The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-12
RICH GOLD PLACERS.
TRANSFERRED FROM ALASKA TO
CANADA.
Miners Are Now Paying Tax to the
British AuthOrities-The Errors in
the Old Survey--Over 200 Mines
Affected.

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash, Aug. IL
Alaska have been transferred to Ca
madam territory and miners are now
paying miners tax to the British au-
thorities. The territory in question is
from three to eight miles in width, and
embraces the rich placer claims on
Glacier and Miller creeks, which here
tofore were supposed TO be in Alas
kan territory. Now the miners learn
that they are subjected to the laws of
Great Britain.
These statements were made today by
Captain William Moore, Canadian
mail carrier between Victoria and Fort
Cudahy, Northwest territory. He has
just returned from taking the first mail
to the Yukon miners on British terri
tory. Errors in the old survey were
discovered last autumn, and during
the winter Professor Ogilbee, who now
has charge of a corps of British engin-
GERS engaged in locating the boundary
between the two countries, made the
correction, transferring a strip of ter
ritory from three to seven miles wide
from Alaska to Canada. over 20 min
ers were affected. These the Canadian
police Immediately compelled to pay
miners tax
| Moore says there can be no doubt as
to the correctness of the new survey.
All of Miller and Glacier creeks and
parts of several streams rich in gold
digging are now claimed by British
authorities At first the American
miners were disposed to resent the en-
enactment, Moore said, but after they
] had come to realize the benefits ac-
cruing from British Jurisdiction they
accepted the authority of the British
police.
That portion of the Yukon embraces
the most valuable mining possessions
/ in Alaska and affects the water rights
of forty streams ON Miller Creek. In
eighteen months a man named Miller,
who came out with Moore, took out
! $50 pounds of gold nuggets, valued at
100000. Many other rich strikes are
+ reported.
/ It appears that the miners concluded
/ that the United States government did
not care enough for the territory tc
establish a. government fort, inasnuch
as Professor OgiIbee was permitted to
locate such boundary lines as he chose
without the assistance or the presence
of American officials. and no efforts
were made to prevent the police from
enforcing their regulations over that
+ portion of Alaska territory, Ogilbee
{ sending his field notes and observations
( to Ottawa in charge of his son.
/ He told Moore he would remain al
Fort Cudahy until the arrival Of the
! American surveyors and check his work
if they so desire.
The British authorities are firm in
their methods of exercising the laws
but show great respect to the mining
interests, apparently impressing upor
them the benefits to be derived from
Canadian authority as compared with
United States rule No excitement ex
lists and no trouble is anticipated. The
miners are paying their taxes and sub
hitting to the new laws. He says
Canadian capitalists contemplate build
ing thirty miles of narrow gauge rail
road from Head Lynn to Chain Lakes
connecting the Yukon river, and then
establish passenger and freight service
between Victoria and Yukon of twC
small draught steamboats, in the lakes
would complete the service. The cos
would be nominal and would divert al
trade to British Columbia.