THE 8EMIAVEEKLY TRIBUNE NORTH PLATTE, NEBNA8KA.
IX
u
u
i
SIDELIGHTS ON METHODS
OF LIFE IN ALASKA
Wife of Present Governor Tells of
Far Away Country.
STORIES FROM TERRITORY
Mrs. J. F. A. Strong Telle What the
New Railroad Will Meanr to the
Section Which Is Just Now
Coming Into Its Own.
Washington, Alaska, for bo long
the stepchild , of tho nation, has at
last como Into Its own. Now hope,
new life, a now futuro sprang Into
bolng with tho pnssago of tho Alaska
railroad bill last March, when $35.
000,000 was appropriated for the
building of a railroad.
Such was tho way In which Mrs.
J. F. A. Strong, wifo of Governor
Strong of Alaska, described tho atti
tude of our far-off territory whon In
terviewed a short time ago during a
visit In Washington by the governor
nnd , herself, says tho Washington
Star.
"Nobody but those of us who know
AlaBka can appreciate Just what that
railroad bill moans," she said. "It
Mra. J. F. A. Strong.
stands for a gigantic feat in engineer
ing, for one thing. It means that
America, fresh from tho wondorful
task of constructing tho Panama
canul, will add another laurel to her
wreath when alio accomplishes tho
construction of an Alaskan railroad
such as is proposed. Dut to us it
also moans now hope It means new
life, and now life nt this tlmo repre
sents the most cssontlal requisite of
the territory. Alaska needs popula
tion, and thtB is what tho railroad will
give us. '
"I have -lived In Alaska 17 yours
and have lived tho life which makes
of those who go thoro real Alaskans.
1 know what it means' to leave the
torrltory intent upon never returning.
I know what it means to go back to
It as homo. That is whut Alaska Jls
to mo today not Just a placo to livo
in, but homo, with all that it stands
for. And so I foel for AlaBka and
with Alaska In nil her alms and do
Blres nnd accomplishments, In nil her
hopes nnd disappointments.
"Throe years ago I left tho Interior
of tho country for tho coast, and na
I left I watched the departure of thou
sands of others, otily thoy woro leav
ing tho country. They woro old
minors. And whoro were thoy going
To Canada, to South Amorlca any
where, they snlfl, whoro laws and op
portunities wero mora favorable
"They had Blnved for years In Alas
ka and thoy loved It, but what was tho
uso7 Thoy had given tho be3t years
of their Hvob to it, had loved It with
tho affection of strong men, but what
was tho use? Alaska wns Ignored by
tho government Alaska was tho step
child of the nation.
"On every side that was tho cry.
Dlsgruntlod outwardly, heartsoro Jn
wnrdly, these men who wero leaving
wero tho same ones who had como
Into tho couutr.' years before to seek
gold. They knew Alaska as no ono
elso possibly could. And Alaska need
ed them so badly. For such men aro
tho backbone of a pioneer country.
"That wns Clo condition thrco years
ago. Our population droppod from
G4.000 to 42.000. Think of n country
as big as all tho United States cast
of tho Mississippi river, and then Im
agine but -12.0T) peoplo living In it!
"And then r tow months ago tho In
coming tldo began to grow, Tho old
minora were coming back again.
Whereas ther left with nothing but
heartache nhi disappointment, thoy
were returning with n smilo on tliolr
faces and thi old spirit that spirit
which has mode tho mon of Alaska
go through hardships triumphant. And
why? Oh. thoro wnsn't any placo
llko tho old country, after all: thoy
couldn't stay away. And, besides, tho
railroad was coming,
"That was It. Tho railroad 'waa tho
ke.vnolo of the wholo thing. The
railroad was coming, and so they
came back and now people are com
Ing And Alaska has ow hope."
Tho deep lovo which Mrs. Strong
claims for all who livo In and know
Alaska finds Its greatest proof in the
return of tho old minors to Alaska.
Tho bill authorizing tho construction
of railroads thcro passed last March
and tho Influx began Immediately.
And this In splto of tho fact that tho
accomplishment of this railroad Is to
be no Aladdin's trick. It is estimated
that n year will bo required for tho
selection Of tho routes and for sur
veying them. And then tho actual
construction of tho road will necessi
tate another threo years of labor.
