VALDEZ
I'l V
I
JL</ &
SPECTOR
Vol. 7
Valdez, Alaska, September 3, 1908.
No. 31
v/O
WORK IN CANYON
MAKES OIG CHANGE
Thore aro a lob of persons who an
nually mako the trip from FairbankH
to Valdoz who aro in for a surpriso
when they next mako tlio journey
and especially in this true of those
who starting early in the fall have
been accustomed to going ovor tho
trail above Keystone canyon. This
trail is now a thing of the past, at
least so far as it being a necessity is
concernod, for it is now possiblo to at
any time of year go through tho can
yon.
A week or two ago George W. Nel
son completed his contract with tho
road commission and when Nelson
sent his men back to town ho left be
hind two miles of road bed where be
fore the walls of tho canyon had been
washed by the swift waters of Lowe
river. It is now no longer necessary
to wait until tho river freozes boforo
inaugurating tho stage sorvico be
tween Valdez and tho interior for so
soon as there is sufficient snow to
make sledding tho biggest stage on
tho lino can bowl merrily through tho
defile and will, boyond tho Nelson
work, find a road ovor tho summit
that will do away with tho switch
back and the Icy Point incubus of the
heretofore. This last work is now be
ing done by Jack Ingram and will bo
finished ore fall.
JNelson's work begins at the old
camp No. 2 of the Guggenheim rail
road outfit, just where pack trains
loft the canyon and started up tho
dangerous trail around tho summit of
tho gash that formed tho river bed.
At this point tho canyon narrows it
self to what for the most part was
simply two precipitous walls of rock
between which tho rivor sproad. Nel
son carved his road from ono sido of
this gorgo taking therefrom tho rock
required to make the road bed. In
many places it was neccssai'y to toar
away huge sections of tho canyon
wall and numerous points created by
long-ago slides were cut through.
Moro than once tho work of removal
was begun by starting at tho summit
of the wall and blasting off tho entire
face from tho sky lino to within a few
feet of the river bed.
Despite tho difficulties afforded by
naturo Nelson carried his contract
through without trouble of any char
acter and in much loss timo than the
majority of those familiar with con
ditions bcliovod possible. Work was
begun Juno22and was completed Aug
ust 15. In all botwoon 30,000 and 35,
•00 yards of rock was handled. Briefly,
tho advantagos accruing to travelors
by roason of tho work aro a great
shortening of timo in traversing tho
distance botwoon tho old trail and
tho summit, possibility of staging on
tho Fairbanks routo at loast a month
oarlier than formerly and making safe
and easy what was formerly a vory
dangorous and tedious part of tho
Journey.
HEADLESS BODY OF
WOMAN IS FOUND
Hoattlo, Sept. 2—Decapitated and
partly burned, tho body supposed to
bo tlio remains of Mrs. Leo 1I. John
son wife of Loo II. Johnson, tlio prom
inent Nomo mining man now in jail
horo charged with tho murder of bin
wife, wan found on tho shoroB of
Lake Washington this morning.
Twenty foot away tho head was found.
The body was under a pile of logs and
brush that had been sot on firo but
had failed to burn sufficiently to ac
complish th© purpose intended. De
composition and tho flames have so
disfigured tho romains that It is im
possible to Identify thom, nor Is it pos
sible to determine tho method of
death.
Kvldonca tending to establish the
guilt of Johnson is accumulating rap
Idly sinco his arrest. It has dovolo|>od
that Johnson's marrlago to the wom
an ho Is accused of murdering was
bigamous and that sinco the death of
tho second wlfo tho first wlfo has
boon living with Johnson horo In He
att.lo. Tho first wlfo, Mrn. Ooro John
son, was deported by Johnson in lt)03
and ho was married to his second
Wlfo In Nome loss than a yoar ago.
Mrs. Ooro Johnson donlos any know
ledge eoncemlng thedlnappnaranee of
tho second Mrs. Johnson but admits
being aware of tho bigamous marri
age.
Deposed Official Denies Knowledge of Action But
Wise Ones Express Idea That Purpose is toMake
Opening For Appointment of II. K. I,ove.
