Valdez daily prospector., 1913-05-19
MONDAY. MAY l9, 1913.
SOMEBODY FALSIFIED.

found that only tlrce mails per month reached Cordova from Se- attle," so said the News Miner in it's editorial of "Wednesday ev- ening trying to ridicule the plea in our last issue that something be done toward bettering our mail service for next winter.
 The News Miner obtained their information from the Orr Stage Co.,, so they state. Well, the statement of the Citizen a week ago was no April fool joke, as suggested. but straight facts, and the News Miner is deeply in er- TOT in regard to the matter, or their informant is, for we say there are more than three mails a month to Cordova, for the Sampson and the Yukon carry all mail that has accumulated at Se- attle from the time of the de- parture of the Northwestern, the Mariposa or the Alameda, until the time of the departure of these independent boats.
 We have been accused of un- fairness for wanting to better a mail service that, to use slangy but expressive word, has been "rotten" for the last six months.
 The News-M Miner states that immediately upon the arrival of a boat at Cordova tirst-class mail is forwarded right through with out delay. We are a long way from Cordova and might be ln- duccd to believe that story if it had not happened that many per- sons, returning at various inter- vals from the states, Wer" held up at the sea coast town anywhere from one Iu eight days. This was not during he tir-up of six weeks, for which there is no excuse or frred, but since and even as late as three weeks ago. Gan tn" News inrr OF he Orr Stage Co. or anybody else deny that fact?
 When last week we tried tu urge the people to talk" up the mail a,eSlin with the hope of better ing our condition for next year, We meant no reflection upon the Orr Stage Co.,. as they have at all times, during the winter. pushed their stages through with the greatest possible speed, for which they were duly pai1. according t" the bids !hal they themselves made. They did their duty by ihe people so far. as they were able in carrying the mails through. It was business mat ter, something that they were compelled lo do and not per- s0nal favor to anyone.
 They did not do their duty, however, and are not doing it in trying to shield the other parties who, by. commission or omission, have failed to do their part toward giving us the best mail service possible.
 We don't care how our mail gets in here, whether it comes by Cordova, Valdez or by Falcon Jos -lin's proposed aero line, but we would like to. get last years pa pers some tipe within the com ing six months, a..
 The News Miner states that the 1irst-class mail comes through on the first stage after the landing of the boat, and implies that the second class follows on the next.
 On April 18th or 10th we re- ceived a frst7class mail from the outside. On April 24th we receiv- ed a very small second-class mail. In the interim, however, several stages. arrived from the coast without even the sign of a postage stamp. What became of that second-class mail during all that time?
 Five years ago Fairbanks was allowed fair mail allowance; to- day we have practically the same allowance divided up among this camp, Iditarod, Ruby, Tanana and all the down river points. The Orr stage company is not to blame for this, but the people of Fair banks are. If the matter was talk en up in the proper manner. through our city council, through