The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-11-06
ALASKA AFFAIRS.
Favorable Report of an Elk
cellent Country.
THE NATIONAL HORSE SHOW
Adjutant- G eneraI DRUMS Report
The Message -MiscellaneOUs
kilograms OF Interest.
Alaska Affairs.

WASHINGTON, November Ex-Governor
a. P. Swinford, 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
September Is, and was cordially re-
ceived. save by very few persons, who
in the langu; G Cflhe Cow rnOr preferred
a continuance of the old order of
affairs, under which, presumably, they
had persuaded themselves to be-
lieye they might individually pro-
lit much more largely at the ex-
pense of the general government than
under the new. None Of the appropria-
tons made for the support of the civil
government or for specific purposes, ap-
pear to have reached the hands of the
n O6iciO treasurer, consequently he has
no record of the disbursements, all of
which, with few exceptions, the Gov
ernor says were made by the Collector
of Customs. An increased appropria-
ton for schools is asked. The children
are said to manifest more than an
average aptitude In study, and the Utes
are especially anxious for the establish :
ment of English schools. Reference
is made to the disagreement between
the general agent OF schools and the
people of Sitka, including the late Off
Gals of the civil government. But the
Governor says he has not been in the
Territory long enough to decide the
merits of the case impartially. Still he
feels constrained to say that the general
agent, Notwithstanding his recognized
ability, is exceedingly unpopular
whether Justly so or otherwise, he is
not prepared to say) with the people,
whose cooperation is essential
TO the success of the schools.
A careful estimate of the popu.
lation of Southeastern Alaska
places the number of whites at l 600
and the natives at 600. The native
Alaskans are said to be educated to
some extent in the elementary branches
and to be members of the Greek Pres
byterian and Catholic churches. They
are not Indians and differ in appear
ance. habits language and other res
poets from the Indians of the United
States. The Governor dwells at length
upon the great national resources OF
government agents who have repre-
sented the country as inclement 10
degree that precludeS cultiva-
tic animals. Never, he says
in his home travels from Lake Superior
to the Gulf of Mexico, has he seen more
luxuriant vegetation than in South.
eastern Alaska, or harder, vegeta bles
All grow to maturity and to an enor-
nous size. and the cattle are sleek and
in the best possible condition. The
gold mines on Douglas Island, opposite
Juno, are in full operation. The de-
post is represented TO be truly phenom-
email, and the governor says the mines
promise to figure more largely in the
mining history of the world than any
one on record. The curing and can.
ming of cod and salmon has
assumed large proportions. al
though the business has not yet
been largely remunerative by
reason of the sharp competition of tbs
Columbian R.Ve- fisheries. The Indian
police system is highly commended
and attention is also directed TO the
needs of the Territory in the matter OF
mail facilities. The law prohibiting the
liquor traffic Is said to have been disre
garded and the defects in the laws gov
erning the Territorial organization are
discussed at length.