The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-01-14

"uu MAY seos III NgQer 10 sege4e tRS
questid sfrequenNI asked, md e
which mite rem could MgivetS
whethd pt it was itable und ~
fur-sea td&nd upol Ind breS, shotild
these nlmass ever Decome dissatisfied
with their present locality; ana he has
compiled from Russian and other author
tiles facts and statistics as to the extent
OF the FUR trade In the early days of the
Isrrltory, 80 as to compare with the con-
dnlon o. this business at present, as he
obtained it from traders and agents in
the country generally. The remarkable
inoreasein.thescstoh Of far-bearinRs ami
mails since the change of ownership of
the country is most striking, but is in
perfect harmony with the strong contrast
between the indolent, make shift man
agement of the Russian.American Fur
Company in the latter time and that of
our energetic, economical traders.
The aextravagant statements which
have been made in regard to the reve.
nues of the Territory, which, if true,
would either prove its fitness for the
future reception of a highly-civilized
population or show it to be a land Of
utter desolation, and the 81, 000, 900 pur-
chase-money total loss to the General
Government, have caused Mr.. Elliott to
pay great attention to the subject; and
in his report he has endeavored to give a
concise description of the agricultural
character of the Territory as he has seen
1t. This, he says, might be truthfully
summed up in saying that there are more
acres of better land now lying a wilder
ness and jungle in sight Of the car-win-
dows of the Pennsylvania Railroad while
crossing the Al1eghenies than can be
found in all Alaska; "and when it Is re-
membered," he says, "that this Pennsyl-
vania land, in the heart of one of our
oldest and most thickly-populated States,
will remain as it now is, cheap and un-
disturbed for an indefinite time, in spite
of it, CLOSE proximity to- the homes of
millions of energetic and enterprising
men, il is not difficult to estimate the
value Of the Alaska acres, remote Is
they are and barred out by most disa.
greeable sea-coast climate, leaving out
altogether the great West and the vast
observation-disclosures of British America
But then, directly to the contrary, it would
be wrong to hint by this statement, true
as it is, that the country is worth
less; for in the Seal Islands alone
the Government possesses property
| which would not remain in the
market many days unsold were it offered
for seven millions, and from which the
annual revenue is Sdoubly SUFFICIENT to
meet all expenditures for the proper gov
eminent of the whole Territory if the
matter were correctly adjusted"
Moreover, beyond few outcrops OF
| tertiary coal and small leads near Sitka
of gold and silver, with reports of native
copper IN situ, nothing is known of the
mineral wealth of the Territory so far as
Mr.. Elliott could learn, but he has reason
to think that it will develop into some
value. The value and probable yield OF
the cod banks of Alaska have been great.
ly overrated, but he thinks it may be
reasonably anticipated that the success
attending the canning of salmon on the
Columbia River will stimulate the prose.
cution of this industry at the mouths OF
all the large streams and rivers of the
Territory. It is safe to assert, he re.
marks, that no other almost unknown
section of the world was ever brought
into notice suddenly about which more
has been most emphatically and positive
ly written, based quite entirely upon the
whims and caprices of the authors, thar
about Alaska; and, therefore, it will be
surprising if the truth in regard to the
Territory does not frequently come into
conflict with many erroneous popular
opinions.