davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

van creek where it is estimated thar
an average of one-half pound of tin
is found to every square foot of
bedrock uncovered in the placer
operations. 1t is, therefore. almost
certain that a ledge of tin exists
somewhere in the hills at the head
OF Sullivan creek, and at the present
time it is being diligently searched
for by prospectors,
THE koYUkUk.
From time to time since first it
was discovered in 1898, the koyukuk
country, lying about 1875 miles north
Of Tanana, has been told of in song
and story as the richest placer min
ing camp in the world. Experience
has taught the miners of that section
that the utterances of the bards
We're faulty in many respects. bur
they all join in expressing the opin-
ion that the probable fabulous rich
HESS vi lucl NoulltIy IldS never Iltti.
been told about because it has not
vet been discovered That the riches
are there. they have no doubt.
but the day for uncovering them
must wait until the cost of transpor-
tation is not so high as to be pro
hibtive of all hopes of mining what
is considered moderately rich ground
in other places, at even small
profit. AS conditions are today, the
koyukuk is a producer of big money
in proportion to the work done and
the money expended, but it is prac-
tically certain that its riches are
as yet untouched owing to the fact
that the cost of handling the ground
is so great.
To the Koyukuk district belongs
TIE distinction of having produced
the second largest gold nugget ever
found in Alaska. 1t was uncovered
on Number A. Hammond river, by
J. C. Kinney and partners. The big
chunk of gold weighs in the neighbo-
hood of $4,000. Hammond river is
known in a general way as the pro-
Queer of the coarsest gold ever found
in Alaska, as it is rarely that pieces
are found smaller than common
garden pea. The gold found on most
of the other creeks in the Koyukuk
is fine All of it is very high grade,
some of it assaying nearly $50 per
ounce.
The extent of the pay-bearins
sravels in the Koyukuk is yet to be
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12
Commercial Importance
of the Town of Tanana

ed good results Then there are the
placer-bearing streams, some Of
which have yielded their quota OF
gold in the past and bid fair to more
than double that in the future.
GRANT CREEK.
Thirty miles down the river from
Tanana is Grant creek. This stream
is known to carry gold in payins
quantities although it is low grade
and. the ground being wet. il is al
most impossible to work it, Thar
applies to the deep disgings near
the mouth of the stream. for where
il heads in the hills, a distance of
II miles from its mouth, the diggings
are shallow. Several men working
in the shallow diggings during the
past summer were able 10 take out
good wages for their work. The
ground on Grant creek is all staked,
those who own it doing their annual
assessment work in the hope thai
the stream will some day develop a
we'll defined paystreak.
THE kANTISHNA.
TIE Kantishna country. lying to the
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

However. American creek one of III"
principal creeks of the Hot Springs
mining district, is nearer Tanana
than it is to the base of supplies
Of the other paying streams. the
town of Hot Springs, and consequent
ly the trade of all the miners of
the former creek comes to Tananl-
By trading at Tanana the miners
of American creek save at least one
half of the cost of the transportation
of their supplies. In the summer
they make a round trip with launches
in one day. while In winter they
easily make the 32-mle trip from
their district in three days. They
land their freight on American creek
from Tanana for one and onehalf
cents per pound in the winter, the
cost in summer being from two to
three cents,
One branch of mining which in the
future will undoubtedly add greatly
to the output of the Interior. is tin
mining. AT Hot Springs tin ore is
found In great abundance in the
placers, particularly those of Sulli-
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12


