New-York tribune., 1874-12-22
TIE WEL ANUEES AID 1L.tSKh.

co<rrIrrING EFFORTS ABOUT IrS AVAILABILITY ~
.EF-IbI\r. FOR IcELiNDEEs- IHiIt hrrNENf
NATISFAcIIoS WITH IT.
To me EdttOr Of The Trtbnpe.
SIR: TIC summary of Special Agent ElhGtts re-
port on Ala,ka published in your iS~rc 81 Dec. Il"
seems to lend interest to the I"ei"ndir move
mcnt-if movement it can alleady d" calIcd-to
found colony in that Territory. Mr. i.iii'tts re-
mort shows what Alaska is to Amcri'ans-"a bleak.
des0late region" says this summary, "hich ~
totally unfit for the home of civilized bcings;" aud
it agrees perfectly with the opinion expressed bythe
Wisconsin lccanders, that "unl"ss settled by their
countrymcn Alaska would not for centuries, or per-
haps not ever be settled by any civilized race It
being considered by Americans and most Europeans
too far mort and too cold" But to the I"cland'rs
this Territory presents very different appearance
Here are few extracts from private letter OK
Jon Olafsson, Chairman Of the lcclan'ic Commit
tee sent to examine the Territory, written Just after
his return:
Cooks Inlet f. undoubtedly NJ fr setfcmcn';
The rivers and lakes IN tho vIrinv are hierdly aV"
with salmon IN the Summer time. W",i'n "lEi'e
my cOuntymrn 10 try settlement at C~k ln'r aitr
70: ting "A footing kldiak. Ia" d,h al MADAM
Island are so wiling take the rook thai can hardy
reach the bottom before the fan Is on: J. Drn"v"
that Kadak Island has been created tn-f for my coh
lrymcn To settle IN. know OF huud'rts am1n.
poor, VINO. If they had ihc means OF coming over won
rOn the frs, moment they set foot on shnrc ~ haiiak.
bless tier fortune. aul cOlshr tdch1>fINtS "'i'p
men. seeing Themselves in cOiitry MIei" II i c'N
their labor would pay.
Unfortunately the Icelanders will find it very
difficult to establish colony. There is little money
in Iceland, aud it is almost impossible tll"r" for tho
w0uld-bc emgrant to find n market for his goo'is
and the fur and seal companies established III
Alaska may be expected to use every effort to Ire-
vent their receiving assistance from oui Govern
mcnt in the way of transportation.
There il o remarkable difference between Mr.
Elliott's opinion of the Alaska fisheries and the
accounts brought home by the Portsmouth. Capt
Skcrritt in his report of the cruise. SAYS that 1T
Fort Nicholas "salmOn is SO plcntIiul that = W m
ter's supply can be caught IN 4 sholi time Anh
the Icelandc Committee in thcr report assert tiii
at Kadiak Island party from thr Por ,lnouh took
50 salmon in little while in one OF the streams
without hook and line, merely ly catching them IN
their hands, and by knocking them on fhr
az they lcaped up ont of the water. Nh
Elliott, however is represented rs rPrrting thai
the fisheries of no value and 40 not hirli 'hoiich
food to supply the natives. Possibly tr hn!Iy Tribes
have increased vastly since Mr. EllIois t,slf 10
Alaska perhaps the seal, whose hi'intS chiefly ne
must have visited III protecting the interests of the
Government. kills or causes TO disappear all -h Ia
its vicinity At all events, the amaZng Reports Oi per-
with respect to tho salmon, cod ami llahb'ii, VIII u"
sufficient make Congress pause before abandoning
Alaska to the tur and seal conpanirs.
Two Of the Icelandic Committee. ollf o,aissoi,
and Paul BjOrnsSOn, from choice remained brilnd
in Alaska; and they did 50 with Winrr Just before
them and leaving their families in Wl>ron'n, where
they themselves had ALREADY ilvrd 4 !r;r. year! IL ~
probable, Therefore that they mean what they say,
whs at the close of their report tl,y rNprra tho
opinion that ALAS ka better adapted to ic'iahh.is
than any other land on earth' BLtwArhrr m iil
aud seal companies will keep them our "i Aii.ha'
remains to be seen. ~
Ne,c- York. Dec. Il, 1874.