Historial Sketches and Experi
* fences of Trail-Blazers Who Made
J^laska the Empire of the North
PIONEERS OF ALASKA
EDITED BY
JOHN W. FRAME
President Anchorage Igloo No. 15
ALASKA OFFERS
What is America to do for the hun
dreds of thousands possibly millions
of young men who will return horn*
from France at the conclusion of this
war? asks the Seward Gateway in i
^•ecent issue.
m “This is a timely question,” it says
Jr'despite the fact that this nation ha:
9 as yet assembled only its first mil
lion men, and, according to Secretary
of War Newton D. Baker, has trans
ported less than a third of them over
seas.
“Other nations that are battling a:
allies of the United States already ar(
giving serious thought to this prob
Jem. Ungland and Canada, for in
.-tance, have tentatively decided upot
a policy which involves suitable rec
ognition for the services performet
by their soldiers.
“Both these governments intend t<
place as many of the returning war
riors on farms as may desire to take
<jp agricultural work. In Australia
’■)' Canada, and in South Africa, areas
i the public domain are to be devot
ed to this purpose and the veterans
are to be given ample assistance dur
ing their early years on their home
steads.
"The United States pursued a simi
le.: although not so liberal a policy
the conclusion of the civil war
X unbers of union soldiers, after be
' mustered out of the country’s ar
' es, settled in the middle west, anc
helped to reclaim these virgin areas.
“The United States has no such do
main in continental United States to
day, but it has a vast empire in Alas
Ka.
“Why is it not feasible to considei
this matter at the present time anc
to begin planning now to place th<
soldiers on lands in the north ?
“It has been estimated by compe
tent authority that of the 587,00(
square miles of territory in Alaska
100,000 square miles are available foi
agricultural or pastoral purposes. O
this total, 15 per cent, it is estimated
is susc' Titib'e to intensive cultivation
1 “In other words, 64,000,000' acre:
JpTn Alaska are classed as agricultura
™ ■ pastoral lands and approximately
.000,000 acres are regarded as sus
ptible to intensive cultivation. T'
would be possible, therefore, to offei
homesteads in the northland to thou
sands of returning soldiers and to af
ford other thousands an opportunity
for raising either cattle or reindeer
for both of which, according to com
potent authority, there will be a con
tinuing market in the United States.
“The matter is one that will bea
looking into. .Many American soldier:
will be reluctant, at the close of thi;
war, to resume their commonplace ex
istence from which they emerged a'
their country’s call. They will b<
willing, even anxious, to open up nev
ections of country under allied flags
as pioneers. If unable to find home
steads under the Stars and Stripes
they will go elsewhere.
“Alaska may afford this govern
ment an opportunity not only to rec
ompense its veterans, but also to pre
vent their migration to other coun
.tries.
c
ADMITTED TO PIONEER HOME.
Michael Harty, of Fox, Alaska, wa:
admitted to the Pioneer Home at Sit
ka, on November 8. Mr. Harty wa:
born in Ireland on the 10th day o
October, 1884. He came to Alaska ii
1898.
Knute Thompson, of Wrangell, wa;
admitted to the Home on Novembe
80. Mr. Thompson was born in Nor
way May 24, 1851. He came to Alas
ka in 1911.
James O’Rourke, of Nome, was ad
jftitted to the Home November 17
O’Rourke was born in Pennsyl
ia June 24, 1848. He came to Alas
5 in 1881.
HISTORY OF IGLOO NO. 8
PIONEERS OF ALASKA
The first meeting of Igloo No. S
under their charter was held in the
dance hall at Wiseman, Alaska, on the
! seventh day of March, A. D. 1914 per
| suant to a call issued by a committee
I appointed by a meeting of those that
had signed the charter roll some time
■ previously.
’ John H. Fowler was elected the first
! president of the Igloo and Daniel
’ Webster secretary, the full quota of
1 officers were elected and duly install
ed by Frank E. Howard, who had been
- appointed deputy grand president by
! the grand president for that purpose,
after which the regular business of
' the meeting was proceeded with and
Igloo No. 8 became one of the institu
tions of Wiseman, since wnich time t
has continued to fulfil its mission of
; aiding those who were sick or in dis
s tress.
| The Igloo purchased the home of
■ Erie It. Brown and remodled it over
l for a home for the order, since which
time it has been known as the Pioneer
I hall, of Wiseman, Alaska.
