Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1885-11-10
eureka Dailp Sentinel.
NOVEMBER 10, 1885
REPORT ON ALASKA.

Gov. A. P. Swineford OF Alaska has
made his first annual report to the Score.
tary Of the Interior on the condition Of
affairs in that district. He arrived at
Sitka on September Is and was cordially
received, save by a very few, who, in the
language OF the Governor, preferred o
continuance Of the old order Of affairs,
under which presumably they had per.
suaded themselves to believe that they
might profit much more largely at the
expense of the General Government than
under o new Administration" None Of
the appropriations made for the support
of the civil government or for specific
purposes appear to have reached the
hands of the ex.oficio Treasurer; conse.
quently he has no record of disburse.
ments, all Of which, with few exceptions.
the Governor says were made by the
Collector Of Customs. An increased ap.
preparation for schools is asked. The
children are saidto manifest more than av.
erage aptitude in study, and the Indians
are very anxious for the establishment
OF English schools. Reference is made
to the disagreement between the General
Agent of the Schools and the people Of
Sitka. including the late officials OF the
civil government. But the Governor
says he has not been in the Territory
long enough to decide on the merits Of
the case impartially. Still he feels con.
strained to say that the General Agent.
Notwithstanding his recognized ability,
is exceedingly unpopular-whether justly
so OF 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 population Of
Southeastern Alaska places the mum.
Der of whites at 1000 and the natives
at 1000. The native Alaskans are said
to be educated to some extent in the
elementary branches and are members of
the Greek, Presbyterian and Catholic
Churches. They are not Indians, and
differ in appearance, habits, language and
other respects from the Indians of the
United States.
The Governor dwells at length upon
the great natural resources of Alaska,
and severely arraigns those Government
agents who have represented the country
as inclement TO a degree that precludes
cultivation or the keeping OF domestic ami.
mails. "Never." he says, sin his travels
from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mex.
leo, has he seen more luxurious vege.
tation than in Southeastern Alaska"
The harder vegetables all grow to matur.
ity and to an enormous size, and the
cattle are sleek and in tho best possible
condition. The gold mines on Douglas
Island, opposite Juneau. are in full oper-
alton. The deposit is represented to be
truly phenomenal, and the Governor says
the mines promise to figure more largely
in the mining history of the world than
any on record. The curing and canning
Of cod and salmon has assumed large
proportions, although the business has
not yet been largely remunerative by
reason Of the sharp competition of the
Columbia river fisheries. The Indian
police system is highly commended. At.
tention 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 disregarded.
The defects in the law governing the
Territorial organization are discussed at
length,