Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-09-08

The Peter Wise Reunion:-
Greetings from Latitude 62-N.
Our latch string is out at a Gov
ernment tent as guests of our son
who has been in the employ of Uncle
Sam the past two and one half years
as civil engineer in railroad location
and construction work. Are located
$50 miles north of Seward, so miles
north of Anchorage, a new town on
Cooks Inlet on a branch, Government
Railroad from main line to the Mata- |
nuska coal field. We are 80 miles
west of the coal fields at the end of
track laying.
This is our family reunion as we are
all here and are having the time of
our lives. To give a full description
of our trip would make a volume of
many pages. 1000 miles by water
from San Pedro harbor Los Angeles, |
stopping at San Francisco Seattle,
Ketchkan, Juneau, Scaguay, Cordova,
Valdez, Seward and Anchorage. Have
been here three weeks, was II days on
the road. Travelling in the interior
here is about like it was intuition
county ninety years ago. But few
wagon roads, and railroads are almost
an unknown luxury. Railroad fare z
to 10 cents per mile. Stage fare 25c.
Auto fare SOC per mile and up. Dog
train fare in winter $1.00 per mile
and up. Meals at road houses $1.00.
At good hotels in interior $1.50.
1t is quite warm now, about so de-
grees in the morning and 80 degrees
at p. m. Vegetation grows like
Jonah's gourd. All timber lands here
and fertile soil, but short Summers,
timber. of inferior quality. Varieties
are cotton wood, birch, cedar, willow
and alder. Land easily cleared Tim
Der slashed down and burned, roots
shallow.
Most of land along Government
Railroad line held by squatters. But
little farming done yet. Woods
abound with raspberries, currants and
tall bush cranberries. No nut bearing
trees. Squatters furnish US whit an
abundance of garden truck of all
varieties and good quality.
We saw patches of rye seven feet
tall, long heads, grain half formed.
Wheat headed out and vigorous
growth, barley in bloom, oats headed
out.
Some day this Manatusha valley
will be one vast grain field. Soil a
mixture of volcanic ash, sand silt
vegetable mold and moss.
Three years settlement entities one
to a quarter section free homestead
fourteen months settlement and $1.25
per acre (called commuting) and a u
S. deed is granted. Mining is the
chief industry now, also fishing. Fish
taken from Copper river and their
streams by car loads.
Snow capped mountains and huge
glaciers in sight every where. A live
glacier is one of the wonders of the
world. Imagine cake of ice 80 miles
long, miles wide and 300 feet high
slowly sliding down a mountain can
yon and crumbling off into a swift
mountain stream. A continuous roar
like thunder, water splashing up 10O
feet high. Water slushing and rush
ing like Niagara rapids and you will
have a dim picture of Miles glacier
on the Copper river. Development OF
this country will be slow, for physical
and climatic conditions are almost un-
surmountable in the way. The little
band of Uncle Sans brave boys have
job on hands more difficult than the
anti-Villa bandit expedition on the
Rio Grande, but there is no watchfu
waiting nor diplomatic complexitie:
in flag saluting by the natives to de
lay the work of blazing the way tt
enable the pioneer to get foothold tC
push the frontier line forward from
| Cooks inlet to the Arctic circle.
Anchorage is the base of supplies
for Railroad construction is located
on Cooks inlet 1t is a town of 6,00(
people half of which live in tents anC
log cabins. Fairbanks 45O mile.
north on the Tannana river is to b.
the northern terminus of the road
The boys have marching orders ant
are now folding their tents to es
tablish headquarters further north a
Talkeetna the head waters of the Sc
sitna river.
We shall leave here in about weel
will be at home at Orange LCalifornii
by September 1st, where we can ais,
see snow-capped mountains the yea
round, but instead of wading snow il
winter we can pick ripe fruit i
January and see flowers in bloom SO
days in the year. Bask in the sun
shine of perpetual Spring, hear tn
roar of the mighty pillows of tn
ocean, inhale the fragrance of tn
stately Eucalyptus. Have a gree
young age even at 70, reflect on tn
strenuous life of the past 49 year!
View in memory the many picture
of the past, among them that come
vivdly to my mind frequently is tn
two weeks spent in your midst Marc
1867. Your smiling faces are befor
| mo now and hairs are white with th
frosts of many winters but our men
cries never grow old
| Remember me as still member G
the Wise family.
JOHN BOWER.