Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-08-13
FACTS CONCERNING ALASKA.
Something About This UnexpIored
Empire Which is Attracting
SO Much Attention.

which pertains to Alaska. II Is proba.
be that no one man could give, or
that no book published contains,
nearly so much information about 1t as
the recent report Of the Un.tsd States
census upon this part Of the national
domain. Its large quarto volume CON-
prises practically all the data that lie
yet available,
From this we may get the following
idea Of the Terr!tory's size and extent.
Let it be supposed that all the states
Of the union north Of Tennessee and
east of Mississippi were pushed up
toward the north pole until New Eng.
land and New York were within the
Arctic circle; let it be imagined thai
they were destitute OF a single railroad,
wagon road or even vehicle let il
further be supposed that their present
population Of some so. 600, 900 were
replaced by as many thousands. the
population OF the coun y or city ward
covering this empires extent, and that
ia Alaska.
It extends 1900 miles from east TO
west, as lar as f.~- Nav York % Cali.
fornia, aud the eastern lint OF its ter
.i'ory is west OF the last named state.
II Is as far from the northern to the
southern limit Of this colossus as from
Maine to Florida, or more than 1,400
miles. IT, has %, 900 miles Of coast
line, enough to belt the globe, or two
and a half times more than all the rest
of the United States.
II A'aska be reckoned as an integral
part of The Union, the national center
Of area is not found in Kansas, as soften
stated, but far out In the Pacific ocean
Vitus Boring, after whom are nance
the we'll known strait and sea, com.
manded an expedition which discover.
ed the country in 1919 The first
permanent settlements were made by
the Russians on Kadiak island in 1T48.
aud vigorous missions amongst the
natives we're carried on by clergy Of
the Greek church.. One-third of them
8 ill belong to this organization. In
recent times missions have also been
e ta5Iished by the Roman Catholic
church and the principal Protestant
bodies.-
The United States purchased Alaska
Of Ressia IN 1867 for 81, 200, 600.
Widely ridiculed at the time, this &C
QUESTION has since proven TO be o prof ,
able investment, even without taking in
to consideration the recent wonderful
gold discoveries. Ia twenty-five years
of American occupation ending with
1890 the exports amount to over $75,-
900, 900. and $500 IONS of shipping
engaged in Alaska trade in the census
year.
For the purpose Of enumeration the
census authorities divided the country
into seven parts, Of which the sixth,
or Yukon district, embraced all the
territory drained by the great river,
and is most interesting to the public
at the present time.
"The Yukon is formed by the con-
fuence Of The Pelly and Lewis rivers,
in British territory. 1t is here nearly
a mile wide, and has a swift current OF
six or mil 10 an hour. Forty
Mile creek enters the river about forty
eight miles beyond the Alaska bound.
ary. From there the river sweeps
the northwest, and barely
the Arctic circle at old Fort
where it is met by the Potcu
zine river, from the northeast. From
his point the YUKON flows Ia q south
westerly direction until 1t empties into
sound, having run a course OF
900 miles, for ], 600 miles Of which,
IF from Fort Selkirk to its mouth, it is
avigable for stern wheel steamers of
so tons. Blu. deep sea going vessels
annot enter its mouth, since a deep
60 channel has revfr yet been dis.
overed, although the frequent pres-
nee OF white whales, far up the RIVER,
it certain that such a passage
xistss The Western Union telegraph
ompany used the fret steam craft
YER on the river, in 1866, while ex-
for the proposed telegraphic I
,ute TO the old world, via Bering I
RAFT. The Yukon is open to nayiga. I.
on during June, July, August and the :
rst half Of September, but a severe /
inter occasionally keeps the moath
osed by ice until July 1st.
The first gold was discovered in 3
.aska more than a quarter OF a cen
ry ago. In 1878 three men prospect.
& near Sitka found a quartz bearing
I'D vein. A few years after a COM I
my was formed to develop this prop 7
ty and in1S79 q stamp mill was Il
ected. b.
Yakutat is a locality about 240 miles =, N
rtheast OF Sitka. H. re ecli bearing g
nds were discovered in 1887 on the re
. shore, and mining has been car IN
ID on to the present time. Until re- ~
ntly by far the most important gold az
mes were those surrounding Juneau be
The first gold was disc vsred UP the y
Ikon near the present ice 10 Of ex
ement, 10 1856. Nh ID pro u, citing
been lone there, and while It was al
nv AA -IYtL--M. W