The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-24
SHE TRIED THE ROPE.
Tragic Ending of an Alaska
Pink Tea Potlateh.
AMERICAS NORTHERN TOWN.
De~olate Point Barrow. Where F~ki-
mos Freeze and Drink whisky
An Indian Suicides secret.

\ pathetic story OF the tragic end Of an
Indian social gathering al Thlingit VIII
age. Alaska. is told in the Alaska News
: OF August Is, in the following graphic
style.
On last Saturday morning the upper
circles Of the Thlngit village below town
were thrown into z feveriSh state OF ex-
element by the startling news that one
OF their aged matrpns and a member Of
one of the FIRST families had made an un-
successful attempt 10 climb the golden
stairs. The household consisting of hns-
hand. wife. daughter and son-iI.-iaw. over
which Mrs Eah-kan-too. the wife. pre-
sides with queenly grace, was INDUCING
in a pink tea potlatch early in the morn
inE. Several cases OF imported eau De
h0otchinoO" had been opened and DIS
posed OF. and the feast was proceeding
With the utmost serenity. until an argu-
ment arose as 10 whether the salmon
should be carved with or against the
grain.
Not content to conduct the argument
according to parliamentary rules. they
soon adopted those OF Queensberry. and
were shortly mixed up in melee. which
while II lasted was not only interesting.
but Intensely exciting as well. While
pausiag for breath between rounds they
and bitterly reproached her for her I'M
seemly conduct. after which they passed
out doors. where they could have more
room.
Not so with Kah-kan-too. however
She evidently came to the conclusion she
had gotten the worst OF Il. and the brood
ing over her defeat soon developed a sui
cidal tendency. Procuring n rope she
threw one end OF IL over q rafter, tied IL
securely. took a half hitch around her
neck with the other end. and stepped off
the cracker box upon which she was
standing, billed straight through TO heav-
en-.
she had been hanging a number OF
minutes when a Haidah squaw who was
visiting the village. happening TO pass the
door spied her tillicum. whose Trilhys
were fully two feet from mother earth
and who was trying TO refute Newton's
idea of grayitation. She was hastily cut
down. and after considerable work was
resusCitated. Her neck was so swollen
that il was with the greatest difficulty
she could be persuaded to breath. but.
nothing daunted. the village Escuapius
ordered two sticks placed in her mouth.
one on each side. TO assist respiration.
And thus she sits with her mouth propped
open mourning her fallen greatness.
Americas Most Northern Town.
The Alaska Sesrchlight of August II
gives graphic account of a visit TO Point
Barrow. the most noTtherly inhabited
point in United States territory, written
by Herbert l.. Aldrich. a favorite duck
shooting station is between Point Barrow
and Cape Smyth, where hundreds of birds
are slaughtered every year and millions
OF them can be found in the summer sea-
son.
Many of the natives have become so ad-
dicted TO the liquor habit that they arc
constantly drunk. and one old man. froth-
ing at the mouth. was wild with delirium.
The following day he kicked his wife to
death. The liquor is secured by exchang
ing barrels OF whale oil for the small
quantities of whisky.
Snow squalls began before Mr.. Aldrich
left. and young ice formed every night.
and finding the supply Of water short the
tanks were at once replenished with
seventy barrels to avoid freezing weather
The Arctic ocean at the tine became very
rough. The beach was covered with ice
for miles, and standing on the extreme
northern point of tho American continent.
nothing but a ceaseless monotony of ice
could be seen by the observer Point Bar
row is low and sandy. and not over fifty
feet high. There is a small settlement
One woman had frozen both feet and
modification had caused the flesh 70 fall
off nearly 10 her knees. The dead mans
island" near by had evidences OF about
thirty graves, but the Eskimos usually
drag the corpses away TO be devoured by
village CANNES. Many bones marked the
spot
school for the ThiingitS.
After eighteen years of effort the In
dams of the Thlingit tribe OF Cape Fox
and Port Tongas village. have been grant
ed a school by act OF congress. The lead
ing men OF both tribes were notified and
a council called 10 meet Or Shelton Jack
son at Ketchikan July Attn. During the
morning Of that day a small steamer rass-
ed up The coast made a landing and sold
some liquor. upon which several Of the
men got drunk This delayed the council
until the 5th. when there was a large at
tendance Of men. with a long. full and
satisfactory consideration of the question
OF a new village and school. The build
ing will be at Tongas narrows and viii
be erected this month
Laws of a New Indian Village.
4 new Indian village called Saxman has
been formed OF the Kake. Tongas. Ketch-
ikan and neighboring villages The fol-
lowing must he subscribed 10 10y resi-
dents
We. the people Of Saxman. Alaska, in
order 10 secure 70 ourselves and pcsterity
the blessings of a Christian home DO sew
orally subscribe 10 the following rules for
the regulation Of our conduct and town
affairs.
Il. To reverence the Sa hbath and to re-
frain from all unnecessary secular work
on that day. 20 attend divine worship. 20
take the Bible for our rule OF faith. 20
regard all true Christians as our brethren.
and 10 he truthful honest and industrious.
- To attend 10 the education 81 our
children and keep them at school as reg
ularly as possible
-. To totally abstain from all ;ntOxi-
cants and gambling. and never attend
heather festivities or countenance heath
en- customs in surrounding villages.
a To strictly carry out all sanitary
regulations necessary for the health Of
the place.
-. Never 70 ALLEVIATE. give away or sell
our land. or building lots. or any PORTION
thereof. to any person or persons VINO
have not subscribed to these rules"
Glove Fight al Juneau.
4 glove contest between Maxwell. OF san
Francisco. and Ahren. Of Juneau. took