PREDICTS FAILURE
FOR WELLMAN
Walter Wellman, the correspondent
whom a Chicago newspaper proposes to
send in search of the north pole in an
airship, was told in Paris last month by
Comte de la Vaulx that his attempt will
fail and that he and the people who ac
company him will probably lose their
lives. Comte de la Vanx is an aeronaut
of renown and holds the record in long
distance balloon voyages: in a day and
a half he (lew from Paris to Karostvchev,
near Kiev, Russia, about 1,200 miles. 1
Mellman sets forth the count's predic
tions in the following despatch to his
pai«er:
The count has given me the benefit of
his most extensive experience as a navi
gator of the air. lie has invited me to
make a balloon ascension with him, and
I shall go with him.
Comte de la Vaulx, it should be said,
has not the slightest faith in the success
of our enterprise, and he frankly tells
me so. 1 like that a good deal better
than if he were to conceal his real opin
ion through a mistaken idea of courtesy.
According to his view, we are not only
certain to fail to reach the pole, but are
more than likely to lose our lives.
Cpon hearing this expression from the
lips of one of the most experienced aero
nauts of France, you may be sure I lost
no time in cross questioning him as to
the reasons for his belief. In brief they (
are:
1. That it is absolutely impossible to
construct a good airship in less than two
years, and that to talk of building one
in five months is simply madness.
2. That after building an airship be
fore going to the Arctic region with it
anil trying to attain the pole, one should
spend two or three years in trials in
civilized parts of the world, making!
voyages at least twice as long as to the
proposed voyage to the pole and back.
3. That if we do build an airship and
start for the pole we shall never git
there.
4. That if we do get there, we shall
not lie able to make a “landing” upon
the ice, because there are no people
there to assist us.
5. That if we do get to the pole and
stop long enough to make scientific ob
servations, we shall never lie able to get
b ick.
All of which is very interesting and
also highly important—if true. And I
do not know whether it is true or not.
Furthermore, the only way in which we
can ever find out whether or notit is
true i- by simply going up north and
putting the thing to the crucial test of
actual trial. A theory unfavorable is of
no more value than a theory favorable;
the optimist is just as likely to !*• right
as the |» ssimist—ami at any rate he en
joys life better while it lasts.
In mi interview (mMinhetl in L'Eclair
Comte il»* la Vaulx »ays:
"Mr. Wellman will have l.tWOkilome
ter* to Intel between .'jntiUruen a in I
tin- |*iW. Hut «lc»|»tle th«‘ yearn ami
year* >>l exja-rienee with ilirialhh-n, |.ur*
»u«<l with a|>t«iratu» inurr and more
l« riveted. ynu know. from the |*>int
ul view •>! the iliKtiiMT covered in a »in
i\v journey, what la the Iwat rexull they
hate mi hr been able to attain? It in
only 150 kilometers. The airship that
has done this is the Lebaudy, and it
made this stieeess after years of study
and months of experimentation. If this
is the best the most successful airship
yet built can do, what chance has the
American explorer to make 1,000 kilo
meters and back again?"
JOHN THE BEAR HUNTER
HAS GOME BACK.
John the Bear Hunter, who left Ram
part for Fairbanks in the winter of 1904
’05 and went outside last summer to
die, has returned to the Tanana looking
as healthy as ever. He says his health
was all right outside, but that it was too
crowded.
It was the first time lie had been out
side in fourteen years.
Some of his experiences told to Judge
Erwiu and others are chronicled in the
Fairbanks News, lie said a fellow hailed
him one day by calling: “Hello, Alaska!
(let in and take a ride.” He says he got
into a go-devil, which hit it up at a speed
that made his hair raise. “Stop her,
stop her!” he demanded, and the minute
it slowed down he jumped to the ground.
“What’s the matter?” asked the man
in the machine.
“Nothin’ at all,” said John; “only the
darned old thing don’t go fast enough
to suit me. S’ long.”
BIG DREDGING SCHEMES
FOR CIRCLE
The Birch Creek, or Circle, district is
soon to become the scene of big dredging
operations. In addition to the ground
secured on Eagle and Mammoth creeks
by Berry Bros, and Frank Lamb, f< r
dredging, Albert Trabold, late of Daw
son, now of Fairbanks, has secured
eighteen claims along Deadwood creek,
between Nos. 22 and 40 below, for a
dredge. Berry Bros.' man was also after
the ground.
“The operators are busy throughout
the district,” said Charles Oesterle, who
is interested on Deadwood, to the Fair
banks News recently. “A number of
holes were placed to liedrock this winter
and average pay found. Charles Hogan
has ti'a feet of pay which panned as high
as 34 cents to the pan. Dredger jieople
have tried to buy the ground, but Mr.
