The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-25
ECRETARY BLISS REPORT.
summary OF the Workings Of the
Different Bureaus-Land once
for the YQkou

WASHINGTON. Nov. A--The annual
report OF the secretary of the interior con-
tains review OF the business OF the many
bureaus of the department. for details re-
ferrfng to the extended reports Of the com
fnissioners of the general land office. Of
Patents. OF pensions, Indian affairs and
education,and OF the director Of the geo.
logical survey. and the other executive Of
ficers of the various institutions which are
under the supervision OF his department
Among other recommendations made by
the secretary are for the establishment of
a iand office on the yukon. TO save miners
from the great hardship which would fol-
low should they be required to make their
fiings at Sitka.
He also recommends thhe passage OF an
act TO compel the attendance OF witnesses
before the land office in contested land
eases. and an amendment Of the mining
laws to prohibit more than one lode
claim or more than 100 acres of placer
ground in an application or entry.
He Joins In the recommendation of the
commissioner of patents that a law he
passed providing that no pension shall be
granted TO the widow Of any soldier who
may hereafter marry.
In regard TO the recent sale of the Union
Pacific railway under foreclosure he says
''rhe interest OF the United States in the
Union division Of the Union Pacific rail-
way terminated on November II. 1897. when
this division was sold 20 the reorgan'za-
tion committee. of which Louis Fitzgerald
was chairman
1.-THE accepted bids covered the entire
indebtedness 10 the government 10 No
yefnher l. 1897 and the bonds. at par. held
in the sinking fund.
'sThe amount due the government con-
sisted Of the principal of the subsidy bonds.
ST es and the unrei n, ~, e., and a
ing tho total Indebtedness szSssis 81. - The
sinking fund in the Unitea States treasury
hslong,ns to the COMPANY CONSISTS =. :. 81 =,
in bonds, asgrewating In ai s's ist, SIS ~.
Ietlucting this fird from the Indebtedness
balance OF $40. s5S, COS 20 remains OF the
debt.
s*The bonds IN the sinking fund we've sold
az PAR TO tire same committee for stssaF~
osa making the total bids hy the tcoreahi
IN the ssnkinp fund 81. rs 5se.7 the total
Indebtedness.
The problem Of transportation into the
Yukon valley during the winter time has
engaged, the attention of the department.
and on this subject the secretary asys:
'srha opening Of the new mines on the
Eloniike river threatens 20 draw away the
settlements i'm and about Circle tity. n
the Yukon mining district In former re
norts ~ n office plan 20 arrange = re'ts-
deer exnresx connecting the towns In line
from Eering strait 20 kaSiak island has
beer Described The suprringtnfent ~ the
Teller reindeer station. AisSEa. has recent
Is made successful trial trim OVER this
route thereby demonstrating the pra.ti-
cahgtltv of communication. even ir the
,i,nfh OF winter between ciyiiir9 tkor ard
Arctic Alaska AZ the instance o. The 500
rotary Of the interior orders have h*en Is
sssstt "a krfylr such reindeer rs have heen
.rntnea m harness 90 80 Michael to ne
uiacesf A. the sstsnosa' 81 the officer com
.nsnanr the United States army rost ~
that station for use r transpor'lns pro
sinn should scarcity OF food among the
mining ropnlation IN that region demand
snch course.
For The uurnose Of TRANSPORTATION :
large number ~ male reindeer ~ The Tel
Ter STATEN and elsewhere are under active
training Y, Is proposed 20 dftsh three a.
the skilled hertsSfs,ets with thirty reindeer
hrokrr 10 harness 20 THE Upper Yukon the
,.reeens SEASON. fer she Use OF the miners
In the gold CAMPS. The reindeer fiDts pas
suraEe At nearly all places IN Alaska IN
the dog teams require animal food and
this mast form - considerably PARTON al
the freight they NAV carry. While = ass
miles A say. the reindeer can travel sixty
,r,sre< are even ninety miles The rein
deer herd promises 30 ~ the solution ~ 'he
,,,... important Alaska problem. which =
10 furnish rand transit winter ard sum
men ard 20 utilise Tire only abundant food
there namely. the moss.
Alaska OCCUPIES a fair share 81 the en-
tire revert ard the secretary recommends
tha. mat territory be granted A regular
territorial form ~ government
As an appendix 20 the report there are
ri,h19snes the "Rules and Regulations GOV
srnspS Fores. Reserves" the report % the
Dawes commission. and the agreement
made with the Ave civilized tribes or An.
sa,s ,ns rerars Of w. T. Harris. special
exarn,,er on tire reindeer stations IN Alas
l,ss. ana the report Of Rev Sheldon Jackson
On hts recent visit 20 Dawson CITY. as wei
as as, me avafla otiity % reindeer FOR trans
portasioa TO the nsw geld fields