Middletown transcript., 1869-05-15
NO. 90.
Alaska.

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Alaska, our new territorial possessions
on the extreme northwestern coast, COM
prises 640, 900 square miles, and lies be-
tween the 55th and 10th degrees of lati-
tude. The present population Of the ter
ritory, all told, is nearly 1000, about
1000 of whom are entitled to be citizens
of the United States: IL. 900 are Indians,
and over 80, 900 are Esquimaux. The
great value of it consists in its fisheries,
its fur trade, its timber, and its mineral
resources. 1t abounds in rich and extern
slye mines Of copper, iron, and coal, and
recently some rich gold mines have been
discovered. As lumber region, it can
not be cxcelled, abounding as it does with
the finest of fur trees and yellow cedar.
Its fisheries are very extensive, there
being along the coast a seemingly incx.
haustible supply of cod, halibut, and sal
mon. In the bay of Sitka, the salmon
are so numerous that sometimes it is diff
ficult to row boat through the water.
The fur trade is also very extensive and
valuable. Last year, about 200, 900 seals
were killed. At least 100, 900, it is sup
posed, can be taken every year, without
any risk of eXterminating or seriously di-
minshing the supply. These, sold at
fifty cents per head, will produce rev.
enue sufficient to defray the entire expen-
ses of civil government over the Terri
tory.
The climate is uniform and healthful,
and not near so cold as is generally sup
posed. At Sitka, which lies / 200 miles
north of San Francisco, the thermometer
never goes below zero and the heaviest
and almost only snow which fell there lust
winter was but one inch deep. This town
or city is the capital of Alaska, and is
finely located and has the best harbor on
the Pacific Coast, save that of San Fran
cisco. 1t contains 200 inhabitants, and
is at present the largest town in the terri
tory. The second in size is Zodiac, which
has population of 600. The following
statistics will furnish an idea of the impor-
tance of Sitka in commercial point of
view: For the period of eleven months,
extending from January 1, 1868, to Nov.
30, 1868; the duties on imports-paid in
gold-amounted to $19, ,032. 10. The to-
tai invoiced value of such goods was $685.
$40. The exports from Sitka for the same
perod-consisting chiefly of furs-amoun-
ted to $619, 400. The statistics of tho
coastwise trade for the same time show
that the domestic products shipped from
Sitka and other points in America amoun-
ted to $122, 900.
The population of Sitka comprises be-
tween three and four hundred Russians,
and the balance are mostly Americans,
The inhabitants are enterprising, intelli-
gent and progressive, They have excel
lent public schools, churches, ETC. Tho
great need of the people of the town and
the entire Territory is civil government.
The want of this is a great hindrance to
the progress of Sitka The entire water
front of the town is occupied, necessarily,
for military purposes, and merchants can
land and ship their goods only by means
of scows which have to be towed around
the wharves, and nearly around the entire
town. 1t is estimated that but for this
obstacle, at least 500, 900, of additional
capital would have been invested in that
place during the past year, No new Gov
crnmcnt buildings would be needed, as
those ceded to us with the Territory are
ample for all such purposes.