The Chitina leader., 1910-12-31

hours on New Year eve Wnen the
town of Chitina lay in the arms of
Morpheus and nothing but a stray
dog with about six inches of broken
tail sat dismally on the railroad
track, occupied in making frantic
hunt for a flea that would persist in
taking midnight supper in the mid
die of his back, an old man wander
ed over the hill on the east side of
the town, where the tunnel had just
been finished. He was scantily clad
for so rigorous a cline as Alaska,
and with only sandals ON his feet
one would have thought that he
would freeze to death-but he was
Father Time. He carried over his
shoulder scythe and holding an
hour glass in the other hand he paus-
ed on the hill above Chitina, glanced
at his hour glass and said to himself:
81 have still three days of my holt
day left to me for this is the only
night in the year that do not have
to work" He was about to pass on,
but on looking at Chitina a second
time, said: "These pioneers deserve
all the good wishes that both mortal
and immortal man can give. I think
l will go around and wish them
happy New Year myself"
So on he passed down the hill
stopping at Frank Alba's stables and
wishing that ne would have all the
wood, coal and freight he could haul
in 1911, he passed on down by Peter
Corde's, and looking in wished that
all the hunks would always be filled
for the coming year, and on down
the hill, wishing John Gage luck as
he passed. but, stopping on the way
he picked up the dog with the broken
tail and healed it.
Father Time has the greatest heal
ing powers in the world, especially in
the case of broken hearts. Then on
to the Copper River & Northwestern
depot. where Agent Lawson and as
sistant Durham live, and wished them
an increase in salaries and plenty
of freight to handle in the coming
year.
Then to the Chitina Townsite COM
pany and prophesied for the COM
before the coming year was over
with, and that Messrs. Exum and An
derson would be kept busy making
out warranty deeds. Crossing over
to the Log Cabin restaurant, he wish
ed Messrs. Chase and Burkhart a
steady run of business and a contin
uation of good coffee, and also In
the same building, where he found
Thos. Cloninger and Ivory St. Clair,
of the Log Cabin bar, he wished
them the continued prosperity for
the New Year which they at present
enjoy Dropping into the Chitina
Trading company, where he found
Manager Hull and M. Finkelstein, he
wished the firm of Kinney & Mac
Cormac much success for 1911, and
hoped Mr.. Hull and Assistant Brim-
mer would be kept continually on the
jump, while he hoped all the pros
pectors and people of the interior
would secure their outfit of clothes
and supplies at Finkelstein & Sap
iro's
On finding the genial Pete Sher-
man, of the Northern Meat Market
at his back, he wished. should there
be a meat famine in this vicinity,
that the Northern market would have
no competition and be able to supply
the demand.
Gliding over to the big Hotel Chit
ina he hoped the enterprising Oscar
Freedman would soon have to build
an addition to his already fine hotel
and that his commeqdable efforts in
affording Chitina a hotel this win
ter would meet with great financial
success in 1911.
Next to the hotel lobby he found
Postmaster Cliff Johnson busy with
the mail and the postoffice store. He
wished him a big increase in cancel