The herald., 1897-10-28
Protest Against McKinley's
Plan
THE MILITARY RESERVATION
IS UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSED BY
THE TRADERS
Questions Arise Concerning the Rights
of Nations-New Strikes Re
ported Near Dawson

| Associated Press Special Wire.
| TACOMA, Wn., Oct. PA meeting OF
citizens was held today to enter pro-
test against the establishment of mil
itary reservation at st. Michaels, as the
supposed limits will embrace the mouth
of the Yukon and be practically pro-
hibitory to the construction of boats
and steamers there, or any other pusl-
ness enterprise.
| A special to the Ledger from Olympia
SAYS: Governor Rogers has also sent
letter to the president, asking Tor an
amendment to this plan. Much feeling
has been aroused here among ell classes
of business men. The annexed telegram
was sent to Secretary Alger. Copies
were also telegraphed to Senator Will
son and to S. NJ. Perkins, private secre-
tary to Senator Hanna: We ask for the
reconsideration of your order setting
apart military reservation at st. Mi
chaels, believing that should it stand
it must work to the detriment of thou
sands of our citizens and give a mo-
nopoly to the two companies now To-
Gated there
INDIANS RIGHIS
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27.-The status
of the Indians in Alaska and their right
to take up and hold a mining claim ac-
cording to the United States mining
laws or pursuant to any treaty with
Russia at the time of the Alaskan pur-
chase is discussed in an interesting de-
cision made by Commissioner Hermann
of the General Land Office. 1t is held
that the right to prospect, locate, enter
and receive patent for mineral lands is
conferred upon citizens of the United
States and to those who have declared
their intention to become such,and that
this right is based upon the act of Con-
gress approved May II. 1884 AS to
whether native born indian of Alaska
is a citizen of the United States the
Commissioner cites the case of Waters
VS.. Campbell in the United States Su-
preme Court, which held that Alaska is
not an Indian country in the usual sense
of that term, except so far as the intro
duction and disposition of spirituous IL
uuors is concerned, and, subject to this
restraint, is open to occupation and
trade generally. A former Secretary of
the Interior held that under the treaty
of March 8, 1867, the uncivilized native
tribes of Alaska will be subject to such
laws and regulations as the United
States may from time to time adopt. The
status of the natives as race, the Com
missioner says, has never been defined
by statute nor has their political status
been fixed. The Commissioner of In
dian Affairs has never exercised any
jurisdiction over any portion of the in
habitants of Alaska as Indians. All laws
referring to Alaska or it's aboriginal in
habitants bore no reference to it as I'm
dian country" nor to them as "Indi-
ans" and the conclusion, therefore, is
that contracts with these people are not
required to be approved by any official
of the government, as is essential in
other cases between a white man and
Indians.
This subject is likely to prove an in
teresting issue in the next session of
Congress. Though similar legislation
was defeated at the last session, the re-
cent developments are held to have
brought Alaska into conditions ripe for
representation by delegate.
NEW STRIKES
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. CIV. ].
Jones, a, newspaper correspondent,
writes as follows from Dawson City
under date of September 14th:
Another strike has been made and
the camp in on fire with excitement. In
the last twenty-four hours nearly 400
bench claims have been staked out on
the side hill in Skookum gulch.
In half day last Friday, foot below
wi
picked out $685. in gold. Two nuggets
valued at SAT and $27 respectively were
found and hundreds of others worth
from IS to 500 were taken out of the side
hills.
Yesterday and today boulders We're
turned over and there, lying exposed to
the light Of day, were nuggets scattered
in the gravel. The moss is about twelve
inches thick and beneath it yesterday
two men picked up over $500 in coarse
gold.
Experienced miners are unable to Of
fer a theory as to how the gold got there.
1t is worn but little and just below in
the gulch some rich specimens of float
were found. The opinion is general that
rich beds of quartz lie concealed just
beneath the surface.
NOT ON THE MANIFEST
SEATTLE, Oct. 27.-Before the steam
er Farallon sailed last night for Alaska
United States customs officers seized
nine dozen bottles Of champagne and
seven dozen bottles of whisky and
brandy, which were not on the ships
manifest
WANT THE TRADE
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27.-The COM
mittee of ten appointed by President
Dohrmann of the Merchants associa-
ton, for the purpose of devising means
by which a fair proportion of the trade
of Alaska and Klondike may be secured
by San Francisco, met today. 1t was de-
cided to establish bureau of informa-
ton and to distribut9 literature through
out the eastern states, representing San
Francisco as the best and cheapest base
of supplies for Alaskan outfitters.