Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-11-05
ANOTHER DISPUTE WITH CANADA.
The Southeastern Boundary Of Alaska No Nee
ofa Commission to Locate 1t

The Southeastern Boundary Of Alaska No Need
ola Commission To Locate Il.
telegram from Ottawa announces the
discovery of geld placer deposits, from
which the value OF e24, 600 had been col
lscted, situated on or near the boundary
line between southeastern Alaska and
British Columbia. The exact locality of
these new diggingsi is not given. but they
have probably been found upon the banks
of one of the small rivers tributary to the
Stiakine. the principal river of south
eastern Alaska, or one of the small rivers
behind Reyilla 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 porspeStors at
intervals running through five or six
summersi but down TO the present summer
they have failed to find deposits that
would pay for working. The reported
value of the 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 40 minutes north
latitude and between the 131st and the
1921 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
14lst degree of west longitude, and final,
ly 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 tse boundary line it
is futher provided:
That whenever the summit of the
mountains which extend in a direction
PARALLEL to the coast from the 56th de-
| gree of north latitude to the point of in
| tersection of the Hist degree of west
| longitude shall prove to be at a distance
| of more than ten marine leagues from
the ocean the limit between the British
! possessions and the possessions ceded by
| this convention shall be formed by a 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 56 degrees north, to Mount St.
Elias, in 60 degrees % minutes north and
| III degrees west, a broken line of noun
tains scared with deep and PERCEPTIONS
-, IL
| 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 ont 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-
| eAt1NOhH VI NAAS hhNRty lASdAIl W ioSdIS tllt
| 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 lGws and regula-
! lions of the United States or Canada to
| prevent the miners of either country on
an equal small fee of s. from claimants
to a ledge or deposit, while on our 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. 1t is, there
| fore, an unnecessary uHcalled 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.