CHAMBERLIN MAKES A
SUCCESS OF BULB GROWING
That bulbs can be successfully
grown in Seward has been demon
strated by E. E. Chamberlin at his
ranch in the northern part of town.
Last fall Mr. Chamberlin received a
shipment of bulbs from Holland, which
he sot out as soon as received. The
shipment comprised 125 each,of Japa
nese, Siberian and German iris, 400
tulips, 125 dafodils, 125 crocus, and
40 peony roots. The bulbs were re
ceived late and were planted in soil
frozeai two inches deep at the time.
They wintered excellently and not a
bulb was lost. Thousands of blossoms
were gather this year and next season
the crop is expected to be heavier
yet.
Mr. Chamberlin states that his
planting was in the nature of an ex
periment and that he has demonstrat
ed to his own satisfaction that these
bulbs may be successfully grown out
of doors in Alaska. He will increase
his stock this year, and may enter
the proposition in a commercial way
at a later date.
Shipbuilding on Resurrection Bay
Two miles below Seward on Re
surrection Bay, the Russians had an
immense ship yard. Back in the hills
some distance is an old Russian fort.
In the vicinity of Skilak lake in early
days the Russians worked gold dig
gings with slaves. The whole region
is rich in ancient lore, which, if it
were any place but Alaska, would be
speedily capitalized.
SERVICE
UNEXCELLED
^ Hi ^
ii * .■ • II
H. L. LIEN
HARRY KAWABE
MABEL HUTTON
General laundry work and satisfaction
absolutely guaranteed
Modern Machinery Expert Employes
DELIVERIES PROMPT
Seward Steam
Laundry
Harry Kawabe, Prop, and Mgr.
The pioneer laundry of southwestern Alaska
fsui
A VIEW OF THE METHODIST CHURCH AND PARSONAGE
SEWARD LS WELL SUPPLIED
WITH CHURCHES AND PASTORS
—
(By Thomas Philip Graham)
Seward has three churches—The
| Church of the Sacred Heart (Roman
; Catholic); St. Peter’s (Episcopal) and
; the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The Episcopalians were the first to
j enter this field, their first meeting be
| ing held June 12, 1904, in the resi
; dence of Dr. D. H. Sleem, and was
| conducted by the Rev. F. C. Taylor of
j Valdez. Following this initial service
| they, worshipped several times in
j Moore’s Hall. During the following
! year a tent church was erected and
furnished^ for worship. During the
winter of 1905-6 their present church
building was begun which has since
been completed; and they now have
a beautiful house of worship, also a
modern rectory, both of which equal
any owned by this church in Alaska.
This church is at present served by
the Rev. Wm. A. Thomas who resides
at Anchorage, and serves the church
there also. Mr. Thomas visits Sew
ard once each month remaining over
through the following Sabbath and
conducts services in his church.
The Methodists entered Seward
shortly following the coming of the
Episcopalians. During August, 1904,
the Rev. John Parsons, D.D., Super
intendent of Alaska Methodist Mis
sions visited Seward for the purpose
of opening up work here. His first
service was held in a vacant saloon
building. A Sunday School had al
ready been organized before Dr. Par
son’s arrival; hence, the Methodist
Church in Seward was really born in
a Sabbath School.
It was during the middle of the fol
lowing year before Dr. Parsons suc
ceeded in obtaining a minister for
Seward, at which time the Rev. Louis
H. Pedersen was secured. Mr. Peder
sgn, with his family, arrived during
the night of August 31, 1905, on the
steamship Portland.
The church was duly organized a
month later. Their first house of
worship was a ten tin "which public
worship was conducted for quite a
while. Later their present building
was erected. They now have one of
the prettiest and most convenient
church buildings in Alaska, also a
modern six-room parsonage located on
the lot adjoining that on which the
church stands. The lots on which
these buildings stand were deeded to
the church without cost by Mr. Frank
L. Ballaine.
The Rev. Thomas Philip Graham is
the present pastor of the Seward
Methodist Church, and occupies the
parsonage next door to the church.
It was on June 27, 1905, that the
Roman Catholic Church had its begin
ning in Seward; for on that date the
Rev. Father P. H. Turnell, accompa
i nied by the Rev. Father Hanley, ar
rived and took hold of the work here.
The first service was held in Moore’s
Hall, and meetings were continued
some two weeks. Later a tent house
was erected for worship. Their pres
ent building was completed and dedi
cated during the year 1910. This
church is serviced by the Rev. Father
Turnell from Anchorage, who visits
Seward as often as he deems neces
sary.
Thus it will be seen from the story
of the three churches in Seward that
they each, like Israel of old, first wor
shipped God in a tent. Each also in
its beginning might well be likened
unto Elijah’s “little cloud out of the
sea, like a man’s hand,” but with pro
mise of “abundance of rain,” for their
combined strength today is amply
sufficient to supply the “water of life”
to all who will drink thereof.
One other fact soon becomes notice
able to the newcomer to Seward as he
studies the church situation here,
viz: The fraternal and friendly spirit
which prevails among the church folk
of the community. That does not mean
that we have no fixed and definite
views concerning one’s own particu
lar sect or denomination; for we have,
and some of ua very strongly so. Yet
we recognize most of us, the very
evident fact that not all true Chris
tians, nor all true Christianity, is em
braced within one’s own particular di
vision ofi the church. This is the true
spirit of New Testament Christianity,
and that of God’s entire written word.
The Psalmist said long before the
coming of the Christ: “Behold, how
good and how pleasant it is for breth
ren to dwell together in unity.”
A log hotel ana resort, large enough
to accommodate at least fifty people,
will be erected this winter at Lawing,
according to Mr. and Mrs. William
Lawing owners of the popular resort,
formerly named Rooosevelt.
CAL M. BROSIUS