Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-15
ALASKAN BOUNDARY,
Canada Lays Claim to All of the Most
Picturesque Features.

Hiss Scidmore in the Century.
The change in the boundary indicated by
the Cameron line would not only take from
Alaska several rich mineral sections but
our most unique scenic possessions. Port
land channel itself is ford of surprising
beauty; Benin canal Is justly extolled as the
flrest landscape reach ON the coast; Revil-
lagigedo is the scenic island, and John
Muir is author Of the saying that the
Stfkine river Is "a Yosemite one hundred
miles long" The Cameron line would an
mex all these to Canada, crossing the Sti-
kline at its muddy mouth. and taking away
over sixty miles of that navigable Yose-
mite on whose banks four places have been
accepted as the temporary boundary In the
past. Three times the Hudson Bay Com
pary post and the British custom house
were removed and rebuilt, until at last dur
ing the Cassar mining boom. the British
custom house was allowed to remain on
acknowledged Alaskan soil, at the foot of
the Great glacier. for the temporary con-
venience of the British authorities and the
United States military officers of Fort
Wrangell, near the mouth of the Stik;ne
river Later town site was surveyed
around this very custom house and entered
at Victoria, B. c.
The most beautiful tidewater glacier on
me coast would be lost to us by General
Camerons penciled annexation Of Taku in
let. The boundary line, which had always
been drawn at the crest of the mountain
range at the head of Lynn canal, was
moved down to tidewater on the Canadian
map of 1884 and in 1887 General Cameron
moved the line sixty miles farther south, to
the very entrance of that magnificent ford,
gathering In all the Berner's bay mines, the
canner1eS at the head of Lynn canal, the
great Davidson glacier and the scores Of
lesser Ice streams that constitute the glory
or that greater Lyngenfiord of the new
world.
Least pleasant to contemplate in this pro-
posed partition or gerrymandering of scenic
Alaska Is the taking away of Glacier bay,
which. discovered by John Muir in 1879, Wis
lied and named by Admiral Beardslee in
1880, has been the goal of regular excursion
steamers for thirteen seasons past. Alaska
tourists learn with dsmay that the Cam
eron line. cutting across Glacier bay at it's
very entrance, would transfer the great
glaciers to the British flag and prevent
United States steamers from landing pas
sengers at Muirglacier, just as the Cana
dian excursion steamer has been debarred
from landing visitors in Muir inlet for
want of s United States custom house.
SO far the so-called Canadian "aggres-
sions are all on paper. The Cameron line
mas been drawn. but has only imaginary ex-
istetce. For quarter Of century there
mas been complete Indifference to the unset
tied Alaskan boundary line on the part Of
the United States, followed recently by ex-
clted and Incorporate utterances in the
newspapers. based on half information.
miners yarns and Imagination, as deplor-
able In effect as the former indifference.
Public opinion is being misled and preju-
diced to degree that renders peaceable
consideration Of the question difficult. Wild
editorials have given such hints. points and
suggestions for Canadian "aggressions,'
were such intended, that one might believe
the lingo journalists hypnotized from across
the border. so much better do they serve the
dominion's ends than those of our me
elected estate of Alaska.