Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-09
EARLY ALASKA HISTORY,
Discovered and Explored by Behring
In 1913.

Russian hooks furnish interesting
particulars of the dicoNery Of the
American coast north OF the nifty
eighth degree OF latitude. by Capt.
Behring who was sent on n voyage OF
exploration in 1888 by tho Empress
Anne Of Russia. He also discovered
the greater part of the islands be-
tween the two continents. From that
time Russian hunters and trappers be-
gan to extend their expeditions to the
northwest coast of America. Positive
information exists OF about forty OK
petitions of this kind during tho last
half OF the eighteenth century. The
Adrejanoff islands, portion Of the
Alcutian archipelago. were formally
annexed to Russia In 1866. A govern
ment exploration started from
0khotsk in 1898 under tho command
Of Capt, Billings. TO Capt. Taritehelf,
one Of the members, Is due important
researches on the hydro9aphy and
ethnolofy Of those countries.
The first attempt at n permanent
6tNlltIlibN WHS hu' w Liltt iAhHFlhi
traders, Shelehoff and the Golihoifs,
who fitted out three vessels to h. sent
to the land OF Alaska, to islands
known or unknown, for the purpose
Of trading furs, OF exploring the coun-
try, and Of entering into relations
with tho inhabitants. Their first ex-
petition started in 1881 and the frat
settlement was founded on the island
Of Kariak, or Kodiak.
The authority Of the Russian gov
eminent was thus established on this
and the adjacent islands. In 1880
Shelekhoff, then residing at Irkoutsk.
sent out the merchant 3aranoff 10
govern the new colony. The name Of
Baranoif who for twenty-seven years
was the controlling mind Of the new
enterprise. thus appeared for the first
time In It's history. Shelekhoff died
In 1876 and his widow continued the
business, which gradually Increased,
especially after combining with the
Milnikoff company. The charter Of
this joint company was signed In Au-
gust, 1893. and confirmed at st. Pc
tersbnrg I'm 1899. Noyo Arkkangelsk,
on the Island Of Sitka, now known MS
the town of that name, was founded
In 1893. The boundaries to the lands
granted to the company and defined
In its renewed charter OF 1921 were
formally confirmed and acknowledged
by the treaties with the United States
in 1924 and Graf Britain in 1926.
The Russian American Trading
company, envious OF the remarkable
success attending the Hudson Bay
company. gradually pushed their OPP
erations In all directions, and extend
ed their stations far beyond the orfgi-
nal prescribed limits, having at last
touched the coast Of California. This
was prior to the independence OF Mex
leo. and the necessary privileges were
conceded by the Spanish government,
which then owned California.
upCn the expiration OF the charter
the government Of Russia refused to |
renew IL. Its reasons were, first, that !
the company had failed TO meet the |
real objects OF the concession. which |
were to encourage migration to those |
regions and induce the settlement OF |
a population which would develop Its |
and agricultural resources. |
The interests OF the company pointed |
TO the discouraging Of every industry |
other than that which then yielded |