The Alaska daily empire., 1920-11-10
NEWSPAPER OF.
 1868 IS GIVEN
 ALASKA MUSEUM
Original Copy of Sitka Times Found in Oyster House
 And Is Rescued.

i No. 1, Vol 1. of the Alaska Times, which the editor announces in his salutatcry to be the first attempt ever made to publish paper in Alaska" The paper was published 1t sitka September 19, 1868, and Barney O'Ragan's name appears at l the head of tho paper as editor. The publication is produced in pen and ink written in long hand on , foolscap paper, and consists of four pages of two columns each.
 The copy of the Times was found by Col. R. D. Crittenden of Wran- roll in an oyster house at Wash ington, and by him given to r. P. Tustin of Wrangell, who presented it to- the Alaska Historical Librhry I end Museum.
 The first Alaska newspaper, ac- cording to it's announcement and context, was devoted to local and general news" mostly pertaining to Alaska While it announced that 1t would be neutral" in matters of politics CT religion, it promised that it would discuss all questions of public interest touching the affairs of Alaska" And in this first num- bcr, the Times declared emphatical- I ly against military government for Alaska and for Q civil government.
 Began Talking Railroad Early.
 That the people of Alaska began to buoy hope for the prospect Of getting railroad connections with
 the East early in it's American his tory was evidenced by an editorial in the first edition of the Times, more than a half century ago, de- claring in favor of the Pacific Rail- road. It expressed desire "to hear the screams" of incoming locomo- tives' whistles echoed from Alaska's g peaks" and to hail the day when migrants.
 That Alaska was charmed With the Northern Lights in those days as in these is disclosed by graphic account Of "georgeous display" of tho aurora borealis September 16, : 1868, three days before the appear
 ance of the paper.
 Was Growing Slowly.
 There was a note of lament in
 one of the articles in the paper on
 account of the slow growth of the
 town. It complains that there was
 littlo to boast about in the way oi '- development, but took some hope d from the fact that the building o1 l. Levy and Company was nearing s completion It said "the inside mat T ter for the building was coming d from San Francisco on the Earl '- Delaware, now due" And there wa. 't evidence of pride in the addition 1T that when the building would bt y ready for occupancy Sitka would
 have two lager beer establish l. ments."
 IT Honor Dead Ex-President. h One of the principal news item
 in the paper chronicled the fac 0 that ,'in compliance with order, 3 received at headquarters on Septem 5 Der 15, "a salute of thirteen gun! ' was fired at sunrise, a gun &ret
 every 30 minutes thereafter unti
 sunset, when salute of 37 gum 4 was fired on account of the deatf Q of Ex-President James Buchanan. 4 Has Sense of Humor.
 Q That Barney O'Ragan, the editor
 had something of the sense o 4 humor that one would naturally as ' sociate with his name. is disclosed
 in an announcement which says that 4 on account of the scarcity of local . news of general interest the Times
 would give well defined descrip- 5 tions of all fights, record in Ian
 suage of flowers the matrimonial pursuits of mankind, and respectful 5 details of those whose souls have fled to the spirit land"
 ' The local news gives specia, 5 prominence to the movement of army officers, in which the name of Gen Davis heads the list Gen. Davis and other officers had just left Sitka for "Kodiac," and did not expect to return to Sitka for two months. In another place in the paper Kodiak appears as "Kodac"
 There are two or three columns Of advertisements in the paper. These include several stores, half dozen saloons, lumber dealer, hotels. cts, and one lawyer, w. U. Woods.
 The Times said that it would be continued to be published in hand writing for a time, as there had not been encouragement in a busi ness way to warrant the great ex- penditure" that would be necessary to purchase a press. However seven months later, April 29. 1869. the Times printed it's first copy from types and press. The last copy of the paper was issued about two years after the frst-September 13, 1870.
 Museum Open Tonight. i The museum in the Arctic Broth erhood Building will be open this evening at 7:30 o'clock. It will be open every Wednesday at that hour. It is, of course. open each day. fore noon and Afternoon. Rev. A. P.