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

that some action be taken against
them. At the same time he did not
dare to quarrel openly with the Yam
kee shippers, for they were practically
he set himself to outwit them, and in
the end, as might have been predicted,
he got the worst of it.
Baranofs scheme was to make con-
tracts with all the Yankee sailor men
who visited Sitka to act as his agents
IN the fur trade. In this way he cal
culated that he would be able to keep
the trade in his own hands and pay
them only small percentage on the
profits. He found the shippers of the
American vessels who called at his fort
ready enough to make such contracts,
though they were undeniably hard at
closing a contract.
Then the Yankees, their contracts
calling for payment to them of Is per
cent. on an agreed price. went out and
sailed in and out of the bays and canals
which make the coast line of Alaska
longer than that of the eastern coast
of the United States. Everywhere they
visited the trading camps Of the In
dams and from them bought many sea
otter skins at cost IN cheap goods Of
81 each. These skins they later turned
in to Baranof at 81 each deducting also
their legitimate commission of 30 cents
on each skin. In that way. while
Raranoff finally got the skins, the Yam
KEGS got a profit OF 81 so on each and
skins round the horn with them.
Baranoff was not the car of Alaska
for nothing. It was charged that when
other Russian traders invaded his ter
ritory he melted the hostile Indians to
rise against them and drive them back,
diminished in numbers, to trading posts
on the islands. Complaints against him
and his administration were made at
the headquarters of the company in
st. Petersburg and even reached the
ears of the car himself. When Baran.
of heard that a cab1l was plotting
against him it was characteristic OF
him that he should waste no time. Hs
started by forced marches across Ber-
ing straits and then over the frozen
steppes of Siberia to the Russian cap
ita1. And such was the force of his
personality that he overthrow the peo-
pie who had attacked him and camd
back to Russian America more than
ever a car in his own right.
Time and again he fought with the In
bore cannon was terrifying and the
personal bravery of Baranof was so i'm
natives along the Alaskan coast and far
into the interior needed but to hear his
name to obey the orders which he issued
Nor die he always treat the natives with
harshness. When, was often the case,
supplies gave out and a band q NATIVES
was in danger of starvation, they could
always find succor by applying to Bara-
nof or to his fur traders. who, after the
fame of their master was once estab-
Ished, Travelled anywhere in Alaska with
out danger from attacks by the Indians
| Finally after Baranon had lived at Sit
ka and had practically reigned over Alas
ka for 30 years, his enemies at St. Peters
burg again got the ear of the car and
orders were sent summarily removing him
from power and ordering him to return
home at once for trial. The old man vas
1 broken hearted He took ship for home,
but he died long before it reached land.
his lion spirit crushed at last
Today all over the Alaskan peninsula
there exist monuments TO his fame in the
shape of bays, islands, straits and canals
which bear his name And-surer test OF
long lasting popular fame-tnere are rev
| Alaskan towns in which there is not a
Baranoff hotel and a Baranof SALON.
| Chicago Tribune.