Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-29
DISCOVERIES IN ALASKA.
Naiuabie False Impressions
Renewed,
,san Francisco Call.l

,san Francisco Calil
The expedition Of Messrs. Glave and
Walton into the interior OF Alaska bids fair
70 extend the range of geographical know
ledge. Mr.. Glaye served ap apprenticeship
AZ an explorer under Stanley. and Walton
Ia an old mining prospector. who has spent
some years III Alaska Last spring the
pair started into the interior Of the Terri
tory with number of horses. intending to
prospect for silver. but whether they sic
ceeded or not in their immediate object
they seem TO have found pretty good
country-much better than was supposed
TO exist in that ice-bound region.
Our present knowledge of Alnskn IA vsry
limited. We have some United States
officials at S,tka. which is Il village OF
some j 800 inhabitants on an island near
the southeastern corner of the Territory.
4 bundled aud fifty miles northe If
Sitka is a military post IN on old Russian
fort1 Nrsngei. Another inhabited point
III the archipelago Is Jursau. where mines
are being worked. and there is q
population ri some $500 whites and
indiaDs. Far out towards the west
eTn extremity OF the Aleutian chain
- village named Unalaski. where
fisherman and hunters rendezvous. North
of tins, in the heart Of Boring Sea. ore the
i'rimlot islands, which are the preserve of
the fur-seal. Finally, within ten years. the
lnkon, thu great river of Alaska. has BEEN
navgated from its mouth in go degrees
north iOr a distance of over 1000 miles
INTO the British possessions and nearly 10
It's source IA tho Canadian Rocky Noun
ialns. On the banks Of the Yukon salmon.
eanneries have been established and some
httle trading in furs Is done though the
lease OF The Territory calls such work
p"aching. This Is above all we know OF
the Territory
An Impression has prevailed until lately
that the interior Of Alaska resembled the in
terror OF northern Siberia: that depth Of
two or three feet below the surface the
ground was perpetually frozen. the warmth
oi tue hriet summer beng unable 10 melt it,
In siberia n vast stretch Of land intervencS
between the forest region and the shores of
the Arctic. 1t was probably once the bed Of
a sea. which gradually receded. leaving a
swamp behind. This moist land frozc
soiid and has never tbawed. II Is known
a. the tundra aud IL comes so near the
surface that cultivation of the soil above
ii Is impossible. IL has often been state I'll
that much Of Alaska is similarly covered
with tundra, aud that may be the case for
anything that we know.
But Sitsa. III 81 degrees north, enjoys a
temperate climate IN consequence If the
warm Japanese current which battles its
shores. And the Yukon. 1--WE or SIX degrees
nearer the pole. Is open for many months
Ut the year. Ii frecZes over, OF course, AZ
winter approaches. but IN summer IL iSlree
from Ice. These new travellers now state
that in the heart Of Alaska. quite at dis
tance from the Yukon. but still probably
about the same meridian. they found in
June an immense valley thiokly clothed
with luxurious grasses, stretching for miles
IN every direction. When Captain Giave
wrote his horses were revealing in wild
timothy. bluetOp, and bunch-grass.
II Is hardly 10 DO expected that CONT
Mental Alaska will export cereal food. But
1t will be- a gam if il Is discovered that IT
can feed population which can exploit
It's fisheries, its huDting-grounds. and It's
mines. The numbers Of the fish whc h
iunabit us lakes and its rivers are album
daut. And like all the rest Of the northern
portion of this continent. the country is
lntersected with rivers flowing out II
lakes winch are past counting. Such a
region must abound In animal life.
found.
1t would seem that the time has come
for u comprehensive exploration of Alaska
by the general Government. A survey VI
the boundary-llne between the Territory
and the British possessions is now being
conducted under the auspices of the Coast
Survey. Two enterprlsing eastern news
papers have undertaken explorations OF
parts of the interior nj their own expense.
II Is time that so important work should
DO assumed bv the Typographical Bureau
al Washington.