The Alaska Prospector
Hubllmcd at Valdez, Alaska, every Thursday
by the I'ROSPKCTOK I'VBLISIIINU Co
I'hone Main 1.
Kutered at the VaMcz i'oitofflce as second
class matter.
Subscription >3 per year. f'2 for six month
Single copies 10 cents
BANKING POWER
The report of the Comptroller of
Currency shows that in 1904 there
wan iu operation in the United States
one bank for every 4,807 inhabitants,
and for the present year one for every
3.500 inhabitants.
The banking power of the United
States in 1908, as represented by cap
ital, surplus and other profits, depos
its, and circulation of national and
other reporting banks, together with
estimated amounts of funds of this
character in the nonreporting banks,
is shown to be $17,042,705,271, an
amount exceeding the whole world's
banking power in 1890.
Since 1890, the banking power of
the United States has increased more
than 212 per cent; that of foreign
countries 159 per cent; and the com
bined banking power, !8(J per cent.
Of the thirty-three national banks
for which receivers were appointed
during the year ended October 31,
1908, nine banks, with aggregate
capital of $1,21)0,000, were restored to
solvency and authorized to resume
business, while receivers proceeded
to liquidate the assets of twenty-four
banks found to be irretrievably in
solvent.
Noting the cause of banks placed
in charge of receivers during the
year, it appears that seven banks
were wrecked by the cashier, one by
defalcation of olllcers, and three
chiefly through fraudulent manage
ment.—Ex.
IyOCAI, PAPER FIRST
The local newspaper is the local in
timate friend of the people you arc
trying to reach in eacli locality. Yon
may advertise in the few metropoli
tan newspapers ami break ground in
a big way, but you cannot get all the
results and, in my opinion, you can
not get the best results unless you
bring to your aid the daily associa
tion of the local editor with his local
readers.
If you kill the local editor by neg
lecting his advertising columns yon
deprive his locality and the country
at large of the most important feature
of public defense and good govern
ment. You harm the community as
you would harm the farmers it you
went systematically to work starving
their watchdogs to death.
The local editors are t he watchdogs
of the local neighborhood, and »n
addition to that, they are the real
defenders of the public. They do a
work that a handful of metropolitan
newspapers cannot pretend to do.
Fortunately they give you a good
return, the heal return for your adver
tising investment, when you adver
tise with them wisely, and they will
grow in power and prosperity with
the growth of intelligent advertising.
—Arthur Brisbane to Advertising
Men at Kansas City.
The guess that A. C. Frost is back
of the charges against Judge Reid
may not be a bad one. Mr. Frost
threatened in Seward last summer to
make trouble at Washington for the
j udgo. However the judge has shown
a good deal of ability to tiike care of
himself in the past and can probably
bo trusted to keep the (lies off his
enemies in the future.
Any porson in soarch of Homo ono
to make an affidavit. In support of tho
statement that a malmuto dog in
posossed of reasoning powers has
only to go to K- H. Mack, export ao
oonntant, Klk, landlord and em
bryonic shipwright, to got tho afll
' davit. It's thl« way: A night or
two since, Mack hoard a crashing, as
of glass hoing smashed, nnd going to
tho door of his office gazed across tho
street toward tho government stable,
whoro a number of dogs aro kopt.
Ono of tho dogH hftd broken a pane of
glass from tho window, nnd when
Mack roaoiiod tho door tho malamuto
www busily engaged In biting from
tho wash tho jagged fragment h of tho
window pnno. Oneo this wan dono
tho malamuto erawlod through tho
narrow apart.uro and mado his oscnpo
into tho frosty air of tho stroot. A
oaroful examination foiled to find nn
abrasion on tho dog, and now Maek
swears by tho reasoning jw»wors of
animals of the malamuto breed.
HUDSON CELEBRATION
Three huudred years ago Hendrlck
Hudson sailed up the rivor that bears
hi» name, in a Dutch craft, Halve
Maan (Half Moon.) New Yorkers
propose to celebrate the event with
great demonstration, and to that
end there is being built iu Holland,
to represent that country at the fes
tivities, a reproduction of the origi
nal vessel of discovery.