portance second to none in Interior
Alaska. In fact il is from here and
through here that all transportation
to the upper or lower river operates,
as this must be the transfer point
for all freight going up to Fair
banks on the Tanana river
In the matter of the size of the
shipments of freight received every
season in Interior Alaskan towns,
Tanana is second. There are three
large commercial houses here who
ship direct from the Outside every
year in carload lots aside from
the many smaller concerns who an
nually ship in smaller quantities
This has the effect of making goods
sold by Tanana concerns cheaper
TO the consumer than those pur-
chased by him at more remote places
as it costs less to transport freight
to Tanana than to any other town
along the Tanana, or other tributar-
les of the Yukon river For this
reason. many prospectors and trap
pers make this city their headquar
tiers even though they may be nearer
to other places when they are in the
hills
To the retailer who annually buys
his stock Of goods from some of the
larger concerns and to the consul
mer, the cost of transportation is a
large item in the cost of living. In
reference to towns on tributaries Of
the Yukon river tie consumer quick
ly realizes that Jones, he pays the
freight" was never more truly said
than when it was uttered about those
towns.
All of the big companies who first
started mercantile establishments in
Interior towns, were quick to realize
the commercial possibilities of Tana-
ma, and as consequence all who
have ever had chain of stores along
the Yukon or Tanana rivers, have
made this place their headquarters
The reason for this is that Tanana
is situated in place from which
anything can be shipped at an hours
notice to any place where steam
boats run and it. therefore, is not
necessary to ship double the distance
The Northern Commercial company
is now the only one of all of the
old time concerns maintaining stores
in the Interior. which has place
OF business in this city Excepting
perhaps the store at Fairbanks. they
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12
MERCIal IMPORTANCE

Excepting the freight brought in
from Tie outside Via ST. Michael and
at brought TO points above this city
on thu Yukon over IL. White Pas
and Yukon route and the lines OF
AmeriCaY-Nukon Navigation con-
pany. all of the commerce of In
terror Alaska must in some way o:
another touch upon the town of
Tanana 1t is true that some Of
the freight routed straight through TO
Fairbanks and other points on some
of the smaller draft barges is taken
through here. but for the most part
the Carsoes brought up from St
Michael or down from Dawson must
be transferred at this point TO
harges and boats of draft light
enough 10 operate on the Tanana
river.
Tanana is. therefore, all that he,
citizens claim for her as transfer
point. or the hub from which the
spokes of tie wheel run to all ou:
lying places. and, being just that
she is a city of commercial i'm
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12


that she is not already the metro
polls of the Interior, as she has
other resources and natural advan-
tages not enjoyed by any other town
along the Tanana or Yukon rivers.
Had she mining with all of those
advantages, or had she the chance
bring her, it is safe to say that
she would soon enjoy greater pros
perity than has ever been known
by an Interior town.
The idea of the people of Tanana
is to get the Hot Springs and Koyu-
kuk districts connected with their
city by rail. At present they have
no hope of seeing the railroad go
through to tie Koyukuk country,
but they do think it would be a
distinct advantage to them as we'll AS
to the government and to the peo-
pie of Alaska generally if the rails
could come through the Hot Springs
country and terminate at Tanana.
Their chief argument along this line
is. that should the government or
even private individual ever con-
template further railroad construc-
ton into the Koyukuk country, Tana-
ma would be the logical point at
which it should start, as, aside from
the fact that it is the nearest to
the Koyukuk of any of the Yukon
river towns, the ground over which
the railroad would necessarily be
constructed would permit the build
ing of the road at a much less cost
than if it were built through more
mountainous and hilly region.
Within fifty miles Of Tanana are
lodges of all kinds of rock. the val
ues of which have not been ascer-
tanned as yet, although the men who
own them are prospecting their prop
critics continually and have obtain
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

carry a Larger stock here than "A;
my other of their many stores. AT
Fairbanks the stock is probably lars
ct in some things. but il is safe to
;ay that the company does not car
~ greater assortment of every
lass of goods there than is carried
at their store here. owing to the fact
t at from here they are able to
distribute all kinds of goods to out
lying stations The other two bis
commercial houses in this city whose
business reaches as far north from
here as the Koyukuk and who do ii
large volume of business with the
Hot Springs mining men. are the
Tanana Commercial company and the
Rodman Alaska Trading company.
FUR INDUSTRY.
There is probably more business
done in furs in this city than at
any other point in Interior Alaska
large number of trappers. both
native and white, outfit here in the
late summer months, and, getting in
to their canoes, polling boats or
launches. proceed to their trapping
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

