Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-30
ALASKA.
Interesting Extracts from the Report
of the First Grand Jury.


court, which was submitted at the
recent May term, contains the follow
ing paragraphs of interest:
1.-The rapid development of GU
territory, the recent discoveries of SO
much rich mineral, and the numer-
GUS Industries that are being brought
to the attention of capitalists force us
70 the conclusion that the judicial
system as now established is made
quate to the demands of our people
and of such limited character that
10 some OF the most important sec
tons of the territory the settlement
OF difficulties by courts and juries is
PRACTICAL unattainable, and that by
all means regular terms of courts with
all the jurisdiction of your honorable
court, should be established at ] uneau,
Kodiak and Ounalaska, and that our
governor should appoint justices of
the peace and constables at all the
principal fishing stations and else>
where whenever he may thiak they
are needed. Records are now being
made involving the titles of mineral
lands valued al several millions of
dollars. Officers having the custody
of these records should be provided
with suitable vaults and receptacles to
protect the same against loss by fire
or otherwise The Dominion parlia~
ment has already taken the prelim-
mary steps by which the boundary
between Alaska and the British poss,'
essions can be ascertained and deter
mined, and we especially urge the
necessity for the Uaited States gov
eminent to comply with the request
made by the Dominion parliament
that a commission be appointed to
settle the question. Valuable MINER
al lands are oeln respected, and
our miners at this time have no means
of knowing whether said mines
should be located under the U nited
States mining laws or those of Brit
ish Columbia.
''In view of the fact that Alaska
territory pays greater revenue to the
general government. In proportion to
the population, than any other ter
ritory now or heretofore IN existence
in the United States, we deem it as
matter of justice to our citizens that
appropriations should be made for the
following purposes, to wit: For the
repairs of wharves now belonging to
the government; for the construction,
erection, and improvement of others
at the principal points In Alaska
waters and for the erection and main
tenance of light houses for the safety
of life and property of our people.
"Our officers should be supplied
with some convenient means of trans
portntion under the control of said
officers, without which it is impossible
for them 10 perform their respective
duties with such promptness and dis
patch as officers In other territories in
the United States are able to do. This
we suggest for the reason that the
Onl y mode of conveyance is by GOAT.
III ere are no roads, and the people
are obliged to travel by water exclus-
lively. We recommend the appropria-
ton Of sufficient money to survey and
build good trail from the head of
Duryea inlet, Chilcat county, to the
boundary line, a distance of about
twenty-five miles, to insure the safe
transit of miners. explorers and sup
plies destined for the Yakon river and
tributaries, thus furnishing an access
sible route to the mineral fields of
wealth and importance.
1.-THE fishes found in the waters of
Alaska territory are the principal food
fishes of the world-viz salmon, her
ring, Goldfish, and halibut. Ia con-
sideration of the fact that the fishing
industry stands next to the mining in
dustry IN this territory, and that
Alaska will probably be called upon
to supply the United States with cheap
food fishes in the near future, it is
important that an examination of the
extent of the fisheries should be made
and to that end a liberal appropriation
with the necessary transportation
should be provided.
1--WE recognize the long established
policy of our government to encour-
age schools and educational facilities,
and would say that our Russian citi-
zens are, as a class, poor, and unac-
quaiNted with the rights and privIl-
eyes of American citizens, and that
non -sectarian schools by fair, honest,
and upright persons, not prejudiced
IN favor of any sect or creed, should
be established for the benefit of the
white children of Alaska territory.
while we are somewhat in doubt
IN regard to our duties in regard to
Indians, nevertheless we have taken
them with the broad meaning of our
instructions and as their future in
this territory is SO interviewer with
settlers therein we take the response
bility, and present them as we know
them. These Indians are enterprise
ing and industrious, and fully under
stand and appreciate our system of
government. They are not by any
means the untutored savage of gush-
ing travellers and romance writer's,
but are Independent, self supporting,
aud willing laborers, and we should
deem it most disastrous to the ad-
vancement and prosperity of this
territory should they be confined on
reservations.
1.-The distance of our territory from
the central government and the
LENGTH of time necessary tn com mIInl-