Historial Sketches and Experi
ences of Trail-Blazers Who Made
Alaska the Empire of the North
PIONEERS OF ALASKA
EDITED BY
A. G. THOMPSON,
Member of Anchorage Igloo No. 15
MINOR McLAIN, HANDSOME
ALASKA LAD, FETED AND
DINED IN EFFETE EAST
OLDTIMERS HERE KNOW HIM.
_
Mary Garden, Grand Opera Star. Kiss-!
es the Blushing Youth on Stage Be
fore Audience of Thousands, and
Christy, the Artist, Uses Him as
Model for Navy Pictures.
Gold is not the only glittering thing
that has helped to put Alaska on the ^
map and bring just deserts to the I
f'nemorv of William Henry Seward.
There are other things, typical of
Alaska that have caused the people of
the states to sit up and take notice of
the 49th state. There is the Eskimo,
the icebergs, Cherry Malotte, Gordon!
Betties and the Matanuska potato.
These have all played their part in
the publicity campaign and there has
never been a dearth of advertising
matter. Alaska has produced many1
original characters made famous by
verse and prose. Speaking of Alaska
in a general way most people inad
vertantly think of Nome, the town
that undeniably holds the center of
the stage when it comes to fiction, ro
mance and wealth. During the fam
i
| itus stampede days, Nome probably
entertained the most cosmopolitan |
citizenship ever gathered together in
one place, even taking into considera
tion Port Said. People flocked to the
northern gold fields from every corner
of the earth; men or ah nationalities
and some women made the mad rush
to pluck the glittering nuggets that
“grew on bushes.”
Canada furnished its quota of stam
peders, who were of the better class 1
and who were always for law and or
der. Among the Canadians to make
the overland trip accompanied by the
perils of the unbeaten trail were Lar- j
ry McLain, wife and son and a French
Canadian who acted as guide and man
of all work.
The McLains came direct from the
bawson gold fields and reached Nome
in the latter part of 1900 when the
ung son, Minor McLain, was four
years old. They met with varying
success in the Nome placer camp and
remained after the diggings were
worked out. The McLains were always i
prominent in church work and did
their part in all things towards the
upbuilding of the town.
Here their son Minor grew to man
hood, attending the public schools and
taking an active part especially in lo
cal athletics. During the vacations
Minor worked on the Nome Nugget
and being of a happy disposition and i
generous almost to a fault became ex-j
ceedingly popular. He ranked high in
his studies and was foremost in all
a£ tletic contests of skill and endur
ance. Under the influence of Chris
tian parentage and strict training Mi
nor developed into a model specimen
1 of young manhood. The severe ele
ments of the northern climate did
much to inure him to outdoor life, of
which he was very fond.
Mr. and Mrs. Felix Brown, Mrs.
^j£?bert Ashton, John Meyers, A. C.
Craig and several other Anchorage
people knew Minor McLain when he
wras a young school boy at Nome and
say at that time it was universally
r i
predicted that Young McLain would j
come into prominence.
, And now he has done so and wdiile'
he hasn’t by any means reached the'
pinnacle of his fame he is certainly |
tjefore the eyes of the east and is call- j
Ca the “Ideal American Sailor Boy.”
f This distinction is wTell placed, accord-j
ing to his Anchorage friends and by j
noted artists of the east. In all things
Nome is patriotic and it was only
natural that Minor McLain would en
at the first opportunity which
came last August.
He is Alaska’s latest celebrity to
flirt with fame and those who knew
him in schoolboy days assert that his
rise to honor has just started and that
he will further be heard from in acts
iaring and heroism.
The following article was taken
from one of the big eastern dailies
and will be of interest to the many
Nomeites in Anchorage.
Young McLain’s photograph ap-1
peared in many of the eastern papers:
Early in life Minor McLain began
making himself talked about as the
first white baby to make the trip over
the Chilkoot Pass in Arctic Alaska—
although it must be admitted he had
very little to say in the matter.
