The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-29
AN AMERICAN CAR.

Alaska we think of as a brand new
country Just now in the making But
some years before ever John Kinzie
built his house across the north branch
on the site of what is now Chicago,
Sitka. the capital of the territory Of
Alaska, was founded The man who
settled Sitka was old Baranoff, and
Russia has produced few men who
have lived more romantic and pictur-
esque lives.
In Sitka there still live a few hundred
descendants of the original Russians
who crept across the straits of Boring
more than hundred years ago. The
Greek church, the orthodox church of
Russia. stant.s I'D against the hillside.
surmounted ~ the Russian cross, and
it still has many followers all through
the peninsula
It was Baranoff who. first of all the
Russians, came into contact with the
seafaring Yankee from New England.
1t was Baranon who fought and strug-
gled to save Alaska for his Wonderland.
but years before Russia sold her
American possessions TO the United
States for the trifle of 81 500 900 poor
old Baranoff, the victim of intrigues at
the court of tf car. started home
across the Pacific and died, a broken
hearted man, far out on the ocean.
Russia had SO much unexplored and
savage country at her eastern doors in
those davs that there was small in
centive for Russians to go wandering
far from home in search of new lands.
But it was Russians who discovered
Alaska in 1T4a and it was the Russian
American company which first sent fur
traders to buy otter and sealskins from
the Indians and Eskimos along that icy
coast
The Russian fur traders . had their
Headquarters on the island of Kadiak,
one Of the archipelago which jutS out
from the point of the Alaskan peninsula.
But the Russian supply ships which
were supposed to carry food out to the
fur traders on the island were often de-
layed, and Baranof got tired of going
hungry for weeks at a time. He had
heard that adventuresome Americans
often landed on the mainland of the
Alaskan peninsula, and he decided that
a more regular supply Of food could be
obtained there. Besides a trading post
on the peninsula ought to prove profit
able to the company. So, with little
company, he sailed away from Kadiak
island and settled down about six miles
north Of the present site of Sitka.
Baranoff staid there long enough to see
that a log stockade was built for the
protection of his men from the hostile
Indians Then he went back to tell the
company what he had done He was
always one to do things first and tell
about them afterwards. He staid at
Kadiak until his action had been ap-
proved. Then he loaded some more men
on a ship and went back to his colony.
He found nothing there when he arrived
but the ruins of the Stockade. The In
most OF the men were out fishing and
killed all the adult males, carrying on
the women and children into captivity
Baranoff lost no time in complaining;
nor did he lose heart and give up the
struggle. He moved down to the pres
ent site of the city of Sitka and there,
on a high promontory, he built a new
fort, mounted half dozen smooth bore
cannon so that they commanded the
whole country round, and sat down with
his men to fight the thing out
Presently an English vessel came
along that way and Baranoff was dip
lomat enough to persuade its captain
to make his quarrel his own In the
English vessel Baranof sailed down
/ the Alaskan coast, cha the In
dams, and forced them to deliver their
/ Russian captives back into his hands.
That done, he went back to Sitka.
1 took possession of the whole country
in the name of the car. and settled
down to reign for thirty years as the
car of Alaska.
/ The name of Baranoff is still the
best known name among all the ma
tives of the Alaskan peninsula. His
old log house, which survived for more
than half a century after the death OF
its builder, was burned only a few
yeaH ago and was known among all
the people who were familiar with
Alaska as s'Baranoff's castle
He was a big, rough bearded, hard
drinking. mastery old Muscovite. Soon
after the settlement of Sitka the sailor
men from New England began to visit
MIN. They brought in their ships
abundant stores, on which Baranoff
was practically dependent for the sup
port of his colony. At the same time
they were accustomed to buy the skins
of the sea otter and other precious
furs from the Indians right under the
nose of Baranoff and his traders, and
1 that made the old man furious. He
wrote home to the imperial govern
ment wrathy letters complaining that
the Americans were despoiling the
coasts of Russian America and urging