Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-01-10
(Copyright, 100, by Joseph 3. Bowles.l

NIopyrlSnt' 49Vo' ny Joseph D. boWleSl
(Nfrs. Henrietta N. Greedy, wife of Gen.
A. w. Greedy, the distinguished arctic ex-
plorer, has travelled widely and as re-
suit of her observations has written for
publication with considerable success)
From the nations capital to Alaska
Is a far reach. Crossing the Alleghe-
MES through the mining regions of
Pennsylvania, so picturesque except
where defaced by mans grimy pur-
suits; through busy Chicago; rushing
over the western plains; across the
Rockies and we find ourselves on the
evening Of the fifth day at Seattle,
embarking on the steamship Humboldt
for the famous inland passage.
Here on the ship | am surprised
to see how many women are travel
ing to Alaska. OF course, the inland
passage has been favorite trip for
Is years or more, but the large pro-
portion of women among the excur.
sionists, many of them in parties Of
two or three without escorts, indi
Gates that conditions have materially
improved in this part of the world.
In fact, the ease and comfort with
which we travel greatly astonish me.
We were fortunate in having per-
feet weather through the three days
and four nights of the voyage from
Seattle to Skagway, Alaska. deplore
the limited space which forbids my
dwelling upon the surprisingly i'm
pressive scenery. With the exception
~ acin or nd
Still rarer collections of rough build
lngs on the shores, usually salmon
canneries, We saw little of human life
until the third day. when we passed
several boats loaded With Indians.
In one instance they had rugged an
impromptu and very primitive sail to
their rowboat, which contained some
az persons, men, women and children.
These Indians, the larger proportion
women, were going to work in the
canneries. The only occupation for
the natives is the catching, drying and
canning of the salmon and a new In
dustry Is greatly needed.
Late on the third day we reach
land and the great Treadwell gold
mine. 1t is remarkable that the larg.
est stamp mill in the world should be
found In this wild. An act of con.
gress made Juneau the capital OF
Alaska. The town Is built on the side
OF a hill so steep that the houses seem
to be hanging from it. Back of this
rises sharp range Of higher hills
that form a barrier protecting the
town from the frequent snow ava.
lanches of the great mountains, which
IN turn, rise perpendicularly behind
CHS natural wall
AS illustrating the weather of Ju
,neau. 1t Is said that an old Indian
woman, on being asked If 1t always
rained In Juneau, after a moments
hesitation, replied: Sometimes II
SHOWS" 1t was raining as we entered
the harbor, but we were not deferred
from a stroll through the town. We
found good plank walks and saw some
quaint, artistic little houses and sew.
eral churches with an effort at archi
lecture. l was struck by the frequent
evidence of woman's hand in the pot.
Ted plants In many windows, while
The women and children whom we
saw surprised me by being quite like
those one would meet In any small
western town. A few Indian women
were selling curios, among which bas.
kets were the exception. The native
women are retrograding In basket
making. They have largely discarded