The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-02-24
Jack Pratt Having Himself a Time
With Reporters In Cities Visited

Jack Pratt, who went south last
fall from Anan creek where he is
employed during the summer months
by the bureau of fisheries, is having
himself a grand time with the press
of the various cities which he visits.
San Francisco papers witch played
him up in full page features, pro-
Yided much amusement when re-
ceived at Wrangell. From California
he went to Washington, d. @. and
gave out extensive interviews never
falling to tell what ever the report
ers would fall for the hardest. By the
time he reached Chicago homeWard
bound, he talked about three
months nights" but evidently forgot
the customary igloo and polar bears
of Alaska stories.
His promise in Chicago for free
beer to everyone in Wrangell. whites
and Indians alike, will likely cause
him to mortgage his coming seasons
wages. Wrangell will overlook his
failing to tell of the modern con-
ditions in vogue here, but his prom
Use of free beer will not be over
looked.
The following story printed in
the Chicago Tribune Of February
Il, was received in Wrangell on
February 20 by J. C. Johnson from
an uncle in Duluth:
Thirty-Thirty Jack Pratt is in
town. He likes Chicago. He likes
the night clubs and the tall build
ings, and all the pretty girls. But
he's heading north as soon as he can
get away. And when he hits Wran-
CELL again therell be the biggest
party you ever saw. Free beer in ey-
cry saloon in town, for white men
and Indians, until midnight
Thirty-Thirty Jack is one of the
sourdoughs who sWarmed into Alas
ka in 1898. This is his first trip to-
civilization" land you can have it,
he saysl in thirty-eight years. He's
one of the real pioneers, still sturdy
and young despite his &c years, and
he intends to stay that way. His
name comes from the fact that he
carries a 1920 rifle where most men
use six shooters.
you could put all this country
on a gold platter" says Thirty
Thirty Jack glancing out his Black
stone hotel suite, and 1 wouldn't
touch 1t. Me worry the way you fell
lows do? There's nothin' to worry
you up north"
MarVels at Women's Hats
Thirty-Thirty Jack left Alaska
last October. He wanted to see what
changes nearly forty years had
wrought Since then he has been
travelling across the country. The
thing that struck him most when he
arrived, he says, was the odor, all
the gasoline and smoke. He also no.
ticed the womens funny hats and the
way they drink. Think nothing of
six or seven bourbons," he says.
Thirty-Thirty Jack This mail
comes that wayl left his home in,
Alabama as a kid. He ran away to-
sea On a windjammer, drifted for a
while, lived briefly in Chicago about
forty years ago, and then went to
Alaska.
He's been deep sea diver, pros
pector, game hunter, 'mountie,"
fisherman, trapper, saloonkeeper,
and government agent. He and
TEX" Richard were partners in
saloon in Nome, and he knew Rex
Beach, Robert w. Service, Jack Lon
don, and TEX" Guinan.
THE last time saw Jack Lon
don," says Thirty-Thirty, "he was
sittin' ON a beer keg in front of a
saloon in Nome And the key was
just as empty as Jack was full. He
was a typical hobo. Used to say he
had his name in every jail from