Arizona republican., 1907-07-14

ferent parts of the United States for
safe keeping. The history of each OF
these three flags is well authenticated
and later the one desired will be OBJ
tanned by the Exposition TO be used at
the opening ceremonies. II is the plan
OF the management that when on June
1909. the gates of the exposition swing
open to the world. the banner on the
topmost pinnacle of the ten million ex-
position of Alaska, Yukon and the ia
cific countries. will be the same one
that waved farewell to the russians
two generations ago.
The writer. while lin Grand Pre- in
the Acadian valley. some Yeas ago
was shown nine different sitee where
once stood the forge of Basil, the
blacksmith, where Evangeline once
stood watching the upward sparks.
Each site, strange to say, was on
different farm. As then. SO in the
present case. each Of the owners of
these three flags believes them To be
the original and the following per-
tanning To each flag Is the story as the
present owner tells 1t.
one flag. the property OF Leudecke
of Wrangell. has "A strong claim to be
ing the original. 1t now reposes in the
vaults of the Dexter Horton hank in
Seattle. The story is that We body of
American troops that left San Fran
cisco in the autumn of 1861 for Sitka
10 take possession of the country pro-
ceeded by the inside channel and
touched first at Wrengell.
At that point there were living a
few Americans engaged in pioneer
week. one OF these was Edward Leu
decke. who. after forty years is still
a resident of Wrengell. Leudecke.
when the troops touched at that point.
heard for the first time OF the Ameri-
can purchase. Although the country
was not then formally taken over by
the United States he ran to the flag
pole and hoisted the American flag
and there il flew for many months.
In the meantime the troops proceeded
to Sitka, then the capital. and on Oc-
tOmber is, 1867. the Russian flag was
pulled down and the American flag
raised before the barracks and in the
presence of a detachment of both
Russian and American troops.
The flag of Leudecke floated till 1863
when the news of the admission of
Nebraska to the Union was announced
and theflag with thirty-six stars was
pulled down and another one with
thirty-seven stars, was raised in its
place. Leudecke. however. chung care
fully to his flag and in 1905 turned the
banner over to g. f. Rodman. an at
tOrney of Wrangell. who sent it on TO
its present destination for safe keep
ing.
Leudecke is now seventy two years
of age and is strong and hearty He
remembers perfectly the first arrival
of American troops in the north and
the amazement and joy of the few
Americans there on being told that
Alaska had been purchased from the
Russians.
OF course. this flag of Leudecke's
cannot be the official one as it was
flown at Wrangell. Nevertheless. it
would seem as if it has a strong claim
to be the first American flag over
flown in the Northland
Another flag IS told about by Major
a n. Brown. private secretary to
Governor Albert f. Nee. Of the state
of Washington. Mr. Brown in this
connection writes as follows the story
of this flag:
I'm making some researches among
the government docume,ts and reports
on the acquisition Of Alaska, | have
found that when Secretary Seward
dispatched General Rousseau as
United States Commissioner to Sitka
TO receive the territory of Alaska from
the Russian government. he had given
to the general flag with instructions
to use it in formally taking possession.
The report shows that il Was used.
that it was taken back to Washington
by General Rousseau and that it was
there returned TO the secretary. 1t
would be interesting to have that flag
exhibited at the exposition. / would
suggest that you interest some of the
state delegation in that matter to the
end that the department of state hunt
the old flag up and send it out
The whereabouts of the third flag is
known to Dwight 4. Hurlburt Mr..
Hurlburt in writing explains further
that he was n member of thes quad
Of the Second L. S. Artillery which
went to Alaska in 1867 to take pos
session. He was the member of the
squad to adjust the staff at the rails
ing Of the flag on October 10. 1867. at
Sitka. Mr.. Hurlburt took the pains
to follow the course of this flag after
ii had served its usefulness. and this
he claims is the original flag after |
which the exposition is in search. The !
flag is not. as he says. in the possess !