Seattle, Aug. :$2—Gcorgo («. Perry,
United States marshal for the Third
division of Alaska, who is now in this
city, has received notification that he
has been removed from office. Tho
notico of dismissal came Saturday
night and from 80ure.es other than
Ma. Porxy/it is learned that tho causo
is based upon charges that he has re
peatedly refused tooboy instructions.
Mr. Perry says that ho is in the durlc
as to tho cause of tho action against
him and ho has announced that he
will go to Washington to make an in
vestigation.
Ij\ discussing tho situation Mr.
Perry Paid that tho only serious
trouble ho has had as marshal arose
several months ago as tho result of a
letter sent to the department by his
chief oilleo deputy, Dillow, during
Perry's absence from Fairbanks and
that as a result of this Pillow bad
been removed from oflice. Men in
Seattle who are familiar with the sit
uation in Fairbanks state, however,
that Perry did bis best to protect
Pillow and only removed him noon
receipt by telegraph of explicit orders
to 80 do.
The same sources of information de
clare that for some time the presi
dent has been desirous of removing
Perry .and appointing in his stead II.
K. Love of Juneau, at present a
special agent of the interior depart
ment in Alaska, but thatthe influence
of the late Senator Allison has pro
tected Perry. It is believed hero that
it is a question of only a few days be
foro the announcement of Love's ap
pointment will be made.
STOCK FARMS IN 1
ALASKA DO WELL
Cattle raining and farming arc be
yond tlio experimental stage in Alas
ka, according to O. O. Goorgoson,
npecial agent, of the agricultural de
partment at Washington, who has for
several yeara been in charge of the j
department's work in. Alaska, and
whoso annual report lias just been
issued.
Oeorgeson's report deals with the
experiment of raising cattle in Alas
ka. The work was started in 1.00(1 at
Kenai, by the purchase of two bulls
and nine cows, all selected Galloways.
This herd has grown to throe bulls,
twenty-seven cows and twenty ealvcs,
and the animals are in the best of
health. While considered a beef ani
mal, tlio Galloways are being bred
with a view to producing good milk
ers, and the success in selecting good
milkers to increase the dairy value of
tlio herd has been marked.
ProgroHs at the C. IT. Fryo ranch,
Kodiak, has boon the most successful
this year of any year sinco the work
begun. Thoro are about fifty acres
of land now in tamo grass, most of
which is sown to timothy. Five hun
dred tons of silage and eighty tons of
hay wero put up this season for the
winter food, the silage at a cost of
about $1 a ton, while the hay was
more expensive. There aro now 178
head of cattle on the ranch. The cat
tle fattened by midsummer and hold
their flesh well. Tho range Consists
of low-lying hills and beach land,
wliieh affords splendid pasture of
native grasses. |
The sheep of which there are 121
head, are perhaps the beat paying in
vestment on the ranch. They require
little attention and but little feed the
year round. The breeding (lock in
creased over 100 per cent, the pa;>t
season.
At the Sitka station Mr. Georgeson
says the apple trees, Ilyslop and Yel
low Transparent, bloomed last year
but bore no fruit; tho cherries did
not have quite so much fruit as the
year before; currants, raspberries and
gooseberries grow in abundance; gar
den truck did well, and flowers, espec
ially a Japanese rose, made a splc n
did showing. Tho nursery farm is
sending all variety of trees to many
places in Alaska.
Extensive experiments have been
carried 011 for five yearn at < upper
Confer in the Copper river valley
with cereals and tho station reports
(hat- tho Early Riga and Velvet. Chaff
wheat all matured last year. All the
barleys matured, but tho most prom
ising variety is Kamir, a seed which
came from high up on the Himalaya
mountains and which was secured by
the government. Finnish black oats
proved tlio most desirable oats and,
although other varieties matured, this
ospocial oat is boyond all question,
Mr. Goorgoson says, the best for
Alaska. Of tho winter grain Amber
winter rye matured, but Kharkov, a
Russian winter wheat, was winter
killed owing to an Insufficient snow
fall. Oats sown for hay matured
August 18. It made a heavy oxeef
lent food. On account of forty varie
ties of grasses being experimented
with, nothing bus boen detormined as
to which is the best , a number of well
known varieties being winter-killed
on account of tho thin blanket of
snow. The temperature drops to 50
bolow in tho valley.
