The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-25
WEALTH OF ALASKA.
Now Is the Time for Seattle to
Reach After 1t.
THE FUR moNopoLys GRIP.
1t May Re Broken by the Queen city's
Traders-Iske With Bed OF Gold
Old Mining Mans Letter.

island and Cook Inlet IL controlled ~ san
Francisco merchants" said r. A. Cara
ner who has returned from the former
place after profitable trading cruise with
the schoonsrs Lizzie Is. and Elsie. but II
the Seattle Chamber Of Commerce VIII
rena a representative man with me ] viii
s3srnonstrate 20 him that there T. a great
opportunity for paying business "hl,h
Seattle ought 70 have, and just no" y ti'e
time TO get in on account % the Aiaska
Commercial Company lease having s1-
rired We should have four or i've YES
GELS a year taking merchandise from scat
Tic 10 thar country. I am going 10 seH
goods there. the Alaska Commercial Com
rany Notwithstanding. | sold every BIT 81
The uercha rldlae whfch I took north. ana
al I ask Is for man to 20 and see Tor
himself and those who send him.
ARRIVING at EadiaE August :, We met
eight d-fime LINERS returning from Cook
inlet as GUTTER They said the country
was q failure. no gold had been discoN-
cred and not q man made = a day. the
facts were. however. that the early part
OF the season was stormy. the streams
were swollen. and few were able 10 DO
any work Because of the statements or
these men ) did not RI to Cook inlet, for
they reported that supplies were being
sold for less than wholesale prices by dis
couraged miners. l rented a store at 81.
Paul and bessn selling 10 the natives. and
had good trade IN spite Of the opIosi-
ton OF the Alaska and North American
Commercial c0mpaniea. ] started store
nj Afoznak and anotise. As ozinka. and
managed TO sell all the goods. / shall 50
hack again As early as the ice breaks with
two more schooner loads OF freight.
\ Despot Corporation.
1.-THE Alaska Commercial Company has
had station AT Kadiak for many years.
II was one Of the first established. and un-
der Russian rule was the principal colony
in the north. Since the purchase OF Alas
ka the company has had absolute control
until the North American Company Sc
cured its lease for fhe seal islands. No
car ever Was more absolute Ia his reign
than tire agent Of the company, superif-
tandenf Washburn issued an order 70 the
natives and creoles forhidding them 10
buy goods Of me. When the sea otter
hunters came in some had $3.50 coming
10 them. aud Washhurn would allow them
hut 10 TO - per cent. In order To compel
them TO trade at his store. They would
como 10 my place AT midnight In their
siorles 20 avoid his knowing il. and If any
dlsobev his orders they are simply pun
ished by being compelled TO pay more Tor
goods after my departure They fear him
as a slave fears his master lie even went
so far as 10 compel every native 10 fence
his tent. and thus completely shut them
out from my store. as there were no roads
or streets. Agent Greenfield, of the North
American Company. is very much OF q
gentleman. and placed no obstruction in
nv way. I came 10 San Francisco. on my
way home as his guest on the steamer
francis Cutting.
Good Mines at Cook Inlet.
1.-THE men who remained al cook inlet
till the streams subsidized and the storms
nhated were richly rewarded They made
good discoveries At Six-Miie creek, and
two men came down with ig0n In dust
Some more arrived in the latter part Of
September. and were very enthusiastic
about Six-Mile creek. George X. Beede Is
at Restitution creek. and doing wei.
Great Wealth I'm Furs.
This year i.50o sea otter we're caught
by the natives IA that locality. for which
they received s9oa00o The land furs %
hear otter fox and others. while none
singly are as valuable as the sea otter az
pregatc many thousand dollars In value.
The Bristol bay Indians came over the
mountains In April with dog teams and
sleds. bringing their catches Of furs. and
went into camp to await the company
schooners from which 10 get provisions
and clothing in exchange for their furs.
Several other interior tribes send their
furs 10 market IN that manner, but
through the coast tribes.
THE tract between Cook inlet and the
Sukor which Is drained by the kusko-
Ewim river. produces the finest furs ia
the world The fox from there is worth
twice as much as that from the islands.
because ~ the colder climate. Passing on
90 the Tanannh river. the natives also
take the finest furs The country IS all
uneSploTcd aud 0niv one err TIVE white
men have ever been tn there. These say
that Il Is iust as rich country as the
Yukon. and q Rreat deal more accessible.
j. win he the most feasible route TO the
Yukon. and beyond the mountains there
3 said 20 he n ine plateau through which
q TRAN could DE easily made This would
doRhly discount the Juneau route. and tho
.rcapector would have the advantage or
trading n furs. AMI the timber Is inst
suited for good station houses. Excellent
coal is abundant.
Another TrendweIl Mine.
a. Unsa there is a mine which pro
duces nearly as much as the TreRdwell az
Juneau. and IL IS q high grade free mill
ina quartz several others are in the
course Of development and there arc sew
sral paying piacers. 81 which I located
number have vial ~ dust taken out
IN three hours worth over SN
II am indeed very sancuinc ~ that
country Hut tt rs hard % tackle for tho
winters are long and stormy. 10 wants no
STAMPEDE, enough mon arc there now. and
above oil. 81 is no place for n poor man
Cook inlct rs hard 20 navigate. The
coast is very rocky. and there are sunlScn
reefs, which. owing % the fortN-Sevcn
feet n tite and the heavy sales. make II
very dangerous.
Tho opportunities ~ take fish are some
what oVrrrafed. There arr plenty ~ cod
lat they are small. as f. also the halfsrit
Nv men had great trouble with sharks
The travis would he set AZ night. and IN
the tnofniHg there would he twenty 90
thirty heads ON tho hooks but no halil,tit
W" captured manv sharks In certain
seasons th're "a a NHs rup ~ large her
rims. and salmon canning IS a great suc-
cess"
l-ttr Unyst ~ s.A,n .-D,.>-.-x,x-