The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-04
PROJECT ron THE FORMATION OF
A NEW TERRITORY.
Active work ON the scheme Was
Begun Last Nay-Petftfons for the
Division Vow Circulating Along
the Yuk0a and fn the Mining
Campo and shoaid Reach wash
fngton Early I'm sepssmh~r-The
Nsme Adopted viii Probably BE
Lsnroln-Cf,y of weare TO he the
Capital.

discoveries OF the Northwest Territory
and the mining districts Of the Yukon.
but anything about that wonderful re-
aior. even the LITTLE touches Of politics
that Il recs.yes, now earn for Itself n
great deal OF attention al over The world
The Chicago Tribune says tha. the I'M
rnorsaItzeG name OF Lincoln may some
DAY be given &c a new tsrritory that may
eventuaiiy become a sovereign state OF
thA Union.
Long before the great gold discoveries
IT, the Cioniyks region OF the Northwest
territory became known a movement was
quietly inaugurafed 10 divide the great
territory OK Alaska In May active work
WAS begun and the project IS cox ready
for public ATTENTION.
Petitions for division are now IN circa-
lation In the interior along the Yukon
river ard Ia all mining camps aud should
reach Washington early in September.
The name Lincoln for the ne. territory
met with a quick response on the part
OF this hardy miners. who are delighted
with the prospect Of q territorial form Of
government that will give them direct
governmental supervision. land Laws aila
titles and some incentive 20 good citizen
ship.
Nearly AZ large a. ali Of the United
States cast Of the Mississippi river, and
twelve times the size Of the state OF New
York. there Is not only room, but reason,
for the division Of Alaska.
La support Of the proposition The ifih-
uns furnishes some figures that are IN
tsresstng and while come of them are
complied from history familiar 10 many
they will serve she purposes Of the scrap
books on Alaska and It's resources.
With an area of 577.39o square miles,
Alaska was acquired By treaty with Rus
e.44fz rgffk a
June - of that year. and the transfer
complsted in October The exact bound
aries OF territory were not known al the
time and they are yet in state OF in
taresting uncertainty. depending largely
on the annals of the Russian mission
aries and on the scant records handed
Down by the Hudson Bay Company.
When the purchase was made il was
construed by the administration papers
as an act of courteous recognition of
Russia's friendship In the civil war it
being remembered that Russian fleet of
three vessels appeared In New York nar-
Dor during the excitement over the Trent
affair. when IL looked as II war with
Great Britain was certain To result IL
was sid AT the time-and is still main
tanned in diplomatic circies--that the Rus
alan admiral had sealed orders which d.
TecIsd hun In case of war between the
A0iteu ctAtsS ana 10 au-
nounce Russia's alliance with America.
and to proceed 10 capture any British
vessel possible. How much the purchase
OF Alaska served as an expression Of our
gratitude for Russas assistance ar a
critical period no one accurately knows.
The true inwartiness' Of the transaction
was kept under cover for diplomatic rea-
sons, but II pleased Great Britain
much then as the developments OF the
seal fishing controversy. and the uncer-
tainty OF the boundary line. at the pres
ent date. In fact, the national iceberg
as IL was termed in lss5. has been from
:he beginning a torrid source of unpleas-
aatness between the two great nations Of
the English speaking tongue.
Mineral riches We're limited at by, the
early explorers. In 1885 the director of
the mint credited Alaska with x3tn,oro In
gold and s20n In silver. the chief con-
irihutor being the Alaska mill al Douglas
city. In 1895 the gold product reached
sl.sss.s~o. showing a gain over 1885 equal
to $50. Fer 1857 the gold output Is
placed by good Judges az not less than
sic goa.no which is nearly twice that of
Colorado in iSez. Small lots of smelling
ore~-frogn which some silver is recovered
ARE shipped 10 Tacoma for treatment
but The main producers are the large mills
on Douglas island. equipped with stamps
saving gold values.
After division Is made there Will remain
In Alaska all the territory along the
Northern Pacific seaccast and the Aleu-
fian islands This Includes all the agFi-
cultural lands in Alaska and that part OF
the territory which enjoys comparative
IL mild and eIuslbio climate ON account
of the we'll known Influences OF the ia
pan current The proposed territory OF
Lincoln VIII embrace within its buun-
diaries the valleys OF the great Yukon
river and It's tributaries and the coast
along EvrinS SEA
The city 0f Weare. az the mouth OF the
TAnana river sa miles from the sea and
CA the Yukon river, Viii be- named IN the
act rs the ssat OF government Of the new
territory. Tributary 20 the capital on all
sides VIII lie the great placer mining gold
fields.
The infuN az population into these gold
fields IL So great THAI the residents OF the
Interior of abe present Alaska and all
Who have Investments there are unani-
nous ga thefr Getna ndS for such recogni-
ten from the government a. vii! give
them protection ia life and property
They are ready iar the active develop
rnent 81 "a rich. great country. too Ions
kept closed
There are mines al sold copper. coal
iFeu. silver ard lead within the proposed
territory az 4JncotH. ana 20 tho~e mast be
ADDED tue recently discovered rica oil
Fields.
Organization VIII immediately foHoa
tho territorial creation and tt iS liked,
''thn delegate from fdaeoln'' viii soon l,s
recognized in congress {fe VII ae on an
equal footing Win delegates from other
territories and VII have voice in areu.
ment h,af no vote on roli cali
The people AZ S.Jka have utgge time
and less inclination &c attend 10 tAs AZ.
fairs 81 she su}eTt0r ~ Alaska" IS ;he
complaint that ia moSt often heard
The neg division Viii gsxe 20 Alaska IN.
coast trade. the sreat qHartz mines OF
Isouslas island. anA sst the land u, IN,
territory st present known 10 h, adAuy-
ahse - agricultural plrgzoseS.-}a roam,
numbers Saaso Square mites The terri
tory ~ Lincoln is - comprise oue.bal
million square miles 81 the interior AZ,
northern roas; country.
Il is r,8Sona biz supposition that s
areat deal * wealth wsll n taken os3t q.
these golA aslds. ard Il should not +
sssf.sustva thar the Canadians and theH
government ara vigorously sxteUdsn6
thrtr settlements ara their sphere oE ta-
rusnce inertia ard w@st ~ british Cel}.s
t6a 4 subsidy o5 so ss' mile Is about
e. - given 20 8 railway branching norsa-
ward fr0m the Canadian Pacific for cye1
- nsira wsftch Is 10 - constructed wl;h
v{e@ e. opening up that portion 81
british Columbia and drawing 80 it fren
tte iate ~ Southeastern Alaska What.
tver trade uaay Develop ~ that rwsfan
TIE Asner;can xoVeFnrnent w5ll ~ least p
esfssal tnat SIS political rights and ter-
tltofial tor}ef3c550u are carefully guarded
81 order that the enterprise ~ ia g-.,srsls
naay have safe opportunity Cor achieve
raent