Yukon Valley News
(Successor to Tanana Leader)
ALBERT G. STAMM
Publishes
Subscription.—One year, $10; six months
$5; one month, $1; single copies, 25 cents.
Advertising.—Rates on application. Right
reserved to reject any advertisement.
Application for entry as second-class mat
ter at the postottice at Tanana, Alaska,
pending.
THANKSGIVING,
Alaskans have many things to be
thankful for this year.
The future of the territory looks
brighter than ever before. Last year
the Iditarod and Kuskokwin were still
an unknown quantity. Other fields
were needed for the surplus of Alaskans
whose fortunes were ebbing with the de
cline in the gold output of the interior.
There has been a great shifting of the
population, with larger opportunities for
those who immigrated and plenty of
work for those who remained.
Tanana in particular has reason for
self-congratulation. The future of the
town was never rosier than at present.
The many predictions that Tanana is des
tined to become a great mining center
are fast being realized ; while the quartz
outlook in the Fairbanks district augurs
well for this town as the natural distrib
uting point for the whole interior.
The Hot Springs district next year
promises to eclipse its banner output of
this season; while the strike on Quail
creek in the Rampart district, and the
prospects found on other creeks in that
vicinity, has given renewed life to the
community.
The new strikes in the Beaver country
promise to open up a vast area which
will depend upon Tanana for its sup
plies; while the progress of the quartz
development in the Chandlar and the
prosperity of the miners in the Koyukuk
are gratifying to a degree.
The most noticeable feature of all is
the hopefulness of the people who have
cast their lot in Alaska—the land of op
portunity for the poor man, where every
man is measured by the standard of
what he accomplishes; where he can
live down the past and regain hope and
prosperity in a community where all
men are brothers.
TURKEYS AND PEOPLE.
I’d hate to be a turkey—
Wouldn’t you?
Getting roasted or else being in a stew!
But though we have no feathers
We are collared and we’re cuffed,
And Thanksgiving day the turkey’s not
The only thing that’s stuffed.
THE GOBLER’S PLAINT.
I’m a unoffending turkey,
And I never quite could see
Just why a horde of thanking souls
Should chase me up a tree.
If I were full of thanks perhaps
That might explain their ways*,
But I’m not, and never was—
Goldarn Thanksgiving Day!
Your name and business should be
printed on all your stationery. The
News office can do it.
TTtnrsinriririnrirtnri^^
^THANKSGIVING DAY,
_jj__
Indians Were First to Observe Day in America
That the Indians and not the old Pur
itans were the first to observe Thanks
giving Day, is a fact not generally known, j
Some Indian tribes celebrated the fes
tival, not once but several times a year.
When the crops were growing they were
thankful; and when the young corn was
milky in the ear they were thankful
again.
The Poncas held a feast about the
same time as our Thanksgiving, offering
thanks to the Great Spirit for the com
pleted harvest.
The Indian dance—part of all their
celebrations—has never been fully un
derstood by most whites. Originally the
dance was a form of prayer. The red
men entered into it with body and soul
—especially body. Into such a frenzy
would they work themselves that they
would fall out of the dance exhausted.
On the reservations outside, the Indi
ans are allowed special allotments of
beef on Thanksgiving Day. They still
observe the day, dancing.
A Turkey “Drunk.”
Years ago, in western New York, it
was the custom to get the turkey most
gloriously drunk before killing him on
Thanksgiving morning. They used to
say it made the gobbler’s last days on
earth supremely happy, and it was be
lieved that the brandy gave to the meat
a flavor no bird who died sober could
ever have.
The “turkey drunk” was a great occa
sion, witnessed by the whole family and
invited guests. Two hours before the
killing the biid was given a cup of brandy
which lie gobbled up with the relish of
confirmed toper. He would then be let
out, and he’d stagger around with as
elegant a jag as any rounder ever en
joyed.
The gobbler’s efforts to maintain his
dignity were as funny as a circus clown’s.
Steadying himself, he would throw up
his head, thrust out his chest, lower his
wings till they dragged on the ground,
and then try to strut among the hens
with the dominating pomposity of his
sober days. The exhibition always cre
ated unmistakable surprise, if not dis
gust, in his harem; and the hens would
draw apart and watch ti e antics of their
lord in shocked silence. The turkey
never failed to get drunker and drunker,
and at last he’d totter over in a heap.
Then was the time his head was cut
off.
Here’s the Story of the First Day
of Thanks.
When, in the autumn of 1621, Massa
soit, the Indian chief, accepted Gover
nor Bradford’s invitation to join the
Massachusetts’ colonists in a harvest
festival, the Thanksgiving troubles of
women began.
