San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-07-19
YOUKON GOLD FIELD.
CONFLICTING REPORTS AS TO ITS
RICHNESS.
A Hard Country to Mine In With Eight
Months Arctic Weather and No
Work Possible to Be Had.

New York, July ia special to the
Tribune from Washington, says: The
increasing number of gold seekers in
the Yukon basin not only in the Klon-
dyke region, in British Columbia, but
in Alaska, has impressed officials of
the government in Washington anew
with the necessity of reinforcing the
agencies of the government in the lat
ter. From Circle City on the Yukon,
during the last few months, have come
the most urgent appeals and demands
to have the mineral land laws of the
United States extended over the sur
rounding region, and it is probable
that in the first annaul report to Con-
gress Secretary Bliss, of the Interior
department, will approve the recon-
mendation of Commissioner Hermann,
of the general land office, that this
be done, and also that a fully equip
ped local land office be established at
Circle City.
OF course neither of these things can
be done until after authority has been
given by Congress. Among members
of that body, strong lndisposition
has been manifested toward the ex-
tension OF the powers and agencies of
civil government over Alaska ever
since the acquisition of the territory
thirty years ago, because of the mea-
gre population and the apparent lack
of necessity for such Legislation.
In the course of a recent conversation
with a correspondent on this subject
Representative Lacey, of Iowa, who
was chairman of the committee on
public lands in the last Congress, said:
81 suppose one reason that no leg
islation has been had to remove some
of the conditions which exist is because
the committee on territories has had
its time fully occupied with other
matters, and the committee on public
lands has not thought it expedient to
take action in regard to legislation
here until after some further general
Legislation respecting the government
of the territory has been enacted. Our
committee, however, did recommend
the passage of a bill for the establish
ment of a land office at Juneau, and
the House passed it, but the Senate
did not act on it. Juneau is a town
VI SeNtIul lUOuSdHu lilHdDlldllSi
5000 believe, and 1 am informed that
is it a thriving place, containing a
number of substantial brick buildings
for business purposes and so on, and
that the improvements stand on the
public lands of the United States. 1
am also informed that there is no le-
gal authority to levy and collect taxes,
or for officials to receive and disburse
such taxes if collected. Whenever
money is needed for any public pur-
pose the hatas passed. 1 have always
been averse to legislation providing
a full fedged territorial government for
Alaska, with a delegate to Congress
and so on; but conditions there appear
to have been changing rapidly during
the last two or three years and it is
possible the time has come when the
subject ought to be dealt with by Con-
gress."
1t is not improbable that Major La
cey will visit Alaska after the adjourn
ment of Congress and try to ascertain
by personal investigation and observa-
ton what legislation in regard to the
public lands in that territory would be
expedient.