The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-18
INDIAN MUNICIPALITY.

.,-,-,,,Ia. Alaska, Owned aud Cow
80, ~, Usd.kIns--a Modern Arts OF Civ
,,,,,,ion Applied in a Practical Hammer
,rr'rT ,KAHTLA, Alaska, July a.
rsrs rtue city, owned and governed en-
Nah, by Indians, has history that Is
w., n,rallsled in any other part OF the
IA II Is nestled on the east side of
w.. Arne,te Island, and Is one Of the
srst norris of call on the southeast coast
=, Alaska From two mountains with
s,,wnIpg peaks, which profile the clear
'ros,ern sky, comes dashing down from
hair snog-capped submits a volume OF
n,atar which is one OF the scenic attEae-
',1rs OF this picturesque coast. The
s.,,, itself ID in an advanced state OF i'm
W. Drnents, and the Inhabitants, whose
ppncs.tors some forty years ago were
SinoJtbirsty saVages, have developed a
..,, arxable character for utilizing the
,,"5srn arts OF civilization.
Iittle over two score OF years ago
,hs Rev. William Duncan represent
,n " the Church OF England, first went to
liant the first seeds OF Christianity In
,SsIr savage natures They were then
,,yIrr on the Skeena River, In British
.n I'M and what few white men had
w. m that time dared to invade their
.4p,r,,orv OF savagery had been put to
I'm II required nearly thirty years
~ ,yean them from the teachings OF
,SsIr ancestors Of centuries gone by,and
many times, so Mr.. Duncan informed
me- his life was in great danger; but
aver once did he betray the slightest
.rsplcIon OF fear for his own or Mrs.
pm1cau's safety. BY kind acts, religious
,s1cbIpgs and trusting them in all
,bIngs. tho good missionary was sue
cessfll in winning the whole tribe OF
some five hundred people over TO the
sppreciation OF the advantages OF re-
Iuious and commercial civilization Al
he opportune time he applied TO the
dominion government for the exclusive
,eseryatlon OF the site occupied by the
idbe. and asked for protection against
The encroachmert OF the whites. The
request was refused, md the PROPOSE
lion was laid before the American Con-
rress, and one of the last Official acts OF
President Arthur was to sign n bill for
the absolute transfer OF Annette Island
10 the tribe of Metlakahtla Indians
In 1888, under the direction OF Mr..
Duncan, the Indians moved TO the Is
land, laid out and began the occupation
Of the town site OF Metlakahtla. What
was then wilderness Is now a thriV-
ing little city, and Is policed and gov
rrned IN much the same manner ms tho
municipalities OF the states. An indian
m magistrate elected by the householders,
adjusts all disputes and DEGREES judge
ments for violation OF any OF the clty's
ordinances. a council OF ten delegates.
which Is elected annually by popular
vote. adopt the laws and native police
officers enforce their DEGREES. Not
drop of spirits Is allowed on the Island,
and there Is only one man of this col-
ony of eight hundred Indians who uses
tobacco, and he is nearly eighty years
old White people are discouraged from
coming here. The Indians want to be
left alone to pursue their work A large
salmon caunecy affords employment for
nearly two hundred people, in both can
ulua and fishing, and every department
IS In charge OF an experienced indian,
and trained and sklllful In attending to
their different duties. Last year they
sold over IS, 900 cases OF salmon for 80 20
per case. The machinery Is of modern
pattern operated by steam and mechan'
lied BY natives Close by is the saw
mill which manufactures a high grade
OF lumber and has a capacity OF 10000
feet DAY. Scattered throughout the
CITY are six stores, all well stocked with
s,lplc articles OF commerce, and 1t Is
particularly noticeable that there is n
general lack OF cheap jewelry of catch
penny Yankee notions. In all OF the
stores only noticed one white shirt for
sale aad II was marked at tifty-ilve
cents
The streets are laid of on straight
lines. and substantial board sidewalks
lead to all paris " the city. Each fam
ily lives In o neat one or two story cot
tagc, neatly painted. and IN the center
at llrgc-sizcd lots. In which grow all
ilads Of vegetables. flowers and house
plants Tie dwellings ore painted white
ard the rooms are as comfortably fur
nshcl as the majority Of houses In
more civilized communities. One fea-
ture In particular / noticed was the
large, open and old-fashioned fire places
succeeding the colonial days. a large
school. divided into three departments.
two Of which are under the control OF
|whlte people, and the other-the juve-
nile Chassis taught by native, fur
nIshes the necessary educational fac!l-
| itles. The average daily attendance, /
am told. Is about ninety pupils. 4
handsome large church building. the In
terror Of which Is Hastily arranged, and
with a seating capacity for about six
hundred, Is the place where these peo-
pie assemble each Sunday for worship
One OF the attractive features OF this
unique community Is the native band of
thirty pieces, The music is good and
many Of the national airs are played
two or three times . week. The leader IS
o full blO0ded Indian by the name Of
Ben Halien, and Is twenty-four years
pa. lie can play n tune on any instru-
ment on the island, and the only in
siFuction he ever received was from
Mr Duncan. The string band is ex.
ceptlonally good and affords music for
Pill dances and entertainments. An cleo
pic plant Is being Installed, and next
winter every dwelling viii be supplied |
T!ih artificial illumination.
Happy and cQntented as these people |
pre- In their little island home, sur
pounded with all the necessary com.
Ports OF civilization. II has not been
iheir providence TO escape from the at |
tempted enforcement. or rather en-
roachment. OF what is regarded az
Inoicrn civilization. Their little island |