West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-02-01
The Wealth of Alaska.
,san Fnnci,,oChmoI-le

iH' htHllh Ol Alaska.
,Sau Frauci,,, Chronicles
\ reporter of the Cirouirl. called ON
William GouVcrueur Morris. appointed
/ Special Comm ssioucr Toy the govern.
mcnt To- make mn examination ot the con.
ditlou of Alaska and was accorded an
interview, iu which Mn Morris outlined
briefly some OF the points of his forth
coming report ou the Territory.
What Is your opinion of the mineral
wealth of Alaskan
Alaska is undoubtedly rich ln pold
silver copper, iron, platina, coal. and
other mines. look for one of thcrrcat-
est mining cNcitcmcnt~ of the age at no
very distant day, all along the coast
islands aud those ot the Alexander
Archipelago The interior has d, yer
oeen urospectcd, owing to the uulavor-
AOIe disposition of the native tribes. but
enough II known 10 convince any one
VINO has investigated the matter to sat
isiY any reasonable man that as rich au-
rierousquartzw will yet bc brought to light
as Nevada has ever possessed. Recently
IN the lcngaS Narrows, near the port oi
Nrangel, has been discovered "A vein
that assays $500 per ton in gold, S31. 81
ia silver and 60 per cent of copper.
rms mine is readily accessible IL wnter
navigation, and fuel is abundant. All
along the coast can hc seen outcroppinrs
oi quartz. The reason why so little ia
known of the mineral wealth is owinr
To the Tact that no man is safe i'm cx-
Ploring Alaska. Maintain n strict pa.
troll by gunhoat, enact laws for the
protection OF life and property. and the
punishment of crime and this unknown
country will have before il "A decree of
uncNamplcd prosperity, and discoveries
will he made which will astonish the
whole civilized world All this have
thoroughly discussed and presented nj
length the reasons which have forced
this conclusion upon me- The mighty
Yukon River, which flows through Cen.
tral Alaska and dcbouchcs into the sea.
thirty miles wide, with it's dcltad mouths.
Is one of the wonders of the world. IL
Is as large, If not mighticr i'm all respects
than the Amazon. IL drains an cnor-
nous belt of gold producing country.
Streams flow from il i'm large numbers
throughout Southeastern Alaska and
into British Columbia. Here undoubt-
cdly will be found as rich pacer-dip.
glngs as were ever found i'm California
in the palmiest days of surface mining.
But before these placer deposits can bc
reached or worked, il will be necessary
to teach the interior tribes that the white
man must be permitted To pass TO and
fro unmolestcd All this can bc done
and will be done il the proper policy is
adopted. At present any investment
IN Alaska is attended with very great
risk There is no law whereby any one
can obtain title to mining or other prop
erty. The pre.cmption laws Of the
United states are not extended over the
Territory; in fact everything is i'm
state Of chaos and confusion worsc con
founded"
VALUABLE LANDS AND FISHERIES.
What OF the timber rcsourccs2p
They are valuable and incNhaustj.
bile. one of the most valuable woods
IN all America for shp.building pur-
poses grows here, the yellow cedar. The
white spruce is also abundant About
two years since party of san Francisco
spcculatOrS attempted to get bill
through Congress whereby they would
virtually gobbc up the entire island of
Ken, rich in timber and coal The
Chronicle exposed this unhallowcd com
bination, and ] feel assured Congress
will never enact the bill The woodsof
Alaska will bc Of immense value i'm the
future, and her forests should be sacredly
guarded"
What do you think Of her fsheries2
They are simply enormous, but are
~ the utmost infancy. The run Of sal
mon ln the bays and cstuaries among the
islands is Unprecedented and challenges
comparison with any portion Of the civ
lllzed globe. IL is not uncommon tO
catch seven thousand salmon at a
single haul OF the seine. Alaska
must hereafter supply the world
with fish Already the catch in
the Columbia River is decrca.-
ing, while the canncries there are mul-
tiplying. The price of every salmon
sDld 20 the Columbia River Cannerics H.
fifty cents per fish, large or small, while
in Alaska they only cost from two to
five cents per fish, while they are larger
and, TO my taste, better. The large king
salmon caught at Cooks Inlet, will
weigh from seventy-iiye % one hundred
and twenty-five pounds. Two or
three Of them will fll barrel Atten-
ton has been attracted recently ~ the
canning business OF Alaska, and last
summer two canncrics were established.
They have met with gratifying success.
The cod fisheries are magnificent, and it
is strange why wc should pay 50, 800 900
for the privilege Of fishing ON the banks
Of Newfoundland when we have this
inexhausible source Of wealth right at
our own doors.
The Refined WAY.