The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-08-01

the year, has been too cold without
fires and steam. We are told that a
fire is comfortable every might in the
year and we believe it. In fact our
experience leads Us to believe that
without some sort of heat one would
suffer much. But vTithal there is no
frost during the sum mer months. Let
us impress upon our friends, If any
contemplate trip to this country, to
wear their winter garments and leave
their summer apparel at home. They
will have no need for the latter unless
they run into very different temper
allure from what we have experienced.
The fact is as we write this letter in
the hotel Office on the 22d day of July
our fingers are actually cold and We
frequently lay pen aside to rub our
hands to get them warm. What d y
think of that. And still strawberries
and flowers grow here 1t should be
said in this connection that people
who live here do not feel the damp.
cold atmosphere as keenly as the ten
derfoot tourist.
While there are drawback to tour
ing Alaska the trip has many delight
full features. The scenery is pictur-
esque and ever changing, There is,
of course, a somewhat monotonous
sameness to the range of mountains,
but the numerous hooks and bays,
pretty islands and mountain streams
lends a varied interest that is Truly
enjoyable.
The boats that we have taken pas
sage on have given US unusual opportu-
nifty to see more of Alaksa than we had
expected. The fact that they were
combined passenger and freight. re-
quired them to visit some dozen or
more ports between Seattle and
Shakan, four or five between Shakan
and Juneau and six between Juneau
and Sitka. Oft times we would run
fifteen ..or twenty miles off of our
course to make these out-of, the way
ports and mines and salmon canneries
galore were visited. Of the latter we
took special interest to investigate and
after looking through a dozen Of the
b est in Alaska we can truthfully say
that the Alaska Fish & Lumber Co.
of Mankato has no equal in point of
size and equipment. Our home COM
psny certainly has a great plant. and
in connection with its saw mill,
water power that has no equal in the
entire country, it would seem that it
has an opportunity for making nice
money for its stockholders.
Speaking of the water power re-
minds US that we had an awful climb
of 1, 800 feet to the lake that supplies
the water for the power while in
Shakan. We never before undertook
such hazardous climb, and having
descended in safety we promised our
selves that We would never knowingly
attempt another such. But our effort
was not without its reward. When
about half way up we saw one of the
prettiest pictures that it has been our
good fortune to behold, Rushing down
the mountain side came volume of
water about 40 feet in width and visi-
BILE for fully 800 feet in length. The
fall is almost perpendicular and comes
in such quantities and with such force
as to afford a hundred horse power
through half inch nozzle. So says an
engineer who recently examined the
stream. At the summit, and at the
foot of another great range of noun
tains lies beautiful lake over a mile
wide and about the same length, and
this is the lake that supplies the won
derful power for the Shakan mills
The supply is inexhaustible, from the
fact that SHOWS and rains feed the
lake quite as rapidly as the mill con-
sumes it. sounding shows go feet
of water in the center of the lake.
Well, enough for this time. We
expect to leave for Skagway tonight.
The boat was due here on Friday but
is four days late. The result lis we
have been hung up here in state of
nervous anxiety to get out. Barring
delays we will be in Seattle the both.
This delay will cause few days ex-
tension of our trip and it now seems
impossible that we will be able to
reach home before the 18th of August. |
L. P. q.