Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17

not possible in any New York bank, since
the recent ruling of the clearing house, on
outside checks.
Socially. AIaska's capital is very pleas
ant, only moral qualifications being re-
CURED, the government officials having a
day Saturday from to 8. and giving
quite a tone to society. The governor
gives frequent receptions, and they are at
tended by company as cosmopolitan as
VIII be found in the nations capital. I at
tended a very delightful one. and in a
group OF ten people. eight different states
were represented. There are no dances at
the governors, as he does not believe in
mat sort of diversion. Neither card play
ing. AT other places whist is the ruling
game apd at still others, but not for publi-
cation. a small and elegant game of poker
may De discovered by the initiated.
There Are No Old Maids.
There are some very good-looking, really
handsome, women in Sitka, but nearly all
OF them are married. There are no old
maids and plenty of men. Massachusetts
maidens. please take notice Fare to sitka
from Boston, $500. and twelve days time.
The volunteer fire department consists OF
chemical engine and hook and ladder
company. Insurance rates are high The
worst fire on record was the burning about
Jour years ago, of the picturesque and i'm
pressive log structure on Castle Hill known
as Baranhof Castle. This interesting old
building was the former Russian capitol.
ana It's loss is irrepara BILE.
Inc only wind mill in town was blown
Gown year ago. This needs no comment
eltka gets an outside newspaper when
ever she can, but she has one of her own,
the Weekly Alaskan, five columns, four
psSes, ~ cents copy, $3.50 a year, invari-
ably in advance.
There are only six horses in town, no bug
gles, and four wagons, not counting the
water wagon, hauled by six prisoners and
USED Tor bringing water to the government
Ind ri, a;
one and half miles, This constitutes
Sitka's sole water works since the wind
mill was blown down. Is there another
town using this system of water works?
me post office Is presided over by a wo-
man, Mrs. Archangelsky, an American. de-
spite that name. and she gets $50 a month.
In winter she looks after two mails month
and hve In summer. In fact, it is such an
easy JOB 1t Is wonder that some man
hasn't got 1t away from her, On the ground
mat the women are taking the bread out
of the mouths of Woodworking men.
I,ethor1c purses do not prevail in sitka.
ana the Rockefeller of the town. Mr. w
b. Mills, sawmill man and merchant, is NOT
worth to exceed a hundred thousand dol
lars. The arrogance of the rich doesn't
worry Sitka people very much.
Choice Lot of Indians.
feature of the place is the Indian popu-
lation, numbering 1000 to 1,5Oo when all
are at home In winter. They occupy the
opposite end of the town from the mission.
ana live in large frame houses 2H stories
nigh, implanted and upholstered a dozen
TO forty people to a house, and they are
neither clean nor fragrant. But they have
money, and are as keen traders as any
Connecticut Yankee that ever sold wooden
nutmegs. They speak English when they
want to, and are sufficiently American to
nave high flag poles in front of all their
houses, from which flags fly on the Fourth
OF July. Their morality is not above aues-
ton, and their disregard of the common
decencies of life is SO gross and so pal
pabie that in any community in the states
a vigilance committee would wait upon
them.
Speaking of the money these Indians have.
and which they never use as it should be
used. 1t is said that after the first Klondike
year, when they had been packing freight
over the mountains, there were 400 in the
Rancho with $1,000 to the man. or about
100000 in all 1t is known that at the
great potlatch of that year-a kind of a
harvest home festival held annually-four
chiefs paid $3.50 each, or slo,1oo, for pres
ents to be given away to all corners, as is
the custom at potlatches.
Sitka has no exports. but she receives
about $500 tons of freight per year chiefly
supplies, and prices are fairly reasonable
Fruit and garden truck are not much higher
than in Seattle and domestic meat is about
the same. with venisen cheaper.
There are fifteen bicycles in town and
mile and half of road to Indian river
Ten typewriters are in use.
1t costs 50 cents for a hair cut and a
quarter for a shave; BARRIERS wages, Sl2 a
week.
There are two doctors and five cemeteries