• BOYS' YEARS OF
SILENCE ENDED
Youths Rescued From Mountain
Hut in Washington Had
Never Spoken.
MARVEL AT CITY LIFE
9
Brothers, Who Lived With Deaf Mute
« Sister and Who Communicated in
Sign Language, Learning
\ to Talk.
Seattle.—Ernest and Herbert Kess,
ten and twelve years old, respective
ly, rescued from the cabin they built
in the Green river wilderness iu Wash
ington with their nineteen-year-old
deaf mute sister, are in a children’-*
hospital at Seattle, learning the won
ders of writing and speech. While
the lads are able tt> build a house,
keep a fire, plant and till crops and
foot squirrels out of tree tops, when
venile court officers found them
they had never played nor spoken a
word.
The boys had grown up together,
communicating by the sign language
taught them by their silent sister.
Their father thought they, too, were
mutes. Loving by nature, healthy,
strong, passionately fond of each oth
er’s company, clever at shooting and
fishing on the 80-acre homestead tak
en up by their father, William Koss>,
in the Cascade mountains, Ernest and
Herbert have seen for the first time
* an automobile, a street car and a
moving-picture show. Nurses in the
hospital are confident that the boys
will learn to talk.
Father's Strange Story.
Born in the province of Westphalia,
Germany, William Koss, the father,
said he had spent three years in the
army. The major of his battalion
was^the former kaiser, then Prince
William. The day following his mar
riage he sailed for the United States
and, in 1888, settled on the eastern
shore of Green river. Eleven chil
dren were born.
Koss said the mother was ill, nerv
ous and irritable during the last eight
or nine years of her life. This caused
her to pass the two small boys on to
the care of the others very often.
Each member of the family, he said,
apparently preferred his or her own
solitude, and the two boys, Herbert
and Ernest, were left to the care of
their deaf mute sister.
Tried to Help Boys.
“And that’s how they never learned
to talk,” said the father earnestly.
I I
She Made Signs to Them and They
Returned These Signs.
“They lived almost wholly with Clara,
and she made signs to them and they
returned these signs. It wasn’t until
the last several years that I came to
see that they were not deaf and dumb
like Clara. Then I tried to do what
I could for them.”
The aged father purchased a phono
graph. The boys learned, he declared,
to sing “My Old Kentucky Home,” a
story of a Chinese “washee-washee”
man and a German song. These three
songs they reproduced with accurate
melodic effect, according to the father,
although he admitted that they did
not know the meaning of the words
they repeated. Later on they made
their own phonograph and installed
It in the little house they built in im
itation of their older brothers, an in
struSfent, however, as dumb as them
selves.
“I could not send them to school.”
Koss declared. “I knew that the oth
er children would laugh at them be
cause they could not talk and that the
teacher would lose patience with
them.” He would not permit them
to “cross the river,” which means to
civilization.
Jealous Girl Shot Fellow Student.
Columbus.—Blanche Davidson, nine
teen, an Ohio Wesleyan freshman, jas
confessed, according to the authori
ties, that she shot Gladys Racey, an
other student, on November 14. Both
Miss Racey and Miss Davidson are
said to have founjl favor in the eyes
of a male student, and jealousy is
given as the cause of Miss Davidson’s
act.
*
[ polk and peace delegates return ]
The members of the American del
egation to the international peace con
ference at Paris have returned. Frank
Polk, assistant secretary of state (por
trait herewith) ; Gen. Tasker II. Bliss,
the military adviser to the American
delegation; Colonels Grant, Brown
ing, Embrick, and Wallace of General
Bliss’ staff, and Henry White, former
ambassador to France and a delegate
to the conference, were in the party.
Mr. Polk said he had entirely re
covered from the serious indisposition
from which he was suffering when he
went to France last June.
The great need of Europe is a
proper distribution system which
would permit supplies of all kinds,
from coal to food, to be sent where
they are most urgently needed, is tl»»
opinion expressed by General Bliss.
The morale of the Etiropean na
tions is largely tied up with the eco
oiiuiuivmi, 11c; vicviui cu, iinu i mi*
nlng through nearly all the troubles which exist there is the question of
faulty distribution.
If;
All the countries would benefit from such a united effort, he said, and
the countries which are now in the best position economically would gain
from the strength given to the weaker powers.
E— -■ = 11 ■»
1_luiiillMlIllllllMlIlllllIlllIIlillllilM i
(Ladies < >f I
M ft
H a
( Cordova j
ES g~
| Now is your chance to get a bar- |
| gain. We have some Petticoats left |
| which we are still offering at the 1
I old prices. Come in and see them. |j
m g
1 W. CLAYSON I
m THE CLOTHIER ■
^3 . j=E
T- N- HUBBERT •
" MERCHANT TAILOR
Up-to-date equipment for all
kinds of cleaning. Suits stored
free. Drop your clothes in the
bundle drop at side door any
time, or phone 130 and we will
call.
mm
L
> * ,
* DtL V JLiN
I
■*>
YOUR FURS MADE TO ORDER
Best work guaranteed. Low
est prices. Over 2,000 Alaska
customers.
