VALDEZ weekly
Vo). 7 Valdez, Alaska, February 4,
No. 52
1909.
RHINE! WRONG SAY
TUFT - CROMWELL
Washington, Jan. 30—Charles P.
Taft and William Nelson Cromwell this
morning took cognizance of the char
ges made against them by Congress
man Rainey in his recent speech deal
ing with the Pauama canal embrog
lio. The charges were denied intoto,
Taft and Cromwell submitting their
position in long statement** which
were read to the house.
Following the reading Congressman
J. W. Weeks of Massachusetts dis
puted the assertions made by Con
gressman Rainey. Among; other
things Congressman llainey de
clared that Senator Lodge is guilty
of assisting in the graft by bringing
about the purohaso of the steamship
Shawtnut and Treiuont. The vessels
wero owned by the Boston Tow boat
Company, and at the time of the pur
chase they were on the Pacific coast.
Rainey declared that they are not
needed for the purpose for which they
^•re purchased. Weeks declares
that Senator Lodge is not responsible
for the purchase, ami further says
that the vossels are' needed to serve
as transports between this country
and the oanal zone, the purpose for
which tlie^ were purchased.
LOVE AND GROSSLEY
ARE IN THE MIX-UP
United States Marshal Henry K.
Love and United States District At
torney James J. Crossloy arrived oil
an Orr stage from Fairbanks lust
night, and thoir coining is an
other indication of the influence
of exaggeration on President
Roosevelt. The ofllcials named were
ordered from Washington to come t<>
Valdez for the purpose of conferring
with Gen. L. Allison Wilmer in con
nection with the charges that corrup
tion is running rampant in the Third
division.
This morning Mr. Crossloy and Mr.
Love were in consultation with Gen
eral Wilmer, and it is presumed (hat
in Washington they are suspected of
being mixed up in the nefarious affair
of the Alaska Central receivership.
It may be, however, that some of the
allegations in connection with the
recent drawing of juries in Fairbanks
have reached the department and ( hat
Gen. Wilmor has by wire been in
structed to investigate this phase of
the situation in the Third division.
It was the original intention of
Marshal Love to depart from Fair
banks at a later date, and to bring
with him several insane peyrsons. His
instructions were to use all haste in
placing himself in personal communi
cation with Gen. Wilmor, and no the
insane contingent will come along at
a later date, departing from Fairbanks
about the fifteenth of this month.
Marshal I.1OVO will probably bo in this
end of the Third division for several
weeks, and h« may go outside with
the insane.
Tho length of District Attorney
Cfossloy's stay In Valdez is indefinite.
MIDDLE WEST IS
IN BOREAS' GRIP
Chicago, Feb. 2-r-The cold wave
that for tho IftHt. few dftya hae held
lb© middle wont In Its grip nhow8 no
«lgn«.,of abating. The region wo«t
of tho MI«hIhhIpi>I Ih the mo'at worb
otmly affected.
The railroad companies are mnk
Ing denperato efforts to rernvne traffic
blooked by heavy fnlln of huow. A
few train* aro moving.
TIDE WAVE'S DEAD
NOW NUMBER 2,000
Madrid, Fob. 1—Two thousand
deaths reported from the district
overwhelmed by the tidal wave of
Saturday indicate that first returns
failed to convey the real extent of
the disaster. In Romara proper 103
persons were killed.
Barcelona, although close to the
district submerged, escaped serious
damage. No one in the city was kill
ed.
The storv of the calamity is one of
a sleeping district being aroused by a
gigantic wall of water sweeping upon
it from the sea. Ho suddenly did the
danger arise that escapo was practi
cally impossible for those in the im
mediate pathway of the wave. Re
liefjias been forwarded to the deso
lated region.
JUNEAU MURDERER
MOTHER'S SUPPORT
Seattle, Feb. 1—T. H. Stroud, now
under arrest in Juneau for the mur
der of Charles Darners, is a native of
Seattle, having been born here nine
teen years ago. His father is a pros
perous coal dealer here, but is living
apart from the young man's mother.
Young Stroud always bore a good
reputation in this eity, and his pres
ent trouble has come as a surprise to
his friends, and as a great shock to
his mother, who has been supported
by her son.
» Mrs. Stroud alleges that her hus
band abandoned his family six years
ago, and that since that time the
young man now in jail in Juneau has
been her only support aside from her
own elTorts. Young Stroud went to
Alaska in 11107, and every month he
luu sent money to his mother.
