Douglas Island news., 1918-11-22
OUR BIRTHDAY


 gcll. Alaska. ou June s, 1898, under the name of the Fort Wraugcll News by A. G.. Mcbride and Fred IIcuShaw as editors and Chas. A. Hopp business manager. On No- ,cmbcr 23 of the same year the first num- bcr of the paper was printed in Douglas having been moved from Wraugcll here The editors and proprctors were A. G. Me Bride and ChoS A. Hopp.
 The printing office was at first on D street next door to the the old Meat Mar kct. but was afterwards moved to the Mm- rav building ou Third street where 1t was issued continuously for about seventeen years. under the ownership of ChaS. A.. IIopp. he having purchased the interest of Lis partner shortly after the paper was started. About three years ago the News wa, purchased by F.. J. White the present owner. who had thc present building on' Front street erected to house the plant and installed new and uptodatc machinery, giv- ing thc News one of the most complete weekly newspaper plants in Alaska.
 When the News was established on Douglas Island. Alaska was little known to the world and Douglas was not the. city of homes that 1t is today. but typical Alas km mining camp with an that the name im- plies. Everything was wide open and the ceiling was the limit. Everyone was a mil liouairc ou payday and a paupcr the morn ing after The lily-fngered gambler was thc only one that wore a white collar except ou state occasions like Christmas and Fourth of July. and those were the only holidays in the year.
 The roar of the stamps at Treadwell was only drowned out by the echoes of the blasts in the Glory Hole which was then m thc heights of its glory and Trcadwell was turning out the gold that has given Alaska its great reputation
 For many years this paper followed the fortunes of the community in which 1t was established and saw the town grow from collection of shacks meandering along the beach line to a fine city of substantial homes and well-laid streets, and saw Treadwell change from a mining camp of the toughest kind to a model settlement that has been pattern for many other places
 We have seen pass the old, bold days and witnessed the coming of newer times and newer ideas.
 We have been with the Island when it was at the height of its prosperity and we are still with it when it is at it's lowest ebb, and we hope to be here when it comes back to its own.
 Through it all the News has gone about fulfilling its mission as a newspaper. 1t has ushcred your children into the world, married you and buried you. It has sent vour children out into the world with a slap on the back and welcomed them home again. It has been sad when you were sad and glad when you were glad.
 In all its twenty years here the News has never said a harsh word about anyone except maybe the Kaiser-but has chron- iclcd the little happenings that constitute the events in our little world on Douglas Island as fully as possible. It has magni- lied your good deeds and thrown the man. tie of charity over your faults, taking care to rattle mo family skeletons or to print anything that might "offend the most fas- tidious'
 Every movement that might be of bene- ft to Douglas Island, Alaska or the Nation has always received the wamest kind of support in the columns of the News and will always continue to receive it, as we consider that one of the first duties of any newspaper.
 We start on our twenty-frst year with feeling that better things are in store for Dnnelas Island than has been her lot fOr