The vessel represents a throe
masted yacht, the fore and main
masts rigged with yards, and the
mizzen mast with a lateen sail.
The measurements of the original
ship, which have been found in the
archives of the East Indies Company,
and are being reproduced, are:
Length, t>.'5 feet; beam, 17 feet, and a
tonnage of S'J tons. The armament
will consist of four guns.
The vessel is built of oak and will
sail for New York next spring—nay,
verily. She will not sail, but the
dear little tiling will be carefully
hoisted 011 board—a liner, and bo
brought to America like any other
piece of merchandise. What an ob
i ject lesson on the progress of naviga
tion and ship building!
Stranger still, while accurate data
has been obtained whereby the
Dutch ship Half Moon, which sailed
up 'lie Hudson river in 1009 is to be
reproduced, no satisfactory material
is extant whereby a true fac simile of
i Fulton's llrst steamboat, Cleremont,
which came 200 years after Hudson's
discovery, can be made. The most
painstaking search has been made
but no builder's or engineer's plans
of Fulton's famous steamboat have
Im'ci discovered
No contemporary engraving, so far
as is known, exists of the Clermont,
the pictures depicting the steamer on
the Hudson having been made at a
later date, when alterations ba'l
been made to the original boat.—Ex.
_ .
STANDARD OIL CASE
WILL BE REHEARD
Chicago, Jan. 7—United States
Judge Landis tliis morning granted
tin; request f*»r a rehearing in the
ease against the Standard Oil Coni
pany. The petition in rehearing was
made hy United States District At
torney Wilkerson, and it was vigor
ously protested hy representatives of
the Standard.
The action of District Attorney
Wilkerson is preparatory to again
bringing to trial the ease resulting in
the assessment of the famous §'29,000,
000 line. The supreme court reversed
the case, holding that error had been
committed during the proceedings
in the lower court.
ROOSEVELT WANTS MORE
POWER FOR COMMISSION
Washington, Jan. 7 — President
Roosevelt wants more power for the
interstate commerce commission, and
in a message sent to congress this
morning it is asked that the commis
sion he given power to force witness
es to answer.
The efficiency of the commission in
conducting investigations has always
been greatly hampered by the fact
that unless a witness was disposed ho
was not obliged to answer the ques
tions asked by members of ttie com
mission.
FISHERIES BUREAU HAS
CHARGE OF FUR SEALS
WuHhinKton, Jan. 7—Adminintra
tion of tho fur Hoal rookoriea bolonp
in# to tho United .States wa« t.h>
morning traiiHferred from tho trea
ury department to the bureau of
flHhorlon. Thin action 1h in accord
with a recommendation niado l>y tho
proHldont in in mcHHage.
Under di roc tion of the l>uroau of
flHhcrloH an exhaustive atudy of tho
fur Boai will bo mado, and scientific
methods of protection and aiding
proportion will prevail.
"Did you ever find that traditional
man under the bed?" queried the
spinster.
"Only one," replied the married
woman. "We thought wo heard
burglars down stairs, and a few noo
onds later i found my husband thoro.
Wife—What luek? Husband—None
whatever! Wife—Wero there no »er«
van to at the intelligence ofTloo? Hun
hand—Yjn lota of them, but they had
all worlf^d for 11* l>eforo.
TAFT'S TRIP IS FULL
OF HUMAN INTEREST
Unique experiences of President
Elect William 11. Taft on his cam
paign tour through the United States
wero recently told by James Mark
ham, secretary to Chief of Police
Shippy, who returned to Chicago and
his duties after traveling with Mr.
Taft for forty-one days as a member
of his bodyguard.
"We traveled forty-one days, dur
ing which^Mr. Taft made from three
to twenty speeches a day and covered
18,000 miles, yet during all that time
I never saw a frown on his face and
ho never showed any irritation," said :
Mr. Markhiim to a Chicago corres
pondent of the Mew York Sun.
