New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-09
THE ALASKA HUMBUG.

IT LAST GEN. GEO. II. THOMAS GIVES US THE
TRUTH ABOUT OUR ICEBERGS.
Cen Thomas dates his report at San Fran
risoo Sept 81. After enumerating the troops III inc 10
partment OF Alaska he describes his movements
90 and y, route 10 Alaska. OF Arizona he says: Inns
state OF Indian affairs in my opinion fully justineS o
Judgment Of Gen Haeck in depicting the stations ID o
Department Of Columbia for operations ae""9s
the turbulent Indians in Arizona" Oh V"'. r9
posts on the Pacific Coast he thiINs W
Camp Mcpermt is useful to overlook tne , Thurcbu
the reservation and has been continued; ont Snucn
barracks Camp Scott Smith Lyon, auS ~ opera
lions AGAINST Indians have ordered 10 De . ~
Camp Three Forks now OF no t1r nSed for the winter
il has been continued until conte 20 Raise ia
opened When If will be m Sn6u to fS@e
point on that road or wherever 1 nfaning fine
T. mo snecial necessity at this tlme Ioi % e. GOOD
ost 81 Boise the buildings being substantial IN goou
order conveniently situated, anu Wd nrdhonce
large quantity Of quarternasters anu oiu W IL
t sngHnllesq il would be useful in case OF In
hostilitles beng wit one company of nan
tTy as guard 1t less expensive 10 maintain the post
CONVEX and it is IN the midst of fertile valley from
which procure all It's forage breadstn anu 70
it. Lapwa and COville are posts c0nyemehiy iatcd
and seem be necessary to overlook the nulens %
near ana protect them from white depredatons Fort
Ridwe seems be iucOnveniently situated ana uneceS
sary but there are quantity Of supplies there enough
FOR the Coming Winter and have deferred ordering ne
dlscontinuancc until March or April next niaIhln'
Warner and Harvey are conveniently stuated lor Con-
trolling aud supervising the Indians on the reserVauon
aud will be continued. .-
Fort Vancouver is of no use. except as Quarter,
commissary depot but the business OF thess
staff departments is transacted at Pora9d' anu ho9' Vi
left Portland for Alaska July g. in the small steamer
Fdeeter chartered for the purpose ana arrived al ska;
July %. THIS Is the headquarters OIL lhe ue I'M
was tho headquarters Of the Russian American Fur
Company. ,,aoo,.nr,-,
There are still number OF Russians and habreeds IN
the town. and a large village Of Indians Immediately out
side of the stockade. The Indians are teacheron war
like and until recently, discontinued with the change OF
governments 1t will be necessary to maintain a large
garrison at this place. to protect the traders from Indians
and preserve order and good behavior among the WINES
anus empicd 70 leave S,tka in violation of orders
in resisting the attempt one OF the Indians was k Uy
homes t6cy Sed in revenge for the loss Of their
paniOn, white who had left Sltka In December
ing Of murders Gen Davis proceeded in the United
States steamer Saginaw to punish heh upon 1ls
at their village finding II deserted ~ Mas 49,
He did not succeed in finding any OF the mutdereps
Since then this tribe has been very quiet In my per
sonal interview with Gen. Davis became satisfied his
course right and necessary IN tha instance VIII
sltka GEN Davis reported that during my absence he
had visited Forts I9ngass ana M1nge on vT
complained that he had been robbed by Cape fox III
das. They will be punished by confinement ana WORK
AT Fort Togass as warning to the tribe and the chief
and the medicine released and returned to the VII
Left stka July 25 and arrived Kenay, about 100
miles up Cooks Inlet. the both. This rs the old Rus
occupied by one company Of artillery. The only white
inhabitants beside the garrison are the representatives, OF
the two trading houses Of Hutchinson, Kohl Co., ana
Capt. Levy. There is village Of Aleuts, numbering
about Geo. by another small village few miles be-
low, and settlement of some mali dozen RUSSIAN anes
80 miles below There are no other settements elleT
white or Indian, Left Kenay Aug p and stopped
at Chogatcho Bay, about 6O miles below, on the east
side Of the inlet, to look at coal vein; Capt White
t Men' THIS coal is a fine quality Of camel /;
lies in a number Of veins running oOiquey at an angle
of about from Of the shaa formation beneath
the soil TO unknown depth the veins being from Tour
buud ed feet "a
the veins show they run beneath the water Inc
lighters or extensive piers would have to be used for
shipment of coal If mines were established AT Englert,
Grahams Bay some 20 miles below Chogatcho there
is another coal deposit; the RussanAmerican Fur Com
pany established mining works here some years since
but abandoned them the gwen me for their fail
that the coal proved to be comparatively worthless
ignite.
KADIAK-THR SAN FRANCISCO ICE woRKs-THE ST. PAULs
SEAL TRADE
Arrived at Kadiak August 8; this place is garrsOned
by company ofartiery II was a Russian-American
trading post the next in Importance 10 stka, and per-
manent official stationed there Beside the garrison
there are here Russian and halfbeed families. an
Aeut village few Kooshe Indians brought here from
sita by the Russians ana four trading eSa3ishmehts.
establishment, which supplies san Francesca WIN ice,
and appears do large business. This IL the most
tainty on the With the exception of preventing
Illicit whisky trading with the Aleuts see no necessity
for either this post the at Kenay but do not deem
IL TO disturb them until regulations are established
to govern intercourse with the natives
There Aeut village each OF the ST. Pauls Islands
whose inhabitants are solely engaged IN killing the fur
seal for living They brought here from time to
time from OOnaaska by the Russians, since the dis
covery of the islands IN 1885, also revenue officer de-
tachment Of United States troops and agents of two
trading establshments-these latter as the officers in
formed by permission OF the Treasury Department.
regulating the killing OF seals and fOrbidding visitors,
SeS at ds ST. fau Paf Island G
from it on st. George. These troops arc directed
the laws Of Congress and order on the Islands
ont reVe stated had
killing of seals the smallest number necessary for the
maintenance Of the natives and the chiefs though APP
should be little more LIBERAL as they were very poor.
Several trading vessels had attempted TO land but had
been forbidden The Aleuts OF these islands, well as
those of Kenay are In a much better condition morally
those of Kadiak and Oonaaska, especially the lat
ter The whites have had greater access to Kadak and
Oonaaska and consequently the natives are more de
KOlOshe Indians tho shore OF the Pacific, and
the Aleuts, who mainly represented by the 1nhab
ants Of Alaska Peninsula aud adjoining island. The
mild, hosptabe. and pliable people, ready to
take advice from any one, and hence easily imposed
upon; those at Oonalaska have been so tempered with
by traders, whose interests conflicting, that they
sured me very frankly in conversation had with
what their rights and privileges were.
THE ALEUTs AND THEIR CoNDITIoN-sEALs AND THEIR
The Aleuts though nearly all strict members Of the
Greek Church. to have control over their passion
for ardent spirits nor have they very correct ideas
regard to chastity consequently the effects Of contact
with the strongerwiled Americans apparent, as
Veneea diseases and scrofula quite common, aud
there are scarcely any either male female who will
not get Intoxicated IL they have the opportunity almost
the first thing they ask for is whisky believe much
good might be DONE and improvement effected or
two reliable persons could be appointed TO live among
superintendent 10 teach them how 10 trade and
conduct business and impose upon them the
sty OF ab,tainng from dissipation and immortality Such
persons appointed by the Government If Of good char
acter themselves would have great influence for good,
Aeus have great respect for those In authority
But to be effective these agents should abstain from
attempting interfere with their religious faith as they
strong their faith In the Greek Church. aud all the