Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-08-11
FACTS CONCERNING ALASKA
Equal in Size to All That Part of the
United States North of Tennessee
and East of the Mississippi
River.
GOLD DISCOVERIES ON The YUKON
Something About This UNEMPLOYED
Empire That is Just Now Attract
ing the Attention of the Whole
World.

Recent events have given an almost
unparalleled interest to everything which
pertains to Alaska. IT is probable that
no ons man could give, or that no book
published contains, nearly SO much in
formation about it as the recent report
of the United States census upon this
part of the national domain. It's large
quarto volume comprises practically all
the data that is yet available.
From this we may get the following
idea of the territory's size and extent.
Let it be supposed that all the states of
the Union north of Tennessee and east
of Mississippi were pushed up toward the
north pole until New England and New
York were within the Arctic circle; let it
be imagined that they were destitute of q
single railroad, wagon road or even
vehicle; let it further be supposed that
their present population of some 32,00O,-
900 were replaced by as many thousands,
the population of The county or city ward
covering this empires extent, and that is
Alaska.
1t extends 1900 miles from east to
west, as far as from New York to Cali
fornia, and the eastern limit of its terri
tory is west of the last named states. 1t
is as far from the northern to the south;
ern limit of this colossus as from Maine
to Florida, or more than 1,400 miles. 1t
has $4,000 miles of coast line, enough to
belt the globe, or two and half times
more than all the rest of the United
States.
If Alaska be reckoned as an integral
part of the Union, the national center of
area is not found in Kansas, as often
stated, but far out in the Pacific ocean.
Vitus Boring, after whom are named
the we'll known strait and sea, command
ed an expedition which discovered the
country in l742. The first permanent
settlements were made by the Russians
on Kadiak island in 1884, and vigorous
missions amongst the natives were car.
ried on by clergy of the Greek church.
One-third of them still belong to this Or
ganizatlon. In recent times missions
have also been established by the Roman
Catholic church and the principal Protes-
tant bodies.
The United States purchased Alaska of
Russia in 1867 for $5200,000. Widely
ridiculed at the time, this acquisition has
since proved to be a profitable invest
| ment, even without taking into consider
alton the recent wonderful gold discov-
cries. In the 20 years of American occu-
patton ending with 1890 the exports
amounted to over $75,00O,OOO, and $500
tons of shipping engaged in Alaska trade
in the census year.
For purposes of enumeration the cen
sus authorities divided the country into
seven parts, of which the sixth, or Yukon
district, embraced all the territory
drained by the great river, and is most in
teresting to the public at the present
time.
"The Yukon is formed by the contlu.
enoe of the Pelly and Lewis rivers in
British territory. It is here nearly mile
wide, and has swift current of six OF
seven miles an hour. Forty Mile creek
enters the river about 48 miles beyond
the Alaska boundary. From there the
river sweeps toward the northwest and
barely enters the Arctic circle at old Fort
Yukon, where it is met by the PorcupiRe
river from the northeast. From this
point the Yukon flows in southwesterly
direction until it empties into Norton
sound, having run course of 1000 miles,
for 1000 miles of which, or from Fort
Selkirk to its mouth, it is navigable for
stern-wheel steamers of $50 tons. But deep
seagoing vessels cannot enter its mouth,
since deep sea channel has never yet
been discovered although the frequent
presence of white whales far up the river
renders it certain that such passage
exists. The Western Union Telegraph
com panv used the first steam craft ever
on the river in 1866, while exploring for
the proposed telegraphic route to the old
world via Boring strait. The Yukon il
open to navigation during June, July
August and-t first half of September
but severe winter occasionally keeps
the mouth closed by ice until July l.
The first gold was discovered in Alaska
more than quarter of century ago. Ir
1873 three men prospecting near Sitke
found a quartz.bearing gold vein. A few
years after company was formed tc
develop this property and in 1879 stamp
mill was erected.
Yakutat is a locality about 240 miles
northeast of Sltka. Here gold bearing
sands we're discovered in 1887 on the SEE
shore, and mining has been carried on &c
the present time. Until recently by fal
the most important gold mines were those
surrounding Juneau.
The first gold was discovered up the
Yukon near the present scene of excite
ment in 1886. Much prospecting has been
done there, and while it was we'll known
that small quantities of the precious meta
were to be met with in almost all the
streams, much Importance was not at.
tached to these discoveries. Prospecting
has also been carried on in the far north.
west and in the Aleutian islands, and
everywhere at least traces of gold have
been found.
Considering the great extent of Alaska
the small part of it that has been as YET
thoroughly explored, and the numerous
discoveries of gold that have been already
made, its promises in this line are won
derful, and it would not be at all sur.
prising if within few years it proved te
be by far the richest treasury Of precious
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