The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-09


ALAsKA.-When Gov. Seward, as Sec
retary of State, initiated and atterward
concluded the purchase OF Alaska from
the Russian Government for $7,0O0,0O0,
there went up general huIlabaioo
about the folly of such purchase. The
press of the country teemed with ed
itorials concerning the worthlessness
of the territory acquired. 1t was pro-
claimed that we had paid seven millions
of money TOR an uninhabitabie region OF
Icebergs and snow-dritts.
The wiseacres who wrote so glibly
about the worthlessness of "Russian-
America" did not know that the settlers
in British Columbia raised excellent
crops of wheat at points even further
north than Southern Alaska. They did
not know that the richest ocean fisheries
OF the globe were in and about Alaska.
They knew nothing OF its wealth of furs
and Of minerals. They took no account
of the political advantages accruing to
the United States by thus securing a
territory that England would gladly
have paid three times seven millions
FOR, to supplement her coast line upon
the Pacific.
Recent information from those far off
possessions of the United States gives
conclusive evidence thai those wise and
witty writer's who scoffed at Mr.. Sew
ard's purchase, were not we'll advised
In the premises; in fact, they didn't
know what they were writing about
half as we'll as MIR. Seward did.
Recently some items OF information
obtained from Capt. White, OF our Rev
snue Marine Service, on duty in Alaska,
have been placed before the Senate by
she Secretary of.War, which are exceed.
lngly interesting and valuable. Capt
White, speaking of the purchase oi
Alaska at the price of$7, ,0o9,o0o, declares
that ''it was present" to the United
States, considering its fisheries, furs
lumber, mines of coal, iron, and gold
Its varieties oftruits aud vegetables that
can be raised, the pastures that abound
to say nothing of its political value as a
naval station in the North Pacific.
To those who regarded this territory
as a region of perpetual ieebergs and
snowdriits we would commend the fol
lowing items of information communi
gated by Captain White. He says:
t.The Yucon River is navigable fol
steamers L, 400 miles. 1t spreads onI
into five mouths, inelesing a level cot
mr. da1ta af~ aaVaaty
miles, covered with grass. On Oona
laska the grass is six or eight ieet high
and SO thick that il must be parted tG
get through. Ii is SO on Kodiak. The
small Russian cattle that live entirely
upon 1t are as fat as seals. They live
Dn ii all the year, needing no shelter but
the ravines. The wild-pea vines grow
ak, eight, and even twelve feet long
furnishing choice food for stock.
"Tbere are no proper icebergs in those
seas. The warm Japan current divides
at the south west point Of the Aieutian
Islands, part going north through Ben.
rings Straits, which are too shallow foi
ANYTHING but feld-ice to pass, and only
n narrow polar current passes dowr
near the Asiatie coast, as the one from
Greenland passes down near the AT
lantic shore. Ice floats OF the shores il
winter and spring, and soon dissolvei
Win little udLRST W ShIPpiik'
.eThe region - chilly, even in summer
In the ravines hid from the sun, bu
parts open to the sun, though frests ant
SHOWS are on the mountains, produces
iuxuriant vegetation, and fruits lik'
blackberries, larger than the Lawtop
and whortleberries abound in thei
season.
81 sounded the shores seven hundre,
miles by log northwest OF Sitka, an
found the entire length goldfish ban
Iwiths plenty of halibut also). Tn
,smafier Goldfish are in the shalloweG We
ters, nearer the shore, OF twenty or thirt
sfathoms, but the best fisheries are tartbe
out. in seventy Oh eighty fathoms. Ft
example, one day when sounding sout
of Kodiak, wishing to lay in q store I
codiish, ordered the sails set back an
the lines prepared.
al had barrel Of Puget Sound clan
sailed for me (for bait). ltook my lea
hipe, as large rs my thumb, attacned ii,
hooks above the lead, with a clam Q
each, and fastened 10 the davit; soon Il
bites--one, two, three, often hve-we
lait. threw the line over the puii'