The Wrangell sentinel., 1931-09-18
z. Alexander Powell Writes Garbled Account Of Paying Five Dollars Tor unique Example O1 Vanish. ed Race" Which He Bought In Wrangen Hash House"

k. Alexander Powell is the author Of an article. Where to Find d tortune," in the October issue of che American Magazine.
 MT. Powell develops the idea that
 any day you may stumble on a fortune hidden in the rubbish and Ilnd hlgh- adventure where you least expect it." He relates several instances where, in various parts or the world, seemingly worthless 0DJects have been discovered by chance ana bought Tor small sum; the buyer usually being sur prlsed when he finds his new purchase is valuable.
 The last illustration of the dis covery of hidden treasure has to picked up in Wrangell. He is sup posed to be writing a fact article put this is what he says;
 Now, by way of conclusion, let me tell you about an experience oi my own.
 Ill LbO 6uLuA1ACi LII AOGO W0C travelling by steamer from Vancou- yer to Skagway, Alaska. The boat stopped for an hour at Wrangell. an island off the Alaskan coast, and 1 was one Of the few passen- gers to go ashore, In a dilapidated eating-house which, l judged, had originally been saloon, l observed on a shelf, between a cluster ot empty bottles and a potted gera- nium, a most curious object. It was carved from some variety of hard, light-colored 8 n e-granites 1 as I could make out, a heraldic bird, possibly an eagle, it's eyes half closed, it's beak sunk upon it's breast. 1t stood about twelve inches high and, though crudely executed, hat a peculiarly sinister expression. It might be Mayan. Or Babyionian. Or. Fhoenician. No matter what it's origin, 1 wanted it.
 The proprietor, an old, old man with q white beard reaching han- way to ufo uaIoUj Wds DeHIuu Lne ounter serving throng of hungr5 ustomers.
 :" That figure On the shelt,' l be Jan. striving not to show my eager 4ess. Is it for sale?'
 Yep said the old man, with cut looking up from the sandwiches ne was making. It's yours, brother, Tor five bucks
 "I handed him the money.
 " Just what is it?' I inquired, now that I had it safely in my pcs session. Where did you get it?'
 "T took it off the grave of old chief Skowl when I come here nigh on sixty year ago., was the answer. That's all I kin tell you about it.
 'I shipped the figure to my home, near Washington. l didn't know just what to do with it, now that I had it, but it finally occurred to me that by drilling a small hole from the back of the neck through the head to the beak it would make an interesting spout for a wall fountain in my garden.
 "On my way to the stonecutter's I passed the National Museum.
 "T might as well learn what this thing is,' I thought. The ex- perts in the museum should be able tc tell me something about it.
 q explained my mission to an of ficial, who directed me to the office of Dr. Ales Hrdlicka, curator of the archaeological department of the museum and one of the world s foremost authorities on anthropol- ,ogy. I told him the story of my find and apologized for troubling him with so unimportant a matter.
 Not at all,' he said courteously.
 "I placed the figure on the table. He glanced at it, gave low whist tie of astonishment and issued an order to a messenger. Shortly, oth- CT scientists appeared. They gath cred about the figure and examined it as if it were an object of sur passing interest and importance. became embarrassed.
 You evidently fail to realize, Doctor Hrdlicka explained to mo, that you have here an object which is probably unique-certainly of immense ethnologic value. Barring small figure in the Metropolitan Museum, this is, so far as l am aware, the only example of stone carving by the aborigines of North America in existence
 ''I looked at the squat stone image with new interest.
 We have had an expedition working on Wrangell Island all summer without discovering any thing of exceptional value con tinued the famous anthropologist. Yet you, knowing nothing of such matters. drop off there for an hour or so and in hash-house pick up this unique example of the art of vanished race for five dollars!- May I ask what you intend to do ,,,ith ;to Won ntaphf of rorIroa to