KING AND QUEEN REGENT TO REIGN SUPREME OVER WINTER CARNIVAL
By Mary Halm
“A bit of the Irish” and “a
touch of the Yukon” will warm
visitors at the 1962 Fairbanks
Winter Carnival March 17
through 25. Eva McGown, lovely
city hostess, and pioneer Eddie
Farrell “who never missed a
gold stampede” will reign over
the carnival festivities as Queen
and King Regents. They were
chosen by the Fairbanks Pio
neers’ Igloo and Auxiliary.
Queen Regent Eva McGown
When Eva Montgomery came to
Alaska in 1914 from Ireland to mar
ry her sweetheart, she had little idea
that some day she would have the
responsibility of showing hundreds
of visitors the hospitality of Alaska
or that she would thrill the nation
on Ralph Edward's “This Is Your
Life” program.
In April 1933, former Alaskan
Governor Frank Heintzleman is
sued a proclamation that Eva Mc
Gown was to henceforth be Alas
ka’s official hostess. That was on
the TV program, more than 12 years
after she was hired by the Fair
banks Chamber of Commerce as
city hostess.
Eva was born in County Antrim
in Ireland. Before she came to Alas
ka, she taught school, belonged to
the Belfast Philharmonic Society,
was instrumental in forming the
Belfast Children’s Choir and was
active in debating and drama clubs
Starts Trip
In 1914. determined to join her
sweetheart who had found it neces
Woolards Return
To Piggly Wiggly
Jess and Betty Woolard returned
several days ago from a three week's
trip to southern states. At St. Louis
the popular local couple purchased
a brand new 1962 Chevrolet and
drove it back north, and through
some quite cold temperatures—sub
zero, as a matter of fact. But the
car ran like a dream, regardless.
Jess is manager of the Dutch Mill
bakery department of Piggly Wiggly
Super Market. Betty is in charge of
the counter.
_ STEAL CHARITY MONEY
William Kinneman reported to
City police on Feb. 6 that someone
had stolen the money from a March
of Dimes collection box at the
Sportland Cafe.
New Empress
Theatre
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Fri.-Sat.-Sun.
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SWINGiN'
ALONG
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Lacey Street
Theatre
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Wed.-Thurs.-Fri.-Sat.
"WOMEN FROM HELL"
—AND—
"RETURN TO PEYTON
PLACE"
Sun.-Mon.-Tues.
"HIGH TIME"
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M
MADISON AVENUE'
sary to come to Alaska before her,
she left her native land and traveled
via Liverpool on an ocean liner to
New York and then by train to
Seattle.
This was only the beginning of
her trip. She sailed on the S. S.
Northwestern to Cordova. From
there she went by narrow gauge
tarin to Chitina which was the term
inal of tiie stage company. The last
part of her journey was over the
narrow sleigh and horse trail to
Fairbanks. The passengers stopped
each night at a road house and the
drivers and horses rested.
Eva recalls that fur rugs and foot
warmers were provided. “There was
food and plenty of it,” she added.
It took six days to get to Fair
banks.
Shortly after her arrival in the
frontier mining town, Eva married
Arthur Montgomery.
Life Unfolded
Life unfolded for Eva in the new
country. She joined the St. Mat
thew’s Episcopal Church and later
was organist and choir leader. The
McGowns had a wonderful life to
gether, but in 1930, Mr. McGown
died of a bone tumor.
From 1930 to the present time
Eva McGown has cheered many an
otherwise dreary day for many
oersons.| As City hostess, she is in
constant demand for advice and
hosoitalitv.
Mrs. McGown is a member of the
Eastern Star, Pioneer Auxiliary No.
8, Honorary Member of the Pioneer
Women, and a life honorary mem
ber of the Chamber of Commerce.
She declared that the finale of
her life came with her surprise
election as Queen Regent of the
Winter Carnival.
King Regent Eddie Farrel!
Eddie Farreli, who will reign with
Queen Eva over the carnival fes
tivities, lives with his wife Becky
in a trim remodeled log cabin at 511
Seventh.
Farrell, who “never missed a gold
stampede” was born in 1882 in St
Paul, Minnesota, and came west
with his family as a baby in 1882.
He left his home in Centralia, Wash
ington, at the age of 17 in 1893 to
come to Alaska.
He worked his way to Juneau on
a steamer as a dishwasher. He was
there only a few hours and re
turned to Seattle.
Farrell, who witnessed the hard
ships of the goldrush days, recalls
with a chuckle a Duke whom he
met on the steamer. The fellow
stepped off the boat at Juneau with
a pack over his shoulder, headed
for Dawson and said, “well, the
worst of it is over.” “Little did he
know,” says Farrell, “I bet he re
greted saying that many times in
iho voqrq to come."
Got Gold Fever
In 1900 Farrell “got the gold
fever" and came back to Alaska, this
time with an uncle who had left
the Dawson Territory sometime be
fore. The two went to Skagway on
the boat in 1900.
From there they went over the
famed White Pass to Whitehorse —
a 450 mile walk to Dawson. Some
times they rode with company teams
that were hauling perishables into
the camps, but most of the way they
walked. This hike took about 21
days.
At the age of 17 he was searching
out gold in the Klondike — two
years since his memorable steamer
trip. For 50 years he didn't see his
family. He met his wife Rebecca in
Fairbanks in 1945 and they were
married in 1946. She was the first
woman to fly to Nome in Alaska.
In fact, her pilot was Noel Wein.
Weddings weren't completely new
to Farrell, because before he had
never seen a wedding he was called
upon to compose and perform a
wedding ceremony in a mining
camp. This he did and with apparent
success.
Long Trip
During the Dawson gold rush he
made the trip from Whitehorse to
Dawson driving a team of horses on
the nine day trip. He came back to
Fairbanks by steamboat as far as
the Chena River, then poled the
! river the rest of the way to Fair
banks.
At that time sugar sold for 50
cents a pound and candles were 25
cents apiece. There was no coal, oil
or gasoline and a saucer of bacon
grease with a wick was all there
was for a cabin light. His window s
.were made of beer bottles. In tho.
days no food was delivered to Fair
I banks after October 1.
Has he regrets about his many
endless searches? “Certainly not.
says Farrell, “although there were
many days when provisions were
low.”
Baseball Fan
Farrell played baseball when he
was young and this interest con
tinued when he came to Alaska. He
played at Dawson, Ruby and Fair
banks, in fact one of his baseball
friends was Ed Stroecker Sr., of the
First National Bank.
At 80 years of age. he still goes
to all the baseball games he can
and confides that one of his and his
wife’s biggest dreams is to see a
live World Series game. He is a
member of Pioneer Igloo No. 4 and
the Elks Club.
No, he hasn't given up his life's
struggle for gold, every summer
he goes mining. Last summer he
and Ben Falls, 84, mined at Wilbur
Creek.
“Plans for this summer?” “I'm go
ing mining.” the pioneer said.
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