But It sufficed that they know the
road will oventunlly bo built.
This road, which Is to cover moro
than seven hundred miles, will con
nect tidewater on the Pnclflc ocean
with the two great inland waterways,
tho Yukon nnd Kuskokwim rivers.
And, of these, very fow have been
ovon extensively prospected, let alone
exhausted, because conditions exist
ing at tho presont time make It prac
tically impossible And this was an
other point brought up by Mrs. Strong.
"Intorlor Alaska Is already as fully
dovoloped as It is posslblo for it to
bo, minus n railroad," Mrs. Strong ex
plained. "And lack of transportation
facilities forms tho sole reason. Im
ftlno a country so vast that n man
can pack upon his back nil tho food
his physical strength can endure, and
yet havo It exhausted long beforo a
real Interior can even bo touched,
let nlono developed. That Is what
happened to us. If Alaska regains
undeveloped today, It Is becausd tho
Ingenuity of man hns been tnxed to
Its fullest 'and failed. Wo did every
thing posslblo for human beings Wo
could not build tho railroads our
selves. Therefore, tho Interior yet
holds Its trennrre."
It was Kipling who wrote: "If
you've eard Vw East a-cnlling', you
won't nover Ycd naught elso." Rut
It wns Robert Service who Immortal
ized tho luro -f tho northland. "Tho
Lure of Little Voices," voices out of
tho bigness and stillness of Alaska,
which, onco lizard and heeded, can
nover bo forgotten or left unan
swered. And that typifies Mrs. Strong. Sev
enteen years in Alaska, with tho "lit
tle voices" callii-g, calling nil tho tlmo,
and nowhero elso In nil tho world
means to her just what the territory
of Alaska stands for.
Callfornlan by birth, European by
education, and world cultured by trav
el, Mrs, Strong yet knows no lovo to
equal that for Alaska. Pioneer women
of any country possess a bigness of
devotion, n steadfastness of faith in
their own land, which dwarfs tho
"homo" Instinct of old communities.
Tho pioneer woman of California Is
passing, aft well as the woman who
helped to mold tho other westorn
Btates. Dut tho pioneer I woman of
Alaska Is "a vital factor today In tho
development and upbuilding of tbo
torrltory, both materially and moral
ly. So believes Mrs. Strong.
"Alaska Is such a wondorful couti
try, and wo are so proud of It," she
said; and, slmplo as was tho state
ment, nono could doubt tho depth of
Its sincerity.
"Juneau, tho capital of tho tent
tory and our home," continued Mr.
Strong, "Is such a vastly dlfferout
placo from what tho great majority
of peoplo picture it to bo. To those
who know naught of Alaska it seems
Impossible to detach from tho thought
of all Alaska tho namo given It v,
many years ago "Seward's Iceboj.'
Yet to us that Is so absurd. For when
wo loft there last March tho pussy-willows
wero In full bloom, whllo when
wo reached St. Paul tho lakes and
t Ivors wora still frozen. Juneau Bint-
ply shares tho reputation which the
wholo of Alaska has, thnt of being u
'Icobox.'
"Of courso, Juneau Is not New
York. Hut, on tho other hand, It "n
not a mountain fastness. UeautlMl
Field of Oats at U. 8. Experiment
Farm, Fairbanks, Alaska.
homes, hundsomo buildings nnU things
of that kind aro abundant. .Follow
ing tho custom of tho west generally,
the homos aro iraunlly frame stric
tures. "Nor do wo lawk tho comforts of Iho
Eastern citleti perhaps thoy differ,
but they yet represent comforts In
tho accepted soiibo of tho word. iid
society, too. for Juneau has Its fen
son, its tangoes. Uh bridge parties, its
uftornoon tons and formal ovonlng
functions, just as any othor center of
population has, and perhaps to n
greater extent. At least, certain It Is
that our season Is. ns guy as ono
could well desire.
"This 1b largely duo to our Alaskan
women. I do not know nny othor
women who can equnl them In re
sourcefulness, And thoy aro fUled
with nn energy which makes nothing
too hard of accomplishment. If they
BPst 2,,S "' ;r"&
give an afternoon tea It Is In at
tractive surroundings as one could
find anywhere, with tho samo appoint
ments as tho East affords. Flowers
from Seattle will adorn tho rooms, tho
whitest of napery covers tho table,
whilo tho service Is perfect, not to
mention tho refreshments.
