Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-08-05
United STATES WILL BEGIN WORK
THERE NEXT SPRING.
FOOD FOR KLoNDlKE MINERS.
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE VIII
son PROMISES HIS AID.
.,-s,,Itur,I resources of the Alaskan
valleys TO Be Determined md
DpvcIOPed-Gover1me Oi-
HcInIs Confer With
Menre in Chicago.

,-b5c.go Aur 4-T-ncle Sam soon will
have an governmental farm in the Yukon
valley. If Secretary Wilson's pledge 10 T.
p Weare of the North American Trans
portation and Trading Company, Is brought
to fulhllment The promise was made ID
Chicago yesterday al conference between
tho two men named and G. 3. Pray. re-
Gently appointed surveyor general OF
Alaska bv President Mckinley.
Secretary Wilson arrived at the Audito-
rim, in the morning. Mr.. Pray was IN
town 10 learn from Mr.. Weare what he
could of his new field of labor and TO make
preparations for the trip 10 the territory
IN the Arctics. After luncheon with sew
e-al directors of the North American Trans
pcrtation and Trading Company Messrs
Weare and Pray called on the secretary OF
agriculture.
The DEVELOPMENT Of the agricultural re-
sources Of Alaska was discussed exhaust
tvely, and Secretary Wilson pledged hlihseH
20 work for the immediate establishment ol
an Governmental farm in the Yukon valley.
He said congress would appropriate at least
S15 600 for the purpose, and there seemed 10
be no obstacle to the trial of the expert
ment next spring.
Secretary Wilson favors Mr.. Weare's plan
Of sending a colony OF practical farmers to
the Yukon valley as soon as posslbie 10 es-
+ablish farms and supply the miners with
grain. meats and vegetables. IL Is believed
many thousands OF acres will be under cuI-
tivation within few years.
Before Mr.. weare and Mr.. Pray called on
Secretary Wilson they talked for an hour
in Mr. weare's private office.
Mr. Weare gave the new government ofl-
cial several pointers on his future plans
and a general insight into the obstacles
10 be overcome in the new country.
According TO Mr.. Weare the government
has been shamefully negligent of its duties
toward the struggling pioneers In the new
country and business rivalry of the big cor
porate interests have prevented unity OF
action.
The Alaska Company of California. ac-
cordiug to Mr.. Weare, has done great
deal TO retard progress through its Jealousy
of Chicago capital and push. 1t was the
California men who succeeded in prevent
ing government troops from going to Cir
Gle City this fall.
The California people. Mr.. Weare says
care nothing about the development of the
country or the mining interests. They deal
in furs and skins and make their money py
trading with the Indians.
'Our plan was to develop the country by
encouraging prOspectors and keeping the
miners from starving by the establishment
OF posts and stores ali the way up tht
Yukon" NJ. Weare went on. We don
want soldiers particularly, but we 90 wan
We want good United States marsha
and other necessary federal officials. We
have a good judge, recently appointed. We
have land Offices in Sitka, but we neet
branches in the interior
The government surveyor VIII be on
of the most important Of1ces ana one o
the hardest to fill
The government has in the past spen
much money in gathering expert report
and opinions on the resources OF Alaska
No more are necessary. The time has com
for action. From this time on the ,nera
government will have to hustle TO kee
mace with the development of the country.
Mr.. Pray assured Mr.. Weare that ne IN
tended getting down to work at once an
that in his official capacity he would 90 a
I'm his power to bring about a proper sy>
ten governing mining claims IN the nv
ed States territory. He said he would .
guarded largely by the advice OF eNper
enced men in that country, and ne bI
lieved his task, though difficult would nc
b. impossible
Mr. Pray said last night:
4 shall start soon as l can tinis
preparations and go at once to Sitk'
where the government offices are locate
] will not remain there longer than ca
be avoided. as l intend getting into III
mining district as soon as possible. Ihei
rs no need of a surveyor on the coast an
all my work will be in the Interior. hoI
TO start within thirty days.
1T will be necessary to establish a GOV
ernment station in the interior at son
Here a land Office will be necessary, ar
headquarters for the government surye!
ing corps must be established.
Secretary Wilson said last night:
II am greatly interested in the develol
rnent of Alaska. With the aid OF three q
perienced men who are now in the YukC
country the department of agriculture
making extensive Investigations with
view OF learning the value of aSricutur
resources of the principal valleys, and
is certain an experimental farm Will
established within "A year near the Jun
ton of the Yukon and Tanano rivers or
some other favorable location