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selves to remedy the omission of the Govern-
ment in far-off Washington so far as was
possible to do, for there was no provision for
an organization of civil government in the
community. They organized a municipal
association, drafted ordinances, elected coun-
cilmen, collected revenue for improving the
Governor's Walk, changed the name to
Lincoln Street, and in December opened a
school. After five years the civil population
declined until the revenue was insufficient
to maintain the expense, the organization
was abandoned, with it passed the school, and
the first attempt at self-government closed.

Then followed dark days for Sitka.[80-1]
Military rules for the garrison and no law or
protection for the people. Soldiers from
the fort are said to have robbed the church
of its ornaments, tearing the covers from
the richly bound Bible of the Cathedral. The
offenders were apprehended, but there being
no civil law all the punishment meted out
was to be drummed out of the service and
sent to the States on an army transport. The
stolen property was hidden under the old
hospital building and was discovered by

[80-1] If we may believe the current reports of the time, the military
occupation of Sitka was anything but a happy time for the civil inhabitants,
especially the Russians who remained. See Colyer's Report,
Ex. Doc. H. R. 41st Cong. 2nd Sess., p. 1030; Seattle intelligencer,
December 14th. 1868; The Victoria Colonist, et al.
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