peatedly, attacked both on land and
sea by storm and famine, Baranoff nev
er gave expression to his emotions,
with but one exception, and that was
in 180 when his post at Archangle was
destroyed by the Indians. To defeat
from the elements he submitted, and
accepted it as the dictation of a high
er will than his own; but to be de
feated- by man was a condition which
he could not bow.
Although apportunity was his to have
amassed a great fortune, Baranoff left
Sitka comparatively a poor man, de
pendent upon the government for sup
port during the remaining years that
i he might have lived.
In closing his statement of account
ability for the property of the com
pany there vras, with but a single ex
ception, not a discrepancy. Every
thing from the largest land holding to
the smallest, piece of gear in a ship’s
equipment was accounted for, the ex
ception resting in a barrel of rum
which had been expended to a purpose
for which Baranoff failed to give ac
count.
During Baranoff’s administration, the
net earnings of the American-ltussian
company in Alaska, amounted to near
six millions of dollars . Furs to the
value of three miliolns of dollars had
been shipped to Canton, China.
Jt is left much to our imagination to
consider Baranoff’s emotion as he stood
on the deck of the Kutsuoff and wat
ched the little city, the fruit of his
toils for more than a quarter of a cen
tury, fading awrny in the distance.
He must have left Alaska with a
feeling of reluctance; yet in his de
clining years, the memory of his child
booo seemed to lave usurped tin*
thought of a consummation of any fur
ther ambitions. He believed his work
to have been done; and the joy of re
turning to the home of his boyhood
stood above the sorrow o. leaving his
Alaska connections. Such reward, how
ever, was destined never to be ;his.
For years before his “surrender” of
Alaska, Baranoff lived a life much con
trasted with that of his earlier career.
He manifested ar fondness for the
church, and as though in atonement
for the wrongs he might have done it,
he gave personally to its support, and
his official authority wras diligently em
ployed in furthering the work of the
church in Alaska.
Bnroute to Kussia, the Kutsuott
touched at Batavia, for repairs and sup
plies. Baranoff, during the stay of the
vessel in that port remained ashore
where the climatic conditions were ab
solutely contrasted with those of the
Northland from whence he had come.
The sudden and direct change had its
evil effects; and the tropical fever at
tacked the body unable to withstand
its ravages. The vessel’s sailing was
hurried from Batavia, in the hope that
again at sea, Baranoff would recover;
but his condition became more critical;
and on the fourth day out of port,
April 28, 1819, death overhauled the
homeward bound ship and claimed him.
No vigils were kept at his bier; no
cortege followed the eorpse in state to
its final resting place and no orator pro
claimed his virtues to a thousand
mourners. He died among the men
with whom he had cast his lot, men
with whom he had lived for so long—
sailors; and among these few there
was the sincere feeling of sorrow in
the loss of one, aside from his many
shortcomings, whom they could call a
friend.
The body of the “Little Czar" was
sewn in canvas, weighted with chains
and consigned to the deep. The ele
ment which had buffeted him in life,
cast his almost helpless and desparing
on the rocky, barren shores, the ele
ment which had relentlessly waged its
merciless wars against him, the ele
ment to which, in life, he had always
bid defiance, now grasped in its ever
lasting embrace the body of him
against whom it had ceaselessly war
red.
No monument of stone was erected
to mark the final resting place of the
man whose life was spent in struggle
and battle in the development of a
country which today stands so promi
nently before the world, and truly a
fitting monument this country is to his
memory.
GASTINEAU CHANNEL NOTES
R. V. Rowe lias located the Dumb
Helper and the Silent Friend lode
claims on the second branch of Spruce
creek, near Wyndham Harbor.
0. F. Cheek, of the Purity Pharmacy,
has returned from a purchasing trip to
Puget Sound. While away he secured
an attractive Christmas stock.
Juneau finds a good deal for self
congratulation in the fact that B. L.
Thane has succeeded to the management
of the Perseverance mine.
John Dolan has located four new
claims on the left bank of Sheep creek,
the Maximum, the Monarch, the Maid,
and the Marquis'.
Special Examiner Lewis will leave
in a few days to examine the claims of
Winn and Burton in the Porcupine back
of Haines.
