The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1922-10-26
BY COL. JAMES G. STEESE.


! about 700 miles long and has an
average width OF about 200 miles
| it is thus about three times the size
| Of the State Of Pennsylvania, OF
about the size OF Japan 1t is very
sparseiy settled. Though the country
generally is capable of agricultural
development, the principal activi-
ties of the Kamtchadahls at present
are stOck-raising, fishing and trap
ping. The kamIchatka sables are
especially fine.
Though part of the Maritime
Province and nominaly under the
control of the :'White" or NlaGivos-
tok government. up to the time that
! | left Petropayloysk late last Aug
ust, the Whites" had been able 10
establish their control at only a few
points. Their control, even at the
old provincial capital, Petropaylovsk,
did not extend beyond the city linn
itss. The model municipal dairy
| farm and all the surrounding coun-
try were still in the hands of the
'Pinks" (the Far Eastern Republic
or Chita Government), or Reds. y
6 they Were called locally But as
most of the Reds" had families in
the city, they permitted the milk
service to continue uninterrupted.
Government Aid Extensive.
| was surprised to find the extent
TO which the old Imperial Russian
Government had extended its con-
troll to these far eastern and quite
isolated points. | have already al
luded to the modern radio station
and government buildings and depots
at Anadyr. At Petropavlovsk there
is another fine radio station. now
operated by the Whites" There
were also government school build
ings, bank, complete Army post,
and two large groups OF buildings
for the governor and his staff. All
buildings We're very substantially
built and in good state OF pres
ervation.
There were three monuments COM
memorating battles or sieges n
which the city has been involved,
ICne a very elaborate mausoleum
with bronze tablets in memory Of
British, French and Russian soldiers
and sailors killed there. Another
monument commemorated the Ber-
ing expedition.
A 165-mile road extends from
Petropavlofsk over into the KANT
chatka River Valley. The KANT
chatka River is then navigable for
about 200 miles to its mouth at
Usk-Kamtihatsk. A branch road ex-
tends acres sthe Peninsula to Boil
sherevsk, on the Okhotsk Sea. Gov
ermment telegraph and telephone
lines extend all over the Peninsula.
The roads were originally passable
for the light Russian marrow
gauge. wagons, but many of the
bridges are broken down and gen
eral repairs are need ! Travelled
about 80 miles on horseback
through the hack country. A fivver
could get as far as Zavoika. 10 miles
out of Petropayloy SIX, but there are
at present no cars of any kind in
Kamchatka. Along the kamtchatka
River are a number OF trading posts
and fish camps.
Conditions We're Bad.
When we arrived al Petropavlovsk
1, -; TIM rhappQ
of civil governor, Berich, an in
effective individual VINO seemed 10
fear assassination more than any
thing else Liquor was abundant,
the soldiers out Of control, and
brawls and shooting scrapes OF al
most nightly occurrence. The trad
ers were requisition for rifles and
ammunition, and later the soldiers
would sell back these same rifles
and ammunition, and in one case
presented permit from Berich
authorizing the sale. few days
before left, Bcrich was replac ed
by o naval officer and a stop put to
all disorder. The soldiers were
equipped with military rifles and
the sporting rifles all turned in,
Additional soldiers and sailors were
brought from Vladivostok and a
noticeable improvement in .cOndi-
tons Immediately resulted. The first
Sunday after the arrival of the new
governor, all the troops. five COM
panes. were paraded and then
marched to high mass.
Forces Are Well Kept.
The amazing thing to me is how
they keep going. 1t has now beer
FIVE years since the revolution anc
one would think that all reserves
in food and equipment would have
long since been exhausted. Yet the
soldiers and sailors are all well
dressed and well fed. Their uni