Amador ledger., 1906-03-23
Travels in
Alaska.

fact remains that the child love fal
exceeds the parental, or to put il
more plainly the love is all on the
part of the colony, and not of the
mother country. Our ancestors found
it SO, while they endured the neglect
and tyranny of England, and many
other pages of history are stained
with records of infant colonies being
treated as conquered people. Human
nature does not change, and yet thou
sands of Alaska's residents fail to
understand why the great and mighty
United States government has for 3e
years persistently and uniformly
treated Alaska either with utter neg
lect or a system of tyranny and exac-
tions that would have shamed the
ministry of King George the Third.
l use the word ''shamed," after care
full thought. In ITO England was en-
gagged in tremendous struggle tor
existence, and feartuIly pressed for
funds. She had just fought a costly
war, the results of which we're of
greater Importance to the American
colonies than to herself. In this ex-
tremity, it seemed but just to make
the colonies contribute to the ex-
penses. But the spirit that raised the
cry of ''No taxation without repre-
sentation," grew and spread until
the God of battles gave the oppressed
their rights. l am not inferring that
the time will ever come when Alaska
can force the United States to give
her freedom. There are less than
$4,000 white residents IN all Alaska,
and although immigration constantly
Increases in spite of the restrictions
placed on all kinds of development,
we can never hope to be strong
enough to conquer our rights from
earth's mightiest nation. But the
shame of Alaska's wrongs is becom-
ing so fagrant that indications of
help are appearing in many quarters.
Friends in congress are asserting
their opinions more and more strong
ly. The press of the northwest is no
longer alone in publishing Alaska s
wrongs, but all over the United
States, sentiments of sympathy and
indignation are becoming frequent
in leading journals. A series of
articles in Appleton's Booklovers
Magazine, entitled, 1.-The Looting of
Alaska" begun in January, is doing
much to arouse interest in this sub
ject, and we live IN full faith of
better times in the near future.
We are having the hardest winter
ever known in this region, according
to the few who have lived here more
than twenty years. December was
mild, with temperature seldom down
to the freezing point. January was
full of bllzzards, which would blow
into tatters the crests of the waves
ON the bay, until the water was
nearly hidden by cloudlike sheets OF
vapor, and the snow flying from the
mountain tops resembled the dis
heveled hair of a maniac. Zero
weather was experienced for the first
time in Seward, and one morning 9
degrees below zero was touched.
Since February first the weather has
been generally mild.
During the period of heavy storms
and little daylight, navigation is
especially dangerous. In December
the Portland was wrecked about mid
way between here and Seattle. All
on board we're saved. The Valencia
horror has been old news before this
reaches you. Both these disasters
might have been averted if little of
the blood money squeezed from
Alaska had been spent for necessary
light houses.
The S. S. Dora, carrying the mail
between Seward and Dutch Harbor,
which is little more than 1000 miles
from here, lett Seward December I'd,
and expected to make the round trip
in 20 days. In January, a coast
steamer reported that the Dora had
left Kodiak, some 200 miles from
here, on December Oath, after hard
experience with gales near Cooks
Inlet. On February Doth the Santa
Ana sailed from Seward to carry the
mail and look for the Dora. (The
ocean cable only comes as far west as
Seward.) The Santa Ana is COM
manded by Captain Moore, Maine
Yankee, and brother to the captain
OF The Dora. On February oath
cablegram from Port Angeles, Wash
ington, informed US that the Dora
had arrived there with all on board
safe. She had been driven far south
ward from her course by gale, and
with coal exhausted and rigging dam
aged, was more than six weeks in
reaching the nearest port. That was
a joyful night tor we all had friends
on the Dora, and small hope of their
safety. G.. II. G..
Call and see the immense new stock
at Pete Piccardo's.
CTANICI AJIc TnDroT Dror0ur