But despite the fact that his early
lavs were crowded with adventure in
the frozen north, young McLain ad
mits that things didn’t really begin to
aappen to him until last August, when
ae enlisted in the United States navy
is a third class fireman. As he had to
travel some 2,300 miles from Nome to
Seattle to enlist, he was the cynosure
of all eyes among the engine force on
one of our battleships—especially as
fie had served a year in the army and
bought bis way out when Mexico
failed to fight.
But when he arrived in Philadelphia
McLain suddenly emerged from the
stoke-hold into Quaker City society.
Mutual friends in Seattle had written
to prominent Philadelphians about the
young sailor, and almost before he
knew it he was dining in one of the
most exclusive homes. This, of course,
was not particularly exciting. But
one night his host took him to the op-1
era. Mary Garden was singing, and !
as luck would have it, McLain was'
presented to her. The diva was so
struck with his handsome face that
she insisted that he appear before the.
curtain with her. And in full view of
three thousand people, “Our Mary”!
kissed him!
Needless to say, this little episode
kept his ears burning for some time,
rhen he met Lillian Russell who pro
nounced him “the ideal American
sailor boy.” His fame was promoted 1
by William Krieghoff, a Philadelphia
artist, whoee partrait of the handsome
sailor now adorns the walls of the Art ;
club in that city of Heavenly Rest.
With such influential friends it was!
;
only natural that Secretary Daniels j
should be informed about him, and j
McLain soon found himself attending I
Hie gas engine school at Columbia
aniversity, New York city.
Here new adventures and experien
ces befell him. He visited Charles M.
Schwab in his Riverside Drive home,
net Caruso, and listened to the opera
n J. P. Morgan’s private box. Other
celebrated people feted him on numer
ous occasions. Howard Chandler
Christy, the famous illustrator, insist
ed that he pose for the central figure
in a great navy poster the artist is
making.
A few days ago McLain finished his
gas engine course at Columbia, pass
ing his examinations with the highest
possible rating. He is now a first
class machinist’s mate on active duty
somewhere in North Atlantic waters.
McLain stands six feet to a hair and
weighs 185 pounds. He is of the blond
type, with blue eyes, fair skin and
wavy hair. While not every man
would look at him twice, there are
very few women who wouldn’t—if
they got a good look the first time.
RUBY CHILDREN
ADOPT AN ORPHAN
Under the caption “Ruby Adopts
Another Orphan,” there appeared an
article in the Ruby Record-Citizen
which reads as follows:
“The children of the Ruby Sunday
school have raised the sum of $36.50
to car©, for a fatherless child of
France for a year, and the money
has been turned over to Mrs. Tack
strom to be forwarded to the commit
tee having this work in charge at
Fairbanks. This is a very worthy
cause and should have stronger sup
port in this community. Ruby and
Poorman have each adopted two of
these children. It takes so little to
care for one of these fatherless tots
for a year, and there are some four
hundred thousand of them. Let’s boost
this work along.”
DOINGS OF IGLOO NO. 15
At the meeting of Igloo No. 15, last
Friday evening, J. H. Evans and H. S.
O’Connell were elected members, and
the names of W. H. Lane and Wm.
Baxter were referred to the member
ship committee. The treasurer and the
secretary rendered reports, and a vote
of appreciation was extended to these
members for the efficient service giv
en the Igloo. The matter of dropping
the names of members long delinquent
in the payment of dues was dis
cussed.
THE PIONEERS OF ALASKA.
A cherished privilege and a loyal
duty rests with the Pioneers of this
great Territory in belonging to the
great pioneer organization, The Pio
neers of Alaska. The sixteen Igloos
of this organization extend from
Nome to Ketchikan. An I£loo exists
in every populous section of the Ter
ritory, from the frozen steppes of the
Arctic ocean, to the rugged coast line
of the southern panhandle, bathed by
the tepid waters of Dixon’s entrance
and Clarence Strait. The pioneers
of this great northland, many of
whom have roamed over its vast unex
plored regions from north to south
and from east to west, are bound to
gether by ties of sympathy and under
standing which more nearly approach
a blood relationship than any ties of
friendship or acquaintance can pos
sibly produce.
