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THE KUSKO TIMES • |
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TH* RIVER COUNTRY |
JTlif lUwsktJ tTitnrs
T R. McROBERTS and ALASKA E. EGAN,
Publishers
Published Every Friday, at Takotna, Alaska
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“Entered as second-class matter February 1, 1937, j
at the post office at Takotna, Alaska, under the Act of j
March 3, 1879.”
Represented Nationally by
J. W. GREELY and ASSOCIATES
603 Stewart Street, Seattle, Wash.
FRIDAY. AUGUST 27, 1937
ROADS LN ALASKA—
(Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Congress gives Federal aid to states in road build
d:ng, based upon area, population and existing road mile
age. Alaska is denied the benefits of the act.
It gets its roads partly from the deparment of agri
culture, partly from the department of the interior,
partly from a Territorial read board. The system is
cumbersome and does not allow Alaska the voice in road'
building and road planning that is its right.
■William A. Hesse. Territorial highway engineer, in a
communication placed in the Congressional Record,
points out that if the schedule of distribution of funds
followed in the Federal highway act were applied to Al
aska, the Territory would get $6,750,000 a year. Alaska
doesn't need this much and could not match it, Mr. Hesse
says, but could get along with one-fourth this sum.
If another provision of the Federal highway act,
basing the percentage of Federal aid upon the area of
public domain, were applied to Alaska, the Territory,
instead of being called upon to match federal funds,
would look to the Federal government for 99 k, per cent
of the Total.
Again, Mr. Hesse says Alaska isn't asking any such
concession. He points out the Federal government is
paying only 75 pc: cent today, and adds that Alaskans
d n’t ask speedways but plain, common-sense roads that
will allow the Territory’s development. He concludes:
"The greatest single need for the Territory today :s
an adequate system of roads. IS e do, of course, need
people, fcut population will come with roads and not oth
erwise.*"
-o
RICHES OF THE SEA—
(The Seattle Times)
Operating on an Atlantic Ocean beach near Wil
mington, X. C., the pumps of a chemical company last
year sucked 158,000,OOOjOOO pounds of sea water into
shore-side tanks and by special treatment extracted
many tons of bromine, highly useful in anti-knock gas
oline. Bromine is ail this company is after; but its
chemists report that the same water, otherwise treated,
would have yielded $33,290,000 worth of kitchen salt;
$18,050,000 worth of epsom saks; $36,000,000 worth of
magnesium; $42,000 in gold and $29,010 in silver. It is
not clear why any company should turn such riches back
into the sea. unless in deference U> our present govern
ment’s detei m ination of riches for none. But seawater is
where you find it; much of it right at hand. If fisher
men do not object, it might be worth looking into it for
something else.
S. S. TAX NO JOKE—
(The Fairbanks News-Miner)
O. S. Sullivan, deputy internal revenue collector for
Alaska, is in Fairbanks to see that every individual and
firm subject to the Social Security tax makes prompt
payment of the sums due under the law.
All methodical and businesslike concerns and indi
viduals are making their monthly payments as prescrib
ed in the act. But there always is a percentage' who are
negligent, thoughtless, or who wilfully try to evade the
law. Mr. Sullivan makes it plain that there are plenty
of teeth in the law, and that those who fail to comply
are in for a lot of grief.
Recent decisions of the supreme court wiped out the
last hope there was yet a chance of escaping the tax.
Payment of the tax is not optional. Every employer
is required to collect and return to the internal revenue
collector each month the stipulated percentage of earn
ings, together with a like sura to be matched by the em-,
ployer.
Owing to the rush of getting the machinery set up
and the act working smoothly, the revenue department
has made a special provision that those who have ne
glected to send in their returns to date may now do so ;
and keep in good standing. But this attitude of leniency
will soon terminate. Now is the time to pay and acquire
the habit of paying regularly hereafter or suffer the
consequences.
-o
It is easy to recognize statesmen in Europe. They j
are the ones timidly' trying to pacify Hitler and Musso-.
link—Newark Advocate.
-o
PLACER LOCATION NOTICES row mi sale at
The Kusko Time? ofBce. Get yours today.
SIXTEEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(TAKEN FROM THE FILES OF THE KUSKO TIMES) •
Mr. and Mrs. Gus Gullickson went
to Takotna on the Alaskan. Mr. Gul
lickson returning here this morning,
but will return to the up-river town
immediately. They will make Ta
kotna their home for the time being.
Ed Carlson came in Thursday from
Candle Creek.
The various employes of the
Coates and Kastner mail service
from White-horse, reported a great
many bears on the trail, especially
near Little creek, where they are
said to be so tame that they stand
at the windows and watch the boys
eat.
George Jesse. on Spruce Creek, in
the Ruby section, has about $$900
worth of gold taken by Henry Hell
man, and Joe St. Germain from their
ground about 70 miles from Poor
man. The gold is coarse, of the flax
seed order, according to A1 Thoms,
who saw the gold on his recent trip
to Ruby. Messrs. Heilman and Ger
main, who have been in the Novi
section for some time, do not consid
er that they have pay as yet; and
declare there is not the slightest ex
cuse for a stampede.
Captain A. E. Lathrop, manager
of the Empress Theater at Anchor
age, is offering $100 to anyone who
finds oil seepages within ten miles
of the City of Anchorage.
The Flume Dredging Company’s
dredge on Yankee creek is now in
full operation, the engine having
been turned over for the first time
or. August 25. Its’ operation, for a
newly assembled machine, is said to
be nearly perfect. The placing of
this dredge on Yankee creek and its
present operation is certainly some
achievement when it is taken in.o
consideration that all of this wort,
has been accomplished since June 1.
Before the dredge parts could be
moved, a read—a good one, by the
way—eight and one-half miles long
had to be built, to connect with the
Government road leading to Takot
na. Work on this road to Yankee
creek started about June 1 and wa;
completed about July 15, the tractoi
traversing the entire course from
Takotna to Yankee creek about the
latter date. And, speaking of the
tractor, it may be said that that ma
chine must be given credit for^ the
remarkable work it has done. Undei
the guidance and manipulation of A'
Goslow, assisted by Mr. Caldwell
this apparently lumbering, reeling
creature has been on the job all the
time, as regular almost as clock
work in making its daily round trip
a distance of 29 miles, and turning
up almost to the minute each night
with its load of from three to four
tons. Up to the present time it has
hauled no less than 100 tons.
Mike Blanusha returned this morn
ing from a trip to Takotna, and will
be a passenger for the Landing on
the up-river trip.
The launch Maple Leaf, Captain
Bob Hart, arrived from Takotna
Saturday night, having as passen
gers William Schneirla and G. W. C.
Glass.
An old woman wished to write a
letter to her son in America. She
asked the local schoolmaster to writ*
it for her. When the schoolmaster
had it nearly finished he spoke to her
and said: “Well madam, have yov
any more to say?”
“Oh. tell him to excuse the bac
spelling,” was the reply.
FIRST NATIONAL
BANK
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Capital and Surplus $100,0 *0
WILL ADVANCE MONEY ON GOLD
AND
Ship Gold at Very Reasonable Rates
VANDERPOOL’S
FREIGHTING SERVICE
Has Established A Dependable
and Quick Service on the
TAKOTNA RfVER
Careful attention to all freight
orders, wnether large or small
WOODROW
VANDERPOOL
TAKOTNA, ALASKA
OATES FREIGHTING
SERVICE
We Haul Anything
Heavy or Light
Where You Want It
WE ABE LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS FOR LUMBER FP.OM THE
MILLER SAWMILL
JOE OATES, FREIGHTER
TAKOTNA, ALASKA
Passenger Service
FREDDIE OATES, Pr**.
TIMELY EDITORIALS
Culled From Our Exchanges
ALASKA NEEDS RAILWAYS—
(The Valdez Miner)
The Alaska Bailway has lapsed into a state of re
1 pair, say Fairbanksans, which nikes it actually danger
, ous to ride over, and despite the large crews at work at
the present time, it will take many months and around a
million dollars to get it into shape where its train crews
dare get out of a canter for fearing breaking something
or of being derailed. Many accidents have happened dur
ing the past year, to the employes, and some of them
have been quite serious in scope.
