The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-06
HOMEWARD BOUND
FROM FAR ALASKA
lscideats Of the Retura voyage iron the
Lad Of the Glaciers.
FAREWELL 0LIMPsEs AT OLD slTXA
An Entertainment ON Board Ship for
the Benefit Of the Indian Training
School..Thc Comments Of Distin.
guished Tourists on Alaskan
Scenery and PrOspects..Last Re.
Written for The Tribune.

ueCtlOuss
Written for The Tribune.
We closed our seventh days expert
ence in Alaska in the society of Chief
AnnahootZ on board of our steamer.
Possibly some reader may think We are
dwelling too much on the mission work
among the Indians, but there is an in
terest in all this that the general read
er cannot fully comprehend until he
takes the trip and sees for himself.
What an object lesson, what an inspi-
ration this visit has been to US in Wit
Messing the results of the training OF
these natives. old and young. not only
into pure good living. and into Christian
life and practice, but into making them
intelligent, useful. self-supporting and
loyal American citizens. The best in
vestment the benevolent Christian can
make in the interest of his fellowman
Is to support scholarship in this indus
trial school at the yearly cost of one
hundred dollars.
CLIMATE.
1t is not our intention to discuss the
climate of Alaska. only in u very gener-
al way. 1t is not altogether land Of
icebergs and glaciers and barren snow
capped mountains. There are regions
where man can make comfortable liv-
ing In his field, where the sun shines
as brightly and tho grass is as green.
and the wild flowers grow as profusely,
six months in the year, as in the major
,e ha 70 In
places, the winters are not nearly as
severe as in Montana, Idaho, or any Of
the New England states.
: AS to climate Alaska differs with diff
ferent regions. What the gulf stream
does for the western and northern coun-
tries of Europe is done In exactly the
same way by the great Kuro-Siwo. or
Japan current. The climate of the Pac-
ific coast Is much more temperate than
that of the same latitude on the At
lantic side for the Japanese current
runs nearer the Pacific coast than the
Gulf stream does on the Atlantic coast.
This current becomes charged with the
heat Of the tropics at the equator, and
retains 1t in its northerly course through
the Orient and along the coast of Asia,
until 1t sweeps around and skirts The
coast Of Alaska, British Columbia, and
the state of Washington on it's return
circuit home.
The rain fall at Sitka is very great
and Is serious drawback. 1t Is like
that on the coast of Oregon and Van
couver Island. One says, "Sitka Is the
rainiest place in the world outside Of
the tropics" The warm Japanese cur
rent brings not only mild temperature
but continuous rain. We are told out
of 365 days. only One-third, or 100 days,
are clear. Another says, 1905 days are
given over to rain, snow and foggy
shrouds which wet the rain itself" On
most buildings here is found a heavy
green moss, especially the roofs, which
are densely covered
The mean temperature of Sitka Is 43
degrees, some four degrees warmer than
at Portland. Me-; actually milder than
that of Boston and the same in winter
as at Newport DR.. Sheldon Jackson
says: "The temperature Of Richmond.
Va. and S'tka are nearly identical"
While st. Johns. Newfoundland, Is
its harbor nearly frozen solid in winter,
Sitka, ten degrees farther north, has
all open harbor, and snow rarely lays
on the ground for any time, and the mer-
curry seldom falls to zero. During thir-
ty-six years Of Russian occupancy it
sank below zero but once. The intense
ly humid atmosphere, the almost con-
slant rain are adverse to the cultivation
Of cereals. as 1t Is almost impossible
for them to ripen for the want of sun
shine. Still. the soil Is porous and cer-
tain gardens we saw which provided
fresh vegetables.
POINTS OF INTEREST.
There We're two weekly newspapers
printed In Sitka, but they are now COM
bined in one, The Alaskan, bright
pewsy and up to date sheet, much
sought after by tourists, and the editor
whom we met, Is exceedingly intelligent
courteous and willingly furnished lis
valuable local information. We ack-
nowledge also the courtesy extended tc
us by Photographer Albertstone, and
would advise all tourists to visit his
studio. t..
The Sheldon Jackson Museum should
be visited by every tourist. 1t contains
the largest collection of Alaska curios
In existence, both Indian, Russian and
Lutheran. 1t IL marvellous collection
which DR.. Jackson has spent years ir
gathering and would be difficult to dup.
licate. The odd little building which
holds these relics is of itself interesting
but the new octagonal shaped cement
dome-vevereG structure built by "Bos.
ton Man Smith" is q marvel that ever
the natives cannot account for. This
building itself is the greatest of al
curios to the natives who remark
when viewing it.: Boston man
heap great. Everything American
which the Indians think well Of, they
call Boston" Those who are Ameri.
canized call themselves "Bostor
. Siwashes." The missionaries ar,
known as Boston men," and the Queer
and other steamers are called "Bostor
ships"
1t is wonderful what a superstition.
aversion the Siwash have to thu
camera. When we tried our kodaks OF
them they instantly enveloped them
selves in their blankets and no amount
Of reasoning or coaxing will avail will
them. They yield to nothing but thu
silver "half dolla."
The prices of the principal article!
Of food here are as follows: Fresh sal
mon from one to one and one-half cent.
per pound; halibut and black bass q
one-half cent per pound; venison a
from six to eight cents per pound, ant
teal ducks at twenty cents per pair
and other variety Of game food at cor
respondingly low prices. Deer sci
in sitka in the month OF August at s2.5
each.
The almost nightless day that pre-
walls in this northern latitude at mi,
summer is an enjoyable feature to tn,
tourist who is anxious to see all he can
and he virtually lives two days in one