determined Gold in small quaint
ties is found at the bottom of
nearly all shafts put to bedrock. but
not in paying quantities. The diI
sings range from a few feet to near
ly 200 feet deep. Some of the creeks
carry the promise of some day be
ing worked with big machinery. AZ
gold is found at a very few feet of
depth from rim to rim of tn"
streams. Therefore. dredging and
'vdrau'ickins will probably be the
methods used In mining the Koyu,
kuk creeks Of future years.
By her residents the Koyukuk
country is considered to be -"
coming largest quartz producer in
the world. SO far the lodges of
low grade. but some of them are OF
a great width. Practically no de
velopment work has yet been done
on them. The Koyukuk district is
also known to be rich in other min
erals, such as silver, lead. zinc anl
iron. The lodges bearing these min
erals could be developed under the
stimulus of adequate transportation
COAL.
One of the industries which will
undoubtedly prove to be of inestim-
able benefit to the town of Tanana
in future years is coal mining. There
is coal to be found in all of the hilla
in the near vicinity Of the town. al,
though. on account of the strict cen
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

sorship of the government, nothing
much has ever been done with il.
The largest known vein is only
few miles above this city, on tie
Yukon river, although there az
many smaller veins much nearer
II is probable that considerable wor
will be done on coal properties lytuz
in tie vicinity of Tanaua within the
near future
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

carried on has shown that these
lodges carry good values in lead,
zinc, iron, silver, gold, etc.
HOT SPRINGS DISTRICT.
The Hot Springs district, lying
about so miles up the Tanana river
from Tanana, has so far proven to
be the most productive of the min
ing camps lying in the vicinity OF
this city. Thousands of dollars are
annually added to the output of the
Tanana valley by its placer mines, it
being almost a surety that the out
put this year will be nearly $1,000
900.
AS conditions now are. all of tn"
Hot Springs country is not directly
tributary to Tanana, although the
coming of railroad to the Yukon
river would probably make it SO,
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

south of Tanana and only few miles
away by winter trail, is also min
ing district of importance. Many
thousands of dollars have already
been taken from the kantishna plac,
ers. and it is safe to say that W, Ell
mining methods have been improved
upon and the cost of transportation
becomes less, its output will con
tinue for wears to come, as it pre-
SCENTS enormous possibilities in dredS-
ing and hydraulickins propositions.
Quartz in the kantishna is also
coming to the fore as there are now
several lodges under process of de
The prospecting so far
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

Further than that large numbers of
the natives whose headquarters are
located at Cross Jacket. on the Tam
ma river also come here TO trade
as do some of those who live both
below and above this city along the
Yukon
White trappers and hunters come
to Tanana to trade from the remotest
parts of the Arctic country. Thee
are several unimportant towns con
tanning stores and trading posts IN
the koyukuk country lying between
the Yukon river and the Arctic. but
nearly all of the inhabitants of that
country visit Tanana annually and
therefore. the traffic with them here
is no small item. Trappers and
hunters from other out-of.theway
places also make this city their
headquarters.
Fur trading is then one of the
most important of the industries Of
Tanana and foregoing facts show that
it will probably continue to be so.
At any rate it is safe to say that,
with all of the country she has TO
draw from, the city of Tanana en-
Joys the uniqueness of being the
Tor Alaska.
FISHERIES
The fishing industry probably is
the largest OF the many small bust
~eeses conducted along the rivers
If the Interior. there being many
white men end natives who make a
living solely by fishing. For many
Of t EN- Tanana is headquarters
In the early spring when the sal
mon first begin to run up tie Wv
ton and smaller side streams the
-atch i I've loreest and from then
N all summer al of the residents Of
the river towns are well supplied
with fresh salmon. The salmon are
caught mostly in fish wheels which
are built so tat they are manipula'
ed by the current of the river. Othe.
fish. such as greylin2 and whitefish
are caught with nets.
The larger part of the salmon
caught is smoked or dried. A great
deal of it is placed in smokehouses
and used through the winter months
by the natives, although the salmon
caught later in the summer is dried
and used as dog feed. For thai
purpose it brings from 10 to Is cents
a pound.
1t is understood that the govern
ment is contemplating the establish
ment of a number of fish hatcheries
along the rivers of the Interior.
Should that prove to be true. it is
probable that Tanana will make a
bid for one of them.
MINING.
To the fact that there is no min
ing in the immediate vicinity Of
Tanana is attributed the reason
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12
MOVIES AID DETECTIVES

