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A Sourdough Memorial
The statue shown above, created by the late Alonzo Victor Lewis,
Stands on the lawn at the Pioneers' Home in Sitka and was raised to
commemorate the memory ol the rugged Alaskan pioneers who blazed
the trails to the Klondike and the Yukon,
The statue stands 13*4 feet high and is of bronze. It was four years
in the making and was dedicated on Alaska Day, October 18, 1949. The
artist had died prior to this date and his daughter, Mrs. Zalmain
Gross of Juneau, unveiled the statue at special dedication ceremonies.
The Pioneers of Alaska and other organizations and individuals
contributed the funds necessary to set up the memorial.
Model for the statue was William Fonda, known as Skagway Bill.
Elected Board Member 1st Nat.
James D. Crawford, vice president
•ad general manager of the United
States Smelting. Refining and Min
ing company, has been named by
Che First National Bank directors to
a position on the board.
Crawford replaces the late An
drew Nerland, pioneer Alaskan bus
iness man whe died this spring. He
has lived in Fairbanks for the past
30 years and has been active in
community affairs throughout that
time.
The First National Bank is a pi
oneer institution, serving Alaskans
for over 50 years.
FOUR DAYS CELEBRATION TO BE A
HUGE ONE; EVENTS REMEMBERING
SOURDOUGH DAYS ARE SCHEDULED
Golden Days, the celebration con-«
ceived four years ago to commem
orate Felix Pedro’s discovery of
gold around Fairbanks, will get off
to a running start today and will
continue through Sunday under the
sponsorship of the Chamber of
Commerae. It promises to be four
days jam-packed with fun and ac
tivity for all.
Don Pearson, chairman of Gold
en Days, anticipates that this year's
celebration will be the best ever
held.
The excitement will begin with
a parade today at 1:30 p.m. The
parade will form on Gaffney road
and will travel down Cushman to
Second avenue. From there it will
go down Second to Noble, then back
up to Gaffney. Parade chairmen are
Searl Burnett and Bob Murray, both
members of the Fairbanks Fire de
partment. The number of entrants
in the parade is expected to be
about 30.
Parade marshals will be Mayor \
Douglas Preston and Brig. Gen. T.
Allen Bennett.
Several activities are scheduled to j
run throughout the entire celebra- i
tion, not the least of which is the j
jail for the beardless gentlemen of |
the community who do not have
shaving permits. Fairbanksans with
no growth on their faces are sub
ject to arrest by any bearded man.
Cost of getting out of the j*ag is
$3.
Gold panning and a mining exhib
it will be set up on the corner of
Second avenue and Cushman. Pion
eers of Alaska, Igloo No. 4, will be
in charge of the operations. For one
dollar anyone may pan for gold in
downtown Fairbanks.
Each evening at 8 p.m. a street
dance will be held in the parking
lot of the Northern Commercial
company.
Another feature of Golden Days
will be the many old music makfcig
machines belonging to James “Mac”
McGuire. They will be in operation
all over the downtown area.
Exhibits of local artists’ work will
be on display downtown. The Far
(Continued on Page 7)
Four Charter
Members Meet
With Pioneers
Present at Monday night’s meet
ing of Igloo No. 4, Pioneers of Al
aska were four charter members of
the organization.
They are Charlie Lynn, Tom Gib
son. Billy Gilcher and Hugh Wal
laee. Although pioneers are thin
ning in ranks new members from
among the ranks of sons of pioneers
I are being brought into the lodge
| eonstantly.
EDITORIAL
Today ushers in the annual pioneer celebration. Golden
Days, during which the calendar will be turned back more
than half a century. Preparations have been underway for
some weeks past as witness the brushy growth on men’s faces.
Not only have the men made themselves resemble the
gold seeker of 1898, but the women have resurrected gar
ments of ’98 from mothballs for use on occasion. Gold pans
have been dug out of the cache as well as pick and shovels.
Fairbanks is now a far cry from the wilderness that Felix
Pedro caused to turn quickly into a mining camp as the rush
for gold brought stampeders from the Klondike, Nome and
elsewhere. Today we have near skyscrapers, a huge military
base and all the adjuncts of civilization as well as its nui
sances. Planes have replaced dog sleds, highways have suc
ceeded trails. The Chena River is no longer the main avenue
for travel.
Time brings astounding changes. Yet the spirit of ’93
will be found undaunted during the remainder of the week
as memories and events are revived. Our pioneers who lived
these days of hardships and achievements at the turn of the
century will be the principal figures in the celebration, but
the younger generations are adding their zest and vigor in
not reliving but in acting the parts of men and women who
shared the excitement of bygone days.
The program is varied enough to interest everyone. Let’s
all participate to make it the biggest and most successful cel
ebration ever held.
Japanese Cook
Spread Storv
Of Big Strike
What was probably the first real
advertising scheme in Interior Al
aska centered around a stranded
shipload of goods, a willing Japa
nese cook and a desire to create a
market.
When the “Lavelle Young”
steamed up to what is now the
present location of the Northern
Commercial company, her captain,
E. T. Barnette, got quite a shock.
No one met the boat. This was Aug
ust erf 1901.
Later Felix Pedro walked into
camp telling of stories of gold pos
sibilities.
It was decided that Jujira Wada,
Japanese cook aboard the, ship,
should go into Dawson to give just
a word or two in the right direction
to get a stream of eager gold seek
ers to the trade goods.
Their scheme worked and the
stampede was on. Men poured into
the camp site but were met by dis
appointment. not gold. Ground
around the creeks looked not the
least promising and unfavorable
engineering reports kept pouring
in.
Wada. meanwhile, became a fugi
tive from a hangman's noose. The
little fellow took to the hills until
the trouble died down. He turned
(Continued on Page 7)
Communication
System Grows •
With Territory
The earliest telegraph line in Al
aska was the 24 mile line between
Nome and Safety Harbor, estab
lished in 1900 by the WAMCATS,
(Washington Alaska Military Ca
ble and Telegraph System,) a group
of U. S. Army Signal Corps men.
In 1901, construction began oil
559 miles of line connecting Tana
na. just south of Fairbanks' present
location, with Eagle City, near the
Canadian border.
The WAMCATS also experiment
ed with radio during this period,
and on August 7. 1903. what is be
lieved to be the first wireless tele
graph system in the w'orld acting
as part of a commercial set-up was
established between Fort Safety
and Fort St. Michael, 07 miles
across Norton Sound.
By 1904, communication networks
in ttee Territory consisted of 2.128
miles of submarine cable, (includ
ing the line installed that summer
from Sitka to Valdez.) 1,497 miles
of land lines, and a wireless sys
tem covering 107 miles over water.
Alaska communications saw rap
id development in the ten year
period from 1924 to 1934, largely
due to the introduction of the
vacuum tube, radio circuits, and
greatly improved equipment.
(Continued on Page 19»