The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-30

Sitka Trading company. as a general
trading store. 1t was formerly the
head Office of the Russian-American
Fur company, and often held pelts to
the value Of 81, 000, 900 in early Russian
days. Here we found an array Of Rus
sian and Indian relics. only excelled by
those at the jackson museum. Near
the wharf are the barracks and custom
house, which were also built by the
Russians. The barracks now serve the
purpose of the territorial Jail and also
court house. The little square at the
left Of the street near the beach was
once a Russian shipyard. On the op-
posite side Is the modest residence OF
the governor of the territory, and, by
the way, Governor Sheakley is FORM
er Pennsylvania. Presbyterian and
school commissioner. We called at
the primitive gubernatorial mansion,
which is an old-tirne Russian cottage,
built altogether on ground floor plan,
with low ceilings and broad veranda.
1t has been modernized by modest
wall paper Electric bells admit you
and oil lamps light your way. The
governor grants his callers a cordiai
Pennsylvania welcome, and those who
are favored with an invitation TO be-
royalty entertained.
In the square is granite monument,
designating the United States AS
Economical station In latitude 81 Ge-
grees, 9 minutes north and longitude
135 degrees. l9 minutes east. Directly
opposite the governors residence is the
Presbyterian church, a neat wooden
structure. as our photographs indicate,
while adjoining 1t are the present bar
racks of the United States soldiers,
who comprise two companies. A small
part Of the old stockade which kept the
natives without the Russian town af'
ter prescribed hours, still remains. al
though most Of the barricade was de-
stroyed after the withdrawal of the
American troops in 1877. Adjoining Is
the old block house. formerly fort,
that commanded an angle of the stock
ade. Katalan's Rock bears the name
of an ancient chief who had his habi-
tation here. % the slopes back of the
native "ranchiere" are the burial
grounds of the Russians and the Sit
kans, a quaint and interesting place to
visit. Just beyond the church Is the
"Old Russian Saw Mill" with its out
side wooden water wheels. say twenty
feet in diameter Inside II was Crap
ping with a cedar log four feet in dia
meter.
Among the unusual things, you notice
in Sitka are great fiOcks of huge crows.
or ravens. They come from the islands
in the harhpr and swirl rounu and
round, lighting upon the beach and
prominent objects with an air of fear
less assurance and perfect security, fol-
they are never molested by the natives,
who regard these "black-winged, un.
canny fowls Of the air. with a sort of
veneration, believing that the spirits
Of their departed dead inhabit their
bodies. They are exempt from gun
and arrow and swarm everywhere.
THE MuSCOV1TE CASTLE.
To some visitors the ruins of the old
Muscovite castle on the hill Is most
interesting. This (Baranoff) castle
was once a fort, the residence of the
Russian governor and also light
house. The height ON which the castle
stands Gt is now in ruins) is eighty
feet above the street The pile Is
reached by long flight of steps. Many
stories are told of romance and crime
OF days when Russian barOns and beau
tiful princesses passed days and nights
within the castle in joyous living. 1t
was massive structure, sc by 81 feet.
used as q light house. the lamp stand
ing 1l0 feet above the sea. 1t was an
octagonal block house. built of logs OF
huge dimensions. jointed with copper
bolts and riveted to the rocks. 1t was
noted for its capacious rooms, which
were richly furnished when transferred
to the United States in 1867. In order
to preserve this structure from decay,
our government expended three years
ago some 900, but after completion
II was mysteriOusly burned March II,
1894, and has not been rebuilt. In 1869,
when Secretary Seward and party Wis.,
ited Sitka, they were royalty enter
tained in this castle, then In good con-
dition and in one Of these spacious
chambers Lady Franklin, then In her
eightieth year. sat and wept as she
waited in vain for tidings of her lost
husband. There are several other
structures built during Russian occu-
pancy. surrounding the green and we'll
kept plaza, or parade ground. with
their unique white-washed walls and
gardens.
In the harbor this day are the United
States steamship Pinta and revenue
cutter Walcott, two naptha launches,
two large fishing smacks and numer-
Gus canoes, also the elegant steam
yacht, Eleanor. owned by w. A. Slat-
er. of Norwich, Conn, who with party
or friends Is taking a nineteen months
tour Of the world. This latter craft
Is said TO cost with her equipments n
half million dollars. Still. our beauti-
full Queen towers above them all, and
her arrival Is the most important event
IN the Sitkan calendar. Steamer day is
welcomed as another messenger from
civilization, bringing anxiously looked
for tidings from home and friends to
those who from choice or circumstances
have found home here on the Alaskan
frontier So exactly does she keep her
schedule time that the residents speak
of what took place two Queens ago."
and three Queens ago." or "the last
Queen" or this Queen" The people
are never taken unawares by her ar
rival and all the flags wave to welcome
her. Her stays In port are the events
to date by. Steamer time is one hour
faster than Si:ka time, n fact which
prospective tourists should remember.
The Russians count their time differ
emily from us: they are eleven days
earlier. For instances today Is August
IL, United States time; but according
to Russian time, it Is Aug. 6.
THE TRAINING SCHOOL.
The principal street of Sitka extends
from the wharf TO the Greek church,
and then bends around this noble edifice
and winds along the beach for a half
mile to the Presbyterian Industrial
school. From there is romantic path,
through the woods along the Indian
river to Mount Testovia and Holy Cross
with its sacred sign of unsullied snow.
To every student of human nature and
those interested in the enlightenment,
education and Christianiza ton of these
dark skinned Alaskans. this training
school affords an opportunity to wit
ness the results of this great work, and
to see the Indian as influenced by mis-
sionary efforts. This is an institution
where native children are taken I'm
youth, educated and taught various
trades 1t is supported by the Pres
byterian Board of Home Missions.
though the United States government
in 1884 appropriated $4,000 towards