R. W. Drew
Tacoma’s Expert Furrelr
11th and B’dw'y, Tacoma, Wash.
Cordova
Adjustment
Company
K. G. ROBINSON, Mgr.
Collections, Reports,
Insurance
Ostrander Bldg., Cordova, Alaska
i
SMITH &
M’CONAGHY
Plumbers and
Steamiitters
COR. FRONT and B STS.
NORTHWESTERN CLEAN
ING AND DYEING HOUSE
TAILORING
All kinds of Repair Work. Fancy
Garments a Specialty. All Work
Guaranteed. Goods called for and
delivered
L. LEEN
Next to Hegg’s, on C St.
Telephone 190
j»
LUMBER
BUILDING MATERIALS OF
ALL KIND3
Brick and Lime
CORDOVA MILL AND
LUMBER CO.
CHAS. GOLDSTEIN & COMPANY
JUNEAU, ALASKA
“ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD—PAYING THE TOP OF THE MARKET*
In presenting the following quotations we want you to understand we pay
what we quote. If the market advances after the issuance of this circular
we give the shipper the benefit of the increase. Upon request we shall be
pleased to keep you advised of market changes. Bear in mind that because
of our policy of dealing directly wth the trader and trapper we can afford
to, and do, PAY THE HIGHEST PRICES FOR FURS OF ALL KINDS
Black bear No 1 silky.... . $ 15.00 to $ 30.00*
Coyotes Extra large No. 1. 20.00 to 25.00
* °X- cross-large dark.. 75.00 to 125.00
Fox, red large daik . 40.00 to 60.00
Fox, white . 50.00 to 65.00
rox, blue—Prices vary according to color and quality
prices average from.75.00 to 200.00
Fox, silver—We have a big outlet for silver fox, and guar
antee top prices for same. Be sure to ship us your silver
foxes and we will show you we are there with the
goods. Prices range from. l50.oo to 850.00
Marten, dark and extra large No. 1. 75 00 to 100 00
Fisher, large dark .ZZZI 75.00 to 125io0
Mink, extra large No. 1 dark. 12 00 to 16 00
Muskrat, fall Alaskan, large No. 1. 1 5@ to 2 00
Lynx, extra large No. 1. 40.00 to 60.00
•Land otter (Interior) .*... 30.00 to 40.00
Land otter (Coast) .20.00 to 27.50
White weasel, large No. 1.;. 1 25 to 2.00
Wolf, large No. 1, cased . 25.00 to 30.00
Wolf, largo No. 1 open. 18.00 to 25.00
Wolverine, large dark . 20.00 to 25.00
Prices above quoted are all for No. 1 best grade furs. Lower grades, in
cluding pale skins, priced in proportion.
WE ARE THE 'LARGEST DEALERS IN RAW AND MANUFACTURED
FURS IN THE NORTHWEST, and all we ask of you, Mr. Shipper, is to give
us the chance of a trial shipment and we will convince you that we pay more
for furs and make quicker returns than you can get anywhere in the country
We ha^ e been in business in Alaska for 36 years and' have built up a very
extensive trade. W.e sell manufactured furs in all parts of the United States,
Canada, and in a great many European cities.
By shipping to us you are not only helping an Alaska industry but you are
helping yourself to build up a business that belongs to Alaska.
We eliminate the middleman entirely, as we buy direct from the trapper and
rader and sell direct to the consumer; thus we are able to pay you a better
price than you can get elsewhere. WE MAKE RETURNS THE SAME DAY
SHIPMENT IS RECEIVED.
If so desired, when your shipment amounts to $100 or more, we will wire our
bid, and if not entirely satisfactory you may wire at our expense and we will
ship to any place you designate.
All we ask of you is to be fair with yourself as well as with us, and make us
a trial shipment; the result will make you a steady shipper
References: Any bank in Alaska, the B. M. Behrends Bank, Juneau; National
Bank of Tacoma, Tacoma, Wash.; Dexter Horton National Bank of Seattle.
FIELD GLASSES
Binoculars, Barometers, Pocket Compasses,
Ships’ Clocks and Snow Glasses
We also fit glasses for reading. If you are particular about haring
e correct time, have your watch repaired by
r •
-?■ ■ ■ «__ |
PAUL BLOEDHORN
_PHONE 2—2—3_
Good Prin tin g
A Specialty at The Daily Times Office ^
« *