Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-10-21
ALASKA SHOWS GREAT
PROGRESS EVERYWHERE

y. VI. ODulduli VI Inc NOuilC anu
Mrs. Coutant returned from their
Alaskan outing on Friday, having
been absent a little more than five
weeks. They made short visits in
Portland and Seattle from which last
named place they took a steamer for
southeastern Alaska. The steamer
left on the 18th of September and the
trip was one long to be remembered,
as they sailed over a smooth sea the
entire distance; even Queen Char
lotte sound, Milbank sound and
Dixons entrance, which are usually
more or less rough, were as placid
as mill pond. The distance trav-
eled by water to reach their point
of destination was about 100 miles.
On the way up the steamer touch
ed at the famous mushroom city of
Prince Rupert, B. c., which is to be
the terminal point on the Grand
Trunk Pacific. In 1907 Mr.. Coutant
visited this place and found about
so people residing there and today
it has a population of over 5000. It
has large business houses, hotels and
three daily newspapers. 1t is live
town, which is indicated by the busi-
ness done and the price of real es-
tate. Business lots have sold as
high as 100000 each. It is expected
the railroad will reach Prince Rupert
within the next three years. This,
we are told, is to be the metropolis of
British Columbia, and the CONNER
cial center from which even Alaska
will draw large share of its sup
plies. The location is 90 miles south
of Ketchikan and our Canadian cous-
ins claim that the Grand Trunk Pa
cific will open a new route to the
middle west which will be two days
nearer Chicago than by way of Sc
attic. BY the time the road is com
pleted the company will have ready
line of fine steamers to run to all
cities along the Alaskan coast.
The steamer made a stop of an
hour at Prince Rupert and then push
ed on to Ketchikan, where a large
amount of freight was unloaded,
which gave opportunity for the pass
engers to go ashore and meet old
friends The next stop was at Wran-
gell, the second white settlement in
Alaska, then came Petersburg and
finally Treadwell, where Mr.. and
Mrs. Coutant were met at the dock
by their daughter, Mrs. Aikens. They
remained at Treadwell 10 days, visit !
ing from time to time friends in
Juneau and Douglas
Juneau is the capital of the big
northern territory and it abounds in
enterprising people. It has two
good daily papers, each of which
are served with cable news reports
from the States Juneau has not
been as prosperous as it should dur
ing a year or two past, but it has a
bright future before 1t. New and |
rich mines are opening and addition
al machinery is being added to old
ones. 1t is safe to. say that within
year or two Juneau will be the CEN
ter of lasting prosperity. What the
mines of Treadwell are on the oppo-
site side of Gastneau channel those
around the capital city will be in the |
new future.
Much has been done in the way of
Improvement around the mines of
rreadwell during the last year, but
he story is too important and too
.ong to tell in connection with this
putting.
There Is nothing more to be told.
except the return trip which was be-
yum on the sixth and ended in Grants
Pass on the fourteenth. The steam
'r part of the journey, which was so
pleasant going north, was quite the
opposite southbound. Dixons en-
rance was lashed by a storm Of great
Jury and of the 1870 passengers few
sea sickness. For two DAYS
'nly - went down to meals. Condi-
ions may be illustrated by the ex-
'erience Of lady passenger and her
title five-year old daughter. but sea-
lick people never get any sympathy.
Ohe steamer mounted the great
waves and rolled over the ocean quite
ecklessly. The mother of the little
,irl lay in her berth, apparently un-
ible to life her head. Dorothy. the
hild lay on the floor very sick.
Mama" she called in week voice.
I am going to die"
The mother, filled with sympathy
eplied: 81 can't help It dear" But
his poor little girl and her mother
we're no more to be laughed at than
large majority of the other passen.
.ers.