"Peoplo may regard us to 'campers,'
living on tho outer rim of civilization,
deprived of all refining Influences,
eking out a llfctlmo on tho barest of
necessities, but we we know differ
ently. Wo know thnt life to us repre
sents tho fullest degreo of enjoyment
and happiness.
"Why," nnd Mrs. Strong laughed In
sheer good humor, "we have plenty of
moving picturo houses In Juneau!"
It is but natural that Included In
her great lovo for the country shou'd
bo a deep Interest In tho natives of
tho country.
"I am afraid that In tho case of tho
Alaskan natives," hIio said, "history
Is but repeating Itself. With the con
ing of the whlto man, with his meat.
nnd his Hour, camo sickness to tto
Eskimo. Tho result Is that their
naturally sturdy constitution has bci n
undormined, nnd to n certain exte.it
their health Impaired. They aro a
gentle, kindly people, but are fn3t
passing away.
"I wish tho people of the East par
ticularly could see our Ahvkan chtl
dron. Bright, sturdy, healthful lltt-o
Port of Cordova, Alaska.
tots, who excel children of equal ago
In the East. I do not say that from
prejudice, but because it is a fact. A
two-year-old child born and bred in
Alaska Is superior, mentally and
physically, to ono of tho samo ago al
most anywhere elso. It Is, I believe,
duo to tho splendid cllmnto and out
door life which they all lead out there.
"And how pntriottc thoy are. How
their little chests swell whon they sing
their Alaskan songs. Somehow, the
things which go to make patriotism
seem to mean moro to them than to
tho majority of American children.
Ono point in particular which Mrs.
Strong brought out is of unusual In
terest, whichever way you look at it.
"Alaska has had Its own legislature
but a littlo ovor a year. And tho first
bill which was passed by that body
gavo to tho women of the torrltory the
right of suffrage. It was granted prac
tically without being sought. No
movement existed then, or dpea now,
which could .properly bo termed n
'suffrago movemont.' Thoy justpnssed
the bill, that'n all. Slnco then several
women havo held offices, such as mem
bcishlp on the board of education and
other similar places. And In every In
Btanco thoy havo warranted tho trust
and responsibility ropoBed in them.
But ns for a 'movement,' it doesn't
exist."
Soventeen years ago Governor and
Mrs. Strong first went "prospecting."
"Wo were among tbo 40,000 who
rushed to DawBon whon tho 'gold
fover' broko out," said Mrs. Stronft.
"Then In 1899 wo went to Nomo,
where we lived for soveral yearn,
Onco, in 1900, wo left tho country, de
termined nover to return. But wo
wero back In a fow months, so stiong
had our lovo for It grown.
"In tho years wo have lived there
wo have traveled over mo3t of Alas
ka. Two trips, especially, I recfc'l.
Ono we mndo when wo llrst entered
tho country. It Is what Is known r3
tho Interior trip of the Yukon ovr
wild mountain passes, behind dog
toumB, whlpsawing our lumber for
rudo crnft when wo enme to tho
streams. It was a trip through trie
primitive, with obstacles on evovy
hand. And yet, 1 can recall no or
cumstnnces which struck mo as a big
ndvonturo nt tho tlmo. Ono takcB tho
daya as thoy come, ovorcomos what
obstacles appear and keeps on
"Tho second trip wo mndo when t'io
governor had boon In offico but a
short tlmo It was ovor the suno
troll. But, oh, vhnt a different trip!
Along tho mountain passes in well
equipped trains, nnd on tho rivers In
tho palatial Yukon steamers. It was,
a contrast I shall never forget."
Baby Drowns In Water Jar.
Vlncennos, lnd. Clnrcnco Smith,
aged ono year, fell Into n six-gallon jar
filled with water and was drowned.
S3 -"" - Ml
Sweater-Coats
UST tho most fashlohablo garment
for mountain nnd seaside resorts,
where mornlugs and evenings bring
exhilarating breezes with a snappy
chill In them, Is tho silk sweater-coat.