They have struggled, suffered,
starved, abandoned hope and given up
all for lost,and renewed the fight again
and won, following the beckoning call
of Alaska; they have given a friendly
warning, or word of advice or direc
tion, which gold could not buy; in
times of need and danger, they have
lifted a little of the burden from the
shoulders of a fellow traveler when
the trail seemed to have no end; they
have taken an extra pasenger in the
canoe when it seemed about to sink;
they have divided the last sack of
flour or slab of bacon with a stranger,
a hundred miles from nowhere; they
have done those things and experienc
ed those feelings which men do and
feel when they have cast aside all the
deceptions and conventions of an ar
tificial life, and come to know the
great qualities of sympathy, love,
kindness, courage, i ersistence, and
determination, which spring from the
heart; they have come to know each
other, irrespective of previous social
conditions or worldly wealth, and
therein lies the bond which binds to
gether the pioneers with unseen ties
stronger than chains of steel. Upward
of two thousand of these pione rs are
members of the different Igloos of
this Alaskan order. Its objects are
purely fraternal and social, coupled
with a duty and an obligation to work
for the benefit and advancement of
this beloved land of our adoption.
Pioneers! Neglect not your duty. It
is your duty and your privilege to join
with your fellow pioneers in building
up and multipying the great benefits
and advantages that flow from this
distinctly Alaskan order.
If you are a member of an Igloo, at
tend the meetings. If you have been
| away from your Igloo so long that
l you think they have forgotten you
and dropped your name from the roll,
S write to the secretary' and send your
| back dues. The pi'obability is that
your name is still there, and that, oc
casionally, in lodge meeting, someone
asks, “I wonder what has become of
j him.” If you have never been trans
fered to the Igloo of the town you now
live in, make the transfer at once. If
you are behind in your dues, pay up
1 —take out a life membership if you
' can.
You have everything to gain, and
j nothing to lose.
i While the Pioneers of Alaska is not
| a beneficial organization in the sense
| that it provides insurance against,
j death or accident, in any stipulated
! amount, nevertheless, it is the unwrit
ten law that a Pioneer shall not suf
fer. The help that has been given by
I pioneer igloos, and by brother pio
neers, to those in distress could not be
recorded in many volumes.
It is the keystone of the arch. Be
a member of the Pioneers of Alaska,
for your own benefit, and for the bene
fit of Alaska.
ALASKA BIRCHWOOD.
(Anchorage Democr’at)
In a recent issue we called the at
tention of our readers to me value o
our birch wood in the manufacture o
high grade furniture of all kinds, fo
finishing woods and its special adapta
tion to certain uses which place i
among the highest priced hard woods
Birch being akin to maple in its sa]
producing qualities, as well as in tex
ture of wood, it has the same value i;
production of a staple food in the wa;
of sugar and its by-products and in ;
greater relative degree. Frank Lang
of the Anchorage Public Market, wh
is an authority on this phase of bird
products, has a sample of birch syru
at his store which he made from bird
sap this spring, and that it is the rea
thing in the way of birch syrup, an
that birch syrup is more than com
parable with the real maple article w
are in a position tp verify, having
tasted it.
To the party who was raised o
spent any considerable time in th
states bordering the Atlantic seaboar
and westward where maple syrup an
maple sugar, the real goods, were i
general use, fond memories cofne o
the time when the sap buckets wer
brought out in preparation for gath
ering the year’s supply. And it i
only by personal contact with th
camouflage product that may be ha<
in every comer grocery on the con
tinent that we learn to appreciate th
real.
It should, therefore, be of peculia
interest to the people in this portio
of Alaska to know that we are livini
in‘a district where nature is-more lav
ish in a food product which is super
ior to real honest-to-God maple syrui
Mr. Lange informs us that any give
amount of birch sap, which runs abou
the same to the same sized tree as th
maple, will yield nearly twice as muc
syrup of the same consistency.