Mrs. Stroud attributes her son's
present trouble to bad company. She
t.ays that in Seattle his associates
wero always of the best, and so far as
is known there is nothing to dispute
this statement.
G0RD0VA1TES ARE
TO STORM VALDEZ
Cordovaites by the boatload will bo
in Valdoz Friday, February 12, aiul
they wilj remain hero until after tho
big dance to be given on the ove of
St. Valontine's Day by the baso ball
boys. The Cordova contingent has
chartered tho Elsie for the trip and
they will arrive in timo to show tho
local bowlers some fancy stunts on
the alloys on Friday night
L. F. Shaw, manager of the Valdess
baseball team has just- returned from
Cordova and he says that tho sport
enthusiast? of that town nro making
groat preparations for their visit. The
baseball boys of Valdez aro equally
busy making preparations to roceivo
their guests.
Tho dance planned for the night of
February 13 will bo a fluo affair. Tho
present intention is to have the musio
furnished by Mcllveon Bros., who
with a few Instrument# create tho Im
pression that ati entire band is in the
hull.
Exposition Raises Admission Pec
Beattlc, Fob. 4—The management
of tho Alaska-Yukoii-Paolflo Exposi
tion has announced that on March 1,
admission to the exposition grounds
will he incrossed to 2ft cents. At
present tho admission is 10 cents
and there are so many sightseers
that the workmen find themselves
ham perod.
Of all the gold In the possession of
man 70 per cent is In sha]>e of coin.
NIX ON GHEGHAGO
SAYS ROTHKRANZ
No more choohaco as partner for
Louis Rothkranz.
Mr. Rothkranz is not particularly
opposed to newcomers in Alaska, but
he declares that he wants none of
them in his company when there is
trouble at hand.
Mr. Rothkranz's decision with re
gard to chechacos was arrived at
several days since and the story
of the reason is a story of eigh
teen days of hardship, part of the
time without food, and most of the
time in an open launch 011 a wind
swept waste of watea or in a tentless
camp on an equally windswept shore.
There was a chechaco along, as well
as four dogs and two cats, and with
all of his other troubles Mr. Roth
kranz found himself obliged to care
for the chechaco as a parent would
care for a babe.
It was along in the second week in
January that Mr. Rothkranz filled
his open launch with dogs, eats and
Robert Oarleton, the chechaeo, and
started from Knight island for Val
doz. Ordinarily the trip requires
twelve hours, but nine hours after
the start Rothkranz had only suc
ceeded in crossing the storm-to seed
distance to Glacier island. From
there the launch and its shivering oc
cupants finally made Sawmill bay,
whore camp was made for four days,
days spent without, food and with
hardly any fire.
According to the Rothkranz story
tho chechaeo froze his fingers, and
Rothkranz froze his toe because to
the cheohaco he gave the only rubber
pacs in the party—Rothkranz's pacs.
Rothkranz says that the chechaeo
would do nothing except hover about
the smoky embers of the discouraged
fire, which Rothkranz had to keep
alive, and that in addition it devolved
upon Rothkranz to keep from sinking
the launch which was covered with
ice four feot thick.
At last Rothkranz decided that it
was hotter to drown than to starve
and ho hustled the load into the
launch and sot out, heedless of the
protestations of the chechaeo. In
time the lauHch fought its way to
Galena Bay whoro tho men and tho
other animals were fed by tho Mil
lards, and where they remained until
the launch Galena brought them to
Valdez.
"They fed us fine," said Roth
kranz in describing his experience,
"and so did Mr. and Mrs. McConnell
at Glacier Island, where we stayed
for two days. I had only six days
grub when we sturted for I di.l not
expect to use more than enough for
thr«e or four meals, at the most."
"No moro chechaeo partners in
mine."
OIGGS COMPLETES
816 MINING DEAL
Joe Dlggn has ho1<1 tho Northern
and Horse shoo ooppor groapH near
Cordova to n Taooma syndicate for a
good prlee, out. of which Joseph ex
tracts $10,000 for himsolf. Henry
Hewitt of Taooma represents the
purchaHcrs and negotiated that side
of the deal. The deed to the property
was brought up and filed hy ('apt.
MoOUvray of tho steamer North a.
Mr. Diggs went out a month ago to
negotiate this «alo and It had been
reported previously that the transfer
wa« practically made. The claims
are near the hea<1 of Cordova hay
and a good deal of development work
has been done on them and expert*
think a mine is there.
British India has 86,912 miles ol
telegraph and cable wires, which nrf
worked at very good profit.
