, THE OLD RIDDLE ,
»t'
So much nonsense has been
uttered about the origin of the
Indians that few other topics
of science have been so be
fogged. The ancestry of the
American aborigines has been
traced to this, that or the oth
er race of Africa, Asia or Eu
rope—even to the Hittites and
to the “lost” tribes of Israel
civilizations have been credit
ed to China, Egypt and even
the supposed continent of At
alantis. So the views expres
sed a few days ago by A. M.
Tozzer, Harvard university pro
fessor of anthropology, to the
American Philosophic society
are welcome.
Professor iozzer rejects the
theories that account for In
dian beginnings and culture by
immigration from the old
world, and Drs- Mead and
Hrdlicka agree with him- They
demonstrate that the attempts
to show outside origination of
the ancient civilizations of
Mexico, Peru and other regions
are t^terly wanting in evidence.
All aboriginal culture in North
America and South America
before Europeans arrived was
an independent product of the
native aborigines. In the case
of the Mayas this is demon
strated by writings of theirs
that have been deciphered by
Bowditch Morley and Spinden
and that show that the Maya
calendar begins with B. C. 613.
The Mayas adjusted the cal
endar year to the solar year,
correcting the former by the
latter. They did so more ac
curately than the Europeans,
and did it 2,000 years earlier.
This would seem to demon
strate the independence of
Indian culture.
1 he repor-: or the meeting or
the Philosophic society says
“the Indians were described as
being exclusively composed of
the descendants of primitive
tribes that slowly dribbled from
Siberia to Alaska a few thou
sand years ago.” It seems un
believable the scientists made
the statement with which they
are credited in the report. The
“few thousand years ago” are
too few for “primitive tribes”
to reach the culture the Mayas
are shown to have had 2,500
years ago. The time is insuf
ficient for the development of
the enormous differences of
many sorts that existed among
the hundreds of racial groups
which, when Columbus arrived,
had spread from the Arctic to
the Antarctic and from the
Pacific to the Atlantic. It is
doubtful, and grows more
doubtful, whether the Amer
ican aborigines as a whole
descended from primitive Asi
atics. Possibly man originat
ed independently in America
as well as Asia.—Chicago Daily
Journal.
The officers attached to the
Navy Air Squadron and the
U. S. S. Gannet were the guests
of the Commercial Club at a
dinner at the Blue Fox last
Wednesday evening.
POUT BLUE
CANNERY BURNS
On the 2nd of June the can
nery of the Beauclaire Pack
ing Co. at Port Beauclaire
was destroyed by fire of an un
known origin. When discov
ered, the roof was a mass of
flames and a high gale was
blowing so that it was impos
sible to fight the fire success
fully. The cannery building
and main warehouse were com
pletely destroyed and two oth
er warehouses badly damaged
All the cannery machinery and
about 15,000 cans were includ
ed in the loss. The Cordova
bringing 250 tons of additional
machinery was near enough to
see the fire.
superintendent iveny De
lieves the fire originated from
a short circuit in the lighting
system. Plans have already
been begun for the rebuilding
of the cannery in time for
next season’s pack. The Com
pany will lease its traps and
other available gear during the
present season.
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Columbia Records and
Phonographs
Pianos sold on Easy Terms
Pianos For Rent
Ketchikan Music House
Ketchikan, - Alaska
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t
The BON MARCHE
LOUIS HANSON, Proprietor
This Store is offering the greatest values in Men s and
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Moreover it is cheapest for First Glass Goods.
Seeing is believing, take a look.
KETCHIKAN,
ALASKA