Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-31
Major Lacey in Alaska

Nome Semi Weekly News: BY his
words and actions since his arrival in
our midst Major Lacey has proved
himself to be true lover of Alaska
He says Alaska should be governed by
Alaskans, and he knows whereof he
speaks. He believes in Alaskans, and
Alaskans believe in him.
Last Saturday evening the dinner In
honor of Congressman Lacey, at the
Golden Gate, was big success. Many
clever speeches were made, and stand
ing votes were taken on the questions
OF congressional representation for
Alaska, and of territorial governm ent
The votes were practically unanimous
in favor of both
Colonel Perkins acted as toastmas-
ter, and the following are the toasts
and the names of those speaking to
them:
Address of Welcome. .............
G. Wharfage, president chamber
! of commerce.
! Transportation ;. Nv H. Ferguson
Need of Land Office. {. "A. ]. Bruner
Bench and Bar ;. p. j. Coston
Railroad Building in Alaska ......
\ w. IN. MuuTOS
Pioneers of Alaska. :. C. S. Johnson
Mining in Alaska 80. -. Ed. Dunn
Chamber Of Commerce. ..........
| .......... ....... Frank X. Gowans
Eskimo question 3. $3.50. Rev. Ryberg
Alaska >. :. :. ....... Major Lacey
Mr.. Lacey spoke as follows:
Gentlemen o. Nome: | esteem it
an especial privilege to have the OPP
portunity of meeting and listening to
you this evening. have been journey
Ing through Alaska in the capacity of
a listener rather than of a. talker.
II have been in each Of our other
states and territories and have felt
that 1 was missing much by delay in
visiting our largest territorial posses
sion--Alaska.
"A daughter and little granddaugh-
ter at Nome have proved strong at
fractions to me.
"My heart would say that the mag.
netic pole is in the Seward peninsula.
1 "But have endeavored to make up
for my delay in visiting you by COM
4 ing in the long way down the mighty
Yukon.
my recent trip to Ophir creek gave
me an interesting experience in your
methods Of transportation in Alaska
have just returned from Journey
to that land of gold. It is only ninety
miles across, as the crow flies, OF
would fly, II you had crows in this
part of Alaska. But 1t is round trip
of nearly $50 miles. took the ship
Corwin for Golovin Bay and after 8
stormy passage the Arizona lighter
came out to meet us and took US tc
the village Of Chinik, then the Arctic
Bird, a stern wheeler, took us up the
bay and up Fish river to White Noun
tain. Next day flat boat pulled by
horse on the shore, towed us tt
Council City, then the little jerkwatel
railway, the Wild Goose railroad, tool
us out to No. Is on Ophir creek. Aftel
visiting the various claims on the
creek for cou-le Of days, I started
on my retur. by the Solomon rive
route
: First went on horseback to TIL,
mouth Of Ophir creek, then in peter
borough canoe to Council City, thel
by what the stage man, BOB Ford, b,
i courtesy, called road, to Eas. Fork
!. thirty-one miles. There is no road ,ez
n cept the creek bottoms, of Holyoke
Bear. Fox and East Fork, to the en-
> Of the Solomon River railroad. TIL
stage crosses the tue from cree
+ to creek and we walked tho min
miles across the tundra, as the empt
stage was quite enough for the horse
i to pull. The creeks are shallow an
8 their gravelly bottoms make a passa
BILE highway From East Fork to So
y onion there is an eighteen mile raj
t