davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16
WAYS AND TELEGRAPHS
IN ALASKA.

The first road put in operation there
was called the wv lid Goose Railroad"
and has lately been acquired by the
Nome-Arctic Railway company. The
first rails were laid in the summer of
1890 and the enterprise was a financial
success from the start.
During the last few months the
Nome-Arctic company has extended the
line to Dexter Creek, and securing a
franchise to enter Nome has built a
station in a central part of the city
and added three spurs to facilitate the
handling of freight. This spring work
was begun on a line to Council City
The owners of this road are mostly
men who have made their money in
Alaska.
A railroad project of even greater
Importance to Alaska than the Council
City & Solomon is the Alaska Central
railroad, work on: which was begun
late last summer, but which will not
be completed for another year or more
Trains, however, will be running reg
ularly over the southern section late
this summer. >"
The Alaska Central is built from
Resurrection bay forth and west to
Cook inlet and thence in almost q
straight line to Rampant, on the Yukon
river. a total distance of about 900
miles. About 100 miles of the road are
already practically completed. .:,s,.,,.
The most. ambitious of all Alaskan
railway projects is that Of the Trans
alaskan Railway company, which was
incorporated at the department of the
secretary of state at Washington about
eight months ago. The Transalaskan
railway will run from q, point on Cook
inlet to. Port Clarence, on Cape Prince
Of Wales. the point where Alaska most
nearly approaches to Siberia Connec-
ton there will be made, according 60
the plans OF the promoters, With i
northern branch to- be- built from the
Russian government'sss;T rans-Siberian
line. @@S ! 1 : & r.. r. s z=:z
{ An important link In the chain Of
Alaskan railroads viii be 4 lire which
Ewas built last summer from Dawson up
Bonanza creek, and which Is being ex-
TENDED this SUMMER to the stewart nv.
Fer and thence to Eagle CITY. Al tie
latter point connection VIII Sc made
With the Alaska Central. On the south
connection IS had from Dawson by nv
ser= steamer with the White FassS Q Tn
Ion &, rents eet { I. S.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16
and many are the invitations to

you, and many are the invitations to
come again.
If you are Of an enterprising spirit,
the subject of trade is one easily opened
in any assembly. Beads, shells, strings
of bright beads. mats of all kinds and
as different in price as in value or prob
ably much more 80, and much good-na-
tured barter takes place when the MIN
Bile shilling is on the wing, for the Ian
-guage that money talks Is easily trans
lated even into the South sea island
tongue. But the mercenary spirit, the
looking upon the occasional traveller
as fair prey for INSCRIPTIONS bargains
is unknownsin this fair land What is
for sale Is yours If you wish to purchase;
If not, we'll and good, but in any case,
you must accept their courtesy. their
gentle, politeness,s their most friendly
overtures. ~ ~. = fzf,>- }s. ..%.E
Here in the true south is the unspoiled
tropic flower of love and kindness still,
blooming in the hearts Of Natures no
blemen. -. s.s & @s:* ss Us: IS
IS N.Y. Fl. .s5z:s: ~ ANNA IT.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16

