1 he Alaska Prospector
■ uUIUlu'd at VuMuz. Atn*ku, < \vry "I*J>y
ti\ I 1m* ritoM'fccnm !'i HI.ISHis«» »'<•
I'iiom: Main 1
KiiU're«l at tin- VaMt'z 1 -1• «i!»• n* m'c'IhI I
clus* mutter. I
*;jii*cri|>tl«tii |i«-r yi-Hi. f"r >>x month
Single coiiic* I*' CtMll*
HIE GOVERNOR'S VIEWS ON
RAILROADS
(iovernor Hoggatt's animal report
discusses railroad building in Alaska,
past, jiri'scnt and future, at a eonsid
erable length. As the cable dis
patches have stated he recommends
an otllcial investigation of routes
from tin- seaboard to the interior and
government aid to the one chosen.
With the governor's statements prob
ably nearly every Alaskan will agree
except as to his oninion that no rail
road will pa\ tile expenses ot its
operation during its early years.
The governor su\ ■*:
"Tin* future development ol Alaska
will depend very largely upon all-t he
year-round i-asy communication be
tween the coast and the interior.
Tl>is naturally depends upon trans
portation facilitit-. There seems to
be an |>le btisine-s reasons to warrant
the < instruction ot railroads from the
coast to the K- rini: river and Matan
nska eoal ilelds. and to the cupper
mines in tie- Alaskan rattle of mouu
tains. Iteyord t) i • points there is
no present business t<• warrant capi
tal unaided to eonstniet railroads.
A diversity of opii :< t - i.nniii;; engi
neers as to the In">t route from the
coast t > the interior has led to some
costly experiments in railroad con
struction. without material progress.
Sllllieit lit knowledge of I i;i> i hie rollt es
from the coast to the interior I be
lieve i-- 11 *iw to be 11:«d and "ould be
obtained by t lie j»ovcrnment through
a hoard "t army ami railroad engi
neers, who should, after obtaining all
possible information alon^ these lines,
determine upon the most feasible
routes to the interior and upon such
liiufs as should be built for the de
velopment ol Alask'i. When the
work is completed, the government
should m-illre (he construction ol the
railroa Is in a similar manner to that
adopted lor the const met i<ui <>i rail
ways in the I'hilipine islands.
"If a railrttad is t o he built t rmn t lie
coast of Alaska to the Yukon valley,
it will he neeess:ir\ for the govern
ment to bear part of the burden of
expense of operation for ten or fifteen
years after its construction, which
will >)e required tor the development
of the interior of .Mask: to such an
extent as to make the railroad self
sustaining. This would mean that
the government would have to main
tain during this period the burden of
the largest part of the expense of
a railroad beyond the Matauuska
coal Ilelds, or the Copper.river mines.
The money now paid for a ver\ ex
tensive mail service, it paid to a rail
road when built would no a long way
toward the maintenance ol a rail
road. I have therefore to urge that
a board of arm\ and railroad engi
neers be appointed lor the purpose
outlined above. It the government
does not assume :i pari of the burden
''of the interior transportation, we
will have to wait tor a permanent
development of the interior of Alaska
until studi time as discoveries of phe
nomenal mineral deposits will justify
private capital in the construction of
railroads."
Tho resident* of what i;« liholmisly
referred to as tin- hli/./ard side of
town have tin- laugh <>n those who
live toward tho denervation, for while
in tho cam* of (Mo former tho wind
may havo hoon a lit11«• inoro hointer
oiih, in tho oano of (ho latter thorn
wmh much inoro nnow to nhovel from
sidewalkn and from doorway* It in
a moan old wind indeed that dooa not
distribute its blessings.
Anyway, Town Magistrate Murray
and Town MarNhal Hoffman have tho
natlnfaction of knowing that oven if
thoir offortn went awry they were
purposed for tho benefit of tho town.
But t he sight of t hat monoy must have
hoon a painful jolt.
It nnmt havo boon a nurprlno to
that Australian fight ehof when he
wan informed hy Mr. .leffrlon that
tho latterdooH not oare for dark meat,
ovon whon It in smothered in golden
nation.
Hoo Gorman the dontintr Over Owl
Drug RtoreExamination froo.
