Douglas Island news., 1907-07-17
Where is the FirSt American
 Flag Raised in Alaskan

1ElE ANblASSSA NA& q N@esNASNNHN
 In what place is the American ban her that first fluttered over Alaska now resting? la what manner has the lag been preserved to the present timer And finally, what is the real story of that stirring October day at sitks when the American warship arrived tc take possession of the country, and when the Russian flag was reut in t@o pieces as they pulled it down from the NaS pole for the last time in the western hemisphere, while the beautiful Rus. sian Princess Maksoatotf Hept at the shortsighteduess of her country at seli' ing a land with so much potential greatness.
 A few months ago the management of the ka-Yukon-P Pacific Exposition started to solve these questions, espec- ially the first one, as to the whereabouts of the flag. The result was curious, and indeed reminds Us so forcibly of a famous incident of the eighteenth cen tury, that perhaps the story may be told.
 John Baxter, in his day famous di- vine, died with so many pious eNpres~ sions of hope and belief, that his heirs determined to issue the story. The book, "The Last Words of Richard 8aE- ter" was issued, and was an immediate success. Money rolled in. The heirs became greedy, and hoping to dupli- cate the success, issued another book, "More Last Words of Richard Baxter"
 It was so with the flag. No sooner had a search begun for the first Ameri- can flag unfurled in the Northland, than enquirers began to be daily ln' formed of where the "real first flag was to be found. Everyone that had a flag thirty-fve or forty years old seem ed to be determined to advance his banner as the original one. Many and ingenious were the stories told, and bitterly did some Of the contestants wage war for the legitimacy of the par. ticular flag in which they were inter- ested. True, many of these ancient American banners had most interest ing histories. but histories not particu- Iarly pertaining to the point at issue.
 After sitting the matter out, the Ex- position management believes that the original tkirty-six starred banner to float above the Russian barracks at Sitka is one of three which are in diff fereut parts of the United States for safe keeping. The history of each of these three flags is we'll authenticated and later the one desired will be oo- tained by the Exposition to be used at the opening ceremonies. u is the plan of the management that when on June 1. 1909, the gates of the Exposition swing open to the world, the banner on the topmost pinnacle of the ten million Exposition of Alaska, Yukon and the Pacific countries, will be the same one that waved farewell to the Russians two generations ago.
 The writer, while in Grand Pre- in the Acadian valley, some years ago was shown nine different sites where once stood the forge of Basil, the Black smith. where Evangeline once stood watching the upward sparks. Each site, strange to say, was on a different farm.
 As then, so in the present case, each of the owners of these three flags be. lieves them to be the original, and the following pertaining to each flag is the story as the present owner tells 1t,
 One flag, the property of Edward Leudecke of Wrangeu, has a strong claim to being the original. 1t now re- poses in the vaults of the DeXter-Hor- ton Sank in Seattle The story is that the body of American troops that left San Francisco in the autumn of 1867 for Sitka to take possession of the coun- try proceeded by the inside channel and touched first at Wrangell.
 At that point there were living few Americans engaged in pioneer work. One of these was Edward Leudecke who after forty years is still resident of Wrangell Leudecke, when the troops touched at that point, heard for the first time of the American pur- chase. Although the country was not then formally taken over by the United Statns he ran tn the lacpola and hoist.