Valdez weekly Prospector
Vo). 7 > Valdez, Alaska, January 28, 1909. No. 51
GEORGE BARRACK
JARS BUREAUCRATS
Would you like to hear ho\V George
Barrack stuck up the United States
government and made it suspend the
federal statutes as accumulated in a
stack of books that would overflow a
wheelbarrow, just to give him wit
ness fees?
In Valdez it is unneccessary to ex
plain that George Barrack is a min
ing magnate and postmaster-general
at the fourth-class oilico near the
northwest corner of Latouche island.
Recently Mr. Barrack was subpoe
naed to dance attendance on the ses
sions of the United States district
court at Seattle to tell what ho was
supposed to know about the case of
one Parkhurst, indicted upon the
charge of frisking the First National
Bank of Seattle for a few tens of
thousands while acting as teller.
George waited around until the case
was continued until April and then
went .o United States Marshal Hop
kins for his compensation. Where
upon the joilowing proceedings took
place. Mr. Hopkins loquitur:
"Mr. Barrack, you are a postmas
ter up in Alaska, are you not?"
'^Yes.I'ma ilrst class postmaster
at a fourth class office called La
touche."
"Well, under the federal feo bill,
being a federal officeholder you are
entitled only to your actual expenses.
How much have you spent for neces
sary expenses since you left home?"
Just Boards Around
" I don't know just what 1 have
spent. I have been boarding round
like a country school ma'am, and I
havn't kept any books. Do you in
clude wet groceries under the head
of necessary expense?"
"The statutes makes no provision
for that and I don't think it would he
til lowed."
"How does it come that I don't get
regular feos?"
"Because you area federal office
holder."
Argument with Marshal Hopkins
proved unavailing, although he is a
very pleasantgontleman, so Postmas
ter Barrack sought out District Attor
ney Todd, whoso office force dragged
out law books and read from them
and piled them up 011 one side of the
room until they couldn't pile any
higher, and tried to make George be
lieve ho had only actual expen
ses coming, all because ho hands out
a few letters to the miners of La
touohe island.
Then Postmaster Barrack appealed
to United States District fudge Han
ford in person and the judge told him
the law had been handed to him right.
Then Mr. Barrack made the following
offer:
Makes I/iberal Offer
"Well now, Judge, when I come
down in April if you will fix me up a
tont with plenty of beans and a little
side- of meat and somo coffee and
canncd milk I think I can save the
government some monoy. I'm a
fair cook and I have bached a good
deal."
"No, Mr. Harrack," said the jurist,
"the next timo you come down I
would advise you to stop at tho best
hotel in town. The government will
pay the freight if you do."
Still Georgo kept stirring up his
troubles until he induced somo offici£
al to wiro to the department at Wash
ington and an ordor carno back to
pay tho Alaska postmaster regular
witness fees, (eluding mileage.
Thon tho wise men got tho worst of
it again by getting too cautious. On
tho wa> to Seattle on tho Portland
Mr. Barrack Hecured a table of dis
tances fromCapt. Franz Moore of the
steamer Portland. Ho offered this to
tho official timekoepor of tho mar
shal's office but that person would
nottako It, insisting 011 wiring to
Homobody in Taeoma who was sup
posed to know It all. That person
wired back that tho distance was 1700
miles, about 200 more than Oeorge
claimed, and George got the money
on the other fellow's figures.
Humphrey Keeps Trying
Washington, Jan. 28—Congressman
Humphrey of Washington is making
strong efforts to revive In the house
Interest In the morchant marine.
This in Congresman Humphrey's hob
by and for a long time ho has been
endeavoring to have croated n law
asflsting the morchant marine of the
United States.
PORTLAND'S TRIP
FULL OF INCIDENT
It will bo some time before Cupt.
Franz Moore^and others in an oflleial
position aboard the steamship Port
land forget the last trip to the west
ward, for as passengers the Portland
carried Capt. Blodgett, the man who
created Seldoviu, and W. O. Whorf,
who avers that ho resides at Port
Graham. Capt. Blodgett recently
sold out his transportation in terests
and is now going to bo gonoral mana
ger of them, having been, employed
by the Alaska Commercial Company,
the purchasers.
While these old cronies aro ever
alert for an opportvnity to job each
other, eaeh believes himself to bo the
leading citizen of "The only town to
the westward," and hero is where
Capt. Moore comes into.the game for
aboard the Portland wore throe cases
of merchandise marked "W. Q.
Whorf, Port Graham."
