The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1909-10-07
A Trip to Alaska and the Pa
cific Northwest
CONTINUED from last week.

Ketchikan, two days travel from Sc
attic, and a good little town Of SEQ
inhabitants which nestled against the
mountain side and extended out owe
the waters Of the bay. This was a
board walk town. The streets as well
as the sidewalks were made OF heavy
planks. Through the cracks one could
see the clear water of the bay spark
ling beneath Almost the entire town
was built on piling. Ketchikan is the
first American port of entry. The
custom house is located here. Here
we received our first surprise as to the
manner and customs Of Alaska. When
the name alaska" is first brought to
our attention, our mind at once re-
verts to thoughts of snow and ice and
fur-clad people. 1t was with some
such anticipation as this that most OF
US we're expecting to see when we
made our first landing. We had been
travelling within sight of snow-clad
mountains all along and the chilling
breezes spoke in nc rtain tones, OF
ice and snow. Imagine then our sur
prise when our good ship steamed up
to dock and we set our foot again on
American soil-no, l mean planks, for
/ have told you this city is built over
the water-and made our way around
the town, to find everything just as
lovely and pleasant and far more pic
turesque than in most portions of the
z states Window boxes contained pan
sizes, nasturtiums and other flowers
and plants growing and blooming in
the greatest profusion and a gentle
Italian zephyr was stirring the leaves
Of the many varieties of beautiful ferns
and trees, all of which were growing
wild in the greatest luxuriance. Many
varieties of berries were found which
yielded ab%undantly and the fruit was
large and delicious. The Salmon ber-
ry. so called ON account of its color, is
among those that grow most profusely
This berry resembles the blackberry
and is very delicious. The wild ber-
ries are equal in every way to the
tame ones raised in the states and are
used for canning, preserving, jams and
%jellies. In speaking of berries, we
learned at Ketchikan that not a pois-
onous berry, plant, vine, insect or
reptile is known to exist in Alaska. In
all its wide borders not a snake OF
poisonous insect abounds and one is
perfectly safe in eating any berry OF
fruit they may find growing without
fear of harm.
The city is noted for its water sup.
ply. Pipes are run directly from the
falls of the Ketohikan river supplying
water from this pure mountain stream
1t is said to be the best system in Al
aska.
Our visit to Ketchikan gives us oui
first foundation for a fish story which
we defy any one to excel. The sigh
which greeted our eyes here was trul.
marvellous but so often was it repeated
at our various stops that along will
the other wonders it became common
place. In our walk about Ketchikan
the numerous citizens with which W,
conversed would remark in every in
stance, "Have you been down to SCI
the fish," So often was this question
asked that we were convinced 9TH
fish" must be the thing to see so W,
followed the crowd. Arriving at tn
shallower water of the bay, a bridg'
had been constructed across one arm
of the same, and upon approaching tn
spot we noted the whole face of tn
water in motion and bright shinin
objects flashing in the sunlight abov
the water. Closer examination dis
closed that the bay was filled wit
millions of salmon, and the continus
splash, splash, of the fish as the
jumped from one to two feet out c
the water coming down broadsid,
beat anything | ever saw. This wa
during spawning season and the ifs
were not good for canning but the fish
ermen made a haul anyway for OF
benefit, and at one drag. which too
less than twenty minutes, they S,
cured a row-boat full Of salmon. A
we stood on the bridge and watche
the schools of fish pass, the waite
looked like one squirming mass an
so thick were the salmon that I'll
sandy bottom Of the bay could not |
seen. Now ! know, dear readers, thi
this sounds like a pretty big fish stol
but, those were big fish and l can r.
fer you to some two hundred edito
who can verify all | have said.
Here, we saw the house of the Chi,
Of the Thlingit Indians and the famol
Ryan totem pole which stands befo