Tribute to a Sourdough

To the U. S. last week, dated June 19, came the first regulation issue of the Chitina (Alaska) Weekly Herald to be published since its 13-year-old assistant editor & circulation manager William Alfred ("Billy") Moore drowned in the Copper River (TIME, June 20).

The June 10 issue of the paper consisted of but one page with one brief paragraph on it, the story of Billy Moore's death, ending: "The entire valley is sick with sadness. . . . You will all understand why the regular edition of this paper is not being published this week."

On the first of its two mimeographed pages, the June 19 issue carried the following editorial by Editor-Publisher Adrian Clough Nelson, 12:

"The Chitina Weekly Herald is not able to express its great loss at not having Billy with us. ... His humor received many a letter for his success in that line. While the paper will never be the same as it was, Philip [10, brother of Adrian, reporter, business manager] and I pledge ourselves to our faithful subscribers that we will try our best to make the paper interesting, and in the best way we can fill the place that has been left for us. . . . For a year and 5 months Billy has been doing a lot of the finest kind of work on this paper and it stands to reason, that it cannot be the same without him."

On the second page appeared the following :

"This edition of the Herald will be up to its ordinary fine condition, as it is almost as if our ass't Editor is still with us helping with the paper. The following articles . . . were written by Billy Moore and left all ready to be published." One of the articles:

"MRS. DICK EUFRAYNEY, wife of the Former Chief, informs us that after 19 days of searching the body of Jim McKinley's little boy was found. He was badly decomposed. ... It is definitely known that a bear did not kill him as there were not wounds on him. The Herald extends sympathy. . . ."

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