The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-01-15
MIR. ELLIOTs REPORT ON ALksKA.

The very general interest felt by the
people of this country in the real value
and resources Of Mr.. Stewards Alaskan
purchase and the remarkable extrava-
giant and contradictory stories chat have
been told concerning it by newspaper
correspondents, sailors and others, com
bined to induce the government about q
year ago to send competent agent to
examine and make definite reportupon
the resources Of the new province. The
person chosen for this important mission
was Mr. Henry w. Elliot, a native of
this city, but at presenta leading attache
in the government pureau Of statistics.
Mr. Elliot has returned from an extended
tour, and his report is now in the hands
Of the printer II will be profusely il
lustrated The work is under the di-
rection of the Secretary Of the Treasury,
and will not be ready for distribution
sooner than March or. April. Mean
while the more interesting facts stated
in the report are as follows:
We are told that Alaska has no agri-
cultural resources whatever; that not a
single crop of either corn, potatoes or
the cereals can be raised with tolerable
certainty from season to season, and that
the housing of cattle FIVE or six months
every winter shuts out the practicability
of stock raising or sheep husbandry with
any degree of profit So disagreeably
is the sea coast climate, and so intense
the cold of winter in the interior, that
even if mines be discovered, salmon cur
ing factories established, ETC., the miners
and operators will never think of build
ing villages there, and settling as they
do in such favored localities as Colorado
or Montana, where there is still abund-
ant room. They will close up theil
camps and packing houses and go down
to more habitable ATTITUDES tospend that
portion of the year in which frost checks
mining and salmon cease to run.
Mr.. Elliot says that there are not fifty
white people in the whole territory to
day, with the exception of the troops
idly and wastefully stationed at Sitka
where they have completely debauchet
what little trade there was there. II,
does not think voting population vii
ever settle there.
The report calls for a radical chang
in the management of the affairs of tn
government in the territory, the presen
= system being simply worthless and
waste of not less than 100000 per an
mum, the expenditure of which does no
l result in the slightest benefit to the ter
ritory, for the interests of the govern
ment have not received even shadow,
I supervision during the last five year
and the natives are getting into stat
t of vile Generalization, which, with tn
s rivalry of trades Will soon ruin the fu
+ trade and throw them upon the countr,
e for support, opening promising fel
s for that large number of our impracti
n cable humanitarians who delightin feed
, ing and clothing Indians.
e 1t is claimed, however, in this repor
t that the natives of Alaska are, and a
, ways will be self-supporting, if the gov
ernment only takes the proper steps tc
+ wards protecting them in their huntin
Industries and prompt enforcement {
e the liquor prohibition. This can b
e done, Mr.. Elliot thinks, by the pla
; submitted for action, at cost Of onl
J one quarter of the present sum wasted
, and the annual income now derived b
the treasury from the sea and rental {
d the Seal Islands, $317, 800, is more tina
L six times the cost of effectively supe
d vising the whole field of Alaskan interel
from Ft. Simpson upto the Arctic circle
J. as it should be done, to the honor an
d credit Of our government. If thes
n steps are taken at once, Mr.. Elliot claim
IS that the territory will never become
T burden TO the general government, an
d may in the future, with better deve
II opement of the value of the seal-roOl
1t cries, yield fair rate of interest upo
t the seven millions of purchase none.
1t AS its affairs are now conducted, Alasb
a will rapidly grow into heavy drag an
3 be a steady drain upon the treasury
/ To stop this the author of the repo
urges immediate action.
J, Whether it was wise or not to purcha'
e this territory it is now too late to argu
% but it is characteristic of us as a peop
II to make the best of bad bargain, an
s. Mr. ElliOt's efforts are determined
2 that direction Cleveland Leader.
THE SJTLTAN AND SATAN.