Many Fairbanks allege that the country around the
railroad would be better otT if the rails should be pulled
up and the right-of-way converted in^o a mgnway, well
surfaced and paved. Such a highway would allow free
access to the Interior and freight could be hau.ed at a
fourth the rate now charged. Much criticism has been
directed at the etfort to dose the railway area to bona
fide settlers and convert it into a tourist route, .uany
Fairbanksans are so bold as to say that msu.au oi de
veloping the country traversed the railway is actually
hindtring settlement by its outrageous charges on goods
| shipped over the line.
The Miner hardly agrees with the Fairbanks critics,
as we believe that any sort of transportation is better
.ban no transportation at all; and the railway traverses
a section of counry that needs transportation—good, re
liable. cheap transportation.
When the railway was built it was heralded far and
near that there would be no attempt to make it pay; it
was to be used to develop the northern part of the Ter
: ritory—to bring in settlers and cause the country to
blossom like the rose. The first few years of its con
struction, the country did build up to some extent, but
under the present management, it has been slipping
backward, and it will not be long until the villages on
the right-of-way will be absorbed by the high rates, and
the populations forced to pull out to other sections. At
the present time the prospector and miner cannot afford
o ship their scanty supplies to the railway point nearest
their destination. The rates are too high.
Primarily, Alaska needs miners and prospectors. It
also needs a low rate of transportation for the farmer
and ranches. The railway- has been mismanaged from its
inception. It has developed into a burden instead of s
benefit. It is impossible for any community to build ur
under its tyrannical rulings and high tariffs
But Alaska needs a railway and needs it badly
-0-..
ALASKA YOLTH EARNING THEIR WAY—
(Seward Gateway)
The management of the Alaska Railroad is to be
1 commended for giving the youth of Alaska an opportu
nity not only to work during school vacation but as stu
■ dent trainmen, gain a taste for a vocation to which marr
aspire.
The Alaska Road Commission and tne Bureau o'
Public Roads as well a.- the Forest Service likewise give
Alaska's youth an opportunity to work during summer
| months, a policy which reacts in their favor. And tin
j lads hold up their end of the job like real men.
This is the sort of cooperation which will build tJar
Northland; keeping our children in Alaska instead dt
i joining the unemployment parade in the states.
-o
MACHINE AGE BOUND TO BENEFIT MANKIND—
(The Anchorage Daily Tune*)
You cannot travel far enough these days to get
away from the problem raised by man’s invention of ma
i chinery.
Ernie Pyle, roving reporter, visited Alaska recently
and in the town of Petersburg met ?. man who believes
he ha< perfected a shrimp-picking machine.
Shrimp are relatively - tiny creatures which cn.ne
out of the (*:ean encased in little shells. Getting them
out of the shells so that they ran be canned ha3 always
1 been strictly hand-work,, and quite a few people gee jobs.
| every year at the canneries doing this work.
But this chap whom Pyle stumbled across has spent
ten years working on a machire to do the work. He
j thinks, at last, that he has it ready to go; he plans to
install 10 machines immediately in his cannery, and
I each machine will do the work that 10 men used to do.
The result is that even a small fishing village in
I Alaska—which you might suppose would be the last
plate in North America to be bothered by “technological
unemployment”—is going to get a taste of the machine
age. A certain number of people who always before
* this, could rely on several weeks or months of steady
work will have to find something else to do hereafter
j Machinery has advanced one more little step along the
' road toward the obsolescence of human labor.
This sort of thing has been happening on such a
huge scale in the last few decades that the Alaskan de
I velopment looks relatively insignificant. But it isn’t. It
| is a grim little signpost, reminding us—in ease any still
doubted—that for better or for worse, the replacement
i of hu.aan labor by machine labor is going to continue.
It s not merely a problem of the big city; it ris
:something that affects far-away fishing villages just «,
it affects big manufacturing centers.
Now there is no bemoaning this development, for it
is certain and inexorable as death and taxes. And, in
deed, in the long run, rt cannot be anything but a tre
mendous boon to the race as a whole. Mankind is being
I relieved of drudgery; the mean, monotonous, back-break
ing jobs'that once were a part of the universal huma®
' lot are being lifted off his back.
To say that we are living in a period of transition
! is trite—but accurate. Our job now is to learn haw tp
j learn to translate the machine’s achievements in terras
of the well-being of the entire community