Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-11

behind Revilla Gigeda island, near the
extreme southeastern boundary of Alaska.
In both the above-named locations gold
in small quantities has been found and
both have been visited by porspectors at
intervals running through five or six
SUNNI ers; but down to the present summer
they have failed to find deposits that
would pay for working. The reported
value of the newly discovered placers and
their proximity to the boundary line as
defined by treaty between Russia and
Great Britain and subsequently, between
Russia and the United States but never
accurately surveyed, is made the pretext
for call for joint commission to locate
exactly the boundary. By the terms of
the treaty of cession this boundary is
thus defined:
Commencing from the southermost
point of the island known as Prince of
Wales island, which point lies in the
parallel of 81 degrees 10 minutes north
latitude and between the 131st and the
132d degree of west longitude, the said
line shall ascend to the north along the
channel called Portland channel, as far as
the 56th degree of north latitude; from
this aforementioned point the line of de-
narration shall follow the summit of the
mountains situated PARALLEL to the coast
as far as the point of intersection of the
l41st degree of west longitude, and final,
~ from the said point of intersection the
said meridian line of the 141st degree in
its prolongation as far as the Frozen
ocean.
With reference to the boundary line it
IS futher provided:
That whenever the summit of the
mountains which extend in a direction
PARALLEL to the coast from tho 56th de-
gree of north latitude to the point of in
tersection of the Hist degree of west
longitude shall prove to be at distance
of more than ten marine leagues from
the ocean the limit between the British
possessions and the possessions coded by
this convention shall be formed by line
parallel to the winding of the coast, and
which shall never exceed the distance of
ten which shall never exceed the distance
of ten marine leagues therefrom.
From the head of the Portland canal,
IN latitude Sc degrees north, to Mount st.
Elias, in 60 degrees % minutes north and
al degrees west, a broken line of noun
talns seaDed with deep and PERCEPTIONS
canyons rises from the coast line. Be-
yond this first or shore line rise higher
mountains, reaching back beyond the
ten-league limit. The heights have never
been explored, and can have little value.
They are covered with perpetual snow.
which feed the rivers that flow through
the canyons to the sea or increase the
bulk of the enormous glaciers which fill
many of the valleys. The lenght of the
line between the Portland canal and
Mount st. Etias upward of five hundred
miles, and a though exploration of the
district and the marking out an exact
boundary line throughout its entire length
would be work of several years, requir-
ing an enormous outlay.
The only difference of opinion among
men who have explored the coast and
rivers of the district is weather the nego-
tiators of the treaty meant to locate the
line of the first or on the second and
higher and less broken range. The
limited area between the two ranges is of
no value, unless gold or other metals shall
be found Sufficient quantities to pay for
their extraction. At present there is
nothing in the mining laws and regula-
tiOns of the United States OR Canada to
prevent the miners of either country on
an equal small fee of S. from claimants
to ledge or deposit, while side
of the boundary our laws are still more
liberal. There is no restriction upon
citizens of the United States owning and
working claims in Britinh Columbia and
none upon Canadians working and own
ing claims in Alaska.
AS the United States owns the coast
line and controls the rivers and fords
which lead up to the mountain district it
controls the only avenues of access to
any mining districts which have been or
are likely to be discovered in that part Of
British Columbia which lies east of the
Alaska mountain boundary. It is, there
fore, an unnecessary, uncalled for, and
unwise measure to introduce a contention
over the boundary line between south
eastern Alaska and British Columbia into
our already unpleasant contention with
Canada.