THE LAWMAKER ANI) HIS j
BURDEN.
An enlightening commentary on!
the burdens making round the shoul- !
ders and whitening the hairs of the
lawmakers of the nation is a casual
inspection of tin* Congressional Roc- j
ord. This document is published
daily hy tin- government printing dc-1
partment, and it represents a consid
erable expense to the taxpayers.
However, this latter phase of the sub
ject is not the issue; perhaps it is
money well expended for the sending
broadcast of this and other docu
ments connected with the progress of
a congressional session goes far to
fatten the finances of the railroad
companies and to establish a postal
depart inent deficit.
But to get back to the burdens of
the lawmakers. The Sixtieth ('on
yresj. was recently in session, • it will
be again so soon as the members have
I completed the enjoyment of a holiday
I vacation i and it is fair to suppose
that the constituents of each particu
lar senator and of each particular
representative fondly imagined each
Kach Particular deeply engaged in
I wrestling with questions of vital in
I tcrest tot he I'nion.
So much for constituents and their
suppositions; here is what the Con
gressional Record of December
shows to have occupied the attention
of the senat i ts and the represen
tatives :
Bills introduced intothe senate ask
i ii»n fin* "relict «,f." "pension tor." or
"increase in pension." :»'2t>.
I '
lli'li introduced into the house ask
ing for "relict of," "pension for" « r
j "increase in pension,"'217.
In view of the lad that the record
shows that the Kadi i'artienlars in
troduced a total of Zip hills purposed
to add to the financial benefit of as
main const itutcnt» it is, perhaps,
i well to quality the torc^oinu state
ment am tit the suppositions of con
stituent*; at least f»Ifl of the latter
commodity know that "affairs of
state" arc not all that is on the slate
In occupy the attention of their Kach
Particulars.
SII/VlvIt AT LOW MARK
Silver is quoted at IS'/, cents an
ounce on December '2'2, the lowest
mark on record. Once before it was
a fraction over I!) cents. Then it
climbed slowly upward until near the
end of liltXi, when it went a fraction
above till. At that time it. was asser
ted that the surplus due to excessive
production had been exhausted and
predicted that the smaller produc
tion relative toxoid would gradually
raise t lie price. The price has been
going down ever since, registering a
total drop ot '21 cents. The ratio of
silver value, to gold now is nearly 13
to I.
The price ot silver is a good thing
for prophets to let alone, since nearly
every prediction regarding the white
metal by both sides of the silver con
troversy has come to naught.
(In at consternation is said to pre
vnil in the jungles i»f Africa over the
proposed visit of our strenuous Teddy
; to the wilds of the dark Continent.
The condition over there iH told by
I an exchange: In the jungles deep
; where wolves creep, and the petro
|dacyi'n nest, where is hllilt the liar of
the untamed hear, there's a Hort of
vague unrest: i or the news haw
blown from the lions throne to the
haunts of the crocodile, that a dead
game sport Theodore for short—will
i arrive in a little while. In the hum
hie col of the hippepot'—anms there
! is deepest gloom; and the better half
of the tall giraffe wails loud nt the
signs of doom, in the noisesome brake
the countrictor snake no longer is
fierce and bold, for •ne tidings dread
of the ruthless Ted are making its
blood run cold. Alas for the ant and
the elephant, the gnu and the
bumblebee! Ami alas for the stout
and bewhlflkered goat, and the gnat
and the cbimpau7.ee! For a deadlier
death than their native heath will
take each beast and bird! And their
dying ywap will but swell the crop of
yarns at a dollar a word!—Ex.
•
Cora C. Wllflon and Clarence C.
Hall, both from Fairbanks, were mar
ried »t Ave minutes pant midnight
1 this morning, the ceremony being
read by Commissioner Hecks In tho
Heat tie Hotel. The couple departed
on the Jeanle for Henttle.
