Salt Lake Telegram | 1924-03-01 | Page 5 | Alaskans Win Strike Against Living Costs

WIN STRIKE AGAIN AGAINST T liVING LI COSTS NENNA A Alaska March 1 By A. A P. P P. Gold Gold seekers along the low lower r Yukon river have Just won a strike against the cost of ot living according to men here on their annual pilgrimage pilgrimage pil pu- grimage from the Arctic placer I fields to the outside prospectors explained that they had wrought a metamorphosis of ot trading In Alaska Traders they said no longer can dole out timeworn timeworn timeworn time- time worn goods but must meet the competition competition competition com com- petition of or mall order houses In the states as well as that of ot the more modern towns that have sprung up along the Alaska railroad The railroad with Its conn connecting steamboat lines which extend far fardown fardown fardown down the Yukon In summer was the medium through which the miners won their advantage The railroad provided a facility facUlty of ot shipment never known to Interior Alaska Fairbanks was the first placer camp to abandon the quarter or the lowest basis two bit t piece as of ot change That city came to accept accept accept ac ac- ac- ac the tho despised nickel and dime Before the government railroad was built 10 cents was waa called a short bit and was not legal tender Whan Whon the first Fairbanks trading company company com corn pany took dimes and nickels there was an outcry from other stores and rejoicing among prospectors and laborers But prices soon be became became became be- be came lower Wages e dropped o with prices but butto butto gj i to help I meet e adjustments st s the Alaska railroad established a commissary with provisions for tor sale at prices existing in the states Many railroad railroad railroad rail rail- road laborers are getting but a day this winter but the railroad I gives them the privilege of ot drawing any part of ot their wages In food and the workmen found early In the winter that for a days day's pay at this rate they could receive provisions the equivalent of ot 9 In prices at atthe atthe atthe the trading posts of ot the Interior They boycotted the traders by getting getting get get- ting all aU their food tood from the corn cons mi Merchants pr protested tested to the railI railroad railroad rail rail- road management and n received e t the t reply that I whenever prices were e on a fair compa comparison lson with markets markets markets' in inthe inthe I the states stated the co commissary would be discontinued Colonel Lee II H. Land Landis Landis Is manager of or the railroad an announced announced announced an- an recently that Anchorage business men had agreed on on what lie he considered reasonable prices so the tho commissary there would be be closed Prospectors Prospectors' of or the and Ch far to the north gained their point by by ordering provisions from coast towns or from mail mall or order order or- or der houses In the states Some tradesmen on the Yukon went out of ot business and others dropped their prices to meet the tion A number of Impecunious prospectors prospectors prospectors pros pros- are making their grubstake grub stake for tor next summer by working on the railroad