Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-13
WEALTH OF ALASKA.
Surprising Finds of Pittsburg People
in the NOrthland.
ERRORS ABOUT TIE WEATHER.
The Country Is a Continuation of Siberia
and Has Its Minerals.
FORTUNES FOR THE ENTFRPRTSING

Mr.. J. Fl. Ferguson, formerly connects
with the Pennsylvania Lead Company o
Pittsburg, but more recently of Denver
COL, has returned to this city after an ali
sence OF eight months spent in the north
western portion of Alaska, and while tn
United States Government does not appea
to know how to utilize its extensive pur
chase of 577 900 square miles, or somethen:
more than u times the size of Pennsyl
vania, it is creditable to this city that few
men in it have had the courage to inves
$4,000 in surveying and prospecting in th'
Gland of the midnight sum-"
The result of their explorations promise!
not only to richly reward them, but to add
proof of the theory that there was once 6
time, possibly in the azoic, when North
America and Russia were united Siamese
twin fashion. The expedition will also
have the effect to correct the notions oi
geographers who, in 1877, had about a.
much idea of Alaska as the old geograp hers
of 80 years past had of Central Africa
There is really more interest in the Alas
kan narrative than in that of Stanley's ex.
plorstions, as we could more nearly state
what he would find than one could what wal
likely to be developed in our own posses.
sions.
Why Geogrsphers Didn't Know.
A geographer in 1877 said: 1.-THE climate
of Alaska is not so cold as that in the east
ern parts of the continent, but it is too
severe for agricultural operations, and the
Territory is chiefly valuable for its fisheries
T. Is.s4 oh1
he appeared to know was the history Of
Russia's cession, and the size of it Colton's
map would make the course of the Japan
stream some 600 miles south of where our
Pittsburg explorers found it, and flowing in
q southeasterlv direction, while they found
itsurging into and out of the inlets of North
west Alaska, giving temperature quite
comfortable during considerable portion
of the year. Further, their Investigations
will likely eventually prove that Alaska is
q combination of Siberia with. its mines of
precious metals, and it is possible that it
will eventually strengthen the hands of the
free-silver-coinage party.
Regarding the trip, Mr.. Ferguson, who
was in charge of the expedition, said: ''The
object of the expedition was the exploration
of that point of Northwestern Alaska
bounded on the north by Kot-gebue Sound,
south by Norton Sound and west by
Behring'S sea- We chartered a steam YES
sci in San Francisco with full complement
of mechanics and stores for years absence.
The cabin passengers included Mr.. d. S.
Maui, photographer and assayer; DIR.
Laubthoro, United States deputy surveyor;
c. H. Wallace, superintendent; j. w.
Sanders aud two other members of the ex-
pedition and myself We had about 40
miners and sailors six horses, q steam
launch and two portable houses.
The Game and the Fish.
1--WE set sail from San Francisco on Dec
Grafton Day, May 80, 1891. After a pleas
ant voyage of II days we touched at Unga
Island for coal, and during the time the
ship was coaing some Of us went on shore
to look at the country and fish and hunt
We found lakes and streams full Of speckled
trout, with ruf1ed grouse and ptarmigan in
abundance on the shores. From Unga
Island we steamed along the Aleutiar
Archipelago to Unalaska, the headquarters
of the Alaska Commercial Company. On
the way we stopped one day for deep sea
fishing, catching about five tons Of cod and
halibut, which we salted for summer use
"Onsour arrival at Unalaska we met the
United States revenue cutters, Bear and
Rush, and spent day very pleasantly with
them, also being Hospitality entertained by
the officers of the Alaska Commercial Com
pany. Leaving there we steamed for Colo
vine bav and after delightful trip of four
days, 90 hours Of unintermitting sunshine,
reached our destination in the latter part of
June.
''Most people get their impressions of
Alaska from the tourist visits made to Sitka
and the surrounding country and imagine
in consequence, that Alaska is afrozen desert
and that its characteristics are snow, ice,
fnr pT1d 110n II n,
surprised when We reached Golovine Bay,
near the entrance to Behring'S Straits, to
find grass in profrsion and several varieties
OF flowers and no Indications Of snow or
ice.
Pittsburg and Town Sites.
1--WE established two town sites and
credit should be given to some Pittsburgers
for the first surveys and ownership of land
in that portion of Alaska.
at is apparent that the northwestern
portion of Alaska owes its temperate clim-
ate to warmth derived from the so-called
Japanese current which touches those
shores and exerts its influence rs to 100
miles inland. l have personally explored
the country 100 miles into the interior, and
to that distance found abundant vegetation
and timber, but am inclined to think that
beyond that limit the country is barren.
"In order to reach our prospective point
we assembled river which has been named
Fish river, emptying into the bay in which
we anchored. We had taken a fiat-bottomed,
stssn-wheel steamer with US, and we went
up the river in some barges towed By her.
l think it one of the most beautiful rivers I
ever saw, banks well wooded for at least 75
miles, water as clear as crystal and bottom
fine gravel. Even when the river rose in
the fall the water was hardly discolored
It is full of fish, salmon, salmon-trout,
white, club and herring. Fish are so cheap
that 1 have known a sea biscuit to be ex-
changed for one yard long You can get
them for Whatever you see fit to offer. The
land also abounds in small game, swan.
geese, ducks, sage-cock, ruffied grouse and
ptarmigan-
What the Game Birds Live On.
'T could not at first understand why the
flesh of the birds was so unusually tender
and better entirely than that of those we
get in the States, but i soon discovered that
the country was literally covered with blue
berries, cranberries, salmon berries and
strawberries, and in addition, what never
saw in the States, the white and red cur
rants growing wild. 1t is little wonder
that those water fowl have superior flavor,
being well fed and not necessitated to feed |
on fish
"As to the mineral resources of the |
country I can say little without breach |
of confidence 1 consider that portion of |
Alaska as rich in mineral products as I |
have ever seen, and 1 have been privileged |
to witness the growth of the mining camps |
of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and other
territories since the early days of their de-
velopment feel satisfied that that por-
tion of Alaska is simply an extension of |
the famous Siberian mining fields, and un-