Birch syrup products range all
down the line into the various extracts
and medicinal standards that the peo
ple of the United States have spent
millions for, in importations from the
northern European countries. And at
this time when its value as a food
product in the way of sugar is in al
most imperative demand we believe it
is worth while to give it more pub
licity than it has had herebefoi’e.
Keep in mind the fact that the Cook
Inlet country contains almost im
measurable areas of birch timber of
established value, and that the
production of birch syrup may be
made an Alaskan industry of no mean
proportions.
NEW MINING SCRAPER.
Fairbanks miners are showing an
inventive spirit, and have originated a
new device for handling dirt, as shown
by the following from the Alaska Cit
izen:
The invention of Jack Tool and J. C.
Stewart, which is now being used on
Fairbanks creek, is reported to be
working nicely. Much dirt is being
taken out by the new method and it
will be able to make a still greater
showing as soon as more space has
been excavated in which to work it.
That the invention will enable the
holders of low-grade ground to work
at a profit is shown by the number of
men now employed in taking out the
dirt, but eight being used where previ
ously 25 were necessary. Over 600
square feet of dirt is being taken out
at the present time, and with the en
larging of the chamber more will be
moved daily. Of the eight men em
ployed in working the machine, three
are engaged in the underground work
during the day, three more on top, and
the other two are working nights
sluicing down the dirt for the day
shift to load in the cars with the
scraper.
DORA BUCKS ICE; TWO
WRECKS ARE REPORTED
Steamer Dora, the upmarine of the
North Pacific coast, bucked the ice
for five days in Bristol bay, made
Nushagak and then bucked the ice
out again leading the way or showing
the way to the large stranded fishing
barks which were cought in the ice.
The Dora and her master, Capt. John
Newland, again demonstrated tha*
there is no stretch of water impas
sible.
Capt. Newlands reports that the ice
in Bristol bay was the heaviest he had
seen for years. It was comparatively
easy going through the ice to Nush
agak but harder coming out as the icc
floes were jamming and tossing, mak
ing navigation exceedingly difficult.
Capt. Newlands reports that the
bark Flint is perhaps a total loss at
Uyayug and that the Star of France,
caught in the ice, was damaged. The
bark Tacoma was the only boat which
sunk and she is now lying out of sight
at the bottom of Bristol bay. The
Tacoma had an odd experience.
Caught in the jam, the ice forced the
bark absolutely out of water and onto
the solid ice. The crew saved much of
the provisions and fishing freight.
Suddenly the ice began to part and the
Tacoma began settling. When the ice
went apart the Tacoma struck the
water, the crushed hull allowed seeth
ing water to enter and she slowly set
tled, not plunging, but slowly disap
peared out of sight. About 25 of the
crew and others aboard had prepared
for an odd experience, camping on the
ice. The men riged up a jury sail and
with tents and plenty of provisions
and decided upon having a strange
outing. But the Roosevelt came along
and the officers decided that the men
should go aboard and after moral per
suasion succeeded in making good.
The Flint is on the beach but so
badly damaged by being crushed that
salvage is out of the question. All
freight aboard is safe, either on the
ship or shore.
NEATLY C AUGHT.
Sir John Simon, the eminent advo
cate who recently won golden opinions
for his successful defense of Lieuten
ant Malcolm, was* once addressing a
group of young legal students, and j
among other things he warned them j
always to sift carefully all evidence, j
and never on any account allow them-f
selves to jump at conclusions.
“Now,” he continued, “a friend of j
mine who has just returned from a J
. hunting expedition in Central Africa,;
I told me of a most remarkable occur-!
j rence. His party was trekking!
| through a heavy-wooded region when j
| the cries of a number of birds attract-1
| ed him to a bit of overgrown jungle, j
Peering within he beheld a trunkless
body.”
