, 1879-02-18
The Spectacle Of Our Citizens Crying
10 1ritisher Tor Pro-
lection.
Critical Comments Of tho NcvB-
papers or the Pacific
Coast.
Dangerous and Tl1tevish Ten
denotes of the Indians
in Alaska.
Thoir Constant 1ntoxioation by the Use
Of Murderous Rum Called
Hooctinoo.
THE SITUATION.

aE43lQNht
Sptefai Dtspalch to 7as tribune
WASHINGTON, u. c., Feb. 17-A gentleman
in this city has just received two letters from
A1aska which contain some ttenls Of Interest
Inspecting tho mineral resources Of TINT coun-
try and the htndcrauccs to their DEVELOPMENT.
Tic first is dated "Tongass Narrows, Jan. 10,
1870" nul was written by q miner who Is en-
gagged in prospectlng,' mid who forwarded at
tr anne time quantity Of ore for assaY uo
gives the particulars Of recent difficulty he had
with party Of Indians on account Of hts Ina
billty TO supply them with mo|asscs, from which
they manufacture q kind OF rum. Ilo gives the
Tongass indians bad character generally, and
says: "Tt,ey l.ayo hooctinoo dstillerIcs In every
house at TonEass unl Capo Fox, md carry themiu
tlrir canoes, and make whisky IN oil their cnuips.
When they aro drunk (which they generally arc)
they arc dangerous customers, nsl apt to do
anything. haye Ind TO 10 very careful several
times and put up With great deal to prevent
having
SERIOUS TROUBLE WITH THEM.
Uncss tl.erp is something dong by tho Govern
mont to stop these proceedings It maY lcao to
something sersous, atsi IL will certainly keep the
country back, for there arc rich mineral deposits
| lp tb!s section, and have found several good
lodges myself lately. Other .parttcs arc fitting
out to prospect thta section. md II they arc
abused by these Indians 1t may lead to trouble
| and blaodshcl.
| II send you some specimens Of rock from
different lcdgcs ! have had some Of 1t aasayed,
mid 1t ie good"
Tic other lettor is dated Jan. a5, anil contains
an account Of the bad dlauosttson Of the 1rdtans
towards tho minors, alld Of tic recent murder OF
| white man near BltEa by the former The
/ writer snys: ''1Io has discovered thrco or four
ncw lodges In the vicinity Of tic Dickinson
ledges He went to Victoria and hqd assaYs
nude, showIng from $40 to $40 {pcr .ton) gold
unl sllycr.n
Referring to the .
HOSTILE DISPOSITION or THE 1ND1ANs
an the fact that there IS authority to punish
trttno or rCprcss disorder. he says: " II tlsts
state OF things continues ihcrr will probably bn
more ln1rs1cstnE than prospectlug; but ! sup.
pose It ie useless to arpeal 10 our aoycfnncnt
TOR protection Alter numbor of gu, o.Ir
haye been brutal1y mnssaered, ttcn It may
probably send up d revenic clittcr for aIlfn-
tner excursion, with strct orders not to {esnutn
y Jnss5 e, :qa ner s pa,Ss' aes s1p M spS5s 5 DE- e.
tails Of tile murder mentioucd. lo continues: !:
"Ifour Government takcs nj DcognIzancc action
in:this matter. then look out fer murder. mud
winter, tlclr own lestitution, t1lo 'indiftcreneo
displayed BY tho Government, and refusal t.
punish such ofrcuaos or even to Investigate, will
! encourage tHctH 10 - ::
Aar AND Alt ACTS OF pARBAHrsM."
The ahoye extracts probably .civo a true
description Of thu condition Of affairs in Alaska
| us viewed bv tho miners. There Is anpthGr side,
described by the missionaries in recent letters,
from which It appears That tho Indians aro not nj
ful one. There III now[n Alaska no organization,
civil OF military, t0 prcservu flC peacu a'A llro-
tcct rropcrtvI,no representative OF nuthorlty
powcress. ii {as ts prelicted) tl,cro should ba
a considerable mining population attracted to
Alaska tho coming seaaon BY t!'e discoveries ot
gold md silver, matters would becon1s worse,
t.,1tl wo might DRIFT Into IN "lndlan war " be-
fore being fairly awaru OF it.
noUND ron srTKA,
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 17.-A Victoria dispatch
says her bnjrsty's Htesmer Osprey, four guns,
IL taking coal AtNl ammunition under orders for
sltka IN response to an appeal from the citizcna
there. She sails tonight.
CALIFORNIA COMMENT.
: THE BAN FRANCISCO JOURNALS chr "anaMEtt
SAN Francisco, Feb. 17.-TIle situation /,
, Alaaka ls regarded as critical here, nn1 the &C
ton Of the authorities In leaving tho Territory
undcfcpded Is much commented on. Tho Iufte
tn says; TIT Is a striking fact that while tle
Fedora! Government receives sufficient Income
from Alaska to nay per cent Oh tho otlglna
purchase lnunoy, thut Territory bus no protcc
tor. no authorized Government, and the few In
hahllants oro to-lay In Immediate peril Of cx
0 termination, and have appealed to tho Drltisk
authorities at Vlctorfa for projection. The deal
tngs Of tho Federal Go.ernmen. with this Terri
tory arc without precedent. It cannot bc sail
tlmt 1t Is neglected on account OF Its WORTHLESS
ness, bec0use tic aEeuts Of the Government
hive shown its natural wealth to be great 5onlt
= months ngn the only company pf soldiers atn
ttoucl at 6!tka was WITHDRAWN since which tlleyt