GEN. WILMER10
WORK IN PRIVATE
/ I "
Gen. L. Allison Wilmer, special as
sistant attorney-goneral, is in Valdoz
as a special representative of the de
partment of justice sent hero to in
vestigate the charges against Judge
Silas II. Roid in connection with the
latter's act in appointing his brother
in-law, John 11 Goodwin, as receiver
for the Alaska Central. Gen- Wilmor
arrived on the Ohio and he is staying
in the St. Flias Hotel. .Just how long
he will remain in Valdez is as yet un
determined.
The investigation into .Judge Reid's
conduct in ofllcc will not be public,
but will consist of the interrogation
by Gen. tVilmerof the various persons
in Valdez having knowledge of the
facts concerning the affairs of the Al
aska Central, and of the detiils con
nected with the Goodwin appoint
ment. Gen. Wilmer will meet Judge
Reid here and it is probable that the
judge wiil return to Fairbanks within
a few days.
The original intention of (lie de
partment Was to have Gen. Wilmer
proceed tv Fairbanks, but time is an
important factor in his mission, as
President Roosevelt wishes the Reid
affair disposed of while the former is
in office. It is because of the noces
sit.y for h^ste that Judge Reid is com
ing to Vaifiez. The Judge departed
from Fairbanks on Saturday, and
will arrive here the end of this week.
Gen. WJinicr is a recent appointee
to the department of justice entering
the service last year. He is a resi
dent of Maryland, and is a retired
army officer, having uervod during
the Spanish-American war.
VAGRANT BULLET IS
WOMAN'S DEATH
Chicago, Feb. 2—George Busse,
brother of Chicago's mayor, acci
dentally killed a Mrs. Tuckernian of
New York this morning, tin* tragedy
being caused by the accidental dis
charge of a revolver, in Busso's pos
session. The shooting occasioned
great excitement in the apartment
house in which it occurred, and Bus
se is prostrated with remorse.
Mrs, Tuckernian occupied an apart
ment adjoing that occupied by Biihho.
The latter was examining his revol
ver and the weapon was in some
manner discharged. The bullet went
through a window in Busse's apart
ment, passed across a light well and
through the window of t he apartment
in which the victim was dressing for
the street, and struck her just above
the heart. Death was almost in
stantaneous.
The affair was Investigated, and as
there Is no doubt as to its being ac
cidental t here were no arrests.
-W
VESSELS COLLIDE;
2,200 IN DANGER
| ; ...
Dovflr, Kngland, Fob. 8—Twenty
two Hundred passenger* narrowly oh
caped drowning off thlfl port today
when the HteaniHhip Mobile, hotttld
for Baltimore, And the Brltlfdi steam
dhlp iJnnknld collided. H<»l h vennelft
Immediately began to leak, bnfc an
i »l«taneo was at Hand and the pawen*
t ger» Wero wafely taken otT the Mhlklng
nt-oaniHliipH and placnd on whore.
The Injured vphhoIh were beached,
j and It In believed that they will be
! saved.
A company haw been formed In Eu
rope for the pnrpone of erecting and
operating flr«fc«elftrtfi hotel* In varlnnn
oltloH and town* of Oroece.
/
11DR WILL BE SCENE
OF REID INVESTIGATION
Seattle, Jan. 211— I*. Allison Wilmo r
special assistant attorney -general, is
on his way to Valdez where he will
conduct an investigation into the
conduct of Judge Silas II. Reid.
Judge Ueid is alleged to have acted
in a culpable manner in connection
with the affairs of the Alaska Central
Railway Company, and Mr. Wilmer
is to act as the personal representa
tive of Attorney-Oeneral Bonaparte.
While in this city Mr. Wilmer had
long consultation with James A.
Ilaight, general counsel for the Alas
ka Central, and secretary of the com
pany. It is understood that Mr.
Wilmer obtained from Mr. Ilaight in
formation of great importance in con
nection with the charges against
,Judge Keid.
For nearly a week the iv<> pei
has been in possctmion of private in
formation to the effort that Mr.
Wilmer has been ordered to Valdez
in connection with the charges against
[Judge Reid. It was believed that
j Mr. Wilmer would ooine to Valdez
I on the Ohio, and as the foregoing dis
patch fails to state whether or not
Mr. Wilmer is at present in Seattle
it is possible that he is on the Ohio.
On the other hand it may be thai ha''
is in Seattle and that he will depart
on the Northwestern. Kailinir Febru
ary 1. The indications are that the
investigation will be conducted in
Valdez.
