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#AKP-21 - “Ketchikan, Alaska - July 4, 1900” - $75.00 One of more than 100 photos we purchased from the estate of Mrs. W. B. Whitfield, who, in 1900, traveled to Ketchkan, Alaska with her dentist husband, who set up practice in that city. According to her daughter she was also the photographer. The photo, which is another print of the one in the preceding listing, measures 4.25” x 6.5”, and unlike that one, is un-mounted. It is one of 3 similar photos taken at the same event on the same day. The title above is part of a caption written in pencil and typed on the back side of the card. The full text of the caption reads: “Mrs. W.B. Whitfield - 401 Oxford St. - Portland, Ogn. - 4th of July (Tug of War) - between Indians & Whites - on Main Street, Ketchikan, Alaska - DW” in pencil and “Ketchikan, Alaska - July 4, 1900”, typewritten. The photo shows two groups of 9 men each, already straining against each other. Two to three foot-long “cleats” appear to have been nailed to the boardwalk, along the full length of the rope, in order to provide more or less equal purchase against which to hold a position... until their arms or legs give out, that is! The other aspect of this photo are the commercial buildings and signage in view. Starting at the extreme right, the signs read: “Meat M-----”; “J.R. Heckman & Co.” on the facing end of the building; “J.R. Heckman & Co. - General Merchandise” (over the boardwalk at the far end of the building); “Rainier Be(er)” (a faint sign on the roof of the building that spans the far end of the street... the missing letters being obscured by a flag); “The Cabinet” and “Rainier Beer” (on the facing end wall of the building on the left); “Shoe --ke- ----?”; “Dr. Story - Upstairs”; “Dr. Whitfield - Dentist - Up Stairs”; “Dentist”; “Ketchikan Restaurant”; “Bakery - Confectionery”.; and “Beds 25”.. all of these latter signs being on the front of the building on the left, with the last one possible wrapping around onto the upper wall of the building at the end of the street. The majority of the people in the photo are looking towards the camera. The condition is VeryGood, with light bumping and rubbing at the corners and edges, small creases at the UL and LR corners, and a short crease and small chip to the left of the UR corner. Though still somewhat under-contrasted, this image is much sharper, and a couple of “shades” better contrasted that the previous image. Also note that a “Rainier Beer” sign is now legible above “The Cabinet” on the facing end of the left-hand building! About 3/4” at the bottom of the original photograph has been neatly creased and folded under, though nothing of import, other than boardwalk and a bit of coiled hose at the extreme LL is “lost”.