The Battle of Indian River is not
noted in the history books as one
of the world's great battles, as in
deed it was not. put it was an im
portant battle in the history cf Al
aska and especially of Southeast
Alaska. Had it not been won by the
Russian invaders under Alexander
Barancf back in October, 1804,
Southeast Alaska might today be a
part of Canada.
Prior to 1799, Russia held the
coast of Alaska west of Cape St.
Elias by right of discovery and oc
cupation and had established posts
at Kodiak, Unalaska and a number
of places on the mainland. The
vast interior was an unexplored
blank on the maps and nobody was
then showing a greal deal of in
terest in it.
As for Southeast Alaska in 1799,
several 'nations had at least as good
a claim to it as Russia. Several
Spanish expeditions from Mexico
had explored a portion of its coast.
The English explorer, Captain
George Vancouver, had t harted
most of its waters. And for a dozen
years cr more, both British and
Yankee vessels had been sailing ;
among the islands, trading for furs, i
But The Russians, under Baranof,
established the first settlement in j
Southeast Alaska at what is now j
known as Old Sitka in the summer |
of 1799 and claimed possession oi
the entire area.
The Russian claims were greatly
weakened in 1802 when this first
settlement was wiped out by the
Indians. But in 1804 Baranof must
ered all the forces at his command
and returned to reestablish Sitka.
Providentially, these forces in
cluded the 400-ton armed ship Neva, j
in command of Captain Urey Lis- |
ianski. Without her Baranof might
not have succeeded.
When Baranof reached Sitka
Sound in September, he found the
Indians in a fortified position at
Indian River. The Battle of Indian
River began on October 1, 1804, and
lasted until October 6.
Baranof opened it by leading a
landing party in an assault on the
fort. Ten of his men were killed
and 26 were wounded, including
Baranof himself. The assault was
a failure.
Ti e Neva and Her Guns then
moved as close as possible and
shelled the fort for several days,
without doing it much damage.
The Indians were probably in a
much stronger position than they
realized. Had they stayed with the
fort they might have prevented the
building of Sitka. They might even
have discouraged Baranof from es
tablishing any settlement in south
eastern Alaska.
±3Ut wiC ixiuiaiis auanuuuvu
fort and moved away over the j
mountains. If the Russians did not
win the battle, they were at least
In full possession of the field when
the battle ended. They built the
tow'n of Sitka and began to hunt
and trade regularly among the is
lands of Southeast Alaska and thus
to establish their claim of posses
sion.
They were not however, to make
good that claim w'ithout an argu
ment. It started in 1821, when the
Czar ordered all foreign ships out
of Alaskan waters. Both Great Brit
ain and the United States protested |
vigorously, and Britain decided it
was time to set the boundary be
tween the British and Russians pos
sessions in North America. ’
The Negotiations over this boun
dary wore lengthy and complicated.
Sir Charles Bagnot represented
Britain. Russia was represented by
Count Charles Nesselrode and Pierre
de Poletica.
Biitain claimed, with justification,
that the Alaskan Panhandle is a
natural geographical part of Can
ada. Russian stubbornness, it can be
fairly said, preserved the Panhandle
as a part of Alaska.
The first proposal by Great Brit
ain placed the boundary line in
the center of Cross Sound and Icy
Strait, thence up the center of
Lynn Canal to its he&d, thence
due north to the Arctic.
This line would have taken for
Britain all of Southeast Alaska ex
cept the mainland west of Lynn
Canal, including the present port of
Haines. But Alaska would have
gained all of the Klondike gold re
gion, including the present town of
Dawson; all of the region traversed
by the present Haines cutoff, and
the mouth of the Mackenzie River.
This proposal was rejected by the
Russians, as were the three that
followed.
The Second Proposal set the' main
boundary at HO degrees west long
itude from the Arctic to a point on
the headwaters of the Donjek
River; then to the head of Lynn
Canal and thence down Lynn Can
al and Chatham Strait to the ocean.
This proposal gave Alaska Baranof
and Chichagof Islands, but took
away the greater part of the Klon
dike region.
