Iditarod pioneer., 1914-12-26
qAKOTNA FOLKS
 REGISTER KICK

That the people of Takotna and vicinity are the victims of rank injustice and gIar- ing careessness on the part of the postal authorities who have the forwarding of Uncle Sams mails in the Interior of Alaska is clearly set forth in the following vigorous letter to The Pioneer from Dr W. |, Green the United States commissioner of that pre- cinct and well known ld-tlmer ot the North:
 Takotna Alaska, Dec l3, 1914. Editor Iditarod Pioneer
 Dear Sir: l address you in the hope that YOU may be induced to give us little at tention in this neck of the woods. At Ire>ent the people of Iditarod are getting ' little taste of what We here have had to do for the past four years. Individually l have paid more than S60 to get my mall delivered from OphIr for one summer alone -25 cens for all first-class letters and 20 cents a pound for second-cIass mail. Others here were in the same pTedcament, We wrote Judge Wickersham, the postal de partment and others and failed to get even an acknowledgment of any letter sent; so we gave it up and lay down and quit, be Eeylng it useless to even try to get any recognition or relief or improvement ln our mail service from Washington If We had been brown in color, Exc the FIEpinoS, ln- stead of white and Amerlcan-Dorn, we would have had recognition at once.
 The people of Iditarod having to pay so much pound to get their Fairbanks mail taken from here to Idtarod will probably enable them to realize the point l have been trying to impress on your minds by letters and by speech when in your town for the past two years We must have united and concerted action in this matter of mall service. Why, in the last mail from Ruby 1 got two of your papers of last June issue last June, mind you Nearly six months getting from Iditarod to Takotna. That IS mail service for you in Alaska, Mail from lditarod to this place in the summer time Is supposed to go to Holy Cross, then back up the Innoko to Ophir. Just compute that distance, will you? The service from Holy Cross to Ophir IS by launch part way then by horse, scoW or polng boat the balance. This service has been irregular, un- reliable and thoroughly rotten. Then we on the upper huskokwim had to pay as stated to get it over here. Now, just com pute the distance from Iditarod to Moore creek, where pack train runs all summer under the efficient management Of Tom Shallow, and then down Moore creek by a gasoline launch to Takotna and on down to McGrath postotfice. Mail could be de lvered this way regularly, reliably and etfi- ciently, serving Ophir too. Then see the saving in distance and time and the abso- lute certainty of delivery within a reason able time Now, what we want to get into the heads of those in authority in these matters is the desirabllty, practlcabllty and necessity of a summer mail service from Iditarod to Flat, Discovery, Otter, Moore creek and on down to Takotna, Me Grath and Ophir. We need help from Iditarod, and all we can get. Let us make our kick Cumulative is, one good, hard kick every week, or twice week, and all in one spot or place. Thus in time we will have such a sore spot they will have to take some notice of our appealing kicks"
 Mail from all Interior points for ldltarod is bling up here now, and no provision IS made by the department to get 1t from here to Iditarod its destination. Every mail so far from Seward has been the limit load, and of course the Ruby mall IS lett here We who are unfortunate enough to live on the line or at way SIdIloHo De- tween Seward and Iditarod are getting no mail from the Outside for the same reason limit load from Seward and no provision for way stations. l tell you it is no use. We ought to have been born Fihpinos; then we would have our mail delivered at our doors permanent wagon roads, schools, public buildings, and our mosquito ponds sprayed Nevertheless 1 will keep on kick ing for our just rights as long as live in Aiaska-and I expect to live here a long time. Petitions will be circulated here within a short time for this summer mail service from Iditarod, and if you have any suggestions to make along these lines, let us have them at once.
 Now finally, we are in earnest about this mail business, and we want any and all suggestions we can get in the matter, so fire them along
 Yours truly: W. F. GREEN.