Seward daily gateway., 1923-12-22

The year 1924 has been one of the best ill the history of the westward district, fishing activities, mining and stock raising bringing this rich section to the fore rapidly. While the aver age tourist has not yet discovered the westward district, it is but a short time until they do so, the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, the splendid harbor and Russian antiques at Ko- diak, the oil fields at Kanatak, and the picturesque towns of Unga, Una laska, and Belkofsky being rich in h. dian curios and native life
 Those who have made the trip are load in praise of the primitive terri ttory to the westward. Up to the pres ent time the district has been visited more by big game hunters than by pleasure seekers, the big brown bear and caribou being plentiful Fishing both fresh water and salt, is unexcell- ed anywhere and the angler may fill his creel with the finest trout in northern waters.
 Kodiak Rich in History
 The town of Kodiak, on Kodiak Isl and is treasure trove for the curio hunter and tourist. Here it was that the huseians first landed, and many buildings erected in 1700 may bel found here. The Russia church was built in 1794, new and more up toI date building being erected in 1875. Among the world famous cur: jos in the church at kodiak is a painting The Twelve Holidays, painted iii 1794. on cyprus, and framed in hammered silver. A new testament printed in 1776, the year of American indepen- dence, ;s slhi used iil ,nL services in this church
 Int oldo.S'. e5tabii5A' q mercantilrI business "l the a :lhc coast, estah- ished during American re....lt na).y| period 5 [ 'at oI the N ] i'rs!.ia.e Co. stO1 as at kuddk Iii busint.s Was established i'll 1775 by the Ru,Sian| American tulnpan,, ,.nd va; succred- ed in lS61. at the time of American occupation Uy the Aiacka Commercial Co.,, which took over the Russian holdings. Il 1911 the business wa, purchased from the A. q. Company by W. J. Ers'lin,e Co.,, a business whil il has been run continuously for over 14S years. Mr Erskine & Son have changed the business from a strictly fur trading post to a general mercan- tile business, carrying one of the iarg est stocks of goods in southwestern Alaska. MT. Erskine is one of the pro- gresslve business men of the distliCt, who has done much to build up the town of Kodiak. Recently h. com pleted large dock and landing for small boats, and is now in New York financing a cannery propositloo. He IS also offering eXcepti ,l,9l induce 1 ments toward having a cold storagei plant erected in Kodiak. The advanta 1 geous location of the town together with an exceptionally beautiful and safe harbor will do much to make this a fishing center
 Otto Kraft & Son
 Otto Kraft & Son first opened up for business in Kodiak about twenty years ago. The firm runs large mer- cantile business, are interested in cod fishing and have lately installed a big refrigerating plant, as well as an cleo tric light plant. MT. Kraft installed the Kodiak telephone exchange and this year purchased the first auto ever seen west of Seward. At first the na tives were frightened at the horseless vehicle, but later became a nuisap> chasing the truck around for a ride. It is said that many of the youngsters would work all day for a ten minute ride on the devil-wagon. MT. Otto Kraft, senior member of the firm, first came to Kodiak in 1885 on the sailing schooner Karluk. Having no cook the vessel shipped Mr. Kraft as chef, who went to San Francisco, returning in the spring to take position with the old Alaska Commercial Co. In 1892 he was connected with the North AV,,> >..1 4so1