Evening star., 1935-05-20
ARMY SHIP SPEEDS
COL0N|STS NORTH
Hearts Yearn for Homes
in States-SiCk Group
, to Follow Later.
BY ARVILLE SCHALEBEN.

ABOARD S. S. ST MIHIEL,
ALASKA-BOUND, May 20 (N.AN.A).
This glistening white Army trans
port is now nosing into the north.
On the decks and in the state rooms
are Americas modern pioneers.
Pacific waters lie now between them
and deSolate homes left behind. There
can be no turning back. 1t must be
upward and onward, into the last
frontier"
Aboard are almost 600 men, women
and children from Wisconsin and
Michigan. They 60 to claim 40-acre
tracts prepared for them in the
Matanuska Valley of Alaska by the
Federal Emergency Relief AdminiStra-
ton. Back in Seattle, whose musical
send-off still rings in the ears of the
fortunates aboard, are the reminder OF
the two contingentS which left their
homes early last week. They are the
six families which measles and mumps
attacked either en- route to Seattle or
during the two-day stay in the city.
H. A. r. Carleton, the F. E. h. A.
man in charge of the merged con-
tingents, speeded arrangements TO
transport the six families to Alaska.
Instead of sailing June s. as originally
planned. they will sail in a few days
IN the Government leased freight boat
North Star.
Nurses to Go Along.
The Red Cross nurses will travel
with them and they will have fresh
milk every wave of the way from the
very cows the colonists will milk IN
the valley. for the North Star will
carry JERSEYS and horses and more
supplies to the new outpost at Palmer.
Palmer! It's on every set OF lips.
"palmer" and Alaska" are words the
tiniest toddling tots mutter expect
antly. Palmer, why, that's the dot on
the map destined for history-f the
toll of these colonists comes to
fruition.
Seattle. nearest port to Alaska in
the United States. hopes it does. 1t
showed it by its farewell. Its Junior
Red Cross brought a 35-piece band,
bedecked in splendor, to the pier. 1t
brought flowers for the mothers and
CANDY for the children. 1t sang and
II cheered and it eaSed the last frenzied
farewells.
Up to the very moment of departure,
as from the very moment o arrival.
willing workers paved the trail OF
'35" with convenienceS.
Promptly at 10 am. cars driven bV
former Wisconsin and Michigan resi-
dents began swinging up to colonist
HEADQUARTERS. They took family groups
on drives through the city, past lovely
Towering gardens to the well-stocked
700 and along Seattle's huStllng water
front.
Luggage Checked.
Meanwhile. Army men and Wash
ington State relief workers went from
foor to floor in the hotel and checked
and transported all luggage-Sult cases.
dolls. guns. baby baskets, newly bought
kitchenware, fishing tackle, surplus
coats and shoes. dogs, ducks, canaries
and, yes. even Walter Ferguson's snow
shoes, to the st. Mihiel.
Directly after sightseeing our PAM
pered pioneers had dinner. And they
rode. like the triumphant personages
America has made them, to the wait
ing transport.
At2pm. came the first cry, Board. :
At pm. all was well and the ST.
Mihiel nosed into the north.
Easy, wasn't it? Yes, it seemed so.
But remember this-that while the
colonists' spirits may lie in the new
land. their hearts still lie back in those
humble huts they once called home,
sweet home.
(Copyright 1898. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, 1ncD