THE ALASKA PROSPECTOR
Valdez, Alaska, April 16, 1908.
CHANGE ALASKA
MAIL CONTRACTS
All Existing Trunk Routes
Abrogated and New Sys
tem Substituted.
BIDS FOR CARRYING INVITED
Revised IMan Intended to Equalize
Weight Limits and Avoid
Roundabout Transportation.
All mail contractu on trunk lines in
Alaska arc abrogated and bids invited
for now contractu with many of the
rout es changed. This was announced
in a press dispatch to the Prospector
last month and the story was doubt
ed as' the contractors had received
no notice. A circular just received
by Alvah Ramos, chief clerk of the
service at Valdez, confirms the tole
graph story.
The circular calls for bids to carry
the mails over a long list of routes in
Alaska, beginning at different times,
but all expiring June 150, 1910, the
date of the expiration of all mail car
rying contracts in the Pacific division
of the post oOice department. The
existing contracts, made in 1907 for
the usual period of four years, all ex
pire June :$(), 1910, but all mail carry
ing contracts contain a little joker
which only f lic government can play.
This provides that the department may
cancel the contract at any timo by
paying tho contractor a month's sti
pend not earned. By virtue of this
provision all important existing Alas
ka mail contracts are to be cancolcd
and new ones made covering new
routes.
Tho changes in routes arc believed
by local postal oMcials to have the
virtue of handling mail for the interior
to better advantage than the existing
schedules, though some arrangements
are believed to be less advantageoua
than those t hey supercede. On the
whole, however, it is belioveo that a
distinct gain will result.
The most important feature of the
new schedules is the abolition of the
(Continued on page 4)
PROSECUTION ENDS
HASEY TESTIMONY
.Juneau, April .13—The government
reHtod in the Hasoy trial Saturday
evening. Fifteen witnesses wore put
on the stand. The names of thirty
more are endorsed on the indietmont
and the defense today filed a long affi
davit. in support of a motion that the
court eompel the prosecution to put
on the remaining witnesses. The
trial seems likely to last two weeks
yet.
Reach Defense In Ilasey Trial
Juneau April 10—When the district
court adjourned yesterday evening
M. 11. Morrisoy was on the stand for
the defense in t he Ilasey trial. Mor
risoy was ono of the Alaska Homo
Railroad party in the Keystone can
yon fight.
BURSTING DAM CAUSES
LOSS OF ONE MILLION
Helena, Mont., April 10—'The results
of tho burst ing of the Hauser Lake
dam are far more serious than at first
thought. It is now known that tho
property loss will he at least $1,000,000.
Hundreds of horses and eattlo were
killed by the sudden rush of wator.
Portland Has Big I/lst
Seattle, April ffl - Steamship Port
land of the Alaska ('oast Company
cleared for Valdez last night with 140
passengers. Hho had a big freight
cargo. ' ^
Big Dam Bursts
Helena, Mont., April 16 -A loss ol
a (juartor of a million dollars an<1
many narrow escapes from death re
sulted yesterday when the big Hausei
lake dam burst.
TANANA STRIKE IN
QUIESCENT STATE
No Further Trouble Ex
pected Until Sluicing Be
gins on Creeks.
The miners' Htriko in the Tanana
cuts 110 figure with mining opera
tion* at this time, Judge Harlan
states, aw more men are in the district
aside from the strikers, than are need
ed for winter work. When sluicing
begins tho situation will be changed
and Judge Harlan fears that serious
trouble will result, as tho strikers are
still determined to handicap the oper
ators in every way possible if their
demands are not conceded.
Just now the strikers are quiet and
nothing in the general situation indi
cates that a strike is 011. Slight dif
ficulties have occurred on the creeks
but nothing in Fairbanks since the
depot riot.
Judge Harlan says that from pres
ent indications the output of the
Tanana will be as large as in 190(5,
and possibly a little larger. Sluicing
should begin late in April and then
(Continued 011 page 4)
JUDGE HARLAN ON
WAY 10 STATES
District Attorney Resigns
Post on Account of Fail
ure of Health.
Juclgo Harlan, United States dis
trict attorney of the Third Alaska
judicial division, arrived in Valdoz
from Fairbanks Friday ovoning on
an Orr stage. Ho has tendered his
resignation to the department of jus
tice and expects it to be accepted
not later than July 1. Ho is now go
ing outside on leave of absence and
will sail for tho states on tlio
Yucatan.
Tho assistants to tho district attor
ney will probably continue in otlleo
until Judge Harlan's successor quali
fies. This is absolutely necessary to
the government business, especially
in Fairbanks, where a term of court
has just been opened.
