Douglas Island news., 1915-06-16
The Town of Tenakee

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 uis perhaps true that very few resi-. dents of Tenakeo sleep between sheets or uso napkins. About half way up long arm of Chatham straits that in srudes the rough, rocky hills of Chich aeof island is the odd little village of Tenakee, made famous by the hot min eral waters that come bubbling up from the cleic in the bedrock, carrying a virtue that often heals, when wise medicos have exhausted their knOwl- edge iu vain. Despised as were the waters of the river Jordan by the naughty Roman, discarded crutches 3iug its glory aud praise.
 Coming up from the sea, a row of silent seutuels first greet the vision about the same time cs the red ware house on Ed SDyder's dock Although known for many years, the town has growr but slowly until now change has come through the intervention of the men in charge of the forest reserve. The dilapi6ated Indian shack aud miners log house is giving place to neat cottages with painted exteriors. The George E. James Co. has delivered 100000 feet of lumber there from the Douglas saw mill, into the hands of the forestry service. It wtll be used to plank Che main street where formerly a winding path of dirt and rock suf feed. This is not the only blessing which the forestry service has brought. The town has been platted into lots and blocks, streets laid out and marked, and a thousand dollars will be spent in improving Che springs and installing private baths for wom5n.
 Ed Snyder, the pioneer merchant, has joined Che march of improvement, and the steamship Redoudo landed there last week with 1t5OO0 feet of lumb Der which will be used by this enterprising citizen. First he will build a fine six room residence for himself. Then he will erect a 50 foot extension to his store, and before the snow flies he will enlarge Che town by building twenty. five new rent cottages
 Alex Hart is also planning extensive developments, Go include a large store building wlth warehouses and dockage facilities for the numerous small craft that make headquarters there, besides a number of cottages. Alex expects to remain in Tenakee and has great con- hdence in its future
 We said that Tenakee is au odd town and SO it is; ttere are but two children -a girl and a boy. There is a reason: She town has no school. Children there were, to the number of twenty odd, but prayers and petitions failed to touch Che heart of the U S. bureau of educa sion and the parents moved away There are flowers and birds and gram ophone5, but the music Of the chil dren's voices is rarely heard
 During the summer months Tenakee is quiet and Der inhabitants are few, but in winter the sick come from every direction to seek for health and strength and Teuakee is a busy place. They come not only from Southeastern Alaska, but from all parts of Yukon Territory and Interior Alaska, and the quiet country village becomes a bust ling frontier town.
 Health resorts for the rich are found in many places, but here you can live as cheaply as at home aud the baths are free, and a blessing it is to hun- dreds who could not afford it if other wise. # you are sick and tired and worn out generally, roll your blankets and head for Tenakee.