New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-24
THE ALASKA GOLD FIELDS.

4 recent report of the Geological Survey
oNiciallv confirms the stories of the last few
years about rich gold fields along the Yukon
River As long ago as 1863 some of the llud-
son Bay Companys men found small quaint
ties Of the precious metal on the Pelly River
and other tributaries Of the Yukon, but no at.
| tcmpt was made to follow UP the discovery.
George Holt in 1878 found gold along the
| Hootainqua River. Two years later pros
pecting party went from Sitka, by way of Chill
| koot Pass and the lakes, down Lewis River to
the IIootalinQua. but found little. In 1854 and
| 1851 however work was begun in earnest and
| with profitable results on the HOotalinqua.
! Pelly Stewart and other rivers, and In the fall
of 1856 the centre Of interest was transferred
! TO the Yukon itself by the discovery Of gold at
Forty Mile Post Since that date progress has
been steady, and several million dollars worth
| of gold has been taken ont by American miners.
besides a probably equal amount secured by
Canadians. The present report declares the cx-
| istence of auriferous deposits along the Yukon
and its tributaries from Forty Mile Creek, on
the boundary line between Alaska and Canada,
down to the Ramparts, 900 miles below. How
far the field extends into British territory Is not
known. unless to Canadian prospectors, nor
how far westward beyond the Ramparts.
That II does extend considerable distance In
both those directions is highly probable, as also
| that it includes the valley of the great Tan
! nanah River which joins the Yukon below the
| Ramparts and which has never yet been ex-
pored
Entrance Is had to this region from Juneau
chiefly by way Of ChilkoOt Pass, which latter
| affords the shortest cut though at an elevation
of thousand feet or more above White and
Taku passes, in the same region. All Of these
passes lead directly into British territory.
After crossing the mountains the route lies
| along remarkable series Of long, narrow lakes
| forming the upper part of the Lewis River.
| These. with the connecting links of river. are
| navgable, though with some difficulty. They
are subject to furious storms and rapids
abound in the narrow parts. The Lewis finally
leads to a junction with the Pey River, and
| thenceforward the united stream Is known as
| the Yukon Nearly 300 miles below the june
| ton the boundary line is crossed. and there
after the river flows through Alaskan soil. The
route as described leads across British soil
| from the crest of Chlkoot Pass to Forty Mile
| Post distance of something more than GOO
miles This fact explains the circumstance,
| over which something Of pother was raised
| O year ago of mails being carried between two
points on United States soil namely, Juneau
| and Forty Mile Post. by British agents They
| had to be thus carried, as the route lay across
| British territory: just British mails from
| Nova Scotia to Ontario. If sent straight across
through New England, must be carried by
United States carriers. One Of these days no
doubt there will be Il route TO the gold fields
exclusively on United States soil, by way of the
Atna or Copper River. This will afford a very
short cut across the Alaska coast range 10 the
| headwatcrs Of the Tannanah River. and thence
to the Yukon.
! Some ill-advised talk being heard now and
| then about the disputed boundary and Eng
lands attempt to grab the gold fields, it may
| be well TO repeat that 10 such attempt has been
made. and that no such dispute exists. There
| is not and never has been the slightest ques-
ton as to the boundary line of that part of
Alaska II Is the 1i1st meridian of longitude
west from Greenwich. and is no more 10 be dis
puted than is the position of the Equator. All
that is necessary Is that the two governments
should send joint commission thilhcr, 10 mark
the lire with mathematical accuracy. 1t Is
merely a problem in geometry. that is ALL and
! is TO be solved not by armies. nor by diplomats.
but by civil engineers. There is 4 disputed
Alaskan boundary. il is true. but il is five hun
dred miles away from the gold fields Upon its
determination depends the width If the strip Of
coast land from Mount 81. Eas down TO Dixon
Entrance. which shall belong to the United
States The dispute is chiefly concerning the
lower 80 miles from Fort TongasS 10 Fort
Wrangel. and involves the ownership Of Revilla
Gigedo and some smaller islands. and the whole
TOngass peninsula 1t is now in way of settle
mpnt and if the settlement Is not favorab bic
TO the United States that will be largely be-
| cause the Washington Government has not.
during the last three years enabled It's agents
| evidence for their side The British have done.
| The Government ought 10 be- convinced by
| this time that Alaska is a territory worth de-
vcloping. II is by no means improbable that
IL will day rank with California. Australia
| and South Africa rs land Of gold That II
| contains fine marble and other valuable stones
In enormous quantities is well known, and large
deposits Of excellent coal have also been dis
while its fisheries and furrieries unsur-
passed in tho world. The climate is not to be
described as delightful II is cold in winter and
hot in summer and there are miasmatic
swamps, and mosquitoes that would put Staten
Island and New-.Iersey to shame. Neverthc-
less il Is not nearly as bad as il has often been
represented. When once the country Is prop