Mistress Brewster and Priscilla Mul
lins and Constanta Hopkins and little
Remember Allerton, and the rest of the
dozen women who had survived the first
terrible Plymouth winter, set to work
to make ready for the celebration.
They prepared the old standby—hasty
pudding and molasses. There were clam
chowders and oysters roasted in big
clam shells. Plum porridge delighted
the few children, and the Indian guests
brought along popcorn, which was des
tined to become the favorite of childreit
in ages to come.
Wild turkeys were abundant that fall,
and one day’s shooting determined the
characteristic dish of the thanksgiving
feast ever after.
Massasoit brought 90 of his j>eople,
and in all 150 whites and Indians en
joyed the feast. The guests stayed three
days, and in spite of their potlach of five
deer, they left empty pantries and tired
hostesses behind; and for a week there
after the colonists ate “picked-tip
dinners.”
Lincoln’s Idea.
Thanksgiving Day has been a national
holiday since 1863, when President Lin
coln sent a message to congress recom
mending Jthe observance of a holiday,
not only on account of the victories of
the union army but also for the harvest.
The day now stands unique in history
as a day on which a great nation ac
knowledges the continued prosperity
which God has been pleased to shower
upon it.
Birch-bark jtostal cards, with Alaskan
designs burnt on them, gold-dust gar
nishments. Leave orders at the News’
office.
EVERYTHING THAT IS
WANTED IN A DRUG STORE
ANY QUANTITY-PRICES RIGHT
—AT—
McIntosh & kibon
PRESCRIPTION DRUGGISTS
cs)UreheT FAIRBANKS, UASKA
PHONE 133
Notice of Forfeiture.
To Volney Richmond and Charles Grimm,
and to all persons claiming by, through or
under him:
Yon and each of you are hereby notified
that the undersigned has expended not less
than one hundred dollars in labor and im
provements during each of the years 19US
and 1909 upon placer mining claims known
and recorded us No. One Above Discovery,
No. One Below Discovery, Discovery, and
Adjoining Fraction, locally known as the
Gold Bench Group, situate on the South
Fork of the Koyukuk river, in the Kovukuk
Mining District, Alaska; that such e.\|>endi
tnres were made for the purisise of holding
said clnims under the provisions of Section
2324 of the Revised Statutes of the United
States, and such labor und improvements
constituted the unnuul assessment work
upon said claims for euch of said years.
You and each of you are further notified
that if within ninety days after theduto of
the last publication of this notice you fail
and refuse to contribute your proportion of
said expenditures as co-owners, und pay the
costs of this advertisement, your interest in
said claims will become the property of the
undersigned, under said Section 2324.
CARL FRANK.
Date of first publication Sept. 22,1910.
Date of last publication Dec. 22, 1910.
Notice of Forfeiture
To H. F. Berry, and to ull persons claiming
by, through or under them:
You and each of you are hereby notified
that the undersigned has expended not less
than one hundred dollnrs in labor and im
provements during each of the years 1909 and
1910, on the placer mining association claims
known and recorded as the Hoosier associa
tion claim, the Martin association cluim, the
Happy association claim, the Arizona asso
ciation claim, and No. 9 below discovery, ail
on Grant creek, Gold Mountain district.
Fort Gibbon recording district, Alaska:
also the Snowbird association claim,
wjhich adjoins the Ohio associa
tion: anil the Hamburger association
claim which adjoins the Shamrock associa
tion; ull of which are situated on Lynx
creek, Gold Mountain district, Fort Gibbon
recording district, Alaska. That such ex
penditures were made for the purpose of
holding said association claims under the
provisions of Section 2324 of the revised stat
utes of the United States, and such labor and
improvements constituted the annual assess
ment work upon said association cluims for
each of said years.
You and each of you are further notified
that if within ninety days after the date of
the last publication of this notice you fail
and refuse to contribute your proportion
of said expenditures ns co-owners, and pay
the costs of this advertisement, your interest
in said association claims will become the
property of the undersigned under said sec
tion 2324.
A. W. .SPRINGER.
Date of first publication, Nov. 24. 1910.
Date of last publication, Feb. 24, 1911.
TIFFANY’S
SUITS OF THE LATEST
FASHION.
Stationery,
Confectionery.
Light Hardware
THE TANANA RESTAURANT
Best Meals in the Camp
Short Orders at All Hours
Best of everything on the Murket. Service unexcelled in the North
Fresh and Delicious Bread, Pies and Pastries Always on Hand
POOL TABLE
POOL TABLE
Best Liquors and Cigars
in Town at
—YUKON SALOON
OSCAR LUNDIN, Manager
POOL TABLE
POOL TABLE