Whorf and Capt. Blodgott, involved
in arguments as to the respective
qualifications of their respective
towns, appealed to Capt. Moore,
Whorf proudly citing the ship's mani
fest as evidence that the Portland
would give the lie to Capt. Blodgett's
assertion that Port Graham is not on
the vessel's route map. Then comes
the cataclysm, for Capt. Moore vig
orously asserted that ho had never
heard of Port Graham. The next day
the Whorf freight and tho Whorf
personality were discharged at Sel
dovia, Capt. Blodgott being first off
the gangplank that he might extend
cordial welcome to his "guest."
At Kodiak the Portland found eon
iderable snow on the ground and the
weather very cold. Former Deputy
Marshal L. L. Bowers is not well and
will go outside in"a short time. Ed.
Wood's horses are reported in line
condition but in need of a haircut.
The other residents of the Island are
all well and nappy.
At Seward tho residents gave a
Saturday night dance in honor of the
officers and crows of the Portland and
of the Pennsylvania.
The Portland reports that the
wreck of the Saratoga is broken in
two pieces, the break being just for
ward of the after house, and tlie only
thing visible of the forward part of
the vessel being a mast. It is be
lieved that the next big storm will
remove from sight all that now re
mains of the Saratoga.
B F MILLARD BONDS
HOLLAND PROPEBTY
Col. 15. P. Millard today completed
a deal whereby he' becomes possessed
of an option on what is known aH the
Lars Holland copper property, con
sisting of twenty-eight claimH at tho
head of Fidalgo bay. In the deal Col.
Millard in acting independently of any
connection with the Galena Hay Min
ing Company, of which ho is presi
dent.
Iiy the terms of the deal Col. Mil
lard has until 101A to comploto
the payment of the $300,000 option
price. He has two years in which to
make the first payment, the only
proviso being that he do the assess
ment work for the two years, an ex
pense of $3,000 a year. Then if he
decidos to koep the property, ho is
to pay $20,000. The other pay
ments arc $60,000 tho third year and
$57,000 for each of the four years fol
lowing.
Tho property was located by Lars
Holland and Adolph Larson. Hinco
they have taken In eight others, and
they havo done ono year's assoment
work. Col. Millard Is convined that
tho property is worth thorough Inves
tigation, and ho bolievos that two
years assessment work will deter
mine whether or not ho will be justi
fied in going through with tho terms
of his option, the last year of which
carries the Inst payment. •>
Willett Speech la Condemned
Washington, .fan. 28—The house this
morning adopted a report recommend
ing that tho speech recently made
by Congressman Willett. be expunged
from the records. Willett made
charges against the president and
during his speech the house votod to
deny him tbci floor.
HER TO SLIDE
PAY DIRT TO GREEK
Charles Kraemer is going to try a
scheme, new for this part of the coun
try, in handling his Miller gulch
bench ground this season Mr. Krae
mer's plan is to construct a chute
from the top of the bench to the
creek and the dirt will be dumped
into the intake and fi*om there will be
handled in the sluice boxes.
To carry out his plan Mr. Kraemer
will have to build a chute about 500
feet long. He will obtain his lumber
inside and he figures that lie will
have this part of the work done in
time to begin actual mining soon
after the season opens. The Kraemer
property joins that of Jack Miller
and as this season the latter is to
work in the creek Mr. Kraemer will
have to confine his operations to the
bench ground. This ground was pros
pected last summer and its value has
been demonstrated.
Mr. Kraotner will this week begin
freighting his outfit into his property.
He will take about ten tons of sup
plies and be accompanied by four
men. He may employ more men
later but cannot tell until lie lias
sized up the situation as created by
the use of the chute.
This coming season promises to be
a busy one in the Slate creek region.
Bert McDowell is planning to run a
tunnel that will probably be 2,000 feet
long before it is completed. He is to
start in some distance below his own
bench claims and will endeavor by
means of the tunnel to discover bed
rock.
WIRELESS SAVES
500 LIVES AT SEA
New York, Jan. 25—Wireless tele
graphy saved 500 lives yesterday
when the Lloyd-Italian liner Florida
rammed the liner Kephlic. Immedi
ately after the accident aerograms
were sent in every direction and
within a short time four liners and
two revenue cutters were standing by
the crippled vessels.
The first relief vessel to arrive was
the liner Baltic and with the utmost
dispatch the passengers were trans
ferred to her from the injured steam
ships. Of the more than 500 persons
imperiled by the collision all except
six were saved and these six were
killed by the collision.
Shortly after the arrival of the Hal
tic the Republic foundered. She was
worth * 1,500,000.
COL. MILLARD WILL PAY
$1,500 FOR NUGGET
Col. B. F. Millard, president of the
Galena Hay Copper mining Company,
has agreed to pay $1,500 to George
Nelson to deliver in Valdez by July
1, next, the big copper nugget now
in on Nugget creek. Col. Millard is
very anxious that the big nugget be
brought out and placed on exhibition
at the Alaska-Yukon-Paeifle Expo
sition and he is willing to go down
in his own pocket to defray . the ex
pense of the undertaking.