IS GOVERNOR HOHTT
BEHIND REID MIS
Who is the person who preferred
eli urges against Judge Silas 11. Re id
in connection with the Alaska Cen
tral receivership?
In view of existing conditions and
the apparent eollnpse of what at first
loomed hig as a scandal, the foregoing
question is today being asked by
friends in ValdeB of the Judge. The
sitnrtion has been carefully canvassed
and in the majority of eases the be
lief is that Governor Hoggatt is the
man who lias stirred up all the trou
ble.
The arrival in Valdez of Gen. L.
j Allison NVilnier has done much to
i simplify the situation so far as arriv
ing at conclusions is concerned, for
it now appears that the only reason
for the coming to Valdez. of Judge
Reid is to hasten the duty to be per
formed by Gen. Wilmer. When it
was first announced that the judge
had been summarily ordered to ad
journ court in Fairbanks it was feared
that the charges against hini were of
serious import, but it now develops
that it is solely the receivership ques
tion that is at issue.
Someone Draws Iyoug Bow
Such being- tho case, those who are
familiar with methods of procedure
in Washington and who realize how
Httle general interest maintains there
when if comes to Alaska affairs are
convinced that the person making the
charges is someone close to the presi
dent, and is also someone who great
ly exaggerated the conditions in con
nection with the receivership.
The opinion is freely expressed in
Valch z that before a cabinet meeting
was ciiiled to discuss a subjeetso re
mote from affairs of slate as the ap
pointment of a receiver fora few miles
of rails laid in Alaska the president
must have been led to believe that
there existed a condition so grave as
to seriously besmirch the administra
tion responsible for the judge naming
the receiver. In answer to the ques
tion as to tho personality of the one
who would take Mufllcient Interest, to
make a personal appeal for an in
vestigation and who at t he same time
possesses the influence with the prcs*
leent necessary to arouse such activ
ity tho reply Is Governor iloggatt.
Juncatt Una Suspicion
bending much credonee to this bo
j lief that tho governor Is the man who
' caused the mountain to ho labor, are
reports coming in private letters from
Juneau. In the governor's bailiwick
tint belief is general that he is the
man, It is known that the governor
is a firm friend of A. (5. Frost, the
| president, of the Alaska Central and
in thai concern the only person of
position who might be harmed h\ the
appointment of a receiver.
(Jon. Wiiirier conies to Valdess with
his mind absolutely unbiased, and in
addition to his interrogations of per
sons directly or indirectly connected
with the affairs of the Alaska Cen
tral he has investigated the court
records of the ease. These records
show a unanimity of opinion as to (lie
necessity for the appointment of a
receiver. The records also show that
the allowance made to Receiver Good
win was made in open court and that
it was not objected to even by James
j A. Ilaight, attorney for President,
Frost.
From the stir created in Washing
ton it is fair to presume that ( Jen.
Wilmer expected to llnd the entire
Third division aroused toexcit • ment
by the "Crime of Judge Koid." On
the contrary he (bids that the red i
versldp affair did not create so inm :i
as a ripple on the placid surface of
I life in Valdez. lie also finds I hat
Judge Keid possesses the confidence
! of the members of the bar in Valdez
j and that the only excitement is that
caused by the press reports indicat ing
so great a disturbance in Washington
concerning the judge's conduct in a
part of the country where h ■ has mot
with no criticism.
Those Interested Talk
On his way lit Valdoz Gen. Wihner
i ntervimved President Frost. Attor
ney Graves c»f Spokane, who repre
sents the banking Inslilulinn boiling
tho greater portion of the first n> >rt
gage hoods again*.I tho road and who
applied for a receivership on almost
tiie identieai reasons set, forth in (he
complains under the demands of
which .fudge Ueid appointed John A.
Goodwin, wes also talked with, as
was James A. Ilaight of Heattlo, at
torney for Frost.
By the time Judge lleid arrives
here Gen, Wihner will have obtained
all the information obtainable In Val
dez, and after he has questioned
Judge Held it is probable that the
latter will return f«» Fairbanks and
there resume his seat. on the bench.
The result of tho investigation will
probably be known within !• short
time, for President- Roosevelt- U de
sirous of disposing of the affair before
going out of Office.
To those familiar with conditions
the situation assumes the aspect of a
desperate attempt on tho part of
Governor Ifoggatt-to make hay whllo
the presidential Hun of Ids being yet
shines in e*eeutive system.