River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-11-22
EX-MENIsTER IN ALASKA.


Edward Pierrepont Describes Scenes
in the New Territory-An Indian
Hug by Miners-Seal Hunters and
Fur Traders.
Hon. Edward Pierrepont of New York.
ex-Minister to England, chose a very
novel means of making summer tour.
Instead of taking in" Switzerland, the
Rhine of Egypt, accompanied by his son
Edward he visited Alaska. Mr.. Pierr-
pont returned from his Alaskan visit
four weeks ago, but has been putting
the time in since then in a quiet visit to
the Yellow stone. He arrived in Chica.
go Saturday. He was sitting in his COM
Portable room at the Palmer when the
reporter called, A little and old. but
cheerful man, he entered into converse
ton enthusiastically.
Eyes" said he, 81 have put in my sum
mer rather oddly, but in selecting Alas
ka instead of some of the more WORKOUT
places, like the Land of the Sphinx OF
Mont Blanc, | was actuated by sever
al considerations. You are too young
10 remember it, but it was during Polk's
administration that quarrel arose be
tween America and England over Ger
tain Western possessions, in which Van.
couver's Island is included. America
contended that she had a right to ex
tend our parallel to "a 40 degrees. Eng
land contested this right A bitter feel
ing was engendered, and for long time
ii looked as if America and England
would 90 to war. Indeed, for long
time all the Democratic newspapers
fnY II EfYhf RYtf tNcv.
land held on to her claim for the extern.
sion, and America finally backed down.
and Great Britain got the territory be-
tween 40 degrees. the limit of our pos
sessions, and 81 40 degrees. One Of the
objects Of my visit to Alaska was TO see
this territory on which the fight was
made, and | was amply repaid, though
it was very humiliating to me Ia
be obliged to travel through
British territory to get to Alaska. But
Alaska was what desired most TO see
so on the 18th Of July my son and
sailed from Portland, Oregon, on the
steamer Eureka. This vesse' was very
kindly placed at our disposal by Cover
nor Perkins of California. We had al
most the entire possession ofthe steamer,
Alaska is peculiarly formed. 1t is one
succession of isthmuses, so that the land
is almost cut into strips by the watery
trespasser. We went from the south to
the north and over greater portion of
it, and | never was so much surprised
at anything as was at what | saw"
what, among other things, did you
see?"
Mr.. Pierrepont consulted his diary for
a moment. Then he read: July 81
Saw an Indian hung by mob of
miners. Expostulated with them, but
they said they must protect themselves,
and, after holding an informal court, l
decided that there was evidence of the
Indians guilt of murder. and offered no
further objection. The Indian was
promptly hung in my pres
ence. That" exclaimed the eX-
Minister, sis a fair evidence of the
kind of country Alaska is. 1t 10 an
American possession, but there is no
law there, religious, civil or other wise,
and OF all the God forsaken places |
think it leads the van. My son and
were the sole passengers on the Eureka,
and in penetrating a short distance
above Juano we came upon camp of
thirty-five miners, who were digging
gold with Indifferent success. We land
ed and found a few shanties, one of
which was a store, kept by man named
was something going on, and on inquir-
ing we discovered that two Indians bad
the dav before murdered two white
men. You see the inhabitants ofAlaska
are 40, 900 Indians and about 400 whites.
The latter are fur traders and salmon
and seal fishers, and are principally
Germans. At this particular point there
wa a tribe of 5000 Indians and only
thirty-fve white men. One Indian had
been hung for the murder, and we were
taken and shown his body dangling
from the limb Of a tree. The other had
escaped, and the whites had made a
reduisltion upon the chief of the Indian
tribe for his surrender. 1T was O'clock
in the afternoon that We were in Col
cheur's store, talking, when There was
great commotion, and party of 500
Indians were seen approaching
the camp. We all, miners and all, sup
posed that they were hostiles coming to
avenge the execution of the murderer,
and the miners, hastily barricaded and
armed themselves, ready for the attack.
My son Edward thought it was great fun
to fight the Indians; but | rather looked
at It differently and sought refuge in Col
cheur's store. After all it turned out
that the Indians were not hostile, but
were coming to deliver the escaped muir
derer, whom they had captured. A trial
was Immediately held, with myself as
examiner. ] was asked to interfere by
CoIcheur, and on inquiry | found that
the Indian was guilty of the murder
charged. Then offered no further OBJ
lection, and the white miners, with q
Massachusetts man named Fuller, took
the cul prit to a tree and executed him.
The country there is in fearful condi-
ton. The whites are afraid of an upris-
ing on the part of the Indians. There IS
no la =, and the United States should es-
tablish territorial government. We
returned to British Columbia August 4,
and since that time | have been travel
ing in the Yellowstone"
Mr.. Pierrepont describes Alaska as
having scenery unequaled by that of
Switzerland. He said the grazing lands
were as fine as those in the Southwest
and that the waters were filled with sal
mon and seal. He proposes making a
report to the government of his re-
searches.