Evening star., 1935-08-11
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number to purchase food and cook it.
Then. they went to work on their
40-acre tracts, slashing timber, peel
ing logs, and planning their homes.
Their women, fired by the enthusi-
astic reports of their husbands.
tramped to the Butte in overalls and
knickers and helped select the home
sites.
Flood Menace Studied.
Then when work had proceeded
apace and colonistS had become real
boosters for the Butte. the adminiStra-
ton awakened to the fact that there
was a possibility of flood in the lower
40s. travelled with a group of them
one day when Don Irwin, general man.
ager of the project. and Anton Ander-
son. of the engineering staff, went out
to look over the situation. The wagon
packed with men and women, lurched
and careened over roots, into mudholes
and over corduroy. 1t slushed through
water to the axles, where the Mata-
nuSka had overfiowed, and all but
tipped over. Yet it wasn't the rough
ness, the mosquitoes or the heat that
troubled the colonists. 1t was the fear
them to another location.
The telegram which the coloniStS sent
TO President Roosevelt several months
ago decrying delays in construction
brought action, and it brought Eu
gene Carr to the colony as co-ordina-
tor of various enterprises. Mr.. Carr
deserves story by himself. He is
huge man, straight as an arrow and
strong as bull He was a foot ball
star at Fordham in 1908 and a cap
tain of the old 69th during the World
War. He drives a car like a whirl-
wind over treacherouS mountain roads,
he pilots plane, he rows boat like
if he had been born with a pole in
his hand. He succeeds in combining
an air of authority with a friendliness
and cameraderie that the coloniSts
like.
Mr.. Carr hiked to the Butte and
climbed to the top. He surveyed the
country from the air, returning vastly
pleased with the progress he had
viewed. He discovered a 30-square-
mile patch of wild hay. with an esti-
mated crop of $4,000 tons, and leased
the plot for the colony. Under his
supervision. log houses are sprouting
like mushrooms. saw mills are hum
ming, and clearing is going on at full
speed. There is no place for loafers
In the Matanuska Valley, says Mr..
Carr, and he means it. The colonists
know that he means it.
Face Winter Hardships.
But it is not all beer and skittles
In the colony even now. Winter and
cold weather are approaching. Houses
are still uncompleted. Meantime there
is the inconvenience of tent life and
the disappointment occasioned by
promises of Utopia. Some colonists
have been contaminated by the relief
virus. They came expecting to re-
ceive everything and do nothing in
return. Some of these have sat
idly in their tents or gossiped while
they waited for the corporation to
do their work
Others came to look around. as
they express it. One of the families
which recently returned to the States
had left 200-acre farm in Mime
sofa. An uncleared 40 acres in new
country did not present a favorable
comparison in their minds.
Some who have come to the colony
are not of pioneer stuff. Faced with
difficulties, they have been unable to
adapt themselves, or have lacked the
Initiative necessary in frontier coun-
try. Others were not in good health
and have found the climate and hard
ships uncomfortable. These, however,
are in the minority. Il have never
felt better in my life" is an express
sion one often hears.
Another situation that has caused
criticism has been the high prices at
the commissary maintained for the
colonists. Alaska is 1000 miles from
Seattle. High freight rates on steam
ship and train add to the cost of
foodstuffs. In the beginning there
was confusion in the operation of the
commissary. Invoices failed to arrive
with the goods. and it was necessary
TO fix prices arbitrarily. At present
prices have been pared to the lowest
possible point.
Living on Fat of Land.
There is factor. however, in the
food situation that seems to have
been overlooked Many oClonists, COM
ing from relief rolls in their own
States, with food budgets consequent
ly cut to the limit, have been like
children let loose in candy store.
In view of high freight costs, it al
ways has been Alaska policy to bring
IN quality goods. The commissary
direction has seen fit to continue this
plan with the result that shelves are
stocked with the finest of canned
foods and meats. Maple sirup of
luxury grade. choice pears and pre-
i1ium hams have been served daily on
the colonists' tables. Slice credit. not
cash. is involved in the transaction.
housewives have ordered freely. In
stead of stews, families eat T-bone
steak. Instead of prunes they prefer
canned strawberries. But they grum-
BILE when the monthly bills run to
$85 for a family of four Said one
woman in discussing the food situa-
ton: why, we never ate so we'll
as this in the States. not even with
my husband making high wages" In
stead of starving. as mas been reported,
colonists are living on the fat of the
land.
There's a real place for dietetic
instruction among the Matanuska COL
onists. Alaska woods aoound in edible
plants. I talked to Tex Cobb, hunter,
trapper and prospector, who many
times has lived on the country" He
pointed out lambs quarter. fire weed,
nettles, the rots of pea vines and
other roots and leaves which, cooked
or raw, might take the place of ex-
pensive canned products. Fish are
plentiful in Alaska rivers. Fifty to
rs trouts are not an uncommon catch.
A cooperative cannery is planned to
take care of the salmon run, but
meantime the provident tentholder
may salt or can sufficient fish for his
Winter stock as we'll as Sllnnlv his