The Ketchikan miner., 1908-01-25
WITH ALASKA EXCHANGES

VI e hdNC Nitb Us oiN shN PSS-'a mist and the optimist. The former is cynic. He has no imagination. He
 brides himself upon his hard-headed, sensible point of view and his ability
 to look facts squarely in the face. In modern slang, however, he is nothing
 more or less than kuocker. Never
 vet has new camp been developed hy
 such as he. The optimist, on the
 other hand, can see beyond the end of l his nose and use the same facts upon
 which to build greater structure. He it is who sees the possibilities of a new country. and who keeps keen in-
 terest alive in them until they become
 realization. From the very force of habit. most Alaskans are optimists. ! At the present time they are the ones who see many new avenues of trade opening before the Tanana. They un- derstand what the future has in store
 for this country. During the presert
 year, even. the paystreak has been laid bare along number of new creeks: new district has been open
 ed along the upper Cinema. and another on the Salcbaket. Fairbanks capital
 has become interested in the Circle
 district where the Panama Railroad
 will probably extend in short time {;
 better improved methods for quicker
 and more economic prospecting have been introduced in the form of Key stone drills; quratz lodges have been located iu the BOnniteli where a
 stampmill will likely be working next
 summer: coal beds have been located on the Nenapa and active plans are
 now under way for placing the product
 upon the market next year, and large
 blocks of ground have been blocked out for extensive hydraulic and dredger operations in the near future These things tell but half of the story of the optimist. t.-Fairbank News.
 The Juneau Dispatch relates an
 instance wherein Judge Gunnison, of I Gu6 OuilCO dlSlllOG lOOA bio- pensed justice not devoid of mercy
 and generosity in the case of native
 woman who who was accused of hay l ing slashei another woman with a
 knife. Exteuuating circumstances
 were shown. in addition to which the woman was shown to be seriously ill
 and unable to stand the close confne-
 ment of the jail. The woman's attor- ney, after conference with the pros ecution, changed the plea 10 guilty of simple asau!t. The prosecution asked
 for the mercy of the court and Judge Gunnison imposed minimum fine oi B at the -ame time taking the amount
 from his own pocket and payIng the
 fine. Proper medical attention was then ordre>d for the woman aud the case dropped.
 All indications point toward the construction of two railroads from tue southeastern coast of Alaska in the near future. each to tap a vast coal field. One of these will be the Alas ka Central to the Matanuska, with rails already laid ifty-three miles, and twenty miles of grade beyond the track terminus. The other will be a line from somew here to reach the Kayak coal field Tie terminus of the Alas ka Central $ fixed eternally at Sew ard and the route is definitely located. The terminus of the road to the Ka- yak field will be Cordova or Katalla or some other place where a port can be found and way out located. That Katalla is hopeless as harbor seems settled. Cordoya has fair harbor but it is claimed that almost prohibitive obstacles lie between it and the coal field. The worst of these is a glacial morsine of several miles which geological explorers say is as suitable for railroad grade as an en- zine room for a powder magazine. They claim that it will be crumpling and sliding continually. Undoubtedly d TdIiTOdu VIII DC Dulib IIOiu oUtUc dC- cessible barbor to the Kayak coal. It is said that there is one small bay suitable fer harbor not far from Katalla, and possibly two. Both of these have been ignored but if they are practicable one may finally be chosen. if the line from Cordova should be found to be impossible. The coal will be reached. The interesting | feature of the rival coal areas is that 1 they and the railroads reaching them | seem likely to be controlled by rival interests. The Guggen- helm crowd, backed by the Morgan syndicate, will control at Kayak. From all accounts the Alaska Central i appears to be backed now by the Chi cago, Milwaukee X St. Paul. which is allied now with the HarrimaD-Stand- ard Oil crowd in Wall street. The