A third proposal gave Alaska a
6trip of the mainland as far south
DOUGLAS
NEWS
LIONS BOARD MEETING
Edwin C. Johnson, announced hi:;
Eonrd of Directors and officers of
the Douglas Lions Club would meet
t n Monday evening, October 22
at 8 o'clock at the home of Mike
Pusich. Members- of the club as well
as cfficeis are welcome to be in at
tendance, stated Johnson.
DANCING SATURDAY
Thrre will be square dancing Sat
urday evening in the Douglas Pub
lic school gymnasium. Everyone is
welcome.
CARDS OUT
Report cards were distributed to
students this week at the Douglas
Schools. Superintendent Elwin Dell
announced that an honor roll would
te published next week, of students
deserving honor student classifica
tion.
JUNIOR CHOIR TO SING
The Junior Choir oh the Doug
las Community Methodist Church
will sing at the 11 o'clock worship
service Sunday morning. The choir
will sing ' God, Be Merciful.'’ Mem
bers of the choir are: Gale Good,
Alan Gray, Palsy Short, Mary Cash
en, Ina Franklin, Dee Duncan Cady,
David Gray,. Sandra Shirk, Sharon
Hcakinq, HeWn Mcllhardy, Stuart
Johnson, Vadra Fleek, Lois Good,
Juanita Graham, Gloria Hulk, Dona
Sower, Barbara Stiort, and Della
Cuthbert.
CHURCH SUPPER
A church, “Thursday night pot
luck supper,” was enjoyed by many
I of the community last evening at
| the Douglas Methodist Church. Mrs.
[Richard Shuman was in charge of
j the supper arangement? assisted by
I others of the church. After supper,
; children and adults joined in group
j singing.
BOATS DAMAGED
j At least six or more small boats
I were damaged or demolished yes
j terday when waves or wind washed
| them off the boat float or from their
moorings, and beat them against
! the rock fill and pilings of the
I dock. With no harbor facilities, own
| ers could only watch the destruc
] lion of their craft.
LUTHERAN BAZAAR
Saturday, October 20, tea, food
' and needlework sale, from 1 to 5
p.m. at the Lutheran church. 40-3t
i
' as the Stikine River and the islands
' of Southeast Alaska north of Sum
jner Strait. The fourth proposal
added Prince of Wales Island to
Alaska.
When the treaty was finally sign
ed, in February, 1825, the Russians
had secured virtually all of their
demands and, except for a couple
of minor changes made in 1903, the
boundary was set where it. is to
day. The Panhandle was acknow
ledged as a part of Alaska and so,
when Alaska was transferred to the
United States in 1867, the ceremony
took place at Sitka instead of at
Kodiak or Kenai or some other
Russian settlement to the north
and west.
SITWA, Alaska. Oct. 14—(Special
Corre ipondenft'—The old council
| met briefly Tuseday evening to clear
1 up last minute business before the
vow councilmen were sworn in by
City Clerk Frank • Calvin.." Election
results .were certified, correspon
dence read and bills totaling $5,
051.15 approved. Then the new
councilmen were sworn in.
Ordinance 43 which provides for
! bonding the city for street and
sewer improvements was passed un
animously on first reading. The
City Clerk was asked to find out if
arrangements could be made to
I have the bends redeemable at the
Sitka Bank Instead of dealing
through Seattle.
The City Clerk was also a (d
i to telephone Felix Toner to find
; out why the engineering plans for
1 city work had not arrived as prom
ised.
Mayor Doyle named Councilmen
Reed, Shennct anc! Mitrovich as a
! temporary street committee and
| DeArmond and Kidd as n temporary
finance committee to handle im-*
I mediate problems until regular
] committee appointments are made.
A special meeting of the Sitka
1 hospital committee was called Mon
day evening by chairman Leslie
Yaw at the request of the Com
munity t Hospital Administration
Eoard. The administration board
wished the advice of the entire
committee on what action should
be taken on a letter received from
Katherine Gladfeiter, secretary of
the educational and medical dc
paittr.ent of the Beard of National
Missions of the Presbyterian church,
j Miss Gladfeiter had advised the
board that by Ir.uua • 1, the city
cf Sitka would no ie .rcr be wel
come to use the Shi ldon Jackson
Hospital.
