The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-03-14
SCHOOL GIRL WRITES
OF FAR NORTH

Miss Edna Merchant, who is nov
teaching a second term at the Frank
ton school, received an interesting
letter last week from Miss Eta
Schroeder, young girl, who, when
quite young, was one of her pupils II
Kansas. The young girl is now in the
quartermaster's department of the
United States troops stationed at Glib
son, Alaska. Because Of the interest
ing narrative Of the customs of far
away Alaska and the descriptions OF
the people and the country. a portion
Of the letter is given below:
I'VE sailed from Seattle on the Sth
Of June, 1910. We had the most beau
tiful trip, the scenery was just simply
grand. | don't remember of ever
seeing such wonderful sights; and all
the Alaskan ports, how wonderful thev
are. They remind one of the old
frontier days. The old log cabins In
ketchikan we saw the wonderful totem
poles, trees that the Indians have
carved out in the shapes of birds, fish
and animals. most horrid looking
things, and the most gaudy paint on
them. They also have large fish
cannery here. which was quite inter
esting; so was the smell. We also
went through the big Treadwell mine.
1t was surely interesting; so much
noise that it was almost deafening.
From there on to Skagway we were
delayed five long days, on account of
not being able to obtain passage on
one of the steamers named "Casca. :"
We were afterwards really glad that it
happened so, for the Casca ran onto a
rock and sunk. 1t really wasn't dan
gerous for its passengers, but il did a
lot of damage to the baggage. But
we were fortunate. Ours came out
top side up.
I'VE left Skagway a week later and
spent one night in White Horse, Yukon
Territory, and from there took the
steamer to Dawson, where we were
delayed another six days. We were
really glad when it was time for us to
take the steamer again, tor that meant
at least a change and then home. We
reached Tanana on the 29th day of
June, at 2 80 in the morning. 1t was
as bright as day, in fact the sun was
shining, and had been since about / 80
And the mosquitoes were so bad |
thought that we should 60 wild, with
their singing about our ears. Ii was
almost impossible for us to try to
sleep. No matter how dark one made
the room, the light was sure to creep
in. 1t was dreadful wouldn't 20
through that again for anything. NV
aunt and took our daily walks most
every evening, and we would wander
around and couldn't imagine why we
didn't see more people out. When we
went home, of course, We could see
very plainly that people of common
sense wouldn't walk the streets at
midnight. Then came the long dark
days when it got light about ten
o clock, and dark again at two O'Clock
in the afternoon. How miserable il
makes one feel those long dark days.
Then the days became longer and long
er, till finally the ice left the Yukon in
May and summer was with us once
more. We could sleep fine then. The
light didn't bother us at all. 1t was
just the getting used to it. Then the
days became shorter and shorter. Oh
the summer seemed so short How
dreaded to think that soon navigation
would be closed again. The ice
stopped running in November, and so
far we have had a grand winter. 1t
hasn't been real cold, once or twice the
thermometer registering as low as
ffty-one and two below, but 1t lasted
just for day or two; and for the past
month it hasn't been below zero; so
that is wonderful for Alaska.
in summer time the main way for
travel and freight is by steamers, most
of which are owned by the Northern
Commercial Company. Travel com
mences about the fifteenth of June and
by the last of September all the boats
are up on the ways. In the winter
time all travel is done by dog teams,
and they surely look pretty. They
travel eight, nine and ten miles per
hour. We get our mail twice a week
in the winter time, and in the summer
time whenever one of the boats gets in
by way of Dawson. Tanana isn't
very large place. 1t consists of three
stores about six saloons, couple of
hotels, two churches, Jail and post
office; also a jewelry shop. Fort Glib
bon is connected with Tanana. That
is, a fence separates them. Gibbon
consists of two companies of infantry,
1ne company of signal corps men,
hospital, commissary, quartermaster
department., sawmill, guardhouse,
gymnasium, pumphouse, and a few
)ther storehouses and then houses for
.he officers, of course. Will try to get
4 picture of the post and send to you.
It is quite a nice looking place, even if |
t is in Alaska. All the houses are
frame.
For fuel we have wood and mineral
)il, but | think that in year or so
hey will put in an electric light plant
llso steam heating. So this won t be |
uch pad little place when it gets all |
liked. In the summer time we have |
oVely gardens. We grow radishes,
'eets, carrots, cabbage, potatoes and
ettuce, and all sorts of pretty flowers. |
Ne also have many pretty wild flowers
md blueberries also raspberries. How |
rood they are We also had a good |
leal of game, such as reindeer, carl |
)on, bear meat, rabbits and birds.
left the the meat shop out when was
irving the list of buildings that belong
o Tanana. Most important That is |
he place where we get meat; en-
,almed at that. Toward spring it |
ctually gets rank. And eggs. OF |
curse we get those from the outside
md they are more than a year old.
But we are beginning to think they
re good. In town they sell for rs |
ents a dozen. Apples, oranges and
emons are the same price. We don't
ave fresh milk use the canned. Had
drink of fresh milk a short time ago.
nd it surely was good. Only fifty
ents quart. -
A Cold, La Grippe, then Pneumonia,
s too often the fatal sequence, and
oughs that hang on and weaken the
ystem and lower the vital resistance.
( q. Collins, postmaster Barnegat, n.
e, was troubled with a severe la grippe
ough. He says 81 would be com
letely exhausted after each OF of vio-
ent coughing. | bought a bottle of
'oley's Honey and Tar Compound and
efore | had taken it all the coughing