An order was received at the local
land office last week, directing that no
final certificates should be issued on
applications for patent until it was
ascertained that there was no oil or
coal on the claims. Land office officials
say that the order will not delay the
issuance of patents.
PLENTY OF HOMES
W. J. Lewis, special examiner of the
land department is back in Juneau.
Since he left here, he has been exam
ining mining claims at Valdez, home
steads at Seward, and mining claims
at Kodiak.
“There is quite a farming country
around Knik,” he said Saturday, “and
only about a half a dozen claims have
been taken up. A great many crops
will mture in the vicinity, and the wild
red top grass grows six feet high.”
Two hundred sections of land were
surveyed in the vicinity by 9, govern
ment survey party this summer. The
soil is a sandy loam.
S. E. ALASKA HOMESTEADS
It is not necessary to go to the in
terior or to the westward in order to
find good farming country, awaiting
settlers, according to A. L. Leonard,
president of the St. Elias Packing
company.
In the valley of the Alsek' in South
eastern Alaska, there is an abundance
of good farming country. Last spring
the packing company tried for potatoes.
They harvested a crop of potatoes this
fall equivalent to 400 bushels to the
acre. Next year Mr. Leonard intends
to bring up more horses, some cows,
and considerable farm equipment, and
raise a large crop of vegetables. Mr.
Leonard says that he never saw straw
berries anywhere so large or so abun
dant.
HOUSE WARMING
The new city jail which is being
built in Douglas is being made with
two by fours nailed flat. So far no
opening for a door is visable.
Some body asked the mayor wher
the door was to be.
“Wt, intend to have a hatch in the
roof and raise them over the side and
let them down with a hoist, ’’ he said.
It »s believed that the structure will
be completed about the 16 of the month
and the city council will give a house
wanning.
LOOKING FOR TROUBLE
With a revolver in one hand and an
oar in the other, an insane man was
floating down the Deltna on Oct. 5. A
posse was organized by the United
States marshal and according to the
latest Fairbanks papers received here
they were still in pursuit.
Since the foregoing was written, lat
er copies of the Fairbanks News Miner
have arrived, which announce that the
maniac boat had been found drawn up
on the river bank, and that the indica
tions were that he had taken to the
woods. Owing to the fact fresh snow
had fallen, it was impossible to trace
his way any further.
VALENTINE APPOINTED
Emery Valentine has been appointed
administrator of the estate or William
Morrison, who died in the Juneau Ho
tel fire, and who is believed to have
left $10,000 life insurance.
Just received—A full line of Christ
mas Stationery at the Alaska Drug
Company.
SLIPPERYSTUFF
When drawing your pay, if you wish
to avoid spending all, lay aside just
enough for present needs; then bring
the balance to this bank and deposit
it in a savings account. We pay inter
est on such accounts, compounding
semi-annually and accept any sum from
FIRST
NATIONAL
ONE DOLLAR up.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:
Henry Shattuck, Pres. J. E. Beale,
Cashier. F. W. Bradley, John Reck, P.
H. Fox, Geo. F. Miller.
BANK
JUNEAU, ALASKA
€lmcr €. Smith
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CARRIES NYAL’S FAMILY REMEDIES 1
AND THE A. D. S. PREPARATIONS
PRESCRIPTIONS CAREFULLY '
. COMPOUNDED. YOUR j
MONEY BACK IF <
NOT SATISFIED \
# ;
Ok front $t.
Drug Store
LARGEST
AND MOST
COMPLETE PHON
OGRAPH DEPARTMENT
IN S. E. ALASKA. EDISON,
VICTOR AND COLUMBIA MA
CHINES AND RECORDS, BESIDES
ALL THE STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
Dougla$flla$ka
“ESTATE”
OAK HEATING STOVES CANNOT
BE BEATEN
One cannot be too careful in buy
ing a store in this climate. After
years of experience, I hare come to
handle the ESTATE OAK because
it is peculiarly adapted to the Al
aska winters. They axe little giants
to beat, and cannot be beaten for
economy.
lobn
Tcusi
A Good Stock of Heating
STOVES
Always on Band
Julies
JenSon
Corner Second ft D Streets