The Somerset reporter., 1896-04-16

IN Whole year, and perfect calm has
never been on record.
The most westerly point of the
United States is the island of Attoo 400
miles from The nearest Alaskan village.
Here dwell seven-scOre OF vigorous aud
enferpriSing Aleufs who have resisted
advantageous offers TO leave their lonely
island home. This il the extreme west
ern village which Is or can be on the
North American continent aud iucfedi-
bic a il may seem ibis village makes
San Francisco practically the half way
town "a we 90 from the eastern part of
Maine to our westernmost settlement.
One-third of Alaska lies within the
Arctic circle and Is nearly all frozen moor
or tundra With mosquito haunted lakes
and marshes and mountain spurs. The
greatest curse to Alaska especially this
Alaskan mainland is the mosquitoes
The natives themselves do not dare -
into the woods during the summer, and
their dogs frequently die from the
Effects OF mosquito bits, while horses
and cattle could not live fortnight if
not protected by man.
The natives dwell in bark shanties or
cotton tents in summer, and IN winter
in log huts entered by under
ground passages. They eat the meat Of
the moose, whale. seal. walrus, reindeer,
bear, wild fowl and many fish, dress in
the skins of animals and ind great COM
fort in smoking tobacco. Winter travel
ing inland is done on sledgcs drawn by
dogs. The Yukon traders often make
journeys of 2000 miles in this manner.
In summer all travel is by canoes Of skin
or bark. Millions upon millions Of
geese, duck, swans, cranes, herons,
swallows. robins aud grouse visit this
vieiAity every summer to lay their egg
in The grass of the lowlaLds
Point Barrow is the most n0rtherly
point of the United States, yet during Il
lew days in July. buttercups, dandelions
and peoples spangle the moors and
golden butterflies float in the chill air.
The Yukon River is of unknown length
(oVer 1000 niles and traders steam
boats, tow batteauX for 1900 miles up its
mighty flood. 1t has several shallow
mouths with a delta 20 miles wide and
for Il 1000 niles it varies from 10
miles in width. Blue grass, Wild roses
and other plants grow on the shores.
st. Micheas is a fortified trading post
founded by the Russians. It lies far
north Of the Yukon delta and gets all
the trade of the great river. The short
but intensely hot summers of the upper
\ ukon country produce millions Of acres
Of rich grasses, aud barley has ripened
at Fl. Yukon inside the Arctic Circle.
The boundary line between Alaska and
Canada has never been marked and
large acres of territory are in dispute,
especially on the upper Yukon. The
district contains ten active volcanoes,
aud many that are burnt out. Mt. st.
Elias reaches "A height of l1.00O fl, Mt.
Crillon, $500 Fl. and Mt. FairWcathcr.
II, 800 f., Mt Wrangell in the forks Of
Copper River has an estimated height of
10, 100 II. and perpetual smoke pours
from its peak. The glaciers of thus ST.
Elias region are of amazing dimensions
and are unrivalled in frigid grandeur by
anything that is landed in Switzerland
or the Ilimalayas.
The government consists of governor,
district Judge, Il clerk of the court
(whO is also secretary and treasurer of
Alaska), L. s. district attorney, col
lector of customs and five deputies, t.
:. commissioners at Fort Wrangel, Sitka,
.Juman and Inalaska, and a marshall
and six deputies. The District has no
delegate to Congress, and no local legis
laturc. Congress appropriates about
$50, 900 year for schools which are less
efficient in results than could be wished, |
because the children are not compelled
to attend
Gold, silver, copper, sulphur, pctrole-
um and coal are found in different To-
calitics. The annual value of the chief
products are thus estimated by the gov
ernor, fish. oil, bone and ivory $4,000 !
600, furs, $4,000, 900, gold (GulliOn, ore
and dusD 81 900, 900. silver, S50,O00
lumber, $50, 900, making IA total of $40
900, 600, all of which except lumber are
exports. The seal fisheries also bring
an annual rental of 100000
Juman is the largest and livelest town
in Alaska and has two newspapers, the |
most northerly in America, and an opera
house and public library. Sitka is the
capital and the home of the Alaska |
Historical Society. A weekly newspa- |
per is published here also, these three
being all the local papers in Alaska.
kadish village on kadish Island is the
center geographically and commercially |
of this district. 1t was the site Of the
first grand depot of the old company
and also the location of the first mission
AIRY establishment and day school ever
founded on this northwest coast.
The interior of Alaska is claimed to be
the loneiest place in all the world. The
climate is too severe for any one to make
their home there. When Alaska was
first transferred an estimate of many
thousands of Indians were said to live
there, but it has been proven that hun
dreds only live were thousands were
said to exist In the table of statistics
it gives the population in 1880 as 1929
which is one inhabitant to 10 square
miles. There is no voting population,
no public debt, no banks, no counties or
cities, no railroads, no farm lands in
acres, no colleges or professional schools
and no vessels. There are 800 towns
and villages and II post offices. Mails
are carried to Juman, Sitka, Fort Wran-
CELL, Loring and Killisuoe weekly in
summer and fortnightly in winter and
monthly mails go from Fort Wrangell to
the other places.
During tho Xuintar Of 1909 L NJ Nor