Douglas Island news., 1898-11-23
ALASKA CLIMATE.
Erroneous Impressions Concerning an Alaska Winter. Not Near So Cold as the Western States. Ex-chief Jack Mcdonald on
 Wind


 States. Ex-chief Jack Mcdonald on Wind.
 Alaska weather is peculiar. It is a climate of spells and moods. There is only one thing connected with it that is a real sure, dead certainty-it is cer- tain to rain. Sometimes it rains hard and sometimes it is so gentle and soft you scarce can hear, but rain it will. 1 Douglas Island climate is new to us, but we are seeking for knowledge con- corning it and in our search for infor- nation we dropped onto the fact that once in a while the air gets itself into a motion that is liable to surprise a new. conner. Old settlers call it Ia ku wind, but, from what we can learn, the name is too mild to correctly de- scribe it.
 "Go and see Jack Mcdonald if you want to know anything about wind," said Douglas City man to the "wind" reporter of the News, "he can tell you all about it, but don't try to find him until in the afternoon, for he sleeps until noon."
 The News man found Jack, the same irrepressible Jack, who is ex-chief of the Seattle fire department and was deputy sheriff for more than four years in the Queen City. His power of speech, good humor, and good looks has not yet deserted him-no, he is the same Jack Mcdonald and always will be un- til the pearly gates swing open for him.
 After the usual afternoon salutations the News man addressed the ex,chief as follows:
 "Mr. Mcdonald, it has come to the knowledge of the News office that you are the best posted man on wind there is on Douglas island, and our readers abroad, if not at this place, will be pleased to gain some knowledge upon the peculiar symptoms" of this coun- try in that line. Can you impart some of your most valuable information for the benefit of the readers of the News.
 Mir. Mcdonald drew long sigh and said: "I can tell you a few things on the subject of wind and especially the peculiar species that prevails at this season of the year on Douglas Island and the surrounding country. In the first place, to correctly understand what I may say on this subject it must be understood that the word Taku, which gives it's name to the high flyer of this country, is of Indian origin, and means hell, the place spoken of in the Bible and so much dreaded by saint and sinner, so that when you hear man say that Taku wind is coming, he means it will be a h-l of wind, or, i'll other words, wind that is nearly h-l.
 "Yes, we have some wind up this way, you bet 1 have known ot winds ln Seattle that blew cars off the railroad track into the bay, have seen trees go down by the hundreds, known otwlndss that blew all the water out of 29 foot we'll, why sir, I have attended Pop convention when Bob Bridges had the floor for thirty y-eight minutes, but all these winds are nothing as compared to certain class of very rare winds that swoop down on us once in groatI while from the direction of Juneau and engage in sundry and divers tiirtations with the stockings of the dusky beau ties, who make their homes on the beach of Douglas Island.
 "You have heard of Hank Osborn's dog, haven't you?" Jack asked the News man.
 We explained how recently we had come to town and our inability to hear of Douglas City's famous dogs.
 "Well anyhow, Hank has dog, a