The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-05


The former secretary of state, John
Sherman, accompanied by Mrs. Sher-
man, reached st. Paul yesterday after
noon by the Northern Pacific on their
return from Alaska. Mr.. and Mrs.
Sherman passed through this city
about month ago on their Journey
westward to the coast and remained
here three days. They left the city
for Chicago by the Burlington road at
sos O'Clock last evening, and expect
to reach Mansfield, O., their home,
this evening. Both were looking re-
markably well, and expressed them
selves as much improved as the result
Of their early summer outing. To a
G o b e reporter Mr.. Sherman said:
Leaving St. Paul we journeyed
slowly to the Yellowstone park, where
we spent four or five days, making the
usual circuit. I was there several
years ago when there was not a single
track or wheel In the entire park 1t
was at a time when we had to have
a military guard, for the Indians were
troublesome in those days, and Gen.
Miles was in command He detailed a
guard, and we went through on horse
back and everything was explained to
us thoroughly. We spent three weeks
there. There were no inhabitants at
all in the park at that time.
After leaving the Yellowstone on
our present trip we journeyed on west
ward slowly, riding only in the day
time and stopping at night, so We
were not fatigued at ALL When we
reached Tacoma and Seattle we re-
NAMED there several days, and mean
while 1 gave some time to study Of
the country"
How did you. find general conditions
there?" was asked.
Very good, indeed" Mr.. Sherman
replied 1.-The people appear to be
1ourishing." Continuing, he said:
Leaving Tacoma we began that
journey Of 1000 miles through the fin
est body of salt water in the world up
quarter of Alaska. 1t is, as I said, a
body of salt water, interspersed with
innumerab BILE islands Of every shape
and form that you can imagine-some
Of them with an area of not
more than twenty feet, while others
are high hills and mountains, and
these are on both sides Of you, and
some Of them, in the middle of June,
covered with snow"
What were your impressions Of
Alaskan" was asked.
IF that country is good for any
thing" said Mr.. Sherman, "it must he
for mining purposes. They may be able
in some places to raise 81 little garden
stuff there, but practically there is no
place that 1 saw in which a farmer
could thrive. Everything is uncertain
there. but if the country should yield
minerals, as they think it will, in my
mensely valuable country, but for
minerals only. 1t is easy of access, and
this magnificent stream, of water will
enable any one to go there, first by
railway and then by steamer through
out the entire length But there is one
industry there out Of which a great
deal of money is being made, or likely
to be made, and that Is the reducing
Of their ores. The manager of the
81 of gold from a ton of that ore they
were doing we'll. and making money.
But their arrangements are perfect
They have SOC stamps going now and
are doubling the capacity. They expect
soon to have 500 additional stamps in
operation. They find copper and iron
enough there, too; and, Strange to say,
there is plenty of coal there, also. We
stopped at Juneau, at Skaguay and at
Sitka. The steam boat company has a
contract with the government for car
rying the mails. They must carry the
HAIL once in fourteen days, and this
gives them plenty of leisure time, and
they stop long enough at each place to
enable tourists to take thorough view
OF the country.
II think it is country that will de-
velop. In connection with the states
adjace Mt, and esrecia ly Of Washing on,
it may be Of immense value. Washing
ton has a great deal of table land, as
well as a great deal of mountainous
land. It is good cattle country-not
so good, however, as you have here,
because there are so many mountains
there. But there are wide stre.ch Of
meadows and plenty Of water, and 1t
is, I think, healthy region for a
strong man.
Did you hear much talk about the
Klondike," was the asked.
1.-THE people seemed to be DISCOURAGED
about the Klondike," said Mr.. Sher-
man. II saw good many who came
back disappointed. There were more
coming back than going up, and some
Of those returning had tramped back
The tendency of belief here is that the
ores are all there, but they are
in very slight quantities to the ton,
except iron and coal; there is plenty Of
those"
Did you find that the war senti-
ment had developed strongly up there
in the line Of your travels
"Oh, yes. They all seem to be pat
riotic people up there, and are hoping
for the best. Wherever we went they
asked us the latest news about the
war; but of course we could tell them
nothing except what we gathered from
the newspapers. They would want to
know Sampson was getting along, or
Dewey or somebody else"
Mr.. Sherman's attention was called
to the victory of Sampson in Santiago
bay, the news of which he had learned
on the train. Asked regarding his gen
eral impressions of the war as 1t has
developed since his absence, Mr.. Sher-
man said:
my impression Is the Spaniards are
O brave, determined fight in
order to show their courage, the
existence Of which no one doubted, but
that they have expected defeat That
could not be otherwise. Our country
has grown to be an enormous power,
and with only small portion of that
power we could overthrow Spain and
Cuba. The great mistake has been, 1t
seems to me, that we have taken too
small force to accomplish results"
DO you apprehend any complica-
lions with Germany in connection with
our occupation Of the Philippines"
mo, I do not look for any compli-
cations in that direction. The emperor
is grasping fellow, and a sagacious
man, too. He is probably trying to
make little Noise but I do not look
for any trouble in that, connection.
have felt very anxious about the war.
however, ever since I first read the
accounts of the insufficient force going
there. It is a pity to think of 80 MANY
brave fellows sacrificing their lives. II
is pretty sad to think that these men