Use of the hp-nit.,d had been
granted the city on a purely tem
porary basis three years ago. The
hospital had' been administered by
a toard appointed by the city coun
cil and financed by the city. A
change had been demanded some
weeks ago by the • Board of Mis
sions, which would give the Board
of National Missions complete
charge of the hospital with the city
paying all the bills but having no
voice in policy or administration.
The City Council had rejected the
i:.w contract and suggested a more
| literal working policy. However, be
fore any agreement could be reach
I ed the ultimatum was received—in
| forming the city that they must be
; out of the building by the first of
the year.
Tnc only immediate action taken
by the committee was to request
the corresponding secretary, Mi,.
Jack Calvin, to write the Board of
National Missions asking them to
reconsider.
The Hospital committee, in the
meantime, has teen working with
I the Pioneer Home Board, on the
I possibility of combining the Pioneers
| Home Hospital with a Community
hospital in a proposed new wing
on the Home.
‘ “ «
Funeral services were held Mon
day afternoon at the Lutheran
Church for Oscar Tilson who had
dird the p-evious Friday at of.
Ann's Hospital in Juneau. Burial
was in the Moose Cemetery with
the Rev. Frederick Knebel officiat
ing. Mr. Tilson was a member of
the F:ks and Moose Lodges and
the pallbearers were fellow lodge
members: Orville Paxton, Wally Mc
i; / ,md Jack Gough for the
Elks and Dan Dovle, John Bahrt.
ant! William Lindquist lor the
Moose.
Mr. Tilson was born in Sitka
August 12, 19C3 and is survived by
;v I . other:;. Tern and A1 Tilson,
and a sister, Mrs. Lena Freeland.
John Nestor Sarvela died of a
heart attack Monday evening at his
home on P. -rhouroff Street at the
age cf 80. He was born in Finland
January 19, 1871 and came to the
United States as a young man. He
was married in 1893 to Ida Koski at
Whit..-tnro, California, and moved
his family to Douglas in 1900, work
ing there ns a miner and mechanic.
The family later moved to Chicha
gof, then, in 1913, moved to Sitka
where Mr. Sarvela started the Sitka
Machine Works which he continued
to operate until 1941 when, because
cf eld age, he turned the business
over to his son, Bill.
He was a member of the Juneau
Elks Lodge which he joined 30
years ago, then transferred to the
Sitka Lodge as a charter member
Funeral services were conducted
Wednesday by the Elks officers
with the Rev. Frederick Knebel
giving the benediction.
He is survived by his son- George,
Rudolph, William and Laurie and
two daughters, Mrs. Charles Wort
mar. and Mrs. Hazel Maste.son.
A crowd turned out for the Ro
te rum: canasta party for the Pub
lic school teachers and the School
Board members and their wives.
Fifteen tables were filled with Mrs.
Dur1:" Ongstad and Ben Miller
winning prizes for high score and
Ijl. ■ Hoary Gylr.nd and Keith
Snov dan winning low. Refresh
ment; were served by Rotary wives.
The High School Senior play,
"Do bln Exposure.” will be pre
sented October 27 at the gymnas
ium. Students in the cast are Dick
Klin; bell, l.ynn King, Susan Kin
berg:, Janelle Hert, Sonny Porter, i
Joan Moy, Fred Rowland, Ruth'
Gray, Elizabeth Kitka, Ann Hand-j
yen, Alice Day and Dorothy Rad-I
cell. Rehearsals were started last j
wee • under the direction of Doro-'
thy Hull.
The Mt. Edgecumbe Lions annual!
carnival will he held Saturday Oct-J
nfcrr 20 at Hangar No. 1. Prize ex
hibit this year will be Tnrzan of
the Apes.
Harold Rice, owner of the Sani
tary Dairy, left this week with hi;;
wife and three sons on a month's1
vacation in the states. During his
absence the dairy is being operat
ed by Oliver Flallman.
