Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-21

/ is mining. There is located near Juneau
| what is said 10 be the largest quartz mill in
the UNDERSTANDING some two hundred and
nifty heavy stamps. The ledge, or mine,
from which the ore is taken, is more like
an immense quarry, being hundreds of
feet IN width. One can there see mining
on the most gigantic scale imaginable"
How is the climate M there-did you
find it cold?"
" Not at all. made the great mistake of
taking too much clothing with me, DR..
Ctuness, who was up there q few years ago,
told me 10 lake few outer garments, but not
TO forget an umbrella and rubber shoes He
said would require no heavier clothing
than IN Sacramento. And wished l had
followed his advice before had been long
on shore. 1t was very pleasant, indeed,
with the exception of the rain. Why, at
Sttka was informed that it is rarely cold
enough there in winter 10 freeze. This up
sets the popular idea of that country, but
il is SOD
Where did You go from Juuesu?"
From there We came south for some
distance among the islands and then west
ward toward the ocean, afterward following
the main island ION which Sitka is locatedG
In southeasterly direction around the
island 10 that port. Here we made short
stay Just long enough TO take in the main
features of the place"
Does there seem to be much of future
for the towns in Alaska?"
| should say not--at least until Ter
ritorial Government shall be established
and people can get title to the land. II is
one of the insst timbered countries in the
world, but of course nobody is now allowed
to modest the great forests. There will al
ways be considerable trading, mining and
hN nd : ha
somewhat.
The strangest experience of the tourist
in that locality is the shortness of the
nights. The sun sets, say, at 3 or half-past
o'clock P. NJ, but the twilight continues
for hours afterward-Quite up to midnight.
IN fact. And then, about > O'Clock in the
neutrality-suspicious. one can scarcely realize
that there had been night at all-the sun
shows mp again for another long day.
While we were there it hardly got dark
enough for one to see the stars in cloud
less sky. No, we were not favored with an
exhibition of the beautiful aurora borealis
that has charmed SO many travellers in that
romantic land, but as il was the NIGHTS
were weird enough. and one must be verv
callous indeed who could not be impressed
with the strange conditions that surround
him III that far northern latitude.
Alaska" remarked Mr.. Catlin in con-
clusion, will be the great center of attrac-
lion for summer tourists in the coming
years. Americans are just finding out that
there are on this continent localities the
wildness and grandeur of which are not
surpassed, II equaled, anywhere on the
globe, and every summer henCeforth will
lind great throngs of people fleeing from the
intense heat of our inland cities to enioy
the mild climate and grand sights to be
met with in our northern Pacific possess
sions. Back in the interior of Alaska il
gets very co d in winter, no doubt, but on
the coast the climate is tempered at all
seasons by the warm currents from the
Japanese coast. 1t is pleasant place to go
for jaunt, but there are few inducements
to anybody to settle down permanently,
unless for young men who may want to
engage in some of the few profitable indus
tries now springing up. But the tourist
business will always be great"