The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-18
OUR ALASKAN POSSESSIONS.
Arrangements for Surveying a Territory
Whose Boundary Has Not Been Laid Down.
San Francisco Chronicle

Arrangements for Surveying Territory
Whose Boundary Has Not Been Laid Down.
San Francisco Chronicle.
There is now being fitted out in this city
the first of the surveying parties whose duty
1T will be to lay down the frontier line be-
tween Alaska and British America. n line
which has never yet been accurately de-
fined. The clause in the Anglo-Ru
treaty of 1926 which was adopted in our
treaty with Russia in 1867, set out the
boundary as follows:
THE said line shall ascend to the north,
along the channel called Portland channel
as far as the point of the continent where
II strikes the 56th degree of north latitude
From the aforementioned point the line of
demarkation shall follow the summit of
the mountain situated parallel to the coast
as far as the point of intersection of the
141st degree of west longitude and finally
from the said point of intersection the said
meridian line of the 141st degree i'll its pro-
reference to the line laid down in this
article it is understood first that the island
called Prince of Wales island shall belong
to Russia lnOw by cessOn to the United
Statesl; second, that whenever the summit
of the mountains which extend in a direc-
tlon parallel to the coast from the Seth de-
gree of north latitude to the point of inter
section of the 14lst degree of west lOngi-
tude shall prove to be at the distance of
more than ten marine leagues from the
ocean limit between the British possessions
the line of coast which is to belong to Rus
STA, as above mentioned Ito the United
States by cessiOnl, shall be formed by line
parallel to, the winding of the coast. and
which shall never exceed the distence of ten
marine leagues therefrOm."
A line has been run upon the map, but the
Obtuse wording of the treaty has prevented
any exact delineatiOn of the boundary be-
tween Alaska and British America AS a
matter of fact, indeed, the boundary line
between the two countries is not known.
There is absolutely no data for locating the
SUBMITS of the chain of mountains 'srun-
ming parallel with the coast" it is not even
certain that there is such a connected
chain; while the straight northern line
along the Hist degree of longitude is as
movable the feast of Easter.
The broad coast line is pretty gen
Barrow from the geodetic surveys made by
the United States in 1869, and the Aleutian
isles can be laid down with some degree of
accuracy, but corrections in details are be-
ing made every year. and in the absence of
all connected surveys of Alaska absolute
| correctness cannot be claimed for any map
| Of that country.
The increasing value of the Territory
| makes an exact delineation a necessity, es
| pecially in the neighborhOOd of the rich
gold mines in the interior, whose owners
are now in the habit of evading the laws of
both countries by alternately claiming to
be IN each.
On the first of the Alaska COmpany's yes
sells. is working under an appropriation of
| SIC. 900, which was made in the sundry civil
act of 1889. On arriving at Alaska the party
will be split up into two parties one to do
| field work On the Yukon and Porcupine
rivers, and one along the line going north
ward along the coast from Portland chan
| mel. The manner of setting down the line
of demarkation will be by the accurate To-
cation in latitude and longitude of q num-
q 1,o
ten marine leagues from the cOast-line and
accessible by the Portland channel, the
Stickeen river, the Tanks, the Chilkat and
Chiikoot n. rivers G and g number of , other
| points being accurately determined. the
boundary line will be drawn between them
and the exact extent of the territory de-
termined. The whole survey Will take
| three years and cost about $4,000.
1t had been proposed by the British gov
erdment that competent surveyor repre-
senting the Canadian government should
accompany each party of the Coast and
pate in the location of the points of survey,
! so that by their agreement on the ground
occasion or preteXt for dispute when the
| negotiation of the boundary occurs might
| be Obv1ated. The British government has
come to no decision in the matter, however,
| and it is not intended to further delay field
| operations awaiting its action.
| The history of Alaska is an interesting
| one. In 1870 Vitus Behring discovered the
| strait named after him. and in 1883, by order
of Empress Anna. of Russia. he explored
| the Aleutian chain of islands and took
| possession of them in the name of his
! country. Little was done. however, to set
tie them until iS when trading stations
| Alaska became the property of the United
| states It's history was a varied one, trading
| companies, of different nations having at
| various times secured valuable franchises
frAf fpaR m Thn f,p
| its purchase were begun privately in 1864,
| but no Roadway was made until 1866, when,
with the establishment of peace in the
| United States, the subject was taken up
Secretary Seward. San Francisco
| merchants, among them the men,
bers of the American-Russian Company.
| were the most active promoters of the
scheme. the latter firm expecting to sue
coed the Russian American Company. Upon
| the refusal of the latter company to APP
point new chief manager unless it were
| granted q new and better charter the EN-
perOr of Russia sent out Prince Maksutof
| to administer the colonies under the title
| of Military Governor. He was subsequent
| " invested by the company with full DOW
efs, and managed the winding up of it's
business and transfer of its property.
| In 1866 Alaska was explored by a scientific
corps sent out from the United States to
select a route for the Russian-Amercan
| telegraph line, project which was aban-
| dOned IN consequence of the successful lay
| ing of the Atlantic cables. The report of
| the expedition, however, showed what a
valuable country Alaska might be made.
/ and. after long debates in Congress- the
| treaty with Russia for the cessiOn of the
present Territory of Alaska to the United
States was finally passed and the necessary
appropriation of 81, 200 900 made. The OPP
| position to the measure was strong and
| fierce, and its success was almost wholly
due TO the efforts of Secretary Seward and
| Senator Sumner.
The treaty was signed May, 1867, and ON
| Oct. IS, of the same year, the ceremony of
final transfer took place at Sitka. Both
| American and Russian troops were drawn
up in line. General Rousseau acting as COM
mississioner for the United States, with
Prince Maksutof occupying the same posi-
| ton for the Russian government With
the roll of drums and the discharge of mus
| kerry the imperial eagle of Russia de-
scended. and the stars and stripes rose into
the murky atmosphere of an Alaskan
| autumn day. The Princess Maksutof wept
at the spectacle, and all nature seemed to
keep her company, drenching to the skin
all participants in the ceremony. The
native Indians, in their canoes, witnessed
| it from distance, listening stolidly to the
booming of the cannon, and gazing with in
difference upon the descending and ascend
| ing flags.