The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-07
STEALING THE YUKON.
British Columbia After the
Rich Mines.
THE BOUNDARY QUESTION.
Juneau May Come Within the Limits
Claimed.
NEGLECT OF AMERICAN SURVEYORS.
Canadian Officials Who Scale High
Peaks and Ford Rivers to
Trace Lines.

SEATTLE, Feb. 6.-The news of decisive
steps taken by the Dominion officials to
assert jurisdiction over the Yukon River
mining district and of their steps prelim-
mary to the settlement of the Alaska
boundary has been brought down by G. A.
Carpenter editor of the Alaska News of
Juneau. In an interview he said: "There
is considerable excitement in Alaska over
the boundary question and the people
scarcely discuss anything else. The Can
adam Government claims that Forty
mile Creek is in British Columbia, and to
make the claim good has sent thither two
gold commissioners, with power to make
report in relation to the gold discoveries
and also as to the smuggling of liquors into
that region. The general opinion of min
ers coming out of the Yukon region is that
Forty-mile Greek is in British Columbia.
had a talk with Engineer Pratt, who con-
Quoted the boundary survey for the United
States Government, and he is of the opin-
ion that the camp is located in Alaska on
American soil.
eff the claim set up by the British is
correct there is prospect that Juneau will
come within the limits of the territory
claimed by the British under their inter-
probation of the description of the boun-
dairy. This description says that in the
absence of mountain range the boundary
line shall be within ten marine leagues of
the coast line. The American idea is
that the line shall follow the meanderings
of the bays and inlets.
''The idea is, from what can learn from
William Ogilvie, who has charge of the
Canadian surveying party, and who was
one OF the pioneer surveyors for the Can
adam Government, in making a report on
the Yukon and its resources some ten years
ago, that the Dominion Government is
now anxious to find out the mineral wealth
of the Yukon Valley in order to construct
good wagon road or a narrow gauge rail-
way from salt water on the coast
to the headwaters of the Yukon
River. Last September Ogilvie, with a sur
veying party of nine Canadians, started
from Juneau for the head of Taku Inlet to
make a preliminary survey and topo-
graphical report on the Taku route for the
construction of a road to the headwaters of
the Yukon River.
"Among all classes of people in Alaska
it is the universal opinion that if
England succeeds in getting this strip of
territory from the United States Govern
and another victory for the aggressive
policy pursued by the British"
Mr.. Carpenter also says the American
boundary-survey parties were negligent in
their work, not sending parties into the
interior, but merely making observations
through teld-glasses from the decks of
their steamers, while the Canadian sur
veyors scaled the high coast range to the
very SUBMITS of the mountains, in many
cases subjecting the men to imminent dam
ger to life and limb in order to secure exact
data which would naturally make and
mark a boundary line. Mr.. Carpenter
says the sending of Ogilvie's party in mid
winter into the most dangerous part of
Alaska to report on the Taku route is sig
nificant. Ogilvie will return by the mid
die of March to make hasty report to
Ottawa, then return to finish the boundary
survey,