The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1884-09-26

much interest In the east. and may turn
out very profitable. but Al the present
writing there are only two mining dis
tricts-the Juneau. or Harrisburg. and
the StitkA Last year there was great
excitment over the placer gold from
the Rmslar country. q long distance
up the Stikean river. A large part Of
the steamboat freight and coal was
taken there In such quantities that the
people above found IT difficult TO pro-
cure transportation. The mines are
now all PLAYED out
There are copper deposits probably
very rich. ms shown by the immense
implements made and used by the In
dians. The material for these are said
TO come from the Copper rivei district
and Yukon. No regular deposits have
been found. since the above named re-
gions are quite difficult of access, rem
dered more %. II N affirmed, by hostile
Indians. who are In nowise paci6ed by
the agents OF that great monopoly,
the Alaska Commercial company,
whose interests are better served II the
country remains unexplored.
The white marble lodges, Of which
mention Is made In several works on
the country. are found In Glacier Bay
AS far as quality goes, the work is ex'
cellent. hut AN almost insurmOuntablt
difficulty 10 working It lies in tae mi
croscopic veins which run through
II in all directions. There Is on,
product OF Alaska which, sooner ol
later, will come into use. and prove 4
source Of great profit Prom Chilcat
ON the north to the southern extreme
the islands and shore of the mainland
are lined with timber, growing far al
ont the mountain sides. The spruce. IL
abundance, ranks first; it resembles
somewhat the Oregon pane. z Is mucl
tougher, and almost as hard 10 work q
oak. measuring frosn two to six feet a
the butt, andfisIng in gradual tape
to a height not over 100 feet. The Al
as<ans very much dislike TO work thi
wood on account OF Its exceeding hard
ness, but there Is no doubt but in tn
future. when lumber Is more great,
sought. the Stika pine, as the native
call IL, will find many uses. The WOO,
most sought after is the yellow cedar
or cypress, of which the supply is ex
tremely limited, but here and ther
in the vast pine forests cypress
found. Its color is pale yellow. close
grained. tough. durable and has pleas
ant odor. somewhat like sandal wood
So highly priced is it that. out Of tn
100000 square feet which has been ex
ported from the territory. u consider
able part has been sent to China
whence 1t came back carved and unde
the name OF camphor wood. Boxe
made of yellow cedar are used TO pac
furs in. The red cedar grows to som
extent, but very little has yet bee
found.
The principal furs exported are sea
and land otter, martin. fox. both re
and silver grey, and bear skins. TIL
seal fisheries are In the Northwestern
part Of the territory and are entirel
controlled by the Alaska Commercia
company, which leased the islands s
Paul and St George for the period @
twenty years from 1870, and from thi
company is derived the revenue whic
alone has made Alaska paying inves
ment to the United States. The col
cract stipulates that not mope tina
100000 seals y year shall be killed. II
which the company pays an annu,
fee Of s55OOo. together with a reveut
of two dollars each for every skin shil
ped from the islands by the compan
and ffty-hve cents for every gallo
OF seal soil. also that the company sha
annually furnish free to the inhab
tants of the two islands 5000 dried sa
mon, sixty cords of fire wood. u su1
cient quantity Of salt, and to maintal
such public schools as are needed Q
the islands. ALI others are prohlbitt
from killing in Alaska any otter, min
marting, sable or seal.-Correspondei
Boston Herald.