Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1897-08-29
TO uAKE ALASKA DRY.

Collector lvey, who has gone to
Alaska to assume charge Of the us
tom, district OF that territory, it is
Understood, has specific instructions
from the Treasury Department to en-
force to the letter the executive order
restricting the importation and sale
Of liquors in Alaska.
Under the laws governing the Ter
ritory OF Alaska. no liquors, malt or
vinous, can be imported. m~anufactur-
ed OF sold there. save by Especial per-
NIT, allowing their use for medicinal,
mechanical or scientific purposes.
Despite this regulation. there are noS
in Alaska five brewerieS in operation,
and ll2 other places where liquors
are sold. Alaska is il the internal
revenue district Of Oregon, and dur
ing the year 1896 there were Ia spec
ial taxes collected from persons Il
gagged in selling liquor. There are
numerous saloons In Juneau. Sitsa
and other Alaskan towns where LIZ.
uor is obtained for the asking, and no
attempt IS made to conceal the fact
that this business Is being carried on.
The special tax which every 4 IN
the liquor business it forced to pay is
not issued as a l~icerse. or TO afford
In protection to the holder, IS il IS
expressly stated thereon that the
same shall not lie IN conflict with any
municipal. county or State laws con-
corning TIE regulation Of the liquor
traffic.
The sale OF liquor in ALASKA Is only
allowed under the Executive order
for medicinal. mechanical or scientit-
&c purposes. BY persons who obtain a
permit to DO 50 from the Governor OF
the Territory. Before the permit Is
issued the applicant has to make an
affidavit and furnish a bond III not
less than $500 that be will not sell in
toxicaiing liquors TO any person not
known to him, or duly identified. nor
To a person in the habit Of becoming
intoxicated, nor on his premises, mud
that he will make full returns Of the
disposition OF liquor he is permitted
to have. Every person under the
regulations who secures a permit
from the Governor TO sell liquors for
medicinal. mechanical or scientific
purposes is required to secure from
the Collector Of the Oregon district
Especial tax receipt as a liquor deal
e-. Two Of the breweries pay a spec
ial tax Oh the manufacture of 800
barrels Of beer OF over. and the re-
naming three on less than 500. The
other special taxes are issued to drug
gists and retail liquor dealers.
Just how five breweries and li2
other places can find it { paying bus
iness to sell liquors Tor me l%icinal. me-
chanical or scientific purposes is the
question Collector Ivey has TO wrestle
with. 1t Is understood that he has
explicit instructions to enforce the
regulations against liquor in his dis
trict. and, il he does, the law. hitherto
more honored in its observance, is
likely to become odiOus. and be fol-
lowed by a strong effort to securs the
removal OF the present restrictions.
The klondyke excitement and the
mad rush to that distant country have
given an impetus to the smuggling
OF liquor through Alaska, and thou
sands OF gallons bought at Fort Simp-
son. it Is reported, have been
fully overlooked by the United
States customs officials. whose DUTY
it is to prevent Illicit business
Morn ing Oregonian.