Judge Harlan resigns becausc ol
his failing health. During the past
year ho has been troubled at intervale
with asthma and ho suffered a severe
attack soon after he went to Fair
banks in February. It is nocessary
that he should go to a dryer climate
and ho will return to his old home in
York, Nebraska.
Another year would have com
pleted a second full| term of foin
years for Judge Harlan in the district
attorney's office of the Third division.
Ho was first appointed by President
McKlnloy In Juno 1901, and wan
reappointed by President Roosevelt
in Doeombor 1905.
During his incumbency of tho dis
trict attorneyship in Alaska Judge
Harlan hf»B resided much of the time
in Valdez. In this community he it
hold in tho highest esteem, profes
sionally and personally. He was en
dorsed for tho judgoship of tho pro
posed new Fourth judicial division bj
tho ontiro bar of the southern ond oi
the district a year ago and could to
day receive the almost unanimous in
dorsement of tho people of thb
region for the judgeship or dls
triot attorneyship. His retirement
from office and departure from Alaskt
will bo received with gonoral regret
Judge Harlan says ho oxpoots U
retain his mining Interests In Alaski
and to roturn hero every summer.
Auton to 8aI1 for Anin
Seattle, April 16—The Frenoh ant
Italian ears In tho international auto
mobile raco received orders today to
out out Alaska and proceod Immedl
ately by steamships to Asia, landing
at tho most accessible port.
Attempt Jail Break At Juneau
Juneau, April 18- Prisoners In thi
federal jail attempted to break ou
Saturday night. They threw peppei
In tho faco of the guard but wer<
over-powered before they got outride
RAILROAD MUST
RE LOCATED SOON
Guggenheims Under Contract
to Haul Ore From Ken
necott by 1911.
HAVE LITTLE TIME TO SPAKE
Story Long Kept Secret Creeps Out
in Southeastern Alaska and
Appears in Print.
"If the Morgan-Guggenheim syndi
cate (loos not have a railroad con
structed from the coast of Alaska to
the Chlttyna country and in shape to
transport copper ore to the market
by January 1, 1911, it will lose its in
terest in the celebrated Bonanza cop
per mine. Under the contract by
which this company was to secure 40
per cent of the stock of this big
mine, the Morgan people agreed to
have the mine in shape for shipping
ore, and have a railroad constructed
to the coast by 1911. Two >ears have
passed by. Indications now are that
it will tax the resources of the con
tracting parties t-o the utmost to
complete the railroad in the alloted
time. At the mine nearly $1,000,000
has already been expended in de
velopment work and in preparing for
shipping."
The foregoing from the Douglas
Island News regarding the plans of
the Guggenheims in Alaska was sup
posed to be a secret. So far as the
Prospector has observed that story
has never been in print bofore. The
l'rospector has refrained from pub
lishing it because it has been passed
around under a strict injunction of
secrecy. Apparently some man to
whom the secret was entrusted has
hoisted in a few drinks too many and
under tho influence has set his mouth
to going and walked off and left it
where the News man found it reeling
oil the story.
Story Seems Accurate
The facts recited are exactly as
they have beon passed around ver
(Continued on page 4)
W. I. SCOTT IS
DEAD IN JUNEAU
Assistant District Attorney
Succumbs to Attack of
Pneumonia.
Juneau, April 10—Assistant District.
Attorney Hcott died this morning at
10:30 in Ht. Ann's hospital. He had
boon sinking steadily during the night,
the pneumonia which prostrated him
having obtained a vital hold upon
his constitution. The doctors gave
him up late yesterday afternoon.
Judge Gunnison adjourned court
for tho day out of respect to the mem
ory of Mr. Hcott.
William T. Bcott came to Valdoz in
January 1007 to become assistant
United Htates attorney here, and had
held the post ever since. He wont to
Juneau late In February to conduct
the prosccutjon of Edward O. llasey
upon the ehargo of murder In the
' Keystone canyon riot. Judge Hcott
was nn old friend of District Attorney
Harlan, tho two havlnglivcd formally
1 years In York, Nebraska. It was
■ this former association with Judge
Harlan which gave him the appoint
ment as assistant district attorney.
In Nebraska he served as county at
torney. In tho early nineties Mr.
Hcott moved from Nobraska to Hoat
tle, where he practiced law until he
. came to Alaska. He was corporation
. oounsel of Heattle for four years and
county attorney for King county two
years. In Heattle he stood high as a
lawyer and a clti>.»m.
i Mr. Hcott was a graduate of the
; law school of Indiana university, In
' tho class of 1801).
i During his short residence In Val
. dex Judge Hcott made many friends
FIDALGO CLAIMS
SHOWING UP WELL
Expectation Now That Big
Copper Mine Will Begin
Shipping Soon.