chairs, tables and shelves, and upset.
ting everything upsetable, in an ef-
fort to find out what it was made Of
Like as not, broom would end his
frolic, and he would run for the barn
and take nap in the haymow.
The other day 1 took Johnny for a
hong walk, and he was certainly an
entertaining companion When we set
out, l took one little black paw in my
right hand, and he walked along on his
hind legs like little man. But he
soon became tired of this method of
locomotion, so let him go on all fours
BY and by We came to a lake, and
Johnny at once plunged in and took a
short swim, after which he came out
and shook himself like a dog. Then
l sat down to see what he would do.
He wandered away padding in the
shallow water near the margin, until
he was perhaps Is yards away. On =
Hat stone, close to the bank, muskrat
was sitting, quietly rubbing his nose.
and expected to see him dive long be-
fore Johnny came near him. But he
didn't move and Johnny failed to see
him until they were close together,
Then the little bear stuck out his nose
to Investigate, and the muskrat turned
to face him, whereupon Johnny rose
on his hind legs, and looked down on
the muskrat, as though not quite sure
what to do. Then he came down on all
tours, and again advanced, smiling for
information. The muskrat, perhaps
thinking it was time to resent his i'm
pudence, made jump at the bear,
snapped his teeth once and quickly
turned to run. But he was not quick
enough for Johnny, who struck out
with one black paw and bowled' the
muskrat over on the bank. But the
rat quickly recovered his balance and
dived into the water.
= Johnny's blood was up now, and into
the lake he plunged. Just what tool,
place then I cannot say, as there was
. such a splashing Of water, but at any
rate the muskrat turned and bit the
: little bear in the nose, and Johnny,
I perhaps realizing that he was at q dis
advantage in the water. turned and fed
/ bowling and pahic-stricken to the
bank, and taking to his heels did not
stop until he was safe in the branches
of q tree. It was certainly laughable
sight, and it was pity that Johnny
i could not enjoy it as much las / did.
But hsl stayed up that tree, and amused
hiEnself by chewing the leaves and bzrk.
s as4t IL, ! y s ERNEST HAROLD sBAYNEs.: !
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16

known in commerce as mohair, they
will think they know all, the rest; but
it is hardly possible that they are
aware of the fact that their brillian-
tine and zibeline dress goods, their i'm
itation astrachan coats Though not Oft
en- sold as imitations) and a score or
more Of such-like goods are made of
mohair; they are not aware that their
best furniture is upholstered with mo-,
hair, because this product has all the
luster of silk, all the durability of the
frame Of the chair itself, and all the
beauty of design that can be woven in
to any fabric; that their children have
muffs and cape trimmings of the raw
mohair; and that hundreds of floors
have rugs made from the skins of An
goras, generally dyed a brilliant color,
but often in the natural white When
men are informed that almost every
upholstered car is done in mohair plush
they are not really astonished until
they are still further informed that mo-
hair is nothing, else than Angora goat
hair. All this is true, and much more
could be added. The worlds annual
production of mohair is truly immense.
The native habitat of this little friend
of mankind is Asia Minor. At different
times efforts have been made to &C.
climatise them in various countries, but
generally without success, owing usu-
ally to an unsuitable climate. However,
a few head were brought to the United
States in 1849, where they have lived a
precarious existence for many years.
In the early fifties a considerable num-
Der were transported to Cape Colony,
where they have thriven to such an ex-
tent as at this time to make that coun-
try the leading mohair-producing terri
tory in the world.
During the last four years there has
been distinct revival of this industry
in the United States, condition which
has been brought about largely through
the efforts of the government in it's
behalf: Previous to this time most of
the goats had been concentrated at
places in few of the western states,
and not many people knew anything
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16

the extension from Larissa to Gida will
be "a miles, the tptal distance from the
Piraeus to Salonica being 1928 miles.
The first part of the line from the
Piraeus to Thebes, tapping the fertile
plains Of Boetia, and the branch from
Skimarati to Chalcis, were inaugurated
by King George on March 10 of this
year, and recently another section
Thebes to Livadia-Yas opened to traf-
fic, thus completing 100 miles of rail-
way. On this portion Of the line is
Lake Copais, which was drained by an
English company, the land 50 reclaim
ed being exceptionally fertile and capa-
bic of growing anything.
Work Is being actively pushed for
ward on the line beyond Livadia and
Dadi and LAMA, and the branch to
Stylis, on the sea, is nearly complete
In the mountainous country between
Livadia and Lamia there Ore great en-
cheering dimculties,. including II tun-
nels and several viaducts over 900
yards long and nearly 200 feet high
Nevertheless this section will be finish
ed next year. A large amount Of tun-
mel work is also necessary between La
mia and Memirly, but the difficulties
are not so great as on the previous sec
ton, while from Demirly to Larissa the
work Is quite easy. n. - :.
When the line is completed, the jour-,
ney from the Piraeus to Larissa will
occupy. ten. hours, and in four more
hours the traveller win reach Salonica,
whence an improved service of trains
will convey, him to : tNisch on. the
i through route between Paris and Con-
stantinople. ill 81 IT. ~ <1s n
BY those who have seriously studied
the. question; it is firmly believed that
the line, even II It 60: mo- further than
'Larissa, would pay; but, Of course. the
real objective is a junction with the
5 Turkish system Of railways, 50 az to
pace the Piraeus In direct railway
Communication with the various capi-
tails Of Europe The main route for
paaengers and mails to the east would
then lie through Piraeus, which Is s75
miles nearer to Port Said than is Brin-
dist. s i. III t.: i2S='I .! :sss
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16

