Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-14
TELL OF ALASKA
IN An Interview
Captain Harry Young and Mate
John Burns Return to Rock
Island for Winter.
is INTERESTING COUNTRY
Both Have Worked on Rivers There
for Years and Can Tell of
History of Region.

Harry Young, captain of the steamer
Herman, running on the Yukon river,
who Is home for the winter, is
nursing an injured leg. as q result of
an accident which nearly cost him his
life Some weeks ago. q tow block
slipped, and coming with terrific force,
struck Mr.. Young on the leg, bruising
it and cutting It open almost 10 the
bone. He was laid up for some time,
and has but recently put aside his
crutches.
HAS FINE FURs.
Mr.. Young has been boating in Alas
Ia since the spring of 1898, and has
stayed in that country for three win
tiers during that time. He has fine
collection Of curiosities which he has
collected in that country. He brought
back with him three Of the finest white
fox furs ever seen here, for which he
paid but $50. They could probably
not be bought here for three times that
amount He has section Of nam
moths tusk. the entire length of which
was 10 feet, which was dug up near
the Porcupine river Mr. Young states
tusks are dug up all over that country.
He has various ivory carvings, the
work Of the Indians, among them be
ing q miniature ivory BilHken.
INDIANS DRINK EVERYTHING.
These carvings the Indians trade for
various articles dear to them, as they
do not care for money. They would
Ike TO get whisky, but there is law
that anyone who gives an Indian
whisky IS liable 10 two years in the
penitentiary. Mr.. Young said that the
Indians viii drink anything they can
get hold Of and 1t is very common.
since they cannot get whisky, to buy
lemon essence. cologne and rose water
and down It with much gusto
DESCRIBES COUNTRY.
Mr. Young. in describing conditions
in that country TO a representative OF
The Argus. said:
In the summer we have daylight
for p hours, during which time the
sun Is nearly always in sight. For
three days. June q. % and %. the sun
never goes below the horizon. We
are gradually doing away with the In
dams on board the boats They make
good pilots IN one respect, in that they
know every crook and turn OF the river
but on the other hand. in a crisis. they
lose their heads altogether. and can
not be depended upon. They are very
peaceable, and honest. Very rarely
will one Of them steal. For the past
seven or. eight years the Indians have
adopted the marriage custom. and the
government has compelled the squaw
men TO marry II they wish to live with
the Indian women. The women. how
ever. do not know what modesty is.
The Indians trap furs in the winter
and fish in the summer. These fish
they cure for food during the cold
months. and when they have an over
supply. they sell It for dog feed. get
ting a good price.
FEW BAD MEN.
we make several good sized towns, /
the best Of which is probably Tanana, /
a. the mouth of the river bearing that
name. This town has a fiuctuating /.
population, which varies from 1000 TO /,
$500 This is due TO the fact that this /
place is a transfer point. and the PEG |
pie are constantly coming and going !
Government barracks are stationed .
here. There are five stores. five sa- f.
looms, a postofice, meat market, jew I.
elry store. two hotels. and two church /
es government schools. etc. There are /
none of these lurid shooting scrapes in /
these towns. such as YOU read Of from .
time TO time The people are very
quiet. and If a bad man comes into .
town. he is promptly run out.
Most Of the disputes are settled by /
p body of men pickeesfrom the miners.
The judges. VINO are sent up there from
the United States. are for the most part
q bunch of grafters. and are only after
the coin. The gold yield this year is
heavier than ever before. The mining
IS now getting down 70 staple basis.
and they use the latest machinery.
j-odEes. etc This work - carried on
he year around. In summer n great .
nile Of pay dirt is stacked up like hay,
ard this Is worked in The winter. In
-te summer hydraulic mining is gen
erai
FtV1IING PROFIT ABLE.
Fine vegetables are raised in this
country. just as good as The varieties
grown here. Corn cannot be raised il /.
ALASKA. owing 10 the shorrness Of the
season 7. crows 20 a height OF posi-
Div four feet. bat the ear has no ker-
nels on IT, The Holy Cross mission.
which by the way is Catholic. as are
most az The missions there has 81