THE ONLY NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHED IN THE
K UWOKW1M COUNTRY j
EDITORIAL FADE OF THE KUSKO TIMES•
i
THE KUSKO TIMES • $
COYEHS ALL PARTS OF
THE RIVER COUNTRY I
iUisko IjTitnc*
-T..R. McRCBERTS and ALASKA E. EGA'S,
Pahliafcar=
Published Every Friday.at Taaetaa, Alaska
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Application - as secand-class matter is peudiog at
‘the post office at Taiotna. Alaska, under hte Act ol
March 3rd, 187$
Represented Nationally by
j. AV. GREELT and ASSOCIATES
603 Stewaru St»*t, Seattle, Wash.
FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1037
MAIL SERVICE HE LI VE
IN THE KUSKOKWTM. COUNTRY—
. Sometimes, we get- to wondering about this sumnicr
mail service into the* Xusknkwim area, and the more we
try to figure it out the more muddled we become and the
less we know. From the iooks of the mixed up mail that
comes in on the summer boats# we are led to believe that
even the Postmasters get their “wires crossed.”
According to our understanding, derived from those
who should know, parae). post ami second-class mail “only”
is carried-on contract.by. boat front the Tatiana down the
Yukon to Holy. Cross and from there up the Innoko River
to-Ophir, from where it is distributed, and. is a monthly
mail service, arriving sometime.in the month ot June,
July, August and September. Going a little farther’into
the second class and- parcel-post mailing -system in this
area, we find that this class of mail is also coming up the
Xuskokwim once a month on the steamer Langley,
.brought in. from .the Outside to Bewiel nn the Tupper on
its regular monthly summer trips. All first class mail
*upDosedlyc cmes Xc. -Anchorage and is ’carried- into this
area once a week, jay the- Star Air Service who in turn
have no contract but are, paid on the regular poundage,
xate
The sticker in ithis taose and sloppy mail service is
that the mail gattri-aHsy mixed as a Jesuit of this three
way system, and we find all classes of mail coming all*
of the three ways.
On .the arrival of .the first boats of ’At- season apt Be
two respectiver nivers, we receive sorat first class mai,
• which has been laying Jr. Seattle for months awaiting the
sailing of the steamer'.Tupper, or tied up somewhere et
route, waiting foe navigation to start on the Innoko. Im
portant letters concerning business deals, letters that
havee-been. anxiously looked for and then given up. ondy
to turn up too late to be of value.
For 20 years .’this area has been cryirg for an im
proved mail service.’ We admit there have been certain
improvements during ithis time, but the fact yet remains
that we are 15 years behind the times. We have gained
a winter mail serrice-wirhich can also be improved—but
during the summer months when we really need quick
and reiable mail service, we have everybody handling tie
mail and a lot of loop-holes for slip-ups and the loss of
important mails
We understand that Delegate Anthony 3. Dimocd
has. recommended that the foreign airmail bill be amend
ed to extend, beyond Fairbanks to McGrath. Bethel ami.
Goodnews Bay. Granting that ibis service will pave the
way for a dependable year around delivery’ of mail in
this heretofore forgotten Kuskokwim area We will then
. commence to. f«c trial cur 20 years of complaint has fin
ally reached the right ears. If second class should be in
cluded in this new route we will have an opportunity to_
keen up on worldly activities. Such a year around steady
mail route will tend to eliminate a big share of the mis-.
sent and lost mail. Postmasters and ethers in charge of
handling the mail-- will be enabled to familiarize tnem
seves with the existing routes knowing they will not be
changing with “the moon.
We fappe it wont be long before we can have a
satisfactory--.system of handling the mail in this part of
Alaska over ;tne present haphazard methods. Now that
tne Kuskokvrirjs- Bids fair to produce more gold and other
mineral than eser. for the United States during the next
few years, w$v .shouldn't we expect a little in return '
“Don't kill ithfe goose that lays the golden egg.”
—-O
"Boys., did! !-get stuck or, some Florida property ”
“Did yc.ii buy it?”
"No, but; r had to pay $60 for the hire of. mules to
pull my car opt bf it.
---0
<j.—Define launch, gig and wherry.