Gle revOlves about him and each partic-
ular host vies with his neighbor in law
ishing good will and good cheer upon the
lucky stranger that is within their gates.
Straying along the winding paths,
through shadowy, overhanging palms,
banana and bread fruit trees, it is with
out a start that one feels soft fingers
creep into his hand and hears a cooling
voice bid him Talofa~
Tiny brown elves peep, wide2eyed,
from every nook, while scattered amid
the tangled bush, one tiny matched hut
fit for a fairy bower.
None of the squalor of poverty is ever
known among these communists What
is mine is thine-all have in plenty of
the good things Of the land. Water is the
nearest friend. so dirt and personal un-
cleanliness are practically unknown.
Catching sight of the wanderer the
inhabitants of the little community will
call from the huts, waving reckoning
hands and proceeding, If you turn to en-
ter, to don a few more garments, out of
regard for the peculiar notions that
white people seem to have. With an
arm thrust carelessly through the sleeve
of a mother hubbard, the main portion
of which hangs down behind, a dusky,
dove-eyed maiden advances to take your
hand.
AS you stoop to enter the cool, shaded
dwelling, beautifully-woven mats are
thrown on the floor, and upon these you
are expected to sit, and pass the compli-
ments of the day.
The small boy of the family is dis
patched to procure cocoanuts from one
of the groves that sways it's foliage over
the little home, and fresh bananas and
oranges are proffered.
The most engaging freedom of manner
possesses all the company, and the size
of your nose or ears is commented upon
with much ease and good-natured criti-
cism.
A gold-crowned tooth is the object of
great interest. and profound astonish-
ment, while rings. chains, watches, ETC.,
are fingered and admired.
When you are about to take your leave
presents of all kinds are heaped upon
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16
FOUR SYSTEMS NOW BUILDING
!. s$ ~. OR IN OPERATION.
Travel in the Great Northern Ter.
/. 1. . / ritory Now q Matter Of 1 Ease 81
y and Comfort - More r ':.s n +.
%... :; i Lines Proposed. E,.= .s>

There is vast difference between
journeying in Alaska to-day and jour
neying in Alaska q few years ago.
When the first rush of the gold seekers
occurred there was no means of COM
muneiation between the Kondikea and
the outside world but the dog sledges
and the rivers. To get to the gold
fields men suffered untold hardships,
and after they were there paid starva-
ton prices for food, When the Nome
fields were discovered men travelled to
the: peninsula in boats, but to get In:
land meant many hours of hard walk
ing. In the interior of the great ter
ritory one was as completely shut OF
from the world as though stranded upon
a desert island in the middle of the
ocean. OF news there was none save
at long intervals when brought in by
newcomers, and it was weeks old be-
fore it reached the camps.
To-day the telegraph wire carries it's
messages throughout all the gold
camps, and the result of the big bat
ties in the far east may be known at
Dawson almost as soon at it is in Chi
cago. In modes of transportation the
cog sled has given place to the railroad
train, and travel in the far north is
now a luxury instead of hardship.
A glance at the map will give one an
idea of the railroads now in operation,
under construction or proposed. So.
great has been the recent development
of Alaska that there are now. four dis
tinct railroad systems in full or par
tial operation in the territory, two 9TH
ers in q preliminary stage of construc-
ton and several projected. All of tho
principal centers of population are con-
nected with the outside world by tele-
graph, and a military cable line, 1900
miles in length, will be completed this
summer between Seattle and Juneau,
giving an alternate route for CONNER
cial business.
The construction of the Council City
& soloman River railroad, the first of
standard gauge to be put In operation
in Alaska, has demonstrated the pos
sibility of building in the far north a
roadbed practically as solid as that of
any of the best equipped systems in the
United States. The tundra, or Arctic
bog land, has been conquered by a sys-
TEN of thorough drainage.
The railroads now building and pro-
jected in northwestern Alaska will
completely gridiron Nome peninsula.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16
THE M61BA GOAT new ROUTE TfNbh


