The Ketchikan mining news., 1907-01-18
THE TOWN WE LIVE IN
Its Settlement and Growth From A Fishing Camp to a Thriving
 Mining Center 4

Ine llrSJ Nnile settlement was maQt at Ketchikan in May, 1886, at whicl time there was landed from the olt side wheel steamer. the bones O which have been bleaching on tho rocks at Loring ever since 1889, ; family consisting of four persons I mother. son and two unmarried daughters named Berry, if the writer, who was a passenger at the time, is right in his recollecton-and put off enough lumber for the shack in which they were to live temporari- ly. There was then not a single resi- dent where the town now stands. though it is quite likely that the nat ives had a summer fishing camp at ol near the mouth of the creek. The party in question proceeded to estab- fish fish curing establishment, and to erect a cannery. which latter was put into the operation the following yeais by man also named Berry, either the father or brother of the young man first mentioned. and who was killed by a fall from the roof of the cannery while it was in course of erection. The cannery was crude affair, without modern machinery or other equipment. and was destroyed stood about where Front and Dock streets intersect each other. its old boiler still lying on the spot where it once stood.
 Subsequently, the location was purchased by George Clark and NJ. E. Martin. who as partners maintained until about ls97 or '9S. a salmon salt ing establishment on the ground now occupied by the Sideboald saloon., the Beegle and Ryus Drug Co. $ buildings and a large part of the ketchikan Wharf Co. $ warehouse. They also kept a small stock of general merch- andise with which to supply the fish ermen and the natives who had been attracted by the industry to make their homes in what is now known as Indian town. In the meantime. a considerable number of prospectors had selected the place as their head quarters, and in the spring of 1899 the settlement had grown to a collection of 30 or 40 rude log cabins and frame shacks, the only buildings of any pre- tension being the Clark and Martin residences and the bunk and boarding house, which last was the only thing in the way of a hotel.
 But it is not the purpose to narrate in detail the successive steps of pro- gress in the growth of the town. Suffice it to say that the discovery of mineral in the district tributary to Ketchikan prior to 1899, began in the summer of that year to attract favor able attention to the town and dist rict, which, accentuated as it has been by constantly recurring later discover ies, together with the development of such discoveries into paying mines, has served to stimulate the growth of Ketchikan until it has become, within a period of a little more than half q decade, enc of the most important business, commercial and industrial centers of Southeastern Alaska. And this has not been a "boom' growth. but one altogether healthy, substan- tiHl and permanent, as the number of b siness houses and fine residences erected within that time, together with the volume of business transacted abundantly testities.
 The town now has a population, (conservatively estimated), of over 1, ,500, including natives, which is as permanent as may be said of any town in the western states. It has three churches, one graded, and one school for native children, a public library, two hospitals, six fraternal organiza- tions-Masonic. Odd Fellows, Eagles, Redmen, Daughters of Pocahontas and Arctic Brotherhood-als an Athletic Association and several social clubs. It has bank with large deposit ac count, two first class hotels-institu tions that would be credit to a town ten times the size of Ketchikan-siX mercantile establishments, two drug stores, two jewelry stores, three meat markets, several green grocery and fruit stores, a number of bakeries and the usual array of small traders. It has an abundant supply of pure fresh water both for domestic use and fire protection through gravity sys- tenn equal to all demands, has good electric light system-in fact all the utilities usually found in older towns. The business of the town, including freight paid steamship companies, amounted last year in round figures to $1, 800, 900.
 What is better, is that all indica- tions point to an accelerated growth of the town the present year, and in- deed for several years to come. |.