Whon thospoeial agent of the Al
aska commission to the exposition
was in Valdez, the question of bring
ing out the nugget desired by Col.
Millard was discussed at somo length.
Attlie timo it was estimated that it
will cost close to $2,000 to bring out
tho chunk ef coppor, but nothing was
ever done about it.
Nelson closed the contract yester
day aftornoon and ho declares that
while the Contract gives him until
July I, he will havo tho nugget on
tho Valdez wharf by April 1. Nel
son is a contractor of long experionco
and ho has full confidence In his abil
ity to deliver the nugget by the time
he specifies.
Cosgrove la Inaugurated
Olympia, Jan. 28—Samuel H. Cos
grove was today inaugurated as gov
ernor of the State of Washington.
Mr. Cosgrove came on from Califor
nia, where he h^s been very ill, and
it Is probablo thAt he will phortly re
turn to tho southern state as his
health Is far from/ good. Cosgrove's
illness, comihg Mr it did Immediately
after his election, caused some con
sternation in tho ranks of tho anti
Mead faction In tho state. It was
feared that Co»grovo would not live
to take the oawi of ofTlco and In thfct
case, the providing opinion Is, Mead
would have c/mtlnuod In office.
RUMOR THREATENS
TOWN OF SELDOM
Seattle,Jan. 25—Soldoviu, as the
metropolis of the western coast of
Alaska and of the Cook inlet country,
is doomed to be superseded by a com
paratively new town, Port Graham.
At least such is the rumor prevailing
in transportation circles in Seattle.
The understanding is that the Alas
ka Steamship Company has obtained
the business of the Alaska Commer
cial Company and will place four
steamships on the run from Seattle
to Valdez and thence west to Port
Graham. It is further understood
that the steamship company and the
trading company will join in building
a flue wharf at Port Graham, which
is said to be much more aecessable
to big steamships than is Seldovia.
Included in the new scheme of
things is the intention to have the
big liners make Kodiak a regular port
of call, and it is believed that, when
this goes into effect tlie steamship
Dora, now plying from Seward west,
will change her east port of depart
ure from Seward to Kodiak.
At present the Alaska Coast Com
pany has the contract for transport
ing the supplies for the Alaska Com
mercial Company, and the loss of
this contract is believed to be only
one feature of the rivalry between
the two steamship companies. The
Alaska Coast Company lias always
maintained a through service from
Seattle to Seldovia, but for the most
part the vessels of the Alaska Steam,
ship Company have made Seward
their extreme westet 11 port of call,
transferring there to the Dora.
In order to comply with the pro
visions of the rumor, I lie Alaska
Steamship Company will be obliged
to place four vessels on the run for
it will require a month for a vessel
to make tin- round trip from Seattle
to Port Graham.
The Alaska Commercial Company
anticipates a I isy season in the Cook
Inlet country, and it is making exten
sive preparatJ >ns to handle what is
btflovfid willt.ssume the proportions
of a stampede Into the Knsitna coun
try.
MEN ARRIVE FROM
NOME RY QOGTEAM
J. H. Bullock, general manager in
Nome for the Sossnons Lighterage
Company, and A. If. Kellogg, one of
office men for the same company, ar
rived in Valdez last evening at (> o'
clock, forty-one days and six hours
from Nome by dog team. With them
camo Pete Bernard, famous as a
musher, who owns the eleven dogs
that hauled the outfit.
When the men set out from Nome
on December 15 at noon, it was with
the intention of establishing a record
for the distance, but the elements
were against them and almost from
the start they fought against blizzards,
struggled over unbroken wastes of
snow and suffered extremely from the
terrible cold, much of the time trav
eling with the thermometer so far be
low zero as to freeze brandy, whiskey
and everything else including faces,
fingers and toey.
From Koltag to within fifteen miles
of Gibbon, a distance of about 300
miles the men woro forced to break
trail for the dogs. Much of the time
they were forced to sloop out of doors;
on other occasions thoy found shol
i ter in native huts, in w»<od chopper's
cabins, and it was a source of gratifi
cation when night, found them in the
vicinity of a roadhouso. In all tho
men traveled 1,400 miles and tho only
long stop was thnf> of three days in
Fairbanks. One day was spent in
Koltag. Despite the hardships of tho
trip Mr. Bullock has gained ton
pounds since departing from Nome.
Tho purpose of tho trip is to enable
Mr. Bullock and Mr. Kellogg to get
to Hoattlo. Ordinarily thoy go out
on a late boat, but business necessities
preventet last, fall. Bernard will re
main in Valdez for a week or so and
will then start back for Nome.