Mr. and Mrs. Foster Mills left by
plane this week cn an extended
vacation trip which will take them
over the United States as far as
Four rich, exciting
shades: Camellia red,
Ash rose, Glade green
and Blue bonnet.
£
Luxury-touch material <
assures easy washing,
^ long life and smart ?
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Attractive'ivory and
gold plastic control.
Illuminated for easy
nighttime adjustment.
& id KSX&
f Three Models To Suit Every Need
D\
Double-bed One-control Double-bed Two-control Twin-bed One-control
'
SEE THE NEW AUTOMATIC BLANKET AT
ALASKA ELEtTBIG LIGHT
w& FSWEK COMPANY
'
GENERAL @ ELECTRIC
FI 'I'iria. They will take delivery on
a rar in Seattle and spend the
writer visiting old friends and re
latives.
Mr. Mills has retired as custodian
o' the Federal Building and Mrs.
Mill.; as a postoffice employee.
Mr. and Mrs. George Baggen,
S . left by piano this week on their
fir*t trip together to the-states in
10 years. Alter a stopover in Juneau
they plan to visit Mrs. Baggen'.;
brother Karl Sandberg in Vancou
ver. B. C., whom she hasn't seen
■since she left Norway as a girl
when he was but five years old.
Marriage license application made
O.sober 1C J. I.. McBride, ensign
the C'G cutter Kimball and
A. Lawson, waitress.
Word was received by Mr. and
Go man Fox of the arrival of
first grandchild, Michael Ray
cl, weighing seven pounds four
born to Mr. and Mrs. Ra;>
m u Brennan September 27 at
Mi-vhtkan where Mr. Bearman is
.honed with the Coast Guard.
_
A first son, second child, weigh
in nine pounds, was bdrn to Mr.
nd Mrs. Harry Jimmy at S.J
nmunity Hospital Monday. Mr.
immy is an employee at the Col
j oml'ia Lumber mill.
A second son, Benjamin, fourth
hild, weighing seven pounds, was
orn to Mr. and Mrs. Irving Ung
! i; ;uk at the Mt. Edgecumbe Hos
M'ital Tuesday. Mr. Unyudruk is
I mployed by the CAA at Mt. Edeo
nunbe.
The Tyree homr located about
j wo mile-; north of the bridge on
J Douglas Island was destroyed by
j fire last night at 8:30 o’clock. The
family was In Douglas at the time
and lost everything.
The fire possibly star.cd from a
I wood burning stove, firemen
| thought.
I Mr. and Mrs. Rill Tyree and
| daughter. Carline, are living in Ju
. neau now with relatives.
The first fire last n’ght at 7:40
.o’clock was for an overheated store
at the Gun Club located at Irving
: ; ircct and Harbor Way. Little
damage was reported by firemen.
— EMPIRE WANT ADS PAY —
SFAI, HINTING BRINGS
KFAVY FINi: AT SITKA
For shooting a fur seal at Prince
William Sound. Jesse h. Petrleh.
first mate on the tug Monarch, was
fined $3!>0 and given a six months
suspended sentence in U. S. Com
missioner -Frank B. Richards court
in Sitka. Petrich of Langley. Wash.,
w.e. arrested by Fish and Wildlife
agent John KlinCuMl.
The maximum fine for pelagic
sealing is S2,000 and six month
sentence on each count of posses
sing a skin.
• FMPIRF WANT ADS PAY •
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CONTINUES
LITTLE RENO
aii the
N- ew Country! Club
Fi’May Misfit —•»■*» ©etulier 1©
C&me 9mt and En§oy the
aBBaacsis:^ tz&sm?. i ' IJ N mammas 3tmm2x:mtammm
DANCING
F I, © # II SHOW
raiBsaaauTiaF'.rsTerscsKSB > / nam aitsaBaaBB
* y\
The Country Club :s leased to the V. F. W.
The iigp I ftow of fhe Weak
Proceeds— Eeneflt of the Juneau
TEEN AGE CLUE