The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-21
JUDGE MERRITT BACK,
HAD AN EXCEEDINGLY ENJOYABLE
TRIP TO ALASKA.
Rich Mines and Plenty of Money
There-The Natives Are a Superior
People-The Judge Has Some
Good Fish Stories.

" <AldSho, lOOhluS WClA, 1COiiho Wen |
and genial and affable as usual. His
honor thoroughly enjoyed his holiday,
Of which he stood in great need after a
season of unusually hard work in the
Third district and supreme courts.
The trip was made in rapid time, the
itinerary being about as follows:
Left Salt Lake on August 2, arriving
in Portland Ore, over the Utah North
ern and Oregon Short Line on Satur-
day, August 4, left Portland on Sunday
August 5. at 5 a. m. for Tacoma by the
Northern Pacific, sailed from Tacoma
a. m, August 6, arriving at Seattle
6 a. m same day, remained two hours
and sailed for Port Townsend and
thence to Victoria, arriving at the lat
ter place at 10 p. m. of the the same
day. From Victoria sailed north,
stopping the next day at Killisnoo,
which is a thriving town of Indians
and Americans.
KILLISNOO
has large American commercial COM
l. any, which does an enormous trade in
catching salmon and other fish, from
which they manufacture oils and from
the debris make fertilizers, both pro-
ducts being shipped east. The COM
pdiiy CIhPlOyS ldISS hStlhpCl w LII
dams. who are found to be industrious
and good workmen. The town is very
neat. clean and healthy. The Greek
Catholic religion prevails and there is
a handsome Greek church containing
numerous paintings, which are said to
be exceedingly fine works of art.
| From Killisnoo the journey was con-
tinued north to the great Muir gla-
cier, at the time of passing which the
weather was foggy, preventing a good
view of that gigantic mountain of ice,
| in the region of which the weather
was extremely cold.
JUNO AND THE TREADWELL
MINE.
The next stopping place was at Ju-
no, "A town of 1900 Inhabitants, we'll
built and also having Greek church.
A few miles from Juno is Douglas Is
land, on which are the noted Treadwell
gold mine and mills, the latter with
capacity of $50 stamps. The gold ore
runs $3.50 to the ton, the cost of re-
ducing which is S1.25 per ton. The
mine and mill employ a large num-
Der of hands and pay regular month
ly dividend of $4,000, and has a large
Isurplus of undeclared dividends on
hand. Near Juno are number of
ismall gold mines and smelters, all
Judge says he saw there some
lof the finest specimens, of gold ore.
Juno is quite wealthy little town, the
people all have money and are we'll
clothed and prosperous.
THE MUIR GLACIER.
On a clear day the steamer returned
to the vicinity of the Muir glacier to
give the travellers an opportunity to
view the wonderful iceberg which ex-
tends northwest far beyond sight even
with the aid of the most powerful
glasses. Huge masses of the great
glacier keep falling into the sea from
time to time with a roaring noise like
distant thunder but still it's bulk never
lgrows less 1t is said the great mass
moves slowly but at the time this party
Viewed it there was no motion appar-
ent.
SITKA.
) Sitka, the capital Of Alaska. was next
reached. Here the Federal offices are
located, judges. United States marshals,
United States attorneys, etc.
There is no territorial form of gov
eminent in Alaska. the laws OF Oregon
by special act of Congress having been
extended to that country. The judicial
powers are vested in one United States
, judge (Judge Truett is the present in
cumbent at salary Of $4,000 Year,
land United States commissioners sta
toned at Sitka. Juno and Wrangell at
odlc1' lCS VI %1,VuU d ycdI OCSitlcS lees.
Judge Truett holds court at Sitka and
Juno The United States commission
erS are vested with the powers of JUS
tees of the peace and probate judges
From Sitka the party sailed south
touching at the old Russian fort Wran-
CELL, thence south to the city of Van
: couver. British Columbia, city of
100000 inhabitants and on to Victoria,
: which has population of 10000; thence
back to Port Townsend. Tacoma, and
: Portland; thence to Salt Lake by the
Utah Northern and Oregon Short Line
THE NATIVE INDIANS.
The judge says the Indians of Alas
ka are remarkably light in color, -yery
5 intelligent and industrious and in ev-
cry way vastly superior to the Indians
2 found in our regions They engage in
fishing, hunting and work for the
Americans. They make capital ser
: wants. are trustworthy and faithful. and
f get about S45 a month. Many of them
e trade largely in skins and furs which
are obtainable by bear, wolf, fox, seal
hunting. etc.
There are mission schools at all the
principal settlements and the young
natives are being educated They
speak English and have adopted Amer.
; lean customs as to dress and so forth
i They have good. Well-built houses
2 mostly constructed of lumber an6
painted and quite as good as the aver
age Salt Lake cottage.
MONEY IS PLENTIFUL.
i among the natives who do d goo6
business in the manufacture of bas
" kets and curios They are very skill
full in artistic work in silver and jew
!, elry. The judge talked with an Indiar
named Johnson, who has explored thu
country good deal and who declare.
q do ~. f6e
and in the country generally.
> The climate is very changeable
sometimes bright salubrious and warm
: but often suddenly changes to cold
II damp and fog. AT Sitka, however. tn.
a thermometer rarely, if ever, falls t,
e zero.
THE FISHERIES.
- The fisheries are a great source O
% wealth to the country, the water lit
:" orally teeming with fish of numerou
kinds, whales, black fish, halibut, cod
salmon, smelt, etc. The judge ha
70 some very tall fish stories, but wouldn'
. tell any of them for publication, the,
n appear to be SO exaggerated that hi
II honor said people would put him dow
n as a fabricator If he rushed into prin
q with them, but he can tell about ton
= of fish being caught with hooks an
. lines in a remarkably short time.
The steamer on which the voyag
from Seattle was made is a splendi
II vessel, most gorgeously fitted up be
- longing to the Pacific Coast Steamshi
company Captain Carroll commander
They set a fine table and furnish tn
passengers with every convenienc
known to modern sea travel Their
IS were 242 cabin passengers aboard. a
2 well educated and charming people
lie and a most ENJOYABLE time was spent.