Douglas Island news. [volume], July 17, 1907, Image 4

About Douglas Island news. [volume] (Douglas City, Alaska) 1898-1921

Image provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections

                
Where is the First American
Flag Raised in Alaska?
In what place is the American ban
ner that first fluttered Over Alaska now
resting? In what maimer has the flag
been preferred to the present time?
And finally, what is the real story of
that stirring October day at$itka when
the American warship arrived to take
possession of the country, nr.d Wh^P i
the Russia n flag was rcut in tf/o pieccs
as they pulled it down from the ftaft
pole for the la>t time iu the western
hemisphere, while the beautiful Rus*
sian Princess JMaksoatoff ?vept at the
shortsightedness of her country at sell*
ing a land with so much potential
greatness.
A few mouths ago tho management
of the Alaska- Yukon-Pacific Exposition
started to solve these questions, espec
ially the first one, as to the whereabouts
of the Hag. The resuit was curious,
and indeed reminds us so forcibly of a
famous incident of the eighteenth cen
tury, that perhaps the story may be
told.
John Baxter, in his day a famous di* |
vine, died with so uiany pious expres
sions of hope and belief, that his heirs i
determined to issue the story. The j
book, "The Last Words of Richard Bax
ter ' was is>ued, and was an immediate
success. Money rolled in. The heirs
became greedy, and hoping to dupli
cate the success, issued auother book,
"More Last Words of Richard Baxter."
It was so with the flag. No soonor
had a search beguu for the first Ameri- ;
can Hag unfurled in the Northland,
than enquirers began to be daily in
formed of where the "real first flag'
was to be found. Everyone that had a
flag thirty-five or forty years old seem
ed to be determined to advance his i
banner as the original one. Many and '
ingenious were the stoiies told, aud
bitterly did some cf the contestants
wage war tor the legitimacy of the par I
ticular flag in which they were inter
ested. True, many of these ancient
American banners had most interest
ing histories, but histories not particu
larly pertaining to the point at issue.
After sifting the matter out, the Kx- j
position management believer that the
original thirty-six starred banner to
float above the Russian barracks at
Sitka is oue of three which are in dif
ferent parts cf the United States for
safekeeping. The littery of each of:
these three flags is well authenticated
and later the one desired will be ob- 1
taiued by the Exposition to be use ) at
the opening ceremonies. U is the plan
of the management that when on .lane
1, 1909, the gates of the Exposition
swing open to the world, the banner ou i
the topmost piunacle of the ten million !
Exposition of Alaska, Yukon and the!
Pacitte couutries, will be the same one
that waved farewell to the Russians
two generations ago.
The writer, while in Graud Pro in the
Acadiau valley, some years ago was
shown nine different sites where once
stood the forgo of 15asil< the Black
smith, where Evaugeline once stood
watching the upwardsparks. Each site,
strange to say, was ou a different farm.
As then, so in the present case, each
of the owners of these three flags be
lieves them to be the original, and the
following pertaiuing to each flag is the
story as the present owner tells it,
One flag, the property of Edward
Leudecke of Wran^li, has a strong
claim to being the original. It uow re
poses in the vaults o? the Dexter-flor
ton liank in Seattle. The story is that
the body of American troops that left
San Francisco in the autumn of 1807
for Sitka to take possession of thecoun- !
try proceeded by the inside channel .
and touched first at Wrangell.
At that point there were living a few
Americans engaged in pioneer work.
One of these was Edward Leudecke
who after forty years is still a resident
of Wrangell. Leudecke, when the
troops touchcd at that point, heard for
the first time of the American pur
chase. Although the country was not
theu formally taken over by the United
States, he ran to the flagpole and hoist
ed the Americau flag, and there it flew
for many months. In the meantime the
troops proceeded to Sitka, then the cap
ital, and on October 18, 1807, the Rus
sian flag was pulled down aud the
American flag raised before the bar
racks and in the piesence of a detach
ment of both Russian and American
troops.
The flag of Leudecke floated till 1S67
when the uews of the admission of Ne
braska to the I uion was announced
and then the flag with thirty-six stars
was pulled down and another one with
thirty-seven stars, was raised in its
place. Leudecke, however, clung care
fully J^o his flag and in 1905 turned the
banner over to G. E. Rodman, an attor
ney of Wrangell, who sent it on to its
present destination for safe keeping.
