The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-08-20
SIDELIGHTS ON METHODS
OF LIFE I'm ALASKA

The deep love which Mrs. Strong
claims for all who live in and know
Alaska finds it's greatest proof in the
return of the old miners to Alaska.
The bill authorizing the construction
of railroads there passed last March
and the influx began Immediately.
And this in spite of the fact that the
accomplishment of this railroad is to
be no Aladdins trick. 1t is estimated
that year will be required for the
selection of the routes and for sur
veying them. And then the actual
construction of the road will necessi-
tate another three years of labor.
But it sufficed that they knew the
road will eventually be built.
This road, which is to cover more
than seven hundred miles, will con-
meet t1dewater on the Pacific ocean
with the two great inland waterways,
the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.
And. of these, very few have been
even extensively prospected let alone
exhausted, because conditions exist
ing at the present time make it prac-
t1cally impossible. And this was an
other point brought up by Mrs. Strong.
Interior Alaska, is already as fully
developed as it is possible for it to
be, minus a railroad Mrs. Strong ex-
planned. "And lack of transportation
facilities forms the sole reason. I'm
aglne a country so vast that man
can pack upon his back all the food
his physical strength can endure, and
yet have 1t exhausted long before
real interior can even be touched,
let alone developed. That is what
happened to us. If Alaska remains
undeveloped today, it is because the
ingenuity of man has been taxed to
its fullest and failed. We did every
thing possible for human beings. We
could not build the railroads our
selves. Therefore, the interior yet
holds it's treasure
1t was Kipling who wrote: 'If
you've 'eard the East a-calling', you
won't never ICED naught else" But
it was Robert Service who immortal
lied the lure of the northland. 1.-THE
Lure of Little Voices" voices out OF
which, once heard and needed, can
never be forgotten--or left unan-
swered.
And that typif1es Mrs. Strong. Sew
enteen years in Alaska, with the lit
tie voices" calling, calling all the time,
and nowhere else in all the world
means to her just what the territory
of Alaska stands for.
Californian by birth, European by
education, and world cultured by trav-
ell, Mrs Strong yet knows no love to
equal that for Alaska. Pioneer women
of any country possess a bigness of
devotion, a steadfastness of faith in
their own land, which dwarfs the
home instinct of old communities.
The pioneer woman of California is
passing, as we'll as the woman who
helped to mold the other western
states. But the pioneer woman of
Alaska is "a vital factor today In the
development and upbuild,Eg of the
territory, both materially and moral
ly. So believes Mrs. Strong.
Alaska is such wonderful coun-
try, and we are so proud of it." she
said; and, simple as was the state
ment, none could doubt the depth of
it's sincerity.
Juneau, the capital of the terri
tory and our home" continued Mrs.
Strong, lis such a vastly different
place from what the great majority
of people picture it to be. To those
who know naught of Alaska it seems
impossible to detach from the thought
of all Alaska the name given it as
many years ago Stewards Icebox.'
Yet to us that is so absurd. For when
we left there last March the pussy-wil-
lows were in full bloom, while when
we reached ST. Paul the lakes and
rivers were still frozen. Juneau SIM
ply shares the reputation which the
whole of Alaska has, that OF, being an
icebox'
"Of course, Juneau is not New
York. But, on the other hand, it is
not mountain fastness. Beautiful