The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-02-20


by 5000 miners, who have to pass
| through Alaska, the mine have yielded
millions Of dollars of surface gold. Re
Gently numerous rich deposits have been
discovered in part of the territory
which is now in dispute between the
/ United States and Great Britain. A
joint commission has agreed upon pro-
visional line, which those acquainted
with the facts of the case known to be
unjust towards this country. The ques-
ton is an important one, and the lives
Of many of the citizens of the United
States are in jeopardy. 1t should be set
tied at once, or it may involve both coun-
tries in serions difficulties"
'Do not the motives make use of these
metals?"
''Oh, yes; the Indians wear ornaments
of gold, and state that gold exists, but
are very reticent as to its locality. 1T
must, however, be borne in mind that
prospecting III Alaska is not Ike Arizona
or the Black Hills. The distance is
great, the season is short, a great deal of
money is needed to get there, and even
when they reach Alaska there is no
guarantee that they will not be scalped
by savages."
care there other resources besides
those imbedded in the ground"
Timber and fish are the remaining
principal treasures. The forests are i'm
mense, principally of yellow cedar which
is most valuable for building purposes.
White spruce is also plentiful.
and the fisheries
II believe that Alaska will eventually
supply the world with salmon. The
Oregon fisheries are giving out. From
the mouth of the Columbia river, below
Astoria, there are stretched across
every night, for forty miles. seine after
seine, and the salmon cannot get up the
river to spawn. But the Alaska fisheries
are inexhaustible, and catch of from
four to seven thousand salmons with one
haul of the seine is OF common occur
renee. The wealthy San Francisco firms
have started canneries up III Alaska, and
last year sent down between 1000 and
5000 cases, each containing four
dozen one-pound cans. The fish met
with ready sale and it is probable many
INo 20
spring. But, as in mining, we must be
in mind that this IS no child's play; that
none but hardy men, and men who are
willing to work can embark in it. y
'Are salmon the only fish,
'No; cod exist in larger numbers than
on the banks of Newfoundland, but as
they keep in deeper water they are hard
Ell to catch. Herring exists in countless
myriads, besides other varieties of food
fish almost equally plentiful"
Now, then, major, tell me something
of the government"
There is no government whatever.
There are no courts, and man there has
no civil or political rights. No person
can acquire title to property, for there is
no law to enforce the collections of debts
or the conveyance of deeds, wills, or
other instruments. Nor can he even ac-
quire land by presumption. He can
neither vote. hold property, nor is he
guaranteed trial by jury
How is this to be remedied?"
''In the present condition of the terri
tory and the paucity Of the population,
no cumbersome political machinery
should be adopted. Anything would do
that would meet the exigencies of the
case and protect the people. The sug-
gestion of the secretary of the treasury
that executive powers be conferred on
customs officers might do for the present,
but not permanently. Mr.. Fuller, of
Indiana, has already introduced q bill to
extend the land laws of the United States
over Alaska, and similar bills for the
mining and other laws will soon follow.
What is wanted TOW is an appropriation,
for which bill has been offered, to fit
out revenue cutter to cruise along the
southeastern coast of Alaska. and also
money enough to make a coaling station
at some point along that coast. It was
suggested that criminals be brought TO
Washington Territory or Oregon, but
this would be to expensive"
How large is Alaska" said the Post
in conclusion.
1T contains 100000 square miles
about one-tenth the size of the United
States. 1t has 10000 miles of sea coast,
or more than all the sea coast of the rest |
of the United States together