Leudecke is now seventy-two years
of age and is strong and hearty. He
*e?embers perfectly the Jttrst arrival of I
American troops iu the North and the 1
amazement and joy of the few Ameri- i
| cans there on beiug told that Alaska
had been purchased from the Russians*
Of course* this flag of Leudeeke's
canuot be t tie otticial one as it Was
flown at YVrangell. Nevertheless, it i
would seem as if it has a strong olaiiji
to be the first American Aug ever flown
in the Northland.
Another flag is told about by Major
A. X. Brown, private secretary to Gov.
Albert E. Mead, of the State of Wash
ington. Mr. Drown in this connection
writes as follows the story of this flag: i
"In making some researches among
the government documents and reports
on the acquisition of Alaska; I have
found that when Secretary Seward dis
patched General Rousseau as United
States Commissioner to Sitka to re
ceive the Territory of Alaska from the
Russian Government, he had given to
the general a flag with instructions to
use it in formally taking possession.
The report shows that it was used, that
it was taken back to Washington by
General Rousseau aud that it was there
returned to the Secretary. It would be
interesting to have that flag exhibited |
at the Exposition. I would suggest
that you interest some of the State j
delegation in that matter to the end
that t he Department of State hunt the
old fl.ig up and send it out."
The whereabouts of the third flag is
known to Dwight A. Hurlburt. Mr.
llurlburt in writing explains further i
that he was a member of the squad of
the 2d U. S. Artillery, which went to
Alaska in 1*?07 to take possession. He
was the member of the squad to adjust i
the staff at the raising of the flag on
October 18*)?, at Sitka. Mr. Hurl* |
burt took the pains to follow the course j
of this flag after it had served its use
fulness, and this he claims is the orig
inal flag after which the Exposition is
in search. The flag is not. as he says,
in the possession of the government at
the present time. Mr. ilurlbnrt is now
in Kansas City, but r petit ttiauy years
in Alaska. He was there when Secret
ary Seward v^ited ftitka? and took
down the speech pf Mr, Seward in
shorthand and thus preserved it to
posterity. It was afterwards published
in the Alaska Times of that time.
These are the three flags which seem
to be most near to the ideal Which the
Exposition is seeking. Doubtless there
are others and the management, of the
Exposition would be grateful fo receive
information from anyone knowing any
thing further about this matter, or iu
fact about anything vitsl to the early
history and settlement of Alaska.
Notice of Settlement of Estate
In the Unite*! States CotnrjisnJoiii'r's Court
for Precinct of Jnnenu, District of AhisVn.
In Probate.
In the Matter of the Estate
of Charles VVortmftn, Deceased j
The undersigned, as administratrix r>f (lie
above entitled estate, having illod in the
above entitled Court her ?ln<d report and rtc
count of administration thereof,
Notice 28 snist vxrr.y that the nhote
Court did. by an order duly^ eraered in said
matter 011 June 1st, li>(>7< desijrnflte a time for
the hearinjj of said final rei*?rt atid account*
i n?r and the settlement ?>*' -aid estate* tcvHf,
Saturday, the 10th day of August. h?t>7, dt 2l)
oVlock in the forenoon *Mi:d day at fhr
office of the said Prob?*te Court In the S?
Court House* .Juneau. Alaska: and all per
sons interested in ftaid estate nte re<ju?red
to appear on said date at sahl p)??*e to pve
sent their objections, if any. to Jhe jjntntbij*
of the prayer of tbe administrate * in *haf
behalf.
Dated at Dou^lss, Alaska June fth- !^V?
LENA WOKTMANJ*.
Administratrix OT the Estate tit
Ch^r'es Wortmflf D^ee?v?d?
First Pub., June 5th, 190??
Last Pub,, AttjiTM^fch, l?i)7 ?
JUNEAU FERRY AND NAVMUflOft GO,
FERRY Tl>iE C&K&
Douglas 2s!an3 Tiros*
LEAVE JWNSAU
For Doiifflas and Tfeniltt?)}}
8:00 a. m. S;C? p. w.
9:30 a. m. + <?S0 r*. i~'
11:00 a. nt? 7 iOO p. iri/
1:00 p.m. ?;00 p. w.
LEAV*. B0V&kA8
Ker Treadwell: Fat Jvvenaf
8:15 a. i vs. ??. m.
