New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-24
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Uu,T IS TALKED ABOUT AT THE NATIONAL
CAPITAL.
rur RICHES AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF
.LAsKA-HOw THE ELECTION LAWS OF
SOUTHERN STATES ARE DE
SIGNED To WORK.
SIGNED TO WORK.


SIGNED TO WORK.
Washington, Dec 2S.-Comparatively little Is
known of Alaska. Some daring adventures nave
nnrsued the course of some of the leading sfeonhs
~ the Territory, but there is no exact khowe"@e
ooroerninc the topography of its interior. OF lis
,.olorical or meteorological character. There IS
nropositon now pending before Congress 10 puiio
. central station in Alaska. This station IS 10 Dc
ussd as the headquarters for scientists 10 oe sen.
,ut by the Government TO examine into the real
character of this country. 1t is SAID ny ArmS
officers who have been in Alaska that its riches are
creat and that their development Is only Just
hequn. II is so far away and the communication
i 81 poor that the public hears little OF what IS
horo dome there In the southern strip OF tc
Territory below Mount II. Elias there are to-day
some Of the largest quartz mills in the world
IN the mines unexpected riches are being de
veloped This little strip alone last year exported
products TO the value of more than So'ooo'ooo
II is common to associate Alaska WIN inc arc'ic
regions but people forget that the greater por-
,io, Of il is in the same latitude England, and
.hat the Japapese current tempers its climate as
the Gulf stream does the atmosphere OF England
The average temperature during the winter Is not
below 50?
Explorers who have been up and down some
If the swift streams report evidences OF tropcai
vegetation. Al any rate, il Is certain mat Ill the
central portion of the Territory there Is an
.normons stretch which can he used for aSr-
eulture 1t is as good land and as favorably
situated as that of the great wheat belt OF Russia
II is also in the same line as some of the best
aqricultural portions of Sweden and Norway Bnt
il is not from an agricultural point of view alone
that this expedition is being prepared. II Is DC
loved that Alaska from surface indications, con-
tains mex haustihle wealth in the shape OF goid'
silver copper and iron. The silver mines now
being worked in the southern strip are rlch ana
profitable From the peculiar formation oil 'hc
mountain ranges experts who have already Nis"cu
tho country say that the indications point To the
most valuable of discoveries The fur trade oil
the interior is also undevcloped. More than this'
Tho interior streams are alive with fish Indeed,
one of the returning explorers relates hsh s'oiN
which is quite the equal Of anything have ever
heard He saws that in some of the streams fish
are so thick that in coming down in the shadows
,bov fill the water 10 such an extent as TO crowd
out fish on the banks. II is said in behalf OF ths
expedition that it will cost no more than 100000
ond that the Government cannot afford 10 neglect
any longer careful examination and study OF ths
possibilities of riches to be found IN this country.
The Secretary of War has earnestly recommended
that this expedition he approved by tohSNss' anu
il is probable that it will be so approved unless IL
is lost in the hurry of the short session
The development of this Territory Will I'M
doubtedy lead to reviving OF the proecl OF tilc
great transcontinental railroad. which VIII enaole
prople to 60 to Europe without crossing the ocean
So long as the country between Washington Ierrl-
torv and Behrng Strait showed nothing mt forest
and deserts of ice combination of capitol coulo
have been found great enough 10 be enllsteh Ill
sn enterprise which could not by any possibility
have paid In passing through an undeVeiopeo
country but if it can be shown that Alaska Is a
country rich in minerals that fact alone VIII
cause the building OF a railroad TO Alaska rom
Washington The Western coast of British
America has also developed rich mineral regions
am told by railroad experts that there is nothing
which is 50 sure 10 enlist railroad enterprise aS
rich mineral developments. II, then, Alaska
itself develops enough TO draw 10 It railroad from
the Northwest, then the rest of the profct wonIo
be comparatively easy Russia is now building a
,rsnscontnental Siberian railroad, and within ten
wears will have the road completed to the extreme
eastern limit Ten years will mean good deal
in the history of Alaska, as many vigorous MINDED
explorers are turning their attention 10 the ascl
mating subject Of Alaska and its possibilities
Behring Strait in its narroweSt portion Is not over
TWENTY-FIVE miles wide. II is only trliie more
than the English Channel between Calais and
Dover Its waters are more tranquil on an aver
age than the famous strip of water between Eng
land and France II would he open for at least
six months in the year. During the winter, when
il is closed by ice, undoubtedly science would DIS
cover some way 10 affect the transportation over
it, At any rate. the project which lew years
AGO looked like the widest of improbable things,
is now approaching the region of possible ones
There are many people who would take such "A
route because they fear and dread the sea
have known many people who go 10 Europe every
wear who are sick from the time the vessel leaves
the dock and are unable to raise their heads until
she reaches land The majority of people who make
nm the passenger lists of the European steamers
suffer Greatly during the passage. large per
centage of them would take railroad route for
the simple comfort alone. even if it took three
times as long Then again there are many people
who are deferred from crossing through fear Of
the sea. | know an American gentleman living III
Paris who suffered during the crossing that he
has never summoned up the courage 10 come home.
lie has been in Paris for eighteen years and prob
ably will never Sc America again on account OF
the fear he has of crossing the Atlantic.
An interesting picture Of the new election laws
Of the South has been sent to me by reputable
correspondent in North Carolina. This gentleman
is a Republican, who has made careful study of
the new election laws prepared by the State au-
thorties in the South. According 20 his study OF
the question. tranquility is sure to follow such
legislation There is 10 further need Of any
system of intimidation. The machinery for pre-
pairing a Democratic result is absolutely perfect
The size of the majority can he determined by the
will of the central committee. This gentleman
SAYS that those laws the true force laws Of
. election legislation. They have been prepared 10
perpetuate indefinitely the power Of the Democracy
IN the South. The machinery is complete in It's
arrangements that no campaign can ever break il
down. ln other words the machine IS perfect
that the control Of the people is absolutely emi-
mated A small circle Of political bosses in each
State elect whom they please
This gentleman says in his letter that under
L.. IL