The Angora goat, is not generally
known throughout the world as q do
nestle animal: many, who come upon
its name In the natural histories and
cyclopaedias pass it out Of mind as a
semi-wild beast However, if all who
are Indebted to the Angora for some Of
their most beautiful clothing were ia
miliar with. the animal itself, 1t would
have tens Of thousands of friends. The
most valuable feature Of the Angora
goat is its fleece, and when the ladies
are told that this fleece. is what is
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16
ITS PECULIAR ANTICS \ WE'RE
ss,@ AMUSING TO ITS, MASTER.
Was Horrid When He Was Hungry,
But Very Good After Being =:
~ Fed-A Fight with q
Muskrat. -.

- Johnny, my pet cub, differed little
from the little girl who had a little
curl, right in the middle of her fore
head, for
When he was good, he was very, very
good;
But when he was hungry, he was hor-
rid.
When that satisfied feeling which
followed meal began to wear of,
Johnny let us know it by an impatient
muttering, and all attempts to divert
his attention were useless. He was
hungry and he wanted his food, and no
one could persuade him that he didn't.
If he was loose, he made straight for
the kitchen door, and, opening as east
ly as any child could have done, he
marched straight to the sink. Standing
on his hind legs, he would stretch until
he reached the edge with his fore paws,
and then quickly hoisted himself up.
Here he was very likely to find a pan
of water and this might occupy him
for moment, though he would proba-
bly, be grumbling all the time he was
drinking. Then, turning round, he
would let himself down backwards un-
til his hind feet touched the floor. BY
this time, the holsekeeper would be
busy getting his dinner of bread and
crackers, but he would start at once to
hurry things up by growing and dane
ing on his hind legs in front of her.
Another moments delay and he would
rush at her, and clasp her about the
Knees with his sturdy arms, biting
and Juggling at her skirts. She was not
in the least afraid of him, and when
all was ready she would sometimes try
his patience, or rather his Impotence,
little further, by holding the pan
containing his dinner just above his
head. He would stand on his hind legs,
grumbling away, and making wild
reaches for the pan. At last, he would
manage to catch hold of it with one
paw, and there there was no getting it
away from him. His claws hung on to
the rim like SO many iron hooks, and If
the pan was lifted any higher, Johnny
went with it, and soon hoisted himself
into it. Then, how he would attack
that food, mumbling all the time as if
he were badly used, and ending by
cleaning the pan with his long tongue.
Then he would probably be kittenish,
tearing around the house, climbing on
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16
lI1
THE GENUINE KIND MAY BE
I:4 FOUND IN SOUTH SEAS. 3
A Visitor in the Friendly Isles Seems
the Center. Of the Universe to 1
His Host-Elaborate En-
tertainment. Co..

