The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-02-08
UP IN ALASKA.
Interesting Notes from the Land of the
Midnight Sun,

Interesting Notes from the Land of the
Midnight Sun.
San Francisco Examiner.
Max Pracht long business man OF this
city, but for three years past engaged
largely in packing salmon at Nsha Bay, in
the Island of Revilla Gigedo, Alaska, has
returned from the Land of the Midnight
Sun, having sold out his interests there.
81 came down over the lately completed
all.rail route from Puget Sound" said he
yesterday to a reporter. at was a great
relief from the rough trip aboard ship via
Cape Flsttery, which it takes a cast-iron
man with a copper-plsted stomach to
stand. The completion of the California
and Oregon will greatly increase the travel
to Alaska. 1t is something we have looked
forward to with great gladness.
"How about politics in Alaska? All
the officials are working hand in hand. 1t
is fact, and do not hesitate to affirm it,
although a Republican, that the present
Democratic administration, consisting of
Gov. A. Z. Swineford, Judge Lafayette
Dawson, late of Boonville, Mo, who is
now United States District Judge OF Alaska,
and United States Marshal Barton Atkins,
is in the interests of the peop'e, and they
are satisfied with it. Outside OF the old
opium smugglers' ring, of which Captain
James Carroll was the nominal head, there
is no objection whatever. The opium ring
was made up of what is known as the big
Four consisting of Captain Carroll, the
late Collector French, of Sitks, Collector
Bush, of Port Townsend, and Gov, Kinkaid,
with the auxilarles of the staff. The nau-
teal gentlemen having charge of a steamer
did the work. so it is stated, and the re-
msinder of the Big Four lent their benign
influence to the enterprise and stood pa
on divy. The courts in Seattle recently
developed this pretty thoroughly. As
say, nobody but the old opium ring is
making a kick about the Government up
there.
"As to the mail service, Governor vine.
ford came down on the last steamer from
Alaska, and has Just started East over the
Northern Pacific to Washington in the in.
terests of a semi-monthly mail service
Heretofore we have had mails to Alaska
but once month. The rapidly increasing
population merits more frequent mails
Postmaster-General Villas signally failed
to help US out. and we are now going to
try Don NJ. Dickinson.
THE Island of RevilIa Gigedo, where
am, is in Southeastern Alaska, and is about
eighty miles long by thirty wide, contain
ing some $500 square miles. 1t is next to
the Prince of Wales Island. Nsha Bay is
the central point for all the Southeastern
Alaska fisheries below Fort Wrangel. II
is about 100 miles from the latter point,
and about the same distance north of the
British Columbia line. 1t also has the
first postoffice, Loring, on the route from
British Columbia.
"The Cutting Packing Company has Just
bought out my salmon cannery at Nshs
Bay. The fishery has capacity of 10000
cases and the Cutting people
will put in a 3OOoO-case cannery
this winter. l think in the
next few years Alaska will prove to be the
only reliable source of supply for the
worlds salmon. All the 1nlets and fresh
water streams carry runs of salmon. They
are thick and fairly svarming with them
from June II to September 10 Tney are
magnificent fish and of finer flesh, and
flavor than can be got elsewhere. At least
this is generally believed BY fishermen, and
the further north the better fish. There
have been two new csnueries in close prox
unity to Naha Bay recently, and two more
are to be started, one at Kosta Bay, twenty
five miles away, and the other at the
mouth of Junach, forLy-ive miles distant
Something important and that is no
generally known is the emigra lion recent
~ of several hundred of the famous Meta
kahtla wood-carving Indians from British
Columbia to Port Chester, on Annett'
Island, forty miles from Naha Bay and
sixty.tive from their old location. They
moved month ago, and have called the
place 'Metlakahtla.' A row caused tn sil
going away. An old Scotch missionary
named Duncan had labored long years
with them and civilized them, and they
were hourishing, when along came new
preacher, sent out by the Bishop of the
Church of England. The new man and
the venerable missionary could not agree
and il eliminated in the migration of the
entire tribe to Annette. They are welcome
acquisition. They are industrious and are
of much value to that region. They had
lived long years in British Columbia, and
were skilled wood-carvers. AS manufact
urers of fsst-going canoes / don't suppose
the world has ever seen their like. When
they went away they removed their houses
at least such as they could-and every
thing else but their old church. That
stands huge and silent in the wilderness.
The Indians who inhabit the chain OF
islands, of which Annette and Revills
Gigedo are two. are q mixture OF Stricken,
Cape Fox and Hydas. Each Indian has his
chuck or shore house In summer, where he
fishes. He is constantly shifting, and one
head OF a family may have three or four
different houses.
s'This chain of islands, including Doug.
lass Island, 200 miles distant from Mana
Bay, are nothing else bat the tops OF sub.
merged mountain range. The mountain
tops, too, are quarries of low grade gold
ore, averaging, like the now famous Tread
well mine of Douglass Island, from s. to
Sc a ton. 1t is a great field for heavy cap
il alists, but not good one for men with
no money. The Treadwell people had to
invest $500, 900 before they got on q basis
to make money. Their 120.stamp mill en-
enabled them to make profit. They are
now realizing over 100000 a month right
along. ] have seen their gold bricks, and
know this to be fact. They have Just lei
the contract for another 120 stamps
doubling their capacity. This will make
gigontic mill, $40 stamps"
Struck by an Express Train.
Tr--rnr-nl. Enhrnnru nrrrnan krai n