A._Launch is the noon meal; gig means to stick,
like I got gigged for the mid-watch; wherries are what
people have what’s got money in the hank
SIXTEEN YEARS A60 THIS WEEK
(TAKEN F-BOM THE WLES'OF THE KUSKO T1ME8)
Word comes from Takotna that the I
freighters between that pace and j
Nixon Forks are experiencing serious
difficulty because of low water.
All freight is being landed at the'
mouth of Charlie Woods slough,
about two and a half miles below fa
kotna.
The steamer Quickstep returned
here Thursday afternoon after dis
charging freight at Nixon, departing
shortly afterward for Bethel.
Fred Carlson, well known foreman
at the Aitken camp, arrived here yes
terday. returning to the Landing
this afternoon.
Bob Hart, on his launch Maple
Leaf, accompanied by Gregg Stewart,
arrived Friday from Nixon Forks, re
turning to that point almost imme
diately.
—
D. E. C. Clough left this afternoon
on his monthly mail trip with the |
mail for Takotna. He had as passer- 1
gers Scotty Auld. Jack Mutchler. M.
White, Joe Towey and Jack Mannik.
A contract has been let t.> cleir the
dear the slough of snags, afte' which
it Is believed that gasboats : tn make
ir-„. He will make a trip to Nino.,
Folks are experiencing serious diffi
culty because of low water.
Robert Henderson, well-known old- j
timer, arrived on the Tana this1
morning. He will make a trip to Nix-j
on, after which he will return here t
and continue on down river to . his j
home at SieetmUte.
Joe Burns, manager of the Coli
seum Theatre at Nenana, is prepar
ing to establish a movie theatre at
Hurricane Gulch, which^will ,-oe -ntie
of the active construction canrps dur
ing tne summer. He is establishing j
a chain of motion picture houses, as
the opening of one a* liHarriesiH
Guch will make the thiir. under his
manage rrmi.t
<
A Fcrdsm tractor and plow were
left at Akiak on the Tana s trip up
from Bethel. These implements are
for the convenience of natives all al
ong the river, in charge of the Alas
ka Bureau .of Education.
James Downey left Friday foT Ta
kotna, going up as far as the Fork*
on Bob Hart's launch Maple Leaf.
Tom Bare and William Goss, after
spending a couple of days here on
business, departed yesterday for the
upriver metropolis.
All freight is being landed at the
mouth of Thane Woods slough, about
two and a half mies below Takotna.
A contract has been let to ciear the
slough of snags, after which it is be
lieved that rasboats can make Ta
kotna by that route.
E. M. Whelan, from N’ixot. in com
pany with Arthur Berry, arrived
h-ere Sunday from Berry Landing.
Mr. Whelan comirjr down to get med
ical attendance for Mrs. Whelan, who
was seriously ill. They returned ur
river immediately. Dr. Green accom
panying them.
Ed Ryan, who abdicates as potato
king of the Matanuska valley, plans
to leave for Hir.chinhrook island,
where he wil embark m the hog bus
iness, having arranged to ease the
island, containing 15.000 aciea. where
he will place a number of porkers
this summer and try to capture the
Alaska market. Ed . says the island
is covered with wic peas and straw
berries and these sh’uld -produce a
hogaialy requiring a diet of milkweed
to furnish a meal of porx chops ard
strawberries ami cream. He has been
employed bu the A. E. C. since the
government railroad buildix g started,
save in 11117, w-hen he put in 17 acres
of potatoes in the Matanuska valley
THE KLSKO TIMES
The only Newspaper and Job
Printing establishment in thevKweko
kwrira area. Subscribe N<FV.. '
VANDERPOOL’S
FREIGHTING SERVICE
Has Established A Dependable
#and Quicl^Sendee on the
TAKOTNA RIVER
Careful attention to all freight
orders, whether large or small
WOODROW
VANDERPOOL
TAKOTNA, ALASKA
We Hadl Anything
Heavy or Light
Where You Want It
JOE OATES, FREIGHTER
TAKOTNA ALASKA
• f
Passenger r Service
FREDDIE OATES; Prop.
TIMELY EDITORIALS
Culled From Our Exchangee
NORTH1AVD AIR ROUTES GAIN FAVOR—
(.The Fairbanks News-Miner)
The year 1937 is writ in* a bright page ir. the history
of development of major airplane routes of continents
and Occidental-Oriental across the Northland
Scarcely a day passes now.but some new feature-Is
unfolded in this rapidly progressing movement.
