The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-02-18
CAPT. RAYS REPORT.
THE SITUATION IN ALASKA
is CRITICAL.
stronger Rule Is Needed-People Com
PEELED to Take the Law In Their Own
Hands-The transportation Com
panIes Should BE controlled.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10. The war de-
partment has made public the advices
received from Captain z. H. Ray. who
was sent to Alaska to report on condi-
tions in the mining country. The re-
ports embrace period running from
October 3 to November 3, and are
dated from Circle City and Fort Yu-
kon. They show very serious state
of affairs, that trouble is threatened
at various places and that there is
serious danger at some points of lack
of food, owing in large measure to
the failure of the transportation COM
panies to get in sufficient supplies.
In report dated Circle City, Octo.
Der 8, Captain Ray recommends should
the department decide to establish a
post on the upper river that the mouth
of Mission or American creek be chos-
en- as the site, with sub-post, If nee
essary, at Circle City. The best in
terests of the service. he says, require
permanent garrisons to be located
we'll away from mining towns, so that
the troops, if required to act, will not
be biased by local influence.
while l consider the situation
critical. do not believe there will be
any great loss of life beyond that in
cident to climate so rigorous as this
That there will be much suffering
along the river and the trail, owing to
the rashness and ignorance of the
people unaccustomed to this climate,
no we'll informed person mere will
deny, but there is nothing that should
cause undue anxiety or alarm among
people in the States who have friends
in this country
Great injury will result to the COM
mercial interests along the great
highway" continues the report, 'if
some radical steps are not taken to
protect all persons from interference
with their legitimate business. At
the same time there should be some
power to enforce common carriers to
transport goods for any person offer
ing. At the present time neither Of
the transportation companies will
transport pound of freight for other
traders or private parties, forcing all
people coming into the territory to be
wholly dependent upon their stores
FOR their supplies at their prices.
"A large majority of the people now
here are peaceable and law-abiding,
but in the absence of any person in
authority to appeal to for the settle
ment of the many differences that are
constantly arising, they are compelled
to act outside of the law, and when
influenced by passion, prejudice or
liquor will commit acts that leopard
ize great financial interests, and from
which there can be no appeal While
here | am constantly being appealed
to to act where l have no authority.
can only act as an arbitrator or me-
diator in the cause of peace. The APP
peal continues to come to me to know
when, if ever, the government is 60
ing to send in officials to enforce the
law"
Captain Ray incloses copy of
proclamation he issued announcing
that in the name OF the United States
he had taken possession of all stores
and property in the Alaska Com
mercial company's cache, 'Ifor the
purpose of securing from starvation
destitute citizens of the United States
in North Alaska ~