The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-03-20
ALASKA.
Reports as to it's Condition.
Resources OF the Country
Degraded Condition Of
the Inhabitants.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March Is.
Something Authentic about Alaska.
The Secretary of War has sent to
Congress three. reports on the condi-
ton Of Alaska. one by Major John c.
Tidball, second by Major E. H. Lud-
dington, and the third the census
returns of the Territory. With regard
to the resources of the country, Lud-
dington says they consist almost entire
ly ofthree articles, furs, fish and lum-
Der. The former is by far the most
important, and are obtained only by
trading with the Indians. The supply
of fish is unlimited, and companies
have established depots at several
places where fish are cured and packed,
Indians doing the work. Timber is
very valuable, but so far from market
as not to be available. The agricultu-
raj resources are very scant With
great care few potatoes, turnips and
radishes have been grown. 1t is said
there are places in the interior where
grain can be raised, but this is not cer-
tainly known. The settlements are
few and distant from each other. There
are no roads and no available re-
sources.
Major Luddington enumerates the
various tribes of Indians. his list differ
ing in some respects from that obtained
by Vincent Colyer during his tour
Most Of these tribes are friendly, and
some of them are partly civilized. They
subsist on the profits Of the chase.
Citizens at Sitka are now on compare
lively friendly relations with the mill
tary. They are described as low
class of serfs, and of the most corrupt
moral character. The trouble former
" existing was caused in great part by
the employment Of citizens as inter
prefers who were personally interested
in making unfair representations. The
women are represented to be degraded
by vice, and the presence of soldiers
tends to the further decentralization of
both sexes. The priests Of the Greek
Church do not do much for the eleva-
ton of the people, as they are not above
appearing in public grossly intoxi-
Gated. The Russian inhabitants are
anxious to he transported to some por-
ton of the Cars dominions, and Major
Luddington thinks it would be better
for all parties if they were sent away.
Major : idball gives in his report
some interesting statistics touching the
industries of the country. Salmon is
the principal fish taken, and of these
100 barrels were taken around Sitka
Bay last year, and 700 barrels around
Prince of Wales Island. Arrange
ments have been made to take 1000
barrels in the latter vicinity next year.
The fish is worth eight dollars per bar
rel, or $l4 400 for years work. In ad-
dition to this the fisheries yielded 1000
gallons of seal and dog fish oil, worth
S240O. The salmon fisheries are mex
haustible. The fur trade has decreased
every year since the United States oc-
cupation. During the first year OF
American rule this trade amounted to
$35, 900; during the sebond year So, 900,
and last year less than $4,000. The
cause Of this decline is the better prices
which the Hudson Bay company pay
the Indians for skins. The cost Of oc-
cupation by the United States is $93SS
a month, besides supplies, and it divid-
ed as follows: Army, $780, navy,
$33SS. revenue cutter, $22OG custom
house, 800. Major TidbaH reports
that there are but two kinds Of timber in
the Territory-spruce and yellow
cedar. The former is superior in
quality to that OF Washington Terri
tory and Oregon. The yellow cedar is
valuable to make chests, bureaus, DC,
OF, as it possesses qualities destructive
to moths. Some coal has been dis
covered, but not in sufficient quanti
ties to be relied on for fuel. The re-
ports that rich mines Of gold. copper,
&c, have been discovered, are de-
nounced as false. The ice Of the ter
ritory ia too porous to be OF value for
export. Though not cold enough to
make good ice, it is not warm enough
to make agricultural pursuits success
full. Wheat, rye and barley will grow,
but produce no seeds. Corn will not
grow at all. The potatoes are too
watery for table use. A few good tur-
nips are raised. Cabbages and cauli-
flowers do we'll. Onions grow but do
not bulb, and stock raising cannot be
made profitable. The number of
Americans and Europeans in Sitka,
more than half OF all there are in
Alaska, 394. The Indian population
of the Territory is estimated at about
$500. The Indians are described as
Of the most degraded kind, malicious
and troublesome. The great want OF
Alaska, according to this report, is a
tn keep these Indians in order,