A few days ago the .non-stop flight of the Russhu
plane from Moscow to Vancouver. Wash., startled the
world. More than .TOGO miles were covered in. a leap
over the North Pole, from the heart, of old Russia to the
United States.
Saturday a British plar.e hopped from Edmonton,
Alberta, across 12CO miles of Canadian Territory to
Whitehorse, within a stone’s throw of Fairbanks, blazing
1 the trail on a newly established mail route which even
! tualiy will form a link in a regular belt line between the
middle of this continent and China. A conference held
in Whitehorse yesterday, featured pans for extending the
service soon, making Fairbanks an important port on the
route.
The first of this week, Piloi Hans M'irow, er,route to
Nome, hopped nff from Fairbanks, spent a night at
Whitehorse, and jumped the next day from Whitehorse
to Seattle, via Prince George..
Pilot Janies J. Mattern is now preparing te fly over
the North Pole from Seattle to Moscow next month.
All these flights, except the Russian, have beer
routed via Fairbanks, and for future practical purposes
with all the established radio, fueling, mechanical and
other services, it is indicated the coming scheduled flights
will be through Alaska and Fairbanks.
Northland routes are gaining favor .a* against the
more southerly trans-Pacific routes, fraught with heavy
gales, few points of refuge, and greater circumference of
the globe. The '“Great Circle” route, so long favored by
ocean vessels, is mow indicated as a growing favoriti
with ships of the air. The tragic experience of the ir
, trepid flier Amelia Ear hart exemplifies the haz-ard of thf
long flight over-the ocean waste®. Hail she beets forced
down anywhere .on the route via Alaska and Siberia, -hi
would have had immediate ail van tag a of being on land
, as have other fliers of the Northland route.
Fairbanks and Whitehorse stand out. today as. pte
eminent points in the development of the aew Northland
routes. Their already large fields, are gi>od, but need
further improvement. Every modern facility. 1 tic kid iity
beacon lights, border lights, better communications hn«
weather services must .come. These improvements art
much in order along the "entire trunk line of the North
land, from midland-Amerira to the great-traffic centers
of Asia and Europe
The new routes will be like world-girdling belts
studded with ports of importance, and not the least ol
these will be Fairbanks. The future U. S. army air base,
for which a site already has been selected at Fairbanks,
wifi add to the importance of this city as an aviatiot
center.
The rapidly on-coming air mail, passenger, and gen
eral air traffic, togethtr~with-the-demands <>f the military
units, make it urgent for quick action for a coordinated
plan of development of fields, weather services; conmumi
cations, supply and machine shop and service establish
ments of every charade
The great forward movement is uhdes.mn;- and can
not be stopped. Representative Northlaho Tirganiiatioas
the government and all others, must !*• awake to keep
uj> with the procession.
L.VTk OK rmv URV
((Vweugo TfMr.t)
One night lit vas dr. 1 the perit>: wheri the skitiat
rtnk craze was at its apex) cur dapper t< wn drayr an
wbd -was rather rear-sigritei, dcessed rh'self uja .It tt
k'!l .Til nas rr'ppii.g cayly d.i.»n the ' Id wooden side
walk beside the unlight d town when he collided wft'ct
heavy ■presence. Gallantly he backed away, tipped bit
straw hat and murmured: "Madame, I beg your most
sincere pardon.” . . . Receiving no- reply, be investigat
ed at closer range and discovered that his courtly bow
had been somewhat ignored by Jim Scott’s cow Mu t
ruffled. Henry went on to his roller skating.
. An heur Later, on his way past the park, he r*r
plump into one of the town’s most prominent clubwomen
who was much-astonished at his lack of chivalry whbi
Henry muttered fiercely: "You still here, you old bat4'
-0
Postmaster—"The weather we’re having now i.sri’t
anything like that of'20'years ago
Parmer—"Neither is it. anything like i* was six
month ago.
“Mrs. Rrflv—“You’re looking very happy''tins
ing; have you had g»bd newsT*
Mrs. ’Glimber—“Just wonderful! My husband' hi*
had a' •.errata, •ttoftttdoar aadwth. going To FtOrittw
. ... — o
r Send An •yrmr communications to the rhetor on tar*
suhjoct. ' We’it ghidfyphiNiitr *hem.