The morning call., 1891-12-26
THE POPULATION OF ALASKA.

The census bulletin on Alaska will be
disappointing to many people, though II
VII not surprise those who have familiar
lied themselves with the Territory. There
never was any complete census taken OF
Alaska before 1890. A few years after its
purchase a rough estimate was made, show
ing 5000 whites and $4,000 Indians. Since
then Alaskans who demanded the extern
sion of the land laws to the Territory have
claimed a population at least twice as
large. Now the census finds no more than
1903 whites. 23, pa Indians and 42lS Mongo-
lians and half breeds. As the Indians are
not producers ard not taxable, the total
active population cannot exceed SIX or seven
thousand. This is a very thin sprinkling OF
humanity to he spread over an area twice
as large as Austro-HurgaIy.
The trouble with Alaska is not its climate
only. Its productive portions have thus far
been inaccessible. The coast line from
Sitka to Barrows Point is everywhere
rugged, barren and unproductive. In the
interior there are profitable gold washings
and probably good quartz veins. immense
tracts of UNEMPLOYED country full of fur
bearing animals. lands heavily timbered
with wood adapted to ship and house build
ing, and an abundance Of fish in her rivers
which defes computation. But there
is no way of getting at these
various productive regions except by
the Yukon, and it takes a season
TO navigate the Yukon from its mouth to its
confluence with the Porcupine and Pelly.
where the gold washings are. To get at St.
Michaels on the mouth Of the Union from
San Francisco necessitates voyage nearly
as long as from here to- Japan. Vessels
must pass through Unimak Straits, near
the western end of the Aleutian chain.
We shall never know the capabilities of
Alaska till a regular line OF transportation
is established from ChilcOot over the Chill
coot or some other pass TO the head waters
of the Yukon in the lakes which lie just east
of the one hundred and fOrty-firSt parallel.
The practicability of this route was estab-
lished last year by Mr.. E. j. Glave, an ex-
lieutenant of SANKEY'S. who made the jour
ney for the purpose of testing the question.
He took horses into the territory-tbe first
draught animals that ever trod its soil-and
found that in summer portions of the island
country supplied abundant forage. He
stated on his return that the distance from
ChilcOot TO the head waters of the Yukon
could be covered in couple of weeks with
horses, and that the passes presented no in
Supersble difficulties. Some day the enter
prise of gOld-hunters and the increasing de-
mand for fine otter, sable, fox and marten
skins will probably lead TO the opening OF
this new line of transportation to commerce
| There is probably enough money in the
scheme to tempt the investment of a small
| amount of capital.
If ever the present friendly relations be
tween the United States and Great Britain
should be severed, 1t must be expected thai
the Dominion of AIaska would figure
largely in the controversy. The power
| which controls this coast from the Mexican
border north ought to control it as fal
north as the Arctic Ocean; and by parity
| of reasoning the power which control,
| British Columbia ought to own Alaska. Tht
apple is not large enough to be divided be
tween two. If war comes we shall eithel
annex British Columbia or Canada will an
| mex Alaska. The Government of the United
| States made the mistake of the centur,
| when it receded from the position of ''54o 40
or fight" If it had stood firm England
would have conceded it, and Dir. Seward
| subsequent purchase would have rounded
off our western boundary so that our en-
envy could neither have bought pound o
| coal nor gallon of waternorlh of Guaymas
| The blunder may yet lead to a war whicl
might have been ayerted. Our boundary
line is so vague and difficult to delimit tina
| the surveyors, who have been trying t,
| trace it for years, have only just sketcheC
the outline Of their task. They may hav
| trouble before they get through.