The Chitina leader., 1915-06-01
Mrs. Helen Van Campen, the

Anchorage and views conditions
there with rather an optimistic eye,
and failed to see the hundreds of idle
men that are generally reported as
in evidence out of the 1900 who
have congregated at the new camp.
Returning to Seward Mrs. Van
Campen is reported as saying:
Grading has advanced from the
mud flats to the camp itself, and on
May 18th gangs of men were
excavating and filing in through
the busiest section of the camp.
Grading is als9 going on at two
gravel cuts about two miles from
tidewater, and tracks are being laid.
and ties cut and piled, for dump
tracks at these spots. The tundra
is cleared from the ice at present
about eight inches from the surface.
and exposure to the air melts at
least some of the ice. The clearing
gang in charge of Dan F. Leach, a
veteran station man, from the Can
adian Northern railroad, is about &c
miles out.
eat Eagle River. Mile IS, per-
manent camp of boarded tents has
been made. There is an engineers
camp at Mile 4, and these men
work from there to tidewater, and
back, as conditions demand.
"A noticeable change was achieved
by the arrival of James O'Reilly,
superintendent Of construction, and
an old-tima Alaska Northern man.
Work began to shape up as it should
Gnder efficient handling, and railroad
men who had been standing around
looking thoughtful, decided they
wanted to stay and take job. Mr..
O'Reilly is creating system, and he
is accessible to whoever needs to see
him. He wastes no time and he
knows the country.
"A petition is in circulation
among business people of Anchor
age, asking that the townsite be
changed to a bench on the opposite
side of Ship Creek. The planned
site is one mile from the present
camp. For reasons of sanitation the
Land Office is said to favor the
change, but I did not talk with a
representative member of this office.
and I can't guarantee that definite
statement was made.
Water is sold from one private
we'll at cents bucket. Ship Creek,
and springs that are really only
seepage. water holes, supply the
people. Marshal Wardell has ordered
garbage dumped on the outgoing
tide, once every "a hours, and is
making other rules to safeguard the
camp. There are two doctors be-
sides DR.. Reidy, the government s
physician Meals are mostly so cents
each and at that rate the restaurants
are making very little.
Launches charge one dollar per
passenger to land people at the ships
or anchored barges. Trunks are. car
ried for one dollar, and freight pays
a barge, and launch charge, as it is
sent only to the ships side. There
is a palm garden" under construc-
ton, and pool room with six
tables is to appear as soon as per-
manent building is safe. Many
stores now up are built in sections,
for moving. Tents are everywhere,
and so are sniffly colds, but the sun
shines and the Alaskans are feeling
pretty cheerful.
81 heard about hundreds of men
without money. but l didn't see
about, idle, is likely not over a
hundred. Most of these have money
and are there for speculation. l
| don't think any are hungry, and
since the energetic O'Reilly's round
/ genial face appeared, the strollers
are less, for he is working many into
! the station work.
''It is all section work so far
Common labor is 371a cents per
hour, carpenters so cents. No Sun
day work on government construc-
ton. This is smaller wages than
Alaskans are used to. Only one
shift being worked which causes
comment, when the daylight is suffi-
cient TO work all night without Ian
terms.
"If you're going to Anchorage
and don't mind the SHORES, you can
get bed. with bedding, in several
clean bunkhouses. For such effete
persons as object to the shores, a
tent with a deadline around it is
needed
L slept in tent, and on the
ground and / liked it so well that