The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-06-27
THE WONDERS OF ALASKA.
Territory Nearly as Large as the
United States, but Yet Undeveloped.

Territory Nearly as Large as the
United States. but Yet Undeveloped.
Some idea of the vastness of this ter
ritory may be gained when we consider
chat the extreme length from north to
south is 1,100 miles a distance as
great as from Lake Michigan to the
iulf of Mexico; and from east to west
,he distance is nearly 1000 miles or
equal to the distance from Lake Michi-
gan to New York. Alaska contains a
land area of 531 ,491 square miles and
III this vast scope of country there is
population of not more than 60, 900
people. There is school population
If from 5000 to 10000 and there are
only about sixteen government schools
and fifteen schools maintained by var
lous religious societies. With these
facts before us is it any wonder that
we concluded that Alaska is one vast
opening. The industries are very
limited and there are no agricultural
products beyond few garden vege-
cables. All the flour, fruits and other
provisions are shipped in from the
states. There is probably not wheat
ield, corn field Or Touring mill in the
5erritory. There are no railroads, pub
lie highways. telegraph lines or even
telephone lines outside of Juneau and
Sitka, in the entire country. There is
a paucity OF domestic animals, not be-
ing more than two dozen teams in the
territory. All travel is by water in
canoes, skiffs, schooners or ocean
steamers. Mining, salmon canning ard
numbering constitute the chief indus
tries, and these give employment to
only a limited number. There are
some doctors, lawyers, school teachers
and preachers that constitute the few
that are engaged in a professional
work.
Heretofore the Alaska Commercial
Company has purchased supplies for it's
stores on the Yukon in San Francisco,
but in the future these supplies will be
purchased at Victoria. This trade
amounts to about 100000 per year.
The enforcement of the British laws
heretofore dormant in the far north
makes the change advantageous to the
company. There is really no British
custom house ON the Yukon river, but
the duty on foreign goods passing into
Canadian territory will be collected, it
is understood by the mounted police to
be sent north by the Ottawa govern
ment.
just now people are focking in great
numbers into the Yukon country. This
section just now is attracting more at
rention than any other, but the pros
poets are not very bright, owing to the
class Of people coming in, they being
mostly mechanics of every imaginable
trade, not being accustomed to hard
ships, entirely ignorant of mining, and
but few possessed of the means OF liv-
ing, among whom there will no doubt
be much suffering, as the weather is
extremely cold this season.
The Alaska Commercial Company is
building two good-sized steamers at
San Francisco-the Beaver and the
Alice-to ply on the Yukon river.
These steamers will only be able to
make the round trip on the river this
year, but next year they will be run
regularly. They will go 1900 miles
up the river to place known as Fort
Selkirk, distributing merchandise and
collecting furs for the company.
Professor w. 81. Dali, member of the
Smithsonian Institute, and member OF
the government geological survey, ana
DIR. George Becker, of the geological
survey, are in Alaska. They have been
sent out by the government under the
act and appropriation of $15, 900 made
by last congress to investigate the re-
sources of coal and gold in the terri
tory. They have had the United States
steamer Pinta placed at their service
and will visit all the mining centers
in Southeastern Alaska. Professor Dali
will investigate the extent of the coal
beds around Killisnoo, while the gold
mines and deposits will be examined
by DR.. Becker. Professor Dali is well
known in the territory having spent
five years on the coast survey to the
westward and first visiting the terri
tory in 1865 with Col. Buckley and a
party of engineers to determine the
feasibility of building cable line via
Alaska across the Behring sea to ST.
IBERIA. At that time it was not deemed
practicable to extend cable line across
the Atlantic ocean from the United
States to Europe. In 1870 Professor
Dali issued book on the resources of
Alaska which has been taken as one of
the best written and correct statement
of facts ever written about the terri
tory. Both gentlemen will make a
long stay there to look over the import
ant mining districts.