Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-02-28
CHRISTMAS TINE IN ALASKA.
Mrs. Young Writes Of the Conditions which
Prevail During the Winter in
our Northern land.
SAxMAN, Alaska, Feb. l2, 1901

SAXMAN, Alaska, Feb. IL, 1901.
Dear readers OF the COURIER IL wrote
letter abont Christmas time, and as it
failed to reach you | will endeayor TO
write another. The most important
events in our town, il such they might
be termed, occur about the time Of the
holidays, as at the time most or all Of
the natives have gathered here.
The spirit Of Christmas is manifested
in Alaska as well as in the states and
the stores presented brilliant array OF
toys and tempting things. The Indians
are not slow in purchasing nice or costly
presents for their friends. We had
Christmas tree for the natives, full OF
bright and pretty presents, which glad.
dened many heart; mostly the gifts OF
kindly disposed people in the states. 1t
was surprising to see how well they
were all dressed, for semi.civiized
race. We heard no sound OF sleigh bells,
as We have no horses, or even any roads
i'll this part OF Alaska; neither had We
any snow. The common impression
seems to be that all of Alaska is cold
frozen region, especially during the
winter months. We have had but four
or five snow storms, and the most that
fell at any one time did not exceed four
or five inches, which was mostly melted
off in day or two by a warm rain.
The freezing cold weather has not ex.
ceeded three weeks.
We cannot write you this winter
about "poJIatches" and dances, for the
reason that the majority OF our natives
have embraced the faith OF the Salvation
Army, in which they are just as Jealous
as formerly when engaged in their
heather customs. They hold meetings
every evening and four on Sunday, be.
sides attending the various services
which are held by the Presbyterian
Missionary. Nothing has ever had such
an influence over them for good. None
OF the members ever get intoxicated,
and none use tobacco. The excitement
accompanying the services is well suited
to their excitable natures. Two OF our
pupils were married, Indian fashion,
on New Years eve. The father would
not allow her to be married like white
people, because the groom had paid only
$3.50 for her and he expects a greater
remuneration. II they were lawfully
married the young man might take
advantage of his father in.law.
A short time ago a young man resid.
ing in Saxman, graduate OF Carlisle,
Pa. school married girl who lived at
Ketchikan. After two weeks she de-
cided she did not love, him and returned
home. All his pleadings for her to re.
turn to him were in vain, so he betook
himself to an Indian doctor to learn
some means OF fascinating her. The
doctor told him to eat nothing for three
days, and drink nothing but salt water,
and sleep at night under the house in
which she was living. For this valuable
information he paid the sum OF 500
He carried out the instructions to q
letter, and when he returned to Saxman
he looked as though he had passed
through severe illness, but il was all
in vain.
The mild weather has made the
winter more favorable than usual to the
natives for hunting, 80 more than hal
OF Them have already left town and will
not return until the last Of June. Somt
OF them procure skins and iurs to the
value OF four or five hundred and some
times as high as thousand dollars
apiece. They smoke and dry great dea
OF venison during this time. About tn,
filth Of July the company or companies
for whom they are going TO fish com,
with steam launch towing, sometimes
as many as thirty canoes and boats
The fishing season lasts about thre,
months, one individual earning some
times as high as one thousand dollars.
Your readers may be curious to know
what prices rule for commodities here
The boom prices that prevailed for &
time have created the impression that
the cost OF living in any part Of Alaski
is very high. Our local merchants car
supply most any thing from clothe
pin to totem pole. The prices, especi
ally of provisions, compare quite favor
ably with those in the states.
ADAu SPApUAwK YouNG