The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-26
ALDERMAN THOMPSON'S TRIP.
What He Saw ON His Recent Alaskan
,JONFney.

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What He Saw ON His Recent Alaskan
Journey.
Alderman Thompson has returned from
his Alaska trip. In talking of the dehght
full features of thist tour he said: 1--WE loft
Helena in advance of the date for sailing to
Alaska, TO enable MS to Yisit some OF the
coast cities and towns, Tacoma, Seattle.
Fairhsyen and Whstcom we're visited. all of
which give evidence of wonderful progress
and enterprise. Business il dull there just
rs at present in Helena. and yet wlthal Hel-
ena and Montana do not suffer by COMPARE
son with their %neighbors, IN fact we have
much to encourage us.
We sailed from Tacoma Aug. 6 on the
magnificent steamer Queen" with some
2lS passengers ON board, commanded by
Capt. Jsmes Carroll, than whom no more
experienced painstaking officer ever trod
the deck of a vessel. We visited the prin-
cipal points of intersst on the route, suf-
ficient time being granted at each stopping
place to enable the passengers to visit the
curio shops, totem poles, native huts, ETC.,
inhale the horrible odors. and shun the
towns. Hunting and fishing are the occu-
pations of the natives. Their habitations
consist of rude, frame, one-story dwellings,,
and usually of one room, ths fire being
kipdlcd in the confer of the room.
A email hut in erected by each family on
1Av sAS se"N$ ~A~ Nv
each member thereof dies, a trunk or box
containing the clothing and keepsakes of
the individual arc deposited in the hut; the
hut contains a door and window, and its
cost is determined by the wealth OF the
family.
The natives had conceptions of life,
death, resurrection and y future state OF
existence long before the white man visited
their shores. They also tell of q great
flood that came long ago. covering almost
thu ton nf the hJnhnof mountains daafrny- /
ing natives, huts, canoes and dogs, thus
showing that they have views in common
with most Of mankind. That the natives
have talent is shown in their carved work
in wood, bone and ivory. also in silver work,
lastly in the fact that ut Sitka and Port
Simpson native brass bands discoursed
music to us of . high order.
We had quite = number of kodakers
aboard, and they. permitted nothidg to es-
cape their "ouns" either on land or sea. At
Fort simpson q native chief dressed him
self in six different suits solely for the pur-
pose OF being took"
The totem roles which we found in all
the towns consist of trees and poles from
fifteen to twenty-five feet high. set on end,
having carvings of various kinds of ami
mails, birds and gods, surmounted by some
kind of bird or animal; these totem poles
are designed to perpstuats the theology and
chronology of the people. In the back of
each totem pole is a panel covering a recep-
tacls for the ashes Of the departed. Some
of these totem poles have stood for a hun-
bred years and perhaps longer.
The best Development of the natives
toward civilization ID shown at Sitka, this
being manifest in the dress and hsbitations
of the natives. We visited Muir glacier
outer edge. Fancy d mountain of ice, three
miles wide and forty miles long, and
towering hundreds of feet skyward. That
is Muir glacier and is but one of many such
glaciers that have doubtless existed for
ages.
Lovely weather was vouchsafed us. dur
ing the entire trip. / am informed that
Alaska has a lovely climate all the year
round, save in the regions of perpetual
snow and ice. Sitka can be used IS an il
lustrstion; there the thermometer has never
been known to fall below zero, and usually
averages in coolest weather about six de-
grees above zero, This climatic condition,
OF course, applies to the coast region, and is
largely due to the beneicent influence of
the Japan current.
l am warranted in affirming that the
United States made no mistake in the pu T.
chase OF Alaska; in fact, We secured q great
bargain. Alaska is a wonderful country,
rich IN timber. minerals, fur bearing ami
mails, game, fish, and possessing scenery
unsurpassed and seldom equaled. 1t can
never be an agricultural country, but along
the eoast there are patches of a limited
number of acres OF land, and undoubtedly
sufficient to support q large population. 4
mirage was also vouchsafed us just as we
left Muir glacier; it resembled a bank of
palisades and spires, and at the same time an
immense iceberg broke away from Muir
glacier, pluneing into the sea below, and
making q wonderful commotion in the
water. The Treadwell mine on Douglas
island, with its 240-stamp mill making
money out of gold bearing ore that only
averages 81 per ton, shows the possibilities
or ore IN that dlrPctlOn- 80 nf the eatah.
lishment at killesmoo for the manufacture
of oil from behring's.
Yes, the trip to Alaska pays tenfold, and
ere long will be one of the most popular
To be able to travel on an in
sea without experiencing Il trace of
sea sickness, enjoying scenery unsur passed
miles, is an experience that must be Ter
enjoyed in order to be fully appro-
ciated. Ny advice is to try the trip to
In my case ! believe that the time
money was we'll expended.