“But, Sir John,” interrupted one of
his hearers, “surely you mean a head
less body.”
“My dear fellow,” retorted the
smiling K., C. “didn’t I warn you not
to jump at conclusions. The body was
that of an elephant.”
ALASKA’S EDIBLE
HERBS AND GREENS
Cucumber plant, nettles, goose
tongue, wild parsley, wild rice, north
ern willow herb, are among the edible
herbs and vegetables found in goodly
quantities in Alaska. For years they
have been eaten by the Russians and!
natives of the territory and are now
familiar with their delicate flavor.
The above greens make excellent
substitute for cultivated vegetables.
Rev. A. P. Kashevaroff, who has liv
ed in Alaska all his life, has prepared
an interesting article with reference
to these edible herbs and greens
which has been published by the Alas
ka bureau of publicity, copies of which
may be had at the governor’s office.
Frank P. Wood, of Fairbanks, a
brother of Richard C. Wood, president
of the Fairbanks First National bank,
is a private at Camp Mead, Maryland,
and hoping that he will soon be sent to
France.
FOREST FIRE
WIPES OUT II
three Entirely consumed
BY THE FLAMES.
MUCH LUMBER IS DESTROYED.
Fire Is Supposed to Have Started
Near Mile Seventy-Nine and Dry
Weather of Past Few Days Causes
it to Spread Over Large Area—
Wires Are Down.
A forest fire that started on the
Turnagain Arm division last Satur
day got beyond control of the fire
fighters last night and totally destroy
ed the camp at Mile 83.
The fire is supposed to have started
in the neighborhood of Mile 79, and
due to the extraaordinary dry weather
has made great headway, doing con
siderable damage to railway property
en route. Over two miles of telegraph
and telephone wires are down. Offi
cials at the local office however, claim
the lines will be in operation again by
4 o’clock this afternoon. Over 200
men are fighting the fire today and it
is thought they have the fire under
control. The report reached Anchor
age that everything has been burned
out between Bird Point and Mile 83.
The railroad camp at Mile 83 was
the largest camp on the Turnagain
Arm division and was headquarters
for construction work. Over 200 men
worked out of the camp that consisted
of bunk houses, cooking house, com
missary and large barns. A large
amount of lumber and several thou
sand ties were also destroyed.
Should the fire get beyond control a
force of fire fighters will be sent to the
scene from Anchorage to assist the
men already endeavoring to stop the
spread of the fire, which is the most
disastrous since railroad work began
on Turnagain Arm.
NORTHWEST MOUNTED
POLICE IN THE WAR
Juneau Empire: The acceptance of
the Royal Northwest Mounted Police
in the army that is fighting the Huns
for liberty and democracy is an inter
esting bit of news in the north, where
the people are so well acquainted with
that remarkable organization. The
Mounted Police of the Canadian north
west has earned fame for the right
soi't of warriors. Its members have
established a merited reputation for
fearlessness, individuality and intelli
gence.
Though the addition of these men to
the hosts that are engaged in the ti
tanic struggle in France will not in
crease the numbers greatly, all who
the familiar with facts know that the
fighting power per capita will be ful
ly as great as that of any other por
tion of the allied armies.
ALASKANS GLAD AND SAD
OVER APPOINTMENTS
The following clipping has been sent
the Times from the Kansas City Post
of May 14:
“Three young Alaskans, James P.
Momb, of Seward, and Don S. Griffith
and William D. Googe, of Anchorage,
of Anchorage, all members of the
headquarters staff of the 31st engineer
corps, now training at Fort Leaven
worth, were much elated yesterday
over their appointment to the 4th of
ficers’ training camp, but at the same
time were sorely grieved at leaving
all their old friends in the ‘Sourdough
Regiment.’
“More than two hundred young men
employed on the government railroad
in Alaska for the past two years are
members of this regiment.”
W. H. Smith was barred from prac
ticing law in the Foirth division court
at Fairbanks recently for appropriat
ing money belonging to a client.