MEMPHIS. Tenn Motion pictures
illustrating the work for defective -
featured the general session of tie
national conference of Charities ard
Corrections. the subjects being pro
vided by the Cleveland O.. DELEGATES
and by Alexander Johnson of Vine
land \. J., chairman of the commit
tee on detectives.
In his report as chairman NJ.
Johnson declared that the States Of
the Union are not taking that care
of the mentally defective which
would be best for them and most
economical for the community nr.
William Healy, director of the III
venile Psychopathic Institute of
Chicago, discussed psychology III
connection with the juvenile offend
ers along the lines brought out by
Mr. Johnson.
The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-10-12

Some of our first families may
ain-Indianapolis Star.
The Washington times., 1914-03-08
GAS COMPANY AND
PEPCO TEAMS ROLL
Return Engagement Is Arrang-
ed for March ID, to De-
eide Title.

With the idea Of settling the duckpin
title Of Washington's two lighting and
heating concerns. a return match has
been arranged for between officers of
the Washington Gas Light Company
League and the Potomac Electri: Pow er
circuit. March Il is the date that has
been agreed upon for this series Of five
games, and Secretaries Woodson. CT the
PepcO. and Smith, Of the W. G. l.. Co..
organizations have charge Of staging
the games which will declare one team
or the other the holders of the '.illu-
Ininating title
Rollers Of the two leagues whose rep
resentatives will meet one Week from
tonight ON the Commercial alleys, in
Tenth street. have been most active this
season in the promoting of special duck
pin competitions. games with teams of
Baltimore having been among the II ost
attractive staged by them. Now that
the neiglboring city has been van
quished. the leagues will put on a
battle which will decide the best rollers
of the local lighting and heating con-
tingcnts.
Just a month ago the Pepco and Gas
Light Company teams rolled the first
string OF hve games, and next Satur-
day $ matcl is merely n return engage
ment. In the former series Of games,
the Electric Power Company primers
won on total pins by margin of 15C
maplewoods. If the proteges Of Joseph
Letter can overcome this advantage
next week. they still have n chance to
pin the medal Of honor upon themselves.
The Washington times., 1914-03-08
BY THOMAS KIRBY.
III.

UNIVERSITY. Va, March lin
nearly all branches Of athletics nerve IL
considered essential to the success Of a
man, but in no sport more SO than IN
baseball. Once 1t becomes known that
a ball player Is mot there he Is prac-
tically through SO far as the big show
is concerned.
Down beseball's highway the report Is
passed that the player in question u
lacking in courage and self-trust. and
from that moment his doom is sealed.
mo nerve Is a ball players Geath
the paths or relentlessly taunted at
every opportunity that his life Is made
unbearable. Facing tens OF Thousands
in spirited contests Is a mans work.
and ball players generally do not want
in their ranks one who In shy on moral
For many years Washington's teams
have won the questionable honor Of
being utterly dead when in action. The
mon took the field like II was simply
because their contract called for il. that
they were at the grounds before, and
defeat after defeat simply served to
make this feature of their work even
more noticeable.
When Clark Griffith took his seat in
the coming tower he made it plain that
he and cutters would never gee. In
the selection of the men he was to d.
rect he put high premium on spirit end
nerve. and during the past two years
the Nationals have received proba -ly
more complimentary notice on their
willingness to try and their refusal to
accept defeat than any other team in
the league.
Next to lacking in nerve. "bonehead-
ha ~; ;~tr
" no aspires to shine on the diamond.
Many a great mechanical hall PLAYER
is today lurking in the minors piling
up wonderful records as a hitter and
often as a fielder, who would be among
the elect on the upper strata. were It
not for his slow thinking Establish
the fact that a mar Is a 'rock' In
baseball and you have started hiJl cn
The Washington times., 1914-03-08