MUCH lUvYiaoPMKNT WORK
i
\'
Tunnels, Drifts anil Cross Culs
Alienate Feci
at Present.
That another big copper mine on
Princo William sonml will lie shipping
ore by this coming fall is the linn
belief of T. J. Donohoe, president of
the Fidalgo-Alaska Copper Company
which has twenty claims on Fidalgo
bay, about fifty miles from Valdez.
Mr. Donohoe returned last Saturday
from a visit to the properties ami he
is very sanguine for the future. He
brought with him samples of ore
totaling lf>(> pounds and running from
3 to 150 percent, taken from the tun
nels and from surface eroppings.
"We have so far expended about
$8,(H)0 in development work" said Mr.
Donohoe this morning, "and we ex
pect to spend from §H,tM)0 to $10,000
more before making arrangements to
ship. It has been our purpose all
along to first determine whether or
not we will bo justified in spending
money for machinery and other facil
ities necessary for shipping before so
doing and I lirinly believe that the
result of the next few months will
prove beyond a doubt that we will he
so justified.1'
Mining men familiar with t he cop
per conditions on Prince William
sound are of the belief that the Fidal
go properties are among the most
valuable yet discovered. The claims
are located on Fidalgo bay, about
fourteen miles from Kllamar and
were discovered and located last June
by Charles Sehlossor, who interested
Mr. Donohoe and his partner Mr.
Ostrandcr in the project. A company
was organized and development' work
begun almost immediately under di
(Continued on page I)
BRYAN LOSES IN
NEW YORK STATE
Democrats Will Send Unin-j
structed Delegation to the
Denver Convention.
Now York, April 10—William Jen
nings Bryan wan repudi ak*<l by the
Now York state convoiition of Demo
crats and 1)ih boom received a punc
ture that it will be long in recovering
from hint night, when the convention
adjourned after deciding (o send an
uninstructed delegat ion to the nat ion
al convention at Denver. Boss Mc
Carron, of Brooklyn, who haw led the
light for Bryan jnet Hingnal "defeat
and Tammany emerged triumphant
from the smoke of battle which
marked the closing hours of t he con
vention.
The tight. agaiiiHt Bryan began al
most immediately after the conven
vention was <?ni!<•<! to order and
raged fiercely through the days that
proceeded adjournment., which did
not come until midnight, last night.
Through it. all the Tammany delega
tion stood firm.
and the iiowh of his death brought
forth general expressions of regret.
Threo children mirvive Mr. Hcott.
Charles, the oldest won, Ih chief clerk
in the corporporatlon counsel's office
in Heattle. Thomas Hcott is assist
ant oashlor of the Valdess Bank &
Mercantile Company's bank. Ife Ih
now on the steamer Hanta Clara
bound for Heattle 011 the way to Ju
neau. Miss Dora Hcott wailed for He
attle on the Portland and it in not
known here whether she stopped In
Juneau. Mrs. Hcott died in Heattle in
1003.
HAPPY JACK MINE
WILL SOON SHIP
Summer's Work With Twen
ty-four Men Will Cross
cut Main Ledge.
Julius Singer says the Happy Jack
mine on Hogan bay, Knight inland,
will he shipping ore by next fall. Mr.
Singer, who is manager of the mine,
is now employing twenty-four men.
lie is driving a tunnel to cross-cut a
ledge about 7(H) feet in the hill. The
tunnel is now in 400 feet. The ledge
was located farther up and when
stripped showed that it was without
doubt a largo body of ore of good
grade. The crosscut tunnel is run to
tap the ore at greater depth.
In driving the tunnel a ledge of
vein matter 22 feet wide was crossed.
This was struck a few weeks ago and
in fact was announced in the Pros
pector at the time. This is not an
ore body, being mostly gangue, hut
the ore is of good grade and when
sorted will furnish large quantities of
shipping ore. This will be shipped
with the ore from the main ledge
when the latter is tapped.
NEW PAY CREEKS
IN INNOKO DISTRICT
G. H. Walker Says Good
Camp Will Be Outcome
of Recent Discoveries.
Two creeks known to contain pay
{•ravels and another upon which good
prospects have been found, is the in
couraging news brought to Valdez re
garding the Innoko district, by IT. (J.
Walker, who came direct from there,
enroute from Nome to thin town.
(Jane creek, upon which the original
discovery was made which attracted
a stampede to t he Innoko, has proved
a disappointment and in practically
deserted.
