will act to put Alaska on that
basis.”
The next Congress. Eaton be
lieves, will a>/so appropriate
money for coal bunkers at Sew
ard, sea terminus of the Alaska
Railroad. The government is
now spending a quarter of a
million dollars in a geological
survey to find anthracite or hi
tuminous coal. Eaton said the
coal now being mined in Alaska
is of low-grade quality.—Denver
Post.
-x
jg BARANOF CASTLE—THE MOST ROMANTIC SPOT IN ALASKA g
In a commanding position on
a hill in the center of Sitka, the
capital of the Russian fur trade,
stood Baranof Castle. The build
ing shown in the photograph was
erected in 1837, of solid “mast
timber” hewn smooth on the
outside. Here life was carried on
in lavish medieval style until the
purchase of Alaska by the Unit
ed States in 1867.
From the cupula, on top of the
Castle, the first lighthouse light
ed the northern Pacific Ocean.
Reflectors erected back of wicks
burning in four square cups filled
with seal oil, threw light far out
among the thousand islands
which dotted entrance to the
harbor.
Here, the successive Governors,
representatives of a rich and
powerful company, dispensed
justice and carried on trade. The
strictest military discipline wo.'S
maintained over the soldiers and
neighboring Indians. Within the
mansion, lavish entertainments
were given; the priests resplen
dent in their robes of office, and
the officers in gold-laced
uniforms gathering for dinner in
the richly furnished dining room.
The first mistress to preside
over this structure was Madame
Lina Baranoff Yanovski. The
entry of her marriage to Lieu
tenant Yanovski, third governor,
appears in the records of St. Mi
chael’s Cathedral. The last to
preside when the transfer of
Alaska was made by Russia to
the United States, was the young
and beautiful Princess Maksout
off, who wept as the Russian flag
was lowered and the American
ensign raised.
Most of the Russians returned
to their native land and the
Castle became the headquarters
of the American troops. Here
Secretary Seward was entertain
ed in 1869 when he visited his
“ice box.”
Later this castle was occupied
by the deputy customs collector
frr Alaska as his residence. In
1394 this romantic and historic
rr d magnificent structure was
destroyed by fire in the dead of
night. It was said, in social and
official circles, that an audit was
to be made of the collector of
customs books but that the fire
destroyed all records and an
audit was never made. The be
lief was that the fire was of in
cendiary origin but this was nev
er so reported, officially. The
site is now occupied by the resi
dence of the Federal agronomist.
This building having been con
structed under direction of the
late Prof. Georgeson, for many
years in charge of the experi
mental agricultural work in the