Thcso smart garments aro selling
freely at figures which rather tako
one's breath away. Twenty-five to
thirty dollars each seems a high price
for a sweater of any sort. But there
is no difficulty In finding people who
aro quit? willing to pay It. Onco let
fashionables, and their Imitators, get
used to unusual .prices and there Is
not telling the length to which they
will go.
Besides tho sweaters and sweater
coats of silk there aro others Those
of wood fiber, which looks like silk,
and 1,8 as strong or stronger, are much
lower in price, about half as high.
Then thcro are splendid wool sweat
eis in many colors and varlotles of
design.
A swenter-coat and cap to match,
llko those shown in tho picturo, what
ever the fabric they are made of, will
Correct Dress
WHEN tho young priiioiling Is
dressed up in his best attire, for
state occasion", such as birthday par
ties, Sunday school, or dress parade,
ho la gurbed in white. And whether
his lady mother has mado his gar
ments with her own bauds or left that
pleasant task to those who make n
business of it, he looks like nil his
mates In tho democrncy of boyhood.
Tho little boy must bo clothed In tho
Bumniortlmo in washable fabrics. The
dlfllcult feat of teaching him to keep
clean Is a part of his education, ex
actly ns essential as teaching him to
rend For dally wear ho romps In
bloiiBes and bhort pants mndo In wash-
nblo colored
fabrics, such as glng-
ham. linens, crash,
madras and other
Btrong wonvos, Heavy linens and
piques and cortaln specially woven cot
ton fabrics In whlto nro required for
his dress occnslons.
Those fabrics are bo inexpensive
and tho little huUh aro so easily made
that It Is no great task to make up his
short-lived summer wardrobe, nut
manufacturers turn out quantities of
clothes for children, well designed
and well made, at n cost of production
so low that It Is hardly worth while
to make them at home.
for Outing Wear
fortify their wearer against a chill.
Tho cool air, dropping down from
frosty mountam tops, and breezes that
have traveled from the land of ice
bergs to that 6t seaside hotels, are
tho reasons for the existence of sweat-,
era. They stand daily use, and manu-i
facturers are endeavoring to make;
them attractive, and have, in fact, suc-
ceeded in doing some very beautiful,
knitting. It would not do to get too
far away from simplicity, and It is in,
new ways of knitting that tho best of!
new attractions He.
The sweater for a little girl, shown!
here, could hardly be plainer. A close-'
ly knitted border and a pocket at each,
side are not puroly decorative figures,
but they afford all the details of orna
mentation except 'the border of fancy'
knitting about tho bottom.
On sweater coats for grownups
there nro collars in .several styles
which add much to their finish. Buti
aside from this they are about thoi
same as tho model shown in tho pic-'
turo.
for the Little Boy
Ono of their best efforts is shown
In tho illustration given with this ar-i
tlcle. It is a suit of white pique with
plain Bhort pants and belted blouse.
The blouse opens over a small "V"-,
shaped vest which allows a bit of dec-j
oration In tho form of a spray of llt-j
tie flowers and leaves embroidered lui
white. The snllor collar is flnishedi
with scallops edged with buttonholoj
stitch, Instead of a hem. This Is about,
all tho decorating that ono may ex
pect to find In oven tho drcsslost garb'
for tho small boy.
In order that the blouse may set
well a fow boxplalts run from shoul
der to hem. Tho loose belt, of tho
fabric, io Bllpped through nnrrow
strnps, also of tho pique The belt
drops toward the front and mny be
fastened with n buckle or clasp fasten
ers or preferably buttons and button
holes. Tho sleeves aro rather full and
short onough to escapo the wrlat.
Short whlto socks and low mnvno
pumpa finish tho toilet of tho youug
gentleman, and ho will not meet an
other better dressed than himself He
Is outfitted In correct stylo whether
ho bo tho son of a millionaire or a
duke or Just an average man.
JUUA BOTTOMLEY.
"I'm open for convic
tion," said one lady
She liked her regular
soap and washing
powder. She tried
RUB-NO-MORE jusi
to see. Now you ought
to see how easily she
keeps house dirt-free
with this "workless"
dirt remover.
RUB -NO -MORE.