Bacon Ooch Into Root's Place
Woshlngton, Jan. 38—Secretary of
Ht ato Hoot's resignation was accepted
this morning, and tho senate Immedi
ately confirmed tho nomination of
Assistant Hecretary Bacon, who qual
ified ami Is now secretary of state, to
remain as such until Presldent-Klect
Taft takes office.
GOVERNOR HOGGATT IS
FACING LOSS OF POWER
Opposition To Alaska's Executive Is Precipitated By
Row Concerning Re-appointment Of Judge Gun
nison, Juneau Delegation Has Rupture,
And Frame-up Is For Wickersham
To Receive Strong Support
Washington. Jan. 2'.i—Wilford B.
Hoggatt, governor of Alaska, is fac
ing the erisis of his official career.
While the fight against him is yet
in its infancy and while the Hoggatt
opposition is not yet thoroughly
organized the stage is set for the j
strife and Alaskans in Washington ■
are freely expressing their belief that
Governor Hoggatt is destined to lose j
his influence with the administration, !
and possibly his official head.
GovernoV Hoggatt finds himself
threatened with loss of prestige
directly because of the trouble eon- j
cerning the confirmation of the ap
pointment of Royal A. Gunnison to
pueceed himself as judge of the First
judicial district of Alaska. Some clays
ago the president sent to the senate
the name of Gunnison, and a day or
so later the president announced that
he has little belief that the nomina
tion will be confirmed.
The understanding in Washington
is that Hoggatt is opposing Gunnison,
and to assist in the scrap to defeat
the nominee a delegation from Jun-|
cau came on to Washington. The
delegation arrived yesterday and now
it is reported that there is a rupture
in its ranks with tin* result that those
in the senate favoring Gunnison have
aligned themselves with friends of
Judge Silas 11. Reid, of the Third
judieial division of Alaska and are to
throw their strength to James Wick
ershain, tin- newly eleeted delegate
from Alaska t<> congress, against
whom Governor lloggatt is said to be
endeavoring to create sentiment in
the minds of the administration.
Wiekersham will not eome on to
Washington unt il after March 4, when
the then President Taft will summon
a special session to discuss the tariff
revision question. Whether or not
there is any agreement between Judge
Reid and Delegate Wiekersham is
not known, but recently charges have
been preferred against the judge and
the lalter's friends in the senate are
of the suspicion 'hat if Governor Hog
gattis not directly behind these char
ges that he is nevertheless far from
friendly to Judge Reid.
Considerable secrecy is being main
tained by the warring factions in the
Juneau delegation but the rupture
has caused much talk among the
Alaskans here, and it is openly de
clared that supporters of lleid ..nd of
Gunnison have formed the alliance to
do all in their power to advance the
prestige of Wiekersham when he ar
rives in Washington.
SENATE COMMITTEE FAVORS
FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Washington, Jan. —Favorable re
ports on the bill creating a Fourth
judicial division for Alaska was made
this morning by the Hcnate judiciary
committee. It is believed that the
bill will pass this session of congress
as there seems little opposition to it,
while on the other hand the bill has
strong support,
The Fourth judicial bill is supposed
SENATE SPENDS AT
EXTRAVAGANT RATE
Washington, Jan. 28—With the gov
ernment facing a deficit of |150,00(),
(KK) the senate is appropriating money
at the rate of $1,000,000 an hour is the
declaration made thin morning by
Senator Davit* during an Impassioned
speech imploring hiH colleague* to
pay heed to the demands for retrench
ment. Senator Davis took the floor
for the purpose of advo<lating a hill
making it a violation of the law to
use the malls or to use the telegraph
wires for the purpose of transmitting
Information or other details In con
nection with any gambling propo
rtion.
Tho hill advocated by Senator Da
vis Is directed primarily toward the
race tracks, and in purposed to sup
press book making in any form. There
la a strong lobby in opposition to the
hill
to have passed tin'house at the llrst
session of the sixtieth congress. In
effect it provides that what is now
the Third division shall he divided
approximately half way between
Valdez and Fairbanks. Yaldez will
be the headquarters of the Third
division, the Fairbanks end being the
Fourth division.
MINERS PROTEST
AGIST THE LAW
Indianapolis, Jan. 28—Recommen
dation of modifications of the use of
the injunction in labor disputes wan
made this morning by tlie Mine
Workers convention now In session
in this city. The adoption of the
resolution was by unanimouH vote,
and came at the close of a number
of speeches in condemnation ot the
methods now in vogue.
The convention also panned a reso
lution protesting against the enforce
ment of M>e jail sentence pronounced
on Oompers, Mitchell and Morrison.
Francis Heney, the Hm Francisco
graft prosecntar, has butted Into Al
aska politics and is opposing the ap
polntment of Powell as marshal In
the Second district. Heney says
Powell has a bad record and wns Im
plicated in the land fraud scandals at
Portland.