At the time of the purchase of a
' home the Igloo was forced to assume
a considerable indebtedness, since
1 which time they have paid oil said
debt and are now in a good healthy
financial condition, with money in all!
of the different funds of the order.
| The Igloo meets on the last Satuv
day of each month, at which time all
of the business is attended to, after
which the members hold a social ses
. sion to which those outside the order
are invited, said social sessions have
become very popular with the general
public, nearly every man in the com
munity that is eligible is a member
of the Igloo.
At the last session the following
were elected to fill the several officers, j
president, Charles E. Bowers; first,
'! vice-president, Frank Whalley; second
! vice-president, David S. Smalley;
chaplain, John II. Flower; secretary
1 and treasurer, C. E. Danforth; histor-1
!; ian, Daniel Webster; sergeant-at-1
arms, Gus Benson; door keeper, John
i Koldsau; trustee for three years,!
* Karl Patterson. There will soon be a j
' new election after which I will send j
you the list of officers for the coming1
’ !
j year.
Names of those who have been
! . !
’ | members of Igloo No. 8, Pioneers of
Charter Members.
Fred Beyer, Charles Bowers, Hugh j
j Boyle, A. C. Brabant, John Brandon,]
| William Burke, Robert Buford, J. lv. j
j Cal breath, Edward J. Charlton, Ernest
j M. Collins, H. G. E. Cook, Ambrose]
! Corbeil, Thomas Corbet, John C. j
'Coupe, Robert F. Crawford, John E. j
Dodds, Peter Dow, Phil Eiffler, Ivnutej
Ellingson, John F. Flower, H. J. Fo-j
ley, Perry Gibson, W. H. Gilbert, Nel- j
son Gilroy, Charles Goodwin, Joe Ha-j
ley, Peter Haslam, J. M. Hastings, H.
L. Haven, J. J. Hoagland, Frank E. j
■ Howard, Frank Johns, Patrick Judge,:
j William Randal, John J. lvoltzau,
j Martin Martinson, Theodore Mark
; strom, Dave McChesney, James Mc
j Conigh, Thomas McIntyre, Charles
] McNett, Rodd Morrison, W. C. Muer,
John A. Nelson, Victor W. Nelson,
Andrew Olson, August A. Olson,
Charles Olson, Harry Owen, Thomas
W. Pearson, Bernhard Peterson, C. A.
Pickarts, F. G. Pickarts, B. E. Plum
mer, G. H. Postlethwait, W. J. Red
mond, R. L. Rhodes, James Scofield,
Joseph Shubert, Ben F. Sirr, W. J.
Siverly, David S. Smalley, Charles E.
Smith, Frank Smith, F. H. Smith, C.
H. Soule, Ike Spinke, John P. Sullivan,
E. M. Sutphen, Anthony Sweeney, A.
Tobin, James Trail, Vernon Watts,
Daniel Webster, Frank Whalley, Joe
1 Wiehl, O. R. Williams, Iver Wold, J.
E. H. Wool, Harper Workman and
. Cleaphas Lemeyer.
Affiliated and Initiated Members.
Dr. C. E. Danforth, Wiliam Dugan,
R. J. Buchan, Peter 'O. Johnson, T.
C. McNamer, Joseph Matthews, Gus
Benson, A. Geo. Sutherland, Ole
. Matheson, Chas. F. Webb, John i
Charles, Martin L. Nelson, Joseph M.
. McNeil, Hans Christianson, Benjamin
F. Jones, James T. Colmer, Marcel
Sheehy, Henry Pingel, Joseph De
DOINGS OF IGLOO NO. 15
The meeting was called to order b>
the new president, M. H. Lynch, with
the other newly installed officers ir
their respective stations.
When applications were called foi
the name of Ernest Podboy was rear
by the secretary. Uptyi suspension ol
the rules the election of the applicanl
was voted upon and he was declarer
duly elected.
Mr. Podboy, together with Mr. J. J
Longacre, elected at a previous meet
ing, were then duly intiated and de
dared members of Igloo No. 15.