WASHING POWDER,
is a sudlcss dirt re
mover for clot bea
St cleans jour dishes
sinks, tolK:ts and.
cleans and iwcctenf,
your milk crocks. It
kills germs. It does
not need hot water.
UB-NO-MORE
Washing Powder
RUB-NO-MORE.
Carbo Naptha Soap
Fiva Cents All Grocers
Hie Rub-No-More Co., Ft.Wayne, Ind-
University of Notre Damp,
lltlTRE DAME, INDIANA
Thorough Education, Moral Training.
Twenty-one course leading to decrees lo
CIhriIcs, Modern Letters,. I uuriinllsui, Political
neonoray, Commcrc", Chemistry, Illology,.
I'll irmncy, Engineering, Architecture, Law.
Preparatory School, various courses.
ITor C.itnloRUCH addrets
BOX II. NOTRE DAME, INDIANA
VOICE OF .CONSCIENCE DEAD'
All the Fault of Nurse That Small Girt
Could Not Walk In the
Straight Path.
Maria had been naughty nnd mother,
seriously remonstrating with her.
thought to profls homo a needed sug
gestion. ,"I can't think why you persist Id
doing wrong, my dear," sho Enid, sol
emnly. "It always makes us unhappy
when we do wrong."
"I3ut but I often don't know it's
wrong till I've done it," sighed tho
small culprit.
"But," mother urged again, "you
should know, my darling. Your con
science will tell you If you listen."
"What is my conscience and how
will It tell me?" wide-eyed nnd eager.
"Your conscience is the little voice
inside you thnt says 'No!' when you
shouldn't do tilings and makes you
feel sorry when you've mado mis
takes." "Oh, then I'll never bo good!"
mourned the troubled sinner. "I had
a voice like that once, but nurso said
It was indigestion and. sho gave mo
some medicine and it died."
False Alarm.
Truth camo up out of her well ono
day with so merciless a look in her
eye that disquieting rumors sprang
Into circulation. Wns sho nbout to
take over tho dominion of tho world?
A group of gentlemen made haste to
bustle up. "Ma'am! Ma'am!" they
protested, breathlessly.
"Well, who aro you?" demanded
Truth, with ominous coldness.
"Publishers, if you please, ma'am,
Er the advance notices of our books,
you know er er. In ehort, ma'am,
wo need tho money!" stammered tho
gentlemen, in much confusion.
It was Impossible not to feel a cer
tain compassion for them. "Well, wo'l)
see what can be done," said Truth, not
unkindly.
Conjugal Amenities.
"My dear, don't act like a fool."
"How can I help It when you told
me to follow your lead?"
There are people who look upon
matrimony as a necessary evil.
NEW IDEA
Helped Wisconsin Couple.
It 'doesn't pay to stick too closely
to old notions of things. New idoac
often lead to better health, buccesB
and happiness.
A Wis. couplo examined an idea
new to them and stepped up several
rounds on tho health ladder. Tho
husband writes:
"Soveral years ago wo suffered from
coffee drinking, wero sleepless, nerv
ous, sallow, weak and Irritable. M,y
wife and I both loved coffee and
thought It was a bracer." (Delusion.)
"Finally, after years of suffering, wo
read of Postum and tho harmfulnesa
of coffee, and believing that to grow
we should give some attention to new
Ideas, wo decided to test Postum.
"When wo mado It right wo liked
It and were free of Ills caused by
coffee. Our friends noticed tho
change fresher skin, sturdier nerves,
better temper, etc.
"Thcso changes wero not sudden,
but increased as wo continued to
drink and enjoy Postum, and wo lost
the desiro for coffee.
"Many of our friends did not llko
Postum at first, becauso thoy did not
make it right. But when they made
Postum according to directions on
pkg., they liked It better than coffee
and wero benefited by tho change."
Name given by Postum Co., Battle
Creek, Mich. Head "Tho Rond to
Wollvllle," in pkgs.
Postum now comes In two forms:
Regular Potum must bo well
boiled. 15c and 25c pneknges.
Instant Postum Is a Bolublo pow
der. Made in the cup with hot water
no boiling. 30c and 50c tins.
The cost per cup of both kinds 1
about tho eame.
"There's a Reason" for Postum.
sold, by Grocers.
pi" SSL
y
