fgazette.com Community news site for Union Parish Louisiana
At the end of the COVID epidemic the world began to open up. One industry that had shut down completely was the cruise lines. When the industry was allowed to resume operations it was slow to build back its cliental. For the ships sailing from American ports to Alaska there was even more problems. Most of the cruise ships were flagged under another country other than the United States. Panama is a common country to flag ships under due to less restrictions and cheaper costs. If a ship flies the flag of another country yet operates from an American port, there is a requirement that the ship visit one foreign country before returning to America. This required ships leaving an American port to stop in Canada, a foreign country, when cruising to Alaska. The problem is that Canada had closed its border with America due to COVID. Governmental support took control of the situation and a temporary lifting of the foreign port visit was lifted and Alaskan cruises were back in vogue.
We took a cruise at that time and Alaska was fabulous and the Alaskans were so appreciative of the first tourist to visit in months thus saving a big part of its economy. While visiting Skagway, a famous jumping off point for the miners coming to Alaska from the lower states, we heard a unique story. The period of our story, the late 1880s, provided opportunities for men and women to attempt to accomplish the American dream; at least provide the common man a chance to do so. The story we heard epitomizes this opportunity.
A German immigrant, we’ll call him Fred, was living in Seattle when the stories of gold were echoed through the streets of the Pacific city. Fred had become a successful restauranteur and landowner in Washington. When he saw the opportunities in Alaska he packed up, boarded a ship and traveled to Alaska. While there he had the vision to understand what was needed in the area. He built a two story hotel and restaurant in what is now British Columbia. Later, a railroad was finished that would transport patrons instead of using ships. Fred had his hotel taken apart, transported it over the mountains and then rebuilt the hotel in Whitehorse at the end of the rail line. This was a great success and he eventually sold the establishment and returned to Germany.
Two years later he returned to America and settled in New York. He resumed his land purchases and developing. Fred would live in New York until his death in 1918,His son would continue to grow the family’s business and shows that a sixteen year old immigrant from Germany could come to America, work hard and be quit successful. Not only was Fred a success but his son expanded the families real estate holdings. Fred’s grandson continued his families holdings plus expanded into politics when he became the 45th and 47th President of the United States.
God Bless America, God Save the Ukraine and continue to Pray for Israel.
