The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-09-26
LANDS IN ALASKA
Attempts to Secure Water Front
age Under the Law Of 1891.
THE USE OF DUMMY NAMES
Great Britain Has Fixed the Alaskan
boundary According to Her
own Interests.

seattle, wash, Sept. 22.-NumerOus
attempts are being made in Alaska to
secure valuable land by the perversion
of the act of March 3, 1891
The law provides that the land for
trading and manufacturing purposes
may be taken up, but the maximum is
fixed at 100 acres and there is a fur
ther provision that 1t be as nearly
square in outline as is practicable.
Early in the present year A. p.
Swineford, special agent was sent to
investigate the matter
He is in this city on his return to
Washington and says that traders do
Ing business in small log shacks with
about 5000 worth of goods are trying to
acquire title to all the water front en-
harbor. They seem animated by a
desire to take everything, and 1t looks
as though they wish to keep every
body on water from getting to the land
ana everybody on the land from get
ting on the water.
The salmon Gamers have taken up
land with a view to shutting out all
future people who might desire to can
salmon in their particular locality. At
tempts have been made to gobble up
townsites under the provisions of this
law. st. Paul, with a population of
about 500, is case in point. Land
grabbers are trying to take up the en-
tire water front and also the townsite
The inspector learned of one corpora
tion that had made 35 locations in west
ern Alaska. at Cook Inlet, Kodiak and
elsewhere They had been taken up in
the names of the individuals who were
dummies.
+ ALASKAN BOUNDARY.
A statement published In the Post
1ntelligencer some time ago that the
official maps prepared by the provin-
cial government of British Columbia
would show the truth of every charge
that has been made in this paper to
| the effect that Great Britain intended
| to do her utmost to grab almost every
available site for seaports Is fully con-
| firmed by published copies of the map,
of which several have been received
in this city. The map bears the leg
end, MAP of the province of British
Columbia, compiled by direction of G.
b. Martin, chief commissioner of lands
and works, Victoria, b. c., 1896"
|
boundary claim is clearly defined by a
| broken black line. Starting from the
south it touches Cape Chacon, the
southermost point of Prince of Wales
island. and runs up Benin channel
turning easterly to a point in Borough
bay. Thence it runs northwesterly
along the summit of supposed range
of mountains parallel with the general
IL
lean surveyors say does not exist.
At the opposite head of Holkhan
bay it leaves this mountain range to
the east and cuts across the Tracy
Arm, leaving the head of that inlet in
British territory. 1t makes a similar
cut across the head of Speel river es
tuary. 1t also cuts across Taku inlet
midway of its length, leaving the
mouth Of Taku river, which is the only
available site for seaport in British
territory, while it gives the United
States mountainous shores toward:
the ocean. 1t then cuts across to {
point south of Berner's bay in Lynn
canal. 1t cuts across that large inlet
then veers to the southwark and cross
es Glacier bay near it's mouth; thei
runs northwesterly over the summit
of great peaks to Mount st. Elias.
BY cutting across Lynn canal thi
line gives to Great Britain Berner'
bay, where valuable gold mines ar
being developed by American capital
and 1t leaves Chilcott inlet, Sheep creel
mines, which have recently been dis
covered by Americans, and Chilcot
pass, which is the only practicabl
route to the Yukon mines, in Britis
territory. 1t also gives to Great Brit
ain Muir glacier, Alaska's great sceni
attraction for tourists. Generall
speaking, 1t claims for Great Britai
the heads of the three greatest inlet
In Alaskan territory.
The strongest denials of Great Brit
, aims claim have come from Metlak
ahtla Indians, who some years ag
, moved from Port Simpson, near tn
mouth of Work channel in Britis
, Columbia, 10 Annette island, for tn
express purpose of becoming subjeC
to American government, which ma
granted the island TO them. This islam
lies to the east of Benin channel an
thus claimed by Great Britain, whi
| all previous definitions of boundar
have shown it to be undisputed Amer
can territory. The boundary line
n drawn in conformity with British II
: depreciation of the treaty betwee
. Great Britain and Russia, made
| 12o5