Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-12-18
sITKAs AND ITS PEouLlARlTIEa.
An Interest Village with Population
Decidedly Mixed.


An Inter esting Village with Population
Decidedly Mixed.
Sitha, the Alaskan capital, is peace-
ful village on the Baranoff Island Once
1t was wide-awake Russian town
with its celebrated Baranoff castle.
where the 'tip- a-bob" of the Russian
nobility wed with those of the mother
country in their lavish hospitality, elab-
crate dinners and princely balls. The
old Baranoffs lived high. They enriched
themselves with the furs of the land
and subsisted on the appropriations of
the crown. Then the Russian American
company, with charter similar in many
respects to the Hudson Bay Co., barter
ed with the Indians, and became opu-
lent and powerful while poor Lo"
got the experience. Now from the
sleepy, picturesque village nesting at
the foot of austere, snow-capped noun
tains one looks out over the beautiful
bay dotted with wooded islands west
ward TO tho broad Pacific. On either
side Mounts Edgecumbe and Verstovis,
extinct volcanoes, with their snow-fll-
ed craters, stand guard as sentinels,
their sides still marked and crossed
with streaks of hardened red lava. Lin
| gering in the tower of the deserted old
castle we could but think how hard IL
must have been for the loyal sons of
Russian Alaska to see their flag dip to
the Stars and Stripes, when on that
memorable day, October IS, 1857, we
formally took possession, our moral
persuader of S7,200,000 having proved
too tempting bait for Russias deplet-
ed treasury
In the last forty-six years only once
has the mercury at Sitka registered be-
low zero Certain 1t Is that the climate
is never severe, and though northward
nt Fort Yukon, where the elements
hold high carnival, the thermometer
falls to fifty eight degrees below zero,
the Japanese currentso tempers the air
along the southern coast that at Sitka
an overcoat is rarely needed. Indeed,
the mild and beautiful summer days
tempt the traveller to rest awhile and
watch the lingering twilights as they
/. almost blend their brilliant colors with
the morrow's coming'sun. The rain, II
raineth every day; and clears away as
easily, proving continued blessing to
the wild flowers which bloom in great
profusion. The vivid greens of the
MOSES and ferns and unusual size oi
the leaves with the rank growth gen.
orally, bespeak the exceptional rainfall
of over tifty-five inches year.
Sitka boasts at present of some 1, 800
people, 800 or 1000 OF whom are Indians
and the balance evenly divided between
Russians and Americans. Wandering
down the principal street, in fact the
only one of the town, you pass several
old Russian structures used for court
house, barracks and government Offices
two or three general stores, and few
story -and-half cottages. The Greek
church with its gourd-shaped tower
\ and green roof is the center Of
attraction. The Russians expend $780,.
900 year in the support of their
churches and missions in Alaska, and
the chimes Of three little brass bells in
the Sitka church, which we did moi
hear, are said to have melody for al
Americans who respect the Sabbath
The interest in Alaskan Indian life
naturally centers here, and the ranch
erie at one end of the town has {
strange, semi-civilized appearance. The
houses, many Of them white-washed
are set at all angles, and the canoes
drawn up on the beech in front are GOV
! cred with blankets of various colors
: Boards covered with bright salmon dry
, ing lie In the sun, cared for by squaws
: whose bronze faces, set off with gra,
red or yellow kerchief, are tempting
studies for the numerous artists. Th,
houses are all numbered in even hun
dreds. Mrs Tom, the queen of Indian
' town, lives at No, 600, while next doc
may be No. 4500 or No. 1900 without re
! gard to numerical precision. Mrs. Ton
{ is great authority among the Siwash
: and, though reputed worth $4,000
t chiefly in blankets, she still descend
7 to the sale Of bracelet on the gala oc
: casion when excursion steamers arriv'
! at Sitka. Legends are to be heard 70
} the asking, and the thread Of many
s bear, raven or seal story is wovel
i around ancient Edgecumbe; while LEI
7 tered on one Of the Indian houses Is tn
: Sign, "Elish Ltolxin, head Of larg
S family of orthodox Christians" -
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