The San Francisco call., 1896-08-12
BRITONS SEIZE
ALASKA MINES,
Rich Placer Tracts Are
Annexed to Canada'S
Territory.
CHANGE IN BOUNDARIES
Owners of Claims Now Paying
Taxes to the Crowns
Exchequer.
MOUNTED POLICE IN CONTROL.
Water Rights of Forty Streams Taken
Without a Protest From This
Government.

PORT IOWNSEND, WASH, Aug. H.
The richest gold placer mines of Alaska
have been transferred to Canadian terri
tory, and miners are now paving miners
tax to British authorities. The territory
in question is from three to eight miles in
width, and embraces the rich placer claims
on Glacier and Miller creeks which hereto
fore were supposed to be IN Alaska Terri
tory. Now the miners learn that they are
subjected to the laws of Great Britain.
These statements were made to-day 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 territory. Errors in the
old survey were discovered late last au-
tumn, and during the winter Professor
Ogiiviee, who now has charge of a corps of
British engineers engaged in locating the
boundary between the two countries, made
the correction, transferring a strip of terri
tory from three to seven miles wide from
Alaska to Canada. Over 200 miners were
affected. These the Canadian mounted
police Immediately compelled to pay min
er's taxes.
Moore says there can be no doubt as to
Tic COIISGluCso Va GI1C ISM survey All Va
Miller and Glacier creeks and parts of sew
eral other streams rich in gold-diggings
are now claimed by British authorities.
At first the American miners were dis
posed to resent the encroachment, Moore
said. but after they had come to realize
the benefits accruing from British juris-
diction they accepted the authority of the
British police.
That portion of the Yukon EN- braces the
most valuable mining possessions in Alas
ka and affects the water rights of forty
streams on Miller Creek. In eighteen
months man named Miller, who came
out with Moore, took out $50 pounds OF
gold nuggets, valued at $4,000. Many
other rich strikes are reported.
1t appears that the miners concluded
that the United States Government did
not care enough for the territory to estab-
lish Government fort inasmuch as Pro-
fessor Ogilviee was permitted to locate such
boundary lines as he chose without the
assistance or the presence of American
officials and no efforts we're made to pre-
vent the police from enforcing their regu-
lstions over that portion of Alaska Terri
tory, Ogilvie sending his field notes and
observations to Ottawa in charge of his
son.
He told Moore he would remain at Fort
Cudahy until the arrival of American
surveyors to check his work if they so
desired.
The British authorities are firm IN their
method OF exercising the laws, but show
great respect to the mining interests, ap-
parently impressing upon them the bene-
fits to be derived from Canadian authority
as compared with United States rule No
excitement exists and no trouble is an
ticIpated. The miners are paying their
taxes and submitting to the new laws
Moore says provisions ran short last win
ter and the mine-workers were subjected
to considerable hardships and a Little suf-
fering. They existed on -four and fresh
meat. He left Victoria in May, crossed
White Pass Summit, descended the Yukon
and then went to San Francisco, via st.
Michaels Island, with a party of seventy
miners, who were taking out 2600 pounds
OF golddust Late in autumn ten miners,
who were gong through the interior to
the mines, lost their lives by drowning.
He saYs Canadian capitalists contemplate
building thirty miles of narrow gauge
railroad from the head of Lynn Canal
to the chain of lakes, connecting
with the Yukon River, and then
establish passenger and freight service
between Victoria and the Yukon mines.
An addition of two small draught steam
boats in the lakes would complete the
services. The cost would be nominal and
would divert all trade to British Colum bia.