"We had many experiences. Some
were funny, and others had a touch
of pathos in them. In Brooklyn at a '
Jewish voter's meeting over which
Oscr r Straus presided the various in
I lluences which affect voters wero il
j lustrated. Mr. Taft held the audience
by a splendid talk upon the various
issues of the campaign, but it was
when he assured those present that
| he would see to it that under his ad
| ministration an American passport
would be respected when carried by
Jew or Christian in every country of
Europe and that the Jewish people
j would get their just measure of pro
tection as citizens both at home and
abroad the crowd literally went wild
with joy. They shouted hurrah for
the passports lirst and then for Mr.
Taft until the rafters of the ball
shook. There was no mistake as to
the subject closest to their hearts in
j the campaign.
! "'At Binghampton, N. Y., an old
man with snow white hair (stopped
before tlie crowd just before Mr. Taft
began his address. At the toj) of bis
voice the man shouted. 'Fremont
first voters, arise!' and about lifty
' veterans stood up. 'Saluteyour next
president,'was the next command,
and they did, 'He seated,' was the
next command, and silently the old
men sat down.
•'Then, turning to Mr. Taft, the old
man said, 'Now, sir, proceed.' at
which there was a thunder of ap
plause, in which Mr. Taft himself
joined heartily.
"At Wilmington, Del., the crowd
was so largo that it was difficult to
keep it in check. It was an open air
meeting, and the crowd began to
sway to and fro, endangering th e
safety of many. A little boy was
caught in the jam and began crying.
Mr. Taft himself pushed the people1
aside, picked up the lad, put him over
bis shoulders and placed him in a safe
place upon the platform. The crowd
went wild with enthusiasm, for the
boy clasped Mr. Taft as he woidd his
own father when he rescued him out
of the perilous place.
"At Frankfort, Ky., an enthusiastic
admirer of Mr. Taft showed bis joy
at greeting him in such a demonstra
tive manner that when he was through
Mr. Taft's vest, was minus two but
tons. The man felt somewhat cha
grined. When we reached Louisville
wo found six girls waiting for uh.
They wore on band to sew the but
tons on the vest, and they did. Later
they called 011 Mr. Taft to receive
his thanks and to tell him that they
were honored by iho privilege of sew
ing the buttons on the vest of the
next pnisident.
"On the whole, enthusiasm greeted
Mr. Taft everywhere. The police of
tho various cities, irrespective of par
ties, did splendid work in caring for
and protecting Mr. Taft and his party.
Every day Mr. Taft was in communi
cation with members of his family,
and, although always bubbling over
with good ehoor, ho was happiest
when Mrs. Taft Joined the party in
New York state."
Tho Ifedjaz Hallway in Syria, among
othor things, will contain a carriage
fitted up as a mosque, where pilgrims
will he ablo to perform their devo
tions during the journey to the sacred
cities. Kxtornally the praying car
riage Is only distinguished from tiie
other carriages l>y a minaret six
feet high. Tho interior is luxurious
ly fitted. Tho floor Is covered with
tho richost of perslan carpets, while
around the sides are verses from tho
Koran appropriate to the pilgrimage
and in letters of gold. A chart indi
cates the direction of Mecca at one
end, and at the other aro are placed
four vessels for holding water for the
ritual ablution*.—Ex.
OUTFITTING
Our outfits have stood the test for over TEN years*
We carry a complete line of Supplies, Provisions, Clothing, Bed
ding, Foot Ware, Hardware, Camp Outfits and seven foot can-'
vas Tarpaulins, Miners Supplies, Powder, Caps, Fuse, Gasoline,
Dog Sleds, James Patterson Horse Sleds; Hoffman Horse Sleds,
Yakshaw Camp Stoves, made in Valdez*
W e are the sole agents for ^3. <& \A/. Canned Goods, Holly
Flour, Chase & Sanborn coffee*
Our packers are men of long experience and your outfit will be
properly packed if placed with us*
VftLOEZ BANK & MERCANTILE CO, INC.
silo PIONEER OUTFITTERS woo
CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS
ENDS IN FATAL MANNER
Butte, Jan. K—Dan Sweeney, a
miner, was killed this morning as the
result of a series of aeeidents.
