is not our purpose. Sitka is just Sitka,
and that is all there is to it.
But here at Douglas and Juneau it is
different. We are transacting a large
and constantly increasing business and
movements of bullion take place on each
steamer day. We are the centre of and
distributing point for the largest mines
in Alaska. Every steamer which arrives
adds to our population. Our merchants,
professional and business men are in
vesting their money in local improve
ments and, in fact, we have a great deal
at stake.
It is the duty of the government to
recognize this and we trust that recent
events will not be without their effect in
the right quarter.
Ignorance is responsible for many ills.
To a thoughtful mind this is at once ap
parent. and the more we reflect upon it,
the more obvious it becomes. We do
not propose to offer a lengthy thesis on
this subject, but merely to draw atten
tion to the column under the heading:
Some opinions of Alaska.
We who reside here cannot wonder at
the remarkable ignorance which pre
vails as to Alaska and her resources,
when the very text books used for edu
cational purposes give information on
the subject which does not amount to
mediocrity.
The curriculum in use at public school
examinations undoubtedly involves ques
tions touching Alaska and her products,
and students who closely f dlow the text
books can give no more truthful answer
than that Alaska is noted for its furs, its
fisheries and its forests.
We can even imagine a case in which
some juvenile who, having a correspon
dent in our midst, replied to some query
during examination that Alaska was a
great gold producer and had a well de
fined mineral belt and the largest stamp
mill in the world, being mildly rebuked
by the examiner whose knowledge of the
country was obtained from some such
standard authority as the Encyclopaedia
Britannica, which says, “coal and iron
are the most important miner Is, but the
value of the deposits remains to be as
certained.''
We recollect once attending a meet
ing of the Royal Geographical Society
in which Alaska was tefeired to as being
distinguished by the fact of its having
the second largest river in the world.
The knowledge of the country appeared
to begin and end at that and no further
interest was manifested in the subject.
This is an era of education and to this
end we must apply ourselves. Great re
sults oan not be ach eved at once, but we
must advance continually, step by step,
and we need not fear for ilie ultimate
issue"
Ruskin says: “We have certain work
do for our needs, and that is to be
done strenuously; other work to do for
our delight, and that to be done hearti
ly; neither is it to be done by halves or
shifts, but with a will; and what is not
worth this effort is not to be done at all.”
The citizens of Douglas and Juneau are
brought face to face with a state of
things which they cannot afford to ig
nore. It is one of vast importance to
the merchants particularly, and to all
others engaged in business incidentally.
The Miner sounds the note of warning
in ample time, and if it is disregarded,
we shall know where to place the blame.
A great deal of enterprise has been
manifested in advertising the fact that
Juneau and Douglas are the proper, the
best, the cheapest and the logical points
at which to outfit for the Yukon. Many
reasons are adduced to prove this and
we know it to 1 e true.
The question now arises, how are these
Yukoners to get from here to Dyea?
What arrangements can be absolutely de
pended upon by intending immigrants?
A correspondence is in progress be
tween Mr. Trowbridge, superintendent
of the Pacific Coast Steamship company, j
at Seattle, and Mr. F. A. Brooks, super
intendent of said company for Alaska, at j
Juneau. Mr. Trowbridge takes a stra’glit- !
forward, honorable and bus’ness-like
ground on this question. He says that
if the people here will undertake to do
the carrying trade between Juneau and
Dyea and do it sat sfactorily both as to
service and cost, his company will keep
their hands off. But that if arrange
ments are not make to do this the com
pany’s boats must run to Dyea, as f il
ing to do so would encourage competi
tion, and that in the interests of his com
pany he cannot see business going by
him.
Should we neglect to provide for the
carrying trade between here and Dyea.
The Pacific Coast company will take Yu
koners direct from the Sound to the
head of Lynn canal, and we shall be de
prived of a large amount of outfftting
trade and also of a residence amongst us
of lhese visitors for some days when en
route to the Yukon,
It seems o us as if Mr. Trowbridge’s
position is tenable and fair. He argues
th .t if we don’t want this trade his com
pany will take care of it before it falls
into other hands, but if we do, they will
not in erlere.
We must follow the advice of John
Ruskin in this matter. We have work
to do for our needs. It therefore behooves
us to do it s renuou Is or leave it alone.
An incipient fire occurred on Thurs
day evening at the residence of Rory
McDonald on the height back of Chicken
ridge. The fire brigade responded with
promptness, but their services were not
required as the fire was gotten under
control. Too much care cannot be exer
cised during the prevalence of high
winds. If a fire assumed serious propor
tions, and once got beyond the power of
the fire department to cope with it, the
consequences w’ould be disastrous in the
extreme, and might lead to a calamity
terrible to contemplate.
James Donovan, of Quilcene,while dig
ging a well on his ranch a few days ago
discovered a vein of coal of fine quality.
Further examination of the surrounding
country is being made.
Miss Ruth Campbell emertained nine
teen of her young friends on Tuesday
evening. Miss Ruth was celebrating
her eighth birthday and was the recip
ient of many presents. The young folks
enjoyed themselves hilariously, after
wh'ch Mrs. Cliishc 1 u dispensed ice
cream, candy and cake.
Report of Douglas School No. i for
the month of January:
Days Deport
present. ment.
Agnes Aniodt...g/2
Mamie Atnodtf.. 9
Inger Aniodt. .<.17^
Leonard Amodt.*r. .... 17^
Eric Anderson....16
Gracie Day...:.10
Blanch Day....7
Emilv Evans /..13
y J
May Evans. 4
Willie Evans./.12
Clara Jones.. .y. 16
Paul Jones.. . 15^
Hilda Lilystrand.11
Maud Lilystraml. r
John Mn-eth.. .18
Minnie Museth. T.6
Laura Graverock .15
Mary Graverock. 14
jarta G luffin . . . ..
Saminie Gauffin/.19
Anna Evans.. 1
Walter Clark../.14
Bertha Clark....16
Maggie Clark .14
Ben Clark../.13^
Merley McWilliams/. .19
Leta Stevens, y.10
Neal Stevens...19*^
Leta Stevens.17^
Ann:e Aniodt. . y2
Anna Haering.*.20
Jacob Haering. /.6
Vinta Chisholm.V..... 15
Robert Stough./..17
Ella Johnson. .V..
97
96
97
45
6o
98
98
97
100
60
97
80
97
100
92
97
97
97
98
60
100
70
60
95
75
65
98
98
95
100
98
100
98
50
98
All interested in the school are cor
dially invited to vis t it at any time.
Anna Hunnicutt, Teacher.
Cook stoves, heating stoves, hardware,
tinware and in fact anything you want in
the hardware line.
t I). W. Walker.