, 1875-01-04

Report of r. Government kpcclnI !
ARrnt-1ss Etst,uricx, lta tnnts. tsnl |
ltx Urcs.
WAsn1xoroS. u. G., Jan. 3.-11cnry ". Eli
ntt Fpecial Agent OF tho Treasury Department.
Inns submitted to the Secretary Of tho Treasury
his report tho contission and importance Of
tho fur t1ade tu tho Territory of Alaska, TIM
'launts and habits Of tic HeAI, tho preservation
and extension Of the fisheries tonfco OF rsv-
enne 10 the United StHtee with like information
respecting tho fur r-beari:lg animals Of Alarxa
generally, tho stAtisticA Of Ito FIR trade and thn
condition Of tho people or pntiyes, esreciallv
thote npon whom the succesafnf persecution Of
the fisheries and fur trndo iatlepenheut.
Tie frat IneaAnro suggested by tile investiRa-
tton ef Dir. Elliott this scatou naH tnh of change
aud reform in tho present aaadowy li:'yerutncn:
VI the Territory. 1t WAS not Intended to wahte
t,no md money Az matters hro now conducted.
when the same annual expenditure Honl1 Giso
prompt and effective supervision OH the part Of
the Government over its HOW aAdlY neglected in-
teresfs in tho Tcrritory. This mistake In tns
Government as tt now exists In A|ahka IL not
attributable to anv otlier cAuae than that Of the
universal and special ignorance prevailing in the
Unfted States at tbe time Of tue transfer. i'll 1e-
gard TO tho form Of government needed, and
eiuco then no one seems to hGve taEon any it,
telligent Or Active interest in tho nttter. Tlle
pecuuiarv value oi the fur-Eeat interests OF tho
Government lenders it highly important that tho
1roatury DeEattment, nov iuttusted with its
care and ruEerrihion, rlnuld posaefR definite
aud authoritative information AZ to thH Proper
management Ter ite roipetuation In its original
integrity q. least. Dir. Elliott cRlls attention
especially to tho accompanying report upon tho
subject which embodses the results Of three sea-
sonB Of clore personal observation and research
on the ground with maps aud illustrations. In
connection With the condition ot the nativcs Of
tho Territory, On whom the succossfnl proaecu-
lion of tile iur t,ade IL dependent. he had been
led into yerv careful study Of tlto history
and habits Of tbs sea-ottsr In this country. to
tie succesttul hunting OF which between foar
and fire thousand Christian Alcntiaus and
| kodiAkcrs look foc means Of livelihood. 6iHce
| tbs transfer Of tue Territory firearms. formerly
prescribed, hare been introduced AMONG tile
| otter.hupteta. Tbir, iu combination with tho
keeneat rivalry Of opposition trader1, m. kts it
! only question OF = very Hhott time at which
| these valuable anil interesting auiMGls shall b.,
| extcrminasesl, although, on tleis cxih:ence, 10
manv ChriEtianizeu natives are Totally dependant
| for all the conftr r.s aud 1nauy even of tba
| caritoA " 4 Henl-civillzeu lie Tho .enedr tor
thiH. Nr.E!liott ea,s ia q yety simple and effect
| i've one. and he diacu.ecn it uller the head OF
| the Eea-otter and its lunters.
| The report thowa that 3lr. Elliott hos gicen
the YUKON. Ateutian, and Sitkan Hcttiona e:oEe
attention. leaving tile fuller examination Of tnc
kodiak. Cooks 1olct. and Copper river dltt''e's
With Liout Nashburn Maynard, UhIea States
NAVY. Lis associate during tho art season. care
fully rcslryeyod the area and pesitirn Of tho
bteed:ug-sroundB Of Tic tnr-seal cn tho Prybler
Islands, lhev surveyed 81. Matthews 1r1art,
which is contiguous, aud vas entireiv unknonu Il
and uhiuhabittd IN order to settle the question
TO frequently asked. aud 70 which no
definite reply could DO given, whether Or
not it was suitable ground for tui-Eeals to lhntl
upon and breed Rhuuld thceo animals ever be-
| come dissatisfied with ttcr pleEcut locality; and
be hns compiled from Russian and other author
sties facts and statntics eB to the extent OF tho
ia, $I.1T {7rr-
to compare With the condition Of this business at
present. BB lo obtained 1t from Traders md
agents IN the couurv generally. The remarkable
Increase n tho catch Of iur-beAting animals sllcc
the change OF ownership OF tue country ia ,nosi
striking. but la in perfect harmony with the
etroug contrast BETWEEN the INDECENT make shut
management OF tho lussen-Ametican Fur Com
pany in tho latter time aud that ot ous energetic
| economical tradera.
The extravagsns statements which hare 1eer
made in regard to tue revenues CT this Territory
which. il true wt'uld either rove its fitness Tel
the tuturo reception Of hiGhly.civlllzed -popu
J ton, and lie s7,U]o,00o purchaso-mouoy a tota
; loss to tile General Government, have causes
Dir. Elliott to paw great attention to the subject
. and in his report 10 has euoeasoted to G1So
concise description Of The agricultural character
: Of the Territory aa he Las seen it. This, hs
eayn, might be truthfuily summed up ii
. ansin5 TINT t!ic,e are more area Of bette
; land now living "idcsneF8 md jungle IL
slE1s OF the tli-"!nao"e OF tlle rem
svlvania Railroad while crossing the Ale
| En1u,es. than eau be fouud in all Alaska
''and wtstn it il remembered" lie says, tia
this Peunsyisania land, IN tho heart ot ono Q
| our Oldest and most thicklv populated sta!es
will remain az it now il, cheap aud undiBtufbet
Tor an Indefinite time in spite Of its close 1'tox
inliy TO the homea Of millions Of energetic AIT
. onterprising men, It ID no. difficult to estnat
! the value of tue Alaska acres, remote az the
are and barred out by a most disagteenhso pea
| o1imnfa. fnnXiftr nit n1tHr@tbnt thp
West and vast agricultural regions of Brtitl
America. But then, directly TO the contrary, /
Onuld be wrong to hint by this statement, lru
a. it il. that the country IL worthless; for il
tue Seal 1BIanda alone Tie Government pos
spepea property rhicl, would not remain in th
: market many days uneold were 1t offered 10
seven millions, and from which tho annua
revenue 1s doubiy sufficient to moct all ezpen
dtureH for tile proper government OF the wfol
Territory il tie matter were corTec:lT adjusted.
Narrower. beyond d few outcropa Of tertiar
coal, aud small leads near Eitka OF gold an
> silver, With reports !cf native copper in. sts
nothing is known OF tho mineral wealth Of til
Territory no far Al Mr.. Elliott could iearn, but Ii
has seapon to think tbat it will dcvelup int
some value. The Saluc andp1obablc yled Of til
cod banks Of Alaslia Lave been greatly oyeryato
but he THINKS 1t may be reasonably anticipate
that the succeas attending the canning Of col
mon on the Columbia llver will stimulate Il!
prosecution OF Ibis industry At tile Mouths OF q
tho lnrge streams a"d rivera of tho Territory.
, | Ia baIe 70 asReItt Qa feUaSHbr %AaL 10 Qt1oF n
4 most unknown section OF the world WAS eve
Q brought into notice suddenly about which NOR
a has been mos: euiphatica1ly aud positively wri:
4 ton, baeed quite entirely upon tho whinls m
= cAprces Of the authors, than about Alahka ant
: therefore, It will be surprising If the truth /
regard to tie Territory doee not frequently CON,
q into conflict Nth many erroneous popular opt
q ions.
MILWAUKEE, RELIGIOUS MATTERS.