his real welfare. As
■ soon as you can, send me your
j statement and I will esteem it a
! favor. I wish I was going to spend
la winter in Alaska instead of East.
! . . . Sincerely yours,
(1. T. Emmons,
Lieut. U. S. Navy.
| FAIRBANKS TO BLAME
FOR TARDY MAIL
The mail service from Fairbanks
to Ranq art last fail and so far this
winter has been so deficient as to
practically constitute no service at
all. Dispatches some time ago
stated that the weekly service be
tween Fairbanks and Tatiana was;
in good condition; and, accepting
that as a fact, the only logical
reason why Nome newspapers
should reach Rampart in less time
than it takes newspapers from F'air-;
banks is that the weight limit has
been exceeded and therefore F'air- j
banks papers have been held over ;
at Fairbanks or Tatiana. That may
be the case.
But here is a specific instance of
delayed mail which call be ex
plained under no such hypothesis:
Julius Rahmstorf last Wednesday
received a letter from J. F\ Dillon,
dated Fairbanks, Aug. 2u. It bore
the Fairbanks postmark of Aug.
22, the Tatiana postmark of Dec. 7,
aud the Rampart postmark of Dec
14. That letter required three
months aud a half to icach Tatiana
after being pcstmaik d at Fair
banks, and the Fairbanks postmas
ter ought to know why.
cm KT HKADgi AIMKRS
TO HK AT FAIRBANKS
From the Fairbanks New*, Nov. 19.
Fair hank* ha* been made the
j official rnidetre of all official* of
the federal court m thi* district.
Notice ha* jn*t le*«n received to
thi* effect from Valdez by John I..
Long, of the comoitftaioner * office
The tel*j;rani reads a* follow*
"John 1,. Long, Fairhank* I am
instructed i<v Judge Wickerahaot to
notify you and through you to give
notice to the member* of the bur
that the offi. lal re*i<lence of lb*
judge and other court official* ha*
been changed Irom l ag!* City to
Fairbanks by the attorney general,
to lake elect lies', t.
"A. M IIhilmi. Clerk "
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SOLE AGENTS
VALDEZ-EAGLE
RAILROAD TALK
Ronanza Copper Suit Has
Rfariiii; on the Road.
Seattle, Oct. 12.—From the Se
attle Times.- “I can state for a
positive fact that within a few
months of the first of the coming
vear work will he commenced on :
a railroad running from Valdez j
through the copper districts tol
Eagle,” said B. F. Millard, a prom
inent mining man of that city this!
afternoon.
‘ The real future of Valdez hinges 1
on the existtnce of this road,” he
continued, “anil as soon as it is
commenced you will see that town
with .1 population of fully 20,000 in
less than six months. Valdez is
unquestionably at the head of the
richest cop|>er country In the world,
and the work of development that
will begin consequent upon the ex
istence of this railroad will prove
this to lie true.”
Mr. Millard is heavily interested
in copper properties, among them
liemg the famous Bonanza claim,
and it in, in part, the litigation
concerning the title ot this claim
which brings him to Seattle.
"Inasmuch.” said he, "a* the
dectmoii regarding the title of this
mine ha* considerable tearing U|>on
the commencement of work on the
railroad. I consider it necessary to
be in easy coiniuunicattng distance
with New York when it is handed
down."
The Alaska cable b unrepaired.
DAWSON PAPERS
NOT MAILABLE
Letter Postage Required on
Yukon Territory News.
Dawson, Nov. n.— (From the
Daily News.)—No newspapers are
being carried in the mails this win
ter from Dawson or other points to
Yukon river points above or below
Dawson. An exception to this is
made in the single instance of
points on the overland trail from
Dawson to Whitehorse. But on
the river proper where the overland
trail does not touch papers will not
be delivered.
This new ruling bars all papers
mailed here for the Jack Wade
country, Circle City, Rampart, Fort
Yukon, Fairbanks, Nome, St. Mi
chael, or any other points north of
Dawson. The only way by which
papers can be delivered to these
points is to have them placed in
envelopes and hrst-class postage
paid on them This makes the cosi
of shipping a paper considerable,
but no doubt many w ho are isolated
at points named will be glad to pay
the additional postage rather than
be deprived of a paper.
Th»* Htrortl Broken.
C 1 Jordan, with his two dogs
Dan and yneen, last Suinl.iv made
the trip from Furek.. roadhouse to
John the Hear Hunter's cabin, in
Rampart. about thirty miles, in it
hours and to minutes That breaks
the record. Mr Jordan says he can
make still better time