The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-11
THE WONDERS OF alaska
From the Land Of Geysers to That
Of Glaciers. s.
WHERE FROST .REIGNS ALWAYS
First Days Views and Reflections During
p Beautiful and Instructive Journey
TO Uuclc Sans Too Little Appre.
oiatcd Polar Province.

Written for The Tribune.
Here beginneth another chapter OF
our journey through wonderland. From
Yellowstone--the land Of geysers-to
Alaska---the land of glaciers-as seen
with American eyes.
John Ruskin says, in the Sunday
School Times, "the greatest thing that
u human soul ever does In this world
is to see something and tell what 1t
sees In a plain way" What applies
to q Sunday school teacher may ap-
ply equally we'll to q traveller.
To visit these greatest of Gods won-
ders" has been my dream for many
years. / have read all within my
reach that has been written about
Alaska, and the more / read and the
more heard the more I hoped and
the more anxious I became, until at
last my fond hope has been fully real
ICED.
the realization that there Is some
thing to be seen in their own country.
HGE few, comparatively, have ever
seen the glories and grandeurs, the
beauties and sublimities Of their own
matchless land? How many of them
know or ever dream that their own
our own-is incomparably the
srandest continent on all the globe?
The more one sees Of our glorious con-
tinental American republic-"our ma
jestic half-world"-the less patience he
can have with those absurd people.
who every year flock by tens Of thou
sands to other lands and spend mil
lions of their money, while they have
seen virtually nothing and know COM
paratively nothing of their own coun-
try. Earth has no other land like ours
and columbia. the Gem of the
Ocean," IL peerless. I would know my
own native land first and then seek a
foreign country. The folly of Ameri-
cans who travel abroad, before they
have seen their own country thorough
ly,is well illustrated by the Scrantonian
whose home Is within a stones throw
of The Tribune office. He is now trav-
cling in the northwest, and we UNDER
stand has preceded us on our Alaskan
voyage. He says, In substance: II
went abroad for both pleasure and
business, intending to remain for some
time. ] was proud of my country and
did not fail to let it be known that
was an American. But was asked by
foreigners so many questions concern
ing places that have never seen and
could not answer, that I cut short my
trip and Just returned home. vowing
l would know and see and study the
geography Of my country and not be
enlightened by foreigners"
MODERN ALASKA.
From New England's icy mountains
to Alaska's Icy domains Is many thou
sand miles. The geography in our boy
hood days told Of q certain Russian
America-seemingly away out Of the
world like Greenland. where the in
habitants were Indians. polar bears.
seals and icebergs. But time has
wrought wonders and changes, and
Russian America Is not found on the
maps today. Russian America has
gone to stay and Alaska has come to
stay. This change was brought about
by the astute craftsmanship of the late
Secretary William H. Seward in May.
1867, at cost to the United States of
$7,20O,000 in gold-not silver or green
backs, but gold-and this great white
elephant. so-called land of ice and
snow, was added to our national do
main. for less than one-half O cent an
acre.