Evening star., 1898-07-16
EX-SEC'Y SHERMAN'S
RI P
Impressions Of His Recent Visit to
Alaska.
The Strait Extending for 1900 Miles
Through the State of Washington
-RemarkabIe Waterway.

| Ex-Secretary John Sherman visited the
State Department on personal business
yesterday, and while there he told a Star
reporter many interesting things in regard
! to his recent visit toiiAlaska
MY visit to Alaska he said. was very
| interesting, indeed Many inquiries have
| been made to me innregard to it, and l
| have no objection to stating to you the
| impression made upon me by that far
| distant territory of the United States To
| reach 1t we had to cross the continent by
| way of Chicago and St. Paul to Tacoma, in
| the state of Washington. distance of 5000
| miles, over an admirable system of rail-
| roads. had travelled over this route some
| years ago, but was agreeably surprised at
the great improvement of the railroads,
and still more at the rapid settlement of
the country along the whole line. Large
| cities and towns have sprung into exist
ence or have rapidly grown, such as Min
neapolis ST. Paul. Moorehead, Fargo, Bis
marck, Livingston, Helena, Missouii, Spo-
| kane and PaSco. We stopped over for
| day more at each of these places. We
| made rather hurried visit to the Vel
| lowstone National Park. which contains
| within i. more weird and wonderful freaks
| Of nature than can be found in any other
! part of the earth's surface. 1t was not
| so attractive to me, as l had entered and
| explored the park many years ago, when
| there was wheel track within its linn
| its. Then we entered en- horseback with
a military guard of United States troops,
| and spent two weeks in exploring its Won
| ders. Now good roads have been made and
| five hotels erected 1t seems to me less in
| teresting than when, with a. party of four
and a guard of ten United States soldiers,
we explored the wilderness. threatened by
| Indians, with only foottracks to guide
us and guns and pistols to defend us from
| wild beasts and Savages.
| From Livingstone the railroad follows
the valley far to the northwest to cross
I hn fnfv Nd no south
west to the inland waters of the Pacific
| ocean at Tacoma.
Remarkable Waterway.
| This body of internal salt water stretch
| ing rom Tacoma. in the state of Washing
| ton, to near the north boundary of south
! east Alaska, distance of 1.2OO miles. is
| the most remarkable waterway on the map
| Of the world. 1t is separated from the Pa
cific ocean by innumerable islands. except
| in a few places open to the sea, and even
| these are so obStructed by small islands
| that the whole body of interior waters may
| be considered a navigable river rising
! with the tide, but always as smooth and
tranquil as the most quiet sea- Vessels of
! the largest class can pass from one end to
| the other without fear of waves, storms or
| hurricanes The great ocean which sup
| plies it. with water may storm and rage,
| but the water of the strait is protected by
| its surrounding islands and mountains from
| winds und waves. 1t is impossible to esti-
| mate the commercial value of such body
| of water to the coming thousands who will
| settle on its shores.
This Pacific strait has the appearance of
| width of, five miles. and in several
| less than 1000 feet. The waters are
| imprisoned at a great depth and nearly
! all the way are surrounded by high noun
,ains, ms, some Of them rising to the height Of
! 10000 feet. To one sailing in these tran
| quill waters the view is enchanting; noun
| tains rising on both sides, divided by deep
| Valleys. These mountains are not continu-
| Gus ranges, like the Rocky and Allegheny
| mountains. The lower mountains are COW
cred with timber and rock, and the higher
| mountains with snow all the year round.
| AS yet these; mountains have not yet felt
| to any great extent the presence of man.
| We do not know of the untold riches that
| are buried In them. Already one noted
| mining plant known as the Treadwell Mills
and said to be the largest one Of it's kind in
| the world, is pounding away upon rocks
| yielding 81 of gold to ton OF ore, and the
company is quite content nt. with the profit.
| branches Of considerable length reaching
| far into the country. the aggregate length
| OF which is greater than ths length OF the
| protected from storms that will compare
| in valIe to these northwestern straits. 1t
Is fortunate that they are In the possession
or the two Engiish-speaking nations who
| ought to settle any controversy about their
| respective boundaries, and each to grant to
4 the other free navigation over all the wa
| ters of which either has Jurisdiction.
/ I'VE traversed in the steamer Cottage
I; City the waters from Tacoma to Dyea and
| Sitka, stopping at every place Of import
ance and varied our course to see the Mair
| glacier and other glaciers on the route.
| During the twelve days sailing in these
| inland waters / was not disturbed by the
| waves of the sea. For nearly all the dis
tance our vessel was protected by islands.
AT two points only did the strait open to
| the ocean, and while passing these some of
| the passengers felt the motion Of the sea,
| but this lasted for two or three N,urs only
/ in one case and an hour in the otser.
There was a slight fire IN the house OF
| Annie Bouthon. No. 46S School street
southwest, yesterday afternoon, caused by
a defacftva f,,a n resulted In about $25