The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-12-12
swARrz ON ALASKA.
OF Immense Fish, Lumber and Miner
al Wealth-An Instructive Lecture.


al Wealth-An Instructive Lecture.
On alaska and the Alaskans," Rev.
VIM. =. SwattZ, pastor, delivered the
4th of his Western tour lectures at
Central Church Saturday evening.
Alaska, with Its Aleutian and other
Islands, stands for guide to us as a
northwestern connecting link between
North America and Asia. Territorially
1t is as large as all the United States
East OF the Mississippi river. 1t was
purchased from Russia Oct. IL. 1867,
for $1,000, 10000. II contains 5000
population, who have no telegraph
line, not a horse and only about five
miles Of roads In the aggregate. They
live in about 800 settlements, have AZ
schools, As mission stations, Ia saw
mills, etc. There are Government
officials, traders and missionaries.
The main and native part OF the
popu lation consists OF the Aleutlans
who somewhat resemble the Japanese
though less civilized and who live in
halfway homes that
are smokey and diugv. They are
more advanced in civilization thai the
Indians who occupy the southern
peninsula, who have large. round
heads, long, black hair, short and
stout bodies.
Some of the white Inhabitants OF
Alaska get their mail generally only
once a year. About next summer they
will learn whether Harrison or Cleve-
land was elected president OF the
United States. Anexample is the mis-.
elonary at Point Barrow, the most
northern inhabited point Of territory
belonging to the United STATES.
Alaska is a vast treasury OF immense
forests OF great timber and enormous
mineral wealth. Its waters TEEN with
the most valuable varieties OF fish, in
including salmon. Gold. silver and
copper abound. The Treadwell mine
on Douglas island, produced $500,
000.O last year. A long-standlng offer
Of SIG, 00O, 10000 has been refused as
purchase price for II.
But the fish seem to DO even great
err source of wealth. One hundred and
sixty special vessels. with other tran
Rient ones and steamers carry the fish
to market. In 1883 the United States
Fish Commissioners report shows that
1855, 700 salmon were taken from the
mouth of little stream sixty feet
wide. .....
One man spoke of river that
was. three.ilfths .ilsh ard two-fifths
water Men in fording stream had
been obliged to kick the fish out of
their way. 1heBel"iish stories" are be-
lieved to be true.
Tourists remark upon the the snow
crowned crater of Mt. Edgecomb. the
noble river Eukon, tine mammoth Ice
bergs, the Eskimo, who are similar TO
the Siberian ESkimos in style, form
and language.
For temperature 60 to 70 degrees
below zero Fahrenheit can be had in
winter and 100 degrees above III one
locality in summer has been reported.
THIS country has been mainly known
to the historian and geographer for
about 100 years.
The wild natives religion is fear
Of demons eXpiated with miserable
orgies and sacrifices.
There are degraded set of whites
there that ale fan more devlllsh titan
the natives except when they turn the
latter into crazy demons by selling
them whiskey SO as to rob them of all
that is precious, including home, vir-
tue and all material wealth. Mar
rage il merely matter of bargain
and sale among the natives.
Muny different Christian churches
have missions there.
The speaker embelished his lecture
with stories, traditions and descrip-
tons of scenery.
His lecture at 7.30 o'clock next Sun
day evening will lie on The Great
West as Mission Field" Seats are
free to a cordially invited public.
hese lectures are attended by large,
Intelligent and Interested audiences.