San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-11-26
AN OLD RUSSIAN FORT.
IRREGULARITIES OF A MUscovITE FOR
LITIGATION IN ALASKA.

Old Defenses Of Fort wrangeil-A Mill
tary Post in Name Only-Russians and
Alaska Scenery.
Names of places in this territory which
have military designations may inspire a
sense of security to outsiders unacquainted
with the country. For instance, upon hear
ing Of Fort Wrangell one would naturally
conclude that such a post would furnish
ample security for reasonable scope of
country. Yet the nearest troops are at Port
Townsend, nearly 1000 miles distant by
water, if we except small company of ma.
rineS at Sitka. Fort Wrangell is a military
post only in name. 1t is about $50 miles
southeast Of Sitka by the waters of the inlets,
but by the bi-monthly steamers in q. north
east course its distance is more than 900
miles.
1t is one of the old Russian settlements, and
was one of their most prosperous trading
posts. The main part of the village is on a
moderate slope, with lofty chain of noun
tains close behind. There are not more than
800 inhabitable acres there, and upon them
was crowded all there ever was of Wrangel
in its most prosperous days. On the north
side Of the village is a higher knoll, and on
this stand the old defenses of Fort Wrangell
A high wooden palisade or stockade sur
rounded the area set apart for military pur
poses; the stOckade is gone, but the buildings
all remain in fair state of preservation The
fort proper where were the officers quarters
and the barracks for the men stands on the
north side Of the quadrangle, and is a solid
log building boarded over and made impen-
etrable to bullets The government house
stands on the west side Of the square, and is
built of the same material.
This building on the seaside is adapted for
defensive purposes. On the east side of the
quadrangle is large log and boarded build
ing which was used in the old Russian days
as a storehouse, and its outer front was
adapted to protective and defensive purposes.
A PECULIAR STRUCTURE.
At the southeast corner of this square
stands the most peculiar structure Of all,
and one more suggestive of the necessities of
defense than all the rest. 1t is the block
house or bastion, and upon its safety and Sc
curity depended the safety and security of
tho entire post. 1t is solidly built of logs,
and is about twelve feet square at the ground.
1t rises in these dimensions TO about twelve
feet, the height OF the palisades, where Isl sec
ond story Of wider dimensions, extending en-
tirely over the margin of the first. Its walls
are not parallel with those OF the first, but it
is placed diagonally across the first, 50 that
its corners do not conform to the corners Of
the first In thus being wider than the first
story, and extending over 1t on all sides, rife
men could defend it, not only by aiming out
ward, but downward on the outside Of the
palisades. Such defessses were common in
Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio 100 years
ago, but they are now only historic memo
ries, while the Russian block house at Fort
WrangGll still exists as memento of their
occupation, and is rapidly going to ruin.
There arc only few Russians left at
WraAgc.l, not more than a dozen Of pure
bloods. There are quite a number of the
mixed race, Indian and Russian, still there,
but the bul& Of the denizens of the place are
natives. These relics of Russian peasantry
and the half breeds are as rule more worth
less than the native or Indian. The houses
of the old Russian settlement are rapidly
disappearing from lack of care and through
the wet climate, which is destructive of tim
Der About 500 Indians have their winter
home there. During the canning season they
go out long distance up the inlets and take
salmon ana OJter usn LOT Jhe cannerleS.
When that season is over they return to
Wrangell, spending the winter months in
hunting the mule deer, sometimes attacking
the great brown bear Of the adjoining noun
tains, but giving over most of their leisure
time to gambling. There are twelve or fif-
teen Americans in the village, some in public
employment, some in mission work teaching
the Indians, some in saloon keeping, and the
rest in traders stores
CURIoS FOR SALE.
A remnant of the old Russian town stands
below the fort along what was once perhaps
a street. A relic of a rough wooden sidewalk
and some boarded up old fashioned, narrow
windows suggest traffic. On this broken and
dilapidated walk a score or two of old squaws
and decrepdt men squat ON their launches
and expose for sale the curios with which
they hope TO tempt the tourist. These natives
are adopts at construction, and offer for sale
nicely formed bracelets ard rings manufac-
tured from coin silver obtained at the can
peries for fish They also have wooden
spoons and bowls for sale, made from the
beautiful yellow cedar of this coast, orna-
Inented with carved griftins of curious design.
In trading with the Athabascan Indians Of
Sha Interlm- in the Decentralization they