The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-12
LICENSED
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
Serious Charges Against Alaska
Officials.
Collector Of Customs Pracht Dismissed, and
Others Likely 10 FOLLOW In
q Short Time.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON, April 11.-Max Pracht has
the Alaska District and Edward T. Hatch
of Mccoy, Polk County, Oregon, State SEN
ator and q well-known politician, Is ap-
pointed in his place. This removal, though
contemplated for some time, has been kept
quiet because the Oregon Congressman
wanted to secure the vacancy for their own
State.
Prachts appointment was only secured
after hard work, and even then the Oregon
Senators had to fight for his confirmation by
the Senate. Pracht proceeded to his duties
and soon afterward the Governor of Alaska
decided that he ought to change the liquor
traffic regulations for Alaska in Difference
to the popular demand in all the towns of
the Territory, where meetings were held
and they drew up petitions asking that they
be allowed TO engage in the retail liquor
business. As the result the Governor, as
alleged. in violation of the law, decided to
issue a license to saloons at $3.50 per year,
this fund TO go into fund TO be known as
the Street Improvement Fund.
II was impossible to carry on saloon
business very successfully without liquors,
and Pracht, in violation OF law. allowed the
importation of any and all kinds Of liquors,
the amount and variety being dictated by
the dema nds of the trade. When this be-
came known TO the department the Oregon
delegation, which was known to be friendly
to Pracht, was notified that he would be
relieved very soon and they might as well
prepare thems elves TO meet the situation.
Seeing thatit was no longer possible to hold
him in place the delegation decided TO press
the claims of Hatch
The Collector in the Alaska District, the
same as in all other customs districts, selects
his own deputies and they are appointed by
the President. In the Alaska districts dep
uties are at the following places: Mary ISL
and, WranGel, Juneau, Sand Point, Kodiak
and Oonalaska. 1t is said that the new Col
lector is favorable to allowing Pracht's dep
utleS to remain, but il is thought by the de-
partment officials that he had better make
a sweeping change.
Inquiry was made concerning the fate
that would overtake the Governor of Alas
ka, together with other officers who partici-
pated in the alleged violation of the law,
according to the general plan agreed upon.
1t is claimed that a Deputy Marshal of
Alaska rather reluctantly reported the ir-
regularities after the Government author
tiles here had been apprised of the situa-
tion by some temperance people III the Ter
ritOry. This Information, which was fur
nished by them some time ago, prompted the
authorities to make inquiries of the Mar
shal. who, it is said, reluctantly gave the
information. 1t is the general suppositiOn
that there is not Government official in the
Territory who will escape official nyestiga-
tion, and the result may be that PTacht is
only the first of a number of Alaska officials
who will be relieved. There IS some specu-
laton as to the disposition of the money re-
ceived from the licensing of saloons in
Alaska. The authorities here are led to the
conclusion that there are 200 or 800 saloons
in Alaska in full blast, each operating uu-
der license of $3.50 per annum.