VERMONT RETURNS
ITS REGULAR VOTE
Whlto Xllvor Junction., Vt., Sept. 2—
Republican** scored a swooping vic
tory at tho Rtato election hold hero
yesterday, Protity being ©looted gov -
ernor by 28,000. Tho indepondoneo
longuo, from which ho much had heen i
expected, polled about 1,000 votCH.
Indloatlvo of the gahiH mado by tho
domoerat» during tho eight yoarH jttsfc
pnHHod in tho fact that Prouty's plu
rality Ih slightly Iohh than the ropuhll
can plurality In 1900 whon Hryan wan
running for preHldcnt.
SULZER SAYS BRYAN
WILL CARRY THE WEST
Now York, Aug. 27 Congressman
Hnlzer, who haa recently rotumod
from a trip to Alaska and through
tho wostorn fltaton, predict* that
Bryan will carry a majority of statca
wost. of (he Mississippi, Including
1 California.
BELGIAN EXPERT
10 GIVE advice!
Now York, 27-—'Victor Wot
toyne, chief of tho department of
mlnco maintained by the Belgian gov
ernment, Arrived In thin city yester-,
day, coming as gucnt of tho United
States for tho purposo of asnlsting In
an effort to make Iosh the mortality
In tho mines of,thin country. Re
cently tho government hntfc t aken to
HoriotiH consideration of conditions ex
isting in American mines and tho Htu
tlbtctM at hand are ho appalling thai
immediate action has hocn deter
mined upon.
Tho govornmont exports have, !»;,
t.ho statlstiots accumulated, estab
lished that, tho annua) doath rato of
mtao* In thin country in 3,2(K), or throe
deaths to caoh 1,000 persona em
ployed. In Belgium the oldest and
most dangerous mine iu operation
killrt only ono out of ouch 1,000 em
ployed, ho thorough Ih that country's
inspection and lawn governing mines.
Daggett and Roberts, dontlsta, next,
to Seattle Hotel, Vnlde*, Alaska.
One of tlic Most Powerful Financial Concerns in Europe Enters Alaska And
Will Make Valdefc Its Base of Operations, Constructing tlie Valdes
Yukon Road to Mines and Erecting a Smelter Here.
Chicago, Aug;. 31—L. llirseh & Co.,
London and I'aris bankers, and anions
the gigantic financial combinations
of tiio world are, on authority so
prominent as to leave no doubt of the
authenticity of the report, said to have
purchased the Hubbard-Elliott copper
mines in the interior ot Alaska, a
hundred or more miles from Valdez.
The purchase price is said to be
$7,600,000 and so far has the deal pro
gressed that the report gives the
manner in which the purchase price
is divided among the shareholders of
the property. Elliott is to receive
§2,000,000, Hubbard, of Valdez, .-1,500,
000, Elliott's father and brother §.t,"»00
000, and the remaining shareholders
are to divide §2,500,000.
In connection with the purchase of
'#e mino the llirseh company has ob
tained possession of tin terminal and
other rights of the Valdez-Yukon
Hail\va> Company and purposes be
ginning the immediate construction
ol the line, the present plans provid
irg only for its extension into the
cop] er property. Further, the com
pany purposes to erect in Valdez a
smelter and a line of steamship;: is
h ,ing considered.
it is said that Henry Belt, the
Sfuth African diamond king, is asso
ciated with the ilirsches in the deal.
In financial circles the announce
ment of the action on t he part of the
!il:-sc)i company < anse. little surprise.
\i>"the contrary it is eonnidered as
confirmation of rumors that have
been existent for some weeks, in an
interview on the copper situation a
Now York and Chicago financial eon
eern recently Haiti:
"An offer was recently made by I,.
