The daily progressive-miner., 1916-01-15
WHAT F. CARPENTER
 SAYSOF KETCHIKAN
< DESCRIPTION OF OUR TOWN
 BY THE NOTED WRITER

5
 the purpose of obtaining materials
 for series of articles which he contemplated writing about the
 North, stopped in ketolikan for a few days where he was entertained and visited every point of interest.
 The first article which appears in
 the Sunday edition of the Post Intelligeneer of the ninth. the writ CT, in part, says of Ketchikan;
 T am in ketchikan. the first port at which our steamers call in entering Alaska. It is at the south
 ern end of the Panhandle, that strip Of islands and mainland at the lower end of our territory that seems to be cut, as 1t were, out of
 British Columbia. The Panhandle beging just above Skagway near the pass over the mountains to the Klondike and Dawson, and 1t eS- tends for more than 300 miles. IL consists of many large islands and strip of mainland about thirty miles wide which runs from the Pacific ocean to the crest of the Coast mountain range, the whole making a territory as big as South Carolina This district is known as Southeastern Alaska. It has it's own climate, it's own vegetation and it's own peculiar products and re sources. It is covered with green from one years end to the other and it differs from the great inter- Tor as much as Maine differs from Florida. 1 shall be travelling with in it for some weeks to come.
 The town of Ketchikan lies not far from the international boun- dary. t is only forty miles north of the Portland Canal and within six hours sail Of Prince Rupert. the terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and the port which the Canadians expect to make the gateway 10 the shortest route to Japan and the Orient.
 Ketchikan is as far north of Seat tle as the distance between New York and Toledo. 1 sailed for more than 500 miles through Canadian waters before I came to the boun- diary of Alaska, and from there made my way in and out among the islands to Revilla Gigedo, on the shores of which Ketchikan lies. The trip took me more than two days and the fare was S22.
 The town is situated on the southern shore Of Revilla Gigedo island. in region where the sal mon come in great hordes every summer and near banks from which are taken the most of the halibut that goes from Alaska to the United States and to Canada. Re villa Gigedo Is about as large as Porto Rico. It is fifty miles long and twenty miles wide and is made up Of mountains which for much of the time have their heads in the clouds.
 Ketehikan lies right on the water. The mountains raise in green walls behind it. Their tops are sprinkled with snow, and the great rocks show out through the evergreen .ree5 that cover their sides. The house are built on the rocks. The harbor is the shape Of a halfmoon prote-. d by islands. It has no beacF speak of and the business par of the town rests upon piles. The streets are planked roadways upon posts. and much of the freight $ carried about 0 ntrueks and carts pushed by men. There are several drays hauled by horses, but horses are unpopular, for their shoes roughen the blanks. and they shake the town as they trot through the streets. Of late automobiles and motor delivery trucks have come in and these will probably be the fu- ture traffic conveyors.
 The residence section of the city is located on the sides of the cliff higher up. It is so steep that you have to climb stairways to reach certain streets while other streets have winding roadways Of boards upon which slats have been nailed to the blanks to keep one from slip ping. The Ketchikaners make you think of tree dwellers, who have to climb ladders to get to their homes.
 The best houses are high on the cliffs far above the harbor. They seem to grow out of the rocks. Nevertheless, some have little patch es of garden, although the soil has to be sprinkled with gold dust to make them.
 Nevertheless Ketchikan has some beautiful gardens. The most of the homes are frame cottages, and nearly every one has it's little lawn with bushes and flowers. Some of the citizens raise vegetables and