Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1916-08-10
WHALE FISHING
ALASKA WATERS
OLD INDUSTRY
BEAR STORY THAT VIES IN m
TEREST WITH THE FAMOUS
BARABoo BEAR TALES
-GREAT LAND
FOR FURS
(By H. E. Cole)

There are some unusual industries
in Alaska, and it may be interesting
to mention two of these. The oldest
one is catching whale. At present
time powerful harpoons are used and
when they enter the water mammal an
explosion takes place. After the ami
NAL is dead it is towed to the factory,
where every particle is used for some
thing. Oil and fertilizer are the CHIEF
products. Sometimes two or three are
caught and brought into port at one
time. When we were at Sitka ono
was caught that was valued at $S, ,0ON.
Needless to say, it was Of unusual size
and Of unusual value.
Another industry is catching her
ring by the ton and converting them
into oil and fertilizer. The fish are
but a few inches in length, but are So
plentiful that they are scooped out OF
the sea in nets by the ton. Those IN
| terested in conservation are making
an effort to stop the slaughter but MR
to the present time the big Interests
are more powerful than their opp~-
nents at Washington.
Some of Our Fellow Passengers
| There were many interesting per-
| sonages on the passenger list on our
Alaskan trip. A party of seventy, fun
Of enthusiasm to see the land where
| it is daylight all night, were going to
F. the interior to enjoy the spectacle oe
the midnight sun. This all-night day
light is hard on the children; they do
| not want to go to bed when the sun
| is high in the sky. Many protest
was heard amongst the youngsters
| when the usual hour came for the
sand man" to pass by.
| A family from the interior made the
return trip with us, the father having
bad case Of jaundice The Oldest
child, daughter aged about 13, had
| never attended school, for there were
no schools near their home in the from
tier wilds. They were going to Min
nesota and did not expect to return
Thomas Hopkins, native of Wis
cOnsin and nephew Of former Gov
| ernor W. D. Hoard of Fort Atkinson,
/ was our neighbor at table returning.
| He is aged about 72, and was on his
| way to Seattle to see the baby which
had just arrived at his home. AL
| though he had been through many
Alaska he was very strong and act
i've. He did not look to be much, more
than fifty. In his career he said he
had killed more than hundred bear.
either in the Rockies or the far north
! He entertained those in the cabin
one evening with several thrilling
rush, and at one time was several days
without food On one occasion ha
reached civilization with three others,
! and it fell to his lot to purchase the
supper. Eggs were two dolalrs each.
and the meal for the quartette cost
| him $72.
Two of the passengers were Mr.. and
Mrs. Herbert B. Finn, who had taught
| in the Indian school at Sitka for i've
years and were returning to New Jer-
sey. Many interesting experiences
were related by them.
Then there were miners, Indians,
merchants, engineers, fur dealers,
| tourists, and others, all of them coz
| tributing in greater or less degree to
the entertainment of the entire COM
pany.
Alaska Bear Story
Speaking Of bear stories, one which
was related one evening might not be-
amiss here. AS previously stated, our
| lecturer on the boat was Rev H P.
Corser of Wrangell. He told the fol-
lowing bear tale, which should be reh-
giously believed since he is a gentle
man IF the cloth. A tourist once came
to Alaska and noticed very large
bear skin on the floor of cabin. h
was fully twelve feet from tip to tip.
He remarked to the owner that it was
fine specimen and asked for the
story as to the manner in which it
was obtained. The resident said that
when he first came to the locality he
noticed some very large bear tracks,
so large, in fact, that they looked as
big as the bottom Of an ordinary wash
tub. He found that occasionally the