Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-26
MAMM0THS IN ALASKA.
VALUABLE DISCOVERY MADE BY THE
ALASKA FUR COMPANY.

Monster Creatures Twenty Feet High and
Thirty Feet in Length-TusIs Weighing
| $50 Pounds-Garden "Sass" and Gla-
| ciers Side by Side.
"Alaska is country Of paradoxes!"
That is what Mr.. Cola F. Fowler, of
the Alaska Fur and Commercial COM
a reporter respecting his late field Of
operations.
During all that time, up to two
months ago, when resigned and started
for home." said Mr.. Fowler, 81 have had
my headquarters at Zodiac, which is the
most northern station occupied by agents
of our company. We have our head
quarters in San Francisco, and trading
stations all over Secretary Stewards pur-
chase. As yet Alaska is almost a terra
| incognita. The country Immediately sur
rounding some of the principal rivers
like the Yukon, Snake and Stickeer has
been explored, and few miles inland
from the coast line, but the great in
terror is almost unknown. What we
have learned of it is surprise, and was
the foundation of my answer to your
| question.
alaska is certainly a country of par
adoxes. You who live here in the states
look upon it as land of perpetual ice
/ and snow, and yet you would be aston
ished if told you that grew in my
garden at Zodiac abundant crops of rad
ishes, lettuce, carrots, onions, caulif1ow-
ers, cabbage, peas, turnips, potatoes,
beets, parnips and celery. Within five
miles of this garden was one of the larg-
est glaciers in Alaska, and between the
fertile coast slip and the interior is reared
along the entire sea boundary contin-
uous mountain of perpetual ice and
snow.
During your twelve years residence
in Alaska what was the most wonderful
thing you ever saw OF heard there:"
Mr.. Fowler smiled at this question,
and. after moments hesitation, said:
1.-TWO years ago last summer left Ko-
diac for trip to the headwaters Of the
Snake river, where our travelling agents
had established trading station at an
Indian village. The chief Of this family
Of Innuits was named To-lee-ti-ma, and
to him was well recommended. He
received me Hospitality, and I at once
began negotiations for the purchase of
big lot of fossil ivory which his tribe
had cached near the village. The lot
weighed several thousand pounds, and
was composed of the principal and infe-
rior tusks of the mammoth, the remains
of thousands Of which gigantic animals
are to be found in the beds of interior
Alaskan water courses. Isubjected the
ivory to a rigid inspection, and upon two
of the largest tusks l discovered fresh
blood traces and the remains of partly
decomposed flesh.
Il questioned To-lee-ti-ma, and he as
sured me that less than three months
before party of his young men had en-
countered drove of monsters about
fifty miles above where he was then en-
camped, and had succeeded in killing
two, an old bull and COW. At my re-
quest he sent for the leader of the hunt
ing party, young and intelligent In
dian, and questioned him closely about
his adventure among a race Of animals
that the scientific people claim are ex-
tinct. He told a straightforward story,
and 1 have no reason to doubt its truth,
KILLING A MONSTER.
''He and his band were searching along
a dry water course for ivory, and had
found considerable quantity. One of
the bucks, who was in advance, rushed
in upon the main body one morning
with the startling intelligence that at
spring of water about mile above where
they then were he had discovered the
sign of several of tho big teeth They
had come down to the spring to drink
from q lofty plateau farther inland, and
had evidently fed in the vicinity of the
water for son.e time, The chief imme-
diately called about him his warriors.