I Uracil & Co. for the control of the
Hubbard-Elliott company, which, if
accepted, would have inclndud the
erection of a smelt or at Valdcz, there
by benefit ting" all of the Prince Wil
liam Sound properties, and also the
I completion of t he Valdez-Ynlcon Rail-,
rone from Valdez to Elliott Creek,
"We, who ai*e most interested and
| believe in the future of Alaska copper
properties, desire above all things the
opening up and actual production of
the mineK. Foreign capital coming
into Alaska would undoubtedly bene
til all concerned, not only by the ex
penditure of this capital but by the
competition it would encourage among
i t lit; other large financial interests.
The absolute assurance of ample cap
[ ital for railroad construction in the
[Copper River district of Alaska means
j the beginning <>f a boom in the logiti
| mate stocks greater than anything
ever seen in the history of the mining
! world. With ample transportation
.facilities available, Alaska will pro
| duee clcetrol tie copper for less than
j r>:\ pur pound, and within four years
will be in a position to practically
control tfx; copper markets of the
! world,"
The 1 Uracil company's purchase of
l the Hubbard and Klliott property
| ends a light that lias also been
i wageed for the prize by what is
h< Moved to be the (iuggenheim inter
ests. It bocamo known sometime
ago that the Hubbard and Klliott
])Oojilo were negotiating with another
sy ndicate that had offered to place in
the treasury of the? mine owners a
largo sum to be used to construct
either a tramway or a railroad spur
from Elliott, creek to connect with
the Copper River Railroad, being con
st rueted out of Cordova by the Gug
genheim*.
For a long time other financial in
torests have looked with some con
cern upon the (irmnoss with which
the Guggcnhcims arc entrenched in
Alaska and numerous syndicates
have been conducting quiet investi
gations into the resources of that
country with a view of contesting
the Guggenheim supremacy. This
action on the part of the Hirseh com
pany is the first, stop in the open and
it means much to the copper industry
of the world for the Hirseh company
will, it is believed, lose no timo in
perfecting arrangements to place on
a shipping basis tho vast property
just purchased.
In the determination to at Valdez
erect a smelter tho Hirseh people
have been influenced not only by tho
advantage to be gained in handling
their own ore but also by tho faet that
around Prince William sound are
j numerous copper mines that will be
come good paying propositions once
there is a smelter close by. These
mines are enormous producers and
will on the start make a smelter a
paying investment.
(Japt. Austin R. Lathrop arrivod in
town laat night from his copper prop
ortion in .tho Kotaina. Ho reports
that tho aoason'a work haw been pro
ductive oi lino reauits and that not
only tho property in which ho in in
terested, but other properties in tho
interior are now in such shape aa to
convince tho moat Skopt ioal t hat'the
locality in question a veritable gol
conda.
The work done under the direction
of Cnpt. Lathrop has been for de
velopment: purposes and aa a result
tho existence of a vast ore body is
cloarly established . Tu one case the
work all progressed along a true II -
snrevoin showing goodvnluoa. In all
J Of) feet of tunnel has boon run dur
ing the season.
HZ 10 HAVE
■ WIRELESS STATION
M.-iri! f aland, Ang. 27—So von clee
1 t.rleiana tuulor I<iout.. Ilanuoum loft
hero hint night on thoir way to Vnl
<1o? for (he pnrpoao of oatnhliBhiug at
that place a wlrelofta ntation which
wlU form ft link in tho w*reload ohaln
"lb© gnVornmont purponoa (treating
»*long t-ho Alaska ooaat. It In the In
tontion to have tho Htation at Valdoz
;lo working order within Hixty days.
Tho coat Jh cfttimatod at $70,000.
At tho lornl oftlee of tho govern
f rnont cahlo mrrvlre nothing Ih known
[ regarding the plana of tho govern
ment in ronpoev to orootlng a wlro1e«H
elation horA. Tn common with tho
rent of the residents of Valdost tho
men at tho cuhflo ofllce iiavo from
time to time heard report 1 to the
effort that the government pin'|>o;i:H
eatftbllnhlng n wlrelo?m nt'itlon either
at Hlnehlnhrook or Montague and It
ma£ be that thin In tho ft tat! on re
ferred to in the. foregoing dh»pa(eh.
