The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-02
An OLD RUSSIAN FORT.
IRREGULARITIES OF A MuSCONTE FOR
LITIGATION IN ALASKA.
<oad A)efenscs Of Fort Wrangell-A Miu-
sa5y Tost In Name OnIy-Russians AMI
ar8isns-curios for Saie-Blankets.
I Alasha Scenery.

ardsisss-curios for saie-fslankets.
Alssha Scenery.
Names Of places in this territory which
have military designations may Inspire
ueuse of security to outsiders unacquainted
with the country For instance, upon hear
inr Of Fort Wrangell ono would naturally
-pgrludc that such a post would furnish
a,nple security for reasonable scope OF
country. We; the nearest troops are at Port
Townsend, nearly 1000 miles distant by
water II we except a small company OF ma
sines at s,itka Fort Wrangcll is military
post only in name. 1t is about lJO miles
southeast of Sitka by the waters Of the inicts,
bat by The hi monthly steamers IN north
cast coar.e its distance is more than 80
miles.
II is one Of the old Russian settlements, and
was ono of their most prosperous trading
posts The main part of the village Is on a
moderate slope, with a lofty chain of noun
tsins close behind. There are not more than
500 iaLabitab,c acres there, and upon them
vas crowded all there ever was Of Wrangcll
IN its most prosperous days. On Inc north
side II the village IS higher Lnoil, and on
shis stand The old dcfenses of Fort Nrangcll.
"A high wooden palisadc or stoc.ade sur
r-cslndcd the area set apart fer military pur-
poses. the stockade is gone, bat the buildings
al remain in Cir state Of preservation The
fort proper where were the officers quarters
and the barracks for the men stands Oh the
north side Of tie quadrangle. and Is solid
log building boarded over and made inper-
ci1ob!c TO L-licts. The government house
sands on the west side @ the square, and is
built of the sa,l material.
This building or the seaside is adapted fer
defensive purposes On the east side Of TIC
quadrangle is large lag and boarded build
eng which uas Nsal in the old Russian days
us storehouae. and its outer front was
adapted to pa. cc,ivc and defensive purposes
PECULIAR STRUCTURE.
At the 1uthcast corner of this square
stands the most peculiar structure CT all,
and one more saG~cstiye Of the necessities of
defense than all tie rest. 1t is the bloc;
h0Esc or bastion, and upon its safety and So
.rurity depended the safety and security Of
Tho entire post Il !, soii,ily built Of loss,
731d is ahmttwelyc feet square ut the ground.
d rises in1ir~e dimensions to about twelve
sect. tho heightof The palisades, where Is a sec
ont story Of wider dimensions. extending en-
fircly over themargin Of the first. Its walls
are not paralewith those OF the first, but it
ss placed Acknowledgements the first, so that
ats corners do not conform t0tbe corners CT
the FIRST In thus being wider than tho first
sSory, and extending over IL on all sides, ri.ic-
snen CCud defend u, not only by aiming out
uarJ, but downward on the outside Of the
palisades. Such dcfe-scs were common III
ReHnsy ivauia, Now York ard Ohio | o years
nco, but they arc nov Only historic memo
sicS, while the russian block Lelsc at Fcit
AVralCcll still exists us a raoaentO Of their
occupation, and is rapidly going 10 ruin.
There are only few Russians left at
WrongcH, not more than q dozen Of pure
Solools. There are quite nuil5cr Of the
sni-cd race, Indian aid Russian. still there
bat the bul Of tie donizeas of the place arc
rativcs. These relies Of Russian pcasariry
md the half breeds arc as a r:.lc more worth
tes than tho native or Indian. Tho houses
of the cid Russian settlement are rapidly
disappearing from lack Of care and through
tEc set climate, which is destructive Of tim
bcr About jOJ Indians have their winter
bone there. During the canning season they
50 ont a long distance W the inlets and take
salmon and other Asa for tie canneriea
when that season IS over toy return .
Wrangcll, Speeding tho winter months IN
hunting the lculc d 'cr, sometimes attacking
tho great brown hca: Ct t.c cdj0ining noun
f3ins, but givrg over mos. Of ther leisure
limo TO rambling. There arc twelve or lif-
teen Americans ~ the village, some in public
employment. some IN mission work teaching
tho Indians, some IL saloon keeping, and the
rest ia traders stores.
CvEIOS TOR SALE.
a remnant Of tic old Russian town stands
bclow the for. along what was once perhaps
4 street. a relic of rough wooden sidewalk
n1d sono boarded M old fashioned. narrow
windows suSges; traffic On this broken and
s,iilpidated walk a score or two OF old squaws
aid decrcpit men squat on their launches
md expose for sale the curios with which
thcy hope to tempt TIE tourist These natives
arc adopts at construction, and offer Tor sale
nicely formed bracelets ard rings manuiac-
Jared from coin silver obtained ut the can
nerics for fish. They also have wooden
Spoons and bowls for sale. made from the
beautiful yellow cedar of this coast, orna-
sncDie1 with carved grifiins Of curious design.
In trading with the Athabascan Indians of
ses interior, ~ the British domnions they
Erocure a white, coarse wool from a sort of
mountain goat or sheep, and this IL woven
snio blankets variously colcrel, mostly gray
and white, and figured over WIKI Srifiins and
nonGcsc.ip, figures Of Tx, nature. Alaska
Sor = Thousand riics and more Is only strip
~ coast about - miles wide on the mainland.
Tho indians Of tie interior are never per-
Ealt;c.i by the coas. natives to como to tide
vic. The c01st natives have time oat Ct
rn'na constituted themselves The riildlemcn,
s.nd havc done all The trading with Tho L.
lians OF the British Gomnio2s.
After leaving Fort Nrangell one sees 10
V0ne settlements again for many hours
,steammg up the inlet y. Tongass Narrows.
Uhorc little glacier river comes with roar
ca: Of the deep notch il the surrounding
snorn;aiGs, olo comes upon tic few isolated
Luildings OF the Lor.ng fish caEncry. -Four
or five whites arc here among a host Of ma
aivcs, tho later furnishing tie fish to tho
Horls Nothing can be more lonely than the
situation Of that neager settlement, many
miles by LAID and water from any white
ucighbors or succor Of any kind from here
a long s.eaming brings rs 20 Deriy's cannery.
.