Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-07

covered by the SHOWS OF winter. And
this in a latitude Of 81 degrees north of
the equator.
The rugged appearance OF Alaska
from the water courses, leads one to
suppose that the interior is of the same
mountainous and uneven character, but
if you have talked to one who has ever
crossed the range, and followed the
mcanderings OF any of its streams, he
will tell you that there are large
patches of arabic land lying protected
at the foot OF many OF the rugged hills,
that naturally affords every opportunity
to engage in agricultural pursuits: To
be sure, there can not be raised as an
argument against this proposition, that
it is too cold in winter, for it is an un-
common thing for the mercury to
register as low as
DEGREES BELOW ZERO
on any part of the inland waters from
British Columbia north and west to the
farthermost extremity of the Aleutian
archipelago.
AS to the general proposition that
Alaska may at no distant day assume
position of Importance, as an agricult-
ural country, | can not offer better evil
dence to the editor of the Scientific
American than that presented'by Gov
ernor Swineford in his report for the
fiscal year 1888, and which can be had
by any one upon application to the
secretary of the interior or to the
United States senator or member of
congress. His excellency treats upon
the question of agriculture as applied
to this territory intelligently, and after
| vigorous search for information to
disprove the opinion which he has
formed after several years OF personal
observation, | am led to regard his
views with a degree OF assurance that
his logical treatment of the subject
amply justiiies.
trust I will not weary you by a
| further quotation from the same para
graph in the editorial from the same
paper, which says: 1.-THE wealth of the
| country consists in the game and fish. :"
Well, now, this reminds me OF rip
roaring citizen of this territory who had
spent the best portion of his life within
! the ice-bound walls OF Alaska. A few
weeks ago he got gloriously full because
he saw an item in an eastern paper
| which read: 1.-THE president last week
| appointed q postmaster 10 some Office in
Alaska. from the United States" Be-
tween his hiccoughs was able to un-
derstand him to say: IF am not living
in the United States, will some one tell
me where in HI / do liveY"
While the average Alaskan takes a
| just pride in the fact that her
fishing industries and vast forests con-
stitute large part OF her resources, it
| is also fact, that unless the gold and
| silver laden hills suddenly swallow up
| its precious metal, the coming year will
demonstrate to the world that the great
mineral repository is defined in that
| territory embraced in Secretary
| Stewards purchase of over twenty years
| ago.
have heretofore mentioned that the
| largest stamp mill in the world, was
located on Douglas island, and that its
| 230 stamps were crushing out of rock
$3.50, 900 every thirty days. Within a
radius of six miles from this great mill
| ing property, a ten stamp mill is in con-
| stant vibration, tearing out Of quartz,
| several thousand dollars in gold every
month. A l20 stamp mill is now being
! erected, and two others of less capacity
are under process of construction, and
before the bleak winds of November
roll across Dakota's prairies, the noun
tains within this narrow scope will
echo and re-echo the reports from blasts
in deafening and continual roar.
| Further up what is known as Silver
Bow Basin, there is a belching forth OF
| water from out the giant nozzel of hy-
! draulic works, continuous stream