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

the Kenai peninsula begins. Just now
all the construction is from Anchorage
northward, and this is a distance OF
more than 100 miles from Seward.
Town Started In 1908.
There has been a town at Seward
since 1903, and there was a white set
Element on Resurrection bay when the
first public buildings OF the new city
of Washington began to go up on the
banks of the Potomac The first resi-
dents were Russians, who had a coll
ony on Kodiak Island. about 200 miles
distant They came here to build ships
choosing the place on account of the
harbor and the timber nearby The
first ships built on the western shores
of North America were constructed
here, and one of them was launched
while. George Washington was still
serving his first term as president.
The Russians discovered the harbor
one Easter sunday. and called ii Res
direction bay, in honor of the Ascen-
sion. Later the seat Of the Russian adj
ministration was transferred from
Kodiak to SitlSa and the shipyards were
given up.
After the Russians left, Resurrection
bay was frequented by the Indians, who
came here for the hunting and fishing.
and then, perhaps a hundred years
later a white man. Frank Lowell. a
sailor from Maine. settled where Sc
ward now stands. He had a wife
who had more Of less Indian and Rus
sian blood in her veins, and he was
one of the class popularity known 8
"sQuaW men," Lowell lived here for
10 or 70 years, and in that time had
five children. Along about 1890 he de-
serted his family and emigrated to ko-
diak. Mrs. Lowell remained, and she
was on the ground and claimed owner
ship at the time that the Alaska North
ern Railway company selected Resur
rection bay as the southern terminus OF
its route.
The Alaska Northern railway was
organized and promoted by John r. Bal
lame from whom I have the foregoing
information as to the Lowells. He To-
Gated the townsite at Seward and filed
government script to acquire the land
He first bought out Mrs. Lowell. how
ever. BY paying her $4,000 in cash and
giving her 81 lots in the new settle
ment.
RaIIaine TELLS OF Towns Name.
Mr.. BalIaine tells me an interesting
story as to how Seward secured its
right to that name. Said he:
Il wanted the town called Seward
after the great secretary of state who
brought about the purchase OF Alaska
and 1 applied to the Postoffice Depart
ment for a Seward postoffice. I was
informed soon afterward that the pos
tai inspectors had reported against me.
as there were already two post offices
of that name in Alaska, one a mining
small cannery far TO the westward. I
decided to do what I could to reverse
their decision, and through Mr.. Loeb,
the secretary to the president, ar
ranged an interview for October 10,
1903. On that day I met president
Roosevelt and exclaimed to him that
the Seward 1 had Established would be
the terminus OF the railroad and prop
ably the metropolis Of Alaska. said il
ought to be honored by the name of the
great secretary Of estate who had ne
gotiated the purchase rather than that
honor should go 20 an Insignificant
mining camp or cannery."
MY story amused the president"
continued Mr.. Ballaine. He laughed
heartily and said: There is a fine
sentiment in that Write me a letter
repeating what you have told me and
bring 1t here tomorrow at 10 o'clock.
and if it is possible for me to indorse
it, will
'T accordingly wrote the letter. and
showed it to the president the follow
ing day. He read il and wrote upon
the margin Of it in his own PEN
My Dear Gen. Bristow: ] heartily
agree with the patriotic sentiments ex-
pressed by MT. Ballaine.-(Signed), T.
THE Gen. Bristow referred 70 was
the then fourth assistant postmaster
general He afterward became United
States senator from Kansas. I took
the letter with the marginal indorse-
ment to him and 10 minutes later he
had issued two orders, one changing
the names OF the other Stewards in
Alaska. and another establishing a new
postoffice at Seward. on Resurrection
bay"