After the allowance of a number o
bills and the reading of several com
munications the election of a truste<
to fill the vacancy caused by the resig
nation of M. H. Lynch, came on fo:
consideration, and resulted in the elec
tion of John W. Frame for trustei
for the two years term.
The chair at this time announcer
the following members on the finance
committee: John Chovin, Ray C. Lar
mandel, Thomas Woodson, M. P. Gal
vin, John Skein, Gus Murray, Theo
(lore Goring, Carl Gunter Frank, Jos
eph Mettenburg, Marten Christianson
George W. Huey, Harry Mesereau
William A. McLeod, B. J. McGinnis
Albert F. Mellenius, George Dreibel
bus, Fred A. Swift, Carl August Pat
terson, G. R. Hillberg, Patrick Hughe:
and Edawrd Larsen.
Deceased Members.
John C. Coupe, died May 6, 1915
Joe Wiehl, died December 7, 1916.
FROM A PIONEER AT RAMPART
RAMPART, Alaska, Dec. 19. —
Publisher of Pioneer Page, Times
Anchorage, Alaska. Dear sir:
Having been very busy up to now
( and even busy at this time) 1 an
tardy in aswering yours of Septembe
28. While I do not care to be men
tioned in any “write-up”, I, having
been in this camp since its beginning
can give you any data you may wisl
concerning it.
This place was started as a rea
mining camp in 1897. Captain A. II
Mayo, probaly the oldest settler nov
living in the interior of Alaska, hai
the first trading post, and it is to bin
whom credit should be given for it;
success. As, if it were not for bin
and his generosity in giving credit t(
the miner, this and some other camp,
might not be on the map at thi;
writing.
We have had some very notoriou
people here. Some of the bigges
crooks and some of the very best. Re:
Beach was here from 1897 to 1900
and it was probably after leaving hen
that he took to writing. His book
“The Barriers” refers to this place
We had 500 log cabins in 1898 an<
1899 and about 1,500 population. A:
is the case in every mining camp, peo
pie will rush to any strike reported
and that is what took our populatioi
away. When Nome was truck, w<
lost over one half the people. Th<
same took place when Fairbanks wa;
struck, and at every reported strike
Rampart loses part of the popula
tion; until now, we have only abou
150 white people and about the sarm
number of Indians. And let me tel
you, with only a few exceptions, w<
are all good, true Americans.
I have been postmaster since 1891
when the office was first established
and I am proud to say that I believt
I am holding office in Alaska longe:
than any other postmaster.
We still have our mines and, witl
what fishing and hunting is dom
around here, I think this camp is gooc
for a good many years to come.
M. P. FLEISCHMAN.
DIED AT HOME.
Thomas Anderson, of Craig, admit
ted November 12, 1914, died Novem
ber 16. He was born in New York it
the year 1845, and earne to Alaska ii
1901.
Win. C. Boyd, of Douglas, admit
ted to the Home September 20, 1913
died December 9. He was born ii
son and Arthur G. Thompson.
The membership committee named
was J. J. Longacre, Ed C. Conners and
C. Edward Cone.
The committee on resolutions, nam
ed by the president, are C. H. Packard,
S. McNeice, Arthur G. Thompson,
Wm. L. Hugel and A. Nelson.
The Igloo voted to install a tele
phone in the hall and Brother J. J.
, Longacre was authorized to do the
■ work.
Under the good of the order a reso
lution received from the Ketchikan
r Igloo pi'otesting against the suspen
■ sion of the eight-hour law was dis
> cussed, resulting in the appointment
■ of a committee to draft a similar reso
’: lution, excepting such portions of the
■ law as the secretary of war has asked
* to have suspended in aid of the food
supply for the United States army.
' The session was duly closed and the
: meeting adjourned until next Friday
• evening.
• Mississippi in the year 1840 and came
- to Alaska in 1885.
Wm. Cox, of Douglas, admitted to
the Home January 11, 1917, died
October 28. He was born in Califor
. nia in the year 1862, and came to
. Alaska in 1903.
Angus McDonald, admitted to the
Home June 23, 1914, died December
12. He was born in western Calgary
Canada in 1833 and came to Alaska
in 1874.
DISCHARGED FROM HOME.
John Lockner, of Glacier Creek,
born in Austria in 1858, was discharg
> ed October 18. He came to Alaska in
1893.
