The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1913-10-03
BY f. o. Sawyer

CORDOVA. Alaska. Sept 81 Jack
Dalton. pioneer af all Alaskan pho.
neers, whom C0rdovans proudly
point out as the only man ia the
territory who had nerve enough "a
make the Guggenhcima stand
hitohed." wants THE GOVERN
MENT to open up the coal fields
and build railroads into tho inter
Tor OF this hountcously rich coua
try OF Alaska.
Dalton came 10 Alaska In 1884
and many a path he cut whore no
man had ever been before. on tho
government map these are marked
Dalton trail"
plans 70 Build Dock
Just now Jack is running n saw.
mill here. near the GuEwenheim
dock. He plans 20 build dock 81
his own aext year and cold atof-
age plant. There are vast hallbut
banks or this port and cold storage
viii make Cordova inbuiouHiy
rich fishing town.
Before be came 20 Alaska Dalton.
who was born IN Kansas. drove
pack trains In tho great Southwest.
When this hardy pioneer camu here
Il waa Just a bowling wllferneaa'
when first came into the
Yukon country the wolf packs used
20 keep Us company" said Dalton
They tralled ~ day after day and
cIrclcA the camp AZ night Now and
then a dog wandered too far from
the fire ard didn't come back
sometimes they pulled down
horse.
Brings In First Pack Horses
Il was the first man 20 bring
pack horses into Alaska and they
wanted TO put me in an asylum
But II was no colder here than in
Minnesota. and they did fine'
Along In 81 I had 500 OF them
packing supplies TO mines from the
head OF Lynn canal. where skagwny
now stands. Hay was si25 ton. 80
I cleared some ground off the cas-,
slope and raised timothy. three and
a haif tons 20 the acre II cost mo
about g. ton In the barn, So
that's how they started 10 grow
things here"
Dalton is credited with being the
frat white man TO cross the head
waters OF the white river lie was
at Dawson during tho first gold
rush and has since been Interested
10 many mining ventures.
Defled ounaenhelns
Whom the GugEeuheims failed Ia
their efforts TO establish terminus
for their line at Katalla he assisted
In locating the Cordova route. At
this time he staked the copper claim
on which his home and sawmiil are
now located. Later the railroad Sc
lected the same point for its dock
site.
Jack didn't amount 20 much
In the eyes Of the Gvpgcnheirs
and they started TO lay tracks
right through his claim. He
Issued q warning and when the
workmen got pretty close he
visited headquarters.
What happened there learned
from old Cordovans before I
went 10 see the old timer. They
say he walked up 20 the super
lntendent and said. ~ told you
not TO build across my claim.
You can come within six feet Of
II with your railroad track and
no eioser--ttot's the iawi Now,
II you have snat track put any>
closer than six feet. am not
going to shoot up the engineers
or workmer, but I'm going TO
pay you another call"
Dalton has a reputation through
out Alaska as rifle shot--he sim
ply don't miss. EVER
While we were talking ! said. by
the way, Dalton, that railroad track
runs across the corner of your
claim. doesn't TT"
Friend Of Conservation
NO" he answered IT just skirts
ROUND THE EDGELyou soc my
line runs here and the railroad is
over six feet away at every point
had quite a little argument about
that. but it's all aettled nowi"
Dalton Is a friend Of Clifford PIN.
chot and he Ia a great admlrer Of
Senator poindexter
NF0hHffF1 WVAt1 bE hENANf fbF
Alaska than the government to
take over the line and continue
II into the interior" he declared
earnestly. There are great OPP
portunlties for agricultural and
mineral development, but not
without low and equal freight
rates. The government should
operate steamship line also or
else force the present line 10
equaIlze It's rates. The rates arc
very reasonable as far north az
skagway, because there 10 com
petition, but the rate here ls
double that TO sksg"sy, and
then some.
II think the government has been
a fittle slow about opening the coal