Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-02-27


usages Of the service. During the
summer months the nights are very
short; on those fine nights one can
read out doors at II o'clock, after that
a good smoke, and look to the east the
skies arc red presaging the coming
| day.
I Here is to be seen in all their glory
and grandeur the Northern Lights,
the most magnificent spectacle the
human eye can gaze upon or the mind
dwell. Beholding the aurora bore
ais in other sections ::s but q poor in
dication of the brllliancy and length
ness exhibited in Alaskan attitudes
In the summer time everything is
green, the scenery and surroundings
grand. The numerous islands dot
ting the bays, clad in yerdure and COW
cred with wild fruit and flowers, the
volcanic mountains in the distance
the great ranges-snow capped
through the lapse of ages; some cover
ed with timber, some rocky and pre-
cipitous- and Mt ST. Elias and Fair
weather $4,000 feet above the level Of
the sea
On the mountain side (it. Davis
| and close to the summit, there is
green patch such as would make a
good sized park, in the center of
which there grows q large, tall pine
in the form Of a cross. Tradition has it
that this tree was planted in its pres
cnt position and grated in its present
shape by Catholic Missionary Priest
many years ago It can be seen quite
plain from the town Of Sitka, distance
OF six miles, reminding the observer
that the pioneer Of christianity and
civilization preceded Russian discoy-
cry or occupation of Alaska
In referring to the forests of Alas
ka. that able writer Mr.. f. v Smally
writes in The Northwest. Alaska
forests contain enough timber to sup
ply the world The forests of pine.
spruce, fir and hemlock cover every
island Of the Archipelago and goodly
portion of the mainland The trees
are straight and tall. and grow close
together. The only s;swmiIl at pres
ent in operation is at Douglas Island,
and 50 far there has not been a cord
of timber cut for shipment. The
trees, as rule, do not always cut up
into good sized boards. For fuel, |
however, the wood is excellent, and |
much Of it is available for building
purposes There is little decorative |
wood, although the yellow pine is
rickly colored and might be used to
advantage in interior work. Alaska
spruce is an excellent variety, and of
ten measures five feet in diameter. It /
is considered the best spruce in the
world and the supply is very abund
ant. In the interior Of the country
timber is Of much heavier growth
than on the coast and on the islands.
the hemlock, there is
large supply, and the bark compares
favorably with that Of all the eastern
trees used in tanning establishments.
In SO the Government established a
sawmiEi at Sitka and turned out excell-
ent lumber for building purposes. Mr.
Seward when in Alaska sent some de-
coratiye wood to New York (referred
to in a former articlel it is, however,
useful information impaired through
the columns of the TRIBUNE to the
people Of the United States, that
of the public's domain con
tains timber sufficient to supply the
world, which cannot be said Of any
other country on Gods green foot
stool. During the operation of the
Government mill at Sitka, there was
corner in coal, and somebody was
clearly defrauding Uncle Sam. Coal
was delivered at Sitka from Boston at
the cost of S26 per ton, on the plea
that a particular quality of coal was
needed to run that particular sawmill.
At the same time Mr. Peck Of Nanai-
no, B. c., a few days sail from Sitka.
vas delivering coal at ST per ton, the
coal being Of a superior quality An
American citizen living at Sitka, had
fitted up small steamer to ply in
shallow water around Sitka, helping
o load or unload as the case might
oe-there was no wharf at the time in
he port Of Sitka, consequently all in
coming vessels came to anchor in the
some few hundred yards
rom the store houses. and all freight
aiken by lighters from the ship to
shore. Such was the condition Of af-
airs when the cargo OF coal arrived,
md the citizen here referred to ten
Tered his steamer to bring the coal to
he storehouse. but was not employed
subsequently NJ. Rudolph Jew, got
oan from the army Quartermaster of
H. ~ l. T.