The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-17
ALAsKA,s CLIMATE
Tho japan Current Protests IL From
Exiremes.


Tho japan Current Protects IL From
Extremes.
Writing Of Alaska in the Century,
John Muir says: The climate Of all
that portion OF the coast that is bathed
by the Japan current, extending from
che southern boundary of the territory
northward and westward to the Island
Of Atoo. a distance of nearly $500 miles,
IS remarkably bland and free from ex-
tremes Of heat and cold throughout the
year II is rainy, however, but the
rain Is OF good quality, gentle In It's
fall, filling tho fountains of the streams
and keeping the whole land fresh and
fruitful while anything more delightful
than the shining weather after the rain
the areat, round sundays OF June,
July and August-can hardly be found
elsewhere. An Alaska midsummer day
Is day without night. In the ex-
treme northern portion OF the territory
the sun does not set for weeks, and even
as far south as Sitka and Fort Wrnngct
II sinks only few degrees below the
horizon, 80 that the rosy colors Of the
evening blend with those OF the morn
ing, leaving no gap OF darkness be-
tween. Nevertheless the full day
opens slowly. At midnight. from the
middle point between the cleaning and
the dawn, n low arc light Is seen steal
ing along the horizon, with gradual In
crease OF height and span and Intensity
OF tone, accompanied usually by red
clouds which make striking advertise
inent Of the suns progress long before
he appears above the mountain tops.
For several hours after sunrise ev-
arythlng In the landscape seems dull
and uncommunicatfVe. The clouds fade,
the islands and the mountains, with
Fuas Of mist about them, cast lll-deiln-
cd shadows, and the whole armament
changes to pearl-gray with Just trace
OF purple In Il. But toward noon there
S. n glorious awakening. The cool hail
ness OF the air vanishcs md the richer
Bunbeams. pouring from on high, make
all the bays and channels shine Bright.
" now play the round-topped rippfcs
about the edges OF the Islands. and
over many a plume-shapc1 fircnk be.
tween thom. where the water Us stirred
by some passing breeze.
on the mountains Of tho mainland,
and In the hlgh-wnlled nords TINT fringe
the ooast, still finer u The work Of The
sunshine. Tho broad white boSoms Of
the glnccrs glow like silver, and their
crystal fronts and tho multitude Of Ice.
berqs that finger about them, drifting,
swiriing, turning their myriad angles 10
the sun, ace klndicd into n perfect blaze
Of iriscd light The warm air throbs
mud wayers, ana makes Itself felt ns q
llfo-g giving. cnOrglglng ocean embracing
ait the earth. Fiiiod with ozone, our
pulses bound ana we nre warmed and
qulokcned into sympathy with every
thing, taken bhCk into the heart ~ ma
turo, whence we came. We feel the lie
and motion about us, ard the universal
beauty. the tides marching back nnd
forth with wenrilpg1 lnduHirylnyl the
benulful shores. and Rwnylng the pur-
pic dulso Of the bfond meadows Of Tho
noa where the fishes nto fed TIE wild
streams In rows white with waterfalls,
ever N bloom md ever In song, spread
Ing th0lr branches Ovor thousand
mountains, the vast forealn feeding on
the dtonchtnn nunbcnm9 cvofV coli tn e
whlfl Of enjoyment misty lloclH Of In