San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-07-21
alaska D|9aNIS.
Canadian John Says It's
British Territory
REPORT FROM THE DOMINION
INSPECTOR ON THE GROUND,
CONSTANTINE.
Gold Commissioner Sent Wealth
And Extent OF The Regional
Population OF 10000
Expected Within
A Year.

New York, July PA dispatch to
the Herald from Ottawa, says: Now
that the Dominion government is in
possession of authentic reports corrob-
orative of the first accounts sent out of
the marvellous richness of the new pla-
Ger diggings in the Yukon and Klon-
dyke regions, the organization of the
district is being completed. Two years
ago the department of the interior
dispatched a force of twenty north
west mounted policemen to Fort Cuda-
| by, on the Canadian side of the Alas
kan frontier. The officer in command,
Inspector Constantine, established two
posts, one at Cudahy and the other at
Forty Mile Creek. and proceeded to adj
minister laws and collect revenues for
the customs department. He collect
ed about $4,000 the first year. En-
couraged by the prospect of revenue,
the government in 1896 appointed d.
w. Davis, a former member of parli-
ament for Alberta, to the position of
customs officer for the district, and his
returns recently arrived, swelled the
total collections in Yukon TO about 49,
OOO
This work of organization was first
suggested to the government by the
North American Trading and Trans
portation company, which announced
that the British territory should be ad-
ministered so as to guarantee the safe
+ty of it's interests. 1t was not I'M
dertaken by the Dominion authorities
however, until the surveying parties
then in the field had more or less
definitely located the Hist meridian
of west longitude, which forms the
boundary between Alaska and the Ca
madam northwest territory from Mount
ST. Elias to the shores of the Arctic.
When this had been accomplished and
the occupation Of the police posts be-
gan, grumbling from Seattle and
other American coast newspapers
reached the ears of the government
here. 1t was boldly charged that the
Canadians were grabbing territory in
Alaska that did not belong to them
William Ogilvie, chief of the Canad-
ian international boundary survey ets
all doubts at rest as regards the Can
adam posts by reporting that the OBJ
of the Canadian and Amer
lean opinions as to the boundaries diff
fered but few feet. Since then moth
ing more has been heard of the alleg-
ed grab.
Ogilvie stayed in the country all last |
winter and busted himself stalking off |
the claims Of the miners in the newly |
placer grounds, the latter |
being well in Canadian territory, as the |
creeks or rivers flow into the Yukon |
from the east, namely Bonanza, Boul- |
der Ell Dorado, Carmack, Klondyke |
and Stewart. OF the mounted police /
who formed Constantine's first detach-
nent, not one re-enlisted upon the ex-
oiration of their terms in the spring, |
so that an entirely new force had to
De sent up this spring. 1t was not
that men would continue to
work for the government for 81 a day
When wages all around them were ten
Ind fifteen dollars. Five of the re-
urned policemen are reported to have
brought 100000 as the result of min
ng during their spare hours.
Constantine's last report, which has
ust been received, says that he is
third post at the mouth of
llondyke river, which flows into the
Yukon on the east side. about fifty
/
lie has asked for a larger force. In
his his suggestion has been anticipa-
ed as well as in the appointment of a
old commissioner, while a Pacific
oast firm is being negotiated with to
1pply a steam launch to ply as police
oat between Klondyke, Forty Mile
nd Cudahy. 0gilvie was ordered to
eturn to Ottawa last fall but instead
e determined to remain in the coun-
" and forward a full report of his
oings. from which the following are
xtracts: '
1StaTting here, say December /, it
Ill be February before I reached OF I
iva and during thirty-five or forty '
avs of this time, 1 would be exposed
much cold and hardship and some c
azard from storms. The journey has &
zen made and would not hesitate to I
1dertake 1t were things more rea- s
nable here and dog feed plentiful, but o