Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-21
ANNETTE ISLANDS.
Condition Under Which Mr.. Duncan
Holds FossesssiOn.

Holds Preservation.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
1 read with great interest the interview
with Gen. Duftield, director of the coast
and geodetic survey, published in your is
sue OF the 25th uitimo, as to the great min
eral wealth of Alaska, and particularly the
rich lodes on Annette Island. His state
ments are all probably correct, and his
opinions are entitled to great weight, as his
ability as a scientist and his opportunities
for investigation and observation in that
region qualify him to speak as an expert.
But am not quite prepared to agree with
him as to the title to Annette Island, al
though the view expressed by him is the
popular one. Upon this point Gen. Duff
field is reported as follows:
ION Annette Island, in the archipelago
there is of the richest gold mother
lodes in the world. which will probably
never be touched, or not so long as the
present owner is living and residing there.
His name is Henry Duncan. and the island
was granted to him by Congress several
years ago for the purpose of civilizing and
educating the Indians"
He further states:
Il have met Duncan and have been
greatly impressed by his personality He is
Scotchman, and some years ago had an
Indian colony similar to the one on An
rette Island in British Columbia One of
the English bishops attempted to coerce
Duncan into putting his colony under the
Jurisdiction of the church. He refused to
be coerced, appealed to the United States
island. He has had it four or five years.
believe, and has been most successful in
his manner of carrying out his philan-
thropical ideas.
Just back of the village which he found
ed in one of a range of hills, is the rich
lode of gold. Duncan does not allow it to
be touched. because he is satisfied with his
worldly possessions, and he does not care
n fhaf IrSf
for gold which characteriZeS the whites"
So far as his title to the island Is con-
cerned, he has none whatever, except that,
until further provided by law, it is set
apart as a reservation. The law is found
in section - of the act of March 3, 1891,
and is as follows:
THAT until otherwise provided by law,
the body of lands known as Annette
Island, situated in Alaskan archipelago, in
southeastern Alaska, on the north side Of
Dixon's entrance, be, and the same Is here
by, set apart as reservation for the use
OF the Metlakahtlan Indians, and those peo-
pie known as Metlakahtlans. who have re-
Gently emigrated from British Columbia
to Alaska. and such other Alaskan natives
as may join them, to be held and used by
them in common, under such rules and reg
ulations, and subject to such restrictions
as may be prescribed from time to time by
the Secretary of the Interior"
1t IL thus seen that Mr.. Duncan was not
given title to or any interest in the islands
ton it is declared to be a reservation for
the Metlakahtlan Indians and such other
natives as may join them, under the con-
troll of the Interior Department. This is
an Indian reservation pure and simple, ex-
cept the law provides for what the Indians
always do, the holding and use in common,
and that the Secretary of the Interior is
authorized to make rules and regulations
for the government of the colony. The
very language of the act, l. e., until other
wise provided by law" proves conclusively
Congress regarded 1t as temporary meas
ure, an experiment, perhaps, and that other
disposal of 1t would be made by Congress.
Unless these alien Indians, these British
subjects, who have no title or claim to the
soil, are accorded different or better treat
ment than that which has been received
by our native Indians with whom we have
treated as owners OF the soil, this mineral
land upon Annette Island will be segre-
gated from that which is used by the In
dians for fishing and commercial purposes
and will be opened to exploration and pur-
chase under the mineral laws of the United
States. This has been almost uniformly
done in cases where valuable mineral de-
posits have been discovered within the
limits of Indian reservations set apart for
the use of our native Indians; in fact, 1t
has become the settled policy of the gov
eminent to open mineral lands to explora-
ton and purchase in order that the mineral
wealth OF the country might be developed
wherever the government has title to the
lands, and / see no good reason why the
same policy should not be pursued with the
lands referred to. 8. M. STOCKSLAGER