The Osceola times., 1886-10-30

M 'hO NHOle southern coast
me mackerel are equal in size anC
Isyor TO those caught in Atlantic waters
IN san Francisco they have sold for s24
per barrel. Herring oil fisheries. near
oltKa, TWO years ago, produced $50. .OOc
gallons OF oil Last year they produced
SOO,OOO gallons. The product 10,
TINS year will, it is thought. be still
greater. In 1880 the Alaskan fisberie.
proper were valued at a total of s565.
Ooo. These figures, of course. do no,
approach those for the fur-seal industry,
put the time will come when they will
lar surpass them. The one must de.
crease, the other increase.
lhe fur interests of Alaska we'll
might receive as much space as this
whole article, so great are they and So
varied is their history. But the sketch
mere must be brief The Russian COM
pany during its first term, with an
original capital of 1880 rubles. in.
creased afterward to 1888. 740 rubles.
obtained between 1897 and 1920 a
period of 23 years, net earnings OF
I6S9,6OS rubles, of which 4,250, OOC
ruoles were distributed as dividends
and the remainder added TO the CAPITAL.
making il about 100000 rubles.
During the ensuing period of 2l years
the yield fell oil considerably, but the
dividends did not There were shin.
ped in that time $4,000 sea-otter. 45S,.
600 fur seal, l62.0J0 beaver, and 100.
600 fox skins, l3S, 900 pounds of whale.
bone, and 10000 pounds of walrus
tusks. The sum distributed among the
shareholders for this period was about
5000. 900 rubles, or double the sum for
the first period. For the third and last
term there was n further increase, tho
dividend amounting to l0,2l0, ,000rubles,
or an increase OF nearly II per cent.
The working capital had now
become over l3;600,0O ru-
bles. The receipts for this third term
exceeded 75,700, 900 rubles. The mere
statement Of these figures is sufficiently
fOrcible. OF the fur operations since the
American purchase, it may be said that
between 1871 and 1888 about Sj,000,0O0
was paid TO the United States Govern
ment as rent of the Prybilof Islands and
tax on sealskins. The Alaska CONNER
cial Company for these seal islands
originally contracted to pay a fixed
rental to the Government of $4,000
year, besides a tax of S2.62l on each
iur-seal skin and 81 cents per gallon on
seal oil shipped from them. They also
engaged to maintain a school on each
island, and to furnish the natives with
certain amounts of food and iirewood
free Of charge. Between 1870 and 1888
our average revenue was about $4,000.
For last year the company paid the
Government S2G2, ,437, the number of
sealskins taken being 99,9S0. AT the
time the company acquired its lease II
represented a capital of $1,000 600 and
owned 80 trading posts in various parts
of the country 1t gathered last year
nine-tenths OF the worlds supply of sea-
otter skins. The catch now averages
from 5000 to 5000 a year, which is
more than double the number secured be- !
fore the purchase These skins are |
worth from S75 to 800 in London.
About 1000 blue fox skins are taken.
The other resources of the country |
are several in number, but their full |
value remains to be revealed Coal /
has been found near the mouth of Cook /
Inlet. From 1887 to 1861 over 200 |
tons were mined by the Russians, the !
value of which was estimated at $4,000 .
rubles. The thickness of the vein va /
ried from nine to twelve feet, with 20 .
per cent. of mineral. Its extent was |
great. The coal future Of Alaska may |
be very great. Petroleum OF good .
quality has been found near the same
region. Copper was known TO the ma
Livcs and used by them. Masses weigh
ng thirty pounds and over have been
found. On Prince of Wales Island there
Is a valuable copper mine. Lead has
been found in several places, though
not in large deposits. Silver ore assay
ing $3.50 a ton was fognd in 1881, but
il was thirty miles from tidewater. Gold
has been found in 4 hundred streams,
but the mining OF il there has never yet
been made very successful. On gold
mine at Douglas Island, known Is the
Paris Lode, 500. 600 has been eXpend-
ed, and Mr.. Bancroft says the results
have "lully justified the outlay. A
stamp mill. with a capacity of 800 tons
a day. was completed n the summer of
last year, and between June - and
10 the aggregate yield
amounted TO Sl56.00O. though the mill
stood still for one-third of the period in
of dry season. These re-
suits led the company to undertake to
erect two additional furnaces and to
place electric light, in the mill, mine
and surrounding works.
Mr.. Whvmpers visit to this country
was made soon after the purchase. lie
heard everywhere on his way across the
continent expressions of dsapproval ei
the steps taken y the administration.
Alaska was satirlcally named oval
russia" and mock advertisements APP
peared offering the highest price for
waste lands, worn-Out colonies, and
and undiscovered Islands.
The impression he got from the coun-
try, however was a favorable one. lie
was unwilling to believe that the bar
rain would prove n bad one. This was
at a time when il would have been easy
and natural-especially for an English
man take the other view. IL is re-
corded of Mr.. Seward that when some
one asked him what he considered the
most important measure of his political
career he replied: The purchase OF
Alaska. but it will take the people a
to find il out" The fore
going summary of the resources OF
Alaska may help to show how neal
right was the great Secretary. y.-M T.
Times.
. -