The new creeks are Ophir, Spruce
and Dodge. These streams rnn par
allel with (bine creek, all flowing into
the Iuuoko. Ophir is showing lip ex
tremely well. Thus far twelve pay
claims have been opened up. The
paystreak lies at a depth of thirty
feet, the ground is frozen and the
hoisting and drifting method of min
ing is employed. The pay gravel ap
parently lies in a well defined streak.
Pans as high as $20 have been found.
Spruce creek is a later discovery.
Two pay claims have thus far been
opened tip. The formation is similar
t<» that <»f Ophir. Dodge creek is the
latest find and the prospectors work
ing upon it had found good prospects
when Walker was there, and were
confident of encountering pay.
Walker brought with him speci
mens of quartz literally alive with
free gold. He thinks the quartz pos
sibilities of the Innoko are extremely
encouraging.
Walker, who is a fur-buyer repre
senting a Seattle house, gives
it as his opinion that a mining camp
of no mean proportions will be opened
up in the Innoko district as a result
of these now diseovorios, He sailed
for Seattle on the Santa Clara, and
will return to the Innoko in a few
weeks.
Honey Attacks Fulton Again
Portland, Ore., April 16—Francis J.
Ilonoy hIIckch that Senator Charles
W Fulton offered financial Induce
ments to representative H. A. Web
ster for letters in support of Fulton's
senatorial candidacy In 1903. He files
affidavits in support of the charge and
a Krf,nt furor has boon caused by the
attack.
Highwaymen Wound Officer
Portland, Ore., April 16— One officer
and one highwayman were seriously
wounded as the result of a gun flght
between five desperation and a posse
of police hero last night. The police
had responded to a hurry-up call
sent in by citizens who hod been held
up by the highwaymen.
WORK RESUMED
AT LOUIS BAY
Knight's Island Mining &
Development Company
Getting Busy.
GOOD ORE 1H)1)Y OPENED UP
Machinery Installed Makes Rapid
Development of Property
Possible.
The Knight Island Mining & Devel
opment Co. this week resumed work
011 its property on Louis bay near the
north end of the island on the west
side. Louis Kothkranz, the manager,
and K. S. Miller, an otlleerand heavy
stockholder of the company, went
down on the Agnes last Sunday with
live men and a large stock of sup
plies. Operations will be pushed
actively and later ai large number of
men will be employed.
The company already has over 400
feet of tunnel and open cuts. Rock
work is done with powder drills and
the company lias other machinery in
stalled, including a sawmill. Con
tracts have been made to sell the sur
plus lumber output to other mines on
the island and to purchasers in Val
dez.
A good ore body is already opened
in the mine and the output will be
brought ttown on sleds while the
snow lasts and afterward packed.
Last year the company built a good
mountain road eight feet wide at an
expense of $.'5000, from the mine to
the bay. The distance is one mile.
The grade of the road is about 5 per
cent. Ultimately a tramway will bp
constructed beside the road. Thi^
groupe comprises t wenty-four claimH.
Several Valdez men are interested in
this property. Recently W. T. Becks
bought a large interest and ho is help
ing to finance this year's operations.
The mine was examined last year
by Hermann \V. A.'Keller, an expert
in tin* employ of the (iuggenheims,
who spent two weeks on the ground,
and lie made a very favorable report,
getting good copper assays.
BOY SACRIFICES
LIFE FOR HIS HAT
Seattle, April 1(1—Carl Knutson,
the 12-year old son of Louis Knutson,
a well known resident, of thin city
was drowned in (Ireen Lake this
morning while endeavoring to re
cover his hat. The lad was a good
swimmer hut it is helieved ho was
seized with cramps. He sank before
his companions could do aught to
save him.
With several companions young
Knutson was rowing on the lake
when a vagrant gust of wind blew
his hat off. He sprang from the boat
to rescue the hat and disappeared al
most immediately.
DIVER IS COMING TO
INSPECT SARATOGA
Seattle, April Ml Steamship North
western of the Alaska Steamship
Company's fleet sailed for Valde/.
this morning having on board Henry
Finch, a diver who will make au in
spection of the wreck of the nteam
ship Saratoga, now ashore on Ilushy
reef at the entrance of Prince Wil
liam Sound.
The owning company has Iio|>ch of
being able to float the wreck and re
pair the vessel.
Hank Cnabler In Trouble
Carlisle, Pn., April 10— John Har
ris, cashier of the Merchants hank of
this city was arrested this morning
011 the charge of cmhc/./.ling f3f>,000.
More than 700 miners were killed
in the Pennsylvania coal fields during
the month of December, The gov
ernment Is investigating to determine
If It In not possible to provide hotter
protection.