Sweeney met his death by being
struck by a timber, and the timber
was struck by James Martin, who
fell while attempting to rescue Hugh
Kearney, who fell down a (>00—foot
shaft. Aside from a few minor
bruises neither Martin nor Kearney
are hurt as the result of the ex
perience.
Kearney, whose fall was broken at
various intervals, finally lodged some
distance from the bottom of the tun
nel on the (iOO-foot level. Martin at
tempted to (.'limb up to where Kear
ney was lodged , and in so doing fell.
In his descent Martin struck a loose
timber, knocking it into the shaft,
and in its fall it struck Sweeney, who
was assisting in getting Kearney out
of his predicament.
GOVERNOR S REPORT
FAVORS MINING LAWS
Amendment of the mining laws ap
plicable to Alaska is urged in Gov.
Hoggntt's annual report, particularly
restrictions upon the present laws
which in effect allow speculative
holding of large areas of placer
ground. The report says:
"The act approved March 2, 1007,
regarding affidavit** of assessment work
controversies ovor the ownorseip of
placer claims or to diminish the evils
which iiavo grown up under tho
practices of staking unlimited num
bers of claims hy individuals or
through power of attorney. Large
areas of placer gr ounds are held for
speculative purposes and are kept
closed to an army of prospectors who
are ready and anxious, if given an
opportunity, to prospect and develop
the placer fields of the Interior. Con
gress should enact a law which would
define, in length of tunnel or depth of
shaft, what constitutes afscssmcnt
work, and that assessment require
ments should be made upon all loca
tions within ninety days after loca
tion. Such enactment wovdd do away
with the evil of location by powor of
attorney and of wholesale locations
by individuals. The law should
further provide that eight times the
amount of work necessary to ho per
formed upon a single claim to con
tinue ownership for one year should
bo performed on each association
claim during the year. Theso require
ments are in line with recent legisla
tion In the mining states, and would
if enacted into law throw open vast
arens of placer gvound which aro now
held for speculative purposes under
locations by pow<V of attorney and
by association clairns.
Tho labor-lien la\« for Alaska should
bo extended to cV»ver the minor's
lien upon dumps Ixtraeted by his
labor." 1
Wortman's Roadhouse
Bar and General Merchandise
Accomodations for Travelers
Pontius Magnuson Prop.
The Teikhell Roadhouse
48 Miles From Valclez
On Government Trail.
Best of accommodations for man and heast. Fresh Meat
always on hand. Horse and Don Feed All the latest
improvements. PRIVATE ROOMS.
M rs. Ed. Wood, Proprietor.
Alaska Coast Co.
S. S. BERTHA, 8th of cacl1 <-«*■
S. S. PORTLAND,25(11 of ^mont|1
From Valdcz for
Juneau and all l'uget Sound Ports
Rights Reserved to Change Steamers or Sailing Dates Without Notice.
A. S. DAUTRICK, (Jeneral Agent, Valdcz, Alaska.
VALDEZ HOSPITAL
Reservation Ave. near Court House
Private Rooms for Patients Graduate Nurses
Hospital TicketvS, $1.50 per Month.
Phone 77
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Weekly, per. Year In Advnnee.
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K T Hkron, Manager PHONE f>0 Foot of KeyHtono Ave
BRANCH OFFICE AT CORDOVA
Thirteen thousand two hundred ami
ninety-four per*onn wero employed
on the Hhlpa entering the harbor of
Han Franelaeo during the Jaat year,
aeeordlng to the report of the wtate
labor commlfinlonor, whleh In now In
eourne of preparation.
Judge Aftdemon To Try Standard
Oldoago, Jan. 8—I>iHl.rIct Jndgt A.
I), Anderson of Indianapolin hn« oon
fronted to pro«ido (hiring the retrial
of the enae ngaintat the Htandard Oil
Company. Judge I.nndl* do«* not
defdre to rotry the ea«»,