Bifi GOLD STRIKE
- EXCITES SEWARD
Seward, Aug. '27—A remarkable
gold (jiiaii /. mI riIt*• wan mado t his week
on Kails creek, about thirty miles
north of Seward. A ledge six feet
wide was uncovered carrying high
geld values. Falls crook has been
known for throe years as a promising
gold region and development on sev
eral claims had previously shown ore
of ^or.d grade.
Mil el i excitement was croated in
Seward by the report of the new dis
covery at d nil the mining men in
town not otherwise engaged hustled
out to the scene, Tho strike is about
four miles from mile iW of the Alaska
Oontral and the region Is easy of ac
cess.
Tiie big stril^e was made on ground
owned by Frank Sheen, Jack Loch
nor and L. F. Hhaw. Skocu and
Sechner were tho original discoverers
of gold lodges adjacentto Falls crock.
This was In 11)05. They bonded their
/lr«fcgroup to ('. I). Lanoana he spent
$20,0f>0 on it, giving it tip only be
cause the ledge was toosmall, although
he and his son-in-law, Tlieo. Allen,
who had charge of the work, were
well satlnflod with the grade of tho
ore. Hlnce then Hkoon and Loehnor
have worked on tho Hotly claim with
an nrantra and have takon ont. con
siderable money. The new strike Is
farther up tho name hill.
TROTTING RACES CEASE
WHEN HUGHES ARRIVES
Bftltatftn, N. Y., An;?. 28—Governor
Hughes visited the race track here
to/lny, nu attendant. upon tho county
fair now iti progress, ami his presence
was made tli© occasion of u hostile
demonstration on the pnrt of horse
owncr^ Tho trotting races were
nbom t'> jitnrt. when the horsemen
bee nine ftwnro Mint Governor Hughes
wuh on thr ground* and after n hnnty
consultation they sent word to the
otlVials that. Ho horses would be
started as longft»theHtnte'floxeOtH.lvc
Was present.
Call hi. Owl Drug < >. lor Mnthymol
Tooth Paste,
MANY DINERS ARE
ON WAY TO VALDEZ
The first. detachment of tlio annual
winter influx of miners is now on the
way to town according to reports
reaching hero from the inside and
within another month Valdez will he
full of ok] timers who have heen out
necking a fortune in the hills and
along the ereeks. if report ho true
ma n,\ of th-mi will arrive with well
filled pokes.
.hum s MeCarly of Nugget crook is
expectinu tlio arrival this afternoon
of six of his men and tonight or to
morrow there should arrive a part of
the lluhhiird and Elliott orew. Red
MeGee and Joe Weehert, packer
for Ed. \V »od, reaehed town last
night from the lluhhard and Elliot
property and report, that the men aro
on the way.
On their way In the packers lost a
horse, who with his pack fell off tlio
trail around Elliott hill and went
hounding from lodge to ledge, down
no one knows how many foot. The
packers followed the signs for 400 feet,
down ami then came upon evideneo
that, convinced them that tho horse
was 110 longer useful for anything hut
buzzard food. The pack consisted 0/
a keg of vinegar, a keg of pickles and
a caddy of tobacco. The tobacco wa*
saved.
FLAMES CREATE HAVOC
WHILE FIREMEN PLAY
New Orleans, Aug. 31—Whllo the
members 0» the flro department were
enjoying themsolves at. their annual
pienle yesterday (Iro started in tho
business section of tho city and did
danmgo to tho amount of $1,000,000
boforo it was extinguished. Thorn Ih
a belief that the flro was of inoend
lary origin.
It whh some time nftor tho flro
started before ( lie alarm was turned
in and then, because of tho plenle,
nearly every station was praetloally
deserted. Ho soon as informed tho
firemen abandoned tlioir ploasuroand
hastened to the soono of the trouhl*
hut the flro was under llerne hoad
way before they eotild arrive.