Kodiak Mirror

Petition Asks Congress To Buy Erskine Home For Museum

An effort to preserve the W.J. Erskine home and Alaska collection intact and create a museum around it was made this week as Kodiakians signed a petition that will be taken to Washington and presented to Congress.

Meanwhile, Marshall Crutcher, executor of the Erskine estate, said it is 'highly impossible' that the sale of the personal effects of Mr. Erskine, scheduled for next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, would be postponed because of the petition.

Mrs. Henry Neseth is heading the group which is trying to maintain the home in its original state, and is throwing the support of the Kodiak Women's Democratic Club behind the movement. She is local precinct chairman.

Mrs. Neseth said the petition will be taken to the capital by Miss Ora D. Clark of Anchorage, formerly a teacher here, and Mrs. Mildred Hermann, prominent Juneau attorney.

Mrs. Neseth has asked several local groups to assist her in pledging to purchase some of the collection and hold their purchases until the request of the petition for funds to create a museum can be answered. In this way, the individual items in the collection would not become separated.

The Rotary Club, the first such group asked, indicated its approval of the idea, but said that its financial commitments were elsewhere and that it could not assist in that way.

The petition asks the congress of the United States for a sum of money adequate for the purpose of purchasing and restoring the site of the old Russian Headquarters on Kodiak Island, known as the W.J. Erskine dwelling and docks, and thereby keeping intact the oldest building in Alaska together with its ancient books, records, and other historical items through the creation of a museum.

Copies of the petition are currently in several stores and business houses around town, and may be signed by persons who have not yet done so, Mrs. Neseth said.

Crutcher said he could not give any estimate on the amount of money needed to purchase the entire collection.

The building is now owned by Donnelley and Acheson.

The sale will be preceded, Crutcher said, by an opening of the home on Wednesday so that interested persons may inspect the items to go on sale.

John C. Hughes, who will be auctioneer, said there is no catalogue of the items, and that the order of sale will depend on the crowd and other conditions. Furniture, tools and other household effects will go on the auction block along with uncatalogued books, Sidney Lawrence paintings, ivory, baskets, and other Alaska items.