|, neither Meredith. Madeira. nor Cald-
We'll did more than take a turn or two
| around the treacherous banks. The
races were close and showed some keen
competition. In the quarter, Wilkie.
Yale's second-string man last year. was
the only one to toe the mark from 4
list Of advertised cracks. In the half
neither Caldwell nor Meredith showed
the intercollegiate title holder at two
miles. and Johnny Gallagher. the for
mer Olympic star. went on through
big field, some satisfaction was gained.
Madeira. however. failed to compete.
The Amateur Athletic Union, how
ever: fails to investigate why these
cracks preferred to run on the relays
rather than in the advertised events.
Nor is reason given why these per
ou: their numbers plainly showing.
thereby shutting of the casual fol-
lower from gett ng even an mixing OF
who the stars happened to be.
Just why Bob Eller was shut out of
the Hopkins games two weeks ago. but
was allowed to run in New York ,the
next Saturday and. was permitted to
run last night. is another unexplained
A. A. U. puzzle. In connection with
last ins nights eis disappo;ntments % took place. e.
Meredith and Lippincott' were adver-
tised and appeared on the program. but
both flyers ran IN New York, while
Fifth Regiment Armory fans vainly in
spected programs and numbers on stall
wart backs to get a peep at the runners.
Wise planning by Jimmy Mulligan
failed to Offset Cornell's great quarter
miller in the relay race and Caldwell
came through with an anchor quarter in
50 As seconds against Wieser, winning
the final relay.
Hopkins carried of the point trophy
usually taken by the University Of Vir-
ginia, not represented last night Yale
won second while the Blue and Gray was
third.
The fact that the athletes and their
well. meaning friends. trainers and
coaches with a too liberal allowance of
officials, who were intent upon getting
point Of vantage in the middle Of the
floor, somewhat obscured the contestants,
is generally regretted today.
The Washington times., 1914-03-08
Travelling With Griffn1en Around
Big League Circuits, Inside and Out

the downward trail; prove him to be
q Quitter and his term Of service will
Like sameness. Griffith has insisted
upon quick action on all plays and In
this that he has succeeded Is proven
by the fact that only occasionally have
his henchmen been guilty of making
stupid pays when opportunities for
betterment have been presented.
Ty Cobb has long been referred to
as the nerviest player 10 the game
and one whose fortitude has never
fiinched under the worst trials That
the Detroit speed merchant is over
endowed with stick-to-it-iveness can
not be gainsaid. still there Is many
possesses q lesser reputation. who has
yet to be found wanting when face to
face with the :rost trying situations
that confront a ball player.
Ask any pitcher what Is the longest
distance in the world and he will in
box to the bench after he had been
Founded 30 hard that a relIei Is nec-
essary. This marathon" is compare
lively short in feet and inches. still
mind of the disguised twirlcr that
the trip Is nightmare
They tell the story on Dolly" Gray
when he was Washington player. who
Was much depended upon in an i'm
portant game. but who was driven to
shelter after the opposition had OBJ
tained a commanding lead.
What's the matter with you today"
asked his manager as the pitcher reach
ed the bench
II don't know. just couldn't get
them over the plate"
'Oh, there's no question about thaat
Any time you started one over. they
pounded 1t back to you a whole lot
fsster than you sent 1t out"
But usually little Is said on the bench
to a pitcher who is knocked out Know
ing the way the player feels at that
particular time and real zing that In his
condition Of mind sharp criticism will
have little effect, the manager usually
reserves his condemnation or explana-
,tt"r until the next club meeting. Then
there is often q line Of talk that would
not make proper inscription for the