The Chitina leader. [volume] (Chitina, Alaska) 1910-1928, 1915-09-21
BUILDING B D 0 N
NOW ON At
/ ANCHORAGE

ANCHORAGE, Sept. 9-The town of
Anchorage has, at the end of the
seventh week following construction
of the first building on the new town.
site, a building record probably I'M
equaled by any municipality in the
United States. A count of business
structures made today shows total
of 145, of which 103 are substantial
wooden buildings and 43 are canvas
covered frames or tents which will
soon be replaced by the class first
named. OF this total, 90 are on Fourth
ave., the main business thoroughfare;
25 are on Fifth ave. and the remainder
on other avenues and intersecting
streets. Eleven of them are two
stories in height. Among the more
substantial and larger of these is the
Empress block at Fourth and H,
erected by Capt. Austen Lathrop,
formerly Of Cordova, and containing
five commodious store rooms. The
others were glad to aid him in finish
ing when he commenced construction
of roadway from the waterfront on
Ship creek up the hill on an easy
grade reaching the business section
on n street one block from this build
ing. This roadway is the main artery
of travel to and from the dock, being
preferred to c street, which was open
by the Commission, because Of the
easier grade. A branch of this road
way is now being constructed by the
Commission and reaches the business
section on E street.
A majority of the more substantial
buildings are west of the blocks re-
served for municipal and federal pur-
poses, and considerable rivalry exists
between properly owners east and
west of that point.
A Sourdough from Hope recently
asked Commissioner Mears why, In
giving men employment here, Alas
kans were Disseminated against and
favors were shown aliens-Canadians
and "bohunks." The pertinent part
Of the answer was in subtance:
Were going to show the Sourdoughs
that we can build this road without
their assistance"
Here's a bit of news which ran the
gauntlet Of the censor and which will
be appreciated by the Sourdoughs
aforesaid. When the steamship Sin
aloha arrived with machinery and sup
| plies from the Panama Canal, she was
boarded by Mears and the captain was
informed that he would have to work
his men overtime, all night in order
that the vessel might be unloaded
within the demurrage limit of time
The exact words of Captains Sannas
reply were not recorded by witnesses
but that. reply was in tabloid form
and so hot that the atmosphere there
abouts smoked. 1t was something like
this: 'Blankety blank you! am
boss on board this vessel. We work
eight hours and you've just Is min
utes to get off this ship"
The departure of the Commissioner
was very informal, was within five
minutes and wasn't even preceded by
the military salute. Heretofore men
engaged in longshore work under
direction of the Commissioner have
been compelled to work as much IL to
IL hours in one shift, regardless OF
the federal regulation limiting the
hours Of labor on government work
to eight hours. If there was a scar
| Why VI men mere IucTc might Dc oil
excuse for violating the law, but there
are at least three men for every job
and If the Commissioner really wished
to save the government that $3.50 a
day demurrage he might have provid
ed for three 8-hour shifts day.
That the low schedule of wages es
tablished by the Commission is to be
made permanent here is indicated by
contracts which successful bidders
for street and other municipal work
are signing and which contain these
words: "The rates paid these labor.
ers must be, in accordance, with stand
ard schedule of wages adopted by the
Commission" which are 37h cents
an hour for common labor, as against
$50 cents paid by private individuals
and firms, and other labor in proper
ton.