Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1888-03-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
Alaska.

report such subject matter as might
appear to him valuable in reference
to our new purchase. (See his report,
10 census). He divides the territory
into six divisions as a matter of con-
venience and sums them up as 53l,-
404 so. miles; its boundaries as fol-
lows: beginning at the 141st Meridi-
an in the east TO 1879 20 west of
Greenwich, and on the south SOY 40
lat. to the Arctic Ocean on the north.
Gov. A. z. Swineford gives a more
extensive boundary, as follows: from
the 1872 west of Greenwich to the 1879
west, 500 40' south, to the Arctic
Ocean on the north, and the area at
5Sl, 10Y SO. miles; and that later and
more accurate computation will great
~ increase these figures. He says
that Alaska embraces more square
miles of Territory than twenty-one
States of the Union, east of the Mis-
sissippi river, viz: all the New Eng
land States, Delaware, Indiana, Ken
lucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missis-
sippi, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and
West Virginia. Sitka is about the
center of a straight line drawn from
PASSPORT, Me-, to the western limits
of Alaska. The population 35,261,
whites, creoles and natives, but it 81
only be an approximation. 1t is gen.
orally believed that Alaska is a
try of perpetual snow and winter, but
l refer you to the Government Re
port. The coolest day they regis
tered last winter was % above zero,
and the coolest day they have had for
so ears was % below zero. l wore
the same clothing there that l
at home in July, last.
Mines, &C.-Thcrc is a tradition
among the Russians and natives that
the Imperial Government believed
the country was rich in gold, silver,
&C., and made many attempts to
prove it, but was baflled every time
in their best efforts by the different
Fur Companies, because they thought
it was inimical to their interests to let
the facts be known, and they bought
Agts. under control. There can be
no question about the immense gold
fields. I saw enough to convince the
most skeptical. At Juneau, Douglas
Island and other places they are
working extensive mines. At Doug
las Island they have 4 1913 stamp mill
and are putting up another of similar
dimensions. In II months run they
turned $3.50, 600 in bullion and had
sulphurets enough for $3.50, 600 more,
and they safely expect s., 600, 900 an
Bay, Norton Sound, 1000 miles n.
w. of !Sitka is a mine which ON 1st
test yielded 80 per ct. of lead and
S412.3O per ton in silver, and was
shipped to San Francisco. AS an ev-
ideuce of the mildness of the climate
the miners remained there all winter.
l brought some specimens with me
for you to inspect when you come out
to see nc.
The Fur trade is put down
at. 800. 900
Fish and Products [oil).. $4,000
Lumber. 100000
add Cold and SiIver..... 500, 600
81 0!5 900
(rhis year it will run to So ,O00, 900
in my humble oPinion.)
Marble of fine quality has been
found on Baronoff Island and Admir-
atty Island and ut the Muir Glacier.
l saw quantities of loose slabs OF va
rious sizes and shapes lying loosely
over the surface of the ice, forced
down from above in the ocdy Jnch IN
knoUn country; hos much has been
lost in Glacier Bay and hOw long the
forces have been at work that dcLach
and prOpcl these huge blocks of mar
bic, granite and G0saH to their present
destination? These and similar Ques-
tons might be answered if we could
follow those Indians in their silent
peat who recently su'o the lining 1nGS-
todon in the uneXplored canOns of
this strange north country. What do
you think of growing barley, turnips,
radishes, potatoes. &C., north of the
6 Arctic Circle" Mr.. w. d. Hall
says he saw them growing, and that
the turnips were the largest and finest
he ever saw. (Fort Yukon.) Blue
grass, red top and wild timothy grow
luxuriantly and from 5 to Z feet high;
and many varieties of wild berries,
the red and black %currants, gooscher-
ry, cranberry, salmon berry, whortle-
berry and strawberry is found all
over the territory, wen under the
shadow of Mt. st. Elias; the cram
berry is shipped in quantities to San
Francisco. 1t has been published TO
the world by some writers who made
the round trip from San Francisco to
Sitka and return, so says the Gov
ernor, who saw its shores from the
deck of the steamer, that, There is
not an acre of farming land in all
Alaska" The truth is to the contra
~. 1 saw at Sitka especially, tur-
nips, cabbage, tomatoes, ~radishes,
bects, beans. &C., growing and look
ing as promising rs any I eve saw
growing at home, and why not2 The
temperature seldom or never falls to
zero, and the casOn is long sufficient
" for them to mature. The expert
ment of growing the cereals and
tubers has only been made since the
territory has been under civil gov
ernmcnt, 2 or 3 years, but neycrthe-
less the evidence is conclusive that