The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-18
ANNUAL REPORTS.
What Some Branches of Govern
ment Have Been Doing.
First Yearly Statement Of the Gov.
ernor OF Alaska.

Governor A. P. Swineford, of Alaska, has
made his first annual report to the secretary
of the interior on the condition of affairs in
that district. He arrived at Sitka on Sep
TENDER Is and was cordially received. The
report states that several schools have been
established at different points in the Terri
tory by The agent Of the educational bureau,
and an increased appropriation is requested
for the extension Of these schools. The chill
drcn arc hid to manifest moro than the aver
age aptitude for study, and the Aleuts are
especially anxious for the establishment OF
English schools in their midst.
A careful estimate Of the population OF
south. astern Alaska places the number of
whites at 1000 and natives at 1000. b
native Alaskans are said to be educated to
some extent in the elem entary branches, and
to be members of the Greek, Presbyterian
and Catholic churches. They are not In
dians, and differ in appearance, habit, Ian
cuaee and in other respects from the In
dams of the United States. The governor
dwells at length upon the great natural re-
sources of Alaska, and severely arralgns
those government agents who have repre-
sented the country as inclement to a degree
that precludes the cultivation OF crops or the
keeping of domestic animals. Nowhere, says
he, in his home travels, from Lake Superior
to the Gulfo of Mexico, has he seen a more lux
uriant vegetation than in Southeastern
Alaska. The harder vegetables all grow to
maturity and to enormous size, and the cat
tie are sleek and in the best possible condl-
ton.
Steam Inspection Service.
The supervising inspector general of
steam vessels reports the work of the steam
boat inspection service for the fiscal year
ending June 81, 1855, as follows: In the do
nestle service-Total number of vessels in
spected, 5,63S; total tonnage OF vessels In
sDected, 1,O9S, $685.: total number of officers
licensed. 2 ,235. The receipts were: From
inspection of steam vessels, s3S,S5l; from
sales of licenses, S12,GlI. Total Sill, lGS.
The total number of accidents during the
wear resulting in loss of life was: Fire, l; col.
lisions, g.; explosions. 10; snags, wrecks and
sinking, 5. Total, 81. The total number of
lives lost by accidents from various causes
during the year was: From fire, !; explo-
sions or occidental escape of steam, Al;
collisions, II; snags, wrecks and sinking,
81: accidental d Tots1 ia ''' r m'sfe1 nnm-
ber of lives lost in 1854, 271. Total mum.
b,r of lives lost in 1885, l33; decrease in 1885,
l3S. Of the number of lives lost in 1885, Il
were passengers and 81 We're officers or per-
sons employed on the steamers. The loss or
life on steam vessels for the fiscal year is the
minimum loss yet recorded, being but one to
each 43 steamers inspected as against one to
each three steamers inspected the year pre-
vious to the steamboat law Of 1852.
Revenue Marine Service.
The report of the chief OF the revenue ma
rine shows that the work of this service fer
the past year compares favorablY with that
of any former like period The aggregate
number Of miles cruiSel by its vessels during
the past year wls3l2,G go. In enforcing the pro-
visions of law and the protection OF the
revenue 24,4Sl merchant vessels were
boarded and examined. This Item
II work varies from year to
year, being proportional generally to the ac-
tivity of ocean and lake commerce. Of this
number l,4?5 vessels were 5onnd violating
the law in some particular, and were either
seized or reported to the proper authorities:
The vessels so reported or seized incurred
liability to fines, penalties or forfeltures
amounting to a total sum of SGO4,5i3.o2,
about two-thirds the cost of the service, which
last year amounted to SSl9,S97.