Douglas Island news., 1904-01-27

The month of January is always a quiet one in business in most towns, and Douglas is no exception to the rule, yet our merchants report good steady undercurrent of trade that will make the business of the month average up we'll, and most of the principal stores are busy making changes and preparing for the spring trade.
 A young man in the city, who travels under the cognomen of the "Rag' time Kid," attempted to end his earthly troubles last Sunday evening by the carbolic acid route. He succeeded in burning a large white blister on his tongue, lips and face, but will still live to face the realities of cold and un- friendly world It is sad commen- tary on the life of young man that he should be led to such an attempt.
 MT. l.. H. Keist has been appointed by the court guardian of the four minor children of James Pianfetti, de- ceased. It is now thought that the children will all find homes either in this city or Juneau. Clara, aged Il years, will be taken by MT. and Mrs. Kyrage, of Juneau; Celia, aged @, by Mir. and Mrs. Ray; and Mollie, aged 5, by Mir. and Mrs. Studebaker, also -of Juneau. Marie, aged ', will be taken by Mir. and Mrs. Ed. Armstrong of this city.
 On last Thursday evening, Hose Go. No. l, D. F. D., held very enjoyable session. During the routine business there was talk by Chief Mcdonald, in which he reviewed the history of the past year. A vote of thanks was rendered the city council for past fa- vors. After the business on hand was disposed of the boys spun yarns, ate some grub, and last but not least, gave the cart thorough greasing' The next meeting is on the first Wednesday in February.
 Very few people ever have the privilege of feasting their eyes upon 2Ooo pounds of pure gold, and it is not often that even one half that amount is on exhibition, unless it is U. $. mint, However, that is the amount of the output of the Treadwell mines for the month ending Jan. 18th, 1904. One half of a ton is the amount of free gold that was taken out from the mills. Just before the sailing of the Cottage City for the South, last Friday, this gold was stacked up on desk at the Treadwell office and photographed. It was then placed in the strong box and shipped to the States on the Cottage.
 The Juneau Record Miner has, for some purpose, begun a campaign Of de- fense for the acts and statements ofthe "Grand Old Man at Sitka," as it calls Governor Brady. It may be an accident that this special effort is put forth at this time. At anyrate no one has brought any charges against MT. Brady, except that there are some people in the District who believe that the man who occupies the position of governor should not be clog on the wheels ot progress, but should stand in the fore front of every movement that has progress for it's watchword. The Miner states that the Skagway Guide had placed the permanent white population of Alaska at 1S000, the Record-M had guessed 5000, and the senatorial committee formed it's conclusions from the general average of the two, made it 10000, and thus endorsed the esti- mate of the "Grand Old Man." Per haps the 'G. o. M." got his ideas from the same source. If these estimates are anywhere near the truth, Alaska is on the back track, and there is some thing radically wrong when country with such boundless resources is going backwards.
 Superintendent Macdonald is having prepared an exhibit for the St. Louis Exposition that will give a good idea, not only of the total output of the . Treadwen mines, but also of the ratio of the increase of that output from year to year, for the 21 years they have been operated. The exhibit is to con sist of pyramid, built of gold bricks, each brick to be the size of, and to rep