The daily Alaskan., 1904-12-29
.SlTKA POTLATCH
 GREAT SUCCESS

Chilkoot Jack, the Big Injun" on the Skagway water front, is having the time of his life at Sitka. He sends word to his friends in this city from the ancient capital that the great potlatch that is now in progress there is the greatest affair of the kind that ever took place in the north.
 The potlatch began more than three weeks ago and is being given by Jack son, or AnnihoJtZ, the head chief of the SItka Indians, and three other chiefs, whose Boston names are Been, Davis and Paddy. It will probably continue until after the holidays,
 The potlatch has been complete success from every standpoint deemed worthy of consideration oy Thlinget brave. All the old tribal differences have been settled and the uttermost Of good feeling prevails among the na tives. The Indians have had one or two prosperous seasons, and great quantities of money and merchandise are being given away.
 The program is one of alternating feasts and dancing. Every morning and afternoon there is great feast and only one article is served. One day it is one kind of food that is consumed and the next day it is another
 At the feasts the man or woman who can eat the most is regarded as the spe- cial hero of the occasion, and he re- ceiyes an extra allowance of the good things it is within the power of the hosts to bestOw.
 w. H. Case recently returned from Sitka, and up to the tune of his depart ure, the greatest feat that had been performed was the drinking of three gallons of herring oil by a Chilkat brave. He received SlOO in money and blankets as a reward for h:s eXtraordi- nary performance He demanded $50 and retained the sacred vessel from which he drank as security for it's pay ment, but the matter was arbltrated and SlOO was agreed upon as ample compensation. Fifteen barrels Of her ring oil were consumed on the day when it furnished the food for the feast.
 One of the results of the potlatCh has been Co create enthusiasm among those Iudians who still profess faith in the beliefs, SuperstitionS, traditions and GUS OmS of the natives as opposed to those who have fOrsaken them for the Christian faith. The church societies at Sitka did all within their power to| prevent the potlatch from taking place. The Salvation Army, the Presbyterian and the Greek missions all drowned upon the preparations, and some of the organizations drop all those who take part in the dancing and casting from the roll Of their mem erShip. How ever, when the "shOw dJwnn came, a large majority of the SiJku Indians par.iciuared with their tribal chiefs in the potIatch, and all the ancient GUS toms and legends have been acted out and explained anew tU rhe rising gen eratious. The old Indians who never took kindly JO the white mans religion are happy, and they are using the opportunity to impress upon the yOung- CT members s Of yhrir tribe what they re- gard aS the necessity oi ma,utaulug their old customs ard traditions.
 Among th" visitors tJ Slj-s me Chil- kars are most numerous, though there are representatives of the killisnOo, HOOnah, Yasutat and other tribes there. The ChilhOOJ braves were awarded the prize for the bes dancing by men and by me and women mixed. The KillisnOO women won out over other female competitors.