Hogan won’t sell his claim, and this has
held up the sale. Albert Trabold, how
ever, has secured 1H claims on another
part of the creek for dredging purjioses.
(iood pay has been found on switch
creek, a tributary of Deadwood, and a
number of miners are busy working
their claims. As a dredging proposition
the country offers big returns. Enough
work has ta els done to show the average
pay in the gravel, so that it is not a
speculation in any sense of the word.
That camp will lieeome a big proluccr
when the dredgers get to work.”
t'ha*. A. Trsu'jfi-r ilriurlwl lor St.
Mtehael Ilit!) morning alter a sojourn of
several weeks a moot; hi* Kauiptirt
frieml*. With hi* eraek leant he
ex|ieet* l<> make the run in twelve «lay*.
Mr. Traetfer * visit aaauwnl |>leu«urtr
a* well an hwinetw, ami lie fully en
jnywl hi* »tav in ramp.
pnnnrtrinnnnrrinnrtnrtnrinrvrinnrtnm^
I* S. E. HEETER. IIARRY BURRUSS.
HEETER & BURRUSS,
FREIGHTERSjnd PACKERS
g Freighting and Packing to and from all Creeks,
u Good Equipments and Service Unexcelled
Cfi. A A SlSLSJLSi S. SI SLS JUUUUL jLOJLSL9JLOJULfl_ajLfl.A
FRANK STEVENS BUYS
ON GOLD RUN
Frank Stevens has bought from M. S.
(till the ground known as the W. P.
Beardsley claim on Gold Run. Included
in the purchase was a 6-liorse-power
boiler, engine, pump, etc., comprising
the outfit used by Mr. Gill in the deep
prospect work on Glen the past winter.
The clatm which has just changed
hands adjoins the L. A. Jones claim on
Gold Run, where Frank Stevens, James
Lawrence, George Shirley and Dad Fos
ter are working a lay. The laymen are
on good pay, and their operations the
past winter give Mr. Stevens an excel
lent opportunity to form a correct esti
mate of his new purchase.
The Gill cabin, adjoining Mr. Stevens’s
cabin in Rampart, was also included in
the transaction.
Little Minook Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins was in town
for a short time last week. They have
have got back on the paystreak, which
had been lost for awhile.
Bowen it Cooil are taking out pay
right along.
Tom Antonsou is still on the creek.
G. W. ledger has come into town for
the present at least.
The Missrs. Raining have knocked off
prosjiecting and come into town. They
failed to get a most promising shaft to
bedrock. The shaft struck the face of
the channel, but at a depth of 50 feet it
was abandoned on account of the mild
weather rendering it dangerous.
Fortune and McMullen
Got Six Months Each
Bill Fortune anti Bob McMullen, tried
in the commissioner's court at Tanaiui
on a charge of assault, were convicted
ami sentenced to six months' imfirison
■nent each.
In a drunken hurrah it is said the
men handled an old Indian woman so
roughly that her shoulder was knocked
out of |daec.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Swanson arrived
from the outside Monday night. Mrs.
Swanson left l!ani|strt last fall as Mrs.
!.undi|iiist, who hud been in the dairy
business here (or ,ohm' time. On the
outside she was married to Mr. Swanson,
himself a former )iai»|>arter. The little
girt was left mil at sc!><«>!.
Kev. M F K s'itce was to have left
Fairlainks today on his way to Kain|sirt.
RECEPTION
...SALOON...
S. E. HEETER, BOB SCHABER,
Proprietor Manager
Wines, Liquors and
GOOD Cigars....
....Billiard and Pool Rooms
Barber Chair in the House.
St. Louis
ABC
and Seattle
Ranier Beers
OLD VALLEY WHISKY
The Only Stock.
MIXED DRINKS
Our Specialty
Lynn Smith, on 2aEsther creek, Fair
banks district, lias sold his lay, includ
ing a big dump, to Messrs.JVan Winkle,
Keagnn, A. K. Horner and E. J. Horner.
The Teller says Belsea and Beardsley, of
the Eagle Minfng Co., will he in on the
first boats with a large outfit of ma
chinery and supplies for a big force of
men and will extensively work 2 and Ifa
Esther dining the summer.
Frank Stevens, Jimmy Lawrence and
(ieorge Shirley came in from Hold Run
Saturday night. The two former hus
tled lack Monday, but Mr. Shirley is
yet in town.
Carrier l’aul S hultz had no outside
mail last week. A hitch had occurred
between Dawson and Whitehorse.
Iverson and Crane have come in from
Spiaw creek.
It is said M. S. toll has contracted for
the purchase of two of John Stanley's
mules to l»' used us a seru|>er team.
Friday night is the time set by the *
Jolly Companions for the masi|Ue hall
and cake walk.
Mr. and Mrs. A. il. Une are again
occupying their town residence, after a
winter on the creek.