Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-11-25
rHE NEW ELDORADO
fhE GOLD FIELDS OF ALASKA
AND THE YUKON.

Purchased from Russia in 1867 for
200, 900, Alaska was a portion of the
nited States for 30 years without at
acting the attention its resources and
ealth merit. Everywhere apathy and
norance preaviled in regard to this
test territorial acquisition. Suddenly
lis was changed. In single day the
res of the entire world were turned to
londike, and there they remain fixed.
IN the 18th of last July the steamer
brtland sailed into port with $500, 900
gold on board, and to the ends of
e earth was telcgraphed the story of
e rich placer diggings discovered
ong the klondike and it's tributaries.
hen began that rush to the new mines
hitch has filled the news columns of
e press with its varied experiences for
mr. months. Ten thousand men
lined in it. Some are now at the
e trails from the coast to the klon-
Ike; still others are at juneau, Dyea
bd Skaguay, awaiting Il more favor
lie time for the journey, while not a
Nv have returned to civilization, sat
fed with their experience or to make
fresh start under better circum-
Rnces. Great and exciting as was
is irst rush, it was but the advance
pple of the great wave of gold hunt
S that will roll in upon the Alaskan
asst the coming spring. Probably not
nixon next year. and possibly four
mes this number may go. For this
ason a clear and succinct description
Alaska and its resources, with a
ief review of its routes OF travel must
4 of interest even to those who have
intention of seeking the northern
lderness.
Z In the first place. it must be under
bod that the Yukon river flows partly
rough Canada and partly through the
II hited States, and that the Klondke
4 zion is on the Canadian side OF the
! undary line, though good placers, pos
bly, as good as those of the klondike,
!. list OH the American side of the line.
!. kginning at the Arctic ocean, the
II undary line runs due south along the
Y lst meridian as far as Mt. st. Elias,
= marine leagues from the Pacific,
r. hence it follows the coast line, pre-
\ wing distance of 10 marine leagues
I'm it, in southeasterly direction to
Y latitude of 81 degrees and 40 min
1 rs, which becomes the southern limit.
\ east of that line belongs to Cam
4 b, part being in the Northwest Ter
II Dry and part in the province of Brit
Columbia, the dividing line run
Il g east and west across both lakes
q nnett and Teslin. The present gold
n coveries are all north of the British
uluDla llIlCs DuI llO OHS JtlI lcll
{. at may be revealed in the future
That portion west of the boundary
and belonging to the United States
stitutes Alaska proper, and contains
1. ptal area Of 617,7 03 square miles, of
!. ich 81, 1896 square miles consist of
!. lnds along the coast. 1t is only on
81 BE islands and narrow strip of the
accent mainland that settlements
|e been made and industries de-
bped except the gradual development
n old placers along the Yukon, ending
: n the recent startling discoveries.
towns OF Alaska consist of but half
bzen Of any prominence, besides the
places Oh the Yukon. They are
ka, the capital, Juneau, Wrangel,
Hk Metlakahtla, Kodiak and Dutch
q Dor. Sitka is on Baranotf island,
ID the southeast coast, and has a popu
on OF ABOUT 500. Juneau is on the
An inland, about 100 miles further
y til. 1t is the chief commercial city
during the winter season its popu-
= on exceeds 5000. New Metlakahtla
mission and trading point near the
thern extremity, and Wrangel is a
~ ling point on the coast at the mouth
" Stickeen river. Kodiak is on the
% nd Of the same name south OF the
~ skan peninsula, and is the seat of
btu salmon packing industry. Dutch
sdk Dor is on the island Of Unalaska. one
n Ehe Aleutian group, where vessels
uik from the Pacific into Behring sea.
laska is region of mountains,
I |e being no great valleys nor plains.
~ hg the coast a high range of noun
rises almost abruptly from the
IN prs edge, deeply indented with long
~. of the sea. These present a series
lpine peaks Of the most picturesque
ription, the highest being the Fair
|yb her alps, exceeding 10, 900 feet,
etul Elias and Logan exceeding 1870
~ and Wrangel, further to the north &.
IN said to be still higher. Down
b canyons of these coast mountains
srly ~ tremendous living glaciers flow
,oNt Oily to the ocean, filling the bays
ID inlets with great masses of floating
Beyond this coast range the noun
, l]p1 Is are lower, but almost continuous
~ II north as the Arctic, and as far
as the great plains OF Mackenzie
4 n region. Yet there are many fine
=. ntain valleys, with occasional
- ches OF rolling table land, in sum-
y y time brilliant with carpet of
~ J, MOSES and flowers.
- be coast mountains divide the eli
~ of Alaska into two distinct
dad, es. A branch OF the warm Japan
4 4 ent skirts the coast, its influence
/, = Flying the climate of the islands
adjacent mainland. The average