St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-23
THOUSANDS OF SEALS
Slaughtered by British Fish
ermen Of the Behring's
Fleet.
Results Of an Investigation
Made by the Department
Of Justice.
Alaska's Resources mex
haustible, but Capital
Is Needed.
Travelling in the Land Of
the Midnight
Sun.

''Sealskins were an important factor
in my recent trip to Alaska said
Special Examiner James w. Night
ingale, of the department of justice, as
he pulled at briarwood pipe in his
cosy parlor at the Ryan last evening,
''for. [ was sent to investigate charges
growing out of the seizure last April of
half dozen British vessels containing
thousands of furs. 1t was asserted that
by collision between custom house of
ficials and certain British traders the
government had been defrauded cut of
a large sum Of money. AS result of
my investigations, during which con-
siderably testimony was taken, nothing
was discovered that could in any way
criminate Collector Delaney, an old Buff
falo friend of the president. But there
was some foundation for the charges,
since quantity of skins were disposed
OF at price considerably below their
appraised value. 1t was in April, 1888,
that half dozen sealing vessels of
the Behring's feet were seized by
the United States for violation of
the laws regarding seal taking
and the cargoeS aggregated about 6,200
skins. These were placed in the gov
eminent warehouses, and subsequently
a portion of them were bonded. The
remainder. however, were disposed of
at private sale to man named BOsco-
mitz, trader livi g in British Column
bia.. Many facts were obtained, which
will be embodied in report to the de-
partment, but there is nothing what
plicated i'll any manner
WITH THE TRANSACTION.
From Stka, where l made my head
quarters, to Onaloska, the seat of the
seal fishing industry, the distance Is
about l,5C0 miles, and while l should
have been pleased to go TO the latter
place, there was no method of convey
ance save in the vessels of the Alaska
Commercial company. [ understood
that the Pinta was cruising somewhere
in the Pacific, but | did not come across
the craft in my journey from San Fran
circo TO Sitka.
One thing. however. was convinced
of and that was that the United States
did not lose anything by acquiring for
S7,501,0O this valuable piece Of terri
tory from the Russian government. 1t
has more than paid for itself in fish and
minerals, for there is mTe gold in
Alaska than any place that has ever
been heard of. But the precious metal
cannot be obtained by taking a pickaXe
and pan and endeavoring to scrape
fortune together in that manner. Cap
ital is required to work the auriferous
deposits i'll the solid beds of quartz,
and this Indispensable article will be
abundantly supplied in very Short
time. At one place a party of english
capitalists have all ready put up the
largest stamp mill in the world and the
profits have been enormous. Only re-
GENTLY sale was affected for s2,500, coo,
OF the Juneau mine. to syndicate OF
WEALTHY NEW WORKERS.
Sitka is Alaska, so far as population
is concerned and instead of their being
5000, white inhabitants, think 1000,
would be nearer the correct figures.
Gov Swinerford has taken an active
part in the investigation of sealing mat
tiers. and is now en-rOute to OnalaSka,
to make personal inspection of that
section, with view to obtaining ma
terial for his annual report.
People have no idea of the beauty and
grandeur of the scenery about Alaska,
of the most striking objects that | wit
messed was the Mink glacier, solid
mass of ice rising $50 feet into the air
and extending back from the sea many
miles. Our vessel anchored three miles
from the glacier and yet at that dis
lance when pieces of ice broke away
and fell into the sea the sound was SIM
liar to that of artillery, and the swell
rocked our heavy boat as though it had
been a cradle. A party was made up
for a trip over the glacier, and we pene-
trated about a mile and half inland
until we reached flag staff, which had
been set up as a signal that it was dam
gerons to go further. 1t was freezing
die Of July, fifty-pound overcoat with
collar turned up about the neck and
ears was no
TOO WARM FOR COMFORT.
At this season of the year in "The
Land of the Midnight Sum-" as Alaska
is aptIy termed, it is broad daylight I'M
til 10 or II o'clock in the evening, and
this is succeeded by twilight which
lasts probably-a couple of hours, the
sun making its appearance about am.
| remember upon reaching Sitka it was
about 10:30 In the evening, and every
thing was as plainly discernible at a
distance as it is here at 2 o'clock in the
afternoon, even the twilight being but
mild form Of haze. | had an engage
ment with a gentleman the next morn
ing and did not go to bed, but sat out on
the hotel steps and watched the sun
rise about three hours after my arrival.
The two-StOry frame hotel at which |
stopped was formerly occupied by Lady
Franklin when she made her trip in
search of her husband, tne lost Arctic
explorer. Before being utilized
as hotel the building was
known as the castle, and was tenanted
by a Russian nobleman, Bermaukoff,
who owned the territory of Alaska,
While our vessel was lying off the
main glacier, we needed ice for some
purpose, and huge block off the gla-
cier weighing several tons floated in the
vicinity and was quickly hoisted aboard.
''Alaska's S. resources have to be devel-
oped, and the fisheries of salmon and
haiibut will furnish an enormous reYe-
nue. some day. Think of a 200 pound
halibut selling for 81, when a pound of
it in the East, or even as far west as
Chicago, readily commands % cents. 1t
is wonderful country in every respect,
and a description of its charms, beau
ties and prospects would fill Volumes"