Douglas Island news., 1903-04-01

[ The stampede to the new strike on the Tanana is unabated. Over 1000 men have left Dawson already. The class of kprospectors that have left the city are of the very best and are men of means. Already the merchants of Dawson have made big sales of supplies to the stam peders. Estimates of the aggregate amount are hard to make, but it will not foot up less than a quarter of million dollars, while many of the mer- chants claim that half million dollars worth of goods have been sold to the Panama stampeders.
 The erection of defensive works at Sitka and Dutch harbor, Unalaska island, Alaska is said now to be under consideration by the war department. The plan includes, also, the fortiflcation of Unalaska island, on which are the important harbors of Unalaska and Dutch Harbor, the two forming per- haps the most important port in Alas ka. Every vessel plying between the Pacific ports and the Yukon stops at one or the other of these places. At these places the only coal north of Sitka is stored; and forts on the island would command the chief entrance to Boring sea and make it, almost as the Mediterranean has been made Brit ish lake," an American lake.
 There is story about Alaska and it's people in which is mentioned man who chose bride from among some of the Indian tribes up toward the Chil- koot pass. He took her to a large city, Montreal, perhaps, and left her in a splendid hotel while he went out to see some one about dog. She missed him ! sadly. She sat at the window looking out on the street four stories below. Solitude became intolerable. She de- cided to find her husband. There was an elevator, but she didn't care for it. Softly as moccasins could carry her, she issued forth. When she had gone out bell boy saw queer marks on the banister and door castings. The Indian bride had blazed her way with toma. hawk, so that she could find her way back. The Indian bride was merely living up to her education, for it is very necessary to know how to blaze trail in Alaska.-Alaskan.
 Now that is something to the point. Judge Delaney, of Juneau, in recent speech at Wrangell, outlined method of procedure in the effort that will be made to secure home government for Alaska that should commend itself to all friends and advocates of territorial organization. He suggests that ter ritorial league be formed, with gener- al head at some central point, and local organizations in each town and com- munity to act in conjunction herewith. When the league and local organiza- tions are fully organized, then leta ter ritorial convention be called with rep resentation based upon the mem ber- ship of the local organizations. This, in his opinion is the most feasible way to get the question of territorial gov ernment squarely before the people and congress. The Mining Journal cordial ly seconds the proposition, and sug- gests that as Juneau is the most cen, tral point, the mover of the proposition is, above all others, the person to take the initial steps towards securing early and effective action in the premises. He will have the support and backing of nine-tenths of the people of this. section in whatever action he may take along the line he has pointed out.-- Ketchikan Journal.