The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
FATHER DUNCAN'S COLONY.
AN lTrEMPr IN CoNoRBss TO eRAB
METLIRIH TLA ISLAND. q

The uutereattuE Community on the coast 81
Alaska Threatenea by Goid IRnuters-Trnus
r~srrsntisn GHsctea ~ . coed mas IN
. tribe or savaEe 1adiau CanuIsals.
WASHINGTON. March s.-secretsry Bliss !,
very much interested In the defeat OF q bill
now pending before Congress, which. II passed,
would mean the practical destruction Of that In
t~eresting colony on Metlakahtla Island. of the
coast Of Alaska As an evidence Of his interest
in tho matter, Mr.. Bliss has already made sew.
eral reports condemnlng the bill. and he is now
preparing q statement for Congress showing tho
history OF the Indians on the island and their
claim TO the protection Of the Interior Depart
ment and Of Congress.
Because Of tho discovery Of gold. bearing
lodges on the island certain men who arc not
Wiling to brave the dangers Of the pursuit OF
sold in tho interior propose to take from the
colony OF Indians the greater part Of the island,
which tho Indians have transformed from a
wilderness into q respectable, law-abidinG and
sslfsustaininG colony, and rclegate them to n
remote portion OF the island where they will
ind 1t absolutely impossible TO exist In tho
opinion OF Mr.. Bliss and OF Father Duncan, the
head Of the colony, this would mean the utter
destruction OF all the good work done in the
last thirty years and stamp out tho civilization
which has taken root In this wild region. As
soon as Secretary Bliss heard Of the designs
against the colony he wrote to Mr.. William
Duncan. who 10 better known to the world Of
PHILANTHROPY as Father" Duncan. tho title
having been bestowed on him by tho Indians.
who have been his children. Mr.. Duncan re-
coived the news with the greatest sorrow and
agitation. He could not describe the conster.
nation into which the colony was thrown by
the re,eipt Of this unexpected blow. Ho
made every effort to take the first steamer down
the coast in the hope that he could arrive at
Washington in time to avert the catastrophe,
but found that his people could not spare him
ct once, so he sont q letter. q touching appeal
for time. and this letter Mr.. Bliss has for.
warded to Congress.
In It Father Duncan says that rs soon as the
letter was received from Mr.. Bliss he called a
full meeting Of the inhabitants Of the town.
They had been anxious for two years, thinking
that something might be that would
Interfere with their happiness on account Of
the presence OF The gold. bearing rock on their
island. 1t was unanimously agreed that writ.
ing could not adequately express their feelings
or reveal the true situation, but that Father
Duncan should 60 at once to Washington. He
hoped to do so by the first boat, but could not
get away. Then he gave an outline OF the his.
tory Of the colony. He said that the Trem-
shean community found the island in 1887
without an inhabitant. The 500 emiGrants de-
clded to settle there and did 30. They swore
allegiance to the United States and took out
the proper papers at Sitka, giving them pos
session OF the island. Everything went we'll
until two years ago. when they found that white
men were prospecting on the island. 1t was re-
ported that they had found no gold. Father
Duncan then went on to say that Congress in
1891 reserved the island for the exclusive use
OF tho community until such time as it should
take other action. The colonists regarded this
as an absolute gift as long as the colony should
obey the laws OF the country.
The people erected a town which calls forth
expressions OF admiration and wonder from all
who see It: The people are law.abiding, indus.
trious, self supporting, and progressive. No
intoxicants have ever been sold on the island
They have schools, a town hall, and the largest
church and congregation in, Alaska. II the
bill becomes a law the youth Of both sexes would
mining camp and the only method Of pre-
serving them would be removal. Father Dun.
of the natives from the vicious whites. The bill
pending In Congress would injure them NOR.
s %Ste sn 'po %sTort on wh he Fac Se'p sanln ths siTa ssw shsif
and salmon cannery. and their supply of drink
ing water for themselves and ships. II would
of their support. 1t would reduce their tim
Der supply. and would render the island COM
said he did not believe there was enough gold
on the island TO pay for working 1t, but II there
was gold the islanders needed it and should
The history of Metlakahtla and tho Trem.
ehean community is one of the romances OF the
tory OF ono brave man who has devoted his life
70 caring for and ctvilizing a wild tribe OF In
one colony was founded IN British Co
was proceeding satisfactorily, until the injus.
lice OF the Government drove them forth. They
emigrAted to the United States. They took
possession of their island .:.real ed their houses
and titled their farms in peace and security.
n nov tneY call on This tr0varnmnnf nnf IN rananf
the injustice Of the British Government, hut to
allow them to lead their peaceful existence in
Lhat-out-of-the way cor..er OF the globe.
The colony Is not n religious enterprise, al
though founded under religious auspices. II
tic limo, and bound together by religious ties. |
10 might be said that the creed OF these Indians |
y the Goldsn Rule, TO which they have always
lived up. Mr.. Duncan was employed in q COM |
mercisl house In London in 1857 when Capt. |
Provost returned from n cruise along the coast
OF Alaska and brought information OF the exist.
once OF a particularly barbarous tribe OF In |
dians, in British Co umbia. Mr.. Duncan re-
found them degraded. cannibals, fend wor.
shippers; superotltlous and practicing revolving
won't among them. learning their language from |
an interpreter and studying their Characters
night and day, One false step meant his
enemy was the medicine man. who one time
won't to kill him.. but was cowed by his faithful
thsm the principles Of Christianity; not saaG the
Q ects. but the groundwork, simplitied SO as TO
20 understood by them. lie found them will |
Ing to listen and to learn. They were intelli- |
gent and progressive. He nurscd them Ia sick |
ness, taught them and their children; preached |
70 Them and 10 every way acted as their friend
and guide. By degree he became influential
and they respected him Tor his kindness and his
superiority. But II was not long before he had
enemies, not among the natives. for those who
opposed him either LETT the colony or became
converted, but among the traders, who found
they could no longer dispose OF their liquor and
their cheap at enormous profit. The |
Hudson Bay Company arrayed itself against
MIN. as II thought he was attempting to become
e trader himself. The slave traders and the |
liquor dealers stroye to break his influence,
going so far as TO attempt to kill him,
After four y ,ars of labor Mr.. Duncan found he
'ould muster a fair list OF converts and he deter.
minei TO remove from the vicinity OF Fort
simpson, TO Netlakahtla, the site or an old vii.
lagc OF the Tremsheans, and there found n col
ony. He did so and laid down the following
rules, which have since formed the laws for the
colony:
!. To give up their "Ahlied. ;" or Indian deviltry.
y. To cease calling In shamans. or medicine men,
when sick.
s. To cease gambling.
Z, To cease giving away their property for display
.. To cease indulging In Intoxicating drinks.
o.. To cease painting their faces.
q. To rest on the sabbath.
y. To attend religious instruction.
@ To send their children 10 school.