Douglas Island news., 1906-03-14

SEWARD, MARCH 9th, I9UO. DEAR FRIENDS ON DOUGLAS IsLAND:-
 Time and distance do not lessen the pleasure with which l recall the season passed among you three years ago.
 After almost six year0 of wandering over nearly all of Alaska l have strong conviction that, next to Kenai Peninsula, the most desirable place in the North is along Gastineaux Channel.
 According to reports, the Arctic weather has given us all a taste of "the real thing" this winter. After New Years we had three weeks of the worst weather ever known in Seward. One morning, 9 degrees below zero was touched which broke the record by 10 degrees according to settler who has lived here 9 years. February however was most delightful month, clear and pleasant nearly all the time, mercury seldom down to the freezing point. Seward is going ahead with a rush. The half million feet of lumber that came from Seattle in January, has all been used, the two sawmills here are being run to their full capacity. A bark is now unloading 100000 it. on the beach, the Harold Dollar has just land ed with cargo of lumber, and about million feet more is on the way. Many half finished buildings are at stand still for lack of lumber. A plant is be- ing erected for the manufacture of artificial building stone.
 Supplies and men for the railroad are arriving by every boat, and dis gruntted fellows who can find no jobs except those involving hard work, are leaving and cursing the whole Penin- sula. The R. R. Company is hiring every man who will work, and paying all bills promptly. Railroad work is being pushed as far as possible this winter. There are tunnels to be bored in the next ten miles, beyond the end of the track, and that work is go- ing on night and day. The first tunnel is in mile 49, and is being bored by the R. R. Co. The next six tunnels are be- ing done by contract by Messrs. Rich < Harris. The air compressors for drill linz were hauled over the snow from the end of the track, in December. The next 50 miles will be ready for the rails as soon as the tunnels are com pleted. Twenty eight, four-horse teams are at work all the time hauling
 supplies from the end of the track, tc the construction camps along Turn
 again Arm. As soon as the ice is out of Cooks Inlet, supplies will be landed
 at different points along the "Arm, where contractors P. Welch & Go. are doing the grading. They have been
 handicapped this winter, by lack o [ explosives, because the boat that was bringing them failed to arrive last fal before the Inlet closed. But sucl , drawbacks are sure to occur in al great enterprises. The Alaska Centra 3 is being pushed as fast as money l brains and muscle can do it. The tun r nels will probably not be completed , until late this season, but railroad mel 3 say they hope to have stages running !, from the end of the track to the Tana na next winter.
 l Quite stampede is on from here tc the Yentna district. The whole regior 8 about Mt. Mckinley is said to be al 7 OK. It is pitiful to see the way som 7 of the Chechacoes start out. Part o l them will be wiser next year.
 Our new A. B. Camp has now 121
 members. The "Deacons" have no ] yet organized.
 With remembrances to all, 3 Yours truly,