Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-03-30
Miseell
The Resources Of Alaska.

ne secretary OF war mas sent 10 ton-
grsss three reports on the condition Of
Alaska: one by MAJOR John c. Tidball. a
second by Major +. II. LuddingtoD, and
the third the census returns OF the Terri
tory, with regard to the resources OF the
country. Major Luddington says they
consist almost entirely of the articles OF
fur fish and lumber. The former is by far
the most important. and furs 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. The timber Is very val
liable, but Is SO far from the market As not
to be available. The agricultural rcsour-
ces are very scant. With great care a few
potatoes, and turnips have grown. II IL
said there are places In the interior where
grain can be raised, but this is not certain
~ known. The settlements are few and
distant from each orher There are no
roads and no available military resources.
Major Luddington enumeratcs various
tribes of Indians, his list differing IN some
respects from that obtained by Vincent
Coliyer during his tour. Most OF these
tribes are friendly. and some of them are
partially civilized. They subsist on the
PROFITS Of the chase. The citizens at Sitka
are now on comparatively friendly rela-
tious with the military. They are describ-
ed as a low class of serfs of the most cor
rupt moral Characters. The trouble for
merry existing was caused In n great part
by the employment Of citizen interpreters
who are personally interested in making
unfair representations. women are
represented TO be degraded by vice. aud
the presence of the soldiers tends to the
further decentralization of both sexes-The
priests OF the Greek Church do not do
much for the elevation of the people, -
they are not above appearing In public
grossly intoxicated. The Russian inhAb-
itants are anxious to be transported to
some portion OF the Cars domiBions, Ind
Major Luddington thinks 1t would te bet
ter for all parties II they were sent away
Major Tidbsll gives In his report some III
teresting statistics touching the Industries
Of the country. Salmon Is the principal
fish taken. and OF these 100 barrels were
taken with nets around Sitka Bay last year
and 700 around Prince of Wales Island.
Arrangements have been made 10 take
2ooo barrels in The latter vicinity next
ycar. The fish is worth Ssa barrel, or
Sli 400 for the years work In addition
to this the fisheries yielding 1000 gallons
OF seal aud do g-fsh oil, worth $500 The
salmon fisheries are inexhausiible. The
fur trade has decreased every year since
the United States occupation. ID ring the
first year of American rule this trade
amount d to SIS 600; during the second
$4,000. and last year less than SO. 600.
The cause of this decline is the better
prices which the Hudson Bay Company
pay the Indians for skins. The cost OF &C.
eupa;ion by the United States is se3ss a
month. besides supplies, and is divided a.
follows army, $500; navy. sS5ss; rev.
enue cutter. $500; Gus tomhouse. 500.
Major Tidball reports that there are but
two kinds OF timber in the territory,
spruce and yellow cedar. The fofner u
inferior in quality 10 that OF Washington
Territory and Oregon. The yellow cedar
is valuable to make chests, bureaus. &c.
Sos Ssmssssss qualities Sec. ae..rnss.ys TO
but not in sufficient quantities to be relied
on for fuel The reports that rich mines
of gold and copper have been discovered
are denounced a. false. The ice Of the
Territory is too porous to be valuable for
export. Though not cold enough to pro-
duce good ice IL is not warm enough 10
make agricultural pursuits successful.
Wheat rye and barley will grow, but pro-
duce no heads; corn will not grow at all.
The potatoes are too watcry for table use
few good tupnips are raised; cabbage
and cauliifowers as well; onions grow
bus 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. is 1910.
The Indian population OF the Territory is
estimated at about $500. The Indians are
described rs OF the most degraded kind.
malicious and troublesome. The great
want of Alaska, according 10 this report.
is q gunbout to keep these Indians In mr.
der and a strong garrison Mt Sitka