Xtnus At Lillutnur
One can leave this metropolis and
go to a country village and learn
something. This was my experience
when 1 went to LOllainar 011 Tuesday
last for an Xmas Tree festival. The
people thero with Mr. Archie Han
cock in the lead had done some line
decorating <>t the dining room at the
Company's mess house. The room
measures about twenty by thirty feet
and down its length lias three rows
of four electric lights which were
covered alternately with red and
green tartclan, rope garlands «>f ever
green hung in tight festoons in both
directions giving a paneled ceiling ef
fect with i\ 11 mas bells at each cros
sing, while houghs in cross shape
from each electric liglit practically
covered the ceiling, and strings ot
tinsel added brightness to the gener
al effeet. The Hide walls were cov
ered with "old giory" and the I'liion
Jack, and wigwagging boat flags.
[ with abundance ot greens. A small
'decorated platform in three levels
i was set in one eorner tor the group
ing ot the children, and there were
two beautifully decorated and lighted
trees in two corners, one loaded with
I apples, oranges and cornucopias of
popcorn, the other hearing tartclan
stockings of cand\ aim the many
^ifls. The exercises opened at seven
1 o'clock and after a briel program <>|
I carols and recitations, Santa Clans
I appeared and gave out the gilts. A
phonograph furnished music. Sup
per ol chocolate, sandwiches, cake
| :iixI mime pi'1 was m i \< il t a large
table in the commodious kitchen,
(over which Mr. Hudson presides, ami
live times was the table filled before
i all were served. The children played
: sundry Raines, and laler dancing with
accordeon and mandolin tor orehes
tra was enjoyed until alter midnight.
A feature of the evening was a huge
tartelan stocking, too hcav\ for the
tree, and therefore hung from the
I ceiling wiih eord ami pulley, iu which
was an individual gift from each of
the twenty-six school children lor
Miss Walgreen their teacher,
Wednesday morning at eleven t here
j Was a celebration ot the Holy Coin
! munion in the same room with a con
gregation of torty present. It was a
very line festival throughout, most
heart ih enjoyed, ami I leel most
proud of the enterprise and < lliciem v
of the Kllamar peopie.
I'.. P. NeWtoU.
Ivllainar Couple Wed
On Hcv. 1*'. I*. Newton's last trip
from Cordova, on Saturday, Decem
ber lit. the Klsic stopped at Kllamar
long enough for the marriage ol Paul
ine Nelly Ballamatoll and t'harlcs
(Jlotid bang. The school house, \\ hen
Hie ceremony look place, was deco
rated with evergreens and Christinas
bells. The bride was gowned in
while Swiss, and a compan> of some
thirty odd persons assembled for tin*
ceremony.
PILES IS PREPARING
BILL TO AID ALASKA
Washington, .liin. 2— t'nited Slates
Hcnator Piles from Washington is
busily engaged in preparing a liill
providing for an appropriation to
enable the* lighthouse department to
construct aids to navigation idong
the Alaska roast. The hill will he
prewented immediately upon the re
convening of congress.
Senator Piles is taking a great
interest in the wellfare of the steam
ships plying the Alaska coast, and
during the present session <•! congress
I
, has been insistent that some favor
! able action be taken.
In the last hours of the open river
this Hcason a thrilling experience be
fell B. (\ Sprague, while coining out
of the Stewart, river country on his
j way to Dawson. lie started down
i the river on a small raft after the ice
| began to run. 'I he raft was hung up
Ion a big bar or a small island in the
] middle of the stream and there with
no fire and little food he was forced
to stay, marooned, for ten dass, un
til the lee formed and he could make
his way to shore over it. All this
time the Ice wnn crushing about him
and threatening him with danger.
Once a jam below backed up Ico and
water until they were about to over
whelm him, and broke only In the
very nick of time. When the Ice he
came flolld he made Ids way twelve
mlleH to Clear creek and Dawson.—
i Kx.
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.
We are the sole agents for (£ \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.
HE SUNK I MERCANTILE (10, INC.
limn PIONEER OIJTFITTFRS si*
MARSHAL LOVE ENJOYS
JOURNEY TO FAIRBANKS
(I'nii l.link- Time*)
I nitcil States Marshal Love, who
arrived in town Monday afternoon
from Valdez, was at his desk with the
opening of oilier hours yesterday
morning and busied himself at once
i with his mail and other matters that
j ha i accumulated in the past few
: Weeks.
