Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-03-22
Alaska.

Russia did well when she sold mel
North American possession to the United
States, but the United States did not dc
well when it bought that land of fogs
wild Indians. half civilized Russians and
unfruitful soil. We never liked that
country since geographer, during our
boyhood days, described it to us in the
school-room. Since then we have read
nothing that has changed our mind in
regard to it. The following extracts
from reports on the condition of Alaska,
sent by the Secretary of War to Con-
gress recently. certainly does not do So
Is San Domingo humbus. too? is
the question asked just now. Bat we
do not here wish to drag that island into
view. We leave it and 90 to the report
of Alaska. In the report of the Secre-
tary of War Major Ludington speaks
of the resources of the country, and
SAYS:
They consist almost entirely of three
articles-fur. fish. and lumber. The form
er is by far the most important, and furs
are only obtained by trading with In
dians. The supply of fish is unlimited,
and companies have established depots
at several places, where ti,h are cured
and packed. Indians do the work -
Timber is valuable but so far from mark
ct as not to be available.
The agricultural resources are very
scant; with great care few potatoes.
turnips, and radisLes have been grown.
1t is said there are places in the interior
where grain can be raised but this is not
certainly known. Settlements are few and
distant from each other There are no
roads and no available military resources.
Major Ludington enumerates various
tribes of Indians, his list differing in
some respects from that obtained by Vim.
cent Colyer during his tour. Most of
these tribes are friendly, and some are
partly civilized. They subsist on the
profits of the chase. Citizens at Sitka
are now on comparatively friendly rela-
iions with the military. They are des-
cribed as low class Of serfs of most cor
rupt moral character. The trouble for
merly existing was caused by the en-
ployment of citizen interpreters who
were personally interested in making un-
fair representations.
The women are represented to he de-
graded by vice, and the presence of sol
diers tends to the further degradation of
both sexes. The priests of the Greek
Church do not do much for the elevation
of the people, as they are not above ap
peariug in public grossly intoxicated.-I
The Russian inhabitants are anxious to
be transported to some portion of the
Cars domiuions. and Major Luding-
ton thinks it would be better for all par
ties if they were sent away.
Salmon is the principal fish taken. and
of these 1,l00 barrels were taken with
net around Sitka Bay last year, and 700
barrels around Prince of Wales Island.
have been made to take
1000 barrels in the latter vicinity next
year. The fish is worth IS per barrel,
or Sl4.4Q0 for the years work In ad-
iition to this the fisheries yield 1000
gallons of seal and dogfsh oil, worth
2,400. The salmon fisheries are mex
haustible.
The fur trade has decreased every year
since the United States occupation.-
During the first year of American rule
his trade Amounted to S35 900; during
he second. $4,000; and last year less
han $4,000. The cause of this decline
5 the better prices which the Hudson
Bay Company pay the Indians for skins.
There are but two kinds of timber in the
Territory, spruce and yellow cedar; the
ormer is inferior in quality to that OF
Washington and Oregon. The yellow
,edar is valuable to make chests, bureaus,
&c, as it possesses qualities destructive
,f moths. Some coal has been discover
I'd. but not in sufficient quantities to be
,elied on for fuel. The report that rich
mines of gold, copper, &c, have been
discovered are denounced as false The
ce of the Territory is too porous to be of
value for export. Though not cold
enough to produce good ice, it is not
warm enough to make agricultural pur-
'uits successful Wheat, rye, and bar
ley will grow, but produce no heads -
Corn will not grow at all. The potatoes
Ire too watery for table use, but a few
good turnips are raised. Cabbage and
,aulihowers, as well as onions, grow but
10 not bulb; and stock raising cannot be
made profitable. The number of Ameri-
cans and Europeans in Sitka-more than
lalf of all the number are in Alaska-is
'94. The Indian population of the Ter
'itory is estimated at about $500 The
Indians are described as of the most de-
graded kind, malicious and troublesome.
The great want eff Alaska. according to
his report, is gunboat to keep these
Indians in order, and strong garris on
1t Sitka.
Failure Of the skiing" Of Farmers.