The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-26
HE SAW IN THE GOLD
COUNTRY.
HE URGES MILITARY RULE.
STRONG HAND WILL BE NEEDED
TO ENFORCE THE LAW
EFFECTUALLY.
SOME SHOW OF ARMS WAS MADE.
The People Along the Yukon With
out Food or Money 81 Serious
Factor.

Factor.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25.-The war
department has just received a most
interesting report from Capt. Ray of
the condition of affairs in the gold re-
gion, as he has found them from ST.
Michaels to Fort Yukon, supplemented
by the accounts of the most reliable
persons he could communicate with as
to the state of affairs in the Klondike
and neighborhood. The officer, who
was sent especially for the purpose of
making recommendations for the bet
terment of affairs there, has some rad
ical suggestions to make. Among them
he urges the division of Alaska into
two districts, the Southern district to
remain under the present jurisdiction.
while the Northern district, including
the gold region, is to be placed under
a form of military government until
congress can make other provisions.
The place selected by the captain for
a military post is near Rapid City,
about $50 miles below Dawson.
Capt. Ray makes some interesting
statements in his report to illustrate
the condition of affairs among the gold
seekers, and because his reports are
strictly official they are entitled to
weight He favors the enlistment of
twenty Indian scouts, who, he says,
would be valuable as guides, boatmen
and hunters and would secure the
friendship of the natives. Circle City,
the other point considered for post,
is, as a post, practically abandoned
now, he says, and it's reoccupation eX-
tremely doubtful. He says there is no
reason why horses cannot be success
fully employed for transportation, but
he also suggests that 100 reindeer be
sent for winter use. Of the settlements
within the territory, but few can be
called permanent, and new interests
will necessitate many changes Several
settlements have already passed away
when new mines were discovered. The
city of Weare was represented by four
spruce logs crossed for foundation for
a cabin. The captain says it is a CEN
trail location and practically the head of
navigation for river boats drawing
more than five feet of water. Forty
Mile and Birch Creek were abandoned
when gold was discovered on the Klon-
Gike.
Speaking of mining operations, Capt.
Ray says the dense growth of forest
and moss makes prospecting and de-
velopment slow. Miners agree to hav-
ing discovered valuable lodes of low
grade ore, but the present high price
OF provisions bars the working of pla-
GERS or ledges that do not pay more
than an ounce per man per day. Up
to the time the boats failed to pass
the bar at Fort Yukon, he estimates
that from the boundary to the sea
there were about 1,200 people. not in
Guiding those stranded at ST. Michaels.
NEW ROUTES.
The captain discusses several new
routes, and says he is reliably informed
that that from Cook Inlet via the head
of Copper river will be the shortest
and most practicable route for rail-
road communication with the open
sea. Up TO the present time the laws
in the country have not been enforced
nor does there exist any means for
enforcing them. All disputes are set
tied by miners meetings. AS part of
his scheme for military government OF
v,
that a court be established at the cap
ital; the appointment of a commission
of miners to settle disputes as to title,
and the passage by congress of a code
of laws for the territory, just as for
the district of Columbia. He recon-
mends that the government construct
a strong river steamer of $50 tons to
use for the relief of people in distress.
Eli Gage, who had just arrived from
7 tN1 1o oyN1f f0eS
and stores at that place were very low
and nothing had been delivered there
by either company since Aug. is, except
one barge load of liquor and boots.
In supplemental report, Capt. Ray
notes the arrival of the transportation
companys steamer Weare with a car
go of 200 tons of provisions. The cap
tain says she is the last boat for this
season. The other company expects
more boats. When navigation Closes
he says there will be 600 tons Of pro-
visions at Fort Yukon, and he will
do what he can to assist in forwarding
supplies and to protect the caches from
raids. There were l30 people at Fort
Yukon, and much dissatisfaction over
the transportation company's failure
to forward them to their destinations
was expressed.
Writing on the 18th, Capt Ray says:
There have been many threats and
some show of arms today, but 1 believe
it will be settled without violence, as
Eli Weare has just arrived and made
favorable concessions. There are sew
eral people here without food and
money. 1 understand the steamers will
carry the most of them down to St.
Michaels, but this element will become
a serious factor after navigation closes
and they continue to come down the
river