Nukualofa, Friendly Islands.-It has
become such habit among travellers to
talk Of southern hospitality that one
might believe it to be Indigenous to the
soil or an attribute OF sunny skies and
dusxy cheeks. 49,,
II this were indeed so, then the farther
south we go the more hospitable would
grow the land, till the equator would be
the elimination OF this most pleasing
trait. and the Friendly Isles would come
by their name by in order of sequence.
In these lovely isles visitor is the
center of the universe, the social cir
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16
/ EfGHTEEN HOURS SAWED FROM
LONDON 10 BOMBAY / | .ss%
~ Through European Railway Line
4 d. That Will Connect Greece With :
Il 552'ss the Other Nations of the II B. B

). In these days Of rapid transit, when:
the journey from London to Bombay
can be performed in q fortnight, every
hour counts for more than it did in the.
old days, before the age Of steam, and
any scheme to bring India half q: day
nearer to London would begsure to at
tract attention. The new Greek railway
which is now being constructed will
when finished, accomplish more than
this, the precise saving in time in the
journey to the east being calculated at
IL hours. In addition to this, it will
form the sole railway communication
between Greece and the rest of Europe,
for, strange as it may seem, Greece has
not yet been connected with the Euro
pean railway system, the few short
lines she possesses stopping short of
the Turkish frontier. The new railway
then will be an important factor in the
commercial development of Greece, and
with aAdireet service from Paris to
Athens an immense tourist traffic will
be assured and. students of art and
archaeology will flock to the cradle of
European civilization. "
:. The line is of the ordinary European
gauge and is to go from the Piraeus
to Larissa, in Thessaly, via Athens,
Skimatari, Thebes, Livadia, Dadi, La
mia and Demirly, with, branches from
Skimatari to Chalcis and from LAMA
to Stylis. The question of the junction
with the Ottoman system is at present
the subject Of negotiations with the
Turkish government, and in all likeli-
hood no great difficulty will be raised
by the Porte to prevent the realization
of a scheme in which all Europe is in
terested. The extension from Larissa
would cross the Turkish frontier at
Karalik Dervent, on the. seacoast, and
follow the coastline until near Gida,
where it would join the existing rail-
way from Monastir to. Salonica
There is indeed line already in op-
Grafton between Demirly and Kalabaka
near the Turkish frontier, and it is
theoretically possible to make juno
tons with the Turkish system in this
and other directions, but the physical
difficulties are SO great that in practice
only the above route is available. The
total length of the line from the Pr
raeus to Larissa is 217 miles, and the
branches to Chalcis and Stylis are re-
spectively 13 and IL miles long, while
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16

904 American
derby, is no more.
The famous colt.
fractured his left
foreleg in two.
places during the ! e
running of the.
Seagate stakes at:
Brighton Beach re-
GENTLY and al:
though veterinari-
ans made an at
tempt to. patch up:
the shattered limb
and save the valu-.
able colt for the.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16

Scotchman recently won with :compara-
tive ease the tenth national open cham
pionship. His score for the. u holes
was 303 strokes. the best record yet
made in the big event, the lowest yfig-
ures in previous tournaments being 3075
BY himself at Baltusrol in 1903, and by
Lawrence Auchterlonie at Garden City
IL 1907 Anderson; has now the. unique
record of having won the nationals
event three times On the two previous
occasions he won after ties with Alec
Smith at Myopia Hunt and with David
Brown last year at Baltusrol. This
time he can read his title clear, as he
had clean margin of five strokes over
Gilbert Nichols, Of St. Louis, his near
est opponent. AS he annexed the west
ern open championship at Grand Rap
ids only a week before, registering the
score of 304 strokes in the competition,
be is now monarch of all he surveys:
Fits previous win. of:Athe western, title
was at Cleveland in 1902, when he won
with score of 299, figures which have
never been beaten in this country: An
derson's recent performances stamp
hsm as the greatest golfer in the coun-
try. For time it looked as if his title
might pass from him, but when the
pressure of the final round and the
presence of galleries began to affect the
play Of the contenders he rose to the
occasion and came home with the best
figures Of the two days play. his ~
being equaled only by one other player.
-! =