Manx who had met the marshal
| win n he was here two years ago in
his capacity of timber agent, and
'others who have known of him more
pariiciilarly since he was appointed
a'-" (lie ,-ucccssor of ex-Marshal Perry,
called t• > pay their respects.
in response to an inquiry as to how
lie enjoyed his trip from Valdez, he
replied, that it was on the whole a
very pleasant one, hut that the little
episode in w hich he took a humble
part immediately upon his arrival,
repaid him lor his trip, lie referred
; to the marriage cerem ony of his tirst
deputy and the young lady who had
been a fellow passenger with him
J from Valdez.
"I can not spcr.k in too high terms
J of th»' men who are charged with
looking after the comfort of the pas
sengers of the Orr Stage Company,"
'said the marshal," and particularly
i the drivers who take them over many
a long mile of the journey. It. was
not necessary for the men to wear
spikeliiihi to show that thoy were
gentlemen, and any one feeling it
necessary to send out their wives or
children, may do so, and feel certain
that I hey will be courteously treated
and cared for."
"Tim roadhouscs also," said he,
"arc a feature <»f the trip. With
scarcely an exception, tliev are mod
els of neatness and hospitality, and I
j wasi not only surprised, hut gratified
wit h what I naw."
Marshal l.ove huinoroUHly said that
he would he lu re a few days, and
might have something to nay to tho
■ Times, hut he didn't know of any
I tiling just at this time of special in
terest to I he ouhlie.
At a dinner given hy the primo
minister of a little kingdom on t.ho
Italkan peninsula, a distinguished
diplomat complained to his host that
' the minister of justice, who.had been
sitting on his lert, had stolen his
i watch. "Ah, he shouldn't have done
that," Hii id t lm prime minister in tones
I of annoyance. "I will get it haek for
you." Mure enough, toward the end
of t he evening the watch was returned
to its owner. "And whatdld hosay?"
asked thediplomat. "Hli-h" cautioned
tlm host, glancing anxiously about
him. "lie doesn't know that I have
i got It back."
Meyers awoke this morning after a
j sleepless night.—New/York Time#.
Wortman's (Mouse
Bar and General Merchandise
Accomodations for Travelers
Pontius Magnuson Prop.
The Teikhell Roadhouse
48 Miles From Valdez
On Government Trail.
Best of accommodations for man and beast. Fresh Meat
always on hand. Horse and Don Feed All the latest
improvements. PRIVATE ROOMS.
Mrs. Ed. Wood, Proprietor.
Alaska Coast Co.
S. S. BERTHA, 8111«' «■<*
S. S. PORTLAND,25(11 of eac|1 inonlh
From Valdez for
Juneau and all I'uget Sound I'orts
Rights Reserved to Change Steamers or Sailing Dates Without Notioe.
A. S. DAUTRICK. (leneral Agent. Vnldez, Alaska.
VALDEZ HOSPITAL
Reservation Ave. near (Jourt llouse
Private Rooms for Patients Graduate Nurses
Hospital Tickets, $1.50 per Month.
Phone 77
SU BSCRIBE TO
The PROSPECTOR
Either The Daily or Weekly Sent to The
States Will Be a I^etter Sent Home.
Dully, $1.00 prr. Month In Advance.
Weekly, $.'1.00 por. Yrnr In Advance.
Northern Steam Laundrv
Satisfaction Guaranteed
K T Hkron, Mnriftgcr I'HONE Of* Knot of Keyntonft Avo
BRANCH OFFK/K AT (X)RDOVA
Fireman Prevents Panic
Krio, Pa.,.Inn. A—Fireman l/oucho,
la«t night. averted a panic in a local
theatre. A flro started lieltincl the
scene", ami the audience ntartcd tf>
atampedo but wa* calmed by Louche.
Many women fainted but no onn wan
badly hurt.
Water Bollfl Off Georgia Coaat
Norfolk, Va., Jan. 1—OflloorH of tho
Atnamuhip Baltic juwt nrrlvod hore,
roport, (bat honoath tho wra off tho
Ooa«t of Georgia, a vojoano hu h«on
In eruption. Tho ofTlcors roport. that,
for a eonHhlorahln rilHtaneo tho Haiti*
pa«4Hr<1 through boiling water.