The Alaska daily empire., 1919-12-31
ALASKA NOTES

Col. w. N. Routledge. for forty years in the Northwest Mounted Po- lice of Canada, died recently while on the train between Seattle and Port land on the way to San Diego with his wife and three children. Col. Routledge was at Dawson from 1897 to 1906, serving as Inspector of Pol ice. He went from there to become Superintendent at Prince Albert. This year he was promoted to the position of Assistant Commissioner. second in command in the mounted police organization.
 The Kuskokwim Commercial Com pany has closed its stores at Tacotna, leaving that field to the Northern Commercial Company exclusively. NJ. Higgins. formerly the representative of the Kuskokwim Commercial Con- pany at the point and Mrs. Higgins recently arrived at Anchorage on their way to the States Mir. Higgins was engaged last summer in placer mining on Gaines creek with good success. He says the upcr Kuskok vim country is one of the coming sections of the Territory.
 John R. Beegle, Ketchikan fisher man and business man, is in Seattle, and while there he recently urged that the Cannerymen establish a hatchery on Ketchikan Creek. He wants them to establish humpback hatchery. declaring that there has been too much effort made to hatch red salmon in humpback district His plan is to keep the fry in pounds until they are much larger than the fry usually are when turned loose to do for themselves.
 At recent meeting of the di rectors of the Bank of Seward Dr. J. NJ. Sloane was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Isaac Evans, and Miss J. l.. McNally was elected assistant cashier. Miss McNally is the only lady assistant cashier of a bank on the Pacific coast and has been with the bank about two years. Dr. Sloane is known all over the Territory, and was for meriy located at Nome.
 Thomas Walter Gaffney and Miss Gertrude Whalen were united in mar riage at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Cordova recently, by Rev. Fr. Me Milan The groom has been a resi- dent of Alaska for F years, having resided at Nome for some time before going to Cordova, where he is em ployed by the Blum-O'Neil Go. Ills ie brother of James c. Gaffney, for merly, in business at Nome.
 Harry Gould, the Dawson and Fair. banks dairyinan, went out to Seattle this week and will return about the first of May with a herd of milk COWS of sufficient number to supply the demands of both Hyder and Stewart. He stayed here long enough to become imbued with the idea that this is to be the most prosperous mining district of the northwest for years to come. -(Hyder Miner) N. K Kane, mining man from Me Grath, came in over the trail yester. day and while waiting for the train to Seward is stopping at the Crescent. Mir. Kane reports the trail in fine shape for travel and that there are many other travellers on the way to Anchorage from the interior. -(An. chorage Times.)
 Traps have boon placed at many
 points along the old ridge road near Dawson and dog owners arc complain ing that their malamutcs are being caught. Later in the year when the snow is deep the dogs do not travel much but at this season they wander far and are often caught in traps set by men who are forced to kill the animals to get them out.
 The Department of Commerce has authority to lease certain Alaskan is- lands for fur-farming purposes. On June 30, 1919. the following islands were held under such leases: Middle ton. in the Gulf of Alaska; Little Koniuji. Shumigan Group; Pearl, one of the Chugach Group; Chirikof. southwest of Kodiak Island; and Marn,ot Island, east of Afognak Island