9:15 a. m* $9:0$ a. r*i?
11:15 a. m. a. tn.
1:15 p. m. 2?*5 p. mj
3:15 p. itii p. rfii
4:45 p. rar. &'?$ p. rn<
7:15 p. ffc. 7:?*> p. ttij
9:15 p.m. S>?C ?. n,
leave racA&wgir!.
For Douprlas and Jtaaea <?J
8:25 a. m. 3:2* p. a.
10:00 a. m. p. m.
12:00 a. nr. 7;5?S w. tins'
1:40 p.m. ?f23 p. ttl.
ON WEDNESDAY A 3D 3ATVKDA7. |
Boat lea7es Juneau for snd Tr^cd ;
well at 12 mldrrlyhS.
? 1 ? * '* ? ' ? ' ? ? i? vu?i??'.i>s. . j
City Bakery I
i BREAD, CAKES & PIES j
CAREFUL ATTENTION TO
SPECIAL ORDERS
m
I i DOUGLAS A CASK A.
H OWING
THE BEST LINE OF
41
The Latest Productions of
Hart, Scfiaffner & Marx
Hoffman & RothchiSd
Hamburger Bros.
See our stock before you make your selection
Hamburger_BrpSi3
DAL. timoks
GOLD .MINING
o
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9 0 2 ?3GOC'/TOCr- >^*w
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COMPANY
| A. MURRAY y
^ ?
\ AGENT FOR THE ?
j STANDARD \
GASOLINE ENGINE i
to
VtTHE^^
/is
I
w
and franklin axnkx
? *9
KENGYEL
* Prop
$
litERYTHING STRICT Lt niiST
CLASS, CHARGES MODERATE
tVELL LtGHTED BfY ELECTRICITY1
jjK GOOD READING ftOOM
Headquarters foT Hinrnjc flen nrlil Com
jk mertial Travelers, LcadJnvf Hotel
of the Territory.
i lUNEAU"= A?iSKA"'
r.t VVW'V^'W ">v^
Miest Work
OF GOO
Est a well dressed
AtAN ^
looks better for the
(Good Clothes.
"SMALIWOOD"
is the Agent for
The Great
Western '
j Tailoring
Company
and will provide
yon with custom
made clothing of
the latest styles,
best material and
workmanship.
PRICES V
REASONABLE
or> co c a o- <; o <M <5
X
Douglas
EIFMIi W?IW(k>[bE
SHOW EVERY EVENING
CLARET wine, bottled beer, bottled porter,
ALL KINDS OF THE BEST DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED
LIQUORS ALWAYS IN STOCK. HOT AND MIXED
DRINKS A SPECIALTY. OPEN DAY AND NIGHT.
i. *. ^9aa306eea^^eeoe66OB^?8OEjoett3O0OBOBoao89
miMiMiiiiiM ?(
PACIFIC COAST
w, STEAMSHIP CO.
PIONEER ALASKA LINE
Safe, Fast, Punctual, Luxurious, Courteous Treatment, Splendid Meals
Steamers of this Company are due to arrive at Douglas
From Seattle and Puget Sound Points
S. S. HUMBOLDT
JULY 15, 25, AUG. 4, Is, 25, SEPT 6,17, 28. Skagffay Direct
S. S. CITY OF SEATTLE
July II. 23, Aug. 6, 18 Aug. 30, Sept II, 23
S. S. COTTAGE CITY
July 18, Aug. 2, 17 ? si'k" Sept. 3, 16, Oct. 1 N?fhs&kuand
S. S. Cottage City will call at Vancouver, B. C. when sufficient
business offers to warrant such call being made.
The, company reserves right to change steamers, sailing dates and hours
of Sailing without previous notice. For information regarding passenger
and freight rates, apply to
R. R. HUBBARD, Agent.
San Francisco Ticket Office, 4 New Montgomery Street.
C. D. DUNANN, General Passenger Agent, 10 Market Street
DIEDRICK & ERICSON K
proprietors w
( ALL KINDS of SOFT DRINKS *
ininerai Waters, Syphons ^
Agents for RAINIER BEER ?
'Phone I JUNEAU, ALASKA fe
Julius Jensen
fiartfware, Stoves and
Zmm.
Ml! IE
STRETCHING
SPRINGS
MENDING
UflBRELLAS
SECOND ST. - DOUGLAS