El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-08


| the sea Beyond il are the mountainous
: islands that guard the bay and make ll
almost landlocked. At first sighI tue
I land seems continuous, but there IS q
/ narrow passage between FOX lsland
and the kanai peninsula so that ths
shipping Of the world can SAT- IN anu
/ out
and il is protected on all sides from
/ the gales Its waters are from bOO 70
1900 feet deep. Indeed, the depth is 80
great as to be an objection; the only
! really safe anchorage outside the
Z wharves being at Sunny Cove. on Fox
Island. where for the space Of ABOUT
800 acres the water is so shallow tnat
ships can lie there.
Mighty Amphitheater.
| The harbor Seward is beautiful and
its surroundings Of green, mixed with
Z glaciers and snow, are like those OF no
| other harbor on the face Of the earth.
I The whole is a mighty amphttheater OF
green lowland and blue waters and or
glacier-clad hills, rooted by the clear
sky and the white and black Of the
clouds.
ter that Seward is Just now beginning
| ter that Seward is just now beginning TO
! be- on the north side Of the bay and run
ming back to the mouth OF Resurrection
river is a plain covering many acres. IL
has enough space for large city. but
as yet the only part that is covered
with houses is spit OF land that Juts
out into the bay. II is here that ships
lie. at the wharves. The wharves are
built upon piles. and just back OF them
the business section Of the city Is To-
Gated. For a distance of perhaps one
third Of a mile the ground rises, giving
excellent drainage. The streets climb
the hills to that point. and then go over
a slope which rolls gently or until Il
reaches the mountain wall in the rear.
Has Broad sidewalks.
The residence section OF Seward Is
ho hill EQnvnrd that the sinh
urbs. which now consist Of many tents
and shacks growing out of the stumps
of the newly cleared land. The better
class residences are pretty bungalows
and artistic cottages. Nearly all have
smooth green lawns, with flowers and
grass and plants OF one kind OF an
other. Board sidewalks have been
built along the sides Of the streets, and
there is a bridge made Of planks that
crosses the valley or depression through
which Lowell creek flows.
Beyond the bungalows the new homes
OF Seward are gradually rising. The
west bank Of Resurrection river has
been laid out in town lots, and real es-
tate signs are scattered among the
tents and shacks. Many Of the tents
have walls and floors Of boards, the
canvas forming the rooms. extending
half way down to the ground. The av-
erage board shack, which may form the
home of a family Of from two TO a
dozen, is not more than 10 by II feet in
area
Everywhere about they are now
blasting out the stumps to put in the
foundations for houses. As 1 walked
through the valley / heard ten blasts
OF dynamite. The explosions followed
one another like the fire OF artillery.
and roots, rocks and dirt filled the air.
business Section Spreading.
The business section Of Seward is
rapidly growing. At present il con-
sists OF two OF three streets close to the
wharves. The main street has been
macadamized and concrete pavements
have been laid on each side OF it. The
business buildings are Of one and two
stories They are Of boards: they stand
close to the street, with a sky line as
ragged as the mouth Of child who is
getting her second installment OF mol
ars. Some of the store fronts are OF
galvanized iron. Midway in one block
is a frame shed consisting only OF an
under il, and it is labelled the Royal
Boot Black Parlor."
The city has several banks II has
drug stores, hardware stores. provision
stores and stores selling clothing and
dry goods It has its saloons and Bill
lard halls All Of the stores have plate
glass windows, and the goods within
are large and varied. Seward has sew
eral churches, including the Catholic
Methodist. Presbyterian and others It
has commercial club and a Y. N. c.
A.
The town has a number OF restau-
rants ana several nOLelS. w mere II am
stopping the hotel has no eating ac-
commodations, but I get excellent meals
at the restaurants on the main street
two blocks away. The prices for meat
there are about the same as those OF
the states, but soup. vegetables and
dessert are served with each meat order
without extra charge In fact, one can
dine fairly well for IS cents.
The chief public buildings Of Seward
are those Of the United States railway
cOmUnT EEfOm the fnfl the nngfOfffrn and
Uncle Sans cable and telegraph sta
ton. The railway commission building
Is devoted to the engineers and clerks.
who are Managing the construction OF
the railway that is to go from here to
Fairbanks. It is the old headquarters
Of the Alaska Northern railway, which
the government bought when It decided
upon the present route drought the ter
ritOry. It is a frame structure OF two
stories with a central building one
story higher. It is fairly commodious
and serves wen for the purpose.
Jail an Artistic Building.
The jail, which is also the office Of
the United States marshal, is the most
artistic building OF the whole town. 1t
10 tw'o-stoFy log cabin with porches
at the side, and dormer windows look
Ing out of the roof. There are no bars
nor locks visible from the street. and
It has none Of the airs of prison. The
postoffice is frame building on the
main street. and surrounded by Btumps
and not far from the water.
have referred to the climate OF
Seward. The port is open all the year
round. vessels Of any draft can come
in. on any day OF the year, and the
harbor is free OF ice for every hour
during the winter. Indeed. the winter
climate Is not much colder than that
Of Seattle or Portland. and it is warm
er than either Norfolk or Baltimore
The temperature ranges from so to IS
degrees above zero in the summer. and
from 80 to so above zero in the winter.
Now and then the Thermometer falls
down TO zero, and il once dropped to
seven below. but that was the coolest
on record. The rainfall is about the
same as that OF Ohio and Virginia, the
total precipitation being ~ inches per
year.
Il seems strange to think OF going
barefooted in Alaska But the chill
dren here do that all summer long.
They also go in bathing in the waters
of Resurrection bay, and swimming
parties to Lake Renal. some distance
back in the country, are features Of
their picnic excursions.
Are Fond of sports.
The peOlpe Of Seward are fond OF
sports The country about Is one OF
the best in the territory Tor its hunt
ing and fishing. and back in the in