Evening star., 1917-03-04
Copyright, 1917, by Frank G. Carpenter.)
NOME. Alaska.

Copyright. 1917. by Frank G. Carpenter.)
NOME. Alaska.
= HAVE just returned from a recep-
tion at the Kegoayah Kosga. This
III is the woman's club farthest
q north. 1t belongs to the National
Federation of woman's Clubs, and it is
one of the live social organizations of
this up-to-date territory. Kegoayah
Kozea Is the Eskimo for Aurora Club.
and this club is typical of the dawn OF
woman's work in northern Alaska The
club owns its own house. delightful
little cottage on one of the main streets
of Nome, and it has a surplus in its
treasury.
A copy of the club book lies before
me. From 1t l find that the member
ship is sixty-fve and that it meets on
the first and third Wednesday, OF
every month. 1t has also special days.
which are civic events. One OF these Is
Cleanup day." when the people OF tne
town are supposed to make special ef,
forts to beautify their homes and
streets. Another is Children's day.
coming in June. when all the cnliuIen
are given a picnic. during whicn !hey
have games and prizes. third Is
Flower day, held in August. in ceiebra-
tion of the wonderful summer veseta-
tion of this part of the world. one
meeting every year Is devoted 70 the
entertainment of the husbands OF tne
the members who are going OUTSIDE
for the winter.
The Kegoayah Kozga has It's study
classes, which run throughout the sea-
son. Last year one of these classes
was devoted to Alaska, another TO
South America and a third to the
French language. The club has also
lectures, essays and poems given by its
members: and it is. in short, thoroughly
up-to-date as to club organization ana
club life.
/ was struck by the high character OF
the women met at the club this after.
noon The women here are typical OF
those of other parts OF Alaska They
are well dressed. we'll bred and well
educated Not few are college grad
yates; and all show more hospitality
than Is common throughout the United
States Many of them have lived In
Alaska for years and their stories OF
conditions, present and past. are espe-
cially interesting.
II was not until 1898. when gold was
discovered in tho Klondike. that many
women came to Alaska Those who
were here before that were chiefly the
wives of government officials or OF
officers of the army and navy. some OF
whom lived at the posts and others at
the chief towns along the coast There
were also the missionaries, who had
stations at Sitka and other places In
southeastern Alaska, and occasionally
the wife of a sea captain or trapper.
The first woman to establish homo
on Cook inlet was Mother White. the
wife Of a whaler who made voyages to
Bering sea and the Arctic ocean. He
brought his wife with him. and she
built a log cabin store and roadhouse
80 L. tall ah
miles from the site of the new town Of
Anchorage. It was there that Miss
Martha White was born. She was the
FIRST white child to see the light of day
in that part Of the world. and when the
work began on the government rail-
way she was chosen to drive the first
spike.
1t is more than twenty years since
roadhouse. She dealt with the Indians
and trappers, and later on started fish
cannery and saltery. In one year she
put up 1000 barrels of salted salmon.
she invested in mining. She was a part
of the gold stampede to Sunrise. on
Turnagain arm. where she made 30
much that she might have retired in
comfort. Then bad luck came. She put
her winnings into unsuccessful prop
critics and lost them. She went back to
the roadhouse business and established
little hotels at Hope City and Sunrise.
accumulated some property. In the
meantime. her daughter was growing
up and Mother White decided to leave
Alaska and go to the states to educate
her. She moved to Chicago and opened
little store there. which supported her
until a few years ago. when Marthas
education was finished.
And then came that longing to &C
back to Alaska that permsates ths
souls of all who have made their homes
here for any length of time. 1t SO OBJ
sessed Mrs. White that she left hel
daughter in Chicago and went alone ts