New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-19

RESOLUTION 10 the House tnaC IL De placed III tno
square at the east of the Capitol Some discussion
ensued to the proprety of the acceptance by Con-
gress of gift from citizen. Criticisms of the statue
a work Of art and portrait of Jefferson were
also made by those opposed to the acceptance, but
finally the resolution was passed. In the Senate,
also, the matter received attention, and resolution
was agreed to- Bat the House and senate resolu-
tons were not the same In 1885 further action was
asked for by the Committee on Public Buildings
but none was taken. During this time the
statue had stood in the Rotundl, where it
remained without further action until during
Folks administration when it was removed
TO the grounds of the Executive Mansion
There it remained nearly thirty years, its right hand
pointing to the Declaration of Independence more
enduring than bronze. and ITS left holding the pen
mghtcr than the sword. The material used not
being of the best description or not adapted to eX
posture. at last became much corrodod and Mr.. sum
ncr recognizing the intrinsic merits of tie work or
the celebrity of the sculptor, year ago introduced
resolution in regard to its preservation, and the
Committee on Public Baildiugs and Grounds were
instructed to consider the eXpediency of providing
for its protection. This action called forth letter
from Mr.. Jonas L. Levy. brother Of the donor Civ
ing synopsis OF its history and asking Congress to
either accept it or return ii to the family, who
son and perpctuate the memory Of the donor who
had been for 30 years meri!OIiOus officer ot the
United States, had been instrumental in the aboli-
ton of corporal punishment in the navy and an
ardent a1mircr Of Jefferson at whose old residence,
Monticello he had lived and died. In a
few days the Committee recommended that The
statue be accepted with grateful appreaid t0a and
that it be placed in the National Statuary Hall
after being properly repaired. 1t has beon reno
waited at Philadelphia, ana on Friday was placed
IN position by the side Of Dr. stones Hamilton aud
opposite Washington. The base of the statue proper
has on one side rudcly cut the inscription, Pre-
scented by lrah Phillips Levy Of the United States
Navy to his fellow citizens 1873" and the other
side, Foadl a Paris pr HoaorG Gonon c! Ses de1c
flS. p j. DariA, dAnGTs, Scqlp'. 1853"
The restored and renovated STATUE Of the author
of the Declaration has been placed upon yaicgated
pedestal of very beautiful marble, with becoming
trimming of exquisite stalag,nite.
VALUE OF ALASKA TO THE UNITED STATES.
DIsCoURAGING REPORT or A SPECIAL AGENT OF
THE TREASURY-THR STORIES or IT'S WEALTH
PURE FICTtOS-FUR SEALS THE ONLY SOURCE
OF l,EVENUL-THE COST OF KGLPING TIE TER
RIToRY.
lvROM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or TIE TEfBCNTl
WASHINGTON, Dee. 1S.--AIr. Henry Elliott, who
went to Alaska last Summer, as Special Agent OF
the Treasury, to look after the interests Of the Gov
crnment on the islands where the fur seal Is taken.
is preparing report the yaue of the entire Ter
Itory to the United States, which viii have tn
merit Of being based upon the extended personal
observations of the writer. MT. Elliott has spent a
areat deal Of time in Alaska, both before
and since its purchase and has probably seen more
Of it, rocks and cobcrgs than any ether American.
All the stories of its mineral wealth. and OF TIE
value of its fisheries be says, pure icticns. IL
surface is a mass of basaltic rock, which all Ccol
ogists know contains no mineral deposits. What
little soil there is produces H,tlo that is useful to
man, and the fisheries, which were described as of
immense value when the treaty for buying the re-
gion was pcnCing do not yield food enough to supply
the natives. The only portion of the whole vast
domain which yields any revenue 10 the
Government is the fur seal islands. From
the tax on the skins Of the animals taken on these
islands the Treasury gets about $4,000 annually.
Against this single item 81 cnUe Mr. Elliott of
sets the cost Of maintaining troops in The Territory,
which amounts to about &o,J,JyJ yol..
and the expense of the evil cstaJi.-4-
ment at Stka aud in the seal islands
Without counting interest On the purchase
money paid Russia, which at six per cent would
amount to $4,000 year, tie balance sheet shows
a heavy deficit. The United states is therefore pay
ing large sum fer the empty honor of posscSin ing
vast dcsolatc region. which is totally unfit for the
home of civilized beings, AID can never by any pos
sibihty be anything but burden for The country to
carry