Harvet Thompson, of Fairbanks,
born in New York, in 1845, was dis
charged November 17, 1915. He came
to Alaska in 1897.
I "
SEND US YOUR MAIL ORDERS
^gcgjfnnE^ ~ general merchandise
“Quality First*'
ANCHORAGE
The Store for All the People
CO
OJ3
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
EVERYBODY
Takes Advantage
of Our
Annual Clearance Sale
FOR THIS WEEK ONLY WE ADD A FEW MORE SPECIALS
MEN’S DRILL PARKAS — MEN’S KHAKI PARKAS
The Regular $4.00, $4.50 Quality,
SALE PRICE $3.50
You Cannot Afford to Overlook This Buy
MEN’S DRESS GLOVES, WOOL LINED
Regular $1.50 Value, Sale Price $1.00 Pair.
MEN’S HEAVY WOOL MACKINAW PANTS
A Few Pairs Left, Sizes 34, 32 Waist
Regular $3.50 Value, Sale Price $1.00.
BLUE DENIM JUMPERS, Sale Price 50c Each
IN COMPLYING WITH AND SUPPORTING THE EIGHT HOUR
LAW WE CLOSE OUR STORE AT 6 P. M.
co
CD
GO
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CO
CD
03
CTO
THIS STORE CLOSES AT 6 P. M.
HISTORY OF EAGLE.
EAGLE, Alaska.—(Editor Pioneer
Page, Anchorage Times)—In my last
I endeavor to give you, as far as my
memory served me, the incidents con
cerning the settlment of Eagle.
The spring of 1899 opened up fav
orably and the miners who had spent
the winter in Eagle scattered over the
surrounding country and it looked as
if the whole district would be thor
oughly prospected. Early in the sea
son, however, the beach diggings at
Nome were discovered and many oJ
our residents floated down the river
on a stampede to the new Eldorado
Early in the summer of 1899 we
were also blessed with an influx oJ
United States soldiers under commanr
of Colonel W. P. Richardson who im
mediately proceeded to take posses
sion of our townsite which had beer
platted and settled upon for more
than a year. He wanted it for mili
tary purposes. Richardson was suc
ceeded by Colonel Ray and he “jumD
ed” another tier of blocks on the nortl
side of the townsite for other purpos
es and this tract included the ceme
tery which we had set apart for th<
burial of our dead, and now when ar
Eagleite “goes hence” we have to oh
tain authority from the military hear
of Alaska before we can inter him.
The city council of Eagle has lo
rated another cemetery on the town
site which will fill the emergency until
owing to the scarcity of land in Alas
ka, another portion of the town mus1
be given up for “military purposes.”
After Colonel Ray left us Lieuten
ant Tiglman become commander oi
the post and it was during his reigr
that we were notified that our build
ings on the land reserved by Raj
must all be vacated, or the building'
would all be demolished forthwith
This order was made in January wher
it was impossible to move houses
After strong personal persuasion bj
myself and others we got the time ex
PIER Hi
TO STAGE PLAY
HERE li MARCH
“A Bachelor’s Romance,” a drama
of great merit, will be staged in An
chorage on St. Patrick’s day, March
17, by the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the
Pioneers of Alaska, under the person
al management of Mrs. Wilbur Ward
and Mrs. J. E. Robarts. The staging
of the play will be under the direc
tion of Mrs. Robarts. Rehearsals will
1 begin Wednesday in Robarts’ half.
The receipts of the play will be turn
ed over to the Order of Pioneers for
1 the purpose of raising the debt on the:
s hall.
Mrs. Robarts, director, has had con
! siderable dramatic experience, having
staged a number of successful dramas
1 while living in Fairbanks.
. tended to the middle of the following
■; April, and on that date that portion of
, | the town was as bare a the Sahara
! desert. Not a vestige of the homes of
! | pioneer Alaskans remained. Will give
j you more incidents of the settlement
of the town later on.
J. B. HOWARD.
FOUNDERS ON ROCK
LONDON, Jan. 12.—The British
destroyer Raccoon today struck on a
rock on the Irish coast and foundered.
The Raccoon was built in 1910.. She
was of 916 tons displacement and was
armed with one four-inch and three
three-inch guns and two torpedo
tubes. Her normal complement
105 officers and men.
_
was